Run, Little Vampire. Run!

Ch. 7: A Not So Hysterical Video

(Mason’s POV)

I walked into school today and here’s Maureen Roberts showing everyone this, quote, ‘hysterical video’ of her grandmother giving Jessie a baby present. I just rolled my eyes and walked away. Kraig followed but Nate watched the entire thing, laughing the whole time.

“Man, I never thought I’d hear myself say this but I kinda feel bad for the dweeb. Maybe we shouldn’t have picked on her so much?” Kraig said as we were walking up to his locker. I didn’t get the chance to answer when Nate came up, still chuckling, and said, “Are you nuts? That sh*t was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen! Momma’s got some fire in her, man. I like em feisty.”

Nate’s comment didn’t sit too well with me. I wasn’t sure why, it didn’t seem like anything unusual to say. “No I’m not crazy, Nate. I just have a conscience, is all. You remember what that’s like, don’t yah'?” I looked over at Kraig and he was rolling his eyes while Nate was responding, “Whatever, dude. I gotta get to class.” And off he jogged toward his first class.

“I don’t know what’s up with Nate these days, but he’s been actin' different lately.” Kraig said as he closed his locker and we started for our class. “Different how?” I was curious about his thoughts because I’d noticed it too. Nate was getting more…. I donno… alouf? But he's definitely not himself and I hate to admit it, but I didn’t trust him right now.

“I donno. Like he’s more violent, or something. He just seems to enjoy other people's pain more than he used to. I donno how else to explain it.” Kraig said and I nodded as I said, “yeah, I noticed too.” But I didn’t elaborate any further. Unfortunately, I didn’t know whether I could trust Kraig either, anymore.

That thought made me angry as well as sad. They've been my friends since birth, really. We’ve gone through everything together. Like the three musketeers. “Hi, Mason. Can’t wait till Saturday night. Save me a dance?” I just gave Becky a smile as I kept walking. “Man, this party is gonna be the worst.” I lamented as I dropped into my seat and let my head bang onto the wooden desk. “Your mother still driving you nuts?” Kraig asked and I grunted as I nodded without picking my head up.

Kraig chuckled at me as he sat down next to me and said, “It’s only one more day, man. Then it’ll be over with.” Which was easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one getting straddled with a mate he doesn’t want. Me? I’m going crazy tryin' to get outta this mess. But I guess I’m just gonna have to suck it up and find a way to get through it.

Alc*hol should do the trick. Lots and lots and lots of alc*hol.

One thing I knew for sure, though? Maureen Roberts wasn’t getting a dance. She could go dance with that old crone of a grandmother of hers. That old hag could choke to death reciting one of her nastly little spells and the world would be such a better place. Thankfully, Esther knew better than to cast on humans. She’d already been chastised by the witches' council so many times that one more offense and they'd take her magic away and ban her to the mortal world for good.

Unfortunately, Maureen was not only following in her grandmother's footsteps but she was turning out to be an even bigger witch. In the proverbial sense, at least. Both were just as ugly on the inside as they were on the outside. Or is that the other way around? Whatever. Point is, they’re mean. And they’re the type to be mean just because they like being mean. The Maleficent’s of the world, if you will.

And yeah, I like Disney. So? At least I don’t sparkle!

Maybe she won’t even show up. It’s not like we’re friends or anything. She knows I won’t even give her the time of day. The feeling is mutual, too. I just hope Jess shows up, that’s all. I know I can’t dance with her or anything. I wish I could, but I can’t chance it, though at least I’d get to see her. That’s something, right?

I was brought out of my thoughts when the teacher asked, “Is modern history that much of a bore to you that you can’t keep your head up, Mister Cromwell?” Why do teachers always ask such leading questions? Just once, I wanna answer back honestly. But then I’d likely get in big trouble with dad and…. Hold on…. “Yeah, actually it is. I donno whether it's the subject or your lame a** droning on and on and on about sh*t no one will even remember after finals are done.” I answered, then mentally counted down.. 3.. 2.. 1.. BOOM!

“MISTER CROMWELl! PACK YOUR THINGS UP AND TAKE YOUR SORRY BEHIND TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE NOW!!!!!!” The smirk on my face came instantly and I picked up my things as I said, “Yes, sir!”, saluted him, and made my way out of his class to the sounds of all the snickering.

This oughta get dad to lock me in my room or something where I won’t have to be around mother this weekend. I mean, there’s no way in h*ll I’m getting out of the party itself. But at least this way I might not have to do any of the prep for it. Here’s hoping!

Two hours later and I’m standing in the throne not really listening as dad shouts at me for what I’d done. If he were a human, his face would be beet red right now and I’d be worried his heart might explode. He just kept going on and on about how a crowned prince should and shouldn't act. Like, yeah.. I get it. I’m the crown f*ckin prince of the vampire nation. But I’m also an eighteen year old (almost anyway). Cut me some slack, will yah.

But noooo, he just kept going. “What am I gonna do with you?! You’re disrespectful to your mother, and now to your teachers. You’re always sneaking out. You won’t even choose a proper second in command for when you take over. Why does everything have to be a fight with you, Mason?”

Is he serious right now? I just looked at him, my eyes narrowing as I gritted out, “When you were my age, grandad never once pressured you into taking over or finding your mate. Yet you have the gall to stand there and wonder why I’m speaking my mind when you're the one who seems to think you can just plan my life out like I don’t matter!! I’m not a life-sized action figure, dad! You don’t get to bend me to your will! Neither does mother! You want my respect?! How about showing me some too!”

I just stormed out after that. I couldn’t take being around him anymore so I just left. Why's it so hard for him to get it? You cage an animal, they’re gonna bite. It’s as simple as that. And right now? I feel caged. By my mother, by school, by him, and even by Carl. I’m tired of everyone trying to run my life for me! Maybe I oughtta just run away. They can give this crown to Carl and I’ll be scott-free.

(Jessie’s POV)

I really don’t understand people like Esther. Seriously, if you’re miserable in life, then do something to better your life. Don’t try to destroy someone else’s life just to make yours seem better. It’s just pathetic.

Of course, I also noticed Maureen Roberts videoing it all on her phone and laughing like mad. So I’m sure it’ll be all around school tomorrow. I’m also sure that was the point of all this. Well, that and to upset me and Mom.

I wasn’t as upset as Mom was, though. For a while after the incident, I sat listening to her talk to the principal at school about what happened. Of course, he wasn’t exactly being cooperative, or at least he wasn’t until Mom said, quote, “If she plays that video at school and you do nothing about it my team of lawyers will have a field day with you AND your school!” That seemed to get him.

After about an hour or so, I finally said, “Mom? Let it go. Esther is a mean old b*tch and Maureen is cut from the same mold Esther was. They’ll get their comeuppance some day. Yah’ just gotta trust that God has a plan for their sorry a**es. In the meantime, we should just go to the mall like we planned and not let that old hag interfere with our lives.”

Mom just smiled at me as she said, “You know… you’re right, honey. Let’s go.” So that’s what we did. And we had a lot of fun doing it too.

I didn’t buy any new clothes. I had too many already, but I did buy a new gaming system and some games for it. Which is what I’m doing today while my parents are at work. Or at least that’s what I was gonna do until there was a knock at the door and I opened it to find a seething Esther Nichols at my front door. “Where is that b*tch you call a mother?!”

She was shouting at me and I just raised an eyebrow at her. I looked past her to see a crying Maureen standing by the curb. Why she was crying I had no idea, but she was. I know I should show some concern, but I just didn’t have it in me to do so. Instead, I simply shut the front door again and dialed Mom.

Undeterred, Esther stood at our door, pounding on it with her fist and even kicking it a few times as she yelled all kinds of bullsh*t. I took a page out of Maureen’s book and went to the window and video taped Esther’s antics, but I stayed inside and waited. Mom said she’d be right home and that she was calling the police.

At one point she said something in this weird language, or something, and I could swear our door began to buckle. Maureen screamed at her to stop and when she did, the door went back to normal. I got it on video, but to be honest I’m not sure it wasn’t just a trick of the light or something. Whatever it was, it was definitely weird, though.

Anyway, the cops got here right before Mom did and when one of them walked up to the door I finally opened it again. I calmly told the officer my side of the situation and he asked me to email him a copy of the video, which I did, and they took Esther in. Mom pulled up just in time to see the police loading a handcuffed Esther into the back of the patrol car.

Esther took one look at Mom and started shouting obscenities at her. The officer just calmly told her to watch her head and shoved her into the back seat. I videoed that as well.

Mom just ignored Esther as she rushed over to me and gave me a tight hug, then started to check me over for damage, “Sweetheart, are you alright? Did that b*tch hurt you?” I just smiled as I calmly said, “No, Mom. I’m fine. She never got inside and I never said a word to her.”

After that, we finished with the police and went inside. Mom had me email the videos to the lawyer in charge of our case. Then she called her boss to let her know we were both fine.

Turns out the reason for Esther’s outburst is because Maureen got expelled from school today because she was, indeed, d*mb enough to show that video around. Now Esther blames us. How the holy f**k she rationalized it out to be our fault that her granddaughter took video of a malicious event they meticulously planned out and executed, then showed said video around school because she was so proud of what they did, is beyond me. But here we are.

Mom had to go back to work after that but she took me with her as a precaution. So there went my game play for today.

I did take my laptop along, though. I had streamed that footage live so I was interested to see what kind of clicks it was getting. The responses from my former schoolmates were predictable, though the outside world took an entirely different stand on what they saw and a lot of people were telling off my former schoolmates for being so malicious and compliant.

When Mom’s boss came in and saw me watching the feed she was glad I hadn’t posted any comments, names, or anything to identify who they were. Unlike the video Maureen took and posted to her Faceb**k feed, which named me and my Mom but not them.

Mom’s lawyers were having a frickin’ field day with that.

Esther’s lawyer had already called them and told them to make me take down the post, to which they responded, “It’s an anonymous post from an anonymous source which doesn’t name any names. We'll do our best to locate the poster, but since you’re bringing this to our attention, we would like to notify you of the side suit we'll be filing on our client’s behalf suing your client for malicious intent, slander, and emotional damages.”

Their lawyer was absolutely speechless. Esther may think she’s got a good lawyer, but I think she’s about to learn otherwise.

Of course, they did ask me to take it down. However, they also said there was nothing legally wrong with it either. So I’m leaving it right where it’s at. F**k them. They can consider it an early Chr*stmass present. Unfortunately, the price I’m paying is that I’m gonna have to come to work with Mom for the next few weeks. No one trusts those two witches not to try and hurt me if I’m home alone.

Thankfully, it’s Friday. So we’ve got the weekend to ourselves. I can just chill in the yard, maybe even use the pool if the weather’s nice enough. I also will finally get to play on my new game console. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten any game time because my old console burned out about six months back.

I’m sure Maureen is going to Mason’s st*pid party tomorrow night so that gives me less to worry about, as well. All I know is I aint goin. Not even for a million bucks.

I don’t even know why he invited me, unless it’s for some sorta Carrie-style prank. God knows he’d be sick enough to do something like that. But that sh*t aint happenin. My Momma didn’t raise a d*mmy!