I'm running out of creative ways to greet you all... Never mind you know the drill.
Enjoy!
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Pulling into the parking lot, Jasper pulled up next to Emmett's Jeep and shut the engine off, all eyes were on us, sighing I pulled off my helmet and shook my hair out as it had become a mess I then get off the bike, tucking the helmet under my arm and headed to the Cullen's, Emmett bear hugged me, Rose gave me a quick squeeze before the tiny terror attacked me and Jack had to pull her off of me giving my shoulder a squeeze. I looked around the parking lot and saw my sister sitting on a table book on her lap, Jess, Angela, Mike and Erik were kicking a ball around and waved for her to join, she declined and waited for a confrontation that wouldn't came this week. I shake my head, giving Jazz a quick hug I jumped on Emmett's back for a piggy back ride to class waving at everyone goodbye as they laughed at our antics, I screamed when he took off running at a human sprint.
"Emmett YOU ASS!"
I sat through Calculus with Emmett as we messed around, we got our work done and told jokes to each other for the rest of the lesson, I had another piggy back ride to English and Alice tried to convince me to go shopping in Milan, I declined, adamantly. Emmett and I laughed as she pouted. I hugged them goodbye and ran to Biology and couldn't help but think of Bella sitting at her desk alone waiting for Edward to walk in so she could chew him out. Rose then distracted me with talk of what she was doing to her convertible and Jasper listened in sometimes asking me questions at random though never on topic.
At lunch I sat with the Cullen's we talked and laughed, I would look over at Bell's sometimes and give her a smile, she'd return it and look back at her friends only to stare again in a few minutes. I rubbed my temples as I heard quite a few less than savoury thoughts, and a few snide comments from Jessica and Lauren, though the latter's we're directed more towards me and my close proximity of Jasper. When the bell rang I headed to class with Jasper carrying my bag again, I argued and he ignored me, it was the usual routine, everyone had moved on to new cords and a different song to play, I sat in the back room just going over my own sheets trying to work out any kinks.
After music had let out Jazz walked me to Spanish, I really felt Edwards absence there, we would usually listen to thoughts and laugh silently at how stupid some of them were, the insults I mean. Still Jack and I had a blast, he told me where he was from, he was actually from France, from what blurry memories he had, he knew he had a sister and a mother but his father was never in the picture. I'd told him a little of the trouble Kay and I got into and Mr Marks got pissed off whenever he would try to catch us out with a question and we'd answer it in perfect Spanish. Finally I headed to P.E and got changed walking in with Alice, and pairing off for a tennis game, Alice beat me, no question about that, she held back but she won four of the seven games. She tried to bring up Milan but was shot down again.
Finally it was the end of the day and I rode to the Cullen's with Jasper, getting a warm hug from Esme and a smile from Carlisle, I found myself comfortable around them, it wasn't hard, I'd spent the year before with them after all, well vampire's in general. I continued to beat Emmett at Guitar Hero but he thrashed me on Mario Cart Wii, I got Rose to hit him for me as I didn't want to damage my hands. Just before dinner I went home and eat with dad and Izzy, Macaroni Cheese. Bella didn't ask about Edward, she made small talk and then after went upstairs and settled in for the night. I cleaned up and went up to my room to find Jasper there. We spent more hours talking and he stayed again.
I split my time between Izzy and the Cullen's at school, I was sitting with them for three of the days and two with Izzy and her friends, Rosalie had complained and was ready to drag me to the table if necessary but I placated her as well as I could. I was now a great friend of Angela's she really was quirky. Bella became a part of their circle. I decided that she was adjusting well, I took my car to school most of the time but I did ride Jasper's bike once more, the adrenaline really got me going. At lunches I turned out all of the thoughts, they gave me headaches and made me miss Edward. Jazz and I got closer, he stayed over some nights and left others but we spent most of our time talking. Alice would look at us with the knowing look and I would get scared, I didn't want to know what had caused her to give us those looks. After a few days Bella only glanced at Rose's BMW and finally she just gave up.
XXX
We were heading out to school today, it had been a week, Bella was doing some last minute touch ups in the lounge, it now had our touch to it now, she grabs her bag and I wait by the door for her.
"Dad, we're heading out." She shouts, opening the door I watch the dismay cross her face, pouring rain and frozen puddles, she pulls her coat tighter and sighs, "Great." I nudge her shoulder,
"Lighten up Izzy." I watch as dad pulls Izzy's truck into the drive way.
"Dad, I can drive myself to school." She calls, she begins walking down the steps and I'm right behind her, and just knowing what's going to happen, she slips and falls... well she would have if I hadn't braced myself and her to stop the unfortunate tumble. Dad gets out of the truck,
"It's a good thing I know how accident prone you are Izzy." I joke, she smiles slightly,
"You okay, Bells?" dad asks worry in his voice as he helps her straighten up.
"Ice doesn't help the uncoordinated." She cast a glance in my direction and I stuck my tongue out.
"That's why I got you new tires." Dad stated, we both look over and sure enough there are four new tires, "The other ones were nearly bald." He looks back to me "Yours is going in tomorrow so you'll have to ride with Bella." I nod, "You got me new tires. No one's ever done that before." Bella mutters, dad looks at her confused,
"I'm hitching with you tomorrow." I tell her with a smile before walking to my car and placing my guitar in the boot like usual,
"I'll be late for dinner. I'm heading down to Mason County. A security guard at the Grisham Mill got killed by some kind of animal..." I pause before closing the boot and walking to the door, opening it I stop again.
"An animal?" Bell's asks, dad sighs,
"You're not in Phoenix any more, honey..." I got in and closed the door driving off. And so it began...
Rose had texted me and told me they wouldn't be in today, they were going on a family hunt. So it was boring to say the least.
XXX
I caught a ride with Bella today as dad had put my car in for new tires, it was a relaxing ride just the two of us talking, but being in the passenger seat always made me tired, the engine vibrations making me sleepy. (True fact, it makes me sleepy to!)
Calculus was interesting, Emmett had given me another piggy back ride at high speed and then we started poking each other, and when we were asked questions we'd try to make each other say the wrong things, but it never succeeded. We walked to English and again it was okay, I read more of the material today, Romeo and Juliet, it was a boring subject even when I had first done it. I quietly asked Alice if she had had a vision of the security guard and when she gave the affirmative I told her how the body had been found.
In Biology Rose switched seats with me so now I was in between her and Jasper, there wasn't much talking but that was fine, I just daydreamed. The lunch bell rang and I saw my bag being picked up, sighing I slumped my shoulders and just gave up.
"You're impossible." I mutter, he and Rosalie laugh and we walk into the cafeteria and then I squealed running through the hall dodging people as I went, and pouncing on the back of one Edward Cullen, Ignoring the stares. "Edward!" I jumped down and he gave me a hug.
"Hey Arc." he greeted with a grin,
"You aren't allowed to leave again, I've had a constant headache and no one to moan to about the thoughts of other people to, and laughing at the teachers is no fun without you with me and Jack." he laughed and sat down, I took a seat not bothering with food, it always tasted bad, like cardboard.
"Aren't you going to eat?" he asked, I shook my head, the chair scraped out beside me and Jasper took his usual seat and the others followed suit.
'You need to eat.' he told me, I shake my head again,
'It tastes like cardboard, I'll eat when I get home.' he glared at me but I didn't budge, he chucked an apple at me, 'Nope' and then with that I shoved it into his mouth, I felt his disgust at the taste of human food and grinned as the table laughed, quite loudly in Emmett's case, 'That taste in your mouth is what it tastes like to me. But never mind that how did your conversation with Bella go?' he replayed his conversation with her and I laughed at him mentally. 'It's just the fluorescents?' Oh wow Edward couldn't you come up with something better? She's already curious about you, one more push and she's gonna start asking more questions.' he looked fearful for a moment and shook his head,
'I'm not gonna let anything slip.' he denies, I raise an eyebrow.
'Sure.' I leant my head on Jazz's shoulder and heard a squeal, I looked around but saw nothing other than one of Alice's knowing glance, I look away from her and close my eyes to relax, I felt a light pressure on the crown of my head and open my eyes as there was another squeal, Jack pointed to his ear and I took the hint taking their superior hearing and wincing at the loud chatter.
"Oh my god they are so cute!" a girl whispers,
"Do you think they're together yet?" another whispers back,
"I hope so, could you imagine their kids, they'd look so georgous." I blush and shake my head, then there was a scoff,
"Oh please he has better taste than that bitch." I heard a low growl from the table,
"Easy guys." Jasper's arm goes over my shoulder eliciting another squeal, i sigh, "You're giving them the wrong idea." I whisper to him,
"No I'm not." I raise my eyebrows at his response,
"Since when were we like that?" I demand,
"When have we not been?" I shake my head, 'stubborn asshole.'
"Is this you asking?"
"Depending on your answer." he shrugs, I laugh,
"I'm sure I could maybe think about it." I watched him pout and laugh along with everyone else. Lunch ended and I walked to music with Jazz, I hadn't brought my guitar today, I wanted to try learning something new. Walking into the class I head straight to Mrs Nickleson, "Miss?" She looked at me,
"Hello dear, you need something?" I nod,
"I've decided I want to learn a new instrument and was wondering if you perhaps had a flute on hand?" she nodded and got up heading to a door just behind here, standing in the door of the extremely cluttered room watching her dig around was nothing if not amazing with how fast she moved around, she hummed a bit and then.
"Ah ha!" I jumped slightly as she pulled out a blue velvet box and grabbed two books, she turned and smiled handing me the box first "The flute is in the box. This book is on how to put it together and this one is sheet music you can practice." I smile,
"Thanks miss." I turn and head to the back room to set up. Setting everything down I open the case and was greeted with the sight of four silver pieces of metal. I opened the book and read over the instructions, taking the top piece and the mouth piece I avoid the keys and carefully twist them together, repeating the process with the other two and joining them together making sure the keys were all aligned as they were meant to be. Turning the pages I went over the notes memorizing each sound so I knew where to place my fingers. Finally I opened the sheet music and picked an easier set of notes so I could learn. (Brocade Brothers, Flute. I don't own.) I slowly went through everything gradually speeding up making more mistakes than I was comfortable with.
There was a knock at the door before it opened, turning around take the flute from my lips and look at Mrs Nickleson and Jasper,
"You've got five minutes until the end of class I thought I'd let you pack up before you had to leave." I nod in thanks and set about carefully disassembling the flute as I had put it together. Closing the books and the case I walk out the door and hand them to the teacher heading out and to Jasper who was waiting to walk me to class even though he really didn't have to. I walked into Spanish tapping my fingers sliding into my seat by Jack, Edward turned around and greeted me, a moment later Mr Marks came in in all his self centred glory and I fought the urge to groan, Edward and Jack kept me entertained, Edward and I would listen and compare thoughts and Jack would be told the funniest and then it turned to questions.
"You can talk Spanish perfectly, any other languages?" Jack asked, I nod,
"I speak a few actually."
"Se orita Swan le importar a compartir lo que usted y el se or Hale est hablando?" Mr Marks barks, I roll my eyes, (Miss Swan would you care to share what you and mister Hale are talking about?)
"S se or Marks, que ver a Edward y Jack quer an saber qu otros idiomas que hablo." I respond, (Yes Mister Marks, you see Edward and Jack wanted to know what other languages I speak.) I watched him smirk,
"No iluminamos nosotros entonces se orita Swan, qu idiomas hablas?" I knew he was waiting for me to answer with something along the lines of none, (Do enlighten us then miss Swan, what languages do you speak?)
"Rumano, ruso, italiano, franc s, espa ol e Ingl s, tambi n s un poco de lat n, as se or Marks." I watched the smirk slip from his face with great joy, (Romanian, Russian, Italian, French, Spanish and English, I also know a little Latin as well Mister Marks.) he cleared his throat.
"Hacer y responder a preguntas dadas a usted en su propio tiempo si no est n relacionados con la clase." I nod my head a smile on my lips as he turns bright red and he curses me in his mind. (Ask and answer questions given to you in your own time if they are not related to class.) I look back at the boys who had grins on their faces,
"That answer your question?" They nod and then smother their laughs in their arms. The rest of class was of us talking in a quite manner or rather reading thoughts and answering the question at less than human hearing levels. I walked out of the class bidding them goodbye and strolling to P.E, I wasn't feeling really active today so I'd ask Ms. Beckett if I could sit out.
XXX
Class had ended and I headed over to Bella at her truck, she had her earphones in and smiled at me taking one out,
"Hey Cada, could you do me a favour?" she asks,
"What is it?" I ask, I wouldn't agree to something unless I knew what it was, she knew this.
"One of the hooks in the bed of the truck came loose, do you think you could climb in and check it out." I nod and slung my bag in the seat before heading to the bed of the truck vaulting over and seeing the clip it was the bottom left. I look up in time to see Bella looking at the Cullen's, and then there was a high pitched screech, I whipped my head around and saw a van, a dark blue on, Tyler's, heading for us and suddenly I was in the past. ...
...
"CADI!" Kayleigh shouted,
We were crossing an empty street talking and laughing about the book we were going to get and then there were lights heading towards us, I didn't think, it was just reaction, I pushed Kayleigh out of the way onto the pavement away from harm.
...
I was knocked from the memory as I was throw back and hit my head on the bed of the truck. I groaned and held a hand to my head before remembering... Isabella! I push myself up and lean over the side and see Bella being pinned to the ground with Edward pinning her there, his hand buried in the metal of Tyler's van, there was just silence... I felt no emotion, there were no thoughts just pure silence. And then as Bella opens her mouth all hell broke loose, I could hear loud noises coming from everywhere, people move closer to us and Edward jumps into the bed looking at me in concern, I nod my head showing I'm okay and he jumps out, the hit to my head must have scrambled something because I couldn't hear if he had thought anything to me... I heard words from sentences but nothing full.
"Are... okay!?... happened!? Did... hurt?! see... happened?" The questions directed at us were ignored as I carefully got out of the truck and crouched down beside Bella, she was looking elsewhere, the Cullen's as I knew,
"Bell's?" I call but she doesn't answer, "Izzy?" Still no answer, "Isabella!" I finally shout she turns back to me, "You alright?" she nods slowly, I vaguely heard the word ambulance and grimaced, this was going to be hell, maybe I could get out of the neck brace I wasn't the one nearly crushed.
XXX
True to what I said I had escaped the neck brace, Bella hadn't been so lucky she'd had that and the gurney in front of the entire school, I couldn't help but shake my head in pity as I laughed, she glared at me and complained. So now we were sitting in an examination room and Izzy was getting annoyed. Tyler wouldn't quit apologizing and was promising to make it up to us, more so Izzy when I told him that I didn't care if he made it up to me, it's not my truck and I had only gotten off with a slight bump. Granted I hadn't had a doctor's opinion but I would think clearly and repeat words said to me in order without much thought so I should be safe, and as a plus I wasn't seeing double. He however had to be with the mild head wound.
I watched as dad burst through the door white as a sheet stone cold terror on his face, I shuddered thinking of the vision of the security guard. He rushed up to us,
"Bells, Cada. Are you alright?" He demands,
"I'm fine, dad. Calm down." Bella reassure's, he looks at me and I grin,
"Please this isn't the first bump on the head I've head, nor will it be the last." I joke, he gives a weak smile and I give his shoulder a squeeze,
"I'm so sorry, Bella. Arcadia, I tried to stop." Tyler apologized, I roll my eyes and shake my head,
"It's okay, Tyler." Bella tells him, dad looked at the boy sharply,
"It sure as hell is not okay." he snapped,
"Dad, it's not his fault-" I cut in,
"We nearly lost you both." He says sternly,
"But you didn't." Bells counters,
"You wouldn't have lost me, I was in the bed of the truck the most I would have gotten was a cut to the head and mild concussion." was my retort, he would have hugged us if he hadn't been an introvert with and aversion to public affection. Instead he glared at Tyler,
"You can kiss your license goodbye." he snarled at the scared boy,
"Lighten up dad." before he could speak another voice interrupted causing me to grin,
"I heard the Chief's daughters were here." I look at the blonde vampire doctor, I couldn't sense any bloodlust in him, it was either very muted or my Empathy was knocked loose, I could hear the tired note in his voice,
"Good. Dr. Cullen." Dad greeted, Carlisle turned to the E.R doctor tending to Bella,
"I've got this one, Jackie." he smiled kindly at her and she left a slight blush on her face, he reviews the chart and then places his hand on the back of her head. "You have a nice knot growing back there, but your x-rays show no indication of concussion." Oh i had forgotten to say that she had had the full works done on her as well,
"I'm so sorry, Bella, Arcadia. I'm really -" Tyler was cut off as dad pulled the curtain between us,
"It would have been a lot worse if Edward hadn't knocked me out of the way." I hold in a flinch and Carlisle glances my way,
'She doesn't know?' I shake my head to his thought,
"Edward? Your boy?" Dad asks, Carlisle quickly looks back at the chart and I flinch fully this time, that was the worst thing to do, Bella had incentive, you make it obvious you know something, she will press.
"It was amazing he got to me so fast. He was nowhere near us, right Cada?" I look at her and put on a thoghtful face,
"I- I can't remember, my head must still be a bit scrambled at the moment Izzy." I offer and she nods, I watch Carlisle smile,
"As long as you're safe." He moved on to me and put his hand to the back of my head,
"Let me guess? Head trauma, right Carlisle?" He chuckles,
"You've got a bump back there alright, when Alice called home to tell Esme that you and your sister were in an accident she nearly burst into tears. She want's you to stop by for dinner tonight." I froze, he said want's not 'would like,' in vampire terms that was 'you don't have a choice.' I look to my dad,
"It's fine with me." I nod,
"I would love to join you for dinner, Esme is a cook that cannot be compared." his smile widens at my compliment.
"I'm sure she would like to hear that. Chief Swan you're free to sign your daughter's out, I just need a moment with Arcadia." Dad nodded and Bella and him walked out of the room, I looked back at the doctor and friend. "Are you alright?" He asked worry evident in his voice and emotions,
"I'm fine Carlisle, hardly the first hit to the head." he doesn't smile,
"Edward said you were having flashbacks." I frown, I really needed to be able to maintain a permanent block like Bella.
"Okay, I've been in a few accidents and only one other car accident." He waited prompting me to go on, "A friend of mine, Kayleigh and I, were walking to a book store to get a new one to read together, we crossed a clear road and in the middle a car came speeding towards us, I reacted on instinct and pushed Kay out of the way." I missed out the obvious, A) It was in a different dimension, B) That it was a book about their lives, and C) That that accident had killed me. I shrug.
"I'm sorry to hear that." I wave him off, we were both alive in some way, "How much does Bella know?" I sit up straight,
"Not much at the moment, but she's a curious girl, she was interested in Edward the moment she laid eyes on him, she could look close enough to see the difference, the gold eyes that darkened, the speed, the strength, she's stubborn, like me." He smiles there, "She'll figure it out eventually and I'd bet on sooner rather than later but she can keep a secret, she takes after dad and is a natural introvert, she'll keep quiet and if we're extremely lucky she'll move on." Ha yeah right, like that will ever happen.
"What about you?" I sigh,
"I've met blood drinkers Carlisle, I know the penalty for revealing their existence, I have kept the secret since I was a child, do you really think I would tell her when I have become so close to you all?" I ask, he shook his head,
"I'm sorry Arcadia, I just want what's best for my family, I want to be careful, I want us to stay here for as long as we can." I nod, I could understand. "In other news you are completely fine and Alice, Rose and Jasper are waiting to take you to the house." I nod and hop up hugging him quickly,
"Thank you Carlisle." He hugs me back briefly before I pull back smile and walk out of the room to my dad signing papers,
"Cada, I had your phone," He hands it to me, "I figured I'd call your mum and whoever was at the top of the call list." I pale instantly, he'd called my brother? I hung my head, I was so dead...
"Thanks dad, I'll call them later." Bella had obviously already received the news of mum being called and wasn't happy, dad hurried off I watch her pull out her own phone and quickly hug her. "I'm gonna head out to Jazz, Alice and Rose. See you at home?" she nodded and I hurried off out of the building and saw Rose's BMW with Jazz and Alice waiting by it. I walk over with a smile,
"Are you alright darlin'?" I nod my head,
"Just a bump on the head, not the first nor the last." I assure getting into the back Jasper following, a few minutes later Rose storms out of the building and into the drivers seat, Edward was another few minutes and he sat on the other side of me putting me in the middle as Alice sat up front.
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