into the dark - Caroline Swan - 1

I Take The Best Nap Ever

Gym is my last class. We're supposed to be doing a Volleyball unit, which I do not look forward to at all. I never realized it but I have Emmet and Rosalie in my last-period Gym class. I end up playing against Emmet while Rosalie watched from the sidelines. We're practicing one-on-one bumps and I got paired against Emmet, of course.

He grins as he bumps the ball to me and I scramble to hit it back. This goes on a while, Emmet laughing as he hits it as far from me as possible while I dash around, struggling to hit it back towards him. It was going well until the Volleyball hits me square in the nose. I stumble back, clutching my nose as my eyes water. Great, I already had my emotional hit today, now the physical one.

I pull my hand away to see blood, great. I look up to see Emmet and Rosalie with wide eyes as they both dash from the room. . .Emmet and Rosalie. . .are. . .squeamish about. . .blood?

A lot of people crowd around me as I pinch my nose to stop the bleeding. The coach provides me with a napkin while I make my way to the bathroom. Of course, the one day we practice Volleyball there's no Track because of the traditional Forks rain. I'm so over everything about this stupid town.

*****

When I get back home I have a nasty fever again that I now realize never left. I don't get why this nasty fever won't go away and on top of that, I'm hungry and I just ate! At this rate, I'll be as fat as Santa by Christmas!

I've decided to get Bella a $50 gift card for a book store that she likes. But, I'm kinda broke so Charlie really bought it, but I'm giving it to Bella. Her birthday is in four days. I decide a nap will bring down my fever hopefully because if I tell Charlie he'll cart me back to the hospital quicker than you can say 'Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin!'

I crash on the couch and am in pure bliss that Bella won't be home until later because she's at her boyfriend's house to discuss something with the family. Meh, I couldn't care less. Conversations that get me nowhere vs. an amazing nap. Please, it's not even a contest!

******

Bella's birthday is today. Holy crap, she's old! As I made my way downstairs with her non-wrapped gift she shot me an evil look with her boyfriend attached to her hip.

"Do you just sleep in the attic or something?" I asked him. He grinned cheekily as if there was an inside joke about sleeping in one's attic.

"Carol! Not today please," groaned Bella. I merely grabbed the replenished chocolate ice cream and ate straight out of it again while slapping the gift card down at the table in front of Bella. She jumped slightly while looking at it as if I'd handed her an Alpaca strapped with explosives.

"What is this?" she asked. God, her brain must be moving slower than mine!

"It's a gift card, Bella," 

"No! I know that!" she protested.

"Oh, good. You nearly had me worried for a second," I said cheekily, shoveling ice cream into my mouth. Charlie and Bella knew better by now not to ask about my eating habits. "It's your birthday present. Oh, and Happy Birthday! You're one year closer to natural death!" I crowed evilly. The duo both shot me a death stare and coming from Edward it was a bit unnerving, to be honest.

I ride to school with the two, hurl, lovebirds. When I get out I go straight to my locker, I pulled an all-nighter, finishing Eragon and crying when the Shade died. The nightmares are becoming regular.

I make it two feet from my locker when a squealing, over the top, person is in my face. I back up instinctively only to see it was Alice with Jasper hot on her heels.

"Hi Alice," I drawled.

"Caroline, my family is throwing a party tonight for Bella. Would you pleeeeeeaaaase come?" she asked in her never-ending exciting nature. I winced slightly.

"Parties aren't really my thing," I said slowly as if it pained me to say such. Alice pouted, giving me puppy eyes.

"Please!" she begged, taking my hands in hers. Woah, her hands were ice-cold! I pretended not to notice though. I glanced behind her and saw Jasper smirk. I suddenly felt compelled to give into Alice's request.

"To be honest Alice, I'm really tired. I think I'm going to catch up on my sleep," I told her, resisting my stupid emotions telling me otherwise. Alice thought for a moment before (I swear I could see it) a 'lightbulb' went off.

"You can sleep on the couch. With the fuzzy blanket," she told me seriously.

"How long?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

"Twenty minutes,"

"Sixty,"

"Thirty,"

"Forty-five," I bartered.

"Deal!" she said quickly as we spoke rapid-fire to each other. "You just have to show up and you can sleep on the couch until Bella opens her gifts!" she squealed, clutching my hands and bouncing up and down. 

*****

"Please be polite Caroline," begged Bella from the driver's seat. I rolled my eyes and grunted.

"I'm always nice Isabella," I smirked. I swear she looked like she was gonna cry. "And, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been bribed,"

"You were bribed?" asked Bella incredulously.

"Man. Do you hear an echo in here?" I asked her sarcastically, looking around the car. She huffed in reply.

"Can I drive?" I asked after a moment. Bella looked at me for a split second before swerving and centering her attention on the road.

"Absolutely not," she said without hesitating.

"Why not?!" I whined.

"First off, Charlie is the Police Chief-" she started.

"Good! Then he'll cover me," I said seriously, trying to keep from laughing to see Bella's reaction.

"What?!" she said loudly before thinking. "Honestly, you could probably convince a vegetarian to change to an all-meat diet," she admitted.

"I know," I sighed. "I'm amazing," I snickered as we pulled up to the Cullen house. Before Bella even knocked Alice was there, pulling us inside. My sister was wearing a fancy dress whereas I preferred black jeans (that Bella had convinced me to wear since they had no holes or rips), my converse high-tops, a dark red, small, v-neck with a gray cardigan to top it off.

"First off," said Alice, looking my outfit up and down. "You have a pretty good fashion sense. I approve," she said seriously.

"Um. . .thanks?" I said as it came out more of a question.

"Now, you can go sleep on the couch and I'll wake you when Bella here opens her presents," said Alice, smiling amused.

We all climbed the stairs together after I left my shoes on the doormat inside. I was already feeling really sleepy and was huddled under an incredibly fuzzy blanket. I was out like a light.