The Phantom by Amber Beck (psychology books to read txt) 📕

Not knowing what to say I finally decided to say, “my names Xavier. Maybe I’ll see you in class”.

Without anything left to say I turned and left. When I got to class, I was a prisoner to my own thoughts but only one the girl- no her name was Vega.

       “Mr. standing if you would please pay attention! ,” said the screechy voice of Mr. Biggs.” “Now Mr. Standing could you please tell me what 875644.0653567 multiplied be an exponent of 7 is please!” “Umm I - I don’t know sir” Clearly popularity isn’t everything”, he said with that mousy look on his face. The class laughed I could feel my cheeks going red and Vegas eyes on the back of my head. Why now? I thought why it had to happen now so embarrassing that’s it I officially hate this teacher. 

“Detention Mr. Standing. maybe next time you'll pay attention to class”

‘’Yes sir’’

                                               **** 

When I got into detention (they had moved it into the cafeteria for some reason) i saw Vega. Immediately I turned to leave.

         “Xavier!”

 I turned around and there she was that angel in bleach blond hair. Hesitantly I sat down. “So, what did you get in for? “, I asked her in confusion. She blushed and turned away,” I stood up for you.”

I sat there in shock finally I managed to say, “Why?” 

“Because you didn't deserve what that old cow did too you”, she said in a soft whisper.

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“That's the bell we better get going’’, she said clearly ready to get out of that awkward moment. 

“You are coming?’’ she said again. 

“Yeah” i got up to go with her when it happened. I got hungry

She stared at me her mouth open. “You ...you…”

       “What?”

 “You ... your mouth,” she said with a terrified look on her face. I reached up sure enough they were there … the fangs.

  “Hey, look I... I can explain”. Too late. She ran.

     “Vega! Please, come back!”i sat back in the chair and sobbed after everything I’ve been through, I thought, it never stops ruining my life.

 When i got home all i could think about was that boy Xavier and how those fangs or whatever they were had scared me. Dad was in the kitchen “Hey Vega how was your first day of school?”

I shrugged not knowing what to say instead I decided on “I thought you were at work?”

“I was but they let me take a long break because of what happened yesterday.

“What happened yesterday?” Dad sighed, “I probably shouldn't tell you this i don't want you to worry but there were two murders.” my thoughts traveled to the boy he didn't seem like the kind to murder he seemed kind shy even. So, could it really just be a coincidence? I should talk to him.

“Vega, are you okay.” 

“Yeah, dad I’m fine. I think I’ll just go up to my room”

    “Ok Vega”

On the way up the stairs i let my thoughts travel to the murder, the boy, and those fangs. Something’s not right here and I’m going to figure it out. I jumped I had heard it again... the footsteps. This time they sounded closer as if they were coming up the stairs. I hold my breath. Then my door opened. I gasped. To my surprise it was only the boy.

I looked around trying to escape. “Please” he asked. The tone of sorrow in his voice caused a pang of something in my heart “Don’t run.” I looked him in the eyes those same deep blue eyes that caused me to melt but just saw sorrow and shame. “Please”, he said in a soft whisper. I swallowed not sure what to say. I finally decided on “How did you get in here?” in a soft whisper he replied, “Your dad invited me in. I told him I was a friend from school.”

I was mad at dad, but I knew I couldn't blame him. Then we heard footsteps. “What the heck was that?” he asked. “I was about to ask you the same thing,” I replied. “Maybe I should go check it out.”, he said 

“Excuse me. I am not going to let a person I don't even know, rummage around my house. I'm going with you”

         “Fine by me” he shrugged with an admirable look on his face.

I blushed and turned my head. “What?” he asked.

   “Idiot”, I replied and shook my head, “Come on.” while we left to check out the footsteps, I could feel his worrisome, deep blue eyes facing ahead looking distant with something in them I couldn’t under understand, a protective look, maybe. Again, I felt that same pang in my heart as earlier. 

When we got down to the bottom of the stairs, I realized three things both of them I resented: I was holding his hand. Two the footsteps were closer. Three: my dad wasn’t there. The footsteps were coming from the lounge which was right beside the stairs.

 “Something isn’t right here.” Xavier said to me, his eyes wide. 

“I was just thinking the same thing,” I said.

Evidently and to my surprise her hand found mine. “Come on.” I said literally every part of me was shaking.

 “I’ll go left you go right,” she said, her blue eyes were determined. So, I went right. The kitchen. Great. Garlic hurts. Bad. I thought, not that I can blame her. When I reached the kitchen, I saw the same thing I didn’t want to see, well two thing garlic and… Vegas father. He was talking to himself standing in front of the fridge. But something wasn't right and to make matters worse his shadow wasn’t his it was ... a woman? I’ve only seen that once my parents did this same thing when they died. I reached out to Vegas' father hoping it wasn't what i thought it was. 

“Mr. Marshal?” Vega’s father jumped at his name, and he turned around. To my surprise there was a woman there behind him, but the good news was that she definitely wasn’t a ghost. It was Mrs. Thea

“Mrs. Thea? What are you doing here?”

“Do not worry about what I’m doing here boy.” She said all blustered.

“Please Poppy, you don’t have to speak to him like that. Hey kid, we are just...talking about Vega. Where is she, anyway?” He said nervously.

“We heard footsteps and thought there was someone else in the house, sir.” I said. I better go find her. Bye.” Just then I heard a scream that erupted from the lounge. The moment I heard it I ran, Mr. Marshal and Mrs. Thea behind me, towards where the scream erupted from. When we arrived in the kitchen, I found Vega three feet in the air, her eyes glowing black. “Vega!” I screamed. And that’s when I saw it. The shadow that wasn’t hers I ran and immediately tor her away from the pentagram on the floor. When she was free, she crumpled and fell into my arms. She was covered in blood at first, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn't bring her to her father because he was knocked out by the wave from the pentagram. I knew I was losing her. But at the same time the blood on her triggered me it's been so long since I ate to my despair something happened my eyes turned blood red and I fed I couldn’t stop, until a voice in the back of my head said, stop this, you love her but instead here you are trying to kill her. Why? I pulled away and clenched my mouth. I knew she needed blood soon or she would become a monster like me. I should get her to a hospital, then come and wake her father up, so, he can know what happened. When I looked at her wound, I saw that the bite disappeared like it usually did. I picked her up and held her close, my mouth still clenched in fear of killing her. After pulling on my hoodie, I ran as fast as I could to the hospital, not walking in fear of being too late to save her.

When I woke up everything was blurry. The last thing I saw was that symbol on the floor. And then I passed out leaving me in darkness. I heard a muffled scream of someone yelling my name. Xavier. I thought he's coming for me. I can rest now. And it all went black I woke up feeling before I saw anything. I felt the wind rushing past me. I was in someone's arms, my vision coming back slowly. I saw flashes of red and black. “Xavier '' I whispered under my breath. He looked down and looked as if he was in pain, mental pain not physical and it made me wonder what happened. “Hey Vega” he whispered, “let's get you to the hospital. You lost a lot of blood.”

   “Dad?” 

“He's okay there's a pretty funny story to go with it, but for now rest, ok?”

“Thank you” I said, catching something he said that sounded a lot like “I love you Vega” before going back to sleep.

The next time I woke up I seemed to be in a hospital. I could tell from the smell the bleach-like aroma burning my nostrils. “Hey”, I heard the soft whisper of his voice