Surprising Happenings ...

This is a bookstore owned by Janine Soleil. There are all kinds of books here and working corners. There is also a cafe in the bookstore. Most students like to grab a hot choclate, a book and a blanket and sit down in the window seat and read. Janine is very nice and welcomes anyone into her bookstore. She knows about all the creatures,because she herself is one. Janine is a werewolf with wrinkled old skin and and a cane. But all the kids love her, even the vampires!

Lacey walked into the old bookstore, smelling of fresh coffee and donuts. She loved coming in here, whenever there was drama, she could come here and tell Janine all about it! Janine heard the bell and walked slowly around the cashier's desk.

" Lacey, good to see you! Are you having any troubles, can I help?"

Janine smiled, her wrinkles moving. Lacey loved this, just walking in and being offered assistance, actually it was more than that. It was comfort, shelter...love. She laughed and hugged Janine.

" Thank you Janine, but I'm in no need of assitance, just came to find a book.."

Janine nodded and Lacey looked her in the eyes. If she was a werewolf, then why was she so old? She must have phased younger. Like Jacob Moore. But she ignored that fact and waited patiently for old Janine to let her go find her book. But she didn't.

" What book is it your looking for? Maybe I can help."

Janine offered. Lacey smiled at her instant help. But she tried to remember what she came here for. A book, on what again? What had led her in here? Oh, yes, now she remembered.

" A book on the creatures. Every one of them, every kind of gift, species. If you have of course."

Lacey shrugged.

" I'm afraid we don't have one that states all the creatures and gifts, considering there's so many that haven't even been discovered, but I think I have one that states almost all that have been discovered. "

Lacey nodded and Janine led her through a maze of books.

Jacob walked in, a piece of paper in his hands.
I hate books. But you have to read every once in a while, I guess.

He gave a quick glance at the paper, and sighed.
It so happened he was looking for a book called In the mind of one of those who drank blood.
It ... gave an insight to the reader of what went through a vampire's mind. Sure, the book was fifty-two years old, and he hadn't been able to find it in any book store up til now.

Breathing quietly, he went over to the Information books - after a moment of searching, he knew he wouldn't find it here.
He then walked over to the Vampire section. It must be here somewhere...

- Hello - can I help you with anything?" an old lady suddenly asked, a cane in her hand.

Shaking his head, he smiled.

- Eh? No thanks. But I'll call you if I need any," he grinned.

Janine smiled at the boy. He was very young. He seemed like the energetic, sweet kind of kid. Lacey popped out from around the bookshelf. Oh, a new person that she hadn't met. She smiled at Janine.

"Janine, it's okay. Here, go buy yourself some coffee. I'll help if he needs anything."

She handed Janine 10$. Just in case she wanted a donut too. Lacey looked down at the book in her hands. She couldn't wait to start reading. She peeked at the paper in the boy's hands. It said : In The Mind Of One Of Those Who Drank Blood. That book was 52 yrs old. So Janine had to have it. But, it seemed like he was having trouble finding it.

"Need Help? I think I saw that book somewhere around here."

Lacey offered. The boy lightened up.

" Um, I think I could find it here, but if you say so, I'll just follow you."

He said shrugging. Lacey nodded and led him to the aisle she had seen it in. There was only one copy. It was very popular and if he bought it, it would be one of the most rare books he had. She showed him the aisle and he started to search.

" So..... Whats your name and what kind of "monster" are you?"

She joked. The boy spoke but continued to search. Finally, he looked up.

" My name is Jacob Moore. And my "monster" type is a werewolf."

He said shaking hands with her. Lacey nodded and mouthed "oh".

"My names Lacey Kyra Dark. Im a hybrid."

She said pointing to a section with vampire books. He looked at her with a confused look.

Castella ran into the store, out of breath.

- L- Lacey! I'm not ... a ...whatever , a vampire or a wolf ... person! Did you have to run to here?

Taking her jacket off, she wrapped the arms around her waist and frowned, looking around.

- ... Lacey?"

She gave a quick smile at the old woman returning to her place around the counter, and looked through a few isles. She turned around as she heard someone's voice from the opposite direction.
Walking towards it, she peeked into the Vampire section.
Jacob and Lacey were talking, both smiling.
Though she did feel a small pinch in her chest, she shook her head and went over to the Myths and Legend section. She wasn't going to assume, or interrupt.

Jacob grinned.

- Really? Hybrid of what?" he laughed, brushing his fingers on the books of the bottom shelf as he knelt on the floor.

That's right. Though you aren't exactly my type, you're pretty hot.
He sighed, and turned around ... he could have sworn someone had been standing there just a second ago.
Shrugging, he looked back toward the books.

Lacey smiled and laughed with him. He was pretty cute. But, someone probably already liked him.

" I'm half vampire, half shapeshifter. But, my gift is that I can transform into basically anything."

Lacey said shrugging. Jacob looked at her and smiled. She smiled back and looked down at the book in her hands. Maybe she could check later if her type was in the book. She could have sworn she heard Castella.

" Cool, so your basically like me."

Jacob said, scouring the books. Lacey looked at him looking for the right words.

" Yeah, basically. But instead of shifting into one animal. I can shift into all the things you can think of. But not just animals."

Lacey said brushing her fingers along the books.

William dashed in the door and looked around. He didn't see anyone except for an old woman with a cane at the counter. He shot her a smile and sniffed the air.

"......Vampire"

The woman muttered. He didn't turn around though, because the way she said it didn't sound like a rude way and he'd heard she loved them all. He smelled a human to the right and followed the scent. He looked up and saw a sign with a bunch of gods and goddeses and natives smiling. It said Myths and Legends. He peeked at the aisle and saw Castella sitting on the floor with her back against the bookshelf, with her face buried in a book. He heard talking and laughing the other way. He grabbed a random book from a shelf and poked his head into the aisle Castella was in.

He quietly walked in. Castella looked up and frowned. William frowned too. Then he forced a smile and sat down on the floor beside her.

"Hello Castella. What book do you have there?"

William asked gesturing to her book. Castella looked up slowly.

" Why do you care?"

Castella snapped. William didn't even flinch or frown. He grinned and gently put his hand on her shoulder.

" I don't know. I just, well, you seemed sad. And I'm not the type to go making people feel better, so I just talk to them. But, if you're going to be this rude, then I shall just leave."

William said lifting himself up. Castella looked at him, shocked. She thought about it.

" Wait! Don't go! Come back, I'm sorry."

Castella said, reaching out for him. William smirked and sat back down.

- Look, I'm sorry. And I'm not sad about ... anything, really. I guess I just feel bummed.

Honestly, she couldn't explain why she felt so down. She saw Jacob and Lacey, and suddenly all her optimism had vanished.

- ... You know ... you aren't as bad as you look, you know. Cos' I was really intimidated by you earlier on."

- Cool. Hey - since I think you're pretty cool for someone who's half vamp ... wanna a coffee? I could use a drink righ- ah!"

Jacob grinned as he pulled the book he was looking for from the bottom of the book shelf.
It was large, maybe two or three hundred pages.
Man. Vamps have complicated brains.

He checked the price at the back, and nodded. £23 for a book. That was pretty ancient, contained some very important information, and only 17% of the vampire population knew of it's existence.

Lacey smiled. Oh my gosh! He was asking her to get coffee with him? Impressive....

"Hey, you found the book. Great! Sure, I would love to get some coffee with you! But, can I just ask my friend Castella to come quickly? She must have gotten in now."

Lacey said, still smiling. She wondered where she was.... As soon as Lacey said Castella's name, Jacob's head jerked up and he looked at her with a confused look. What? Did she say something wrong?

"Castella? Oh, I think I met her..... Yeah, sure go get her."

Jacob said, shooing her away. Lacey nodded. She heard Castella's voice and then another very familiar voice.... She followed the voices.

William smiled. But it wasn't one of his "evil" smiles. This one was sort of-- warm. He looked left and right, just in case someone was coming. Then he looked back at Castella.

" Oh..... well, I get the feeling that you're not really telling me everything Castella."

William said leaning forward. He was so close that Castella could feel his breath.

"And what makes you think that?"

Castella asked William, not showing any emotion at all. William backed up and relaxed his shoulders.

"Castella, I have lived over a hundred years.."

He said pausing and staring the other way.

" I can tell when someone is lying."

William said turning to look at her. Castella's face twisted into thought. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes looked sad. He heard louder talking and turned to see Lacey and another boy talking. He looked at Castella. She was looking at them too and her shoulders had stiffened. She jumped when she saw William was looking at her.

"So that's it...."

William said grinning.

Castella jumped upward as she heard Lacey calling her, and William's curiosity made her feel agitated. For some reason.

- What's it? Whatever you're thinking "is it" probably isn't it. I mean, I don't know what "it" is, so how could you possibly know?" she said a little too quickly, stuttering as she said.

Hang on ... what had she just said? She had always had the knack of confusing herself like this ...

- Uh ... sorry. Er ... Lacey's looking for me, so I'd better go. It was nice talking to you, Will ... iam." she waved, and paused for a moment. " ... Does it bother you if I call you Liam?

Usually, she would have said Will, but it seems there were more people in the school called Will-something, and Liam would probably be easier to remember.

William looked at Castella, confused. She was talking too fast, which led him to think that she knew what he meant.

" Uh. Yeah, sure. " Castella nodded and got up. " Wait, Castella. Whatever it is you're dealing with. I can help you with.... Don't be afraid to ask me."

William said staring deeply at Castella. Castella looked at him and then smiled, as if a thought had come to her.

"Uh...sure. Oh and by the way. It's impolite to stare."

Castella smirked and walked away. William got up and smiled. He put the book on the shelf and headed to the Human's section of the store. Janine came out from behind the bookshelf. Where William and Castella had just been and smiled.

Castella frowned.

What was he talking about?
Whatever was wrong with her, even she didn't know about it , so how could he possibly know?

She walked out of the isle, and marched up to Lacey.

- Lacey!" she exclaimed, grinning.

Lacey smiled. Why was Castella so happy to see her? Castella looked like she had just been in a bad conversation.

"Castella!" Lacey joked, hugging her." Um.... who were you talking to?" Lacey asked, looking behind Castella.

"Huh, what? Oh, yeah! Um.... no one, really..." Castella said shrugging.

Lacey looked at her curiously. She didn't want to intrude though.

" Ok.... whatever you say..." Lacey said unconvinced.

"So what were you gonna ask me?" Castella asked, trying to change the subject.

" Oh, yeah. Me and Jacob are going to get some coffee... wanna come?"

Lacey asked, her eyebrows raised. Castella's faced twisted to anger. What was wrong with her?

" Um, Jacob? Uh, yeah sure..." Castella said looking the other way.

Nathy wander's into the store and looks at the people standing around her. She smiles softly, then slides down of the aisles to look for a book.

"Hmm... Vicars, Vegetables... Vampires!"

Nathalie smiled and grabbed the book.

"I need to learn about myself..." She murmured.

Gah! What was wrong with her?

- Sorry ... I didn't mean to do that. I guess I'm still frustrated from earlier. Er, sure! I'd like to come, so long as I'm not a bother ... I mean."

She turned around to see a girl grab a book from the Vampires II, section, and run off towards the tables with that book. Come to think of it, she hadn't see William leave the isle ... well, it wasn't her problem.

Jacob frowned as he tried to remember.
Castella ... isn't that the midget human from the Gardens?
What was she doing here? Honestly, a twelve year old like her shouldn't be wandering around ...

Lacey came around the corner, Castella trotting behind her.

- Lacey - shall we get going? And ... Castella, right? Shouldn't you be back at school?"

He didn't mean to be rude, but ... he had never had any patience with kids.

Castella couldn't understand the anger boiling inside of her as she saw Jacob.
What was wrong with her?
And what had he meant by "Shouldn't you be back at school?"

- Erm ... is there a reason for me to be? Back at school, that is."
She asked, slightly confused.

Hang on a second ... I'm not stuttering!
This wasn't normal - it was like her anger had absorbed all her nervousness! But it was better than stuttering 24/7.

This girl has some cheek for a twelve year old.

- ...Come on. Don't you see what's wrong with a little kid walking around town?"

He raised his eyebrows, clasping the book in his hands.
She was ... like two or three heads shorter than her! She couldn't be that old, with that height.

Hang on. Did he just say ... little kid?

She flashed a glare at him, and crossed her arms.

- Jacob?"

- What?"

- I'm fifteen!"

She said loudly - maybe a litte too loudly for a book store.

Lacey looked between both of them. Had they met before? She decided to ask, since she was so curious.

"Have you two met before? " Lacey asked pointing to both of them.


Castella was looking at Jacob furiously. Jacob was looking at her with a confused look.

" Unfortunately, yes, we have." Castella said still furious. Even with her angry look, if you looked at her eyes carefully, she looked almost... hurt.

Nathalie came out from the aisle and realised she had to squeeze through the herd of people in front of her.
She sighed.
As she gets closer to the people, she realises one of them is Lacey.

"Excuse me.." she said in her squeaky voice.

She tried to slide past, but one of the people stepped back and stood on her foot.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" castella exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it!" Nathy said then made her way to the counter.

Watching the girl until she had reached the counter, she sighed.

- Unfortunately, we have met. In the Gardens, earlier on. And we were in the Library, along with you and everyone else."

I can't believe he thought I was ... a kid! I'm going to be sixteen come September next year, how dare he ...!

She glared at Jacob again, clearly unhappy.