Thank you to everyone who's read, followed, favorited and reviewed!

Ao3: SpenceBox (this fic is NOT posted there)

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

With a Hint of Desperation

The truck that Billy had given Bella wasn't terrible, but it sure as hell wasn't good. It could be described as rustic, and the best thing she could say about it that was it started. The color on the outside was less than desirable but then again, it ran and that was all they needed to get to and from school. It truly was a rust bucket.

"I can practically feel your judgment. Just say it." Abby snorted. "Are you sure we'll make it there?" A nod from Bella. "Alive?"

Bella took one hand off the wheel to slap her shoulder and both of them let out a snicker. It was a wet day in Forks; the ground was covered in a thin layer of ice that would never see the chance to melt away, as the sun seemed to have an issue with making an appearance. It was the polar opposite of Florida and she was almost thankful she would never have to feel the humid Sarasota air in the middle of the night.

And the scenery was something out of this world. There were miles upon miles of lush green trees and a forest that must've expanded hundreds of thousands of acres. And the smell of fresh-dewed pines was a scent she would never tire of. Now seeing as she'd only been there a day there was no way to tell if the woods were safe or not. She'd give her left kidney to take a stroll through the tall stumps.

The streets were empty as Bella drove on, and Abby took in the still closed shops that lined the sidewalks. It was nice to see small locally owned store; Florida had started to become filled with a Starbucks on every corner and the small houses had become condo upon condo. This was a change of scenery.

"So, what's there to do for fun around here?"

"I only have 24 hours on you Abs. I know just as much as you. Maybe even less." Abby shook her head and disagreed. "But you've been here more recently than I have-"

"Recently as in when I was 12?" Abby narrowed her eyes; Touché Bella. The rest of the drive was pretty quiet, both girls not having much to say. They both just watched the trees.

Bella pulled into the Forks High School parking lot and Abby took it all in. There were gaggles of students spread across the wide span of cement, and she could practically see the cliques. The jocks were by the front door – and of course they were wearing their jerseys because why not- and were eyeing the cheerleaders a few feet away- who all donned matching pom poms with short skirts.

It was all very TV show high school to be honest. Abby slid from the truck and waited as Bella came around. They walked- and people stared- into the High School entrance. Bella directed her to the office to get her first day class slip to have signed.

"Can I see?" Abby handed her the schedule. They had lunch and gym together, but that was it. It was better than nothing,

"Trig? When did you get so smart?" Abby snorted and shoved her cousin. "Oh please Bella, under this skin lays a genius." Bella went to quip when a spunky Korean boy ran in front of them.

"Bella! How you been? And who's this? I'm Eric- the eyes and ears of this school and I'll tell you what I told Bella, you're news baby." He held out his hand with a sun bright smile and she would've felt bad if she didn't shake it, so she did and boy did his eyes light up like a tree on Christmas.

He shook her hand for a little too long, and luckily Bella could sense the awkwardness. "Actually I'll uh, see you at lunch. Abby too." Bella grabbed her hand and tugged Abby away from a smiling Eric who practically yelled 'Bye Abby!'.

"Please tell me everyone isn't like that."

"You think he's bad? Wait till you see-"

"Bella! You didn't tell us you had a cousin! Is she from Arizona too- Are you from Arizona? Hi, I'm Jessica, Jessica Stanley. It's great to meet you, practically another Bella. Can't get too many of those right?" Abby stared dumbfounded across the lunch table.

Bella had given her a quick rundown of the small group of people who had latched onto her side. Jessica- overzealous pretentious condescending girl with the shadiest smile, Mike- horn dog for Bella, Angela- bit of a mouse but reminded her of Esther, Tyler- idiot?, and Eric- who she'd already met.

They sounded like a mash up of good and bad on paper but in real life, they were something else. Jessica had sat down and immediately went off about how some girl named Lauren had taken her spot in the Math Decathlon – or something like that, she was talking so fast it was hard to follow- and would now be slightly at risk of not being Valedictorian next year. Mike seemed to hang off her every word and Angela seemed to be in her head, picking at her sandwich.

Abby was giving Bella the look of 'save me' when Jessica promptly closed her mouth and stared over Abby's shoulder. In fact, everyone at the table was staring. "Uhm guys?"

She turned around and tried not to gawk. Who the hell are they?

"Who the hell are they?" Jessica whipped around and glared like she'd committed a cardinal sin. The rest of the table turned back as Jessica gave Abby the run down, " They're the Cullens."

Oh. So these were the people Bella had mentioned last night.

"You talk about them like I'm supposed to know who they are. Do you?"

"Well duh. They're the Cullens. Their dad Carlisle Cullen- he's basically the one doctor in the whole town- and his wife adopted them all. But like, they're together. Like, together together."

Abby turned around and looked at the table that held the Cullens. There was a big one who looked like he did not belong on high school, and he had his arm on the shoulders of a stunningly beautiful blonde. Next to them was a short haired girl who seemed to have the biggest smile on her face, and was next to a blonde haired man who was more beautiful than the female blonde.

He was textbook hot, like really hot.

"Yo Jess, who's that one?" Jessica looked and pursed her lips. "Edward? Don't waste your time." Bella chimed in "I think she means Jasper. Right?"

"Jasper?"

As if he could hear her- which he sure as hell couldn't because he was all the way across the room- looked up from his plate to stare directly at her. He had golden eyes- which was different but he seemed to swim in being different. She swallowed as he held her gaze, a want to drown in gold filling her stomach. Who was this guy?

He broke the contact when the girl next to him touched his shoulder, leaning up and whispering in his ear words that Abby wished she could understand. They both stood and briskly walked from the cafeteria, leaving three people- the boy and girl couple and a bronze haired guy that was probably Edward.

"Don't mind him. He always looks like he's in pain so it would be no shock if he actually was." Jessica went back to her Math story and Abby shot Bella a look. Lunch ended fairly quickly, and the two girls made their way to gym, which would, without a doubt, be actual hell.

"Are you sure you need to do this?"

"You weren't there Abs. He looked at me like I was filth." Abby tried to keep up with her cousin as she rushed down the hall to the main office, determined to get switched out of Bio because of certain Edward Cullen. Apparently, he had spent today's class- and yesterdays- practically glaring holes at her cousin-, which was kinda fucked up in her book. She'd have to give this Edward guy a talk.

"You sure you don't just wanna ignore him till the end of days? Or egg him?" Bella gave her a look that could murder puppies and opened the office door but stopped in the doorway.

"No, every other class is full. I'm sorry but you have to stay in Biology." Edward grunted something and she shook her head. "Fine. I'll just endure it." He shouldered past Bella and quickly strolled down the hall and out the main door.

What a dick.

"What a dick."

"How was the first day? I need to murder anyone?" Charlie cut into his too big to be real steak and took a massive chunk out with his teeth. The three of them were at the diner again and Abby had ordered the same burger and fries with a Pepsi.

"It was high school. Everyone is full of crap and gym still sucks. But murder? I might hold you to that…" She let her sentence hang and took a big bite of meat and bun, savoring in the juicy goodness of fatty foods.

"How bout you Bells? You met that Newton boy? His dad was in the office today- something about stolen equipment or whatever- mentioned he wouldn't be against hiring you." A cough from Abby. "Either of you. Maybe even both."

Bella vehemently shook her head, chocolate curls going haywire. "Abby can have it. Mike is a little too much for me and I wasn't looking for a job, for now at least. And besides, I think Mike likes you. More than me at least."

Now Abby didn't take Bella for a liar but she sure was being a goddam liar right about now. But was Abby mean enough to play her game?

Yes.

"So Bella how's Edward? He apologized for being a dick or what?" Charlie dropped his knife and stared at Bella with the 'what the hell is she talking about' look. Bella went beet red and looked to make an escape but the only way would be to hop the table and run out the door and Bella wasn't wild enough for that.

"He's a guy at school. A Cullen."

"Cullen? One of Carlisle's boys picking on you? I'll drive by the hospital tomorrow to give him a good chat. Get him to straighten his boy out-"

"No Charlie, it's fine, really. He just had an off day. It's fine." He didn't seem convinced but let it go, digging back into his juicy steak.

"Charlie? I'll be outside for a little bit so don't lock the door or anything. I'll lock up when I come back in." She heard him grunt in affirmative as she stepped outside, closing the door behind. She walked forward a few steps on the soft grass before sitting on the not so dewy ground.

The cell rung for a few minutes before it was picked up.

"Ay! She lives! I was beginning to think your plane had gone down and I was never gonna see you again. Hell, I was basically planning your funeral."

"How's life without me Sammy? Cold? Depressing?" Her friend scoffed on the other line.

"Practically unbearable Abs. I'm so goddam lonely now. With you gone, and Esther not coming back any time soon, I'm just… here." Abby could hear the sadness in her friends voice and wished she could hug her through the phone.

"I miss you too Sammy. God, I wish you were here. I think you'd like it. The high schoolers are full of shit but there is this one family and let me just say, you'd be obsessed with them."

"Oooh, tell me about them. Are they hot? Or mysterious? Wait wait, they're misunderstood but have hearts of gold. Am I close? Too on the nose?"

They both let out chuckles, "You're actually not too far off. They seem to keep to themselves- almost like they have something to hide. And one of them was a dick to Bella so they're not completely perfect. But one of them is crazy hot. Like 'how on earth can you be that hot' hot."

"A name Abs, give me the wretched name."

She remembered Jessica's voice saying it. "Jasper. Jasper Cullen"

"Jasper. Like Casper? Is he Jasper the friendly ghost?" Abby snorted and they both gave into laughter. It was nice, for the two friends so far apart to feel so close. They needed this, more than ever. But Abby knew she had to ask, even if Sam would hate to hear it.

"How's Alan? Have there been any news reports about a local hulk with Sharon's clothes roaming the streets?"

Abby could practically feel her friends distaste at the topic change, "They're just as bad as when you left. I passed by and saw Alan throwing Sharon's shit on the lawn and Sharon was-" She heard Sam take a deep breath and exhale angrily.

"She was putting up posters. Again." Abby felt her lip quiver a bit as her memories took her back to things best not thought.

"Did Alan take them down? He should because it's not good-"

"Abby, I took em down. I told my mom and we both did. It's not good for Sharon, Alan, or anyone really to have em up. Just a guilt trip n a half."

Sharon had put the posters up years ago; everyone in Sarasota knew about Sharon because of the damn missing posters that she splayed on everyone's door, begging them to find her. And even after all these years with nothing, she couldn't just let it rest. Abby had let it go along time ago-

A twig snapped to her right, just beyond the forest line. Her head sharply turned, eyes searching the dark trees, but seeing nothing but black.

"Abby? Abs you there?"

"Yeah yeah, just… thought I heard something." Her eyes never strayed from the trees. "It's pretty late, I should get to bed, got school in the morning."

"Sure thing Abs. I'll hit you up tomorrow or later this week. Gotta make sure Forks is treating you good. Nighty Night."

"Night." She snapped the phone shut and squinted harder at the trees. In her bones, or maybe some instinct she had, told her that she was being watched. By who or what, she didn't know. But something….

"Abby! It's a school night. Hurry up!" She turned and raced inside, flinching at another snap of twig, turning the doorknob and slamming it behind, staring out the door window. It was still there, whatever it was, watching her. She felt like the prey; even within the walls of her new home, at this moment a predator was watching her.

Abby backed away slowly and raced upstairs, yelling a 'goodnight' to Charlie before closing her bedroom door. Her eyes shot to the open windows and closed them immediately.

She was sure she'd closed them before she'd come downstairs; she hated sleeping in the cold.

"It's all in your head Abs. It's all in your head." A quick change of clothes and a taming of wild curls left Abby lying in her bed, under her covers, staring at the ceiling. It was a big bed, big enough for two. Her hand swept across the empty space.

That night she dreamt she drowned in gold.