~Fender~
Monday morning in Moonlight High, everybody seemed so tired and blue. Their face showed that what they only wanted the most was sleeping and waking up late. Moonlight High seems like an ordinary high school, just like the others. But, if you know what really happens in this town, you’ll for sure know that this school is different from the inside.
There was a group of cheerful-looking girls, walking and murmuring about something. They were gorgeous, sweet, and friendly. Others might notice nothing wrong about them. But I know who they are. Perhaps I can call it what they are.
One of those girls whispered to her friends while still passing through the others. They then chuckled and their eyes looked so sly. I knew there was something fishy about them. I saw the girl with a small mole in her chin, secretly raised her finger slowly. Then something happened. A wind suddenly blew fast, blowing the skirts of some gossiping girls who stood near their lockers.
Those victim girls screamed very loud and tried to stop the wind from revealing their precious thing inside their skirt. Their face turned red and they suddenly became a joke among the people there. They wandered in confusion about where that weird wind came from. Most of people there only showed their grin, covered up their true laughter. Some of them were just burst into laughter. And the culprits just chuckled and passed through, pretending to be innocent.
Many didn't realized about what they had done. But I did. Are they human? Of course not! Which human can do such things?
Let me tell you. They’re fairies and one thing I know about them the most, they love pranks. That’s why I often tried to stay away from them. They lived secretly as fairies, pretending to be just normal humans. They knew I recognized them, and it was a big advantage to me. From what I’ve known, fairies can do some natural magic tricks such as wind, fire, ice, and others. They can cast those things with their finger, just like what those naughty fairies did. I have read in some books I can’t remember that a high skilled fairy even can control weather. What an amazing ability! But I have seen none until recently.
Not just fairies, I just saw a bunch of pale-looking guys stared at me when we crossed path. They looked scary with their glowing red eyes. Sometimes I even saw their eyes turned gold. The other times, I saw them black. People thought that those guys loved wearing eye contacts. Yes, they were just one group of vampire societies who lived in Moonlight Hills. Just like the fairies, they pretend to be normal humans. But they’re scarier and more dangerous creatures. What can you expect from the beasts who think of you as a can of refreshing juice? They’re bloodsuckers who feel high when they stare at your neck.
I prefer to get naked in front of all the people here because of fairies’ prank than get those vampires fangs pierce my soft neck skin.
But fortunately, they just didn’t attack people in random. They knew it was a careless thing to do since they always tried to keep their secret from human being. Most of them were noble vampires who didn’t want to do any harm to human. They loved peace and preferred to drink animal human or synthetic blood created by their own kind. Still, it’s not wise to make them angry, or having a fight with them. Even just do a little prank.
Besides fairies and vampires, I believe there are other supernatural beings that live secretly in Moonlight Hills. Though I’ve never seen one in my life, I can feel their presence. It’s not that I have a supernatural power. I swear of it! But when I read a newspaper or watched TV about a few murders that have occurred in this town, I believe it was not an animal doing just like other people believe. And I’m sure it was not because of vampires because of a very different pattern. I have befriended with vampires in my whole life and I know everything about vampires.
***
Frank Damon and his two loyal friends, Sam Witter and Walter Hayley, walked down the corridor, having all the attention from the people there. It was not because of the other two, but it was Frank. He is a gorgeous boy who is idolized by many girls in this school, even in this town. Furthermore, his calm and cool personality makes every girl crazy about him.
He barely talks and smiling is not his favorite thing. Some typical of vampire, but I think his introvert trait is too much too handle. But I hate to know that he has more fans than me. He didn’t seem care about all the girls murmuring about him.
“That’s Fender,” said Sam with a low voice while pointing at me.
The other two turned their head onto me and smiled. But Frank smile was not as wide as I smiled to them. His smile was faint. Perhaps no one noticed that but me and his two friends. That was me, Fender Luts, one of the handsome and popular boys in this school, running toward them. It’s not that I get cocky about myself, I tell you, many girls like me. I was a very popular quarterback and superstar in the field and I dated the prettiest and super popular captain of cheerleader just like in a teen movie. Life’s so good. That’s why I think it’s irrational that girls still like Frank more. I know he’s a national swimming champion and he’s smarter than me. But hello...I’m a quarterback and I’m still very gorgeous. He even beats my popularity in school. Poor me! It's suck to compete with your best friend.
“Have you heard that Angelica is having a party in her house tonight?” I asked them, and I was on fire. Unlike Frank who looks so gloomy all the time, I’m the type of person who loves playing around. In personality, we are completely different person.
I heard Frank sighing, but he didn’t speak a word.
“I do like parties, but you know that Frank hates them,” Sam replied. Walter only nodded beside him. “I’ll go if Frank goes,’ Sam said, and then he looked at Frank’s face, waiting for his response.
“Why don’t you go with your girlfriend?” Walter asked.
Honestly, I was kind of bored with my girlfriend. I know it's kind of weird, knowing that I was boasting my pretty girlfriends earlier. But I didn’t say anything about that to them.
Frank shrugged a bit, “I don’t hate party, Sam. Sometimes I enjoyed them. But do you think it’s a good idea to attend a party in a crisis time like this,” he said. He pointed at the window. We saw several police cars parking at the yard of our school. Some polices seemed talking with a male teacher, or perhaps it was better suited as they were interrogating him.
I wondering if they were talking about the mystery murder I saw in the TV news in the morning. When I looked at Frank again, he started to speak before I asked him, “They found bodies at the forest. They said that those bodies were students from here,” he said.
“Do you know Brody Adams?” Walter asked.
I furrowed, “I know that weird guy. Is he dead? How?” I asked him back.
Frank, Sam, and Walter still tried to overheard what those people talking about outside. The space between us and them was about 20 to 30 meters away, but it didn’t stop them to be able to listen to. They even can hear your faint breath and also the sound of your heart beat. Yes, they’re not human. They’re vampires and I befriend them. Super hearing is one of common abilities of a vampire.
Frank is a noble half-blood vampire. His father is a pureblood and his mother is a noble half-blood, make him nobler and more powerful than his mother thanks to his father’s bloodline. His family is one of three purebloods household in this town.
The vampires are not the same like you watch in the movies. They seem dead, but they are not dead. They can breed just like humans do. And the purebloods are those who have their genes not tainted by other races. The purer they are, the stronger they become.
Sam and Walter are also noble half-bloods, but Frank is nobler than them. While Frank has father as pureblood, they both have great grandparents as the closest pureblood. That’s why they obey him and follow him wherever he goes.
Their face seemed more serious than before. I saw them looked at each other for a moment. They were communicating even they didn’t talk. I hate if they did that, but who am I to complain about it?
“It was not tainted-blood,” Frank finally explained, “The pattern is not the same.”
Sam nodded, “You’re right. And they said that the victims had severe scratch scars all over their body. Vampire doesn’t scratch. They tear,” he added.
I raised my hand low, trying to get their attention. It was like I was not there that they didn’t notice my presence. Maybe sometimes I have to try to complain more about this. They finally looked at me. I took a deep breath and asked, “So, what do you think did that such thing? Is it really a wild animal from the forest?”
Walter shook his head fast, “Nope! I don’t think an ordinary wild animal would leave their victim without head. If they want to eat, they will eat all. Even if they have leftovers, it won’t be just head that gone. It makes sense, doesn’t it?” his words about someone losing his head made me suddenly felt thrilled.
I began to think. What Walter said about his explanation was right. It was not an ordinary animal. Was it supernatural being, I asked myself that time. Then I was wondering about that.
“So, what was it if it’s not a tainted-blood?” I asked.
Walter shrugged. “Making a human into a tainted-blood is a big crime. And you know a high success only can be done by a pureblood. I don’t believe they are willing to do that without any good reason,” he said.
“It’s useless to talk about it now. I’m going to figure it out,” Frank said.
I tried to forget about what happened and came back to my previous topic, even though it thrilled me when that thing crossed my mind. “So, will we go to Angelica’s party tonight?” I was grinning, shaking my head to the left and right.
But nobody answered me. Sam and Walter stared at Frank, while Frank stared at someone else seriously. I saw the boy who Frank was staring at. He was a brand new sophomore, transferred from another country. I hated to admit that he was handsome, and his fans grew more even if he was still new. He was kind of younger and cuter person, with the combination of Asian and European on his appearance. His personality was just like Frank I assumed, calm and cool. I knew he was going to be my eternal rival when I first met him. Damn! All handsome men are my eternal rivals.
I didn’t know why Frank was so interested to him at that time, so I asked him directly, “Why do you see him like that?” He didn’t answer me. He kept staring at him like he was an alien or something strange.
“Who is he? I’ve never seen him before,” Walter asked.
“He’s new,” I answered, “His name is Ino Rays. I wonder why you guys are so ignorant about anything. He’s like a very big bomb in this school. Every girl likes him and I hate about that.”
Frank still didn’t response. He kept staring at him with the same stare. I saw that Ino guy again. There was nothing wrong about him. He just picked some books from his locker and it didn’t seem odd. He was just as normal as the others.
Then we saw a pretty, blond, and cheerful girl approaching him. She was Angelica, the girl who wanted to hold a party that night. They had a little chit-chat there.
“Hey, Ino! I hope you’re free tonight because it’s compulsory for you to attend my party. I don’t accept no. Okay?” Angelica said with her forceful power. It was one of her abilities.
I saw Ino smiled. “Of course,” he answered simply.
With so much happiness in her face, Angelica smiled back to him. Suddenly I felt so jealous to him. My hatred to him grew stronger at that time.
“We’re going to Angelica’s party tonight,” Frank said suddenly.
I didn’t know what made Frank changed his mind so fast. Was it because he was also jealous too to that guy, I began to wonder. But I did like that he agreed with my decision to come to the party. He kept watching Ino until that guy disappeared at the corner of that corridor.
“But, Guys, stay away from that boy,” Frank whispered, but I still could hear him.
No response from the three of us, we just kept staring each other, wondering what Frank meant about his words earlier. But if Frank said such things, it was better for us to follow him. It wasn’t because he was a noble half-blood that affected my treatment to him. I’m human and that such thing doesn’t affect me.
It was because of his special ability that I believed him. Every pureblood and most noble half-blood has one incredible power called noble special abilities. They can only have one of those incredible things and vary between each other. What Frank has is he can sense dangers around him. If he said that we should stay away from that Ino guy, he knew that Ino could bring danger to us.
Who was he? Or perhaps what was he really? Was he the one who responsible of the murder the previous night?