AN: I have a few notes to add before all of this.

1) This chapter is more than twice the size of the regular size I'm going to go for in the future.

2) This is a really rough draft that I have only read through once in my rush to get this out in time for christmas. Just let me know if you find any big issues that I should fix immediately, otherwise I plan to proof read it more and fix at the start of the new year.

3) The Isabella of my story is becoming a lot different to what is in the original story. She is more deductive, and a little more brutal. I believe it is warranted, if this actually happened. That does not mean that she is a reliable source however. It's just her thoughts, not a one-hundred percent truth.

With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy reading!

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Deadly Affection – Reimagined

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do what I want.

Chapter 3: Trouble on the Horizon

Bella PoV

The light in the room was what woke me up. I felt like I had been run over. I looked at my phone to see the it was 10:37am. The notifications on the screen told me I had slept through all my normal alarms.

My muscles ached when I moved to get out of bed, and I groaned with effort, putting on some clean clothes. My usual jeans and a shirts being gone, I chose to go for a set of gray sweatpants and jacket. I heard my stomach announce loudly that it needed some food, just as I noticed how bloody hungry I felt.

After practically running downstairs to the kitchen, finding a note from Renèe that she would be back in time for our meeting with the principal, I yanked open the fridge. Thankfully we had a few of Phil's enchiladas left from the other day, and some pasta from yesterday left, and I happily dug in.

I don't know how long I sat there on the counter, or how much food I had actually eaten, but by the time all the leftovers were gone, I was nowhere near full. So I spent several minutes listening to my stomachs intermittent growling, waiting for the bloody toaster to finish my cheese sandwiches, and ate them too.

Still I was hungry, though it was bearable, and frankly I was afraid of what would happen if I ate more.

After getting my shoes, I walked out into the yard again, intent on finding out if I had only dreamt up last night. I could see the tracks from the other day, but there was a new set of tracks spread between them, a little further appart from the old ones, and slightly bigger patches of brown grass. On the other side of the fence there was a groove in the earth, maybe a couple of centimeters deep, which I would guess would have been from a jump over the fence.

I followed the path out into the bushes. It seemed to be following the same trail as last time, diverting only until a few meters from the large circle of dead plants, heading left and up towards the hill.

The patch I found was a little larger than the last time, maybe half a meter more in diameter or so, but the plants had all but disintegrated this time. Barely a stalk remained on the small plants, crumpled and grey. A tree was near the center of the circle here, but even though some of the branches poked outside the circular shape of dessication, all the leaves and bark were gone, leaving only a gnarled dead stump of what it used to be.

There was no strips of fabric on the ground this time, only a fine layer of dust that whirled around me with each step I took.

What the fuck was doing this? It wasn't a fire, that much was obvious. It was almost as if all the moisture had been sucked out of the plants in a small area, but how was that even possible.

I tried to lean on a branch on the tree, only for it to snap which nearly caused me to fall. It was a fairly hefty branch that I could not touch my fingers together when I held on to it, yet it snapped without much effort. And the wierdest part, it didn't look dried up on the inside.

I growled in frustration and confusion, closing my eyes and wracking my brain for answers. How could it look dried up, yet still hold water? Some form of rapid shrinking? That wouldn't explain why it looked dry on the outside. Gas? The wouldn't have caused it to be brittle all the way through. Heat would have caused damage to the outside first aswell.

I looked back up at the stump, and saw water dripping out of the hole left by the broken branch. A slow dribble of it leaking down the stump and into the dusty ground. A type of cellular breakdown maybe? Something that causes the membrane in the cells of the trees to rupture and therefor not being able to hold water in.

But then why wasn't the ground wet around all the plants? Perhaps a mix of heat and whatever caused the cellular breakdown, so the water had evaporated?

A shiver caused me to break out of my funk. I felt cold, even in the desert heat, surrounded by a weird lack of... something. But there was heat nearby, I could feel it. I turned to my right and saw a large cactus plant that was nearly two meteres tall. It felt like a small campfire, only not in a common fire sense of heat.

I walked over to it, facinated by the feeling, leaving the cold circle of decay behind. My surroundings felt a little hotter aswell, but not as much so as the large cactus in front of me. I needed it, the heat. My fingers was trembling as I reached out to it, a gentle caress in between my digits. I didn't feel any of the thorns bother me, even though I should have poked my hands on several.

I was startled by a sudden rush of heat in my palm, which felt like it was being held fast by the cactus. I gasped as I saw it shrinking and withering at an alaming rate, even as I felt the rush to my head. It felt very much like an adrenaline rush, and it caused my eyes to flutter.

My heart was beating out of my chest as I finally fell backwards onto my ass in the sand. My mind was hazy and thoughts were jumping around like a storm. The cactus was crumpling over to one side, a sickly mix of grey-white stuff oozing out of it all over. My hand no longer felt like it was on fire, yet it didn't feel the same. I formed a fist and was surprised by the amount of strength I felt in my fingers. My nails were digging into my palm, and as I opened my hand I could see tiny wounds, which disappeared a few moments later.

And then I screamed.

I ran back into the house, screaming like a madwoman all the way. The porch door was left ajar as I tumbled inside, somehow dislodging my shoes in the fall, and rolling into a crouch and kept running. I ran into my room and launched into my bed, hiding under the blankets in a fetal position.

It was me. I had been the one to leave the window open. I had somehow jumped out the window from the second floor and ran into the wild and caused the... whatever it was to the plants. I had even carefully pried away the tape on the windowsill, for whatever reason. Seriously, why would I do that and then not close the window again later?

In my jumbled mess of a mind, I could remember fragments of it. I could remember the impact after jumping out the window. I could remember vaulting over the fence, causing it to break and for me to almost fall, only for an unnatural reflex in me to correct my fall midair. I could see me drain the plants in a wide arc all at once.

I could even see my clothes tear off of my body as a red mist of some kind erupted from my body, that drained the life out of the nearby plants.

I was a freak. I was a plant-life-draining freak.

I snorted a laugh at the thought. This couldn't be real. I was just going fucking insane. Somehow what had happened with Justin and Dustin had caused my mind to snap, causing me to turn mad. But insane people didn't know they were insane. Did they?

A memory jumped out at me. The frog. I had felt a similar heat from it as I did from the plant just now. Only it was... different. Hotter, in a way.

So it probably wasn't just plants. Somehow, I could sometimes feel, and leech, the life out of living things.

That or I was certifiably insane with the added benefit of knowing just how fucking insane I was.

I jumped up when I heard the sound of the frontdoor colliding with the wall downstairs. Apparently mom was home, and it was almost time to go to the meeting at school.

''Honey, are you upstairs?'' Renèe yelled. Thank god she wasn't home to see me freak the fuck out earlier.

''Yeah, I'm in my room. Is it time to go?'' I yelled back to her, hoping we still had some time, so I could fix myself up abit. I probably looked like a mess right now.

''We got to leave in about 20 minutes dear. Hey, did you leave the porch door open?'' She sounded alarmed at the end there.

''Yeah I was out on the porch reading before you came back, guess I forgot to lock the door. Sorry!'' I tried to sound relaxed, even though I knew I sucked at lying.

I got out of bed, trying to touch as few things as possible. I didn't have a grip on whatever it was I could do yet, so it was better safe than sorry. I didn't know what would cause me to drain stuff, but I guessed I would be a little forewarned with the whole weird heat sensation thingy.

I still felt a little pissed about ruining my own clothes.

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As we were driving up to the school parking lot, I was thinking about what it would entail, these... powers... of mine. I didn't know if I was a danger to the people around me. I was afraid that I might kill someone if I touched them in that... state.

I had tried quickly on my own potted cactus in my room before I had a shower, and I didn't drain it then, so it seemed safe to touch things whenever whatever it was wasn't... powered up, so to say.

So to to say I was a little jumpy was a bit of an understatement.

The clock outside Mrs. Lopez's office gave off a mechanical 'click' as the minute hand turned to ten past two. The meeting was supposed to start at two o'clock, so something was holding her up. I was getting really nervous, sitting here waiting for the verdict.

As I was thinking through how I got here, I had a bit of a revelation. It probably had something to do with my... wierdness, how I was able to block and drop Justin so easily. Probably even how I pushed Dustin so hard. It was unnerving that it had happened without meaning to do it however.

What if I drained somebody that I didn't mean to? That was a scary thought, and something I hadn't actually considered yet. I looked over at my mom, who was looking down at the floor infront of her. She was usually a very touchy-feely person. What if I did it to her one morning? I balked at the thought.

The sound of the handle turning drew my attention, as Nina opened the door to her office and looked at us.

''Please come in.'' Her voice was quiet, and with the lines on her forhead, told me of her exhaustion. I guess getting a pass twice in a row was out of the question.

We quietly sat down in the two chairs placed infront of her desk, no one saying a word, as she closed the door and sat down in her own chair.

''Hi Nina. Long time no see.'' Renèe said quietly. The atmosphere in the room was laden with the gravity of the situation, and we could all feel it.

'' Hello Renèe. It has been way too long. I had hoped we could meet again under better circumstances.'' Nina replied in the same quiet tone. She drew a deep breath and exhaled quickly. I could tell she wanted this to be over quickly.

''I'll get right down to it. Justin is in the hospital with a punctured lung and several rib fractures, along with a concussion.'' Mom drew a breath sharply. I guess she hadn't gotten any specifics before now. I hadn't either, but I knew he was in a really bad shape.

''His mother is on the school board, and is breathing down my neck to have you expelled. While we all heard from Dustin what went down, and that Justin threw the first punch, she claims you must have kicked him while he was down to cause the damage he sustained. And frankly, even if what Dustin said about you only punching him once with, and I quote, 'the wrath of God', the fact is that you could have killed him.'' Her tone was grave, and I could feel a pang of fearrip through me.

Like ice down my spine, I could feel the power in me spread. The heat coming off of my mother and Nina was so much hotter than what I had felt before. I bowed my head down and grit my teeth, grabbing the armrests hard enough for my knuckles to turn white. Calm. Down. I repeated it internally like a mantra.

''Baby?'' Mom asked and I could hear the worry in her voice. And even though I was looking down in my lap, it was as if I could see her hand stretching out to touch my shoulder. I jerked away rapidly, causing the chair to screech against the stony floor as I jumped up and walked over to the glass wall, looking outside at the school grounds.

''Bella?'' My mom asked again quietly. I could see her hand reaching out to me as she was halfway out of her own chair. I held a hand out behind my back, trying to convey that I needed some time to cool down.

I could see my eyes burning red in my reflection in the window, another giveaway that I was a fucking freak. I would have to be careful with that in the future.

''Surely you can see how upset about this she is? She didn't mean for him to get hurt. And that brat has been hounding her the last couple of days, does that not matter to you?'' Renèe asked a little harshly. I could feel the principal nodding.

''Yes of course it matters. I know that Isabella isn't normally a violent student, on the contrary. She is one of the best students we have. And Justin is on the opposite edge of the scale in that regard. That is why I have been trying so hard to talk the board down from taking any immediate action.'' Nina sounded dejected, possibly even a little sad, and I felt for her.

I had made her life so hard in the last few days, and it made me hurt inside hearing that she had defended me as much as she could. I felt the pressure of tears threatening to build up as I looked back in my reflection. Chocolate brown again, thankfully.

With a sigh, I turned back around to them and sat quietly back in the chair, after pushing it back to where I was seated earlier. I could feel the lacquer on the armrests were gone in my palms, leaving the rough wooden surface.

''I'm so sorry for causing you all this grief Mrs. Lopez. Thanks for sticking up for me.'' I told her earnestly, almost willing my gratitude into my words. My moms hand grabbed my shoulder in support, and I smiled back at her.

A thought struck me. Forks. It could potentially solve so many problems.

''Do you think the board could be convinced to let me transfer to another school? Without it going on my record that I was expelled, I mean.'' I asked hopefully, turning to my mother as her hand fell of my shoulder.

''What?!'' Mom's voice was high-pitched as I could see the panic set in.

''Mom, calm down.'' I gave her a pointed look, directing her to breathe deeply with me a couple of times. Only confusion remained on her features.

''What if I went to live with dad, and finished highschool in Forks? That way you and Phil can have the house to yourself, and you wouldn't have to stay home with me when he has to go out of state for try-outs. And the school board would hopefully let me keep my record clean.'' I figured it best not to add the fact that I would have a somewhat safer habitat to find out how to control whateverthefuck was wrong with me.

I could see the two sides of her warring with which option she wanted to go for. On one hand, letting her baby girl leave the nest, and on the other, the joy of new love without a third wheel.

''So do you think that's possible Mrs. Lopez?'' I asked again, turning to Nina. She looked thoughtful as she looked over to the side, before slowly nodding her head.

''I think I could find a way to convince them to let that part go. Unfortunately I can't stop the fact that you attacked a student from getting on your school record. It was specified that it was in self defence, but I couldn't stop that from happening.'' Nina sounded somewhat upset about the fact, which made me like her more. It would seem I had misjudged how close she and mom had been once, for her to defend me so fiercely. That or Nina Lopez was just a very loyal friend.

''Are you sure honey? I thought you hated Forks?'' Mom piped up. I could tell she felt guilty for entertaining the thought of sending me away for selfish reasons. And I loved my mom for placing me infront of her happiness, even though that made me feel guilty for the same reason.

I turned back to Renèe with the best smile I could muster. ''Yeah, I think the clean air could do me some good, mom. And I bet Charlie would be extremely happy to have me back for a few years.'' I could see the softening of her face as she accepted my words.

''Perhaps you want to make the arrangements before I put anything into writing first?'' Nina asked, and mom nodded her head in confirmation.

''Yeah, I think that would be best. Could I call you in a few hours maybe? That way we would have some time to talk through the specifics of how we do this.'' Renèe answered hopefully, probably knowing that would be an inconvenience for Nina.

''That is okay with me. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you Isabella, Renèe. Just give me a call later tonight, and I can fix the paperwork tomorrow.'' Her tone was curteous, but somehow defeated, as she stood up and stretched out her hand to shake. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, making sure I wouldn't hurt her, but there was no feeling of warmth so it felt safe.

Mom, true to herself, went around the table and hugged her instead, which Nina didn't seem to have any issue with, returning the hug just as fiercely. I knew I had to get her to tell me the story there sometime, but now was not it.

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The ride back from school was completely silent. I could see mom biting her lip as she drove, a telltale sign she was thinking hard. That and she nearly ran a red light twice.

I was trying to figure out how to tell Audrey goodbye, and if I could do it in a way that would let her move on from the crush I believed she had on me. That and how the hell I would find the money to get a wardrobe warm enough to survive march up in washington.

I felt nervous about the whole thing now. Would Charlie let me stay with him full time? I mean, that was a lot of pressure to just put on him all of a sudden. He used to love it back when I would visit him a few weeks every summer, but this would be so much more... permanent.

And I would be the new girl in school, in the middle of the semester. I didn't really know how many people lived in Forks, but I knew it wasn't a lot. It was actually probably less people in total in Forks, than there were here in my school. So the friend groups would probably be well set up, and I would be the girl from the big city. I really didn't need that added sort of attention along side my other wierdness. I would atleast have to get some dark glasses.

As we drove up to the house and parked, we sat in the car for a few seconds, none of us moving to open the door. Mom turned off the ignition and turned towards me.

''I think you should be the one to call Charlie and ask if it's okay with him for you to come live with him.'' Mom said quietly, and I rolled my eyes and smiled. I knew she and dad had a strained relationship because of how she walked out on him when I was younger. And I figured she would probably let slip how she was so happy with Phil, which could cause Charlie to get upset and possibly turn everything real messy.

I loved that she was able to reflect on that and was still true to herself. I don't think Renèe could tell a lie to save her life frankly, but that was great. And even though she knew it should be her asking, she didn't want to cause additional problems, so she asked me to do it.

''Yeah sure, I could do that. Should I tell him you said hi?'' I replied after the brief pause. I could see the chagrin from having to ask me to do this, but she nodded all the same.

''Yes do that, but probably don't mention this.'' She answered, holding up her hand and wiggling her new ring. Yeah that would probably cause some problems, better to let that part wait.

With the conversation at an end, we both stepped out and walked into the house, which I would probably no longer be staying in for a while. I greeted Phil in the kitchen before heading up to my room before their snugglefest started. Jumping up on the bed I got my phone charger and plugged it in. It had alerted me I had less than 10 percent power left while we drove home.

I hopped off to the side of the bed and sat on the edge, trying to collect my thoughts for a moment. Everything had happened so fast the last few days. It was barely wednesday and I had been in two altercations and was basically getting expelled after two days. I did not see this coming when I went to bed sunday.

Lamenting the fact that I would in the best case scenario for the future now, have to contend with sub freezing temperatures shortly, I let out a sigh. I wasn't too sad that I would be leaving my friends here so much, seeing as there was actually only one I would probably miss. And with how our outlooks on what that friendship meant was different, it would probably come to an end soon anyway, one way or another. I really should meet up with her and talk to her in person later, but first I had to call Charlie.

Delaying the akward call for a little while longer, I went into the bathroom and stripped down to take a shower. The massage option along with the heat was slowly working my tense neck and shoulders down. All too soon the water started getting colder, and I quickly turned it off, wrapping myself in a towel and sitting down on the toilet.

Heat was really sort of my thing. I hated being cold so very much, yet I would doom myself to Forks and the cold there, rather than risk hurting my mom or Phil. Not that I wasn't afraid I could hurt my dad, but atleast he wasn't all touchy-feely like mom was. That was one of the best things about Charlie, He doesn't hover, and he respects personal space. It would suck to have to share a bathroom in the mornings though.

I leaned forwards and placed my face in my hands, cursing myself for whatever reason this whole shit had started. It would be safer to move to Forks, more isolated and probably easier to learn to control whatever I could do without people knowing. But I didn't know what I had done to deserve this kind of bullshit.

Minutes went by of me stewing in my misery, and the familiar smell of the shampoo I had used waned. What's done is done, deal with it I thought to myself, getting up and looking at my reflection in the mirror. Do the best with the hand you're dealt. I huffed to myself, before getting the hairdryer and fixing my hair.

Not bothering with changing into new clothes, not that I had done anything other than the one meeting earlier anyway, I went back into my room. Picking my phone and disconnecting the charger, I went to sit at my workdesk, finding dads number in my contactlist. It had been a long time since I saw him. Last time was back at the end of summer, when he had come down to Phoenix to spend a week here with us. And he hadn't been in the best mood, seeing Phil for the first time, and how happy mom had been.

Sighing, I pressed call and put the phone up to my ear. The dial tone beeped a few times, and a small part of me almost hoped he wouldn't pick up, but that hoped was quickly crushed.

''Hey Bells! How are you doing?'' The gruff voice of my dad called out. I could hear the echo of the handsfree in his car, telling me he was still on duty.

''Hi dad! I'm good thanks, how about you? Do you have a minute?'' I responded, trying to keep my voice calm. I had not expected I would feel so much emotion, but at that moment I really wanted him here.

''I've always got time for you Bells, whenever you need me. What's the matter?'' His voice perked up. It seems I didn't hide it as well as I had hoped.

I laughed to myself a bit. He was a good cop after all, shouldn't have expected less. ''Well... I don't really know how to start.'' I could practically hear the frown on his face.

''Just say it straight Bells, your old man can take it.'' He replied softly. The dad part of him coming to the forefront.

''I sort of need to ask for sanctuary, I guess.'' I said tentatively. I knew it was irrational of me to expect him to say no, but some part of me was still worried.

''Sanctuary? You mean, come live here? With me?Why?'' His voice betrayed hope, worry and suspicion. Maybe even some indignation. It made me wonder what was going through his head.

''I got into some trouble, and kind of need to change school. So I kinda hoped I could come live with you and finish high school up in Forks.'' Uncertainty didn't feel good right now, so I needed him to confirm it.

''Of course Isabella, I would love to have you come live with me. But what happened? Did you get into trouble with the law? Harboring a fugitive might get me into trouble you know.'' I sighed in relief. He only used my real first name when he was serious. And the joke helped ease the tension.

''Well I did send this one kid to the hospital.'' I tried to joke back, but I heard him shift in his seat. He probably didn't find that funny.

''How did that happen? Are you facing charges?'' Dad was in cop mode again, but atleast he didn't sound angry, only worried.

''I doubt he would try it. He threw the first punch. So I hit him in the ribs, even broke a few. I'm sorry.'' I replied sheepishly, hoping he wouldn't be mad. The guffaw on the other end told me otherwise. ''The problem is that his mom is on the school's board, and she's pushing hard to have me expelled.''

''What!'' He barked in anger. ''How can they do that? That's horseshit!'' I felt happy somehow that he felt angry on my behalf. Justified in some way. And embarrased, because I hadn't told him the whole story.

''He kinda ended up with a punctured lung, and a concussion.'' I told him meekly.

''Ohh.'' there was a silence between us for a few seconds. ''Didn't know you had it in you kid. Serves him right though, he shouldn't have tried to punch you.'' He sounded really proud of the fact, and it annoyed me how flippant he was about this.

''I could have killed him dad!'' I reply with a little anger, then worry about my reaction to that fact in the principals office earlier. I almost dropped the phone, but there was no surge of power in me now.

''Yeah, well maybe this would teach him not to mess with girls in the future. It may have saved some grief for him in the future even. And he's not in any immediate danger, people live through worse than that.'' Charlie was dismissive about the possibility that it could also make him act worse in the future. But that wasn't up to either of us.

''So when were you thinking of coming up here? A couple of weeks?'' He continued, sounding cheery.

''Well, they really wanted to expell me right away. Thankfully the principal is on our side in this, and she's trying to get them to drop the expulsion part if I transfer to another school. But it would probably have to be quick, as in this week.'' I surmised. Nina didn't specify anything, but I figured the sooner the better in the eyes of Justin's mother.

''That soon. Wow. Well, I would have to clean up your room and get some new stuff for you, but I think we could manage it.'' He sounded a little surprised, but otherwise happy about it.

''I would have to run it by Renèe first. She will probably freak out first before I can convince her. She told me to say hi by the way.'' I joke, trying to lighten the mood further. I almost felt cheery myself.

''Uhm yeah. Tell her I said hi back.'' Dad was back to awkward again at the mention of my mom. He had never quite gotten over her.

''I'll call you after I've talked to her. Love you dad!'' I heard him swallow loudly, and it made me smile.

''Love you too Bells! Later then.'' And with a click, it was over.

I dropped my hands into my lap, grabbing onto the phone. It lit up, showing me that the clock was just 5:40pm and I was already exhausted. I felt really happy, and a little sad. I don't think I realised how much I had missed my dad until I heard his voice again. I felt guilty about the fact that I had been such a brat the last few years, getting him to come down to us instead of visiting him during the summer. Atleast I had the possibility to make up for lost time now.

The worried know that had settled in my stomach earlier had vanished, to which I was really thankful. I got up and walked downstairs to find mom and Phil embracing on the couch. I cleared my throat to alert them to my presence, and they quickly got up. Renèe's eyes were red and puffy, a clear sign that she had been crying. And Phil's shirt was smudged with mascara. I wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be alright, but I stopped myself. I still wasn't sure of what triggered the... episodes.

I quickly walked over to sit down in the recliner, and they sat down again in the couch, facing me.

''So Charlie was fine with me moving in with him.'' I started out, not really knowing where to go from there. I could see that mom was about to start crying again, so I tried to hold that off. ''Hey, mom. This is going to be alright. This is the best option we have right now.'' I placed my right hand on her shoulder and gripped on softly.

''Or we could... I don't know... move to Jacksonville. Phil's in talks about getting a premanent gig there...'' She was grasping at straws, and I could see Phil's disapproving smile at the idea. It would have been reckless to move everything when they didn't have a steady job ready for them.

''Mom.'' I said, getting her to focus on me. ''I want this. I get to make up for lost time with dad. And I might even make some new friends.'' I could see she was coming around to it. ''I wouldn't even have to worry about getting sunburns anymore.'' I joke with a smile, and she grins even though she is sad.

''Ohh baby... I'm gonna miss you something terrible!'' Tears errupt as she gives into the fact that this was happening. She snakes forwards in a crouch and grabs me in a hug, bawling into my shoulder. I just held onto her.

After some time, she finally let go and sat back down in the sofa. Phil gently placed his arm around mom's shoulders, pulling her into him.

''So I only got small snippets of; Shitkid, hospital, expelled and Forks from your mom earlier, care to tell me the deets?'' Phil asked, and mom had the courtesy to looked abashed.

''Well, this kid in school, Justin, asked me out twice on monday, which I rejected.'' I started, only for him to interrupt.

''The kid you pushed over in class the other day?'' He sounded exited, which made me smile. Phil was really a kid at heart, same as my mom.

''Umm no, that was Dustin, his friend. So anyway, after I rejected him twice and hurt his friend, he seemed to take that as an affront to him. So they confronted me yesterday in the library at lunch. Justin was being a complete ass so I might have said something that pissed him off.'' I felt a mix of pride and embarrasment, retelling it like it was some sort of epic showdown.

''And he tried to punch me in the face, but I blocked it, and punched him in the ribs. Ended up in the hospital with a punctured lung and a concussion.'' I couldn't help but grin at his awed expression.

''Wicked! Up top!'' He said loudly, putting his right hand forward for a high five, which I clapped with glee. His face turned to confusion, and I could tell what he was about to ask.

''Justin's mom is on the school board. She's pushing quite hard to have me expelled.'' His brows furrow in anger.

''Wow that's such bullshit. He threw the first punch, so that was self defence.'' Phil stated with a bite to his words.

''That's what I said!'' Mom piped up from the crook of his neck. He gripped her tighter, leaning back into the sofa.

''Yeah I know. But that's how the world works, I guess.'' I sighed, slumping down into the recliner in defeat.

''So when do you go?'' Phil asked quietly, as if trying not to disrupt the somber mood.

''That's the big question right now. From how I understood it with Nina, I don't think I should go to school tomorrow. Or ever again, for that matter. Dad was fine with me coming whenever, but I don't know how fast I could start school again up in Forks. Maybe you should ask Nina?'' looking my mom in the eyes, I saw her sigh and look off to the side.

''Yeah I should probably give her a call.'' She responded quietly. I figured this was as good a time as any.

''Mom, would it be okay for me to ditch lockdown to say goodbye to Audrey?'' I was technically still grounded, but I figured she would be okay with this considering the circumstances.

''Sure hon. That would give me some time to talk to your principal. Just don't stay out for too long, 'kay?'' It didn't sound like she even wanted to make the call, but I knew if she waited too long, Phil would prod her to action.

''Sure thing mom, I just need to get ahold of her first.'' I replied, getting up from the recliner and moving to walk back up to my room. I heard mom shuffle in the couch, before muffled crying. I turned back to see her holding onto Phil, crying into his chest. He looked up to me and just nodded, to which I turned and continued walking.

As I sat down on my bed I tried to figure out what to say to Audrey. I knew she was mad at me. I had learned that she got really upset when someone did something reckless early on, but she had never told me why. And then I had gone and done made it worse. Now she was probably beyond pissed.

I opened my phone, opting to send her a message first, seeing as she ignored my call last time. Hey A. I'm sorry about being stupid and reckless. I really need to talk to you, so could you call me when you get the chance? -B.

Hitting send, I flopped down on the foot of my bed, looking up at the roof. It seemed the familiar lines and cracks wouldn't remain unchanged for long. My gaze flowed over to the window near the corner of my room. Knowing it was me that had left it open answered some questions, but left me with more. Did I have to jump out and... drain a bunch of plants every night?

Was there a way to not do that, if I perhaps drained some plants before going to bed? And if I couldn't stop the nightly outings, could I atleast stop destroying my clothes? Well that last one was simple really, I could just start sleeping in the buff.

My phone ringing beside me drew me out of my thoughts. Caller ID said Audrey, so either she wasn't as mad as I had expected, or she knew some of what was going on.

''Hey A.'' I answered quietly, waiting with a baited breath for her reaction.

''Hey there B.'' Was her quiet response. I figured she must have heard about my would-be expulsion.

''Can we meet down at the swingset? I need to talk to you face to face.''I tried not to sound desperate, as to put any pressure on her. She needed to some see me on her own terms, if she came because I forced her, I knew it would turn out bad.

''Did you really put Justin in the hospital?'' Was her hurried response, marred with worry.

''Yeah... I didn't mean to hurt him. I only intended to knock the wind out of him, so I could get away. I don't really know my own strength I guess.'' I tried to laugh it away, but I couldn't really hide my sadness. Not sadness that I had put Justin in the hospital, just the part about what this would mean for the both of us.

''Ohh... Okay. Meet you there in ten?'' Audrey sounded sad but hopeful, and it nearly broke me to hear it. It would be better to get it all out face to face. To do it over the phone would suck.

''See you in ten.'' I replied, before quickly hitting the end call button. A tear rolled down my chin, joined by more shortly. I let the tears fall freely, finally letting go of the anguish I had bottled up through the day. Tears for my mom's sorrow. For the injustice of this all. For the love and trust they showed me, mom and dad both.

I grabbed my pillow and screamed for the injustice for what I had to do to Audrey. How I had to give her a clean break. Break her heart. The sobs wracking my body shook the bed, but I refused to let either of them downstairs hear me.

The fucking injustice of it all. Why me?! Why did this have to happen to me?! Why. Me.

Anger. A burning anger bloomed in me, unlike any I had felt before.

It felt like a fire deep in my chest, threatening to scorch me from the inside out.

A flicker of red caught my attention. My phone. It looked like it glowed red. But it was only a reflection.

Looking down on my arms, I could see them glowing a crimson red color. Like a red mist that enveloped my body, spreading quickly down my chest. I could see the tears opening in my clothes as they spread. My shirt was already shredded.

I jumped off my bed and was alarmed when I jumped further than I had intended, and felt heavier as I landed near the window. The floorboards groaned beneath me from the additional weight I had somehow gained. I quickly used my right foot to open the window before all of me was wreathed in crimson mist.

Jumping out headfirst, it felt like a simple maneuver I had done a hundred times before, as I flipped over mid air and effortlessly landed in a crouch. Thanking, whatever divine shit was having a giggle at my expense, for the fact that my bedroom window wasn't on the same side of the house as the living room, I ran into the shrubbery.

The steps were easy, my unnatural strength keeping up with my added weight to propel my momentum forwards. The breeze of the wind wipping past my frame as I hauled ass into a crevice near the hills felt great.

All my clothes were gone now, yet I didn't feel any colder. I was cushioned on the mist-like energy flowing over my skin. Taking a second to look, it looked like it had coalesced into a second, translucent skin over my own. It was maybe a few milimeters thick, at most, and covered my entire body, even the soles of my feet. I stepped to the side in the sand a few steps, watching as the sand slowly eroded into even finer sand.

And the earth and plants around me felt like small lights around me. I felt like I could feel everything. Spiders in the rocks that were hiding me. Small crickets hiding amongst the shrubs and grass. A few birds in trees further up the hill, a nest with eggs beneath one of them. A snake hiding in a small alcove. But there was a limit. I could only see the lights in a small area around me. Maybe a couple of dozen meters.

The loud beating of my heart drew me out of my revelry, and drew my attention back on the burning anger emanating from my chest. I howled into the sky, trying to force my anger out, but it only served to spread the fire out into my extremities.

Small flecks of black spread across the crimson in erratic patterns, and I felt my mind cloud over in anger. The darkness burned my skin beneath the second skin, before it cooled again when it moved along.

Pain and anger. It was all I felt for several seconds, until more red mist erupted from every pore in my body. I had shut my eyes, yet I could see it leaking out of me, spreading around me, seeping into the ground and plants nearby. I felt it as I stole the light of every plant and living being in the surrounding area, sucking it into my being, before creating more mist and spreading further out.

It felt like minutes of repeating cycles. Stealing the energy, creating more mist, and stealing more energy further away. Somewhere along the line the pain and anger had stopped. Eventually I felt... full.

The feeling of falling brought me back out of my daze. I didn't know how long I had been standing there before I started loosing my balance. It didn't even feel like it was actually me that had made the effort to move my leg to stop myself from falling.

I looked around me and gaped at the destruction. Plants more than what I guessed was twenty meters away was nothing more than husks of their former selves. All the grass was completely gone. Barely a stalk was left of small shrubs. Even the sand beneath my feet was ground into a fine dust. The walls of the small crevice around me were greyed out and looked like it had started crumbling.

The squawks of a bird in the direction I had felt them earlier drew my attention. I saw the brown, grey and white coat of what I recognized to be a cactus wren. It jumped on top of the cactus that held its nest just outside the area of destruction I had left. Following it's line of sight as it jumped and screached, I saw what the commotion was about.

I fell to my knees in shock when I saw the small bird lying belly up. It's little feathers had started falling out of its shriveled body, just inside the edge of the circle. The surviving wren flew down to investigate, chirping a shrill tune as it looked upon its partner. Jumping short stocky jumps, schreaching all the way to the dead bird, it tried to push on it. One tap at first, then more insistently as its chirps increased in volume.

I started bawling there in the dust and dirt, feeling the guilt crashing through me. I hoped no one was close enough to hear, but frankly I didn't care as I let out a wail of despair into the cooling desert air. I crumpled completely down into the remains of the sand around me, bawling like a child. Inbetween sobs a part of my brain recognized the oddity that I wasn't feeling the irritation of the dust I was kicking up around me in either eyes, nose or mouth.

My hands had started to sink into the ground by the time I stopped crying. There was no birdcry nearby. Or any other noise for that matter. I started to worry that I had lost my hearing until I heard a car driving on the road in the distance. Looking back up to the corpse of the bird I had killed, the living bird was gone. I could feel it, back in its nest, lying atop it's eggs. In the back of my mind I felt the question linger.

Would it be better to kill them all? Or could it survive on it's own?

It made me want to be sick, even thinking the thought.

Staring at the dead bird in front of me, I made a vow to myself. I would never give into that anger again. I wasn't naive enough to believe that I would never kill again. But I would atleast never do so in blind anger. I would rather let the weight of taking a life crush my soul, than do it out of blind anger.

I still felt the power coursing through my body, even though the red glow had evaporated. It was wierd. I felt... refreshed in a way. Charged up. I must be something of an energy vampire or something. Even the thought made me want to laugh, but that thought was quickly crushed.

Getting up, I started making my way back to my house, leaving the destruction I had caused in the past. As I got closer to the house I found the trail of ruined clothes that had been left in my hurry to leave. I picked up the biggest pieces I found, leaving the smaller ones to be blown away by the wind before the sun came back up.

I could see that mom was still in the living room, holding something infront of her. From the way her hand closed to her face, and her head tilting back, I figured it was a drink. Probably wine, to take a little of the edge off.

Phil was in the kitchen however, and the kitchen had a window on the same wall of the house as my room. Being careful to not be spotted by him or any neighbors or passerbyes, I picked up the last scraps of cloth on the lawn. It wasn't before I looked up at the window and down on the cloth in my hands I figured out my problem. How could I get up there with all this shit in my hands.

Reaching out to see that the coast was clear I took a few steps out onto the lawn and placed it in one of the brown patches of grass. When it was all in one neat little pile I tried to... drain... it. Frustration was all that got me. And to look really stupid, waving my hands around like I was trying to cast some kind of spell.

A possible cause of issue came to me a little later than I would have liked. There was no heat coming from the pile. It was dead. There was no energy for me to steal. So instead I tried to tap into anger, chanting destroy to myself under my breath. Slowly the red mist flowed out of my hands, starting at my palms, before covering them just up to my wrists.

I put my hands down on the pile and could hear what sounded like tearing barely audible. It didn't take long before my hands touched the brown grass, which also ended up being shredded, so I pulled my hands back and stopped chanting, willing the mist away.

It died away almost immediatly, and I inspected my handiwork. There was barely any noticible specs of fabric left, but what worried me more was that I had left a patch where there was no actual grass at all. That would be harder to explain if anyone asked.

I turned back around, checking Phil's position again. He was hovering over Renèe's shoulder in the living room, so the coast was clear. Taking a few steps back to get a bit of a run up, I started to worry about the height of my window. I didn't actually know if the 'sleepdraining' me had actually used the window to get back in after my escapades. Nor did I know if I could judge the amount of strength needed correctly so as not to overshoot it and crash into the wall.

That could possibly even be worse, and maybe even cause my mom to come up and check my room. Which was full of shredded clothes and an open window. That and me possibly hanging from said window buck naked would be kind of hard to explain.

So I walked back to the wall and crouched down near where the imprints of my landings were left in the grass. Tensing my leg muscles I tried to feel the extra strength out. To visualize it in my mind, coiled like a snake, waiting to strike. And then I leapt off of the ground straight up, aiming for my window.

I was a little short however, and I reached my hands out to grab the windowsill. I barely caught it with the edge of my fingers. Using the tips of my toes, I silenced the impact of the rest of my body hitting the wall. It felt surprisingly easy to pull myself up and into my room, before I flopped down on the floor, careful not to cause any noise. One issue dealt with.

The sharp pling! Of my phone's message alert almost caused me to jump off of the floor in fright. Standing up I walked over to my bed and looked at it. It was Audrey. 'Where the hell are you?' Shit. I could tell from the time that I should have met up with her almost fifteen minutes ago. I quickly typed a reply.

'Sorry! Mom started grilling me after I called you. I'm on my way!' It was a lie, but it wasn't as if I could tell her what had actually happened. Besides, what was this compared to what lay ahead. I could almost taste the bile in the back of my throat from just thinking about it.

Gathering the last pair of jeans and tee I had that was clean, I stalked out an into the bathroom, determined to take a quick shower to get the dust and sand out of unmentionable places.

As soon as that was done I got my phone and headed back down the stairs. The smell of lasagna hit my nose before I rounded the corner into the living room.

''Mhhm that smells nice.'' I say to announce my presence, in case they hadn't noticed. Mom just looks at me with half a smile, nursing a half-empty wineglass in her hands.

''Dinner's in thirty'' Phil replied quietly from behind her. He was resting his head atop of hers. My stomach rumbled loudly, which caused me to blush. I felt really damn hungry again, but I really couldn't delay.

''Nice. I just gotta go out quick to meet Audrey, I'll be back in time for dinner.'' I answered cheerfully, trying to put on a brave face for mom's sake.

I opted to use my bike to save some time in getting there, and it only took a minute before I could see her sitting on the swings alone. Her shoulders were slumped as she was pivoting on the edge of her shoes.

''Hey A.'' I said softly when I put my bike down in the grass, sitting down on the swing next to hers. She doesn't respond at first. She doesn't even seem to notice my presence, she just continues to pivot back and forth. Her hair is covering up her face, but I could smell her tears. She had been crying.

''Hey there B.'' Audrey finally said after a long silence. There was no flicker of hope left in her voice that I had heard on the phone. I gripped the chainlink holding the swing so hard it felt like it was bending in my fist.

''So you're getting expelled.'' It didn't sound like a question, so I opted not to respond. It felt like she needed some time to collect her thoughts. ''That means you're probably moving.'' Again, it didn't feel like a question. She probably had the time to figure out why I had called her here in the time I had let her wait for me.

''You know, don't you?'' She didn't have to specify what. I could tell what she meant as soon as she looked up at me. Tears were still falling from her eyes.

''Yes.'' I respond quietly. More tears burst forth at my admission and her mouth opens and closes. She didn't trust her voice to ask. ''I've known for a while.'' Her eyes close in pain and she leans her head down, tears falling into the grass. Her entire body shakes as she sobs quietly. It seemed like she had come to the conclusion before I got her, but hearing it crushed her all over again.

''I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a shitty friend. I'm sorry for using you, and not acknowledging your feelings.'' I start to rant, tears starting to form in my eyes aswell. She only sobs louder. It masks the sound of the chainlink in my hands groaning from the pressure.

The silence between us grew, and my eyes dried up, having already mourned this loss beforehand. I place a hand on her back and rub circles, trying to soothe her. It feels like it's working somehow, as her sobs quiet down slowly.

''I'm not actually getting expelled.'' I explain quietly, trying desperatly to fill the silence. ''The principal agreed to letting me just transfer to a new school.'' I could tell what she wanted to ask as she sniffed, using her hand to rub away all the tears and snot running down her face.

''I'm going to live with my dad up in Forks, to finish school there.'' She snorted a laugh, looking back up at me.

''I thought you told me you hated Forks.'' Her tone wasn't bitter, just sad. I had to laugh in return. I remembered telling her as much, back when I first told her of the summers I used to spend there.

''Yeah, but I used to think I hated violence too, so. Guess I was wrong.'' Her guffaw made me feel a bit better. It seemed like she had come to terms with the fact that we wouldn't be an item. The weight fell of my shoulders like bricks, and I could suddenly feel how very hungry I was. Which was again announced to the world in the form of obnoxious growling that Audrey thankfully ignored.

''Will you keep in touch?'' The hope was back in her voice as she muttered the words. And I didn't have it in me to burn down the friendship we had completely. Hopefully she could get over me in my absence.

''Of course! I need to know when to run any potential girlfriends of yours through my vetting program!'' I jest, trying to lift her spirits further. I hoped it wasn't cruel of me to do hold on to this friendship. I hoped it had the desired effect as Audrey started full-on laughing, pivoting back and forth again. It stopped far too quickly however, and a quiet silence set in again.

''It's not just because you are moving is it?'' She looks away from me, opting to stare intently on my bike behind me instead. I understood the context of the question perfectly. She was unsure of herself. Part of me wanted to laugh at her folly.

''No. A relationship could end in disaster with a single misspoken word. And I don't think I could have stayed sane in the little asylum of a school we go to... Went to... Without you as my confidante.'' I grabbed her hand in mine mid-speech, to help convey my sincerety. All I get is a half-smile. I could still see her doubting herself.

''Hey.'' I said, grabbing her hand a little tighter, to get her to look at me. ''You are absolutely panty-dropping gorgeous, so don't you go feeding that doubtmonster none!'' She lookes at me abashed, possibly even a little shocked at my outburst.

''I mean it, A. If it wasn't for the fact that I was a selfish, asocial cunt, I would have been on my knees for you within a month.'' It wasn't like I was lying either. Audrey was a gorgeous example of the female sex. I almost wanted to kick myself for what I had just said, fearing I might have reignited her hopes.

''Well then laddie, I guess I better be off to find more helpless maidens to abscond with.'' Audrey said in a posh english accent, jesting with her arms. Relief spread through me that she hadn't taken it the wrong way.

And then my stomach had to go and announce it's displeasure with my neglect of it's needs. Again. Audrey straight up laughed this time.

''Sounds like you need to get some food in that rusted blowhorn.'' She joked, pointing at my stomach. I laugh a little in return.

''Yeah. Dinner's just around the corner though, thankfully.'' The mood turns somber again. ''So are we good then? Do you forgive me for being a shitty friend?'' I don't quite manage to keep my own desperation in check. Hope that I might get to keep alittle of the friendship we had left.

She stands up from the swing and turn to me fully, and I do the same. My entire body feels really weak now though. I guess it's something that comes shortly after I've drained stuff. Like some stupid supernatural need to sleep after 'dinner' so to say.

Audrey embraces me, hugging me tight, and I find my own hands gripping her back in turn.

''Of course I forgive you, dummy.'' She mumbles into my shoulder, letting her head rest there for a minute. ''Do you know when you'll be leaving?''

''Probably before the weekend, maybe start of next week at best. I probably won't be back at school before I leave.'' I respond, and I can feel her gripping me tighter.

''Fuck, that's harsh. I guess this is probably goodbye then.'' I can feel the pressure in my eyes, but I have no more tears to shed. I just clutch onto her tighter.

''I guess it is. I'm going to miss you Audrey.'' I squeak out, before the knot in my throat stops my voice completely.

''I'm going to miss you too Isabella.'' I could feel her tears on my shoulder.

The hug lasts for a while, but it isn't any shorter than it had the right to be. I wait for her to let go first, seeing as she was the one currently crying. And as she release me I see the half-smile of one of her eureka moments.

''You had planned to crush my heart here, didn't you.'' The chagrin was probably visible on my face.

''I feared I would have to, to give you a clean break.'' Her hand cups the side of my face. ''But then you go being more awesome than you have any right to be. Like usual.'' Her beautiful smile lights her entire tear-smudged face up.

''You know me, babe. I aim to please.'' Her eyes glance off to the side. I could tell she still wished things had gone differently, but was resigned to the fact at hand. Her hand drops down from my face as she takes a couple of steps backwards.

''Call me when you get to Forks.'' She sounded tired at this point, which I could understand.

''Sure thing A. Bye.'' I leaned down and grabbed the handlebar of my bike, pulling it up with me.

''Bye B.'' And with that Audrey turns around and starts walking home. That was probably the last time I would see her face in a long while.

I turned back around and put one leg over the frame on my bike when I saw someone walking towards me. Lit only from the nearby streetlight, the shape made me guess it was a young man, wearing a black or dark blue hoodie.

''Hey Isabella! Hold up!'' It wasn't hard to recognize Dustin's voice as he started to jog towards me. Why the hell was he out here? And then I remembered that he might have actually seen this shit that was happening to me back at the library. The 'wrath of god' as he had allegedly called it. Every fiber of my being told me to get on the bike and ride in the opposite direction. But I was too damn weak and hungry.

''Dustin? What are you doing here?'' I struggled to keep my voice calm. I felt a tingling in my spine, and the heat around me became very prominent again. My nightvision even improved, and I could see his face clearly.

He stopped suddenly and took a half-step backwards, a gasp leaving him. Not feeling all that charged up, like usual, I chose to stand my ground.

''I-... I'm here... Because of that!'' He hissed. I could smell something delicious coming off of him. It was almost sweet, with a tangy hint to it. His hand was pointing to my head. Realizing that it was probably my eyes he was talking about, I closed them. It wasn't as if I had to actually see him, to see him.

His knees stopped shaking shortly afterwards. The hand that wasn't streched out was still in the pocket on the front of his hoodie, and it looked like he was holding something with a circular handle. Possibly a small knife, or a pipe of some kind.

''I'm sorry about... Everything that happened. That I didn't stop Justin. Well to be honest I'm not actually sorry about that. I wouldn't have known then.'' There was excitement and awe in his voice, clear as day. He was probably into comic books and shit, and was romanticizing the fact that there was some kind of supernatural power to me. How naive. What if I was the bad guy? What if I am the bad guy? Well that would explain the weapon he was hiding, but he should know how useless it would be against me, after seeing what I did to Justin.

''I'm sorry I told them you did it in one punch. I don't want to out your secret. In fact, I want to help you!'' The breath I had been holding in the whole while left me in one big huff. He wanted to be the Robin to my batman. If batman had superpowers. And went around sucking the life out of everything around him.

''Look, Dustin'' I started. I really didn't want to have to deal with this right now. My stomach growled again to my continued ire. ''I'm moving out of the state. I have to start up new someplace else because of this shit.'' The smile on his face faded quickly.

''Thank you though. For not screaming to the high heavens how I am a fucking freak.'' I try to sound sincere, but am unsure if it came across as that. ''Please do me a favor. Keep my secret. I'm already freaking out about this myself, I don't know what I would do if word got out.'' Hoping he doesn't take it as a threat, I open my eyes, letting the power fade slowly. The world falls into darkness once more, with only the streetlight a little ways out emitting light.

''I heard you were getting expelled. I didn't think you would leave the state to go to a new school.'' He responded confused. Hoping a little half-truth would allay his worry, I switched my weight onto the bike. It would help him understand I wanted to leave as well.

''I'm moving out to go live with my dad up north.'' Giving him any details would not be good, considering how much he already knew. ''Now I really should be getting home, dinner is waiting for me and my stomach is killing me.'' Placing my feet on the pedal I started to ride around him, being careful not to get to close.

''Don't mention this again, and keep your head down. I don't know if there are anyone else like me around.'' I warn him as I pass by. He turns around to keep me infront of him as I do so. Atleast he wasn't completely foolish.

''Stay awesome, Isabella!'' I hear him call after me as I ride away from him. I really hope he would manage to keep his mouth shut. I shouldn't even really leave him as a loose thread, but there was no way I would have his blood on my hands. Better to pray for atleast some amount of luck to shine on me.

The bikeride back home is a little unsteady thanks to my unnaturally weak state, but I power through it. The promise of fresh lasagna spurring me on. I park my bike in the toolshed, before rushing into the house.

The mouthwatering scent of garlic and cheesy goodness hit me like a punch to the gut as I step through the door, and after kicking off my shoes I run into the kitchen. Mom and Phil was already seated and had just started eating from the looks of it. My stomach again growled in pain, before I sat down and started filling my plate to the brim. Practically shoveling food into my mouth constantly, in between bites of garlic bread. I moaned from the pleasure, as I got a second plate. And a third.

Mom had quit after her first plate, and Phil was just finishing his second, as I got a fourth. Getting self-conscious as I noticed both Renèe and Phil gape at me, I slowed down.

''What?'' I asked as innocently as I could manage, through the garlic bread still in my mouth.

''Ohh nothing honey. I've just never seen you this hungry, I guess.'' Mom replied with a shrug, taking another sip of her wine. Phil just laughed politely beside her. I paced myself as I continued eating, trying to atleast not look like I was still ravenous. My strength was slowly returning as I ate.

''So I talked to Nina while you were out.'' Mom said as she sat there waiting for me to finish eating. ''You were right about the part about not being allowed back in school before you transfered. And even though that brat's mom disagreed, the rest of the board decided to let you transfer without being expelled.'' Clearly she had gotten quite a bit of wine into her mouth, as evidenced by the noticeable slur in her voice. There was pride in her tone though. Clearly she was happy that the principal had fought for me on this.

''Did she say anything about how fast I would be able to start back up in Forks?'' I asked her after I swallowed the remaining lasagna on my plate. I really wanted to go for a fifth serving, but that would draw too much attention.

''She would have to contact the school in the morning before she knew anything about that sweetie.'' She downed the remains of her wine, before standing up and walking over to the fridge for a refill.

''I looked up flights going to Forks. The last one before the weekend is tomorrow at eight pm.'' Phil said quietly, looking down on the floor. Mom almost drops the carton on the floor at the same time as I gasp. ''Apparently there is some earth week bullshit this weekend. Next flight isn't until monday.'' He sounds miserable for having to deliver the bad news.

''Well fuck.'' I mutter a little to loudly.

''Fucks right... Double fuck.'' Mom slurs staring out the window. She takes a large gulp of her glass before refilling it again.

The clock on the wall showed that it was nearly eight-thirty. Less than twenty-four hours left. Damn.

A yawn forcing my mouth open pulls me out of my thoughts. My body feels really heavy all of a sudden. Guess a whole heck of a lot of lasagna would do that to a growing girl.

''I think I'm gonna hit the bunk.'' I announce, breaking the silence that permeated the kitchen. Phil frowns, but doesn't say anything. ''Unless there was anything else?'' I pipe up, feeling a little guilty.

Mom doesn't even turn around, just waves her glass beside her. ''No hun, you go get some sleep.''

''Alright then, good night.'' Placing the plate in the dishwasher, I walk up the stairs. With every step it feels like my body is growing heavier. As I walk into my breezy room, I groan. I had left the window open earlier, shredded strips of cloth scattered everywhere.

I closed the window and stripped down completely, not wanting to ruin another set of clothes if I ended up taking another midnight stroll. A voice in the back of my mind reminded me that I had actually dressed before jumping out of the window on the other nights I had been sleepwalking.

Not that I cared, as I sluggishly stumbled into my bed and got under the covers. And as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

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AN: So that was that, an early christmas present to all of you out there who bother reading my silly story. Merry christmas, and happy new years.