—When is she getting over it? I'll starve to death! We got the same dry toast breakfast for three days now, but the coffee is much better. To me, that is progress, but to Seth, it is starvation.
We stopped at a supermarket on our way to school, and he was dumping a bunch of food in the basket as if he hadn't eaten for a month.
—I'm working on it. She almost smiled at me again yesterday. I was doing my best but couldn't find the right words to appease her anger.
—Have you tried begging? Renesmee is distracted, looking at her phone as Seth dumps the whole bread section in our cart.
—I did. I'm about to roll over like a puppy at this point. I didn't know what to do anymore. Esme seems to want to forgive me, but maybe I'm not apologizing right.
—All right. I feel sorry for you, so I'll give you a hint. Seth stops his hunt for food and does as me, getting close to Renesmee, listening carefully.
—Say the magic words.
—Like please and thank you? I ask, confused.
—No dummy. The words she wants to hear. Seth and I look at each other, both lost.
—That was the hint. Figure it out. Renesmee thinks the answer is obvious, but understanding feelings is easy for her. She's an open book and can tell anyone exactly how she feels. We, normal vampires, have to find the right words and struggle to be understood.
—I guess it's dry toast for the rest of our days. Seth drops more food in the basket, moving it to the register. The cashier lady tries to control her facial expression but undoubtedly judges the amount of food. She thinks all of this will be shared by three people when, in fact, Seth is eating everything by himself.
Everything was normal at school, and I even had time to meet Lacy today and exchange pleasantries. I thought she would give me a hard time at some point because, from what I remember, she had a crush on Seth, and I lied to her about juvie. But, as I told Renesmee, teenagers are not like the ones in the books. Especially seniors. They have way too much stuff to worry about to do pranks, but relieving stress is also necessary, especially for Lacy. Hannah is always breathing down her neck, so I'm sure she's the most stressed student in this school.
P.E is just horrible. We are doing gymnastics and climbing the rope. I was hurt and couldn't participate the last time, but I can't run from it today.
The girls got excited when the coach pulled out the trampoline but soon lost their smiles when he announced we would have our jumps evaluated, so there was no time to play around.
The rope was excruciating, and following the boy's expectations, most of us fell on our butts, including me. They were laughing hard, watching us struggle as they had to run around the gym. Tyler and Ben were the loudest of them all, and Seth couldn't help to laugh. He can climb this with just one hand, but he doesn't have to laugh so hard. I'm giving my best here!
All halted when it was time for the trampoline. It felt like an event of something. Boys, including Tyler, are whistling and screaming as girls start bouncing around doing flips and split jumps. I can see Renesmee laughing at my face from the bleachers. She knows how much I hate this. I will play sports any time, any day, but doing acrobatics is not for me.
It isn't hard, just… silly. Also, with this crowd, it feels even worst.
Fixing my shorts, I start bouncing, looking for the rhythm to begin flipping. I made the same moves as the other girls; Front flips, backflips, split jumps. Coach took notes, and the boys kept screaming. I missed a jump and fell on my back only once, so I think I got a good grade. Seth was still cheering when I came down the trampoline, and Renesmee was laughing in the crowd. I need to find something to tease her about, or I'm done.
A little far from the others, Adam is observing Renesmee's reactions. Did he not give up playing detective yet, or is he just interested in her? Well, more than half the humans in this school are.
The show finished, so we moved to our seats on the bleachers. Now, the boys will start their volleyball game. I wish I could play that. I take my place next to Renesmee, jealous of Seth.
Seth and the other boys get in line to be assigned to a team. He's excited because he knows whom he's paired with doesn't matter. Seth is going to crush them. I should take him on a game. I bet I can win.
—When did Gibbson get so handsome? One of the girls next to me is pointing at Adam and giggling.
—It's the hair. He ditched the glasses too. I never noticed he had green eyes. The other one answers in her high-pitched voice.
—He must want to impress someone. Renesmee whispers next to me, laughing.
—Yeah, he was staring at you the whole class—Adam and half of the boys.
—That's not what I meant. Renesmee is starting with her puzzles again, but the actual game is about to begin.
—They are getting competitive. The atmosphere is starting to get heated, and since Seth is competitive like me, he's giving all he has. Unlike her, Jess is right by the court, clapping and being loud whenever Seth scores. This will be good.
Adam is not bad either. He is a bit intimidated by Ian being on his team, but he can play. The girls go wild when Adam hits the ball, and he seems lost with all the attention. I laugh at his shy face and give him a thumbs up when he looks Renesmee's way.
Adam's doing fine, but Seth is smashing the ball under his feet. Adam has no chance of seeing the ball, let alone catching it. In the end, Seth's team wins. The girls giggling next to us run up to Adam, getting all touchy, and it's funny to see Adam panic at the sudden attention. He's a quiet guy that likes photography. I'm sure he's never been surrounded by girls like that before. Even Ian looks surprised.
—Did you see that last spike? Seth is out of breath, smiling and sweating, proud of his perfect game.
—It was great. You jumped too high, though. Control your strength, or the ball will pop. Seth might not be as strong as a vampire in his human form, but if he popped a pillow with his bare hands. A volleyball is nothing.
—But it was dope, right? He is fishing for a compliment, so I let him have it.
—Double thumbs up worthy. Seth smiles widely, overly happy to get the double stamp of approval.
—For cleaning today… The coach shouts, and we hold our breaths. No one wants cleaning duty, especially when you have to stay sweaty for another twenty minutes. —Thompson, Gibbson, and… Cullen. This is a nightmare.
—We have practice today, coach. Ian says, trying to get out of cleaning.
—Oh, right, then only Gibbson and Cullen. There's almost no equipment out anyway. The rest can hit the showers. Ian's stupid excuse only works because Coach Barnes thinks he's the next NFL star. Ian smiles at us and leaves the court, walking like a douche. I didn't want to clean the court with him, but it's even more annoying to see him walk away victorious.
—Renesmee, will you text Esme that we will be late? My phone is in the locker.
—Look who's learning their lesson. She laughs, sending the text.
—What did she say?
—"Understood." And that's all. Argh. She's still angry. I have to solve Rensmee's puzzle by the time we go back.
—Maybe I should volunteer for cleaning. Gibbson's still asking questions, right? Seth says, drying the sweat off his face.
—Not anymore. I think he's interested in Renesmee, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway, let's act normal. We all disperse, and Seth touches my hand before following the other boys to the lockers. I'm so glad I didn't stay quiet this time. Renesmee is better at giving advice than I thought.
Adam joins me, and we start cleaning the gym. He pushes the cart, and we collect the balls spread around.
—You played well. A casual conversation might lead to questions, but I want to assess how much Adam thinks he knows or if, luckily, he has dropped it by now.
—The photography club is not very athletic. I'm the only one that can do P.E without embarrassing myself too much. He laughs, stretching his neck. With a build like his, it's not strange he can play.
—I'm serious. It was better than me on the trampoline or the rope, for that matter.
—I can't do it either. I'm not like Clearwater. He's the athlete. If he knew Seth's advantage, he would understand why he's so good.
—I guess you could say that. But Seth's too impatient. Maybe it's because of his shape-shifter nature; Seth is impulsive and overly competitive. Well, not like I'm any different.
—You know… I took more pictures. I could show them to you if you like. Nothing gruesome, I promise. We push the cart to the corner and collect the thick foam mats we used for the rope exercise, pilling them all up on the rolling platform. They are heavy and tall, but Adam can pick them up easily. As for me, I struggle like usual but do my best not to embarrass myself.
—Sure. I'm kind of grounded for this week, but I would love to. No weird questions so far. Adam must've dropped it.
—Grounded? He laughs. —What did you do?
—Forgot to text that I was going to be late… for the millionth time.
—Oh. The "I was worried sick" speech, huh? I got that a few times too.
—How do you fix that? I support my chin on the pile of mats, getting on my toes to look at Adam from across the stack. He seems to know how to handle his… situation.
He does the same as me, supporting his head on the mats, but he's taller and can support his head on his arms. I probably look like a little kid behind these mats. Adam stops and thinks for a moment. —Did you say sorry?
—Like… ten times.
—Did you try the "I'm cute, forgive me" look?
—Yeah. My best one.
—Did you say any of the cheesy stuff parents like to hear?
—Like what? My parents were very lovey-dovey, but I had a different method to appease my mother.
—You know… His ears start to get red, but his puzzle is like Renesmee's, too complex for me to understand.
—Tell me. I need some help here. Adam looks straight at me with a strange intensity in his eyes.
—Like… I love you. His words take me by surprise. I know he's talking about what I have to say to Esme, but the gleam in his eyes is... overbearing.
—I… I said that before. Looking away, I try to keep my poker face. What's up with that look?
—You have to say it all the time. Parents are insecure like that. Somehow I can keep put, and Adam manages to save the mood of the conversation.
—So I just go to her and say… that?
—Yeah. It works with me every time. He smiles, tilting his head to the side, still supporting it on his arms over the foam mats. Why is he looking at me like this?
I step away from the pile of mats and start to collect them again quickly. —Thank you for the advice. I'll do that when I get home.
—Let me know if it works. I have other techniques.
We finally finish cleaning everything and go to the lockers. —I'll see you tomorrow. He says, waving at me as he goes towards the boy's locker room, disappearing through the door.
—What the heck was that? Renesmee makes me jump, suddenly coming from behind me.
—Jesus Renesmee! Wear a bell, will ya? She's always sneaking up with her vampire walk and scaring the hell out of me.
—What was that tension I felt? She has an unnecessarily mischievous grin on her lips.
—There was none. He was… acting weird and caught me by surprise. I run to the shower, avoiding the conversation altogether.
Renesmee follows me to the empty locker room, not dropping the tease like always.
—Is a haircut all you need? She jokes again, annoying me.
—I told you. He was acting strange, not me. I shout from the shower, remembering how intense his eyes looked. —Besides, I think he likes you.
—Yeah, I know when boys like me. Adam doesn't.
—He was staring at you in class. I say, walking out of the shower in a towel.
—He was staring all right, but not looking.
—That doesn't make sense.
—If you want to ignore it, that's your choice. She shrugs, putting an end to the topic.
Renesmee is annoyingly perceptive, and I have a feeling she's right, but it could be that Adam wants friends or that he didn't let go of the idea that he has a mystery in his hands. Both would be equally complicated, but I prefer the last one.
—Did David answer your message? She asks as I finish getting dressed.
—No. That little prick better get his shit together and send me a real message. And I am serious. The next time he sends me a "Have a Jolly day," I'll give him a piece of my mind. —Let's go. There is one problem I might solve today.
When we get home, Esme is still her cold and distant self, so I follow her to her room as she organizes the same box again. I always tell her about my day, but it's never this tense.
Placing my head on the edge of the mattress and looking at her face, I tell her about my funny encounter with Lacy and how I'll probably get a bruise from falling on my butt. She doesn't react, so I reach my hand slowly, remembering Adam's advice.
—Can I… ahm… have some cookies? Chocking last minute, I say something random.
—They're in the kitchen. She won't look at me again, so I touch her fingers, and she stops moving.
—Are you still mad? Esme looks away, but her eyes are not angry like before. —I… I'm sorry. I know you get worried. When I grab her fingers, she looks at me, listening.
—I would never worry you on purpose. I… I love you and don't want you to be angry at me. Both her hands hold mine before she speaks. Her eyes are sad, and my chest feels tight.
—It's just… I know you have your life and… and that I'm not your mother, but I can't help but worry. If you're away from us, you can't heal, and when you don't answer, I start to overthink, but I don't want to overstep and act like I'm trying to replace your parents.
She looks about to cry, and I can't take it.
Before recovering my memories, I hoped Esme would become something like a mother to me, which never changed. She couldn't replace my birth mother, but that didn't mean I didn't love and respect her like one. She is the reason I felt safe in this house when I first came, lost and afraid for not knowing who I was. Even now, she's my safe place whenever I'm confused or need someone to talk to.
—I know. I never…compared you to my mother, but I respect and love you like one. I never thought you were trying to take her place. You have your own in my heart, and I love when you take care of me and get sad when I disappoint you. You can be honest and… ground me when I mess up.
Esme looks at me, smiling a little, and I hug her, feeling the comfort of her embrace and the scent of home in her hair. I couldn't call her mother because that place was taken, but it didn't mean she didn't have my whole heart.
—Now, Let's get that cookie. I say, holding her hand. She stands up with me, putting the box away.
—You'll need some tea. I'll make your favorite. We go downstairs together and have tea and cookies in the living room like in old times, looking at the rainy afternoon outside and enjoying each other's company.
I never needed many words with Esme. Being near her was enough to calm me down, and I know she feels the same, but voicing my love for her also feels good. I remind myself to do that more often as we sit close together for the rest of the day.
Now that I'm not grounded anymore, breakfast is back to normal, and Seth is very thankful for that. He was spending a lot of money at the convenience store, but now, thanks to Adam's advice, his meals were yummy and free again.
It's time for the second art class this week. Therefore, I have no choice but to look at Adam's eyes while he draws my face. I can't shake Renesmee's words out of my head, and she knows. She's looking at me and grinning, making her chatterbox of a partner think Renesmee appreciates her constant talking.
Jess is also enjoying her time, smiling at Seth any chance she gets. She isn't acting angry anymore or apologetic, but at least she is friends with Seth again. They were very close, and I felt guilty that our relationship got in the middle of that, so if she's talking to him again, that's all I need. Jess might not be the friend I hoped she would be, but she is just a young bird starting her life. She would have time to reflect on today and realize how silly all of this was.
—You're doing it again. Adam complains that I lost myself in thoughts and didn't look at the right angle again.
—Sorry. I'm here.
—How did it go? With your mom. He's concentrated, moving his brush and looking at my face.
—You were right. She forgave me right after I said all the cheesy stuff.
—I told you. He smiles, adjusting his chair. —Your hair is on the wrong side.
—Hum?
—Put your bangs behind your ear. I adjusted the hair as he asked.
—Like this? This would be easier with a mirror.
—Close, pull it forward. Blindly adjusting the position is hard, but my bag's on the other side of the room, and I am not about to stand up to grab a mirror.
—Like this? I move my hair again, and he reaches over. His sudden movement freezes my body in place. Adam's fingers place a few strains near my eyebrows and the rest behind my ear. I didn't think he would touch me like that out of the blue.
—Perfect. He smiles and continues working as if nothing happened. What the hell was that?
—Is everything ok, Mr. Clearwater? The teacher says, raising her eyes from a student's drawing.
Seth stood up for some reason, holding his leg and hopping, looking like he was in pain. Renesmee looks at me, nodding and giving me an ok sign. She kicked him so he wouldn't walk over? Is that it? At least there was no commotion, but Adam was too… friendly for my liking.
—Since you're not grounded anymore, what about looking at the pictures today? I have to give it to Adam. He has a poker face as good as mine right now. Maybe I'm overreacting.
—Hum? Ahm… yeah, sure. I agree to meet him after school, still shaken by his sudden move. Did I ever give him the impression that he could act like this?
—Great! I'll… meet you by your locker, and we can go to the photography club together. I'm looking for an excuse, but my brain is empty. Adam collects his things quickly, looking excited, and walks away before I can think of a reason not to go to a dark room with him.
Adam manages to run out of the room right before Seth comes over.
—What the hell is his problem? Seth says. —And why did you kick me?
—You were about to make a scene. Renesmee saved us some trouble. She also found a use for the chatty girl she has to draw. The girl looks thrilled to be cleaning the materials all by herself.
—I ended up agreeing to see him after school. He wants to show me, ahm… pictures.
—Ha! Yeah, right. No way.
—He might be up to something. Renesmee might be worried like me. Humans like Adam might destroy school for all of us.
—Then I'm going with you. I'm glad Seth offered to come with me. I was about to ask.
—Sure. I would probably get more information alone, but I don't want to. Adam seemed to have the wrong idea here. It's better to make things clear. Besides, I have this… itch where his fingers touched my face, and I don't like it.
Adam's by my locker like promised, but his expression changes when he sees Seth behind me.
—Seth wanted to see the pictures too. Is that all right? I make an innocent face, ignoring Adam's disappointed expression. Seth puts his arm on my shoulders, and for the first time, I'm glad he's acting jealous. It might intimidate Adam enough for him to back off everything.
—Of course. Let's go. We follow Adam to the photography club through the corridors. The walk is short, but without any students around, we can hear our steps on the floor.
Forks high was built with Cullen money, and the facilities are impressive. This place was made to help the community but also because Bella knew Renesmee would want to come to school one day.
All the cameras make students feel safe, but they are a must with two vampires and a shape-shifter attending school. Whatever happens here can be seen by Jasper and erased if necessary, but whatever Adam thinks he knows needs to be dealt with the old-fashioned way. We must convince him there is nothing to worry about and keep a safe distance. If things go well today, we might have one less problem.
The skinny kids I met the first time I came here look at us wide-eyed as we enter the room. Their eyes wander from Adam to me and finally to Seth. They don't dare to utter a word as we follow Adam to the darkroom.
—Why can't we look at it outside? Seth asks, closely observing the photos under the red hue, squinting his eyes to see the images more clearly.
—I just developed them. It's better to avoid direct light. Adam doesn't sound as friendly with Seth as he puts his newly developed film on the table. —These are the photos I told you about, Anne.
Adam lines up a few shots of the table. As promised, there are no gruesome pictures this time. He captured only the beauty of the forest when the sunlight shone through the trees. The animals hopping around the grass are happily alive this time, and the dew on the grass shines under the moonlight.
—These are good. Did you take them around here?
—I go to the woods away from the city and walk around on sunny days. When I look over at Seth, it's clear he recognized the trees. He walked those woods his whole life; of course, he would remember them.
—It's dangerous to walk around there. I heard there are bears and other… animals. Adam probably doesn't care, but I wonder how far he went. That is the forest where our house is.
—I don't go too far in. I return before the forest gets too dense or when I can hear the river. So he stays on the other side of the river only. That's very far from us. Good.
—These pictures, on the other hand, are not from here. I found them on a website and used them as… inspiration. Adam takes out his notepad, placing it before me. The pictures on the screen send a chill down my spine.
—W-where did you find these? I try to hide the panic in my voice, but I know Adam saw my reaction.
—Online. This is a forest in Scotland. They have these unique old houses and forests, and people left offerings to faries in the woods. It's silly, but some claim to have seen them walking around the trees' shadows, charming travelers who lost their way.
The sweat drops on my back make me shake. The rocks, trees, shadows. Everything in these pictures shakes my soul.
I lived in these places. My years in Scotland were the last peaceful ones of my life. I spent many nights with my friends in the fairy forest; those muddy woods were the last place I lived with my parents.
Before Padrone killed them and took me for his experiments, we were happy there. It's like I can smell the forest looking at this picture, making my head spin.
Discreetly, I hold Seth's hand, squeezing his fingers, trying to control my voice. He can't know. My father deleted all evidence of us there. He always did. But what if having his arms ripped off stopped him from doing so? Does Adam really have something on me?
—Faries? That sounds silly. Is it a famous story?
—I don't know. Adam's observing my face like the day he showed me the deer picture. Like he's looking for something in my eyes. —But they might not have been faries. Maybe, there was danger in those woods. Very real… things taking those travelers.
—A wild animal, no doubt. Seth says, holding my hand as I shake. —We better go, Anne. You just got out of being grounded. Let's not push your luck too far.
—You're right. The pictures are great, Adam. Thanks for showing them to us. We'll… see you around. Seth drags me out of the room quickly as I keep checking if no one is following us. The sweat is running down my back, and the cold chills won't stop.
—Anne, what is the problem? Seth stops in the middle of the corridor, so I push him inside an empty room, checking if Adam followed us. When I'm sure he's not around, I whisper close to Seth.
—That forest, in Scotland. I used to live there with my parents. They were probably the reason people disappeared into the woods. Seth… my house was just a few miles from that tree. I cannot describe how disturbing seeing Adam with that picture was. That place was the tiniest village in the country, and most people had never heard of it. How in the world did Adam get that picture?
—Are you sure?
—One hundred percent. Remember the story I told you about scaring my friends in the woods? That's the exact spot. The candy bowl, the trees, everything is precisely the same. If this were a different situation, I would be happy to see that place, but Adam, a human suspecting us, got that in his hands. How the hell did he get that picture? How much did he search for it?
—Do you think it's a coincidence? I mean, he couldn't have known. Seth is correct, but it would be the freakiest coincidence of all times.
—I don't know. My dad always deleted the data. There is no way he knows, but… this is not the first time I have a feeling he's fishing for something, Seth. Besides the weird questions, he was afraid of me when we first met, then he wasn't, and now he's all friendly-
—Hey, hey. It's ok. Seth touches my arm, calming me down. —Don't worry, all right? We'll keep an eye on him. It's probably just a coincidence.
Seth must be right. Even if Adam suspected we were… different, he could never understand the significance of that place. He has nothing but a gut feeling, I'm sure. If he knew, Adam would've come with all the proof he found to confront me already. Humans can't keep something this big a secret.
—You're right. Let's just act normal, like before. That's what I say, but I can't let go of Seth's hand or stop shaking. There is something in Adam's eyes that bothers me. Like there is something in them telling me he knows.
—I'll keep an eye on him. Don't worry, ok? I got you.
—At least he didn't mention you or Renesmee. If he suspected all of us, we might have to leave school in a rush.
—C'mon. Let's go home.
I ask Seth not to say anything to Renesmee or the others since we don't know what this is yet. The chances of Adam showing me that photo on purpose are ridiculously small. That would imply he knows everything about me, which is impossible.
If David were here, he would be in that class too. We would be doing this project together, and I wouldn't have to worry about anything. What is he doing now? Is he ok? If I concentrate, I can almost hear his voice saying the words in the text he sent me in that annoying accent I miss with my whole heart. I wish he were here.