Embers [Completed]

{I Haven't Broken His Nose Yet}

I let my discovery mature in my head before school started again.

But today, the sun is out, and the Cullens are nowhere to be found. Way to be subtle.

I can see Bella getting agitated, trying to take sneaky glances around the campus for them. I would have told her, but I'm afraid she'd think I'm mad.

"They're not here," Jessica says. "Whenever the sun comes out, their parents yank 'em out for camping and hiking. Tried it on my parents, not even close."

Bella deflates a little, and I send her a smile before continuing with my drawing.

Of course, it's Jasper. Apparently, the discovery that he is most likely some sort of blood-sucking demon hasn't swayed my feelings toward him. Curious. Maybe I don't have survival instincts.

But if he wanted to hurt me, he would have already. He's had plenty of chances. Maybe that's why it doesn't faze me?

Oh, who knows. I guess we'll see once I'm face to face with him again. Cause goodness knows sun doesn't last in Forks.

Bella insists I come with her to Port Angeles, as Angela and Jessica are going shopping for prom dresses. I'd never be caught dead in one, but sense that's not the reason she wants to go.

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Sure enough, after less than an hour of dress after dress, Bella finally owns up that she just wants to go to a bookshop.

We agree to meet them at the restaurant we spoke about, and leave. Thank goodness.

Bella is oddly silent, and I get the feeling she is slowly making her way to the same conclusion I reached.

"Jordan?" She asks.

"Yeah?"

"Those men who knocked on the window, you looked like you knew them," she says.

"I know their kind. Not them personally. There was a lot of them around the boxing rings," I say.

"Well, I definitely feel safer with you here," she says.

I smile and follow her up to a nice old bookshop run by a Quilete man. It's full of books I would love to read.

I notice his eyes follow mainly me around the shop, and I frown. Bella gets her book and walks toward the doors. I go to follow, but the man catches my eye.

"Be careful," he says, a heavy tone behind it.

"I will be," I reply.

Trying to brush off the weirdness of that encounter, I follow Bella down the bookshop stairs and into the streets.

It's dark now, and the rain has come back. It isn't hard, but strong enough to remind you it is there.

Two figures appear at the bottom of the alleyway, spot us, and start walking up.

I turn Bella around and walk another way. But it takes us into a large parking lot, where the two men link up with a bigger group.

They're the ones from the dress shop.

My adrenaline is starting to spike. I unintentionally push Bella behind me as they gather around us closely.

"You're the pretty girls from the dress shop, ain't ya?"

"Very pretty."

A hand reaches out to drag Bella away from me, but I grab it and yank it backwards, making the man yelp in pain.

"Oho! A fierce one. Well, I'll take her."

A particularly large man comes over, and before I notice, I've evaluated every part of his stance and formulated a strategy against him.