The Vampire Joy by Alisa Freund (fox in socks read aloud .txt) 📕

could stop she was crying.. she thought back and couldn’t even remember the last time she had cried like that. David didn’t like when she cried and saw it as a weakness, a genetic flaw in all living humans.
She finally pulled away from the embrace and said, “thank you. I needed that cry. I can’t even remember the last time I cried like that.”
“it wasn’t your fault you know.” Juliet said through tears, “and for him to make you feel like it was is just unforgivable.”
“no,” joy said speaking in a level voice, “he was right to a certain extent it was my fault that she died but I know she would want it that way. If it were her or me I know she would have rather I lived than her.”
“ok.” Joey said, “enough depressing chatter, isn’t this supposed to be a joyous occasion.”
Everyone agreed and they finished their food and were off to their next destination. They arrived at Juliet house at around 10 o’clock. Juliet quickly ushered joy upstairs and told the boys to go along without them to arrange the preparations for tonight. Juliet did her make up without allowing joy to look into a mirror then blindfolded her and dressed her. “do you trust me?” Juliet asked.
“of course I do.” Joy replied still blindfolded.
“good hand me your keys.” She said and with hesitation joy handed her, her keys. “I can’t believe you would just hand someone keys to a Lamborghini without hesitation.”
“I trust you and besides, it’s only a car.” Joy smiled she was assuming at Juliet but with the blindfold on so she didn’t have a clue.
Juliet pulled joy along and gave her directions when necessary like getting into the car and watching out for a step. The car stopped and Juliet helped her out they walked up some steps and it was silent. Is she going to kill me? She thought but dismissed the idea almost immediately. If Juliet wanted to kill me she wouldn’t have driven such a long way to do it. She heard a door open she stepped forward and heard it shut behind her.
Then with one fluid motion the blindfold was ripped off and joy looked around. She looked around to see hundreds of people standing around looking at her, no not people, people dressed as different monsters. There were werewolves, zombies, and vampires all staring at her. There was a giant banner hanging from the ceiling saying: Joy’s Monster Mash. And a giant cake that was three times the size of joy with 1+17=18. Each digit was lit at the top there were 7 in total.
Joy looked over at Billy who was dressed up as a swamp monster and said, “now, that is cheating.” She said pointing at the candles.
Billy shrugged his shoulders and said, “where’s the rule book on these things?”
Joy let out a little laugh and climbed the ladder that was set up beside it and blew them out. From up there she could see everyone. She only knew about a third of them and even then she didn’t know them well enough to actually consider them friends.
She stepped down from the ladder and tripped on the last step almost falling face first on the ground but somebody caught her before she was flattened on her face. The person stood her up and she looked at her rescuer to see Alex dressed like a vampire, not much of a stretch for him, looking down at her. He picked up a large box that was decorated like a cake that had a large candle sticking out of it. “so they roped you into this too?” she asked arching an eyebrow at him.
“they didn’t have to convince me too much. Like Sabrina told you, it’s all part of the plan.” He said giving her a wink.
She cautiously took the box and blew out the candle. She unwrapped it and looked inside. Laying inside were two new poi balls but instead of hers that lit up these were mirrors. Joy had her eyes on these for awhile but never asked for them because David would just consider it immature.
“thank you!” she said taking them out, “but how did you know?”
He put a finger to his lips and said, “it’s a secret.” And winked.
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, “I challenge you.”
He smirked and asked, “what are the terms?”
“if I win no more secrets, you have to tell me everything.” She said.
“and if I win I get… a kiss.” He said with a smile.
“what?” she said shocked. The truth was she had never been kissed and she always thought it would something special by someone special not from a bet by her English teacher.
“you may not know it but your terms are very steep so mine might as well be too.” He said still smiling.
She thought it over for awhile but there was no way she could lose she had her back flip to fall back on. So reluctantly she said, “alright.” And cued the DJ to start playing music.
The music started and both started spinning the balls around for momentum. “I must warn you,” Alex said, “I’ve been practicing and I have had one of the best days of my life. There’s no way I’m going to lose so you might want to put on some chap stick.”
“in your dreams,” joy said, “I’ve beaten you once, and I’m gonna do it again.” She said starting her first trick.
The battle waged on for longer than the first one but this time Alex was pulling out all of the stops. Joy was concerned but she decided she would end it. She did her patented back flip and looked at Alex expect him to admit defeat but instead he said, “pucker up.” Kissing the air. He did her back flip and ended it popping his right leg out. Joy was stunned. She couldn’t beat that, he had just taken her best move and improved it. She racked her brain to trying to think of a move that would beat it but there was nothing left in her arsenal.
She let the poi balls dangle at her sides in disbelief and they fell from her hands. No this isn’t how my first kiss is supposed to be. She had always imagined her first kiss being from David. This wasn’t right.
She crossed her arms and looked at him sourly. “oh don’t give me that pouty face it is only a mere peck. Some countries they do that just to great each other.” Then his eyes lit with realization, “wait is this your first kiss?”
She nodded solemnly, and he suddenly got a look of shame, “you don’t have to, I didn’t know… sorry.”
“no,” she said holding herself high, “like you said, its no big deal right? Besides its only a peck.” She walked over to him and gave him a peck on the lips. They were warm and she could smell the chocolate in his breath. She felt him start to pull away but she wanted more. She pressed her lips harder on him. Urgently she opened her mouth wanting to taste the cinnamon and chocolate. His tongue slid softly a long her and they danced and intertwined as if it were a waltz. Her hands grabbed the back of his shirt pulling his warm body into her. She could feel his hand tangling in her hair. She could tell that he was just as urgent as she was. She was in a dream and didn’t want to wake up.
She finally snapped out of it once his fang punctured her gum. Both of their eyes shot open and he broke away in an instant. He rested his forehead on hers and whispered, “I’m sorry… I just…I guess I’m not as strong as I thought I was.”
“no,” she said, “I’m the one who isn’t strong enough.” She looked him in the eyes then said, “who are you? Really?”
“that’s a subject best left to rest until the ball.” He said and pulled away from her, and grabbed her hand, “until then take care my dear.” He kissed her hand and walked away into the crowd. Joy stood there wondering what had just happened. Hypnotism? No that’s a myth vampires don’t actually have that ability. Then what. But before she could ponder it any further Juliet came rushing by her side.
“did you seriously just kiss Mr. f?” she asked with a look of shock across her face.
“yeah,” joy said dumbfounded, “I think I just did.” Still looking into the crowd where Alex had disappeared.
“oh my god joy,” she said still in shock, “how was it?”she asked.
Joy ignored the question and said, “I have to go get some air.” She said and walked over to the door. The air was chilly and refreshing outside. It was still snowing outside and the flakes fell lazily down to the ground.
That kiss was meant for David so why did I enjoy it so much? Oh David what am I going to tell him. He would be crushed if he found out that his fiancé had kissed someone else. Especially if he found out that that someone is the person he hated the most in the world. She was lost in her thoughts when a voice called out to her, “what is an injured little fawn doing out in this area this late at night?”
She looked up to see a pale woman with long wavy fire red hair. Her eyes were… oh no. joy thought because she was face to face with a hungry vampire. “I’m sorry ma’am but I’m promised to someone.”
The vampire laughed and said, ”so you know what I am? Then you also know that I am not bound by law to leave you unharmed if you are not under eighteen. I believe that the party inside is for your eighteenth birthday. I hope you don’t think too poorly of me for this but you must understand that I am very hungry and your blood smells too delicious to leave alone.”
Shit was all that she was able to think before the vampire lunged at her. Joy closed her eyes and cringed into a ball waiting for the impact but it didn’t come. She opened her eyes to see the vampire lying in the snow and Sabrina standing over her.
The vampire looked up to see what had knocked her down baring her fangs and growling but once she saw that it was Sabrina she scrambled to her feet. She took a long, deep bow and said, “I apologize ma’am, I was only going to indulge in a midnight snack ma’am.”
“as this young lady has stated she is promised. As you know it may not be against the law to partake upon a promised maiden but it is if that maiden is promised to the council.” Sabrina said in a demanding tone, “now it would do you best to run along magnolia.”
With that the vampire bowed to Sabrina and said, “I apologize ma’am I hadn’t known.” And with that ran away.
Joy scrambled to her feet and bowed to Sabrina, “thank you ma‘am, but you lied to that woman.” She said confused, “I am not promised to the council but to David.”
“ah my dear there are still a lot of things you are unaware of.” She said turning around. “what do you say you give me a ride home and we’ll talk there.” Joy nodded and started walking side by side with Sabrina.
The carried was silent the entire way to Sabrina’s mansion. Once they walked inside Sabrina said, “you do make a lovely zombie, I’m curious to see how you look with fangs.” Joy smiled and realized that she hadn’t seen