Sunlight - Book 3

Imprinting

My next two classes passed fairly quickly. Just like the news about Gregory and Mr. Hawthorne. By lunch time the majority of the school knew what they had done. For lunch I sat with Jacob, Tyler and my cousins at a table in the corner. In the center of the table were four trays piled with a bit of everything they had in the school cafe.

"I'm sorry." Tyler said between a sip of his vitamin water.

I frowned at him and gave my attention back to the subsandwich I had picked out. "Just let it go." I whispered before taking a small nibble to test the quality of the food.

Tyler nodded his head and started picking random vegetables from one of the trays and dipped them in a small bowl of ranch.

Tyler, Jake and I sat in silence and ate while Penelope and Matthew discussed cars and football. Their current topic was the superbowl and who they thought would be playing this season.

I wondered what was going to happen to Gregory once he eventually got out of jail. What about Mr. Hawthorne. Would I be in danger?

"Hi... Tyler." I heard a gentle girls voice speak.

I turned my head just as a girl with light brown hair took a seat beside him. Who was this woman and how did she know Tyler?

"Oh, er-" Tyler glanced briefly at me and then back to the girl. "Jamie this is Renesmee. Renesmee, Jamie."

Oh so this was Jamie. Jamie, his best friend Jamie.

"I know who she is." Jamie whispered. "I heard what Gregory did to you and I'm sorry."

I looked up as everyone at our table glanced in my direction. I felt my cheeks flush angrily.

"Nothing happened." I murmered before taking another bite from my sandwich.

Jamie leaned across Tyler and looked me sqaure in the eyes. "I know because it's happened to us all who are tricked into his sick friendships. It happened to me only I wasn't as lucky as you to get away." She glanced up at Jacob and then quickly leaned away, her face flushing a gentle pink.

So Jamie was a victim of his too?

"You two look like you could use from fresh air." Tyler said before rising to his feet.

Jamie rose to hers as well and I followed suit. My only guess was that he wanted us to talk or something in a more private setting.

"Where ya goin' Ness?" Jake asked over a mouthful of greasy pizza as he rose to his feet.

I held out a hand to halt him. "No. Jake just stay here and eat." I said before three of us left the lunch room.

The three of us walked in silence for the majority of the lunch period and found ourselves over near the broken fence that was the entrance to the secret spot in the forest. One by one we slipped through the chain link and made our way to the fallen tree that I had used several times previously.

"So." I ran my fingers nervously through my curly hair before taking a strand between my fingers. "You said I was lucky." I felt my face inflame as I brought up the subject that was the door to the horrible memories I now retained. I allowed my eyes to glance up in her direction before I dropped them again.

"Yes you are very lucky."

"How?" I asked, releasing the strand of hair that fell over my shoulder with the rest.

"He didn't... violate you like he did me."

I tilted my head slowly to the side. What did she mean?

"I don't quite understand."

Jamie took a deep breath. "I was in the 6th grade when I had my first encounter with that man. He was charming and sweet and helped out when I needed someone to talk to during the days I was picked on. He then brought up the friends with benefit thing and I fell quickly into his clutches. By the time I was smart enough to walk away it was too late."