CHAPTER THREE

HIBERNATION

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 24TH

Today was my eighteenth birthday. And I was miserable. Bella had become a zombie. She didn't even talk to me. She just sat at the Cullens old lunch table. Not eating. Not moving. I didn't have any classes with her. And when I went to check on her at home... no response.

When I woke up I saw Dad and Bianca walking quietly into my room. I slowly sat up, "Hey guys."

I had been quiet and distant. I only talked to my dad, Bianca, Charlie and Bella. I didn't sleep more than three hours. I did nothing but study. I was on autopilot.

Bianca clapped her hands, "Happy Birthday Heta!"

I gave her a weak smile, "Thanks, hun."

She wiggled out of dad's arms and climbed onto my bed and handed me a badly wrapped box. I slowly opened it to reveal a scarf. I had a thing for scarves. I smiled weakly at her, "Thank you, Bee."

Bianca smiled, her two front teeth missing, "I lob you, Hetha."

"The angels, not half so happy in heaven,

Went envying her and me,

Yes! – that was the reason (as all the men know,

In this kingdom by the sea)

That the wind came out of the cloud by night,

Chilling and Killing my Annabel Lee."

Mr. Brunner thanked Henry for reading the stanza of Edgar Allan Poe's poem Annabel Lee. The phrase chilling and killing repeated over in my mind.

"Heather."

I looked up, startled, at my English teacher. He looked at me expectantly, "Welcome back. Can you read the next stanza?"

I cleared my dry throat, "Y—yeah."

I looked down, trying to focus.

"But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we-

Of many far wiser than we-

And neither the angels in heaven above,

Nor the demons down under the sea,

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee."

I vaguely heard Mr. Brunner thank me and ask Hannah Del Rose to read the last stanza.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee

I closed my eyes, envisioning Jasper's smiling face in front of me. Wishing me a happy birthday. It was something I'd never see in real life. My messed up brain would just have to do.

And the stars never rise but I fell the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee

I sighed. Jasper's face and golden eyes still haunted me. He was everywhere I looked. And his absence just made the gaps in my chest grow hollow and deep.

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling – my darling – my life and my bride,

In the spulchre there by the sea,

In her tomb by the sounding sea.

The bell rang and I lazily got out of my seat. I shoved my book and binder into my purse and started walking to the door.

"Heather. Wait a moment," Mr. Brunner called out behind me.

I turned slowly, just wanting to leave. But when I faced him I saw him holding up a piece of paper. When I saw that it had my writing on it I grabbed it out of his hands, trying not to seem worried or panicked. It was just some lines that I'd been working on while not paying attention in class.

Mr. Brunner let me take it, "I hope you don't mind. But I was reading it for a name and noticed some of the poetry on it... You're very talented, Heather."

I un-neatly folded the paper and stuffed it into my bag, mumbling a, "Thanks."

Mr. Brunner cleared his throat, "There's this... poetry competition. Called the George Benson Grant. It gives out scholarships. First place is a scholarship of 20,000 dollars. Second and third place are not that far off."

I looked down at my feet, "O...kay."

Mr. Brunner coughed, "Like I said, you're really talented. And I'd like for you to enter into the competition. Maybe see this as a career option for your future."

"I'm not that... good," I mumbled.

"I disagree. And I would hate for talent like this to go to waste. Would you at least consider it?"

I shrugged, "I'll think about it."

For my birthday, I decided that breaking and entering didn't apply to me. I drove to the Cullens. Ever since that first night I collapsed in there, the door had been locked. I drove over there every week but it was always locked. I even spent hours waiting in front of the house on the off chance that one of them – any of them – would show up.

But they never did.

So today I grabbed the wooden box that I had stashed under a broken floorboard in my bedroom. I kept little keep-sakes inside of it. Inside was a necklace Jasper had given me... other stuff too. Including the spare house key. The stuff in this box was the only reminder I had that Jasper was here. That he existed and loved me. I had the box and the pain in my chest to remind me.

And the nightmares.

I used they key to get into the house and made a bee line for Jasper's room. When I got into it, I took a seat out on the balcony. It wasn't dark yet but I saw the moon's outline in the sky as I laid down and gazed up at it.

I still had nightmares of the day Jasper left. And of James. Victoria. Even the Volturi. There was nothing stopping them now – or anyone else – from getting me.

I sighed when I heard my phone ring, "Hello?"

"Heather? Where are you?" It was my dad.

I let out a breath, "Out. Just getting some air."

"Well come home. You're missing out on cake and ice cream."

I closed my eyes, "Alright." and then I hung up.

THIRD PERSON POV

He watched her get out of the house. He watched her walk to her car and get in. He felt all of her emotions - pain, sorrow, numbness.

He hated himself for doing this. It was killing him inside.

So why was he?

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