You know I don't own Twilight. If I did, it would be way crapier, and no one would buy it.
[Two]
Once I'm done with the un-packing, I head downstairs. I still have the quarter bag around my neck. I don't want anything to happen to it.
I walk into the kitchen. It's small. There are bright yellow cabinets and ugly sky-blue wallpaper. A little table with un-matching chairs is in the middle of the room. I like it.
I search for food and find some leftover pasta in the fridge. Charlie won't mind…
I clear the plate in one minute. I had no idea that I was that hungry. I ate it cold, too.
I wash the dishes and put them away where I think they are supposed to go.
I walk to the living room.
Jacob is stretched out on the couch. There is only one other chair, and it doesn't look comfortable. The game is nearly over. I stand at the doorway the whole time.
When it ends, Jacob jumps off of the couch and asks me if I'm ready to go.
"Yes." I reply in a small, quiet tone. He nods and takes up his raincoat. I put mine on at the door, and we are off.
The mud is squishy under my feet. When I'm on the gravel, I almost slip.
Why does it feel so right? Why do I not miss the gravel crunching? I tell myself that it's the adrenaline from almost falling on my face, and I don't really feel this way. Now get into the car, Ell.
When we're strapped in, Jacob tries to start conversation. I listen but do not reply.
"So, you're Charlie's niece? Is it nice to have an uncle? I wouldn't know, my parents were both only children. Do you have a big brother or sister that has moved out?" He waits about a minute or so after each answer, and talks slowly. I'm not a child! I want to scream at him, but I don't because it would be a wasted breath of air. He's already made up his mind about me.
"We're going to my friends house. Your cousin lives there. Charlie will be there, and a whole bunch of my friends. They're all connected, all family. It's like a big family reunion, only with two families. It happens all the time, since Charlie can't really cook."
I tuned him out, because I didn't really care. I looked out my window. The trees were so tall that they had a danger about falling over and killing us. I couldn't see the sky, and everything was green. All the leaves were green. No scratchy dry leaves that hurt when you walk under their downpour.
I could only miss the beautiful multi-colored trees back home. How the red and yellow and orange ones looked like they were on fire when in front of the sun. How the purple and blue and green and brown ones put me to calm.
And oh how I miss the gray trunks.
We turn off of the highway and head onto the path just big enough for a car to fit into. The trees guide us, and soon we are in a clearing with a beautiful white, brown and black house. It reminds me of the house in the cartoon I used to watch, Kim Possible.
Weird.
I get out and shut the door and walk full-speed power walk to the house. The front door opens before I can knock, and a young woman with red-brown hair and a kind, gentle motherly look about her steps out. She is pale and has golden eyes. Her beautiful face is now embedded into my brain. Now her face will be in my head for the whole night.
I blame photographic memory.
I noted all this in five seconds, and she finally took my hand in hers.
Her hands were a little colder than mine, and very hard. I think that the hardness is from working hard on keeping the house pretty and clean, since I walked in and it was the perfect house ever.
Her name is Esme, she says.
I was introduced to all of them.
Edward: Bronze hair, handsome face, gold eyes, Bella's husband and my cousin. Adopted by Esme and Carlisle.
Bella: Black curly hair, beautiful face, her bottom lip is smaller than the top, if only by a little, golden eyes, my cousin.
Renesmee: Bronze curly hair, beautiful face, and deep milky chocolate brown eyes, Bella and Edward adopted her. With Jacob.
Rosalie: Golden blond curly hair, most beautiful face here, with plump, red lips, golden eyes, adopted by Esme and Carlisle. With Emmett.
Emmett: Big and burly, black curly hair, golden eyes, perfect handsome face, adopted by Esme and Carlisle and with Rosalie.
Alice: Small and petite, pixy black hair that sticks out everywhere, golden eyes, beautiful face, adopted by Esme and Carlisle and with Jasper.
Jasper: Blond curly hair, beautiful face, golden eyes, adopted by Esme and Carlisle and with Alice.
Carlisle: Blond short hair, beautiful face, golden eyes, young, and with Esme.
I've decided that I like this family. They are all very beautiful and very smart looking and very polite, with the exception of Rosalie, but I understand why she's not so nice.
Someone is intruding into her life. I am. She doesn't like it, and she doesn't like the change. She wants everything to be normal, but then another person keeps that from happening.
All I said was "Hi" to all of them, and said, "Yes, please," when they asked if I would like to sit down.
Everybody pointed his or her attention to each other, forgetting all about me. Jacob's family will be here soon. Great, more "Hi"s. I sigh and lean into the comfort of the chair I'm sitting in. I let my mind wonder, but the Cullen's faces keep popping into my head. Go away! I say to them, in my dreams. Go away, and don't you ever come back! Not unless you can bring her back! Who? They ask. MOM!!!! MY MOTHER!!!!
"Are you okay, Ell?" A voice I recognize as Rosalie's, (surprisingly) asks. I open my eyes, and she is standing over me. I must have fallen asleep. They all stare at me worriedly, and I am uncomfortable.
"Yeah," I mumble, sitting up. No need to say, 'I just fell asleep,' because who wants to state the obvious?
I look around, and there are other people here. Native Americans, so this must be Jacob's family.
I stand up and Rosalie, (still standing by me,) catches me when I wobble. Spots explode in my eyes, and I am momentarily blinded. "Thanks," I mutter. She nods and walks back to Emmett when I'm standing straight.
I ask Esme where the bathroom is and follow her instructions exactly. Soon my head is in the toilet and I am spewing cold pasta. That's right—Charlie's a bad cook. I get up and rinse my mouth as much as I can. I rinse my face until there is nothing, just a slick nothing. No eyes to see, no nose to smell, no mouth to taste or talk.
I go back downstairs, and the Natives start introducing themselves. I don't know how many times I said, "Ell, and it's nice to meet you."
I go to the kitchen to get away from them, but there is someone in there, kissing someone else. I exit quickly and go through the back door for fresh air.
The air is so fresh here that I almost choke on it. I hear the door open again but don't turn.
"Hi, you must be the infamous Ell." A voice said, someone walking up to be in front of me. I don't answer—I've had enough hellos. I look down at my shoes when he is finally in front of me, and pretend he's not there. "I'm Seth."
His hand is in my eye line. I see but don't touch. He's an exhibit at the museum.
Don't scream. Don't scream. Don't scream. Don't scream…
His hand wavered then dropped. I stand still, waiting to be told off for not doing anything.
"I'm sorry for your loss. My dad died just last year, so I know what it's like." His voice is serious and this comment surprises me. I keep my head down.
He sighed and walked around me, to the door and put his hand on the knob. "Thank you." I say quietly, embarrassed when my voice cracks. I don't like to be caught having an emotional meltdown.
"You're very welcome." He said just before going inside. I sit down by the stream and pull my legs to my chest, wrapping my arms around my knees. I set my head down and cried, just cried and cried and cried.
After a while it starts to rain, and a man I don't recognize but guess to be Charlie came outside to pull me back in.
I was so embarrassed that I kept my head down the whole entire time. His arm was around my shaking shoulders and he rubbed him hand up and down up and down in a soothing way. It was warm inside. I went straight to the bathroom and heard Charlie (or who I imagine is Charlie) sigh behind me. I went in and closed the door locking it.
I washed my face again in hope to make the red blotchy spots disappear. It took five minutes, and I dried my face. I walked back out with my head down in shame, expecting to be scolded for the emotional overflow. When I came back in though, no one did that and I felt someone take my arm. I looked up in surprise to find a pale tall man with a mustache.
Esme called him Charlie. I knew it. I looked back down without meeting anyone else's eyes. I just knew Rosalie was scolding me. I just knew it.
"Come on, let's head on home." He said pulling me along. I followed obediently, head still turned to the floor. I got into his cruiser. He was a policeman. We drove home and I took a shower and got in bed. I fell asleep quickly.