Shine

Enlisting the Assistance of Strangers

Angela was worried about me on Friday. "I don't want to be rude, but you still look a little pale, Seth. Are you sure you can go to the beach? It gets pretty cold after dark."

I beamed, even though I knew how much sickness it took to make my dark skin look chalky. "I promise to bring sweatshirts and blankets." I appreciated her concern, if not the reminder of my ill health. Angela reminded me of Edward sometimes—she asked questions because she couldn't determine the answer on her own, and because she genuinely cared, not because she thought she ought to be asking.

"You need a ride, Seth?" Mike asked, working his way through an overstuffed burger with an almost horrifying relish. "I can come pick you up."

"Yeah, that'd be great, thanks." My eyes flicked up and I caught Jessica poking rather moodily at a slice of potato on her plate.

"Okay great! Oh wait, Connor and I are hanging out for an hour after school to work on a project—do you mind?"

I worked my lips. "Hm. I need to pack some stuff from home before I go.... Jess, you've got a car, right?"

Mike held my chair for me in Biology, since whatever was keeping Edward and his family so busy today was keeping him out of class too. I hadn't noticed if they were around at lunch, their whereabouts not being a primary concern of mine. I worked on my sheet alone since I didn't want to move seats once I'd already sat, though Mr. Banner offered, then rolled out to the parking lot to wait for Jess after the bell rang.

"You want anything to eat or drink?" I offered as she held my front door for me. For the first day since arriving in Forks I didn't have to roll back and forth over the towel, since today was one of our rare sunny days and the pavement had been dry. "We've got cocoa, hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, milk, grape juice, and water."

"Wow, you're set up!" she laughed, laying her purse on the very edge of the dining room table. "Um, lemonade?"

"I'm lazy, so the cups are there—" I pointed, "and the lemonade will be on the bottom left of the fridge. Make yourself at home. Honestly. Oh and could you put a mug of water in the microwave for me? Mugs are above the glasses—yup—and set it for two minutes in the microwave."

I rolled down the hall to the linen closet and pulled out a heavy blanket that had been through worse than sand, laying it across my lap before retrieving a thick sweatshirt from my room to exchange for my sweater, as well as a raincoat to guard against the wind, and a pair of thicker socks. "So who you gonna ask to the dance next weekend?" I called as I bent and tugged the wool socks on, realized my usual shoes wouldn't fit over the wool socks, and located a pair of black hiking boots to wear instead.

"I'm not sure," Jessica hedged. "I had someone I wanted to ask, but I wasn't sure he'd say yes. I think he might like someone else, or not be interested in going with me."

"Oh that's too bad." I laced up my boots and rolled back out with the blanket, sweatshirt and raincoat, all of which I laid on the other end of the table so I could switch the sweater for the sweatshirt. "Why not just ask him anyway? Can't hurt, can it?"

"I don't know...." She lightly kicked at a leg of the table. "It's embarrassing, you know?"

"Sure, a little. No one likes being turned down." I finally got my head through the proper hole, and straightened my wig. "But play it off like you wanted to go just as friends, that way neither of you has to feel awkward around the other."