Chapter 2
It was cold and sunny. Rachel walked with her head down, as usual. She just got her winter coat out of the closet; it had been the first really cold day of the year. But it always got cold early in Northern New Jersey, even if it was only November. It was Saturday. It had been a whole week since she had seen Nessie, or any of the other Cullens for that matter. It had been a lonely week. Since that first week in October when the Cullens showed up, Rachel hadn't felt so alone before. Not to be cliché or anything, but Nessie was the best first friend a girl could ask for.
But she stopped coming to school a week ago. They were all away. It was so weird…
Rachel was walking to Path Mark to pick up some marshmallows. She had promised Marie that she would make Rice Crispy treats. She came into the store and looked around. It smelt like over moisturized vegetables and ammonia. Typical grocery store smell. She stalked through the aisles, looking for the marshmallows, when she saw Mick Jorgen, Tom Lange, and Jason Arupa standing in front of the very shelf she needed.
Great, she thought, just what I need. "Excuse me."
"O, look who it is, guys," Jorgen said in a mock surprised voice, "Oink Prince. Hey Oink, what's up?"
Rachel fought the burning tears back that were already on the way, "Move, Mick. Please."
"Oink, don't be like that," Lange taunted, "we just wanna hang out with you!"
"Yeah, baby Oink," Arupa chimed, "what do you need?"
"The marshmallows," Rachel said through gritted teeth. The tears were very close now.
"Marshmallows, huh?" Jorgen said, picking up a back of the white, fluffy things, "You should really lay off the stuff, Oink. They just make you bigger and bigger."
"My- name- isn't – Oink!" Rachel cried. Great comeback, she thought bitterly as she made a grab for the bag. They laughed at her. They always did. Screw it. She turned around, and as soon as the automatic doors parted in front of her, the sobs came. She walked down the frigid streets of Windsortown, wailing like a banshee. She could hear Jorgen and his comrades howling with laughter at her.
"What a dumb bitch," Arupa said.
"Kyle," she murmered thickly threw her sobs, "Kyle, Kyle, Kyle…"
She walked on, and the sky became more and more overcast. She was almost on her street when she heard the familiar voice that she hadn't heard in such a long time.
"Rachel?"
She spun around so quickly that she fell on her rear- end. It was Kyle, the dazzling, amazing, terrifying Kyle. He was graceful, he was pale, he was amber eyed, and he was yellow- haired. She loved him and hated him at the same time.
"What are you doing," he demanded, floating toward her. He held out one of his freezing, stony hands. Rachel hesitated, then reached up and took it. Kyle pulled her up on to her feet and studied her face with his extraordinary eyes for a minute.
"You've been crying," he stated in his melodious voice, "what happened?"
Rachel quickly wiped away the moisture from her eyes, "Nothing," she muttered.
"I heard you calling me, so I came to find you." He was squeezing her arm very tightly now.
"Kyle, that's my arm," Rachel squealed, "you're gonna bruise me!"
"Who made you cry?" Kyle demanded angrily, "I swear I'll kill 'em!" His eyes were darting around wildly, and he looked crazed. Rachel didn't doubt he was going to do something awful.
"Kyle! Let go!" she pleaded, "I'll call the police, let go!"
Kyle gave her a murderous look, and for a minute Rachel thought he was going to hit her or something.
But then, that beautiful, girly voice spoke out of the blue, "Let her go."
Rachel looked up and saw Nessie, standing not ten feet from her, looking glorious and lethal. Beside her was her tall, blond brother. She looked back at Kyle. He looked furious and terrified at the same time.
"This is none of your business," he spat, "go back to your hole!"
Then Nessie's brother came forward and said in a soft, deadly voice, "Be careful what you say, Kyle. You wouldn't want to say anything in front of the girl that you'll regret. Now let her go."
Rachel suddenly felt very calm and together as Kyle slowly let go of her arm. He took a step back, and began to walk away.
"She's mine, you know," he called to them, "she always has been!"
Nessie stuck her tongue at him, then threw her arms around Rachel.
"O, my Gawd!" she shrieked, "Thank God your okay!"
Rachel buried her face in Nessie's curls for a minute, then finally stood up straight, feeling very safe as the blond walked toward them cautiously.
"O, I forgot," Nessie crowed, "Rachel this is my… brother, Jasper."
Jasper was looking at Rachel curiously. He slowly approached her, and Rachel noticed with a gasp that his eyes were golden, just like Kyle's.
"Hello, Rachel," he said soothingly, holding out his hand for her.
"Hi," Rachel replied shyly, shaking his hand, It was freezing, like Kyle's. He looked like Hercules.
"Are you alright?" he asked, "did he hurt you?"
"Who? Rachel sputtered, realizing that he was talking to her, "Kyle?" Jasper nodded.
"Yes," he said, "did he hurt you?"
"How do you know Kyle?" Rachel asked, surprised, "he's kinda… reclusive."
"We've had a few run-ins," Jasper said, "Um, Ness, I think we should take Rachel home with us. She's been through quite an ordeal and Carlisle should probably look at her. For signs of shock."
"Oh, no," Rachel said quickly, alarmed, "I don't need it, really, Kyle just gets excited, and -"
"Shut up, Rache," Nessie said, "Jasper's right. C'mon…"
And before Rachel knew it, she was being towed away by Nessie to a glossy Ferrari. Rachel gasped when she saw it. Her dad used to love Ferraris…
After they were all in, Jasper made a groaning noise, "We shouldn't have taken Bella's car," he moaned, "She's going to be very upset…"
"Aw, she'll get over it," Nessie chimed as she clicked on her seat belt, "we needed a car, and her and Dad have been out hunting all day-" then she clamped her hand over her mouth with a gasp, as if she had said way too much. Jasper gave her a warning look as he pulled out of the parking spot.
Rachel quietly protested the whole way to the Cullens' house. She didn't need attention ,and she didn't need that brunette glaring at her…
They were soon on the highway toward Moorestown, in the middle of the pine barrens. Where do these people live?! Rachel thought as they sped on. The whole ride, Nessie kept turning around to Rachel and demanding if she was okay. What they didn't seem to understand was that this was typical Kyle behavior. He always freaked her out after making her feel safe, secure… it was sick.
Jasper finally made a turn so sharp that Rachel fell over on to her side.
"Oops," Jasper said, "sorry." This guy drives like a maniac!!!!!
But then she saw the house. It stood on the hill's summit, hidden by lilac bushes and sugar maple trees all looking spectacular in the fall foliage. It looked old. Like an original colonial. It had five gables and many, many windows. The driveway was winding, like a haunted house's. But it didn't look like a haunted house at all. Jasper recklessly parked the Ferrari and he and Nessie fluidly climbed out. Rachel tripped her way into the driveway, and walked side by side with Nessie up to the door. Jasper opened it, and in they stepped.
It was the most beautiful, the most elegant, and the most floral house Rachel had ever been in. Every niche had a vase of flowers in it. There were paintings and sculptures and old tables everywhere. Jasper threw his keys on the table. "Carlisle?" he called.
"I'm right here," said a calm, soothing voice. A tall, pale, god of a man came ghosting out of another room, accompanied by the painting boy Rachel had been admiring before.
"Hello, Rachel," Carlisle said, "I am Carlisle Cullen. You have already met Nessie and Jasper. This is Edward," he gestured to the painting boy. He nodded at her, and smiled. Rachel returned it, then blushed at the richly carpeted floor.
"Come to my office," Carlisle said. Rachel flashed Nessie a desperate look before she followed Carlisle down the long, narrow hall. The pixie girl came out of one of the rooms.
"Oh!" she gasped, then smiled at Rachel. "Hi! I'm Alice." Rachel was about to respond, but Carlisle was already dragging her by the hand to a remarkable library of a room. "Sit down," he said calmly.
Rachel did, and Carlisle seated himself at the monstrous desk across from her.
"So," he said, "Tell me what happened. Jasper wasn't very specific."
"It was just Kyle," Rachel said quietly, "it's what he does. Freaks people out. He does it to me a lot, but he doesn't mean any harm." Or maybe…
"And this Kyle," Carlisle went on, "Are you friends?"
"Sort of…we're more acquaintances…he's really nice."
"Nice? I never really think of a pressing, frightening young man as nice… did he try anything with you? You can tell me."
Rachel looked up, "You mean, like sexual? No! No, nothing like that. There's nothing wrong, Doctor, I'm serious!"
"Alright," Carlisle said, not believing, "Just be careful."
-Thank you soo much for your support! I'll keep em coming!!
