Bella
The drive to Port Angeles was about an hour. We sang along to the radio and speculated about what the dance would be like. Jess and Angela were surprised that I had never been to a dance in Phoenix. Then Jess started trying to get me to confess what boys I might be interested in. I was squirming uncomfortably in my seat until Angela interrupted with a question about dresses to spare me. I was eternally grateful to her.
We arrived at a picturesque boardwalk by the bay, and I gazed longingly out at the water glistening in the bright sunlight. But my friends were on a mission. Angela drove us straight downtown to the mall, and we parked in front of the one large department store. Once inside, we were confronted with clothes in every size, shape, and color. The dance was supposed to be semi-formal, but none of us really knew what that meant. I suggested some of the shorter dresses in fun colors, and they started grabbing some off of the racks to try on. I wandered through the store while they were in the dressing room, thinking I could use some new shoes.
While I wandered my mind strayed to Evie. What was she doing today? I tried to picture her in the woods, with a tent and a campfire. The image felt impossible to my mind. I was beginning to suspect that the camping excuse was just that: an excuse. But why did she and her family need one? Then Jessica's words from earlier today came back to me: they were pulled out of school every time the weather was nice. Or rather, every time the sun was out. I was floored by this realization.
Perhaps I had been too quick to dismiss the vampire theory. Maybe the Cullens lived here in Forks- in spite of their obvious wealth and Dr Cullen's surgical expertise- because the Olympic Peninsula offered almost three hundred and sixty five days of cloud cover. Protection from the sun's deadly UV light. My last vestige of doubt fell away, and there was nothing left but certainty. I was now completely positive of one fact: Evie Cullen is a vampire.
I shivered and hurried back toward the dress section to find Jess and Angela. I needed human contact right now. They were showing off their dress choices in front of the mirror. I complemented them both and then sat and waited for them to change back into their clothes. This outing reminded me of many similar trips I'd made with my mom back in Phoenix. One of our favorite things to do was go clothes shopping together. I was beginning to miss her fiercely and was wondering if I was really making the right decision by staying here in Forks. Was it really that important to figure why a vampire was running around Forks saving people? Well, not people. Just me.
But every time I thought about leaving I felt a strange lump in the pit of my stomach. Something was telling me to stay put.
We'd planned to eat dinner on the boardwalk, but the dress shopping had taken much less time than we'd expected. I told them I wanted to go look for a bookstore before dinner. They both offered to go with me, but they had no idea how pre-occupied I could get when surrounded by books; it was something I preferred to do alone. I asked Angela for directions, and left them to wander the mall looking for accessories. We would meet back at the restaurant in an hour.
The sun was beginning to set as I made the few blocks walk down to the bookstore. Clouds were gathering on the western horizon, turning the sun's last rays into pink and orange streaks across the sky. I feared this would be the last I would see of the sun for a while again, but at the same time I was eager to find out if Evie would return with the clouds.
The bookstore in Port Angeles wasn't at all comparable to the many I'd visited in Phoenix, but it was still a sight for my sore eyes. The books were mostly second-hand, and I walked up and down the aisles breathing in the smell of aged paper and leather bindings. I found my way to the historical fiction section and was enjoying losing myself among the titles when suddenly there was a voice behind me.
"Just couldn't wait until Saturday, could you?" There was no mistaking that quiet, musical voice. It was Evie Cullen.
I whirled around, surprised and a little unnerved. What was she doing here? "Excuse me?" I choked out, my heart beating a little faster.
"Book shopping," she reminded me. "You were supposed to go on Saturday."
"Oh, right." I stammered, as usual completely lost for words around her. Stupid unpredictable vampire. How was I supposed to get used to the idea of her when she kept popping up out of nowhere? Then I mentally kicked myself. She could be reading my thoughts right now. Was it safe to let her know that I had figured out what she is? I couldn't be sure. I stared at her face, trying to figure out if she had heard what I had just been thinking about her.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay Bella?" She asked. She sounded concerned for my mental health. I must look like a lunatic, staring at her like that. I shook my head and turned back to the books so I would have something else to focus on. I tried to keep my thoughts guarded as well. Not such an easy task.
"I'm fine." I responded, trying to sound nonchalant. "I just didn't expect to see you here."
"I'm sorry to infringe on your browsing. I know how you like to shop alone."
My mind raced wildly again. Had she heard me say that to Angela and Jess earlier? Had she been following me or just reading my mind? My breath was coming faster. I needed to calm down.
"You declined my offer to drive you to Seattle on Saturday because you like to shop alone." She stated, as if she had in fact heard what I had just been thinking. Don't panic, I told myself. "But I see you had no qualms about accepting a ride from Angela." Was she goading me or just trying to get me to admit that I was a little bit scared of her? I cleared my throat, hoping that would somehow help me to clear my mind as well.
"No, I agreed to help them find dresses for the dance," I clarified. "Then I had some time to kill before dinner so I came here."
"Ah, I see." She seemed satisfied with my answer. "Would I be terribly annoying if I accompanied you?"
"No," I allowed. "I'm just browsing. This store doesn't have much, but I still love just being here."
She smiled crookedly and my heart flip-flopped. Then I noticed that she looked exceptionally well-groomed, as usual. Today she wore a cream-colored leather jacket over a fitted black T-shirt and designer jeans. She always managed to look as if she'd just walked out of a magazine. But that gave me an idea.
"So," I began, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "How was camping?" I knew there was no way that she had just gotten back from supposedly camping for three days. This was my chance to finally catch her in a lie.
Sure enough, her smile faded instantly. "We decided to come home a little early," she lied smoothly.
I nodded, making sure my facial expression let her know I was on to her. "Did you have a good time?" I pressed, thoroughly enjoying putting her on the spot for once.
"Why yes. We even got some hunting in before the end." Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she watched my expression change from gloat to horror and I gulped, swallowing my retort. Okay, one point Evie zero points Bella.
"I should be getting back to my friends." I told her nervously.
"Very well. May I give you a ride, or do you prefer to walk alone as well?"
I deliberated. On one hand, I knew I probably shouldn't get into a car with a known vampire. But on the other hand, it was now full dark out and I didn't know for sure if I could find my way back to the boardwalk on my own. I finally decided to split the difference.
"I prefer to walk, but not alone. Do you know the way to the boardwalk from here?"
She nodded, her lips turned up slightly at the corners. I was sure she had heard every word of my mental debate. We left the bookstore and walked in silence for a while. It took me a few minutes to work up the courage to start asking her questions.
"So what brings you to Port Angeles today?" I asked.
She glanced at me sideways, her lips now pursed. "Next." She stated simply, obviously aware that I was full of questions for her.
"But that was my easiest question!" I protested. She shook her head. I looked forward, frustrated. How could I even begin to ask her what I needed to know? Oh I'm glad I ran into you today Evie, because I've been meaning to ask you if you really are a vampire! I snorted, and she looked at me again. This time she looked like she was concentrating very hard on my face. I suddenly worried that I had something on my face and tried to casually check. I fidgeted with my hair and put chapstick on my lips, hoping I didn't have food on my face. Jess and Ang hadn't said anything earlier, but now I was feeling self-conscious. She looked away and I exhaled in relief.
"Did you enjoy your day at the beach on Saturday?" She asked me, turning the inquisition back on me. The change in topic caught me off guard, and I had to rearrange my thoughts for a moment.
"Oh, yes I did." I finally managed to say. "The sun was out for most of the day. We had a driftwood fire and I saw the tide pools."
"Really?" She sounded genuinely intrigued.
"Have you never seen them before?" I asked her.
"Not at First Beach." She clarified. "What are they like?"
I began to describe them for her, and she listened with rapt attention. Then I decided that this might be my best opportunity.
"And while I was there I met up with an old friend of mine, Jacob Black."
Her body stiffened when I mentioned his name. "Black?" She asked warily. "On La Push Reservation?"
"Yes, he's a Quileute." I watched her reaction to see if the name of the tribe would be familiar to her. I could tell that it was. Her eyes tightened and she looked away.
I jumped at my chance. "He told me some of the legends of his tribe. There was one that was particularly interesting. It was about the Cold Ones." Now I held my breath. I was treading dangerous water here. If she decided that I wasn't supposed to know this information, I had no idea what would happen.
"I would like to continue this conversation more privately, if you don't mind." She said through clenched teeth. I couldn't tell if she was angry, worried, or deciding how to dispatch me. "Besides, we're here."
I looked around, a bit bewildered. I hadn't paid any attention to where we were walking, and sure enough we had arrived at the boardwalk. I saw Angela and Jessica a ways down the pier, finishing the hot dogs they had bought from a little stand. They saw me and made their way towards us. As they got closer they noticed who I was with, and stared openly.
"Hey guys," I greeted them, hoping I didn't sound weird.
"Hey Bella," Angela said, "Evie."
"Hello Angela." Evie responded. Jessica just continued to stare. I don't think I'd ever seen her this speechless.
"Sorry we ate without you, we were starving." Ang apologized.
"Oh, it's no problem." I told her. "I'm not that hungry anyways."
"Nonsense," Evie said. "I'll take you to dinner, Bella." She looked at me to remind me that we needed to continue our conversation, but my mind was suddenly overrun by the image of me being dinner.
"But I came with Angela and Jess," I squeaked.
"I can give you a ride home quite easily," Evie said.
"Well, as long as you're sure Bella?" Angela looked at me to see if I wanted her to help me get out of dinner. I shook my head, resigned. I had my questions to ask, what better time than now? Besides, if I never came back from Port Angeles, Angela and Jess would be sure to tell everyone who I had last been seen with. I hoped Evie heard that thought.
"Of course she's not sure," Jessica snapped, finally over her shock. "Bella came with us, there's no way we're leaving her here!" I was surprised by the venom in her voice.
"Jess, I'll be fine I promise. I actually am really hungry now that I think about it." I hoped she would take the hint.
"See, she'll be fine. Let's just go Jess." Angela came to my rescue once again. I hugged them both goodbye, promising to see them in class tomorrow.
"What was that about?" I wondered aloud after they had driven away.
"She's jealous." Evie answered unexpectedly. "She thinks you like me better than you like her, and that I'm going to be your new best friend. She's also worried that being my friend will make you more popular than she is." She laughed.
"Oh." I said, turning this all over in my mind. We started walking toward an Italian restaurant on the corner of the street nearest to us. "And you know this because?" I prompted, determined to at least get one of my theories confirmed tonight.
"Unh uh, not until we're inside." She reminded me. I hoped that meant she would actually answer. We entered the restaurant, and it was nearly empty being that it was early on a Monday night. The hostess showed us to a large table in the center of the dining room.
"Perhaps something more private?" Evie asked her, and smoothly slid a folded bill into the girl's hand. I gaped, impressed. I had never seen anyone do that except in the movies.
"Of course," the hostess replied, and took us around the corner to an empty section of two-person booths.
"Much better, thank you." Evie smiled at her, and in the candlelight from the tables her face looked almost angelic.
We sat down and the hostess handed us each a menu. "Your server will be right with you."
I perused my menu a bit, not actually feeling very hungry since I was filled with anticipation. Evie set her menu down without opening it. No surprise there.
I opened my mouth to re-ask my question about Evie's telepathic abilities, but she held up a hand to stop me and a second later our server rounded the corner to take our drink orders. I asked for a coke, and Evie requested the same. I gave her an inquiring look but she only shrugged.
Finally the server left and I blurted out my next question before she could stop me. "Can I ask my question now?" Evie closed her eyes and nodded, as if this were an inevitable nuisance. I, on the other hand, felt as if I would burst from curiosity. Noticing her reluctance, I decided I needed to take a more cautious approach. "Let's say- hypothetically- that someone could read minds. How would that work exactly?"
"Hypothetically?" She asked, and I nodded emphatically. "Well, if it was true that someone could read minds, then she wouldn't need to question anyone else's intentions. Especially when that other person has come across information that could be mortally detrimental to the initial person's entire existence."
I frowned, trying to follow what she was saying. "So...you can't read my mind?" That was the one thing I had been so sure of. She always seemed to know exactly what I was thinking, what other explanation was there? Then I realized that it was probably a very good thing that she couldn't in fact read my mind. "How did you know what Jessica was thinking just before they left?"
She was saved from answering right away when the server returned, setting our cokes down in front of us, to take our order. I picked the first thing I saw on the menu, a mushroom ravioli.
"Nothing for me thank you." Evie told her. Just what I expected. When the server left Evie looked lost in thought. I leaned forward across the table, as if by proximity I would be able to read her mind instead of the other way around. Finally she looked up and her eyes locked with mine. There were gold flecks in her irises that set off the ochre hues, as if her eyes were lit by an internal flame. I don't know how long I stared, mesmerized. She seemed to be wavering, and I hoped she was making the decision to simply tell me the truth for once.
"You can trust me, you know." I whispered, and my hand involuntarily reached forward toward hers. She pulled hers back minutely, and I stopped. I waited impatiently for her to speak.
"I guess I don't have any other choice but to trust you." She spread her hands apart in a helpless gesture. "It appears my life is in your hands."
"I guess that makes us even." I grinned, unable to help it. We were finally getting somewhere.
She leaned toward me and began speaking in a rush. "You're much more observant than you have any right to be." She told me. I took that as confirmation that she had in fact heard what Jessica had been thinking.
"So if you could hear her thoughts, why can't you hear mine? Is it only certain people you can read? How does it work?" My words were getting jumbled up together in my haste to get them out.
"I don't know how it works, it's just something I can do. As long as I can remember, I have been able to hear everyone's thoughts around me as if they were speaking them. Until you." She was staring at me with that same intensity again, a look I now recognized as frustration. All this time, every time she looked at me, she had been trying to read my mind. Trying and failing.
The waitress appeared around the partition and we both straightened up as she approached. She set a plate full of food down in front of me, and as soon as I smelled the delicious aroma of pasta and sauce I attacked it with abandon. Halfway through I looked up at Evie, suddenly self-conscious again. It felt rude to eat in front of her.
"Aren't you hungry?" I asked her without thinking.
She chuckled humorlessly. "No, I am not hungry."
Hundreds of questions flew into my brain at that moment, but I held them all off, deciding to focus on the one she had been answering so far. "Why do you think you can't hear me?" I asked in between bites.
"I have no idea." She sighed in aggravation. "It's unbearably infuriating, not knowing what you're thinking."
"You know that's how the rest of us feel all the time, right?"
She waved a hand as if that were inconsequential. "Just imagine if one day you lost one of your senses. And it was at a time when you would have needed that particular skill more than ever."
I thought this over while I sucked down the last of my coke. As soon as I finished Evie slid her untouched glass across the table to me. "Thanks," I told her. Something was still nagging me. "So if you can't read my mind, how did you know my mom is in rehab and that her husband's name is Phil?" Her mouth fell open, her expression so much like a kid who just found out that Santa Claus isn't real that I almost laughed. I was glad I held it in, because she suddenly looked defensive and angry.
"I can't believe I was so careless." She whispered out loud. "I was so focused on trying to unlock your mind that I unwittingly revealed that I knew more about you than another human would have. It's my own fault that you were able to discern so much about me, not because you are gifted in any way."
"Hey!" It was my turn to get angry. "You don't need to insult my intelligence just because you slipped up."
"You're right, I apologize. I'm just unaccustomed to playing without a full deck, as it were. It makes me feel off balance."
"Join the club." I retorted, still feeling wounded. We fumed in silence for a few minutes. I held out as long as I could before the curiosity took over again. I was going to be one dead cat at this rate, but I couldn't manage to curb my interest enough to care. I decided to risk making her angry again. She owed me one after that last crack. "So how did you know? About my mom and Phil?"
"I listened to you and your father's conversations." She at least had the decency to look ashamed. "I had to make sure you weren't telling him what you had seen me do."
I nodded. That fit with what I had guessed. But then I wondered, "If you can't read my mind, how were you able to hear what we were saying?"
"I have very good ears." She grinned. I added this tidbit to my mental list of her abilities. This also fit with what I had observed from her father at the hospital. Surprisingly, I wasn't even disturbed by the fact that she had been eavesdropping. When I thought about it, I probably would have done the same thing had I been in her shoes.
"So, why were you in Port Angeles?" I popped the question unexpectedly, hoping to startle her into more truthful answers. She glared at me, but I didn't back down.
"I came to Port Angeles to find you." She let her statement hang in the air, watching me carefully to gauge my reaction. I realized I had frozen, my fork midway to my mouth. I quickly shoved the bite into my mouth and almost choked. Evie looked momentarily concerned, and then amused when she realized I was fine.
After my sputtering was over I wiped my mouth on my napkin. "Why did you want to find me?"
"I feel...anxious being away from you. I've never tried to keep track of one specific person before. It's much more troublesome than I had anticipated. As soon as darkness fell I ran to your house, only to discover you were gone. You can't imagine the lengths I had to go to to discover your whereabouts."
I had no idea how to respond to this. Luckily I was spared from answering by the server bringing our check. Before I could even reach for it Evie had tucked a bill inside and handed it back to her.
"Wait, you didn't even eat anything. Let me get that." I protested.
"But I coerced you into coming to dinner with me." It was impossible to argue with her. I let it go, and we stood to leave.
We stepped out into the cold night air. I shivered when the wind hit me, and suddenly realized I had left my jacket in Angela's car. Before I could say anything Evie had removed her leather jacket and was offering it to me. It was still hard for me to believe she couldn't read my mind. I pulled it on, noticing that it felt as cold as if it had been left out here rather than worn in the restaurant. Still, the sleeves blocked the wind and I soon started to feel warmer. We walked along the boardwalk together. She kept close to me, but always made sure we never touched. She didn't seem to notice the cold at all.
"What are we going to do now?" I asked, not ready to end our conversation yet.
"Now," she answered with her mischievous crooked grin, "it's your turn."