"I don't get it... One moment he wants to speak with me the next he's back to avoiding me." Bella grumbled tossing her silver flip phone on the couch beside her.
Adley looked up from her photos that had been printed out. All a bunch in different sizes she'd picked up on her lunch break. She'd dropped the one of the wolf on the path at home. It was too big to carry around coming in at four by six feet. She'd ordered a frame thankfully with it. A few others were big as well but not that big.
"You were referring to Jacob?" She asked.
"Yeah, one minute he's saying we can hang out again the next he's too busy. That it's not safe." She ranted. "What is it about guys trying to decide shit for me? What I can and can't do?"
"Well, he is the werewolf... I'd take heed to the fact they may not be safe to be around. Kind of like Vampires aren't the best company. I'm still getting that through my head. Vampires are real... I'm afraid to say I have no advice on maintaining friendships with werewolves."
"I should just block his number. He's the son of my Dad's best friend but I just can't stand this. I don't need this hot and cold."
Adley smiled hearing that. "Well done Bella, listen to you. I'm so proud of you. You don't need to be jerked around in a relationship without communication. Tell Jacob if what he wants is friendship, he needs to be up front. Maybe advise him you know?"
"I have been listening to you." Bella blushed sitting back kicking her feet up on the couch.
"Not clearly enough! Shoes off! How did I miss you wearing those? Go get the vacuum. Ah! Carpet Bella, you'll ruin it. The cream shag is bad enough with your father eating in here. You wear those in the mud." Adley rattled off as she got up and grabbed Bella's legs. She got the converse before Bella processed what was happening.
"I forgot..."
"Americans and their disrespect." She grumbled.
"You sound like Oma." Bella teased.
Adley glared but her own cheeks reddened before pushing Bella to go get the vacuum. She did indeed make the teen tidy the living room and clean off the couch fabric and the rest of the bottom room as she got to prepping dinner. Homemade pizza. It was Friday after all.
"In seriousness, what do I do with Jake? Is it worth the friendship?" Bella questioned as she took to rolling her sleeves up to help with the dough. "He's a lot to put up with."
"I cannot be he judge how safe it is to be near him. I am not the expert in supernatural. Also, I tend to see the best in people." Adley replied kneading the dough. "In the past did you enjoy spending time with this boy?"
"Yeah. We get along well. I feel happy with him. Safe. He's warm and kind. Funny. Jake's a good friend. He got me a dream catcher... he's made me bracelets before. This wolf necklace... it's a bit ironic now, but it's well done."
"Do you like him more than a friend?" Adley hedged.
Bella frowned. Her soul pulsed. "Not really."
"Make that clear. Set your boundaries and perimeters to your friendship. You need to be clear of your intentions and what is expected of how others treat you. That friendship, like all relationships, requires communication. You are worthy of respect and to be treated well. Especially when you do that for the other person. Someone who over steps these lines is not one to have in your life. Supernatural being or not." Adley advised her.
Bella nodded standing straighter. "I will. Tomorrow I'll go down to the reserve with Dad and speak with Jake. Thanks, Adley."
"Good idea. It gives me time to go explore the cliff edge again. I want some photos of spring weather. Making a project."
"Can I look at the photos?" Bella asked.
"Yes, go ahead."
The pizza was placed in the oven and set. Adley got to pouring soda and beginning to get the apple crumble for dessert. Soon the house smelt like apple crumble as Charlie came in through the front door.
"Evening girls," he greeted. She heard the telltale sound of him taking his boots and vest off.
"Evening Charlie, hope you're hungry! Pizza is just finishing, and crumble is in the oven." Adley announced popping around the door frame seeing him getting distracted by Bella and the many photos.
He let loose a low whistle. "Damn, you took these?"
"Yes, a month ago."
"Mind if I keep this one of the water? It's really beautiful." Bella complimented.
"Sure."
"You've got a lot of talent Adley."
"Thank you, Charlie, now I feel like you're just sweet talking me to add ice cream to the crumble."
"There is some?" Charlie perked up.
"Yes, now dinner!"
February faded into March, and with the spring came slush and still cooler weather. It did however lead to the blooming of the leaves on trees and the wildlife began to return. She wanted to venture up to First Beach again. She needed to get photos. She encouraged Bella to maintain friendships with her friend regardless the werewolf thing. Despite her own hesitations for the boy, it did them both a bit of good to connect.
That is where she found herself now. In the trails close to the cliffs. She was snapping photos of the oceans waves when she heard a howling.
Adley froze turning to the cliffs at a slightly higher elevation to her right. Her camera still snapping shots. Her eyes widened watching as a fully clothed figure jumped off the cliff and hit the storming waves. The fuck?
Her heart sunk. She rushed to the edge of the cliffs in front of her. She squinted seeing fury filled locks surrounded the figure. It bobbed up and down in the slamming waves against jagged rocks. They were alive?
"Hey!" Adley called eyes wide.
The figure disappeared below the dark waves.
Adley had to catch herself on the softer mud she stopped midway in. The cliff edge inches from her. Her heart hammered in her chest, stomach churning. That person was dead. Holy fuck. She continued to stare.
Seconds slowly ticked by.
The figure didn't surface.
It didn't surface. Adley looked around the tops of the cliffs. There she noticed the familiar overly large black wolf she'd taken photos of about a month ago. Only this time a few grey and russet ones were with it. She snapped a few photos while the wolves howled before running off.
She blinked a few times letting her racing heart calm. She took a few deep breaths. She hadn't imagined the figure, had she? Someone did dive off those cliffs. Someone had landed in the turbulent waters.
What in the hell did she do now? Call Chief Swan and say, 'Hey saw someone throw themselves off a cliff.' They never came back up. If they didn't surface was there even a body? Certainly, the Chief would call her insane. She made her way back down towards the beach. The thoughts just repeating themselves.
"You shouldn't be here."
A deep voice bellowed.
Adley jumped, if her camera wasn't on a strap around her neck, she'd have dropped it. She glared seeing four boys in various states of dressed. Three in jean shorts and tank tops. One had just a pair of jeans and the other a shirt and pair of jeans. They were all barefoot. She scrunched her nose up. Jacob looked like them.
"What?" She questioned.
"You shouldn't be here. The beach is closed." The man without a shirt responded.
Adley raised her brow taking in the tanned man with ripped muscles and abs like Adonis. She cleared her throat feeling heat touch her cheeks. Her emotional feelers went out. She felt the same thing she had for that Jacob Black kid. The human portion and beast. Indeed, they were exactly like Jacob. How many in the local tribe were man and wolf? She realized they were staring at her, with their arms crossed looking ready to get violent.
"I don't remember a sign saying it was closed."
"The council can decide when it's closed. Right now, there was a bear sighted. A big grizzly. You shouldn't be out alone. It could hurt you." The shirtless man responded stepping closer.
"I wasn't aware. Apologies. I would not like to cross a bear." Adley responded, not looking to tempt fate. "I'll take my leave. If you are the council, maybe you should put wolves down for sightings."
"Wolves don't harm people." One of the others stated. "They're usually too afraid to approach."
"Really? I swear I just saw them chase something off the cliffs. Who knows? My science degree is in physics not biology." She shrugged making her way back to the parking lot.
"That something, did it surface?" The shirtless man stopped her when she got close.
"Not that I'm aware of or saw." Adley shook her head making her way passed. "Good day, gentlemen."
She hurried back to her car turning back now and then to make sure the men weren't following her. She understood they could be perfectly good people, but the warning and their flaring emotions were more than enough for her to head back. She got to her Jeep and slammed the door shut to it.
Thud.
Adley gasped jumping back into her seat. Her eyes widened. A woman. In soaking wet clothes and bare feet denting the hood of her Jeep. Red curls whipped around in the growing winds. The woman snarled. Her hands slamming down into the hood. Adding two more dents.
"What the fuck!" Adley hissed.
The woman was gone the next second. Her door opened. Red eyes. Teeth shining white. Hands posed like talons.
Teeth on neck.
Pain.
Her world went black.
Adley gasped. Her hands flying to her throat. She coughed a few times. She looked around. Well, what she could. She was cocooned in some dark material on some hard surface. She put her hands up trying to move. She was enclosed. Where the hell was she? How the fuck did she get here? She took rapid breaths. It was all encompassing.
It felt like material they'd use for holding the tent. She pushed around the fabric. She hit a cold line. A zipper! Her fingers trailed up until she was reaching just above her head. She wiggles her fingers through the top of the bag and the zipper. A small pinch. She pulled it down with all her might.
She gasped the fresh air. She coughed once more as the cooler air that wasn't stale entered her lungs. The room was dark. There was a low hum of electricity in the room as if there were refrigerators or freezers in the room. There was only a dim light illuminating the room. It came from a door where fluorescent lights were bright and cool in the hall. She shivered. She was in the hospital? Surely...
Absolutely not. She shook the thoughts away. She wasn't dead, obviously.
She sat up looking down at herself. She frowned seeing she was dressed in a paper hospital gown. No wonder she felt the cool air around her. Slowly gooseflesh sprung up all over her. She was practically nude.
"Dignifying. How many people have now seen me without my clothes..." Adley mumbled. She carefully unzipped the bag to look down at her legs. All good. "I need a shave that's clear…"
Her cheeks reddened as she struggled to swing herself around. She cracked and rolled her limbs out, so she wasn't as stiff as she felt. A few pops later and she felt slightly better. She wasn't prepared to run a marathon. However, she could get out of the chilly room that smelt all too much like bleach.
She made her way out of the room finding the chill on her bare nether regions wasn't exactly comfortable. She pulled the gown closer and tied it a lot tighter than it had been. She didn't need to be arrested for indecent exposure. She'd be sacked from her job.
She sighed. The stark hallway was white and smelt of heavy-duty cleaning supplies. This had to be a hospital. It was confirmed when she read the word 'morgue' on the plaque pointing towards the way she had come. She tilted her head searching herself. Surely, they tagged her. Her toes were bare of any dangling tag identifying her. Her wrist was marked though with a patient ID bracelet.
"Adley Choi... April 10th, 1982-March 5th 2006..." She mumbled. "I'm not dead."
She decided to head in the direction of the elevator, the signs pointed her to the right. She found the single silver door. Only up was an option. She got in. Her options were limited to level G, 2, 3. Ground floor it was. She exited into a slightly busy hall with nurses and a few others in lab coats passing. A nursing station was right in front of her. Thank god for small towns.
The elder woman looked up from over her glasses to her. Adley waved coming up to her. "What are you doing out of bed? Were you looking for a nurse? How'd you get downstairs?"
The elder woman had brown hair tied back. Age wrinkled her features, she noted as the nurse got up to come closer. The nurse was frowning getting a bit irate.
"Well... I think there was a misunderstanding—"
"What do you mean, girl? Make sense." The woman took her wrist reading.
The woman dropped it a second later as if she'd been burnt. Her blue eyes widened, and she turned pale.
"Is this some sort of sick joke?" She barked. "Security!"
"Wait! Ma'am, no! I am Adley Choi. There was some mistake! I was out at First Beach when something or someone attacked me. I blacked out." Adley tried to explain to the woman who backed up further. She was in little condition to try and influence the terrified nurse. She did her best to send out calming waves.
"Brandon get over here, and call Chief Swan!" The woman went behind her desk and picked up a stapler. "You stay where you are!"
Adley looked between the man with a security uniform on and what looked to be a baton on his hip. She looked down to her bare feet and self. She really wasn't able to argue. Not that she wanted to do anything of the sort. She wanted the Chief to come, he would at least give some clarity to this nurse. He knew her.
"Can I be placed in a room?" Adley requested pink coloring her cheeks.
The man, Brandon, was a large one who nodded motioning her to follow. She did. She was brought to an empty exam room. He went into the cupboard and pulled out a house coat, new gown that was closed, and blanket. He handed them to her and exited the room. It still had a window, but she pulled the curtain some of the way closed.
Adley changed quickly and wrapped herself up in the house coat and blanket. Her feet were still bare but this would have to suffice until she could get home. The hospital could at least give her clothes back, if not underwear... Her ID would also be nice. It was a first to feel appreciative just to be wearing a bra and panties for the security layer.
A few minutes passed and the door opened. She exited from behind the curtain. Adley sighed seeing the disheveled appearance of Chief Swan. His aura was almost completely blue. She sent out some more calming waves. Relief hit her in return. He took one look at her and yelped. He wasn't exactly scared. Just shocked.
"What in the hell is the meaning of this?" He grunted, arms crossed.
"I don't know." Adley held her hands up.
Chief Swan made his way over and inspected her wrist band. He hesitated to even touch her. "Jesus Christ. How are you…"
She smiled. "I'm not dead, obviously. I've gathered the doctor and coroner thought I was?"
"We checked for a pulse on you for forty minutes. You were pronounced dead three hours ago." He blanched. "Bella about had a break down... the boys down at the reserve tried so hard to get to you in time. You were deemed murdered. I'll find Dr. Robertson and demand an explanation. How does a doctor fuck up —"
Adley looked down her chest and saw no cuts. "I don't see any autopsy markings... nor am I hooked up to a machine yet. There's no way to find out if I was drugged or something. It can happen, lower the heart rate enough with drugs to fake death. I felt something sharp on my neck that could be it. Doc may not have known."
"Well, since you're alive I'll have Dr. Robertson not print a death certificate. A sentence I am happy to say. Despite the freakiness of it… I was just about to call your parents, thank god I didn't." He prattled off with growing relief and calmness… He went to leave.
"Oh, before you go. Chief when you have a moment can I get my clothes and belongings please. I would like to be able to drive home… my Jeep!" Adley gasped. It was still at the beach… with dents in it.
"Is in our parking lot safe with your belongings. Clothing I'm sorry, but we're destroyed by blood. You were spasming badly. Whatever happened there was a lot of blood and other materials… You look perfectly fit for a girl who died." He commented examining her from afar. "I'll ask Bella to bring some clothes from your home. I gave her your keys to keep safe. Since she drove your Jeep back."
"I heal well," she brushed it off as he left. "Thanks…"
The next hour Dr. Robertson nearly had a heart attack seeing her. He was adamant she was dead and not likely to have lived. Adley, who tried to keep her growing temper and exhaustion from influencing the room, explained she was fine and alive. When Bella showed up and practically tackled her to the ground in a hug did he accept the fact it wasn't some cruel joke. She was alive. It had to have been a mistake. So, he took blood for tests after that she was clear to go home. He'd destroy the death certificate that he hadn't mailed in to the government yet. She was still alive.
Bella didn't let her drive home. Charlie still had some cases and things to attend or he would've followed home immediately as well. They got to her home and slumped into her couch. Well Bella didn't give her much room as she began to cry and hug Adley.
"I'm sorry... I'm not usually…"
"It's okay, you just had someone close die. It's okay to cry." Adley shrugged, she was beginning to feel the exhaustion take some toll on her.
"How are you so calm?" Bella asked pulling back to wipe her face.
Adley held a finger up and flipped open her phone. She quickly ordered a large pepperoni pizza and some root beer.
"It's not the first time." Adley admitted. She didn't like the memories floating up from it.
"Being attacked?!" Bella croaked, eyes about to pop out of her face.
"Dying. I was very much dead." Adley replied.
"What?" Bella asked, confused. "Jake said you were attacked and killed by a vampire. How are you still alive?"
"Like I said it was not the first time I have 'died'. I was in New York five years ago." Adley explained.
"Okay?" Bella didn't get it.
Adley hated thinking about that day. It would be five years this September. Her heart hammered in her chest as the memories came flooding back of that day.
"Addie get up!"
"Nao—"
"Come on its my birthday! We've got competition this afternoon. I want to bask in New York. New York bagels, street meat. Let's get lost!"
"It's stupid to get lost in New York... it's a grid system..."
Adley rolled out of bed tossing the pillow at a bouncing Naomi. Their orchestra landed rather late in the evening the night before. Now it was five thirty am and Morning bird Naomi was bouncing ready to go. Her light brown curls were braided in two Dutch braids. Her chunky highlights recently done. She had her makeup on and dressed in jeans and a blouse. Always the fancy girl with her tanned skin and bright amber gaze. Her dimples were what always got her way when she smiled.
"Happy nineteenth birthday you pain in my behind!" Adley huffed hurrying to get showered and dressed.
She slipped into her boot cut jeans and a band t-shirt from a green day concert last year. Grabbing her purse she was ready to go. Naomi flaunting her cell phone her parents had bought her the few days before knowing she'd be in New York. Only for emergencies. She was a child of doctors. They'd ignore the phone bills.
"Come on, I know you're dying to get shots of the city Addie. Early morning before sun rise? What more could you want?" Naomi bumped her elbow.
She'd been right. Addie had brought her new professional camera with her just for this. She'd saved up for a better quality camera. Something with crisp shots.
So they took to the streets. Addie snapping photos, the streets were as heavy with grumpy commuters as ever. Some people just finishing their day, half way through or starting. The hopped a subway car towards the water... or so they thought.
"Naomi, you sure we're headed in the right way?" Adley questioned watching the streets flip by on the announcement board.
"Of course..."
Adley raised her thin brow. "We're entering financial district. We're lost."
"Hey, I've never been here..." she reminded her.
Adley shook her head. "Fine let's go get some shots of the tall buildings the sun is up and it'll be some nice sky shots. An urban journey exhibit..."
"It's a concrete jungle." Naomi laughed as they got off.
They stuck out amongst the business dressed people crowding them. The many cabs and bustling people jostled them as they finally reached the surface. Adley pulled Naomi over to the side of the street near a boarded up business.
"Oh wow! Look how close we are to the world trade centre. The twin towers." Naomi nudged her.
Adley snapped a photo of them. "There, title Naomi's love of high class business. Snooty busy bodies from all over. Here in the busiest cities of America."
"Oh hush. It's international agreements happening here. So many important things going on. Big things happen there. Twenty first century has just begun who knows what the future holds for it." Naomi declared.
Naomi pulled her down the street further bringing them closer to the towers which were still a good block up ahead.
Adley gulped as her hand got sweaty as she tried to balance her camera in hand and Naomi's fast pace. Girl was taller than her by six inches.
"Hey wait up!" Adley huffed letting the camera fall back on her chest on the strap.
"What is that?" Naomi stopped abruptly.
A few curses flying around them as the pedestrian traffic randomly stopped. Adley slammed into her back.
"Naomi!"
"Look!" Naomi pointed straight up.
Adley followed her finger. Dread dropped through her. A plane? What the hell was it doing so low? It couldn't be out of control could it?
"Naomi we should —"
Screams poured out. Crowds gathered by the second. People like bugs to light watched on in horror and awe. Disbelief washed through Adley as she stood amongst a few people.
The time slowed.
The plane hit the North tower. The plume immediately came through.
Like rain falling glass shards came scattering down. Naomi's hand dropped hers. Adley watched in horror as the building began to come down.
Metal crushing and falling groaned and screeched echoed out. The explosion rang in their ears.
Screams.
The screams and pounding auras. Adley trembled her body going numb as her heart hammered in her chest. Blood rushing dulled her hearing.
She didn't have the time to keep. Her mental wall came falling down. Pure panic. Fear flooded her like a tsunami. Adley had no chance to gasp for air.
The ground. Was it quaking? Did they get earth quakes in New York? Adley's knees gave out. Her hands flew to her ears covering them. She clenched her eyes shut.
"Adley! We've got to run!" Naomi screamed.
Over and over.
"Naomi!" She cried.
It was heavy. Like being punched in the gut. Pain radiated straight through Adley. She couldn't catch her breath.
"Adley..."
Her eyes shot open. Blurring of smoke. She realized as she coughed. Was all around her. Shadows above her falling debris. Naomi right in front of her. Tears rolling down her dust dirtied face. She was screaming.
What was she screaming.
The world went black.
"She had just turned nineteen. Our youth orchestra had a concert the only reason we had been in New York in the first place. We shouldn't have tried to get lost in New York. She was going to attend Julliard the following year. Naomi and I had been best friends since we were children." She paused tears rolling down her cheeks.
Adley took a few deep breaths to slow the building fear in her chest from what had been her friend's nineteenth birthday. It was supposed to be an amazing day. One of fun and letting loose of all responsibility. It was exciting. Then terrifying. The burning people. The smoke. The pure dread that had her drop to her knees. The screams. Her screams. She fisted her hands up.
"I was under that rubble for four hours. At times I can still remember the weight of Naomi's body on me and the glass pushing in under my skin and clothes. Rescue dogs, I read a year ago that they had to hide amongst the rubble because the dogs were only finding dead people. I was labelled a miracle. I was so numb, by that time. The panic flooding and filling me from all angles and devastation. Confusion. I wasn't strong enough then to block it out. I spent a year in therapy for the experience."
"You are sure you even died? You didn't just black out?" Bella asked, eyes wide. Her aura pulsing with fear and compassion. Adley took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. Tears freely fell down her face.
"I had died after this pain in my chest. I coughed and tasted blood in my mouth. I choked then slipped into darkness. Coming back to consciousness was the worst. It is one thing to die and feel your own emotions, but the emotions wild from all around me. I was trapped conscious for hours. There was blood all around me and over me. Especially when they pulled the metal pieces off of me, that had pierced my body. They brought me to the hospital patched me up. Now I've got the scar from it. Right on my abdomen." Adley pulled back showing her the scar to the right of her body. It was jagged with a few off pulling stretch marks from where it had pulled. It'd healed completely.
"What happened next?"
"I was deemed lucky and clear to go home after a few nights in hospital. I flew home and my parents felt god blessed them. My best friend was flown back in a casket. I spent quite some time in therapy with an aunt of mine who specializes working with Empaths and abilities in her patients."
"Weird."
"It's up there for fucking weird shit. I was left with more questions than answers by the end of it. I don't know why I'm alive, why my healing is so rapid. Blood tests and many other exams have come back normal and clean of anything abnormal. I just keep coming back to this body. Mind you I've only died twice." Adley shrugged.
"Does your family know?" Bella asked.
"Oma and I don't talk about it. I tend to leave it out in most conversations with my aunt. She's dealt with mental abilities and more, but her answers are limited on why I am the way I am." She replied.
"Now let's watch some Buffy and eat. I don't know about you, but I'm done focusing on the past for now." Adley got up as the doorbell rang out.
A/N: Thank you for reading! :) until next time!