Emerald was hired at the local elementary school immediately upon her graduation. After her first day of work, she arrived home to find Jade bouncing with excitement.
"You'll never guess what happened to me today, Em!"
"Umm... you found a job?" Emerald could only hope.
"Sort of.. well.. yes, actually!"
"I was hanging out at the Esplanade, just reading, when I noticed a cute guy catching butterflies. So of course I had to say 'Hi'."
"Of course you did." Emerald inwardly rolled her eyes, while keeping her expression mild.
"It turns out there is money to be made in collecting rocks and butterflies. Who woulda thought?"
"Mm Hmm...who would have thought?" Emerald sighed to herself.
"So anyway, one thing led to another..."
"And now for the best news! He's taking me on a date tomorrow! We're gonna hunt for gems at the graveyard - he says that's the best place."
"Um... sounds.. fun."
"Oh, come Emmy, don't be such a stick-in-the-mud. Maybe I'll find something valuable and be able to get that car I've had my eye on!"
As promised, Jade and Emilio spent the next day scouring the graveyard. Jade was becoming discouraged at their lack of success, when she spied a speck of dark crimson poking through the grass.
"Emil, over here! I think I found something!"
"A lucky find. A vampire's eye - quite rare and very beautiful. You should keep it. Have it cut into something special."
"We should celebrate!"
"Oh, Emilio.."
Emerald hoped her parents would encourage Jade to be more responsible, but they were way too wrapped up in the new grandbabies. Peri and Jessica were the proud new parents of twins - little Orin and Shana. Jett and Opal spent every spare minute relieving the exhausted new parents.
Rinnggg!
Emerald frowned at the unfamiliar number that popped up on her phone.
"Hello."
"Emerald Moonstone! This is your agent calling! Oh, do I have an opportunity for you!"
"Umm, excuse me? I'm an elementary school teacher. I don't want or need an agent."
"Ah, but you do! Your sister needs your help, dear. She hired me to promote the both of you! All you need to do is show up at the Plasma 501 tomorrow night, and have one drink at the bar. Doesn't that sound like fun? See you there!"
The next evening, Emerald sat at the bar wondering why she had let her sister talk her into coming. She slowly sipped her drink, while Jade introduced herself to the guy at the end of the bar.
When it became apparent that Jade would be otherwise occupied for the remainder of the evening, Emerald followed the piano music downstairs to the dance floor. Her head still buzzed from the drink. She was not used to drinking, but still, it seemed to affect her more than it should have.
"Excuse me, miss? Would you care to dance?"
"Oh, sorry, I don't dance. That is, I don't know how."
Embarrassed, Emerald glanced down at her feet. She hoped he would just go away, but instead he continued.
"No matter. I really don't dance well, either. You just looked a little.. lost. Are you alright?"
Emerald finally realized she should probably look at this person who was talking so kindly to her. She slowly lifted her head, and her eyes met his.
Afterward, she never could explain exactly what happened in that moment, only that she felt she could lose herself in that gaze forever. Her heart felt as if it would beat right out of her chest, and she was overcome with an urgent desire to kiss this man she had only just met.
Then just as quickly as it had come, the moment was past. She wondered if he had felt it too. From the expression on his face, she guessed that he had.
"I.. I'm fine, thank you. I came here with my sister, but I don't see her anywhere. I think she may have left."
"A beautiful lady such as yourself should not be out in a place like this all alone. May I see you home, Miss...?"
"Emerald, but my friends call me Emmy."
"And I am William."
Emerald could hardly believe she had had the nerve to invite William up to her room. What had gotten it to her tonight? Could it be the drink? Passion filled her once more as she gazed into his eyes, and she worked up the courage to ask him to stay the night.
"William, I know we just met, but I was wondering, would you like.."
"Shhh.." He placed a light finger to her lips, silencing her request.
"I am afraid I cannot stay."
Her face fell at his words. Of course he couldn't stay. What would a gorgeous hunk like him want with the likes of her anyway? He must have read her defeated expression, for he continued.
"You are very beautiful, Miss Emerald, and I wish I could stay. But it is almost dawn, and I am needed elsewhere. I am truly sorry. "
"Goodnight, Miss Emerald. Take care. I will see you again, if you wish."
He brushed her lips lightly with his, then he was gone.
"I've been wondering what I was going to do with this stone, and now I know why I've been saving it. I want you to have it, Emmy, in honor of your hot new vampire boyfriend. It's called a vampire's eye, and I got it cut into a heart shape just for you."
'It's beautiful, sis, but William is not my boyfriend, and.... what did you say???"
"Oops.. ...you didn't know he's a vampire? I swear, Emmy you are about the most naive person in all of Bridgeport."
Despite Jade's revelation of William's true nature, Emerald could not resist seeing him again. He would visit several evenings a week, and they would talk for hours. She began to keep a supply of plasma juice in the fridge for his convenience.
Even as their friendship grew, Emerald could feel the undercurrent of the chemistry between them growing as well. She know him well enough now to know he felt it too, but still he kept their relationship at the same level of that first night, never going beyond that simple chaste kiss.
If her love life was frustrating, at least her career was going well. With her middle school teacher's salary, she finally saved enough to buy the classic corvette she had always wanted.
"Owww... oooof.. tell me again why we have to do this?"
"Silly Emmy, exercise is good for you. My agent is positive that working out for a few hours is going to do wonders for our careers. Just move your legs faster and you won't fall."
"Ugh.. I'm trying. Whew, there's the photographer. Does that mean I can stop now?"
"Not 'til the time goes off. Just a few more minutes now, sis."
Peri's twins were growing like weeds, and Tia had started school. Jett and Opal were still constantly across the street at Peri's helping out.
In fact, it was while they were there one evening, that Opal passed on. Jett never quite recovered.
It was only a day later that he went to join his beloved Opal.
The sisters each mourned in their own way. Jade took off somewhere in a funk, and Emerald was left alone in the empty house. She needed comfort, and thought immediately of William. Suddenly he was beside her, drawing her close.
"It's okay, Emmy, everything will be alright. I'm here with you."
