by Unknown
“Lex! You’re crying. Talk to me! What happened? Did I do something wrong?”
I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I took in a few deep breaths before pulling it out. “Huh. Great. Kellan is gone and Craig is landing tomorrow at 3:42pm. Swell,” I blubbered between tears.
“Lex, what happened? What’s wrong? Kellan is just upstairs,” she said, attempting to calm me.
“No, he’s not. I can’t explain this to you with the whole truth. Just trust me when I say he heard what you said, assumed I was sneaking around, and he’s gone.”
“That’s impossible. I whispered… and… he didn’t leave. The front door is still locked,” she replied a bit confused by my account.
“Go look upstairs. He’s gone. And while you’re there whisper something, anything; when you come back down I’ll repeat it.”
“Lex, I think you’ve officially boarded the loca train.”
“Mel please. Just do it,” I pleaded.
She gave me one last hesitant look before obliging. She pushed up off the couch and made her way to the stairs. She paused before ascending the flight. At the top I heard her turn to see if I followed her, and then begin her search. She opened doors and shuffled items in search of him. When the last door had been opened and every closet checked, she sullenly whispered, “You’re right. I don’t know how you did it but it’s true. He’s gone.”
The moment she touched the bottom of the stairs I spoke aloud, “You’re right. I don’t know how you did it but it’s true. He’s gone.”
She came and stood in front of me silently. One look at her expression revealed it all. “Lex. You don’t have to tell me everything but how did you do that? Are… Well, I know this will probably sound off the wall crazy but… are you a… vuh-” she stuttered.
“Mel! Don’t ask. I can’t tell,” I quickly interjected.
That’s the worst part. I knew what she was going to ask and she would be dead on. Sadly the last figure of speech would be Mel if she ever knew.
“Lex, I’ve been so understanding through all of this. I asked no questions and passed no judgments. But I’m also not blind or stupid. I finally know how Bella felt before she remembered Jacob was a werewolf in New Moon. I just… We’ve never had secrets. That’s our rule. That’s why we work so well. And you’re holding back a huge one that I only have to look at you and know,” she explained.
I could hear the desperation in her voice. And she’s right. She’d made no judgments or accusations; she’d continued loving and supporting me as if nothing changed.
“I’m sorry,” was all I could muster up.
“Can we compromise?” she asked.
“How?”
“Tell me everything that’s changed. Obviously your hearing is one. I promise not to put a label on what or who you are. Just rid the secrets in between so all that’s left in the dark is your official title.”
I weighed this for a minute, a heavy, solid minute before shaking my head in agreement.
“Thank you so much Lex. I was trying to be a good friend and not be like the others will be in school, but Bible, it was killing me,” she ranted with relief strewn in her voice.
“Rule number 1. If you EVER come to hate my guts, even if you’re threatened, for your own safety, not mine, you must never tell. You have to swear this on Gran’s grave,” I negotiated in a serious tone.
She settled back in her seat beside me, lifted her right hand and affirmed, “I triple double dog swear.”
“I’m being serious Mel,” I frowned.
“I know. I had to wet the tension somehow though.”
I twisted in my seat, my stomach twirling in a million ways. I began to second guess myself. I never wanted to risk her life and though no formal titles would be spoken, deep down I knew she had the right assumption. She just didn’t know the consequences. How could I tell her without telling her; clue her in on the extreme ramifications of it all without a label or definition?
“Lex, you’ve known me since fifth grade. We’ve been through everything together. We’ve shared everything; you’ve shared everything with me and I’ve never, not once betrayed you in the slightest. You’re my best friend, my sister. I will carry it to the grave before ever risking you. You have to know that deep down,” she said, reassuring me in every way. And every word she spoke was true.
“The same way you would never risk me, I would never risk you; I don’t want to risk you. That’s the only reason I’m hesitant,” I explained. I was wringing my hands by this point contemplating my next move.
She shook her head and leaned back into the couch cushions. She released a big sigh and looked away. That’s not what broke me though. There, in the corners of her blue eyes, were tears.
This had been notably hard on me, but, until now, I never realized how stressed Mel was over it. She was suffering too. The worst part was she didn’t know what her pain was for aside from simply respect for me. Whether I wanted to or not, she deserved some closure, some answers to her muted questions.
We sat in silence for another two minutes. She was frozen before me with tears rolling down her cheeks, and, given my enhanced vision, I even noted the slight tremble in her arms.
“That’s it!” I yelled causing her to jump. “Sorry but I’ve got it.”
“Okay?” she asked cautiously, the wrinkles displayed on her forehead.
“The Volturi are real. Not in the same form but the essence of them is real.”
A smile broke on her face as she inched closer to me.
“Consider me a distant cousin to Edward,” I continued. “We’re not twins though.”
“So no mind reading?” she beamed.
“Or sparkles. Actually, ding! I’m Renesmee without the gift.”
“Can you tell me who?” she asked.
“No. But I’d like to buy some real estate,” I riddled.
“O.M.G. Lex. Holy sugarplum! This is better than winning the lottery!” she gushed, a grin glued from ear to ear.
“The Volturi’s army is just as strong. Worst part though is they’re unmarked and live like the secret service,” I detailed.
She stared at me in horror and amazement. “You know I’ll keep my word.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know if this breaks a rule but I have to know… What do you eat or should I say drink?”
“You.” She inched away a bit. “No need to worry. I have a broken nose. I can’t smell you or blood. I’m a freak, one of a kind in that realm.”
“Really?”
“Sadly, yes. Makes it harder though. I have an angel for a moral conscience so I don’t kill or drain. I practice to a degree in humanity like the Cullens. And before you freak, my mom isn’t like that. She eats regular food but it’s usually rare and bloody.”
“And Kellan?”
I shook my head. “He’s a full Edward who eats carnivorously.”
“Gotcha… Is it weird that I’m not freaked?”
“I would say no because it’s me. Anyone else and I would hit you with the fry pan.” We burst into laughter simultaneously.
“O.M.G. Lex. This is so surreal,” she gasped.
“Tell me about it.”
“So you run?” she winked.
“More like fly.”
“Death?”
“Impossibly hard.”
“Wrinkles?”
“Never.”
“I’m so jealous of that. I need to marry a millionaire now to keep up in botox.”
“Nah, you should embrace it.”
“So says the girl who will never need it.”
She pointed to my eyes and asked, “Microscopes?”
“Yup.”
“Nice. Ok, well. I’m going to raid your fridge in a lonely binge.”
“Go for it,” I said.
“Oh and Lex?”
“Yea?”
“We’ll sort out Kellan tomorrow. I’m sure the moment he sees Craig with you it’ll all click. If not you can superman him down
while I kryptonite him.”
“And what exactly is his kryptonite?”
“A cross?”
“Nope.”
“A wooden stake?”
“Myth.”
“Well I know it’s not the sun…” she slurred as she retrieved a coke from the fridge to wash down the hand full of chips she just inhaled. “A little help maybe…” she prompted.
“I honestly don’t know.”
“But what about Keira?”
“Wow. I forgot how smart you are…”
“Gee, thanks,” she scowled.
“I attacked and beat her to a pulp. I’m sure there was some shredding too but Kellan’s dad… I mean the Volturi, took her somewhere to finish it.”
“Ok, so I guess I’ll have to go old school and hit him in the nut sack,” she laughed.
Freedom. I felt like a bird that lived in captivity for years yet was finally free. She knew without titles. And I think all of us can live without titles.
Chapter 3
It had been a bad day so far despite passing my driver’s test and obtaining my license. So I was looking forward to my final class, English, as my official sign that the day was almost over.
“I know it’s your Aunt Claire but I’m loving your look,” Mel gushed as we arrived at the classroom.
“You’re right, but I like it too,” I replied peering down at my ensemble. I was wearing distressed boot cut 7-For-All-Mankind brand jeans, a slim-fit yellow tee, a tan corduroy jacket and a full, fluffy dark teal scarf with a bit of fringe on the ends all coordinated atop a pair of brown leather high heel ankle boots.
I quickly scanned the room but my heart stopped, sinking with dread. Kellan wasn’t there, just like he wasn’t at Spanish. I caved and called him three times last night but each time his phone went right to voicemail. I accepted that on the knowledge that I would see him today. I was wrong.
“He’s not here,” I announced to Mel on my way to my desk.
“Don’t choke Lex. You’re picking up Craig after and he’ll help smooth everything over.”
“I hope you’re right…”
“Um hello?! Aren’t I always right?” she relished with sarcasm.
“Yea, yea.”
I took my usual seat behind Mel only to find Jason in Chris’s seat, right behind me.
“Hey there sexy lady,” he winked.
“What do you want?” I huffed definitely in no mood to deal with him. I sledged down in the seat and stayed facing forward in an attempt to discourage talking with him.
Today had been a nightmare for me. I was the number one gossip in the whole school; Mel was right about that. Luckily Mike didn’t show, but every other guy had… and I had no Kellan to keep them away.
At lunch, half the football team fought to sit near me pushing most of my usual dining friends to another table. In the hall, random people were waving at me. Then some guy named John from the student council insisted on carrying my books with me to history, which was the worst! During the roll call Coach Thompson said, “Alexa Jackson? Word on the team is your absence was very enhancing.” I could only mutter an embarrassed, “Yup.”
So all this taken into account, Jason was the last person I wanted to talk to or even see since he seemed to be the ring leader of all the pandemonium over me.
“Can’t a guy talk to his female friend?” he said in mock disarray over my snap.
I turned and looked over my shoulder at him. “Jason, let’s be real. You never even said so much as hi to me before. And if I didn’t exist to you then, I surely won’t for you now.”
“Good girl,” Mel whispered, half twisting around to display her approval and encouragement.
“What can I say? I was blind but now I see. You’ve changed and so have I,” he graveled in an annoying way. It was annoying because he was hitting on me at the same time.
“So since you’ve obviously dumped Jason over here, care to catch a movie with me Friday night?” Jared, another popular jock, chimed in from the desk to the left of mine.
“I have a boyfriend guys. So just drop it and drop me please.” My nerves were wearing. I was beginning to stress. I hadn’t been given one moment to be myself today. I was even approached by girls in the bathroom! I felt like a celebrity amongst the paparazzi.
“Well he’s not a very good boyfriend to desert you like this. Mike is his name, right?” Jason pressed.
“That’s none of your business,” I growled, taking deeper breaths with every word he spoke.
“If I was your man I wouldn’t leave you. Every day I would be there to make you smile and every night I would do the same,” he cooed, winking on the last part.
“Thanks but no thanks.”
“Oh, come on. You’re breaking my heart,” he said adding dramatization by placing his hands on top of his heart and clutching.
“And I’m gonna break a whole lot more if you don’t leave me alone,” I turned to full-face to him as I spoke his fate to ensure he saw the fire in my eyes. I needed to calm down though. I felt the serum rising in my throat, the blazing heat surrounding my teeth as they continued to push my buttons.
I glanced at the clock just as a sub walked in the door and the final bell rang. I turned back around to a worried Mel.
I sighed, “It’s okay. I’m not going to lose it, but I think I am going to leave. My parents were right. I should have waited longer.”
“You sure?” she asked, a sympathetic look smeared over her.
“Yea. I’ll call you.”
“Okay.”
I grabbed my book bag and made my way to the tiny shriveled woman dubbed our substitute teacher. A few whistles erupted behind me from random classmates on the way.
“Yes?” she prompted.
I waited until she looked at me directly before unleashing the glamour Kellan taught me how to do. I placed my back to the class and peered directly into her eyes; a powerful glare so chilling you’re cringing to look away but can’t.
“I need to leave. Alexa Jackson. You can mark I was present in the book.”
“Okay,” she said through a small, distracted voice.
The moment I unlocked my gaze she cleared her throat and adjusted herself as if to regain control. I didn’t wait around for her results. I didn’t hesitate. I raced to my car and just as quickly I jetted out the parking lot towards the airport. I’d rather sit in their parking lot than this one.
The moment I reached the interstate I plugged in Kellan’s iPod and hit play. The music blasted in the background as I broke down. You would think an immortal that’s invincible to death would also be to stress. That is definitely not the case. I felt the tears build and stream as I reflected the last twenty-four hours.
I already felt like my heart was breaking, cracking and crumbling every second I was away from him on these terms. But when you added in the excessive harassment and speculation at school, it pushed me over. And Jason’s little scene was the cherry topper. At one time I secretly coveted popularity never actually believing it to manifest. And now that it has, it’s the opposite of all I envisioned.
Before I believed there were people who didn’t hold to society’s model standards, who accepted you as you were without favoritism or judgment. Today I discovered the only person at Cooper River High who practiced that was Mel. Everyone else looked at, spoke to and treated me different than before; even the teachers. It’s not right.
But all of that was bearable, would have been bearable, if I had Kellan. I was so hurt by his attitude towards the situation. He didn’t ask or give me the opportunity to explain; he assumed. Not only did he assume the worst from me but he’s ignoring me completely, especially by skipping school. I would have trusted him enough to have provided him a chance to explain were the roles reversed. And it was because of his ignorance that I endured the terror at school today. Had he been on my arm I never would have been hounded and treated like a piece of meat.
I was borderline angry with him for leaving the way he did
but dominantly a broken mess of tears. I’d been strong, held myself together on hope of reconciliation as soon as he saw Craig, but this was my wake up call. This was what I was to endure ongoing should he walk away forever.
Overwhelmed by it all, I tried to shut down my mind and simply drive. I ignored the road, bypassed the signs without a glance and focused solely on keeping my foot on the gas pedal. But it didn’t help.
I pulled into the airport lot. I punched the meter machine for a ticket and waited for the bar to lift and grant me entry. I parked in the first available spot and placed the car in idle. I sat motionless for no set time simply listening to the commotion of giddy travelers matched equally in number of exhausted passengers. Though few whole thoughts formed properly in my head I was still conscious in a pensive state.
I attempted to ignore the world in this present time. I sunk into a solemn with no emotional inclinations whatsoever. I reached the breaking point where I wanted to either run, which would kill my family, or shut down. Obviously I chose the latter.
Ugh, listen to me. What’s wrong with me?! I’ve seen pity parties but since when do I host them? Craig would be arriving any minute now. I couldn’t appear so fragile and broken the first time we met.
Seconds later my phone went off; Craig had arrived. I replied, ‘I’m in the parking lot. Look for a white Mercedes coupe. See you in a few! J’
I checked my reflection and appreciated the quick rejuvenation that comes with being a vampeen. Had I still been fully human I would have been a red puff ball.
It appeared my timing was perfect. I glanced up just as Craig crossed the threshold into the parking lot. He looked different from the picture I saw but not in a drastic sense. He stood about 5’11” and was a solid mass of lean surfer muscle. Despite his jeans, black skater shoes and black sweater, he still gave off the impression he’d just flew in from Down Under.
I got out of the car and popped my trunk before properly greeting him. “Hi. Did you have a nice flight?”
“Well hello gorgeous! I can certainly see why Kellan is in a twist over you. You’re a stunner,” he said reaching out to hug me with one arm. He eyed me thoroughly before stepping back towards the trunk to drop his two bags.