I tried to sink my teeth into my bottom lip as hard as I possibly could. I’ve never restrained myself so much in all my twenty years on earth, as I liked to put it. I wasn’t even close to twenty. I’d surpassed two decades a long time ago but I could pass for a fresh young girl ready to experience the world on her own. And I said that because I had a fairly youthful face. Not to mention slender legs that flowed from the hem of my miniskirts, a define indention of waist and a little flesh on the thigh that I guess could classify as a curve. All in all I had an average body: a small button nose, round sparkling eyes that seemed to dance in the sunlight and thin lips, which I can be thought of as my worse attribute. Every woman appeared to have plump, luscious, kissable, lips that just pop out at me whenever she wears the most shocking red lip stain and I can’t help but stare. And when I do stare the veins in my neck stiffens and my black polished fingers ball into fists as I try to hold back the tendency to hiss at the random passerby. I guess you can say that I am, well, was a very jealous person and maybe a tad insecure but that is another story.

So there I was trying to soak up as much heat from the sun as I laid on the carpet of lush green grass at the park. I knew something was up when Noel of all people called me up asked me to meet her at the park. I’d creased my forehead for so long in complete confusion when she rang my telephone because she was known to show up unexpectedly at my apartment. Yep that was Noel aright, sneaking into my room in the middle of the night when I was shaking uncontrollably from the biting cold air like a wet puppy. I didn’t have the balls enough to get off my sorry bum and close the window due my fear of vampires.

 I know right. Please don’t judge me. My ears had been overwhelmed by rumours of the blood creatures slithering their thirsty pale bodies through the quiet neighbourhood in the still night in search of their only desire; fresh, warm human blood. Even thought I’d been informed of the rumours, me being my carless self always left window half way open simply because I was too cheap to spend my hard earned money on a fan. Trust I didn’t slave over that hot stove at that horrid restaurant just to squander my pay cheque on a fan. Why did I have to buy a fan when there good wind outside?

So Noel disrupted my sound sleep by edging her little frame through my window. I’d told her on many occasions that she could have used the door like normal people but Noel was Noel and Noel always wanted things her way and she always got her way. It was Noel’s way or Noel’s way. There really was no option if you understand what I mean.

Anyhoo, there I was dressed in a floral miniskirt below the oversized, unshapely grey T-Shirt I hauled on when Noel asked me to meet her at the park. If you wondering I wasn’t in any hurry to get dressed. Honestly I took about 10 minutes to decide to my atrocious attire. Noel had always been complementing me on my body. You’re so fine girl! I still can’t believe you haven’t done it! Yes she never failed to remind me about doing it and I was well aware that she knew I was scared like a kitten was scared of cold water. Everyone else that I knew had done it.  It was exhilarating. Exciting! Unforgettable!  Gah! I felt so pressured. It’s not like I didn’t want to do it too.

“You’re doing it tonight.” She said in a casual tone as she adjusted the sunglass on her small round face. She said it so easily as if she were telling me to change a shirt. Changing a shirt was simple but doing it was not. One time I was very close to doing it but I liked the guy too much to ever do such a thing. Noel on the other hand was an expert at doing and she wanted me to revel in pure satisfaction when I got the chance to do it. Maybe that was why she was pestering so much for the past month, I guess I was rambling on and on about how scared I was up to my eye balls. And all she would say is Just look and him and- on my I can’t even go on.

I whimpered when a brown leaf decide to land so proudly on my face. My eyes fluttered open to see the sun spilling all its heat, warmth and light all over my innocent body. Noel was right; I had to do it that night. My body was aching for it. It felt as if I were experiencing withdrawals symptoms. It was driving me nuts and nightmares about vampires depriving me of my blood ravishing my mind at nights didn’t alleviate my dilemma.

“Fine.” I agreed reluctantly through clenched teeth. I thought maybe if I just did it and got it over with it maybe some relief would wash over me. I felt so vulnerable.

Noel propped her herself on her elbows and raised the spectacles to reveal those beautiful almond eyes of hers. A smile broke out her face as she looked over at me. I managed to see her happily looking over at me through the corner my eyes.

“I know you’re ready.” She stated. “There’s a party tonight, you can do it there.” She suggested her voice full of mirth and happiness. Well she would happy. She’d been hunting and persuading my little bum for a month now about doing it and when I finally conceded, how could she not feel accomplished. Remember what I said about my dear partner in crime? Noel was Noel and Noel always wanted things her way and she always got her way. It was Noel’s way or Noel’s way. Now don’t judge me and say that I didn’t have a mind of my own because I really do and I did back then too. Noel was just my elder and you have you respect your elders even in circumstances when you feel as if respect for anyone had flown out the window a millennium ago.

Anyways I shut my eyes really tight I thought my eyelid would burst from the pressure. That night was the night.