Mated to my Crush's Bestfriend

LILY

"Incoming!” a student shouted as he rushed past me.

I pressed my books against my chest, struggling to walk past the students in the hallway.

It was lunch period, but as always, I was headed to the school’s library. Nightfang Academy was an elite school for vampires from powerful families; they didn't eat food like I did.

Every day the cafeteria would distribute blood bags.

I wasn't a vampire like the rest of them. I knew nothing about my birth dad, but my foster father had married my human mom when I was five years old, so I grew up around vampires.

Even though this school was for elites, I managed to get in because of my grades, which were off the charts.

But unlike the other students, I would always bring my own lunch from home. Today it was pasta. I didn't know why Mom kept giving me pasta when she knew it would get soggy once it got cold.

I would have to starve again today.

“Come on, Hollander!” I heard Jake's voice behind me.

My heart fluttered.

Jake Sinclair was a member of the boys’ football team; he was tall, handsome, and athletic. Every girl in school loved him, and I was no exception.

“Come on, only a few rounds?" Alexander responded.

They were best friends which grew up together.

Alexander was captain of the boys’ football team and swim team.

Ugh.

Unlike every girl in school who was on their knees for him and who would give up everything for him. I hated him with everything in me.

He was a bully.

He would intentionally push me to the ground and let the students laugh. One time he hid my books in the trash and let me dig for them, covering myself with dirt.

But Jake was always there to save me.

Unlike Alexander, he was…what I liked most about him.

“Hey Danvers!” Alexander shouted.

My heart sank. How come he saw me in this crowd? I quickened my pace, but the number of students in the hall restricted me.

“Hollander! Leave her alone!” Jake shouted.

“Danvers!" Alexander shouted, his voice drew closer, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. He pulled me back to face him: "Hello,” he said breathlessly.

He raked his fingers through his dark brown hair, but as he dug through the stubborn ones, they pushed forward again and rested on his forehead.

His green eyes lingered on mine. “Are you ignoring me?”

I rolled my eyes and turned to leave, but he grabbed me again and dragged me back. “Come on, Lily,” he pouted.

Jake soon caught up to us; my heart jumped as his grey eyes softened. Racing faster, I gripped the book tighter against my chest with my trembling hands and looked down, my face flushed red.

Could I be any more obvious?

“Hey Lily,” he greeted.

Argh… The way he said my name could make my heart melt. "Hello, Jake.”

Alexander drew closer. “We have football practice in a few minutes… ” He moved too close, and I fluttered backwards, and he continued to walk closer until my back touched the wall. "Will you come to cheer?”

“Why should I do that?” I hissed.

He scoffed and placed both hands on either side of the wall. “I'm feeling too sleepy. Maybe hearing you speak will help me stay awake,” he teased.

"Hey, knock it off.” Jake gripped Alexander by his collar and began to drag him off. "I hope you come to watch.” He waved at me with two fingers and a smile on the corner of his lips as they walked off.

My heart fluttered.

Maybe I might go, only for Jake.

Minutes later, after I had lunch in the library, I walked to the field. It was crowded, with loud cheers echoing; most of them were girls who were screaming out the names of the boys.

The unfriendly sun burned harshly against my skin. I spun around and around and around and searched for a place to sit. While the girls sat in front, there was an empty row of seats in the back; I quickly made my bed to sit on it.

Alexander stood in the middle of the field, dressed in his football uniform, barking orders at the boys. Beside him was Jake, panting heavily as he listened. My heart melted.

How could a sweaty person who's been running around in the sun look so good?

As Alexander spoke, his gaze suddenly met mine; he smirked as he looked away. I adjusted the glasses over my eyes and looked at Jake.

Soon they scattered and began to play, kicking the ball across the field. Soon Jake carried the ball. “Go Jake!” I shout and turn around.

My head spun around and he laughed, shaking his head. I smiled back. He's been noticing me a lot recently.

As they kicked the ball around, the ball got to Alexander. He kicked it with force, and it flew across the field before I realized it was headed straight to me.

It was already too late; it slammed hard against my face, and as it landed on the ground, my glasses fell off. The force of the ball against my face forced my lip to push against my teeth and formed a cut.

The crowd burst into loud laughter.

I couldn't see. My sight was blurry, but I knew they were laughing at me. I ran my hand across the floor until it touched my glasses, and I put them on. The glass was cracked, but I could finally see them pointing at me.

“What a loser,” a student knocked.

“She caught the ball with her face,” another said with her hand over her mouth as she laughed.

I looked across to the field; Alexander stood, his eyes fixed on me. Anger instantly rose within me. He did it on purpose. Just knew it.

He wanted to taunt me, like he had always done. Tears clouded my eyes as the laughter grew louder.

Soon my gaze landed on Jake.

His eyes were on me, embarrassed, I quickly stood up from my seat and ran off the field. Soon I reached the school's main building and headed for my locker. I always had two spare glasses in case of emergencies.

I took off the cracked glasses with a shaky breath and angrily slammed them against the ground. I opened my locker and reached into it; my hands searched, but I couldn't find it. I could have sworn it was in here.

“Lily,” Alexander shouted, "I hear his footsteps racing towards me. "Lily!”

I finally touched my glasses and put them on my face again; I could finally see again. I looked to my rushing up. towards rushing upwards to me. “Are you okay?” He panted, a worried expression on his face.

I angrily slammed the locker shut. “Don't act like you care, you did it on purpose!” My voice shook.

I tried to walk away, but his hand wrapped around mine, and he pulled me back, slamming my back against the locker. He stood before me and placed both hands on the school’s locker to block me from leaving.

“It was an accident… I swear I would never hurt you.”

I scoffed in disbelief. “You swear? You’ve been hurting me since my first day in academy!” I snapped.

His finger scraped the locker as he adjusted his hand on it. I watched him swallow, his breath hot against my face as his eyes fell to my lips; his breathing seemed to grow heavier each second he struggled to break.

I blinked. “Are you okay?”

He shook his head, and his brown hair shook as well; sweat dripping down his face, he mumbled something, but I didn't hear.

"What?”

"B… blood,” he mumbled.

Blood?

“Are you hungry? There are blood bags in the cafeteria…”

He shook his head again, and his green eyes moved up to meet my gaze. His eyes darkened. “No… I can smell it on you.”

I suddenly tasted the blood in my mouth from the cut on my lower lip. He could smell that? It was only a little cut.

“Well… if you are hungry, go feed on a bloodbag,” I said.

His face inched towards mine, and I felt his nose brush against mine. My heart jumped as he grabbed my chin, his fangs sticking out of his teeth, his eyes turning red. “I want you… ” he managed to say, his voice strained.

"Huh?” My brow rose.

But before I could process what was going on, his lips locked onto mine; he sucked on my lower lip. He was desperate as he sucked the blood off.

I always thought getting fed up with my vampire would hurt, but it felt… gentle.

I placed my hands on his shoulders to push him off, but I suddenly felt something, a warm feeling, like electricity pulsing through me, pulling me towards him.

He pushed himself against me and gripped my neck.

It's crazy, because some part of me liked it.

But I hate him… right?