Evasive Darkness

Chapter Four - Even When I'm Sleeping

Chapter Four – Even When I'm Sleeping.

I wasn't surprised when I woke up in my normal life again. Nor was I surprised when I went to sleep and woke up in Forks. I continued this pattern for the rest of the week: going to school in Forks and going to work in Texas. I began to get into my classes in Forks, doing all my homework and even learning a few things that I missed in school the first time around. Bella and I settled into a routine of a quiet friendship. Sitting next to each other in the classes we had together and at lunch times sharing secret glances at the antics of our new group of friends. Sometimes I caught her eye while she was looking over at the Cullens where Edward was still absent from school. She'd look at me guiltily because I knew who she was looking for but it wasn't comfortable at all. Not surprisingly I understood what she was thinking, but surprising even me was that Bella seemed to understand me without even knowing the truth about me. Sometimes Bella would come over to my house after school and Mum adored her. Similarly I went to her house and Charlie would chat to me and chortle at my bad jokes. The conversation at school centred on a trip to La Push Ocean Reserve that Mike was planning. I was looking forward to the trip but Bella seemed more reluctant, though she agreed to go. Mike noticed her reluctance and his hurt feelings displayed all over his face. I brought this up with Bella on the weekend when we decided to check out the local library.

"So tell me that you have noticed how excited Mike is about the beach trip," I decided to take more of a round about trip to the point.

"Yeah he is really getting into it."

"Not to mention how excited he is about you coming," Bella paused and looked up from the book she was looking at. She blushed a deep scarlet.

"I'm just hoping if I ignore him it might go away," she said in a small voice. I laughed at this. She looked at me expectantly and I realised she was wanting me to offer her a solution.

"Don't look at me," I put my hands up. "I have no idea about this stuff."

Bella's face fell.

"This library is so small," I winged and Bella put her book back on the shelf and nodded. We left without getting a card.

"We will have to go to Port Angeles or something and find a book store," I offered as we hopped back in her truck.

"That's a good idea,"

"But maybe we should take my car," I laughed as the old Chevy roared to life. Bella blushed but smiled. It was common place for me to tease her about her truck but she knew I loved it almost as much as she did. I enjoyed hanging out with Bella enormously. Some times I almost forgot that I was in some crazy alternate universe because hanging with her was so natural and although she was quieter then me, and she didn't laugh as much I could tell that she wasn't miserable like she was in the beginning of the book and I was glad I could save her just that little bit of heart ache.

On Monday it was freezing in Forks. Colder than anything I had every experienced before. I had a lucky way of always avoiding the winter wherever I went. During winter break my family usually visited Australia where my mum's family lived. We always had a Summer Christmas. And we always lived in places where the cold didn't get so bad.

I dressed in two jumpers on Monday and I had two pairs of socks on under my boots. My mum laughed at my shivering and told me I should probably get used to it.

"I don't understand," I said to Bella as she picked me up for school. We were in the routine now of carpooling to school. I shivered uncontrollably. "Isn't it spring?"

Bella shook her head too and tried to turn up the heat. I laugh as the old truck tried it's hardest to warm the cab. At school we were both greeted in the car park by many of the students. We both said hi and smiled at them warmly. We had a pop quiz in English on Wuthering Heights and Bella smiled triumphantly as she beat me by one even though it was easy. Mike watched the two of us in wonder. I asked Mike about his weekend as he walked us to out next class. Bella looked at me appreciatively as I was saving her from being the centre of his attention. Suddenly some students started shouting excitedly to each other. I looked up at the sky as little fluffs of white began falling from the sky. My nose felt numb from the cold wind.