Fly ~ Edward Cullen

Chapter Seventeen: Sunny Days

The next few days in Forks, were surprisingly sunny. And, as predicted, Edward and his family didn't make an appearance. As so, their normally filled spot was empty but Beth couldn't help but glance over her shoulder every now and then. It felt weird. Like she was being watched. But another quick look over her shoulder proved otherwise- he wasn't there and no one was watching her. 

"He isn't here, you know." A voice spoke suddenly. Beth nearly jumped out of her skin before noticing that it was her seemingly estranged twin. Bella looked more sullen than normal today, with extra large bags under her eyes that spoke more words than she'd said to Beth in the last two weeks. She was tired, anyone who had two working eyes and common sense could see that. And obviously, she wasn't getting enough sleep.

Instead of replying, Beth got up from her spot on the bench and started making her way to class. But before she could get far, Bella's hand was latched around her wrist.

"Beth, I'm sorry." The apology was so quiet, it was nearly inaudible for Beth.

"What?"

"I'm sorry." Bella repeated, louder this time. Her brown eyes gazed at Beth pleadingly, begging her to see that she was sorry. Immediately, guilt began to fill her body. But Bella had to learn that she couldn't control Beth's life.

"Okay," Beth answered nonchalantly. Hurt filled Bella's eyes.

"So you won't forgive me?"

"Stop putting words in my mouth. I didn't say that. I said 'okay', which means that I'll forgive you eventually."

"Are you still not talking to me?" Bella asked, fiddling with her parka. Even though the sun was shining, it was still very cold in Forks. It was like someone just put a light bulb in the sky instead of the familiar ball of gas.

Beth sighed, "Things aren't gonna go back to being what they were before. I haven't forgiven you yet, Bella. So, I'll only talk when you ask me a question or need me for something."

Her sister still did not look satisfied with that, but knowing Beth, she wasn't likely to change her mind for now and so Bella took her leave with a sort of determined look on her face.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, nothing out of the ordinary happening.

When they got home, Charlie was even slightly pleased that the girls were now somewhat civil to one another than completely ignoring each other. It wasn't what he wanted, but it was better than the gloomy silence that hung over the Swan residence.

The next day, Tuesday came and the Sun was still making its bright lighted presence known, but no heat was there to provide warmth and Edward still wasn't there.

Before leaving the house, Beth checked her window to see if the nails she had placed there were untouched- but to her utter surprise and creepiness, the nails were gone. And judging by how cold her floor was, Edward had definitely made a late night visit.

She made a point to talk about it with him when he found out that she knew his secret. Having a 109 year old vampire around your bed in the middle of the night was just plain creepy.

No part of that was romantic. At all.

____________________________________

Then Wednesday came, and just like the two other days- the sun was out and no Edward was to be seen.

And Wednesday was also the day that Angela, Jessica, Beth and Bella were to be going to Port Angeles to go dress shopping.

As predicted, Jessica backed out at last minute, saying that she wasn't feeling well, but thankfully Angela had borrowed her dad's car and off they went to Port Angeles after dropping the truck off at home.

"Who are you going to the dance with?" Angela asked Beth when they came to their first stop.

"No one. I didn't really want to go to the dance because they're overrated." She answered truthfully. Thankfully, Jess wasn't there to antagonise her and for that she was grateful. No doubt the entire trip was going to be spent with snarky comments and sardonic giggles coming from the queen bee herself.

Feeling bad for not keeping up conversation, she turned to Angela as she sorted through a rack of various ugly coloured, formal dresses, "Who're you going with?"

Angela smiled and gave a glance to Bella who was looking over rather longingly to a maroon  dress that had a price tag the size of her head, "Bella and I are going together. We've decided that boys are overrated."

It took Beth a moment to figure out that Angela was teasing her. She snorted and went to take a seat by the window as the two other girls went inside the changing rooms with a handful of dresses.

"What happened to Eric?" The question shot out of her mouth without warning.

Angela poked her head out, a frown on her face, "He's going with Lauren, unfortunately."

Beth's eyebrows drew together in confusion, "But I thought Lauren liked Tyler?"

Bella spoke up his time, "Oh, she does. But Tyler got a date with this other girl named Susan."

"Oh." Poor Susan. Lauren was already probably plotting her demise.

Conversation dwindled for a bit after that, as Bella and Angela both gushed over their dresses and shoes. Briefly, Beth's mind flickered back to the fifty dollars that Charlie and given to her.

A few minutes later, when the girls had started on makeup, her mind was made. She was going to go and look for the nearest music store.

After telling them and getting directions from the sales lady, she went off on her own, her hand in her jacket fiddling with the money in her pocket.

'Where is she going?' The whisper came to her before her hand grasped the door handle of the the store, Jeff's Music Mart.

She paused, looking around to see if anyone had been near enough to have been the person who said it. But everyone, except for the teen in the store was either twelve or fifty feet away from where she was stood.

Brushing it off, she continued into the store- the cool air conditioning greeting her skin. The old vinyls at the back shelf were calling her name.

Roughly half an hour later when the sun had started to disappear behind the trees, Beth decided to leave. She pulled out her phone to dial Bella or Angela but cursed when she found that it had died. She knew they would be worried and so Beth hurried to get back to them. A bad feeling started to rise in her gut.

'WHERE IS SHE?' This time, the whisper turned out to be a shout so loud and fierce that it forced Beth to a stop. There was no way she could brush that off. And so, she picked up her pace.

Old, unfamiliar buildings began to come into view and the bad feeling got worse, more whispers and yells hitting the inside of her skull. Her head started to ache.

'She's pretty'

'I wonder if Lonnie would be game?'

'Where did she go?'

She didn't know who was speaking, and definitely didn't know who that Lonnie guy was.

'Look at the size of those things, they'd fit perfectly in my-'

"Stop!" Beth yelled, her hands holding her head in pain.

'What's up with her?'

And then it all stopped.

When she looked up, she had no idea where she was. The only thing that seemed familiar to her was the broken stoplight right above her that blinked yellow and red every two seconds to an empty road.

The sound of footsteps reached her ears accompanying loud leering chuckles. Her heart stuttered in her chest as the bad feeling made her feel nauseous.

This was another part of the book that she had forgotten. She was being followed.