Chapter Three
The sun's still shining in the big blue sky
But it don't mean nothing to me
Oh let the rain come down
Let the wind blow through me
I'm living in an empty room
With all the windows smashed
And I've got so little left to lose
That it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass
~ Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox ~
I skipped school the next day and went down into the town instead. I needed a break from the monotony and today seemed as good a day as any. So I sat in the diner for a few hours, noting with disapproval that Charlie came in and got a burger instead of a salad, when he knew he'd be having pizza later. Still, not much I could do about it except sneak into the kitchen and throw a few extra leaves of lettuce under the bun. He didn't notice and seemed to enjoy the burger anyway. I sat opposite him at the table, listening to his conversation with the waitress, Shelly.
"Going fishing next weekend, Chief?" She asked, refilling his coffee. He nodded, wiping a blob of ketchup from the corner of his mouth. I rolled my eyes.
"What's new, Charlie?" I asked dryly as he reached for a fry.
"Yeah, I'm heading out with Billy Black." He informed Shelly, popping the fry into his mouth. I tutted.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." I said sternly.
"Chief, no talking with your mouth full." Shelly scolded with a smile. I grinned, nodding in her direction as she walked away.
"Wise woman, that one." I told Charlie, but he was too busy eating.
I went home after Charlie went back to work and put some of my worn clothes through the washer and dryer before hanging them up in the wardrobe again. I dreaded the day that Charlie decided to clear out my room, but it wasn't looking likely to happen in the next couple of decades. I also did a little dusting, nothing too obvious but enough to stop the house looking like a dump.
After I'd tidied up, I lounged in front of the TV, enjoying some dire soap operas. Man, everybody should have days like this, when you just lay in front of the TV doing nothing. Everybody living is so busy, rushing around to get things down. You can almost see the timers clicking away over their heads and I just want to grab them and scream at them to slow down and take time to enjoy life. Seriously, they don't know what a waste it is, panicking about random crap.
Charlie came home and went to get a cold beer out of the fridge. He touched our picture.
"Hey, Bells."
"Hi Dad." I said from my seat on the kitchen table.
I was in the kitchen when Billy and Jacob arrived. I wasn't particularly interested in the game so I went upstairs and finished Pride and Prejudice, listening to the cheers and groans from down below. Jacob must have driven because when I went downstairs to check on them, Billy was clearly not sober. He and Charlie were loudly discussing one of the players and Jacob was grinning in amusement at them. I smiled at my father. I liked it when he was like this. He didn't have moments like this often enough. All too soon the heaviness would settle on his shoulders again and I wished so much that I could lift it.
I turned to go back upstairs and then paused as Jacob turned to look in my direction. He frowned and blinked rapidly. Billy patted his shoulder.
"Everything alright, kid?"
"Yeah." He rubbed his eyes and looked back in my direction, "Thought I… just saw something out of the corner of my eye. I guess I'm tired." I frowned, keeping out of view after that. What was going on? Was I suddenly becoming visible? First that Alice girl at school and now Jacob Black… no, it couldn't be. I shook my head as Billy spoke again.
"We'd better take off, Charlie. Kid's got school tomorrow and I've got a meeting with the Elders." Charlie got to his feet.
"The Elders? Everything OK up on the rez?"
"Yeah, just… just some old business. A few people need reminding of some things, nothing illegal. Don't get worrying." Billy grinned widely as Jacob pushed him towards the door. I sat halfway up the stairs, facing the front door and watched as they said their goodnights. Charlie turned and began switching the lights off before climbing the stairs again. I said goodnight and went up to find another book to read.
~*~
I went back to school the next day and found that the hype surrounding the Cullens had not yet died down. It was very irritating and after my morning classes, I spent the whole lunch period in the library. Jessica hadn't shut up about Edward freakin' Cullen all morning. I was actually considering swapping classes just to get away from the girl.
I made a little more headway with Frodo during lunch and hacked into Mrs Price's computer to check on Angela and Ben's library books. Sure enough, Ben had a book due back today. I gave him until the end of the week. That seemed fair. I set the screen back as Mrs Price came out of the office, having finished her chicken soup. She looked around suspiciously, but that was just a permanent expression for her. I hadn't liked her much to begin with, but she was growing on me. She had a rough time at home. Mr Price was an alcoholic asshole who spent more time at strip joints in Seattle than he did with his wife. The only control the poor woman had was over freakin' library books and chicken soup. That's kind of sad, don't you think?
I looked down the hallway. It was almost empty, just one or two people lingering so I darted down towards the biology room, past another one of the Cullens. This time it was the blonde boy, Jasper. He came to a stop as I approached and breathed deeply. I slowed my pace, wondering if he was OK, when he looked up and once again, seemed to look into my eyes with his own strange, golden eyes. Only for a moment, before he frowned and carried on down the hallway.
What the hell? Had I knocked something on my way down the hallway? Maybe I wasn't being as careful as I usually was.
I watched as he walked away, sliding into his classroom. I leaned against a locker, frowning. OK, I know I should have been preoccupied with the whole them possibly being able to see me thing, but I was kind of curious as to why Jasper and Alice had the exact same eyes. That same weird shade of gold. I looked up as Mike passed by to our class and it reminded me to get a move on.
The door to the biology room was open and I slipped inside, moving to an empty desk at the back of the class. There were usually two empty desks in this class and I usually sat by the window, but that seat was now taken by Edward Cullen. I sighed and went to the other one as Mr Banner closed the door and began the lesson. There was an old textbook on the bench at the back of the room. I looked around carefully to make sure no one was watching and then moved it to the desk I was using, opening it to the right page. Whilst Mr Banner began to explain the topic for the class, I leant back in my chair, watching the rest of the class settle down, glancing sideways at Chair Stealer Cullen. He was hunched over his desk, staring down at the cover of his textbook. His hair was a little too long, tangled and glinting in the tube lighting of the classroom. His skin was much too pale. Was he sick? I turned my attention to the board, tapping my fingers silently against the desk.
Most of the lesson was taken up with paired discussion and Mr Banner looked over at Edward apologetically.
"Edward, you can join another pair, if you like?" He offered.
"I've done this lab before. I don't mind working alone." Edward said quietly and Mr Banner nodded, looking relieved that his lesson plan wasn't ruined. I continued reading the chapter, wishing I could do the investigation, but I settled for watching Mike Newton do his, since he was sat in front of me.
A shiver went down my spine again and I frowned, looking around. Edward Cullen's eyes were on my book. I hesitated. Had he noticed that it hadn't been there before? I stayed perfectly still, nervous as he looked at the book. Then his golden eyes (what the hell, were they all wearing contacts?) darted to my face. I turned away.
This was ridiculous. He couldn't see me. No one could see me. No one.
Tears threatened. I could walk through walls but I couldn't control my emotions, how ridiculous. It didn't happen very often but the loneliness sometimes overwhelmed me. The constant knowledge that I would be here forever, that everyone else would move on and I would stay, trying to be positive but forever aware of the fact that I was stuck. A constant.
I kept my head down for the rest of the lesson and was one of the first out of the room, not looking back at the boy who hadn't seen me. I usually went to calculus after biology. A lot of the people I had classes with had gym, but I couldn't exactly join in with that so I had tagged onto a calculus class instead. I moved into the emptying hallway and walked slowly towards the calculus room, taking a roundabout route to avoid the busier corridors. Everyone had hurried to their classes, which was unusual, but meant I could meander down the middle of the corridor without worrying about walking through anyone. I was in no hurry, my mood ruined by my emotional instability.
I heard voices and frowned. There was an argument going on. I turned the corner and froze as I saw Edward, Alice and Jasper standing in the middle of the hallway. Alice was glowering up at Edward and Jasper was leaning against a locker, frowning.
"I don't want to talk about this now, Alice! Whatever you saw, you were wrong!" Edward said quietly and angrily. I kept my eyes on my feet, walking past as quickly as possible.
And then Alice pushed her brother with all her might. It was unexpected and Edward stumbled back with a growl, his arm flying out to steady himself. But his arm didn't hit the locker as he had intended and I didn't see it coming. Afterwards, I wasn't quite sure what had happened.
His arm knocked into me.
I fell backwards as it connected with my chest, landing on my ass at it knocked me to the floor. I let out a puff of air as I landed and blinked for a moment, my head setting off sirens. My chest pounded uncomfortably and my hands stung where I had landed on the floor. My mind reeled as I tried to understand what had just happened.
He had touched me.
He could see me.
He could feel me.
I looked up, eyes practically popping out of my head.
Alice was looking at me with a triumphant smile. Jasper was staring, eyes wide and Edward was looking down at me, frowning as his eyes searched mine. I stared up in silence, stunned by what had happened.
I looked at Jasper, from him to Alice and back at Edward who blinked slowly and held out a hand to help me up. To touch my skin and help me to my feet as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
What the hell were they?
"Are you alright?" Alice asked and I gasped, clambering to my feet, clinging to the locker for support as they looked at me. Edward was still frowning and I met his eyes again, searching for some understanding, wondering how this could possibly have happened.
And then I turned and ran through the lockers, through the classroom on the other side and out onto the school field before running home.
A/N: Hello, my little mince pies! And so it begins… dun dun duuun!
Walking on Broken Glass – you're going about your un-life, just minding your own business and suddenly a hot vampire is knocking you over and making you rethink your whole existence. Meh, we've all been there.
Love to my beta, Sarah, for being made of awesomesauce. And thank you to all of you reviewers for your kind words!
Reviewers will receive their chosen Cullen/Werewolf and a box of mince pies. Use as you see fit.
Have a wonderful Christmas and I'll try to update before New Year!
Love
Katie