When Kate got home she didn’t tell her father about the boy at school. She knew he’d make a big deal of investigating it all.

She greatly thought about the scent. Wondering and thinking about what it smelled like. It definitely wasn’t human, but her nose was not as sensitive as a vampire so she couldn’t exactly pinpoint it. But she knew it wasn’t human. Either that, or he seriously needed a shower because his smell was taking on a supernatural tone.

She made the decision that the next day she’d watch him and try to figure it out. The new “mission” had her excited. The normal everyday routine was getting monotonous and she could use some excitement.

Her father came into her room that night and sat on her bed.

“Tomorrow after school I need you to help me.”

She cringed. She hated “helping” her father. “Yes sir.”

He got up and walked out. No “goodnight”, no “I love you, you’re so well behaved”. Nothing of the sort.

She curled up in a ball and fell asleep like she always did.

The next day in school she searched and searched the mass of 10th graders bustling in the hallway. 1st period bell rang and everyone poured into their classrooms, but Kate stayed outside for a second watching. She knew for a fact the boy had dark hair, but the day before she had done her best to not make eye contact with him; like she does with all people.

She saw no sign of him and decided that he must be in a higher grade than her. She was late to class, something that never happens so the usually bitter Mrs. Goldman was shocked.

“Mrs. Hutchinson. Falling asleep in class and late? I hope your issues don’t injure your GPA.” She turned up her nose and pulled out workbooks for the class.

Kate sat in her seat and tried to focus. She heard a light snicker. A sound so faint a human couldn’t pick it up. She turned her head and out of the corner of her eye she saw the outline of the boy from the hallway. He was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans. She shifted her eyes back to Mrs. Goldman passing out the workbooks.

Once Mrs. Goldman passed, she swiveled casually in her seat and looked at him.

He was smiling at her. His eyes were a beautiful shade of brown. She turned back around, shocked that he was staring at her, and glad that he was human after all.

She got to her locker after class and heard someone approach. The footsteps were too light to be a woman’s. She pulled out her books, pretending not to notice.

“Kate.” A low voice pronounced her name intimately.

She paused and turned around. The boy from the hallway was gazing into her eyes. She shrank back from his glare.

“How do you know my name?”

He smirked. “I asked a teacher.”

She had to struggle to contain the sigh of relief she wanted to heave. “Do you need something?”

She bent over and put her books in her backpack. “Yes. You’re the smartest girl in this school and I’m failing algebra.”

She stood up and slung her backpack over one shoulder. “Okay..” She instinctively hid under her long bang.

He chuckled. “Well, would you tutor me?” He made an expression of obviousness.

She shrugged. “Sure.” She walked past him, and a rush of air came at her. He didn’t smell human. This irritated her. She stopped and turned around. She half deliberated using her powers to find out what exactly he was. He smiled innocently, and for a second, she forgot what she was going to say. A silky subtle daze came over her mind and swept through her conscious thoughts, making them seem silly and useless.

She broke through. “I’ll get up with you tomorrow.” She turned and walked off to second period.

She was so confused. She knew that there were other beings that weren’t human, but how would she figure out what he was? Did he know what she was? When he looked at her, her mind was dazed and confused. Was he the one that made her feel that? She made the resolution to forget about it and focus on her history class.

She felt a tap at the back of her head while she was copying down what was on the board. A note was slid over her shoulder and into her lap.

The inside of it said,

Hey my names Grant. You interested in tutoring me in History?

She sighed. She wrote a yes on it and flung it back behind her. She heard a grunt and an “ow” and hoped she hadn’t poked someone’s eye out.

When school was out she sauntered over to her car where she knew her father was waiting.

She got in the passenger seat and set her bag down at her legs. “Who is it this time?”

Her father turned to her and shook his head. “Just another banker.”

She groaned.

He stiffened and shot a glare at her. “Do you want to go to Yale?”

She rolled her eyes and sank down into the seat. Just another day pleasing her father. Just another day stealing someone’s will and money.