The next day didn't feel any different at least, that's what I kept telling myself. School carried on like it always did, oblivious to the small shift I could feel inside. The morning air was cool, carrying the faint scent of asphalt and early blooms, and I walked into the gates trying to act normal.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was already imagining the chaos of the cafeteria. Trays clattered against metal tables, voices overlapped in a constant roar, and the smell of fried food hit me before I even stepped inside. My friends were already gathered at our usual table, waving me over with a mix of teasing and exaggerated impatience.
"You're late again," Sarai said, smirking as she nudged the stack of books she'd balanced precariously on her tray.
"Dramatic timing," I replied, dropping my tray onto the bench with a soft thud.
Milo groaned loudly. "You call that dramatic? My grandma could walk faster than you!"
"Shut it, Milo," Jade said, smirking from across the table. She leaned back in her chair, watching us with that lazy, calculating look she always had when she was about to say something unpredictable.
And then she did.
"We should do something tonight," she said casually, as if she hadn't just dropped the idea into a table of already hyped-up friends. "Sleepover. Horror stories. Something fun."
The table erupted. Milo slapped the table. "Yes! I call dibs on the scariest story!"
Sarai rolled her eyes. "You? The guy who screams at shadows? Yeah, right."
Jade just smiled, taking a sip from her drink. "Relax. It'll be fun. No running away. No crying. And trust me you'll all need it."
I tried to hide the small smile tugging at my lips. Something about the way she said it made my chest tighten slightly, a little flutter I hadn't felt in years. She didn't notice, of course. She never did.
Evelyn, sitting a few spots down from me, was laughing at Sarai's joke, hair falling across her face in that effortless way that made it hard not to stare. I caught myself thinking about how long it had been, how many times over the past few years I'd wished I could just… say something. But I never had. And now, seeing her there, part of this chaotic group, I felt that same quiet pull I'd always felt the one that had never gone away.
Milo was bouncing in his seat. "So it's settled! Sleepover at my place tonight. Lucien you're in charge of bringing snacks."
I groaned, shaking my head. "Why do I always get stuck with snacks?"
"Because you're responsible," Sarai said flatly. "It's your job."
Jade snorted, leaning back like she owned the world. "You guys are ridiculous. Snacks, games, horror stories—tonight is going to be epic."
The bell rang, pulling us from our chatter. Classes blurred past English, math, and a painfully long science lecture—but my thoughts kept drifting back to the night ahead. Would it be fun, like Jade promised, or would it just feel… weird? My gut kept tightening every time I thought about it.
By the time the final bell rang, the air outside felt sharper, the shadows longer. I met up with the group at Milo's house, where the living room was already transformed into a chaotic playground of blankets, pillows, and snacks. The energy was electric, and laughter bounced off the walls.
I found myself sitting next to Evelyn on the couch, casually close, though I tried not to think about it too much. She laughed at a joke Milo made, and for a split second, our eyes met. I looked away quickly, heart thudding in a way that made me feel foolish.
"Alright, enough chatter," Jade said, clapping her hands. "Story time. Lights down. Who wants to go first?"
Milo shot his hand up immediately. "Me! I've got the scariest story you'll ever hear. Vampires, ghosts, the works!"
"Vampires?" Sarai raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You still believe in that crap?"
Milo shrugged. "Hey, you never know. Some things… aren't just stories."
I shifted slightly on the couch, feeling a little unease creep into my chest. There was something in the way Milo described it that made the hairs on my neck prickle, something that made the shadows in the corners of the room seem a little deeper.
Jade leaned forward, grin teasing. "Alright, start. But remember, Lucien, you better not chicken out when it gets too real."
I ignored the small flare of panic in my chest. This was just a story, right? Just a story.
Milo began, voice low and deliberate:
"There's a legend in this city… about creatures that move when you're not looking. They hunger, always hungry, and if they find the right person… they won't let go."
The room went quiet. Even Sarai's teasing had stopped, as if the words themselves held weight.
I glanced at Evelyn, who was smiling nervously, biting her lip in that small way that made my chest tighten again. I knew my pulse was faster than it should have been, but I forced myself to stay calm.
Hours passed. Laughter, screams, and occasional gasps punctuated the night. The line between fun and fear blurred when we tried to creep each other out with whispers in the dark corners of the living room. I kept sneaking glances at Evelyn small shared jokes, a look that lingered too long, her hand brushing against mine by accident. My chest ached in a familiar way I'd learned to ignore over the years, and I silently cursed myself for feeling it now.
By the time I finally stepped out into the night air walking home, the streetlights stretched long shadows across the pavement. Everything seemed… quieter, heavier. The laughter of the night was gone, replaced by a calm that felt almost too deliberate.
That's when I felt it something behind me, moving in ways it shouldn't.
I froze, heart hammering. The air smelled different, metallic, sharp. A shadow detached itself from the darkness, fast, fluid, terrifying. Pain exploded across my neck before I could react.
I stumbled forward, clutching the spot where the bite had been, blood warm against my palm. The night spun around me. The sound of my heartbeat thundered in my ears, mixing with the distant echo of something unearthly vanishing into the darkness.
I sank against the curb, struggling to breathe. Something had changed, but I didn't know it yet.
Something had already begun.