✓ | 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍, j. hale [1]

IX. Giving In

"Is this okay?"

Alice gestured to an empty table in a sparsely crowded corner of the cafeteria. Unable to speak yet, Evelyn nodded, pulling her hand from Alice's and sitting down across from her. She wouldn't meet her eyes, instead choosing to focus on the cracks weaving through the table top.

"So, I think we should start with what you think you know. I want to know your thoughts about all of this." Alice knew already what she was going to say, but for Evelyn's sake, she asked the question out loud.

It took Evelyn a few moments to gather her thoughts enough to be able to speak coherently, but Alice was perfectly patient. Evelyn appreciated that despite her fear and apprehension.

When she spoke her voice was coarse and shook slightly. "Honestly, I don't really know what I think. I'm so confused, Alice. I'm so scared."

Alice reached across the table and grabbed her hand. Evelyn knew she meant to comfort her, but she slid her hand away and into her lap. There was a reason she sat across the table from her. Even though Alice was being extremely kind, Evelyn was still afraid.

Seeing the apprehensive look in her eyes, Alice sat back in her chair and smiled kindly at her. "Of course, I'm sorry. I didn't think. Please, continue."

Evelyn took a deep breath before meeting Alice's golden gaze. "Well, I guess I thought it was weird when I started noticing little things about you and your family. Things like your eyes changing color, your cold skin, and the way you look. Stuff like that."

Alice pursed her lips. Edward hadn't told them that she had focused on these things. She listened as Evelyn continued to speak.

"It wasn't until that day in the parking lot that I became truly suspicious. There's no way any normal person could have done what Jasper and Edward did. Not that I'm not grateful," she added quickly.

Alice smiled brightly at Evelyn. "He knows that, Evelyn. Don't worry." She could see Jasper across the lunch room rolling his eyes for bringing him up. Her whole family, in fact, was listening quite intently to their conversation.

Evelyn chose to ignore the mention of Jasper and continued. "Bella told me a story that one of the boys on the Quileute reservation told her. It was about.... well it was about you. Your family. Something about 'Cold Ones'? She mentioned vampires and werewolves, and of course I thought it was ridiculous." She sighed, opening her bag and digging out the photograph she had shown Edward. "But then I found this in my grandfather's old papers."

She slid the picture across the table so Alice could see it. She watched as Alice's eyes widened in delight. "Oh! Edward didn't tell me about this! What are the chances..." she trailed off, staring at the small faces in the picture. "I didn't know Edward's brother had survived the influenza outbreak. That's where you come in, I imagine."

"I assumed it must be something like that, that we are related somehow. Alice, please tell me I'm crazy. Tell me I'm wrong. You guys can't actually be vampires, right?" Her voice dropped to a whisper as she finished her sentence, the words feeling wrong in her mouth.

Alice gave Evelyn her most dazzling smile. "Evelyn, you're not crazy, or wrong, for that matter, but you don't know the whole truth. My family and I, we consider ourselves to be vegetarians." She grinned, as if smiling at her own joke. "We survive off of animal blood. We try to be civilized, you know. You and everyone in this town have nothing to worry about."

Despite Alice's confirmation, Evelyn couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I swear if you're kidding right now, Alice–"

"I'm not! I promise. I know it's hard to believe, and it'll take some getting used to, but please know that none of us have any desire to hurt you or anyone in Forks. You haven't told anyone, though, right?"