Claire's Point of View

I lay on my bed, bored. Amelie had been gone what felt like ages but when I looked at the clock it had only been an hour and a half. I sighed and stared at the ceiling, then a thought entered my head. Look around Amelie's room. I'm not sure, but I have nothing else to do. I get up and exit my bedroom and go across the hall, where one of Amelie's maids were straightening out the bed sheets and vacuuming the carpet.

When she finished, she took the vacuum out and closed the door then went downstairs. Taking a deep breath I went up to the door and opened it, before my nerves failed me and I got second thoughts.

Inside was white, but when I looked closer I could see specks of light green, then I noticed that the walls were a very light shade of green. I'm sure I would have missed it, if I was still human.

Amelie had a double bed with white sheets, perfectly pressed with no creases anywhere. As I looked around I thought the maid had done a good job, as the walls, everything in the room was spotless. My feet sank into the carpet when I stepped in and I smelt a fresh, crisp smell.

I walked over to the dresser and felt the smooth wood then looked at myself in the mirror and would have gotten a heart attack if my heart still beat. I spun around and Amelie was standing in the doorway.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't touch anything... Well apart from the dresser thing, but it is nice! I'll go..." I babbled out and walked to the door, but Amelie wouldn't move.

"What we're you going to say, before I left?" She asked. Crap, I knew this was going to happen...

"Um... Well, I uh, I like you but... I-I don't know. If your going to punish me or something for being in your room - which is really nice - then do it already." I stared at the floor, waiting for whatever she was going to do or say.

"Why would I do that?" Amelie asked, almost softly. I started to feel nervous, anxious and something else mixed in. I ran a hand through my hair and took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure I feel the same way as you." I finally said and closed my eyes, so I wouldn't see the change in her body language. I heard her sigh and lift my head up.

"Look at me." She said. I opened my eyes and didn't see much of anything in her face, which surprised me, I guess. I thought she would have been sad, angry, or something else. "I know your loyalties lie with someone else and I understand that I can't make you leave him for me. I am not selfish. But he will die soon, and as I recall, Shane would hate being a vampire."

"Oh... Yeah, yeah he doesn't..." Oh god, how could I have forgotten about Shane? Easy, you were thinking about Amelie.

"And I have seen how much you dislike it here, with nothing to do. So you will have two of my guards to protect you, should this stalker come for you." It took me a few moments to process what Amelie had just said.

"Your letting me go?" I asked. I thought I would have been pleased, that I would have gone back to the Glass House and get back to normal, after the stalker got dealt with but I just felt... an emptiness, I guess. Like I had lost someone very dear to me.

Amelie nodded. "You can collect your belongings. The guards will take you back."

"Um... Yeah well... I'm not sure, but I think I want to stay here. I know I won't be with any Internet or stuff but uh, yeah." I looked down and scratched my neck.

"I thought you didn't like it here." Amelie said, I could hear the frown in her voice. I heard footsteps and looked around Amelie. She looked behind her and closed the bedroom door, then led me over to her bed and sat down. I sat down too.

"At first, I didn't. But then I guess I started to like it... And like you." I paused then quickly added, before she said anything, "Not that I have forgiven you for changing me, it's just I don't hate you anymore." I glanced at her and she was slightly smiling, but obviously trying not to show it.

"I like you too."

"I thought you loved me?" Then I realized what I had said, I covered my mouth and looked away. Great now I'm flirting... what the hell is wrong with me? If I could, I'm sure I would have blushed deeply.

"I do. But you only like me, which I can live with, until Shane dies. So you would like to stay here?" Amelie asked. I nodded and went to stand up only to realize then, that Amelie's hand is on my hand. I look down, then away. I didn't know whether to move away or stay. Why has my life suddenly became so complicated?

"You can move, if you like." Amelie said, then she got up and tidied my hair. Which I didn't like, so I moved; I pushed her hand away. "Your staying here, so you always have to look presentable. If not your clothes, then at least your hair."

I sighed and laid back and glanced at Amelie as she got a brush from the dresser thing and came back. "You know what, I think I changed my mind. Where are your guards?" I asked, getting up, but Amelie pushed me back down again.

"They will come when they are summoned." Amelie replied and brushed my hair. I groaned and [italics]ow'ed when the brush came across a knot in my hair.

After what felt like forever, Amelie had finally finished and there was a knock on the door. She didn't look pleased.

"You know, who it is?" I asked. Amelie nodded.

"Unfortunately." She replied and walked over and opened the door to reveal Oliver.

"Don't mind me, I was just coming to see you hadn't died." He said and made to step in, but Amelie pushed him back.

"I had more important things to worry about and frankly your distraction skills need some work." Amelie said and handed the brush back to me. "Put that back on my dresser."

I took it and did as she asked.

"So you would rather me force you into a make out session?" Oliver asked. That made me feel sick.

"No, because I would have broken your neck, or something worse. Now what do you want? Obviously I'm still alive."

Oliver sighed. "Claire's friends are here. They notice her absense and after her last visit to them, they thought she would begging to be let out again."

[Italics]Crap... I thought. I should have texted somebody. I kinda implied that I wanted to see them again ASAP but I guess everyone got in the way.

"Claire, would you to see them?" Amelie asked. I froze before nodding, surprising myself again. Now I wasn't sure if I wanted to see Eve, Michael or Shane? "She will come down, when she's ready. Tell them that." Then she closed the door and looked back at me. "You are uncertain."

"Well, maybe because of everything that has happened, in such a short time." I said, in maybe an accusing tone.

"Of course. You are still processing everything. You don't have to meet them, if you don't feel like it. You could spill something."

"I like your faith in me. And I will meet them, since they won't go unless they see me." I crossed my arms. Amelie found this amusing.

"Humans do that. They forget to keep quiet." Then she shrugged ever so slightly. "I can make them leave, if I choose. So are you ready?"

"Oh uh, yeah." I fluffed my hair and straightened out my clothes and went past Amelie and opened the door.

Outside seemed cooler than the bedroom. Maybe I had been hot or getting warm, or there was a heater on... Or maybe it was all just me. I walked until I got to the top of the stairs then paused. Last time I talked to Eve and Shane I had been wearing make-up that made me look human-ish, but that had all long ago washed off. I bit my lip and wondered if Amelie wore make up.

"What are you waiting for?" Amelie asked, closing the door to the bedroom and tied her hair up in a ponytail.

"Last time I saw Eve and Shane I wore makeup, so they wouldn't know I was a vamp... Do you have makeup?"

"You don't need it. I think it's time they knew." Amelie said. Well, isn't that good advice... I thought to myself, sarcastically.

"They can't. They would want to know how long it's been and they might hate me now." Amelie stared at me for a long while.

"They need to know. The truth will come out, when they are growing old and you are still young. Then they will hate you, for not telling them." Amelie said. I couldn't help but agree with her, but I couldn't get rid of the bad feelings that was growing in my stomach and in my throat.

"Claire, Amelie!" Oliver called from downstairs. "Your guests are getting impatient." Amelie glared at the stairs, then motioned for me to get a move on.

I walked down the stairs and stood in front of the door where the familiar voices of my best friends and boyfriend were coming and from and opened the door.