Chapter Three
EXPLORING FORKS
My second day at school was mostly a surreal blur. Most of the time I satisfied myself by learning (although now I was a vampire, it appeared I only had to look at a page for half a second and I'd read all of it, and I spent most of the time drumming my fingers on the desk), or spoke to Edward in my head. He gave me the answers to quizzes and sarcastic comments, and I tried not to chuckle out loud.
'You're making me laugh, they all think I'm crazy,' I thought.
I tried to concentrate on my Math test.
'Maybe you are,' Edward thought, 'You're hearing vampires in your head,'
'You're one annoying vampire to have in my head,'
'So block me,' Edward dared, knowing I'd go crazy with boredom if I did.
I sat with the Cullens at lunch, despite a couple of requests to go and sit with Bella's other friends… Jessica Stanley and a girl called Angela Weber. I declined, though. I was mostly put off by Jessica's petty mind and the way she seemed to repeat the words, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer' to herself.
'Mike won't stop thinking about her. It's starting to annoy me. Thinks she's too good for us? Stupid English brat…'
Well, I certainly didn't want to sit next to her, then.
That day, I'd worn a floral dress and some gorgeous t-bar sandals I'd bought in Camden Market back in England. It looked a bit out of place, a bit too glamorous, for Forks. I stared at the ill-fitting faded jeans and bomber jackets of the other girls, their hair straggly and frizzy from the weather, and felt quite pleased. I'd managed to bag one of the perks of being almost undead, the perpetual beauty.
I heard Rosalie grumbling to herself.
'Thinks she's so great… stupid little…'
"Frankie?" Alice leaned across to me.
"What?" I stared at her innocently.
"Uhm. No offence, but…" she chewed her lip. "You dress kind of funny,"
I laughed loudly, causing hundreds of eyes to stare at me.
"It's the English in me," I said proudly. "What can I say? We dress cool,"
'Cool's not exactly the right word,' Rosalie snapped.
I felt Jasper calming her down. It was relaxing, as though I was on air.
"Wow, Jasper," I laughed, "Calm it down, will you?"
"Oh." Jasper looked down at the table. "Sorry."
I shovelled another forkful of slop into my mouth, some odd American special I'd never tried before. It tasted disgusting, and looked over at Bella's seat.
"Where are the lovebirds?" I asked.
"Not a clue. They disappeared after Spanish class," Emmett shrugged, catching his elbow on the table and sending my dinner flying.
"Oh, well done, Emmett, smooth move," Rosalie rolled her eyes at him.
"It's OK. I didn't like it anyway," I shrugged. "Who's doing what after school?"
I stopped myself, feeling a bit idiotic. Of course they weren't doing anything. What was there to do in Forks?
That's the point where I decided I'd explore.
OK. So when I said explore, I don't think I meant this.
I was stood in the middle of a busy city, attempting to work out precisely where I was. Was it Japan? Or Sweden, or something? The odd markings above the shops weren't giving me any clues.
I'd gone for a run, that was all. Exploring Forks. I thought I was heading towards Seattle, or maybe Port Angeles. Then when I hit the sea, I thought I'd go for a swim. I must have been swimming for hours, I realised. My mother would kill me.
Suddenly something caught my eye. English? English! Fantastic!
The sign clearly stated that I was in the middle of a dingy part of Berlin.
Berlin?
I'd made it to Berlin?
Suddenly the strong German words sounded clearer. Of course it was Berlin. Just look at all the hustle and bustle around me. Look at all the people, talking to one another in German and French and Mandarin and English and –
"Alright, darling?" a hand on my shoulder. Not a scent I instinctively knew.
I span around to stare a grubby man full in the face. His teeth were crooked, his eyes half-shut and reddened. He was slurring his words and clutching a bottle to him like it was his only posession in the world.
Judging by his appearance, it probably was.
"Can I help you?" I asked.
"You're a pretty girl, aren't you?" he touched my chin like a friendly uncle, "What's your name, then, pretty girl?"
"Frankie," I smiled sweetly.
"Aw, that's nice," the drunk man guffawed.
"Isn't it just."
"Frankie, you got anywhere to stay tonight, darling?" the drunk man smiled, "I could show you where I sleep,"
"No thanks," I smiled again.
I felt another hand on my shoulder, this one ice-cold.
'What the hell do you think you're doing?'
Edward.
"Alright, Edward?"
"This one's called Edward, is he?" the drunk man smiled at him.
Edward gave the man a cold stare.
"Yes. I am."
"This is my good friend, Edward." I introduced them.
"Bert, at your service, mate," Bert extended his hand.
"So how did you get to Berlin, Frankie?" Edward raised one eyebrow, a barely concealed smirk on his beautiful face.
"Well, I went for a swim," I stared at the floor. "And that's about it."
"Shall we go home?"
"Might as well," I smiled.
It felt natural, the way Edward put his arm around me instinctively, and protectively. I didn't think there would be any consequence or meaning to the gesture.
How wrong I was.
