Chapter Eight: Scary Stories
Friday wasn't all that interesting without Jasper around. I just got the usual comment from someone within our friend group about me riding home with Jasper. I just told that that he was giving me a lift since Bella went home early, nothing else. Of course, they didn't believe me considering none of the Cullen's had contact outside of their family. Angela, and of course Bella, were the only two not being judging about the whole thing. Angela went as far as to say that Jasper and I looked good together, and it was the first time that she ever saw him smile. I didn't comment back, I just gave her a smile.
I looked over at Bella as I heard her quiet sigh, before looking at where she was; The Cullen table. I have tried my best not to look at their table. I knew that he wasn't going to show up, no matter how much I wanted him to. But mostly, I didn't want to get another heated glare from Rosalie. The last one was good enough for a while.
Besides my internal conflict, everyone around the table were getting more and more excited as Mike bragged about it being sunny tomorrow. Bella and I had doubtful looks gazing around the table, but I wasn't going to be the one that ruined their fun. I still had to go, rain or shine. At least that's what Eric told me. I just nodded my head with a smile, not all that big on the talking today.
I really thought about just skipping today to use it as a me day, but I couldn't think of anything to actually do. Not by myself at least. I might fake sick and go home after lunch. I didn't want to deal with the empty seat next to me during History, and I might as well just skip English too.
With my mind set on leaving early on, I got ready to throw away my lunch. Bella glanced over at me with a questioning expression and I leaned down to explain to her, "I'm leaving early. Skipping on the last two classes."
Bella thought about it for a minute before she looked back at me, "Do you want some company?"
"I wouldn't really pick you as a ditching type of person." I commented as we made our way to Bella's truck. The story that we told was that Bella was still feeling queasy since yesterday and I had to drive her home. It worked, but mostly because the nurse didn't really care.
"The last time someone told me they were ditching, I didn't listen and I had to deal with almost fainting." Bella shook her head and I laughed at her.
"Lesson learned." I opened the truck door and climbed into the passenger side as Bella got into the driver's side.
"What are we even going to do?" Bella asked looking over at me. "We can't go to my house, Charlie will flip if he saw that I skipped classes."
"My mom's not going to be home until later." I mentioned. "We could watch movies or something."
Bella nodded before turning on her car, "Movies, it is."
We didn't really spend long watching movies before we could side tracked by thinking about the Cullen/Hale boys. She was also trying to figure them out. And we both had no idea where to actually start.
"I just wish I had a sign." Bella muttered falling back onto my bed.
I nodded my head in agreement, "I also want him to tell me on his own. I want him to know that he could trust me."
"That's true." Bella nodded her head slowly.
"Is it just Jasper, or is Edward's hand cold too?" I asked suddenly thinking about yesterday when I shook Jasper's hand.
Bella was quiet for a moment and I turned my head to look at her during her silence. She looked in deep thought before she finally answered, "I've noticed. Have you noticed how their eyes change?"
"I've noticed."
What was going on with the Cullen family?
I woke up the next morning to an usual sight; the sun was starting to peak out of the clouds. I gave myself a laugh as I thought that Mike was right- that wasn't something I hoped to get used to saying.
I ran around my room getting ready for the day at the beach. As I slipped on my brown boots, my mom knocked on my door. She leaned on my bedroom door as she watched me get ready, "Heading out?"
"I'm going to La Push with a couple friends." I paused to look at her, "I told you the other day."
She nodded her head before throwing me a set of keys. I raised my eyebrow at her as she smiled, "Go look outside."
I jumped up from my spot on the floor to run to the front door. I gasped when I saw a 2003 Grand Cherokee in the driveway. I looked over my shoulder at my mom as she smiled brightly at me, "Surprise!"
"Mom," I laughed as I ran into her arms for a hug. "This is amazing. Thank you!"
"Yeah, well I figured it was time for you to have your own car." She laughed as I pulled out of her embrace. "Have fun today." She winked at me rubbing my hair affectionately.
"I will." I grinned before pulling out my cellphone texting Bella: Want a ride?
I didn't have to wait long before she messaged me back with a sure. I gave my mom one last big hug before racing out to my new car. I jumped into the front seat before starting it up. I sighed happily, I haven't been behind the wheel for a while. I missed driving around.
I pulled out of the driveway before heading towards Bella's house. Jasper was right about the fact that after a while you start to know where everyone lived. The result of being in a small town.
I pulled into Bella's driveway before honking my horn, waiting patiently. Bella came out of the white house before raising her eyebrows at the new vehicle. I smiled once she climbed into the passenger side.
"My mom bought it for me." I said giddy as I pulled out of the driveway.
"Now you don't have to steal rides from me." Bella laughed.
We pulled into the Newton's hiking shop where we were supposed to meet everyone. More people were there then I thought there was going to be. Bella and I jumped out of the Jeep before making our way over to the big group of high-schoolers.
"You both came!" Mike greeted brightly. "And I said it would be sunny today, didn't I?"
"I told you I was coming." Bella said stopping in front of Mike.
"You're lucky that you were right about it being sunny. I'd be thoroughly disappointed otherwise." I crossed my arms against my chest. Despite it being sunny outside, it was still only high 40's, maybe low 50's.
"We're just waiting for Lee and Samantha." Mike paused. "Unless either of you two invited someone." I shook my head negatively. If I did invite anyone it would have been Jasper, but I knew him and his brothers were camping right now. He wouldn't be able to make it even if I did.
"Will you ride with me?" Mike asked, mostly looking at Bella. "It's either that or Lee's mom's minivan."
"Actually, I'm driving down there too, and Bella already promised she'd drive with me." I mentioned and I saw Bella give me a thankful gaze before turning back to Mike with an apologetic expression.
"She's right, I did promise her. You should ask Jessica." Bella mentioned and we all looked over at the eager brunette. She waved at us with a jealous smile once she met our eye contact.
"Yeah." Mike muttered somberly.
Everyone was able to fit in Mike's and Lee's vehicles, leaving just me and Bella in my Jeep. We all piled into our respected seats before taking off down the road. I was able to keep up with Mike, since I was following him for directions.
It wasn't a long drive, 20 minutes at the most. La Push was a beautiful reservation to lay your eyes on with trees and forest down every road. The houses were spaced further apart than Forks was, giving more of a peaceful feel to the whole town. We pulled up to the beach and I couldn't help but appreciate the view. There was cliffs surrounding the whole beach, and the water was a clear gray color, attracting me and making me want to go for a swim. If it wasn't still cold outside, I might have thought about it.
There was a brisk wind coming from the water when we stepped out of the Jeep, making me thankful that I wore a sweatshirt- even if it was just a light weighted one. The whole group of people followed Mike down to the driftwood surrounding what looks to be a fire pit. A couple of the boys sent out to look for some extra wood so they could make a fire, and I immediately took a spot that would be facing the ocean. It was so mesmerizing.
"Have you ever seen a driftwood fire?" I looked over at Mike when he asked the question. He was sitting on the next log over from me and Bella. I watched as Mike started burning the smaller branches around the fire to try and start it. I heard Bella mutter a quiet no before Mike smiled, "You'll like this then. Watch the colors."
I watched as the wood turn into a blue color as the fire licked the wood. "It's blue." Bella gasped surprised.
"The salt does that. Pretty, isn't it?" Mike asked leaning back against the driftwood he was sitting on. Thankfully, Jessica was on Mike's other side as she grabbed his attention. I continued to watch the blue flames lick the wood.
After about a half hour of indescribable chatter, some of the boys wanted to go for a hike to the nearby tide pool. I agreed willing wanting to stretch out my legs. Plus, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get closer to the water. I looked down at Bella, thinking that she would agree willingly too, but she seemed hesitate. She turned over to me with a grimace, "I will probably fall. I promised Edward I would be safe this weekend."
"I'll make sure you don't fall." I smiled before getting up from the log.
She sighed before nodding her head. I smiled at her brightly before following after the pro-hiking group. A couple people stayed back, not wearing the correct shoes to hike, or just not wanting to take the trip.
The hike wasn't long, but it did satisfy my need to be around the ocean. The whole time I made sure that Bella was on the inside closest to the forest and I was closest to the ocean. I didn't need her falling into the water on my watch. The whole hike was filled with laughter and joking around. I saw a couple of the guys try to push Mike into the water a couple times. I couldn't help but laugh with them- it was contagious.
I saw Bella taking cautious steps around the rocks, not wanting to fall into the water, but me along with the other group of people were jumping around on the rocks. The only difference between me and the rest of the group was that I was keeping pace with Bella and they were a little ways ahead.
Finally, the boys started getting hungry and we decided to make our trip back towards the beach. Bella started to relax a little bit on the way back as we were keeping pace with the rest of the group. She was doing good keeping her footing, and I could tell that she was surprised she hadn't fallen.
I caught her a couple times when she almost fell to her face, and she thanked me gingerly. Right as we got to the clearing and almost out of the dense forest, Bella fell to her knees. Me, thinking it was a good idea to try to catch her, fell also. I hissed as my knees made contact with the sharp rock. I tried to catch myself with my hands, leading my palms to get scratched up toward my wrist. I shook my head as I stood up. I looked down at my knee to see my leggings ripped and a small cut on each knee.
"Sorry, Chelsea." Bella said rubbing the dirt of her hands. I waved off her apology before washing my hands in the ocean, I needed to get the dirt out of my cuts. I followed suit doing the same thing to my knees before standing up fully.
"It's not a big deal." I said finally before smiling over at Bella.
So much for being careful like I told Jasper I would be.
We got back to the beach to see the group we left behind multiplied, adding about nine more people. It was all kids from the reservation coming to socialize.
Eric quickly gave everyone an introduction between eating his food. The younger of the two looked over at Bella curiously but I ignored it as I sat next to what looked like one of the oldest in the groups. I wasn't able to catch his name properly, but I think it was something like Jared.
After lunch, everyone started to scatter around the ocean. I just stayed where I was, looking at the simmering fire in the middle.
I heard Bella and this younger kid start talking quietly between themselves, but I paid no attention. That was until Lauren decided to butt into their conversation.
"You know Bella, Jacob?" She asked looking between the two.
"We've sort of known each other since I was born." Jacob answered with a quick laugh.
"How nice." Lauren said scornfully. "Bella, Chelsea-" She called looking over at the both of us. "I was just saying to Tyler that it was too bad none of the Cullens could come out today. Didn't anyone think to invite them?"
I narrowed my eyes as she mentioned the Cullens. They really didn't deserve the rumors they got.
"You mean Dr. Carlisle Cullen's family?" The oldest one said next to me. I looked over at him curiously.
"You know them?" I asked him.
He looked down at me quickly before answering, "The Cullens don't come here."
I raised my eyebrows quickly at his tone. He didn't say it like they didn't want to come here. It said it like they couldn't- like they were prohibited.
I looked over at Bella to see her curious too. I wanted to know more about this. Maybe they knew something that could give me a clue on what's going on with them.
"I think I'm gonna walk down the beach, Chelsea want to come?" I looked up at Bella knocking quickly. She turned down at Jacob before smiling, "Want to go?"
We walked north of where the rest of the group was. I had a feeling I knew what Bella was getting at, but I let her make the first move. It was her idea after all.
"So, you're what, sixteen?" Bella asked looking at Jacob. She fluttered her eyes softly, and I had to stop myself from laughing. She looked like she was on a TV.
"I just turned fifteen, actually." Jacob said innocently. He sounded embarrassed that he was so young.
"Really?" I said acting surprised. He looked down at me curiously. "I would have guessed you were younger."
"I'm tall for my age."
"Do you come up to Forks much?" Bella asked lightly. We were trying to butter him up first, and it was actually getting ridiculous. I had no idea how she was going to bring the Cullens into this conversation like this.
"Not too much." He shook his head. "But when I get my car finished, I can go up as much as I want- after I get my license."
"Who was that older boy Lauren was talking to?" I asked thinking back to the older guy. This was our way into the Cullens topic.
"That's Sam." I was way off with his name.
"What was that he was saying about the doctor's family?" Bella asked, trying to hide her smile as she opened the conversation.
"The Cullens?" Jacob asked. "Oh, they're not supposed to come onto the reservation." I knew that I was right about them being prohibited.
"Why not?" I asked making Jacob look down at me. I looked up at him through my lashes making his cheeks turn into a deep russet color.
"I'm not supposed to say anything about that." Jacob admitted biting his lip.
"We won't tell anyone." Bella promised lightly. "We're just curious."
"Do you like scary stories?" Jacob asked deepening his voice, trying to sound ominous.
"I love them." I said with a slight giggle.
We walked up to an abandon piece of driftwood before settling down against it. I rest my back against the truck, looking at Jacob as he was about to start the story.
"Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from- the Quileutes, I mean?" Jacob asked looking down at Bella and I from his perch on a twisted branch.
I shook my head as Bella said, "Not really."
"Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood- supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark." Jacob smiling joking, letting us know he didn't put much faith in these legends. "Another legend claims that we descended from wolves- and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them.
"Then there are the stories about the cold ones." Jacob said lower his voice to try and act scary. I furrowed my brows looking at him.
"The cold ones?"
"Yes. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some are much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land." Jacob explained before he rolled his eyes.
He didn't happen to believe in these stories, but something in me told me that they weren't just legends and stories.
"Your great-grandfather?" Bella asked.
"He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf- well, not the wolf, really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors."
"You mean like werewolves?" I asked before thinking back to Jasper and I's conversation.
"I've thought of everything between radioactive spiders, to werewolves."
He laughed once he heard my theories and I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm sorry." He grinned at me, obviously not sorry. "You're right though, they are ridiculous."
"Thanks." I muttered under my breath. "So I'm not even close, then?"
He shook his head, "No radioactive spiders." He paused before continuing, "And I despise werewolves."
"Yeah, you would call them werewolves." Jacob nodded his head.
"Werewolves are enemies?" Bella asked.
"Only one." Jacob answered before continuing, "So you see, the cold ones are traditionally our enemies. But this pack that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time was different. They didn't hunt the way others of their kind did- they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe. So my great-grandfather made a truce with them. IF they would promise to stay off our lands, we wouldn't expose them to the pale-faces." Jacob winked at Bella and I.
"Then why made a treaty if they aren't dangerous?" I asked. I really wanted to know every bit of information I could about this story.
"There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, eve if they're civilized like this clan was. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist."
"What do you mean, 'civilized'?" Bella asked.
"They claimed that they didn't hunt humans. They supposedly were somehow able to prey on animals instead."
"So then how do you guys work the Cullens in?" I asked. "Are they related or something?"
"Are they like the cold ones your great-grandfather met?" Bella questioned intrigued.
"No," Jacob paused for dramatic effect. "They are the same ones."
I felt my breath escape me as I heard his answer. Everything was making too much sense and I could start to feel a headache coming on from all this information.
"There are more of them now, a new female and two new males. But the rest are the same. In my great-grandfather's time they already knew of the leader, Carlisle. He'd been here and gone before your people had even arrived." Jacob said fighting off a smile.
"And what are they really?" I asked already convinced of this story he was telling me.
"Blood drinkers." Jacob answered quietly. "Your people call them vampires."
This time I did stop my breathing. Vampires.
The word kept repeating in my head. I could help but think his story true. At the same time, how could vampires even exist? Everything was adding up, but I couldn't find out how.
"You both have goosebumps." Jacob laughed breaking me out of my thoughts.
"You're a good story teller." Bella muttered not looking away from the rising tide.
"Pretty crazy stuff, right? No wonder my father didn't want us to talk about it to anyone." Jacob gave us a laugh.
"Your secret is safe with us." I said trying to smile as normal as I could.
"I guess I just broke the treaty." Jacob admitted.
"We'll take it to the grave." Bella answered automatically.
I looked up when Mike and Jessica come into the spot that us three were hiding. "There you two are." Mike said smiling at the both of us.
"Where have you been?" Mike said as he reached our side.
"Jacob was just telling us some local stories." I answered standing up from the ground. "They were pretty cool."
I saw Jacob smile over my shoulder.
"Well," Mike paused looking over the three of us. "We're packing up. It looks like it's going to rain soon."
I looked up at the sky to see that it did look like it was about to rain. "Okay." Bella and I agreed before we started heading back towards the main around of the beach.
Everyone was already packing up when we reached the parking around. I quickly unlocked my Jeep before jumping into the front seat. Bella jumped into the passenger side and I let out a huge breath. "Wow."
"Do you think...?" Bella left the question open but I knew what she was talking about. Did I think that the stories were true? Did I think the Cullens' were actually vampires?
"I don't know." I answered truthfully.
Bella leaned her head against the glass and I turned on my engine before driving home, trying hard not to make my headache worse.
Thank you to all that reviewed my last chapter, I appreciate it more than you know. It really helps me write the next chapters, motivation and all that jazz. Also thanks to all that favorite and follow this story; I've said it once and I'll say it again, you are just important to the production of this story, so thank you.
Let me know how you liked this chapter, I know Jasper's not in here, but I had to of had this chapter, you need to see how she figures it out.
With love, Cheyenne.
