Bella Notte (5 page)

“
Nice place
you have here,” he said as he looked back at the entrance of
the garage.

“
Nothing
special. What did you stop to look at?” I asked as I remembered
him at the gate.

“
Oh, I was
remembering when I was little and we drove into town and I saw those
huge gates. I thought they were spooky.” He was lost in his
memory again.

“
Earth to
Mike, are you ready to dance, dance, dance?” I was trying to
bring him back to the moment.

“
Oh. Sorry,
Em. I was thinking about how our gates look more inviting, but how,
if I had known you lived here, I probably would have come exploring.”
He smiled and laughed his perfect tenor laugh.

I blushed as usual.
I often wondered why I didn't know anything about the other 'rich'
family that lived at the other end of town. It was strange how my
family never mentioned his.

I grabbed my
practicing pumps that I kept by the side door and led Mike into the
house.

“
Good
afternoon, instructor, this is my friend, Mike. He'll be my partner
today, if you don't mind that is?” I gave him my sweetest smile
and looked up at him from under my lashes.

“
That's fine,
Miss Hutchinson, it is good for you to learn to dance with different
partners.” The relief was written on his face as he said this.

I slipped my red
peek-a-boo pumps on and went and stood in the center of the room as
usual. Mike walked over and joined me, his combat boots made clunking
sounds as he took his spot opposite me.

The instructor-
why
I couldn't call him Rene was a puzzle to me-
came and stood at our left side.

“
Now, Miss
Hutchinson, into your position, please, and Mike, could you
please...” That was as far as the instructor got before Mike
had me in his arms.

“
Instructor, I
have been instructed since I was five years old. I know my placements
well; I am here to help Emma. Please instruct her.” His tone
was formal, but also respectful. I was shocked.

“
Ok,
Michael
.
Miss Hutchinson we will be working on the waltz today and if that
goes well then perhaps we will get to the foxtrot.” The venom
in his voice for Mike was clear, but his appearance remained
composed.

I met Mike at the
beginning position and we locked hands. Mike had the stance of a
dancer and if I hadn't been so afraid, I suppose I would've been in
awe of him.

I felt my hands clam
up as he held mine and I knew that my hand was leaving a sweat print
on the back of his t-shirt. Nerves racked my body, and soon I felt
rather light-headed. The instructor was saying something, but I
couldn't make it out.

Mike leaned closer
to me and whispered, “Em, its okay. Just breathe and everything
will be fine. We're going to start and I want you to only look at me.
Please try okay, Em.”

His words filtered
through whatever was happening to me and I nodded in response. The
room seemed to disappear and all I could see was Mike.
I'm
afraid. He shouldn't be able to consume my entire world like this.
But it is nice to dance without thinking about dancing.

I knew I was moving,
I could still vaguely feel my feet moving, but I didn't care how it
looked. All I wanted to do was focus on Mike.

“
That was a
very nice start, Miss Hutchinson. By far the best improvement yet.”
The instructor seemed to gloat at his great accomplishment. “I
think we should try it again, and see how you do with a little
quicker tempo.”

“
Don't worry,
Em, you know the steps. Focus on me and it will be fine.”
Mike's rich and deep whisper sent shivers through my body.

We started in the
beginning position again, the music started – a little quicker
than the last piece. Mike led me around the room, and I was amazed
that I did not trip over myself at the speed things seemed to be
moving. But that was when it happened- everything turned black.

The room faded
back into focus, but something was different. I looked around me and
realized that this was the room we had been dancing in, but it was
now decorated in a way I had never seen before. It looked old, way
too old. I looked down at my dress.

When did I put on a
dress, and where did my little red pumps go?

My dress was a
golden hue of shiny satin. Something felt odd about the dress though,
it was sleek and with a slight train. The cut of it was empire, and
it showed the top of my chest. I suddenly felt extremely exposed. I
turned to see if I could find someone I knew, someone to help explain
what was happening. I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror. My hair
was a curly pile of tendrils that were cascading down from a small
hair pin of green gems. My face seemed to have makeup on it as well,
but I could not tell for certain. It all felt too right. I smiled and
saw that my canine teeth were slightly longer and sharper than usual.

Oh my God, I'm a
vampire! This is one crazy dream.

How did I know it
was a dream? I turned to look at the guests and family that seemed to
surround me and I realized that I was like them. They were
all
vampires.
I slowly moved toward an open door, I didn't care where it led- I
wanted out of this room. I found my way outside. The cool night air
was a savior to my already fuzzy head.

What was going on?
And where was Mike?

I walked over to
a stone bench and sat in the moonlight. That was when he appeared,
almost out of nowhere. He walked toward me and I knew right away- it
was Mike.

“
Mike, what's
going on?” I asked as soon as he was close enough to hear me.

“
Em, this is
of your creation. I cannot tell you. But ... I know that I don't
belong here.” His words hung in the air like a thick smoke.

“
My creation?
If it's my creation, then you definitely belong here.” I smiled
because it was the best reasoning I had at that moment.

Mike cringed
slightly at my smile, and I knew. I was different from him. He was
not one of these fabricated monsters. “Sorry, Em. I won't leave
you, do not worry. I have a hard time adjusting to this.” His
eyes looked sad to me and a tear slid down my cheek.

“
But, Mike, if
you are not like me and this is my creation, then what are you?”
I had to know what was separating us in this imagined time.

“
Why, Em, I
thought you knew your monster tales better than I do? What can't be
with a vampire because they're enemies?” His words echoed in my
head as I searched for an answer. The darkness surrounded me once
more.

When I came to, I
was in our house again. I was wearing the clothes I wore to school
and my little red pumps. I was lying on the floor with one of the
couch pillows under my head. Mike sat on the floor next to me holding
my left hand.

When I looked over
at him, his eyes were as big as saucers and he was staring blankly
ahead. Someone was holding my right hand, I looked over and saw Mom
kneeling next to me, and Dad was yelling at the instructor behind
her.
I
hope he doesn't blow a fuse or something
.

There was a great
blanket of concern covering the room.

“
What
happened? Why am I on the floor?” I squeaked. Curiosity had
finally won me over when no one noticed I was awake.

“
Oh, Em!”
Mike shouted his eyes and body relaxed a little bit with relief.

“
Emma Mary
Hutchinson, you scared us half to death!” Mom said as a single
tear rolled down her cheek. She grabbed me in a hug and the room
lurched around.

“
Mom, I, er,
can't breathe ... and the room is slanting,” I panted from her
embrace. She let go and helped me lay back down.

“
So, what
happened?” I asked again.

All the eyes in the
room went to Mike. “I don't know, Em, we were waltzing and in
the middle of a turn and you became dead weight in my arms. I thought
you might have fainted, but when I laid you down on the floor, your
eyes were flickering behind the lids and your muscles twitched. I was
really worried. The instructor called your parents, and here we are.”
He was tense with nerves and I couldn't figure out why.

“
Well, I'm
okay now so everyone stop looking like the grim reaper was here
trying to barter for my soul.” I tried to sound exasperated,
but I knew it sounded whiny.

“
Okay, Emma,
let me help you up. Your instructor said you were doing beautifully
today anyway. Perhaps you can stop with your lessons if you want.
Maybe this young man could help you if you feel more comfortable with
his help?” Dad's voice carried the sound of a worried father,
and I had to stop myself from laughing.

“
Oh, Mom, Dad,
this is Michael O'Shanold. He lives on the other side of town.
And
he
has been taking dance lessons since he was five! Mike, this is my mom
and dad, Mrs. Edwina Hutchinson and Mr. William Hutchinson.” I
knew that I was bragging about Mike, but I really wanted them to like
him.

“
Well, hello
there, Michael. I see that you've been an improvement on our little
Emma's dancing abilities. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Mom's words were pleasant, but it seemed like something was bothering
her.

“
It's nice to
meet you, Michael.” That was all Dad could muster, his usual
bright blue eyes seemed to turn shades darker.

“
It's a
pleasure to meet the both of you as well. Em has said such wonderful
things about her family; I was beginning to wonder if I would ever
get to meet you.” Mike smiled, but I could tell that the
tension my parents were emitting was making him nervous.

I wonder what is
up with them?

Something felt
strangely out of place. This was magnified when Mom and Dad excused
themselves from the rest of the evening, saying they had promised
friends to eat dinner with them. I knew it wasn't true but I wanted
the coldness in the room to leave.

“
I don't think
they like me,” Mike said with a frown. “Maybe it's the
way I'm dressed or something.” I looked at him and then looked
down at what I was wearing. We both broke out in laughter.

“
Sure, that's
it, and secretly they hate the way I dress too.” I smiled at
him, but I was really worried about what took place.

“
Maybe I
should head home, Em. You've had a long afternoon.” His smile
disappeared and he was slightly frowning again.

I didn't know how to
answer- I always loved spending time with Mike, but I wanted to know
what was up with my parents. I decided to compromise.

“
How about we
eat something first? We'll go to the little pizza place in town. And
then you only have halfway to go alone.” I smiled triumphantly.

“
Alright, Em,
but then I'm heading home. It's getting late and I don't have an
awesome excuse to stay home tomorrow.” He gave me a fake smile.

“
Why on Earth
would I stay home when I get to spend more time with you?” I
fluttered my eyelashes at him.

“
You're
impossible, Emma!” He grabbed me in a tight bear hug.

As impossible as he
thought I was, he and I drove back to town and ate some cheesy pizza
at the little hole in the wall Italian place. The silence that filled
most of time drove me insane, I had to break it.

“
Maybe they're
worried that I'm becoming a snob or something, being that your
family's the only other rich ones around.” I mumbled through an
exceptionally cheesy bite.

“
I doubt that,
Em. It was something else. Maybe our parents don't get along,”
he suggested with a shrug.

“
No way. I
never even heard of your family really.” I knew it had to be
something; I wasn't sure what it was.

“
Maybe that's
my point.” He slipped back into silence.

The rest of our time
together passed in the same way- silent. I wanted to scream that it
would all be okay, but I knew Mike wouldn't listen right now.
Something was as wrong as he thought. I didn't know what it was- yet
… but I'd find out.