It was lunchtime when I could see Bella again. The cafeteria was crowded more so because of the downpour that was happening outside. I can hear the rain and hail splatting against the windows harshly. "El!" I spotted Angela with a disgruntled Jessica; she was busy fixing her soaked hair and jacket. "I saved you and Bella a seat." She gestured to the open seats next to her. I placed my lunch on the table and sat, unzipping my jacket to make myself more comfortable.
"Did you hear about Edward?" Jessica almost spat. She was now seated, her blonde hair in a ponytail as she gushed on the news she was hearing and spreading. I cringed, regretting asking Angela anything about Edward as she had no doubt relayed or asked Jessica anything that had to do with him. Which, in turn, justified Jessica's obsession with the dude even more. "What?" I didn't look at her as she talked about Edward's absence. The guy was a no-show to class, and nobody knew why. I didn't see anything wrong with that and couldn't care less why it was such a big deal.
"Hey," Bella took the vacant seat beside me, setting her lunch tray down. "You okay? You look kind of down." I murmured, hoping to be discreet. I noticed her facial features had softened throughout the days, significantly differing from the angry fierceness she was extruding every morning. "Edward wasn't in class... Again." She responded, trying to be discreet. Jessica snorted loudly, pretending to fix flyaways in her ponytail. "Of course not. He's absent." Jessica's eyes were narrowed on Bella as if daring her to ask if Jess knew anything about Edwards's absence. Still, Bella wasn't one to fall for Jessica's stupid gimmicks and instead kept to herself.
This didn't deter Jess from continuing about Edward and where he might be. 'Mysterious?' I thought, hearing snippets of her ramblings. I really felt pity for the guy. He had girls like Jess pinning for him; that alone was a nightmare. I sat up, moving my tray to the side. My appetite is long gone. "Can we talk about something other than Edward?" Although it was a question, I wasn't really asking. I sighed, annoyed when no one came up with anything else. I mean, the dude's family wasn't far from hearing. Angela blushed, catching my eyes from her to the Cullen's table. "Like anything?" she tried.
I smiled, appreciating her help. "Yes. How's the yearbook club going?" I didn't care for the answer; I just wanted to be done with Edward, as Bella didn't seem to like the topic of the conversation either. It was like that for the rest of lunch. Everyone had finally moved on to topics regarding the new movies coming out to a few boutiques opening up in Port Angeles.
Once the bell rang, signaling lunch was over, I walked with Bella. "Do you think I scared him off?" I could barely make out what she asked, students chatting and shouting over each other, but I caught it. I gave her a once-over. I would have laughed at her for thinking she may have been why Edward wasn't attending class. I shook my head. Although tall, Bella gave off the vibe of a lamb, not a wolf ready to devour her biology partner. I snorted at the thought. "No, you definitely didn't scare him off." I dumped the waste in the bin, setting the tray in their designation as we walked out of the cafeteria. She gave me a small smile before waving bye and heading to her class opposite where I was heading.
I hadn't noticed Alice until the unwelcoming sensation of being watched had me look around. I saw her leaning against one of the pillars as if waiting for a long-awaited friend. Most students were minding their own business, while some eyed her suspiciously. I gave her a questioning look, which brightened up her face. That's when reality sank in. She was waiting for me, which unnerved me.
I tried my best to recall seeing her around this part of the school and decided to pay more attention to the people around me. As I continued my way to class, I could see her in my peripheral vision of her leaning down to grab her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. I didn't wait for her and continued; I felt a tingly sensation of cold marble from where she placed her hand. I looked over my shoulder; students who weren't already in class seemed very interested in the idea that I would be conversing with a Cullen.
Alice's smile was still pleasant; she took her hand back once she grabbed my attention. Her pixie-like cut was styled and moussed nicely, framing her delicate features and making her golden eyes stand out more. She wore a blue puffer jacket that looked too big for her frame. "Eleanor, right?" Her voice chime-like. I shook my head automatically, ready to correct her, "Eleanor, actually." I said. It took a second to realize she did say my name correctly, blushing. I internally groaned at my idiocy. Many would always assume I preferred to be called Ellie or El because of Angela's constant use of it.
"I'm sorry, force of habit." I quickly apologized before folding my arms. I can still feel the peering gazes of our peers. Conversating outside of their family wasn't typical for any of the Cullens. She smiled as if she knew that. "I was wondering if you can collect Edward's homework from Mr. Varner?" I couldn't respond immediately as my head tried to wrap around the idea that Alice was asking for Edward's homework even though she could ask the teacher himself.
I bite my tongue from being cheeky with her. Alice took my silence as a no, which prompted her to continue, "Edward doesn't want to miss out on anything, nor does he want to fall behind." She added. I sighed, rubbing my right temple. A headache was forming. I didn't care too much to pry into her family's affairs to ask where Edward was.
"Sure, I don't mind. Do you want me to give it to you at your car or?" She gave me a huge smile, her teeth pearly white and flawlessly displayed. "I can just meet you after your class." I nodded. "Okay, I'll see you then." Alice smiled, patting my right arm before skipping away.
I stood there for a few seconds, doing my best not to feel uncomfortable by the conversation and to get my bearings straight before heading into class. I can still feel the curious gazes of those still lingering; some were now whispering amongst themselves; no doubt this will be spread around soon. I snorted to myself. I'm not at all surprised. 'Typical.'
Entering Mr. Varner's class, I made my way to my usual seat before being stopped by Ben. His dark hair required a cut as it got in the way of his eyes, and his natural curls, usually styled into tight, seamless coils, were now puffy and out of place. It didn't suit him, and from how he desperately tried to fix it, he knew it, too. Ben liked to sit behind me to "see better." When it was actually to cheat off of me when we had quizzes or tests. I'm also aware that Mr. Varner was close to catching him.
"What?" I shoved his leg out of the way that restricted me from my seat. Ben groaned from how I angled his leg out of the way, sitting up. "I saw ya with Alice. What did she want?" I can feel the hot air of his nostrils hitting my ear. He was leaning over his desk to whisper to not attract much attention to the conversation.
I didn't turn around, rolling my eyes before taking out my notebook, textbook, and homework. "Nothing that concerns you." Ben poked my shoulder continuously until I budged. I didn't. As a matter of fact, I moved my seat to avoid him.
This didn't deter Ben; he tended to annoy others for the convenience of getting information from them. Mr. Varner was okay with my seat being closer than expected and continued the lesson. He passed out worksheets to practice while grading work from his previous class. I went to Varner's desk before Ben could glance at my work or bother me again.
"Can I help you?" He snapped, his voice sulky and annoyed from being interrupted. I cleared my throat, which pulled his attention from what he was doing. Mr. Varner was a favorite amongst students for his gentle nature and understanding. However, he clearly had his favorites and not-so-favorites. Mr. Varner's curly and usually unkempt red hair gave him a boyish look, and his beard was just as red as his hair, always neatly trimmed, causing his brown eyes to sometimes reflect orange or red hues. He looked like the stereotypical lumberjack and liked sporting different colored flannels in class. It also didn't help that he was tall, towering everyone. All he was missing was his pick ax and a tall tree.
His small, beady eyes widen underneath the square frames he religiously wears to read. "Eleanor. My apologies. Did you need to use the restroom?" His arm reached for the wooden pass he made for the class to use when leaving. I shook my head, shifting my feet, "I was asked by Alice... Cullen - Edward's sister. To grab any assignments he may need to work on before coming back to school. He doesn't want to fall behind or miss anything." I muttered.
Mr. Varner's lips spread into a smile, showing off his bucked teeth. "Of course, you can. I've meant to hand them off to Rosealie, but she's always gone before I can." He chuckled. He gave me a stack of clipped packets with instructions for each packet.
"I honestly didn't know you and Edward were close," Mr. Varner continued, flashing another smile, this one a little bigger. I opened my mouth to shut the idea down but was stupified by what was mentioned. "I kind of thought you two would get together." He leaned back on his computer chair, nodding at himself. "Enemies to lovers. I told my wife about it." He seemed very proud of himself, "She thinks I'm trying to play cupid." He snorted at this as he continued rambling about Mrs. Varner, a nurse at Forks Hospital. I gave him a small smile that didn't reach my eyes. I didn't wish to be the one to pop his happy bubble... yet.
"No need to do that. It's not like that. Just a friend helping another friend out." I didn't know what could be worse. Having a rumor about Edward and I being romantically involved or dad hearing about it through the gossip mill. I shivered from the cold and the idea of Dad interrogating me over nothing.
Mr. Varner raised his thick eyebrow at me while fumbling with his red pen. He didn't seem to buy it, but I didn't care. I thanked him quickly, escaped to my desk, and shoved Edward's assignments under my book until I saw Alice again. I huffed, doing my best to finish the day while Ben kicked my chair for attention. It was going to be a long day.
Surprisingly, it didn't take long for school to end, and I was relieved to hand over Edward's work. Alice hadn't shown up after the class, nor did I see her while passing buildings to get to my last class. As a matter of fact, I hadn't seen any of the Cullen family members. I internally groaned at my naivety for believing she'd show up after to grab Edward's work. "I should have said no," I muttered. I was constantly worried that I had accidentally forgotten it or, worse, it was crumpled or ruined from the rain. I didn't want to seem like I was sabotaging Alice or him. Although it crossed my mind to toss it all in the trash and pretend I had forgotten, my conscience won my intrusive thoughts out.
"Helloo." I blinked, moving Angela's hand away from my face, "Did you not hear me call for you?" She asked, linking our arms together as she helped me walk down the stairs. "Sorry, kind of had a long day." I waved the packets to her as she looked confused at me. "Homework," I said, nodding to an awaiting Alice.
She noticed me first, her smile dazzling as she waved frantically at me. Angela was gaping like a fish out of water - shock plastered on her face. I unlinked my arms with her, heading to Alice to hand over her brother's work. Alice was accompanied by Rosealie. Both girls looked like Prada models, making me regret not putting much effort into my looks today.
My coconut-oiled hair slicked into a messy bun as I sported my worn-out green cargo pants and a baggy black thermal. My dad's old raincoat opened as I was in too much of a hurry to leave school and go home.
I blushed when Alice greeted me with a hug. I got a whiff of a light fragrance that made my cheap Victoria's Secret body spray lack incredibly. 'Of course, they smell good.'
I tried my best to seem unfazed by the embrace. I wasn't used to the close contact from anyone other than my family. "Is this it?" Rosalie asked, gesturing to the packets Alice had in her hands. I nodded, clearing my throat. Although I never felt intimidated by Rosalie, I sometimes had a creeping feeling that she felt inferior to me, which would rub me the wrong way and entice my witty remarks. Still, my gut told me it wasn't worth it.
"Yeah, Mr. Varner wrote down his email. In case Edward needed help with something." Rosealoe snorted; I raised an eyebrow, questioning her on what was so funny. "Edward will be good on his own." I knew she was looking for a reaction by being so.. Rude. Given any other day, she definitely would have gotten one. Still, I can spot Angela shuffling next to our car, waiting for me. "If he needs it, it's there. It never hurts to have help."
Alice nodded the only one who genuinely cared what I had to say, and pat my shoulder as if we'd been friends for ages. Any physical touch was an everyday occurrence between us. Outside, looking in gave me that feeling, if it weren't the involuntary muscle tenses my body would jerk into whenever she touched me. We could pass as long-time friends.
"Thank you, Eleanor. Also, sorry about today," She shook the packets to reference what she meant. I shrugged my shoulders, "No need to explain." Literally, I just want to go home. I faked a smile at both of them, took my leave, and headed towards the car. Angela said nothing as I unlocked the car and turned on the heater. Her eyes brightened with curiosity and unanswered questions that she was ready to bombard me.
The quiet that ensued in the car didn't last too long. Like I knew she would - Angela asked as many questions as possible. I could only answer some of them as I also didn't have an answer for them, like why Alice didn't ask Mr. Varner or why she didn't have Rosealie ask him during her class. It didn't sit well with me. All these questions were left unanswered.
"Well, it was nice of you to help her out," She picked up her bag from the floor of the car as I parked onto the driveway. "You tend to be selfish," She teased. I rolled my eyes, refusing to let her know I almost threw Edward's homework in the trash multiple times. "I am not selfish." I denied.
Angela snorted loudly, not bothering to hide how amused she felt. "I'm not!" I fumbled with my backpack, trying to catch up to her and plead my innocence. "Dad!" Ang called out. The door was unlocked, which meant Dad had arrived first. "In the kitchen!" I shoved Ang out of my way, desperate to get Dad to side with me. "Dad," I wasted no time dropping my bag on the floor while I sat on the barstools before him.
I furrowed my eyebrows, watching him clumsily try to throw away something dark from Mom's pans. "What are you doing?" I tiptoed on the step of the stool to get a better view of Dad's crime. "Nothing." Was the response Ang and I got as Dad maneuvered himself away from the now-prying eyes. "Did you try to cook?" Angela asked. She was standing in front of the kitchen entrance with a better view. I chuckled at what she said; I could see Dad's chiseled face turn red from being caught. He cleared his throat, realizing how useless it was to hide the evidence.
"I was trying to do something nice." He lifted the pan, showing us the burnt spaghetti noodles he tried to cook. Angela placed her hand over her mouth, covering up her laughter. I smiled, making my way around towards Dad. "You couldn't have waited for us to cook?" I asked. I grabbed the pan and set it into the sink. I turned on the hot water to let it soak and loosen anything stuck to the pan. I can hear Dad release a tired sigh, no doubt exhausted from work and now this.
"It's been a long day, Ellie. I've been helping with funerals. Many people have been getting attacked recently. Too many, if you ask me. They don't know what it is, but I know it's not alone. Too many for one animal to maul." He grimaced looking through some paperwork he had laid out while cooking. Giving me the idea that that may have been why the noodles burnt on the pan.
Realizing that Angela and I didn't need to know any of that, let alone indicate that we knew about it, Dad's back tensed, a sure sign he wouldn't divulge any more information about it. He started to shuffle his work into a file and placed a few books on top of it. Preventing us from snooping.
His mouth tilted into his signature grimace while his eyes hardened. His infamous dad look didn't scare us now but would have scared five-year-old Ellie and Angie. I turned off the faucet. "What?" I asked. My eyes were wide from shock, while Ang's were wide from curiosity. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on school and stay away from the woods." Dad warned us, taking it as a cue to grab his things and leave us with the kitchen.
Ang and I shared a look. We had no idea of what was going on around us. I was too stunned to think about anything besides what Dad had said. On the other hand, Angela had no problem ranting about what could have happened or if this was newsworthy for the school. I swallowed, trying to avoid having a dry mouth as the thoughts of mauled people on the ground surfaced in my mind. I shivered at the gruesome thought. I didn't have the stomach to know what was going on. Trying to distract myself, I grabbed the first water bottle I could find, tucked it into my backpack, and headed upstairs. Maybe a quick nap and some light reading would help.