Chapter 4: Preparations and Creepy Vampires
I took a controlled sip of my green smoothie while I was patting away the sweat on my forehead with a fluffy towel. My gym session had been brutal. I figured I should try and tighten everything just a smidge so I could look my absolute best at the wedding. That meant a juice cleanse and working my beautifully shaped ass off the next week.
"You are a monster. You really are." Lauren complained, her breathing a bit wheezy. I grinned, exhausted beyond measure. It was an euphoric feeling.
Lauren was the only one out of my friend group that could keep up with me at the gym, so she was the only one who bothered to go with me. She only did it about three times a week though. Apparently, she liked having a social life. Go figure.
Her usually pale skin was really red and her beautiful, silky hair was just as messy as mine was. We were a sight to see, no doubt. The only reason I wasn't bright red was the copious amount of foundation and concealer I had on, thanks to Jasper's murderous ways. However, I was pretty sure I was sweating right through my leggings into the chair I was sitting in, so it was hard to decide which one of us was the grosser one. The next person to sit in that chair was in for a wet surprise...
"Sorry, babe."
"You don't sound very sorry, you know."
My muscles felt like they were made of acid. I didn't want to move from the mushy, uncomfortable chair I had flopped myself into. I mentally checked the list of people I knew who had a car to figure out who I could bum a ride from. Lauren was out since we had walked to the gym together. Tyler was currently working at Mike's, along with Mike.
Jessica and Angela were hanging with Eric, Ben and Karen at the First Beach so they all were out. Even Angela wouldn't be bothered to drive all the way to the gym and drop me off at home in the middle of a Spring-Surf party.
Sarah was visiting her grandma with her big brother Michael. Brody was probably busy trying to impregnate Faye, so they wouldn't come even if I called. Mom was out with her friends and dad was watching the game. I had no idea what sport he was watching. He had just informed that he was going to his friend's house to 'watch the game'.
It seemed like everyone had something to do, except for me. Mom expected me to make extra effort so I could finally fool someone long enough to get them to marry me. That meant I was pretty much the only teenager in Forks AND La Push who did not have anything planned for Friday night.
"Hey, did your sister return from Seattle already?" I asked Lauren, hoping against hope that a person with a car was available to take us away. I wasn't confident that I could move my legs all the way home. Not after making the tragic mistake of sitting down.
"I wish! She decided to not come home this weekend. Something about a cute guy."
"Figures. Are we really doomed to walk home?"
Lauren looked horrified at the idea. I was in the same boat with her. Note to self, never again train for three hours straight with maximum power. My body fucking hurt. I slurped down the rest of my smoothie and slumped on the table. A kingdom for a car.
"You two ladies look positively exhausted."
An unpleasant shiver ran through my spine. I knew who it was without even lifting my head up to look at him. Fucking Creepward.
Lauren started fussing with her hair and going all googly-eyed. Honest to God, I didn't get it. I was really familiar with this phenomenon and I just didn't understand what the fuck made Creepward so sexy to other girls.
I understood the overpowering sex-appeal that the Cullens had. Fuck, I would have been ready to roll in the hay with Rosalie any day of the week. And to my knowledge, I didn't swing that way. But Creepward... Ugh... He had absolutely zero sex appeal in my eyes.
I had a nagging suspicion as to why he had decided that this was the perfect moment to start getting to know the girls at his school. I was 70% sure that he was a mind reader or something like that. He was here to dig up dirt on me. I guess I hadn't been interesting enough to held the sacred attention of the school's very own peeping tom.
Good thing I had just the thing prepared. Angela had long ago made a fool-proof plan to keep Creepward from invading our thoughts. I looked at him straight in his obnoxiously beautiful and creepy face and conjured up an image of him standing next to a bed coyly, wearing nothing but a long t-shirt with the words 'Daddy's Good Boy' on it.
His eyebrows twitched and I caught the quick side-glance he bestowed upon me. He was facing Lauren and tried to pretend like he was having a conversation with her while no doubt reading my fucking mind. Well, if he wanted to see my thought so badly...
I pictured Creepward giving the most girlish giggle imaginable as he extended his hand towards a person who was walking predatorily towards him. The mysterious figure stepped into the light and it was no other than Dr. Cullen, there to have some 'special' bonding time with his favorite son.
I've been such a good boy, daddy! Can I get a treat now?
I started off slow, imagining the most sickening act of foreplay I could come up with. Creepward on his knees, 'servicing' his beloved daddy... Dr. Cullen bending him over his knee to discipline his naughty son... Dr. Cullen proceeding to have his wicked way with his son...
I was grinning and my smile turned more sinister with each horrified slip of expression Creepward was showing. He tried to keep up a conversation with Lauren, but he kept looking at me involuntarily. When my thoughts drifted to Emmett joining in, Creepward gave us some lame-ass excuse about being late for dinner and walked very briskly out of the gym's cafeteria.
Fucking served him right. I couldn't believe that those fucking assholes had sent Creepward to read me. No fucking respect whatsoever. Well, revenge was a dish best served cold, or room-temperate and Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Jasper Hale was going to suffer.
...just as soon as I found the strenght to get up and walk home to plan that revenge.
000
"What's our plan for today?" Jessica asked, glancing quickly to the backseat before returning her eyes to the road ahead. She was our driver for today. Well, she was our driver whenever we went further than La Push. Jessica was scared to be in the car when Karen drove and Angela always drove below the speed limit, making us all go crazy. I was the youngest by nearly a year, so I didn't have a driver's license and I wasn't going to get one when I turned 16. High speeds and my airy brain didn't mix.
We were just five miles away from Seattle. I took out my phone to check the time. We had a bit of a late start to our trip because I had a minor emergency with my make-up. As in, trying to cover the ugly purple bruises that spread throughout the entirety of my neck. It took me two hours to get the finish I wanted.
"Should we go for lunch first? Anyone hungry?" I asked from the backseat passangers.
I had an eternal dibs at the front of the car. I got car-sick and that was not fun for anyone. Karen had learned it the hard way when I had hurled right into her lap when her mom was driving us to a carnival when we were 8.
"I'm not, but it's still smart. That'll leave the entire afternoon for shopping." Angela remarked, lifting her eyes from the thick book she was reading. I was so jealous. I couldn't even read the road signs without starting to feel queasy. I had no idea how Angela managed to do that.
"Sure, but only something light. I don't feel like falling asleep while trying to enjoy the day." Karen put in her two sents. I rolled my eyes.
"When is the last time you saw Ella eat something heavy? We always go to some Vegan place because she can't eat like normal people." Jessica whined.
"Objection! I so eat normally!"
"Yeah right. You must be the only girl on Earth who doesn't eat chocolate." Angela said in her passive-aggressive soft mumble. I turned to glare at her and the smug smile she had. She could be such a bitch.
"Chocolate? The girl doesn't even eat cheese, Ang!" Jessica said with a wide grin. I kind of wanted to punch her, but I didn't want to get into a car accident and ruin my appearance even more. One set of bruises was enough.
"I'm lactose intolerant!" I cried out.
"No you're not!" All three of them yelled back at me.
I huffed and turned my attention to the road. Our parking spot was just minutes away. I was itching to grab my notebook from my bag, but that would have been a baaaaaad idea. I didn't care to vomit on my beautiful new boots.
After we had parked I guided the girls to a salad bar just to fuck with them. It was nothing new that they ribbed me about my eating habits, but friday night with Creepward had put me on edge. Angela had been busy with the party so I hadn't had the chance to vent to someone who knew the situation.
I was so fucking pissed that the Cullens would send Creepward to read my mind. Fucking mind-raper. I would have loved for them to be those vampires from the classics. I could've staked his sparkly ass. That would show him to go around poking in my mind.
"So what's our plan? Ella's dresses first before going all-out or the other way around?" Karen asked, pushing her salad around with her fork. She was bending over her plate so much that her honey blonde hair nearly rested on top of her food. She would get a hunched back one of these days with that bad posture.
"Let's get my dresses last. I don't want to carry them around all day. How about we hit the bookstore first, just to get Ang's boring stuff out of the way? Fredericka's is just next to that." I suggested.
Fredericka's was our favourite clothing store. The owner, Fredericka Swanson, collaborated with my seamstress so the large majority of my clothes were from her shop. She designed all of the clothes herself, but the prices were still affordable for us teenagers.
Of course, I had pretty pretty hefty credit, thanks to my well-off parents. I had $350 to spend for this trip, not including the money for my two custom dresses. Mom had paid for them beforehand. Still, Fredericka's fit my friends' price range too, so it was all good.
Actually, most of the girls I knew bought Fredericka's stuff. We all drove to Seattle often enough, since Forks had literally nothing in terms of shops and Port Angeles was pretty crappy as well. It had some great cafes though. There was something special about Fredericka's that spoke to the kids of Forks High. And the quality was much better than anything bought from Hot Topic.
"I resent the fact that you think bookstores are boring." Angela chimed in, pushing her glasses upwards in the most pretentious way. I laughed. She knew how to play the part of a hipster nerd to perfection.
"Don't take it personally, babe. She is just mad because her tiny brain doesn't comprehend all those big words." Jessica quipped. Hardy-ha. It looked like I had drawn the short straw on who was being bullied today. Those bitches will live to regret this day. My revenge will be swift and destructive.
"It's a good thing Ella's such a cutie." Angela nodded along.
"Yeah, well someone has to be the looker in this sorry bunch. Don't be hating just because I'm hotter than the three of you put together."
We paid for our lunch and stepped outside into that sweet, murky gray spring day. I shivered as a slightly stronger breeze hit me and pulled my jacket a little tighter to my body. It was sad that it was already May and it was still so fucking cold.
Karen and Jessica started power-walking towards the bookstore. I was about to follow when Angela gripped my bicep and looked at me with her eyebrows frowning in worry.
"Hey, are you okay? It feels like you're a little on the edge today. Did something happen with Jasper?"
God, I loved this girl. She could read me so fucking perfectly and she was always willing to put her shit on hold just to deal with my problems. I wrapped my arm around her waist and snuggled into her side.
"Yeah, shit happened. Let's talk about it later? It's going to take a while."
Angela hummed and gave my stylish pony-tail a firm tug before placing her arm around my shoulders.
"Just tell me if I need to kick his ass for you. I'm stronger than I look, you know." She said.
I grinned. Yeah, this girl was a real Amazon. A true Wonder Woman with her upper-body strenght of a malnourished toddler. Guess who had to carry her over-packed school bag nearly every day from one class to the next...
"Yeah, I know. You're my hero, babe."
000
Ah, monday morning. Another pointless day in the exciting High School life of Ella Johnson. I hated mondays. Most kids of my age did. They didn't have the excuse of Mrs. Saunders like I did, however.
I stared blankly to the front of the class, not really seeing the blackboard being filled with chalky words. Karen was nodding off next to me and her quiet sleep noises were the only thing entertaining me. History sucked. Big time.
Mrs. Saunders, an old hag with boobs that sagged all the way to her knees, was lecturing with her screechy voice. It sounded like the fucking fire alarm. It also caused a similar effect in my brain. It told me to get the hell out of there before Mrs. Saunders bored me to death.
Angela was sitting in front of me with Ben. I kicked the back of her seat gently.
"You getting any of this?" I asked even though I knew the answer perfectly well. Angela was a whiz at History. It was her favourite subject after Math. Yeah, she was dry like that. I think her third favourite class was Biology, but that might've been just because she thought our teacher was hot. In that tweedy, dad-like way. I didn't see it. But I also didn't find Ben attractive and Angela was having wet dreams about that boy, so maybe it was just me.
"I'm trying to listen, Ella." Angela hissed over her shoulder. I sighed. Damn her love of school work. Ben was just as focused on the class so I couldn't very well bother him either. Karen was out like a light and I wasn't overly friendly with the rest of the class.
I wanted to slam my head against the desk and sink into a coma. And with my obsession over my face, that said a lot about the torture this class was to me. It didn't help that Mrs. Saunders hated me for some odd reason. She thought I was too stupid or something like that.
Time crawled and my eyes were glued to the clock sitting so prettily above the doorway. That sweet, sweet exit that I couldn't wait to use. The air was stuffy and I was feeling all sorts of uncomfortable. Where was a fire when you needed one?
"Did I miss something?" Karen mumbled sleepily next to me. I could've kissed her right there and then. Relief to this suffocating boredom!
"I have no idea. I haven't heard a word that old bat has said since I stepped inside the classroom. Did you have a nice nap?" There might've been a sharp edge to that last question.
Karen blinked sleepily and gave me a lazy grin. What a bitch. Luckily she had her good moments so she was worth keeping around.
"I'm sorry babe. Cullen sandwich with me in the middle was way more tempting than complaining with you."
Now we're talking. This was just what the doctor ordered. Some good old smut to stimulate my simple teenaged mind. Fuck you, Mrs. Saunders. It was gossiping time!
"Don't leave a girl hanging. Sharing is caring, Karen."
"You seriously need to get laid. Okay, so it started with me in a library, trying to finish that English essay when..."
I spent the rest of the class listening a detailed description of Karen's NC-17 adventures with Rosalie and Alice. I was ever-so grateful that Karen was playing for team Girls. I much rather listened smutty encounters with Rosalie than another episode of Creepward's Sexual Conquests. He seemed to be starring in almost every Cullen-wet dream the girls of our school had. It was disgusting. Even more so now that I was still sore about the stalking thing.
Speaking of, I caught Jasper and Emmett walking down the hallway right in front of our classroom. I had a few words to exchange with my soon-to-be fake boyfriend. I didn't want to be anywhere near that mind-raping creep, so the one Cullen I was in contact with would have to suffice.
"Sorry, babe. I gotta run. Catch you at lunch?"
000
"We need to talk. Now." I hissed out and grabbed Jasper's icy cold hand. I almost thought I would accidentally rip my shoulder out of its socket when his body didn't naturally move with mine, but luckily he was polite (and still ashamed) enough to adjust his steps and say goodbye to his brother before that could happen.
My bottled-up rage kept me from noticing the looks we were attracting. I couldn't be bothered with such things. I was on a mission. A mission to rip Jasper Hale a new asshole. Figuratively speaking, since I wasn't strong enough to actually do that. One could dream...
I marched us straight to a library, which I knew would be abandoned at this time of the day. This was Angela's favourite haunt and she had mentioned that nobody went to the library during the first hours of the day. It suited my purpose just fine. I didn't want to get myself killed by shouting the Cullens' vampire status from the rooftops and I ESPECIALLY didn't want anyone to know that I had blackmailed one of them to be my pretend boyfriend. That would be so embarrassing.
"Uh... what's the matter?" Jasper asked carefully.
Oh boy... redness clouded my vision. What's the matter? Let me fucking tell you what's wrong...
"Why the fuck is Creepward stalking me?!" I shrieked. I was not in control of the volume of my voice and Jasper looked around alarmed. Fucking served him right. Nobody screwed with me.
"What are you talking about? Edward hasn't-"
"The fuck he hasn't! He followed me to the gym! And don't you fucking pretend that he developed a sudden interest in his schoolmates! I KNOW he can fucking read minds!"
Okay, so I didn't know that Creepward could read minds, but I was pretty fucking sure he did. It always felt like he reacted when someone was lost in their thoughts. It was so creepy and felt like a violation, especially now that I had tested my theory and his reactions had supported my suspicions.
I could see it written all over his disgustingly beautiful face. He was actually thinking of denying it all. Fucking asshole. I couldn't believe it. I was supposed to have Jasper Hale all figured out. He was supposed to be to Goddamn honorable one. The one least likely to fuck with me. Fuck it all to hell.
I was so done with him. The whole Cullen clan could go fuck themselves. I was about to get a pneumonia or something like that so I wouldn't have to attend that fucking wedding.
God, that fucking bitch of a cousin. It was all Ariel's fault! I would've steered clear from these fucking monsters if she hadn't decided to fuck with my life by sending that invitation to her wedding.
"I'm sorry he did that. Edward can't control his gift."
I couldn't believe it. I let out a disbeliving snort.
"Oh please! Don't try to bullshit me!"
Jasper gave me a long look, frowning in confusion. Like he was telling the truth and couldn't figure out why I was so angry in the first place. I swear these people were so cut off from the real world...
"You can't be that stupid." I gasped out. This was ridiculous. Couldn't control it? I didn't buy that bullshit for a second. Jasper looked so damn sincere. He couldn't actually believe it, could he?
"It's true. He has never been able to prevent himself from reading other people's minds."
Oh fuck. He was an idiot. I didn't think it was possible for me to find someone more gullible and stupid than me. Congratulations, Jasper Hale. You are officially the dumbest student in all of Forks High. What an accomplishment!
"Okay, so why is he still attending school every day?" I asked him. Who was I to pass on the perfect opportunity to shit-talk about Creepward? Who knew, I might even convert one of his own.
My question threw him off. He blinked stupidly and I mentally cursed how hot he looked. I was still angry, but I had gotten the worst of it out of my system. That apparently left room for those Goddamn hormones. I was right back to wanting to jump his bones. Fuck, the power of lady-boners was strong.
"What do you mean?" He asked, cocking his head to the side in the most adorable way. Fuck, I so did not need this right now. I was supposed to want to kill him, not hook up with him. Work, brains, damnit!
"Well, if he can't turn off the voices, how is he able to stay sane? Why does he willingly expose himself to 300 humans all throwing their thoughts around all the time?"
Ah, I could see it clicking in him. His golden eyes darkened, usually a sign of hunger. Or so The Encyclopedia of Angela Weber claimed. So either he was getting it and it made him furious, or he was about to snap my neck and drink me as a snack. I was really hoping for the former option. The school library was a terrible place to die. If I by any chance came back as a ghost, I wouldn't want to haunt a fucking library. So not cool.
"I am very sorry, Ella. Rest assured that he will not bother you again." He said in a low voice that made my skin all tingly. Mmmh... he could talk to me with that tone any time...
I shook my head, trying to snap out of it. I had to get a fucking handle on this hormonal thing. He had a girlfriend and Ella Johnson did not go for guys with girlfriends. I was fucking better than that.
"You better be telling the truth. I don't want that creep violating me like that."
Jasper let out the tiniest of growls and hooooly fuck I couldn't decide whether I thought it was the sexiest sound ever or if it made me want to run as far away from him as possible. Normal people had that Fight or Flight thing, I apparently had the Fuck or Flight version hardwired into my brain. Yay for me...
"I'll personally make sure he will never read your mind without your permission ever again."
Well, if he put it that way. There was something very dangerous and very powerful about Jasper Hale. I wouldn't want to cross him (without a damn good reason) and I hoped Creepward wouldn't either.
"Fine. Listen, I'll drop my homework off to your locker after school. Make sure they are in my locker in the morning, okay? I'll see you on Wednesday. Oh, and pack a swimsuit. We are bound to take a midnight dip into the sea at some point."
See, I could be a forgiving person. Just as long as Creepward kept his distance and his pervy mind far away from mine, we were solid. Or, I was solid with the rest of this sorry bunch of vampires. If I ever figured out a way to kill a vampire, I would not hesistate to murder Creepward.
"Swimsuit?" He asked, confused about the sudden change of subjects. And here I thought that vampires were supposed to be quick-witted.
"Well, unless you want to go skinny dipping... I'm completely fine with that."
If vampires could blush, Jasper Hale would have resembled a tomato. So cute.
Author's Final Notes:
And here we are, back again with the newest chapter. I would like to thank the 14 people who are following this story. You guys give me butterflies of happiness in my tum-tum! And a fond thank you to those of you who have made it this far and decided that this story is not your cup of tea. I hope you guys find a better story to read!
Also, you might have noticed that there are these strange, unfamiliar names sprinkled here and there. Those are just some OC's that I've added so that there are more than 10 students at Forks High. They may or may not continue making appearances in this story. They are mostly just background peeps, some of them might be considered full-blown side characters.
That's all for now. Let's see if I can't crank out the next chapter by the end of this week...