An Ally 2

Asher

We'd sat there for almost half an hour as we talked, she'd finally stopped searching for her heartbeat though her expression didn't get any brighter. Not like I could blame her. Geez if I were practically dead or undead wondered how I'd feel.

We'd come to a sort of formal agreement both of us to get answers to our predicament.

I'd learnt her name too, full name infact. Aurora Delores Philips, first and only girl child of the Philips. Her dad a banker and her mum a doctor at Rider Crest Hospital, she had a younger brother whom she described as an agent of destruction sent to ruin her days. We laughed at the description but it seemed to only lift her mood a tad. I didn't blame her, it sucked not having a heartbeat and still yet having to drink blood from human. Sure way to turn someone into a murderer by force.

If I didn't think of the bones that cracked when I shifted I'd have agreed she had it worse, but I wasn't that selfless yet.

I had spoken of my mum, described the lady as a bundle of energy. Sometimes I suspected the excess caffeine she took in on her daily patrols with the RCPD had the side effects I witnessed at home. I carefully evaded the dad talk which she good-naturedly sensed.

We were both in a detailed description of our lives almost like we were victims of some catastrophe and we were sharing memories of better days. It felt weird not just the topic of the talk but more if the fact I was talking with someone comfortably. It felt alright.

Rinnnggg. The bell rung.

"Shit." She cursed as the sound of students pouring into the halls reached us. We both quickly made our way to the doors as she looked at me for a second.

"Thank you, for not ripping my head off the other night." She smiled as she nodded to me and turned for the door pushing it open and disappearing outside. I nodded to myself before I followed ignoring the wierd looks that I got from people as I felt squeamish my stage fright obviously low key affecting me. Whispers sounded around me and few words made their way to my hearing.

"Did they both you know?"

"She's not even bothering to wait"

"Serves George right".

"Agreed, but it seems her taste regressed a bit"

I turned my head to look at who made the last statement but halted half tilt. 'What did it matter'. I thought before continuing and disappearing into the class.

Classes went by like a breeze, my thoughts focused on things I needed to do than things I was currently doing. Recess was up and everyone had the cafeteria as their number one location in mind for the moment. Most schools couldn't brag of good quality cafe food but I could proudly state that mine did. It was the one thing I could brag about.

A tray of food later after leaving the annoying line that had more toe crushers and shovers than actual pizza slices that I needed . I found my spot, it was mine, everyone seemed to know it. Not the popular guy but the guy who just blended into the background. Benjamin had once assured me that in a story I could play the secret agent,a joke he had made in alluding to my ability to be in a room and go unnoticed.

He found it bad as the attention king he was, I found it comforting as spot light was never my thing more of my kryptonite. A food tray slammed on the table drawing people's gazes to our table as the devil reared his head. What'd I say about attention again?.

"Yo man. How was the cliff hiking?. Can't believe you left me all alone to fend off the grovels of our dear subjects." He whined. I raised an eyebrow. 'Subjects. Hah. Narcissistic much.'

Yep. I didn't say attention king for nothing.

"Like I've ever gone cliff hiking before" I spat out grumpily. I still couldn't understand how people had believed the lie.

"I called to tell you.? Kinda forgot." I tried eyeing his phone as I took a bite of my pizza.

"Nah. You texted actually." He stated. " Then suddenly went silent. Couldn't reach you,. was wierd even for you " he mused his brown eyes looking morbidly concerned while his free hands patted his brown hair away from falling in front of his vision.

Geez I wonder why?. I thought rolling my eyes. But my hand reached for his phone and snatched it up seeking out the text he'd allegedly gotten. It was a half cut of the one sent to my mum. Whoever had made the message had not bothered with any niceties or emojis like I usually did. That Benjamin hadn't noticed shows me how stuck up his ass he was.

While I could refute having sent the text as I had no memory of it I also couldn't be sure as I hadn't found my phone since the morning. I was assuming it had gone on a long journey.

"Woah, that's new. " Benjamin muttered his gaze fixed on something behind me. I turned finding that we weren't the only ones turning to stare. I found myself staring at Aurora, her red hair dropped around her shoulders and front like a shower of curtains. Her hands full with a food tray as her hazel eyes skimmed the cafeteria for a place to sit while her thin lips folded in a teeth nibbling down it as she concentrated.

"What's new about that?" I asked looking back to Benjamin another slice of pizza finding the path to my mouth.

"Aurora Philips?. Dude. You've been gone a week not your whole life. Come to think of it she's been absent to. " He mused hands on jaw.

"Point being?. " I prodded. Sometimes Benjamin needed a push back to focus or he'd slide off path and completely forget his way back.

"Dude. George Kramer. Aurora Philips. item. " He broke it down in little gaps like he was trying to explain the Big bang to a four year old. If he wasn't my best friend he'd have been dead longer than ago.

"Dude she's headed here. She's headed here. " He fretted as he wiped the corner of his lips for any sauce and patted his hair to check if it was in shape. My brows were already in it's trademark arched shape as I watch him.

" Thought she was taken?. " I asked looking him over.

"A wise man said.. all is fair in love and war " .he argued as his eyes widened while my lips parted to question the quote

"Hey Ash. Mind if I seat here.?" Her voice shushed whatever comment I was aiming at Benjamin. I looked up at her a second before I nodded scooting over to give her room to seat on the long chair.

"Hi, I'm Benjamin..." I zoned him out as he introduced himself to Aurora while I glanced around. See that's the thing about limelight, it came with those looks. The ones that had judgement. Criticism. People already deciding stuff about you before the got to know you. I sighed as I turned back to the table Aurora who now watched me with a questioning look.

"Didn't tell me you were the school princess. " I stated as I began eating my pickles.

"I'm no princess. I'm a vampire" she said looking to Benjamin who seemed to completely ignore her sentence as he stared dreamily while I kicked her subtly beneath the table. She seemed to have gotten a bit better in mood to be able to joke about her current self lightly. But I was still confused of her presence here. Yes we were gonna help each figure things out but I was sure that wasn't criteria for friends. Right. I sighed again realizing I was overthinking this.

She gave me a smile before she began talking again about random things. Things I zoned out as my ears twitched picking up the chatter around the cafeteria. Several words reaching my ears as I listened. The name George occuring again and seemed to be paired up with her name most times. I was relaxed back barely talking with Aurora and Benjamin as I listened in to the little gossip. It all seemed so much my ears beginning to ring as I reminded myself that I was barely a day old in this.

The bell rung again and I stood as did Aurora and Benjamin both picking up their trays and following me as I headed to drop them off. Benjamin hurried ahead as Aurora pulled me back a hand gripping my bicep as she tugged me to a halt. She was strong I could already feel it.

"Was thinking, we should check out the area we both woke up at . We might find something, a clue a sign , anything." She whispered as she stood close enough for only me to hear.

Some students passed by casting us with looks that had my eyes taking a 360 degree journey in my eye sockets. I nodded to her as I walked on tugging out of her hold as I walked ahead.

"Sounds like a good plan." I spoke as I headed for my locker while she followed. "After school we could head out, check..."

"No. We roamed the woods all night, so I doubt whoever it was that did this would have been there ". She paused looking to make sure no one was listening in.

"But today is a good day to clear up evidences. Wash away trails. If we are gonna do this. We need to do it now. Frankly I think we should have gone earlier, should have thought of it sooner. ". She reasoned looking up at me again. I sighed and nodded in agreement, seeing point in her logic.

"Well then. " I stuff all my books and put my bag in too before closing the locker. "Drop your books and meet me at the Eastern wall close to the bleachers. Go round you don't want to be spotted on the field during class hours." She nodded and trotted off her hair bouncing around as she left for her locker.

It took a few minutes for us to get to the Eastern wall and to inform her of our getaway plan. Then I went first before turning to watch her crawl under the bleachers towards me while I pulled at the wire mesh that seperated the school from the lawn expanse. The run between the wire mesh and the tree line my eyes were on was quite long.

"Ready. " I asked looking back to her as she finally reached me her head bobbing up and down.

"Alright don't stop till your clear behind the trees".

She crawled out as did I and closed the wire behind me before I nodded to her. She took off in a blur and I followed running as fast as my feet could carry me. I was beginning to realize I wasn't as fast on two legs as I was on four. Regardless I made it to the trees where I halted eyeing the school while I panted.

"You know the way from here ?." I asked. She seemed to ponder it a while before she slowly shook her head.

"I might figure it out if we get to my house straight. Or wait. Does mama Gina's ring a bell to you.?" She asked.

"That's the bar off the town outskirts. Why?." I answered while turning to walk through the tree lines and head to the other edge.

"I came there while I was in my state yesterday. I think where I woke up would be closer from there." She answered.

" Wasting much time, I say we take a run through the woods there's a cliff on the west side It'll be closer to the road from there." I began jogging ahead.

" You're not as fast on two legs. So... Are you...?"

"No". My answer came out in a rush making her raise her brows.

"Okay. But I think it's faster . I mean like you said we don't have all day." She argued. I simply shook my head.

" I don't know how to do it. And if I did I wouldn't. Let's just hurry." I took off in a quick run leaving her behind. She was beside me in a second as she gave me a frown.

"Not the time Ash. You need to .."

"I said no. " My voice thundered a bit of annoyance mixed in making her jump a bit as she took a wary step back which made me cringe and sigh.