Free Call of the Vampire by Gayla Twist

pale. Do you need to see the nurse?”
    I told the nurse that I had bad cramps and just needed to lie down for a while. But being in the quiet, dimly lit exam room resting on a cot made things much worse. There was absolutely nothing to distract my brain from thoughts of Jessie. After about twenty minutes of torture, I told the nurse I was feeling much better and went to my next class. Distraction was the key. I had to keep my brain busy.
    Doing my homework during study hall, actually making an effort to participate in gym class, taking on extra hours at the cafe where I worked making cappuccinos and heating up blueberry muffins—these were all devices I used to pass the time. The week slowly inched along. By day, I was a model student and employee, putting in the extra effort on everything I was assigned; by night I was an insomniac. When I did manage to fall asleep, my dreams alternated between terror and longing. I really wished I didn’t know vampires existed, but mostly, I wished I could see Jessie again.
    Right when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, it was finally Thursday. The longest Thursday in the history of Thursdays, but still, it was the only day when the library stayed open late. And the library was the only place I had ever seen Jessie outside of Vanderlind Castle.
    I couldn’t believe how nervous I was about seeing him. I spent at least an hour applying makeup, realizing it was too heavy, washing my face and trying again. My hair had decided to go on a rampage, and I practically needed a whip and a chair to tame it. I headed over to the library at six o’clock. The sun had not set at that point, but I couldn’t hold out any longer.
    I love the library. I can usually get lost in the stacks for hours browsing from book to book. But on that day no book could hold my attention. I positioned myself in a chair that had a partial view of the library’s front door. Every time someone came in, I looked up eagerly. Every time, it wasn’t Jessie.
    “We’re closing up now,” the librarian told me at five minutes to nine. “If you want any books, you should take them to checkout.”
    I waited until the last possible second before slouching out to the parking lot and heading toward my car. He hadn’t shown. Jessie hadn’t shown. I’d been obsessing about him all week, convincing myself that he was also thinking about me. But no, he wasn’t. If he had wanted to see me, he would have gone to the library. I was just some foolish girl that reminded him of someone he used to love.
    “Hey there, pretty lady.”
    I looked up, startled out of my reverie. There was a guy leaning against my ancient VW Beetle. It was the only car left in the patrons’ parking lot, and he had chosen it as a place to roost. “Uh... excuse me,” I said, a little cautiously. What in the hell did he think he was doing?
    “You headed home or just heading out?” the man asked, one eyebrow cocked in what he must have assumed was a charming, devil-may-care expression.
    I knew from my mom that any time a guy tried to block access to my car, my home, an exit, whatever, it was not a good sign. After all, if I was a man would he have been leaning against my car smirking? I doubt it. I was a teenage girl and my new friend was pleased to think he was in a position of power.
    I did a quick inventory of the guy. He was in his late twenties, probably close to six feet tall; he was wearing a dirty jean jacket and had his arms folded awkwardly over his chest, possibly concealing a weapon. I took a brief scan of the parking lot. He appeared to be alone. Unfortunately, so was I.
    I glanced back at the library just as the lights were turned off. That meant the door was locked from the inside, and the librarians were headed out the back to the staff parking lot on the other side of the building. “Crap,” I whispered to myself.
    My actions appeared to amuse my new friend. He gave me a slow smile, very pleased with how uncomfortable he was making