I was released three days after I originally woke up, as I had to be sedated because of my 'panic attack'. None of the Cullen's visited after that, not for lack of trying, but because my Uncle asked them not to unless I asked or was fully recovered. He has tried to talk about why I reacted in such a way, but I've kept my mouth shut, I felt like I was crazy, I didn't want others to think so too.
Oscar visited me as soon as I was released, as the doctors said my visitors should be limited until I was discharged, which basically meant I was only allowed to talk to Charlie for two days, but I didn't mind as he had to leave for work occasionally so I got some time to gather my thoughts.
The more I thought about the images I saw, the more I was able to understand. I saw various members of the Cullen family, many of the people of La Push gathered around a campfire, I saw Bella curled up on a couch, and from what I saw of her face, she looked like she was close to death.
Although I saw more, I didn't know what it all meant... well it could just be that I'm off my trolley, but deep down I knew that I wasn't. I still didn't know what it meant.
"Hey baby." Oscar said as I opened the door. I smiled at him.
When he visited, I found out he was the one who pulled me out of the water and resuscitated me. He said he'd never been so scared. He thought I was gone for good.
He came over every day for a week, and we chatted more and more, some important things, and also nonsense. I really got to know him, as opposed to the week we hung out in class and lunch, which probably made it an easier decision to make when he asked if I would go out with him.
The two weeks of school punishment had finished, and after a talk with the headmaster, or 'principal', we were free once again. Thanks to that Oscar and I made occasional trips to the cinema, bowling alley, the arcade, the fair, and restaurants.
Alice or Bella still called everyday though, apparently they were still in Forks in the hope that I would agree to see them. But I wasn't going to, not until I had figured out everything in my head.
Today was the last day of spring break, and all of us had decided to head up to Seattle for a day out. Charlie had only said that I must be back by eleven and I mustn't break the law. Oscar promised as well, and Charlie seemed to be warming to him, especially as he was the one who 'saved' me, making me sound like such a damsel in distress... he liked to tease me about that.
Oscar picked me up last as I was the one furthest out in Forks, after he picked up the triplets. Faith, Becca, Jenna and Remmy were riding with Alex, as Xavier was Skiing in France with his parents.
As soon as we reached Seattle, Faith called and said they saw posters for a Fair and thought it would be a good idea to go, so after I relayed the directions to Oscar, we managed to park at lunchtime.
"Should we go get some lunch and then look around?" Vi grinned, linking arms with me.
"Sure, where looks good... oooh I haven't had crocodile in ages!" I spied a South African stall and I think I drooled smelling all the spices drifting from it.
"Crocodile? Why on earth have you eaten that?" Alex laughed as he and the rest of his group appeared behind us.
"There was this amazing South African restaurant near where I lived in England... some of the best food I've ever had. Well there was also that time in Bordeaux..."
"You've been to Spain?" Faith asked, earning an eye roll from every person there.
"Bordeaux is in France dumb-ass." Vi laughed.
"And yes I've been to France, several times, a few for holidays and others as an exchange student."
"So you can speak French?" Oscar raised an eyebrow.
"Oui, un peu. Mais je trouve que le vocabulaire est le plus facile que de s'apprends les temps."
"Show off." Vi muttered.
"I agree, but I think I may conveniently forget my French so you'll have to teach me." Oscar grinned wryly, and I almost blushed.
"I'm sure we can work something out." I winked back, and pecked him on the lips, while all the others gagged.
"Get a room!" Alex hollered, while I glared at him.
They all seemed to think that Oscar and I had already exceeded third base, much to my embarrassment, but hugs and kisses was about as far as we progressed and I was comfortable with it, and it seemed like Oscar was too, so although it was untrue we let them think whatever they wanted.
After I tried to get everyone to try crocodile, most of them actually liked it, causing my smug grin, we split off into small groups agreeing to meet at the dodgems in two hours. I wanted to look around with Oscar, so Vi went with Alex, while her brother and Daisy went off themselves and Jenna and Faith ran to a jewelry stall, leaving and Daisy and Remmy to themselves.
"Where should we go first?" Oscar smiled, grabbing my hand.
"Lets just wander." I smiled back and pulled him along.
An hour later, he was absorbed in a woodwork stall and I really wanted to move on, but I couldn't bear to pull him away, he looked like a toddler at Christmas. So I quickly made an excuse to visit the music stall a short way up.
As I looked at the wind instruments I heard a throat clear and instinctively looked up. A very tall man was leaning casually against the stall, looking at me intently. He was dressed in a deep green suit with a black satin cravat which exaggerated the green in his eyes and his jet black hair. His white skin made the white stripes on the stall look cream, and he was so thin I wouldn't have been surprised if he had a eating disorder.
I opened my mouth to ask what his problem was, when he lifted one very long thin finger and curled it slowly and turned around and disappeared between the stalls. Intrigued I followed.
Just behind the stall was a emerald green tent with black tassels, it looked quite small from the outside, but when I stepped into it, it appeared to be twice the size. It's interior had two plush sofas covered in cushions, tables and bookshelves lined the walls covered in various artifacts I wouldn't be able to name, there were paintings which looked priceless and in the centre there was a stone pit where a fire was burning.
The man was already lounging in one of the sofa's so I sat in the one opposite him.
"You're very calm, you haven't any idea who I am." His voice was smooth like honey, but his chest rumbled deeply, and it had traces of another language hidden underneath it, like he wasn't accustomed to speaking English.
"It's not like we're very far away, besides I'm curious." I shrugged.
"How does the saying go... curiosity killed the cat?"
"Yes but satisfaction brought it back."
The edges of his dark lips twitched in amusement. "Touché."
"So why did you beckon me here?" I asked, relaxing into the cushions.
"You are a very intriguing young woman for one, your future is so twisted I can't get a read. But because I have a feeling about you, I am giving you the offer to ask me three questions, and three only. I'm fairly confident I will be able to answer anything you ask of me."
"So you're one of those 'fortune tellers'." I scoffed.
"Not exactly."
I pursed my lips and looked into his green eyes, noticing how the pupil wasn't quite round, it looked more reptilian. I blew out a gust of air. Great, I was having a psychotic break. May aswell make the most of it.
"If I ask you your name is that a question?"
"Technically that was a question, but I'll allow it this once, and I will allow you to call me Firben." He said it like fear-bean, I didn't know what language it was, but I didn't want to waste some of my so called 'questions'.
I thought for a few minutes.
"Is my father alive?"
"Yes."
All the air left my lungs in one heave. He was alive? I only said it to test him, if he said he was dead, it would be easier to accept that than he left my mum and I shortly after I was born and never bothered to contact me since.
"I don't believe you." I crossed my arms, forcing some conviction into my voice.
"Believe me or not, it doesn't change the facts. But if you need another reason to believe me, step outside. If you still don't believe me, you are welcome to leave." His long arm extended to the tent flap.
What did I have to lose?
I stood up and strode towards the flap and thrust it backwards, gasping. In front of me wasn't the striped music stall with unkempt grass thriving around it, there was no smell of candyfloss or burgers, no screams of delight or laughter.
Instead it was replaced with sand and rock. The huge expanse of rock in front of me looked like a ancient city had been carved out of it, parts of it were crumbling. Unsure if it was real, I stepped out, making sure I still held onto the tent flap, should it suddenly disappear.
A wall of heat hit me, so intense I was immediately pouring with sweat. My feet even sank in the golden sand. I could hear a bird of sorts overhead and I saw a snake slink past. I couldn't cope with it anymore so I turned around and re-entered the tent.
"Am I insane?"
"No. You are remarkably sane. More so than every human you know. One left."
I cocked my head slightly, wanting to ask what he meant by every 'human', but unsure as to use my last question like that.
"Please sit while you think, it will make me less jumpy."
I looked at him properly, and indeed he looked coiled as if he was ready to act at an instant, but it wasn't threatening, his reptilian eyes showed concern. So I heeded his request.
"Why did my mum die?"
He leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees, looking over the fire with sombre eyes.
"It was necessary. She needed to die for you to move to Forks and continue down your path. I'm not saying her death was foul-play of sorts, but it was determined many years ago when she would die. The closest thing I can say, is that it was fate."
I wasn't sure if he continued speaking or not, all I could think was that it was my fault. .
I only realised I was crying when a white hand held out a handkerchief. As I looked up and took it from him, I wasn't ashamed of my tears. I mumbled a thanks.
Once I composed myself, he spoke from were he sat patiently next to me.
"While I hate for you to leave so soon, it appears the young man you've been spending your time with is looking for you, getting quite frantic. So I would like to give you some words of advice. Firstly while your instincts may be very viable the majority of the time, sometimes you need to look past it and see what or who is truly standing in front of you. Secondly you need to begin to accept the things you don't understand as it could cause you a lot less pain in the future. Lastly, before you get too serious with Oscar Wills, he's not for you, so think about what you really want before you hurt him and yourself too badly." He stood up in a fluid movement and held his hand out to help me up. He then walked me to the tent flap. "Oh and if I were you, I would visit the jewelry stall, you might find something which would prove very useful in the future. Goodbye my sweet Shadow."
Then he nudged me out, I blinked, stunned at the sudden onslaught of noise.
I turned around to return the goodbye but found couple of crates and a cat sunning itself. I blinked again, my mouth open and closing like a fish, but shook my head. Yep insane.
0-0-0-0-0
"I'll pick you up at usual time tomorrow." Oscar gave me a deep kiss and then left.
"Home early." Charlie called from his usual spot on the sofa.
"Yeah we had an early dinner, so we could get back early."
Once I found Oscar, looking around frantically with the others, he expressed his worry, and it was only then I realised that I had been gone for almost an hour. After many apologies. We all decided to forgo the rides and went further into Seattle, Oscar's hand never leaving mine. But as we passed the jewelry stall near the entrance something caught my eye, drawing my attention to such an extent Oscar quickly paid for it with a chuckle.
It was a flat disc made out of some kind of polished green stone, on a sturdy but slim black string. One of the main reasons I was drawn to it was because it was exactly the same shade as Firben's eyes, well some dude in my mind. I put it on and it rested in between my breasts, making it easy to cover with various tops. But what amazed me most was how warm it was when I put it on, and how hot it's been since.
"Well I still have homework to do. Goodnight." I kissed him on the cheek and gave him a quick hug.
"Night, Sue's going to come over tomorrow night and cook for us, you can invite Oliver round if you'd like."
"It's Oscar as you very well know." I looked at him sternly while his eyes twinkled in glee. "But I think I will, I'll let you know."
I went upstairs and turned my laptop on, as I waited for it to boot, I decided to change, only to freeze when I took my shoes off.
They were full of golden sand.
Hope you've all been well and depending on reviews I may bring in said wolf in the next chapter or two, or i may drag it out for a bit longer...
