Chapter 2: The Watcher
The week pressed on, and all Katrina wanted to do was go back to the garden. It seemed to consume her thought this week. She didn't understand why it was soo important to her right now. She had other things on her mind too. It was just... Well, she didn't know what it was, exactly. But she knew that she wanted a break, and going back to her only place of refuge seemed like a good idea.
People were always bugging her; crowding her. And at school, it was made even worse for her. But it was Friday at last, and her homeroom teacher had already given out report cards to everyone. Most of the other teens just hid them somewhere, or threw them in the trach can on their way out. But not Kat. She had straight A's, as usual. She didn't even bother to glance at the black and white card when the teacher handed it to her. She knew what it said, and so did all the others. It was just wishful thinking that made them all look at their grades, and then cringe when reality hit them hard. Katrina was different.
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As she was leaving the school, she noticed her boyfriend Max walk up to greet her just outside the double doors. He had dyed his hair brown, and it suited him more than the black ever had. Hazel-green eyes shown brightly from his angular, somewhat handsome face. Kat thought he was okay. But he was more like a trophy boyfriend than anything else. She didn't really care as much for him as he did for her, and it was becoming more and more obvious to her every day. But Max didn't seem to notice.
"Hey Kat," The one who had given her her nickname smiled cheerily. It almost sickened her. "Where you going?"
"Home." She kept walking.
"Want me to walk you home?"
She shrugged.
They walked on in silence, the sound of their shoes hitting the pavement being the only sound between the two. Her house was not a long way from their school, so it wasn't really much of a walk, anyway. it took about fifteen minutes, and by then, they were smiling at each other pleasantly, but saying nothing. They had already talked about pretty much everything there was to talk about anyway. Everything, that is, except for one thing: their relationship. It was somewhat of a taboo topic for them. They were like that.
And when they reached her house, her Aunt was sitting out on the front porch.
"I wouldn't go inside if I were you," She whispered to Katrina. "Henry's been drinking again... So how was your day at school?"
"It was fine. Here."
She handed her the report card, and Hilda just looked it over, and smiled. "Such good grades. You must get that from your father's side of the family. Well, have fun, you two. Just try not to stay out late, like you did last weekend. You know that always upsets your Uncle."
"Yeah, sure."
Was she being pushed into spending time with her boyfriend? It certainly sounded like it. Oh well, Kat accepted it, and would try to make the best of it. She left her backpack on the porch, knowing her Aunt would take care of it, and walked away with Max in tow.
"So what do you wanna do?" He asked her, shyly.
"Well..." Kat thought about it for a moment. She wanted to be with him, but on the other hand, her heart knew what it needed. "I kind of think I need some alone time today."
He just looked at her, hurt.
"Please don't be that way!" The goth girl whined, hating his accusing eyes. "I see you at school every day. And I've spent alot of time around people lately. I just need some space, it's nothing personal."
"I can tell when you're being honest, Kat. I always could. It's no big deal, just go and do whatever it is you do when you're alone."
Then Max smiled, and wandered off, pretending not to care. But she knew it was just a facade. He had been hurt, if only for a moment. She did care for him, but she just wanted to go back to her garden, where she could be free. It was almost poetic, how she felt so drawn to it.
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In her happy place at last, Kat leaned against one of the stone pillars that occupied the lower end of the garden. She had that old feeling of being watched again. She liked to think that Angels or Faeries were watching over her when she was in the garden. But today it felt... funny. No real reason or explanation, it just did.
It was with that fleeting thought, that she saw someone walking toward her. Kat was surprised, to say the least. No one else was supposed to be here! Not that they couldn't, but it was just that no one ever came to this place; it was her haven.
"H-hi," Said a calm and gentle voice. The word was spoken like a whisper on the wind, and she wasn't even sure she had heard anything at all.
"What are you doing here?" She tried to sound calm, but this guy had some serious weapons in his arsenal, apparently. Were those steak knives?! She knew she should be freaked out, but oddly, she wasn't.
"I l-live here."
"Oh," She didn't have a clue what to say.
A tall figure stood only a few feet from her. His black hair was a tangled mess, above his pale features. Kat didn't pay much attention to the scars, but she did wonder how he got them. If someone had done that to him, then it was no wonder he acted so frightened. So this was the man who lived in the castle... She had expected someone... else. There were tons of stories surrounding this place, but this was getting weird. 'Wait... Are those his... hands?!' She stared at them, her ice blue eyes going wide.
"When will you be back?"
"What?"
"I s-said... When are you coming back?"
He looked manacing, but his voice was so... gentle. Kat almost felt sorry for him. Had he been the one watching her for all this time? "Tomorrow, I guess. Tomorrow is Saturday, so I can do whatever I want."
Dark eyes lit up brightly. She wanted to come here?! For some reason, that made Edward happy. He could tell this girl was different. "You l-like it here?"
"Have you been watching me?" He waited a long time, and then nodded. "What's your name?"
"Edward."
"Well, Edward... My name's Katrina. But you can call me Kat."
She extended a hand to shake his, and then realized her grievous error. 'Oops... I've so got to remember not to do that!' He looked sad when she did that, so she took her hand back. So her worst fears were confirmed, the dude did have scissors, or- or something!- for hands. That was just plain weird...
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Kat really didn't see him as much of a threat. She decided to continue her day in the garden anyway, just as she normally would. He followed her around in silence, and she found she almost enjoyed his company. He certainly was not what she was used to. Edward just watched her with a curious expression on his face.
"Are we f-friends?" He had asked her at one point.
"Yes," She had smiled back at hime. "Yes, we are."
Eventually, she sensed it was starting to get sort of late, so Kat told him goodbye, and reminded him that she would see him tomorrow. Edward smiled, and did not offer her a response, but instead went back into his castle.
Katrina walked home, in a dazed state, wondering if it were all some kind of bizarre dream. She had already decided not to tell anyone about Edward. The world was not ready to handle the truth. It was, after all, the same world that shunned her very existence from the time she was born, up until now.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Edward, or anything from the movie. But I do own Katrina, and all the other OCs.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Not many people are reading this story, but to the few who do: I love you! And I hope you like this story. It would be nice to get some reviews knowing what you think, though. So please R&R! This is my first E.S. fic, so be kind, Lol. Hah, I surprised you, didn't I? Edward is in the fic already, yay! And he and Kat share an unusual... bond. That's all I will say for now. I have noticed that the E.S. fandom here on FFnet is kind of lacking. I hope to change all that. Maybe... Well, I can try, anyway. I hope this story touches at least one person, b/c if it does, then I have done my job! -Kaline Reine