A Touch of Scarlet

04

"My songs know what you did in the dark-

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

I'm on fireeee"

I sing noisily while jumping along to the beat of the FallOutBoy song playing on the radio. I swirl my paint brush across the canvas mixing the bright colours together creating a sunset-like tone.

I turn around to grab another tube of white paint.
A noise from nearby causes me to jump, knocking over the paint jars behind me.

Leaning, crossed-armed against the door is Jordan.

His white hair continues to lay messily tussled across his right eye. He wears a jean blue button-down and a pair of black skinny jeans.

He smirks at me while I quickly turn a deep shade of tomato red from embarrassment.

"No, no keep singing I like it" he says in between quiet laughs.

Like the dork I am, I smile at his unfamiliar laughter before remembering that it's me that he's laughing at.

After about a minute he stops laughing and glances around the room. His fingers lightly trace along some of my older paintings that sit sprawled against the walls.

"So this is where you spend your free time?" he asks.

I nod.

Walking to the other side of the room he continues to scan over each piece of art in the room.

Quickly I glance down at myself hoping that I don't look like a total mess.

So much for that hope.

My hair sits in a messy braid against my right shoulder. I wear faded-black tights under denim shorts with a paint splattered white tank.

I quickly reach over to the chair where I'd mindlessly thrown my stuff earlier. I quickly shrug on my burgundy, black, and grey Aztec sweater.

"So... um what are you doing here" I mumble as I try to wipe the spilt paint off of the concrete floor.

"To see if you need any help with your- control" he murmurs quietly while looking down and scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

I flinch at the reminder of our conversation from the other day.

The conversation that I'd come here to forget.

⋆⋆⋆

The sweet familiar scent seeps into my senses. My head snaps up to the source of the smell. Cringing, I realize it's Jordan.

He stands against the booster juice outside wall with his hand out, openly bleeding.

I look for the cause of the blood and find the small blade in his other hand.

I push myself hard into the wall, digging my fingernails into my palms trying to distract myself with pain.
But I don't feel it, all I feel is the need to step forward and...

Bite.

Jordan nods with a what looks like a prideful smile.

"It took under a minute for you to sense the blood" he says almost to himself.

"What's that mean?" I ask.

"It means that anyone who cuts them self around you can be sucked dry within minutes" he states blankly, he then wipes the blood off of his hand to reveal a completely, healed cut.

I stare at him in shock.

"W-within minutes?" I repeat distantly, while still staring at his once open cut in shock.

"Yes" he agrees.