Chapter Three: The Investigation

Charlotte

Part One: Damn He's Good

Part Two: I knew your mother…

(( If this is a test, I'm losing my shit

Would it kill you to care, as much as I did?

If this is a test, I'm wasting my breath

You're a stranger I know well… ))

The Test

The Academy Is…

Part One: Damn He's Good

" As I thought about it things started piecing together:

I had never seen any of my family sleep; sure sometimes they would go up to their rooms to sleep but I had never physically seen them.

I had never seen them eat either; they always had an excuse to get out of it. They had already eaten, they weren't hungry or they were grabbing something to eat later. The more I thought about it the more I realised there were a lot of normal things my family didn't do…"

The next morning I stumbled down the stairs still half asleep. Once I had gotten to bed I hadn't been able to sleep. I had spent the whole night just…wondering. How had I never noticed any of this stuff before?

How was it possible?

My plan for this morning was simple; to bombard them with questions until they eventually screwed up and give something away.

Edward was the only one downstairs when I got there. I clumsily grabbed for some bread and stuffed in the toaster as he watched me.

"You didn't sleep well?" He asked casually sitting at the kitchen bench.

I shook my head yawning.

"What about you?" I asked smiling innocently.

"Very well thank you." He smiled back as the toaster popped up causing me to jump.

"What time did you go to sleep?" I asked; if he said before 2 he was lying, I had proof.

"Oh it wasn't till late. Emmett and Rose went out and made us all stay up waiting. It wouldn't have been till at least after 2."

I frowned; damn it.

"Want something to eat?" I offered him the other piece of toast.

He shook his head.

"Already eaten," He said pointing at the plate in the sink.

"What did you have?" I asked suspiciously maintaining eye contact as I buttered my toast.

"Toast"

"With?"

"Peanut butter."

"Anything else?"

"Orange juice."

"What was it like?"

"The toast was a little over done, the peanut butter was good and the juice was chilled to perfection."

Each question was answered instantly without a moment hesitation. Damn it, he was good.

"So what are you doing today?" I asked staring out at the bleak sky as rain began to pitter-patter on the windows softly.

"Working" He said sighing with a laugh.

"Hmm" I muttered taking a bite of toast. "Where is everyone else?"

"Long gone; you do know what time it is right?" He asked pointing to the clock above my head.

"Shit I'm going to be late!" I hissed under my breath grabbing my bag and running out the door; my suspicions still on high alert.

Part Two: I knew your mother…

I pulled up into the closest spot in the school car park just as the bell rang.

Forks High School, I was told, hadn't changed in years. As I ran down the path the rain grew heavier covering me in a layer of cold water. I skidded into class as the final bell sounded and sat down just as the teacher walked in behind me.

"Good morning class. My name is Ms. Weber and I'll be your substitute teacher for this lesson." She said quietly placing her books on the front desk.

Carefully she pushed her glassed up her nose covering her soft brown eyes. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a loose bun pushed off her face.

"Good morning Ms. Weber." We all responded in sync already bored.

"Today's class is to be used to finish your history assignments," She read from a sheet before smiling and sitting down.

People around me quickly started moving around grabbing computers and books and talking to one another. I sat there dazed for a moment catching my breath from running in and warming up from the freezing rain now bucketing down outside.

I fumbled around with my books absently unable to find the energy to get up and start working like the rest of my history class. I felt uneasy for a moment as I looked up to realise Ms. Weber the substitute teacher was staring at me intently. Her eye brows creased together her mouth hanging open a little as she leaned in closer to me as if what she was looking at wasn't really there.

"I can't be…" She muttered to herself blinking hard and refocusing on me. I looked around helplessly but nobody seemed to notice the teacher's deep fascination in me.

"Bella…?" She asked in a whisper slowly standing and walking over to where I sat.

"No that's my Mum; I'm Charlotte…" I frowned unable to move from my table as she crouched to eye level with me.

"But if your 16 now…" She dazed out for a moment fingers moving on the table as she counted back to herself.

"So it was true…" She sighed looking back at me closely. I raised an eyebrow confused.

"I don't want to sound rude, but what is true?"

"I went to school with your mother," She began as I frowned; this woman looked like she was in her thirties, my parents still look early twenties if that. I refocused on the conversation as she continued to talk eyes glazing over.

"We would have been on about 18 at the time I think. We were half way through the year when something, strange, started going on with her and Edward. I know there was a car crash but she came back to school after that…" She trailed off frowning in concentration trying to remember what happened all those years ago. I stared at her intently desperate for any piece of information.

"Yes that's right she came back for a day but then… she left and I never saw her again. Sure I talk to her occasionally over the phone but she just never came back… Said she was transferring schools just out of the blue…

"What about Edward? All the other Cullen's?" I asked sitting up.

"Well they all moved with her as well. But if you ask me it was all a little… suspicious."

"So nobody knew what happened?" I pressed growing more and more confused. Bella told me she and Edward had both graduated from high school; I guess I should have gotten her to specify which.

"Well I wasn't one to pry but there were rumours of course."

"What rumours?"

"Well a lot of people were going around saying she was… well pregnant… but I never believed any of that." She looked back to me focusing. "Maybe it was true after all…"

"Do you have any… pictures or anything from back then?" I asked my heart began to pound excitedly as she nodded.

"I'm sure I would have a few lying around. You would probably be better checking the yearbook first though that would have the most information." She smiled not asking why I was so interested.

"Why don't you go down to the library now?" She suggested writing me a note as I slowly stood up leaving the room excitement bubbling inside. Maybe I was actually getting somewhere now…