Chapter Nine

Little Mix as The Mean Girls

Pierce The Veil as Jocks

Oliver Sykes as The Best Friend

ROSE

The drive into town was quite interesting, to say the least. Despite his vampire age, Vinny was still a little kid at heart and got excited by every little thing we passed. Ryan kept calling his mate cute and glared at Josh who took the piss out of him from the passenger seat. If you'd told me a week ago that I'd be in a car with three vampires I would have called you crazy. If I didn't know the three of them were bloodsucking creatures of the night, you'd think they were overexcited guys who were new to town and looking to explore.

"So do you have a crush on this Oli boy?"

Ryan pokes his head through the divide grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I smile and shake my head.

"I've known Oli since we were babies Ryan. We're friends; it would be strange dating someone I see more like a brother than a lover."

"Maybe we could set her up with Ricky. They'd be cute together."

Vinny pipes up before pushing his mate back and taking his place in between the divide. I glance at Josh while trying to find a good parking spot in town.

"Who's Ricky? I'm guessing he's a vampire."

Josh nods, "I haven't seen Ricky in sixty years, and he likes to keep to himself very much the same as Chris in that sense. But Ricky is slightly darker in every aspect; he's obsessed with death and all things creepy. So he'd likely be drawn to your death sense, Rose. Though once you crack the tough exterior, he's all mushy and soft on the inside."

I wondered why Ricky hadn't joined the supernatural party happening at Chris's yet. He sounded interesting. That reminded me that I was in a car with vampires because Josh said sixty years like it was a casual thing which I guess it was when you never aged a day past the age you were turned.

"This town seems very quaint, let's have some fun, Ryan."

Vinny giggles and gets out of the car as soon as I stop it. Ryan laughs and followers after the younger vampire, if I didn't know Vinny used his power of cuteness for evil I'd have thought nothing wrong in letting him loose around town. But now I wasn't so sure.

"Don't worry Rose I'll keep the two of them on a short leash, they won't bring any attention to any of us."

Josh pats my shoulder before getting out of the car and vamp speeding after the other two vampires. I sigh and pick up my bag before getting out of the car at a slow human pace. The coffee shop actually wasn't that far from the car park so I didn't have far to walk which was nice when you wanted to avoid people staring at you.

Entering my favourite place in town I let the smell of freshly ground coffee beans waft around me, this shop was heaven. Oli was sat on our usual table towards the back of the shop scrolling through his phone. I order my usual and wait for it to be made before walking towards my old friend who I hadn't seen in person since my sisters passing.

"I swear you're always glued to your phone, Sykes."

Oli puts the phone down on the table and smirks, before getting up and pulling me into a hug nearly spilling my coffee.

"There was a time when you were also glued to your phone, Rose. I literally had to throw it out of a window to make you pay attention to me."

Rolling my eyes I push him back slightly before taking the seat opposite him.

"I'll always pay attention to you, Oliver. So tell me how's the hell hole we call school?"

Oli sighs, "School is still shit. It's still run by the same mean girls and their jock boyfriends. Oh look, speak of the devils and they shall appear."

I follow where Oli points and feel my good mood instantly sour at the sight at the last eight people I wanted to come face to face with after my sisters passing. Perrie, Jesy, Jade and Leigh-Anne were on the cheerleading team with my sister and were just as fake and bitchy as her, they loved nothing more than making my life inside and outside of school hell. Then there were their jock boyfriends Vic, Mike, Jaime and Tony who ruled the school through fear and manipulation.

"Just what our day needs, some stuck up bitches and their arm candy breathing the same air as us."

Oli chuckles and nearly chokes on his drink at my remark. He knew all too well that I despised them as much as they despised me. I had the chance of becoming popular when I started high school; I even tried out for cheerleading and was offered a spot. But I soon realised that I didn't want to be a two-faced cow and quit, that's when I came across Oli in my art and drama class and we bonded.

"Oh look who we have here guys, two freaks who think they're allowed to sit at our table."

Perrie's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I put down my coffee and turn in my chair to face her.

"Err Perrie this isn't high school, this is a public place where we're allowed to sit wherever the hell we want. The shops pretty empty, plus there's eight of you and this table only sits two. I know you had to copy me in maths, but that's pathetic even for you."

I had no clue where this sudden burst of confidence came from; I never stuck up for myself. Perrie looked like she wanted to punch me in the face, but Jade clears her throat.

"Like you'd even know what's going on at school Rose, everyone thought you killed your sister and you not showing up for school only confirm the rumours. You're a dirty murderer who should be dead instead of your sister. I mean no one just 'falls down the stairs and breaks their neck' no one believes the cover-up."

Jade knew all the right things to say to hit me hard and knock down my confidence wall. Maybe I was a murderer, now I knew more about myself and my death sense ability it made sense for me to question myself. Everyone was sugar coating my sister's death, saying things to cover up the truth. They thought it was to make me feel better, but it only made me feel worse.

"Shut the hell up Jade that's out of line. It was a tragic accident, Rose didn't kill anyone. She loved her sister, it was real love instead of the fake love you spew out and then when people's backs are turned you stab them in the back. True friends stab you in the front."

Oli stands up clenching his fists, he had some anger issues and was easily triggered. Jaime, Jade's boyfriend stands in front of her protectively before shoving Oli back down in his seat.

"Don't you dare talk to my girl that way Sykes, you should know your place. There's a hierarchy and you're scum, both of you are beneath us. Know your place or face the consequences."

The eight of them walk away laughing and sniggering amongst themselves. I open my mind and let my death sense free hoping to lock onto the eight to see how they were going to meet their end. But I was met by a blank wall, the same blank wall I hit when I tried to lock onto a vampire. Ville said I couldn't read people without heartbeats and souls, and I was pretty sure the eight of them were human. As much as I hated on the death sense, I was intrigued and a little nervous as to why I couldn't see their death. Maybe Ville and Lauri would have the answers for me.

"Thanks for sticking up for me Oli, they need to be put in their place."

I reach across the table and hold Oli's hand, and the strangest thing happens. I come face to face with another blank wall, I couldn't sense Oli's death either. Oli jolts backwards before pulling his hand away from mine and gets up quite rushed, nearly knocking the table in the process.

"They're going to get what's coming to them Rose, I have a plan."

Before I can question Oli's change in mood he storms out of the coffee shop leaving me on my own. This meet up had not gone as I expected it to. I wanted to get out of the vampire house and hang out with a friend to forget my crappy life and supernatural powers. But now I was left with even more questions about both.

Ordering some drinks for the three vampires I walk out of the coffee shop trying to keep my head high, even the barista gave me a sad sympathetic look. Josh had messaged me while I was in the queue and told me the three of them were in the park, why they were there of all places I didn't know. Vampires could be just as strange as humans sometimes.

Josh was sat on one of the benches while Ryan and Vinny were watching the ducks. I sit down next to the tattooed vampire and like he can sense something's up, he turns to face me, takes the coffee cups and puts them down next to him, and then he pulls me into a hug.

"Is everything okay? That was a very short coffee date. You look tense. Did something happen?"

Josh's concern was very touching; he was quickly becoming my vampire best friend. I squeeze him back thinking whether or not to tell him the whole truth.

"Some people showed up from high school and said some cruel things about me and my sister's death. Oli got angry and protective and stormed out. He's always been hot headed so I know he'll message me later when he cools down."

I decide to leave out the part about not being able to death sense Oli and the jerks from high school. The second I stepped out of the coffee shop I tried to use my death sense on random people and it worked, so I knew I wasn't faulty but something else was going on.

"Ah, you got us coffee Rose, thanks. But first, we need blood."

Ryan eyes the coffees before flashing me his fangs. I roll my eyes and point my fingers towards the skate park where a few stoners were hanging out.

"They really shouldn't smoke drugs and skateboard, anything could happen to them."

The three vampires speed towards the skate park, I could open my own vampire blood business where I told vampires who they could and could not drink from in order to keep their existence hidden from the world. It would need some work, but it could be pulled off.

Across from the pond was a kid's play area. My heart sinks upon seeing two young girls, obviously, sisters playing together, laughing, and all around getting along like they are each other's world. I use to have that sort of relationship with my sister, but then high school happened.

FLASHBACK

I edge towards the top of the stairs and look down at my sister's broken body, her neck was snapped in the most inhuman position possible. Her death wasn't normal.

"OH MY GOD MY BABY!"

Mum screams and pushes past me taking two stairs at a time. She falls to her knees by the body and desperately tries to find a pulse when we already knew there was no coming back to life for my sister.

"WHAT DID YOU DO ROSE? YOU KILLED HER, YOU DID SOMETHING WE JUST KNOW IT!"

Mum sobs over the body and my dad does his best to comfort her. Mums words would forever echo in my mind, I was never going to be forgiven for this tragic turn of events.

END OF FLASHBACK