Thinking about it, you never got your high school diploma. Graduation didn't happen yet right? It was fun thinking for yourself for once. It wasn't about mother and it wasn't about Cain. It was about you. Was this heaven? Death was peaceful wasn't it?

It wasn't.

You were sad. There was no other voice here except yours. There was no Joel, no Thomas, no mother, no Cain, no one and you were lonely.

It was fun thinking about simple things.

You wondered what college would be like. Your studied so hard to go there and you never made it. All those books... what a waste of time. Everything was a waste of time.

Even in death you still lacked emotions. Were you just not meant to have them?

You didn't like being dead anymore.

So you pried your eyes open until you could see the light. Your stomach hurt. It hurt really bad.

"Cassius really did it."

"Huh?" Your eye's snap open. You hold onto your head. It hurt... everything hurt.

"I'm sorry (y/n)."

"Eb... Ebben?" You groan.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Where is this?"

"You are in my room."

Ebben's room was full of neutral and natural tones. Browns, grays, and golds. It look plane and almost identical to the guest room, but with a different color scheme. You were lying in his bed, and he was sitting on a wooden chair near his vanity mirror.

"Why?"

"Why didn't you come here and take a look in this mirror?" Ebben stands up and moves to the side. You sit up in the bed.

Your eyes meet your reflection's.

Red.... like rubies.

Your eyes were red just like Ebben's and Cain's. To add to that, you had two new separate pairs of bite marks on your neck.

You were shocked. Your eyes were wide. This was something you never thought you'd have to go through. You open your mouth, looking at you sharp fangs.

"W–What?"

"I'm so sorry (y/n)..." Ebben says.

"What... what did... how?"

"You... died."

"Don't be so vague." You snap, which for you was unexpected.

That angry feeling that you felt last night was intensified. You knew who did this to you, you knew....why would he hurt you like this?

It didn't help that you were hungry. The hunger pains were irritating.

"Cassius killed you and then he turned you into this. He left in a hurry this morning so I.... I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"It hurts..." You murmur. Your dull red eyes snap away from the mirror. You stare at Ebben, giving him a look that he was all to familiar with. It was the same look his mother gave him before Cain had killed her.

"Shit, you need to eat." Ebben grinds his teeth. He was stressed. "I'll go get you some food—"

"Ebben. You walk into him, gripping his shirt. "Take me with you."

Back at your home town, the graduation ceremony had already begun. Everyone in the town attended, even the folk who didn't have children. It was a lovely ceremony. It took place in the auditorium of the high school. It was big and could fit everyone in the town plus a little extra.

There was a row of people wearing their robes and their graduation caps. Every single one of them had a paper in their hands.

They said your name last and a few people were selected to give a speech about you.

No one knew that in the deepest darkest corner of the auditorium was a scary monster waiting to pounce on some unlucky victim.

Standing up there on the platform in a line was Joel, Liam, Aiden, Cayden, and your stepfather. Thomas was not allowed up on the stage. He would have been happy to give a speech for you. Liam and Aiden went first.

"I'm sorry for what my father did. She was a great girl, despite how blunt she tended to be." Aiden says. He had nothing else to say and Liam had nothing to add. No one clapped after their speech.

Next was Joel, who looked a little off her rocker.

She felt ashamed, she felt guilty, she felt stupid, because she promised to look for you and all she did was force herself on her ex-best friend. At least she gained some since before they even took off their clothes. She didn't know what she was thinking.

"She was my best friend." She glares at both Aiden and Liam, tears rolling down her red cheeks. "My only friend. Yeah, she was blunt and awkward and oblivious, but I fucking loved her! She listened to me, she cared... I know she did!! Because she was my fucking friend and none of you fucking care and you know what!!?" Joel screams. "I almost had sex with Liam! I fucking suck, but you know who sucks more than me?! All of you!! Fuck you, fuck all of you!! Fuck her brother and her stupid dad and all the people that whispered shit about her!!!" A teacher and one of the school guards was called up to escort her off the stage, but she continued yelling. "Don't touch me! I'm so disgusting... god you all should just go home! It's not like any of you assholes care?!"

She was eventually escorted to her seat, where she was told to keep her mouth shut by her parents. She stayed quiet.

Next was Cayden and your father. They tried to lighten the mood, which was clearly the wrong move.

"You know (y/n) was a weirdo am I right?" You father chuckles awkwardly. Definitely the wrong move. The crowd was not amused. "I—I loved her though... I...." he thought of words to say, but nothing was right. Everything was a lie. He hardly knew you, yet he tells the people that he loves you. He never treated you like family.

He didn't know your favorite food, or your favorite color... he didn't even know how old you were anymore.

The sound of doors being thrown open interrupted his train of thought. Walking down the center of the isles of chairs was you. You only had a T-shirt on, but it was long enough to cover up everything. Right next to you was Ebben, who's personality suddenly changed at the smell of humans. He became more serious, more twisted. You walk closer to the stage, everyone in the auditorium completely silent.

Cain did not say a word. He was there, watching, and he was mad, but he was also curious. What were you about to do?

Thomas was the first to greet you, which, for some odd reason, delighted you.

"Hello (y/n)." He says, not bothered by your new looks or your sudden appearance.

"Hello Thomas." You greeted back, staying on your path.

Once you got to the front of the stage you climbed up, walking towards Cayden and your stepfather. You snatch you diploma from your stepfather's hand.

"Thank you." You say softly, going up to the microphone you speak into it.

This was this was time to let it all out. Everything your horrible family had been hiding from everyone in the community.

"My father has had affairs with several other women." You deadpan. The crowd gasps. "I think you are stupid for not realizing. My brother claims to hate me and my mother, but he didn't. He only hated me. He even wrote in his diary that he wanted me dead. He wrote my death in gruesome detail when he was thirteen. I read every single page and it was just horrific, but no, he was a perfect little boy huh? "

Joel tried to stand up, but her father keeps her from doing so. She really wanted to hurt Cayden. Was that bad?

"My father has affairs with rich woman to promote his father's company. He doesn't love any of you... he didn't even love my mother. Their relationship... their marriage, had already been failing since before their engagement. I once heard him say it... another woman's name. He only loved her." You point to a few random women in the crowd. "No any of you."

You cross you arms, frowning.

"You know, it wasn't my mother's fault. She had cheated because my father was just fake smiles and false kindness. Even in their wedding photos, he seemed... distant. Even I could see it and my mother... she wanted real love... love that I couldn't give her. My father hit my mother once. I bet you all wanted that though... what's weird is that... even though he seemed guilty... he enjoyed i—" You father finally had enough and he slapped you.

"You go missing and then you spout this nonsense?!"He says. "We wasted our time being worried about you and then you do this?! What are you trying to do, acting all high and mighty? You are no better than anyone in is room."

You shake you head.

"Everyone in the community knows me for my blunt honesty. They call me a liar but they all know that every word that exited my mouth was the truth. I only lie when I don't want to hurt people I care about, but when have I ever cared for you?" You say, staring at him with a blank face. "Or anyone except her... Joel and...him."

"Him?" You father asks.

You didn't get to explain yourself. You stomach hurt so bad, that the only thing that left your mouth was groaning. You hunched over, feeling like your gut was twisting in knots.

"It hurts...it hurts so much." You groan, tears leaking from you eyes. You began panting loudly, huffing and puffing. "I'm.... haaa I'm starving...."

"The go ahead and eat (y/n)." Ebben yells, laughing.

Cain didn't like that Ebben knew your name. He also didn't like that Ebben was encouraging you to eat. Cain didn't want anyone else's skin to touch your lips. He only wanted you to drink from him. Yes, he went out to get you some food, but it was going to be flesh, not a whole human. Cain was a vampire, his blood wouldn't be too efficient in getting rid of the severe hunger that comes with becoming a vampire. Once you were full, keeping you full with his blood would be fairly easy.... that was his plan and he planned on keeping it that way.

Just as you were about to lunge at your stepfather, he died. His head had fallen off. He was dead, and his blood didn't seem so appetizing any more. It was alright though, you could just go for your brother. You eye Cayden, who seemed to be in shock. The auditorium was quiet for a couple of seconds, and then it was filled with screams. Ebben blocks the door, smiling and killing anyone that got too close. He always had way too much fun when it came to killing humans.

"Stay back!" Cayden yells. "(Y/n), please don't do this!"

"I just... I just want a taste. Please... I'm begging you, let me..." You reach your hand out towards Cayden, scared that he was going to break just like—

That.

Cayden coughed up blood. Lots of it and then he died his head sliding off his shoulders. How did that happen? How did he die... how did your father die? You look at the pools of blood forming at your feet. It was warm... so warm.

You see Joel. She was slowly walking toward you. Like she was in a trance. You didn't want to hurt her, you didn't want her to get hurt. She was mouthing something to you, but you couldn't hear it. She was crying and smiling. She wasn't looking at you like you were a monster, she wasn't afraid. She looked relieved and... broken. Had she always looked like that?

She had dark bags under her eyes and here irises were dull, like a dead fish's. She walked up the stage, but you stopped her, putting you hand out in front of you.

"Don't come near me Joel." You say. "Stay over there."

"Did I do... something wrong?" She asks, laughing softly.

"Joel honey! Get back down here!" Joel's mother yells.

"No, of course not. That's why you can't be up here." You take a step back. "Something bad is happening so you should go back to your parents okay?"

"I missed you. You're my bestie you know." She takes a step towards you. "You made me happy. You didn't pressure me to do stuff, you didn't make me go to wild adult parties like my other friends did. You were good to me..."

Cain didn't like her. She was getting too close, but he watched anyway. He wasn't going to kill Joel like he killed you father and brother, not yet. He had a plan that was going to make her death worth something, he wanted to make her death special.

"Joel... stop it."

"Jodie! Get down here!" Her father commands, but she didn't listen. She didn't care about them like she did you.

She open her arms out to you, smiling kindly.

"No—" You slip on your brother and father's blood. Before you could get on your feet, she had pulled you up and wrapped her arms around you.

"I love you."

After that, she didn't say a word.

You had this habit of zoning out when you felt bad.

Static.

But you didn't feel bad.

She felt nice. She was warm, and to you, she overpowered the smell of blood. You needed this. You needed a hug. She was stroking you hair, and humming softly. It made you feel better, and it distracted you from you painful hunger.

It took a while to realize that things were as bad as your brain told you. You wanted to listen to your heart, one part of you that you've neglected all your life. You wanted to feel warm, but your brain was telling you...

Joel was getting colder.

Her hand wasn't combing through your hair anymore and her humming suddenly stopped.

"I love... I...." You sigh softly. "Please let go." You empty red eyes shimmer slightly with worry. "Joel?"

Joel falls limp in your arms. Looking downwards, you notice that he whole lower body was missing. How could you have missed that? You could see everything, and yet she still had a welcoming smile on her face.

You scream, almost falling back. It was like your mother's death all over again. You liked Joel. Cain stood in front of you, frowning. His hands were covered in blood.

"Joel...?" Then you began to cry.

There were tears but you made no noise. Wailing would only make you feel worse.

"(Y/n). You should know better." He scolds you before breaking out into a wide grin. "Cutting through them was tiring, you know, but I'd gladly do it again if it meant you'd understand."

"...." you don't answer, falling to your knees. Cain crouches down, and pets your hair, using his other hand to dig into Joel chest. He pulls out her heart and hand it to you. You stare at it, tears spilling from your eyes.

"Eat it." He says, petting your hair still. "It'll make you feel better."

You didn't feel like speaking... or doing much of anything but mourn and even so... you were so hungry.

You couldn't help it, you were starving. You take a small bite out of it. It tasted great. There was no special taste to it, it was just that your brain was rewired to like the taste of people. Joel's blood tasted quite plain. It was bland but it would do.

You were ashamed of yourself. Thinking of Joel like she was some cheap meal was disgusting. What an horrible person you are.

"Taste nice yes?"

You don't answer.

"Don't ignore me (y/n)."

"Why are you acting like this?" You murmur.

"Answer my question." He says, smiling still. It was that pure and innocent smile that you liked so much. You weren't sure if you liked it anymore.

"It does." You say.

"What does?" He teases.

"It taste good."

Cain chuckles and wipes a tear from your cheek, smearing blood on you. Ebben had killed the majority of the people and all that was left was Joel's parents, Aiden and Liam, Thomas, and a few people that had no significance to you. Thomas waved at you, smiling like mass murder in this town was a common occurrence.

"Hmm? Who's that?" Cain asks, getting jealous. "He's not another friend of yours is he?"

"He's my real father."

Cain smirks and waves back at Thomas, smiling wide so Thomas could see his fangs. Thomas was unfazed and smiles at Cain like he would do to any other person in the town. His lack of fear made Cain respect him a little.

"Hmm...Perhaps I should get his blessing." Cain says.

"....what?" You say, staring at Joel's lifeless eyes.

"(Y/n), I want you to stay with me forever. Why not get married right?"