The Foreign Exchange Student

I groaned as the sound of my ringtone blasted into my ear. I fumbled for my phone before picking it up. I checked the clock. Why was Gus calling me at 5 AM in the fucking morning?

"Hello, this is Charlie Andersen speaking...Gus why the fuck are you calling me this early on a Sunday." I answered.

I could hear labored breathing coming from the other end before I got any sort of reply from my best friend. Had he raa a marathon?

"Charlie, dude you gotta get your freckled ass over to my place stat. I have some exciting news" Gus said.

"Can it wait until the sunrise? It is Sunday and way too early for this fucking shit dude" I groaned.

"No, it cannot my brunette friend! Get dressed, don't wake your brother up, and hurry over here," Gus said before he hung up. I groaned again as I got out of bed. I grabbed the nearest t-shirt from the floor, put it on, and headed to my wardrobe. I opened the doors and pulled ut my favorite pair of skinny jeans. White with black stripes ala Beetlejuice. I yawned as I put them on and headed to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. Once I had my travel mug full of the sett bean juice I walked over to Gus's house.

Gus lived in Gammelby an even smaller place on the other side of Virsbo and walking to the other side of Virsbo this early was not my idea of a fun Sunday. I hope whatever Gus wanted to show me was worth waking me up. Sometimes I wish I had a bike. That would make this trek way faster. I arrived at his house. The house was old and the gross old yellow paint was flaking off in places. I could even see splotches of green on the paint which I assumed was mold. Gus's parents were always traveling so I guess they didn't have time to give their house a fresh coat of this obnoxious yellow. I knocked on the door and waited for Gus to open. Well, he didn't open it more like flung it open, nearly hitting me in the face in the process.

"Charles Andersen, what in the fuck took you so long?" Gus said, stepping aside so I could enter his house.

"Oh haha, very funny dipshit. Maybe if you lived nearer me I would be on time" I replied sipping the last of my coffee before shoving the travel mug in my bag that I had decided to take with me at the last minute.

"Ok, so what was the important thing you wanted to show me this early?" I asked. Gus took me to his room. The room that had the walls completely wallpapered with Gus's big idol Tony Hawk. Then I saw him. A teenage boy, our age sitting on Gus' bed reading a book in Spanish. Tan skin, dark hair, one red eye, and one green.

"Charlie meet Ricky Gonzales. He is an exchange student from Barcelona, Spain and my family decided to be his host family for the year he is here" Gus said excitedly. Ricky looked up from his book and smiled at me. He extended out a hand that I reluctantly shook. There was something about him. Something not human. I shook the feeling off.

"Ricky this is my best friend Charlie," Gus said

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Gus has told me many great things about you. Ricky said smiling. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of his teeth. Ricky had two rows of pointed, razor-sharp teeth in his mouth. How is this possible??? Is he a Mythical??? He looked so human except for the teeth.

"I see you staring at my teeth. They are from my fathers' side of the family. You see I am half chupacabra" Ricky said.

"Excuse me for a sec Ricky," I said pulling Gus aside.

"Gus what the hell are you thinking about bringing a mythical into your house!?!?!? Have you forgotten that your parents kill Mythicals for a living?" I whispered angrily.

"I know but here is the thing my parents don't know he is half chupacabra. As long as he doesn't open his mouth he'll be fine" Gus whispered back.

This was gonna be one hell of a week.