Hello! (: Two chapters in one day – Phew! It almost killed me, haha! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter – it's the longest I've written so far. Once again, I apologise if anything doesn't make much sense. I'm still learning. (: Oh, and let's pretend Aiden managed to look up the profiles of his students.

CHAPTER NINE:

Vivian was following her nose. She had caught the scent of the loup-garou-like scent while leaping through the woods the night before, and now it was much stronger, and more recent. She had singled out about five or six of them, and her curiosity was piqued. She bent down to lace up the hiking boots she had gotten form that camping store – the one where the Newton boy couldn't take his eyes off her. Vivian stood up, and brushed the hair back from her face. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, and inhaled deeply. Her eyes flashed golden, then returned to their normal green. She could feel the faint stirrings of the wolf deep inside her, and she shuddered. It was getting close to a full moon.

Vivian followed the scent along a road, where amazingly beautiful, dense green forests lined the edges. Vivian promised herself that she'd take a run through them some other time. She stopped to admire the wide river that snaked beneath her. It felt so much like home that her heart ached. The scent led her to a pretty beach, then through some woods. The trees felt ominous and forbidding, as she climbed over roots and ducked under low-hanging branches. Vivian stopped in her tracks, uneasy. Her surroundings were silent. No bird calls. No flapping of wings. No scurrying of little feet. No insect sounds. Even the trees seemed to be holding their breath. Watching, waiting. The leaves rustled somewhere to Vivian's right. Vivian stiffened, alert. She tried to measure her breathing.

Silence.

Vivian closed her eyes, to open up her other senses even more. After a span of a few heartbeats, Vivian opened her eyes again and started to run.

*

The bell rang. Aiden watched as his students trooped into class, chattering among themselves. They did not notice him, and he smiled to himself. Spending time with Vivian had its benefits. Only one boy seemed to notice him – indeed, as soon as the bronze-haired teen – Edward, most probably – had set foot inside the classroom, he had noticed Aiden quietly sitting at the back. A small frown had creased the Edward's features, but was swiftly replaced with curiosity. Aiden watched as the boy bent to whisper something in his companion's – Aiden realised with a sudden recognition that it was Bella – ear. Bella jerked upright, startled, then relaxed when she saw him. Aiden put a finger to his lips, and Bella smiled and nodded. Aiden waited until the class was filled, and conversations gave way to puzzled mutters before he detached himself from the shadows.

"Observance," he began, walking to the front. He hid a grin when he saw the class jump in their seats and whirl around. "Is one of the most important factors in art."

He stopped in front of the teacher's desk. "Looks like we all failed that one."

It was accompanied by a warm, friendly smile. The students found themselves grinning back. It was hard not to like the charming, handsome young man.

"So. Does anyone know why nobody noticed me?"

"Because we weren't observant."

The class laughed. Aiden chuckled.

"Very funny, Mr Newton, but no. Does anyone else know why?"

"Because we weren't actually looking," Bella blurted out. Everyone turned to look at her. Bella blushed. Aiden smiled.

"Thank you, Bella. You are absolutely right. You guys were not looking. You didn't really want to see me. You didn't really care. You shut the world off."

Here Aiden paused in his pacing and looked at each of his students in the eye. Only the bronze-haired boy held his gaze.

"Or should I say, rather, you shut yourselves in."

Aiden turned and gathered up a few scrolls of drawing paper, and handed them out to the class. As they passed the scrolls around, a few of them gasped in awe. Mike Newton let out a low whistle. One of the scrolls reached Bella, and her eyes widened. The picture was exquisitely drawn, the lines, shading and picture painstakingly hand-drawn.

"Pretty," Edward murmured dismissively beside her. Bella ignored his lack of enthusiasm and lightly ran a finger over the paper, as if trying to somehow touch real fur and flesh. The picture was that of two snarling wolves, crouching, ready to attack. The artist had skilfully drawn the tension in the muscles beneath the wolves' bristling fur. Bella could almost hear the guttural growls issuing from their throats. Bella found herself wondering if Jacob would approve of it...

"...did you draw these?"

Bella tore her attention away from the picture and looked up. Someone had asked Aiden the question. He smiled.

"Yes, I did."

More whistles, gasps, and a general buzzing of amazement.

"Are you going to teach us how to draw like this?" Jessica asked. Bella could see her eyes locked onto Aiden, who remained blissfully unaware.

"What, and earn myself competition?" answered Aiden. The class laughed again. It was easy to like him. "No, I'll be teaching you techniques." Groans issued from the students, and Aiden smiled. "Sorry, school rules."

"So. Serious stuff. I'd like you to tell me what you think the drawing means. Describe it first, then voice your opinion on it. Jessica?"

A smug look appeared on her face as she answered.

"Well, the picture I saw was about this girl, surrounded by wolves. But it wasn't a threatening sort of surrounded; it was kind of like the girl was part of the pack. She looked like she belonged there, but there was a sort of sadness...and longing in her face. As if she had lost something that meant the world to her."

Bella suddenly felt cold, and only heard Aiden thanking Jessica as if from a great distance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward stiffen, his hands tightening into fists.

"We don't have to listen to this, Bella," Edward told her, voice strained. Bella turned her head towards him to stare.

"What?"

Edward closed his eyes. "Pretend to feel ill."

"What? Why?"

"Edward?" Aiden asked, his voice amused and slightly curious. Edward opened his eyes, a dark gold.

"Two wolves, ready for the kill."

Aiden seemed amused by his answer. "And?"

"I wonder why," Edward replied coolly. Aiden's eyebrows shot up. "Is the imminent fight to the death? And if so, would it mean that it's a fight for the position of the Alpha? Or a fight to defend territory?"

Aiden stared curiously at him. "Interesting observation."

He turned to the class. "Now, I will be handing out more drawings. And I want you to copy them."

More groans from the class. Aiden laughed.

"It's to help gage what level of artistry you're at," he explained. More groans. Aiden chuckled and shook his head.

Bella took hers with curiosity. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was relatively easy – a boy and a girl. They each had suitcases, with the boy carrying the bulk of it. There was also a lamppost and bench. She was about to start when, abruptly, Edward stood up, his chair tumbling over with the force of his shove. The class turned to look. Aiden looked up from his conversation with Mike Newton.

"I do not feel well. May I be excused?" Edward asked tersely, and with a nod from Aiden, left. He certainly looked it – his skin was paler than usual, his lips and cheeks bloodless. Bella wondered what had caused Edward such distress. She noticed the drawing Edward was assigned to – it had re-furled itself into a scroll. She picked it up, unfurled it...and her heart skipped a beat. Strigoi, proclaimed the title. The Romanian word for vampire. And although the subjects' faces were half hidden in shadow, they were, unmistakeably, Carlisle and Esme.