Oracle {Book 1}

Partners

Chapter 9

I walked home afterwards. I was running on adrenaline. Although it was quite a walk. The sky was cloudy and dark and made the forest look scarier than it really was. When I saw the Cullen house, I calmed down and ran in. Only to find everyone looking at me.

"Ella. Thank goodness your alright. Where did you go so early?" Esme said, extremely concerned. She engulfed me in a hug so tight I thought I might burst. I didn't realize how long I'd been gone.

"I-I went to a friends house."

"At 6 o'clock in the morning?" Carlisle asked. "You should be in school right now."

"Well if you knew I left at 6 in the morning, why didn't you stop me?"

Esme and Carlisle exchanged a look. "Ella, calm down. We just thought you went out for a walk or something, but you were gone for hours."

"I just went to a friends on the Quileute Res. No big deal."

They raised their eyebrows. "The Quileute Reservation? Why on earth would you go there? Who did you go to see?"

I was getting real tired of them in my business. "That's none of your business. I can go and see whoever I want. Your not my parents!"

"Ella, Charlie let us take care of you. Your our responsibility. What if something had happened to you out there? Who do you think would have gotten in trouble?" Carlisle retorted. Damn. The sass.

"I wouldn't have. I'm not 6. I can damn well take care of myself."

We were quiet then. Esme sighed and put one hand on my shoulder. "Look, at least tell us what you were doing there."

"I already told you. I went to see my friend Seth. Just to talk." They looked at each other again, as if it all made sense. "What?"

"It's just.. if you wanted to see your boyfriend, you should have just told us." Esme said.

I went pale. "Seth isn't my-"

"It's ok Ella. We'll respect your privacy from now on, just tell us when you want to leave the house next so we don't get all concerned." Carlisle said.

"But-"

"And you'll have to give your teachers a note tomorrow explaining your absence. We'll just say you weren't feeling well." And then they just walked upstairs. Why does everybody assume that I like Seth? Sure he was cute, but I only saw him as a friend. Whatever.

I walked back upstairs to my room and sat in front of the Mac Desktop. I went to google and typed in "Quileute Werewolves."

One of the first things to come up is the "Quileute Werewolf Legend", but it's not actually the legend. It's some first-person narrative on being a werewolf. Some guy talking about how it feels to be a werewolf. To run fast at exhilarating speeds, to transform during fits of anger, how he controls it around people, same old, same old. I slightly wondered if any of it was true or not or some nut case trying to scare teenagers.

Everything after that was just about the portrayals of the Quileutes in some movies that came out years before. There was hardly anything about the actual Quileute legend. I would have to visit the library some time in my life, but I found that unlikely in the next few weeks.

I didn't know what I was going to do. How was I gonna convince Seth that I was telling the truth? He was the only one I told about this. He was the only one I really trusted. The only thing to do was to trust someone else, but I had no idea who. It couldn't be the Cullens. They had to be in on this. I couldn't trust them. I can't trust Bella because she's my sister, and well, no. I was gonna have to call someone new. Someone I didn't have particularly deep ties to yet.

I was gonna call Sasha.

I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

Crap. She's at school. I don't feel like walking. But I had to do something. I sent her a text message that said, "Hey it's Ella. I need to tell you something afterschool. Meet me at this address." And I gave her the Cullen's home address. I hope she doesn't flip out.

She called me back almost immediately. "Ella!" She screamed in my ears. She seemed too hyper.

"OMG. Are you trying to kill me?"

"Sorry." I could hear her voice echo in the background.

"Are you in the girls bathroom?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I was fangirling when you texted me."

"Fangirling? Over what?"

"Ok, so don't tell Dominique but, someone told me that Michael might ask me to the dance."

"Why can't we tell Dominique?"

"Because she'll flip out. She likes Michael."

"She does?"

"Yes. Why do you think she reacted the way she did when he insulted the dance?"

"Because she really cares about it.."

"No. She was crushed when he insulted the dance."

"So wait, if Dominique likes Michael, why are you excited that he might ask you to the dance?"

"Because I like him too."

"Seriously..."

"Seriously, it's not fair. Dominique has so much going for her. She's sporty and athletic and tall and pretty. She didn't even like him until after I started liking him. I just want someone to show an interest in me for once."

I sighed. "I feel ya. And yeah, I won't tell."

"Really? Thanks. That means a lot."

"Your welcome. And hey, I texted you for a reason you know."

"Oh, right. Sorry. What was it for?"

"Can you come over after you finish fangirling?"

"Sure. I'll be there after 9th period."

"Thanks."

Surely enough, about a half an hour later, Sasha rang the doorbell.

Carlisle answered. "Hello Sasha. How are you?"

"Fine Dr. Cullen, thank you. I'm here to see Ella."

"She's right upstairs, at the end of the hall."

"Thank you." She said politely, and ran up the stairs. I pulled her in as soon as she reached my door, and locked it.

"Ok, what's going on? What's so important that I went to school alone today?" She asked.

"Ok sit down." And I told her the story. I told her about the beach, going to visits Seth, The Cullens, and everything I found out afterwards. "So, what do you think?"

"I think your hilarious for making up that whole story." She giggled.

"Sasha, I'm being serious." Why won't anyone believe me?

"But if what your saying is true, it would mean that werewolves exist. What's next? Vampires? Fairies?"

"Maybe. I don't know. But look at the facts. Seth's father has been spending extra time with Sam, the guy from the beach. And before I even met him, I knew he was and he transformed into a wolf in this vision I had. And when I went to Seth's house, the part of the book that his father has open was on werewolves. It makes perfect sense."

"I get the whole 'his father and Sam were hanging out thing and acting strange', that's the part that makes sense. It's this whole vision thing that has me unconvinced. What visions?"

She was right. How was I gonna prove to Sasha that I've been having visions?

"I don't know. I've been getting them randomly. Like these little feelings and flashes when I touch people-"

"When you touch people?"

"Yeah, when I touched Edward Cullen's hand in the hallway and passed out-"

"You passed out?"

"Could you please just let me finish?" I snapped.

"Fine. Go ahead."

"When I touched his hand, I had a vision about my sister. A vision of her grave. It was one of the scariest things I've ever experienced. It was all so real though. Like I could actually feel the rain pouring down my face. I felt broken inside. I knew I was sad but I didn't know why until I saw the grave. It was real though." I said gravely.

"Your scaring me now.." She whispered.

"I'm sorry, but you have to believe me." I looked into her chocolate brown eyes.

"I believe you."

"You do?" I said in utter shock.

"No, I mean I think I do. I feel like some of what you say rings true, although I'm not entirely convinced. I'll try though."

"Oh thank you!" I hugged her and jumped for joy. Someone believes me! "And now we have to get to work. Can you stay over?"

"Wait. What?"

"Yeah. I need a research buddy to help me sort everything out. That's why I called you. I need extra hands."

"It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon on a school night. My parents aren't gonna let me stay over." She said.

"Fine. We'll research tomorrow."

"Good. I'll bring my laptop at lunch tomorrow." She started to get up, and I stopped her.

"Thanks. I really needed someone."

She smiled. "I'm here if you need me. Don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks."

And she left. I had a new partner, although I desperately missed my old one.

I just had to convince him what I said was true.