lips 11
gpov
the next few weeks were filled with the family trying to make me feel like i was one of them. it was still awkward between Esme and i.
Edward was acting less emo though and that seemed to put everyone in a better mood. i usually hunted with Alice and sometimes Edward joined us.
on my fourth week with them we were out hunting. Alice, Jasper and i. they were helping me learn to track and distinguish between scents.
i must admit i sucked at it. to the point i thought something was wrong with my sense of smell.
i wondered if it was a by product of being on the streets too long or if it was because the smell of mom's drugs cooking burned out my nose hairs.
i caught a scent that smelled like beer and catfish.
i turned towards it hoping it was a bear because some of them smelt this way. or at least to me they did.
Alice and jasper were right behind me yelling what sounded like stop or no don't do something. i frowned wondering when they became wildlife conservationists.
then i spotted what the smell was coming from. it was an old man he was standing in a stream with some sort of pole in his hands.
i wondered why he was standing like that until i saw him raise the pole from the water and pull out a fish.
i took a quick sniff and wrinkled my nose in disgust. the beer scent was there but it was mixed with several foul odors.
like corn chips and rotted meat. cigarettes and bad cologne. he started to turn and i bolted away as fast as i could run.
i felt nauseous so i ran to a spot down stream from him and scooped some water into my hand.
it was cold but not too cold. i wondered why i didn't find it freezing because there was snow on the opposite bank.
i used the water to rinse my face and nose and was still trying to rid myself of that scent when Jasper then Alice ran up. they looked completely shocked.
"you didn't kill him" said Alice
i raised my head to stare at them. wondering why they would think i would eat some one. i stood up and wobbled.
Jasper grabbed me to steady me and i climbed back up the bank
"i thought for sure when we caught a whiff of him you were going to drain him dry" said Jasper
my nose wrinkled in disgust.
that was gross i may have eaten out of trash cans on the street but i never had the urge to lick the bottom of one.
"ewe yuck why would i do that he was gross" i said
they both looked shocked
"gross?" they both repeated
"yeah gross like a trash can gross" i said
Jasper looked confused and looked at Alice.
she turned to look at me
"seriously you had no urge to eat him?" said Alice
"ah no he smelt worse than the skunk didn't you smell him?' i said
now i truly wondered if something was wrong with my sense of smell.
they looked at each other
"yeah he smelt good like beer and fried chicken somewhat but it was still descent" said Jasper
i looked at him like he was crazy and Alice burst into laughter. i frowned at her.
he shook his head when i told him it smelt like stale beer and rotting chicken to me.
"come on we'll talk to Carlisle about your sense of smell when we get back" said Alice
she looked at Jasper and i caught his bewildered shrug.
"rotting chicken?" he murmured as we walked away.
Alice giggled and looped her arm through his. i decided to let them lead the hunt because i was getting increasingly frustrated by my lack of luck when it came to distinguishing prey.
after the fourth failed attempt to find something besides deer. Alice finally pointed us in the direction of some moose. or would that be meace.
i pounced without considering which one i really wanted. i cleared the first buck and landed on the second older one. it tried to shake me off but before it could complete the maneuver i broke its neck.
my teeth were in its throat before it hit the ground. it was dry a second later. i looked up to find we had finished off almost the whole herd. i had consumed two large bucks while they stuck to the smaller cows.
"we should leave the moms and babies to keep the supply up" i said
they nodded and we walked at human pace out of there.
"you strike fast" said Jasper
"thanks trying to avoid a hairball" i responded.
Jasper broke into laughter and we walked back to home in good spirits.
Jasper and Alice went in to talk to Carlisle alone first and i waited outside for them to say it was all right to come in.
i still wasn't completely comfortable with the two older members of the group and it irritated me that they expected me to act like they were my parents.
to be honest they were insulting themselves when they put themselves in the same category as those two miscreants that claimed that title.
"Gin honey you can come in dear this does concern you" said Carlisle
i poked my head in the door and hesitated. this man never failed to make me feel like a child in his presence.
yeah i know essentially i was one but i was mature for my age and i hated being thought of as a kid. Carlisle wore a smile and i wondered why.
"Jasper and Alice told me you resisted eating a human today that was very good I'm very proud of you" he said
i frowned no one had ever said that to me before and to be honest i thought he was kidding.
"i ah yeah did they tell you why" i said
Carlisle smiled at me and i wondered just what was going through his head right now. what i wouldn't do to have Edwards gift.
"yes they said you found their smell repulsive" said Carlisle
i sighed glad they hadn't made me look like some sort of goody two shoes. i nodded i wasn't sure how to address my concerns.
"they told me you have some concerns i would love to answer whatever questions you might have about anything" he said
i was shocked i mean completely floored by the offer. no one ever offered to talk to me, well unless you counted the school counselor and she got paid to listen to me.
"well i um" i hedged
i wasn't sure how to put this.
"go on it's ok i am a doctor as well you know" he said
he reached out and laid his hand over mine. i pulled my hand back in shock.
fear had suddenly flared in me and i didn't know why. i felt an odd wave of calm wash over me and i frowned. where had that come from i was anything but calm.
" I'm sorry I'm just nervous i guess" i said
suddenly feeling the need to apologize for my abrupt actions. i didn't want to insult him when he had been completely cool about this whole thing.
i mean that says a lot about someone if they can handle a strange kid suddenly dropping into their lives and treat them like family.
"its perfectly understandable i am not insulted i don't want to make you uncomfortable Gin, please sit down" he said
i swallowed the lump of nervousness and sat down in the empty chair. he stayed where he was.
"i um I'm not sure how to word this" i said
he smiled at me warmly and i could see why that Esme lady fell for him. he really was quite charming and not in a slimy way.
i heard a chuckle from the hall way and looked up to see Edward standing there.
he smiled at me and then left when Alice and Jasper left the room. i watched them go with just a bit of apprehension.
"do i make you nervous Gin?" he asked suddenly
i dipped my head in a nod of yes.
"is it because of your uncle?" he asked
his voice was soft and sounded slightly pained. i looked up at him and saw the hurt in his eyes. i instantly felt like complete crap for hurting him like that.
this man was nothing like my uncle and would never be anything like him. he was too sweet and kind to be anything that vile.
i nodded slightly my head barely dipping but he saw it. i saw the hurt in his eyes and rushed to reassure him that it was me not him.
"I'm sorry i know your not that vile man but its still a bit of a gut reaction" i said
talking about this actually helped me broach the subject i wanted to talk about.
"speaking of which i think there's something wrong with my sense of smell" i said
he reached his hands across the desk and this time i rested my hand on his. yeah it was just a few fingers but i did it. he smiled at me and just kept his hand there.
i looked at our hands on the desk and couldn't help but notice that his hand was huge compared to mine.
"why do you feel there is something wrong with your sense of smell?" he asked
so i outlined what each of the animals i came across smelled like including the fisherman. he sat there for a few minutes and thought about what i said.
i waited impatiently for his answer. i already felt like i was as horrible at being a vampire as i was at everything else.
he was smiling when he finally spoke.
"there's nothing wrong with you Gin its just your minds way of keeping you on our diet" he said
"I'm sorry i don't follow" i said
he smiled
"your mind is supplying the smells that appeal to you for your chosen prey" he said
i was even more confused
"how did it do that when i didn't even know what they were?" i said
he smiled again
"instinct Gin pure instinct you'll find they are quite strong now" he said
"is that why you hunt animals?" i said
"no i don't want to kill another person so i chose to hunt animals" he said
"so its a conscience choice not instinct" i said
"yes most newborns like you usually can't resist the pull of human blood, that's why they were so proud of you this afternoon" he said
"oh" i said
i mean what else could i say. i knew i had never been normal before but this was somewhat disconcerting.
"we're all proud of you Gin your adapting to this better than i thought you would" he said.
if i could still blush i would be doing so profusely right now.
"thanks" i said nervously.
"any time" he said.
i stood up to leave and his voice stopped me.
"i hope you'll feel comfortable enough with us to stay a part of this family" he said
i tried to give him a warm smile but i really wasn't a smiley person. i headed for my room and found Alice sitting on my bed with her laptop on her lap.
"oh good i was wondering how long he would keep you" said Alice
her perky voice lifted my spirits. she usually did, i could really be best friends with someone like Alice.
"so what are you doing?" i asked
i was unsure why she was sitting on my bed er couch. i was wondering if i could still have a bed not that i needed one but i just wanted one for the sake of having one.
"we have a lot of stuff to do" said Alice
i stared at her not sure what she meant by that.
"ah really what?" i asked
Rose walked in the room and i wondered if i was going to have to get a lock on my door so i could get some privacy
"shopping of course silly" said Alice
"ooh shopping what site are you on?" said Rose
"Rochette's" said Alice
i was completely lost and wondering just what they were talking about. i inched closer and sat on Alice's other side.
"so what do you like on this page?" said Alice
i waited for Rose to answer but she was looking at me.
"ah what?" i said
"come on Gin stay with us here we're buying you clothes" said Alice
i blinked in shock. i didn't have any money to buy clothes.
"ah how i don't have any money" i said
"ah but who needs money when you've got plastic" said Rose
she held up a silver card. i could swear i saw my name on it.
"can i see that?" i said
Rose handed me the card with a shrug. i looked at it closely
it said Ginnifer Hale on it.
'where did you get it?" i asked
"Carlisle ordered you one last week it got here today so what do you want?" said Alice
she was staring at me funny
"and he's ok with you doing this?" i said
they both rolled their eyes at my question.
"but of course he knows you need new clothes and stuff" said Alice
"besides we have to establish your new identity" said Rose
"oh but where did he get this last name?" i said
Alice rolled her eyes
"its mine we recycle the names every few years, now lets shop" said Rose
"yes your closets are empty and so are your walls." said Alice
i sighed and started pointing out clothes i wanted. some of the price tags gave me fits but Alice just kept right on clicking.
i lost track of how many sites she visited but she did save them to her favorites so when i got my new laptop i would be able to do my own shopping.
by the time we were done it was the next day and i had everything from clothes to music on order.
i kept trying to curb Alice's spending but they both shrugged off my worries and told me not to worry and have fun.
"Spencer's you've got to be kidding me?" said Alice
by now i was enjoying myself and i wanted to go to a few sites i knew of
"yeah why don't they have a site?" i said
Alice sighed and typed it in. i ordered several funny t shirts from the site
including one that said i love fast food with a picture of a deer running on it.
they rolled their eyes
"great she has Emmett's sense of humor were doomed" said Rose.
she was joking of course but it was weird seeing Rose so relaxed.
"all right you two you have school later today enough shopping for the night" said Esme Alice and Rose groaned
"school you guys go to school?" i said
"yeah repeatedly personally i think its hell but at least i get to flaunt my wardrobe" said Alice
Rose grinned and i handed Alice her laptop.