Karolina Life as a Vampire Chaper 18

Karolina Life as a Vampire Chaper 18

EIGHTTEEN

It was Thursday night before I gathered enough courage to talk to Erik again. The door to his room was closed, but not shut, open enough for a sliver of light to prove the door was not latched. I gave a small knock. There was no answer. His life signature I could sense on my skin, I knew he was in there. I gave the door a slight push to open it just enough to peek through. He was lying on his bed with a catalog spread eagle in his lap, his ebony locks curtained his face. There was another catalog on his bedside table with large red print across the top read PONTIAC.
I sense another car binge.
I cleared my throat. No response. I walked completely into the room and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. He jerked blinkingly he looked up at me. He pushed the hair out of his face.

“What is it?” He asked. I took a quick glance down at his lap.
“Corvette?” I pointed.
“I-ah can’t decide, between this one and,” He gestured over to the table. I picked up the other catalog and handed it to him. He flipped to a certain page and smiled at the vehicle on the page before continuing, “A Pontiac Fire Bird. What do you think?”
“I’m not the vampire you should ask.” I don’t know the difference. They both have engines and take you from point A to point B.
“Pick one.” He put them both down in front of him on his duvet.
“That one.” I pointed to the Corvette.
“I kind of like the Fire Bird.” Erik scratched his head.
“Why did you ask then?”
“I just thought I’d get someone else’s opinion.” He picked up the Fire Bird. “Then again the Corvette is more my style.”
“Oh good grief! It’s just a car!” Erik made a mocking gasp at my comment.
“It’s not just a car.”
“A fashion accessory?” I joked.
“For some, but I’m not that vain.” Erik scrunched up his face as he continued to ponder over the Firebird.
“Don’t make me laugh Erik. You spend more time in the mirror than I do.” Erik turned to give me a look.
“And what did I do to deserve this punishment?” He raised a brow.
“Nothing.” I tossed the catalog away from him. “Are you going to continue to train me or not?” He blinked a few times.
“Instead of beating around the bush, next time, come out with it.” Erik flipped the catalogs closed.
“Excuse me, you asked me about which car in the first place-I give up-teach me something before I go insane.”
“You know you could go to Vance or Evol, they could teach you as well.” Erik stated. I threw my body down on the floor with frustration. “What do you want to learn?”
“I don’t care.” I mumbled. “Anything.” I scratched at the hard wood while Erik thought up a lesson.
“How about I take care of some business first.” He rose from his bed and waited for me at the door. He held the door open for me and proceeded to close it completely after we both exited the room.

Erik slide the barn’s great door open, the screeching sound caused my teeth to hurt. He clapped his hands removing the dirt and wood fragments from his hand. I estimated that this barn was on its last legs but held up well. If the barn came down on Erik’s cars I think he would tear his hair out. Vance had decided to tag along. I felt something strange pass between them. I looked at them both before entering.
Inside his prize possessions sat glistening without a care awaiting there master to cover them with affection. I only knew a few when I had first laid eyes upon them now I was better acquainted with them. We were in the barn together, he was listening to the radio while changing the oil in his BMW when a song I knew came on. It was Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.” I hate country but somehow this song weaseled its way into my brain. Let me tell you there’s nothing in this world more strange than a rock and roll vampire singing country music in a barn with expensive cars. Erik had a good laugh at my expense.
He had them parked in two rows. On the right side of the barn starting in the back was his treasured silver Ferrari 360, my Italian blood called to it, next was his Lotus Elise followed by one of his Mustang GT’s, both in a blood red metallic finish. His BMW was parked next and his Jaguar finished off that section. On the left sat his Lamborghini Gallardo which faced his Ferrari. Italian’s forever locked in a staring contest. Next the Porsche Boxster, the other Mustang GT, his Saturn Sky Roadster and to complete the row his Gran Turismo Laterale. All in a metallic black with the exception of the last car in deep crimson. He had room for at least four more cars in his barn. I knew that there was another vacated barn on the premises but only time could tell if he would take advantage of that.
There was a small work area on the left side where he kept various car parts and tools to fix them when needed. The tack box was sitting beside it, Erik lifted the wooden door open and rummaged around for the small pine box. When said box was found he returned to me as he removed the lid.

“Reach in and pick one.” He said giving the box a good jingle.
“Where are we going?” I asked reaching in without a care, I picked up the first key my fingers touched.
“Which one did you pick?” He asked closing the box. I pointed the key towards the cars and pushed the button. Lights flickered from the back corner. I jerked my head to see the car in question, pressing the button again the lights to the Ferrari flickered again.
“I thought I took that one out.” He went to reach for the key. Vance smacked it away. “What was that for?” He asked.
“You said any car.” Vance wagged his finger.
“Any car but that one.” Erik grumbled reaching for the key again only to have it swatted away again.
“I’m confused.” I pointed to myself.
“Erik had brought up the idea of buying you a car, however, I put forth the idea to give you one of his cars. There you have it.”
“So the Ferrari is mine?!” I asked, my insides were jumping up and down with such excitement.
“I-I…um…I-ah” Erik stammered.
“Yes, you picked it.” Vance answered for him. I squealed with joy, the noise that erupted from me frightened Vance. I raced over to the car and happy-danced around it.
“I thought cars weren’t your forte?” Erik crossed his arms, irritated at himself for not removing its key.
“It’s purdy!” I opened the door, the leather smell hit my nose.
“It’s what?” Erik made a face.
“Pretty, I just said it differently.” I got in, the leather crunching and hissing as I settled in the seat. The dashboard glowed as I turned the accessories on. The engine growled to life and I literally growled with it. Erik came running to the side of the car before I closed the door.
“Lina you can’t drive it, you’ll look suspicious!” Erik warned.
“I’m not going far, just enough to get my fill of it.” I closed the door and carefully maneuvered the vehicle out from its resting place and through the barn’s wide opening. I rolled down the window as I passed the house and hooted at the top of my lungs. I took the dirt road cautiously, I stopped at the intersection to turn on the radio putting it up to max volume, shifting it into the right gear and took off down the road. I could feel the vibration of the radio and the car on the road, it was enough to make my skin tingle. I thought back to that car commercial I saw. When you turn the car on…does it return the favor?
“HELL YEAH!” I screamed as I zoomed down the street.

During the time I had taken a quick trip Erik had time to thing up a solution. He would stand by his word and allow me to keep the Ferrari but to drive to places he gave me the other Mustang in the barn.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” I asked
“Seems that Alex has made it clear that he has no use for the one I gave him so I won’t miss it too much.”
“He has no use for it anymore? Why?” Does that mean he’s not coming back?
“Seth let him have his old car, it’s a P.O.S. compared to the Mustang but if he wants to drive it…” Erik shrugged.
“He’s not coming back?” Erik shook his head.
“He called and asked if Vance and Colken could bring some of his things over to Seth’s. They’ll do it later this week, he didn’t sound urgent or anything.”
“Why would he not want to come back?” I asked out loud without realizing it.
“You’d have to call and ask him since I don’t have an answer for that.”

I pulled out my cell phone before flinging my body onto my mattress. My body bounced twice before settling, my fingers began to create a letter in the form of a text message. I chickened out and opted to text Alex rather than talk to him over the phone. Probably a bad idea, but I was going to chance it anyway.

Hey there

Hey

When are you coming back?

IDK

Will you come home if I said that I was sorry?

I waited for a response, when one did not immediately come I slammed the phone shut. I held the phone for a few seconds staring at it before tossing it to the end of the bed. How hard was it to send a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ reply? Maybe he didn’t know what to say or perhaps Seth had called him away to do something. I had to give him the benefit of the doubt.
What exactly was I suppose to apologize for? For ending our relationship? I wasn’t sorry for that, why would I be? I felt like I was being pulled back and forth between Erik and Alex, looking back on it now I felt that I was being pulled more forcefully from Alex’s direction. My phone vibrated on the duvet, I quickly snatched it up and flipped it open to read the message.

Sry 4 wat?

I doubt that it took that long to write a three word response and it wasn’t even spelled correctly. That told me that he didn’t care enough to take the time out to press each button. This ticked me off. Here I was trying to make amends and put the pieces back together so he could come back home. However I would not resort to middle school apologies and bribery. I calmed myself and wrote my reply.

Sorry that we had to end up this way.

After sending it I immediately sent another.

It doesn’t feel right without you here.

A response came back quickly responding to the first message, ignoring the last one.

That all?

Short, non-emotional response. Now I was getting angry. I was tempted to call him and let him have a piece of my mind when the phone made a strange chime noise. I scrunched up my face as a message came up stating that the previous message could not be sent due to no service. I look in the corner of the screen that showed how much service I have, and I have one bar. If I shifted to the left a bit I lost service. What a P.O.S! So I leaned to the right and resent the last message again.

The phone didn’t vibrate.

To pass the time until Alex respond I rocked back and forth, gently. My bed creaked every time my weight shifted to the back. Since I’m easily amused. I repeated this motion several times to receive the creaking sound while I smiled. I can be immature at times. I held my silent phone as I continued to rock waiting for a whisper of a response.

Maybe Alex was typing a response and erased it half way through because it didn’t sound right. I’ve been known to do that when I was on AIM talking to friends or replying to e-mails. Perhaps he was talking over the situation with Seth, this idea didn’t sit well with me. As uncomfortable as I was about that idea I let it be because girls do it all the time. I’m guilty of it. I remember the night I had Aggie over and she had broken up with her boyfriend. She was talking to him on the phone and telling me everything, and I gave her advice before she answered each question. I started to figure that he wasn’t going to send a reply back after what seemed like forever.
I flung myself off the bed to drop the phone on my desk’s surface, it skidded to a halt next to my computer. I felt empty. Alex and I shared a beautiful friendship before our changing and a relationship, even though it was short. He was, is, my past. The only one from my human life that remembers who I am and is still with me. If I lost him I’d lose a part of me.
I needed to be comforted, loved. I needed Evol and her motherly embrace. I was half way down the stairs when I heard the vibration of phone against my desk. I flew up the rest of the stairs like as if my rear was on fire. I vaulted over my bed to retrieve the phone. Grasping the cancerous device in my hand I hesitated opening the phone up. I was afraid to see what was typed there. He could misinterpret my meaning and think that I meant “I want to try this again.” or worse…“I love you.” I sunk to the floor clutching my curse or cure. I was afraid to view the pixilated response on the screen. I feared an answer that would tear us further apart. Most of all I didn’t want to read a question that I couldn’t respond to. I took a deep breath and flipped open the phone.