Chapter Six

After returning to La Push I felt surprisingly safer. Strangely enough I wasn't really any safer than I had been while living with my parents. Things didn't make much sense. But life went on normally.

"Are you ever going to leave your room?" Leah asked me one day from outside my door.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Don't need to."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because if I stay in here nothing will ever happen and I'll be safe."

"You had another dream, didn't you?"

"Another? You've got to be kidding me. That's the only dream I've had since coming back from Seattle."

"I'm sorry. That dream is why you're not leaving your room though?"

"You'd want to feel safe too wouldn't you?"

"Do you honestly feel safer locking yourself in your room?"

"No, not really."

"Kat called two days ago. She's worried about you because you weren't ever online. You haven't even answered her emails."

"I know. I don't feel safer anywhere, really."

"Maybe you should call her and tell her you can go and visit. If you want I'll talk to Jacob and get you permission to stay the night."

"They don't sleep, I do."

"Well, one night won't kill you."

"Thanks, Leah." I opened the door and gave her a hug. Then I picked up the phone and dialed. "Hey Kat."

"Hey, you feeling okay?" It was nice that she kept her cell on now that she texted Edward all the time.

"For the most part. I'm being allowed a prison break for one night if that's okay."

"Sounds great! Alice won't leave me alone. Rosalie isn't anywhere near to get me out of it either. I think she might have gone out with Emmet again. They hate acting like brother and sister around town, ya know. Strange family set up huh? Anyway I'll be over in a couple minutes."

"No need. I'll pack and be over in a few."

"Great. See ya then."

"Bye." I looked over at Leah. She had a bag in her hand. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, I wanna come too! Being the only girl here is hard enough with you here."

"Fine. I'm not sure how the others will take it though."

"Everyone but Kat and Alice are out hunting, they won't be back for another day or so. Edward, Emmet, Rosalie, Jasper, Carlisle and Esme won't know."

"Fine. I was just gonna run and be there in a jiffy. I guess we can drive."

"Na, I'll drive. You deserve your running. We can drive back so Jacob isn't worried though."

"Thanks." I grabbed the bag I had been packing during our short conversation and was out the door in

seconds. How great it felt to really run, feeling the rush of the wind like driving really fast down the road, instead of being kept walking at normal human pace. Human pace was the slowest thing I could imagine, besides the school day I had to endure. If I just took my classes online from now on, I could get into college two years earlier, meaning in another few months. Well, maybe that was an exaggeration but it would be faster.

When I arrived at the Cullen's house, Kat was waiting by the front door. No doubt Alice was behind her eagerness. It wasn't the greatest thing to see, or feel. Kat's disturbing conduct toward Alice seemed to be getting more and more needy. It was like she was worried that the time she spent with Kat was going to suddenly end.

"Hey! Where's Alice?" I asked coming up the front steps.

"She went to get a movie." Kat embraced me in a tight hug.

"Oh, I hope it's okay that Leah's coming over. She wanted some quality 'girl time' too."

We laughed. "Leah and Alice, looks like we've both got our hang ups." Kat said.

"Alice seems to be getting on your nerves more and more often," I said.

"She won't leave me alone! I won't tell her what's been happening between Edward and I. She's also angry that she can't read my mind to give her every little detail."

"It can't be that bad that you don't want to tell her. You're still together right? I can tell he doesn't like me hardly at all, ever since I agreed to staying with Jacob. But that doesn't mean you can't be happy."

"No, we're still together but Alice wants more results. She's getting tired of seeing every different idea Edward has when he's going to talk to me. I could see how that would annoy her though."

"What does it usually consist of?"

"You're prying too," she grumbled.

"Come on. It couldn't get any stranger than Jacob. I'm engaged. I can take anything you have with maturity. But, if it's good and sweet – you'll get a squeal or two out of me."

"Please stop asking."

"Fine. But when he proposes I want to be the second person to know about it."

"Second?"

"Alice will have already known."

"You kinda have a point there."

"I make it a point to have a point. So can you tell me anything new? What happened the day after I left? Did Mrs. Brown tell you anything more?"

"Nothing more. She seems really worried and she doesn't go home after work. She just goes to some green belt and sits there till morning. She's isolating herself."

"You followed her?"

"Kathryn, my ability, remember?"

"Sorry. Too much going on in my head." I heard a car pull up. "That'll be Leah, doesn't sound like Alice's car."

Kat went and opened the door for Leah. "So I guess we all have to hit the sack early. Two ladies who don't sleep. Now it really is a slumber party."

"One night won't kill us and the pack does enough without me anyway," Leah sighed.

"That's a bit of a relief. I was starting to get the feeling that I'd be awake with Alice for…Alice hey, what movie did you get?" Kat said.

"Nice save." I mumbled to Leah as Kat ran to grab the DVD out of Alice's hands.

"Something like an exclusive," was Alice's reply.

"What kind of exclusive?" I asked totally baffled.

"Like a Narnia exclusive." Alice handed the DVD to me.

"How'd you get it?" Leah asked.

"Storage room in a video shop. Why?"

"You stole it?" Kat almost screamed.

"Na, just bribed a few people," she thought out her answer. I could see it on her face.

"It's not even out in theaters yet." Leah squealed.

"Well, I've got connections."

"Don't we all," Kat replied half-heartedly.

"So, when are you spilling?" I asked Kat winking at her giving her the idea she needed to make up some story for later.

"You all pry way too much. After the movie's through." Obviously it was a ploy for me to help her make up some story so Alice would back off.

During the movie Alice and Leah were so intent ooing and awing at the actor who played Prince Caspian. Kat and I were busy making up some story to keep Alice satisfied. "Put a bit of truth into it or Edward will find out. You'll have to spill tiny bits."

"He'll know I want to keep it secretive though," she said.

"He might not catch it in time. So what, you've kissed I could see that much on your face. Why don't you want to share? You're the most innocent person I know. It's like you haven't even started puberty." I sighed. "You've got better self-control than I do. You obviously haven't even thought farther than kissing. I've had to think farther. Jake's almost as strong as I am."

"And why is that?" she asked referring to Jake's strength.

"Because I've been denying myself animal blood. Everyone is always on me about that. I can't stand the idea. It's disgusting."

"But you have to to live don't you?"

"Not for much longer. One month to this date and I will officially be part of the pack, whether I've changed or not. It's worse than puberty."

"Calm down. What's the worst that could happen? Hot flashes? A ton of fur?" she almost laughed but caught herself in time.

I didn't want to tell her the inevitable so I thought of the next worst thing. "How about no control over my anger? What will happen the next time I'm around you or Alice? I'd be a werewolf, mortal enemies to vampires, remember? I'm worried."

"Don't be. You've got better control over your anger than I've seen anyone."

"Is that why you won't spill about the Edward details? Did he get angry and it wasn't pretty?"

"No. Just leave it. We're talking about your problem right now."

I held my arms up defensively. "Fine, backing off. But what happens if my new found 'strength,' we'll call it, keeps me from controlling my anger?"

"You can dig out Paul's driveway?" she offered.

"Hush! He's talking." Leah's voice sounded from somewhere farther up in the room.

"Sorry," Kat and I whispered back.

"I'm serious though. Sure I could teach Paul a lesson or two but that didn't do any good the last time someone tried," I said.

"I thought that was a myth," Kat said.

"Jacob teaching him a lesson was. Leah teaching him a couple lessons. That was no joke."

"Wow, Paul seems kinda weak."

"Not when Leah's mad. I was half surprised she didn't end up killing him."

"Well then, remind me not to get on her nerves." Kat said.

"Okay, so I have one question that's not exactly prying. Why does Edward hate me so much?"

"You know, I honestly don't know. But I don't think he hates you."

"Then how do you explain the way he acts when I'm around?"

"I don't know, I'm not the mind reader," Kat said defensively.

"Sorry. He hates me and I don't know why. It's killing me to know. But that out of the way for now. Please tell me something that happened between the two of you. Anything, please! At this point I don't think anything would surprise me."

"Surprise is a word I don't recognize anymore."

"So…what happened and why don't you wanna tell?"

"Stuff happened. I just don't wanna tell."

"Oh, please. I spilled. Can't be that bad, I mean you're you."

"It's my business," Kat said.

"You're the strangest teenage girl with a boyfriend I've ever met."

"Well, the movie's almost over so like ya."

"You're not getting out that easily. Leah and I promised we'd be fine not sleeping one night."

"I was afraid of that… But, give me a break. It's my first real boyfriend and I don't want to ruin it by sharing everything."

"Fine, fine. The second you feel like sharing, I'm the first one you're gonna tell right?"

"Sure." Just then the movie ended and Alice spun around staring at us, "What?"

"You talked the whole movie, what about, I wanna know!"

"It took two and a half hours to try and get her to spill and it still didn't work," I mumbled. I was fairly disappointed, too.

"Wow, strong will. No wonder Edward chose you," Alice was mumbling to herself. "Hey Leah. I know you're the only one that eats so, you want something?"

"No I'm fine. Ate plenty before I came over."

"At least you have more manners than most of them," I laughed.

"I bet Emily's glad, she wanted some company." Leah was muttering.

"You staying with her now?" Kat asked her.

"No, not yet, but I will be soon. Sam and the rest of the pack are going on some long trip around the entire territory to try and find out what's going on. Something about some unknown vampire even the Volturi don't know about."

"That's odd," Alice muttered, "How long are you staying with her?"

"Long enough so that Jacob doesn't kill me for staying with her." Leah jabbed her thumb toward me.

"He's a bit overprotective. My only weakness is being torn to pieces and set on fire," I said. "It's like having my father constantly worrying that I'm going to die of some unknown illness. It's annoying. Especially when I've done everything I can to try and show him I can take care of myself."

"You're dreams don't help him any." Leah pointed out.

"What dreams?" Kat asked.

"Just strange dreams that I can't really explain. You had to be there to understand, ya know?"

"Not really," Alice said pointedly. "By the way, does anyone know why Edward's always so tense around Kathryn?" She asked as if she could read my mind.

"Were you listening to our conversation, Alice?" Kat asked.

"No. Why was it about that?" Alice asked.

"Sort of," I answered.

"Because he's back and I don't like the tense feelings he gives off when Jasper's not here," Alice said.

"You think I like it any better? His emotions are like the one acceptation to my ability. No reason behind it. It's hard to interpret. It's like he's angry and hurt but he's never known me my whole life."

"Sorry. Maybe we should all go for a walk or something." Alice said.

"How about a jog?" Leah asked. "You guys are a bit faster on your feet than I am."

"You don't have to make acceptations for me." Leah said waving her hand in the air.

"It's no trouble. Come on," I said pulling her to her feet. We had our walk and when we came back, Edward was standing on the back porch of the house.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice full of anger.

"They came over for a sleep over. You were gone. They were going to be gone by the time you and everyone else got back," Alice said protectively.

"That's not what I'm angry about. Did you see the inside of the house?"

"What? What happened?" I asked suddenly worried.

"Ransacked. Most items of furniture and everything else, gone." I could feel the poison in his voice. It stung worse than it should have.

"What? You think its Leah's or my fault? We were guests, not thieves." I tried to match his sting in my voice but it came nowhere close.

"I suppose that you think Alice or Kat were the last ones to leave. No one bothered to lock the doors?" It was then that I noticed that the sliding glass door was shattered.

"And you think we'd have to smash the doors to get in if it were unlocked? Did you even notice the shattered glass?" His face went hard. "Come on Leah, we're obviously not wanted here." I walked with Leah around the side of the house toward her car.

I could hear Kat and Edward behind the house. Alice must have gone inside. "You really think they would have done something like that? Why do you hate my friends so much?"

"I don't, but their thoughts point to nothing but thievery."

"Oh really? Well then, what's in their minds other than how could I even think to love someone who jumps to conclusions? I've only got another month with Kathryn before we're officially mortal enemies."

"No, it won't be like that." He sighed and kissed her.

I knew why he was saying that at least. He could see my dreams and how much they were bothering me. What I didn't understand was why he was so cruel to me.

"How do you know?" I could hear her push him away from her. "You think that you can just push me away from my friends." It was quiet enough that I could have heard a pin hit the floor of a carpeted area. I could understand the almost silent tears coming from her and could almost picture how Edward would hold her till she stopped crying. I wished she'd find a way to tell me like a true friend before my last month of life was over.

"Can we agree not to tell Jacob about that?" I asked Leah as I climbed into the passenger seat of her car.

"I wouldn't even dream of it. He'd get to the point where he'd break the treaty if he knew about that." Leah replied.

"I'm not in the mood to drive if you don't mind." I told her.

"I'm afraid of what'll happen once you change. I'd hate to be on your bad side, just don't you go breaking the treaty." Leah said changing the subject.

I held up my right hand, "I swear I will do no such thing." We both laughed.