EIGHT

Restlessly I teetered with my feet back and forth, waiting in front of the locker I kept an eye out for him.

After the bell had rung, some students were already cavorting around, only to be surprised by a huge horde. Everyone ran like crazy to their lockers to miss as little as possible of the life-saving break, only I stood insecurely in the crowd and looked for him.

After many hours, tantrums and coffees I realized that I could use his help quite well, especially since the work had to be handed in the day after tomorrow. I should have asked him earlier, but then there was also my pride, who did not like to be helped by other people.

But he did not come. Not even after five minutes. Or ten. Or twenty. The break was almost over when I ran back to my classroom in a low mood. I didn't have the slightest idea how I was going to finish the project without him, but there were a few other alternatives, such as going on sick leave and playing hooky.

"What are you doing in front of my locker?" someone growled behind me. I knew the voice only too well. Slowly I turned around and was now standing directly opposite him.

"I was looking for you," I stammered softly with a bright red head. Why was I so shy in his presence?

"Aha. Here I am. So?", he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's... about the work from the drama class. I know that we actually divided up our tasks and yes, I know that I actually divided up our tasks but", I took a deep breath before continuing, "because of the background on which flowers were to be drawn, I just can't get ahead. And since, from what I hear, you're good at art-"

"No," he replied coldly.

"No?" I asked astonished.

"No. I will certainly not help you with that," he continued grimly. "You have divided up the tasks, you must also bear the consequences."

"Listen, I ha-"

"No, you listen to me. I don't give a shit if you have to work your ass off just because you've been acting stupid. I don't care." Startled by his volume, I winced for a moment. He suddenly seemed so absent again, as if it were only him, the world blurred before his eyes.

"Fine, as you like. Then the people who go to see the piece will only see yellow circles and wonder who the hell made such an ugly work of art. It's not my problem."

But he didn't answer that, but I noticed that he had strayed in thought.

"Ash?", I asked him. "Ash? Are you even listening to me?"

But instead of answering me, he took a step towards me, eyes closed and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"What is this?", I asked amused at first, thinking it was a cheap prank. But when he took another step towards me, I panicked and took a few steps back.

"Stop it. It's not funny," I tried again, but he showed no reaction. Every step he took made me take a big step back.

"You are scaring me," I tried again, but the words bounced off him, he didn't even hear them. Instead, he squeezed his eyes more and more and I noticed how his skin became a little paler.

"What is wrong with your skin? You scare me." He still approached me threateningly and I felt my back pressed against the wall. End of the line.

Ash, who seemed to notice this, now walked even faster towards me, his irregular breath stroking my skin and giving me goose bumps. When I arrived he stopped and stayed in his position. Fear tightened my throat and my breath stopped.

P.o.v. Ash:

She had to disappear. And immediately. Her blood rushed through my veins and I felt the desire flare up inside me. The longer she stayed here, the less I could control it. My body rebelled against my mind and I had to pull myself together not to lose to it.

"Ash?", I heard her ask. "Ash? Are you even listening to me?"

She really should get out of here. With every beat of her heart, with every time her body carried the blood, I weakened for a moment. And sometimes that moment was enough.

I felt my mind stop and my body start to move, straight towards her. The only thing I could see was red. The red that was transported through her circulation, the red that I always tried to stop.

"What is this?", I heard her murmuring amusedly, but I could not answer her. My gaze paused at her artery, I could not tear my gaze away. The only thing I wanted now

"What is this?", I heard her murmuring amusedly, but I could not answer her. My gaze paused at her artery, I could not tear my gaze away. The only thing I wanted now was to rip open this vein and suck it out completely, down to the last drop. I took another step towards her, my body became independent without my permission. I could hear her desperately trying to talk to me, but I did not hear her words. She was almost screaming and I could hear her pleading in her voice as she hit the wall.

In no time at all I had reached her and, as if hypnotized, I could not take my eyes off her and was frozen. I could hear her holding her breath and whimpering softly. My head sank towards her neck and I clenched my teeth. Only a few centimeters separated me from her artery when I was pulled backwards with a jerk.

"What the hell are you doing?" I heard an angry voice behind me.

"Leave me alone, Kyle," I growled and tried to tear myself away, my senses going crazy.

"No, I won't do that. Do you have any idea what happens if you can't control yourself?"

"I have this under control," I replied angrily.

"Like last time when you sucked out the entire bus, including the bus driver, and then tried to get on a school bus? You can't control yourself, Ash. We both know that."

Slowly I could get a clear thought again and saw Jane crouching on the floor.

Fuck. What had I done?