Phenomenon

When I awoke the next day, I saw something out of the ordinary.

It was the light. It illuminated my bedroom, and as I realised what it was, I hopped out of bed and over to the window.

There wasn't any fog. Cloudy, sure, but just enough to still allow the sun to make it's grand appearance. But that wasn't all. A fine layer of white covered the ground, and the worst part, all of the rain from yesterday had frozen, and was now sleek ice. Definitely not the best driving conditions, though I couldn't help but be reminded of home.

My father left for work before I had gotten down stairs. The emptiness of the house was a strange feeling, though almost exciting. Living with my father was a lot like living alone. I'd always wondered what that would be like.

I whipped up eggs and toast for breakfast, along with a pot of coffee. I felt exhilarated. I could see the sun today. I finally felt excited to go to school, and it couldn't've felt better. I had no more worries. I felt like I would be able to chat freely with Becca and her friends, and I would be able to focus in all my classes. But the absolute most exciting thing was that I would see Beau again today, and that was very foolish.

Who was to even say he would even notice my existence again, let alone talk to me? If anything, I should be trying everything possible to avoid the mysterious boy, but even the thought of doing so struck some sort of cord in me, and I knew that it wasn't possible.

I didn't exactly know what I wanted out of this. A friend seemed like probable reason, as I didn't even think my mind was capable of comprehending romance.

It was a struggle to get down the driveway. My shoes may have been waterproof, but they definitely didn't have any traction. I practiced a death grip when I got to the door, as my hand firmly clamped around the handle to keep balance.

Driving to school seemed like the very opposite experience. Even though I was going slow, driving on the icy roads felt like a breeze, which really was a good thing, as I found myself quite distracted; my mind consistently failing to not think of Beau.

I couldn't seem to figure him out. There was something about him so… strange, as if no one else was like him. I mean, there was no one else like him. Besides his siblings, there was no one who had his porcelain skin; so flawless and sculpted. There was no one else who could make me think as hard as he could. He was impenetrable, as if he built this wall around him to keep people out. I felt determined to smash that wall somehow.

I arrived to school about the same time most people seemed to be arriving. As I hopped out of my truck, a slight twinkle caught my eye, and as I looked down towards my back tires, I saw the diamond-shaped chains. My father had gotten up who knows how early to put them on for me – something my mother probably would have never done. My throat felt tight as I held back emotion, but all of that seemed to wash away when I heard a strange sound.

It was a ear-aching screech, and it was becoming louder by the second. I looked up, startled. There were several things that came into vision, and nothing moved in slow motion like the movies. The adrenaline in my body seemed to rush through me in waves as I absorbed my surroundings.

Beaufort Swan was several cars down from me, and I was surprised by how easily I could read him, as the look he wore showed blatant horror. His perfect face standing out of a sea of others so clearly. But, the more alarming thing was a large van; it's tires locked and squealing against the breaks, and it barrelling towards me at a deathly speed.

I reacted before I could even begin to think what I was doing, as I whipped my body around, putting one foot on the back-tire next to me, my violently shaking hands gripping onto the side of the rim of the truck's bed as I pushed myself up with all the force possible, hoping that by some chance I would be able to jump in the back, but something deep inside me was telling me it was too late as the screeching became ear deafening.

For a second, my body felt as if though it were floating, before something tight locked around me, and my body felt like it hit the cold ground. There was a big bang, and I rocked slightly, the sound of popping glass sounded immediately after. A slight pain arose towards my head, but my eyes kept shut. A few seconds passed before the screaming began.

I opened my eyes once more, fully expecting to either see the angles singing, or to be pinned in-between the van and my truck like a sandwich, but that wasn't the case. The only thing I saw was pale skin.

"Edythe, are you okay?" An angelic voice asked me.

My eyes slowly looked up, seeing another face that was inches from me. Amber eyes bore into mine with such intensity.

Was I okay? Besides the slight ache in my head, I didn't feel any pain – possibly from how memorized I was by him.

"Y-yes." My voice was unnaturally shaky.

That's when the iron bars – or should I say Beau's arms – released their grip around me. I quickly glanced around, realising that I was lying in the bed of my truck – somehow with Beau. I pushed myself up slightly onto one elbow as the frantic voices got closer, but as seconds past, the last twenty seconds came flashing back in waves, and there was only one question I had to ask, for in no possible way did it make any sense.

"How did you get over to me so quickly?" I asked the boy, realising if it wasn't for him, I would probably be dead right now.

His gaze turned solid. "I was standing right next to you, Edythe…"

My eyes narrowed, but not in the confused kind of way. More like the "Okay, that was a straight up lie and we both know it," kind of way.

"No, you were across the lot… you were next to your car, I-"

"Edythe, please." He cut me off, his soft voice filled with desperation. "I was standing next to you and I pulled us up into the truck, okay?"

"Wh-"

"Please."

I was so confused. He seemed to acknowledged that he was lying, and he was for some reason trying to make me say it back to him, as if to try and play along somehow.

"But that's not what happened…" my voice was faint.

"I'm begging you."

I couldn't understand why he was though.

"…Okay." I agreed.

A breath escaped from his lips, before helping me sit up.

The first thing I noticed were the students, as they were all crowded around the truck, many of who looked to be crying their eyes out. Many people called my name, asking me if I was okay. Someone was instructing the both of us not to move, though that didn't faze Beau, as he helped me down from the truck. Two teachers arrived – Ms. Varner and Coach Clapp – and instructed all of the students to give us space.

I stared in horror at my truck. The whole side that the van hit was damaged and dented beyond belief. The windows to both my own and the other vehicle were shattered, and I hadn't even realised before that the back of the truck was basically filled with glass.

Luckily I wasn't cut anywhere.

The ambulances arrived shortly, and they began to roll the stretchers in. The EMTs assisted the person in the van first, who I quickly recognized to be Taylor Crowley. Despite the blood that seemed to run slightly down her head, she seemed to be fine, just a bit dazed. The paramedics then came over to myself and Beau. I quickly refused, stating I was more than fine. I then told them how Beau practically braced the whole impact, to which I then started saying how he probably was the one in worse shape, but he also somehow managed to talk his way out of it. The Paramedics were still weary, and after a short debate, both me and Beau agreed to at least accept a ride to the hospital for a checkup. I kept shooting glances at the boy the whole way there, though he never made eye contact.

Shortly after we arrived, myself and Beau headed inside behind a beat-up Taylor Crowley who was lying in a gurney, though almost immediately, the figure to my side disappeared, and I stopped for a moment, wondering where he could have gone, though one of the EMTs began ushering me.

I was brought to the emergency area. The room was full of beds, all separated by pastel-patterned curtains. A nurse put one of those pressure cuffs on my arm and then a thermometer under my tongue despite telling her over and over I felt more than fine. I could tell my persistence was annoying her. Hospital personal were all moving around the room quickly, and when things seemed to calm down a bit, another wave of people flooded in through the door, rolling a gurney containing Taylor. They put her on the bed next to me, and when I took a good look, I realised just how beat up she was, with bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around her head. She was anxiously staring at me.

"Edythe, I'm so sorry!"

"Don't worry about me, Taylor, I'm perfectly fine. Are you doing alright?" It felt like a stupid question, because by the looks of it, she really didn't. My assumption was confirmed when a nurse started undoing the soiled bandages, exposing an innumerable amount of shallow slices all over her forehead and left cheek.

She ignored me. "I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong-" She winced when the nurse began dabbing at her face.

"You missed me – really, I'm more than alright."

"How'd you get out of the way so fast? I saw you tried to make a run for it, but then you just disappeared out of thin air. I thought I had crushed you…"

I went silent for a moment, thinking of a good answer.

"Well, Beau pulled me into the back of my truck."

She was confused. "Who?"

"Beaufort Swan. He was standing right next to me when it happened, and pulled us both to safety.

"Swan? I didn't see him… wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?"

"I think so. He was with me when we walked in, but then he disappeared."

A nurse came back with more bandages for Taylor, which she then pulled Taylor's curtain closed for whatever reason, though I felt kind of glad. I wasn't in the mood to talk – only to think about what had happened.

"Edythe!" A voice shouted. I looked over to the opened doors to see my father with a very panicked look.

"Hi, dad. I'm fine really! There's nothing wrong."

He wasn't convinced, and he turned to the closest nurse to get a second opinion. I noticed that his eyes looked slightly puffy, and I couldn't help but feel immense waves of guilt, as if the accident had somehow been my fault. He remained with me for a while then, before excusing himself, saying he had to go and make a call.

Figuring there was nothing else to do, I sat back in the bed and relaxed.

That is until a figure came strolling in through the door, and my mouth fell open. She was young, she was pretty, and she looked better than any movie star I'd ever seen. She was tired-looking though, with dark circles under her eyes. From my father's description, this must be Beau's mother.

"So, Miss Masen," Dr. Cullen said in a gentle voice. "how are you feeling? Beau said you hit your head pretty hard."

There was something in her eyes that made me feel weary, as if she knew what had really happened.

"I'm fine," I said, wondering where exactly the boy was to anyways.

She walked over to the lightboard above me, switching it on.

"Well you look alright," She said, examining my head with her cool fingers. "Does anything hurt?"

"Really, I'm fine." I assured her, though my façade was quickly shutdown when I winced as her fingers trailed over a sore spot.

"Tender?" She asked.

"Doesn't hurt too bad."

"Well, it sounds like you were extremely lucky." She said, smiling as she signed my chart with a flourish.

"Lucky that Beau had been standing there next to me."

This seemed to set her back. "W-well yes, of course," She mumbled. "Your father is in the waiting room – you can head home now. Just let me know if you start feeling faint or have trouble with your eyesight." She then took a heavy interest in her paperwork before turning her attention to Taylor.

"I'm afraid that you'll have to stay with us just a little bit longer," she said to Taylor, and began checking her cuts.

The doctor was definitely in on it.

Hopping off of the bed, I felt myself wobble slightly, but I quickly steadied myself without incident. I walked out through the doors and began hunting down the only person I wanted to see that day.

I found him in the hospital's little cafeteria, sitting with his four other siblings – why they were here and not at school I hadn't the clue. If it were any other day, under any other circumstance, I would have probably been too scared to even approach them, but at that moment, I felt a surge of confidence flow through me, and I strutted over to the table. Besides Beau, who was keenly staring down at the table, all of them seemed to notice my approach – the golden haired boy in particular, who gave me a glare so cold it could've probably froze hell over. I returned it before walking behind Beau to tap one finger onto his shoulder.

He looked up at me, almost unsurprised by my arrival.

"Hi, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked him nicely.

"About what?" His tone was borderline harsh, which had me taken back. Anger rose up from within, though I didn't let it consume me.

"About what happened this morning." I kept the smile plastered on, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

He abruptly rose from his seat, before turning and walking away. I took it as a sign to follow, and I did, not looking back at the four other pale figures. Once we got to a secluded area, he whipped around, his face glaring at me.

"What do you want?" He seemed annoyed.

"How'd you get over to me so fast?" I asked, ignoring how rude he was being.

"I was standing right next to you." He made a face as if to mock how foolish I was being, but I only scoffed at this.

"That's bull, and you know it. Now, I deserve to know what had happened-"

"Deserve?" He seemed astonished. "I saved your life, so I don't owe you anything."

He was being so mean, just like the first day in biology. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

"Edythe, you hit your head, you don't know what you're talking about." He said flatly.

"The doctor already said there was nothing wrong with my head, so obviously it's not that."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want to know why I'm telling lies for you, and I want to know what had really happened."

"What do you think happened?"

The next part came out in a rush.

"I was about to get half of my body crushed from that van, you were several cars down from me, and yet somehow, I miraculously end up completely fine in the back of my truck with you. Explain to me how that could've possibly happened, Beaufort."

He stepped back, looking almost shocked, before regaining his posture.

"No one is going to believe that you know." He seemed scared, and very defensive.

"I wasn't going to tell anyone?"

Though it was hard to tell, it seemed as if he eased slightly. "Then why does it even matter?"

"I just… I want to know the truth."

"The truth will just make you disappointed." He said with a frown.

"I-… you know what, whatever. It's really not worth this headache." I mumbled, walking past the boy and to the lobby.

I met my father there, along with what seemed to be most of the school, but my father dragged me outside before anyone had the chance to come up to me.

It was raining on the way home. My father's voice blended into the background, saying something about how my truck was completely totaled and that I would have to give my mother a call. None of that seemed to matter though, as my mind only kept wandering back to the menacing glare that Beau had given me.

I couldn't understand what his problem was, and why he was making such a big deal out of nothing – or at least what I thought was nothing.

I knew for sure that there was no possible way for him to have gotten over to me that fast, it was illogical really. But how else did he end up in the back of my truck, protecting me from all the fallen glass around us? It should've been impossible, but he did it.

There was something strange about him, I knew that from day one, but I couldn't understand what that was. He was so impenetrable. I wanted to uncover whatever he was hiding from me, and the worst part was I didn't even know why. What would I get out of this? Surely it wasn't worth the trouble if I didn't have a certain goal in mind, I would just have to figure out what that was.

I was grateful for having the rest of the day off. There was no way that I would've been able to concentrate in any of my classes. My father had asked me if I wanted anything to eat, though I turned him down, fleeing up to my room to call my mother.

She was crying when I picked up the phone, which was very unlike her. I explained everything that happened – the lying version of course. She asked me multiple times if I wanted to go back home to Chicago. I found this surprising, as she really seemed like she meant it. I of course denied said offer, and we talked a little bit more before she had to hang up.

I went to bed early that night.

It was the first night I dreamed about Beau Swan.

AN: It was so weird writing Beau angry, but I figured that's what would've happened when some random girl is trying to uncover the fact that your a vampire and possible destroy something that's taken years to perfect.