"When it comes, you're going to be my sacrifice to it."
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Naya
"Are we almost there, yet?" I whined. My feet was hurting from all the walking and running I did. I did not know how I managed to run all the way almost out of town. My flight response does work great.
"Just about, kid." He tells me with pure annoyance in his tone. It seems I had annoyed him with my game of twenty questions. But I managed to get some answers out of him. Like he didn't live in the woods, he lived all the way in LaPush with his fiancé. What he was doing all the way over here? He didn't say. Though I did find it weird that the horse dog wasn't around even after being on my ass while I ran. It was weird that he suddenly showed up out of nowhere as well.
"We're here, kid." I snapped out of my thoughts once I saw the house beyond the trees. I grinned feeling relieved.
"Finally here. I would've been back a long while ago if it wasn't for horse dog running after me and getting me lost. But I suppose you did good to." I gave him a grin. I started walking out of the woods. "Bye Mr. Uley and thanks for bringing me home cause lord knows I wouldn't have gotten here myself."
I didn't hear his reply so I guess he was most likely rolling his eyes with his arms crossed. I jogged up to the back door and opened and closed it softly. I turned and froze once I saw Uncle Charlie at the kitchen table looking dead at me.
Uh oh.
******
The days went by faster than I expected. After Uncle Charlie scolded me for what felt like hours, despite me explaining what happened with the horse dog. He made me show him my ankle which was still badly bruised and red with alittle swelling. He continued to scold me while sitting me on the couch where he had McD's waiting for me.
As the days turned into weeks, I started to notice that Bella slowly broke out of her depression. Apparently, Uncle Charlie told her he was going to send her back home to Phoenix or Jackson whichever because of her late-night screams and depression.
Natalie was getting her and I back into a healthier routine. It took some time and effort to get back on track with schoolwork so we can graduate next year. We started sleeping in the nights and eating three times a day. I finally found my inspiration and it was Natalie. I don't know what it was, but it was like I saw her constant battle in her head, yet she acted like there was nothing wrong. So, I used her as my inspiration. I was one of the top two to win. I don't know who the other kid was.
Things were going well for Natalie and I. Dad's car, that is now Natalie's arrived at Uncle Charlie's house. Natalie hasn't been able to stop driving the car nor stop posing and taking pictures with it. I didn't really see where the excitement was coming from, it was only a car. Our seventeenth birthday came and went. Uncle Charlie had actually through us a small party at his house. It wasn't much but it was a very relaxing grill out.
When we got back to school after our birthday, the winners for the art contest had came.
"Who do you think won?" Natalie asked from beside me on the blecher. All the eleventh grade students were crowded in the gym for this thing. Two paintings were shown on the projector. Mine and the other kids, which it wasn't bad.
"I don't know." I spoke honestly.
"Can we have the two contesters come to the stage." The principle says and that's when I started getting nervous. My palms got really sweaty as I gave Natalie an uneasy look. She nudged my shoulder giving me a smile. I stood up and felt all eyes on me. I gulped and started making my way down the bleachers. The second winner was in front of me making his way to the principal and other teachers as well.
"Now before we announce the winner, I want to personally say that you two had done an outstanding artwork. You two are very gifted and I am sure that your work gave the bishop art, a hard time." The principle joked. I did nor said anything. The principle continues to say stuff about how he wouldn't have made it in the top two if he painted it. And how there shouldn't be no hard feelings because it was a fair win. I blinked at him before looking up at the bleachers making eye contact with Natalie who gave me a larger smile and a thumbs up. I sighed through my nose.
"And now, the winner for the fine artist here at Forks high." He said with a dramatic trail off. "Naya Swan!"
There was clapping and whooping despite them not knowing who I was since I was new here. I felt my heartrate going in maximum drive. I felt like passing out. The principle came over and shook my hand. "Congratulations, Miss Swan. You have done a marvelous job."
He hands me a framed paper that says that I was a 'Fine arts winner' in fancy words. My name was on it.
"Look here and smile."
I look up and saw a teacher with a camera. I smiled awkwardly and the camera flashed. Was this over yet?
******
After that day, my new nickname at school was 'art girl' or some shit like that. The days went by smoothly, almost to smoothly. Bella was out of the house more and actually doing stuff. Turns out she was going to see Jake. I was happy I didn't live with a zombie no more.
Then everything seemed to go downhill again after Bella decided to go to the movies with her friends. She invited Natalie and I to the movies, but we already had plans to give Uncle Charlie a run for his money on a lakers game. After that night, Jake started ignoring her and she called, called, and still called him nonstop. Billy told her he was sick, and she couldn't see him but Bella being Bella did not take no for an answer and begged to see him. I found myself looking at her in concern. She wanted to go to Jake's house who was sick and whatever he had was possibly contagious. There was no telling how many germs were in that house.
So, Bella left despite me trying to convince her out of the trip to Jake's house. I just decided it wasn't worth the waste of breath to try and get Bella not to do something. Though Bella did come back, all sad and looked almost rejected.
******
I heard loud footsteps on the stairs. I looked up with a frown wondering who was stomping so loud. Bella appears from around the rail.
"Hey guys." She said walking in looking around a bit.
"Hey," I waved with a pen in my hand. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing much." Bella says sticking her hands in her front pockets. "Do you two want to walk through the woods with me?" Bella pointed her thumb over her shoulder. I froze at the thought of the woods. Flashes of the horse dog ran through my brain.
"Uhm." I stare at her unsure. Natalie looked at me with a look.
"You're not thinking about that damn dog again, are you?" She asked raising an eyebrow. I sat up straight ready to defend myself.
"Hey! That thing is probably still out there!" I told her pointing at the window. "I know what I saw!"
"You probably got dehydrated and hallucinated." Natalie argued. I groaned rolling my eyes.
"I wasn't even out there for not even thirty minutes."
"So do you two want to go with me?" Bella asked breaking the stare down between Natalie and me.
"Sure." Natalie said as she stands up and starts to stretch. She throws a mocking smile my way. "Maybe I'll see Naya's horse dog while out there."
"You can joke all you want but I saw what I saw." I told her with a pointed look. she rolled her eyes choosing not to believe me.
"Whatever." Natalie scoffed. I gave her a glare before standing as well.
"When it comes, you're going to be my sacrifice to it."