Darkest Light

Blood and Tears

"Oh, thank you. I'm Melody Strong, but everyone calls me Mel. It is nice to meet you," I say, overjoyed when I sound half way composed with this gorgeous boy talking to me. 

"I have never heard that song before," says Edward in his melodic voice that makes me want to just close my eyes and try to visualize the song of his voice so I can write it down. I am positive that it would be the greatest piece of any I have written. 

"Well, you wouldn't. I wrote it," I explain and a small half smile pulls up one side of his face and I am positive my heart stops. 

"You compose your own music?" he asks, pulling a chair over and taking a seat right in front of me so we are eye to eye. This is the first time I notice the color of his eyes, they are a deep, saturated gold. I have never seen anything like it and it intrigues me. Everything about this boy intrigues me. 

"Yeah, I have been writing my own compositions for a few years. Do you play?" I ask and then my gaze snaps to the door where I am sure I just saw a flash of steely gray eyes and black hair. I look back at Edward and notice that his jaw has clenched and his hands have balled into fists. I am almost positive that it was Cal outside the room and if it was, he surely saw Edward in here with me. He is going to be pissed. I dread going to his house after school, but I know that if I don't, it will be a lot worse. 

"Are you okay?" asks Edward. 

"Um... yeah, I am fine. So do you play?" I repeat with as much calm as I can muster. 

"Yes, I have played for a long time," he answers. He is staring intently at my face and I feel like he can see straight through me. It is very unnerving, but also a bit thrilling. 

"Are you any good?" I ask before I can stop myself and then I feel blood flood to my cheeks. But instead of being offended, he looks at me for a moment longer and then he chuckles and something warm and tingly sweeps through me and settles low in my stomach. 

"I have been told I have a certain measure of talent for it," he says. 

"I am so sorry," I say embarrassed, but he shakes his head. 

"Don't be, I like your candidness," he says and then the bell rings, shattering the moment. I hop to my feet and set everything straight. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him get fluidly to his feet with astonishing grace. He follows a few steps behind me as we slip out of the music room and into the hall full of milling students. Cal is nowhere to be seen. That is a bad sign. 

"Thank you for the concert Mel," says Edward. 

"Come by anytime, I will be here all year. Maybe we can even play a song together," I say with a smile I don't feel. I know the invitation will come back to bite me if Cal ever finds out, but I cant help it and I refuse to rescind the invitation. 

"It would be my honor," he says and then he fades into the crowd. 

I rush to my locker to grab my books and barely make it to class. Through the entire period I go over my conversation with Edward Cullen. So when the bell rings, signaling the last class of the day, it takes me by surprise. I follow the crowd out of the classroom and across the campus to English. I am one of the first ones there so I have my choice of seat. I pick a table towards the back of the class and settle in. I am looking over the years reading list when a very familiar voice breaks through my concentration. 

"Is this seat taken?" asks Edward, pointing to the chair right next to me. 

"It is all yours," I tell him and he slides into the seat. It is extremely difficult to concentrate on the drab teacher when beauty incarnate is sitting right next to me. And though I try not to watch him, I cant help peeking at him out of the corners of my eyes. And every time I look, his face is turned towards me, watching me closely. 

The final bell rings, making me jump, and we are surrounded by noise. I shove my books into my backpack and sling it over my shoulder. 

"So I guess I will see you tomorrow," I say as we walk slowly towards the door. For a minute he just looks at me with a torn look on his face. It isn't until we are out the door that he hands me a slip of paper with seven digits on it. 

"If you ever need help," he says with a significant look and then he is gone. I stare at the phone number, confused, then I slide it into my pocket. Trying to figure Edward out, I pull on my helmet and start my bike. I drive straight to my piano lesson and when it is over an hour later, I head over to Cal's house. When I walk in, he is standing by the window with his back to me. 

"I saw you with that freak today," he says with quiet rage. 

"We were just talking. He liked my song," I explain and he spins. His eyes are full of hatred as he storms over and stops right in front of me. 

"Do you think I am a fool?" he asks and then I see stars as his hand cracks across my cheek. I take a step back and stare at him without speaking. I can taste the coppery, salty taste of blood in my mouth. He follows me, towering over me and his balled fist slams into my ribs. My breath leaves in a rush and a sharp pain in my side when I try to inhale brings tears to my eyes. 

Cal continues to scream and throw punches. I curl up and think back to before Cal became the monster he is. I couldn't have been happier when Cal Sternin asked me out. For the first two months, it was like a dream. He treated me like a princess. Then, one night, everything changed. He accused me of cheating on him. I denied it until my face was blue, but he wouldn't listen. That was the first time he hit me. Afterwards he apologized and apologized. He was wracked with guilt. He promised it wouldn't happen again. I was in love with him and I believed him. Until the next time, then the time after that and the time after that. He was always sorry and he always promised to stop. Finally I decided to break up with him. Then he beat me until I could barely move. He told me, as I lay crying on the ground, that if I ever thought about leaving him, he would kill me. I believed that promise, and I still do. I have long since fallen out of love with Cal, but if I ever tried to leave, he would kill me. And if he couldn't kill me, he would kill my family. 

When my thoughts fade and I return to the present, Cal is holding me in his arms, kissing each of my bruises. All of them are on my legs and shoulders and torso. Cal is not an idiot, he knows how to hide the evidence of his love. He is mumbling apologies that I could recite by heart. I let him hold me while I try to even out my breathing and assess my injuries. I can tell I have at least two broken ribs and a warm, sticky fluid running down my stomach tells me he broke the skin. It has been a long time since he has lost control like this. 

"I have to go Cal," I mumble, knowing I have to get home before the adrenaline wears off and the pain kicks in. 

"I am so sorry baby, please forgive me. I will do anything, please," he begs kissing my untouched face. 

"I will call you later Cal, but I have to go now," I repeat and use him as leverage to get me to my feet. 

"I will drive you," he says, sliding an arm around my waist and supporting my weight as I stumble to the door. 

"No, I can drive. I will see you tomorrow," I say and hating the feel of his skin on mine, I brush my lips against his cheek. 

"I love you Mel," he says sadly as he lets me go. 

"You too Cal," I sigh and, wincing, climb onto my bike. Putting on my leather jacket is agony and, very uncharacteristically, I don't even try to put on my helmet. I have to hold my breath and bite my lip to keep from screaming as I slam down the kick start and then his house is disappearing behind me. I barely make it past the next block before I have to stop. I pull off the road into a small grove of trees, but to my surprise I am not alone. As soon as I kill the engine, someone steps out of the trees, someone with pale skin and golden eyes.