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CHAPTER THIRTEEN ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ᴏғғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴋ
The good weather from the weekend continued into the week until the sun was strong in the sky from early morning. It was still cold, a bitter edge to the wind that drifted through the trees, but the sun could be seen, a brilliant halo in the sky, and that was a good enough excuse for the people of Forks to be sunbathing through the day.
Stepping out into the daylight felt wrong. Illegal or something similar. It didn't sparkle, though it tingled, almost feeling like a burn, as if it wanted to do nothing else but reflect the light like a thousand diamonds.
Days in the sun always made me feel anxious. There was an underlying feeling of dread that wouldn't go away. What if my skin suddenly decided to recoil against the light, outing me for what I was? Though it had never happened, and it was unlikely that it ever would, I still worried. But that day in school, the only thing to relieve me of the pile of stress on my shoulders, was the absence of the Cullens. I wouldn't have to feel their stare or avoid their questions.
They were out hiking or camping somewhere exotic, as they always would, according to Jessica's extensive knowledge of the family. Dr Cullen would take them out of school for the rare days when the temperature would climb up the scale.
The week after the trip to La Push brought the spring dance closer by the day, and though it was girl's choice, the boys didn't delay their asking or incessant flirting. But the girls were excited enough for the both of us, me and Bella, and we soon chatting all through lunch about dresses and hair and makeup, three things of which my opinion was probably far too old fashioned to be able to comment upon.
It took only a few evenings into the week before the dance for Bella to phone me.
"Mike finally asked Jess to the dance. She's ecstatic, but that means she needs to get the perfect dress," Bella said, her voice already dripping with a plead. "She wants us all to go to Port Angeles tomorrow after school, to go dress shopping. Jess wants our opinions, for some reason."
I laughed, imagining the annoyed shake of her head.
"Yeah, sure. I'll come."
Bella sounded surprised by my answer. "You will? I thought it would take more convincing."
"You've got to have someone with you to save from being bored to death," I said, earning a laugh. "Besides, I rather like dresses and things. And I'm nosey enough to want to see what they pick."
"Well, great. I won't complain anymore. See you in the morning, same time?" She asked.
