And welcome to the next installment of Evening Star, Dear Readers. Know that it continues hard on the heels of the last chapter, so be warned. Sorry for leaving this so late, but I had about three plot bunnies hit me while I was escaping the country. Fear not, this story will be continued, finished, and sequeled multiple times. Enjoy.

I sat down gracefully in my assigned seat, and prepared myself for another lesson of hate filled glares. It wasn't anything I couldn't and hadn't dealt with before, but all the same, I didn't deliberately invite that sort of behaviour. Ash would tell you differently, but I maintain…

I involuntarily stiffened as he sat down, but kept ignoring him as the lesson began and I took notes in flawless ancient Greek.

He leaned over suddenly, causing me to jump slightly when he spoke.

"Is that Greek?"

His voice was beautiful, velvety, and soft; it was the words and tone I didn't like.

"Yeah." I kept it short, sweet.

"Really? Because it doesn't look like any Greek I've ever seen."

I started speaking as if to an idiot. "Funny, because they're Greek letters, spelling out Greek words-"

"None that I've ever seen," he muttered again quietly.

"Well it's all Greek to me," I snapped out sarcastically before clapping one hand over my mouth. "Please tell me I didn't just say that. Of all the clichéd stupid sayings I could have come out with-" I stopped when I saw the weird look Edward was giving me.

"Did I just say that aloud?"

He nodded, still staring at me like I should be a resident at the funny farm. Ha. As if my home life wasn't already like a funny farm anyway, what with the phone calls and emails and people poofing in and out at all times of the day and night.

"Oh well. You'll get over it."

Silence reigned for a few more moments before he leaned towards me again. "Are you translating as you write?"

Did this guy miss out on Survival Class 101? His natural instincts should have been warning him to stay away from me altogether, let alone when I was getting ticked off.

"Nah," I drawled, glaring slightly. "I'm listening to what he says, and then pausing time, pulling out my Palm Pilot ™, figuring out what I should be writing down and then copying it out before starting time back up again. Really, Edward. What did you think I was doing?"

He looked like he wanted nothing more than for this lesson to end. I could understand that; hell, I could sympathize.

"So what brings you to Forks?"

Beginning to wish he'd stayed mute and glaring, I answered "My brother."

He nodded. "That's right. You live with him." It was a statement, not a question, but I replied like it was anyway.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

This irritated me for some reason. "Why not?"

"Because… he's only twenty one and looking after an eighteen year old. What do you do for money?"

"That's a little crass, don't you think? But since you asked, we're independently wealthy." I was trying to answer the questions truthfully without revealing any… important details. It was

He frowned. "What about your parents?"

"Patere isn't really an option, because he's dead. Matera isn't a choice either."

"Why not?"

By this time, I was seriously considering the best way to castrate someone with nothing more than a plastic pen.

"She lives a long way away." The Atlantean Hell Realm, to be exact. "The two of us can't see her." Or, at the very least, Ash couldn't. Not without bringing about the end of the world.

"Why not?" Ye Gods, did he never stop?

"Because she killed Patere, that's why not."

"Oh."

I wrote down some more notes in the ensuing silence.

"Why'd she do that?"

I was really beginning to get mad. I hated people prying into my private life. It was hard enough to hide when no one noticed us. It was immeasurably more difficult when people were actively looking.

"He deserved it! He tried to kill her and us first. He got what was coming to him, and none of us has any regret. He wasn't exactly a great father."

Edward didn't seem to know what to say to this. Thank God.

Before he could think of another way to inquire about me, I turned the tables back on him.

"So… you're adopted, right?"

He stiffened momentarily. "Yes, that's right."

"What were your birth parents like?"

"I don't remember much about them."

"What do you remember?"

"That they were good people."

I snorted softly, but not unkindly. "That's specific."

"It's enough."

The rest of the class passed in relative quiet, with neither Edward nor myself so much as glancing at the other until once everyone had packed up. He opened his mouth to say something, but the bell cut him off as I left the room.

The remainder of my day was uneventful as well. Gym was a blur, and I was sure I worried Ash with my lack of activity.

I got to school the next day later than I usually would, due to the snow solidifying overnight into ice. I was wondering about the lack of trouble on my way there when I noticed silver on my tires.

Snow chains.

I smiled to myself. Thank you, Ash.

That peaceful thought was interrupted, however, by a high-pitched screech.

I turned around to see a van sliding out of control straight towards me.

Ah, shit.

I had never been grateful for my death before. But as I thought about it in the split second available, I realized that if I hadn't died, Apollo wouldn't have damned the Apollites. If that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have had to fight the Daimons and develop fantastic reflexes. And if that hadn't happened…

I dove under the van before curling up into a ball to avoid the squealing tyres.

Dum dum duuuuuum! Isn't it dramatic?

I expect reviews people. On Dying Inside, I actually dot more of a response when I said I was leaving than I did when I announced I was coming back. Does that seem wrong to anyone else?

So I will not be updating until I receive adequate reviews. If I receive them, I will (should) update the Sunday after next, alright?