Storyline: Cassidy Ákil is seventeen year old girl from Iceland. When she moves to Forks, Washington at the beginning of New Moon, she discovers dark, hidden secrets. But Cassidy has a secret of her own.
A/N: Italicized sentences are from the real Twilight Saga: New Moon book. Absolutely no copyright infragement intended. Stephenie Meyer owns all the brilliancy that is Twilight. I own nothing but the Ákil family. :3
Review please! :)
Chapter two: Heritage.
I woke up early on Monday morning, three hours before school was supposed to start. Alec was still sleeping. I could tell I had a cold; I couldn't breathe through my nose. I flipped through my stack of books and found a very worn paperback. It was Lord of the Rings, Part I: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. It was one of my favorite books. I loved creative writing. It was so easy to forget your own worries when reading about Frodo's hard journey through the land of Mordor. I sat crosslegged on my bed and read the book until Alec woke up, two hours later.
"Yo, sis, wake up!" he called, running into my room. He raised one eyebrow when he saw me sitting there, reading Lord of the Rings. "You're reading that thing again?" He sounded stunned.
I shrugged. "It's a great story." Alec just shook his head sadly. As I stood up and put the book on my desk, I realized something. "Um, Alec.. what are we having for breakfast?"
"Hm.. that's a good question. We'll have to see if any shops are open. We don't have any food." He smiled sheepishly.
"Okay."
"Hey, have you looked outside? The weather is so creepy looking." I grimaced and walked over to the window. I drew back the curtains and looked outside. Fog, so thick that I couldn't see anything else, covered the small town of Forks. Looking at it made our new house feel like a cage. I shivered.
"Right. Creepy."
Alec looked at my pajamas suddenly. "Get dressed and drag your ass down or you're going to miss school."
I rolled my eyes. "School starts at eight, 's an hour from now."
"Yes, but if we're going food-hunting, you better hurry up. Now get dressed." I sighed internally. There was no disobeying Alec when he was in command-mode. He would probably do well as an army captain, the way he always bossed me around. But then again, he was still too nice for it. He was just.. well, a gangster.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered and closed the door behind him. I walked over to the huge closet and picked out my outfit. What did you wear for your first day at school, anyway? After trying almost all of my clothes on, I settled for a red hoodie, black jeans and a black V-necked T-shirt. I ran downstairs and into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and struggled to put my thick golden curls up into a pony tail. When I was done with that, I swiftly put on some eyeliner and ran to the front door. I put on my white sneakers on in a hurry and ran outside where Alec was already waiting in the car. I smacked my palm to my forehead and ran back inside, leaving Alec with a confused expression. I ran upstairs into my new bedroom and grabbed my schoolbag. I decided to grab my jacket too, since it was so damn cold outside. I ran back out and practically threw myself into the car.
"Jeez, what took you so long?" Alec asked with an annoyed expression. He hated waiting.
"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," I answered him, nodding wisely. He rolled his eyes.
We drove through town -Alec going way over the speed limit- until we found an open shop, which was placed across the street from the school. I grabbed an apple and a bottle of water while Alec shopped some real food. I paid for my breakfast and ate it quickly outside as I walked towards my new school. If Alec hadn't told me, I would never have realized it was a school. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks and it was surrounded by trees. The first building had a small sign over the door that said "Front Office". I opened the door and stepped inside. A red-haired secretary was sitting behind a light-brown desk that cut the small room in half.
"Hi. Um, I'm Cassidy Ákil.." She cut me off, smiling warmly.
"Oh, yes! I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school. And here's a slip that you need to ask all of your teachers to sign, then return it back here when school's over."
I smiled back at her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Good luck." Yeah. I was going to need it.
My first class was Trig with Mr. Varner. I sighed internally as he made me stand in front of class and introduce myself. The morning flew by in a blur and it wasn't until I entered the cafeteria that I realized how fast the day had gone by. People had stared at me alot, but no one had really talked to me. Only this one girl, Angela, who sat by me in English. She'd asked me how I liked school so far and I'd told her it was okay. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either.
I looked around in the cafeteria, trying to find an empty seat - or better, a table. I noticed one table in particular, that had four empty seats. A group of teenagers was sitting on one side of the table, and another on the other side. On the left, there was a boy with bronze hair and a small dark-haired girl sitting next to him, their backs to me. Facing the boy, sat a girl with beautiful mahogany brown hair. She was talking to both groups. I bit my lip as I realized that the seats at that table were the only seats available in the room. As I was debating on wether to skip lunch or to sit down next to the strangers, the bronze-haired boy turned around to look at me. I felt my eyes widen as I took in his face. It was inhumanly beautiful and his golden eyes seemed to see right through me. I had a strange feeling that he could read me like an open book. He smiled crookedly as that thought crossed my mind. I was finally able to break my stare at him, just to find myself staring at the pixie-like girl beside him. She'd turned around too, and she was just as beautiful as he was. She looked like a freaking supermodel. As our eyes met -and I noticed her eyes were the same golden color as his were- she smiled cheerfully. I noticed that the teenage boy next to her gave her a dark look.
"Hey, new girl!" She called in my direction. "You can sit with us if you like." She gestured toward the empty seat across the table from her, next to the mahogany-haired girl.
I walked hesitantly to their table and sat down in the seat.
"My name's Alice Cullen, this is Bella Swan and my brother, Edward."
"I'm Cassidy." I bit my lip shyly. I was always so shy around strangers, though I was the life of the party when I was with my friends and family.
Bella -who I noticed had very beautiful brown eyes- looked at me with an odd expression. I didn't know what to really make of it. She looked curious but resentful at the same time. Angry, but still friendly. Oh well. Maybe it wasn't me she was pissed at.
"So, how do you like Forks so far?" Alice asked.
"Um.. it's okay, I guess. It's just so.. green." I admitted sheepishly. Edward pressed his lips together, but Bella couldn't repress her laughter as well as he could and covered her hand with her mouth to stifle her laughter. I was clearly missing an inside joke. Alice seemed to be missing it too.
"What's so funny?" she asked, sounding irritated.
Edward began in a velvety voice, "Oh, it's nothing, really. Just.. well, Bella said it once in-"
Bella cut him off. "It's a long story." Alice narrowed here eyes, but let it go. Or so I thought.
"It's Bella's birthday today," she said. This time, Bella narrowed her eyes.
"Alice!" she hissed under her breath. "Shh!"
My eyebrows pulled together. "You don't want people to know it's your birthday?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because then they'll want to give me presents." What a strange answer.
"You don't want presents?"
Alice answered my question by whispering in my ear, loud enough so that both Edward and Bella could clearly hear it, "Bella's just weird that way. We think it's some glitch in her brain."
I giggled and the Cullens grinned. Bella was grinning too after a moment.
I spent the rest of lunch getting to know Alice, Edward and Bella. Even though they were all a year older than me, I was in the same class as them. I'd been moved up a grade back in Iceland. One of the benefits of having a genius for a mother; I'd inherited her intellagence.
The afternoon passed quickly and I didn't see the Cullens and Bella until school was over. Bella and Edward stood by an old red truck, and I saw Alice walking towards a shining, silver Volvo. When she saw me, she waved and called my name. I walked over to her.
"Hey, I'm having a birthday party for Bella tonight, and I was wondering if you wanted to come home with me and help me decorate and stuff? I mean, if you're not doing anything else." She said it like she knew I wasn't doing anything else. Strange.
"Sure. Let me just call my brother."
Alice grinned. "Awesome."
I dialed Alec's number and hit the 'call' button.
"Yo," my brother's deep voice said into my ear.
"Hey, Alec. Listen, you don't need to come pick me up. I'm going to help Alice - this girl I met in school - decorate for a birthday party. Tell mom I said hi."
"'Kay." His voice turned grave. "Be home before ten or else..." He hung up. I laughed and Alice's grin widened.
"Let's go then!" Alice said cheerfully. She was a very positive person to be around. She was so.. happy. And it was highly contagious.
I walked around the car and opened the front passenger seat door. Alice was already in the driver's seat. Wow, that was fast. She turned on the stereo and connected her iPod to it. She flipped through the songs until she found the one she was looking for. I recognized the song instantly. This was the only Hilary Duff song I liked. Alice started singing and I joined in after a moment. It was hard to be shy around Alice; she was so full of life. Like a tiny, blackhaired ball of energy.
You think you're going nowhere
When you're walking down the street
Acting like you just don't care
That life could be so sweet
But why you wanna be like that?
As if there's nothing new?
You're not fooling no one
You're not even fooling you
So walk a little slower
And open up your eyes
Sometimes it's so hard to see
The good things passing by
There may never be a sign
No flashing neon light
Telling you to make your move
Or when the time is right
So.. Why not
Take a crazy chance?
Why not
Do a crazy dance?
If you lose a moment
You might lose alot
So why not
Why not?
Why not take a crazy chance?
Why not take a crazy chance?
You always dress in yellow
When you wanna dress in gold
Instead of listening to your heart
You do just what you're told
You keep waiting where you are
For what you'll never know
Let's just get into your car
And go baby, go
So.. Why not
Take a crazy chance?
Why not
Do a crazy dance?
If you lose a moment
You might lose alot
So why not
Why not?
Oh, I could be the one for you
Oh, yeah, maybe yes, maybe no
Oh, it could be the things you do
What I'm saying is you gotta let me know
You'll never get to heaven
Or even to L.A.
If you don't believe there's a way
Why not
Take a star from the sky?
Why not
Spread your wings and fly? Oh!
It might take a little and it might take alot
But why not?
Why not?
Why not
Take a crazy chance?
Why not
Do a crazy dance?
If you lose a moment
You might lose alot
So why not
Why not?
We were giggling hysterically when the song ended. I was beginning to really like Alice. She turned the volume to background music as the next song started playing.
"You like Hilary Duff?" Alice asked me.
"Not really," I admitted. "Just this one song, Why Not."
She grinned. "Same here. What music do you normally listen to? Like, what's your favorite band?"
"Hm.. I'll have to say either Green Day or My Chemical Romance. Evanescence is one of my favorites too."
"Coolness! Green Day rocks, and Amy Lee has such a pretty voice. I don't think I've ever heard anything with My Chemical Romance, though."
"Really?" I grinned. "Then I'll just have to introduce you to one of the greatest bands ever." I took my iPod from my pocket and connected it to the stereo. I flipped through the songs until I found Welcome to the Black Parade. Alice raised one eyebrow as the song started.
"Just wait." I said, still grinning. "The first verses are like that, but there's rock later."
She grinned back and nodded her tiny head to the beat. Soon, we were both singing along with the song. Alice somehow seemed to always know what words were coming next. It was like she was psychic or something.
We were at the house now (or should I say mansion?). It was huge and white in Victorian style, and so surrounded by trees that it was invisible to the cars speeding down the highway. It was beautiful. But still, too green. I smiled to myself as I wondered what that 'long story' Edward and Bella'd had.
"Here we are," Alice said as she killed the engine.
"Nice house." I nodded appreciatively.
"I know." She grinned.
Inside, it was very bright, very open and very large. This must have originally been several
rooms, but the walls had been removed from most of the first floor to create one
wide space. The back, south-facing wall had been entirely replaced with glass,
and, beyond the shade of the cedars, the lawn stretched bare to the wide river. A
massive curving staircase dominated the west side of the room. The walls, the
high-beamed ceiling, the wooden floors, and the thick carpets were all varying
shades of white. And it was very beautiful.
"Wow. This is amazing."
Alice nodded. "Esme, our adoptive-mother, is a great architecture."
"Wow," I repeated.
"Alice." I looked up to see a tall, blonde male leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs. He'd said her name with so much emotion that I felt my jaw drop. This was clearly Jasper, Alice's boyfriend. She'd told me lots about him during lunch. "Who's your friend?"
"Jazz, this is Cassidy. She's going to help me decorate for Bella's birthday party."
"Nice to meet you, Cassidy." He smiled down at me.
"Nice to meet you too." I smiled back up at him. Another blonde man appeared at the top of the stairs. I assumed he was Carlisle, Alice's adoptive-father. Shock crossed his face for a second when he saw me, but he controlled his expression. I couldn't help but wonder what'd shocked him so.
"Welcome home, Alice. How was your day?" He asked politely.
"Great! Cassidy here just moved here and she's going to help me decorate for Bella's party."
"Hello, Cassidy."
"Hi. You're Carlisle, right?"
"Yes." He smiled a warm smile which I returned.
"So, should we get started?" Alice asked me.
"Sure. Just tell me what to do."
--
After hours of decorating, putting pink roses in crystal vases and bowls, hanging up what seemed like thousands of Japanese lanters and covering every flat surface with pink candles and more flowers, we were finally finished. The beautiful mansion was amazing; Alice was an awesome decorator. She should totally get a job as a wedding planner. She giggled when I told her that, and for the second time today, I felt like I was missing an inside joke.
"Vampies, we're hooooooooome!" a deep voice suddenly boomed through the house. I jumped up from the white couch as the sound startled me. My eyebrows pulled together. Vampies?
"Emmett, Rosalie!" Alice was up in a flash and had opened the door before I even had a chance to blink my eyes. A huge dark-haired male walked inside with the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life. She had the same color of golden blonde hair as I did, and they both had deep golden eyes. Sheesh, what was with the eyes? Did they all wear contacts or something? A fraction of a lost memory crawled it's way into my mind and I remembered the feel of sharp teeth on my arm. It was gone before I could put my finger on what it was. Oh, never mind. I had hunches all the time. It came with my heritage...
"Who's this?" Emmett grinned widely in my direction. He suddenly reminded me very strongly of Alec. They both had the exact same body type and brilliant smile. The only difference, really, was the hair and eye color.
"My new friend, Cassidy," Alice announced with a grin that matched Emmett's. Rosalie stared at Alice with the oddest expression on her face. She looked furious. "She helped me decorate."
"Cool. So does she know that-?"
Alice didn't let him finish the sentence. "Yeah, she knows it's Bella's birthday." She said the words in a hurry.
"Alice, can I talk to you for a moment in the kitchen?" Rosalie asked in a stern voice.
Alice swallowed rather loudly. "Um, sure."
"So, you're the new girl, huh?" Emmett asked me when the girls had left the room.
"Yep. I'm working on my crazy-eyes," I joked.
Emmett's grin impossibly widened. "The New Guy is an awesome movie."
I grinned back. "I know."
Alice and Rosalie walked back into the living room then, both with their arms crossed over their chests.
"Bella and Edward will be here soon." Alice said suddenly. "Everybody, take positions!"
Carlisle and a beautiful woman -who I could only assume was Esme- with caramel brown hair and.. golden eyes. Jeez, what was with the eyes?
An engine roared in front of the house, and I guessed it was the ancient-looking red truck. I guessed right. A blushing Bella and a laughing Edward came through the door, hand in hand.
"Happy birthday, Bella!" We half-shouted in chorus. Bella gulped and Edward put his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head. Esme hugged Bella and Carlisle put his arm around her shoulders in a reassuring gesture. "Sorry about this, Bella," I heard him whisper. "We couldn't rein Alice in."
"You haven't changed at all," Emmett said with mock disappointment. "I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."
"Thanks a lot, Emmett," Bella said, blushing deeper.
Emmett laughed. "I have to step out for a second" -he paused to wink conspicuously at Alice- "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."
"I'll try."
Alice, who had been holding Jasper's hand, let go and skipped forward, all her teeth sparkling in the bright light. Jasper was smiling too, still standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Time to open presents!" Alice declared. She grabbed Bella's elbow and towed her to the table with the cake we'd baked earlier and the shiny packages I'd helped her giftwrap.
"Alice, you know I told you I didn't want anything-" Bella began but Alice cut her off.
"But I didn't listen. Now, open it." She took the camera Bella'd been holding away from her and replaced it with a big, square silver box.
Bella weighed it in her hand for a moment, and then tore the paper off. She opened the box, to see exactly nothing.
"Um... thanks."
Rosalie smiled and Jasper laughed. "It's a stereo for your truck," he explained to Bella. "Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it."
"Thanks, Jasper, Rosalie," Bella said with a grin. "Thanks, Emmett!" She called more loudly.
Emmett's booming laughter echoed from the garage and we all joined in.
"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice said, so excited her voice was a high-pitched trill. She held a small, flat square in her hand. Bella turned to face Edward and the phrase If looks could kill popped into my head.
"You promised." She said in a cold voice.
Before Edward could answer, Emmett bounded through the door. "Just in time!" he crowed. He pushed in behind Jasper, who had drifted closer.
"I didn't spend a dime," Edward assured his irritated girlfriend, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Sighing, Bella turned to Alice. "Give it to me."
Edward chuckled with delight.
She took the little package, rolling her eyes at Edward while sticking her finger under the edge of the paper and jerking it under the tape.
"Shoot," she muttered when the paper sliced her finger.
Everything happened very fast, then.
"No!" Edward roared, throwing himself at Bella and flinging her back across the table. It fell, as she did, scattering the cake and the presents, the flowers and the plates. Bella landed in the mess of shattered crystal.
Jasper slammed into Edward, and the sound was like the crash of boulders in a rock slide.
There was another noise, a grisly snarling that seemed to be coming from the deep in Jasper's chest. Jasper tried to shove past Edward, snapping his teeth just inches form Edward's face.
That's where my instinct took over. I suddenly remembered very clearly what I'd seen in the memories from my ancestors. I was supposed to keep my heritage a secret, but I couldn't just stand there and watch the vampire -because that's what I realized they were- kill Bella because of a papercut.
So, suddenly I was standing on four feet on the living room floor, looking up into Jasper's wild eyes that were focused on Bella. Everyone in the room except Jasper and Edward were staring at me with wide eyes. Yes, they weren't the only thing mythical in the room. Long lost legends. Stuff of nightmares. They were made that way, had been killed to become that way. I was born that way. It was my heritage to be a what I was. The best of man and best of beast. Worshipped throughout Romania, especially in Bucharest. It was my heritage to be a wolf. A Loup Garoux.