Marked

Anna P.O.V             It’s honestly a miracle in it of itself that we haven’t crashed yet. Giggling and yelps of enthusiasm fill the small car that carries the five of us girls. Sofia leans over the back of the passenger seat to pass the open bottle of fireball to Jenny who sits in the middle seat between me and Nina. But before Sofia can pass it off, we hit a pothole causing the contents of the bottle to spill all over her arm and Jenny’s bare legs.             “TAYLOR!!!” Sofia and Jenny squeal in unison at the girl driving. Taylor laughs in response.             “Sorry.” She says insincerely through her laughs and I can’t help but join and soon everyone in the car is in hysterics. Before anyone can find napkins, Sofia starts licking her caramel skin clean.             “Mm, I taste spicy and sweet. The boys won’t be able to keep their hands off me tonight.” She states causing more laughter to erupt. I find napkins in the back of the passenger seat and hand them to Jenny. Nina leans forward and snatches the bottle from Sofia while she’s preoccupied, she’s been pregaming since before we all got together.             “No more for you or you’ll be blacked out before we even get to the club.” She says before taking a huge gulp herself. Sofia pouts her lips in protest causing me to shake my head at her theatrics.             “She’s right. What’s our ETA on the club anyway?” I ask Taylor, I look at the cars clock and see that it’s 11:30 pm already.             “I’d say another 15 minutes or so.” She says with a shrug.             “Well if I can’t drink for the time being Anna sure as hell better. We finally get you away from The Tyrant for the night and you’ve barely taken a sip.” Sofia whines bringing awareness to my lack of participating which I will admit is not like me at all. The Tyrant she is referring to is my father, the town pastor. Yes, I’m the cliché rebellious pastors’ daughter or at least I have been in the past. For the last nine months I haven’t really partied or hung out with my usual crowd. I told everyone the reason was because I got busted by my father for alcohol and drugs and crap and I was basically under house arrest. That wasn’t the truth, but it was for sure believable, so no one really questioned it. Aside from a rumor that spread around that I got pregnant which didn’t make any sense since everyone still saw me at school I just didn’t go out at night. Teenagers are idiots. This was my first outing since I dropped off the party scene and it was to celebrate my 18th birthday. We were going to our usual spot, The Oakwood, they excepted us underager’s without question and they are the only decent club around. The only downside is that it happens to be about an hour outside of our small town.             All eyes are on me and I hate it. f*****g Sofia. So, I reach over Jenny and grab the fireball from Nina raising it slightly in the air.             “Happy Birthday to me.” My words drip with sarcasm making Sofia roll her eyes. I bring the bottle to my lips and take three massive gulps causing the girls to erupt in cheers. The liquid spreads a familiar burn down my throat and warmth through my belly causing an almost immediate switch to flip in my brain bringing forth my party girl persona. I might as well enjoy my birthday, why fight it. The girls are still cheering when I hand the bottle over to Jenny.             “Switch places with me.” I say lifting my butt up and without question she scoots over to where I was sitting, and I sidestep to the middle.             “Taylor, would you please be a doll and open the sunroof for me?” I ask, looking in the rearview mirror I see her knowing eyes looking back at me.             “Yes ma’am.” She says as she reaches for the switch that opens the sunroof. All the girls look at one another with knowing grins and begin to roll down their windows, excitement bubbling up in them.             “You ready girls?” I ask, they all respond with “hell yeah!”. I stand so that my head and torso are outside of the sunroof. The wind whips my long hair back and I open my arms to feel its pull against my body. My pale skin seems to glow in the moon’s light absorbing it and reflecting it back out. I close my eyes and take a moment to be still in the whirlwind. I let the wonderous feeling of bliss engulf me losing myself in its electrifying mystery. This is what it feels like to be truly alive. And with that I take in a deep breath, inhaling that feeling, before letting out the most freeing scream. This is what my friends and I refer to as our Wild Call. Without hesitation all the girls join in yelling and screaming along with me. Sofia and Nina hang out the sides of the car basically sitting on the car doors where Jenny chooses to just stick her head and arm out. Taylor honks the car horn along with our screams and before long the SUV in front of us joins in. The SUV belongs to the guys, there’s six of them that came out tonight. There’s usually a bigger group of us but since it’s for my birthday we kept it “low key” or whatever. The guys hang out their windows and sunroof yelling along with us for a good five minutes before we all sink back into our own vehicles and seats laughing.             “There she is! I been waiting for that girl to come out all night.” Sofia says out of breath turning back around in her seat to look at me. I shoot her a mischievous smile and give her a wink.             “Be careful what you wish for Sof.” I say before finding the half drunken fireball on the floor and take another swig.   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .               How can it feel like a lifetime ago and yet like yesterday since I’ve last been to this place? The group of us make our way past the long line of people that wraps around the building, as we pass each person, they give us angry looks. I guess they don’t like that we’re cutting the line. I also catch the all too familiar look of guys, and some girls, looking me up and down with an almost hungry expression. I can’t keep my eyes from rolling, I do not miss this part of going out. I catch myself systematically taking in everyone and everything searching for any hidden threat, it’s a habit. Nothing looks or feels out of the ordinary as we make our way to the main entrance. I try to shake myself out of it, I’m here to have fun not find a threat. A huge bouncer stands in front of the door looking menacing, but it doesn’t reach his eyes especially when he sees me. My friends had reserved a table as per usual, so we were “VIP” and immediately allowed in with the casual check of our ID’s. I stood at the back of our group with Sofia waiting for the rest to go in first.             “Oh! I almost forgot!” Sofia exclaims suddenly, almost making me jump. I turn to find her rummaging through her purse. It not that big of a purse but she’s noticeably tipsy and it takes a bit for her to find what she’s looking for. Finally, she pulls out a plastic tiara and a pink sash that says “Birthday b***h” on it in glittery letters. I narrow my eyes at her, what kind of game is she playing at? She goes to hand them to me, and I instinctively sidestep away from her causing her to raise her eyebrows and giggle.             “No way in hell am I wearing those, and you know that.” I say with a complete straight face not trying to hide the disgust in my voice. A mischievous smile spreads on her lips in response.             “Oh, come one it’s your birthday.” She whines but there’s no heart behind it. She knew this would be my reaction and that I wouldn’t wear something the draws attention to me in a million years, birthday or not. She did this fully on purpose knowing what I would say next to get out of it.             “Exactly it’s my birthday so I say no. You can wear them. Just think of all the guys that’ll buy you free drinks for your birthday.” I say taking the tiara from her hand and placing it on her head. She beams up at me, her smile so big it looks like it hurts. This was obviously what she wanted all along. This was most definitely a stunt out of jealousy and of her not wanting all the attention of the night to be on me, but I don’t mind at all. I feel like other girls would and both Jenny and Nina have brought it up in the past of how it’s not cool of her to do things like this, but honestly I like that she pulls this sort of stuff. I don’t like being the center of attention at all it’s just most of the time it can’t be helped. Not to sound narcissistic because trust me that’s the last thing I want to be, but I’ve been told on numerous occasions by numerous people that I’m a sort of rare beauty. With my long auburn hair, clear porcelain skin, and crystal blue eyes I look like no other person in my small town. Not to mention my 5’7’’ athletically toned body, which I’ve worked for, and curves which have fully developed these past few years, I tend to turn heads whether I’d like to or not wherever I go.             I know Sofia is threatened by that, I think that’s why she originally befriended me at the start of high school when I moved back into town. I just went along with it mostly because I didn’t care and also, she could get me into parties and stuff which I needed access to. I know it sounds bad, but I’ve grown to love her over the years, quirks and all.             “Well if you insist.” She says placing the sash over her shoulder, I can’t help but roll my eyes and chuckle at how little convincing it took. She reaches back into her bag for something else and pulls out I big button pin.             “But at least wear the pin.” She says extending it to me. It’s black and says “Birthday Girl” in silver sparkly letters. I let out a sigh, we’re two people away from the bouncer, best not fight it. I shake my head and grab it from her hand before she starts whining again.             “You’re such an asshole.” I grumble at her but can’t help the smile and laugh that come with it as I pin it to the front pocket of my ripped black skinny jeans.             “Oh, you love me.” She says wrapping her arm around my side and planting a big sloppy kiss on my cheek just as it’s our turn for the bouncer. He raises his eyebrows in question. I can’t help but give him a sly smile.             “See something you like, Jerry?” I tease him. Handing him both mine and Sofia’s ID’s, Sofia seems to be using my body as support, jeez she’s already wasted. Jerry shakes his head laughing while shining a small flashlight on our ID’s to look at them.             “Haven’t seen you in a while sweet girl.” Jerry says glancing up at me from our ID’s, he’s always called me sweet girl. It’s fitting since amongst all my friends I’m the only one who’s ever actually talked to him and gotten to know him over all these years of us coming here. “I thought you’d forgotten about us.” He teases handing us back our ID’s. Once she got her ID back Sofia bee lined for the door, she can be so rude. I roll my eyes at her rudeness and he laughs.             “I could never forget you Jerry. I was just taking a sort of sabbatical from my late-night activities is all. I’m only out tonight because these clowns convinced me.” I say pointing my thumb in the direction of my friends retreating figures. He laughs at my statement.             “Well, no matter the reason I’m glad I got to see you. Go have fun birthday girl.” He says touching his finger to the pin on my jeans when he says, ‘birthday girl’. I smile at him and reach up on my tippy toes to give him a kiss on his cheek. I begin to turn and head in when his voice stopped me.             “Try not to start any brawls while you’re in there.” He says it like a joke but when I look back at him, I see a bit a seriousness in his eyes. I don’t blame him; I do have a reputation for starting fights which he finds himself having to end. But hey all my fights have been reasonable and justified which is why I haven’t been banned from this place yet. I can’t help the smirk that creeps on my face.             “No promises.” I say with a wink and turn heading inside. Over my shoulder I hear him mumble to himself, “oh hell”.             I have to walk down this wide longish hallway/front room before getting to the actual club. There’s an i********: artsy set up to the left of a tree with lights hanging from its branches for people to take pictures in front of and post #theoakwood. There’s also a coat check to the right but I keep my black leather jacket around my shoulders. I’m wearing a dark green lacy tank top that’s more like lingerie then actual cloths that I don’t feel like showing off just yet. Sofia waits for me in the doorway for the main club room looking impatient. The only reason she even waits for me is because I never fail to make a people gawking entrance and so she feels she gets some of that attention by association. I’d gladly have the situation reversed; I hate having so many eyes on me.             “Hurry up b***h!” She yells out, turning a few heads with her comment. I don’t mind being called b***h, that’s a term of endearment for Sofia. I don’t quicken my pace any though and I can’t help but laugh as she groans stumbling a little from the action. You’d think with the amount she parties she wouldn’t be such a light weight but then again all she eats is salad, so I guess that answers that. I make it to her side, and she quits her pouting and starts to fuss with her hair and reapply her red lipstick. She offers it to me, but I decline, so with a shrug she puts it back in her purse.             “Ready Birthday Girl?” She asks with a smile, it’s like she’s making this night a bigger deal then it is. I can feel her nerves buzzing which I don’t fully understand but would explain the excessive drinking she’s been doing. What could be making her so nervous?             “Ready Birthday Bitch.” As ready as I’ll ever be. She squeals in excitement and then turns to face the door opening taking a deep breath. Seriously, what’s her deal? But before I could say anything she springs forward, and I reluctantly follow suit. Just as predicted as soon as we walked into the room eyes were on us. It’s like a domino effect with each table we approach and pass more and more eyes joined in watching us. Our usual table that my friends always reserve of course has to sit on the opposite side of the room. So, we have to pass almost every table, the dance floor and the bar to reach our waiting friends. Sofia is eating it up, bringing emphasis to her hips with an exaggerating sway and flashing smiles to the guys she finds attractive. I however keep my chin up and stay laser focused on my friends ahead of me trying to ignore all the people ogling at us. I start to feel my skin crawl and my stomach flip making me nauseous. Maybe the fireball is finally hitting my stomach. Before I know it, my senses go into overdrive and my eyes go in and out of focus bringing forth colors swirling around every person in the room. f**k! f**k! f**k! There’s only one reason my body would be reacting this way without my consent. Without warning or say so everything in me screams for me to turn my head to the right in the direction of the bar and goosebumps rise all up and down my body at what I see. Sitting at the end of the bar is a man half turned in my direction seemingly lost in thought. For most people, the most noteworthy thing one would observe about this him is that he is extremely good looking. What I observe however is, that unlike the bright colors that swirl around my peers this man is surrounded by pure black. Which can only mean one thing in my book. Vampire!