The Awakening by Emma Jones

logged on to Facebook via my phone and left an update also saying I was ill and on the sofa at home. I hoped this would mean no one would miss me for a few days although I feared my mum would be on my doorstep the minute she found out from my sister that I was ill. I really needed a few days to get my head sorted and hopefully find out from Annalise what Wiccan powers I had and how to get rid of them. I decided to have a shower, get changed, and then venture downstairs to see what the day had in store.
    I found Gavin and Alice in the kitchen sat round the table and could hear the familiar sound of Radio 1’s Nick Grimshaw show and general chatter between Gavin and his mum. If I didn’t know better, it would seem like a normal family breakfast; but of course I knew these people were actually vampires and the thought made me freeze in the doorway unsure whether to enter. “Ah, morning Lauren. Did you sleep well?” Alice asked as she noticed me hovering nervously at the edge of the room.
    “Um yes thanks. Better than I expected actually,” I replied.
    “Would you like some breakfast you must be hungry today as you hardly touched your dinner,” she asked with a warm smile.
    “Mum, give her a chance she’s only just come down,” Gavin said to Alice with a chuckle “You ok? Feeling a bit better?”
    “Yes thanks. I’ve called work and lied about being ill so they won’t expect me in.” I said, “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” I continued; as it occurred to me Gavin shouldn’t be home.
    “I’ve called in sick too, I’ll have to go in tomorrow but am going to ask for the next two weeks off so we can sort everything out properly. I’m sure it won’t be a problem as I’m still a student and it’s a work placement not proper employment.”
    “That’s good. I’m not sure what to do about work if I keep saying I’m ill they’ll get suspicious and I’ll need a doctor note.” I said frowning and feeling tired again at the thought of having to sort everything out. The three of us decided I should visit my doctor and lie about the headaches and dizziness and see if I can get signed off work for two or three weeks. Given that I had fainted and visited the doctor previously we figured they would probably sign me off to be on the safe side and it would give me time to sort things out and try and get back to some sort of normality.
    Alice had also taken the day off work. Marcus and Rebecca had gone to work as normal, but would both be back later. Annalise had been in touch and was hoping to have all the information she needed by the next day so I felt a bit in limbo and unsure what to do. I couldn’t visit my family or friends and whilst being of work was nice, I felt awkward in Gavin’s parents’ home. I had so many unanswered questions and some I was afraid to think about let alone ask. I needed to see Gavin in his vampire state and see how I would react but was worried it would be too much and I’d want to run away and hide. Would he still seem normal to me? Could we really be together? Were vampires as harmless as Gavin and his family wanted me to believe? Alice and Gavin sensed my uneasiness and tried to lighten the situation with general chitchat and Alice insisted I eat and got up to make me some breakfast and a cup of tea. After I had eaten and we chatted for a while, I asked if there were any books or documents that I could see; so I could try to understand what was happening. Alice and Gavin looked at one another and Alice seemed to be having an internal battle and eventually said “Lauren we do have information but how much do you want to know? You may find it easier if you have fewer facts and try to move on from this situation.” 
    “I can’t can I, it seems I am supernatural too and intertwined somehow. I need to know what I have got myself into or rather what Gavin has got me into,” I looked at him with a small smile and he shrugged.
    “Some of it may upset you though and it may