Clearcall - Embry Call

Morning

Morning came slowly in Forks—light falling down hazily through the clouds, leaving the land muted and thick with fog. The Swan house was dark, save for a light in the kitchen, and Madelaine used it to make her way towards the shelves.

She grabbed a box in one hand and flicked on the radio with the other. It crackled, buzzed, and then a tinny voice came through. Madelaine sighed, of course Charlie had changed the station. With a few twists of a dial, soft music drifted through the house.

"Where's Charlie?"

Madelaine glanced back. She hadn't heard her sister approaching. She was standing in the doorway, sleeves tugged over her fingers. She looked tired: her brown hair was mused and tied back, and her eyes were narrowed sleepily.

"Gone to work. He had to start early today. Do you want breakfast?" Madelaine gestured at the bowls. "We've only got cereal and coffee though."

"That's perfect."

Madelaine waved her into the kitchen. Bella sat down carefully at the table, picking the spare chair Madelaine had snatched from Billy's garage when they'd picked up Bella's 'new' truck.

"...Can I call you Maddie?"

It's a strangely formal request, Madelaine thought, especially coming from her own sister. But it made sense, in a way. They were almost strangers now and Madelaine had always been pedantic about her name (the opposite of Bella, who insisted no one call her Isabella).

"Of course, Bella."

"Okay." Bella frowned at her cereal. "Sorry, I just... I know you liked being called Madelaine. Didn't know if that had changed."

"It's okay." Madelaine shrugged. "I prefer my full name, but family can call me Maddie."

Bella looked away, swallowing and digging into her food.

Madelaine glanced out of the window. It wasn't raining, but the ground was still slick from the night's heavy downpour. The weather would hold long enough for them to make it to school.

"Are you driving to school?"

Bella hesitated, then, "Yes."

Madelaine nodded, quickly munching. "Cool, just checking. Otherwise, the bus stops two houses up."

"I can drive you to school too." Bella said.

"Do you really want to show up to school with the kid sister?"

"I could use the backup."

"Alright, but if you change your mind, let me know. I don't mind at all." Madelaine emphasised it with a stare. She had no interest in becoming Bella's shadow.

"Deal."

❖

Madelaine wouldn't have a future in forecasting; as soon as she draped a scarf over her shoulders, the floodgates opened and rain came down in heavy waves. Her sister looked swamped by her thick parka and she hesitated on the porch. Her hands were stubbornly shoved into her pockets and she rocked on the balls of her feet.

"It's a bit too soon to start skipping class," Madelaine said lightly, stepping past. She took the stairs quickly, knowing the slippery spots to avoid, and hoped that Bella wouldn't take a tumble.

"Charlie would kill you if you skipped." Bella said. Her voice was almost drowned by the sound of rain.

Madelaine chose to ignore Charlie not Dad and waited by the door of the truck, fingers wrapped around the handle. She stood on her tiptoes to see over the cab. Raindrops splattered and jumped back up to hit her chin.