I'd been moving around the country for two years now. I'd tricked Renee into thinking I'd moved back in with dad. She had no idea he'd been dead for a year.
Once I got into Seattle, I deliberately missed my connection to Port Angeles, calling the number I'd found in the big white house I'd found passed the Calawah river when I was trying to hide from James.
J. Jenks. In Pheonix, at the library, I'd researched his name, and address, but found nothing but a Jason Jenks and Jason Scott, in a different address on the other side of town.
I decided to use a payphone, and make an appointment for three months in advance exactly, incase there weren't any openings, or plane tickets.
First, I went to the address I'd found on a piece of paper at the house. The place it took me to was GHETTO.
"Hello." A man was standing in front of the building. "What are you doing in this part of town, little girl?"
"Oh. I'm looking for J. Jenks. Is he here?" I said, smiling sweetly.
"What do you need, papers? He's not cheap, little girl. I'm Max, by the way."
"I'm." I hesitated. Should I tell him my real name? I decided to tell him the name I'd schueduled with J. as. "Bella Masen." I didn't know why I'd chosen that name. It was common. "I need papers. Is J. around? I have an appointment with him." I figured I would need forgers to go around the country without James following Bella Swan's every move.
"No. Why don't you go to the office that you called?"
"Alright. . . Can I get a ride? I walked all the way down here in these." I gestured to the stillettos on my feet. I wasn't the greatest at walking in them, but I had to look like I meant business. They were my converse high heels. Found them at T.J. Max in uptown Pheonix. Pretty cheap too. . . I'd taken a lot of money from the closet of the big house too. The closet was pink. I'd laughed at it in spite of myself.
"I'm sorry Bella. I can't. I'll call a cab for you though. You'll have to pay for it."
"Alright Max."
It only took the taxi ten minutes to get there. "Goodbye Max." I said.
"Bye." He rolled his eyes slightly, and muttered something that sounded disinctly like, kids.
"Where to?" The taxi driver asked.
"Um. 5555 East Avenue," I said, barely remembering.
"Alright miss. Where are your parents?"
"My father. . . passed away. My mother. . ." I chose my words carefully, "She is in a different state, taking care of. . . business."
"Oh. My condolences then." It took twenty minutes to get there. "That'll be forty dollars, miss."
I dug around in my large tote, looking for my wallet. I counted out four ten dollar bills. "Thank you, uh," I looked at the drivers license thing, "Jerry." I smiled lightly, climbing out of the car carefully, as not to trip.
I walked into the skyscraper building. "Hello. I'm here for my appointment with Mr. Jenks."
"Name?" The girl asked politely.
"Bella Masen."
I looked at the clock. It was two oh clock. Time for my appointment. Apparently the girl thought so too. "Mr. Jenks?" The girl said.
"Yes?"
"Bella Masen is here for her appointment."
"Alright, send her in."
"You can go." Obviously.
I walked towards his office door. A tall, blond, leonine man stepped out of it. He had a few white scars on his arms. Did he used to cut himself? I wondered. His eyes were black, and his skin deathly pale. He glared at me, and as he walked by, his skin brushed mine. I stared at him in shock. His skin was icy cold. Suddenly, a wave of calm hit me, and I felt like I was carefree, almost forgetting what I needed to see "Mr. Jenks" about. He continued walking, and so did I.
I opened the door. "Hello, I'm Bella Masen." I introduced myself, holding out my hand.
He was a middle aged man with a receding hair line. He had a thin layer of sweat on his brow and five head. He looked jumpy as he shook my hand.
"I'm Mr. Jenks." He said.
"Or would you prefer Mr. Scott? Or J.?" I asked inquisitively. I had to one up him to earn his respect.
"Oh. Um, J. will do."
"Then you can call me Bella." I smiled sweetly at him.
"So Bella, what do you need?"
"Um. Papers. For me."
"What kind? Birth certificates, death certificates, passports, drivers licenses?"
"All."
"Names?"
"Just mine. Um. Isobella Swansonn. I-S-O-B-E-L-L-A-S-W-A-N-S-O-N-N."
"Description?"
"My description. Here's my picture."
"Weight? Height? Age?"
"Oh. Um. . . 110 pounds, 5 foot 1. . . And age 18."
"Alright. Here is the sum of the money. When do you want it?"
"Um. In a week." I said timidly.
"That is a rush order. Here is the total sum, of everything."
My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the cost. I had more than that in my wallet, but I needed to survive for more than a month.
"Th-that much?"
"Will it be a problem?"
"No. I just have a limited amount of money that will need to last me the rest of my life, however long that may be."
"Oh. If you would like, I could find you a job here for a while."
"Thank you J."
"My secretary Gianna has found another job overseas, but we haven't found her replacement yet. We have a temp right now."
"Well, I'd be happy to take the job. Do I need an interview at all?"
"No. This business myself will serve as an interview. You have the job."
"Thank you J."
"How old are you Bella?"
"Do you want the truth or the lie?"
"The truth."
"I am 14 years old."
"What made you run? Why do you need papers, and a job at 14 years old?"
"Somebody is after me. . . He'd like to kill me." J. looked thoughtful. "He killed my friends. . . He killed my father. . . He'd have killed my mother if I hadn't lied and ran away. I had to."
"Oh." Was all he said.
"Do I still have the job?"
"Of course Bella. I never go back on my word."
"Thank you J."
"Please stop thanking me Bella."
"Alright J."
"You'll begin tomorrow, yes?"
"Yes."
"Alright. See you tomorrow. And where would you like to meet for the papers?"
"Um. Here?"
"I prefer to make such transactions away from my various businesses."
"Oh. Alright. . ."
"How about the pacifico?"
"I can't eat there. I can't afford it. . . But I'll meet you there."
"It'll be my treat. The food is quite exquisite."
"Alright J."
"See you tomorrow Bella."
"Goodbye J."
I walked out and closed the door, after handing him the astounding amount of money. I walked out of the building. Where would I go? Perhaps an apartment? Apartments in Seattle were not cheap. I wanted something cheap.
Possibly a bridge? I almost laughed at that one! No. I'd take a cab. . . Go to Forks. . . Pick up my luggage from Port Angeles on the way. . . Go visit the cemetary. . . And the house I used to live in. . . Stay there for the night maybe. . . Go to the big white house and see about possibly getting more money. . . That was what I'd do.
A cab whirred by, and I began to run after it. My heels broke when they got stuck between bricks in an old road. I sighed in relief when my feet were on equal ground, but still had soles to protect them.
I gave up, out of breath. I walked to the taxi station thing, and got someone who was willing to drive me to Port Angeles.
"Thanks for the ride, Andy." I said smiling, and went to hand him the money. He pushed my hand away.
"Uh uh. No charge." He said smiling kindly.
"Thanks Andy."
"No problem kiddo. Have a good day." He was a grody looking old man, but he was really nice.
As Andy drove away, a woman stood right behind where the taxi would have covered her up.
"Hello. My name is Tiara. Who are you." My mind screamed, STRANGER DANGER!
"I'm Bella Masen." I said growing used to the lie. She had blond hair and red eyes. "Cool contacts." She was pretty. I found myself wishing I was that pretty.
"Hello Bella. I work for the airport. Would you like me to give you a lift? You look like you're from Pheonix."
I immediately grew suspicious. I didn't look like I was from Phenix. Pheonix girls were supposed to be tan, and blond and athletic. I was none of those things. She'd just learned my name. No one was THAT trusting. She was beautiful. I sucked in a breath of shock. Those aren't contacts. I hissed involuntarily, my eyes narrowing. Vampire.
"No. That's okay. I live here. I was just visiting some frriends in. . . uh. . . the middle of nowhere!" I couldn't remember any of the other towns close to there at the moment.
She nodded, as if it were perfectly reasonable. "Alright then."
I walked on, heading in the direction of the airport, but turned before, knowing that she was following me. She was probably working for James.
"Tell James to fuck off." I spat at her, turning around briefly before I began running.
She was in front of me in a second, smiling viciously. "No. I'd do anything for him. He is my mate."
I gasped. Mate? Like husband? There was the tall blond man I'd seen at the office, walking our way. Please help me, I thought pityfully. He looked up abruptly.
He ran towards us, and was there in three seconds. He was a vampire too? His eyes are golden now. . .
Tiara suddenly crouched defensively, and I heard a loud tearing come from her beautiful designer dress. She didn't seem to care too much. . . He snarled. She launched herself at him gracefully, lunging for his neck. Quickly, astoundingly, he flipped forward and kicked her away with his legs. She landed on her feet in an alley way, undamaged.
The sound of their bodies hitting each other had made quite a lot of noise. People on the street looked up to see if it was about to rain again. It was a blue sky.
The man ran towards her, and jumped ten feet in the air, right above her head, somehow managing an angle where he could get to her neck. A snarl ripped out of his throat again. It was terrifying. Someone so beautiful. . . A vampire. They growled like dogs? I can understand hissing. But they growl like dogs?
It reminded me of that Disney movie documentary thing about lions and a lot of other African animals.
"Lion cubs are usually quite playful, and it sticks with them into adulthood. However, sometimes it gets out of hand, and they instinctually lunge for the neck."
I knew they weren't playing. Great. Was he going to eat me when he killed her? Were they fighting over the prey? Me?
He bit down on her neck, and she let loose a gutteral sound of shock, trying to use her nails to tear him apart. I snorted. Fat chance blondie.
An animalistic grunt leaks through one of them, and there is once again the sound of tearing flesh.
There is the sound again. A cry of agony is heard. It sounds like Victoria's voice. "HELP ME!"
It's all I can hear. Again and again, the sound of each of my friends dying. Begging for help. For mercy. For life. For anything but the brief fire they were screaming about. At least Victoria was.
It's all I can hear. With each bite the man and Tiara took of each other, I heard Victoria's screams. I didn't help.