I dreamed of being crushed between a chainlink fence and an overwhelming gloom — unable to move, to speak, to push back. It woke me up at three-thirty in the morning. My heart pounded, tears dripped down my cheeks, onto my pillow.

My hand was lying out from underneath the blanket. When I curled my fingers, my palm felt cold, like I'd been holding hands with a block of ice...

My lips twitched up, and I fell back asleep.

~ * ~

When I woke up, my first thought was Jisung.

I couldn't help but question myself about what happened yesterday. Logic wasn't on my side, and common sense was straight-up waging war against me. Had I imagined the way he looked at me, the feeling of his skin, the way it sounded when he laughed? I just needed to get through the next hour or so without losing my mind.

I unearthed myself from the covers, sat up, and scanned my room. I knew he wouldn't still be here, but I couldn't stop myself from searching. I checked my desk, my closet, the rocking chair in the corner. I crouched down and peered under my bed, just in case.

He wasn't there. But I trusted he had been.

It was grey outside my window, and I'd never been happier to see it. He had no reason to skip school today. I dressed in warm clothes — jeans, a sweater big enough to consume me. I made my way to the bathroom and brushed my teeth thoroughly.

I zoomed down the stairs — my shoelaces almost tripping me twice — and into the kitchen. I sat down on the floor and tied my shoes, then scampered to the cabinet. I dug around for a stale granola bar and downed it in three bites, chasing it with orange juice from the carton (you have to make do with the resources you have). I sucked on a Tic Tac as I readjusted my hair for the millionth time in the toaster's reflection.

I didn't expect Jisung to arrive for a few more minutes. I got down on all fours and crawled to the front window. I lifted myself slowly and peeked out from under the curtain.

The Volvo was there.

I kept up a steady conga line of profanities as I scooped up my backpack and sprinted out the door. I galloped across the lawn, and then abruptly slowed to a cool amble as I realized he was probably watching.

I sank into the passenger seat, setting my backpack by my feet, and looked up as if I wasn't literally dying to see him. He met my eyes, smiling calmly, and I sighed in relief. He wore a white t-shirt, black bomber jacket and ripped jeans. His irises were a lighter gold, I noticed — still tawny and irresistible, as always.

"Good morning," he said — a low, musical purr, and I wanted to give him my life.

"Good morning," I said instead.

He started the engine and pulled out of the driveway, catapulting us down the street. I felt the velocity force me back against my seat. I wondered if being a vampire automatically made you a ridiculously fast driver...

And then I remembered he was an actual, literal vampire, and wondered if I should be more cautious of him now...

Nah.

"Are we going to hold hands again today?" I asked, a stupid grin on my face.

He shrugged, pouting innocently.

"I know you held my hand in the night," I said then.

His eyes ticked to me. "I'm sorry, I went too far."

"No, no. It helped. I was having a nightmare."

He still looked guilty. "I know. I was only in your room for a few minutes, I promise."

"Oh." I hid my disappointment. "You could have gotten comfortable."

"It felt weird to me."

I appreciated his respectfulness — though I hoped it would ebb as we got to know each other.

"Were there any intruders?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No life in your house — aside from you, your father, a rat in your basement and a couple fruit flies in your orange juice."

I made a gagging sound. "I drank that goddamn orange juice!"

"Don't throw up in my car," he laughed, pointing out the window.

"Thanks for your concern." I harrumphed. "So where are your brothers? You usually drive them, right?"

"Mmhmm. They took Jeongin's car today."

He gestured to my side as he parked next to a hot pink convertible. My jaw dropped.

"Jeongin likes pink," he said.

"Ah," I replied. "It's very... swanky."

"I haven't heard someone say 'swanky' since the forties."

"Oh, right, because you're a thousand years old."

"Not a thousand," he scoffed.

I pretended not to notice him paw at the hollows under his eyes in the rear view mirror.

"If he has that car," I said, "why do you all take this one?"

"We try to keep a low profile."

"You suck at it."

"I know."

"If you 'try' to stay inconspicuous, then why did Jeongin drive today?"

"I wanted to drive you."

He clambered out of the car before I could react. I just smiled, opening my door and climbing out as well. I hopped around and met him at the hood.

"I wanted that, too," I said quietly, and kept walking — so we wouldn't have to Stare Awkwardly. He caught up, and we fell into step as we made our way across campus. He was keeping close to me. I couldn't tell if it was a sign for me to take his hand or not. I erred on the side of not.

I saw Jessica standing by her car, across the parking lot — peering at me. She waved, and I waved back. Jisung was doing the same, but his smile was too wide and amused. Suspicious.

"What?" I interrupted myself when I gasped. "Did you read her mind?"

He pressed his lips together, fighting a smile. "Maybe. She wants to know about yesterday. She's gonna ask in class."

"What does she want to know?"

"What happened last night. Whether we're dating."

"What should I say?"

He shrugged. "Up to you."

"So I could say that we're dating, and you would be okay with that?"

"You could say we're dating, but that doesn't mean we're actually dating."

I glared at him, and he glared back. I looked away when I noticed Angela — my wing woman — sitting at a picnic table nearby, reading.

"I should talk to Angela," I said to Jisung. "You don't have to wait for me, if you don't want."

"I'll wait," he said. The nervous knot in my stomach untangled.

I turned, but spun back around immediately. "Er, try not to listen."

He covered his ears.

I shook my head slowly. "You know what I mean."

"I can't hear you."

He was being so playful today — not a trace of the doom and gloom he was stewing in the night before. I wondered what had changed in him.

I took his hands away. "I said, you know what I mean."

"Then I can't wait," he told me. "I'll have to get out of hearing range, or find a crowd big enough to drown out Angela's thoughts."

I didn't particularly want him to know about our conversation, but I didn't want him to leave, either...

"Just wait here," I decided. "But try... but stay."

I shuffled away. I turned back to him and gestured at my ears, and then made an X with my arms. He held his hands over his ears again, and I saw him singsong, "la la la," to distract himself. He was entirely too cute.

"Angela," I called.

She looked up, and smiled. "Hi, Minho."

I stowed my hands behind my back, standing in front of her. "I just wanted to say — hi, of course — and thank you. I really wanted to go out with Jisung, and I have a feeling Jessica wouldn't have gotten it if you weren't there. So. Thank you."

She clapped her hands. "I'm really happy for you. And he likes you, I know it. He's waiting for you right now... What is he doing?"

I looked over my shoulder, and Jisung was still covering his ears, his face twisted up in a grimace. I looked back at Angela.

"He's weird, ignore him."

She laughed. "He drove you to school today."

"I know." I glanced back at Jisung for a second — making sure he wasn't looking — and then hopped a little, letting some of my energy out. Angela held her hand up for a high-five. I touched her hand gently, guessing she was the kind of person who bruised easily.

"See you later," I said.

"See you," she replied, opening her book again. I spun around and hurried back to Jisung.

He was standing stock still, looking overwhelmed. I tapped his shoulder, and he whirled around, dropping his hands.

"What's with your face?" I asked.

"It's hard to not read minds!" he whined. "I was focussed."

"You looked like you were having a crisis."

"You look like a sloth."

"Was that supposed to be an insult?"

"No, I just thought you should know."

I narrowed my eyes at him. He tilted his head in return.

"Class?" I proposed.

"Class," he agreed.

We headed toward building 3.

"Do you mind if I listen to your talk with Jessica?" he asked then.

"Um, why?"

"So I'll hear your answers."

"Wiseass," I coughed. He smiled mischievously. Though it still felt embarrassing — and my answers to Jessica's questions would definitely be embarrassing — I didn't really care. I just wanted to keep talking with him, teasing him, watching his eyes come alive in that way they did.

"Okay, but you can't make fun of me," I said.

He tsk-ed, his mouth an O with mock hurt. "I would never."

I hit his arm softly — because he was being cute, but also because I just wanted to touch him, if even for a second.

We reached my class and stalled at the door. I shifted my weight from one foot to another, and when I looked at him, he had the same posture.

"See you later?" It came out a question.

"Yes," he said. "Meet you for lunch. If that's okay?"

"Yup. That's okay."

He smiled, turned a bit, hesitated, spun around and walked off. I watched him. I didn't even try to hide it. I only retreated into the building once he was out of sight.

I slinked into class and dropped down in my seat — thankful I was on the inculpable cusp of late. I took out my notepad and started drawing absentmindedly.

"Hey, Minho."

Mike had sidled up to me. I sprawled my arms over my notebook — to block Mike's view of my pathetic doodling of Jisung's name. 

"How was Port Angeles?" he asked.

"It was, um, good. Jessica found a dress."

"Did she... say anything about me?" he asked sheepishly.

I smiled. "She said your date was awesome."

His ears perked up. "Really?"

"Really."

Mr. Mason called the class to order, so I turned my attention inwards, staring into space. This continued for the rest of the morning. Government and English passed by in a long smudge, and I stumbled from one room to another, my mind in a perpetual state of 'elsewhere.'

I saw Jessica sitting at the very back of the class when I got to Trig. She eyed me excitedly and beckoned me over with one finger.

"Minho, spill, tell me everything," she whispered as I took my seat. "What happened last night?"

"I was walking around, and I bumped into Jisung, and then we talked to you guys — thanks for instantly taking the hint, by the way — and we went to dinner."

"Sorry," she giggled. "So you guys went on a date?"

"It was definitely a date."

"Are you going out again?"

"We're going to Seattle together on Saturday, I think," I answered casually, as if I hadn't memorized the day.

"Ooh, romantic road trip." She shimmied her shoulders.

"It'll be something."

"So are you dating now?"

I shook my head mightily, wrenching my eyes wide. The expression seemed to overwhelm Jessica.

"There's complications — regarding him being a jerk — but it's not a problem. I'm not done wooing him yet."

I smiled, knowing Jisung could hear me, and knowing he couldn't comment on what I said.

"'Wooing,'" Jessica laughed. "Well, now it makes sense why I felt like you needed to come dress shopping with us."

I lowered my eyebrows. I knew she was insinuating that all gay guys were fashionable. I just happened to both be gay and goddamn cultured. Stereotyping was quite a rabbit hole to fall down while class was technically in session, though, so I let it drop.

Jessica seemed to have asked all the questions she had, and the conversation fizzled.

"Mike was talking to me earlier," I said when the bell rang.

"Oh, my god, what did he say?!" she asked aggressively.

So I described every detail of the sentence structures, facial expressions and body language that Mike may have shown while talking to me. The analysis lasted through the walk to Spanish and all of class.

The lunch bell rang, and I had a miniature heart attack. I revived myself and stuffed my books into my backpack, heaving it over my shoulder.

"You're not sitting with us, are you?" Jessica asked, leaning over to talk to me.

"Um, I'm not sure." In the back of my mind, I knew Jisung could disappear again. I was trying to ignore the possibility.

But when I finally shoved my way out of the classroom, he was there — leaning on the lockers across from the door. Our eyes met, and I smiled, letting myself relax. He smiled back.

"See you later, Minho," Jessica said, striding past me.

"Yeah, bye."

I walked up and leaned on the lockers like he was, letting my head fall to the side so I could look at him.

"Hi." I'd missed him so much. I stepped a little closer.

"Hi."

"Lunch?" he proposed.

"Lunch," I agreed. We headed toward the cafeteria.

It was a moment before he turned to me and said, "So you're wooing me."

"You said you wouldn't make fun of me!"

"I'm not, I'm not — it's just a question!"

"For your information," I sniffed, "I'm constantly wooing you. I'm never not wooing you."

"So when you tease me and confuse me and hit me, that's you trying to seduce me?"

"I'm not 'seducing' you, Jisung — I'm not a sea witch."

He rolled his eyes, making a skeptical sound. "You really don't act like... this, with anyone else?"

"Only you."

He was trying to hide it, but I could tell he liked that.

We were in the cafeteria by this point. It was hard to ignore that everyone was watching us. It felt like my first day at school all over again. I got into the lunch line, and he stayed by my side, even though he wasn't going to buy anything — because vampire. Everything in the glass display looked more off to me than usual, so I settled on a bag of potato chips.

We walked to our table — the one we sat at before. It was always empty now, avoided like it was hexed. We took our seats across from each other.

"How come no one ever sits here anymore?" I wondered aloud, ripping my chips open.

He popped his collar, flipped his pitch black hair out of his face, fluttered his lashes at me. I snapped a potato chip between my fingers without thought.

"You could say I have a reputation." He cringed, cutting himself off mid-sentence.

I laughed. "Okay, then." I covered my mouth and munched.

"Just chips?" he asked, poking the bag.

"Everything else looked weird today. Um, wanna share?"

"No, thank you," he said, resting his elbows on the table.

"It feels weird that you're not eating and I am."

"I know." His mouth twitched to either side. "I'll pretend." He started miming something. I couldn't make out a single gesture.

"What the hell are you doing?"

He dropped his hands to the table. "I'm cutting cake, stop attacking me."

"You cut cake like this." I demonstrated, holding an imaginary knife and sliding it through an imaginary cake. I felt like a dope, but the way he was looking at me made up for it. I put the slice on a plate and pushed it toward him.

He examined the plate like it was actually there, smiling, and shook his head. "Don't be skimpy, Minho."

I cut another piece, and then grabbed a fistful of it and lobbed it at him.

He ducked like I wasn't throwing hypothetical food, almost falling off the bench. When he righted himself, he was disheveled and laughing. I started laughing, too.

"You got it everywhere." He flicked some frosting at me. He stared at the empty table. "Can I still eat this?"

I snorted. "Five second rule."

He picked at the pile of tossed cake with an invisible fork. I examined him and his side of the table. He looked alone. I frowned.

I got up, walked around the table, and sat down next to him. I pulled my bag of chips over and placed one in my mouth before I looked at him.

He was staring at me with his puppy dog eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Sitting next to you," I answered.

"You're so forward, how do you do that?"

I shrugged. "I wanted to sit next to you, so I did."

He became totally still. I followed suit, but I had to breathe sometimes. When he spoke, it startled me.

"So about Seattle..."

I pulled my sweater's neck up above my nose. "Please don't cancel."

He shook his head immediately. "No, no, no, no, I'm not. I was just wondering if you were set on the 'Seattle' part of it."

My mind jumped to so many insane, impossible and indecent conclusions that I had to shake my head to come back to Earth. Jisung just sat there, watching my face go wonky, entertained.

"I'm into whatever." As long as he was there, I couldn't care less what we did. "But would you mind if we took my truck?"

He tilted his head until he was looking at me sideways.

"It's just — Charlie thinks I'm going by myself. Wouldn't want to tip him off, right?"

He purposely looked away from my eyes, pressing his lips together. "It might be good if you told him." He meant more than he said, I could tell.

"Um, that would be hell, actually." I missed staring into his eyes, so I lifted his chin up with one finger. "If not Seattle, where are we going on Saturday?"

"The weather is going to be nice, so I thought we could do something special away from Forks." He spoke carefully, anxiety and excitement blending into one on his face. "I, um, would like to show you something. It has to do with the sun, and me."

I loved it when he shared himself with me. He seemed to be opening up more and more, and I was enthralled with every minute of it.

I smiled, teeth showing. "I'm looking forward to it."

"It would still make me feel better if you told Charlie you were with me."

"Ehh, I don't want to."

He opened his eyes a little wider, and I thought I saw him lean closer. "For me?"

I growled, because I knew I couldn't resist him. "I'll think about it."

"Please, it's important."

"Why is it important?"

"Because it might motivate me to bring you back."

He was trying to be cool again. "Stop. You really think I couldn't survive you?"

He flinched. "You know what I am. You should be afraid."

I booped his nose. "Afraid, not afraid, it's all a state of mind."

"That is factually inaccurate and you know it!"

"Accurate and inaccurate is a state of mind, too."

"Minho." His tone was exhausted. "What if I don't bring you back?"

I leaned toward him. "Then don't bring me back."

I didn't plan for our faces to be so close. (I swear I didn't.) The second stretched out like a rubber band, and snapped back just as quickly. He pulled away.

"You're going to be the death of us both," he sighed.

"Might as well live while we can." I puckered my lips and subtly glanced at his mouth.

"I'm not going to kiss you."

"Just like that wasn't a date yesterday?"

"It wasn't a date and I'm not going to kiss you."

"Why? Tell me why."

He exhaled and didn't breathe back in. "There are other factors at play."

"And you're not going to tell me about them."

"I would be happy to, actually," he sniffed. "Just say the word."

"The word."

"Not here!" He flailed his arms at our surroundings.

"Fine," I huffed. "If not an explanation, then what should we do now?"

I puckered again. He pinched my lips with his thumb and index finger, tugging softly. I slapped his hand away, muttering incoherent expletives to mask my disappointment.

"Time for Biology," he said brightly — seeming to enjoy my expression — and got up from his seat.

Once I wasn't under the influence of his eyes anymore, I noticed the cafeteria was nearly empty. Time and space were distorted when I was with him — either passing so fast it gave me whiplash, or slowing down like someone had pressed the 'pause' button. It was confusing and really, really cool.

He was waiting for me, and we walked side by side to class.

~ * ~

Everyone in Biology watched as we sat down next to each other in the back row.

Mr. Banner backed into the room, pulling a TV and VCR on a wheeled frame. Our classmates started whispering among themselves. The excited energy in the room was palpable. Movie days were as rare as they were revered.

Mr. Banner whacked and fussed with the machines for a few minutes — forgetting he had an audience. He finally forced the tape into the petulant VCR and walked over to the wall. He gave us a long-suffering look before he turned off the lights.

It was insane how black the room became. Mr. Banner had pulled the blinds down to make the class a movie theatre. The opening credits began, which only brightened the space a little. I didn't know why Mr. Banner chose Something's Gotta Give to show his Biology class. Maybe he just hadn't seen it before.

It was weird not being able to speak to Jisung while he was right next to me. I tried not to look at him, but gave up immediately. I was so aware of him. It was like trying to ignore the sun, if the sun was a chilly vampire boy you were tragically in love with.

His hand was just lying there on the table — useless, tempting, within my sights. How pathetic would it be if I made him hold hands with me? I sighed, folding my arms on the table and hooking my chin over my wrists...

I dove headlong into my imagination. What if I pulled myself up and took his hand? Maybe we would lock eyes, stare for a while... he'd lean in. I'd lean in. He would hold my cheeks in his hands, keeping me close. Our lips would touch, and it would be like a natural disaster flinging my soul around — but my body would stay still. Because I was kissing him, and he was kissing back, tilting his head, pursing his lips at the right moment so our mouths would catch and make a sound. The room would fall away, and the Earth would cease to exist, and we would be all that remained.

The lights flipped back on. I flinched, yanked out of my fantasy, and my chair made a sharp screeching sound against the linoleum floor. Several of my classmates turned to look at me. I wondered how long I'd been daydreaming. The clock told me it was forty-five minutes later, but that couldn't have been right...

Mr. Banner was at the front of the class with a pleased look on his face. He started lecturing about the movie, and I focussed as thoroughly as I could, though I was still drunk off my imagination.

The bell rang halfway through Mr. Banner's sentence, and it was like music to my ears. Everyone jumped up and started filing out of the room. We gathered our stuff and flowed with the current.

"Where were you before?" Jisung asked me.

I hiked my shoulders up, glancing at him casually. "My happy place. Walk me to Gym?"

"Sure."

Jisung escorted me to Gym, and then we parted. I pretended to enter the building, instead watching him walk away. He turned back — like he was a mindreader — but I was already skittering to the locker room.

I changed without recognition of my surroundings. My heart was aching. I felt like three little aliens in a trench coat pretending to be a human — until I was handed a racket. Then I realized we were playing badminton and I was definitely going to suck at it. Thankfully, Mike offered to be my partner, and I accepted. It was a lot of running and wheezing and swinging (I hit myself in the goddamn eye) before class was finally over.

Mike and I walked — more like slinked, in my case — off the court, to the changing rooms.

"So," he said.

I was waiting for him to continue. "So?"

"You and Jisung Han, huh?" His tone was odd — irritated, yet soft like he was forcing it.

"I guess so."

"Look, I'm an ally, but... I don't like it."

I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my own mind.

"I don't care if you don't like it," I said.

"Whoa, whoa, okay." He held up his palms. "I'm just warning you — he's hated me for years, even though he has no reason."

"I mean, if he hates you, maybe there is a reason."

"You're really defending him right now?"

"Yeah."

"You shouldn't."

I shrugged, taking my stuff and changing in the bathroom. I had bigger things on my mind than Mike.

I broke out of the Gym building, slightly crazed, and scanned the grounds for Jisung. I was about to start panicking when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I spun around, and he was there. I wanted to throw my arms around him. I didn't know how to physically illustrate how happy I was to see him. Screaming would have done the trick, but there were too many people around. Maybe I should've dropped to my knees, started worshipping his divinity.

He was smiling, but his eyebrows were turned down in anxiety. He reached out and touched the corner of my sore eye with his thumb.

"Is your eye okay, my—?" He stopped himself abruptly. "Is your eye okay?"

"Um, yeah," I said. "What were you gonna say?"

He grimaced. "Something stupid. You don't want to know."

I narrowed my eyes, but moved on.

"Ready to go?"

"Mmhmm."

We headed toward the parking lot. I was about to whine about how stupid badminton is, but when I looked at him, he was glaring over his shoulder. I followed his eyes and saw Mike walking away from us.

"Were you listening to that?" I asked.

"Sorry. It was too interesting." He harrumphed, blowing some hair out of his face. "I consider myself a pacifist, but sometimes I just want to..." He gestured a flicking motion, and then an explosion. "Thank you for defending me, though."

"You're welcome. And I was ready to throw down, I'll tell you that." I held up my fists, taking a fighting stance.

Jisung put his hands over mine and gently pushed my fists down, shaking his head.

"You just have to crap all over my fun," I grumbled.

"Your 'fun' is fighting your friend?"

"If it was for a good cause. If we did fight, who would you bet on?"

"Neither of you."

"Hurtful."

"I'm not wasting my money."

We reached the parking lot. I opened the passenger door and climbed in. I buckled my seatbelt, listening to Jisung mess with the controls and back out of the space.

"If not with the bookies," I said, "where are you in this scene?"

"I'm on the sidelines, refereeing with the bandages and icepacks." He accelerated so fast it should have terrified me, but didn't.

"Would you give me pep talks and shove me around when I'm about to quit?"

"It would be my pleasure to shove you around."

"Thank you for your service."

"You're welcome, Mr. Balboa."

"Who?"

He looked disgusted. "You haven't watched Rocky?"

"Is that the one with the moose and the squirrel?"

"That's Rocky and Bullwinkle!"

"No, that's the one about the boxer."

He scowled at me pointedly.

Then I noticed the car was off, and I looked out my window to see Charlie's house.

I turned back to him. "Do you want to do this again tomorrow?"

He was resigned. "All right."

I was happy. Today had been the best day of my life — which was pathetic, but true.

"So you'll pick me up?" I confirmed.

"I'll be there," he promised.

"And will you be there tonight?"

"If that's okay?"

"It's okay."

He smiled. "Okay."

"And don't think I forgot about the 'other factors' from earlier. You said you'd explain."

"Just say the word."

"Great... bye."

"Bye."

I inhaled. "Bye."

I climbed out of the car and didn't look back as I crossed the lawn. It was just hitting me now that I wouldn't see him until the morning. The thought made my dumb eyes prickle.

It became even more real when I dropped my backpack in my room. I listened to the quiet sounds of the house settling, the floorboards creaking, the absence of Jisung's voice, his low, breathy laugh. Something squeezed in my heart, and I wanted to believe it was an artery closing up, but no. I just missed him.

I found myself wanting to talk to Angela, which was odd. Not that I wanted to speak to Angela, but that I wanted to speak to any human (besides Jisung or my mom) at all.

I towed a chair over to the landline, sat down, and dialled Angela's house. She answered, and we ended up getting sucked into a conversation. She told me about her fascination with dinosaurs, her favourite dinosaur movie, which genus she connected with most. (Mussaurus.) She asked about Jisung a few times, but I didn't really want to talk about him. The one time she coaxed a monologue out of me, I nearly started crying. We talked about the quilt she was sewing (she stuck herself in the finger and shrieked into the phone, which made me shriek, and then we started laughing). Our call only made the perfect day more perfect.

We hung up when I realized it was dinnertime. I ambled to the kitchen, heating some oil on the stove.

Charlie came home, and we ate in silence. I pretended I was going to do homework, and instead got ready for bed. It was only eight thirty, but I didn't care. I thought about Jisung until it was dark, and then I turned out the light.

-----------------------

I actually haven't watched Rocky ;-;

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 

and thank you for 88 votes! I really appreciate every vote and comment and read! 

bye <3