Waxing Gibbous

A little more (A)

The next day was better... and worse.

It was better because it stopped raining and allowed a peaceful, serene atmosphere to take over, it was easier because while people were still trying to get to know Bella they were settling down with their gossip. I chuckled lightly every time I saw Eric glare at Mike or Mike glaring at him. It was stupid, I mean they could both be friends with her... and if they wanted to date her, which I'm sure is on their minds-teenage boys. Well, that would make it hard on them, but all their fighting was going to alert Bella. Then there was Bella, she was starting to fit in at school, joining in the conversation when necessary.

How she was liking the town, well it was a little early for that. But I bet Forks could outdo Phoenix, I mean there was far more in the ways of vegetation, wildlife, and weather. It was perfect for those who just wanted to get lost in nature.

The day was worse though because I couldn't keep my eyes away from the Cullen table... or rather the people missing from the table.

I couldn't care less if Edward was there, but Rosalie was missing as well, which didn't help my current paranoia. I hadn't seen her all day, not at lunch or in Art. I could have thought maybe she was sick or just wasn't feeling up to it, but when I caught Alice glancing at me throughout the day... well that didn't help.

Plus, they never missed because of being sick, they had near perfect attendance unless it was sunny outside. Unlike me who routinely missed at least a week a semester from getting sick. More during the spring, usually.

But I couldn't get the nagging suspicion that I was responsible for it. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly, especially someone like her. It was impossible.

And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true.

When the school day was done, I stayed behind a little to put on the finishing touches to my masks first layer. It would take the rest of the week to dry then we would paint next week. Plus staying behind meant I could avoid the long line of cars trying to leave the lot.

On the way out of the art room I ran into Bella, who appeared to be trying to hide.

"you, okay?" I asked startling her. "sorry, didn't mean to scare you, you just look like your hiding"

"it's nothing..."

"okay. Today any better than yesterday?" she looked around probably afraid someone would hear.

"it's not that bad" she mumbled.

"I remember when I first moved here, people were weird... but they were all like 10 so obviously didn't have the same tact that they do now. Plus, Mike just moved here too so it was easier to have someone else take some of the burden"

"oh, where'd you move from?"

"Alaska. Fairbanks to be specific"

Bella's eyes widened "are your parents from there too?"

I smiled slightly "no. My mom was born in Forks. My great grandparents moved here from Slovakia, during the... Well world war II. My great grandfather was a successful doctor and could have survived if it weren't for the fact that he was Jewish."

Bella's eyes widened; it was very well known what happened during that time.

"yeah, anyway, they moved here for Religious freedom and had seven kids. But only my grandfather had children, my mom and aunt. My dad, he was born in La Push, and his grandmother was from Canada, I think. She moved down in the in the 20's when she was just a kid. They lived on the reservation, and she married then had a daughter and then she had a son, my dad. It's all sorts of complicated"