“He has an interview with the Gazette. So I was being the tour guide—only Sebastian’s already seen everything in town.”
“I know one thing you haven’t seen: Our school’s winning soccer team. Wanna come?”
“We can’t,” I said.
“Have you ever seen a soccer game?” Becky asked naively.
“Yes—” Sebastian replied.
“Well, you haven’t seen Matt play.”
“True,” he said, “but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. We’re supposed to meet Alexander in an hour.”
Even Sebastian tried to put off my best friend.
“Don’t be a stick-in-the-mud. I can bring you back here in time.”
“You know how I feel about soccer,” I said, trying to be diplomatic. “And especially going to school when I don’t have to.”
“Oh, it will be fun. There aren’t any tombstones, but you’re sure to see a killer match.”
Before I knew it, Becky was playfully leading Sebastian toward her truck. He looked to me for help. He was struggling with her touching him, and he was doing his best not to make eye contact with her.
She opened the passenger door and Sebastian reluctantly began to get in.
“No—I’ll sit in the middle,” I insisted, squeezing in before Sebastian had the chance to sit down.
I didn’t want Sebastian to be too close to Becky. He’d tasted her blood. That meant Sebastian felt even more of a draw to Becky than he had originally. I could see him wrestling with his inner vampire.
Sebastian stared out the window. Becky did her best to engage him in conversation, and he did his best to be polite but remain uninterested.
“Don’t leave me alone with her,” Sebastian pleaded as he and I sat on the bleachers. Becky was at the refreshment stand while we held a seat for her. “Alexander will kill me if he finds out I’m seeing her again. You know I didn’t plan this.”
“I know—neither did I. We could both get in trouble.”
Becky returned with some chips and a container holding three drinks. She handed the tray to me, and as I reached for it, she sat down in between us. Sebastian scooted away.
He took out his cell phone and began texting.
“Want some chips?” she asked him.
He fiercely shook his head.
“Who are you texting?”
“Just some girls,” he said.
Becky dismissed him and took her drink and chips.
There was a time-out in the game.
I received a text again from an unavailable number.
I know where you are…
“Who’s texting you?” Becky asked. “I’m here, and I’m the only one who you text.”
“I’m not sure. I think they have the wrong number.”
The soccer snobs returned to the field.
“How long is this going to be?” Sebastian asked with an obnoxiously audible yawn.
“What’s wrong with him?” Becky whispered to me. “He’s acting very strangely.”
“I’m not sure….”
Just then Trevor scored a goal and the fans erupted in cheers. Sebastian rose to see what was going on.
“We’re winning,” she said.
Sebastian and Becky locked gazes. They both sat down, and he put away his phone.
Before long, Sebastian had lowered his guard. He was into the game, rooting for Matt, and glowing at Becky.
He took out his cell phone and began snapping pictures of the action. Then he focused it on Becky, who began to get caught up in Sebastian’s enthusiasm. She posed while I sat as inert as a tombstone.
“C’mon, Rave—” she said, placing her arm around me.
“Yes, Raven, I’d like some of you, too,” Sebastian suggested.
I couldn’t even muster a fake smile.
“Now let me take one of you,” Becky said, retrieving her phone.
“No—I hate being photographed.” Sebastian shielded his face with the drink tray.
“Weird. Alexander does, too,” Becky said. “Must be something in the water in Romania.”
“Must be,” I said.
“Then how am I going to remember you when you leave?” she asked, snatching the tray from him.
Sebastian froze. His soft, lovelorn eyes melted even more. Becky’s comments had pierced his already aching heart.
“All right,” he said.