Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer
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"Esther Marie Black!" I sighed and rose to my feet as my mother's voice echoed through the forest, and in my mind.
It was never good when the full name was pulled out, or the mind voice used.
"Essie?"
I picked up my pace and run toward the Res, what have I done now? Or, more importantly what has she found out about. There were a few rules I'd bent a little; I just hoped she hadn't found out the worst one.
I slowed to human pace as the trees began to thin and my little red house came into view. I jogged around to the front composing my face into a mask of innocence as I walked the last few feet to the bottom of Billy's ramp.
Renesmee was waiting for me with her arms crossed; the look on her face was like thunder.
"Hey Mom." I said lightly, hoping to stave off the punishment for whatever incident she'd found out about. I pushed passed her into the house; while in my heart I was wishing, please don't let it be…
"You've been up at the house again haven't you." She stated, following behind me and closing the door with an ominous thud. Ok, overreaction there, but that's what it felt like. I'd been caught out doing the one thing that was almost guaranteed to get me Res bound for the rest of the summer.
Damn!
"No." I said firmly. "Ain't been near the place." Hoping like hell that I didn't unintentionally project to her, it some times happens when I'm nervous, like being caught out in a lie.
"Then why does Sammy tell me differently?" Renesmee said as if she were laying an ace on the table.
Damn Samantha Uley, damn her to hell! Out of my three friends she was always the most likely to crack under pressure. Practically no pressure at all.
"Don't know what you're talking about." I said, playing the innocent with a small shrug.
Renesmee sighed.
"Essie, you know I don't make these rules for the benefit of my own health. You must realise that you're unique, there's not one other person on this whole planet who can claim your heritage but that means there are also those who would see you destroyed."
Yeah, like I haven't heard this speech before! Like every day since I turned eleven and my mischievous streak had started leading me further away from the safety of the Res. Ever since They left. My other family.
"I know that Mom." I sighed, looking down at my feet, my thoughts had wandered into depressing territories. It always made me feel sad when I thought about them, my other family, and the fact it would be a long time before I saw them again, maybe never. Nobody knows what I'm gonna be, remember?
Renesmee placed her hand on the side of my face, and then lifted my chin so I could look at her. "I don't want to give you a row over this." She said. "But you have to learn, the Cullen house isn't safe for you, not when it's empty."
I sighed deeply.
"I mean it Esther. Your father and I can only protect you while you remain on Quileute land. There's those out there who would destroy you simply because they don't know what you are or what you may become. That's why you have to remain hidden until you're fully grown."
"Yes Mom." I said, shuffling my feet.
"There's a good girl." Renesmee said, hugging me. "Now go wash up. You're father will be home soon for dinner."
I nodded my head and made my way to the small bathroom at the back of our house. I looked at myself in the mirror, yes mom was right. I was a strange creature. There were my looks for a start, I had my father's copper skin and my mother's bronze hair, and they seemed to clash magnificently with each other in a strangely appealing way. Then there was the secret that lay in my genes.
I had a thirst for blood, it was no where near as strong as Renesmee's, but at least every two months I had to drink the blood of an animal or I would become weakened and there wasn't much I could do in this state. And then there was the legacy that I had inherited from Jacob, my father. Back in the old days, the fact that I was a girl would have insured that I wouldn't have to worry about That time bomb, but ever since Leah had made the transformation there had been more and more of the female shapeshifters, so perhaps one day I would follow in my father's footsteps. Or should that be paw steps?
I washed my face and wiped it in a towel, then made my way into the kitchen where my mom was placing out the four bowls of spaghetti Bolognese on the small table. Grandpa Billy was already there, snoozing in his wheelchair. I took my seat just as Jacob came in through the door, smelling of the forest.
Please don't tell dad? I thought toward Renesmee. I had inherited her power of sending thoughts into the minds of others and we could sit for hours having these silent conversations and no one was any the wiser. I mean, we don't have to even be in the same room.
I won't this time Essie, but if I hear of you going up there again, I'll have to tell him. She sent back.
I dropped my head and poked at my food with my fork. God what is the problem? It's only an old empty house. What's there to hurt me? Dust bunnies?
"Smells good." Jacob said, sitting down in his chair and grabbing a fork in his oversized hand.
He started wolfing down his portion while Renesmee watched him wistfully as she chewed her own spaghetti. Grandpa Billy snorted and woke with a start. He looked around the table at us all gathered, and then he picked up his fork and began to industriously chew his spaghetti with his two remaining teeth. He gave a good impression of never having been asleep in the first place.
I picked at my food sullenly, I wasn't in the mood for food. Especially with the prospect of punishment waiting around the corner.
"So what have you been up to today?" Jacob asked between mouthfuls.
"Who, me?" I asked, looking up from my plate. I was a little befuddled thanks to my melancholy.
"Yep." He declared, stuffing another forkful of spaghetti into his mouth.
"Oh nothing. Hung out down at the beach then we went for a hike." I said nonchalant.
"So you weren't up at the old Cullen house then." He said speculatively.
"No." I replied firmly.
"So it wasn't your scent that I followed up there then, along with that gang of yours?" He stated, still watching his food.
Damn! It was freaking annoying having parents with weird abilities.
I remained silent, still picking at my food.
"Essie?" He prompted, looking up at me.
I sighed and shrugged my shoulders.
Gee, why did I have to have a father with a really good sense of smell?
"Well?"
"I don't know." I mumbled.
"How many times have I told you about going up there?" Jacob snapped. "And leading the rest of them there as well. What if there was a vampire there?"
"How do you know it was my idea?" I snapped back rather pathetically considering the fact that they'd jump off a cliff if I told them to. I don't know why, they just listened to me.
"Because you're the ring leader Ess." Jacob pointed out. "I don't know really, your little gang hang on your every word. They already treat you like an alpha and you're not even a proper pack yet."
"Yet? Might not even be at all." I replied. Hopefully never. I added in my mind.
My father narrowed his eyes.
"Jake, you might want to calm down." Renesmee said quietly, looking pointedly at his hands.
He was gripping the sides of the table almost digging gouges in the old wood. Jake took a deep breath and slowly released the table, and placed his shaking hands palms down on top of the table.
"I'm not trying to be hard on you Ess. I know you want to go have fun, but can't you do that on the Res?" He asked.
"I suppose." I mumbled, still digging at my spaghetti.
"And I think, for the time being, just to be on the safe side, the forest is out of bounds too." Jacob said in his business voice.
"What?" I gasped in disbelief, slamming my fork on the table, I could feel a strange heat starting to rise within me as my anger grew. I tried to force it back, one part of my mind reeling with denial at what it meant, while the other part was raging at such a harsh punishment.
"Especially on the east side of the highway." He added, regardless.
"That's not fair!" I shot at him, and turned my pleading look on Renesmee. "Mom."
It was hard to keep that heat down, but if Renesmee stuck up for me…
"Sorry Essie, but we gave you a little leeway and you threw it back in our faces. If you want to be treated like an adult you have to start acting like one. So no off the Res, and no in the forest." Renesmee replied.
I felt fit to burst with the heat, but I pushed it back down refusing to give in to destiny so easy. Although my parents weren't helping one bit.
"This is so unfair." I exclaimed, rising to my feet quickly, my chair fell over.
If I got away from them then maybe I wouldn't feel so angry.
"Where are you going?" Jacob asked.
"To my room, unless that's off limits too?" I demanded, and then I stormed out of the kitchen, down the hall and to my tiny bedroom. I slammed the door so hard plaster fell from the sealing. Oops, sometimes I forget my own self.
But if a slight bit of property damage was all that came from my anger, then good, it was another thing they can punish me for. See how mush I care.
I slumped face first onto my bed, it was the only thing there was room for, and tried to force the heat out of my body.
God, I hate being me!
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