Eleventh Grade Burns(72)

Joss grew quiet, but Vlad could tell he was thinking of a way to phrase whatever it was he was thinking. Finally, taking a deep breath, as if this weren’t very easy for him either, he said, “The way I see it, day and night are very different things ... just like us. So the way I figure it, maybe we should take a break from trying to kill each another. During the day, we’ll be friends ... y’know? If you want, I mean.”

“And at night?”

“Foes. For the reasons we discussed in the hospital.”

They walked along in silence as Vlad mulled over the idea. In truth, he really liked it, but he wasn’t sure if he could trust Joss. Not after everything that had taken place between them. He shook his head, berating himself for making himself vulnerable to the sadistic whims of a slayer, and said, “Okay. But you’ve got to leave Otis and Vikas out of this. And no confrontations in Nelly’s house. I don’t want her involved.”

“Okay. But you can’t hide inside Nelly’s house every night either.”

“Deal.” They approached the front of the school and Vlad slowed his steps. “Hey Joss ... has anyone said anything about Eddie’s article lately?”

Joss smiled. Vlad couldn’t tell what his smile meant. “Everyone’s said something, Vlad”

“Like what?”

But Joss was already up the steps and opening the front door.

Vlad took a brave breath and huffed up the stairs. Once he was inside, it seemed like business as usual. Students were hurrying from their lockers to first hour. Teachers were trying to keep the peace. The jocks were being jock-y and the cheer-leaders were swooning at their jock-yness. The art kids were sharing their sketchbooks with one another. It was a scene like any other morning at Bathory High. Vlad was in shock. He’d fully expected torches and pitchforks.

A large wall of flesh slammed into Vlad’s side, knocking him off kilter. Tom Gaiber snorted, “Watch where you’re going, goth boy.”

Bill Jensen snorted too. Vlad was beginning to think he was surrounded by horses. Two large, annoying horses with bad body odor and low IQs. “You’re a vampire, right? Show us your fangs, vampire boy.”

Vlad’s defenses raised, but he said nothing. Sometimes silence was your best defense. Tom guffawed. “Yeah, you’re as much of a vampire as I am a werewolf. And I’m not one.”

Resisting rolling his eyes was giving Vlad a migraine, so he closed them for a moment instead. “Are you done yet? I have to get to class.”

Tom snorted. “Class? You’ve got none of that, loser.”

Thankfully, Mr. Hunjo appeared and shooed them both off with a warning glance before they decided to beat some class into Vlad.

Vlad shot an expectant look at Joss, who smiled as he shuf fled the stack of books in his hands. “Where’s Eddie?”

Joss shrugged. “He was expelled for writing a bogus article about a fellow student—something Principal Snelgrove views as a form of bullying.”

And just like that, Vlad’s tension melted away. It was over. In a good way.

As Vlad and Joss walked into Otis’s classroom, Otis shot him a look that said he doubted his nephew’s sanity. “Is this your way of handling it? A broken arm and a mended friendship? I knew you went after him, but I assumed it was to stop his heart from beating.”

Vlad cut Otis off with a crunch. It was none of his business anyway. Besides, he wanted blood, he got it. He never said anything about death.

Otis looked at Joss and managed a somewhat pleasant tone. “Joss, it’s good to see you back. I was worried something happened to you.”

Joss wasn’t smiling. “Something did, but I survived.”

“Well, it’s good to have you back. I trust you and your friend are ready for a pop quiz.”

Vlad shot Otis a look before letting his eyes wander over to Meredith’s desk. Sadly, he found it empty.

As if reading his thoughts, Joss leaned forward and said, “She’s out with mono. Won’t be back until after spring break.”

Vlad nodded his thanks and then turned his attention back to the pop quiz that had just been put on his desk. The air between him and Joss was strange, awkward. Because even though they’d agreed not to kill each other during daylight hours, there was always that other thing.

There was always the fact that both of them loved Meredith Brookstone.





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