Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, just my own characters.
Renesmee Cullen
I left Jacob's apartment early that morning and drove myself to school in my Toyota Camry.
I was happy that my surprise birthday evening for Jacob was a success.
He seemed genuinely happy with the gifts I bought and/or made for him. To be honest, I was afraid that he thought it would've been too much but I was glad that wasn't the case. I wanted to make him feel special on his birthday because he doesn't always do stuff like this for himself.
A birthday bonfire or game night with the guys at La Push was usually his way of spending the day so I'm glad he got out of his comfort zone and accepted to do something different this time around. I wanted him to feel special and loved.
Now that his birthday's out of the picture, I have to prepare for what he has in store for our anniversary in a week and a half.
I would be lying if I didn't say I was slightly nervous for what to expect.
I don't want to say I have expectations. I don't think I do.
But I get overwhelmingly anxious when it comes to surprises. I guess I was a lot like my mom in that way.
Although, I don't have a problem with surprises in general. So long as I have at least an idea of what to expect without being too vague or obvious then I will be fine.
It's bad enough that I know for a fact that Jacob is corroborating with my mom and Alice to plan our anniversary celebrations because I always come home to my mom and aunt talking in secret in my parents' bedroom, or talking over the phone arranging things – with Jacob I'm presuming.
I didn't like to feel left out of these discussions.
But I was also intrigued to find out what Jake has planned for the day so I don't ask any questions about it.
Leaving Jacob's place after a blissful night of just being together suddenly brought me back to reality the moment I wasn't close to Jacob anymore.
I had to face the real world now and all of its issues.
One of these issues being the elephant in the room that is finding out that Felicity knows my secret now, after many months trying to keep it hidden from her.
It has been two days since I found out that she knows that I'm a vampire.
I have been too occupied with Jacob to even think much about it. I haven't told my family about it yet but I know I should. If I stalled any longer it could do more harm than good.
It was stupid to even think Felicity wouldn't catch on to what's going on. Alex and I were always together because of this secret. Felicity has always felt left out of the loop ever since that night at prom when Charles attacked us and ultimately almost drained her of blood in the woods. The impact and the adrenaline gave her amnesia, making her forget all about that dreadful night and I thought – we thought we'd be able to keep it that way for a long time but it was wishful thinking on our part.
But the big question I wanted to know the answer to: How did she find out?
Did the memory suddenly resurface in her mind?
Or did someone tell her?
Someone like Jennifer?
Or someone like Cassia?
I sighed as I turned up the radio as I drove down the freeway as I made my journey to school. I passed by the "NO ENTRY ZONE" section across the road that I pass daily every time I take this route to school from Jacob's.
There was a bridge that no one ever took.
Apparently this bridge has been around since the assimilation of Oakland Woods in the 1700s.
The Oakland Creek Bridge.
I pass by it all the time and never saw any activity from there.
It is this elongated bridge, bordered by a grove of willow and coast live oak trees, as well as plenty more plant life congesting the old, rusty bridge. It is apparently made from the strongest Osage oak wood and bitumen asphalt and concrete tar. The bridge apparently got the name Oakland Creek because it is located above a narrowed, stream of water that made creaking noises every night. Noises that sounded like screams.
I remember reading about it somewhere in the weekly Oakland Woods newspapers. Many people have tried to explore the creek and many never returned. Not one car has been seen driving over the bridge since 1975 because it was apparently too spooky, even the officials and governments are too scared to deconstruct the bridge in fears they will never return.
It stretches so far I had no knowing where it ended to unless I drove over it.
I reached my school parking lot in ten minutes and noticed in my rearview mirror, Seth driving in from behind me.
It was nice having Seth around.
Both at school and out of school.
Seth was always one of my favorite wolves outside of Jacob growing up. His happy, go-lucky attitude was quite infectious and pleasant to be around and I loved how he treated my family as if we were his own.
His friendship with my dad was solid as a rock so we saw him more often than any other wolves –outside of Jacob of course – and because he was my step-uncle, it made our familial bond even stronger.
I knew the reason he started teaching at my school was to protect me and keep an eye on me when my parents or Jacob couldn't but it was also to stay closer to his imprint Alex.
I was happy to see two of my favorite people together. It worked out so much because I get to have Alex in my life for a long time and it was even better that Alex and I got along so well so quickly even despite our little blip last year.
I wished we got to spend more time together though. Go on double dates like normal couples do but we know that their relationship needed to be kept under wraps for a little while. At least until she graduated.
A 23 year old Geography teacher having relations with a high school girl wasn't a good look and surely wouldn't look good on anyone's résumé.
It is a good thing they won't have to worry about that in four and a half short months.
People obviously had questions about our relation to each other. The public story was that he was a family friend who moved down here with his older brothers. Students had seen Jacob, Embry and Seth before outside of work and even at some school functions and because they look similar with their distinct dark skins, imposing heights and muscular bodies, it was believable enough that they passed for siblings.
Girls at the school were certainly very interested in Seth –and still are in fact. They loved throwing themselves at him. Alex wasn't too thrilled but she can't exactly do anything about that so she just endures it.
I slipped out of my Toyota Camry to start my day.
I had a plan to confront Jennifer today about Felicity.
I needed to know if she had anything to do with Felicity finding out my secret and her knowledge about Nahuel's relationship with her.
I wouldn't say I've been actively avoiding Jennifer.
But…
I was actively avoiding Jennifer.
To be honest, she intimidated me.
I would never admit this to her of course but the girl really was intimidating to me. And not in a way that she scares me but in a way that makes me feel oddly inferior.
I shouldn't be surprised though. I don't feel inadequate in any way. I always thought I had a decent amount of self-esteem but I was definitely no vixen. Not like Jennifer.
She was absolutely drop dead gorgeous what with her shiny, lustrous blonde locks and meadow-green eyes that sparkled and smooth, delicate creamy skin like the soft beach sand sunkissed by the orange sun and strong ruddy, glossy cheekbones.
She was definitely no Rosalie but she came pretty darn close for a hybrid.
The guys all fawned over her at school. I had my fair share of admirers at school, yes, and I even have guys still shooting their shot and making passes at me daily but I was sure I held no candle to Jennifer.
I know I was blessed with good looks due to me being part immortal but also because I was the daughter of Edward and Bella Cullen. Aunt Alice often tells me I was the angel born out of two beauties.
Parts of the school knew that I was dating Jacob (or the tall, dark, handsome bodybuilder college/mechanic guy) because news traveled fast in the school and obviously most students have seen Jacob with me on days he drops me off.
Many of the guys who tried to make advances at me before, backed off as soon as they found out that I was dating a 20-something year old bodybuilder who could punch their faces in but some idiots continued their quests with me but I just tell them off –in a polite way obviously.
It was different with Jennifer.
Not only was she beautiful but she was very charismatic. I don't know if this is her ability but she definitely demands the attention of a room without even trying.
It wasn't anomalous to think anyone wouldn't fall for her. She was the complete package.
I would've been fine with her if she hadn't taken such a liking to my boyfriend Jacob. I think that makes the intimidation ever more prevalent, because of the Jake factor.
I wasn't a jealous type. At least I'd like to think I wasn't.
But Jake is mine! He was mine! I claimed him! I coined him! I got there first! He belonged to me!
So forgive me for not wanting some gorgeous girl rubbing her hands all up on my goods! I mean is it a crime to let the world know Jacob wasn't available to anyone?!
Okay…maybe I was slightly jealous.
Her afterschool job was right across from where Jake worked so they possibly see each other all the time even though Jake assures me that they hardly ever talk.
He doesn't seem to care for the attention Jennifer gives him but he knows it bothers me so I was glad to know he was smart enough to avoid her at all costs and I was glad to see his efforts in trying to get Embry to worm his way into getting Jennifer to like him.
He tells me it seemed to be working because Jennifer's attention diverted from him because Embry was too busy annoying Jennifer.
Good! Let it stay that way!
I still needed to talk to her. As much as it pained me to do so, I needed to get answers from her.
My self-esteem be damned.
It was PE period and we were assigned to run laps around the track field.
"You still gonna talk to Jennifer?" Alex asked me as we jogged together around our fourth lap.
I sighed as I stared at the students running in front of me. Jennifer's long ponytailed blonde locks were jumping as she ran with Sterling Thompkins, a basketball player who was clearly shooting his shot with her.
"I have to. I need to know if she has anything to do with Felicity finding out about us." I replied to Alex.
"If she's not evil, you'll tell me right?" Justin asked as he ran beside me in his blue tank top and grey shorts.
I darted my head to him. "Why?"
He shrugged. "I don't know…I'm thinking of asking her out." He said.
I widened my eyes.
Is he for real?
He wants to date the girl who could possibly be out to make my life a living hell?
"You must be joking, right? Please tell me you're joking!" I demanded.
He shrugged his shoulders again. "What? She's super-hot?"
I gasped and punched his bicep, causing him to laugh back at me.
I shouldn't be mad though. He had the freedom to date whoever he wanted, I didn't care, but did it have to be Jennifer?
I imagined them together, kissing in the cafeteria, whispering sweet nothings to each other where we all sat. Jennifer would be part of our inner circle.
I shuddered at the thought.
"Ow!" I heard a familiar high pitch gasp as I watched Gina Chung, the tiny girl who bumped into me yesterday fall down on her front mid-run onto the ground.
The rest of the students ran around her and the mean jocks shamelessly laughing at her.
"Real mature, Dominic!" Alex snarled.
Dominic was the leader of the jerk squad. He was Hunter Hamilton's best friend before he died and after his death, he assumed the role of Head Jock. He didn't like any of us. He thinks we had something to do with his death and intended to find out what. But he wasn't smart so his theories weren't really signs of troubles.
Alex, Justin and I halted in our run as we fixed our focus on the girl on the ground.
Justin quickly bent down to help the girl up.
"Oh! Let me help you there," Gina gasped as she felt Justin's hands on the small of her back as he hoisted her up.
Gina's eyes bulged as she looked into Justin's eyes and she let out the most embarrassing giggle-squeal ever.
"Sorry! Thanks – You're Justin Mazzola – Okay! This is happening!" She stated wordlessly.
Justin laughed nervously, cheeks burning up as he set the tiny girl up.
I stared back at Alex with a small, knowing smile and she just rolled her eyes at me.
"You okay? You had a nasty fall." He inquired.
Gina assessed her body. "Yeah, I, uh…I think I scraped my knees and palms – oh yep! I have a bruised elbow too. Just my luck! I am such a klutz."
"Will you be okay? Do you need to go to the infirmary?" Justin probed.
The cute, quirky girl stared into his eyes and snorted embarrassedly.
"Maybe – I need better hand and eye coordination." She replied. "Thanks for helping me up from my inelegant fall."
"No problem," Justin gave a twisted smile back at the girl as he set his hand on the small of her back.
This caused Gina to jump up in fright and he quickly and gracelessly removed his hand from her to dust off his hand on his shorts shamefully.
I giggled uncontrollably as I watched the exchange.
I didn't know if I should cut the tension with a knife or let it fester.
Gina turned to us and smiled. "Hi!" She said enthusiastically before clumsily walking away.
"Uh…Bye!" She waved back at Justin before maladroitly bumping into the fence instead of opening the gate.
I shook my head.
If I didn't know better, Gina seemed to either be a very awkward-prone girl who gets nervous at everything or she had a little crush on Justin.
"Okay! Um…Whatever that was –" Alex began. "Was probably the most awkward, weirdest thing I've ever had to witness?" She said to me as if she was asking a question.
I chuckled.
"Hope she's okay." Justin said, turning to us as we continued our lap.
I smirked. Oh I'm sure you do.
A whistle blow ringed into our ears.
"Take five! Take five!" Coach Flak exclaimed from the bleachers.
Everyone halted in their run.
I glanced back at Jennifer to see she had stopped to grab a bottle of water from her gym bag close to the fence.
"I'll be back." I said.
I left the brother and sister and scuttled over to Jennifer.
This should be easy.
Just put on a smile, Ness!
Don't be easily threatened. You are a strong, confident woman.
Jennifer will do nothing to you.
"Hey!" I greeted with a forced smile.
Jennifer looked back at me and gave me an equally forced smile, but it was still the most beautiful smile ever.
"Hi," She replied ineptly.
"How are you doing? You did great in the PE exam, by the way." I told her.
"We were just instructed to do five laps around the field." She said with furrowed eyebrows.
Stupid. Nessie!
I was trying to be nice, jeez!
Throw a girl a bone for extending an olive branch, woman!
"You did great in all five of those laps," I chuckled gauchely, raising my thumbs up.
She smiled in amusement. "What do you want, Nessie?"
Oh well! I guess she doesn't care much for formalities then. She was clearly not inconspicuous about her feelings for me.
Perfect. That makes things easier for me. I don't have to pretend either.
I sighed. "I wanted to talk to you about Felicity. You're her friend, right? I am sure you've noticed she's been acting weird lately."
"Yeah,"
"You haven't talked to her about it? She hasn't told you anything weird?"
"Weird like what? I'm not following," She shook her head as she took a sip of her drink.
"Felicity recently found out about us." I stated. "About vampires,"
Her eyes bulged, as she almost choked on her drink.
"What?"
I nodded. "Yep! She found out about me and told me about it two days ago. I wanted to know if you knew anything about it?"
She stared at me with confused eyes before she blinked as she laughed in realization
"You think I told her about you?"
I shrugged. "Did you?"
She snorted. "Why would I do that?"
"I don't know why you would do anything, Jennifer. I just know that my best friend – my human best friend knows about vampires and that I'm one of them. She had to have found out somehow."
"And you think I would expose you? I would never do that, for one." She quantified. "And also, I would risk exposing myself too that way so why would I do something that stupid?"
As she said it, I knew how ridiculous it was to accuse her of something like that.
"You do know Felicity is smart, right? She probably figured it out all on her own." Jennifer added.
"True. That she is." I replied to her. "Or maybe your brother has something to do with it. He is the one who irresponsibly fed on her."
Her blank expression told me that she didn't know about her own brother's shenanigans.
"Nahuel fed on Felicity? When? Why?" She demanded.
"I don't know why he would do such a thing but I do know that it was stupid and now my family's likely gonna be in an uncompromising position because now another human knows our secret in this town."
She nodded. "I'm sorry," She said.
It wasn't spiteful. She seemed to genuinely mean it. As if she was ashamed at her brother for something she did not do.
I smiled slightly.
"What does your family say?" She asked.
"I haven't told them yet. I've been meaning to tell them soon, today in fact." I answered truthfully.
I couldn't keep it in for too long. I had to tell my parents about this before the situation goes out of hand and the rest of my family is implicated. It was bad enough that we already had humans like the hunters and werewolves like Justin and Ray already in on our secret.
If The Volturi got any wind of this then my entire family will be toast.
I trusted that if Felicity told anybody, that nobody would've believed her but I can't exactly rely on that. I needed to tell my family.
"Just please, talk to her for me. She won't talk to me or Alex but she'll talk to you. Just make sure she's okay." I implored.
Jennifer nodded her head. "Of course! Of course!"
I smiled back, squelching the tiny animosity I had for her before approaching her.
One of the perverted jocks wolf whistled as he walked past us talking to each other.
"Looking good Ness and Jen! You two fine ass ladies looking for a threesome with me afterschool? You know where to find me!" He disgustingly made a call-me sign with his hands, triggering chuckles from his equally gross friends.
I gagged at him, rolling my eyes before facing the blonde again who had a familiar look of disdain and abhorrence.
"Humans are such giant tools." I whispered to Jennifer.
Jennifer smirked. "Humen are giant tools."
I giggled.
She got that right.
Now that I know Jennifer wasn't the one who told Felicity about me, I needed to figure out how she found out.
And I needed to tell my parents about it first.
This won't be good.
… …
Jennifer
I had my final shift at the restaurant today after school ended.
Yep! My last shift ever!
No! I didn't get fired.
Although it wasn't without constant trying…
I wanted to get fired. It was a lot better than quitting.
I am not a quitter. Quitting wasn't in my vocabulary.
But I haven't liked my job for the longest time. The hours were ridiculous, the service was dreadful, and the customers were rude. The pay sucked, my colleagues were appalling and my boss was horrible. I knew I needed to get outta there before I lost my mind and did something I was gonna regret.
Like I don't know…drain someone's blood out of frustration.
But I didn't wanna just quit without fighting. I tried to push for a better working experience but my boss didn't care to give me the time of day and my patients was thinning so I decided to leave my job to work somewhere better instead.
I got a job as a florist at this flower company in the industrial district. I loved flowers. I loved working with flowers. The boss lady seems really nice. I don't have the urge to drink her blood from anger and frustration so I was confident this would be a good thing.
I was possibly the only one among my siblings who had the most control when it came to blood. You would think being the youngest would make me inexperienced in controlling my urges but it's actually done the opposite. I usually fed once or twice a month and then alternate to human food for the rest of the month, unlike my brother who feeds a lot more than me.
My father, Joham found my control against human blood fascinating and peculiar. Although I enjoyed blood just like the next person, blood scared me. I got squeamish at the sight of someone bleeding. It was an irrational fear, I know, but looking at someone in pain often brought about heart ache.
That is why I always closed my eyes when I feed on a human and I never turn back to look at them when I was done. I only feed when it's absolutely necessary and not for enthrallment. My sisters made fun of me because of this but my brother on the other hand found it inspiring. He grew up seeing humans as plain food just like he viewed animals as just food, he never considered the pain they experience at the hands of a bloodthirsty vampire.
So it surprised me to hear from Nessie that Nahuel would irresponsibly feed on a human, and a friend of Nessie and I's, thus threatening to expose our secret. He seemed to be doing so well. Carlisle gave him a blood bank every two months so that he didn't feel the need to go hunting and he even dabbled in adopting the Cullen lifestyle of hunting animals.
I thought he was making progress. Especially after his episodes.
Nahuel had a very intense relationship with human blood. I would liken it to how a recovering alcoholic feels with beer. When Nahuel's emotions are controlled, he can be tamed when it comes to feeding on blood and he has a composed view on humans as well. He drinks blood in moderation.
However, when he's going through one of his OCD/Depressive phases again then all hell breaks loose and he can wreak some colossal havoc.
He was very impulsive and thoughtless sometimes. I have to always check up on him to ensure that he's okay mentally and emotionally. I was what a person is to a drug addict. I was his disabler, his kryptonite that helps him seek the help he desperately needs when he needs it.
We don't want a vampire hybrid murdering a town of innocent humans do we?
Just like the proverb says: 'The nail that sticks out gets hammered down'.
Believe me, I didn't care for humans. Heck, when I feed I often fed on people I thought to be bad people but I have a very low tolerance for pain and I know that not all humans are bad.
I was raised by humans for the first months of my life after my mother, Jennifer's, sister and her husband took me in after I killed her in childbirth. They knew I wasn't a normal newborn but they loved me unconditionally and treated me like a normal child regardless because I was part of my birth mom. It made me appreciate humans a lot more.
This obviously didn't fly with Joham and he tried to convert me into a killer. He tried to change my line of thinking, seeing feeding on humans as a form of pleasure than just a necessity. He wasn't exactly parent of the year, so I was glad when I went off on my own.
And I was even happier that he was out of our lives.
At least I hope he was.
I was standing behind the coffee maker as I talked on my phone. My boss was out and business was slow.
I was on the phone with my older sister Maysun.
"How's your sabbatical in London?" I asked.
"It has been lovely, young one." The slightly thick Algerian accent coming out of her.
Maysun is from Algeria. My sister Serena came to collect her for Joham after she was born but my father didn't fancy looking after infants so Serena took care of her for the first two years of her life in Algeria with Joham often visiting to check in on them before they traveled the world together when she was of cognizant, semi-autonomous age.
"When will I see you again? It has been far too long."
"I will be leaving London in a couple of months to travel to South America so maybe I can make a pitstop over to visit you and Nahuel." She told me.
I grinned.
How exciting!
I had a much better relationship with Maysun than I ever did with Serena. Maysun was the wisest out of all four of us. She was the mother hen if you will. She always gave us good advice and told us off when we were wrong but she was also fun and adventurous too.
"Well it'll have to be separately. I'm not living with him anymore." I told her.
"Why is that? I thought you two sorted your issues out, no?"
"We did but I don't think I'm ready to go back when he inevitably screws up again." I sighed.
"Jennifer, he is our brother. He needs you." She informed me.
Right. Nahuel was immensely co-dependent. If he didn't have someone he can talk to or be around he loses his mind. Nahuel has always been with Huilen and never left her side for over a century and a half. I think because Huilen and Nahuel hid away for so long, she coddled him and he never actually got the chance to live autonomously on his own until recent years.
Huilen went off with her new mate and he traveled the world.
"I know. I know he needs me but he should learn to appreciate me more, y'know? Sometimes I think he doesn't care that I moved here to be with him." I replied.
"Nahuel is not the most observant man, you know this little one." She chuckled. "He may be over a century and half years old but he is still a very naïve young man."
I nodded. "True. I guess you're right. I'll talk to him."
"Please take care of each other where you are. You both have been through so much, you especially and I don't want you to get hurt. Not again." She encouraged.
I felt my throat stiffen and a heavy breath escaped my mouth as she said those words. Flashbacks to my past experience came flooding into my head.
Flashbacks of him…
And what he did to me…
"Don't worry, May. I promise we'll look out for each other." I said to her.
Suddenly, I heard the glass doors open as the annoying entrance bell rang all around the steak house I would be not working at anymore. I shot my head up to see none other than Embry, the nuisance vermin who follows me around all the time in a sad attempt to philander with me.
"Oh the joy!" I half whispered, half exclaimed sarcastically. "May, I gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay. Goodbye, Jennie!"
"Bye!" I replied back before slipping my phone into my back pocket as I watched Embry approach the kiosk with a wily grin on his smug face.
He was dressed in his navy blue mechanic overalls, his nametag, his hands and large forearms covered in car grease. His russet skin was even darker due to the cascade of sweat and oil overlaying his frame. I noticed his short black hair was left messy. He clearly was working.
"Gooday, gorgeous!" He exclaimed with enthusiasm.
I shushed him. "God! You're so loud." I snarled.
He skimmed his eyes around the steakhouse and shrugged his shoulders.
"There's nobody here but me and your fellow waiters." He said, leaning onto the counter and waved to the waiters who waved at him back.
"How you doin', bro!" Doug, a college student called back to Embry.
"I'm slick, my guy!" Embry winked, clicking his tongue and pointing his fingers at the guy.
I rolled my eyes.
Oh brother!
He was so shallow.
"Oh, he's back again." I heard the whisper of Noreen, the short girl I worked with who I talked to off-duty, come from behind me with cleaning equipment. "He doesn't give up, does he?"
I gasped. "Tell me about it." I groaned. "God, he's so irritating."
"He's really cute though. Damn." She muttered back, checking him out as she walked over to clean the tables.
"Hi, Embry!" Noreen whispered suggestively.
"Hey, Noreen," He replied back huskily, biting his lip as he checked out the plump girl walk by.
I gagged.
He flirts with anything that breathes and walks!
It made me sick to my stomach.
It's weird because Jake always told me that Embry was shy and reserved when they were younger. I don't know what changed him into a douchebag.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded.
"I came to pick up my order." He said.
…I waited for his inevitable pick up line…
"…And my order is you," He added.
"And there it is! Ugh! Gross!" I gagged. "Be serious, I don't have all day."
He laughed at me. "Um…Yeah I did come over to pick up an order. I think the order was 1 Steak Divine, 1 T-Bone and Steak cutlets and 2 Spare Ribs with 5 cheeseburgers and Jumbo Large French fries,"
I checked his order and nodded my head before going to grab it.
"That will be $19.99," I said to him.
He handed me a 20 dollar bill, his fingertips touching mine, igniting a jolt of electricity that made my one knee buckle.
That was weird.
"Keep the change," He winked at me.
I rolled my eyes and snorted. "Funny guy,"
I cleared my throat, shaking my leg a bit as I placed the money in the register. Embry gripped onto his bag of food in one hand and leaned in on his elbow on the counter, coming into contact with me.
I frowned, glaring at him and taking a step back.
"Hey, I get off work in about ten minutes so I was thinking. Why don't you and I go out and grab something to drink or snack on in a few?"
I scoffed. "No, thank you. I'll pass."
"C'mon, Jennifer. Just this once. Don't you need a ride home anyway?" He probed.
Damn it.
He got me there.
Embry usually gave me a ride home in his pickup truck every day after work since we both leave around the same time.
"Shoot! Noreen's taking me home today."
Noreen conveniently heard all of this.
"Oh! Jen, I forgot to tell you that Doug and I are going to this thing after work."
Doug frowned back at the mention of his name but nodded his head after Noreen's encouragement.
"Yeah, we have a thing."
I widened my eyes.
They were setting me up! Gah! Why are they doing this? Are they trying to torture me? I thought we were all friends-ish…
I can't endure a ride with Embry again. Especially on my last day!
Embry smirked back at me. "Looks like you need a ride home."
I avoided his eyes.
"You should totally go with Embry. I mean he's already on the way. It's your last day after all."
Embry's grin fell and his face sank at the mention of this.
"What? It's your last day?"
I sighed. "As a matter of fact, yes. I-I got a job somewhere else in the industrial district."
"What's the job?"
"None of your beeswax," I replied.
He laughed. "Who says beeswax in 2015?" He mocked.
"Me!" I said confidently.
He chuckled. "That's actually really cute, I'm not gonna lie. I say it too." He replied genuinely as he shyly looked at me with his brown eyes.
I rolled my eyes. I ignored the slight burning and reddening of my glossy cheeks.
I don't know if I was blushing from embarrassment or the little adorable smirk he did that made him look so childlike and unsure of himself.
"So that's settled. We're going for ice-scream and I'm taking you home." He stated as a matter-of-factly.
I tried to speak but he beat me to it.
"I'm just gonna go to the washroom. Be out in a minute." He told me before disappearing into the men's room.
I sighed, glaring at Noreen who was grinning back at me, trying her best to stifle her giggles.
"I hate you for this! I won't ever forget it." I retorted, tossing an object at her. "You know I don't like that guy."
"You'll thank me one day." She laughed.
I very much doubt it.
… …
Alex Mazzola
Nessie dropped me off at home afterschool. I really miss my car.
Yes! Alex Mazzola had a car!
It was a hand-me-down, secondhand Toyota Prius my aunt gave to me for my 16th birthday as a gift. Sadly, I crashed and totaled it after a drunken night out partying before my seventh birthday and I've been working towards fixing it with my afterschool job money.
My parents loved to rip me apart about being 'irresponsible' every chance they got when bringing up what happened to my car. My mom more so than my dad
She often told me how useless and unreliable I was to be trusted on anything. She usually cussed and cursed me out, calling me all kinds of names that in her way is a form of 'reproach and lecturing' whilst my dad just sat there and let me take it.
But my Aunt Sandy didn't have a problem with it. Being as it was her car, I expected her to be more disappointed than anyone but she just told me that she was a teenager once and had done much worse things my age. She didn't blame me for the accident. She understood me.
I had a cool aunt.
I do miss my car though. Hopefully before I graduated, I'd have made enough money to repair the car with Jacob's help –maybe he'll help me out by letting me pay on a budget.
That's if I graduate that is…
I was never the best student. I was never going to be valedictorian and certainly was never gonna be the teacher's pet.
I never took school as seriously as say Felicity or Nessie did. I averaged a 2.3 GPA in my junior year.
Yep. It isn't great but at least I was average!
Ever since I started senior year of high school, I finally decided to take school seriously and got to studying and reading…*gags* books.
My GPA was now sitting at a 2.8-3.3 which was amazing for me.
I wasn't dumb I guess?
I also didn't cheat my way through this time.
Another plus! Yay!
I wouldn't have done it without the help of Seth for getting me through.
But senior year wasn't over yet and I was still not quite at the stage where I wanted to be.
I have been thinking a lot about going to college. My dad is encouraging me to study for a law degree like my mother or joining the FBI like he did. I wanted to study dance.
I'm not the college type. But I was very much into dancing and as a child I've always dreamt to go to a dance academy.
I've never wanted to go to Julliard or NYU or any of those posh dance schools -partially because I knew I could never get in.
I've always had my heart set on Boston Conservatory Academy of Performing Arts.
The nice thing about Boston was it was like three and a half hours away from New York which is awesome because New York is where I grew up and it's where Nessie (and Felicity) would be attending school so I could probably see them often.
(Although with all that's going on with Felicity, I would shocked if she ever wanted to see us).
But I was most excited to be going to college and living with Seth. My man. My big bloke. My wolfman.
We have been secretly dating for over a year and I couldn't be happier which is odd because happiness isn't a constant state for me.
It was by far my most mature, stable, loving, honest and somewhat pure thing in my life. I have never quite experienced anything like it before.
He was my anchor. He was my beacon. He was literally the one thing that matters most in my life. The only good thing I have in my life.
But our secret relationship has made it difficult for us to fully immerse ourselves into each other. I wanted the world to know I was with the best guy in the world.
It took me a while to open up to him but boy did the kid work hard to break down all my walls. I felt safe with him. I haven't ever felt safe with a man but Seth…Seth was a surprise.
He came into my life and threw me for a loop. He brings out the best qualities of myself and accepts the worst traits about me too. He loves me unconditionally and I feel that.
I couldn't wait to start a life with him away from the madness in the fall.
No overprotective fathers. No overbearing, horrible mothers. No government officials. No high school. No vampires. No vampire hunters. No supernatural. No barriers.
Just. Us.
"You have your go-bag fully packed yet?" Seth asked me as I talked with him over the phone as I sat staring at my iMac screen with homework in front of me.
"Not yet. Still half way through." I told him.
Seth and I each had what we called 'Runaway Go-Bags' that we would take with when we run off together to Boston when I graduate.
Yes! We were planning to run away together a couple of days after my graduation to start our life together. We won't explain anything to anyone. We will instead jump into his car and drive off into the sunset and never look back.
Our relationship has too many factors working against it.
He was five years older than me.
I was a minor when we first got together (although I am 18 in a month and a half).
He was my Geography teacher.
I had a record (not a criminal record but a record nonetheless) of being destructive as a teenager.
He was a werewolf.
I was a human.
To an outsider looking on, our relationship wouldn't seem right.
But it felt right to us.
We have been very careful to not let slip our secret relationship. Only a core trustworthy group of people knew about Seth and me. None of my family or my friends outside of Nessie knew about Seth.
My father would probably kill Seth and then kill me if he found out. My mother would finish me off. The police would probably arrest Seth for statutory rape if they found out.
It was a risky game being together but we couldn't be apart.
It was physically impossible, no matter how hard we tried.
But I will be lying if I said I didn't feel like I was putting him into too much risk.
It did feel nostalgic. I couldn't help but feel that I was repeating the same mistakes I made as an immature 14-15 year old girl.
I do have a record of being with an older man when I shouldn't.
I exhaled a heavy breath as I remembered his face.
Connor's face.
The man who almost ruined my life.
Until I met Seth who fixed up my broken existence.
There were just too many negatives to coming out to the world as a couple after high school, so we both made the decision to quietly plan our exit and start afresh a new life somewhere else together. Where nobody would care.
"I'm so excited for the future!" I expressed giddily. "I'm quaking at my boots in excitement. We could start a life together. Away from the crazy world we live in. We both need this."
"I totally agree, Alex. I will be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it myself. Boston should be fun." He replied back to me.
"You'll love it!" I giggled.
I smiled as I thought about the prospect of a free life with Seth in Boston.
"What are you doing today?" I asked.
"Well, apart from grading papers and having dinner with my sister later, I'm taking my car to the carwash right now. It needs a deep cleanse. What about you?" He asked.
"Y'know, trying to study but I'm really not." I said, clicking on the mouse. "I'm actually checking my emails to see if I got anything from Boston Conservatory."
After much encouragement from my aunt and Seth, I courageously decided to apply to Boston Conservatory at the start of the school year.
Behind my parents back.
If they found out that I was even considering going to dance school without them knowing, I don't know what they'll do to me.
My dad already has college savings for both my half-brother, Justin and I. He was paying for Justin's hurling and computer engineering degree at UC, Berkley (although Justin was hoping to get a scholarship) and my 'law degree' at UCLA.
I knew I wasn't gonna study law at UCLA although I knew I would probably be good at it. It wasn't what I wanted to do.
Justin doesn't know what he wants to do. He thinks going to college is the natural, right thing to do but he clearly isn't the college type. He isn't ready for college. He wasn't gonna be happy. I know he didn't want to do it but he wanted to make his mom happy (if not to make our dad happy).
We were both at a crossroads.
I was anxiously awaiting for the message that told me I was either in or out.
"I'm sure you'll get in. The dance video you sent to them surely made you a safe bet."
"I love your profound optimism," I smiled.
It was true. He was the yin to my yang. When I was in a rut, he always found a silver lining. He brought a lot of positivity in my life when I need it most.
"Okay! Let's bet! $50 you'll get an acceptance letter on your doorstep in the next five weeks." He told me.
Hmm. "I'll do you one better, $75 that I don't get accepted and you'll need to be my personal slave for five weeks." I told him.
"I'll take that action," He replied with a whoop. "I know I'll win."
I chuckled. "Oh, Seth!" I hummed.
I heard a clear of the throat by my door.
I gasped as I darted my head to see my aunt Sandy leaning against my door frame with her arms folded against her chest and a teasing smile on her face as her eyes fixed on me.
"Um…I gotta go! I'll call you later." I dismissed.
"Ok! Love you!" He called back.
"Me too," I whispered inaudibly, although I knew he could hear it. "Bye!"
I nervously turned to my aunt. "Way to sneak up on people, Aunt Sandy! You didn't stand there long, did you?"
My aunt chuckled. "Long enough to see you blush over a guy named Seth."
My aunt knew I was secretly dating someone, but she had no idea who it was or even what his name was. As much as I trusted my aunt with my life, I just wasn't ready to let any of my family member's in on my secret.
The less people that know the better.
As far as my parents know, I haven't dated anyone since Connor. They didn't know about my short-lived relationship with Hunter. They didn't know about my little experiment with dating girls after I dated my ex Ashley for five months in my sophomore year either.
"That's the secret boyfriend's name, isn't it?" She asked me as she sat on my bay window beside my desk.
I stared at her with a blank expression.
Do I lie?
She obviously knows.
Why would I lie about the name of my boyfriend?
She doesn't know the way he looks or how old he is.
I nodded. "Yes. It is."
She smiled. "Can't say I'm surprised you went back to guys after Ashley."
I frowned. "You don't think I'm capable of being lesbian like you?" I teased, with cocked eyebrows.
"No. I think you're definitely capable but…You're just not, if that makes any sense. You just follow where your heart takes you, no matter the gender."
I guess she was right.
I never liked putting labels but I definitely did consider myself closer to straight than anything else but I did know that love was love and if I hadn't been with Seth, I would follow that mantra of falling in love with anyone that makes you happy.
My aunt on the other hand knew exactly who she was at 12 years old. She dabbled in dating both men and women over the years, dating women in secret because of our disapproving family and dating men in public to hide her true identity. It wasn't until she came back from college that she came out to my grandfather and her brothers, my dad and uncle.
Uncle Tony knew about her secret for a long time and didn't mind it.
My father and granddad were always more traditional and they disapproved her way of life from the very beginning. My granddad was hurt and my father was disappointed. They were both staunch in their ideologies about family life. That there was meant to be a man and a woman in a relationship. Not same sexes.
This put a massive strain on my aunt and dad's relationship.
"Is Seth a boy from school?" She asked me.
I breathed heavily. "Um, yeah, you could say that. Yes he is."
She smiled and nodded. "I would love to meet this mysterious man."
I chuckled nervously and fiddled with my fingers. "Um, he's not – We're not really that serious." I lied.
Au contrar, Seth and I were really serious, so much so that I got to meet his family back in October. I loved his mother so much. She was definitely a much better mother than the one I got.
She had shown more support in my dreams and aspirations in the first hour I met her than my mother ever did my entire life. I loved his friends and family very much and I guess I got along with his uptight sister which he tells me is seldom the case with Leah and people.
"If you say so. But if you do, I'd like to check him out. Don't worry, I won't interrogate the kid or anything."
I laughed inconspicuously and began changing the subject to something else as my aunt and I talked.
"Alexandra, don't forget dinner in an hour." My father mentioned as he entered the door.
I spun around in my spin chair to look at my old man with graying hair. He looked so much like Justin it was uncanny. They could have been clones if it weren't for my brother being a few inches shorter and younger with a slightly darker skin tone than my dad due to his mother, Sofia being Hispanic.
We had a complicated family tree. Justin and I enrolled in school as twins because our birthdays were so close together.
My father's wayward, philandering, lechery past caught up to haunt him when he cheated on Justin's mom with my mom around the same time they conceived us. My father divorced Sofia, a warm, kind souled woman to marry my cold, unwelcoming, blunt and heartless mother.
I nodded. "Yes. Of course, dad." I replied with a smile. "I'm just finishing up my homework."
He nodded, turning to Aunt Sandy. "Are you joining us, Alessandra?"
"I was actually going to go out with a few friends. Maybe next time though, Ale." Sandy replied coldly.
My dad nodded his head and ended the conversation there.
"You haven't gotten any news yet from UCLA?" He asked me.
I shook my head. "Dad, UCLA only hands out college acceptance letters around March or April. I've got a few more months left."
"Just making sure. We want you to have the best education possible. I hope you're studying your butt off."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, dad, I am."
He smiled as he pressed his hand on my shoulder, massaging it lightly.
"Are you finished with your homework, child?" My cold, heartless mother demanded as she made an appearance.
I hurriedly and cumbersomely gathered my books together, feeling my heart speed up at the sight of my mother's evil glare.
"Uh – Y-Yeah – I-I'm just about done." I replied.
My mother didn't move. "Good. You can help me set up the table. I want you to focus. Schools won't just accept you like they do the rest of those preppy, plummy girls at your school. Your grades have always been abysmal, I'm shocked you even made it to your senior year –"
"C'mon, Margareta. You don't have to be –"
"What – Excuse me, Sandy?!" My mother spat at my aunt.
Sandy sighed and stared at the ground.
"You need to remember that you are not her mother okay. She needs to hear the truth! Or else she'll be a failure in life just like you. The world won't coddle her and protect her little feelings. I mean c'mon, she is the same naïve girl who thinks she can make it as a dancer. Huh! That's a laugh." My mother seethed, laughing sinisterly.
I stared at my fingers, feeling my voice cracking at the poison in her tone of voice and her words but not tearing up because these were words I heard daily.
"Life doesn't come easy, child. I hope you know that." She snarled at me.
I simply nodded my head.
"I know that," I murmured inaudibly.
"What's that?" She barked.
"I hear you, ma'am! I hear you." I replied loudly, not meeting with her venomous eyes.
She fell silent and exhaled a sigh.
I tilted my head to the side to look over at my aunt who gave me a sympathetic smile before turning narrow her eyes at my dad who stood there and watched his wife rip into me.
He did nothing.
As per usual.
My mother walked away and I could hear my aunt and father silently bickering to each other in Italian, my aunt criticizing my father on the way he handled it.
"Enough, Alessandra! Marg was right in her own unique way. Alex needs to be serious."
"And she is!" Sandy yelled.
My dad sighed. "I know." He said before turning on his heel and heading for the door. "Just get ready for dinner, Alexandra."
I nodded my head.
My dad always did this. It wasn't new to me. He knew my mother was crazy but he didn't have the balls to call her out on her BS.
I couldn't wait to be rid of this hellhole.
"Dad?" I called. He turned with a sigh. "Could you think about letting me go to the senior camping trip in 2 weeks? I really need to go. I earn extra credit if I attend."
"Will there be chaperones?" He questioned.
I nodded. "Yeah, plenty of teachers are going there and even a few parents. Aunt Sandy can always join along?"
I pleaded him with my eyes. I knew I was pushing my luck with him because my father had no backbone. He'd have to run by my mother first but hopefully he can give me this one thing without seeking her approval or advice because I know she wouldn't let me go because she was a selfish bitch who never wanted to see me happy.
My dad deliberated. "I'll talk to your uncle Anthony and think about it."
I managed to smile. That's all I needed.
"Your geography teacher, Mr. Seth Clearwater, is it? He's gonna be there right?" My dad asked.
My eyes widened.
Holy crap!
I glanced at my aunt who frowned as she connected the dots in her head as she heard the name.
I nodded my head to my dad in answer.
He hummed. "I like him."
Then my dad left.
Sandy turned to me with her arms crossed to her chest and her eyebrows cocked with her lips pursed.
"Alex!"
Oh my god!
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I also hope you like the way I've written my characters. Do you have any favorites? Do you hate any of my characters? Do you have any hopes for this story?
Pay close attention to the Oakland Creek Bridge. It will be a very crucial part of the story moving forward.
Please PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! Your reviews really inspire me to update sooner.