Waxing Gibbous

Beautiful days (A)

I woke, for the second time since the new year, to the bright yellow light of a sunny day. I skipped to the window, stunned to see that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and those there were just fleecy little white puffs that couldn't possibly be carrying any rain.

I opened the window, allowing the relatively dry air into my room and lungs. It was nearly warm and hardly windy at all. After a quick shower I packed my bags, grabbing a jacket just in case I got cold. Downstairs my mom was just getting ready to leave.

"Good morning" she replied with a smile handing me my breakfast. "there's a smoothie in the fridge if you want to take it"

With a kiss on my forehead, she said "I'll see you tonight" I nodded.

"hey mom? I think I'm gonna take a trip to Port Angeles"

"okay? Do you know when, I don't really want you going alone especially since it still gets dark early" there was another reason she didn't want me to go alone, something she was hiding. I wondered if the animal attacks and missing persons cases were getting closer to home.

"well, if I go tomorrow, I can ask Aunt Eve to go with me. She said something about needing to get some clothes."

My mom smiled "a dress, one of her college friends is getting married so she needs a new dress. Why she can't wear one of the dozens she already has, I don't know."

I chuckled with a shrug. my mom smiled gently "I'll ask her when she plans on going, but tomorrow is probably the best seeing as she has the day off"

"okay"

With that my mom was leaving, an extra sandwich with her. I smirked slightly. She had taken to ensuring Charlie eats a decent lunch, since he ate out a lot during work. Charlie had tried to protest but my mom insisted, plus it wasn't hard to make an extra meal. I sat down preparing to eat breakfast but ultimately decided to take it with me and eat in the sun. After grabbing my lunch, I began the drive to school.

Iwas one of the first ones to school, only a few teachers were moseying about. Iparked and headed toward the seldom-used picnic benches on the south side ofthe cafeteria

The benches were still a little damp, so I sat on my rain jacket, glad I decided to grab it.

Pulling out my utensils I started to eat my breakfast whilst taking in the warmth on my skin. I was drawn out of my own world by the rumble of a truck. Looking up I saw Bella making her way over towards me.

"I see you've been drawn by the sunlight" I chuckled. Bella glanced at me and my breakfast before sitting next to me.

"yeah, it's actual sunlight. I'm not the only one though, you're here and eating something..."

I chuckled "breakfast, apple cinnamon oats. Fast and easy, put it all together the night before and in the morning, you have breakfast."

"smart and healthy"

"pair it with a smoothie" I showed her the jar "and you have a balanced breakfast."

We sat there for a little while and I watched as Bella pulled out her math homework. She was having a little trouble with the first few problems, so I decided to help her.

When we finished, she asked me "how'd you do that so easily?"

I swallowed the last of my food and closed the jar "I'm in Calculus. Took trig last year, and trust me when I say this, Calculus is a lot like trig."

"so, you're really smart, huh?" Bella asked "I mean almost everyone around here is taking trig their junior year"

"I wouldn't say I was really smart, but having two surgeons in one house really helps. Plus, my mom expects that I actually do my homework and I really couldn't stand to see her disappointed if I didn't do it. I don't know... but the more I thought about it the more I kinda enjoyed making sure I got everything done. I mean my final year is filled with core classes so I could have half days or not go at all."

"wow" I heard Bella mumble before I continued drinking my smoothie. She went back to reviewing her homework and getting lost in her own world, not even the appearance of everyone brought her out of it.

Only the voice of Mike brough her back to reality "Bella!"

Mike was coming toward us in khaki shorts and a striped Rugby shirt, waving. He like nearly everyone else was dressed for the weather, it couldn't have been over 60 but to us locals this was like 80. I didn't wear shorts seeing as the ones I owned were running shorts (not appropriate for school-they were too short), so I opted for joggers and a tank top.

He came to sit by me, the tidy spikes of his hair shining golden in the light, his grin stretching across his face. He was so delighted in seeing Bella that I found it both comical and disheartening. One because Bella clearly didn't feel the same, but also because if Rosalie was willing to talk to anyone, I would be the same way.

"Great day, isn't it?"

"My kind of day," Bella agreed.

"What did you do yesterday?" His tone was just a bit too proprietary.

"I mostly worked on my essay."

He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Oh yeah — that's due Thursday, right?"

"Um, Wednesday, I think."

"Wednesday?" He frowned. "That's not good... What are you writing yours on?"

"Whether Shakespeare's treatment of the female characters is misogynistic."

I raised my eyebrows, impressed. Mike however, his poor jock brain did not understand what was going on. I couldn't help but smile slightly.

"I guess I'll have to get to work on that tonight," he said, deflated. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go out."

"Oh." Bella replied. I grabbed my stuff feeling like I was intruding on their conversation and approached Jess and Angela.

"Good Morning, Alex" Angela said as I got to them.

"Good Morning" we talked for a few minutes about the paper that was due the upcoming dance. Jessica was bubbling with enthusiasm. She, Angela, and Lauren were going to Port Angeles tonight to go dress shopping for the dance, and she wanted me to come, too, even though I didn't need one.

"Sorry Jess, I have to finish my essay. Plus, I have some things I need to get in Port Angeles, tomorrow."

The rest of the day past mostly the same as it usually did. But with one strange instance.

The Cullens were gone.

I knew this was something that happened, but it seemed to have a different connotation this time, when I realized what they were or what they could be.

I got home that night with confirmation from my aunt that she would go with me to Port Angeles tomorrow.

The next day was the same, sunny, warm. The Cullen's still missing. Now I could buy their excuse, but I was starting to think there was another reason.

Either way I had gotten more information, I knew the family was from Alaska, but where were they from before that. I also was able to find a plethora of missing persons files but two stood out Emmett McCarthy – disappeared when hiking in Tennessee and more damming Rosalie Hale a socialite who disappeared shortly before her wedding, her fiancé was also killed. But there were no pictures just articles with names and dates – this would be what I was looking for. It could be entirely possible the names were similar and that was it, but if they were vampires, it could be them. I could only hope there was a picture to confirm my suspicions. 

Or confirm i was completely insane for looking.