Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews on the first chapter! Lets hope our main character stays alive for another few chapters at least ;) I apologize in advance for my general lack of knowledge and poor grammar.
" I was going to suggest that you spend a couple of weeks with your aunt this summer, but this?" my dad asked, baffled.
Yeah, my dad was not handling the news of me leaving very well. He was staring at a brochure of Italy (one of many in my accumulated collection) then at the packed luggage beside my bed - a frown fast appearing on his face. I probably should have told him earlier. I rolled my eyes as I once again tried in vain to find my necklace - the only thing mom had given me that wasn't disposable. I never left anywhere without it. It wasn't remarkable - a small silver heart on a chain, my initials on the back. It had bite marks on it because I had been wearing it since infancy, and the chain had been replaced more than once
But it made me feel safe, protected.
"Dad, its only for the summer - besides, lots of other people from school are doing the same thing." I said, which was true. It was more common for seniors to go looking for internships, but a few eager juniors also went for it - I knew that Lana would intern at her fathers law practise in Boston.
But I also knew that it looked strange for me to suddenly want to do this. My scholarship for one of the country's best sports colleges was as good as mine, the principal had told me so himself earlier this year.
And now I was going to intern as a secretary, for a discreet company in Italy, of all places. It had raised a few eyebrows to say the least. The girls I hung out with thought that I was going on vacation no matter what I told them - to them, all that mattered was sports, parties and having a good time - preferably on someone elses expense.
I was tired of it.
"Yeah, but I wish you would have talked to me first before deciding. This is not just a hop and skip away - this is on the other side of the atlantic ocean. Why not intern somewhere here? I could go speak to the guys at the training center in jacksonville and- "
There was another reason. Other than wanting to prove it to myself that I was more, that I was capable. Something that I would never be free of unless I left Forks, at least for awhile. I looked down at my hands on the floor, noticed that they werent - I was doing it again. Shaking - as if I was cold. But I wasnt. I was numb, which was worse.
"No dad, stop. I want to leave - I think I need this, okay? "
Dad looked at me. It was as if I had said something that finally made him understand, at least a little. After a long moment where he didn't say anything, he just nodded. If he had noticed my hands, he didn't show it.
Dad offered to drive me to the airport, but it was somehow just too awkward to imagine that I drove myself, in the end. Lana tagged along, pestering me to call her when I met a cute italian stud. Notice that she says when, not if. There is never a negative option in Lanas mind when it comes to guys. But unlike the others, she backs off. She doesn't laugh when I tell her how nervous I am about all this. Instead she looks at me carefully, mahogany eyes going soft as she watches me grip the steering wheel a bit too hard.
"You're gonna do great kiddo, just you wait." I tried to to my best to believe that was true.
But the best part about all of this? I hated flying.
Onorevoli colleghi, presto arriveremo all'aeroporto di Toscana...
One plane switch and about 8 hours later, I had finally arrived. I had managed to sleep for most of the journey, and when I was awake I tried not to think about sitting in a metal can with wings, at 36 000 ft in the air. It was not that I was afraid of the crash, or dying. I think it had more to do with the height than anything else - birds didnt even fly this high, it was simply unnatural.
The air that blew into my face as we disembarked the plane was warm, almost humid. I knew the weather was different, but I thought it would be somehow more oppressive. This was...nice. Beyond the landing strip, you could see rolling green hills, yellow fields and patches of trees. I had changed into t-blue shirt and grey jeans on the plane, discarding my jacket and thick sweater. It would be way too hot for those kind of clothes here anyway - especially since it was at the beginning of summer.
I thought it was going to be a little easier from this point on, but of course I was wrong. When I got to the passport control, there was apparently an issue with my working visa. I tried explaining about my visit, that I was only staying for three months at the most, but the person behind the passport desk wouldnt hear of it. He shook his head repeatedly at me.
"Signora, Im afraid you have filled out the wrong form and must return to your point of embarkment within two days, or you will be forced out of the country. "
jet- lagged, hungry and desperate to crash at the hostel I had booked, this was not what I wanted to hear.
"What?! Cant I just arrange for my visa here in Italy?" I asked, my unruly red hair flying into my eyes, further adding to my exhausted appearance. I was given a sympathetic look, but still the guy shook his head.
"Im sorry, but Im afraid that would be quite impossible. "
Just when I thought that I would be forcefully escorted onto the next plane out of here, a woman completely dressed in black smoothly entered through the security check and approached the desk, high heels clicking as she went. I didn't know much about fashion, but even from here I could tell that those clothes were tailored, expensive. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and she never faltered as she handed the security guy what appeared to be visa papers - signed and everything. It made the security guy blink repeatedly, stunned.
" Does this look correct?" she asked clinically, before turning to me with a small smile.
"Miss Sanderson, I apologize for our lapse in information. There are certain working visas that only we have to provide and sign for, sorry for this inconvenience." The woman said, still smiling as I was trying to figure out what was going on.
"I'm sorry, but who are you exactly?" I asked, frowning. She gave me a respectful nod, almost like a bow.
"I am Helena, I was sent by the Volturi Offices to collect you. "
"Collect me?" I asked, pointing to myself stupidly.
"Yes. When you are ready to leave the airport, you will be taken directly to the apartment that has been singled out for you, and tomorrow you will be settled in with the staff – is that acceptable?"
I followed Helen outside to a black and impossibly chic looking car - rather then her driving, it turns out the car already came with one. Soon, we were driven away from the hustle and bustle of the airport and out into the beautiful italian countryside. Despite the many questions I had for Helen about the Volturi, I smiled.
"I must call the hostel and tell them I won't be staying there." I said after a while, digging out my cell phone from my purse. But Helen only shook her head distractedly, while typing away at breakneck speed on an ipad in her lap.
"That's already been taken care of." That surprised me, since I thought I hadn't told them which hostel I had thought of staying at.
"Oh, Wow. you sure keep track of your employees." I said. Helen abruptly stopped typing and gave me a strange, sharp look.
"We always try to do our best, as I hope will be the same motto for you, Miss." she said seriously. I started a little at her suddenly somber mood, but didn't let it affect me.
"Absolutely, otherwise I wouldn't have come."
Seeming satisfied with my answer, Helen went back to writing on the ipad with the same furious pace. It was about an hours drive to Volterra from the airport, and for awhile I let my mind wander as I looked out the window at the trees passing by. I was almost close to falling asleep, when I remembered.
The necklace. I had forgotten it back home.