~11~

The next day was just as fun as the day before. I went over Aiden's house to finish up our project. The green jello had hardened over night, and we began constructing our model of the human cell, throwing candy all over the place. By the time we had finished, we had left a mess all over the kitchen with empty plastic bags that were once full of candy everywhere and tiny nerds and mini M&Ms used for ribosomes, rolling around the floor. The Montgomery kitchen was a mess, but through the midst of it, sat a very accurate model of the human cell and all its parts.

We both stepped back at the same time to admire our product. I glanced at the clock on the stove, seeing it read 6:00.

"We should probably clean this up before your mom gets home. I didn't think it would take us as long as it did," I said turning to Aiden.

"No biggie," he said smiling, "I'm sure my mom won't mind too much. It was for a project after all."

I chuckled and bent down to start picking up the empty wrappers, "That's true."

As we picked up, we heard the click of the front door and the clack of the heels of Ann Montgomery as they hit the wood floor.

I looked up to see a woman in her mid-30s with the same color chestnut hair as Aiden, and bright green eyes. Her complexion was flawless, not a wrinkle anywhere, and someone you would hardly expect to be a mother of a teenager. She walked through the kitchen in a business suit, dangling keys and holding a pizza in one had.

"Aiden, I brought you a pizza to eat because I have to—oh hello there," she uttered hurriedly until she saw me standing in her kitchen with several empty bags of candy in one hand.

"Hi," I said shyly.

Aiden jumped in, "Mom, this is my friend Remy, remember I said we were working on a science project together?"

Realization seemed to smack her in the face, "Oh yes! Now, I remember, I'm sorry hun. I've had such a busy day at work, but it's nice to meet you, Remy. That's a very interesting name you have," she said smiling, with the upmost respect.

"Thanks", I said smiling back. "But actually, my name is Renesmee. Aiden just calls me Remy."

"Well they're both very pretty names. Would you like some pizza? I forgot Aiden had company, so I only got one, but feel free to help yourself. I hope you like cheese," she said with motherly concern, but still keeping her bright smile. It reminded me of Aiden. So that was where he got his bright smile and his concern for everyone and everything. It was like he was the male version of his mother.

"Thank you, but I probably should be getting home," I replied back.

"Nonsense, I have to go to a meeting so you can keep Aiden company."

"Well, sure, I'll stay then."

"Good. Well it was nice meeting you Remy, take care hunny," she said as she gave Aiden a kiss and started walking out the door. She turned back with a fake mean look, that quickly turned into a smile, and said, "And don't forget to clean up this mess you two. I want this kitchen spotless when I come back."

"Bye, Mom," Aiden laughed under his breath.

"I like your Mom, she's really nice," I said to him.

"I like her too. Now, let's eat!" he said digging into the pizza.

We ate out on the screened-in porch, even though it was freezing, watching the snow continue to fall. Aiden ate about 4 slices, while I only nibbled at my one. After my 5 years of being half-human, I still wasn't crazy about their food.

I sat thinking about Aiden's mom. She was so nice and matronly, it reminded me of my mom. She seemed so wise for her young years, but as caring as ever to her son. I realized that I had not known much about Aiden's family. I didn't know if he had a mom or a dad, or if he was adopted. I suddenly wanted to know more about this human family I was starting to admire and become so accustomed too.

"Hey, Aiden," I called over to him, "Where's your dad? What time does he come home?"

I watched as Aiden's face turned from his natural to a pale, his smile turning into a look of anger and pain.

"I don't know," he answered turning his face away from me.

I didn't know what to say or do to him, but I instinctively kept going, "What do you mean? Doesn't he live with you?"

"No," he said with hatred in his voice.

I knew that I shouldn't say anything more, so I kept to myself in the corner of the porch, watching Aiden's back on the other side. A few minutes later, I heard a wheezing cough sound come from Aiden like someone trying to hold back tears, but instead just choking on them.

"Aiden," I called over to him. He didn't answer, his back still turned away from me. "Aiden, what's wrong?"

Still no answer, just his whimpering sound. I immediately got up and went over to him, kneeling on the porch on the side of his chair.

"Aiden, talk to me. What's wrong? What happened with your dad? Is he….did he….is he dead?" I asked.

I heard the scowl in his voice, "I only wish."

It shocked me, I had never seen Aiden full of anger and hatred. He was so kind to everyone, how could he be like this?

"What happened?" I said calmly.

He took deep breaths and stared into my eyes. His expression changed from one of anger to peace. He seemed to have trusted me to let out the monster that had been kept inside for a long time now. He seemed to have trusted me enough to tell me the truth.

He glanced back down again and reluctantly started to tell me, with all the calmness he could muster, "I haven't seen him since this summer. He left me and my mother."

I didn't know what to say. I wasn't human. I was naive to the cruelty of the human world. Aiden just went on. He seemed to have known that I was there to listen to him, not give him pity, "My mother and I had just found out that he had been cheating on my mother for 3 years. He had lied to her, and came home late, and money went missing, and," his body started to tremble. It reminded me of Jacob, " and….that son of a bitch gave my mother all this bullshit how he loved her the whole time! It just makes me so mad to see all the hurt that was behind her. She was crying herself to sleep at night over her lost marriage, while he was out banging some slut!"

He was ripping now. I didn't know what to do; I thought of his mom, the caring woman that she was, crying herself to sleep every night. How could someone hurt her like that?

He went on, "They agreed to get divorced. He was going to move in with one of his friends a few towns over, but instead, we came home to find him gone. No one knew where he was. We still don't. He showed up at the hearing, but left without saying one word to my mother about where he was or about me!" I heard the whimpering burst out from him and he relented to the tears. I saw as they fell from his face in the dark. "He left me note before he left that said he would be back for me, that nothing would change between me and him, but he never called. He was always there for me when I was little. He taught me how to ride a bike and play baseball, but now, he's not there to do anything. He said he loved me and my mother, but he left without saying goodbye or ever bothering to call us!"

He broke out in full out sobs, gasping for air. I put my hand up on his lap, to let him know that I was still there. He curled over, putting his hands on his face. I brushed his hair back, trying to soothe him.

"I hate him, Remy. I hate him! I never want to see him again! I hope he rots in hell!" his voice breaking and going back to his sobs. I put my arms around him, holding him to me.

"Shh, it's okay." I muttered. I didn't know what else to say.

I had never seen Aiden so vulnerable, and it scared me. He was always so stable in my life, leaving me to lean on him, but now he needed to lean on me. I was so unknowing in my years about human emotions, I didn't know what to do, I couldn't comprehend it. How could someone do that to Aiden? How could someone do that to someone so sweet and caring? I suddenly hated his father too, as I let my tears come out too, crying for him as well.

His sobbing didn't relent, and I sat there for what felt like forever just holding him. He was like a fallen angel, someone so pure and good, but was broken on the inside.

The snow continued to fall, changing into hail in the dark, while I sat there, throughout the thundering of hail and the sobs, clutching onto my fallen angel.