There was a stigma which came with being apart of the Monk family. By social recognition and self classification, they were dysfunctional, but even a blind mute could tell. It was the fault of the patriarch, who never bothered to look out for his sons, and let their name fall into disarray beneath his own doing.
However, of Rowan's three boys, no one felt his effects more than Creed. He couldn't even remember the last time he saw his Dad in person, one of the visits to Ireland probably, but there were no guarantees. Every so often, he might get a call, which made his heart beat that much quicker.
Creed had a vague recollection of his eleventh birthday, there or there abouts. It might have been Christmas that same year, it was extremely difficult to tell. Even so, his wish that year, his only wish, had been to see his father more. At least they made the effort to contact him; but the redhead had learned not to rely on him anymore.
Rowan was a rogue traveller. He hated to stay in the same place for more than a few weeks. His wanderlust was almost as prominent in his mind as real lust. Hence, his three known children, and the possibility of many more unknown. Though, if he randomly picked up a call, there was no way he would drop everything to take care of another Monk child. That wasn't his job.
This week came and went like a wildfire, Creed could hardly remember it. The next, however, was not the sort of day he could forget in a hurry.
His chats with Milo in art were becoming far more interesting now they knew they shared aspects of their personality. English was much more enjoyable now that he had been there closer to two weeks; Creed wondered how he'd not yet spotted Rosalie Hale, Jasper's sister, in that class. It proved just how much attention he'd been paying.
In the five minute gap between math and English, Creed had run to his locker. He needed to switch out his books for more subject appropriate ones. It was why he was so surprised to see the pixie-like Cullen stood ever so close to him. She was extremely frightening, only because she was so similar to a doll.
Her skin alone identified her as one of their clan. However, it was her hair which defined her as Alice Cullen. He was still learning their faces.
She was rather intimidating, despite her short stature. Creed didn't know what she could want with him, and it made him slightly uncomfortable, not knowing. It wasn't like the Cullen's were popular, they were practically infamous by schooling standards, but it didn't answer his question.
"Uh..." Creed blurted before he could think, properly. "Y'alright? Do you need something?"
"You're Creed Monk." She spoke with immense confidence. He was sick of so many people saying his name. However, her clarity was so off-putting that she could have called him Barbara and he would have answered.
"Yeah."
She introduced herself, despite the fact that everyone knew everyone in Forks, and everyone knew her family. "I'm Alice Cullen."
He nodded, throat dry. "Yeah, thanks."
Creed continued to switch his books around from backpack to locker. He wanted maths books, music sheets, pretty much anything that wasn't in his bag needed to be. The silence was deafening. He hated it. However, he could still feel her presence. It was kind of creepy, like a possessed doll almost, but her persistence was admirable.
He repeated once more, being careful not to mince his words. "Do you need something?"
An inquisitive look crossed her faery-like face, and she smiled, sweetly. "Do you like shopping?"
"Shopping?" The redhead blinked; it wasn't what he was expecting.
"In Port Angeles."
"Uh, not really." Creed shook his head, not sure where this was going. "You know... people, shops, social interaction... not exactly my thing."
A frown became prominent on Alice's face, and for a moment, he felt bad. "Oh, well, that's a pity. I wanted to invite you to come with my sister and I this weekend."
He brushed off his plethora of questions to close his locker and turn away. "Oh, thanks anyway."
Just as he began to walk to his class, Alice tagged along beside him. They didn't share the class, of course, she was a Junior, and he was a Sophomore. Creed didn't want the added glares from Eric Yorkie's group of juvenile misfits either. It had become known to him that Jessica Stanley was practically in love with Edward Cullen, and had, on many occasions, made that known to him. He was yet to accept her advances in any way.
"You could sit with us for lunch!" She grabbed onto his hand with excitement, and Creed froze in the centre of the hallway. Alice was like ice. Perhaps she'd first met Doctor Cullen in a hospital for her poor circulation. "Oh, I'd love your company!"
"Sorry, but I don't actually know you." Creed rejected her platonic advances, retreating from her, and removing her grip. "I'll think about it, though, yeah? Thanks..."
Every day that week, Alice had talked to Creed, slowly wedging her way into his routine. He'd almost come to expect her turning up by his locker door after second period, which he shared with her sister, to try and convince him to spend time with her and her family. After that, he was used to spending his last subject with Jasper, hardly talking about anything important.
Jasper was much different to Alice. He preferred to keep to himself. He didn't speak unless spoken to, for the most part. His soul was soft, and quiet, and he appreciated that he wanted to keep to himself. If it were possible to achieve, Creed would have done the same himself.
However, because he was spending his lunches in the cafeteria, things weren't as clean cut. He hadn't been eating properly again. Charlie had been working late, and he was forgetting that he needed to cook, or make something for himself. Creed was becoming severely undernourished and no one seemed to notice.
After the weekend, Creed had wondered if Alice would give up on him. However, when Monday rolled around, she had made herself known again, and Creed couldn't help but be slightly relieved. He was supposed to leave Forks on Friday for his mothers wedding, but any excuse would do.
"Creed!" She bounded towards him, a bounce in her step. "Will you sit with us yet?"
It was the age old question. He'd been avoiding it so far, because he felt he owed Buzz and Connor for taking such good care of him. They'd been protecting him from Eric, Tyler and Mike. However, Alice's persistence was becoming more and more attractive.
"I, uh... I don't think I can."
"Oh, please." Her tone dropped like a pleading toddler, asking for a new toy. It was sort of disconcerting. "Even Jasper thinks you should sit with us."
"Jasper?"
"He's not very social with new people..." Her pout grew even further. "But I promise he likes you!"
He found it off that Alice felt the need to explain her brothers actions, but he didn't question it. "Thank you..."
"So, will you come and sit with us then?"
Creed tried his best not to laugh. "No, I'm... I've got stuff to do."
She didn't seem bothered by his face growing red from embarrassment and left him close by his classroom with a smile. "That's alright, another time."
Creed watched as Alice bounced off, completely unbothered by their conversation. She ran into the arms of her boyfriend, George, and wrapped an arm around his waist. Whatever it was which made her so content, he wanted some of it. He needed it.
Math went by in a flash, but as he left to make way for the cafeteria, he was pulled away by the scruff of his neck. At first, it hurt, the tight grip on the skin, and then, it disappeared when the nerves set in. Then, he was just frightened.
Creed didn't actually know who had a hold of him until a teacher walked down the hall, and he was flipped around. The hand grabbing him was moved around his shoulders to appear like they were best friends instead. That was when he saw their faces. Oh... he should have expected it, really. Of course, it was Tyler and Mike again.
It had become a semi-permanent fixture in his day; only because he never knew if it would happen or not. Since that day in the cafeteria, they'd randomly pushed him in hallways, thumped him into his locker, and left various bruises from these escapades. This, whatever it was, seemed to be a little more permanent. A bruise left in a week. This would be a month, at least.
Creed was dragged out, against his will, behind the school. His body was pressed against the wall, and that was when they began to hit him. It was more than a thousand little bruises. Everything ached when they were done, and still, he had to get on with it. They laughed at him. They laughed at his pain.
Though, the minute Creed attempted to walk away from it all, he keeled over, throwing up on the ground. He was glad that Mike and Tyler had left, otherwise it would've just been another reason to laugh at him.
Creed skipped the afternoon, for the most part, and decided he felt well enough by history to attend the class. Though, in hindsight, he wished he hadn't. He was almost late because his body hurt so badly, and despite it, he sat down in his chair with an immense thud.
Jasper looked at him, his golden eyes stretched wide. Perhaps, he should have taken the time to look himself over before arriving. He didn't realise his skin was turning yellow in patches where he'd been hit. Soon enough, it would be green, and then blue, and then black. His lip was cut, and blood dripped down his chin, almost dry now.
Creed covered his face over as fast as he was able. He didn't want to be seen. In fact, he would have walked straight back out, but Mr Cartwright had already arrived.
"You're bleeding." Jasper said as he looked at the redhead. "Badly." Creed touched his lip, when the blonde shook his head. "Your arm."
He hadn't even realised, and found two graze like cuts over his forearm. "Oh. Sorry... are you squeamish?"
"Something like that." He replied, but Creed couldn't seem to focus. His head was pounding like a mallet to a rat. "Sorry, I'm... uh..."
"Did something happen?"
"Um... yeah... I think so..."
Jasper kept staring at him. "Have you seen the nurse?"
He shook his head, and realised that even that was an awful idea. "I..."
It didn't take a genius to see that Creed wasn't feeling well. He was paler than usual, and all life had been drained from his body. With the blood and the bruises and the boniness which had started to form, Creed looked as if he was on his last legs. Jasper didn't understand why it was taking people so long to notice.
Jasper raised his hand, and Mr Cartwright answered him almost immediately. "Creed isn't well, I'm going to take him to see the nurse."
When the teacher agreed, Jasper grabbed Creed's bag for him, and walked slowly behind him out of the room. He was still dizzy, more so than before, even, so it took longer than he would have liked. However, when they got into the corridor, Jasper stopped them, and leant the redhead against the lockers.
"What are you doing?" Creed groaned, looking to the blonde, his nose scrunched up.
"I'm driving you to the hospital." Jasper said, swiftly, wrapping an arm around the boys waist to help him walk straight. "Carlisle can help you."
"There's nothing wrong with me. I don't need to go to a hospital."
The Hale boy didn't even look at Creed again when he shook his head. "You can't even sit up straight, you're bleeding, you've got to be in pain."
The redhead promised. "The nurse is fine."
"The nurse isn't fine." Jasper told him sternly, his voice so clearly southern and angry in that moment. "You're hurt, Creed. You've got to let me help you."
He countered, despite his shoulder partners kindness. "I don't have to do anything."
"You don't drive do you?" He raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"No."
"There's no way you'd be able to walk home. I don't think the Chief would be happy with me if I just let you go by yourself." Jasper hummed, sighing. "I wouldn't be very happy with myself either."
Creed was less than thrilled, but he knew that he didn't have a choice. For whatever reason, Alice and Jasper liked him enough to help him. Jasper was looking after him, making sure he wasn't dying. The least he could do was comply...
Jasper lead him to his car. Though, he'd never seen him drive. He hoped he was a good driver. Otherwise, it would all be rather ironic, dying on the way to the hospital. Though, there were worse ways to go.
Creed had thought of it all before.
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Disclaimer!!!
I do not own the Twilight Saga. I only own my original characters and changes to the plot. All credit goes to Stephenie Meyer. Any similarities to real life are purely coincidence.