In New York…

At a corner bar, a tall man with blond hair and blue eyes enters and catches everyone's attention. He sits at the bar and orders a beer. A tall woman who appears to be 24 approaches:

“Hello”, she said, “Amy Smith” - and greets him with a handshake and a friendly smile.

“Hi, I'm Moritz”.

“Nice to meet you! So… Where did you come from?”

“How do you know I'm not from New York?”

“Come on! It is so clear that you are a tourist. Every New Yorker recognizes a foreigner”.

A spontaneous smile appears on his face, and he feels embarrassed

”I'm from England. I’m here because I was accepted at New York University”.

“Oh my god, you are going to NYU??” - she says excitedly, “My friends and I are from there!”- pointing to some people at the pool table. “Come with me!” - and drags the foreigner with her.

Amy introduces Moritz to everyone and says they are going to study at the same college.

“Hi I'm John, I'm going to graduate as a cop this year, so what are you going to study? ” - says a thin guy with a scar on his face

“I will graduate as a biologist.”

“How cool!” - says a tall, very pale guy with dark hair- “I will graduate as a writer in 3 years from now”

“Nick is the youngest of the group “ - says a woman with a dark brown hair

“Shut up! You are the shortest! ”

“Hi, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Olivia, but you can call me Liv. In 2 years, I will graduate as a photographer! Just like Amy, but she will graduate next year” - says the woman totally ignoring what Nick said about her - “So, lets play with us?” - and points to the pool table that they were playing

“Sure, why not?”

A few weeks later they were all good friends. Everything was going well. Moritz took his notebook with him everywhere. He said it was a college thing, but he wouldn’t let anyone touch it. Amy continued to be sincere with people, John remained calm as always, Olivia was still headstrong and Nick, as always, was being reserved.

Everything was happening normally, at the college until Nick started to get more and more away, to be more reserved, and more quiet than usual. As Moritz was very curious, he wanted to know why Nick was so mysterious those days, and he wanted to know what his friend was hiding at all costs.

So one day they were all at the bar as always. They were having fun, drinking, playing at the pool table, until Nick said that he needed to go. They all asked him to stay, but he said that he couldn’t and left his friends at the bar. Obviously, Moritz wanted to find out what Nick was going to do. He had a feeling it had something to do with what Nick was hiding, so he followed his friend.

Nick was going far away, and Moritz was already tired of walking, but his curiosity to find out the truth was more important than his pain. Then, Nick finally stopped walking, and Moritz started taking notes on his notebook about where he was. It was 4 a.m. on a dead-end street. It was very dark and dangerous that night. He couldn’t lie: he was very scared.

The friend spent almost 30 minutes there. The foreigner was tired of waiting. Nick was doing nothing. Moritz was already asking for a taxi when 3 people appeared beside his friend. They were all very pale, skinny, tall, with dark hair and wore the same style of clothing. Everything was normal until they suddenly started to float. Moritz thought that it was not true, that he was drunk, that the booze was getting into his mind He rubbed his eyes to be sure of what he was seeing, and it was true! He couldn't believe it. How could such a thing be possible? Without understanding the situation, he wrote in his diary and ran away, trying to be as discreet as possible. but Nick saw him. He kept this as a secret

A week passed and Moritz barely looked at Nick's car. He was so terrified of what had happened, but he didn't comment to any of his friends. After all, they were going to think he was crazy.

Nick knew that Moritz had seen something that night. He wanted to be sure, but he couldn't ask anything - after all, if he didn't know Nick had seen him, he would find out if he asked. He only had one way of knowing, and Nick knew it would be impossible, but he had to try ...

One Friday night after the bar, Moritz was sleeping in his dormitory when Nick came through the window and took his friend's diary. He opened it right there because, if Moritz missed the notebook, he knew he would be in trouble. When he opened it, he tried to find the day when Moritz was supposed to have seen something he shouldn't have, but still reading what he shouldn't have…

‘I get the impression that people don't like me very much. I must be annoying or something. It’s not a coincidence that my parents left me. Have I always been like that?’.

‘These days I was thinking of looking for them. I’ve always wanted to meet them, but they left me for a reason. Will they want something back that they didn't want one day? I don't think so. They left me for a reason, right? I must be annoying or something. I shouldn't be looking for them ... but God, how do I want to meet them, ask questions, or just even see them’.

Nick felt very guilty about reading something personal about Moritz, but he couldn't stop feeling sorry for his friend. Just imagine being abandoned by your own parents...

But the feeling of sadness passed when it was confirmed what he feared most. He was very nervous, in total shock. He couldn't stop thinking about the consequences that could happen to him and Moritz. He was terrified.

He went back to his dormitory and tried to sleep, but he couldn't stop thinking. He rolled over in bed all night and when finally the sun came up, he hadn't slept a wink. The week went by and things between Nick and Moritz were very uncomfortable, but they acted like they weren't, but everyone noticed a strange mood between the two.

When Nick went to meet his other friends, they realized that he was awkward, so after a while they discovered the truth:

“Is it true then? Does your friend know about us? “ - said one of the boys

“What does he know, Nick?” - said the second a little more calmly - “What did he see? Did you tell him or did he see something?”

“He doesn't know we're vampires. He only saw us flying “- he confessed

“Ah, he ONLY saw us FLYING, ONLY!” - said the first ironically - “so, what are we going to do, huh?”

“Nothing!” - said Nick, trying to find courage” - “I talk to him, he won't tell anyone if I ask, he's my friend…”

“Hahaha surely he won't tell, just like Jake didn't tell huh?”

“He's different, I swear” - he tried to defend, but it didn't work. The vampires turned their backs and didn't listen to him. Nick was worried about Moritz, he knew the guys, and he knew what they were capable of, so he texted Moritz to meet him at 6 PM behind the bar for them to talk. His plan was to tell the whole truth and explain the dangerous situation he was in. He wanted to tell him that everything was going to be alright. Nick was hoping that things would get better.

At 6 pm, Nick was waiting for Moritz behind the bar as arranged. The friend appeared and they started talking:

“Look Moritz, I know things are kind of weird between us, and I already know the reason for that. I think I should tell you the truth …”

“Nick I already know what you're going to tell me. in fact, I think I do. I'm afraid to make a fool of myself, because until then I didn't believe in these things - not until I saw you with those people…”

“I am a Vampire, but I am not aggressive. In fact, not everyone is - not even my friends. The problem is that they found out that you discovered us, and that is a problem ... Moritz, they are coming after you and I don't know how far they would go to hide our identity …”

“So you think that they want to kill me?”

“Yes, and I’m so sorry. I don’t want that, of course not, but if they decide to kill, there is nothing that I can do” - Nick looked down, very disappointed - “I will try to do someth…” - the vampires appeared and interrupted Nick.

Moritz ran as fast as he could, but the guys went after him. Terrified, he obviously entered a dead-end street, and is surrounded by the 3 guys and Nick behind:

“Stop!” - says Nick desperately - “He is my friend” Do nothing with him, please” I’ll make him swear not to tell anyone!”

“How do you know he won't tell?”- says one of the guys “After all he saw, he won't trust you anymore!”

“Of course I trust him! Please do not kill me, please!” Moritz begged, shaking with fear.

“Look, it’s not fair to him. It’s not his fault that YOUR friend told the truth to others! Any of this is his fault, okay? He is my friend, and I will do everything to protect him, and you will not kill him! You will not lay a finger on him, so stop blaming others for your suffering! Be fair and deal with things the way they are, and not based on what happened to you! That doesn't mean it will happen to others!” Nick says authority

Jake took a step back:

“You are right. I’m sorry” - then he and all other vampires left.

“Thanks Nick, really, what you did was so nice!”

“No problem. I also need to confess another thing”

“Okay, you can tell me!”

“When I saw you running that night, it wasn’t clear if you really saw us, you know…”

“Yes”

“So to be sure, I invaded your room and took your diary to read. Then I read, not on purpose, of course, about your parents, and I’m so, so sorry. I shouldn't have read it, but I did,, and I'm sorry”

“That's okay, you saved my life today, and I’m very grateful...I was thinking about telling you guys, but I don’t want you to feel sorry about me. I’m fine about it, really!”

“I think you should. If you want I can help you to tell…”

“Sure, I will be grateful”.

Since then, Nick and Moritz had a good relationship. They told each other things, and they had no problems. The end of the year was coming, and Moritz decided that he would tell everyone. He had already made a decision, whether or not behind his parents, Nick helped him count, of course. That Wednesday afternoon, they met at the usual bar in the afternoon.

“I have something to talk about” Moritz started

“Speak.” Amy said :

“My parents abandoned me when I was little, and the only thing I know is that they are in New York, and I wanted to look for them, to find out who they are, how they are and stuff ... then I will dropping out of college for the time being until I put these matters in order…”

Everyone was in shock not knowing what to say, they looked at each other, Olivia and John took a sip, and Amy let out:

“I just found out my dad isn't dead”

Olivia took another sip, looked at everyone and said :

“Anyone else to drop a bomb?”

Everyone laughed, and Moritz looks at Nick, who gives him a ‘don't even think’ look

“I think we need to toast this moment…” - John says

Everyone raises their glasses.

“May Moritz find your parents, and Amy ... I don't know what to wish for you…” - says Nick, and everyone laughs

“To us!” - Amy said

“To us!”- everybody says together.