A/N: Someone asked me in a review about the timeline, so I thought I'd clear that up before this chapter. Not meaning to offend anyone, but I hated Breaking Dawn, so for my own sanity I'm pretending it doesn't exist. This is set a couple of months after Eclipse ended, and for the sake of simplicity I'm just going to assume Bella and Edward got married and left, and Jake came back to the pack.
Also, the reviews and alerts for this story are finally climbing: I adore all of you who left me something to read or who put this on your alert list. Weasleygrlz07, that's all three chapters you've commented on now, did anyone ever tell you how awesome you are?
Enjoy everyone!
"Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises.
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices…"
- William Shakespeare
I was frozen to the log. My brain appeared to have left the building, but I was in no fit state to mourn its loss. In fact, the most I could manage was keeping my mouth closed while I stared, to avoid the perennially attractive goldfish look.
I wanted to look away, I wanted to look away quite badly. But the power in his dark eyes had me trained to the spot, until everything around me was fading away. I let out a long shaky breath. He must have noticed, because the edges of his mouth upturned slightly, although the intensity never left his eyes.
I nearly had an aneurysm when I heard a loud retching directly behind me, and I jumped up from the log, almost falling into the bonfire in the process. Righting myself, I turned around to a sprawled out Lucas, beer can still in hand, throwing up into a bush.
I felt dizzy, and I turned around once to look at the opposite log. The boy was gone.
Coming back to myself slightly, I had to physically stop myself from sighing in disappointment.
What the hell was wrong with me? Romantic staring contests across a burning fire? I wasn't that girl, and I had never been that girl. Setting my mouth in a thin line, I moved to Lucas, removing the can from his hand and pitching it as far away from him as my somewhat weak throwing skills would allow.
Crossing the beach, I found an abandoned bottle of water where the drinks had been set up. Probably not entirely hygienic, but it was better than the vodka which was my only other option. I found Luke where I'd left him, sitting up now with his head between his knees.
I tried to make him sit up to drink the water but he only moaned plaintively.
"For Christ's sake Lucas, if you're old enough to get yourself into this state then you're old enough to sit the hell up and drink this water NOW."
Whoa. I was becoming my mother. A scary thought.
It made him attempt to sit up though, and he chugged the water down. He looked so helpless that I began to feel a little sorry for him, and I asked if he wanted to go home. He nodded meekly, and managed to heave himself up, and we struggled back to the car with him leaning on my shoulders. We were nearly at the car when I heard a voice from behind me.
"Need some help?" It was a quiet voice, but one rich with intensity.
"No," I said shortly, the twelve stone boy leaning on my shoulders using most of my energy and preventing anything other than monosyllabic answers.
"Are you sure?"
By this time we had reached the car, and I was attempting to fumble in my bag for the keys with one hand, while helping to hold up Luke with the other.
"Yes. Jesus Christ Lucas, would you sit down or something? I couldn't find an anvil in this bag with you leaning on me like that, never mind a tiny set of keys."
Lucas slumped across the bonnet, and I exhaled in relief. The stranger laughed. I turned, furious, about to take out all my frustration on someone I didn't know, when I stopped short. It was the boy from across the bonfire. My mouth immediately began to turn upwards into a smile. He grinned at me.
Then my brain kicked into gear.
Get a grip, Addie. He's just a random guy.
Now I was furious again, more at myself for melting so easily at the sight of him than anything else, but he didn't need to know that.
"You think this is funny?" I spat out.
It wasn't hard to sound annoyed; the amusement was still obvious on his face and my brother was still comatose across the front of our car.
"A little."
"I'm so glad the state of my brother is hilarious to someone. I was more inclined to be worried, but I was obviously wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an alcoholic to take home."
"So that's not your boyfriend then?" His grin was a mile wide now.
I just glared.
"Luke, get in the car," I hissed, now ignoring the existence of the guy completely.
He grabbed onto my shoulders, and I heaved him into the passenger seat. I leaned over to shut the door.
"I'm going to go find Aidan, okay? Stay here and I'll be back in a minute to take you home."
I stalked past the stranger, looking at the ground, at the sky… anywhere but his face. I heard footfalls behind me, then felt a warmth beside me.
"So you're new here." It wasn't a question. He was stating a fact.
I ignored him, quickening my pace. He matched it easily.
"So they don't do small talk where you come from?" I could hear the amusement in his voice again.
"Well, a statement like 'So you're new here,' doesn't really inspire a whole lot of witty banter."
He laughed aloud now.
"You're right. Let me rephrase: So you're new here. What fascinating corner of America did you move from? Why did you move? Are you going to Forks High School? Do you like it here? Do you miss where you came from? "
I stopped and turned to face him. Ignoring the pull of his eyes, I took a deep breath.
"San Francisco. My dad's career. Yes, no and yes."
I stared at him, daring him to ask anything further. He didn't. He merely stared back at me, studying my face. The smile was still there. I could feel myself freezing before his eyes again, and I shook my head slightly to clear it before walking past him.
"Since your vital questions have been answered, I have another drunk family member to round up."
I walked fast, but he was suddenly in front of me again, blocking my path.
"Not quite. I have one more."
I stared daggers at him, waiting in silence.
"You never told me your name."
His voice was soft and vulnerable. It compelled me to answer, and to answer truthfully. Without any of the smartass insults I had been planning in my head.
"Adalia George."
The emotion in his eyes was terrifying now, and I pushed past him to get away from it. He caught my hand before I could move away completely though, and I jumped at his touch. It was warm, ridiculously warm, especially on such a cold night. And his skin was so soft. However, it was more the jolt of electricity from the sensation of his skin on mine which short-circuited my brain. I looked at him stupidly. That smile was back.
"You forgot something," he whispered.
"What?"
"To ask me my name."
He grinned at me, but the emotion still there. It burned through me, taking my breath away.
The feeling was totally unfamiliar to me, I hadn't even felt it back in San Francisco when…
I wrenched my hand from his and pelted down the path to the beach. The sound of music and voices was growing louder now but I still heard his shout, loud against the quiet night.
"It's Embry Call."
Embry Call.
I ran until I hit the beach. I slowed to a halt as I got there, looking around desperately for any sign of Aidan. I spotted Dawn and Jonathan back where we had been sitting before.
"Hey, have you two seen Aidan anywhere?"
They both shook their heads, looking mystified. Jonathan slurred that they were leaving soon, so if I happened to see Hunter on my travels would I let him know. I agreed and moved further up the beach, away from the main party. There were still people around here, but they were quieter, mainly couples. I turned to leave, about to try the opposite end of the beach, when a movement in the trees caught my eye. I made my way up quietly, trying not to disturb anyone on my way.
Two guys were standing, almost completely hidden by the trees, kissing passionately.
I started, then admonished myself for being surprised. It was something you saw all the time in the city and something I didn't have a problem with, but something I just hadn't been expecting to see in such a small town. How horrifically stereotypical of me.
The guy facing me looked oddly familiar. Hunter, I realised quickly. I moved quickly to leave, not wanting to interrupt anything, when they changed their position slightly and I got a glance at the other guy. It was Aidan.
"Oh," I whispered in shock, my quiet voice loud in the seclusion of the trees.
The result was immediate. They sprang away from each other, startled, looking around wildly. Aidan saw me first, and the look on his face was terrible. I found myself leaning back on my heels in fear, anything I had been planning to say dying in my throat before it reached my lips.
"What do you want, Addie?" His voice was harsh; it was a tone he had never used with me before.
"I… er… Lucas was sick. So I'm… I'm taking him home now. I was coming to find you. To see if you, you know, wanted a lift." I stumbled over my words, hating myself for not covering up my surprise better.
"Fine. I'll be up in a minute."
He turned away, clearly dismissing me. I ran as quickly as I could through the trees, no longer caring about keeping quiet. I could vaguely see the group of frighteningly tall Quileute boys, Embry Call probably back among them, but the tears were beginning to blur my vision and I ran even faster, praying no one was watching me.
When I got back to the car Lucas was snoring loudly, his head lolling against the window. I climbed in and took deep breaths, attempting to calm myself down. Aidan's voice rang in my ears, horrifying me each time with how cold and disconnected he sounded. I fumbled for a tissue, and hastily wiped away any trace of my tears.
When the back door opened and Aidan climbed in, my face was a perfect mask. We drove home in silence.
He helped me into the house with Lucas. Luckily our parents were already in bed, and we needed to do nothing more than pull off his shoes and deposit him in his bed. When we were done, Aidan stopped outside his door, his hand on the handle. He looked at me for a long moment, and then disappeared into his room. The door shut with a click, and it rang of finality. I could feel the tears starting again, and I ran up to my room in a fury. I wasn't big on crying, and yet here I was weeping twice in the same night. I rubbed my eyes furiously in frustration, throwing myself across the bed. I was growing even angrier looking at the state my room was still in, and I briefly considered sneaking back out. Until I realised I had nowhere to go and no one to see.
I stuffed my head under a pillow and desperately wished for sleep to come quickly.
Until a rock hit off my window with a loud smack.
