My Vampire Bromance

Chapter 27: A Tense Car Ride

Knock, knock, knock! The sound of a fist hammered my door.

I stood from where I had been laying on the couch next to Victor. He'd be gone within the next hour, off hunting and apparently to search for Thomas. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It's Jenna! Open up!

"What is it?" Victor asked.

"It's Jenna. She's here."

Victor sat upright; eyes glowing. "Oh! Oh! How should I look? Should I be a cute kitty cat? Or...?"

I shifted my eyes to the side. The knocking came again, followed by Jenna's voice. "Open up, Phillip! C'mon! I want to meet this boyfriend of yours officially!"

"Coming!" I shouted, then whispered to Victor, "As yourself, I guess."

Victor smiled wickedly, then smoothed his floral button-down over his chest. I didn't want to think about how long we'd been making out. Eight o'clock on a Tuesday night during finals seemed an odd time to visit, but then again, Jenna probably had just gotten out of her biology final.

I opened the door to Jenna's bright, sparkling face. "And you felt the need to wear disco glitter all over your eyes and chest for biology finals...why?"

Jenna rolled her eyes, "Every day is the right time to wear glitter, Phillip! But, also, I need to claim my territory." She hugged me around the shoulders, and when she broke away, my flannel was covered in glitter; the side of my face too. "Now, I need to officially meet this man without my mood-killing boyfriend being here!"

I caved into myself, shame and guilt coming to the forefront. "Does Clark know?"

Jenna shrugged, "Yeah, and he's totally being a weirdo. 'I can't be around him anymore, Jenna. What if he hits on me?' Like OMG, really?! I told him he either gets it together, or I'm dumping his ass! I'm not having a man come between me and my best friend...unless it's this hottie, of course!" She gestured to Victor.

"Well, thank you, Miss Jenna. That is wonderful to know."

Jenna started, bursting into laughter; she exclaimed, "Dude! I love this guy! He calls me miss! Tell me! Tell me! When did it happen! Was it like as soon as you moved in with Phillip, or did it develop slowly?" She wriggled her eyebrows at him.

Victor tucked his hands gently into his pockets as he stood. "It was quite accidental, actually. One night, Phillip came back and I had a nasty scratch on my arm. The cat got me while I was playing with it." I shot him a dirty look. He raised his shoulders and winked, "And while he was cleaning my wound, I got so taken with him that I kissed him...probably a little too intensely." There was something darkly sexual in his tone.

Jenna caught on instantly, "OMG, Phillip! That day Clark and I came over? The bruises on your neck?" her eyes danced between us. I went blisteringly red while Victor remained the same pale as always. "You were the actual cause?!" She gasped and then began to jump up and down. "Ooo! Phillip, get it! And you!" she smiled deviously at him, "Way to cover everything up until he was ready to share it!"

"I wasn't," I said under my breath.

Jenna pursed her lips, "Oh well, yeah, Samantha told me everything. You know that girl...she can cry a horse...poor thing is so devastated that she's willing to go out with that creep Thomas Langerty only because he looks like you. I told her you have way better style and are way nicer. Dude! That guy's a downgrade and a half! But she told me 'At least he's not gay!' Stupid girl."

Stupid indeed, Victor and I looked at each other.

"I agree," Victor said, "It's a very reckless decision to go out with another man just because feelings are hurt. Phillip, maybe you could call Samantha just to see how she's doing. You two met up at the library today, correct?"