Third period on Wednesday was so dull until Seth walked in. I guess he was the new guy everyone was talking about, and whoa could he make a great impression! Everything happened in slow motion as he walked through the classroom door: the breeze from the door blew his hair in all sorts of directions, like a movie star coming into a scene; only this was reality. When he saw his class he smiled a blinding smile that stopped my heart, but I wasn’t pleased at who his smile was directed too. I heard an intake of breath beside me, my best friend Sabrina.

“Oh my gosh!” she whispered “ Sapphire did you see that? The new guy smiled at me!”

“Yeah I know.” I said half-heartily. I had to admit I was jealous! How come he didn’t look at me? Was I not good enough for him? Yeah I know that Sabrina is a pretty girl and all, but still what does she have that I don’t? I watched as Seth introduced himself to the class. Afterwards he sat down beside Sabrina. What I wouldn’t do for a great barf-bag! Already they were having Flirting Section 101! Why couldn’t we have a fire drill or something. Oh I know! How about a falling meteorite big enough to squash at least half of the classroom (maybe my half)!

When the bell finally rang both Sabrina and Seth rushed out of the room together or should I say that they ran out of the room giggling. Wow. I didn’t think Sabrina was the type of girl who rushed into relationships. Rejected, I gathered my books and headed to fourth period. I regretted having that class with her. I bet myself that the entire period she was going to brag about how she and Seth hit it off. As I walked in the classroom I expected her to run up to me saying: “Guess what? Guess what?” But that never came. In fact she wasn’t even in class.

Fifteen minutes passed and Sabrina still hadn’t returned. Really strange. I raised my hand and asked if I could go to the rest room. On my way to the bathroom I heard inhuman noises. I walked toward them and saw Sabrina and Seth. She was just standing there as he did a short growl then like under a spell she gave him her wrist. I watched in horror as he unsheathed his fangs and bit into her wrist to suck the blood. He drank it ravenously and then suddenly stopped, licking the wound to heal it. He unsheathed his claws and snipped off a lock of her hair then sniffed it. As I gasped he turned around and sniffed for his witness. I hid behind a nearby wall. When I was sure that he wasn’t looking I peeped back at what they were doing. He was still there with her. Suddenly Sabrina awoke from her trance and smiled at him. I was disgusted at that. How could she smile at that monster?

“Let’s go, Sweetie!” he scooped her up into his arms and ran off. Where was he going to take her? Maybe I’ll find out later when I text her. Which she’d better answer!

As soon school was over I quickly drove over to Sabrina’s house. There was no one home yet. I guess that I let my anxiety get the better of me. Maybe I will stop by on Saturday. I decided to call Sabrina, but her phone was dead. Another strange thing. She always charges her phone. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

It was Saturday I was at home doing my homework until my mom ran into my room telling me that Mrs. Bliss, Sabrina’s mother, was calling. “Hello.” I said. I wonder why she could be calling asking for me?

“Hello, Sapphire,” her voice sounded frantic. “Have you seen Sabrina?”

My heart skipped a beat. “No, not since Wednesday. Why?”

“She has been missing for three days. I called the police and they said that they would report it as a runaway, but I don’t think that she would be that unhappy to run away.”

“Oh.” that was all I could say.

I couldn’t sleep that night. Maybe because I was worried about how Sabrina was doing. That vision of the inhuman incident kept appearing in my dreams.

Second period had come very slowly. I stared intently at the doorway waiting for Seth to come through. My concentration was interrupted by the sound of someone occupying a seat next to me. I cock my head and out the corner of my eye was Seth!

“Hello, Sapphire.” I heard in a velvety voice that was directed toward me. I turned my head to gaze at him. He was waiting for a reply.

“Uh. Hello, Seth.” What else was I supposed to say?

“That blouse looks gorgeous on you. It really brings out your eyes.” Wow. I haven’t gotten a compliment on this blouse before, but wait he‘s a monster.

“Thank you.” Now how was I going to ask him about Sabrina? “How are you and Sabrina?” I blurted out. I saw him smile for only a second.

“Sabrina is dead to me. Funny how relationships are just cut off. I felt guilty for breaking up with your friend. She was just bleeding love for me. It was like I ripped her heart out when I said we were over. I don’t know why broke with her. She smelled so good.” he chuckled at himself. Maybe there was some inside joke on what he just said. I decided to play along to see if I could figure anything else out.

“Oh. So sad.” That was all I could manage. I felt blood run cold.

“Yeah. I know. Why don’t you come with me after class. I want to show you something.” I saw a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Actually, I have to go somewhere after class.” I was a terrible liar and I think he figured me out. Maybe he saw me in the hall the other day.

“You should. It has something to do with Sabrina’s disappearance. You know she’s been missing for four days already.” I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was serious.

“Why do you want me to go with you? Why not anyone else?”

“You are her best friend, therefore you should know what happened to her.”

“Okay, fine then.” As soon as I said this the third period bell rang. Time to go with Seth. Oh great! What if he turned into a monster and devoured me.

“Come along.” he said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly through the hallway traffic toward the back of the school. As he pulled me adrenaline pulsed through my veins.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked suddenly scared. I was not aware of my impending fate.

“To the creek.” he replied. There was a creek at the back at our school. It was so muddy that it looked like a serial killer’s backyard. When we got there he let go of me roughly.

“Why are we here?” I asked suddenly with something inside telling me to run away.

“You wanted to see what happened to your friend. I know you saw that incident in the hall. She was such an easy victim. Good thing my dad is head of the police department. We just reported her disappearance as a runaway.” He walked over toward an overgrown bush and uprooted it. Under it a bloody hand was poking out.

“Oh no.” That was all I could say from the shocked stage I was in. Seth had killed Sabrina and buried her.

He unburied the rest of the body and in the center of her chest was a gigantic hole. “You-you monster!” I was horrified.

“The heart is the best part.” He turned to me with a crazy look in his eyes while unsheathing his fangs and his claws . “You’re next.”

“No. Please no.” I was frozen with fear as he slowly approached me. The sun’s reflection off the tip of his fangs made the adrenaline rush to my brain. I blacked out as he charged at me on all fours. If only I’d listened to my gut.