"You have to cut them in thin slices," Chef Sam said, gently bumping me on the side as he took the knife, cutting the red peppers finely. "It's not about the size but the texture. It will taste better this way."
"You cannot change the taste of something by the way its cut." I told him, placing my hands onto my hips. He chuckled at me, shaking his head as he continued to cut the peppers.
"It's a cooking method, Bella. If you really want to learn just sit down and watch me." He said just as the front door opened. We both turned our heads, hearing the clicks of heels one right after another on the hardwood floor. Irina passed the entryway of the kitchen, going down the hall and up the stairs. I looked to Chef Sam who looked at me, rolling his eyes. I smiled and set my arms onto the counter and continued to watch him slice the peppers.
It had been two weeks since the incident at the cottage. The police were called the morning after and when they arrived they invested the scene. They said what I saw was most likely a bear or a mountain lion that may have escaped from a local animal facility considering both are not indigenous to Hawaii.
I knew differently. Paul and Peter knew differently. This wasn't a mountain lion or even a bear. I knew I saw someone staring out my window and no normal animal could make such a dent in a car like that.
However, we let it go. The rest of the weeks following seemed to be vastly uninteresting given the weekend we had – though something was strange. Edward had not left the house. Not once, or at least that I had seen. He only came out of his room a handful of times, mostly to tell us the new set of rules we had to abide now. We weren't allowed out past midnight. If we were going somewhere, we were not allowed to go alone. And if we were to leave, we have to be back a certain time.
It seemed foolish to give rules to Paul, Peter, Sam and Maggie, but they did not disagree. They even encouraged these rules. I felt restricted, forced to get less hours at work because of it. I found myself bored at the house most of the time, watching as Irina came in and out of Edward's bedroom.
I was wasting away and I hated every moment of it.
After helping Chef Sam cook, I headed upstairs sitting onto my bed and pulling my laptop onto my legs.
AllyC14: Did you figure out what happened?
SwanGirl7: No, no one will talk about it. It's like it never happened.
AllyC14: That's freakishly weird.
SwanGirl7: We have all these rules too. We all have curfews and have to do the buddy system if we do leave.
AllyC14: What in the actual fuck?
SwanGirl7: I know.
AllyC14: So I guess partying it up with the local tail is out of the question? ;)
SwanGirl7: Jacob is just a FRIEND.
AllyC14: You said the same thing about Peter.
SwanGirl7: Yeah and guess what we are? Friends.
AllyC14: Okay baby. Whatever you say.
SwanGirl7: Gotta run. I'll talk to you when I get up.
AllyC14: Love you babes.
SwanGirl7: You too.
SwanGirl7 Has Signed Off.
-TSIPWR-
I sat behind the counter at Newton's bait shop, the end of my black pen in my mouth as I chewed on the cap. It was a slow and hot day, the back of my neck drenched in sweat as a small fan in the corner of the desk blew lukewarm air on me. I flipped through the local newspaper, reading the comics in the back, laughing to myself as I turned the page once more.
I couldn't miss the black bold letters that spelled out Gruesome Animal Attacks just as my heart skipped a beat. I stopped and turned to the front page, noticing that this was in fact today's paper. I turned back, leaning into my chair as I gently read to myself.
Late Monday afternoon, deputies discovered three bodies along a road in the Rainbow Falls Trails. The identity of the bodies is still unknown. This marks the fourth attack this month from unknown land animals. The bodies were found decapitated and mauled with their stomachs ripped open…
"Hey, Bella."
I shrieked loudly, jumping in my spot and hitting the desk, the newspaper and fan falling down and onto the ground. I looked up to see Jacob, his eyes widened and his lips forming downward. I covered my heart taking in a deep breath as I began to recover.
"I'm sorry; I didn't know you were so easily scared." He laughed with a bright smile.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked, not easily amused. He continued to smirk, raising his hands in surrender. I noticed his right arm was in a white brace and he brought it down, just before sliding two full lines for a fishing rod over the counter.
"Just these please." He says, pulling out his wallet. I felt him staring but I grabbed the lines, scanning them into the computer as I avoided his eye contact. "So I haven't seen you for awhile. Still waking up under docks, I take it?" '
"Fourteen dollars." I said simply.
"Come on, you know I'm just teasing." He smirked, leaning against the counter. "If I remember correctly, you said that we could see each other again."
"I said maybe." I told him.
"Don't be so mean." He smiled.
"What did you do to your arm?" I asked, nodding over to it. He looked down at his brace and then back up at me.
"I wrestled a shark." He said and I rolled my eyes. "I was fishing on the docks. I got onto those big rocks on the side of them and slipped. Fell right on it."
"Ouch." I winced.
"Yeah, hurt like a bitch but I'm sure I'll have some awesome scars to make up for it." He said with a smile. "Come on, Bella. What time do you get off of work?"
"I have a curfew." I told him.
"A curfew, how old are you?" He asked as I pointedly glared at him.
"Come on. Just for an hour." He smiled. "I'll make it worth your while." He said and I smiled this time, shaking my head.
"I doubt that. Maybe tomorrow." I said.
"I won't be here tomorrow." He frowned.
"That's not my problem." I shrugged with another smirk.
"You are a tease, you know that?" He asked and I nodded. "Next week. I'll come back here. This time. And after your shift we will hang out." He said as I handed him his change. "Okay?"
"Okay." I said with flushed cheeks. He smiled and grabbed his bag, waving at me with his bad arm and walking out of the store.
-TSIPWR-
The rain was loud against the roof of the house and I was half asleep. With a book in my arms and my head on the pillow, I knew I would be out soon.
A jolt of lightning out my window, though, forced me awake and I turned to see the hard rain hitting the ocean. I blinked the sleep away, noticing that there was a figure standing at the shore watching the waves crash in on his feet.
Edward was motionless, the thunder rumbling around him as the rain poured and drenched his clothes. I stood from my bed and grabbed my jacket, tip toeing out of the house and to the back. The hammock swung back and fourth, the rain hitting my arms as I stepped out of the safety of the door. I brought my jacket close, walking up to Edward who was still motionless.
"Go back inside." He told me, still staring out to the ocean.
"What are you doing?" I asked him, the rain hitting around my face. He didn't respond. His back was arched slightly as he watched the waves that now began to touch my feet. I watched as his face stared out into the open ocean, his eyes not red but dark and black. "Are you okay?"
He did not respond.
"Edward." I grounded out, seeing his head move just slightly. "Edward, are you okay?"
He then turned to me, his eyes as dark as an eclipse as I felt my breathing hitch just in my throat. He has not eaten. He is starving. I know those eyes. Alec had gone out of town for a week and by the time had had returned, without my blood his eyes were onyx.
"You need to eat." I told him. He just huffed, looking away. "You're going to starve!"
"Then let me." He said.
"No." I told him. "I won't let you."
He didn't move. I had no chance of moving him myself. So instead I turned around and walked into the house. I didn't know everything about Vampires but I knew enough. Blood is their fuel and without it is like humans without water and food. They will starve. They will die.
I will not let him die.
I ran into the kitchen and opened the drawer of knives. I stared down at them, my heart skipping beats as I inhaled a deep breath. I reached for one, the sharpest one and brought it up to view.
I brought the point to the middle of my arm and exhaled sharply, digging it in and sliding it down. The blood was there instantly, the cut minor but effective. The knife dropped to the counter and drops of blood fell to the floor. Something rumbled behind me and I turned around to see Edward, feral and hungry.