#27: The Sweet Taste of Normalcy

Angie experinces a... side effect.

“Ow!” I pricked my finger as I pulled the needle through my dress.

Instinctively, I put my finger in my mouth to stop the blood.

I never noticed before how blood has an almost sweet twang to it. I can still taste the coppery flavor in it, but there’s more. Funny how I never noticed it before.

I am getting ready for a party.

After Dessy left without any explanation, I tried not to freak out. Instead, I changed tactics.

Before all of this sucky drama, I led a normal life: cheerleading at football games, going to parties and shopping with friends. All of that changed when I met Desmond. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life with Desmond, but sometimes I miss my old life. I haven’t been able to do any of my normal things for a while now.

So here I am, getting my life back onto the old routine. My friend, Amanda, invited me to a party after this Friday’s football game. Since Dessy seems to have disappeared, I couldn’t invite him to it. I decided to go anyways, though I’m worried about him.

This is how I came to be in my room, sewing a tear in my favorite dress.

As I continue to sew, my dad walks into my room. I big smile crosses his face as he realizes I’m finally doing something normal. I know what my dad thinks. He’s an open book. I know without asking he’ll let me go to the party on Friday.

My mom, on the other hand, worries about me. “Honey, do you really think you should go to a party when you haven’t been feeling well?”

I assure her, “Mom, I’ll be fine. How am I supposed to get back to being normal if you don’t let me live a little? Don’t worry; I’ll take care of myself. You raised me well.”

This conversation is useless anyways. I already got Dad’s approval, and my mom always follows suit.

Before I know it, I’m at the party. Everyone turns around and stares at me when I enter. It’s probably my fabulous dress. The vibrant colors of the rainbow compliment my form as the dress clings to my skin. Though it’s cold out, I figured I could wear this silk dress for this one night (I mean, it’s not like the party is outside).

Once again, I am queen of the school.

Sometimes I wish this wasn’t so. After the first accident at the theater, I’ve become an anomaly. Attention is great, but it gets annoying trying to reassure everyone I’m okay.

Trying to get the attention off of me, I step into the kitchen to drink some punch. The bright red color glistened like a gem. “Wow, I’m really thirsty,” I thought as the punchbowl beckoned to me.

Making my way over to the drink, I didn’t notice the kid skateboarding down the stairs, headed directly for me.

A flash of black hair quickly veers past me, straight towards the glass door. With a horrific crash, glass goes everywhere as I stand there, mouth open.

Blood is everywhere. The kid (I think his name was Max?), feebly moving, is cut everywhere. A big piece of glass is sticking out of his right arm where I suppose he tried to break his collision.

As blood gushed out of his arm and dripped from his other cuts, that familiar tangy smell met my nostrils.

I realized my mouth was bone dry, so my salivary glands started kicking in at that moment.

I couldn’t stop staring at the blood spurting from his arm; it seemed like he had a never-ending supply of it.

Quickly turning away, I forced myself to clear my head and go towards the phone. I was closest to it, so I got to call the ambulance.

So much for a normal night.

Author's Note

By my cowriter, Tory.

Good thing she's not vampire yet. That kid would be dead...