The Grey Wolf [TWILIGHT/LEGACIES]

21

Mid-January came sooner than everybody expected to. With their jobs and Hope's research about the immortality spell, time had literally flown by.

Early in the morning on the day of Landon and Raphael's graduation ceremony, Renesmee and Hope, dressed in their best clothes, were in Alaric Saltzman's car. He was going to drive them to the school, where the ceremony would be held.

Throughout the entire car ride, Hope was a nervous wreck. She was about to see Landon again, and she didn't know what to expect. What if the feelings returned? She wanted to move on.

Renesmee said nothing either, listening to her music on her beat-up iPod. She had begun to save for a new one with the money from the crummy job she had.

Alaric was trying to make small talks with the young women, but neither of them was in the mood for any of that. They weren't trying to be rude. They simply had nothing to tell him.

Both of them were worried about the same thing, they just didn't realise that. Perhaps if they did, it would all be different?

Hope let out yet another sigh. She regretted not having brought the mini painting kit she used to carry around whenever she felt inspired. Had she brought it, she could have focused on a painting. She was attempting to expand herself as an artist, to make herself known around New Orleans.

When the car stopped in front of the school, Memories from the times she had been a student there immediately hit Hope. She would never forget her very first day, especially when she had been introduced to the Saltzman twins. Josie had quickly accepted her and had introduced her to other children. Lizzie to this day would claim she had always tried to be Hope's friend from the very get-go, but Hope herself did not remember such a thing.

And then memories from whenever Hayley Marshall-Kenner would come to visit her daughter. Everybody remembered Hayley. Josie would always say how pretty she was, wanting to be like her when she grew older.

Hope gulped before slowly exiting the car, careful not to wrinkle her dress. Renesmee followed her in awe. So that was the majestic Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and the Gifted? It was even more beautiful than she had imagined it to be.

The school had been once one of the Salvatore brothers' residence. Only one of them had remained alive, unfortunately. And his own child, Stefanie, was a student at the school. In fact, the nine-year-old was part of the welcome committee of the school.

"Hope!" the children from the committee squealed and rushed to give her hugs. Having remembered her, they had grown to miss her. Hope had been one student they could go to whenever they sought comfort. It was difficult being a young child and being away from their families. Luckily, however, the older students sought to provide a calm environment and to help the youngest students adapt easier to the school.

Hope had missed the youngest students. She remembered how she had taught most of them how to pick their clothes and how to fold them. Most of these children would begin attending school at the tender age of five, lacking any abilities to adapt themselves. The parents relied too much on the teachers to help, barely doing anything at home, and it was then the older students' care to help the younger ones.

The tribrid embraced each and every child before introducing them to Renesmee, who greeted them with her signature big smile and a wave of her hand.

The children greeted the guest warmly before rushing to their parents who had come to watch the graduation ceremony.

"This is a beautiful school!", Renesmee complimented. Alaric nodded with a small smile before going to look for Caroline. Josie and Lizzie's mother had promised to attend the ceremony and that was making the twins fret. That was why they were not ready to come downstairs yet.