it’ll be funny at least,” I heard Mallory hiss.
I saw Caitlin studying her sneakers, as if she couldn’t bear to see me fail again.
And just like that, the rush of power I had felt in student council yesterday came surging back. What was I so worried about? I was a
vampire.
What was volleyball compared to hunting creatures in the dead of the night?
I could do this. I could
so
do this.
My blood was roaring in my ears. I swung my arm back, and my fist connected with the ball, sending it forward with such speed that I gasped. The ball cleared the net and zoomed over the heads of the other team. One girl dove for it, but she missed, and the ball hit the floor.
There was a stunned silence.
The whistle fell out of Coach Lattimore’s mouth.
“Yay, Emma-Rose!” Caitlin shrieked, running over to give me a hug. I hugged Caitlin back, grinning so wide my face hurt.
“Go, Emma-Rose!” a few other teammates joined in, clapping. I had never imagined I would hear that sound, and I soaked in the joy of victory.
Even better was the sight of Eve and Mallory, standing still, their faces pale. They exchanged a bewildered glance, then stared back at me.
I couldn’t resist. “Thanks for all the support, guys!” I told them. Caitlin cracked up, and even Coach Lattimore chuckled.
After class, I returned to the locker room, sweaty and smiling. When I glanced into the mirror above the sinks, I was almost disappointed to see that I didn’t have fully grown fangs yet.
So this is what it’s like to be something more than human,
I thought, standing tall. For the first time since I’d realized what I was, I could feel the ancient magic of my ancestors running through my veins.
At the end of the day, I pushed open the school doors, my arms feeling strong and my hair swishing back and forth like black silk. The cloudy sky only made me smile wider. I walked with confidence down the steps, still energized. I could easily play another volleyball game.
“Em! Wait up!”
I turned around to see Gabby jogging toward me, her curls and backpack bouncing.
I waved, happy to see her. We hadn’t had a chance to catch up during lunch, because Zora, Matt, and Janie had sat at our table to update me on the dance decorations. Matt had gotten some sixth graders to volunteer to be paparazzi, and Zora and Janie had found a cauldron at a Halloween store downtown. I’d expected Gabby to join in the conversation, but she’d seemed more interested in talking to Caitlin and Padma.
“Look what I got you,” Gabby said when she reached my side, pulling a small plastic bag out of her backpack. “I meant to give this to you earlier today.”
“A gift?” I laughed, accepting the bag from Gabby. “What’s the occasion?”
“I just thought you could use a pick-me-up.” Gabby grinned.
“Oh. I’ve actually been —” The words stuck in my throat when I shook the contents of the bag into my hand.
Gabby had gotten me a pair of plastic fangs.
“Funny, right?” Gabby giggled, her brown eyes sparkling.
I frowned at my best friend. In that moment, she seemed almost like a stranger.
Funny?
Nothing about the situation was a joke to me.
“Yeah, hilarious,” I answered wryly, shoving the fangs into my book bag. Without meeting Gabby’s gaze, I turned and walked away from the school. Red and gold leaves crunched beneath my feet.
Gabby fell into step beside me, and was quiet for a moment, as if unsure what to say next. “You’re still coming over, right?” she finally asked.
“Sure,” I replied, even though I’d sort of forgotten that it was Friday and I always went to Gabby’s place on Friday afternoons. “Did you invite Caitlin, too?” I added, then regretted my words when I saw the wounded look on Gabby’s face.
“No.” Gabby’s voice sounded a little curt. “Why would I?”
“Well, isn’t she coming over to play on Carlos’s Wii tomorrow?” I said, hearing the sharpness in my voice.
Gabby nodded sheepishly as we headed
I saw Caitlin studying her sneakers, as if she couldn’t bear to see me fail again.
And just like that, the rush of power I had felt in student council yesterday came surging back. What was I so worried about? I was a
vampire.
What was volleyball compared to hunting creatures in the dead of the night?
I could do this. I could
so
do this.
My blood was roaring in my ears. I swung my arm back, and my fist connected with the ball, sending it forward with such speed that I gasped. The ball cleared the net and zoomed over the heads of the other team. One girl dove for it, but she missed, and the ball hit the floor.
There was a stunned silence.
The whistle fell out of Coach Lattimore’s mouth.
“Yay, Emma-Rose!” Caitlin shrieked, running over to give me a hug. I hugged Caitlin back, grinning so wide my face hurt.
“Go, Emma-Rose!” a few other teammates joined in, clapping. I had never imagined I would hear that sound, and I soaked in the joy of victory.
Even better was the sight of Eve and Mallory, standing still, their faces pale. They exchanged a bewildered glance, then stared back at me.
I couldn’t resist. “Thanks for all the support, guys!” I told them. Caitlin cracked up, and even Coach Lattimore chuckled.
After class, I returned to the locker room, sweaty and smiling. When I glanced into the mirror above the sinks, I was almost disappointed to see that I didn’t have fully grown fangs yet.
So this is what it’s like to be something more than human,
I thought, standing tall. For the first time since I’d realized what I was, I could feel the ancient magic of my ancestors running through my veins.
At the end of the day, I pushed open the school doors, my arms feeling strong and my hair swishing back and forth like black silk. The cloudy sky only made me smile wider. I walked with confidence down the steps, still energized. I could easily play another volleyball game.
“Em! Wait up!”
I turned around to see Gabby jogging toward me, her curls and backpack bouncing.
I waved, happy to see her. We hadn’t had a chance to catch up during lunch, because Zora, Matt, and Janie had sat at our table to update me on the dance decorations. Matt had gotten some sixth graders to volunteer to be paparazzi, and Zora and Janie had found a cauldron at a Halloween store downtown. I’d expected Gabby to join in the conversation, but she’d seemed more interested in talking to Caitlin and Padma.
“Look what I got you,” Gabby said when she reached my side, pulling a small plastic bag out of her backpack. “I meant to give this to you earlier today.”
“A gift?” I laughed, accepting the bag from Gabby. “What’s the occasion?”
“I just thought you could use a pick-me-up.” Gabby grinned.
“Oh. I’ve actually been —” The words stuck in my throat when I shook the contents of the bag into my hand.
Gabby had gotten me a pair of plastic fangs.
“Funny, right?” Gabby giggled, her brown eyes sparkling.
I frowned at my best friend. In that moment, she seemed almost like a stranger.
Funny?
Nothing about the situation was a joke to me.
“Yeah, hilarious,” I answered wryly, shoving the fangs into my book bag. Without meeting Gabby’s gaze, I turned and walked away from the school. Red and gold leaves crunched beneath my feet.
Gabby fell into step beside me, and was quiet for a moment, as if unsure what to say next. “You’re still coming over, right?” she finally asked.
“Sure,” I replied, even though I’d sort of forgotten that it was Friday and I always went to Gabby’s place on Friday afternoons. “Did you invite Caitlin, too?” I added, then regretted my words when I saw the wounded look on Gabby’s face.
“No.” Gabby’s voice sounded a little curt. “Why would I?”
“Well, isn’t she coming over to play on Carlos’s Wii tomorrow?” I said, hearing the sharpness in my voice.
Gabby nodded sheepishly as we headed
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