Ch. 4
"Counting all the assholes in the room…well I'm definitely not alone… well I'm not alone." Singing along with the lyrics, Bella sped down the curvy road, no longer aware of where she was.
Originally when Bella left the school, she had planned on going straight home. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out as she had expected. Unable to relax, Bella opted to go for a drive along the backroads. Instead of pulling her out of a funk, however, the drab scenery simply gave her more time to brood.
"You're a liar, you're a cheater, you're a fool…Well that's just like me yoohoo, and I know you too."
She was not sure why it bothered her so much that a single lad, one she knew nothing about, had gotten so far under her skin. But he had and it did.
"Mr. Perfect don't exist my little friend. And I'll tell you it again, and I do it again. Counting all the assholes in the room…well I'm definitely not alone, well I'm not alone."
As the drums kicked in, Bella began rapping her fingers, and then both palms, against the steering wheel while her eyes continued to scan the surrounding area. She needed to run, but she did not want to draw attention from any of her father's neighbors. In order to avoid the awkward conversation that would surely follow, Bella decided to utilize Washington's abundance of isolated and uninhabited woods.
"Look deep into yourself before you blame all others, for betrayal, for betrayal. I promise, so easy to say, and easy you failed. And you do it- Ah!" Having spotted a rather unused road a little ways up ahead, a pair of furry ears perked up in excitement. Slowing down, Bella pulled off to the side and eased Ol' Red onto the unmarked path.
Driving slowly through the underbrush, Bella made her way deeper into the tree line until coming to a stop before a decent sized clearing. Rationalizing she was far enough away from the road, Bella killed the ignition and hopped out of the truck. With a quick glance around to confirm her mental calculations, Bella felt a bit of her previous tension slip from her shoulders when she was no longer able to spot the road, even with her enhanced eyesight.
With her trail hidden from prying eyes, Bella quickly disrobed in the light drizzle.
I'll have to remember to pack an extra change of clothes for future outings, Bella mused while folding the clothes.
Placing them in a neat pile upon the driver's seat, Bella closed the door and took a few steps towards the clearing.
Once a safe distance from the truck, Bella closed her eyes and allowed her head to drop backwards, causing her face to angle towards the limbs dangling above. Inhaling deeply, Bella closed off her mind to her prior thoughts and filled her senses with the surrounding area. Picking up the sound and smell of animals, but no humans, Bella allowed her guard to drop completely for the first time in over three weeks.
Feeling the customary rush travel throughout each neuron in her body, Bella's tail flickered back and forth as she curled her bare toes into the moss beneath. In a matter of seconds, where a human once stood towered a large feline.
At first glance, one might mistake Bella for an overgrown snow leopard with an odd coloring for the fur. However, upon closer inspection, the viewer would quickly notice various differences. Besides the felidae hybrid's obvious size difference, the spotted patterns closely resembled that of a jaguar, while in turn, the tufts at the tips of Bella's ears looked as if she had inherited them from a lynx. Similarly, the fur color belonged to neither a true pantherinae nor a felinae. Instead, Bella consisted of a rich russet color along her head, neck, back, and tail, which faded into a white undercoat that traveled down to cover her entire underside from her throat to the tip of her tail. In turn, the long spotted tail, which curled about a stout hind leg, appeared to be a mix of the two subfamilies; long and slender, yet generously covered in thick fur.
Stretching beneath the falling dew drops, sharp claws protracted to dig into the soil. Slicing through the moss with ease, Bella's body shook a final time before she glanced around once more. Where once chocolate brown orbs resided, electric green hues gazed slowly about. Getting her bearings, and the scent of a fresh trail, strong limbs carried the feline away from the truck and deeper into the woods.
Delighted to be in her full form after so long, Bella took her time stocking down her prey. The trails were fresh and plentiful, unlike in Arizona. There she had to hunt mostly at night; six times more light-sensitive than a human's, the southern sunlight had nearly blinded her the first time she had tried to run during the day. Although she had learned to cope with her heightened senses over the years, to the point of being able to adjust her eyes, ears, and even her nose, to utilize them while in her full human form, she still had to error on the side of caution. In turn, the open planes in the dessert also left her a bit more exposed than she felt comfortable with.
After years of hiding who, and more so what, she was, however, Bella finally threw caution to the wind. Picking up her pace, Bella's lithe frame curved about the tall pines, ducked under fallen trunks, and leapt over moss covered boulders. To have the freedom of the trees, where her fur blended with the bark surrounding her, was a true marvel; a marvel that Bella took full advantage of.
Exhausting herself of the previous frustration, Bella eventually slowed her gait down. Allowing for her wide paws to silently glide over the broken twigs and soft moss, Bella moved slowly, finally taking in her surroundings as her stomach began to rumble in demand. Uninterested in the smaller game, Bella took her time as she finally began to search for a trail worth chasing.
Bypassing a small, trickling stream, Bella paused to shake her damp fur, ridding the outer coat of the rain drops that clung to her in desperation. Moving on, Bella crested the hill top on the other side. It was then that the large feline caught hold of a tantalizing whiff. Curious, Bella slipped quietly through the trees, tracking the scent. As she came to a clearing, Bella spotted a lone deer a handful of yards away.
Slinking back into the shadows of the trees, Bella maneuvered about to get upwind of the dear before crouching into the brush to watch, wait, and listen. As the seconds roll into minutes, Bella remained frozen in the shadows, green eyes glistening as they remain unblinking in the falling rain. Ready at last, Bella shifted to pounce. Instead of emerging from the underbrush, however, Bella allowed a low rumble to echo throughout her chest and into the cold air.
Bella had decided at the last minute that she wanted a chase rather than a simple kill.
Alarmed, the deer bolted from the clearing with Bella right on its tail.
Ragged, frightened breathing could be heard over the loud clank of the metal walk away as a set of work boots pounded away in a frantic tempo. With sweat dripping haphazardly into a set of dilated pupils, labored breaths escaped into the crisp, afternoon air. Across one landing, over the side rail, and down another flight of stairs, a man bolted through the abandoned Grisham Mill.
He had given up trying not to make a sound long ago. Hiding in the shadows and dark corners had done him no good. Now, it was time to run. And run he did as dark silhouettes moved blindingly fast past him.
First on the left, then on the right. No matter which way he went, no matter how fast he pushed his straining muscles, they were always a step ahead.
He tried not to jerk about to see what was after him, but his instincts would not listen. Instead of seeing a wild animal, he would merely catch glimpses of red irises or flashes of a feral grin. The mysterious bodies rapidly became distorted as his mind transformed the shadows into monstrosities; beings of horror that pursued him at inhuman speed through the maze of pillars and walkways.
Down another flight of stairs and through an overly exposed corridor, the security guard continued to run. He could hear them, almost as if they were taunting him, as they leapt from one floor to the next, up ladders, across the scaffoldings, and over skull-crushing beams. Even as they grew closer, the man pushed on.
Desperate for his life, the man shoved his way through an exit door. Not even the harsh exterior lighting, which momentarily blinded the security guard, brought reason to pause. They were too close.
Stumbling over the rough gravel, the man moved as fast as his human limbs would allow, but it wasn't fast enough. He could hear them, feel them breathing down the back of his neck. However, when he turned to glance over his shoulder, nothing was there.
Distracted, the security guard quickly lost his footing and tripped. Breaking through the railing, the man pitched over the side and into the air. Instead of falling to his death, which in hindsight would have been a blessing rather than a curse, the man dangled in the air as an unknown source gripped his shirt.
A sigh of relief quickly turned into a blood curling scream as he was wrenched back over the side of the landing and into the demons' welcoming arms.
Pulled into an unexpected hug, Bella froze in the entrance of the diner as a woman, who sported a waitress attire, caught her from the side. "Bella!"
Chocolate hues widening in horror, Bella glanced at her father for help. Unfortunately for her, Charlie stood chuckling quietly into a closed fist as he watched the tall, black woman attack his daughter. It was not until he registered the frantic state Bella was in that Charlie finally cleared his throat.
"Cora, I think you should release Bella before her eyes pop out of her skull," Charlie offered, much to Bella's relief.
"Oh, right. I'm sorry about that, Bella" Cora apologized as she released the girl from her clutch. "I'm just so excited you're finally here. Anyways! Come. Right this way, you two. I have your usual table available in the back, Charlie."
Finally free, Bella tugged awkwardly at the bottom of her green, buttoned shirt before adjusting the long grey sleeves at her wrist as she followed the waitress and her father to their table. As she passed the counter, Bella quickly realized that a few of the loggers had had a good chuckle at her behalf as well. Ignoring their smiles, Bella averted her gaze and slunk sullenly into her seat.
"What can I get you to drink?" Cora offered as she handed Bella a menu, oblivious to the girl's level of lack of comfort.
"Um, water…Water's fine," Bella decided. She just wanted to get passed the previous event. If she had been alone, Bella would have jumped sky high upon the initial contact. Thankfully after years of being randomly tackled by Renee, that urge had curved somewhat.
As Bella opened her menu, it finally clicked that Charlie had not received one.
"Your father comes here so often I can cook his dish in my sleep," Cora explained, as if reading her thoughts. "I'll be right back with those drinks. You take your time, dear."
Glancing at her father, Bella noted the faint blush that littered the man's pale cheeks. Quirking an eyebrow, a mischievous grin escaped as she pried for more information. "You like this place that much, then? Or is it Cora?" It was payback for him not helping her earlier.
Choking on his own breath, Charlie coughed a couple of times at his daughter's remark before stuttering an answer. "N-no. I-I, just well, they have good food." Charlie finally answered. "Also, it's easier than washing dishes."
Smiling to herself, Bella picked up her menu as she let Charlie off the hook without responding. He did, after all, come to her rescue earlier.
By the time Cora came back, Bella was ready to place her order.
"I can cook," Bella offered out of the blue a few minutes after Cora had disappeared for the second time.
Glancing up from his paper, Charlie simply blinked at Bella as if confused by either the concept or the statement.
"I do the cooking at ho- in Phoenix. Renee wasn't that great in the kitchen," Bella elaborated.
"I remember. Your mother wasn't either," Charlie smiled sadly.
Before Bella could reply, a plate of steaming cod was placed in front of her. "Here you are, dear" Cora offered with a smile before placing Charlie's regular in front of him. "As for you, Charlie: Top sirloin steak, medium rare and with as minimal veggies as possible."
Instead of leaving, Cora remained at the edge of the table.
Glancing up in curiosity, brown eyes flickered from Cora to Charlie and back again. "Um…"
"I just can't get over how grown up you are," Cora smiled. "And so gorgeous."
Glancing at her father once more, who kept his eyes on his steak, Bella finally smiled awkwardly at the woman. What was she supposed to say? Thankfully, she was saved from having to reply as another occupant appeared at their table.
"'Member me, honey?" the stranger inquired. "I was Santa one year," he offered. The man's hands wrung slightly as he smiled hopefully for the recognition.
Confused, Bella simply blinked as she took in the appearance of the fifty-some year old, bearded, hippy logger, before glancing at her father for a bit of help.
"Waylon, she hasn't had Christmas here since she was four," Charlie explained to the man.
"Bet I made an impression, though," Waylon countered, glancing at Bella again.
"You always do," Charlie sighed.
Taking the hint, Cora intervened. "Let the girl eat, Waylon," the waitress ordered before spinning the man about and sending him on his way. Instead of taking the same hint, Cora turned back around and leaned on the table, causing Bella to lean back in her seat once more.
"When you're done, I'll bring you your favorite – berry cobbler. Remember? Your dad still has it, every Thursday."
Blinking once again in confusion, Bella offered another weak smile. She did not remember at all, and certainly did not care for berry cobbler now. But, with how nice everyone had been of late, Bella simply put on the expected front. "That'd be great, thank you."
"You're welcome, dear." With a smile, Cora finally turned and went to check on the other tables.
Left alone, Bella settled into her seat and began to eat. As the silence grew between her and Charlie, Bella listened to the random bursts of conversation and laughter that filled the nearby tables. It was a few more minutes before Charlie finally broke the silence.
"So, how was school? Meet anyone?"
"It was okay," Bella lied, recalling the hormonal, pubescent boys who kept trying to touch her or looked as if they wanted to bite her head off. "I met a few people. They invited me to sit with them at lunch."
"That's good," Charlie replied before allowing the silence to resume, as if his fatherly duties were over.
Twirling her fork in her mixed vegetables, Bella debated for a moment on asking her next question. Before she could change her mind, the words had already escaped her lips. "Do you know the Cullen family?"
That caught her father's attention. Jerking his head up, Charlie glanced at Bella. "Are people talking about them again?" Charlie inquired, his voice rather gruff compared to his earlier tone.
Startled by the reaction, Bella shook her head. "No…well, a little," Bella finally admitted.
"They talk just 'cause they're newcomers," Charlie grumbled before returning to his steak. "We're lucky to have a surgeon like Dr. Cullen at our podunk hospital," Charlie offered a moment later. "Luckily his wife wanted to live in a small town instead of some big city. Else wise he wouldn't be here. As for his kids, they aren't like a lot of the hell-raisers around here."
Uncertain of how to respond, Bella simply nodded and took a bite of her broccoli.
"I just don't like narrow mindedness," Charlie explained as he eyed Bella. He had heard of the rumors about the adopted children, he didn't need Bella thinking the same thoughts. "They're good people."
"…Okay," Bella mumbled.
Satisfied with her answer, Charlie returned to his food.
Continuing to play with her vegetables, Bella glanced at her father through her lashes. If Charlie could accept mere strangers and their odd situation, would he ever be able to accept hers?
A/N: So, for those who might not be aware, I decided to stick with the Bella/Victoria pairing. (I'll work on a Rosalie and/or Irina pairing another time). In turn, I'm going to alter up the original script a bit to fit the feisty redhead in earlier than I had initially planned, but it will still be a few chapters yet. As for Bella, I'll get around to explaining what she actually is later on in the story. For the most part, it's self-explanatory: she's a werecat-shifter of sorts. If her description is confusing, I can try clearing it up later.
