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Track One: All of My Love by Led Zeppelin
Rory has a cousin named Rick who is old enough to live on his own but chooses to live in his parents’ basement. Rory doesn’t see much of him anymore, not since turning into a vampire but he does have Ricky's old Zeppelin cassette. He can easily find the music digitally, but he likes the way the tape hums as the music plays. He likes to listen to it when he needs to quiet the constant barrage of excitement in his brain but the one song, track six, makes him think of Ethan. He doesn't think about that too hard.
Track Two: Friendship by Tenacious D
Being a creature of the night allowed Rory freedoms beyond any other teenager but sometimes—just being able to watch random television at three am was the best part. That’s how he learns about Tenacious D. An overly ambitious but absolutely talented duo of guitar players. They’re nothing like Benny and Ethan except that they kind of are. At least a little.
Track Three: You Don’t Have A Clue by Voodoo Glow Skulls
Rory doesn’t remember what it’s like to sleep. He pretends all the time whenever his mom says it’s lights out but he doesn't actually remember the feeling. As a vampire you are awake or you’re recuperating your strength but never asleep. Never calm enough to relax your body, never dreaming, never even feeling cuddly and warm in your favorite pajamas. He tries to remember so hard the night they all go camping and he’s the only one awake.
Ethan was the first to go to sleep. When he starts whimpering, Benny gets a funny look on his face. It turns out, Ethan was often plagued by nightmares and on most nights didn’t sleep well. Benny warns Rory to never tell anyone what he does next. Which was kind of dumb if you ask Rory because Benny doesn't do anything too weird. He gently grabs Ethan’s face and gets really close.
Rory thinks maybe he was going to kiss Ethan, like some fairytale prince but he just says some funny words Rory doesn't understand. Ethan stops whimpering and cuddles into Benny's side. He sleeps peacefully pressed against the taller boy all night.
Track Four: Bury Our Friends by Sleater-Kenny
They’re all running so fast, as fast as humans can but it’s still too slow. Rory knows they’re gonna get eaten if he doesn’t turn back. Benny’s spell backfired and he can’t undo it because his mouth is sealed shut and Ethan may have sprained his ankle earlier when Rory dropped him. So really, it’s Rory’s fault, at least in Ethan’s case.
He flies down and grabs the back of either boy's shirts and flies as high as he can with their combined weight. Two seconds later the giant wood troll slams a massive boulder down in the space they’d only just occupied.
“Rory! You saved us!” Ethan shouts happily, his hands wrapped bone-white across Rory’s wrist.
Track Five: With Love, Eugene by Sofia Mills
“That’s so sad.”
“Yeah. I know.” Rory shrugs. He pauses the music coming from the speakers. He wanted to ask Sarah’s opinion because he knew she wouldn’t be mean like Erica and it would be too awkward asking Benny.
“Have…have you ever asked him? Like to his face asked him about his feelings for you?”
“What? No way! Weren’t you listening? I made this to explain without having to!” He holds up the flash drive. It's in the shape of an old school cassette and Rory even used a strip of tape to title it.
“Yeah, I get that but you’ve never once ever asked his feelings? Even if they’re not reciprocated, he would tell you. Ethan wouldn’t string you along.”
“Well, no. I mean, he’s always with Benny.”
“And how do you feel about Benny?”
“The same."
“Hmm." She hums softly, turning away from Rory. "Why don’t you make a playlist for both of them, instead of just Ethan. Maybe they’d both understand.” She turns back to Rory and makes direct eye contact.
“Hey, do you know something I don’t?”
“Maybe.” She smiles. “Make them a mixtape. You can show it to me before you give it to them.”
“Okay! I will!" He throws up a pair of thumbs up.
"And come up with a better title please. Mixtape 1? Really?"