The First Drop Of Rain

Chapter Fourteen

Well fifteen minutes would have been easy if I wasn't still on a crutch, and because I wasn't going to my next class I didn't have anyone carrying my books for me to my locker. I hustled my way to my locker and found it sitting open just slightly. Alice. My mind wandered as I opened it the rest of the way and put my books up. Naturally with it being October the air was bitter and cold, but still had that unapparent summer breeze that brought just a hint of solace. I snagged my jacket from the hook it had been left on earlier that morning and immediately began making my way towards the back of the building.

Once I was through the back doors the air hit me like a two ton brick, and I struggled slightly to pull my jacket on. Edward, where are you? I thought to myself as I shimmied my arms into place, flipped my hood up, and began to make my way up the hill that was immediately behind my building. About halfway up the hill I felt someone grab me, I nearly screamed before realizing it was Edward. "You scared the life out of me!" I swat at him with the sleeve of my jacket.

He chuckled and let go of me. "I had to go on a quick hunt during lunch, I'm sorry." He pushed a few strands of my hair behind my ear and smiled at me with a smile that melted my heart and soul. "Here I want to show you somewhere I found." Edward then scooped me up and put me on his back like a slightly injured backpack, held my crutch in his arm, and began running. "Close your eyes if it's too much for you." He said as he ascended the mountain.

"Are you kidding me!?" I spoke over the roaring of wind in my ears. "This is amazing!" I had never felt more alive in my fifteen short years of life. Once he stopped running and the chill across my face subsided, I realized my hair was now an entire mess, and my mascara had begun to run due to my eyes watering from keeping them open during the run. I made a mental note to get waterproof mascara later as he settled me down onto a fallen tree that was wrapped in ground foliage. Once the buzz of the run ran off and Edward helped me up from the tree, we walked a little further, Edward supporting most of my weight. He had taken me to a clearing where a small waterfall fell and a stream made its descent down the mountain to an unknown location. The clearing wasn't amazingly large but it was enough that on a clear night you could watch a small segment of the sky.

"Okay so I have a question." I looked at Edward expectantly.

"And I might have an answer." He smiled at me and helped me get settled at the edge of the water where dead leaves drifted lazily with the current and fish circled over algae covered rocks.

"Why were you acting so weird this morning?" I played with the grass between my fingers and stared into the surprisingly clear water. I would not let my worries verbalize in my mind, but they certainly had a grip on my heart and lungs. "When I woke up you seemed off, and then in the car you didn't speak to me and I thought... well I don't really know what I thought." I trailed off and kept my eyes anywhere but his.

"Oh Arabella." Edward's hand gently brushed my cheek. "I didn't mean to... it's just... it's not important."

"No!" I immediately turned my gaze to him and let the fire in my eyes do the talking for me.

"Ara-"

"It is important! It clearly affected you enough that you had to act weird and then go on a hunt at lunch which you've never done." I pushed his hand away from me, which was honestly more for show than actually effective.

"Your dream was just strange, and when you thought about it I almost couldn't hear your thoughts." He nearly stumbled over his words as he spoke them.

"That's it!? A dream? You had me out here feeling like I was annoying and a burden and it was my DREAM!?" I felt my voice crack and the anger rile into my chest like a sick bubbling mass.

"I'm sorry it just left me with a lot to think about and not a lot of time to think about it." He shook his head and looked into my eyes with what appeared to be genuine sorrow.

"You seriously need to work on your communication skills." I huffed angrily and dropped my gaze back to the water's edge. It was silent for a few moments, I let my mind wander to the world surrounding me.

"Why are you singing Tarzan songs in your head?" Edward chuckled after the silence had dragged for a few moments.

"Phil Collins knew what he was doing." I laughed and looked up at him. Damn that man and all the power he has over me.