Sorry it has been such a long time since I updated (well longer than usual) I was busy this weekend and finally had the chance to edit the next chapter (I usually have the next three chapters wrote out already.) Since it's a short one and the next chapter is one of my better ones, I will try to update soon. Please review :)
That Saturday the phone downstairs rang waking me up. I rolled over wrapped up in the sheets still exhausted even though I had slept fairly late. My strange dreams had kept me up tossing and turning all night. I had dreamt I was drowning in the turbulent ocean waters when Ethan appeared offering me his hand. However, I didn't trust him enough to take it and I struggled to keep my head above the surface but the water kept splashing into my mouth suffocating me. I woke up with a sore throat feeling as if I had actually been chocking on the salt water all night.
The strangest part of the dream was that ever since the bloodsucker had helped Lou Monday night, he had been absent from school. I hadn't detected any new leech trails across city and the thought he had skipped town thrilled me. Ally and I had went out to pizza last night with a few other girls from the basketball team and for the first time since I moved here, I felt like they truly liked me. It had been a bit of a celebration for myself. I was finally in a place where I belonged. Other than the issues I had left behind me, I couldn't imagine it getting much better.
Aunt Lou knocked on the door and cracked it open peeking her head in to see if I was awake yet. I rolled over to face her.
"Good morning." I smiled sleepily.
"Good morning darling, I hate to bother you but Sam just called again. Are you sure you don't want to talk to him?" She asked for the hundredth time this week. Sam had been very persistent in calling the house and having Seth attempt to contact me. I had underestimated the extremes to which he would go to. The phone went off so frequently now that it was odd when I didn't hear it ringing.
"No, I'll handle it later." I got up out of bed stretching. Aunt Lou left to get ready for work as I started to get dressed for the day. I had agreed to help her with the shop on the weekends and in return she said she would give me some money to save up for college.
Once I was dressed I walked down stairs and unplugged the home phone. At least we would have some peace and quiet now. I wondered how long it would take Aunt Lou to realize it was unplugged. I hoped it would take a long time. Lou walked down stairs ready to leave just as I was cleaning out my cereal bowl. We climbed into her old pick up and headed off towards the bay. I had yet to see the fish store since I arrived in Maine and I was excited after all the positive feedback I had heard about it.
We parked off in a lot where the fisherman and workers left their vehicles having to walk down the board walk to reach the store. It was small and wooden, sandwiched between two larger shops towering over it. It matched Lou's personality perfectly. She unlocked the door throwing her purse on the counter. The shop reeked of fish and vampire. Apparently Ethan helped out more than I had imagined. Immediately I walked back to the front door and propped it open. There was no way I was going to survive without fresh air. Over all, it was a beautiful shop. The store window over looked the bay and horizon perfectly and would have been a great place to watch the sun rise across the sea.
"Okay, we are getting a delivery at 10 o'clock and we still need to stock the display freezer." Aunt Lou bustled around getting things ready to open. She got me busy cutting off fish heads and cleaning them for sale. It wasn't a glorious job but it was the least I could do, after all she did rescue me from La Push.
"Oh, and Ethan is coming into work today as well." She shouted from the back cooler. Lovely. There goes my theory that he had skipped town. I sighed deeply thinking of how happy I had been this week. Why should I let a stupid leech ruin my life? Especially when he wasn't slaughtering town? I knew the answer, I shouldn't. At least his stench would burn my nose to the point I couldn't smell the reeking fish I thought optimistically.
Ethan showed up right on time carrying in some extra supplies Aunt Lou had requested. I didn't bother to look up when he politely said good morning. I kept my eyes on the fish I was busy gutting possibly cutting it harsher than necessary. The blood sucker moved silently about the shop getting ready to open. He eventually started to set up to cut fish next to me. I still refused to acknowledge his existence after ten minutes of agonizing silence.
"Leah?" I heard his voice ring out and I turned to look at him. My heart froze and I dropped my knife I was so startled. His eyes were a dark carmel color I hadn't been expecting. I stood there speechless my mouth hanging open as the knife clattered on the floor. In an instant he had bent down and retrieved it holding it out to me.
"I apologize, I didn't mean to scare you." He quietly extended the handle of the knife towards me. I took it without taking my eyes off his. A few things began to clicked into place and I suddenly was able to make sense of his absence all week.
"Where were you all week?" I inquired turning back to my fish. I knew the answer already but I wanted to hear him say it.
"I was on vacation." He evasively replied as he started to resume cutting as well.
"Where?" I demanded. Aunt Lou popped her head around the corner interrupting before he had a chance to respond.
"Did I hear a clatter in here?" She asked searching for a spill of some sort. Ethan responded before I could open my mouth.
"Sorry Lou, I dropped my knife." He waved the blade in the air.
"Well be more careful next time, you are standing next to my precious niece." She laughed and walked off towards the back office again. If she only knew he didn't need a knife to be lethal. The silence stretched on as I waited for his answer.
"You will be mad at me." He finally replied solemnly. I closed my eyes in an attempt to control my shaking hands. I had known the answer yet the anger that filled me was inevitable. He noticed my reaction and continued. "I was curious, wouldn't you ha-"
"NO, I wouldn't have and you had no right to!" I whispered angrily to keep Aunt Lou from hearing in the room next door. I closed my eyes again focusing on keeping myself together. I slowed the heat that was spreading down my spine until I was sure I could open my eyes without phasing.
"I'm sorry, you're right." He said starting to cut his fish again. I didn't have a comment back. I doubted a murderous monster was capable of being apologetic but that was an argument for another time.
"How much did you find out?" I asked quietly still staring out the window at the bay.
"Everything." He murmured turning to face me. I turned away as an angry tear slid down my cheek. No matter how fast I could run I still couldn't leave my past behind me. It was genetic, flooding through my veins always a part of me as long as I breathed.
"I won't tell any one." He said still staring at me.
"You mean you won't tell any one if I don't spill your secret." I laughed mirthlessly.
"No, I will keep quiet even if you don't" He resumed cutting the fish at an inhuman pace making up for lost time. I turned back to my fish and started cutting again as well.
"Tell me one thing." I said keeping my voice even. "Did you learn about the animal trick on your vacation as well?" I sneered the word 'vacation' afraid of his response.
"Yes." He replied turning to stare at me again. "I swear I won't-"
"Don't." I said cutting him off. I didn't want any empty promises. I have had enough of them in my lifetime courtesy of Sam. Aunt Lou walked in and started helping with the fish leaving no time to continue the conversation. I left around lunch sneaking out the back without speaking to Ethan again. The energy inside me was building, ready to explode. More than anything I just wanted to phase and run but I knew Sam would have someone constantly on patrol from now on waiting for me to lose my temper. So instead I ran around the town again making the same loop as last time minus the trip to the vampire crypt. It took three laps around the entire town before I finally felt I wasn't in danger of phasing any more.
