AN:/ This chapter was inspired by M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable. Old movie I know, but I watched it again recently and immediately began outlining a chapter in my head. It could be longer but I just couldn't formulate most of my feelings concerning the movie. It's really quite deep. If you like the chapter, then maybe you'd like the movie. Check it out sometime.
My relationship with Bella has the tendency to put things into perspective, whether a revelation I've had or a characteristic about myself. And everyday it's something new.
The predicament in itself was obscure and I suppose it makes me far too perceptive; possibly too analytical for my own good.
It was the day of the graduation ceremony. My brothers and sisters and I had inevitably gathered in a clannish manner after Bella was whisked away from me by her friends who, in the end, had given up Bella's hope of befriending me. Typical and highly expected.
The entire graduating senior class had congregated in the cafeteria awaiting the start of the ceremony as the staff prepared their opening statements, clad in the traditional robes, as well as myself. The room was buzzing with activity; no one was sitting down. I highlighted Bella's face as she moved about the room excitedly, and I was suddenly lifted from my jaded sentiment. This would be her first time holding a high school diploma; I would be in high spirits in order to support her.
As she remained in steady conversation with Jessica, Mike, Angela and a few others I recognized, my eyes tended to wander to everyone of them, I was curious as to what the contrast would be from their facial expressions to their thoughts based on an expose' I was currently studying, which had much to do with the genius behind lie detectors. The sensors are drawn by the neurological electric signals in the brain triggered the heat of your skin, the pitch of your voice, and your muscle tension in response to the thought of an answer one will give. Most believe them able to read minds.
Jessica's deviously fraudulent thought processes were in stark contrast with her expression and the current conversation. The set of her jaw tensed and lapsed at abnormal intervals, mostly when the conversation was lightest. Someone said something funny at some point, but even though she laughed the pitch had a slight falsetto and the set of her jaw was tense. Usually I would pass this off as nothing, her thoughts far too impertinent to listen to anyway, but seeing as Bella was standing next to her, the distinction between the heat in their skin, the timbre of their voices, and the tautness of their most commonly used muscles was simply amazing.
Thus, I came to a conclusion.
Evil has to exist to make the discrepancy between what is good and what is not.
'Good', in its purest form, whatever that may be, cannot exist without evil, cannot be defined, because 'good' can only be 'good' in comparison with evil.
Without evil to pale in comparison with good, a sense of incongruity is missing and a customary standard is set.
I am that which does not seem to be appropriate in the humane context, I am the supposed evil that gives good its definition. And in being with Bella is where the divergence is made.
…Because the shark has to retain a deafening quality for the angel fish to reign in its divinity.
"What are you thinking about so hard?" Emmett asked me and surprisingly, though I had spent the past ten minutes brooding on the very subject, I could not explain. I made a hesitant sound to attempt to verbalize what was going on in my mind.
"…nothing." I gave up.
He nodded.
"Just curious…" I began. "Why do you think humans lie?" I asked. Emmett gave me a questioning glance but I merely kept staring in Bella's direction, my head titled slightly as I was still in deep thought.
Emmett snorted.
"To make 'em look better than they really are."
I looked up at him then. "Do you…think Bella would lie to me?" He had that solicitous look in his eye again as he answered warily. And by the evidence of facial structure I'd gathered, I could tell I had piqued the others' interests.
He shrugged.
"I doubt she has a dishonest bone in her body." I thought for seconds more.
"How can you tell?" He hesitated, choosing his words his words carefully, something he rarely did.
"Well…I can't, usually…but standing next to them is when I see it the most."
If in association with me is where her goodness is realized, then at the very least I can understand what my purpose is.
For the scariest thing of all is to exist without reason, without a place…
And then truth mattered very little to me, I took solace in that fact alone.
AN:/Uh...is it just me or am I getting repetitive? I feel as if I've used that line before...I'm losing it. Click that button and review!