Chapter Twenty Two
I wasn't sure when I fell asleep, but when I woke up it was a little too bright out to be 6am. Opening my eyes bewildered I felt Edward's arms instinctively tighten around me. He's still here?
"You're finally awake?" He asked warily.
"Yeah? What do you mean finally?" I reached for my phone and saw the time was 10am. "WHAT! Why didn't you wake me up! I'm late! We're late!" I pushed against him as I attempted to get up, but his arms never moved.
"I tried to wake you up, you were dead to the world, absolutely reluctant." He sounded amused, as if replaying the memory in his head. "I knew you would be getting up in a few hours anyways."
I gave up on the reasoning, I felt well rested anyways and hadn't felt like dealing with school. "Has my dad come home?" I mumbled, sitting up as Edward finally let go of me.
"No, I checked the news and Sam is still reported as missing." He clarified for me, his hand tracing circles on my back.
"He's been out all night?" I looked at him with great concern. "I'm going to go down to the reservation, see what I can do." I looked down at my clothes, I was still wearing the warm hiking gear from the night before but it was completely wrinkled from my time in bed.
"Ara please-"
"We aren't doing this, I meant what I said. My life was happening before you came into town, and it will continue to happen if you leave without me." I felt too drowsy to articulate my exact meaning, and instead just began to dig through the closet looking for my clothes.
"I'm not leaving?" He seemed confused by my words, so as I pulled my gray long sleeve shirt out I gave him an exasperated sigh.
"Edward, don't think I'm diluting myself into thinking you'll be here forever. You don't age and I do. We might get a few good years, but that's it. You can only pretend that Carlisle is getting plastic surgery and Botox for so long before they all don't believe he's that lucky." By the time I was done with my reasoning I was also done grabbing my clothes. My hair was still straight from the previous night, but I also still had makeup crusted to my face. "All of that is besides the point. Now I'm going to get ready, it's up to you if you drive me to the reservation or I call for a ride." I didn't wait for his answer however; I had things to do and people to see.
While I washed my face I texted Leah, still no update. Once my old makeup was washed off, I opted for just mascara and a little eyeliner, maybe some chapstick too. I threw my clothes on and finished the outfit off with a thick knit beanie and then walked back to my bedroom. "I can't drive you to the reservation Ara…" Edward sounded almost disappointed he couldn't do it.
"Drive me to the police station then. Maddie is there anyways." I raised my brow as I looked at him, reaching into my closet again and pulling out a thicker flannel and my winter coat.
"Uh… yeah… okay." He left to get his car, allowing me to make myself coffee in the kitchen and pour Maddie's food for whenever she got home. It worried me that my dad had been out all night, that he may have been searching the entire Olympic Peninsula and still never found Sam. Once my coffee was poured I heard Edward pull up. I shot a quick text to Charlie that I was going to be at the station and wanted a ride to the reservation. He didn't seem ecstatic that I was skipping school, but couldn't argue with the fact that Leah needed me now. I snagged my coffee cup up, grabbed my keys, and out the door. Edward's car was already toasty warm when I climbed into it, which was surprising considering how little time it took him to turn it on and start driving.
I had never seen Edward drive this slow, he actually did the speed limit, I mean perfectly the speed limit, not a hair above or below. I knew it was because he was hesitant to let me go, down right reluctantly really. "Ara do you really have to do this?" He asked at a stoplight that we had never gotten caught at before.
"If I was missing you would want everyone searching for me? Right? That's what I'm doing. I'm doing MY part, not anyone else's." I clarified, drinking my coffee after speaking. I was still too tired for this.
"Fine. I understand… I guess." He started driving again, still the speed limit, but less tense. "Just… check in? Every hour."
"As long as I don't forget, I can at least do that for you." I nodded, finally reaching over to hold his hand that had been resting on the center console. "I just want to be treated as an equal Edward. To be trusted that if I haven't died in fifteen years that I'm not going to die in the next year."
"Nothing brings me more displeasure than the idea of you no longer being alive." He spoke like the idea of it pained him deeply.
"Well I'm particularly fond of living now, myself." I laughed as we pulled into the lot of the police station. "Okay, I'll hitch a ride home with my dad, and don't worry, I'll try to update you hourly." I snagged my bag up and popped the door open. I threw one more glance at Edward's pained expression and continued out the door.
Once I was inside I smiled and waved at the officer manning the front desk, walking without stopping as she buzzed me in. All the officers here knew the drill, if Maddie was here without my dad- I was short to follow. They let her free roam in the Bullpen. She had a bed under my dad's desk, food under Charlie's, and a basket of toys under the chief's desk. When I entered the bullpen, Maddie was snoozing under my dad's desk with a fuzzy duck chew toy under her chin. She had her vest off, it was slung over my father's chair, and her home collar was back on. That was how we let her know she was off duty, we called it 'changing of the collars' in homage to the changing of the guard. I would let her sleep, instead I walked over to Charlie's desk where he sat, oblivious to my entry, looking over files on his desk. I saw Sam's school ID photo sitting on top. I walked slowly, reading the file over his shoulder. Runaway? Why would they think he ran away? Oh… he had a fight with Leah, things were getting heated… okay… and- oh! Charlie spun around and slammed the file shut.
"Arabella! Are you reading over my shoulder?" His face did the funny thing that I remember Bella's always did, changing shade like that.
"If I say no would you believe me?" I played innocent, but at the sound of my voice Maddie was up and running at me with a dumb 'No brain cells' look on her face. "Hi Maddie girl!" I swooped down to grab her in my arms where she tackled me with kisses. "Ahh! No frenchies!" I sputtered against her unwavering love and affection. Dogs are the best. I managed to pull myself off the floor and sit in a chair, Maddie sitting next to me with her head on my thigh.
"Ara, why aren't you in school?" Charlie heaved a heavy sigh.
"Photo shoot with Gaia ran long last night, I woke up late, and I'm pretty sure she didn't go today either." I countered, raised my brow, and gave a grin. As if to prove my point my phone went off to the sound of Snapchat. It was Gaia, and she was at the fire station with her mom. "Oh would you look at that! I was right!" I stuck out my tongue and continued to pet Maddie's ears.
"Sometimes I don't know what to do with you." Charlie said, shaking his head and laughing in defeat.
"What you could do is give me a ride to the reservation…" I raised my eyebrows and gave a sly smile.
"No, I'd sooner give you a ride to school to finish the day."
"Charlie I have straight A's. One day of school is not going to break me. It's a Tuesday." I crossed my arms and huffed lightly. "Besides, all my major academics are in the morning. All you'll be doing is sentencing me to Gym and Lunch by the time we get there."
"Don't you like Gym?" He said with a sigh.
"Not really. I'd prefer to get my physical credit elsewhere, like hiking or surfing." I shrugged like it was nothing, then began to sip on my coffee again.
"Yeah… do me a favor and just stay out of the woods for a while."
"Why?"
"We've got a lot of search parties out there for Sam, I don't want you finding something you can't handle."
"Charlie. I'm not Bella, I know how to handle things."
"Ara I didn't mean it like that…"
"It's fine. But can you drive me to the reservation? I'll bring Maddie even. Please, Leah and Sam are my friends too." I tried reasoning with him, anything, I just had to get down to the reservation, something was pulling me there.
Finally, Charlie caved, and I sat in the police cruiser with Maddie. She wasn't allowed to wear her work vest when I had her leash, but she still seemed to be alert and aware while sitting in that cruiser. Once we arrived at Billy's house, I leashes Maddie and jumped out of the back of the cruiser. "Ara!?" I heard Jake's voice yell from inside the house. In a few bounds he was out the door and up to me, pulling me into a massive hug.
"Hey Jake!" I laughed as he backed up and gave Maddie the obligatory head pats. "I heard about Sam."
"Yeah, Rachael and Rebecca are really worried. They are inside with Leah." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and began to lead me inside.
"Where's my dad?"
"At the Clearwater's talking to Harry." He pushed the door open and I was met with the warm scene in the relatively small living room. Billy sat at the kitchen table where he and Jake had obviously been playing cards, Rachael sat braiding Rebecca's hair, and Leah flipped through the channels absentmindedly, as if she wasn't really there. When Leah looked up and saw me enter, she was up in a flash and running to me, pulling me into her arms with tears streaming down her face.
"Shhh… shhh. It's okay." I whispered as I rubbed her back.
"We searched for him for so long, we had to call the state police, we weren't sure if he was even still on the reservation." She wept, shaking her head in disbelief. "What if he's dead!? What if the last thing I said to him I said in hate!?" She wept harder, clinging to me as she cried.
I'm not sure when I got Leah to calm down, but now she laid on the couch with her head in Rachael's lap and her legs thrown over Rebecca's. Jake was cooking burgers in the kitchen, Billy and Charlie had found themselves drinking beers at the table and began to discuss where Sam might have gotten off to. Maddie, who had been previously laying on the floor at my feet, was begging to go out to potty. I sighed and snagged my phone and my coat as well as her leash. I got up, let Billy know I was taking Maddie out to go potty, and then headed out the door dialing Edward's number.
"Hello?" He answered at barely half a ring.
"Hey Lightning McQueen." I laughed as I looped Maddie's leash around my hand.
"Are you okay?" He brushed off my joke, probably not getting my reference. I would have to show him those films later.
"Yes." I spoke exhaustedly.
"You're sure?"
"Other than cold because Maddie is taking forever, yeah I'm sure. Hour seven complete." I had been texting him up to this point, and promised a check in call soon. "My dad was over earlier, he promised to be back in an hour, just had to stop and check in at the Uley's and let them know the search parties are still out there but they haven't found him yet." I felt so defeated that I couldn't be out there looking for Sam.
"You've been over there for so long. When are you going home?" His voice sounded layered with double meaning.
"I'm probably going to be here until nine or so. It's Seven now right?"
"Yeah…"
"Okay, so. If you promise to not be completely overbearing and full on helicopter mom me, I'll leave my window open." I countered, I felt so sly when I offered him this deal, and more sly when he seemed hesitant.
"Ara I-"
"No no. Deal or no deal. Either find something to occupy your mind for two or three more hours, or the rest of the night."
"Fine… deal." He sounded so reluctant, but I knew he couldn't resist.
"Okay. I got to go, I'm about to freeze to death out here, I'll text you when I'm on my way home." I smiled into my words, knowing he couldn't refuse if he wanted to watch me sleep. We hung up, and I looked expectantly at Maddie's seemingly unbothered face. "Are you gonna go? I'm freezing here." Apparently all she required was a little reasoning because she squatted down without hesitating and did her business.
I got back inside of the warm household and unleashed Maddie, then dove back onto the loveseat shivering. Leah was asleep, as was Rachael, and Jacob was pulling the burgers from the pan and dropping them onto a plate. "Grubs up!" He called as he slid the last one on. Both Leah and Rachael stirred at the sound, but it took Rebecca waking both of them up in order for them to officially rise from the couch to get food. We all gathered in the kitchen, building our burgers in the big mass of chaos, just as soon as I was done and Jake and I squeezed out the door and crashed back on the loveseat, my father entered the door. "Hey Derek!" Jake called. "Burgers in the kitchen! Charlie and Dad are set up on the kitchen table if you wanna eat with them."
My dad walked over to me without missing a beat and just hugged me, sighing deeply. "Never do something like this to me." I had to hold my plate awkwardly off to the side while I nodded and rubbed his back. "I mean it, Arabella."
"I know dad." He finally let go of me, heading for the kitchen where the girls were filing back out. They each crashed onto the sofa with their plates in hand, drinks all crowding the coffee table, and we began to silently eat.
Once the burgers were downed and the drinks along with, we all began to watch a random movie, none of us really paying attention. Leah was cuddled under a blanket with Rachael and Rebecca, all three texting on their phones. Jake was leaning hard against me, falling asleep, white I sat with my knees to my chest and Jake's back on my shins. I sat on my phone texting Gi all the news I could. I curled forward, laying my head on top of my knees, I could smell Jake's hair faintly, and it smelled like pine and lavender smoke.
I'm not sure when I fell asleep, but I did, and I woke up to my dad jostling my shoulder. "Come on honey, we're going home." He helped me up, as my legs had fallen asleep due to Jacob using me as a back rest. Jake, however, did not wake up when my support left him, he just crashed to the cousins below and curled into himself. "That boy could sleep through an earthquake." My dad laughed, shaking his head, and grabbing Maddie's leash.
Once we were in the car Maddie laid down in the backseat, ready to go home, and I sat in the front seat, wishing it was a reclining seat. "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"
"The only way you aren't going to school tomorrow is if you find Sam yourself. You can have the whole week off then." My dad pulled around the bend and began the drive back to Forks.
"Challenge accepted."
"No. I don't think I challenged you."
"No, I think you did." I raised my eyebrow, smiling devilishly.
"You will be the death of me." He laughed, flipping the brights on and turning up his car radio just enough to drown the silence.
Once we were finally home, Maddie eagerly jumped out of the car and ran to the doorway, and once I let her in she made an immediate B line for her dog bed, jumping into the cozy den and nestling down. "Awe. Maddie missed the house." I stuck my bottom lip out and turned to my dad. "You sir, go upstairs and shower and sleep for the rest of the night." I said after taking in exactly how exhausted he was. The toll a missing kid, especially one you know and are friends with the family of, weighed heavy on my father's shoulders.
"Yes ma'am." He marched himself up the stairs, and I heard him turn on the shower.
Maddie, looking reluctant to get up, walked over and pawed at me. She needed to be let out again. I complied, walking over to open the back door, grabbing her tie out as well as my flashlight to scan the trees for the reflective eyes of predators. Once she was hooked up I did one quick scan of the trees before giving her the command to go ahead. While she pranced around in the snow searching for a scent trigger buried deep beneath the drifts, I kept my flashlight on a swing motion. Right, left, right, left, right- what was that? My heart stopped as I slid the beam of my flashlight backwards again to see the reflective orbs. Too high to be a wolf. They moved slightly. Too high to be a bear. They moved again, and I heard a huff this time too. Too high to be a bear on its hind legs moving in such a fashion. Maddie began to growl, and I heard a deep guttural growl from the owner of the orbs. "Maddie! Inside!" I commanded, she backed to the door, I shoved her in my with my foot, unhooking her and never moving my eyes from the ones glowing back at me from the tree line.
It stepped forward, I shoved Maddie in the door and began to back in myself, my bare foot slipping on a patch of ice I wasn't aware of. The creature stepped forward, now out of the shadows of the trees, and was bathed in the light of my back security light.
Definitely not a bear.