I never get tired of saying it; jcat5507 is the most famazing beta ever!

Chapter Twenty-One

Despite the fear I felt over Steven knowing, or at least having some idea of my involvement with the Walkers, Shiloh insisted that there was no need for alarm. She assured me that as soon as fuil aimsir came to a close, the Walkers would waste no time in hunting Steven down and silencing him. Apparently, they had been through something similar before. I hated to be so callous about a life, but I couldn't wait for him to be a smoldering pile of ash, floating away into oblivion.

I crawled through my window after receiving instructions from Shiloh. Since I had accomplished so much today, I was given leave for the rest of the night. I would be required to report to Pages at nine in the morning the next day. I shut the window and locked it, trying desperately not to remind myself how a little latch would not stop a vampire. Those thoughts would only serve to make me panic.

Rather than hurry straight into a shower, which was what I wanted to do, I chose to make an appearance for my parents. I washed the dirt and grime off my face, threw on some pajamas, and headed out to the living room.

Renee was busy washing dishes when I emerged, and she smiled over her shoulder as I called out to her. "Good to see you up and moving around. I knocked on your door when I got home, but it seemed like you were dead to the world."

I crossed my arms and smiled, relieved that I had locked my door. "Yeah. I was really tired."

"Are you hungry?" She moved to the refrigerator. "I could make you something."

Shaking my head, I said, "I'm not really hungry. I just came out to see who was home. I'm still kind of out of it. I think I'll go back and rest a bit more."

Renee nodded. "Okay, honey. Let me know if you change your mind."

A sense of dread overwhelmed me as I watched her return to her chore. What did Steven's knowledge mean for my parents? The last thing I wanted was to put them in danger. As I paused and considered all the horrible things that could happen, I started to rethink living with the Walkers.

I headed back to my room, shut the door, and promptly jumped in the shower. The dirt and dried blood were scrubbed off my body, and despite the bruises that were starting to appear, my skin was a healthy pink again. I quickly blow-dried my hair, changed into the jeans and t-shirt I had taken into the bathroom with me, and headed out to my room. When I opened the bathroom door, however, I almost jumped a mile.

Collin was stretched out across my bed, his boots dangling off the edge.

He placed his hands behind his head, offering me a wry smile, and said, "Well, well, well, if it isn't the little cricket."

I furrowed my brow and tried to look indignant, but I could hardly contain my laughter. "Cricket?"

"Yes," he said as he rose, unfolding his long body and crossing his arms over his chest. The black shirt he was wearing conformed to his body, giving him a pleasing shape. "The way you sailed through the air, you looked just like a little cricket."

He reached forward and patted me on the head, while I pursed my lips in annoyance. The height jokes had really gotten old. I can't wait until we're the same height. It didn't escape me that I had just used the word "when" and not "if" in regards to my change, but I decided to push it away. I'd think about it later.

"Have you spoken with Shiloh yet?" I asked nervously, curious if he had any new information on the incident with Steven. Realistically, I knew that not much could happen in the twenty-five minutes I had been apart from her, but there was no harm in asking. The knot in my stomach tightened as I asked, "Does she have any updates?"

He shook his head. "Not as of late. There's no reason for your concern, Bella. We'll take care of it."

I wrapped my arms around myself and took a seat on the edge of my bed. "I'm worried about my parents. What if Steven figures out what I am and he comes here?"

"He wouldn't get that far," he answered in a firm, unrelenting voice, and I hung my head. I heard him sigh heavily before he knelt at my feet. "We all know who he is."

"Really?" I wasn't sure why I was surprised, but I was. "How do you know him?"

He growled. "Una and I had a run in with him and Jillian around the time you arrived at school."

I pondered his words for a moment, and I thought back to the first time I had ever seen Una. A police officer had been hauling her out of the office in handcuffs. "Do you mean when Una was carted off by the police?"

I tried not to give him a smug smile when he looked shocked. "How do you know about that?"

I suppressed a laugh. "The assistant principal was showing my mom and me around the school. I saw Una in handcuffs, and her lip was busted open."

He snickered. "I'm shocked Una has never mentioned that. She had a lot of hostility toward that place, though, so it isn't really surprising. To answer your question, yes, that is exactly what I'm talking about."

My curiosity was peaked. "What happened?"

"Una and I were posing as students to keep an eye on the vampire population on campus," he informed me, running a hand through his hair and leaning against my bedroom wall. "Jillian and Steven were two thorns in our sides. They were picking off students, but we couldn't figure out how. This was before we discovered an entrance to the Under Passage in the tool shed by the cafeteria. All we knew was that they were pulling people down there outside of fuil aimsir, and it was driving us insane.

"One day, Una was feeling particularly testy about everything. Not only were Jillian and her little pet feeding on the students, they went out of their way to mock us for it. This day in particular, they seemed determined to rub salt in our wounds. We were in the middle of the courtyard, by the cafeteria, when it happened. Jillian walked past us and made a snide comment, and it pushed Una over the edge. She turned around, grabbed Jillian's hair, and pulled her to the ground."

My eyes were wide as I listened. "What happened after that?"

He inhaled and exhaled heavily. "Una went feral."

"Feral?" The look in Collin's eyes put me on edge. I knew what the word meant, but I didn't see how that had any bearing on the Walkers. "I don't understand."

"If a Walker doesn't have enough sustenance, and if they are really angry about something," he explained seriously, "they can temporarily go insane with rage. It doesn't happen that often, but when it does, it's messy."

When I had been ten years old, my mother and I had volunteered at an animal shelter for a few hours. Actually, it was more like I did all the hard work while Renee played with the animals. I digress. In one of the kennels, I had seen a cat that was so angry, there had to have been something wrong with it. Each time I approached the cage, it would scream an ungodly decibel, hiss, and claw in my direction. When I had asked what was wrong with it, I had been told that the cat was feral. I tried to picture the fair-featured Una as that animal, and for some reason, I could easily see it.

"There were teachers on campus, regardless of the fact that it was a weekend," Collin continued. "The police showed up and Una was carted off. Of course, since the 'victim' disappeared, they couldn't hold her with anything, and they let her go."

I nodded. "Jillian told me that story. She didn't say it was her, though."

He shook his head. "I doubt she would have. After that, she kept her distance. She refused to be within ten feet of us. It was a win-win for us. Una was given the chance to let off some steam, and Jillian finally learned to shut up."

He finished his story, and I sat there for a moment. It was so strange to hear these details about Jillian. I silently kicked myself again for not realizing she was a vampire from the get-go. As I thought back to my time with her, I started to notice things. She never ate during lunch, she always sat a little too still in class, she was able to finish her in-class assignments in less than five minutes, and I never saw her outside except when it was cloudy. How could I have been so blind?

I was concentrating so hard, I didn't notice when Collin moved away from the wall and crossed the room to me.

He touched my hand softly. "Let's go somewhere."

I frowned and gave him a questioning look. "Where?"

He shrugged. "Just somewhere I like to go when I'm feeling down."

I glanced at my locked door and back at him. The more times I left, the more I ran the risk of Renee or Phil finding out that I was skipping school and sneaking out. How much longer could I push my luck? As I started to make an excuse, he gave me a soft, endearing smile, and I felt my thoughts scramble.

"Okay," I said absently, and as soon as I realized what I had said, I tried to backpedal. "I mean, as long as it doesn't take too long."

He laughed. "Of course not."

I climbed out the window behind him, taking great care to shut it, and we hurried down the street. Our pace was slightly faster than an Olympic runner, but none of the neighbors stopped to gawk at us. I remembered what Shiloh had said about humans not acknowledging the Walkers because they were not a threat. It was so strange, but sure enough, as we dashed through the neighborhood, no one stopped to stare.

"Penny for your thoughts," Collin asked while we ran.

I shook my head. He had asked me not to worry, but I couldn't help myself. "What happens if Steven goes to the vampire lords? Or what if he tells the Volturi? What will you guys do?"

The local group of vampire lords had the ability to run the Walkers out of town, but the Volturi would not hesitate to kill them.

Collin laughed. "He would have to give evidence of his accusations. Since Una destroyed Jillian's remains, it's safe to say this Steven character doesn't have anything to back up his claims. We have had several leeches claim that we broke the rules, but it never pans out. And, as far as we're concerned, the Volturi believe our kind is extinct. There's so threat of their presence."

His words provided no relief, and I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because I was a perpetual worrier. I just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. What if I was right? What if something happened to my parents, Collin, or one of the others? What if something were to happen to Shiloh? I quickly banished the very thought from my mind. The very thought was banished from my mind. Nothing could happen to her. She was the strongest creature I had ever met. Nothing could bring her down. Right?

Collin glided across the earth before me, and I was momentarily mesmerized by his movements. It seemed like a fallacy to even think I could ever be as graceful as he and the other Walkers. He stopped and pointed up at a large building. It wasn't as tall as the ones I had jumped today, but it was still pretty high.

"Climb on my back, little cricket," he said jovially, and he laughed when I glared at him. "Come on, be a good sport."

I crossed my arms. "After what I accomplished today, do you really think that's necessary?"

"You're not ready for this kind of jump yet," he said. "It'll be easier and quicker if I carry you."

I looked up at the building again and groaned. He was right. There was no way I'd be able to get to the top. Unless, of course, I wanted to go into the building and take the stairs, but that would take too long. I caved and shuffled over to Collin, who bent forward so I could wrap my arms around his neck. I frowned at the snickers coming from him, and he thankfully stopped.

"Ready?" He asked, and I gripped on to him tightly, and I confirmed that I was prepared. "All right. Hold on."

He took three steps forward and erupted off the earth, cutting through the air like a bullet. The wind rushed by my ears, and the speed made my head spin. I turned my head against the current of air, and the hair tie flew out of my hair, which billowed out in uncontrollable waves. I couldn't tend to it without letting go, so I had to leave it there.

We reached the summit of the building, and Collin let me slide off his back. I stumbled a few feet before resting both my hands on my knees. After taking several deep breaths, I stood up and ran my hands through my hair. It took a few tries, but I was finally able to smooth it down. When I turned around, Collin was fighting back laughter.

"Don't start with me," I grumbled and crossed my arms. "I know I look ridiculous."

He chuckled. "I don't understand why you don't simply get rid of it. Your hair has only gotten in your way."

I reached up and touched my long locks of brown hair."It's not that easy."

"It's just hair, Bella," he insisted. "It will grow back."

He was right, and we both knew it, but that didn't mean I was ready to run to the salon and chop my hair off. I brushed off his comment, and instead, I started looking around. Where were we?

Almost as though he had heard my thoughts, Collin explained, "This place has a great view. I can come here and relax."

As he spoke, I let my gaze pan across the edge of the building, and I gasped. We were gazing throughout downtown and across the body of water that cut through the city. The sun's position in the sky made the water glitter and gleam. The salty air blew through me, and I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. I could feel my anxiety and tension release, and I felt calm.

"See what I mean?" Collin smirked at me when I opened my eyes. He took a seat on the edge and let his boots dangle over the side. "This is where I come to be alone."

I sat beside him. "It's a good spot."

We sat there in silence, reveling in the feeling of the hot sun on our faces and basking in the beauty of the view. Every now and then, I would turn and find him with his eyes shut. I couldn't help but stare at him. How could someone seem so otherworldly and human at the same time? As I observed him in his peaceful state, all the unanswered questions in my mind came to me.

"Collin?" I heard him hum an acknowledgement. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You want to ask me about Madelyn, don't you?" He opened his eyes slowly and turned to me, and I was happy to see that he wasn't upset. He didn't look upset, anyway. "It's all right, Bella. You can ask me anything. I haven't been very forthcoming with you, when I really should have been."

I shrugged. "I understand why you weren't. You're still grieving for her."

He returned his attention to the view before us silently, breathing out a heavy sigh. "I didn't expect to become so close to her. It was so strange. I felt this undeniable connection between her and me. We went everywhere together, did everything together. She could make me laugh when no one else could, and she made my life different. Then she was gone. I've never known a loss like that. It's like a part of me died with her."

He rose from his feet and started walking along the edge of the roof. After a few steps, he turned back to me. "And then you showed up. I wasn't sure if you were real or some kind of hallucination. So I bumped into you. I wanted to make sure you were corporeal."

I let out a breathy laugh and muttered, "I knew it."

He laughed with me, his lips pulling up to a gloriously sincere smile. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't expect you to go flying to the concrete."

"Water under the bridge," I said, waving my hand at him, although I was mentally fist bumping myself. I knew I had not been at fault. I paused for a second, before asking, "Why were you so hostile to me?"

To his credit, Collin actually looked embarrassed, and he refused to look at me directly. "I was confused, and I was also starving. That's a bad combination for me. I couldn't explain why you had Maddie's face, and that made me mad. I'm very sorry for being such a prick. I'm actually quite charming once you get to know me."

He flashed me a cheesy smile, and I guffawed. "Charming? I think not. Rix is charming. You are … I'd rather not say."

He groaned. "You wouldn't be saying that about Rix if you saw him hunt. He's vicious. Shiloh had to stop him from tearing apart leeches when he first joined us. He would rip them apart slowly and actually take pleasure in their pain. It was very, very disturbing. Don't get me wrong, I'm far from considerate when it comes to my meal, but I don't go that far, and I certainly don't play with my food."

I tried to think of Rix, the happy, polite Walker, as a brutal, vicious killer, but I just couldn't. In fact, as I tried to imagine him hunting, I pictured him with a napkin tucked into his shirt while he took dainty sips of vampire venom. The image made me giggle.

"Either way," Collin continued. "I will have you know that I can be very charming when I want to be."

I gave him a smarmy look and said, "Sure, you can."

"I'm serious!" It was hilarious to see how indignant he became. He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed when I burst into a fit of giggles. "I may not have the Golden Boy routine like Rix, but I have my methods."

The sight of Collin pouting made me laugh harder, and I struggled to quiet myself. "I'm … sorry … Collin … I'm just … oh god!"

"Go ahead and get it out of your system," he commented, rolling his eyes and waiting for me to finish. He shook his head as I grabbed my waist and fell over laughing. "It's good to hear you laugh. You don't do it enough."

"Yeah." I calmed down enough to speak. My cheeks were flushed, and I was out of breath, but I didn't care. I felt alive. I felt … complete. "It's been too long."

He was silent for a beat before he said, "Did something happen back in Washington?"

I shrunk back, and I felt the smile disappear on my own face. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure." Collin shook his head slowly, his eyes busy inspecting my face. "When I first met you, you seemed withdrawn, like you were existing in a glass bubble, if that makes sense. It was almost like you were shell-shocked, but not in the usual way."

Uncomfortable by the new direction of our conversation, I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Fair enough," he said, raising his hands in submission. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I just want you to know that we've all been there—me, Shiloh, Una, Tobin, Dex, and Rix. We know what it's like to feel lost, to feel like you don't fit in anywhere."

My heart skipped a beat, and my eyes widened a bit. Collin knew very little about me, and yet, he had hit the nail on the head. Even as a child, I had always felt like an outcast in society. I had a hard time making friends, and the concept of a social life never really appealed to me—until I met the Cullens, that is. Did it all boil down to my heritage? Shiloh had said that receptors were drawn to the supernatural. Was that why I was so consumed with Edward and Alice? Was that why I went to Forks? Had the Cullens inadvertently led me there?

Collin bowed his head. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

I shook my head. "You didn't. You just defined an issue that I've had ever since I was little. I've never felt like I've truly belonged anywhere … but when I'm with you, that changes."

My cheeks warmed up, embarrassment over my revelation flooding every part of my body.

He smiled softly. "I'm honored to hear you say that."

Everything I had said to him was the truth, but I wondered if he knew what I was really telling him. It wasn't just the Walkers that made me feel like I belonged; it was Collin. There was something about him that made me feel complete. When I was with Shiloh or the others, I was constantly worrying that I would upset or embarrass them. This sense of belonging was strongest when I was around Collin.

"So, Cricket," he said in a chipper tone, and he rubbed his hands together. "What should we do now?"

I was pensive for a while, trying to come up with something. My mind was a jumble of emotions, though, and it was difficult to focus on one aspect. After spending so much time around Shiloh and the Walkers, everything that I had thought I knew had been turned upside down. Everything I thought I had felt had been proven to be wrong.

"Are you okay?" His brow furrowed. "You look upset."

"Why did you decide to join Shiloh?" I spat out the question before it had a chance to hide behind my embarrassment and self-consciousness. To be honest, I wasn't even sure where it came from. It was as though the question had materialized out of nothing, but I couldn't find it in me to regret asking.

Collin looked pleased. "She gave me something that I had never known—structure, a sense of belonging, trust, and so much more."

I fiddled with my fingers, looking up at him through my eyelashes. "But, what made you decide to give up your human life and join her?"

"Everything you see before you, I owe to Shiloh. She saved me in ways I never thought possible." He lowered his eyes, and his lips pulled up into a faraway smile. "The day I decided to join her was the day I realized that I would die for her, and she for me. She is my family, my blood, my greatest friend, and the best ally I have ever known. If I can save her by living or dying, I will."

I sat there in silence as he recounted many of his and Shiloh's early escapades, but I was hardly paying attention. Instead, I found myself pondering whether or not I could be as giving. While I had been ready to give up everything for Edward and the Cullens, I found myself hesitating for the Walkers. Why was that? Shiloh had saved my life on multiple occasions, and what had I done for her? I had asked for multiple exceptions during my training.

As I reached up and tucked an errant strand of hair behind my ear, I felt my resolve solidify.

"Are you sure about this?" Collin looked at me warily as I stalked around the side of my house. I couldn't understand his reticence. This had been his idea from the very beginning. Why was he going soft on me? "I don't want to force you to do anything, Bella."

I spun around, laughing. "This was my idea."

"An idea that you never would have considered had it not been for me," he pointed out. "I don't want you to do something that you'll regret later on."

I shrugged and continued walking. "It's just hair, Collin. It'll grow back."

Somewhere during Collin's story about joining Shiloh, I had made the decision to cut my hair off. Of course, the moment I had suggested it to him, he started backpedaling. He claimed that he didn't want to bully me into doing something that I wasn't comfortable with. I finally decided to ignore him and head home. If need be, I would cut my own hair.

"That's true," he replied as I scrambled through my window, and he watched me, his elbows propped up on my window sill, while I tore through my desk. "However, it takes a long time."

I pulled the scissors out from the bottom drawer and turned back to him with a huff. "Are you going to help me, or are you going to keep trying to change my mind?"

He easily slipped in the window. "I just want you to think about what you're doing."

My nostrils flared as I connected the dots between now and Forks. I marched up to Collin and pointed a finger in his face. "This is my decision, Collin, not yours. If you aren't going to support me, then you can leave."

He sighed and hung his head, before smiling brightly at me. "If you've thought this over, and it's what you really want, then give me those."

I handed the scissors to him, and he instructed me to turn around. As I felt the sharp, metal blades graze the back of my head, I took a deep breath and shut my eyes.

Snip. Snip.

I was really doing it.

Snip. Snip.

It was happening.

Snip. Snip.

No turning back.

Snip. Snip.

This was what I wanted.

I was afraid that the moment I heard the snips, and felt the hair falling, I would panic and back out. However, with each cut the scissors made, I felt myself growing bolder. My fingers began to tap against my sides impatiently, and I anxiously listened for any sign that he had finished. How hard could it be? Just cut off all the long parts, right? I didn't think of the fact that I had excessively thick hair.

After what felt like an hour, but was realistically only about five minutes, I heard Collin sigh and drop the scissors on my desk. I didn't wait for him to say anything; I sprinted into my bathroom and gasped when I looked in the mirror.

The person staring back at me wasn't me; she couldn't be. I stared at the angular, fierce-looking creature in the mirror, willing myself to make sense of it, to understand how my features could have changed so much. As Collin stepped in the bathroom and stood behind me, I compared our features skeptically. With the exception of the hair, we looked as though we could have been related.

"I look …" I wasn't sure how to finish that phrase.

Collin took pity on me and finished it for me. "You look like one of us."

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I fought to control my emotions. One of us. How many times over the summer had I heard Rosalie tell Edward that I was not "one of" them? It had struck me down emotionally each time, regardless of Edward's reassurances that she was just jealous of my humanity and nothing more. Collin, on the other hand, had never said anything of the sort. His words had only been reassuring and filled with confidence.

I turned and looked up at him. "Do you think I could be … one of you?"

He frowned and then started chuckling. "If I did not think you had it in you, then I would not be here."

My heart flourished, and I felt my cheeks flush at the close contact of our bodies. I could feel his heat radiating out toward me.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, and he cocked his head to the side in confusion. "The change?"

Understanding lit in his eyes, and he nodded. "Yes."

"What's the worst part of it?" I implored, and he lowered his eyes.

"The bone breaking," he answered truthfully, and I cringed in response. In order for a receptor to be successfully changed, their bones had to be broken. This allowed them to rapidly calcify and elongate without tearing through the skin. "You try to forget it, but it's almost impossible. That kind of pain never leaves you."

He ran his left hand over his right wrist, a forlorn look on his face, and as I continued to observe him, he started to look pained. I panicked at the site of his displeasure, and without considering what I was doing, or whether it was a good idea, I reached forward and cupped his hand in mine. His skin felt so deliciously warm and smooth. It was so different than Edward's, in more than just temperature.

I was so fascinated by how Collin's skin felt, I hadn't realized just what I was doing. All at once, my wits came screaming back to me, and I froze. My fingers stilled on his forearm, and my gaze trailed up his body, landing on his face. He didn't look angry or upset; he looked surprised and a bit startled.

I tried to step away from him, but the sink cut off my departure. Thinking on my feet, I tried to slip past him and escape to my bedroom, but as I made my attempt, his hand shot out and caught my wrist. I gasped at the sudden contact and glanced up at him. Had I offended him? Overstepped my bounds? What would he do? His touch wasn't rough, but it was firm.

His eyes flickered with something I had never seen in him before, and he opened his mouth but nothing came out. We stood there for a few seconds, staring at one another, each of us daring the other to make a move. His right hand snaked its way around my waist, and he pulled me, ever so slightly, against him. His body felt like steel, molten steel. I sucked in mouthfuls of air, trying to prevent myself from fainting.

Finally, as I considered pulling away from him, his left hand came up and traced my chin slowly. The sensation of someone—other than myself and family—touching my face was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. His fingers cupped the curvature of my face, and I instinctively pressed against his palm. While his breathing was careful and controlled, I was finding it difficult to keep myself from panting.

His fingers urged my chin up, opening my lips up to him, and I gasped silently when he started to close the distance between us. Was he really going to—

An awareness creeped through me, a feeling of being watched, and as I opened my eyes and glanced into my bedroom, I gasped. Standing less than five feet away was Shiloh, and she didn't look happy. All at once, Collin released me and stepped away from me, closer to the bathtub. His gaze was dark and lidded, but it was solely focused on his ceannaire.

"Collin," Shiloh said firmly, and I noticed Collin's body had gone rigid. "You will come with me."

He said nothing to either of us. He glided out of the bathroom and exited through the bedroom window. I felt the absence of him immediately, and it filled me with even more confusion than before.

Before she followed him, Shiloh turned to me. I knew she was assessing my new appearance. "You cut your hair."

"Yes," I answered bashfully. "It was in my way."

She nodded, still retaining her apathetic expression. "It should help you greatly."

"I hope so." I stood there, and she started toward the window. "Shiloh, wait." She stopped. "Did he do something wrong?"

She didn't look at me, and she didn't answer me. She merely exited the window and left me standing there.

I wasn't alone for long, though.

"Well that could have gone better." Una poked her head in my window, the sunlight dancing playfully off her golden head. "Nice hair."

"Thanks," I muttered. "I don't understand. What did he do?"

"He did not ask Shiloh's permission to spend time with you," she answered simply.

I shook my head. "What about you?"

"Two reasons," she said, holding up two fingers. "One, because I am already another Walkers' leannán, and two, Shiloh has given me leave to be around you."

"Why would she do that?" I curled my lip as I asked the question. It wasn't that I detested Una's company—after we had spent time together earlier in the morning, I had grown to like her a bit more—it just seemed like Collin would be the natural choice. He was the one who had discovered that I was a receptor. He had been the one to protect me during fuil aimsir. What was different about this?

"Your guess is as good as mine," Una answered with a shrug. "As for my brother, Shiloh has seen the way he looks at you, and she will not let him distract you. Things will certainly change once you are changed. That is, if you choose to be changed. Now, would you care to share what happened?"

I flushed. I was not one to kiss and tell. "We were just … I mean … I was just… um …"

Una raised her eyebrows. "I meant what happened with your hair? Why did you decide to cut it?"

"I don't know," I muttered and took a seat beside her. "I mean, I knew at the time, but now, I can't remember."

She murmured something that sounded remarkably similar to, "Humans."

I frowned but kept silent.

"So did she catch you with your pants down?" Una's candor rendered me speechless, and my face flushed bright red as I attempted to babble my response. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

I shook my head. "No! It was nothing like that. We were just … I don't know, going to kiss, I guess, and then she appeared."

Una nodded. "Did you want to kiss him?"

My head fell into my hands, and I shook my head. "I don't know! I'm so confused."

There was a side of me that was screaming for me to keep my distance from Collin, that he would only hurt me like Edward had. However, there was another side of me that suggested he was good for me. We were two of a kind, after all. Receptors. Which was right?

My fingers slid away from my face, and I turned to Una. Her face was a blank slate.

"Any advice?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Make sure this is something that you want. Otherwise, you run the risk of making life extremely awkward for yourself, as well as for the rest of us."

But what exactly was "this?" Was she talking about pursuing Collin? Romantically? No. I couldn't do that. Could I? Should I? Although I had spent a lot of time with him, and we had talked a lot, I knew absolutely nothing about him. We were essentially strangers. I still didn't know if he had reacted the way he had moments earlier because he had feelings for me, or because I looked like someone from his past.

Una left me for the night, and I spent the rest of the evening trying to relax. It was almost impossible, though. Each and every thought was about Collin. He had filled all my senses, and I found that I could not function when I remembered the way he had held me to him.

I realized around midnight that I would have to sleep eventually, and instead of trying to fall asleep on my own, I retrieved some sleep aides that Renee had bought. After taking two with a glass of water and setting my alarm clock for the morning, I climbed into bed and shut off the lights.

Author's Note: Questions? Comments? Concerns? I make every attempt to answer questions. If I don't get to you right away, give me some time! :-)