Mark made his way into the now-familiar room at the top of the stairs. He knocked and went in.
Sadie was sitting on the bed, wearing black jeans and a white top. She was brushing her hair, counting the strokes under her breath.
She turned to look at him, a smile filled her face.
"Guess what?" Mark asked her.
"What?"
"It's sunny today."
Sadie looked excited. She ran to the window and looked out. She gasped in wonder as she looked at the outdoors. It had rained well into the night. Everything was wet, and all the drops caused dazzling rainbows and lights to be cast. It was shiny, like a fairy's playground.
"It's beautiful," Sadie whispered.
Mark walked over to the window as well. He spoke quietly to Sadie.
"I thought maybe we could go outside today, since it's sunny and everything."
The happiness in Sadie's face was evident, and she could hardly keep from running downstairs and out the door. Mark followed her, chuckling quietly to himself.
As soon as Sadie was outside, she turned her face to the sun and twirled, giggling in amusement. She motioned to Mark.
"Come on!" she said to him.
Sadie's enthusiasm was contagious, and soon the pair was running and (in Sadie's case) twirling around in the sunlight, laughing as they did so.
Finally, when Sadie had calmed down a little bit, Mark motioned for her to follow him. Curious, Sadie did so, and soon found herself next to a picnic blanket and basket.
"Alice made this for us," Mark told her as her face lit up.
"This is perfect," Sadie said as she lay down on the blanket.
Mark laughed, "The blanket is for the food, Sadie, not for us!"
"I know," Sadie said, "but if we sit on the grass, we'll get wet. The food can stay in the basket, and we'll just take out what we're going to eat."
Mark agreed and sat next to Sadie on the picnic blanket.
Sadie sighed and appeared to drink in the sun's rays.
"You know," she said, "this is the first time I've seen the sun since I've been in this protection program thing."
"Yeah," Mark agreed, "I know."
"I'm not used to going without sunlight," she answered, "I mean, there's also a rainy season where I live, but we get to see the sun once in a while. Here, it's just an always present cover of clouds, as far as you can see."
Mark lay down next to her, and listened.
Sadie sighed, suddenly filled with memories.
"Tell me about you," she said.
"I feel like I'm in kindergarten again," Mark said, laughing.
"Why?"
"Because when you first go there, they ask you to talk about yourself, so everyone can get to know each other."
"Well, whatever. I just want to know more about you. All I know is that your name is Mark and you have something against girls who like action movies."
"I don't have anything against them!"
"Just talk to me."
"Um, ok. My name is Mark, I'm an only child. I like to watch action movies and play video-games. I'm in eleventh grade, I'm seventeen years old. There, now it's your turn."
"My name is Sadie," Sadie said, then giggled. "You're right, it does feel like kindergarten again!"
"Are you going to laugh or are you going to tell me about you?"
"Ok, um, I used to live in Cuernavaca. I have one sister, Sarah, she's fourteen. I'm sixteen years old. I'm in eleventh grade. Um, I like to read and watch action movies."
"Tell me more about your sister."
"Aw, come on! It's not fair, it's your turn!"
"But I don't have brothers or sisters, so I can't talk about them."
"Oh, all right. Um, her name is Sarah…"
"You already said that."
"She's my complete opposite."
"How?"
"She's more of a chick-flick kind of girl, for one thing."
Mark laughed, "Will you drop that?"
"Ok, ok. She's thinner than me, and her skin's lighter. Her hair is lighter too."
"Wow, where did she get those from?"
"I look more like my dad, but my sister got it from mom's side of the family."
"Your mom?"
"Yeah, she was born in New York."
"Oh, so that's why both of your names are more English sounding than Spanish."
"And also why we speak such good English."
"Hey, you're right. I hadn't noticed, but you barely have an accent."
"Thanks. Now it's your turn to tell me about your family."
"Um, ok. I live with my mom; my dad died when I was very small, car accident."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's ok. I was really young, I don't even remember it all that well."
"It must have been terrible."
"Yeah, but, like I said, I don't remember that well."
"Tell me more about your mom."
"She's really nice. She works as a secretary. She also makes the most amazing chocolate-chip cookies."
"Wow, I love cookies."
"You do?"
"Yeah, but I don't think there's any here. I mean, with how skinny all these people are… It's like living with supermodels. This is definitely lowering my self-esteem."
"What, the Cullens?"
"Yeah, and they're creepy too. The way they move, how they don't make any noise, it's really weird. It's like they're there one minute, and gone the next. I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable around them. Where are they, anyways?"
"Oh, I think they went to town," Mark answered, knowing that the vampire family couldn't let Sadie see them in the sunlight, and they were probably in the forest somewhere.
"Huh, I thought I was supposed to be protected 24/7 and all that."
Mark grinned sheepishly at her.
"Oh my goodness! You're my bodyguard, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but don't let that get in the way of our talk. Come on, I'm really enjoying myself."
"I thought you only like chick-flick kind of girls."
"Will you just drop that already!"
"I'm just having a bit of innocent fun! You're fun to be around, you know that?"
"I am?"
"Yeah, even if you are my bodyguard person."
"Well, you're kind of fun to be around too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You're like the only person I've ever heard to say 'oh my goodness'. Seriously, you sound like the 'Annie' movie."
Sadie punched Mark lightly in the arm. He looked at her smugly.
"That didn't hurt you know."
Sadie punched him again, slightly harder.
"You punch like a girl," Mark said, getting up.
Sadie gasped in mock anger and stood up. She chased Mark around and around the picnic blanket.
--------------
Unknown to both of them, two vampires watched them from the shadows of the woods.
"I knew they would be good for each other," Esme told her husband.
"Yes, I know. You're always right," he answered, smiling at her.
They hugged as they watched the running pair.
(A/N) This chapter is dedicated to everyone who's ever gotten a vaccine and ended up with a very sore arm and a high fever! I really didn't feel like writing this, but Catty insisted.
Catty: Well, you need to please your fans.
Me: Yeah, whatever.
Disclaimer: I own neither Twilight, nor Annie, nor picnics.