A long wait for a relatively short chapter; but I admit shamefully, that it's all I could come up with. Books and movies consumed me whole and my Muse seemed to left for vacation, too. I think she comes to me whenever I have homework that desperately needs to be done.

For Reviewing the last chapter, I'd like to thank the following:

Nala162024, Wierdo-Lover, WrathoftheElite, Scilla E., balcklace-and-roses, Katt the Pirate, kuraikami, Three Books in the Fire, Hari-chan15 and My-Lover-Gren-Gren.

Thank you so much, guys! Enjoy!

Chapter Ten: Danger

Part One:

A Special Party

Time is a very strange thing, Edward mused. He's been sitting in his attic for such a long time – hours? days? He was not sure – and felt it. After making a small round in the garden and taking care of his green statues, he returned back up and sat in his corner, staring at the opposite wall. Occasionally, he'd look up, at the hole in the roof, to gaze at the sky, which changed colors from light violet, crystal blue, cerulean, spotted with white clouds (was it just him or were the clouds moving across the sky? Was that a sign of passing time, too?), then bright with the sun up, and then turned darker and darker until it was navy blue and finally, black.

That was day. After day there was night. And Edward began to hope Rose would appear at the entrance, smiling as always. She would utter her greeting, that sweet-sounding 'hi, Edward!' and come up to him, her smile so wide, her eyes so bright. How Edward wished to see her.

Ever since that awful incident with Jim, Edward decided to lock himself up in his mansion, in his home, alone. Without no one he could hurt with his unfinished hands. However, after Kim gave him his first hug and then – oh, how well he could remember it – his first kiss, and left him forever, the boy craved for human contact. Not those mean townspeople, oh no. Edward wanted someone who'd be as kind and caring as Peg was to him; as warm and understanding as Kim had been. Every day, he wished for Kim to come back. Every day he suffered when she didn't.

And after such long time, probably years and years, someone did came into his life again. The expression of amazement and wonder on a stranger girl's face had craved itself in Edward's memory. But she'd run away, and he felt a cold stab of disappointment, but at the same time, a drop of relief. It was a strange feeling; Edward couldn't understand why his emotions were so mixed up.

But the girl had returned. And then Edward began to think that maybe – maybe – it was Kim. But it wasn't. It was a stranger, and she was clearly frightened by his appearance. Yet she hadn't run away. She had spoken to him, wanted to learn his name. And he had learnt hers.

Rose.

Edward stared at the old, unused fireplace. Pictures of hands and palms were barely visible in the dim early evening light. If only he'd had hands like those… Edward closed his eyes and curled up in a ball in the corner, the blades of his hands pointing away from him. Everything would be much easier. Everything. People would accept him – not just some people, those exceptionally kind-hearted people like Peg, Kim and Rose. Every person living in Suburbia would accept him, as their equal. He wouldn't have to be alone anymore. He wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

Feeling a wave of many emotions overwhelming him, Edward got up slowly and walked towards the opposite side of the spacious attic, then back again. He paused and looked through the hole, up at the sky. Then he lowered his gaze to the town below his manor. It was just like he remembered it, albeit vaguely. Same identical, perfectly shaped houses, same colors, same tidy lawns, although there weren't any shrub sculptures anymore. Just plain shrubs Edward would love to work on. Everything seemed to be no different than all those years ago when Edward was down there.

Did people really change, like Rose said…?

Rose frowned as her eyes scanned the main hall of the school. She tried to spot the familiar blonde waves of hair that belonged to Nina, but to no avail. Rose wanted to talk to her ever since that little incident at the barbecue, but every time she asked, Nina either shrugged and changed the topic or pretended not to hear her altogether. Everything was fine until the conversation stumbled upon that certain topic. Rose was very curious of that secret Nina was so desperate to hide, yet it wasn't only that. She was also worried.

Rose, along with a crowd of other students, exited the building and made her way towards the main gate, still looking around. She was a few feet away from the open gate and was about to give up her searching, when Nina appeared seemingly out of thin air near one of the columns. She was bent over and searching for something inside her bag.

"Nina!" Rose breathed out and began to move in the blonde's direction. Nina looked up and spotted her as well, and offered her a small smile before her eyes widened at something – or rather someone – that was coming towards Rose. The blonde spun around abruptly.

"Hey, Nina, wai-!" Rose caught movement in the corner of her eye, but it was too late. She collided with someone who was walking fast-pace straight at her side.

"Ugh," she groaned, taking two steps to the side to avoid falling down.

"Damn," a male's voice mixed with her groan "Hey, watch it – Oh, Rose!"

She looked over to the person who almost ran her over. At first she was clueless as to who the guy with big, sparkling green eyes was and why did he know her name. Then, he flashed her a wide grin and she could match the name to the face; it was one of Jason's friends, Adam Donovan, the joker.

"A-Adam," she nodded her head in greeting, feeling an embarrassed blush covering her cheeks "Sorry, I wasn't looking where –"

"Whatever," he cut in, waving his hand "We're both alive, aren't we?" his grin widened "So, ready for the party?"

"Um," Rose blinked. Jason had mentioned something about a party at Adam's, but wasn't it a Christmas party? "Sure, but… Isn't it a month away?"

"A month away?" Adam laughed loudly, catching the attention of some students. Rose blushed harder. "Man, don't tell me you haven't gotten an invitation to this special party!"

"Special… What are you talking about?" she crossed her arms, wishing the people would just go away or at least turn their heads.

"You serious?" Adam stopped laughing and stared at her "Jas didn't tell you about the special party?"

"Well," Rose snapped "Apparently not, seeing as I'm totally clueless, so why don't you tell me what are you talking about?"

"Whoah, down girl," Adam raised his hands, palms facing her, a sheepish smile on his face "I get it. Okay, so we're going to have a huge party at the spook house up there."

Rose froze. "When?" she tried to stay calm, but her voice shook slightly.

"Tonight, of course. The start's at 6, but some people are heading there after school to set the food and drinks and other stuff." Adam grinned once more, oblivious to the inner battle going on in Rose's head. "Since Jas hadn't invited you, I'm gonna do it. So," his face turned serious "Rose Middle-name Wheeler, will you come to the party to grace us with your beauty?"

His solemn expression and the dramatic tone of voice he used caused her to burst into giggles. Adam was the joker, all right. Serious just wasn't his thing, and he looked even more funny when he tried to act formal. It didn't fit him at all. Her sudden mirth was cut short when she remembered what had he said a moment ago. 'Spook house'.

"My middle name is Lily and I don't think I'll make it," she lied smoothly "I have lots of work to do."

"You're also sixteen," Adam noted, raising his eyebrow "And Jas' friend. You can't stay at home when everyone else is out, Ro'."

She hated that nickname. As if 'Rose' wasn't short enough! But her dad would never quit calling her that, even though she'd told him countless times she didn't like it. And Jason, well, she never told him about her dislike towards the nickname. But hearing it from a total stranger made her frown.

"I'm sixteen and a half." Rose uttered quietly, biting her tongue before she could add, 'and right now my grades are top priority in my life'. Instead, she continued, "And I really have much to do. Sorry, but I think I'll pass this time."

"Okay then, no pressure," Adam shrugged, offering her a friendly smile "But I'll be sure to keep in mind that little 'this time'. That means you will come to the Christmas party, yeah?"

There it was, the chance to end the pointless talk and run along. Rose returned his smile and nodded. "Sure."

Oh, such enthusiasm.

"Well, then. See you around!" Adam waved shortly and walked away.

Rose also turned around and leisurely walked towards the entrance gates. She looked around once; Nina was nowhere in sight anymore. Wasting no time, the brunette took off abruptly and ran as fast as she could towards the direction of her house. She had to stop by there and drop her backpack off; it was beginning to give her shoulder a hard time. Then, she had to flee towards the dark manor as quick as possible.

She needed to warn Edward, she needed to get him out of the mansion before the people would arrive there. And since some of those people had cars, Rose was at a big disadvantage. But, if she ran fast enough, maybe…

Rose reached her house in a record time of 4 minutes and 21 seconds. She pushed the front door open with so much force it banged the wall next to it. The noise made Denis peek out from the living room, where he was busy playing video games.

"Watch it!" he barked before disappearing as his game loaded. The girl ignored him altogether and dashed upstairs to her room, where she left her backpack carelessly on the floor and flew back down. When she passed Trevor's room, she called out, "Be back soon, going to Nina's!" and dashed ahead, not hearing nor caring for the response.

Rose grabbed the door knob, satisfied with herself that she took so little time when a noise cut through the hall. The telephone situated right next to the kitchen entrance in the hall rang. Rose jumped up in surprise.

"Answer it before you go, Rose!" Trevor's voice was muffled by the distance and his closed door, but Rose heard him clearly. She hissed out the four-letter word before hastily picking up.

"Yeah?" she didn't care if she was rude, even though it could be a friend of her parents' calling. Her parents, who were currently at the cinema.

But it was someone Rose knew very well. And that certain person was too busy to prevent themselves from bursting into tears to notice Rose's impatient voice.

"Rose," Nina said in a shaky voice on the other line "I think I want to… I mean, I need to talk to you. As in, in person. I just can't take it anymore…"

"Nina?" for a second, Rose had forgotten all about the party at the mansion and the danger Edward was in "What happened?"

"I need to tell somebody, please… Just, come over and I'll tell you everything, okay?"

"Nina, I –"

"Just come over, okay? Please, Rose…" a sob escaped her throat "It won't take long, I promise."

Rose bit her lip. "Give me 15 minutes," and hung up immediately. She didn't hear Nina's second sob and a soft rustle of paper being folded into a ball by an angry fist, then being thrown at the wall.

Rose ended the conversation and dashed out of the house, praying to God she'd be the first one to arrive at the hill-top mansion.

A: Originally, this is only the first half of a whole chapter I've had to divide. I figured it would be quicker to update that way – half of a chapter is much faster to write than a whole one. So the second half shouldn't take too long.

Please Review if you enjoyed! Let me know what you think ;)