Just A Substitute Pt 02

*continuation of story: Just a Substitute.

age difference/romance/teacher/student.

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What woke me up first that Saturday morning wasn't the alarm clock or the phone, but the smell of Vanessa's sweet rose perfume. Immediately, my whole body tensed up. Vanessa rolled over, completely naked, just to smile at me.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked.

I saw Megan's face instantly; she used to wear floral perfume. I hadn't made that connection before.

Isn't the mind fascinating?

I let out a sigh. Closed my eyes.

"The kitchen is all yours," I told her.

In an instant, I saw myself walking home from work then finding my girlfriend, Megan, covered in blood. Murdered. But by who? I told the cops I had no idea who had wanted her dead, but in actuality it was probably an enemy of mine who wanted revenge.

Within seconds, Vanessa had jumped out of bed. She was throwing her clothes on rapidly. "You suck!" she pointed a finger at me. It was shaking.

"And to think...I really REALLY liked you!"

she exclaimed.

Oh great, back to my current sucky reality:

I opened my eyes to stare sternly at her.

She looked beautiful, almost elegant-in her own way in the morning.

"I don't usually do the whole romance thing anymore. Not ever since-" I stopped myself. Cleared my throat. Forced a smile.

Her expression changed slightly.

"I'll be in the shower," I shared.

After I was done showering, I checked my phone messages. Would I get fired again or would my charisma help me get out of it? To tell Vanessa I was a vampire or not to tell her? Would she be afraid of me or should I just let her figure it out?

I poured myself two cups of coffee.

"I don't drink that stuff, but I appreciate the offering," I heard Vanessa say behind me. She sat at the kitchen counter.

"You haven't gone home yet?" I observed.

She was silent for a bit. "There's more depth to you than I thought there was."

I nearly spat out my coffee onto my white robe.

"Excuse me?" I said. I got a bit flustered. But wouldn't let her know it.

She must've remembered what I had let slip earlier while talking. Dammit!

"Someone really must have hurt you in the past...or..." she paused. She tried searching my eyes.

"Did someone die?" she questioned.

I sighed. "You are definitely new then to Everett Academy if you didn't know. A woman who I was in love with was murdered one night," I confided.

She stayed quiet.

"It was on the front page of the newspaper," I added. "They compared my Megan to the Black Dahlia." I cringed.

Clenched my fists. "To sell papers...my Megan...they compared her to..."

I couldn't help it; I broke down crying.

Spilled my coffee, but I didn't care.

I'd just clean it up later.

"Oh that's awful," Vanessa said.

She stayed where she was, obviously a bit shocked. And/or frightened.

"I swear on my life I didn't kill her. You must believe me," I pleaded. Still crying like I hadn't cried in a long time.

"I'd never do that to her. Oh, I loved her like I'd never loved, like I didn't know I could love so much until I met her," I rambled. Now Vanessa was kneeling beside me. She wrapped her arms around me to embrace me. I flinched, but let her.

"Of course I believe you didn't do it,"

she replied. Her body was so warm and the hug was so nice...I'd really needed one.

I wiped some of my tears away.

"Thank you," I said.

Vanessa and I cleaned up the rest of the coffee in silence. Well other than me humming some of my favorite music, it stayed fairly quiet and peaceful in my apartment.

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"Next time, Evan...don't lay one hand on a student," the principal stated.

"You got really lucky I'm not hanging you out to dry."

I grinned. I couldn't help it; I still could be a teacher. He wasn't going to tell the school board about me pushing Scott.

The one on one meeting lasted less than fifteen minutes.

My stomach grumbled; maybe I'd have a Subway snack and then...a better snack from an unsuspecting bar or nightclub. Humans usually let their inhibitions go the most at those extraordinary establishments.

I'd have to go alone or with only 1 of my closest college buddies, Nick.

He was a womanizer, so he'd leave me to my own devices sometime during the evening. This wasn't due to a troubled past; not to my knowledge. He simply loved the ladies.

Everything was going fine, up around until almost 11:30 pm. Then Nick had too many shots and wouldn't shut his trap. I glared over at him.

"Oh, why don't you tell your girlfriend about your dead wife?" he asked.

I spat out my drink right onto my date.

"What the hell?!" the brunette shrieked.

"This cost me a fortune!"

"I'll buy you another dress," I offered cleverly. Wanting desperately to diffuse the situation.

Without another word, she left me. Probably to go back to her friends; figures...it was hard to find a good of a human as my ex Megan was.

"You're better off without her," Nick slurred lazily.

"You idiot. That was my midnight snack," I mumbled. Now I'd have to find another one, to lure her in just enough, then sink my fangs deep into her throat.

I looked at Nick and sighed. Took a long sip of my drink. He wasn't as fun as my oldest buddy, Jack. Not until he went completely out of his mind for bloodlust and killed all those prostitutes in England. I wasn't sure where he lived now; I had always thought he was dead somehow. Maybe a vampire hunter had finally caught him who also happened to be a smart cop to cover up the whole messy thing? But why cover it up?

I sighed again. Was I becoming drunk now?

I danced with a few cute single women for about a half hour and socialized the best I could near the bar. I was heading back to Nick when I lost sight of him. He hadn't told me where he was going. I cursed. Rushed to the bathroom-he wasn't there. Rushed back to the bar-not there. The monstrously crowded dancefloor-not there either. My heart fell in my chest to almost my stomach as I kept searching frantically. I was also hungry, for blood, so this was not good timing at all. When a vampire didn't have enough blood, we could pass out or hallucinate.

I tried calling out Nick's name. He had been with me earlier right? Drinking? Oh God, was I going to pass out soon? I felt more beads of sweat drip down my stomach. Why did these hellish lovely places have to be so crowded?

He was my ride home and I didn't really feel like taking a taxi. I guess I was the designated driver now, if I did find him safe.

I finally found him, slouched over, in an alleyway beside the nightclub. Someone had bit his neck. Had consumed some of his blood, but not enough to kill him or make him a vampire. It was a hard struggle, me carrying him back to the street. Thought I heard a woman's laughter nearby us. It echoed down the alley, but I didn't see anyone.

"Someone got lucky tonight; not me," I sighed as I positioned his unconscious body in the backseat of his car.

Now to find his keys...I began looking through his pants pockets carefully.

Just then, I heard a siren. I saw some flashing blue lights. Out of the corner of my eye, saw a cop car.

"Step away from the man, sir!" the cop instructed.

I cursed. Ok, this looked really really bad.

He probably was convinced I had something to do with him being unconscious.

"You don't understand! I'm his friend!" I tried to start explaining, but the cop rushed over to me. With a tazer.

"Stay back!" he said loudly.

"Is that really necessary?" I questioned.

"How dumb do you think I am?" the cop wanted to know. I sighed.

Glanced over his shoulder, then realizing he was alone, I smiled.

"Can you show me your badge please?"

I asked. He got a bit jittery then as he was reaching inside his pocket, I lunged at his neck. Shoved him against the car.

Just as he was about to yell, I dug my fangs deep into his neck.

Ahhhh, that salty and sweet delicious blood.

He sure as hell wasn't my first choice, but he'd have to do since no way was I going to go to jail. Not a teacher with a criminal record!

I drove Nick home in his car; I couldn't just leave him there. I wondered how many vampires were out there-I used to feel so alone. Being vampiric wasn't exactly something I openly spoke about. Maybe there still were more out there. I wondered how many vampire hunters and I shivered. How could you kill another person? I never understood that. I went to sleep that night dreaming of cops chasing me down a street, while other people just watched.