"I'm sure you can."
"I can't imagine Alexander sleeping in a coffin. I mean, I can - he is different, in a good way. But Matt - everything is pretty normal about him. I can't imagine what I'd do if I went to his room and found him sleeping in a casket."
"I know exactly what you'd do. Faint!"
Her cheeks flushed as we both laughed. "But for you," she began, "isn't it a dream come true for you really, to be dating a vampire?"
"It is, Becky. It is. And I'm so happy that we can finally talk about it. I've been dying to tell you for ages."
"And does he really drink...?"
I nodded eagerly as she cringed.
"And you still want to become one?"
"And you still want to become one?"
I nodded again.
"Does he try to bite you?"
"No, but I wish he would."
She shook her head at me. "So do you think it will happen?" she asked, slightly terrified, clinging to the swing's metal chain link.
I was quiet for a moment.
She hung on for my answer.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"It takes two for me to become a vampire. I can't do it alone. I need Alexander."
"Of course. Isn't he willing?"
"He wants to protect me from his world. He thinks I might hate it. I understand his struggle. It's a big decision to make for someone else."
"That is a big decision."
And something I wanted so badly to happen. "But he did take my blood," I confessed proudly. This was big news, and I felt like I'd burst with joy to finally be sharing it with my best friend.
"You are kidding!"
"No!" I exclaimed. "I had a cut - just like you did that night when you fell and Sebastian took..."
"What?"
Then I realized. Becky hadn't known what Sebastian had done that night. "Oh ... nothing."
"No. What were you going to say?" she pressed.
"Uh ... it's not important."
"You have to tell me. What do you mean, that night I fell?"
"Uh ... you skinned your knee."