I fit a whole chapter into one again. Oh my freaking God it was hard. And I am not happy with it at all. But I've made you guys wait long enough and I'm sooooooooo sorry! I had two major assignments to finish and I handed them up yesterday. I have holiday in a week so I'm hoping that I'll be able to update heaps more over the two week break! Once again I am really sorry, and I'm sorry this is the chapter you had to come back too. You know, I don't like Tali being all up-tight, so maybe next chapter I'll make her happier. I dunno, keep readin'!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does
SM: Do you mind telling me which of my guys I can keep?
ME: Well, obviously not Jasper, Jacob or James
Katie: *glares* or Edward
Priss: Shayla likes Emmett so you can't have him either
Phoe: Jazz wants Carlisle
ME: So all the Cullens are gone
10. Skippity-do-da-day
"Tali! Get up!" Bella yelled down the corridor while I stood having a mild panic attack. Her voice soothed my nerves a little bit. Okay, so she wasn't dead either. Damn it, I was gonna have a word with Jasper!
"Be down soon!" I called back and flopped back on my bed. Urgh! It was too early in the morning for this kind of trouble. My eyes closed and I was asleep before I knew it.
Bella's truck woke me about half an hour later. "Shit!" I cried, practically falling off my bed and darting down the corridor to take a quick shower. I threw on some clothes and dried my hair ten minutes later before I nearly fell down the stairs, grabbed an apple and threw my skateboard onto the pavement. Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! I yelled at myself nearly the whole way there. I was late. Majorly late! Crap! I rolled into school, kicked my board into its usual bush and pretty much ran to English. 20 minutes late.
"Nice of you to join us Miss Swan," Mason said snootily as I banged the door open.
"Whatever," I muttered and slumped down in my usual seat next to Bella.
"Well I hope you won't be late for detention." My jaw dropped. He could not be serious! "Lunch time today Miss Swan. Next time it will be after school." Detention! Oh come on!
"Tali!" Bella whispered to me and I frowned at her. "Why are you so late? I thought you were awake this morning?"
"I was!" I hissed back, "But I fell back to sleep!"
"Tali!" was all she said before she tuned back into the lesson. But I was fuming. A detention for being 20 minutes late? You have got to be kidding!
"That's tough," Mike leant around Bella to offer his sympathy. I glared at him while he smiled nervously. I slid down low in my seat and crossed my arms, reluctantly paying attention to the stupid teacher in front of me.
The rest of the day was slow until lunch and I dragged my feet back to Mason's class, knocking on the door, glare fixed in place as I stepped into the room.
"Ah, good, Tali," Mason smiled. Oh boy, he better go to Hell in the next life. I am not happy about this.
"I don't see anything good about this," I muttered, too low for him to hear. I slouched to my seat at the back of the class and threw my bag into Bella's usual seat. "What am I doing?" I asked louder, willing his head to burst into flames.
"You will sit here and do your assigned homework," Mason replied, eyes fixed on his computer screen. Seriously? Easy! Back in Phoenix I would have been stuck cleaning graffiti off lockers or pulling gum out from under tables. You know, something that involved effort! But all our English homework was, was to read the next chapter of Wuthering Heights. I smirked and pulled out my book. Not that I wouldn't rather be sitting with Bella, or yelling at Jasper but hey, this would do.
The lunch hour passed surprisingly quickly and my eyes shot up with surprise when the bell rang for sixth hour lessons. Some of the nerds had already arrived, standing nervously by the door. Sophomores, I noticed. I stuffed my book into my bag as Mason stood up to start writing things on the board. "You can go now Tali. Don't be late to my lessons again."
"I won't," I muttered on the way out and shoved roughly passed the sophomores that were now flooding into the class room. But it wasn't as though I was actually going to go to my next lesson. I had my lesson all through lunch, so now was my free time! Jefferson wouldn't notice my disappearance. He'd probably be glad; he wouldn't have to put up with me falling asleep all through his lectures.
I shouldered my bag and walked softly out past the car park and into the little outcrop of forest beyond. I slipped silently through the first few rows of trees until I was far enough in to not be seen by the teachers in the buildings. I dropped my bag onto a tree root and hoisted myself up onto a low-hanging branch, letting my leg drop down so the tip of my Converse brushed the mossy tree roots below.
"Hello Taliah." I almost fell out of the tree again. What is with these things and trying to make me fall out of trees? My eyes narrowed to a glare as I took in the vampire standing at the end of the tree branch.
"Cullen," I acknowledged coolly.
"Look, Taliah," Cullen sat down on the end of the branch, facing me with molten gold eyes. "Jasper has informed that you've had some past experiences with vampires. And not pleasant ones."
"Jasper told you!" I spluttered, my dormant rage bubbling to the surface again.
"He didn't have much of a choice, he was thinking about it when he came back from his encounter with you."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"I can read minds. Like I said, he didn't exactly have a choice."
"You can do WHAT?" I cried. "You can read people's minds?" Geez, that's just plain creepy!
"With only two exceptions," Cullen corrected. "Bella is immune to my mind reading skills." I let out a mental sigh of relief.
"What about me?" I asked warily.
"You are even stranger than your sister," Cullen frowned. "It seems that I can read your mind when you are speaking directly to me through your thoughts. Or when your anger reaches an emotional extreme."
What, so you can hear me now? I asked him through my thoughts, curious in spite of myself.
"Yes, I can actually," Cullen smiled.
"What are you so happy about?" I snapped.
"That was only a theory until you proved it just now. It feels good to have a better understanding of this mental block I feel coming from you and Bella."
"Glad I could help," I muttered with a roll of my eyes and Cullen chuckled. "But that still doesn't explain why you're not ripping my head off. Every other time I see you, you look about ready to kill me."
"I believe that was your fault in the first place Taliah. If you had not been so angry at us, I would not have acted the way I did."
"I have good reason!" I snarled at him, my eyes pools of anger.
"Good reason or no, it was terribly rude."
"I do not need etiquette lessons from a vampire!" I hissed.
"Apparently you do," Cullen replied coolly. "But that is not the reason I followed you out here. I have to talk to you about a matter that concerns your sister." I sat up straight, my eyes wide.
"What's happened!" I demanded.
"Nothing has happened," Cullen said calmly, "But your sister and I have gotten closer over the past couple of days and –" I didn't give him the chance to finish. I jumped off the branch and stalked towards him.
"How many times have I told you to stay the Hell away from her?" I yelled, jabbing him the chest. "You are dangerous and I do not want my sister getting murdered by one of you things!" Not like Kiv... Okay, new topic.
"I promise that I will never hurt her Taliah," Cullen held up his hands.
"I don't care what you promise!" I screech. "You stay the bloody Hell away from her!"
"I am trying to avoid any situations that will drive me to hurt her!" Cullen tried to defend himself. "Like now, for example. Alice saw that we would be doing blood-typing in biology so -"
"They're doing WHAT?" I yelled. "Aw shit!" I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, ignoring his strange comment about the pixie and pelted towards the biology rooms.
"What's the matter?" Cullen asked, easily keeping pace with me.
"Bella faints at the sight of blood!" I hissed through my teeth. When I broke through the edge of the trees, sure enough, lying on the pavement, there was Bella. With Mike. "Bella!" I called. I raced over and sat on the cold ground next to her, smoothing her damp hair off her face. "You 'kay Bells?" I asked.
"Bella?" Cullen called out. He had slowed his pace so we wouldn't be seen leaving the woods together. I saw Bella cringe. "What's wrong – is she hurt?" Cullen demanded of Mike. He kind of sounded upset.
"I think she's fainted. I don't know what happened, she didn't even stick her finger." Mike sounded stressed and confused.
"She faints at the sight of blood. Well, the smell actually." I informed Mike while Cullen looked sceptically at me. What? I snapped, Humans can smell blood too you know! Hmm... This mind reading thingo might actually come in handy. Stop me making a scene every time I need to yell at him.
"Bella." Cullen leant down to kneel beside her.
What did I just say Cullen? I hissed at him. He shot me a glare. Urgh! If he wasn't indestructible, he would have been beaten to a bloody pulp by now!
"Can you hear me?" he asked.
"No!" Bella groaned, "Go away!"
"Nice job Bella. Now come on, you are goin' to the nurse. And maybe if you're lucky, you can get out of gym!"
"I was taking her to the nurse!" Mike protested as I grabbed Bella's arm, ready to tug her to her feet. "She wouldn't go any further."
"I'll take her," Cullen volunteered, "You can go back to class."
"No!" Mike protested, "I'm supposed to do it!" I watched in absolute horror as – right then and there – Cullen scooped up my sister and held her in his arms.
CULLEN! I screeched at him mentally and I saw him flinch. IF YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW MY SISTER AS A VAMPIRE AND NOT AS A PILE OF ASHES, YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY ABOUT IT! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO HURT HER OR TRY AND DRINK HER BLOOD LIKE THE LEECH YOU ARE YOU WILL WISH THAT NEITHER OF US HAD EXISTED! I WILL KILL YOUR ALREADY DEAD ARSE! I continued to yell at him, a snarl frozen on my face as I followed Cullen towards the office.
"Put me down," Bella protested weakly.
"Hey!" Mike called out from behind us. I didn't even bother turning around and giving him the finger like I normally would have.
"You look awful," Cullen grinned at my sister, ignoring both of us.
"Put me back on the sidewalk," Bella moaned.
"Yeah, you really should put her back on the sidewalk," I hissed menacingly. His small frown was the only indication that he had heard me.
"So you faint at the sight of blood?" Cullen laughed, a smile on his face. Well duh! I've told him how many times now? Bella's only reply was to clamp her lips shut and jam her eyes closed. "And not even your own blood," he continued. Of course. I knew exactly why this was so amusing to him. Deciding that Cullen was not going to listen to me, I kept up the stream of profanities that echoed in my head as I ran ahead, opening the office door for my sister. Not for Cullen, for my sister.
"Oh my!" Ms Cope gasped as Cullen carried Bella in.
"She fainted in bio," I explained. "She's not good with blood."
"Blood-typing?" she guessed and I nodded. I hurried after Cullen and Bella as Ms Cope ushered them into the nurse's office. The elderly looking nurse stood up from her novel with wide eyes.
"Blood-typing," I said by way of an explanation, but she seemed to understand.
"There's always one," the nurse sighed. I heard a muffled snicker and I glared at Cullen.
"She's just a little faint," Cullen assured her as he placed Bella softly on one of those crappy mattresses.
"Just lie down for a minute, honey; it'll pass."
"I know," Bella murmured and already her voice was stronger.
"Does this happen a lot?" the nurse asked.
"Sometimes," I smiled at my sister. The nurse shot me a questioning look. "Oh, she's my twin."
"Oh of course, of course," the nurse nodded. Guess she just wanted to know how I'd know. Cullen coughed and I could detect the laughter behind it. I shot him a glare that had sent little kids running from me before. I would know. I did test it.
"You two can go back to class now," the nurse smiled at me and Cullen.
"I'm supposed to stay with her," Cullen said with authority. The nurse pursed her lips and then turned to me.
"There is no way I am going back to class while my big sister is here!" I protested hotly. The nurse raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you said you two were twins?"
"One of us has to have been born first!" I sighed. Cullen snickered again. I was really getting sick of it.
"I'll go get some ice for your forehead dear," the nurse said and then bustled out of the room.
"You were right," Bella moaned and I knew she wasn't talking to me.
"I usually am – but about what in particular this time?" Stupid egotistical vampire.
"Ditching is healthy," she breathed.
"You scared me for a minute there," he admitted. He sounded humiliated. "I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods."
"Ha ha," Bella muttered.
"Honestly, I've seen corpses with better colour." I'll bet you have leech. He glared openly at me before he continued. "I was concerned that I might have to avenge your murder."
"Poor Mike. I'll bet he's mad."
"He absolutely loathes me," Cullen said cheerfully.
"You can't know that," she argued and I rolled my eyes. Of course he could.
"I saw his face – I could tell." Well at least I'm not alone. Urgh, but did it have to be Newton on my side?
"How did you see me? I thought you were ditching." Bella looked much better now, though still a bit queasy.
"I was having a small conversation with your sister and when I informed her that we were doing blood-typing in class, she ran off to find you and I followed." I glared at him.
"How'd you know we were doing blood-typing?" Bella asked suspiciously.
"I heard Mr Banner talking about it after yesterday's lesson," he lied.
"Here you go dear." I'd been so caught up in the conversation that I didn't notice the nurse rejoin us. "You're looking better," she observed.
"I think I'm fine," Bella said as she sat up. I looked at her closely. No, she wasn't just trying to stop the attention. She was actually feeling better than before. The nurse looked about ready to protest but I spoke up.
"Believe her. I know her, she's feeling better now." Ms Cope chose that moment to stick her head in.
"We've got another one," she said before she disappeared again. Bella gladly jumped up off the cot thing and passed the ice pack to the nurse. "I don't need this." And then Mikey-Boy staggered through the door, supporting a half-conscious kid called Lee. I actually liked this guy. Like Edan, he hadn't hit on me or asked me out. We just played soccer or basketball sometimes.
"Go out to the office Bella," Cullen instructed. The vampire using her name brought my rage back but I quickly calmed myself, remembering what he said about mind-reading when I was angry. "Trust me – go." Trust him! Grr... I followed Cullen and Bella as they disappeared into the office. Cullen was standing right behind her.
"You listened to me," he seemed surprised. Ha! That means Bella doesn't usually do what wants her too! In your face Cullen!
"I smelled the blood," she wrinkled her nose. I could catch the smell of blood too, it trailed after Lee. Urgh, now I sound like a vamp.
"People can't smell blood," Cullen snorted. Bella and I shot him a glare.
"Well we can – that's what makes me sick. It smells like rust ... and salt." That shut him up. He just stared at her.
"What?" she asked.
"It's nothing," he muttered. Just how much time have you been spending with my sister without me knowing Cullen? I hissed at him. He just looked at his shoes. That much? I growled. He nodded. Oh boy, why did I leave my lighter at home today? Oh yeah, I was late. Mike walked back through the door, his eyes darting from Cullen to Bella and back again. The look of hatred on his face made me wanna laugh.
"You look better," he said, voice accusing. There goes my laughter.
"Just keep your hand in your pocket," Bella warned him.
"It's not bleeding anymore," he muttered like a sulking child. "Are you going back to class?"
"Are you kidding? I'd just have to turn around and come back," Bella rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, I guess ... So are you going this weekend? To the beach?" He glared at Cullen as he said this and I flashed a glance over to the vampire. He was standing like the ice he felt like, staring off into space. But my brain was already tugging me back to Mike.
"What's this about a beach?" I asked eagerly.
"Umm ... Me, your sister and a whole bunch of others are going down to the beach at La Push. Why do you want to come?" he seemed happy that someone wasn't talking to him with sarcasm or loathing.
"Hell yes!" I cried happily, "I haven't been to the beach in ages!"
"We're meeting at my dad's store at ten." His eye flickered to Cullen again and I snickered. Vampire at a beach? The thought was ridiculous! (AN: just going along with that, has anyone read the 'Vampire Beach' series? It's pretty good) His gaze drifted to Bella for her answer.
"I'll be there," she smiled.
"I'll see you in Gym then." He seemed much happier than when he first came in with Lee.
"See you," Bella replied. He gave my sister another look – one which made me want to kick his sorry puppy butt out the door – before he left the warm confines of the room. "Gym," Bella groaned, her eyes half-closed.
"I can take care of that," Cullen murmured in her ear. Go on! I snarled at him, Bite her, I dare you! He flashed me a pained glance before he whispered something else. Bella nodded and sat down, closing her eyes and resting her head on the wall behind the chair. Cullen made his way to counter. I watched him flirt his way out of class, Bella too – it made me feel sick.
"What about you Tali?" Ms Cope asked me.
"I'm going home with my sister. No question about it."
"But Edward's going with her. The Cullen's are very trustworthy you know."
"A name is just a name to me. I'm not leaving someone I don't know alone with my sister, especially when she's like this." Ms Cope sighed, but let me out of Gym too. I followed Cullen and Bella outside into the cool and I revelled in the fine mist that sprayed my warm skin. I caught up with the two of them and tugged Bella ahead, out of her conversation with Cullen. "Come on Bella. You feeling better?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed.
"It was just a question!" I said calmly.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"How long's retriever-boy been organising this beach thingo anyway?" I asked.
"Quite a while. You just never pay attention to them."
"Yeah. But they're all so annoying! Do they have nothing better to talk about than movies and who's hot? I mean seriously!"
"We're teenagers Tali, that's what we do!" Bella said exasperatedly.
"Yeah, well, that just sucks. Period."
"You would think we'd come up with something better after all this time," Bella mused.
"I dunno. There are those randoms that talk about satanic rituals and politics and all that I guess."
"That's quite a distinction Tali," Bella laughed.
"I find satanic rituals and politics quite similar actually," I laughed along with her.
It wasn't until we reached the parking lot that there was a problem. Cullen had caught up to us and while I veered towards Bella's car – her keys in my hand – Bella herself was being pulled off by Cullen. "What the Hell you freak!" I hissed when I turned and noticed this. They were standing outside his car as the rain started to get heavier.
"I promised Ms Cope that I would make sure Bella got home safely," Cullen called over the wind and pouring rain. With you is not 'safely', I hissed in my head.
"But I'm her sister!" I argued.
"And I'm her friend." FRIEND!
"Sister beats friend! Get out of it Cullen!"
"Tali." How much time had she spent with the bloodsucker again? Really!
"No Bella!" I snapped, "Come on!" But in response, Bella just opened the door to the Volvo and slid inside. Her brown eyes pleaded forgiveness from me. Cullen was inside with her in an instant and the engine started. I stood in the rain like an idiot watching as my sister was driven away by a leech. I stormed over to her truck, climbed into the cab and followed them as quickly as possible. But even going full out – fifty-five – in the truck, I lost sight of them before they even rounded a corner.
The stupid truck got me home God knows how long after Cullen and Bella and I arrived just in time to see Bella slam the Volvo door behind her and storm up the front steps into our house. I flipped Cullen the finger as he drove away and I followed her inside. I heard her clattering around in the kitchen and as I passed I thought I heard her muttering angrily to herself. "'Try not to fall into the ocean'! Who the Hell does he think he is?" It was with a much lighter heart that I practically skipped up the stairs and danced into my bedroom. Well, that's their 'friendship' down the drain!
I wish.
Bad chapter, yes. But Tali knows about Eddie's mind-reading stuff now. Fitted a whole chapter into one again. And I shall never try to do that again. It's very annoying, and the details get all fuzzy-like. Once again I'm sorry for the delay. Don't worry; I am planning on murdering my teachers XD Oh! Oh! Who knows what chapter's next! That's right! JACOB! I love Jacob, he's so adorable. So yah, Jakey next!
I've also been getting some comments about the whole Jasper/Tali thing. Don't worry, they stick to normal pairings, but there's a reason for the Jasper protecting Tali shit. It will all be explained! Trust the author! lol. See ya's next time!