66 HOW TO USE YOUR VAMPIRE

Here are the top 10 ways to make full use of the Vampire sitting next to you. I've only actually tried the first three. But after I accidentally found these benefits of sitting next to Maria, I thought of some more.

1. Use her frequent attempts to sneak into your mind as extra mental barrier training so your mind will be disciplined to keep its guard up at all times.

2. Experiment on how to manipulate her mind wrap for your own convenience. E.g. Allowing specific access only so that it behaves like a mind link.

3. Learn to read her body language and cues for her to serve as a early detection and warning alarm for any forms of potential aggravation to self.

4. Make her read and translate ancient Lycan text for your study group homework.

5. Let her natural passive skill of being creepy drive away friendly busybodies away, allowing you undisturbed peace and quiet even in a full classroom.

6. Her cold aura might have a cooling effect useful for the warmer months of the year.

Okay, I've only got six uses, not ten, but given that I had thought it would be nothing but a nightmare when I first moved seats, six proved a big paradigm shift.

Other reasons why I like sitting next to Maria:

- She makes almost no noise and has no scent.

- She doesn't chat or talk incessantly, or very much at all, so I don't have chat or listen to nothing in particular being said.

- She has really good hearing and is actually paying attention in class so she doesn't ask me to repeat instructions.

- She is very tidy. Her desk is always clean and neat. Actually so is her bag. My bag looked like it imploded.

- She does her own homework. It isn't any of my business. I just respect that.

Overall, I'm very happy with my new desk mate. I had never ever ever thought I would say this, but I highly recommend taking a vampire desk mate.

Just make sure you don't let her get in your head, or control you, or brain wipe you, or drink your blood...or any of that unpleasant vampire business. That's all I can think of for now.

I wonder what vampires thought about high school clubs. I'm tempted to ask Maria. Did the vampires have a collective plan like Henry had? But I didn't want to let slip any of our Lycan plans to the vamps. Well, Maria might not be interested anyway.

The vamps in my school don't seem to care much for popularity.

"Hey, Maria." I asked her aloud in case I slipped anything I shouldn't through the mind link, "Are you planning to join a club or anything?"

"I'm in the art club." She answered me. She didn't sound particularly passionate about art. Oh wait, wasn't Arlene and Elena also in the art club?

I sighed. Was I the only one who hadn't thought about my club activity seriously? I hadn't think it was a big deal, but now I'm feeling pretty bummed.

"Dionysios is in the art club. He is throwing a party this Friday." Maria told me, "Dionysios hosts the biggest parties. I don't know what to wear."

"Vampires do parties?" I asked.

"It's the art club welcome party for the new members." Maria informed me.

This sounded suspicious, "When you say art club, do you mean like a vampire party club?"

"It's an art club." Maria told me pertly.

Yes. Of course it was.

I decided to use the very basic girl talk ability I owned, "What are you going to wear?"

Maria's dark flamed darkened, "I don't know!" Suddenly she was speaking through our makeshift mind link:

I don't know what to wear! I don't want to be too sexy, but Dionysios liked sexy girls.

Just be yourself.

That only works for girls like you.

What do you mean girls like me?

But Maria wasn't interested in answering a question not about herself.

I think I will wear a red dress. Maria showed me a mental picture of it. It looked like a prom dress.

Maybe something more casual?

I didn't know all that much about parties, much less vampire parties, but I seriously had my doubts about the red layered shiny prom dress.

Dress code! Isn't there a dress code?

Dionysios said to wear what we usually did at home.

And this what you wear at home? I asked of her red dress.

Yes? Maria sounded confused at my question. As if she was trying to figure out what else I had expected her to wear.

I gave her a mental picture of my newest and favouritest sweatsuit and she laughed out loud. Her laugh tinkled in my ears.

I would never wear that. Maria finally thought at me.

It's comfy. I felt it necessary to let her know she's missing out.

Okay then princess, I thought to her, Wear your best tiara and go knock Dionysios' socks off.

Maria smiled, a tiara. Good idea.

That was a joke.

Maybe that could be my high school club, the comedy club.

There's no such club, Alpha.

Oh, she was still in my head.

Now tell me what club I should join. I told her. I did help her suggest a tiara.

Karate Club. Maria suggested, A fight dog is worth more than a guard dog.

Maria's laughter tinkled again.

I growled, but I knew she enjoyed aggravating me, so I kept the growl short to reduce her satisfaction. Then I kicked her out of my head while she was still laughing.

Asking her what club to join was like her asking me which dress to wear.

Forget it, I'll ask Jules later. Then I remembered I was going to purposely miss my train home with the boys today to finish my home work on the train. Well, I'll ask him when I next see him.