Angela woke me up at eight, and it saddened me to wake from my dream. I hadn't dreamt of Gwen much, and when I finally had a dream about her, it ended too soon. I understood it would take me longer to get ready with a cast, but I would have like to pretend my sister was back in my life. I kept it together, I didn't curl up in a ball on the bed, like I wanted. I got up and faced the day. Angela fastened a trash bag around my arm so I could sort of shower. I still kept the cast out of the water, but at least I got to enjoy a somewhat shower. Angela showered quickly after me, then help me put on and zip up my jeans. I stretched out another t-shirt over the cast. Angela helped me with my hair, and I was able to rub tinted moisturizer on my face. That was the extent. Somehow, it took a lot longer than I would have thought. I slid on a pair of boots and the sweatshirt, but decided to forgo a jacket. I thought the theater and cars should be warm enough, and the jacket was just awkward over the cast.
Bella arrived just before ten. Her loud truck giving us time to get downstairs. Alice knocked on the door only seconds after Bella entered the house. Alice and Rosalie drove an SUV that fit all of us comfortably. Bella, Angela and Alice sat in the back seat, as I was given the passenger seat because of my arm, and Rosalie drove. The radio played some older pop type music. I was actually confused on the music. I would think it would be more rock or even more modern, but it wasn't my car, so I wasn't going to criticize. Rosalie would glance at me as she drove. Alice, Angela and Bella laughed and gossiped in the backseat.
"Does Emmett hate me?" I finally asked. I couldn't keep quiet, and it was something I wanted to know. "He's always glaring at me."
Rosalie shook her head. "He doesn't hate you. He's protective. Give him time, he's really a big teddy bear."
"He seems scary." Bella said.
"He worries about our family." Alice said. She paused, her eyes glazing over for a couple seconds. "Edward and I are different. I'm sure you've noticed, we both are highly intuitive. Emmett worries something may happen to us."
"Like what?" Bella asked.
Angela shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"People already think we're freaks." Alice said.
"I don't." Angela and Bella said together. They both laughed.
"I know. We really appreciate that." Alice bit her lip. "Edward is intuitive. He can almost read your mind because he picks up subtle clues and gets feelings. I sometimes know things before they happen. Carlisle works really hard to keep us hidden. It's why we moved here, a new start where we weren't outcasts. Emmett and Rose and Jasper, they worry about us. They don't want anyone to hurt us, and it takes time for everyone to trust. Emmett's normally, the easiest to trust, but he's having a hard time." Alice looked at me pointedly.
"I just rub him the wrong way." I said.
"He doesn't even know you." Angela shot back.
"It's fine." I said.
Angela sighed. "What have you seen about Edward and Bella?"
I laughed as Bella turned beet red.
"Come on." Angela huffed. "We all can see how much she likes him."
"Oh my god." Bella said.
"They'll be together." Alice smiled. "Sooner or later."
"I hope for sooner." I said.
"Ok. Enough." Bella said.
"You know you like him." Angela joked.
"Yeah, like you and Ben." Bella shot back.
"Ben and Angie will be together." I said.
"Now you can see the future?" Angela asked
"No, but I'm sure somehow Ben will get with it and ask you out." I said. "We can all see how much he likes you, too."
"What about you, Andie?" Bella asked. "Mike or Tyler?"
"God, no." I laughed. "That's like tweedle dee or tweedle dum. So glad you have such a low standard."
"You did date Kyle." Alice shot back.
The car went silent until I giggled. "Yeah, I guess Mike or Tyler would be a step up from pond scum."
"I'm sure we can find you someone." Bella said.
"No." I shook my head. "Just no."
"You don't trust us." Angela said.
I knew they were screwing with me, and they were really enjoying it, but I was sure finding a guy wasn't going to get me home.
"No." I said turning in my seat. "I do not trust you with boys."
Bella reddened.
Angela and I laughed. "So not what I meant." I said. "Well, maybe it was."
I turned in my seat facing forward as Angela and Bella giggled with Alice.
We pulled into the parking lot, everyone already getting out of cars or walking toward the theater. We all jumped out of the SUV. The cold air piercing against my face. I jogged ahead catching up with Mike and Jessica as they entered the building. The warmth in the lobby making me shiver. Angela walked in with Tyler and Ben.
"Angela and I will get tickets, and you guys can get snacks." Alice said.
"Sound good." Bella nodded walking to the concession line.
I stood in line with Bella and Rosalie. It was strange since Rosalie should hate Bella, but there didn't appear to be any animosity. Jessica and Lauren joined us in line. Rosalie chatted with them about school and other weekend plans. Everything seemed so normal, yet not like it should be.
I got popcorn, a soda and some candy for Angela and I to split. I waited as everyone gathered their snacks and tickets. As I looked at the board of movies, I was surprised how old they all were. I'd seen a few of them. I didn't know any movies playing in Houston. I couldn't think of the last new movie I saw in a theater. If my mind was going to make up something, it would be something I already knew, a movie I'd already seen.
We filed into the theater. Angela and Rosalie sat next to me, while Ben took Angela's other side. I nudged Angela's shoulder when Ben sat down, but she just rolled her eyes. Everyone else found seats around us. Bella sitting between Alice and Rosalie. The movie was a Damon/Paltrow thriller. I remembered watching it with Gwen when I'd been in the hospital. We went through a lot of movies and binged so many shows over those six months. It felt like a lifetime ago that Gwen and I had spent a significant amount of time together. That's what happened when you grew up. Gwen and I were seniors, finishing high school and planning on college...different colleges. I concentrated on the movie, trying to keep Gwen away from my thoughts. Even though I'd seen the movie before, I found it entertaining. As the credits rolled, everyone stood and stretched before discussing lunch options.
I walked behind the group as they exited the theater. I wasn't really hungry after filling up on popcorn, so I wasn't interested in where everyone wanted to eat. The weather was a bit warmer, but still chilly. Rosalie fell into step next to me keeping my slow pace.
"If you want to talk," Rosalie said.
"I don't really know what to say." I said. "I mean I sound crazy."
"Carlisle and Edward have told us some." Rosalie said.
"I just want to go home." I stopped walking. "And I don't know how to do that. This place and the people are the same, but not the same. And I don't know if me being here has made the changes or if the changes will make it harder for me to go home."
Rosalie rested her hand on my shoulder. "I don't know how to help you with that, but I'll try, if you let me."
I sighed. "That's just it, I'm not sure. This place isn't the same as the book. Everyone is different. Emmett's not fun and easy going, Jasper has no problems talking to me, you and Alice seem more than happy to hang out with mere humans...Has the pack already shifted, maybe I screwed them, too."
Rosalie cocked her head. "The pack's going to shift?"
"See, I've said too much again."
Rosalie tugged on my shoulder, pulling me out of the way of people walking down the sidewalk. "First, Emmett is the easy going one out of all of this, but the same reason he is having a hard time, Jasper finds you fascinating." Rosalie took an unneeded breath. "Since the first day, we knew you were different. Your scent changed. I'm not saying you smell bad, but you don't smell appetizing any longer. Jasper has a hard time with all of us around humans, but around you, he feels little. Emmett will do anything to protect his family, he can turn into a neanderthal. He is having a harder time not seeing you as a threat. As far as Alice and I, we've never really gotten close to kids we went to school with, but nothing like you has ever happened before. Alice said if we want to figure out what's happened, we have to make friends. Honestly, it's nice to have friends outside of my family."
"You like the way things are going?" I asked.
"I've enjoyed sitting with Angela, Bella and Jessica at lunch, and having a puzzle to figure out." Rosalie paused. "If this is all in your mind, it won't match whatever story you think you know. Your mind has something to work through or something it's protecting you from. Whichever it is, it was never part of the story. I'm not the expert in the human mind, but from what I do know, you really have to let things happen. You have to let go of this world and that world, and let your mind heal or work through whatever it needs to do."
"You sound like Carlisle." I smiled. "Part of me knows you're right, but part of me just can't let go. I miss Gwen and my dad. I miss Houston. It's hard to look in the mirror and see someone else looking back at me."
"We can talk later. Jessica is coming." Rosalie said.
"Hey, we were getting worried, you guys ok?" Jessica asked slightly out of breath.
"Yeah." Rosalie said. "I dropped my keys, but we found them." Rosalie held up her car keys.
"Oh, good." Jessica smiled. "Let's get some food. I'm starving."
Rosalie hugged me quickly before following Jessica to the diner.