Author's Note: Okay, second update! For starters, I understand that the Prologue was very short, but the prologue is always the exception. I try and keep my chapters at least with 4000 words, so no worries. Also, just in case you guys were wondering, it will be explained, ha ha... Maybe not in this chapter, but slowly: it's key to the story. Hope that helps, shaybay55, first reader to review! This is actually my second Twilight fanfiction but is the first one I've published online. I'm working on getting the old one up (give me until the end of the holidays), but until then, you have this one. It's different from the kind of writing my readers are used to reading, but I feel that in order to grow as a writer, you need to learn about other styles. If you want to continue reading, please review! I work and study full-time, and really, if I don't get any reviews, I don't write anything. Plain and simple, that's how it is! Hope you all enjoy!
The sound of the car door closing held with it the finality of a coffin being nailed shut.
As the red Mustang drove away she took a deep breath and looked up at Cremshaw Academy. At first it had looked like a monastery with its tall stone walls, but once her grandfather had driven through the gates it had felt like a university. She tightened her grip on her backpack and gulped, trying to calm her nerves. There was no way to tell if it was the building itself that scared her or the prospect of being away from her family for the first time, but either way, she found herself frozen to the spot.
A tall blonde walked out the main building then. She moved like royalty and looked like a model from her shiny hair to her perfectly groomed appearance. Hoping to meet her halfway, she bent down and got a good grip on her trunk. It turned out that the girl was a very fast walker.
"Welcome to Cremshaw, Miss Hunt," the girl greeted, extending her hand. Her English accent was clear and refined. "I'm Sophie Tiller, Head of Elizabeth Hall where you'll be staying."
She wiped the dust off her hands on her jeans before gripping the girl's hand. "Carline Hunt," she greeted. "Just call me Car."
"I trust you had a good trip from Cuba?"
"Puerto Rico, actually," Carline corrected. "And yes, the trip went smoothly, thank you."
Sophie nodded. "Well then, let me show you up to our hall. My brother will be here shortly to help take your..." She trailed off as her eyes focused on something in the distance. "Well then, it seems that for once he's punctual." Carline looked over her shoulder to see somebody running in their direction from across the field. Sophie motioned for Carline to follow her and led her towards the main building. "Come on, let me show you to the Hall. The Welcoming Committee did a very good job of decorating it this year..."
Students began to arrive about an hour or so before supper.
Jasper and Alice sat together on a rocking chair in front of the guest house and watched as, one by one, the lights in the residence hall windows came to life. The distant chatter of students greeting each other and talking about the weekend's activities could be heard clearly to the two vampires, and with a sigh, Alice dropped her head back against Jasper's shoulder. He tightened his hold around her body and pulled her closer.
The two didn't need to speak. Alice knew of Jasper's normal worries and his constant battle with his thirst; Jasper knew she was worried about Renesmee. They didn't speak but comforted each other in silence. Alice could hear Renesmee and Emmett discussing what could be expected from school in the morning while Renesmee packed a suitcase with some clothes. Edward and Bella went into the room then to help. It didn't take telepathy to know that Edward wasn't comfortable with Renesmee's decision to sleep in the residence halls instead of the guest house with the family.
"It will be too conspicuous if I get special treatment," she'd reasoned when the subject had first been brought up on Friday. "I need to blend in."
"Your classmates are already going to notice that our family is treated differently," Edward had reminded her. He hadn't been the only one to try and convince her to change her mind; almost everybody in the family was opposed to her being away from them for any measure of time. It seemed that Alice and Emmett were the only ones who didn't have a problem with her spending the sleeping hours in a room full of humans.
"She'll be taking all of her classes with me or Bella," Alice had said in her niece's defense. "Jacob will keep an eye on her during PE, and during break she'll be with all of us. It's only fair that she be allowed to socialize with other girls her age."
Renesmee had made it clear that she wasn't trying to get away from anybody, but even so, she'd stood firm in her decision. Alice smiled to herself as the halfling closed the top of her suitcase with a sense of finality and started to drag it to the door. She'd truly grown in the past eight years; she'd mastered human mannerisms faster than anyone else in the family had, and if Edward's analysis was at all correct, she had her thirst well under control. Renesmee said her goodbyes to the family and Edward and Bella accompanied her to the door.
Alice pecked her mate on the cheek and stood up. Renesmee and her parents stepped out the front door then. The girl looked at her aunt with an excited smile on her face. "Are you sure you're ready?" Alice asked teasingly, knowing full-well that the girl would explode if she had to wait a moment longer. She nodded vigorously and turned to her parents, throwing her arms around the both of them. They whispered their I love you's and goodbyes.
Alice took a hold of the suitcase handle and held out an arm for Renesmee. The two girls started the walk to the residence halls. The sun had set a while ago so Alice didn't have to worry about walking through the forest to get to the buildings. Once they reached the Main Hall everything would be indoors; even the separate buildings were connected by hallways bordered with special double-paned glass windows that wouldn't let the sun shine through. That was the reason they'd chosen Cremshaw Academy: it was 100% vampire-friendly. It would be the first time they'd live together in a place as crowded as London, but the Headmaster had assured them that they could live normal lives there without being exposed.
Renesmee touched Alice's hand and showed her everything she hoped for from the school: friends she could tell almost anything to, teachers who could show her new things, spending time with Jacob as a normal teenager... Alice hugged her niece with a free arm and smiled. She was happy for her.
The hallways were emptying as students hurried to supper. As always, they stared as the two girls passed by and kept a certain amount of distance; that was nature telling them that there was a predator in their midst. Alice could only hope that Renesmee's dream wouldn't be shattered when it proved difficult to get close to the majority of people. Bella had been one of the few exceptions that hadn't been scared for her own safety, but then again, she'd been head over heals in love with Edward. Hopefully there would be at least one person that Renesmee could get close to in the school.
They reached Elizabeth Hall and walked past the proctor sitting at the front desk keeping watch. Renesmee pulled a long chain off from around her neck and used the key dangling from it to open the door to the staircase. They climbed up the stone steps to the second floor and reached a common room with scattered tables for studying and couches for lounging. Everything was decorated with the green and gold colors of the Academy and above the fireplace was the school crest, an eagle with its wings spread wide over a river.
"It's beautiful!" Renesmee exclaimed. With a cry of delight she spun around in a circle, her flowing knee-length skirt lifting up with her. Her curly copper-colored hair flew behind her, almost reaching as far out as her outspread arms. She was a petite little thing, and with that smile on her face, she looked positively angelic. She stopped and heaved a content sigh before skipping to her room.
Alice could hear movement in the room before Renesmee opened the door. She immediately greeted the girl inside and introduced herself as Renesmee, but to please call her Nessie. It took a moment for the girl to speak, so Alice peeked around the door to get a look at the new roommate.
She stood at about five feet five inches and had a guarded look on her face. Her incredibly long hair reached past her waist and curled at the end even with the rich brown locks held back in a ponytail. With a tight smile she crossed the threshold and held out her hand for Renesmee to shake. Her nails were clipped short and she wore several braided leather bracelets on her wrist. As for her clothes, she was dressed very simply: blue jeans and a white t-shirt that ended just above a thick leather belt. Alice was surprised to see a penny-sized tattoo on the inside of the girl's palm, but wasn't allowed to see it as Renesmee placed her hand in the girl's and shook it firmly.
"Carline," the girl said. "Carline Hunt." A gasp escaped Alice before she could stop herself. The girl seemed to have been expecting that reaction and smiled a sheepish smile. "I'm guessing you've heard, then."
Renesmee looked at her aunt questioningly but the psychic vampire had already surged forward, hand held out to shake Carline's. "I thought you were living in the Caribbean?" Alice asked, her smile spreading wide.
"My father retired, so we all moved in with my grandfather over here," she said. "How did you hear about me?"
"I went to your expo in New York and have been following your work ever since," Alice explained. "My boyfriend even purchased your painting, The Rescue, two years back."
"Then it's an even greater pleasure to meet you...?"
"Alice Braxton," she finished for her. "My sister, Bella, and I are living with Professor Carlisle and his family for the moment."
"He's my dad," Renesmee said, barely suppressing the urge to giggle at the cover story. "So, you two know each other?"
"Carline here is an artistic prodigy," Alice began. "You know that painting Jasper gave me for my birthday?"
"The one with the girl in the river?"
"Yes, that one. She painted it when she was only thirteen years old."
Renesmee's jaw dropped and she stared at Carline disbelievingly. "That's amazing!"
"Thanks," Carline said quietly, shifting from foot to foot. Catching onto her discomfort, Renesmee quickly changed the subject.
"It looks like we're going to be roommates from now on then, right, Caroline?" Renesmee said cheerfully, looking around at the room. Unlike the common room, this one was decorated with red and gold curtains and with long rolls of sheer fabric bordering the walls, giving the air of an Arabian palace. It was obvious that Carline hadn't been the one to decorate.
"Um, it's Carline," she corrected carefully. "You know, Car plus Line, Caroline-without-the-o... Just call me Car."
"Okay!" Renesmee agreed. "Which bed is yours?"
Carline turned around and motioned to the twin-sized bed farthest from the door. There were two beds on either side of the room, three of which were already dressed. The only unclaimed bed was the one between Carline's and the bathroom. Renesmee took her suitcase from her aunt and plopped it on the bed, declaring that it was hers. "Okay, then! Ready for supper?" Renesmee asked, giving Alice a knowing look.
Carline walked over to her bed and took something down from over the headboard, placing it carefully into the bedside drawer. Alice could see just before the girl put it away that it was an authentic dream catcher. She picked a necklace up from the bed and pulled it over her head, tucking it underneath her shirt. It was another Native American token, but this one she didn't recognize. Judging by the girl's light tan skin and oval-shaped face, however, she wasn't Native American herself. She was slender but not as slender as Renesmee and had delicate curves. It was clear that she was someone who had traveled a lot in her lifetime, hence her openness to cultures different from her own.
She was an interesting one, alright...
Walking to the cafeteria with the two girls, Carline tried her best to keep a smile as she contemplated all that had happened over the past week. Renesmee and Alice were very nice and kept up a good conversation, but even as she answered their questions, her mind kept drifting back to her brothers, parents and grandfather settling in twenty minutes away. It was the first time she'd be living away from them, and needless to say, she was feeling somewhat jumpy in the new environment.
Tropics to London- it wasn't necessarily the most common change of scenery, but as she'd told Alice, her father had retired from the American Air Force and wanted to be close to his adoptive father. Within a week of her grandfather's offer to let them live with him in Cremshaw, London, they'd already started to pack, and less than twelve days later, she was where she was, in London's most prestigious arts high school. It was funny how life worked. As a breeze blew through the outdoor hall, Carline immediately regretted not bringing a jacket from her room and rubbed her arms to warm them.
"So, what department are you in?" Renesmee asked suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts.
Not wanting to sound like a smart-ass, Carline decided not to answer without any sarcasm. "Visual Arts," she said instead. Alice gave her a grateful look that said she knew how obvious the answer had been. Carline got the feeling that they were more like sisters than just friends. "What about you guys?"
"Choir," they answered at the same time, smiling at each other. "We're sopranos."
"That's great," Carline commented, nodding. "Is it your first year here?"
"Yup, we just transferred from Washington," Renesmee said.
"DC or Washington state?"
"State."
"It's beautiful over there," Carline said quietly. They reached the cafeteria and made the line for dinner, each grabbing a tray and filling up their plates themselves before walking to a table close to the windows. As they ate, Carline looked around at the building with awe. The architecture of the Academy was amazing with its arced windows and stone walls, a close cross between a castle and a university. Everything was decorated with the colors green and gold and banners hung along all the walls, announcements for school activities and greetings from the many school organizations.
"So, are you staying for the festival this weekend?" Alice quipped. Her food was completely untouched, a detail that didn't go unnoticed by Carline. The festival Alice was referring to was the festival all of the organizations were throwing to welcome the new school term and to motivate the new students to get involved. She shrugged and swallowed a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
"I guess so," she answered noncommittally. "Depends on how I feel Friday."
"You want to go be with your family, right?" Renesmee said, understanding clear in her voice. Carline nodded.
"We just moved here, so I kinda don't want to be away from them for too long."
"Ah, the new kids!"
A booming voice from behind her made Carline jump and whorl around, alarm on her face. A tall, huge man with short brown hair grinned at her and settled in the empty chair between her and Renesmee, draping his arm against the back of Renesmee's chair. "How are my two girls doing?"
"Must you always make such an entrance?" Alice scolded. Her voice held deep affection despite the admonishment. "You're scaring our new friend."
"Emmett, this is Carline. She's one of my roommates," Renesmee said excitedly. "Car, this is Emmett, my step brother."
Emmett turned to Carline with a smile that held a hint of mischief. "Did you just say Car, like the thing you drive?" Carline suppressed a groan and he laughed outright. "Wow, that's great! I can make so many jokes about that one!"
The rest of dinner carried on in that fashion. Renesmee and Carline ate while Alice and Emmett talked and asked questions. Emmett's cell phone rang and he answered quickly. He exchanged about a sentence or two with the person on the other line before hanging up. "Alice, we've gotta go. Family meeting," he said, rolling his eyes. Alice nodded and kissed Renesmee on the cheek before getting to her feet. "See ya later!"
Carline watched them go and then laid her eyes on Renesmee. She couldn't help but notice a sense of panic cross the girl's face and touched her shoulder. "You alright?" she asked. Renesmee's eyes widened and she quickly pulled on a smile.
"Yeah, of course!" she said hurriedly, but then stood up. "Um, I'll see you later, okay? I forgot to ask Alice something..." And then she was gone. Carline concluded that they were a strange family. Gathering everything onto her tray, she got to her feet and made her way to the trash bins.
She hadn't made it twenty feet when someone came behind her and lifted the tray out of her hands. She stopped and raised a questioning brow at the person in question, only to have her breath catch when she saw him. He was beautiful. He stood at about five-foot-ten with broad shoulders and well-toned arms; even with the academic shirt and gray vest that made up part of the school uniform, she could see that the rest of his body was as well-built. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged, friendliness exuding from his every pore along with confidence ; a strange combination, if she did say so herself. His pearly teeth reminded her of a Labrador, which just so happened to be one of her favorite breeds of dog.
"I was raised to help a lady in need." When she didn't say anything in argument, he took it as a signal to introduce himself. "The name's David."
She blinked twice and cleared her throat, finally catching on to the social cue that it was her turn to speak. "Carline."
"It's a pleasure." They walked side by side to the trash bins where he threw out the garbage and placed the tray on the rack. He held open the door to the hallway in a very gentlemanly fashion. "Shall I escort you to your Hall?" he asked with exaggerated formality. She smiled and nodded, feeling a touch of pink cross her cheeks. He walked at a polite distance next to her as she made her way to Elizabeth Hall. "So, I believe you've already met my sister," he began, breaking the silence.
"Renesmee?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, Sophie. She's the Head Girl of Elly Hall." That was when Carline saw certain resemblances: dark eyes and light hair, perfect posture, perfect grooming... Was everyone in London so cookie-cutter perfect, or was it just those two?
"Yeah, she showed me around," Carline said quietly. Suddenly he barked a laugh.
"Don't worry, you can say it," he encouraged. "She swears she's a queen. I keep telling her she needs to loosen up, but she just doesn't listen." Carline felt her cheeks turn red and he snickered. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm a terrible brother."
"Trust me, you could be worse." The words slipped out before she could stop them, so of course they caught his attention.
"Do I detect family problems?" he asked, his tone half teasing and half serious. She shook her head vigorously and waved a hand.
"No, not at all," she said honestly. "My brothers are the best."
"No sisters?"
"No, just an older brother and two younger ones."
"Lord bless your luck." This time she couldn't stop a smile from breaking out on her face. "How old are they?"
"Mike's only six months older than me but he advanced a year in elementary school and just started college," she began, ticking off the three boys on her fingers. "He's actually my cousin, but his father died when he was six so my dad adopted him; Lucas is fourteen and going to an all-boys school; Micah's only five years old, but he's a sweetheart."
"That's nice," he commented, and strangely enough, he sounded like he meant it. "Sophie's my stepsister. Our parents meet at a school conference, fell in love, and remarried ten years ago. They're gone most of the time and we're always here, so thankfully we don't see each other much."
"It happens." She noticed a poster on the wall and moved toward it curiously. "My father used to travel a lot, but then my mom..." She trailed off as she read the caption under a black and white photo. She felt her heart rate pick up and clenched her jaw to keep a hold on her emotions. David came up next to her and nodded, obviously having seen the poster before.
"Yeah... Her name was Jane," he said seriously. The girl in the picture was pretty with a neat bob of light-colored hair and a heart-shaped face. The caption read: Jane Smith. 16 years old, light brown hair, brown eyes. Last seen August 2nd at Cremshaw Academy's Student Orientation, 5 PM. A phone number was printed at the bottom in red ink and the headline "MISSING" could catch the attention of anyone within a twenty-foot radius. Carline furrowed her brows and reached out to touch the poster, only to see that her hand was shaking.
"Don't speak of her in past tense. She's not dead," Carline argued. Her jaw dropped when he ripped the poster off the wall and marched away. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed angrily. "Her parents are looking for her!"
He stopped in front of a broom closet and motioned for her to walk over. Set in front of the door were several glass candles, small bunches of flowers and a framed photograph of the girl. Letters were pinned under the candles and a poster covered in signatures was taped to the door. "We'll Remember You Always!" was written in acrylic paint across the paper, surrounded by the many signatures of her friends, classmates and teachers. Carline's hand flew to her mouth and she stepped back.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. He didn't look at her; his eyes were fixed on the memorial altar.
"They found her body out by the trails," he continued in that same serious tone. "The only reason they found her was because this couple sneaked out to shag in the forest." Carline couldn't believe what she was hearing. Only a couple of hours before she'd been terrified to enter the new school; she couldn't even begin to imagine what the girl must have been thinking before she'd died. It definitely put everything into perspective.
"Do they know how she died?" she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. He shrugged, finally turning away from the alter.
"Blood loss," he answered. "Apparently she went out for a run, got injured and bled to death. The doctors said she was knocked out when she fell, so chances are she didn't even feel anything." He noticed the drain of color from her face and jerked his chin in the direction they'd been walking. "Come on, let's get you to Elly Hall. That's enough of sad stories for the night." She dutifully followed. They walked in silence until they reached the front desk where the vulture-like old woman that everyone referred to as "The Proctor" sat, her pale face looking even paler by the glow of her computer monitor.
Carline pulled her key out of her pocket and faced David, forcing a smile to hide how much the girl's death had thrown her. "Well, this is my stop," she said with fake cheeriness. Judging by the way he raised his brow, she figured he could see through her act. She slumped her shoulders and shook her head. "I didn't even know her. I don't have a right to feel sad."
He didn't say anything at first, but then he softly squeezed her shoulder to get her attention. "I don't know you either, but I get the feeling you know what it's like to lose somebody you love. It's not even that you're sad, it's that you know how bad everyone else is feeling." His tone wasn't as serious as it had been in front of the memorial site, but she had a feeling it wasn't a joke, either. "Don't let it get to you. She's gone now. You're here, I'm here, and that's what matters." There was a certain truth to his words that made her nod in agreement. "So, in the spirit of us both being here, I'm going to save you from my sister and escort you to your classes in the morning."
That caught her by surprise. "What?" she exclaimed, but he was already walking away, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Have a good night Carline Hunt," he called, waving over his shoulder. "I'll be here at seven o'clock sharp; don't be late!" She stared after him in confusion and awe; why was he being nice to her? She wasn't particularly good-looking and she knew for a fact that she was dressed in her most casual pair of jeans with her scruffiest sneakers. It also struck her that he knew her last name, but then it hit her: that had to be why he was talking to her. In the art world (at least back on the continental US) she'd been considered an artistic prodigy and was well-known in many different art scenes. It wouldn't strike her as a surprise if there were a handful of people in the Academy who had heard of her at some point or another.
A throaty chuckle from her left caught her attention. "You be careful with that one," the Proctor warned, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "When he falls for a girl, he falls hard. The Academy's golden boy, he is." Carline didn't allow herself to sputter for a response and busied herself with unlocking the staircase door. The woman's laughter seemed to follow her up the stairs as she took the steps two at a time and sprinted for her room.
David had been right about one thing: she did know what it was like to lose somebody. She'd lost Him eight years ago before she could even meet Him. Her soul mate, that is. That night, she dreamed of His first time riding a bike.
Author's Note:
I understand I wrote the Prologue in first-person and this chapter in third person- I am terribly sorry. My original plan was to write the whole story in first-person to pay respect to the original books, but it just wasn't happening. If you guys prefer first-person, let me know! And just to clear up any doubts, the person in the Prologue was Carline.
Please review!
