Life As We Knew It

Chapter Two: The Reform School

My eyes peel open as I feel the van shudder to a stop. Sitting up, I look through the windshield at the large prison. The door beside me opens and Jacob grabs my wrist, yanking me out. There are three bright red scratches on his neck from when I fought him earlier.
My tangled, messy braid hangs down to the middle of my back and swings with each pull and push of the guards as they guide me toward the building.
"Where's my mother?" I ask, my voice sounding stronger than I felt.
"Keep your mouth shut!" he demands.
We enter the dark, cold building and walk down the almost deserted hall. There is a small, blonde girl who is rocking herself back and forth while tears stream down her red cheeks. She looked to be no older than five or six. I began to wonder how long she had been here and why she was here. Were her parents in jail? Did she have friends like Alice and Rosalie back at her home? Did they know she is here and alive? Or is she just another Bella that everyone talks about?
And that's when it hit me.
I was about to disappear.
"Sit down." a soldier shouts. I sit in the chair and watch as girls begin to file in and sit at the table beside me. A bell is rung and by now, every chair is filled. The girls around me all look the same: same clothes, same short hair, same blank stare. Their heads turn toward the door in unison and I follow their gaze and watch a woman walk in. Her hair is tied in a low bun and she is wearing a grey pencil skirt and matching blazer. Her cheeks are sunken in and her eyes are gray as they glare at each of us. Her gaze stops on me.
"Esme Anne Platt. Rise." she says. I clumsily stand up and turn to her, my cheeks red with embarrassment.
"You were sentenced with an Article 5. Is that so?" she asks. I nod and look down.
"You will be rooming with two of the other new girls in room 1008." she says. A guard grabs my upper arms and tugs me out of the room and into the hallway.
I recognize the ice cold hand on my skin and I turn my head to catch a glimpse of him. His eyes stare straight ahead and the angry look on his face doesn't look like it belongs there.
"Look straight." he says, his velvet voice coming out in a sharp whisper.
"Where are you taking me? Where's my mother?" I whisper back, staring ahead as we walk.
"I can't tell you that." he whispers.
"Tell me what you can then." I tell him. He sighs and we make a right turn and stop on the elevator.
"Okay. You're 17, right?" he asks.
"Yes."
"Well, when you're 18, the article 5 violation no longer applies. You just have to survive until then." he whispers. The doors open and we begin walking again.
"Survive?" I ask.
"Yes. Blend in. Be polite. Follow the rules."
"Why are you being so kind to me?" I ask. There is a slight pause before he answers again.
"There's something about you...you remind me of my home." he says. I smile slightly and blush.
"Besides, I don't work here. I'm in transportation. So you won't really be seeing me around." he says. I suddenly feel the urge to cry at this thought. I've become quite fond of him.
"Here's your room." he says. I open the door and step in to find my new roommates sitting on one of their beds. Their heads pop up and they smile through their tear filled eyes.
"Esme."
"Rose? Alice? What're you guys doing here?" I ask, rushing to hug them both.
"We were arrested for assault of a soldier." Alice says. I releases them and glare.
"You guys are so...so...what have you done to yourselves?" I ask, my hands going to each of their cheeks. I am more of a mother figure to them instead of a friend. I've always been the one to keep them in line.
"You all know each other?" Cullen asks, stepping inside of our room. Rose and Alice smile as they see him.
"Yes."
"Don't let anyone know. They'll move all of you." he says. I wrap my arms around his cold neck and feel his arms slowly wrap around my waist.
"Thank you." I whisper, releasing him. He smiles and looks down at the ground.
"I...may I have your name?" I ask, staring at his name plate.
"Carlisle. Carlisle Cullen." he says.
"Thank you Carlisle. You've been so kind to me." I tell him. He smiles and nods.
"I've got to go. I hope you survive, Esme. And you two as well." he says to Rose and Alice. I watch as he walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. I feel a pain in my chest as he disappears from sight.
"Woah. Who was that?" Alice asks.
"He's a soldier." I tell her.
"Yeah obviously but who was he?" she asks. I shrug.
"I don't know."
I sit next to them on the bed and grab their hands.
"Esme..." Rosalie starts, sounding unsure.
"What?" I ask. She doesn't answer.
"What is it?" I ask again, more serious.
"We saw him." Alice says. "We saw Edward. He's here."