It was no shock to him that the next few days consisted of underhanded comments and worried glances. He, as unintentionally as it was, had brought attention to his family, even though none of the other humans present remembered Edward being at the sight of the car crash. No, instead, all of their attention was on the poor damsel in distress, the newest girl at Forks who hated attention but seemed to find it no matter where she went. He kept a close eye on her and her new friends, silently daring her to step out of line, but she seemed to keep her word, lying somewhat easily to those who asked about the accident, leaving Edward and any other Cullen members out of her story.
As much as it irked him that she was keeping her head down, he did silently rejoice in her discomfort at the attention, stumbling over words and being even more clumsy than usual.
His family was walking on eggshells now, dutifully attending school but lying low. They didn't raise their hand in class, only speaking when called upon, staying clear of congregating groups bigger than four but mindful to not slink into the shadows. Present, but not extraordinary, fighting against their base ability to be the most beautiful and captivating thing in the room. Their lunch table was quiet, Lettie keeping her promise and staying near Bella just in case.
Lettie only tipped over a carton of milk once, splashing it all over the lap of a yammering Mike Newton, but it seemed enough of a warning for Bella Swan, who was letting him drone on about how creepy the Cullen family was. Edward didn't falter as Bella Swan's eyes met his across the room, incorrectly assumed fear causing them to widen. Her face flushed and she hid behind her hair, hastily moving out of Mike Newton's way as he stumbled out of the room with an unfortunate-looking stain on his pants.
"She's still too suspicious," Rosalie commented nearly a week after the accident, sneakily pushing a piece of fruit across her lunch tray until it was concealed under her napkin.
Alice and Jasper were in the auditorium that day, working with the Theater teacher on the newest designs for the Spring play, leaving a painfully awkward gap between the squabbling siblings. Lettie was still sitting with Jessica Stanley and Co, eyes trained faithfully on Bella Swan despite her head tilting towards Lauren Mallory, listening to the newest gossip from that weekend's party. Edward snorted silently as Lettie's jaw dropped upon the reveal that Lauren Mallory was caught with Whitney Ward's latest boy toy, her words, explaining her absence at the table, and from school that day.
"Are you even listening to me?" Edward tore his attention away from Lettie, settling instead on Rosalie's glare.
"Yes, Rosalie," he agreed half heartedly, rolling his eyes. "I've been listening. For the last six days. I listened over the weekend, I listened every lunch period, every class. Every. Single. Day. I got it, I screwed up. So just, lay off."
"Lay-..." If it was possible, he knew her face would have been beet red in anger. Not even Emmett's soothing hand on her back was enough to calm her down. You arrogant, selfish- "I wouldn't have to do all of this if you even cared about the family-"
"I care about the family-!"
"If you did, you wouldn't have pulled that stupid stunt, and you would have let the human get crushed-"
Across the room, Jessica Stanley let out a yelp as she seemingly tripped over a fallen slice of pizza, sending her careening into the table, her lunch scattering to hit every single person in front of her, including one Lauren Mallory. She was on her feet in an instant, screaming and trying to get remnants of macaroni out of her hair. He barely had a chance to watch the chaos unfold before Lettie was back at their table, a worried expression on her face.
"We must go."
"Wicked," Emmett snickered, easily following her without a second thought. Edward and Rosalie stumbled to their feet, as much as they could as graceful vampires, and hurried after them. The commotion in the cafeteria quieted as they hurried down the abandoned corridor, the door swinging closed behind them. "That was awesome. How did you know she'd catch so much air?"
"It was an…unfortunate accident." She spared a mischievous glance towards Emmett. "Though, I cannot say I was displeased by the results."
"Hell yeah." They high-fived with practiced ease. Edward couldn't help the fond smile from twitching across his face.
"And why was that necessary? I didn't think you cared enough about Whitney to avenge her," Rosalie huffed, stepping to walk beside Lettie. Her hand, unconsciously, reached out to adjust a lock of Lettie's hair, before letting her speak.
"Miss Swan was very attentive to your conversation," Lettie admitted timidly. Rosalie's hand froze, as did her feet, coming to a complete still in the middle of the lunch room. Edward froze as well. There was no way Bella Swan would have been able to hear their conversation from where she was sitting, but it was true they were getting loud, probably louder than they should have.
Especially when the conversation was about letting a fellow classmate die.
"Did she hear anything?" Rosalie demanded. Lettie instantly shook her head.
"Her expression did not falter, nor did it reveal disgust or delight. I can only assume that she is without information of your conversation."
"Good, good," Rosalie mumbled to herself, mind whirling, mentally beating herself up for letting her emotions take over so publicly. Despite the twinge of guilt he felt, Edward kept his expression neutral. He knew he didn't help, didn't reassure Rosalie when doing so would have calmed her down, but she had done nothing but berate him for the last week, telling him what happened as if he wasn't there, as if she wouldn't have done the same thing if it was Emmett who was in danger.
Emmett placed a comforting hand on Rosalie's back, letting his fingers gently tangle in her hair.
"I think we should head home," he said softly, coaxing Rosalie closer to him. He didn't falter, even as all three of them looked at him with confused expressions. "I think you need to hunt, babe. It'll help."
The visible relaxation of her body was only something Emmett could ever achieve.
"I'll go tell the office you weren't feeling well," Edward offered, an olive branch.
"Yeah. Thanks." Rosalie spared a glance at the ghost beside her.
"Fret not. We shall remain cautious for the rest of the afternoon," Lettie reassured. Edward caught the twitch in her hand, the reflex to comfort, before she tangled it into her dress, offering a smile instead. Rosalie looked at Lettie for a long moment before turning to Edward, eyes lowering to a glare.
"Don't be bullheaded and listen to her." Edward's eyes widened. Rosalie, taking Lettie's side? When he didn't rebut, Rosalie easily slipped herself under Emmett's arm, taking the lead once again. They walked out the doors without a backward glance.
If any humans had overheard their conversation at lunch, they were too distracted by the food fumble to have spared it a second thought. And, as much as he valued Lettie's input, his anger with Rosalie far outweighed his logic. Bella Swan tried two more times in Biology to get him to talk, lamely attempting to segway from their lab to personal questions he wouldn't have even answered for the humans he did like. He was relieved when their lab required them to change partners halfway through the lessons, easily claiming the seat beside Nicolas Langhari, a human he shared classes with last year who cared too much about his afterschool club to care he was talking to an infamous Cullen.
She tried to talk again to him the following day, then the next, each day the smallest tinge of irritation was added to her voice. Edward reveled in it. By the end of the week, he was all but ready to sprint out the doors of the school, bask in the promised sunny weekend, and have a break from nosy Bella Swan.
"I've never met such an irritating human before," he sighed, running a hand down his face. Lettie laughed, relaxing into the passenger's seat.
It was rare for the Cullens to be separated at lunchtime, but Alice was called to the Theater to help again, pulling Jasper along with her, which meant that it was going to be just the four of them at lunch, and Edward wasn't quite ready to let things lay with his sister just yet. Instead, they fled to the family car, lounging with the soft radio. It was blood typing day in biology as well, so their relaxation was going to extend well beyond the usual 45 minutes of lunchtime.
"She is a very curious creature," Lettie remarked. Edward gave a half-hearted wheeze, rolling his head to look at his companion. She allowed herself to relax fully, curling up against the seat, partially reclined thanks to Edward's intervention. He found himself reaching out without a second thought, tapping her chin with his knuckle.
"I think you're enjoying this a little too much." Lettie shook her head but didn't hide her smile.
"It is so rare to see you parley with another outside of your home. Though I do apologize for the trouble she has caused for you and your family."
"Our family has dealt with plenty of nosy humans before," he reassured, letting a finger trace a lock of her hair. "Bella Swan is nothing more than another human who's taken more than a little interest in us." He shrugged, readjusting so he could cross his arms. "She'll eventually lose interest. Until then, all we can do is lay low and not give her a reason to renew interest."
"I do apologize," she said softly. Edward looked at her and raised a brow. "Had you not interfered when I acted so foolishly-"
"Woah, hey, none of that." Not interfered? The thought of letting that car hit her, even though she would have been completely fine…his chest constricted painfully. "I chose to act the way I did, just like you did. Your actions prevented a student from dying. And if she survived the crash, there's no telling what her blood could have done to our self-control. As much as I dislike the outcome, you stepping in to stop that car most likely prevented a massacre. You, Lettie. So, no more apologies." He squeezed her arm. "You saved us. Again."
"I hardly-"
"You can argue as much as you like, but it won't change my mind." He turned his body forward again, closing his eyes and relaxing against the seat. Resolute. After a moment of silence, Lettie let out a laugh, playfully tapping him with her finger. He still refused to open his eyes, content to let her stew.
"One day I will have the power to argue against your strong-headed nature," she said, this time poking him in his side, a lame attempt at tickling him. He bit his tongue.
"You will-"
"Ugh! I just can't stand her!" Edward opened his eyes quickly, looking into Lettie's wide ones before turning his head. Just before them, Jessica Stanley was walking, practically stomping, towards her car, a little blue Volkswagen Beetle that earned her hours of admiration the first time she drove it to school. Angela Weber, one of the only humans Edward tolerated, trailed behind her.
"I think she's still just overwhelmed from the accident," Angela consoled, thoughts sincere.
"As if. That was, what, a month ago? She can get over it."
"It's been a week-" Jessica Stanley forcefully yanked the handle of her trunk, rattling the car, scoffing loud enough to cut Angela off.
"Exactly!" Angela sighed but still helped sort through the boxes in the back, successfully pulling a jacket from deep within. Jessica Stanley at least had the good manners to thank her. "The only thing keeping me together right now is the fact that the Cullen family seems to hate her."
"I'm sure they don't hate her-," Angela tried to argue, but her counterpart wasn't listening, shedding her food-covered jacket for the new one.
"I mean, did you see the way Edward glares at her in class? You'd think she killed his cat or something." Jessica Stanley paused abruptly, looking at Angela with a slack jaw. "Oh my god, do you think she actually killed his cat?"
"I sincerely doubt it."
"Either way, Bella Swan is just like the rest of us when it comes to the Cullens, maybe even less."
"Teddy?" Edward jolted, surprised at Lettie's sudden voice. When he turned to look at her, she was squinting her eyes, trying to look at something past the windshield. "Are those not your human acquaintances?"
Stumbling along the pathway in front of them, was, in fact, his human acquaintances. Beth Daws, his seat neighbor in English, and Nicolas Langhari were waddling under the covered walkway, Nicolas looking worse for wear, nearly green as his feet dragged behind him. Beth was practically buckling under his weight, but still managed to tug him along.
"He appears ill." Lettie's worried tone had him out of his seat before he knew it, stalking toward them. He ignored Jessica Stanley and Angela as he passed by, pretending he had no idea they were there. Lettie hurried behind him.
"Beth?" he called, trying to make his steps sound heavier. Beth perked up, but Nicolas's arm prevented her from turning her head more than a few inches. It wasn't until he was practically beside her that she realized who called her name.
"Edward!" She sounded relieved, an emotion he found himself unaccustomed to hearing from a human.
"Is he alright?" he asked, not waiting for an answer as he took Nicolas's arm, supporting most of his weight. Beth took a deep breath, finally able to do so without something weighing her down.
"I was coming back from the bathroom when I saw him outside of Biology. He's just been groaning since."
"It's blood typing today."
"Oh, poor guy." They walked a few more feet, passing a door back into the building. Edward looked at Beth, sweating beading down her face, and he winced sympathetically.
"You can head back to class if you want, I got him from here."
"Are you sure?" Edward gave her a quick nod, shifting his weight as humanly as possible to try and appear that lifting this human was difficult. "Thanks. I hope he's okay."
"It'll wear off in a moment, but I'm sure he'll be happy to hear you're worried about him." Beth flushed a bright red, sputtering, waving an angry hand at him. Edward sent her a mischievous smile before hurrying down the hall.
"A jest, Teddy?" Lettie said in disbelief, laughing despite herself.
"What? I thought you said you wanted to see me talk to more people outside of my family?" Lettie sent him a playful glare.
The Forks High nurse's office was only a medical clinic in name - in reality, it was a brightly lit room with two cheap cots and an even older cabinet that held nothing stronger than over the counter pain reliever. Nurse Hammond, a young red-headed woman no older than Esme (if she was still human), was scribbling away furiously at her small desk, though from her thoughts, Edward knew it was nothing for the school.
"Nurse Hammond," Edward called as they pushed through the door. She practically leapt out of her seat in surprise.
" !" she shouted, rushing over. Edward quickly sidestepped when her hands got too close.
"He fainted in Biology. Blood typing day."
"There's always one," she attempted to joke, trying once more to get her hands near him. When Edward sidestepped her once more, she relented, gesturing to one of the cots. "Why don't you lay him down here? He just needs a little rest, at least until the nausea passes."
Nicolas let out a groan as Edward dropped him onto the bed, almost immediately rolling over to puke over the side. Nurse Hammond gagged, using the neck of her shirt to cover her nose. When she didn't make a move to help him, Edward pulled the nearest trash can closer, barely managing to get it under him before Nicolas vomited again.
Sorry, Dad. I'll never be a Doctor, Nicolas's mind moaned, heaving again. Edward patted his back once in comfort.
"Oh, yes, thank you," Nurse Hammond muttered, giving the floor a disgusted look. "Did you…need help with anything?"'
"Just here to drop him off," Edward said, backing away. "I'm going to head back now."
"Are you sure? You're doing so well-"
"I don't want to miss the rest of class," he lied easily, taking another step towards the door.
"Teddy," Lettie whispered quickly, voice worried, "Behind-"
But his hand was already on the doorknob.
Maybe I could risk putting my hand a little lower, Mike Newton's annoying voice broke through Nurse Hammond's leering thoughts, though it wasn't as if he was any better. No! Don't break her trust. But, I mean, if she happens to fall again…
Edward braced himself just moments before the door opened, letting his arm go lax, despite how tempting it was to create a barricade. Lettie mimed a look of shock for him to mimic.
"Another one?" Nurse Hammond called, barely suppressing a gag as she threw a dirty towel on top of the floor vomit. Edward could feel Bella Swan's stare boring into the side of his head. He forced his eyes to remain on Mike Newton, who squirmed as soon as he noticed.
"Cullen? What are you-?"
"Help her to the bed, won't you dear?" Nurse Hammond called out, but when Mike Newton moved, she tutted. "You can return to class, . will take things from here."
"But-" He barely got a word out before Nurse Hammond tutted again. He looked like a kicked puppy, but his doe eyes turned annoyed as he looked at Edward.
"I'm fine, seriously," Bella Swan tried to protest, but Mike Newton was already handing her over, causing her to trip over her own feet, stumbling right into Edward. He pushed her away quickly, not even trying to pretend to care. Lettie sighed.
"Take care of her," Newton tried to threaten. Nicolas's wheeze was the only goodbye he got.
"Seriously, I'm fine," she tried to protest again.
Lettie gestured to the nearby cot, though she looked just as pleased as he felt. By her disapproving look, he knew she wasn't pleased with the force he used to get Bella Swan to the bed, but he was all too ready for the day to be over. If there wasn't a violent vampire after his family, he probably would have fled back to the house as soon as he could. Bella Swan stumbled again, knocking her knee against the cot post, practically face-planting into the bed. Though he didn't do anything to cause her to fall, he didn't prevent it either, letting go as soon as he could.
"I have to get back to class," he said quickly, turning on his heel. Bella Swan, the paragon of invading his privacy, reached out to catch his sleeve. He could tell her fingers stung from the force he used to pull away, bright red and pulsing, but she refused to let it show on her face.
"Why are you helping me?" He rolled his eyes. "Why did you help me? You hate me."
"Thank your guardian angel," he said with a bite, though his eyes were teasing as they rested on Lettie. She gave him a playful glare in return.
"My guardian angel?" But he was already moving away, ignoring Nurse Hammond's watchful eyes as he stalked through the door without another word, Lettie on his heels.
Carlisle wasn't too pleased that night to hear there was more drama involving Edward at school, but he made a good show of understanding it wasn't completely his fault. The rumor mill was having a field day with the last week of Bella Swan drama, fueled by Edward's unknown hatred, and then his seemingly kind heart helping her in the nurse's office despite his dislike. Having the Chief's daughter be the center of his drama was also not a good look for the family, but Charlie was a good man, giving Carlisle a call to assure there was no bad blood between them, even if their kids were fighting. However, there was a positive to the awkward phone call.
"The Coroner says it's more human than mountain lion, but I don't believe it. Could you do me a favor and come down to the station to give him a look over? He's…he was my friend. It'd settle my mind to have a second opinion." He let out an awkward cough. "Especially from a man of your standing."
"Of course, Charlie, whatever you need," Carlisle easily agreed, bidding a quick farewell and a promise to head over to the station as soon as possible.
"You don't think…" Edward started, but he didn't need to be a mind reader to know what Carlisle's grave expression meant. The table, each family member sitting in their designated seat, tensed. Jasper shifted in his seat, moving closer to Alice, who looked even paler than usual.
"I feared they may escalate," Carlisle sighed, "but this is too close for comfort."
"And the other attacks?" Rosalie asked. Carlisle shook his head, dropping a quick kiss to Esme's crown, before grabbing his coat from the back of his chair. He had only just gotten home.
"I won't know until I get to the coroner's office." He patted his pockets for his keys, a wholly human move he'd gotten in the habit of doing despite his perfect memory knowing that they were still in his front pocket. Edward suspected he did it only to keep his hands busy. "I'll try and persuade him to let me read the reports from the previous attacks, but with hunting season at its peak, I don't have high hopes for details."
"If it is not a burden," the table shifted easily to look at Lettie, who kept her eyes on Carlisle, despite the clench in her hands, "there are many uses to my ability to pass through barriers. Should the documents be nearby, it would be no trouble to view their contents without drawing suspicion."
"Thank you, Lettie," Carlisle said after a beat. "I would appreciate the help."
"I'm going too," Jasper said, surprising the table. "If it is the nomads, I'll be able to smell it on the body."
"I'll go too-" Emmett started, but Carlisle raised a hand.
TW: minor description of vomiting
"We cannot draw suspicion to ourselves."
"And we need you here," Jasper cut in, almost instantly soothing Emmett's annoyance. "You know what the nomads smell like just as well as I do. You'll know if they're nearby."
"Very well." Jasper and Lettie rose, the latter giving Edward's shoulder a squeeze as her necklace was handed off. "Everyone else, please remain vigilant."
By the time they returned, he had practically worn a hole in the floor from his pacing, jumping out of his skin at every twitch of Emmett's nose. Their reunion wasn't a happy affair. Carlisle pulled Esme close, pressing his lips to her head. Jasper stormed past them, a ceramic vase facing his wrath as he swept it from the table. Lettie gave him a sad look, practically falling into his arms.
Edward knew, at that moment, that things were only going to get worse.