Chapter 2 – What The Fuck Is She Doing Here?

"What the fuck is she doing here!"

Edward had led me off to a secluded corner of the house once I had seen Bella. His mind reading skills were often the bane of my existence – I'd had every intention of marching up to the girl who had hurt him so deeply and demanding a reasonable explanation of why she accepted his proposal and then barely a day later dropped him for another man! Supernatural or not, it was unjustified. She deserved to know what effect she'd had on him.

But the other reason I was so furious – he looked unhappy now. Edward's eyes burned with pain that he tried valiantly to hold back, but I could still see the agony burning in his eyes. Part of me wanted to hug him, tell him everything was okay – but the other part wanted to hunt down the bitch who had hurt him and kill her, maybe?

I could see Alice bouncing along buoyantly, speaking quickly to the devil herself. The two were nodding, laughing, smiling even, and I felt sick to the stomach watching them. How could Alice have been so thoughtless towards her brother? He did not deserve to suffer like this, for the sake of an old friendship.

And she did not deserve to be friends with Alice.

"Leah, please calm down and think rationally," Edward told me quietly. People were looking across at us curiously every so often, but most of the students were too engrossed with dancing to really notice us.

"Rationally! You want me to be rational! Why did your sister invite her! Why are they both so determined to torture you Edward! If you give me a 'rational' explanation, maybe I can try and act rational!"

"Leah," he started.

"Don't 'Leah' me! I know there is no rational explanation Edward, I know exactly why she's here – Sam tried it several times with me, determined to keep on coming back to apologise, and while he was trying to rid himself of a guilty conscience, he was rubbing salt in my wounds!"

I felt myself shaking, quaking from the anger, and turned slowly, hissing slightly as I ran my hands roughly though my now ruined hair. The golden clips Alice had applied earlier were nowhere to be found. But I couldn't find it in me to care. Part of me was glad, even. I had ruined Alice's fun.

"Calm down," he said, his voice even more gentle now. I looked up at him, and my eyes met his golden ones. Something stirred within me, and I realised I was now perfectly still once again, my anger locked away and barely visible.

"You look furious, actually," he said, though he sounded slightly amused. "Leah, I can handle this. Think of it this way – if you put an alcoholic in a room with a bottle of fine wine, and he resists the urge to drink, he has recovered."

"What do alcoholics have to do with anything, Edward?" I asked, perfectly serious now. He bit back a laugh.

"Never mind, Leah."

I sighed, looked back to where Alice and it were chatting happily, not a care in the world. Anger stirred in me again, and I bit my lip hard, clenched my fists as I fought for control. I couldn't run out and phase. It would ruin the evening, and I didn't want to leave Edward to suffer alone.

"Thanks," he said quietly. His eyes shone with sincerity. "You are a good friend, Leah. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you as well."

I was shocked. Edward rarely spoke his emotions with me now – especially since I was prone to laugh at him at every possible opportunity. But he looked so sincere and quiet, and somehow lost that I couldn't find any humour in the situation.

I took his hand in mine. It was cool to touch, yet somehow the temperature burned my skin. My first wolf instinct was to pull away, to rip and to tear, but my human instincts told me otherwise. Then, slowly, I released his hand and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my cheek against his chest.

Part of me was uncomfortable, chilled. The feeling was so unnatural, hugging a vampire, but I felt he needed this. Edward sighed slowly at the embrace and we stayed incredibly still for a couple of seconds, barely noticing the pulsating lights and spooky music that reverberated through the house.

And then, in sync, we pulled away. His eyes looked fuller somehow, he looked more awake. I wondered briefly when the last time he had been hugged was. I knew for a fact he had pushed his family away when Bella left him.

"Thank you," he said again.

"Anytime," I replied, my voice a little gruff.

There was a pause, an awkward silence. Then, I grinned and smirked.

"Tag."

It was childish, but I couldn't help myself. The mood had felt deep, and there was something in the air that I couldn't identify, so my first thought was to change it into something I did recognise, something fun.

The last thing I saw of Edward was his fleeting smile as I disappeared into the crowds of people.

I weaved in and out of the people, all flamboyantly dressed in Halloween outfits. I could feel somebody chasing behind me – automatically, I quickened my pace, running through the lounge and up the stairs.

I tried one of the doors.

Locked. They were all locked. Shit.

For some reason, fear locked around my heart, but I knew it was the adrenaline and the atmosphere that set me on edge as Edward moved slowly up the stairs, knowing I was caught.

I found myself looking around for an escape, any way out.

"Leah…" he said, voice low and creepy. "I'm coming…"

Then, I saw it. My eyes widened at my new found nerve, but I didn't have time to stop myself, or think of the consequences, as I moved to the balcony door and ran straight out.

"No!" I gasped, as Edward's hand touched my shoulder very lightly. There was a pause, just a second's pause, but it felt like much longer, and his voice echoed in my ears, a ghostly whisper.

"Tag."

Then, he was gone. Ooh, what a cheeky bugger he was.

I followed his scent down the stairs, and then it was masked by the scents of the humans in the house. Impossible to pick up. Plus, it would've looked kinda weird if I'd sniffed the air whilst looking around eagerly.

I checked the kitchen first, and hastily retreated when I found two adolescents making out against one of the countertops. I'd have to remind Esme to disinfect it later.

I checked almost everywhere, the dining room, the lounge, the study, the second lounge… but there was nothing to find. As I retreated from the second lounge with a sigh, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, and automatically gasped, not accustomed with being surprised anymore. Normally, my senses missed nothing. It seemed being around Vampires affected me badly.

"Leah!" the evil pixie gasped as I spun around. She looked me over, taking in the messed up hair, bright eyes, everything. Then, her eyes narrowed and she glared at me icily.

"What, Alice?" I asked, dreading the moment when she would demand I went up to her room and let her fix my hair. I couldn't bear Alice when she got the torture devices out.

"Why is your hair messy?"

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Twenty minutes later, I was released from the clutches of the evil pixie. I had considered demanding why Alice remained friends with Bella, but then I realised it would be rude, and despite my dislike for the Swan girl, there would be people who did like her. I couldn't make her public enemy number one. And I wasn't going to damage my friendship with Alice by arguing with her. If she wanted to be friends with an evil, manipulative, unreliable, untrustworthy, sly, cunning…

"Have you finished using that dictionary?"

Edward stood behind me, looking extremely amused. I could feel my face heat up as I chucked said dictionary back into Alice's room. There was a low curse from Jasper, who had stayed out of the way for the party.

"Sorry!" I called, now extremely embarrassed.

"S'okay," he replied.

"I don't know why you're being so smug, Cheater," I glared at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied coyly.

"Don't lie to me Edward," I smirked. I leaned closer to his ear, whispering now. "I know what you did. And you know what I have to do now, don't you?"

He looked confused, one eyebrow cocked in confusion. I managed to keep the evil expression on my face as I touched his shoulder lightly, and then whispered –

"Tag."

"Leah," Edward smiled before I could run off. "Alice is announcing the Halloween Games have been set up now. I promised I'd help at the Apple Bobbing game she's planned."

"Wow," I muttered. "Your sister really doesn't do things halfway, does she?"

"Nope," he replied. I couldn't tell if he was annoyed by this or not.

We went downstairs together, not holding hands or anything romantic like that, just as we were. Alice had stood up on one of the thick gravestones that she had decorated the main lounge with, and was holding a microphone in one hand.

"The games have been opened now guys – they're all around the house. The Pumpkin Hunt, Apple Bobbing, Pie Eating Contest…" the list went on, and I zoned out for a couple of minutes.

Then, I felt Edward tugging on my arm and I realised the music had been turned up again. He grinned at me, knowing where my thoughts had been, and pulled me towards the kitchen.

"Apple Bobbing with a Cullen Twist!" Emmett was calling out to whoever would listen. There was already a gaggle of teens around the large silver basin, which looked large enough to be a bath. I could see only a couple of apples below the surface of the water, nothing else. The game looked slightly eerie.

"Only slightly?" Edward teased.

Then, I watched as the guests dipped their heads into the water and pulled out many different things – bones, fake eyeballs, bits of pumpkin, authentic but fake mouldy cheese and other gross things. I cringed as I watched numerous gross items being pulled from the basin.

I was starting to get bored of watching people getting soaked as they tried to win prizes. Edward obviously wasn't though – he looked highly amused as a kid called Mike Newton pulled out a very slimy green thing that I didn't care to identify.

"Edward," I said quietly. His head snapped up and a very calculating expression came onto his face as he examined me. I recognised this as his mind reading face – but before I could protest he nodded and smiled.

"Go get your fill of the party," he told me, before turning his attention to yet another kid.

I left the house and went into the garden. There, I could see groups of kids emerging from the woods behind the house with flashlights to search for pumpkins. Rosalie and Alice were organising that event. The woods were well lit despite the flashlights though, with lit up pumpkin lights wrapped around the trees.

"Hey Alice," I greeted.

"Hi Leah!" she replied enthusiastically. Her entire face was lit up with enthusiasm. Alice sure did love parties. "We're just stopping now, we're about to play Postman's Knock."

"Postman's Knock?"

I wasn't exactly an expert on Party games but I did know the well known ones. However, I'd never heard of Postman's Knock.

"Yeah! Come on, I'll explain to everyone once we're inside."

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