Chapter 3: Humanity Remains

Chapter 3: Humanity Remains

It was a cloudy day and the Cullen's rejoiced in it; they could come out in the open now without fear of being exposed by the sun. Arcia still did not know what happened to vampires when the sun shone on them, but knew she would learn in time.

"Let's go shopping!" Alice chimed as she twirled around Arcia.

"I told you I'm not going to use your money." Arcia muttered.

Rosalie stared at her newest sister with keen interest. Why would she not take the money? She stood behind Arcia, meaning to put her hands on her shoulders, but the girl quickly moved away. Arcia looked back to Rosalie, fear potent in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Rosalie asked; unaware that she did anything wrong.

"She's not used to you yet." Alice explained taking her place behind Arcia; slightly frowning at her unsocial behavior.

"I suppose you're a bit too scary for her." Emmett joked; receiving an angry glare from his mate.

Arcia paled in embarrassment. That seemed to be the vampire substitute for blushing. They all slightly laughed as Rosalie glared at everyone in the room, not finding the joke any funnier than Arcia did herself.

"This is ridiculous, let's get going." Rosalie stated, giving Emmett an icy glare.

"Don't be gone too long." He spoke softly and kissed her lips, ignoring her cold eyes.

"I won't." She looked back at him with a warm smile.

Jasper looked at Alice and regretted not being able to go with her to shop for clothes. He kissed her near the edge of her mouth before locking lips with her.

"Be safe, both of you." Jasper looked down at Arcia.

"We will don't worry." Alice smiled and took hold of Arcia and Rosalie with her free hands, dragging them out to the sleek Volvo.

"Let go, Alice!" Rosalie scolded, not used to being handled roughly.

"You're such a delicate flower." Alice teased, enticing a slight smile from Arcia.

They drove, speeding towards Port Angeles. Arcia was at first startled at the speed Alice was driving at, but soon enough it felt as if they were going within the limits. Of course every time she glanced at the speedometer it was going over 100.

"I'll take you to a nice little shop where I buy all my clothes."

"But that shop's collection is so…" Rosalie searched for the right word, "I suppose the word would be spunky." She finally snarled out. "What if she shops at my store instead?"

Alice mocked hurt in her face as she looked at Rosalie.

"That's so cruel, so you don't like my clothes?" Alice asked, pouting her lip slightly.

"Well it goes well with you. We'll see what looks good on her." Rosalie replied.

They arrived at the store Alice had spent most of her shopping days. It was filled with many, what Rosalie called 'spunky' clothes. All seemed well until two girls glanced at Arcia curiously.

"Arcia, is that you?" The one with short blonde hair asked.

Arcia looked at the girl who called her attention but did not recognize any of her traits. She ignored the girl and continued her walk into the shop as Alice and Rosalie followed without question.

"Arcia!" The short blonde haired girl shouted. "Wait!"

The girl ran towards Arcia, glancing with intimidation at Rosalie and Alice. When she caught up with Arcia she gasped at the sight of her face. Sure it was pale white, but more than that she was absolutely beautiful to the blonde-haired girl.

"You sure look pretty today." The girl said nonchalantly. "It's me, Lisa. Don't you remember?" Her eyebrow rose in disbelief that her own friend would forget her.

Arcia remained silent.

"Everyone's been looking for you." Lisa sighed as she looked at the silent girl; something was very different.

"I'm not Arcia." Was all Arcia said and walked away from her; once again Alice and Rosalie followed without question, but with obvious worry.

Lisa stood in a stupor. She knew that was Arcia; there was no doubt about it!

"You've obviously hit your head too hard when you disappeared. What happened to you anyways? You look…different." Lisa called out to her.

"The Arcia you know is gone." Arcia stopped her walk to reply but did not look back to see Lisa. "Tell whoever is looking for me to stop, tell my parents to not worry and tell everyone to just forget."

"You're parents? You really did hit your head hard, didn't you?" Lisa said saddened that she had forgotten the fate of her own parents. "They've been gone since you were a kid; you live with me and my family."

Arcia turned to look at Lisa then. Her mind spoke the same thing; she was not telling a lie. Her parents had never raised her? Well that was a disappointment. But this girl claimed to be her foster sister, and so she did have a home. A home she could no longer go to.

"You've found me then, now stop searching." Arcia replied coldly.

"What do you mean?! I can't just leave you here!" Lisa shouted, infuriated by the Arcia's cold manner and all too casual talk.

"Then pretend you never saw me. Is that too much to ask for?" Arcia then withdrew from her offensive stance. Her eyes pleaded for the erasing of her presence.

"But why Arcia?" Lisa seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"I don't want to hurt you." Arcia smiled and continued her way to the very end of the shop. She knew Lisa would not follow her then.

Lisa looked longingly at the back of her run away sister. Would she ever know how much her foster parents wanted to find her? She didn't know why but for some reason Lisa's parents seemed all too focused on finding her body and absolutely no intentions for finding her alive. It scared Lisa to see them thinking so determinedly that her foster sister was dead. As she was thinking this, Arcia snapped to look at her. Anger yet sorrow in her eyes. Her eyes burnt at Lisa's. Lisa felt like an open book, Arcia couldn't possibly hear her right?

"Don't tell them you've seen me today." Arcia demanded and the blonde-girl simply nodded and walked quickly back to her friend who had stayed behind.

The two girls left and only Rosalie, Alice and Arcia remained in the store. Rosalie and Alice both were curious as to what made Arcia act the way she did.

"You know I can read all your thoughts." Arcia spoke to each in their minds. "The family I came from is despicable, except for that girl, she wasn't in on it." Arcia explained.

"What do you mean?" Rosalie stated out loud.

"They wanted me dead."

Both of the vampires stared wide-eyed at the girl.

"For what reason?" Alice asked.

"I'm guessing since I was their foster child, if I ever died my bank funds would land in their laps. I can only guess how much money my original parents saved for me, to make my foster parents want me dead." She spoke once again to the minds of both. "But they need my body to confirm that I am dead, and that is why they're searching for me so….determinedly." Arcia spat the last word.

"Humans always have had a weakness for money." Rosalie snarled.

"I suppose…" Arcia looked off, gazing into the nothingness that came when she was lost in her thoughts. It was truly sad to know she was not loved truly during her life before turning into a vampire.

"Come on let's get you some clothes!" Alice chirped as she began piling a selection of clothes on her arm for Arcia to try.

This was going to be a long day and Arcia knew it. She sighed but smiled at the two girls who accompanied her. At least she had people like her around. She grew frightened at the notion of still wandering in the forest, feeding off every single thing that moved, and not knowing why. These people had saved her from becoming a monster; they had showed her how to live amongst humans. It was more than she could ever ask for.

They shopped for a good quantity of time. Rosalie had scowled at many of the selections that Alice had chosen. It wasn't long before Rosalie took Arcia to her own preferred clothes store. The clothes were more trendy and elegant, which defined Rosalie in the tiniest degree. Arcia looked to Rosalie, reading her thoughts easily. Was she really that offended at Arcia's character?

"Alice…" She spoke to Alice in mind.

"What is it?" Alice spoke in her head.

"Can you tell Rosalie I'm sorry?"

"Sorry? For what?" Alice continued looking through the clothes while eyeing Arcia curiously.

"I'm not very good at socializing and she's taking it the wrong way." Arcia muttered, ashamed that she caused such a beautiful person to doubt themselves.

"Oh, alright…" Alice mentally said then looked at Rosalie who was heavily contemplating what color sweater would look better on Arcia. "Hey Rosalie, Arcia's sorry for not talking to you. She says you're taking it the wrong way and wants you to know that you are the most beautiful girl she's ever met." Alice exaggerated and went to give Rosalie a tight hug while giggling.

Rosalie, startled by the obvious intrusion of her thoughts, smirked and sighed. She smiled at Arcia then back at Alice who was still squeezing the hell out of her.

"I'm still not used to anyone but Edward reading our thoughts." Rosalie stated as she finally decided that grey would look just right on Arcia.

"Sorry…" Arcia apologized, realizing that she was wrong for intruding on her thoughts.

"No it's alright really, I just forget." Rosalie quickly said, not wanting the girl to feel scolded.

Alice grinned and pulled at Rosalie's hair. Rosalie snapped back at Alice, resenting Alice's playful attitude. Arcia let out a small laugh; it was the first time she had ever laughed and it was a beautiful chime, almost musical. Rosalie turned her attention to Arcia, astounded by the beautiful sound. Sure all vampires had a beautiful voice, but hers was completely enchanting.

Arcia frowned at once, noticing how the two other vampires stared at her with wonder. She was once again an abnormity in this already strange world. Alice laughed and Rosalie followed, letting their set of chimes ring merrily.

"You are just too perfect." Rosalie stated before her mind could relay it to Arcia.

Arcia looked down in embarrassment, once again paling to Rosalie's remarks. After all was done and paid for they returned to the car. Arcia gaped at the total for all her clothes; it was well over 5000 dollars.

"That's too much money!" Arcia exclaimed out loud as she snatched away the receipt from Alice.

"Don't be silly. We can't have you going to school in these rags of yours." Alice jested as she pinched at Arcia's rather worn sweater.

"She's right if you're going to be our sister, you have to live up to the name." Rosalie added haughtily.

Arcia huffed out her fury; she would never be able to repay them.

"Money's nothing to us you know. It collects up over the years." Alice explained, reading the expression on Arcia's face.

"I know but you shouldn't spend it on ME." The last word came out with slight disgust.

"And why not?" Rosalie asked suddenly.

"I have a feeling that my place is not amongst you. I have a strong feeling that you will all hate me, very soon." Arcia whispered, hoping that they would not catch her foretelling.

Alice lost her smirk and concentrated on the girl. She tried looking into her future but found her self violently blocked. Arcia looked up and stared straight into her eyes 'don't try that again.' Only then did Alice understand that Arcia had found a way to block out her powers. Alice winced, what had Arcia foreseen that she could not? It shook her as she shuddered. Rosalie, watching this from the sidelines, grimaced.

"Edwards nearby." Arcia finally stated looking past the two girls.

"I'm not so used to having an intro every time I make an appearance." Both girls turned their head to see their brother and Bella walking towards them. "How's the shopping going?"

"It would have gone better if you had let us bring Bella along." Alice chimed dancing around Edward to give a hug to Bella.

Edward stared at Arcia intently; it annoyed him greatly that he could not read her mind. For some reason, he did not feel safe with Bella in her presence.

"Do I scare you that bad?" Arcia sighed, reading his thoughts.

"It's more an issue of trust." Edward replied, forgetting she could read his thoughts and slightly caught off guard.

"I won't hurt her." Arcia replied but only Edward would hear this response.

"Edward what are you guys talking about?" Bella asked, annoyed that she was left out of the conversation.

"It's nothing." Edward replied, returning his gaze to Bella.

"Don't worry Bella." Arcia spoke to Bella's thoughts. "He has eyes for no one but you." She said with a smile, and received a nervous nod from Bella.

"What did she say?" It was Edwards' turn to pry and feel left out.

"It was nothing." She repeated in the same manner he did.

He growled slightly at her response. This was certainly no time to be cheeky with him.

"Edward don't you think these clothes look fabulous on Arcia?" Rosalie cut in on his angry aura.

Arcia knowing Rosalie's intents intimately grimaced at her attempts to make Edward love her. She knew Edward little and though he was quite charming, she did not see him as much. And when she had seen a human girl with him, it was obvious that he loved her enough not to devour her. She thought it quite sweet but at the same time strange that a couple had come to be.

"They're fine." Was all Edward said, also knowing Rosalie's goal. "It won't work you know."

"Why not Edward? She's one of us." To those words Rosalie, gave a leer towards Bella.

"I don't feel that way towards her."

Rosalie's eyes scorched with fury.

"And why ever not! She's beautiful and powerful. Every single thing about her is unique! Just look at her." Rosalie pointed to her newest sister.

Bella stood speechless as Rosalie tempted Edward to go with Arcia, but she felt calm knowing that Arcia had no intention of going with Edward. Arcia's gaze was shadowed, but as she slowly looked up to Edward, all everyone saw was pain.

"I don't love him." Arcia stammered and quickly after disappeared from their sight.

"Arcia!" Alice shouted trying to pin point her location. "Great look what you did now Rosalie!" For the first time, Alice's voice was truly venomous.

"It's not my fault Edward has poor taste." Rosalie spat.

"Would you just shut up?!" Edward snarled back at her.

"We have to find her." Bella spoke up, barely more than a whisper."She's in pain."

"How do you know?" Alice asked curiously.

"I had her voice in my head for awhile because she was calming me all through the fight, telling me how Edward had eyes for no one but me, and stuff like that, but when she left it was if she forgot to turn it off or something. I can't hear her anymore, but I'm positive…she was crying." Bella looked up to Edward with worried eyes.

"We'll find her." Alice pulled on Rosalie arm. "Take these back to the car will you?" Alice threw various bags at Edward.

Edward frowned at the many clothes they had bought, but so no way out of taking them to the car. Bella laughed at his predicament and helped him with a few of the bags. She then turned her attention to the direction she felt that Arcia had left, a frown appeared. She hoped that the girl would be ok.

"She'll be fine; Alice knows how to deal with her." Edward replied, reading her face carefully.

"Rosalie did bring up a good point though." Bella muttered. "She would make a better partner for you."

"No she wouldn't." Edward replied sternly, his brows coming together. "She's not my type." He smirked devilishly handsome.

"She's exactly your type!" Bella shouted back. "She's at least a vampire!"

"I love YOU, Bella." Edward threw the bags into the car with more force than necessary.

"I just don't understand why." Bella sighed buy still a smile remained. "I love you too Edward, more than you'll ever love me."

"Bella, you're impossible." His eyes rolled as he hugged the girl he wanted to spend the rest of eternity with.

Author's note

I'm working on Chapter 4, it's a good 1/3 ways done, but school's started and I can't just neglect that, can I now? So anyone willing to offer their thoughts for free; I believe I could do with building criticism, so please feel free to leave a review. Maybe one day I'll translate all my stories in German; It's my 3rd year in that language course!!

Thanks for reading

Sincerely your author,

Arcia Moonsway