Twilight OC Rewrite

Chapter Six: Scary Stories

As we sat in our room, trying to concentrate on the third act of Macbeth, I was really listening for our truck. Bella told me that Alice Cullen would be bringing it home. I would have thought, even over the pounding rain, I could have heard the engine's roar. But when I went to peek out the curtains — again — it was suddenly there.

Neither of us were looking forward to Friday, and it more than lived up to my non-expectations. Of course there were fainting comments. Jessica especially seemed to get a kick out of that story. Luckily Mike had kept his mouth shut, and no one seemed to know about the boys' involvement.

"So what did Edward Cullen want yesterday?" Jessica asked Bella during Trig.

"I don't know," Bella answered. "He never really got to the point."

"You looked kind of mad," she fished.

"Did I?" Bella's expression remained blank.

"You know, I've never seen him sit with anyone but his family before. That was weird." She turned to me. "Speaking of which, what was going on with the Hale cousin?"

"I really don't know, but I didn't like it," I huffed.

Jessica seemed annoyed; she flipped her dark curls impatiently — I guessed she'd been hoping to hear something that would make a good story for her to pass on.

When we walked into the cafeteria with Jessica and Mike, Bella and I both looked at their table, where Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper sat talking, heads close together. And I couldn't stop the gloom that engulfed me as I realized I didn't know how long I would have to wait before I saw him again.

At my usual table, everyone was full of our plans for the next day. Mike was animated again, putting a great deal of trust in the local weatherman who promised sun tomorrow.

Bella intercepted a few unfriendly glances from Lauren during lunch, which I didn't understand until we were all walking out of the room together. I was right behind her, just a foot from her slick, silver-blonde hair, and she was evidently unaware of that. "...don't know why Bella" — she sneered my sister's name — "doesn't just sit with the Cullens from now on." I heard her muttering to Mike. I'd never noticed what an unpleasant, nasally voice she had, and I was surprised by the malice in it. We really didn't know her well at all, certainly not well enough for her to dislike Bella — or so I'd thought.

"She's my friend; she sits with us," Mike whispered back loyally, but also a bit territorially. I paused to let Jess and Angela pass me. I didn't want to hear any more.

That night at dinner, Dad seemed enthusiastic about our trip to La Push in the morning. I think he felt guilty for leaving us home alone on the weekends, but he'd spent too many years building his habits to break them now. Of course he knew the names of all the kids going, and their parents, and their great-grandparents, too, probably. He seemed to approve. I wondered if he would approve of Bella's plan to ride to Seattle with Edward Cullen. Not that I was going to tell him.

"Dad, do you know a place called Goat Rocks or something like that? I think it's south of Mount Rainier," I asked casually.

"Yeah — why?"

I shrugged. "Some kids were talking about camping there."

"It's not a very good place for camping." He sounded surprised. "Too many bears. Most people go during the hunting season."

"Oh," I murmured. "Maybe I got the name wrong." Bella and I shot each other a knowing look over our food. We'd have to get some answers for that.

I meant to sleep in, but an unusual brightness woke me. I opened my eyes to see a clear yellow light streaming through our window. I couldn't believe it. I got up to check, squinting my eyes as I looked outside. Sure enough, there was the sun. I walked over to Bella's bed and shook her awake.