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THE SUN FINALLY BROKE THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND SUDDENLY, EVERYONE IN FORKS ACTED LIKE IT WAS SUMMER. Kids in shorts, faces turned up to the light, pretending sixty degrees was eighty. Lunch tables filled the lawn. I scanned the crowd automatically, searching for one face.
"He's not here," Jessica said knowingly from the table.
I looked down at her. "What?"
"Jasper. Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullens disappear," she said, like it was common knowledge. "Their parents pull them out for camping trips or whatever. I tried that excuse with mine. Didn't work."
Before I could reply, Angela dropped down beside us, glowing. "I'm going to prom with Eric!" she announced, grabbing my hand. "I just asked him! I took control!"
I laughed. "Good for you."
"You sure you don't wanna go?" Angela asked.
"Yeah. Prom's not really my thing."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "We're going to Port Angeles anyway dress shopping before the good ones are gone."
"Port Angeles?" I asked, an idea forming. "Can I come?"
"Please. We need your fashion sense," Jessica said.
That wasn't really why I wanted to go but it'd do.
A few hours later, Jessica and Angela were buried in sequins and mirrors. I sat on a bench, half-smiling as they modeled dresses. My hand slipped into my purse, pulling out a folded MapQuest printout: Thunderbird and Whale Bookstore.
Jessica twirled out of the dressing room in a halter dress. "Does this make my boobs look big?"
Outside the window, a few drunk college guys passed by and glanced in. Jessica turned pink.
"Delilah?" she asked.
"It looks great," I said absently.
"You're terrible at this," Angela laughed.
"I'll meet you guys at the restaurant," I said, grabbing my bag. "Need to stop at the bookstore."
"You sure?" Angela asked.
"Positive."
The air outside had cooled, the smell of sea salt in it. I found the bookstore easily, grabbed what I needed, and started down the sidewalk. Footsteps followed.
I turned. Nothing.
I tucked the book away and quickened my pace. The footsteps quickened too. My heart thudded. I cut across a parking lot, heading toward an empty warehouse.
"Hey, sweetheart," a voice called.
Two of the college guys from earlier stepped out of the shadows, swaying slightly.
