Eastwhich Academy
By FindingMe SILVER, Richmond, Virginia
FindingMe SILVER, Richmond, Virginia
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love...and be loved in return. (Moulin Rouge)
“Come on, Kristi, let’s go!” My best friend, Nathan, yelled as he continued to pull me down the long, deserted hallway. We were late for first period class. Going to a private boarding school, that was simply intolerable. At Eastwhich Academy, anything that wasn’t ‘perfect’ was simply intolerable.
“Okay, I’m coming!” I said, while trying to tie my shoe one handed. It was much harder than it appeared to be in the movies. Nathan continued to tow me down the hallway, ignoring me when I tried to yank my arm away from his grasp. “Let go of my arm! I need to get my shoes tied,” I said, trying unsuccessfully to win the tug of war going on with my arm.
“You can tie your shoe when we get to class. We’re already 20 minutes late,” Nathan replied.
“And get scolded for not looking ‘presentable’? I don’t think so!” I retorted, pulling on my arm again. Nathan let go, and I immediately bent over, dropping my backpack that must have weighed more than 30 pounds with all the books packed inside, to tie my shoe and adjust my skirt. I looked up and saw Nathan fiddling with his tie. He hated wearing dressy clothes, but the school required uniforms.
Our uniforms consisted of the school colors, black and light blue. My blouse was white and had the school crest, an old goblet, sewed over my chest—my heart. My skirt was black and light blue plaid. Nathan wore a black shirt and khaki pants. His tie was striped black and light blue. Once we felt like we looked presentable, we began moving toward the dreaded classroom.
Nathan and I both had biology first period, and we both detested it. Well, not so much the class, at which we were both exceedingly good, it was the teacher we detested. I wanted to major in science when I got to college, so I had a special interest in this class. My religious beliefs were centered on scientific theories as well. As a result of this, I was atheist.
When we arrived at the classroom door, we both looked at each other. I silently prayed Ms. Abbott would be in a good mood, which was a fifty-fifty chance. Then I quickly opened the door and peered into the classroom. We were in luck; Ms. Abbott was facing the board and had her back to us. I snuck through the door and moved toward my seat. It was in the back of room, closest to the door. I sank down into my seat, grateful for not getting caught. I was in no mood to face Ms. Abbott’s wrath.
I turned and saw Nathan slip silently into his seat as well. He shot me a relieved smile, and I returned it.
Many people at Eastwhich assumed Nathan and I were dating, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. I didn’t know how to make anyone understand that Nathan and I were no more than friends, but I would love to figure out how. It would spare me all the dirty looks I receive from the girls at the school. Even though Nathan was just a freshman, he was considered one of the best looking guys in the school. He was tall, had black hair and beautiful green eyes. Basically, he was an undiscovered model in the making.
Reaching down into my backpack, I pulled out my Biology notebook and a pen. Looking up, I saw that Ms. Abbott was making a chart that explained the transformation from gorilla to man. It looked like we were beginning evolution today. Opening my book to a new page and uncapping my pen, I began to copy what Ms. Abbott was creating. Looking over at Nathan, I saw that he wasn’t taking notes.
“So as you can see, gorillas are in the Hominoid family,” Ms. Abbott said, turning from the board to face the class. “Open your books to page—well, it looks like we have two new additions to our class. Miss Rita and Mr. Cabot, welcome. I’m glad that you finally decided to grace us with your presence,” Ms. Abbott sneered. I winced inside. My luck had run out; Ms. Abbott was in her bad mood today.
“I apologize, Ms. Abbott,” Nathan replied, turning on the charm that only Nathan Cabot possessed. “We had an incident in Kristi’s dorm room.”
“Oh, and what might that incident have been?” Ms. Abbott asked.
“There was a freak spider,” I responded. “There must have been at least 11 in my room. They were all over, on my bed, desk, and even the walls.” Even the memory made me shudder. I was deathly afraid of spiders. When I had seen the swarm in my room, I locked myself into the bathroom and prayed there wasn’t a way for them to come in. After Nathan had helped me kill each one, he had laughed and mocked me for my coward ness.
“Why, may I ask, was Mr. Cabot in your dorm room, Miss Rita?” Ms. Abbott asked, smirking. It was against school policy for a girls and guys to stay overnight in the same dorm room. She thought she had caught us in a lie. Of course, Ms. Abbott wouldn’t be worried about me, because, after all, it only mattered if Nathan and I were busted. That was Ms. Abbott—she had no compassion.
“Kristi and I always meet at the cafeteria before we come to class. I was worried when she didn’t show up, and decided to check her room,” Nathan answered for me. Ms. Abbott scowled at him.
“You both know school rules. Being late for class is unacceptable. Both of you report to the principal’s office,” Ms. Abbott said. I could have sworn her voice sounded satisfied, and I was probably right. When Ms. Abbott was in a bad mood, she was really in a bad mood, and usually decided to take it out on her students.
I never knew what caused those bad moods. Sometimes I guessed that she and her boyfriend had had a major fight. Around that time, the voice in the back of my head would wonder what kind of idiot would ever be in a relationship with her. I wasted a lot of time imagining the man who was naïve enough to be with her. In fact, I couldn’t imagine anyone, man or woman, approaching her on their own free will. So, no matter how much thought I put into it, I could never figure out the mystery of Ms. Abbott’s dating life.
Sighing, I closed my notebook and pen and threw them into my bag. I slipped out of my seat and headed toward the door, hearing Nathan behind me. I could feel all thirteen pairs of my classmates’ eyes bore on my back as I exited through the door I had come through not ten minutes ago. Nathan closed the door as I slumped against the wall.
“I just love Ms. Abbott,” I grumbled. I heard Nathan’s chuckle beside me.
“Cheer up, Kristi. What’s one trip to the principal’s office going to do?” Nathan asked as he grabbed my wrist and began towing me toward the office of the principal, Mr. Sergio. I groaned, pulling my wrist from his grasp. His carefree attitude irritated me to no end. Nathan didn’t care about getting into trouble, and he most certainly didn’t care who got busted with him. He lived life on the edge. I, on the other hand, was not so carefree. I cared about getting into trouble and bringing others down with me. Life wasn’t a big game to me.
“I know where the principal’s office is, thank you very much,” I snapped as I pulled my arm away from his grip. I saw a flash of hurt cross Nathan’s features, but after a second it was gone.
He shrugged. “Fine, suit yourself,” he replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets and picking up his pace. I mentally cursed myself. Nathan was just being his joking old self, and I snapped at him. Today was just not my day. Sighing, I ran to catch up with him.
“Nathan, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that,” I said, practically jogging to keep up with his pace.
“It’s fine, Kristi,” he replied, keeping his eyes trained straight forward. I looked down. I hated upsetting Nathan; he usually didn’t deserve it. Even if he did, I still felt bad. He was my best friend, and I loved him for him—joking self and all. Sometimes he was just too much. We climbed the winding stairs up to the floor that held all the faculty offices.
With its gothic looking buildings, huge classroom and dorms, and winding staircases, Eastwhich Academy looked more like a castle than a school. The Academy treated their few students like royalty, too. It was an exclusive school that only accepted the brightest or the richest.
Nathan fell into the richest category. I fell into the brightest category.
Mr. Sergio’s office was down at the end of the hallway, with a huge door that was intimidating on its own. As soon as I entered the room, I could tell we were in the right place. Bookcases lined the west wall, and leather-bound books sat neatly in place on them. A giant portrait of Mr. Sergio glared down at us from the wall right in front of us. Oh, and the fact that Mr. Sergio sat at the desk in front of the portrait was a pretty big tip off that we were in the correct office. He glared at both Nathan and I as we stepped through the threshold.
“So, you were late for class because a bird flew through your window, Miss Rita?” Mr. Sergio asked me.
“Yes, sir,” I replied. Instead of meeting the glare Mr. Sergio was leveling at me, I stared down at the desk.
“You won’t mind if I send someone to go check this out.” It wasn’t a question, it was a demand.
“Not at all, sir,” I said.
“Mr. Cabot, this is the final straw for you,” Mr. Sergio said, turning his gaze to Nathan. “You always find a way to be in trouble, one way or another. You will both receive detention. I will talk to your parents about your behavior,” Mr. Sergio said, with a satisfied smirk on his face as he watched Nathan. Apparently Mr. Sergio was in a bad mood as well. Nathan glared back at him.
“I highly suggest you don’t do that, sir. My parents won’t be happy,” Nathan said, sitting up straighter in his chair.
“Oh, so you think you deserve special treatment, do you?” Mr. Sergio snapped.
“No, I don’t,” Nathan mumbled, slouching in his chair once again.
“Good, I’m glad we’ve come to a decision,” Mr. Sergio replied sarcastically. Nathan glared at him, again. “You will both report to detention for the remainder of the school day.” I could feel my eyes widening. For the rest of the day?! We were only twenty minutes late for class!
“Sir—” I started, but his glare cut me off mid-sentence.
“Go!” He practically snarled at us. I jumped out of my chair and walked so fast that I was almost running out the door. I heard the door shut behind me, and turned to see Nathan.
“Well, that was fun,” he said sarcastically. I nodded and sighed.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you, Nathan,” I said. He smiled at me.
“It’s fine. I’m sorry that I overreacted,” he replied, still smiling.
“Well, I don’t mind. I’m used to it by now,” I said, pushing him playfully. He feigned a hurt look and held his heart.
“You’ve wounded me,” he teased. I snorted.
“I’m sure that you’ll get over it. It happens often,” I retorted.
“I would push you back, but I hear it’s impolite to push ladies…though I would hardly call you one,” Nathan countered, smiling at me.
“That’s right. I’m no lady and darn proud of it,” I said, putting my hands on my hips and sticking my tongue out at him. Nathan stared at me for a second, and then started laughing.
“That was a bit strange,” Nathan gasped as he tried to compose himself.
“Come on, Pretty Boy. Let’s get to detention,” I spit out the word detention, and began guiding Nathan down the hallway. The detention room was on the lowest level of the building in which academic classes were held, known at other schools as the basement. Nathan allowed me to pull him down the stairwell.
“Excuse me, but, ‘Pretty Boy’? I believe that’s the worst nickname I’ve ever had,” Nathan said. I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see.
“I think it suits you, actually,” I teased. Nathan grumbled incoherently beside me.
We made our way down the stairs and to the room we would be spending until 3:20. I wondered if they would even let us out to eat lunch.
“Well, this is quite a surprise,” Ms. Aphra said looking at me.
Ms. Aphra was my favorite teacher. I had her for Art. She was never moody, unlike all the other teachers here and always had a smile on her face. She moved here last year; she had just graduated with a degree in art and art history from The Art Institute of Portland. Her classes were extremely interesting. Instead of just making her students paint, she helped us find meaning in our paintings that weren’t obvious to the untrained eye. As an added bonus, I never heard her yell at her students.
“What do you mean by that?” Nathan asked her.
“I expect trouble from you, Mr. Cabot. I’ve seen you here at least a half dozen times. Kristi, on the other hand, never gets into trouble. You, I would expect to see here, but not Kristi,” Ms. Aphra said.
“Well, I guess you can’t say that anymore,” I told her, smiling slightly.
“What happened?” She asked me. I sighed.
“We were twenty minutes late for class,” Nathan replied. Ms. Aphra snorted.
“Late to class and you get a full day of detention? This school is tougher than I ever imagined it would be,” she mused, mostly to herself. “Take a seat anywhere you want. I suggest you read a book or catch up on work, because this is going to be one long day,” she advised.
“Are we allowed to go to lunch?” I asked. Ms. Aphra raised an eyebrow.
“Hmm…well, Mr. Sergio never told me one way or another. Would you mind if I brought you lunch from the cafeteria? I don’t want to get into trouble,” Ms. Aphra asked. I saw Nathan make a face out of the corner of my eye, but before he could say anything rude, I nodded. Ms. Aphra gestured for us to take a seat. Nathan followed me as I took a seat in the back of the room, a couple of desks away from the windowless wall.
Nathan sat down next to me, took out a book from his backpack, and began reading. I took out some extra credit work I had been meaning to do in history, and began working. As I worked, I thought back to my past.
My parents had died when I was very young; I barely remember them. People who knew my parents said I got my height from both of them, my dark hair from my father, with the occasional red highlight from my mother. I was said to have inherited my bright blue eyes from both of them. Plus, my bone structure was a mix of them as well. I got my delicate nose from my mother, my strong cheekbones from my father, and my long legs from both of them. Basically, I was an even genetic mix of the two.
After my parents had died, a young couple had taken me in. I was the closest thing they had to a child of their own. My adoptive mother couldn’t have kids. I had an excellent life with them. As far as I was concerned, I was their child. I lived with them until my adoptive father had a job transfer and had to move to Switzerland. I didn’t want to move all the way to Switzerland, so my parents agreed that I could go to a boarding school. After loads of research, we found Eastwhich Academy. I was always a bright student, and was accepted to start immediately.
I knew it was horrible to be a new girl in the beginning of the year. However, I was the new girl in the middle of 8th grade. It was extremely awkward and scary to walk into the castle-like school, feeling like a freak because mostly everyone stared at you. I felt out of place, and was soon regretting the decision not to move to Switzerland with my parents.
Because I didn’t read completely through the trusty handbook that Eastwhich Academy had been so kind to give me, I didn’t know the school song. Unfortunately, I was told to sing it one day in music class. I was the talent show winner four years in a row at my school. Every year I won by singing. Every year, the judges would come up to me after my performance and try to convince me something ridicules such as going for a record deal or trying out for American Idol. I was known to have a siren’s voice. That reputation traveled with me to Eastwhich Academy. As the teacher waited eagerly to hear my voice, I stood at the front of the class, sweating bullets.
Nathan came to my rescue that day, and no matter how he did it, I viewed him as my knight in shining armor. He pulled the fire alarm. By the time everyone figured out it was a false alarm, class had ended. I thanked him, and he offered to help me memorize the school song. It came in handy the next day when the teacher asked me to sing again. When I asked him later why he helped me, he replied that he couldn’t bear to see anyone with that deer in the headlights look. We became good friends right then.
Sighing, I pulled myself out of my reminiscence and glanced at the clock. I had been staring off into space for an hour. I glanced over at Nathan, and saw him staring right back.
“What?” I asked. Nathan smirked.
“You’ve had that spaced look on your face since we sat down. What’s on your mind?” He asked me. I shrugged, and Nathan chuckled. “Is it something embarrassing? I promise I can keep a secret,” He said, crossing his heart.
Smiling, I shook my head. “You know you can never keep secrets. Besides, I’m not thinking about anything secret. I was just thinking about my parents; wondering what they’re doing. You know, the usual,” I replied. Nathan raised an eyebrow, but didn’t push further on the topic. I assumed he wanted to hear something interesting, not me thinking about my parents. Nathan slouched in his seat and picked up his book.
“You might want to do something to occupy yourself, because this is going to be a long day,” he said, his eyes never leaving the page of his book. I sighed and began working on my history extra credit again, only to be pulled back into my past.
Oh yes, this was going to be one long, tough day.
I sat with Nathan in the cafeteria the next day. Detention had been long and boring. By the end of the day, Nathan and I had given up on being quiet and had started throwing things at each other. Nathan threw balled up pieces of paper, and I threw sharp objects at him—but never at his face. No matter how badly Nathan annoyed me, I would never try to hurt him.
“I can officially say I have learned my lesson,” Nathan said, picking at the food on his plate.
“Right,” I said sarcastically, “you never learn your lesson, Nathan. That’s one of the reasons all the teachers hate you.”
“Whatever,” Nathan narrowed his eyes at me. I smiled to myself; Nathan only said ‘whatever’ when he couldn’t think of a good comeback. The ‘whatever’ moments came very rarely.
“Okay, I surrender. No more sarcasm—well, no more sarcasm until you finish telling me what lesson you’ve learned,” I said, holding my hands up in defeat. Nathan smirked.
“Thank you. As I was saying before I was so rudely distracted, I have learned my lesson never to break the rules. I hate making Ms. Abbott angry on her off days,” Nathan said.
“Why do you think she has so many off days? Could she be in the middle of doing…lady things?” I stuttered; Nathan smirked.
“That’s probably the reason. If you really want to know, I’m sure you could go ask her,” he said, smirk still in place.
“The day I do that is the day the sky turns green,” I said, shuttering at the thought of asking Ms. Abbott why she was so moody. Nathan laughed at my expression.
“Okay, new topic,” I said, glaring at him. Nathan continued laughing. I picked up a piece of lettuce from my sandwich to throw at him, but he held up his hands in surrender. His laughter died down slowly.
“All right, new topic,” he agreed.
“Parents’ Day is coming up; you know how much I love that day,” I said sarcastically. Nathan raised his eyebrow. “Hey, I promised not to use sarcasm while you were telling me your learned lesson, not after,” I defended myself while Nathan chuckled and shook his head.
“Yes, you seemed to enjoy it so much last year,” he agreed dryly. I could tell he was remembering the same thing I was.
Last year my parents had promised to come and visit me. All the contact we had had was exchanged by letters and phone calls. I was so excited; Nathan even made fun of me. Even though Parents’ Day was about the parents being shown the school they paid vast amounts for their kids to attend, I was excited. However, on day my parents had called, telling me they were sorry, but couldn’t make it because they had to be out of town that day.
I was so upset. After waiting months to see them in person, they couldn’t come. I just stayed in my dorm room that day and moped. Nathan tried to cheer me up a couple of times, but eventually gave up when I kicked him out of my dorm room. Nobody likes someone with a bright sunshiny—well, in Nathan’s case, sarcastic mood when you’re down, so I did what anyone else would have. I screamed at him until he left.
“Are your parents coming this year?” He asked.
I shook my head. “Nope, they have to be in…I think it was Taiwan this time for business.” Nathan gave me a sympathetic look.
“Well, you can hang with me and my parents this year. I’m sure that they wouldn’t mind,” he offered.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose,” I said carefully. I would’ve loved to hang out with Nathan, but I had never met his parents.
Nathan didn’t talk about them much, but I got the feeling they didn’t like the idea of him dating. Even though we weren’t dating, I was pretty sure they would get the wrong idea. Everyone else on the campus had.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I don’t want to leave you alone again and have a repeat of last year, so this is the next best option. Besides, I’ve told my parents about you, and they’re very interested. I think they would demand to meet you this year, even if you weren’t hanging around with me,” Nathan said. I raised an eyebrow.
“How many lies have you fed them to make them so ‘interested’ to meet me?” I asked him.
“I just told them how I met you; they both laughed. I’ve also told them that you refuse to be a part of my big pranks, which they also liked,” Nathan said.
“I don’t know anyone who would want to be a part of your pranks,” I told him. He just smiled mischievously.
“Whatever you say, Kristi. So, are you in? Are you going to meet the folks when they come?” Nathan asked me. I shrugged.
“That’s the best offer I’ve gotten so far. Yeah, I’ll come with you,” I replied and Nathan smiled gratefully.
“Thank you. You have no idea what a relief it is. If you’re with me, maybe my parents won’t full out yell at me after they get the call from Mr. Sergio,” Nathan said. I rolled my eyes.
“So the part you were saying before, about them ‘demanding to meet me’. Was that just some big lie to get me to agree to stick with you for the day?” I asked.
“No, it wasn’t a lie. I’m just saying that you should remember what Mr. Sergio said about making a call to my parents. I can promise you that they aren’t going to be happy. After all, I’m supposed to live up to their legacy.” His tone had turned sour by the time he stopped talking. I remembered what Mr. Sergio had said about Nathan not getting any ‘special treatment’ because his parents wouldn’t be happy. That was an odd thing for Nathan to say to Mr. Sergio, but he was Nathan after all.
I wanted to ask Nathan about it, but I asked a different question instead. “What do your parents do?” Nathan seemed to snap out of his trance as I spoke. It was like he was remembering that he wasn’t the only one here.
“My father is a lawyer, and my mother organizes charity events,” he replied. Ah, so that was what the lives of the rich were like. A nice job that paid a truck load of money and a job that paid nothing.
“Do your parents want you to be a lawyer?” I asked. Nathan looked uncomfortable, but he nodded and sighed.
“Yeah, and I don’t want to be one. It’s a lot to live up to, you know?” He asked me. No, I didn’t know. My parents encouraged me to be whatever I wanted to be. I had never lived under the pressure to live up to someone else’s achievement, but I wasn’t going to tell Nathan that.
“Yeah, I’m really sorry I even brought it up,” I said. Nathan smiled at me.
“No, it’s cool. You didn’t know,” he said.
“Okay, so newer new topic,” I said, causing Nathan to chuckle.
“Hmm…let’s see…” He mused. He opened his mouth to say something when someone calling his name cut him off.
“Nathan! Over here.” We both turned to see Amanda Jacobina jogging over to us. Amanda was a part of Nathan’s group: rich and richer. She was tall, but shorter than my five foot nine, had long, dirty blond hair, and dark brown eyes. She had a pretty face, high cheekbones and full lips.
“Yes, Amanda?” Nathan asked once she was in front of us.
“Could I talk to you in private, Nathan?” Amanda asked, shooting a disgusted glance my way.
Amanda was spoiled. All the money she had made her a stuck up person. We hadn’t exactly seen eye to eye the from first time I met her.
“Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of my friend, Amanda,” Nathan replied in a cool tone. Shooting another look at me, Amanda sighed and continued.
“I was wondering if your parents are coming for Parents’ Day,” she stated, but the way she said it made me think her words had a double meaning.
“The last time I checked, yes, they are coming. Is that all, Amanda?” Nathan asked, still using that cool tone. Amanda nodded. “Well, then I suggest you leave. Kristi and I were having a pleasant conversation.”
Amanda shot me one last look before turned and walking back to her posse of friends. Once she was out of hearing range, Nathan heaved a sigh.
“I’m guessing you like her as much as I do,” I said. Nathan smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, I like her about as much as I like Mr. Sergio,” he agreed.
Hearing the bell ring, Nathan and I threw our lunches into the trash, shoved our things into our backpacks, and headed our separate ways. We didn’t have any classes together after lunch.
As I was walking into my class, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me around the corner of the hallway. I was so surprised I didn’t have time to make a noise. I looked into the face of the person who had grabbed me and was faced with Amanda. Wait, Amanda?
“Amanda? What do you want?” I asked her. She scowled at me.
“I want you to stay away from Nathan. He’s stressed enough, and he doesn’t need you adding to it,” she said. I raised an eyebrow. She sounded like some jealous girlfriend.
“Wait; don’t tell me you like Nathan. If you do, I’m not standing in your way for him. We’re just friends,” I tried to explain to her. Her grip on my upper arm tightened so much that it was painful. From the look in Amanda’s eyes, though, it looked like she had much, much more strength where it came from. I yelped out in pain.
“Just stay away from him,” she repeated, before she released me and walked down the hallway.
I rubbed the arm she had grabbed. It looked like it was going to bruise, badly. I groaned quietly. Now I would have to explain to Nathan that preppy, girly Amanda had bruised me. I would never be able to escape his mocking. Sighing, I turned and headed back to my classroom.
As it turned out, Nathan didn’t mock me. He met me halfway to my dorm and immediately zeroed in on my arm.
“What happened to you?” He asked as he held my arm closer to his face to get a better look. I could already feel myself blushing.
“Uh…well, you see, I had a run-in with Amanda,” I stuttered, hanging my head and waited for the mocking to begin. Nathan surprised me, however, and didn’t start laughing.
“When did she do this?” He asked, and his voice was filled with anger. Taking a glance up at his face, I noticed he looked angry, too.
“After we left lunch, before I got to class,” I said. Nathan’s face was angry, really angry.
“I think I’ll go discuss this with her,” he said, releasing my arm and turning toward his dorm, which was across campus from mine. His pace was quick, and his back was ridged. He was seriously angry. I wasn’t sure if I should go after him when he was that livid, so I let him go. Instead, I turned and headed to my dorm.
My dorm was smaller than Nathan’s. While his appeared big and pricy, mine was smaller and quaint. If I could bet on it, I would bet that his room was bigger than mine, also. Well, that could’ve been because he didn’t have a roommate, thanks to his parents, and had the whole room. However, he did have three huge windows, while I only had two small ones.
As I walked up the stairs I once again was grateful that I didn’t have a room on the fifth floor like I had had last year. First, it was a hassle to walk up five flights of stairs everyday—even though Nathan had pointed out that it got me in top shape. Secondly, I was afraid of heights and, even though I had a great view, I hardly ever looked out of my window because of my phobia. Finally, that floor was so loud. Sometimes, I felt like I could barley hear myself think, let alone study. I swear I had pounding headaches everyday because of the noise.
I opened my door and saw my roommate, Sophie, studying at her desk. Sophie was an exchange student from Jamaica. She had chocolate colored skin, shiny, dark hair and dark eyes. When Sophie first transferred here, she had seemed nice, but there was nothing special about her. Then, I started noticed the look she had in her eyes. It was as if she knew everything. Whenever I looked into them, I felt like she had seen so much in the world. Like me, she was in the smartest grouping at Eastwhich Academy. Actually, everyone in this dorm was in that category. Eastwhich must have separated the smartest and the richest into different buildings. It was as if we lived in the times when the “separate but equal” laws were still used.
“Hey, Sophie,” I greeted her as I shut and locked the door. Sophie turned and smiled at me.
“Hey, Kristi—oh my God! What happened to you?” She asked me as she rushed forward to look at my arm. I winced as she probed it lightly.
“Nothing, Amanda was just a little angry today. I guess she forgot to take her medication,” I joked as Sophie stared at me wide eyed.
“Amanda? As in, Amanda Jacobina? Kristi, unless Amanda works out everyday, she couldn’t have done this,” Sophie said, looking doubtfully at me.
“Well, Amanda must work out everyday because she did this,” I replied, pulling my arm from her grasp.
“Kristi, did something happen between you and Nathan?” Sophie asked me. I could feel my eyes widening.
“What?! Sophie, how could you say that?” I asked her, shocked. Sophie shrugged.
“That bruise looks like something a guy could easily inflict, not Amanda,” she replied, studying me closely.
“This was not Nathan. Amanda did it,” I said, staring into her eyes the entire tine to prove I wasn’t lying. Sophie could tell when I was lying when my eyes darted around everywhere.
“Alright, I believe you. You may want to cover that up, it looks pretty bad,” Sophie said, giving me one more worried look before she went back to her work. I went into the bathroom—unlike other boarding schools, our school put bathrooms in each dorm room—and shut the door. I walked up to the mirror and held my arm up in the light, gasping at what I saw.
The place on my upper arm where Amanda had squeezed me was so bruised it looked as if I had taken black marker and drawn the bruises there. As I stared at it, the bruise began to throb.
Sophie was right; it looked like a muscular man had done this to me, not someone like Amanda. How could a girl her size have that much strength? I didn’t think I even possessed that much strength.
I headed over to the counter and did the only thing I could think to do, I covered it up with some makeup.
Nathan had called that night and apologized for running off so quickly. He had asked if I was still up for meeting his parents, and I told him yes. So, here I stood, next to Nathan, who was once again fiddling with his tie. He seemed even more nervous than I, which made me even more nervous than I already was.
“Nathan, why are you so nervous?” I asked him in a panicked tone. Nathan grimaced.
“It’s nothing, Kristi. Sometimes I don’t enjoy my parents’ visits as much as I should,” Nathan replied as he sighed. I raised an eyebrow and was about to push for more information, when Nathan smiled suddenly and waved. Following his line of sight, I saw his parents.
His mother had long, dark, wavy hair and Nathan’s green eyes. From a distance, she appeared to be tall, maybe a little shorter than I. Nathan’s father had dark hair and hazel eyes. He also appeared to be tall, taller than Nathan’s six foot two. They appeared to be in their early thirties, or late twenties. I made a mental note to later ask Nathan what they did to look so young.
“Mom, Dad, it’s so good to see you,” Nathan said as he pulled both of his parents into a hug. They smiled and embraced him back.
“It’s wonderful to see you again, too. We’ve missed you, honey,” Nathan’s mother said, smiling so that it lit up her whole face. Nathan’s father looked equally as happy.
“So, where is this girl you’ve been telling us about?” Nathan’s father asked his son. Nathan turned toward me, grabbing my upper arm instinctively. When I flinched, however, he released my arm. Thankfully, none of the cover-up I had applied came off.
“This,” Nathan began, “is my friend, Kristi Rita. Kristi, these are my parents.” I smiled at his parents shyly, and they returned the smiles.
“It’s a pleasure, Kristi. Nathan has told us much about you, as my husband already said,” his mother said, shaking my hand.
“No, the pleasure is all mine. Thank you for letting me intrude on your time with Nathan,” I replied. Mrs. Cabot laughed.
“She’s a keeper, Nathan. I like her,” she declared. I blushed, causing his father to laugh, too. So they had gotten the wrong impression of Nathan and me, even though Nathan had introduced me as his ‘friend’.
“So, my dear, are you of فمبري inheritance?” Mr. Cabot asked me. I gave them a confused look and shot one at Nathan as well.
“No, Dad, she isn’t,” Nathan replied, raising an eyebrow. I saw his parents’ smiles lessen a fraction, but I could’ve been imagining things.
“She’s not of فمبري inheritance, Nathan?” His mother asked lowly. Her face looked like a mask, her smile was still there, but her eyes weren’t warm anymore. They were cold.
“No, Mother, she isn’t. Is that a problem?” Nathan asked. His mother looked like she was going to say something, but his father beat her to it.
“No, it’s no problem at all,” he said, quickly, shooting a glance in my direction.
“Nathan, may I talk to you, please?” Mrs. Cabot asked Nathan. He grimaced but nodded. She led him away, inside the deserted cafeteria. I couldn’t tell what she was saying, but there seemed to be shouting going on. I hesitantly turned back to Mr. Cabot. He was watching his wife and son with a guarded expression.
“If you don’t mind my asking, sir, what’s…that inheritance you were asking about?” I asked. I wasn’t even going to try to repeat what Mr. and Mrs. Cabot had pronounced so flawlessly. Mr. Cabot shot a glance at me.
“People whose families have been at this school for generations have had family who have been فمبري. It’s just a part of their family history,” He explained to me rather awkwardly.
I nodded as if I understood, but I truly didn’t understand anything. Not why it mattered so much to have that kind of inheritance. I certainly didn’t understand why not having it would cause Nathan’s mother to yell at him.
“Where are you from, Kristi?” Mr. Cabot asked me. I glanced over and saw him studying me.
“I was born in Forks, Washington. When I was two years old, my parents were killed in an accident, and I was adopted by a couple in Lansing, Michigan,” I replied, not wanting to bore him with my history.
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Mr. Cabot said sincerely. I shrugged.
“It was hard at first, but I’ve grown up most of my life without my parents—well, my biological parents. It doesn’t exactly get easier, but I suppose I adjusted over time,” I said, meeting his gaze. Mr. Cabot nodded.
“Why did you come to Eastwhich Academy?” He asked me.
“My parents were relocated out of the country. I didn’t want to move with them, so we researched and found Eastwhich Academy,” I replied.
“It sounds like you’ve had a very different life than any other student here,” Mr. Cabot commented. I shrugged again.
“I think my wife has had enough time with Nathan,” Mr. Cabot said as he began to weave through the crowd. Not knowing what else to do, I followed him. When we arrived at the cafeteria, Mr. Cabot held the door open for me and slipped through after I entered.
“—know what she is, Mother!” We had caught Nathan in the middle of yelling at Mrs. Cabot. “I’ve known all along, and accepted it, as you should!”
“Accept it? Accept it?! Nathan Boden Cabot—” His mother was yelling until his father cleared his throat. Both of their heads whipped toward us at the same time. Nathan looked tired and angry. His mother just looked angry.
“I think it’s time we should be going, Kristi,” Nathan said, as he walked up, grabbed my hand, and led me toward the door.
“Don’t think we’re finished with this conversation, young man!” Mrs. Cabot snapped before the door shut, creating a barrier between his parents and us.
Nathan continued to drag me across the campus, into his dorm and up the stairs to his room. When he closed his door, he slouched against it, sighing. He rubbed his fingers against his temples. I waited until he opened his eyes and looked at me. Once he did, he sighed again and sat down on the bed. I grabbed the seat at his desk and brought it toward him, sitting down once I was a few feet in front of him.
“Do you want to tell me what happened, or should I just sit here and be a friend?” I asked him after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. Nathan groaned and fell back on his bed.
“Friend it is,” I answered myself. Nathan closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
“I hate them,” he whispered, mostly to himself. I got out of the chair and sat on the bed next to him.
“You know you don’t really mean that,” I said quietly.
“Don’t I?” He countered. “You know what, you’re extremely lucky to have had your parents die. I would trade places with you in a heartbeat.”
“Nathan,” I whispered, “I wouldn’t call losing my parents before I was old enough to remember them ‘lucky’. You have no idea how lucky you are to have them both alive and well.” Nathan laughed a cold, bleak laugh.
“I wish I could be you. You have it so easy,” he said, closing his eyes again. That was all I could take, the last straw. I stood up and moved away from the bed, away from him.
“I don’t have it easy, Nathan. You do. You think you have it hard because mommy yells at you? Well, at least you see your parents long enough to have them yell at you. You think you have it hard because your parents want you to follow them in their footsteps, and have enough money to send you to the moon and back?” I asked him in a deadly cool voice. Nathan turned to glare at me, and when he turned, I had never seen this part of Nathan before. His whole face had turned cold, flat.
“You have no idea what you’re saying,” he replied in a voice that barely contained his anger.
“I don’t? Then explain to me what I’ve missed,” I said, staring him down. He continued to glare at me. I smirked and shook my head. “Because all rich people have such hard lives,” I hissed before I darted out of his dorm room. I could feel the tears stinging in my eyes, so I ran. I burst out of his dorm and sprinted across campus until I got to my room. Sophie wasn’t inside, and I was grateful. I didn’t want to have to explain why I was crying. I collapsed on my bed and cried.
Nathan and I never fought. We were always laughing and teasing, never hissing and glaring. We were never even angry at each other for more than an hour. Everything was different now. I wasn’t even sure if Nathan and my friendship could survive this one. I screamed into my pillow, beating it with my fist. After some time of crying, I pulled myself together. Parents’ Day was still going on, but I didn’t want to go out ever again. Instead, I cleaned the dorm room. Well, my side. Sophie’s was always perfectly organized and tidy. It would’ve bugged anyone else to live with a neat freak, but not me. Sophie was like a sister to me, and vice versa. We accepted each other’s faults unconditionally.
After I cleaned up, I took a nice long, hot shower. Even with all the time I took blow drying my hair, I knew I would have to face Nathan eventually. I had two scenarios in my head. One, he would forgive me and we would laugh our butts off thinking about this later. Two, he would kick me out of his dorm room and we would never speak again.
By the time I got out of the bathroom, it was dark outside and Parents’ Day was over. Sophie wasn’t back yet, which was a good thing. I didn’t want to talk with her or anyone yet. I wasn’t ready.
Sighing, I made my decision. I would go to Nathan’s dorm room with movies. His room was the only one with a TV in it. How he had managed that, I will never figure out. But he did. I grabbed two random movies and headed across campus. I replayed the two scenarios over and over in my head, and tried to think of comebacks for whichever scenario would really happen.
When I walked into the dorm, no one was downstairs. They were probably at a party—that’s usually where you could find any rich kid at this time of night. I walked up the stairwell, marveling how quiet it was. It must have been a really big party for the whole dorm to have been there. When I arrived at Nathan’s door, I took a steadying, calming breath. I slowly eased the door open and stopped dead. The videotapes clattered to the floor as they slipped from my grasp. There, in the middle of the room, was Nathan. He was holding Sophie, and her neck was tipped back so he could get more access to it. It looked like he was kissing her.
Until he turned around.
Whatever turned around wasn’t Nathan. It looked like Nathan, but his eyes were blood red. They matched the blood running down his chin. Nathan was a monster. He wasn’t human.
“Kristi,” he breathed as soon as he saw me. His eyes changed back to the color of Nathan’s, but the blood stayed where it was, no matter how hard I blinked and tried to tell myself it wasn’t real. He took a step toward me, still holding Sophie, and I took a step backward. This continued until I was in the hallway, my back against that wall. Sophie groaned in his arms, and he looked down at her. Gently, he laid her on the ground and wiped the blood from his mouth.
“What are you?” I whispered, trying to get as far into the wall, away from him, as I could. Nathan slowly stood up and reached a hand toward me. I recoiled from him and he brought his hand down, an anguished expression on his face.
“What are you?” I repeated, louder this time. Nathan sighed, looked down at Sophie, and back up at me.
“If we’re going to discuss this, let’s do it in my room,” he pleaded with me.
“No! I’m not going to go anywhere with you!” I shrieked. Nathan sighed again, and looked down at Sophie, avoiding eye contact with me.
“For Sophie’s sake, let’s go to my room,” He said quietly. I looked down at Sophie; blood was trickling down from the two…fang marks on her neck.
After a lot of coaxing on Nathan’s part, I agreed to talk in his room with him. He picked up Sophie and carried her into the room, gently laying her on the bed. I sat at his desk, as far away from him as I could manage. He took a cloth and pressed it to her neck wounds. Almost instantly, the cloth turned from white to red.
“I’m guessing you want me to start from the beginning,” Nathan stated. He wouldn’t look at me; he kept his eyes trained on Sophie.
“The beginning would be nice,” I agreed in a cool voice. Nathan sighed and finally looked up at me.
“My family has had connections to Eastwhich Academy for many, many centuries. Even when this property wasn’t a school, we had connections. فمبري is an Arabic word. It means ‘vampire’,” Nathan started.
“Wait a minute,” I interrupted, “if you’re a vampire, then how can you go out into sunlight and eat…human food?” I had to pause a bit at the ‘human food’ part, because I still couldn’t accept that Nathan was anything but human. Was it even possible to be a vampire? Or, was Nathan pulling a big time prank on me? It would be so like Nathan to do that sort of thing.
“If you don’t interrupt me, you’ll find out why,” Nathan replied, smiling at me. I didn’t have it in me to smile back at him, though. He seemed to understand that, and his smile faltered a little, but he continued with his explanation.
“My family…well, all of the people with فمبري inheritance, have the ability to eat ‘human food’ and go out into the sun because of, this may sound crazy, evolution. A long, long time ago, and I’m now talking about centuries ago, a vampire died. She wanted to feel the sun’s warmth, and experience stepping into the light for the very first time…I guess she was a little delusional to forget that sunlight burned her,” Nathan added, almost thoughtfully, “but the stories never mention that. So, she stepped into the sunlight, and was burned to death.
“This vampire had a young child, about 19 months old. Once her mother died, she was raised by a different family, a human family. She adapted to her surroundings, and soon, she was able to eat human food and stand in the sunlight without being burned. It took some time, but, when vampires at young age are separated from their parents, they adapt to their own surroundings. Her descendents are all over the school; I am one of them. Every vampire who can withstand the sunlight and eat ‘human food’ and enjoy it is a descendent of that vampire,” Nathan finished, gazing intently at me, assessing my reaction closely.
“If you enjoy human food so much, then why do you suck blood?” I asked coolly, keeping my face blank of emotion.
“I said that I enjoyed it, not that I was sustained by it. Human blood is the only thing that I really hunger for, and it’s the only thing that satisfies me,” Nathan explained. I raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, where is it?” I asked. Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me with a confused expression.
“Where’s what?” He asked me while I glared at him.
“Where’s the punch line? Where’s the part that you say, ‘I can’t believe you fell for that, Kristi’?” I asked him. Nathan looked at me for a second, and then stood up. As he approached me, I flinched back into the chair I was sitting on. Nathan’s expression turned hurt, and he sat back down on his bed, next to Sophie.
“Better?” He asked me as he lifted the cloth from Sophie’s neck. I gasped at the sight. The fang marks were gone; Sophie’s neck was fine.
“This is real, Kristi,” Nathan murmured as he picked Sophie up. “I’m not going to come out with a punch line. This is who—or what I am.”
“How did you do that?” I asked, shocked. Nathan gave me a funny look.
“Did you think I was going to let her die?” Nathan asked. When I didn’t answer, he sighed. “I may be a vampire, but I’m no murderer, Kristi. There’s a special coating on my…fangs, so when I bite someone, their healing process is sped up. After that, they’ll sleep for about a half-hour before they wake up. Sophie will be fine, and she won’t remember a thing that happened.”
“But I will,” I whispered almost inaudibly. Nathan seemed to hear it, though, and nodded his head.
“Yes, you will,” he agreed, “and we will talk about this later. Right now, I need to get Sophie back to her dorm.” With that, he adjusted Sophie so that one of his arms was supporting her, while the other opened the door. He held the door open for me, and I inched forward, flinching away from him when I exited through the threshold—the closest I got to him.
We walked in silence to my dorm; I was concentrating on keeping as far away from him I could manage. Once we were in my room, Nathan set Sophie down on her bed. She sighed and curled up while I watched her enviously. The very thing I had thought was fictional, and never in my wildest dreams had imagined was real, was standing in my room, a couple of yards away from me.
Nathan stared at me for a moment. When he made another move toward me, I flinched away. His expression once again turned hurt, and he took a few steps backward. He looked away, down at the floor.
“That argument I was having with my mother this morning was about you. When she realized you weren’t a vampire, she tried to convince me that you would never accept me for what I am. I disagreed with her and said you would understand what I was no matter what, because I was your friend. Please don’t prove my mother right,” Nathan whispered. He didn’t give me a chance to answer, because he was out the door in the next second.
The second the door clicked shut, I sank down on the ground and held my knees to my chest. Was having an emotional breakdown? I had seen so many impossible things happen today, that my mind seemed to have shut down. The only thing I could think of was Nathan and the blood running down his mouth.
This was crazy! Was I becoming irrational? I had just seen my best friend, apparently a vampire, sucking the blood of my roommate. What were the scientific theories for that? I felt sick and woozy. Before I passed out on the floor, I went to my bed. Even though I tried to sleep, my mind was whizzing in a thousand directions.
What if Nathan had sucked all of Sophie’s blood? What would he do then? Did it happen often? Did his parents know about him being a vampire? Then, it clicked. Nathan had said he was arguing with his mother about my not being a vampire. So, at least his mother knew. For all I knew, she was a vampire as well. I knew nothing about his father, but I assumed he knew what they were talking about when he cleared his throat to interrupt their argument.
Something else clicked together in my mind. When Nathan’s father was explaining the فمبري to me, he had said, “People whose families have been at this school for generations have had ancestors who were فمبري. It’s just a part of their family history.” That meant that Nathan wasn’t the only vampire attending the school. If I had to bet who else was a vampire at Eastwhich, Amanda would be at the top of my list.
I gasped when realization hit me on the head, but snapped my mouth shut when Sophie groaned again and rolled over. I didn’t want to talk to her tonight; the image of the blood dripping down her throat was too vivid. As silently as I could, I tiptoed to my desk, grabbed my cell phone, and tiptoed into the bathroom. Once inside, I shut the door and locked it. I needed to call someone, anyone. Eventually, I decided to call my parents. If Nathan tried to suck my blood, but he drained me instead, I wanted to tell my parents I loved them one last time. It was lunchtime around there, and my mother picked up on the third ring.
“Kristi? Is everything all right?” she asked with a panicked tone in her voice. I smiled. Mom always overreacted about everything. I had fallen off my bike when I was little, and she almost had a heart attack. I hadn’t even scraped anything; I just had a nasty bruise.
“Yeah, Mom, everything’s fine,” I replied.
“Well, I’m glad. Your father and I miss you terribly. We both felt horrible when we couldn’t make your Parents’ Day, again,” Mom said, her voice turning sad. I sighed.
“Really Mom, it’s fine,” I said. I heard a murmuring in the background. “Who’s that?” I asked
“It’s your father. He would like to speak with you. Do you mind if I put him on?” Mom asked.
“No, not at all,” I said. I heard rustling and then my dad’s booming voice.
“Hello, Kristi. It’s so good to talk to you. I miss you so much!” Dad said. “Between you and me, your mother isn’t any fun,” he stage whispered. I heard a slapping noise in the background and my mother grumbling at him. I giggled.
“I miss you too, Dad,” I said, smiling.
“Is there a reason you called, honey?” Dad asked. My smile disappeared almost instantly.
“I just wanted to call you guys. I haven’t talked with you in a while,” I said.
“Well, you know you can call whenever you like. We’ll always be here for you,” Dad replied.
“I know, Dad…Listen Dad, I have to get to bed. I’m exhausted, but I’ll talk to you soon, alright?” I said.
“Alright, we’ll be seeing you,” Dad said.
Before he could disconnect the phone call, I said, “Dad, there’s one more thing.”
“Yes, Kristi, what is it?” Dad asked. The curiosity was evident in his voice.
“I love you,” I said.
“Well, I love you too, Kristi,” Dad said, the bewilderment thick in his voice.
“Give Mom my love,” I said before snapping the phone shut.
I exited the bathroom and checked on Sophie. She was still out cold. I didn’t even bother to change into my pajamas; I took of my shoes and crawled into bed.
That was the first night I had ever had a nightmare my whole life.
Sophie was fine in the morning. Like Nathan had said, she didn’t remember a thing and felt fine. I kept shooting her worried glances, though.
I avoided Nathan like a plague. When I saw him in the cafeteria waiting for me, I stuck close to Sophie and ate breakfast with her. Nathan didn’t eat; I saw him exit the cafeteria halfway through breakfast. In all of my classes with him, I pretended like he wasn’t there.
As I was sitting with Sophie at lunch, Nathan came to our table.
“Sophie, would you mind terribly if I borrowed Kristi for a second?” he asked her, turning on all of his charm.
“No…not at all,” Sophie breathed. I shot her a look, but got up and followed Nathan. He led me out of the cafeteria and to a bench out of sight of any windows. I sat down on the bench, but he remained standing. He began to pace.
“What are you doing, Kristi?” he asked me, turning his green eyes on me.
“I’m surviving,” I snapped at him. Nathan flinched, but he composed himself. I instantly felt terrible. I hated hurting Nathan, but I wasn’t going to take it back.
“You don’t need to keep away from me to survive,” he murmured, looking at the ground instead of meeting my gaze. I didn’t answer him, and an uncomfortable silence hung over us.
“How many of you are there?” I asked. Nathan glanced at me.
“How many vampires are in the school?” When I nodded, he replied, “About half of the student body and almost every teacher.”
“Wait, what?!” I asked in a panicked voice. All of those vampires in one school…
“You heard me,” Nathan replied, his gaze intense.
“What students? What teachers?” I asked,
“All of the students that live in my dorm,” Nathan said. All of the rich people, I automatically corrected in my mind. “The only teacher that isn’t a vampire is Miss Aphra. The reason why the teachers are all so moody is because they’re hungry. They don’t feed as regularly as us.”
“How much blood do you need to drink to satisfy yourself?” I asked him.
“About once every week,” Nathan said. I could feel myself pale. All of those vampires fed once a week?
“How many times have they fed on me? How many times have you?” I asked. Nathan looked away from me again.
“I fed off you once,” he admitted. “The night I helped you memorize the school song, I fed off you. But that’s all, I swear to you,” he said.
“And how many times have others fed off me?” I asked him in a cold voice. Nathan’s head whipped toward me. I saw the desperation in his look.
“Never! I swear, no one else has ever fed off you,” he said.
“Why, is my blood not tasty enough for them?” my voice was still cold.
“No, I won’t let them,” Nathan said. I raised an eyebrow.
“Why would they listen to you?” I asked. Nathan sighed.
“Remember when I was telling you about living up to their legacy? In the vampire community, there are…ranks. My parents are second in command. So, I’ll be second in command whenever I get married,” he grimaced when he said the married part and shot a look at me.
“So who’s in command?” I asked. Nathan studied me for a second.
“I’ll take you to meet them tonight, if you would like to. I promise they won’t suck your blood,” he said, watching me closely. As much as I didn’t want to go meet another vampire—it made me feel like Little Red Riding Hood going to meet the Big Bad Wolf, I wanted to understand how being a vampire worked. Who could answer my questions better than the leader? So, against my better judgment, I agreed to go with him tonight.
Nathan met me at my dorm room after school ended. I followed him into his dorm. I shot him a confused look, but he ignored it and headed into the kitchen. We came toward a door that I had always assumed held extra food in it, like the one in my dorm did. Apparently not. Nathan took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. I raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. Instead of a room of stashed food, like I had expected, there was a staircase. I couldn’t see where it led, though. It was too dark. Nathan reached around the doorframe and turned on the lights. We walked down the staircase and down a long hallway, where I saw another door. Nathan took out another key and unlocked it.
We entered a room that was filled with rows of chairs. There must have been enough to seat half of the school—so about enough to seat all the vampires at the school. All of the seats faced a platform. The room was empty, except for the two people sitting on the platform, heads together, murmuring quietly.
“Mom?! Dad?!” I gasped.
“Hello, Kristi,” Mom said.
“You—you’re vampires?! You’re the leaders of this coven?!” I screeched. Dad nodded. Both of my parents’ faces were calm and collected.
“You knew they were vampires and you didn’t tell me?” I asked, whirling toward Nathan.
“He wasn’t allowed to tell you, Kristi,” Dad said. Nathan didn’t meet my gaze; he stared at the carpet instead.
“Why not?” I asked. I was beginning to feel lightheaded. I was having another emotional overload, but this one was extreme.
“We wanted to tell you in our own time, when you were ready. However, that plan was ruined when you caught Nathan feeding,” Dad replied.
“Kristi, are you alright? You’re looking a bit woozy,” Mom said, rising from her seat on the platform and coming toward me. I flinched away from her, and sank down on the chair closest to me. I rested my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands.
I took a few deep breaths and lifted my face. Mom’s face was a couple of inches from mine. I yelped and fell backwards in the chair. She hadn’t made any noises when she moved, and I hadn’t expected her there.
“Kristi!” Mom exclaimed as she pulled me up. She had grabbed onto the part Amanda had bruised, so I winced and yanked my arm away from her. Dad and Nathan were at my side in a flash.
“Are you okay?” Nathan demanded. I nodded and rubbed my arm. My parents stared at Nathan for a second.
“Amanda go a little rough with her the other day,” Nathan explained quietly. He gently grabbed my arm and brushed the makeup I had applied off. I heard my parents gasp as they stared at my arm.
“I’m fine,” I reassured them. I sank back down into the chair again and rubbed my temples.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Dad asked as his hands roamed my head for an injury and traced over my bruises.
“I’m fine,” I assured them again. They didn’t look convinced, but took a few steps back to give me breathing space.
“Why would you adopt me, or any human for that matter?” I asked my parents. They exchanged glances before looking back at me.
“Your mother really can’t have kids. We can’t exactly adopt a vampire child. The only kind of vampire we would ever think to adopt is one from our own coven. Otherwise, the child would be a normal vampire. It was no use to adopt from our own coven since no one had died, and the children weren’t in need of parents,” Dad explained. “So we adopted you. We were supposed to take our time looking for a child, a girl, but we fell in love with you instantly.”
“Why would you need to take your time adopting a human girl?” I asked. Again, my parents exchanged glances.
“We’ll tell you later, honey. I’m not sure if you’re ready,” Mom said. “How about we answer some of your other questions?”
“Where have you really been this whole time? Because right now, I really doubt it was Taiwan,” I said. Dad grinned.
“You’re just as perceptive as ever,” he commented. “We were traveling the world, looking for vampire covens like our own. Nathan told you how our ancestor adapted to her environment. We have not been able to find any vampires like us, but we’re trying,” Dad explained.
“How exactly were vampires created?” I asked.
“No one is sure. Some, who believe in evolution, claim we evolve and adapted, but no one can come up with a reason to have had to evolve into a parasitic human. Others, who believe in creation, claim we were created by a higher power. No one can disown that theory, but no one can understand why a higher power would create something like a vampire,” Dad tried to explain.
“Did you ever feed on me?” I asked them. They both shook their heads.
“We also made sure no one would feed off of you after Nathan did. Nathan may have given the order that no one feed off of you, but we reinforced it,” Mom said.
“How old are you?” I asked.
“Your mother and I are 200 years old this year,” Dad replied. I could feel my eyes widen. “After a vampire turns 20, their aging slows down to a rate where, appearance wise, they look like they age one year every three decades,” Dad explained. So that’s why they always looked too young to be the parents of a teenager.
“You look better, the color is coming back to your cheeks,” Nathan commented. I nodded and stood up, stretching my legs.
“I am feeling better,” I agreed. “But…I still don’t understand. Well, I understand what you explained to me, I just don’t understand why you had to adopt a girl.” Mom sighed.
“Your father and I are in command of this coven, as you know. We have always trusted Nathan’s family, the second in command, with our lives. They have proved themselves very loyal many times.
“About a century ago, we made a pact with them. When they decided to have a baby, and it was a boy, we would marry our daughter off to them. The two families would join forces. Of course, it wasn’t until a few decades later we found out about my birth defect.
“Once the Cabots decided to have a child, and it was a son, knew our time was up to try and have a child. Instead, we adopted you. Everything we did from there was leading up to this moment.
“We convinced you to transfer to Eastwhich Academy, and put you in most of Nathan’s classes. At the time of course, Nathan did not know you were his destined bride. That is why he drank from you that night—he didn’t realize who you were. After we told him you were to be married, he protected you from all the other vampires looking for a meal,” Mom explained. What little color had come back to my face drained away.
I looked over at Nathan with wide eyes, and he returned my gaze, his own calm and collected. He already knew that we were betrothed and he didn’t have any objections.
“What?” I whispered.
I felt my knees buckle under me. Everything was spinning, and I couldn’t see my parents or Nathan anymore. Before I could collapse, however, I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist, holding me up against a hard chest. I looked up, and my eyes met two green ones. Nathan. I tried to pull away from him, but he held me. I was trapped.
“How?! How could you agree to this?!” I demanded. I realized I was close to tears, but not because I was sad.
© Julia R., Bethesda, MD
More Than Friends? MAG
KYRA'S REALIZATION
See the Little Ones
White Washed Asylum
Tonite BRONZE said...
on Nov. 9 2011 at 5:22 am
Tonite BRONZE, Toronto, Other
1 article 21 photos 27 comments
"I am just two and two. I am hot. I am cold.
I'm the parents of number that cannot be told.
I'm a gift beyond measure, a matter od course,
And I'm yielded with pleasure - when taken by force."------Julian
omygod this is awesome pls pls pls pls write more
NatChick SILVER said...
on Jul. 6 2011 at 1:47 pm
NatChick SILVER, Muskegon, Michigan
"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it's faced."-James Baldwin
Amazing!please write more!
TanazMasaba GOLD said...
on Apr. 6 2011 at 5:56 am
TanazMasaba GOLD, Dhaka, Other
"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's Heaven on Earth."
---William W. Purkey
hey its been a way too long while n0ow, are you going to continue this?
mal12 said...
on Jan. 14 2011 at 1:44 am
mal12, California
it's classy-not classic.
wow i loved it! CRAZY GOOD! it kept me interested the whole time :) i can't wait to find out what happens!! please write more soooonnnnn!!!
LastChapter said...
on Dec. 21 2010 at 8:20 pm
LastChapter, Hempstead, New York
(couldn't think of anything better at the time) "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."-Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.
this is a very interesting piece. twilight--of course twilight--already had me hooked on vampires. i have to say i was totally surprised to find out this was of the vampire genre, but definitely not disappointed. there are some edits that could improve this story, such as making some reactions more realistic, and emphasizing her relationship with her adoptive parents (i was confused on whether they were close or not, what with them avoiding her, and her always referring to them as her adoptive parents, opposed to simply her parents.). also, her relationship with nathan seems a little unstable. she didn't think their friendship could survive that small fight, and she immediately rejected him when she found out he was a vampire, but when she sees that her parents are the head vampires, she listens to their side, trying to understand. also, if you're trying to introduce a little romance between the two, as i think you are, then i think you should've added little hints here and there that they were more then friends. if they start getting lovey-dovey now, it looks a little sudden because there was never any clues to that side of the relationship until after she found out she didn't really have a choice i.e. she had to marry him one way or another. i know it sounds like i'm bashing your story, but its just because i think this is a really good piece that is worth the effort of going back to and editing. if you get the chance, please comment on my work:)
not sure, but i think she meant this better be in the magazine.
HeyAmanda SILVER said...
on Dec. 21 2010 at 10:23 am
HeyAmanda SILVER, Rancho Cucamonga, California
please please please write more! it could be my xmas present! :D
fer reals tho. this is very awesome! most "vampire stories" are a cheap imitation of twilight but this was completely original and unique! PERFECTION!
FindingMe SILVER said...
on Sep. 4 2010 at 10:01 pm
haha well i'm glad i could trick you into reading it ;)
if i do post more, i hope you enjoy it!
i'm so glad you enjoyed it! it's so nice to hear you liked it dispite you're usual distaste for vampire stories!
i promise as soon as school settles down i'll definitely write more!
kielymarie SILVER said...
kielymarie SILVER, Sandy Hook, Connecticut
"When you do dance, I wish you a wave 'o the sea, that you might never do nothing but that." -William Shakespeare
haha i forgot to ask for MORE!!!
This. Is. So. Amazing.
CrazyWriter GOLD said...
CrazyWriter GOLD, Lorton Station, Virginia
"Once you have given up on the most important thing in your life, you begin to die, because then, you gradually lose your true self"~Hana Kimi
"Someone who can lie to themself. . . is lonely, and in pain"~Hana Kimi
okI'm not a vampire stories but this is seriously good. you have to write more. i didnt think that it was going to be a vampire story anyway i was really surpriesed!
~CrazyWriter
midnightelement SILVER said...
on Jul. 19 2010 at 8:40 am
midnightelement SILVER, Queens Village, New York
"This is who I've been hiding and she's dying to be set free"
ok i must say i loved it and i really want to read more.....so please write more. I'm not a fan of vampire stories but this one got me, it was good i did not see that one coming, a well developed story dont stop. (Danielle)
on Apr. 29 2010 at 3:28 pm
thanks! I agree with with spicing up Kristi and Nathan's romance a little--that will definitely happen in the future.
I read your story, Public Love. It's really good!! but perhaps moves a bit quickly...and don't worry--age doesn't matter at all when you write!
on Apr. 29 2010 at 6:53 am
no......i dnt think it'll b gud if kristi turns out 2 b a vamp too. By the way I LOVED it!!! cud u PLS see som of mine. dey r no gud as im just 13 n dats why im in need of ur opinion. Abt da story, i think u cud try making nathan-kristi's relationship just slightly romantic....slightly n get amanda involved som how n u kno.....add a little spice!! ur really gud at dat. dnt worry ur story's gonna com out great n i cant wait till u write again!!
alibi SILVER said...
on Apr. 24 2010 at 11:00 am
alibi SILVER, Corry, Pennsylvania
"I'm always positive, except when I'm not."
ur welcome.
aw, thanks! that's a really good idea!! i may do that...but for some reason i feel like i don't want to make it that easy for nathan and kristi to get together. but i'm not sure--thanks for the suggestion!!
omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg!!!!!!!!!!!! That is so amazing!!!!!!!!!!! Y dont u have kristi b a vampire, but have no one realize it until she drinks from someone, and have it b a total surprise to everyone, including her, and then she and Nathan could get married, and it would b so sweet!!!!!!! Great story so far, though!!!!!
thanks! that means a lot! if you have any ideas with how you would like it to continue (because I honestly cannot decide) you can tell me if you like
i'm glad you enjoyed it so much...haha but i'm sorry, i have noo idea who maggg is


Captain America #19 Review
See all that history Steve Epting jams on the cover? Yeah, that’s all in the book, too. And it’s stellar.
Captain America #19
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Steve Epting
Color Art by Frank D’Armata
‘Tis a sad day. Today, Ed Brubaker’s Captain America epic came to an end. 8 years. Over 100 issues. 2 volumes. Gene Colan. Multiple industry awards and the nigh universal endearment of comics fandom. Of course, we still have Winter Soldier for a few (short) months, but Captain America is the series that Brubaker will forever be associated with in the history of the House of Ideas. It will always be “Brubaker’s Cap” just like it’s “Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men” or “Simonson’s Thor” or “David’s X-Factor/The Incredible Hulk;” the writer and character are one. Since the first issue back in late 2004, Brubaker has [warning: 8 year old spoilers!!!] assassinated the Red Skull, introduced one of the greatest character arcs of the 21st Century in the Winter Soldier, reignited the Sharon Carter/Steve Rogers romance, assassinated Captain America himself, and turned Arnim Zola and Dr. Faustus into formidable supervillains! He has crossed sci-fi with noir and reality-bending fantasy with World War II reel-footage and flashbacks. He has explored the nature of heroism and the weight of legacy. He has always laced his narrative with the idea of redemption and the necessity of pursuing good. The last 8 years have been a master-class in long-form comics storytelling, and I sincerely recommend searching for back-issues or trades of Brubaker’s Cap as soon as you are done reading this review.
The final issue reads a lot like some of the earlier issues from Brubaker’s run. Having Steve Epting on as artist probably helps recapture some of that initial synergy between story and image, but Brubaker seems more comfortable on this issue than he has been since the Captain America relaunch last year. Unlike any of the last 18 issues of volume 6 (some of which were excellent; some of which were absolutely terrible), Brubaker writes this issue around elements from the initial 50 issues of the volume 5 run: The 1950s Captain America, the extensive use of flashbacks, and a spectacular action sequence involving a train and some terrorists that long-time readers will recognize as a direct parallel to issue #1. Full-circle, much? The entire book revolves around a conversation between Steve Rogers and the 1950s Captain America, William Burnside—a character used to expound upon ideas of legacy and madness back around issue #40 of Brubaker’s initial volume of Captain America. No spoilers here; just go read the book.
After that initial action sequence, the book takes on a decidedly more meditative mood. Steve Rogers spends the majority of the book reflecting on the nature of Captain America as a symbol. He tells the story of what motivated him to first take the super-soldier serum and tracks the ups and downs of his tenure as the star-spangled Avengers and those that took up the mantle when he couldn’t. It is a story we’ve heard before—the weight of the shield and standing as a symbol of hope and heroism during times of international or interstellar war—but it quickly becomes evident that Brubaker is speaking through Steve’s words. When Brubaker has Cap say, “And if I don’t wear this uniform, then someone else will… someone else always will… because that’s the hardest part about being Captain America… understanding that the mission is too big… and it’ll never end,” he’s acknowledging the importance of Captain America as an icon—a piece of mythology—that millions of readers and viewers will experience in its various incarnations and learn from and admire and aspire to be like. Because that’s what mythology is—the sacred narrative of those heroes that stand for that special something deep and hidden in the human condition. That little bit of goodness or heroism, of drive or promise, of patriotism or passion expounded and expounded through a fictional construct. Cap is that. Spider-Man is also that, but that’s a different story for another time. But Cap is that, and Cap has been that for over 70 years. In times of crisis, Captain America has punched Hitler in the jaw. Captain America once abandoned a corrupt president and fought for American ideas of fairness and equality as the Nomad. He’s an icon on the panels; he’s an icon in real life. And Brubaker has contributed to that mythos; he has contributed mightily. But, as he says in his thank you text at the back, it’s time to turn a new page.
Thank you, Mr. Brubaker, thank you. Captain America never needed to find an audience; the audience needed to find Captain America.
Buy it. Even if you’ve never picked up an issue of Captain America, #19 reads as a stand-alone piece. It provides all of the necessary history and background within its pages, and it promises to be one of my favorite issues of one of my favorite comics series by one of my favorite comics writers of all time. Steve Epting and Frank D’Armata put together a visually stunning comic book, and Ed Brubaker ends his story by hitting all the right emotional beats. Bravo.
PS – When Winter Soldier ends, I don’t know what I’m going to do… (edit: Read Fatale)
Tags:captain americacomic bookcomic book reviewcomicsEd Brubakerfinal issuefrank d'armatahistorymarvelsadnesssteve eptingtearsWWII
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Four schools cut ties with American Studies Association over Israel boycott
Transgender swimmer at Yale loses after switching from women's to men's team
By Alexia Bianchi '22
Universities are lowering expectations for pandemic-era students
Sterling Beard | Former Director Content Creator Recruitment, Zenger News
Four universities are leaving the American Studies Association (ASA) after the group called for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.
Indiana University, Kenyon College, Brandeis, and Penn State Harrisburg have all announced they will discontinue their membership with the ASA, the self-described “oldest and largest association devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and history,” on the grounds that the boycott infringes on academic freedom.
Earlier this month, the ASA launched the boycott after it was approved by 66.05 percent of a member vote. The ASA stated that the boycott, which had been brought before the group’s Executive Committee by its Academic and Community Activism Caucus, was “ in solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom and it aspires to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians.”
“The ASA’s endorsement of the academic boycott emerges from the context of US military and other support for Israel; Israel’s violation of international law and UN resolutions; the documented impact of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian scholars and students; the extent to which Israeli institutions of higher education are a party to state policies that violate human rights; and finally, the support of such a resolution by a majority of ASA members,” the ASA said.
Critics of the boycott argue that it will harm academic freedom but the ASA insists that it only applies to Israeli institutions and does not cover “collaboration on research and publications between individual scholars.”
According to Legal Insurrection, those four schools are the only ones to end their memberships with the ASA but 57 others are rejecting the boycott.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter @SterlingCBeard
Sterling Beard
Former Director Content Creator Recruitment, Zenger News
Sterling Beard was the former Director Content Creator Recruitment at Zenger News, Campus Reform's Director of Journalism Training, and Editor in Chief. In 2017, Sterling was named to The Chronicle of Higher Education's Influence List, one of nine people who "affected federal policy, campus culture, and the national conversation about education in 2017 — and who are likely to remain influential in the year ahead."


Christopher Strain is Professor of American Studies at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University. A historian by training, he specializes in recent U.S. history with an emphasis in African-American history. His research interests include civil rights, hate crime, violence, the American Dream, and the 1960s.
He is the author of four books: Pure Fire: Self-Defense as Activism in the Civil Rights Era (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2005), Burning Faith: Church Arson in the American South (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2008), Reload: Rethinking Violence in American Life (Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2010), and The Long Sixties: America, 1955-1973 (New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016).
In addition to his books, he has published work in several edited volumes and journals, including The American Historical Review, The Journal of American History, The Journal of Southern History, The Journal of African American History, The Journal of Civil and Human Rights, The Journal of Hate Studies, The Florida Historical Quarterly, and The Journal of Florida Studies. He has presented papers at numerous regional, national, and international conferences, including one at Centre de Recherches sur l’Histoire des Etats-Unis (CRHEU) at the University of Paris.
In both 2006 and 2011 he was named Researcher of the Year at FAU, the top academic honor at the university. In 2006 he also participated in the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute, “African American Civil Rights Struggles in the Twentieth Century,” as a Visiting Fellow at the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University. He has been awarded several grants and fellowships from agencies such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the William R. Kenan Charitable Trust, the Florida Department of Education, and the Florida Humanities Council. He serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Civil and Human Rights at the University of Illinois Press. He is also founding Co-Director of the Kenan Social Engagement Program.
Professor Strain has been interviewed about his scholarship for local (The Palm Beach Post, The Sun-Sentinel), regional (The Charlotte Observer, The Daily Advertiser), national (Time, The New Republic, The Washington Post, NBC News, VICE News, Vox), and international (The Guardian, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) news outlets, radio shows (NPR’s BackStory, WNUR 89.3FM Chicago’s This is Hell!), and documentary films (Soul City).
He attended the University of Virginia (B.A., 1993), the University of Georgia (M.A., 1995), and the University of California at Berkeley (Ph.D., 2000).
He lives in Jupiter, Florida.


Serbia – (not) just a stopover on the Silk Road?
Strahinja Subotić
Programski menadžer i viši istraživač
During her first annual State of the Union Address at the European Parliament Plenary, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addressed how the current fight against the COVID-19 pandemic brought into sharper focus the “planetary fragility”. Furthermore, she highlighted that this notion mirrors the fragility of the “community of values” (how she described the European Union) whose survival and continued relevance was called into question by both outsiders and its members.
While addressing this complicated context, von der Leyen also mentioned the Western Balkans in her speech. However, the way in which she did this was particularly striking, given that she highlighted that “[t]he Western Balkans are part of Europe – and not just a stopover on the Silk Road.” Even though the Commission is often accused of using technocratic language, such statement from the Commission President presents direct criticism of the ever-growing presence of China in the region, especially in Serbia.
Moreover, it is important to highlight that this statement adds to previous warnings from senior EU officials, such as the former Enlargement Commissioner, Johannes Hahn, who emphasized that the EU underestimated China’s influence in Serbia, similar to former president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who stated that China has a strong influence in Serbia as it is a place where the EU has failed to meet its obligations. However, the strength of von der Leyen’s statement, in comparison to those made by Hahn and Juncker, lies in the fact that she made it at the beginning of her mandate, unlike the two of her colleagues. In other words, it appears as if the Commission under the guidance of von der Leyen is straightforward in its readiness to prioritise Serbia and approach the issue with more determination than the previous administration.
This is salient especially considering von der Leyen’s reiteration that China is a “systemic rival” of the EU. Such assertion is likewise highlighted in her statement that the EU should react faster and more voraciously to Beijing’s repressive actions in Hong Kong and the human rights abuses of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. By doing this, von der Leyen is a step closer towards the realisation of the “Geopolitical Commission“, despite some inaction on this field since her leadership began.
Additionally, such statements should be regarded as a sign of warning for Serbia. This warning is in response to a country that has so far refused to join the Union’s declarations which condemned China’s actions in Hong Kong while simultaneously supporting China at the UN when Uyghurs’ rights were discussed. A recent study by CEP (whose publication is planned for November) demonstrated that out of the total number of EU’s declarations regarding China since 2008 onwards, Serbia refused to side with them 19 times. Put simply, whether it was regarding human rights or geopolitical questions, Serbia has preferred siding with Beijing instead with Brussels.
As the rivalry between the Union and China intensifies and escalates, stronger pressure can be expected on Belgrade to progressively align with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), both by EU institutions and member states, which are increasingly concerned about the almost unconditional support that Belgrade has so far provided to Beijing.
Photo: Chinese workers are working on the reconstruction of the railway in Serbia. © Vesna Andić, RFE/RL


Home News Liberian president hails ‘Feed the Future’ program
Liberian president hails ‘Feed the Future’ program
Liberian president hails 'Feed the Future' program
WASHINGTON – The Feed the Future initiative — which seeks to enhance food security and reduce hunger, poverty and malnutrition — is exactly the right program at the right time for Liberia, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said May 20, while also applauding the Obama administration’s strong support for the Global Agriculture Development Initiative.
“What is most appealing from the Liberian perspective about these initiatives is that they encourage the participation of key groups, including farmers, civil society organizations, women, and they also promote strong regulatory policies such as governance and accountability,” she told the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security in Washington.
“We see this new [Feed the Future] initiative as a complement to the Millennium Challenge Corporation,” she said. The Millennium Challenge Corporation recently qualified Liberia for its Threshold Development Program, which supports home-grown strategies and rewards governments that invest in their own people and govern responsibly.
Sirleaf said Liberia is pleased to have been selected as one of Feed the Future’s 20 potential target countries and that it “will strive hard to achieve status as an investment plan country.” The other potential Feed the Future target countries are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia in Africa; Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and Tajikistan in Asia; and Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua in Latin America.
Sirleaf commended the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) teams in Liberia “who support our goals in the development of Liberia’s agriculture and rural sector in promoting sustainable peace.”
“We strongly believe that with our commitments, with our hard work, together with your continued support, we can indeed bring stability” to Liberia, she said. “We can bring prosperity to a nation once characterized as a ‘failed state.’ We can become a post-conflict success story, building upon our agriculture potential.”
Sirleaf, a former banker, chronicled the important role agriculture is playing in the development process in Liberia, a country that has been traumatized by years of civil war.
The Liberian leader told her audience she was dressed in bright green to denote the great agricultural potential of her nation.
“In 2006, Liberia started the long road back from a civil conflict that decimated the country’s infrastructure and institutions,” she said. The country’s development potential has also been hobbled, she said, by a population that fled to the urban areas during the unrest — leaving the land unproductive.
In the past four years, Sirleaf said, her government has made progress: restored economic growth to an average annual rate of 7 percent; tackled a $4.9 billion external debt; made strong advances in consolidating peace and national security; reactivated the country’s mining, agriculture and forestry sectors; promoted the institutions of good governance, including the rule of law; and rehabilitated infrastructure to extend basic services to the Liberian people.
Despite such progress, the “challenges remain awesome,” she said, and the nation remains “fragile in the face of raised expectations and the several stumbling blocks” in its path, such as the global financial crisis, which “has slowed the pace of recovery and reform.”
Poverty in Liberia, she said, continues to be the most significant determination of food access, even though some 70 percent of all Liberians depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. “Recognizing that agriculture growth is more effective in reducing poverty than any other effort in any sector, our government is placing emphasis on this strategic sector both in terms of exports and food security at home,” she said.
The immediate goal, she told her audience, is to revitalize operations and activities that contribute to sustainable economic growth and development to provide food security and nutrition and to increase farmer employment and income — all aimed as well at measurably reducing poverty.
Sirleaf said while her government’s commitment to agriculture is “unequivocal,” public financing of the sector is still “woefully inadequate,” with the share of the national budget allocated to agriculture still at only 2 percent.
The Liberian people are still “highly vulnerable” to chronic food insecurity stemming from physical and human capital constraints, poor natural resource and farm management practices and poor health and nutrition practices, she said.
“We are, nevertheless, intensifying our efforts to achieve the desired results,” she said. Her government, she added, has embarked on a “back-to-the-soil campaign” that has resulted in significant increases in food production, particularly in staples such as rice and cassava.
Rice production has increased from 85,000 metric tons in 2006 to more than 200,000 metric tons in 2009, a 43 percent increase. That increase, she said, has led the World Food Programme for the first time to purchase locally produced rice for use in the school feeding program. Additionally, Sirleaf said, more than 30,000 farmers have now been trained in new farming methods and some 15,000 vulnerable farmers and more than 100 farmer groups have been provided with seed rice.
Success in the agricultural sector will be even greater, she said, if farmers are able to make greater use of fertile lowlands to grow rice where yields are the highest and where up to three crops can be harvested annually.
At present, farmers are not able to make full use of the lowlands because of health concerns brought on by schistosomiasis and other waterborne diseases, which multiplied during the country’s long civil war, she said.
“It is very clear to us that agriculture has the potential to become a major source of employment — most especially for thousands of our citizens, women and youth, who as casualties of the war lack essential skills but who can learn to farm the land.”
Her government’s objective, she said, is to “consolidate them into a productive and dynamic entity for national development.” Creating jobs in the farming sector, she added, is one way to accomplish that aim.
The Liberian agriculture sector, she said, is transitioning from emergency status to that of a key development sector, which will include sustainability and improved livelihoods that are well integrated into private sector markets.
The private sector is playing a pre-eminent role in developing Liberia’s agricultural sector she said, while the government is charged with creating the enabling environment in which private sector–based agricultural development can flourish.
Feed the Future is a U.S. government development initiative based on partnership, not patronage, and seeks to coordinate the efforts of many U.S. government agencies to contribute to global food security efforts.
The Global Agriculture and Food Security Initiative is administered by the World Bank. The United States has donated $475 million to that program in concert with a host of other international donor nations.
At the Group of Eight meeting of major industrialized nations in L’Aquila, Italy, in July 2009, President Obama pledged at least $3.5 billion for food security. More than 1 billion people, or one-sixth of the world’s population, suffer from chronic hunger.
About Charles W. Corey
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