Chapter Four

The box full of my novels should have been heavy, but I carried it easily in one hand as I gripped Renesmee's lamp in the other.

"Careful! Be careful, Aiden!" nagged Nessie as she ran alongside me to make sure I didn't break it. Renesmee's obsession with interior design was almost as bad as Alice's obsession with fashion. She had insisted that we bring everything with us to the condo since she had gone through so much trouble to decorate our vacation house the first time around. I gently set the lamp down on the table and made my way through the living area to claim my bedroom. I chose the smallest room in the back of the narrow hallway. It was simply decorated and poorly lit, but I chose it because of the view from the window behind the twin bed.

The window had a perfect view of the public beach. The sun was setting over the water, and though it wasn't as beautiful as it was on the island, it was comforting. Comforting, but not quite as interesting as the humans that watched it with me. Small children played in the sand and in the water. I hadn't ever seen children in person. Their innocence and beauty was so pure; I hated to think how within a few years that innocence would be spoiled with knowledge and culture.

I set the box of classics on the bed and ran my hands through my hair. It was time to go unload more boxes. The humans would have to wait.

"AIDEN ANTONY BLACK!" I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Yes?" I called back softly.

A frazzled looking Renesmee appeared in my doorway. "I have asked you a billion times in the car where you wanted to go eat for your birthday dinner," she hissed, "and you haven't given me one stupid answer! I have to make reservations, you know!"

"I'm sorry." I muttered with fake sincerity. "I promise I'll look at some of the places you suggested as soon as I'm finished unloading the car." Renesmee squeezed her eyes shut, as if blocking out a migraine. When she finally opened them, I found myself holding my breath, waiting for a response or some sign that she was okay.

"Go," she said simply, rubbing her temple.

"C'mon, Ness." I laughed nervously. "You alright?"

"Yeah," she forced a smile. "Just stressed is all."

I nodded and moved towards the exit, planting a kiss on her cheek as I strode out into the hallway. I was almost at the door when Renesmee called out.

"Aiden?"

"Yeah?" I stopped, my hand on the doorknob.

"This is going to be a good thing." She sounded like she was reassuring herself more than she was me.

"I know."I opened the door and let it click behind me. The elevator was at the very top floor of the complex. I pressed the button and watched it go down slowly until it stopped on the nineteenth floor and then continued down. When it finally arrived, the doors dinged open and I stepped in. I was moving to press the button for the lobby when I saw that it was already glowing. It was then when I looked to my left and saw a wide-eyed girl pressed against the wall.

How could I be so clueless? I saw the elevator stop. Why didn't I expect another person to be in here with me? I hadn't prepared a greeting. What was proper elevator etiquette? I racked my brain for answers but came up with none. I finally decided to go with the conventional, "Hello."

The girl nodded. She was tall, but not taller than me. Perhaps five seven. She wore an over-sized tee shirt that hung off her thin yet curvy frame. Her skin had a slight olive undertone and she was barefoot, sand coating her wet feet. I gulped and looked away, because I knew staring was rude. Was this silence rude also? The only sound in the elevator was the electronic bell that sounded when we passed a floor. Was I overanalyzing this situation? It couldn't possibly be as awkward for her as it was for me.

Then I made the mistake of inhaling.

She smelled delectable. I snapped my head to look at her. I could see the warm blood swirl in her cheeks and it made my mouth water. Her scent mixed with sweet perfume from her hair, filling the small elevator. My eyes drank in every inch of her thirstily. I looked back up at her strikingly grey eyes framed by thick black eyelashes and saw not fear, but confusion. Her gaze snapped me out of her spell. How long had I been looking at her hungry-eyed, not saying a word? The elevator was only on the fifth floor, but it felt like time had slowed. I realized this was my first human encounter, and it was not going well.

"Do you need something?" she asked quietly, her voice melodic.

"I'm…" my mind was a mess, everything scrambled by her intoxicating scent as I struggled to compose a sentence. "You look…familiar." I surprised myself by uttering the truth that my mind had not allowed me to see. She actually did seem familiar. Of course, it was highly unlikely and almost impossible that we had even met. So that didn't…

"Oh." She chuckled awkwardly.

Her laugh filled my ears like a lovely instrument. I only knew one person with a laugh like that.

Two people.

She was the girl from the beach. The beautiful one. How much more beautiful she was up close! I saw it now; the curly dirty-blonde hair that fell around her shoulders that I had mistaken for being brown in the darkness, her wide eyes and peaches and cream complexion.

Then the most joyous realization struck me. She was alive! Here breathing in front of me, not a drained body hidden away in a ditch somewhere. I felt the urge, the instinct, to protect her. She had come so close to death. She had no idea how lucky she was.

The elevator door opened and she strode out quickly. No! She mustn't go! Not so soon. She couldn't wander out alone, unprotected with a vampire on the loose. True, it would be just too easy to turn invisible and follow her, wherever she was going. But that felt wrong. I would speak to her, befriend her if I must. Like a normal person.

So I made the bold decision of jogging to catch up with her.

"My name is Aiden," I said, maintaining eye contact as we walked. I thought about reaching my hand out to shake hers, but she would be shocked by my lack of temperature. She smelled delightful, but it was easier to handle out in the open air of the parking lot.

"Reed," she smiled, revealing an array of white teeth surrounded by full, pink lips. So far so good, I thought.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Um…just to unload some groceries," she said.

"Mind if I help?"

"No, I'm really okay. Thanks for the offer, though."

Was this politeness? Should I offer again?

"Well, I happen to be going the same way. I'm going to go retrieve some boxes full of my…aunt's things."

"Oh." She said, and then went quiet. She looked at her feet insecurely as we walked, never looking me in the eyes or even the face.

"Did you just move in?"

"Yes." I said. "We're visiting from Aberdeen, in Washington."

"Really? I'm from Seattle,"

Then we reached the car. I made my way towards our Lamborghini and opened the trunk to pick up the last box. It was full of Renesmee's china. Very heavy, to a human at least. I lifted it up, closed the trunk and locked the door. When I turned around, Reed was standing next to a white van, mouth agape.

"That's your car?" she asked, pointing.

I said, "Yeah, it's my uncle's vacation car." She blinked once heavily and shook her head. Then she began loading a grocery cart with white plastic bags. I realized Jacob's car might not blend in very well. Reed finally finished and froze when she realized I was waiting for her.

Was I being creepy? It was just that the sun had almost set and anything could happen to a girl like this after dark, supernatural or otherwise. I wanted to make sure she was safe getting back. Reed began walking with the cart, back to the elevator. I walked next to her silently. I wouldn't pressure her to talk if she didn't want to.