When I woke up I was facing my phone where the blaring obnoxious alarm was ringing. It had been three days since I left the werewolves at the border. It had been a grueling weekend filled with sunny days and an empty schedule. The phone's screen illuminated the objects beside it. All three Twilight books were stacked on one another messily, right out in the open. Panic struck me as I jolted upright in bed.
The books. I shouldn't leave them out like this. It was stupid and irresponsible. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my purse that was turned over on the floor from where I'd dumped it last night. I unzipped my bag and stuffed them all inside. I didn't know if I would need them all, but I felt safer with them by my side.
I set them on the bed staring at the purse as I pealed off my pajamas. The black leather, and colorful insides that outlined the edges had new meaning. I carried around the purse always, even in California when I'd stored my books away safely and I only used the purse for my wallet and keys.
But now it truly felt like the beginning of New Moon. The responsibility part of it anyway, where I knew the story was mine to unfold and play out. I felt the familiar pressure, the weight of it all like I had in the beginning of Twilight eight months ago.
I sighed heavily as the weight bore down even heavier than last time. Last time I had no idea what I was getting into. I had started out as nothing more than a curious fan and ended up playing a huge role as the vampires found out about my existence. Then I met Paul, Sam and the Pack, and finally Laurent.
I shivered violently. I closed my eyes.
"Easy," I told myself. "You still have..." I let my voice trail off. How many months did I have until Laurent showed up to add me to his coven or uncover my lies and kill me? My heart rate had sped up, but now it was slowing. "At least five months," I estimated for my own benefit.
That was plenty of time, right?
I really should stop talking to myself. I went out of the bedroom with my purse on my shoulder. I was somewhat on time, so far. That was good at least. As I counted my blessings and hoped there would be breakfast food in the house, I heard a shrilling scream.
My heart jumped. It was my aunt. I was momentarily frozen when I saw Uncle Bob run up the stairs from the office basement and dash out the front door.
"Deb!"
"No, wait!" I cried running after him. I ran out the porch with full momentum, ready to run down the steps and confront whatever vampire had come. They wanted me after all, possibly Bella too. But I skid to a halt right behind my aunt and uncle who were frozen on the porch. Aunt Debbie was mumbling something to herself as she read a piece of paper in her hands, but Uncle Bob was staring straight ahead at the street. She handed another, smaller piece of paper to him.
"What? What is it?" I cried panicked. Aunt Debbie spun around. Her shift in movement allowed me to see what it was on the street. It was a beautiful glossy new sedan, parked at the curb. It was a dark, navy shade of blue that looked familiar to me, but I wasn't sure why. It was a deeper, richer color than the generic blue car. Like this color had been picked out special.
Oh. And this car also had a huge silver bow on its roof.
"What's going on?" I asked warily. Aunt Debbie's hands shook as she handed over the paper she had in her hands. I barely had a chance to glance at it when Uncle Bob started to fire off questions.
"Is it legitimate?"
"I don't know," Aunt Debbie responded. Her pale blue eyes were wide with astonishment still. Uncle Bob just looked confused as Aunt Debbie tried to explain. I drowned them out, as I tried to read:
To Miss Camille Rose Haugen,
Congratulations! Due to your devoting efforts and charitable works you have been awarded a full scholarship to the school of your choosing by the Allocation Committee! We understand that you have taken on a full time occupation that will require your undivided attention, so to aid you we give you this brand new Audi A5 as payment for your generous dedications.
We will be in touch to discuss further payments.
Member of The Pacific Northwest Trust Company Board,
I. Randall
My eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets at the name.
I. Randall, my brain repeated. I knew why that name sounded familiar, but The Pacific Trust Company Board? Why did I recognize that name?
"I just don't like it," a voice brought me back to reality. Uncle Bob was looking at the registration in his hands. Aunt Debbie had handed it to him. This brand new car was registered in my name for the next three years.
"Holy crow," I gasped. Aunt Debbie and Uncle Bob both looked at me.
"Did you know anything about this?" Aunt Debbie asked. I looked from them back to the car on the fog clouded streets. When I squinted I started to realize why I recognized the car. My expression relaxed in shock.
This was Bella's intended car for her birthday. The one I had helped... well more like accompanied Edward as he bid for it in California during the summer.
Edward.
"I..." I started. Then I smiled at Aunt Debbie. "This... is very surprising. I never expected that I would win the scholarship." They just stared at me. Never had I ever expressed any interest in scholarships, or even college. To be honest, they were both on the bottom of my to-do list. Now was a good time to feign interest I supposed.
"You applied for this?" Uncle Bob asked.
I kept my face straight as I nodded, but I felt like they could see through my lie easily. Both of them just stared at me. Then they glanced at one another suspiciously.
"What full time occupation and charitable works are they talking about?" Aunt Debbie said, cocking a blonde brow. I looked at her, keeping my eyes bright, void of any dishonesty.
"The..." I said and thought quickly. Suddenly my thoughts went to the night Bella was lost in the woods. I pictured Deputy Stevens in my house inspecting the "ransacking." I thought of the police cruiser he'd left in and the leather cop jacket he wore with his name embroidered in the patch. For some reason, my mouth took it upon itself to give a half-assed excuse. "Police department. I volunteered there over the summer at the one in San Fernando. I was going to talk to Chief Swan to see if he had any volunteer positions available for here in Forks."
Aunt Debbie had never looked more confused.
"I had no idea you were interested in police work," Aunt Debbie said doubtingly. I nodded, quick to agree with the lie my mouth had delivered without any permission from my brain.
"Oh yeah," I said. I thought for a moment. "The legal system is fascinating." Aunt Debbie didn't look much more comforted. Uncle Bob looked at the registration again and let out a thoughtful grunt. He rattled the paper in his hand straightening it in the moist foggy air.
"I'm going to the DMV today. This doesn't seem right," Uncle Bob said.
"Honey, you're late for school," Aunt Debbie said. I perked, confused by the sudden change in subject.
"What?"
"School?" she reminded me. I pulled my phone out of my purse. The books were heavy on my shoulder again, yet somehow I'd forgotten it was there. I checked the time.
"Ah, crap!" I said immediately shifting into my daily morning panic that was my drive to school. I snatched the keys from my aunt's hands before I even knew what I was doing, surprising us both. I trotted down to the steps and ran into the Audi.
I drove away, tires spinning against the wet asphalt behind me and the silver bow on top billowing in the wind. I was just barely on time when I remembered halfway through the parking lot that I left the silver bow on the roof. I decided to leave it. Who was going to care that a brand new car was sitting in the parking lot? Surely Forks had better things to gossip about.
I got through the day until lunch when I realized that I was dead wrong.
"Audi A5," I heard whispers.
"Who's?"
"No one can afford that around here."
"Well, no one except..."
"But they're gone."
"A new kid, maybe?" This conversation had come from a group of people who'd I had taken a seat with at lunch. I had separated myself from Bella's group as it had become much more concentrated then I remembered. It was strictly Lauren, Bella, Angela, Mike, Eric, Tyler, and Jessica there now, and I was far too noticeable among them since I hadn't made good friends with any of them.
So I sat with the kids least likely to pay any attention to me.
The Goths.
I had been right to do this. None of them even looked my way anymore as I sat down with them. Not one of them cared enough to kick me out of their table, or question why I was there. They were two guys and two girls. I had no idea who they were, nor did I care. I just continued doing New Moon work.
Or at least I pretended to. Really I was just staring at four pages.
October.
November.
December.
January.
To be exact, I had until January thirtieth to do absolutely nothing. I looked at the copy of New Moon over and over, flipping through the pages that devastated me even now. Four months.
What the hell was I going to do in Forks for four months!
School.
With no vampires.
For how long? Months! I had months to look forward to with nothing recorded. My foresight had been taken away from me, and with Bella in her zombie state I could only assume that there was nothing of significance to look forward to.
God! I was so stupid! Why had I let New Moon happen?
With that, I shut my hard cover book and beat myself in the forehead with it repeatedly. Rage was building inside me again, and I had to pause to take deep breaths closing my eyes. Rage made me think of Paul, which in turn made me more mad, making me think about Paul again. It was a vicious circle that was perpetually spinning.
These were my four months, but because I'd selfishly stolen them I found my duration was going to be spent in a solitary confinement. What did I have to look forward to anymore?
Thursdays with Paul, my heart answered. I mentally snarled at the mention of any werewolf, my Paul included.
That's when I realized that despite the earphones in my ears that blocked out the world around me, people could still see me. I saw one of the Goth girls giving me a peculiar look. I stared back at her. I thought she was just a sophomore so I glared intimidating her. She looked away either because my intimidation worked or because she wasn't up to taking on someone who was possibly unstable.
I made a mental note to try and not make a scene no matter what werewolf popped into my head. I leaned my elbows on the table and held my head in my hands. What was I going to do about Paul in the four months Bella was out of it?
What could I do? He was in La Push and he wasn't coming to see me. He might as well be on another planet. Not that he'd want to see me anyway. He had to see me. My heart wrenched. That wasn't fair. What were we going to do while we were strictly seeing each other for anger management?
Why should I even have to go?
My breath stopped short, and a wicked grin spread across my face.
Why should I have to go to the border? What did I owe the wolves that I should make sure their Paul was going to stay in line? While I loved Paul with all my heart, and no treaty or pesky alphas could change that, it tore my heart to see him with a broken spirit. Why should I force myself that sight of the soldier Paul following at Sam's heels?
Why, indeed.
My thoughts suddenly scoffed at the notion. Like that would stop Paul from hunting me down? He would find me all too quickly and drag me to the border himself. I leaned my chin in my hand and sighed dreamily. Oh my wonderful kidnapping Paul. The fondest memory I had of Paul. Seeing Sam's disapproval when he caught us, the wonderful gray morning, and the victory of Edward deciding he loved Bella too much to kill her.
What a wonderful day.
I woke up from the daydream when I realized the entire student body was standing up, collecting their trays and moving toward the doors. The bell had rung. I looked at my book and at the notebook I'd meant to be writing my New Moon notes in. It was blank.
I sighed.
Oh well, it wasn't like I had a lot to look forward to. I spun the key ring to my new Audi on my finger as I moved. I thought about Edward's words when he'd gotten it and realized that Bella would never accept it. He'd said he would put it to some other use. I was flattered that he'd decided that I should have it, but could I really take it? I guess the question was, how could I even give it back?
"Isaac Randall," I thought out loud shaking my head as I dumped my tray and slung the big ugly purse on my shoulder. I snorted, hiding a snicker that would probably draw unwanted attention to myself. Thinking about Edward inevitably made me think of Jasper, which made me sad. At least I knew they were out there and that they were thinking of me, or at least Bella who I was destined to be linked to until the end of my high school career.
Distracted, I attended my classes that happened to be Bella's as well. I didn't want to pay attention to her, but I had to. I wished I didn't have to wince every time someone said the smallest thing that reminded her of Edward. No one at all paid attention to her. It was like being in a classroom with someone who had a mental disorder. People were more careful around her like any wrong movement could make her snap.
I was no exception. I sat behind her in fifth period strictly by coincidence and bad luck because it was the last available seat. She was the queen of all daydreamers, because she looked truly thoughtless when her mind wandered. Like she was thinking of absolutely nothing. Like her brain had been completely turned off. Her eyes were two bottomless pits of emptiness.
It wasn't as though I needed the guilt. Being near her so much in this hollow slot of time felt like further punishment for my selfishness. I couldn't concentrate as I stared at the back of her head. I had to make this right somehow. Bella should thank me, I thought.
Why?
Well... For one thing, this was going to be the only way Edward would ever willingly change her into a vampire.
What would that do their relationship with the werewolves?
I felt my eyes narrow at the mention and the familiar rage-Paul circle began to run its circle. I needed to distract myself, so I looked out the window. I found the Audi easily. It was sitting out there in the rain with a giant reflective bow on the roof. I found it by looking out the window and searching for the most shiny object out there, but I didn't see its bow. It looked like someone door it off.
Odd, I thought. The bow could survive a frantic drive to school, but the rain washed it away? I felt my brows come together as I thought. No bow. Could that mean something? Other than the fact it would be nearly as conspicuous then it was before.
Could someone have torn it off themselves?
Who would do that?
My mind whirled with the names of possible suspects. Who was in New Moon? Could it have been Laurent? Victoria? No, the wolves would be on them in a second. I had no doubt they had extended their patrol to Forks as well.
Was Edward still hanging around? Or maybe Jasper or Alice?
No. Edward forbade it. No one was coming back to Forks until he said so. That's what was supposed to happen... At least that's what Bella thinks happens. Maybe Edward lied to her. No, then the wolves would be demanding to know why they weren't gone.
Wouldn't they?
My thoughts were confusing me. I looked back out, now easily finding my car as I knew where it was. I felt like I was having a sensory overload. It was entirely possible the Cullens were here. How else would the Audi have gotten here? But who would have brought it to my house? It had to be either Edward, Jasper, or Alice.
What else could they have done while they were here? It would be too tempting to check on Bella and see how she was doing. They might even check on me and see...
The books lying out on the nightstand beside me. My body froze with fear. Had they been so close to the books? Did they read them overnight? How fast could vampires read? That strange question had caught me off guard. No, they couldn't have read them. I refused to believe that they would. They had no reason to check on me.
Unless Edward was trying to steal the books again. I stiffened in horror. I did know that Edward would resort to such matters.
I was nearly hyperventilating now. The books weren't safe from them. Not from the werewolves, and not from anyone. No one could be trusted anymore. Edward had ransacked my house searching for the books, did I really believe he was beyond breaking and entering? I knew he wasn't for a fact.
He couldn't have, logic told me. If he saw the mess that Bella was in, he'd have to stay. It was completely against Edward's nature that he would leave Bella in distress like that. In Eclipse the mere reminder of Bella's sallow look had caused him to wince in pain the same way Jane the Volturi could. Someone else must have brought the Audi, and I knew no one else would stoop to peeking in the books, at least from the Cullens.
I looked to my left and right. My classmates were staring at me oddly. I realized now that I was actually hyperventilating. My eyes were wide with terror. I forced my expression to relax as the teacher's gaze fell on me. It was too obvious that I was deeply disturbed.
"Is everything alright, Ms. Haugen?" the teacher asked. Everyone turned to look at me. My heart beat sped even faster being in everyone's attention. Instinctively I looked to see if Bella was paying attention to me.
She was the only person in the class who wasn't.
"I think I need some air," I nearly choked on my words. The teacher was eager to excuse me to the nurse. I guess she didn't want to deal with a fainting spell in the middle of class. Not like last semester. The memory made me aware that my hands were shaking as I gathered my things. I shouldered my purse and escaped to the parking lot, completely forgetting the nurse.
I had some things to think about. And I had to think about it now in the most safe place possible. I walked out into the parking lot and into the rain. I looked one way and the other to look for any teachers who may be walking the halls and splashed out into the parking lot.
A sight made me suddenly sigh in relief. I saw the silver ribbon caught in the antenna of the car parked behind the Audi. Wind wrapped around me, blowing my hood off my head. I guess the wind really had picked up. No vampire stole the bow off the hood of my car. Why would I even think that?
Getting a little paranoid aren't we? my own thoughts teased me.
I snorted. I had Laurent, wolves, and now the Cullens to be worried about. Excuse me for being a little over cautious. I went to the Audi and sat in my car. I hadn't gotten a chance to admire it before. Now I could see the smooth interior, the shiny stereo that I bet Edward had specifically picked for Bella, and the special attention to detail everywhere.
It really was a beautiful car. Not that I know much about cars, but I knew this one was pretty. Again, I felt jealous of Bella. She was so lucky to have someone like Edward, who loved her for her so much that he would pull himself out of her life for her own good when he so desperately needed her.
A whole new revelation made me feel sick.
What if Edward came back for the books?
He wouldn't, logic protested.
But what if he did? I stabbed the key into the ignition and turned. I had no idea where I was going, but I needed to think. Somewhere far away from Bella and my imaginary stalking vampires. The car barely made an audible sound as it hummed to life. It really was a good car. The engine was soundless and the radio was turned off. I began to think over and over, and it didn't make sense that Edward was here, watching Bella's torment and feeling his own.
Besides, he was after Victoria.
I saw something out the side window.
I jerked and looked to my left, stifling a scream that was lodged in my throat. There was nothing but trees on either side of me. My heart was still thudding heavily on my chest. I reached to the seat beside me where my purse was resting. I put it in my lap.
Soon I found myself braking. I couldn't go any further. I'd reached the border. I had thougtlessly driven there for comfort I without even knowing where I was going. But the border wasn't going to keep vampires away. I stared at the forest road again and the beginning of the small houses on the fringe of the highway. I shook my head. This was ridiculous. I was getting carried away.
No one was here.
Laurent was in Denali, Victoria won't be able to find a break in the wolves defenses and avoid Edward at the same time, the Cullens were strictly forbidden from this territory. Most importantly, Edward couldn't come back, no matter how badly he wanted the books.
I scoffed at my own ridiculousness and slowed to spin the wheel across the lanes in a U-turn. I couldn't run to La Push anymore. And I wouldn't put up with the werewolves if I could avoid it. I didn't need their help. They needed me, and they would see it.
I started down the opposite end of the highway. I would just find a nice place to park until I knew it was clear to go home without Aunt Debbie or Uncle Bob suspecting I ditched.
The Pacific Northwest Trust Company is not my idea. Bonus points for anyone who can figure out where it came from.