"Mom, I don't know, I really don't feel so well."

"Honey, it's your birthday, you are eighteen today! We have to see you!"

"I'm being serious, I have a really bad fever and I don't want to give it to you or dad. Just let me rest today and maybe I will come home this weekend." She sighs on the other line.

"Okay, I love you and feel better."

"Love you too." I hang up while walking back to Jill who just stares at me during my conversation with my mother and I had from far. Today is Thursday and it's my birthday. It doesn't feel like my birthday which is upsetting. I lied to mom that I'm sick because I don't want to see her or dad. I really don't want to celebrate my birthday with no one except... Xavier. I know it's hard to say but I miss him.

Jill and I are in the gym after school and students are decorating. No vampires decided to show up and help except humans so there isn't any trouble occurring.

"Should we get this started?" She asks me with excitement and I nod to her. She hands me a box full of decorations and I carry it while she climbs up a ladder.

"So who are you going with tomorrow?"

"I'm going with Sean." She says back while I hand her some decorations that are in the box I'm carrying. She puts tape on them and sticks them on the windows.

"Oh that's cute." I say and she starts to laugh.

"Yeah, I'm wearing a dark green dress with gems on it and Sean is wearing a black tux with a matching green tie."

"You will look beautiful in it."

"Thanks, Diana. I just wish Madison was still here and you coming tomorrow." I bite my bottom lip while handing her another decoration. I gaze at the ground and I nod to myself. If only she knew what kind of mess I'm in. If only she knew I can die any second.

"Me too." I whisper low so she doesn't hear.

Jill was nice enough to drive me home after decorating for three hours in the gym. The theme Night was very different and dark but it turned out pretty well. I got exhausted after decorating so when I got home, the sun was setting to it's dark haze. I sat on the couch and turned on the television, watching some cartoons. Today is my birthday and I lied to my parents and now I am sitting on the couch like a little kid. I bring my knees up to my face and I rest my head on them.

I close my eyes and tears start to roll down my eyes.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Diana." I say to myself. "May this age not be your last." I pray, slowly sliding down to on the couch to a laying position. I curl my hands under my face and I wince in sadness. Eventually, my tears have dried and I have fallen in a deep sleep.

I wake up and it's night out. The TV is still playing cartoons and it's silent except the heat radiating air out of the vents. I rub my face and I sigh, realizing that I have been sleeping for two hours. I drag my feet up the stairs and to the bathroom to shower. After getting out, I walk back down the stairs to get something to eat from the kitchen. Suddenly, I hear the front door open and slam shut. I look at it but no one is there. Did I not lock it when I came inside? Oh fuck.

I look around the small house but no one is around. Was I imaging it? I go back in the kitchen and I see a birthday cake on the granite counter. I walk closer to it and it say's happy birthday. I can't help it but smile because who would bring this? Suddenly, I hear something behind me and I turn around quickly. I gasp in shock and I cover my mouth because I'm so surprised.

"Happy birthday, Diana." Alexander says with a smile on his face. I look in his pale eyes and I run to him, hugging him tightly. He laughs, hugging me back with a squeeze.

"You scared me? Why are you even here?" I ask him and he shrugs.

"I can't see you on your birthday?"

"How do you even know I'm here? How do you know it's my birthday?" I'm asking so many questions but honestly I don't care. I'm happy he's here celebrating it with me.

"Well, I went to your house but your scent wasn't there and I found Xavier's which brought me here. Don't forget, you're marked from him. Plus, before I took you from your house and brought you to the mansion, I did have paperwork's about you. Trying not to sound all stalker much but I knew your birthday was soon." I can't help but keep on smiling at him.

"Thank you."

"Hey, you are like my little sister." I jump back to him, hugging him a little bit longer.

•••

I made dinner, some mac and cheese, than Alexander and I cut the ice cream cake. We're silently eating it on the couch, sometimes giving each other glances and laughing. Eventually, my ice cream has melted to the point where I didn't want to eat it anymore. I sigh and Alexander looks up from staring at his own ice cream.

"How is he?" I whisper to him, glancing up into his eyes. Alexander stares back at me with a frown.

"You still think about him?" He asks and I lick my lips, letting out a chuckle. When I do, I lift my head up towards the ceiling and my lips quiver. Tears run down my eyes and Alexander mutters my name.

"I have dreams about him every night and I can't stop thinking about him." I pause while wiping my eyes. "I know everything is my fault but I feel like he's not okay."

"He isn't. Juliet and I try to talk to him but he pushes us away. He's always in his room, talking to himself, screaming, one night I heard him crying. I wanted to come see you earlier but my parents aren't letting me. I kind of sneaked out, no one knows I'm here."

"Why aren't they letting you?"

"They think it's better off for you to think things over by yourself. I just couldn't help not coming over on your birthday. But my question is, why did you leave your house?" I take a deep breath and I place my ice cream bowl on my lap.

"I came home from the mansion and I find out that my mom is pregnant and I thought that was too much to handle so I came here to our second house to collect my thoughts until I go back home."

"I'm just glad that you aren't hurt or dead." He tries to say it jokingly but I grin back at him.

"Alexander, I have to tell you something." His soft smile vanishes off his lips and he leans closer to me.

"Please don't tell me someone is still out there trying to kill you."

"I'm sorry but I can't say who. He threatened me, told me that if I tell anyone, they will kill my family." I plead to him and Alexander clenches his jaw and makes his hands into fists.

"Is it Dylan?" He asks me and I gasp, looking up at him. Suddenly, he gets up and starts to mutter to himself. "I am going to kill that bastard. Who is he to come across my family and I again. I will kill him like I did to his brother." I felt a bit disgusted hearing that come out of Alexander's mouth but I needed to stop him.

"No, don't it's not him. There's more people but he's a follower... there's a leader." I grab his arm to calm him and he brings his head down, closing his eyes. All of a sudden, his cell phone starts to ring and when he takes it out, it's King Jean.

"Hello? Yeah, I'm out with Rye... no, I'm at his house...yeah, I'll come home... bye." He hangs up and turns around, grabbing my shoulders.

"Diana, I swear to God, stay out of trouble. Don't go near him or whoever this person is. Diana, I am begging you, Xavier will go nuts if he finds out you're dead. Let me and my family handle this because..." He pauses and stares into my eyes with a big frown. "You're human and fragile against my kind. You won't win the fight if you get yourself into one."

"Let me do what I can do. You can't stop me, no one can. I know that person is hiding a secret and when I find out, I will contact you no matter what." He purses his lips into a thin line and grabs me into a hug. I squeeze my eyes shut against his chest until he pulls away.

"Please take my words for granted." Alexander begs and I still keep my eyes shut. I can't see him sad and worried when I look at him.

"I'm sorry, I can't." I choke out and when I do open them, he's gone.

Just like every dream I have with Xavier, when I open them, he's gone.