Tyler sat at the computer in his room continuing his drawings of vampires. Now that football was no longer in his life, things would now go back to the way they were before he joined the team. He would go back to being the vampire dweeb.

He then heard a knock on the door.

“Come in,” he said in response to the knock. He turned away from his desk to see who had come in, it was Carl.

“Hey Ty, what happened? You didn’t come downstairs for dinner,” his father said.

“I wasn’t hungry,” Tyler replied returning his attention to his computer.

“Mrs. Milberg called and told me what happened in school today, Tyler.”

Tyler hadn’t known that Mrs. Milberg would take it far to the extent of telling his parents. He had already apologized. Why were high school teachers so heartless?

“Your mother and I have been thinking of another way to solve your problem.”

Tyler focused his attention back on his dad upon hearing this. Another way? He had just been kicked off the team for good and now they were already looking for another way?

“We think you should get some help. Look I know it won’t sound good to you now, but trust me, you’ll feel better after a series of treatments. The family doctor recommended this great psychiatrist, and I want you to know that your mom and I are here to support you all the way through your recovery.”

“You think I’m crazy?” Tyler began to laugh. It wasn’t enough that everyone hated him and thought he had a vampire problem. But now, they think he’s nuts.

“So how would you explain what I did to that boy at the football field, or all my other vampire abilities?”

“People all over the world have something weird about them that makes them special, and as for what happened in the field, accidents happen Tyler, that’s all it is. You are not a vampire and this your obsession over them is becoming too much, and you won’t even talk to anyone about it.”

“You want to know the reason why I don’t tell you or mom anything?” Tyler said, beginning to yell, he could hear the tone of his own voice but it was time for his dad to hear the truth.

“It’s because you both will never understand. You try to use normal stuff to solve abnormal problems, like when you made me join the football team. And now look at everything that happened, all the boys there are now scared of me.

“You see all that is going on with me, and the only thing you care about is dealing with my vampire obsession, but have you taken a good look at me? Have you ever seen a kid grow up that fast? Or have you ever seen someone my age or size lift up a car? I did those things dad, and I just wish you’d find a way to help me with my challenges, instead of making me feel worse by giving me more problems. Because of what I did to that boy, everyone now hates me. And now I have to suffer because of that.”

“Yes, you’re right, I haven’t seen any of those things before, and do you know what else I haven’t seen? Someone as big as you are obsessing over vampires like he had seen one before. Even Mimi has buried all her imaginary friends, but just look at what you are doing to yourself. I am trying to help you Tyler, that’s why I am taking you to this great doctor, just come first at least, if after a month, you don’t feel any better, then you can stop the session,” Carl said.

“I am not crazy dad, and I won’t go to any psychiatrist. I know I am connected with the vampires somehow, and I will find a way to meet with them, with or without your help.

“And before I forget, did coach Martin call you to tell you that I got kicked off the football team permanently? I know he did. But you won’t tell me, you prefer to talk about the normal stuff every other kid does like drawing in class while you pay no attention to the abnormal things I do.”

“I won’t talk to you about this again Tyler,” Carl told him with a calm voice before continuing.

“I just think you should know that your mental health comes first and you should never be scared to ask for help when you need it. And do you know why your siblings have happier lives? It’s because they don’t waste all their time worrying about things that don’t exist!”

Tyler turned back down to his desk, pretending like those words hadn’t just driven a million knives into his chest. Carl, who upon seeing that trying to convince him was a hopeless exercise, left the room.

***

Greta awed at the beauty of the buildings and statues in the large compound as her father drove her and her mother into the gates. They were going to enroll her in the Dhampir Academy today, and she couldn’t wait. She had always longed for a life of adventure and here it was, knocking at her door. At least she had something to be hopeful about as the past few days had been a tragedy for her and her family. Her father’s younger brother, Steven whom he had attended this same school with, was captured with his wife and her cousins, Catrina and Catalina, and they had all been killed. Her powerful pureblood vampire grandfather, Soudin had confirmed that one of his roots had been cut off.

It was a great loss for the family and she knew she would miss her cousins greatly. The family realized through Steve’s death that someone was out hunting for the dhampirs, and her father would not wait until the enemy found them too. He decided to withdraw Greta from her normal human school. He knew she would not be safe there anymore so he brought her here, where she would learn to harness her powers and be able to defend herself if she ever went into battle. Her parents would move back into Soudin’s castle under his coven’s protection and after she graduated, she would join them there.

She wondered the kind of adventures this new school had in store for her.

The leader of the academy and one of her dad’s former teachers, stood at the entrance waiting to welcome their new student.