1
"So, should I or shouldn't I?" I groan and throw myself back on my bed. "Sunny, it's not something I can tell you either way. You have to de-cide for yourself whether or not you're ready."
"But you've been there. Done that."
"Yes, and I have the 'I lost my virginity to a skanky skater kid at camp' T-shirt. What of it?" I don't mean to sound flip, but this isn't the first time we've had this conversation. Now that I think about it, this isn't the tenth time either. And every time she brings it up, I say the same thing. Having sex for the first time is a personal decision no one can make but you.
"I'm not joking," Sunny protests, rummaging through my closet. As if she'd actually wear any of the striped tights, lacy skirts, or delicate corsets I've stocked it with. We may be identical twins, but she's strictly a jeans, tank, and flips kind of girl, even if her boyfriend is a vampire coven master. Not that Magnus would win Mr. Goth him-self. Which, in my opinion, is such a waste. Why be a vampire if you aren't going to take advantage of the basic wardrobe?
"Is Magnus pressuring you?" I ask, trying a new tactic. So help him if he's dicking my sister around. (Or trying to, as the case may be.) Powerful vampire master or no, I'll totally find a way to kick his scrawny English ass. "Like, is he saying he'll break up with you if you don't put out?" Needless to say, I've heard that line before. Stupid guys!
"No, no!" Sunny says, sounding shocked at the idea. Of course. In her mind, MaggyWaggy walks on water and saves the world before breakfast. "He's been great. Patient. Sup-portive. He's left it totally up to me."
"So that should make it easy."
"Yeah, right."
"Sunny, come here." I motion to the bed. She leaves the closet and approaches me. "Sit down. Look me in the eyes and answer this question: Do you or do you not want to have sex with Magnus?"
Sunny flops back on the bed with an agonizing groan. "Can't we call it 'making love' or something? I mean, 'sex' sounds so clinical."
I dig my fingernails into my palms, wondering how I can run screaming from the room without offending her too much. I so don't want to be having this conversation.
"Sure, whatever, call it what you want, Sun," I force myself to say brightly. "Making love, screwing, doing the wild thing, hooking up, getting it on. It really doesn't matter what you want to refer to it as. Just if you feel you're ready. And if you want to."
"I want to," Sunny whines. "But I'm scared."
Okay, that's it. I've made the decision for her. "Fine. Then maybe you should wait. I mean, if you're this conflicted ..."
"But I love Magnus!"
How many years in jail do you think I'll get for killing my sister?
"Then do it. Or don't. I don't care. I don't even get why you're asking me anyway. You don't listen to anything I have to say!" I jump off the bed and head to my computer, loading up iTunes, ready to drown out anymore conversation.
Okay, fine, I probably sound like the worst twin sister known to mankind, but you'd be losing patience, too, if you had to have this conversation twenty times in one week. Especially if the other nineteen times you tried to impart wise, sisterly advice and she never listened to a word of it. At the end of the day, she's going to do whatever she decides to do. Hashing it out with me is only time suckage.
Sunny sticks out her lower lip in a pout. "Fine," she says. "Don't help me."
I turn from the computer, my finger still hovering on the PLAY button. "Sunny, if you don't stop this, I'm going to strangle you to death. And then you won't have a decision to make."
My twin opens her mouth to speak, but luckily at that moment the front door creaks open. Mom must be home. Time for all talk of sex to cease.
We head downstairs to greet her. She's got her arms full of groceries from the local Harvest Co-Op. I take a paper bag from her and bring it into the kitchen. Sunny heads to the car to grab what's left.
"Thanks," Mom says as we put the groceries in the cabi-nets and fridge. I grimace as I pull out some kind of purple, crinkly vegetable I don't recognize.
"What is—?"
Mom shrugs."Idon't know exactly. But it was on sale."
Typical. Mom's an ex-hippie who used to live in an actual commune in upstate New York before my dad whisked her away and impregnated her with twins. She may be all soccer mom wannabe now, but her kitchen remains in the Age of Aquarius. If you can add tofu to a recipe, you can be sure my mom's done it. Not that it matters much to me anymore. As a vampire, I can't eat. Which is a relief, when it comes to Mom's cooking.
"So girls, I have something I need to talk to you about," Mom says, sitting down at the table after the groceries are put away. "It's about David."
David is Mom's boyfriend. Last spring we thought he was an evil vampire and tried to douse him with a Super Soaker amount of holy water. Turns out, he's actually a guardian for Slayer Inc., the company I've been working for. He fell in love with my mom while on assignment to watch over me. They've been dating all summer. He's okay, I guess. But kind of geeky and out there. Which makes him a good match for Mom, but annoying to be around at times. Luckily, he lives across town.
"He's going to be living here."
What?I look at Sunny and then back at my mom.