Eighth Grade Bites Read Online Free

placed a kiss on Vlad’s forehead. “See you later, boys. I’ve got a long shift today.”
    Vlad ran his finger thoughtfully along the lip of his glass. “Hey, Nelly, we’ve got this family tree project in history. I was wondering if you could help me out.”
    She ruffled Henry’s hair on her way to the door. “Have you checked the attic? I know your parents had some photo albums up there. They’d be more help than I would.” Vlad stared after her, dumbfounded. Nelly sighed. “Honestly, Vladimir, you’ve lived here for three years and still don’t know about the hidden attic? The door to it is a foot from your bed, for goodness’ sake! I thought vampires were supposed to have ultrasensitive powers of intuition.”
    Vlad shrugged and picked up another sticky bun. “Don’t you think if I had powers of intuition, I’d be doing better in math?”
    Nelly groaned. “Let’s hope you develop that next.”
    With the click of the front door, Vlad and Henry were left alone for the day.
    They finished breakfast and settled down in front of the television, bouncing back and forth between watching cartoons and saving the world through PlayStation until morning slipped into the comfort of late afternoon. Henry had already beaten Vlad twice at Race to Armageddon , but on the third round, it looked as if Vlad might be making some headway. The prize, of course, was glory and riches, combined with the godlike status of having been the android to defeat the menacing alien king. But just as Vlad was raising his laser sword to strike the alien king down, Henry hit the turbo button and interrupted the blow with one of his own. Vlad dropped his controller with a groan. “I suck at this game.”
    â€œYeah, but you can fly. I have to be better at something.” Henry dropped his controller on the floor beside Vlad’s and reached for his open soda can. The floor in front of the beanbag chairs was a battlefield of open potato-chip bags and candy wrappers.
    Vlad shook his head. “I can’t fly. Only hover a little.”
    â€œFly, hover, whatever . . . it’s cool! Plus, if you learn how to turn invisible, just think of the terror you could be in the girls’ locker room.” Henry wiggled his eyebrows and took another drink. “I wonder if you’ll be able to turn into animals and stuff when you get older.”
    At first Vlad thought Henry was kidding, but when he stole a glance at his friend, he noticed that Henry’s usually jovial demeanor had turned serious. Vlad shook his head. “That’s stupid.”
    â€œThink about it. In all those old stories and legends, vampires can turn into bats and wolves, and fog and stuff.” Henry shrugged at Vlad and dropped his gaze to the carpeted floor between them. “It’s possible.”
    Vlad thumbed his controller and tried not to sound too intrigued. It had been something he’d wondered about for some time. “I guess. But I’m not a hundred percent vampire anyway. My mom was human. Remember?”
    Henry lowered his voice some and watched Vlad with a careful expression. “You must miss them a lot.”
    â€œAll the time.” Vlad held his breath for a second and tried not to give in to the sudden threat of tears that he could feel building up in his eyes. There was never a moment when he wasn’t thinking about his father and the kind sparkle in his eyes, or the tender way his mother would kiss him on top of his head whenever she walked within a three-foot radius of him. Three years without them would have been impossible if it hadn’t been for Nelly. It didn’t matter that they weren’t actually related. Nelly and his mother had been closer than sisters and that, in Vlad’s mind, made Nelly family.
    â€œIt was weird how they died.” Henry unplugged his controller and wrapped the cord around it.
    â€œYeah. People