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Edward was deeply engrossed in playing the piano, yet he seemed oblivious to his surroundings. This was quite unusual. While he wasn't very outgoing or talkative, he usually remained aware of what was happening in the house and with his family. He could hear their thoughts and knew when they needed something. However, at that moment, he felt detached from the outside world.
"Edward," Esme called from the stairs. She had a bag in one hand and car keys in the other, ready to leave.
The copper-haired boy returned to reality and looked at his adoptive mother with a slightly furrowed brow.
"What's wrong, Esme?" he asked.
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, somewhat amused. "Are you okay?" she asked, taking a few steps closer to him.
"Why do you ask?" he replied defensively, though it wasn't his intention.
Esme displayed a kind smile as she approached him. "Well, you promised to come with me for this week's shopping. I told you we'd leave in fifteen minutes."
Edward checked the time; more than twenty minutes had passed since Esme had told him.
"I'm sorry, Esme," he stood up, "I have some things on my mind."
She patted his arm as he passed by. "Don't worry. Do you want to talk about it?"
They walked in silence for a moment until Edward finally nodded.
"I think so."
Both got into the car, with Edward taking the driver's seat. The ride remained silent for a few minutes, with the radio softly playing in the background. It was only when they entered the town that Edward decided to speak. Esme had decided to give her adoptive son some space, not pressuring him to talk. Edward would tell her when he was ready.
"I met someone," Edward finally said. "It's a new guy."
"That boy, Devon, right?" Esme asked. "Alice talked about him when she came home from school. She said he was very handsome."
Edward almost rolled his eyes. He didn't like Alice or anyone else meddling in his affairs, though Devon wasn't really his concern. It was quite normal for people to notice him being the new guy. He was quite eye-catching, not just for being new; his striking appearance drew everyone's attention, adorned with a significant bruise on his handsome face.
"Yes, it's him," he confirmed.
Esme showed a small understanding smile. "What's going on with him, Edward?"
He thought about it for a moment. He wasn't sure how to explain it.
"I don't know," he finally said without taking his eyes off the road. "I usually keep away from people and my classmates, but I like being around him. His mind is so calm and pleasant; it drowns out the noise of others."
Esme nodded in understanding. "Hmm... could it be that you like that guy a little?"
Edward abruptly stopped the car and looked at Esme with a furrowed brow, almost alarmed by her words.
"No way," he replied with a hint of annoyance.
Esme furrowed her brow, this time a bit confused by his uncommon reaction.
"Edward, you understand that it's not wrong to like a guy, right?"
Edward shook his head and gripped the steering wheel tightly.
"It's not that," he muttered, but it sounded like a lie. "I just... feel a little confused. Besides, he's human; I shouldn't like being around a human."
He started the car again.
"Maybe you should talk to him a bit more and get to know him," Esme suggested.
But Edward didn't say anything more and focused on the road ahead. They didn't take long to reach their destination, a small supermarket where they usually did their grocery shopping.
"Is it okay if I wait for you in the car?" Edward asked.
Esme nodded with a smile. "Sure. I won't take long."
Esme closed the car and hurriedly walked away, greeting people she knew on her way.
Edward crossed his arms and closed his eyes for a moment. How could he like Devon? No way. He didn't even know him, and they had only spoken once.
Not more than five minutes passed when Edward heard some thoughts very close to him. Unpleasant thoughts about killing and hitting someone. He wouldn't have cared much, but the thoughts of another person entered his head.
Devon. He recognized him quickly.
Without thinking, he got out of the car and walked as fast as an average human would to the alley next to the supermarket. There was Devon, fighting against four guys. Two were already on the ground, but Edward knew he couldn't handle the remaining ones by himself.
And then his feet moved again, instinctively moving him towards the guy who was beating Devon. He grabbed him by the shoulders, threw him back, and delivered a strong punch to his face, leaving him knocked out.
Devon looked surprised to see Edward, but he didn't stop and fought the others. When only one was left standing, the poor guy got scared and ran away without looking back, and the others followed him, quite sore.
Devon sat down on the ground and began to breathe with difficulty, trying to catch his breath. Edward looked at him from his place since he didn't seem tired but had to pretend to be.
"What happened?" Edward asked, and Devon turned to look at him.
He shrugged and smiled. "Just nonsense."
But Edward furrowed his brow, and before he could say anything, two girls approached with some shyness, seemingly almost not noticing Edward's presence.
"Um... thank you very much," one of the girls, who seemed to be from high school, said. "It's not much, but we went to buy you these things at the pharmacy."
The other girl handed him a bag with the pharmacy logo on it.
Devon stood up and took the bag with a friendly smile. Both girls had blushed and couldn't stop looking at Devon with some adoration.
"Don't worry, girls. Those disgusting guys won't bother you again," Devon shook his hair.
Both girls blushed even more if that was possible.
"And sorry, because of us, they hurt you."
He shook his head while cleaning the blood from his nose with the edge of his sleeve.
"It's just a little blood. Don't worry and go home."
"Thank you very much," both girls said as they ran away.
For Edward, it was easy to understand the situation since he read the minds of those two girls. Apparently, those guys had started bothering them when they passed by the alley, and Devon had arrived on his motorcycle when he saw them, quickly coming to their rescue.
There were a few seconds of silence, and Devon let out a sigh that sounded more like a groan of pain.
"Damn," Devon complained as he hugged his abdomen. "A few months without fighting, and it seems like I'm rusting."
This time, Edward looked at him with concern and approached to support him since he couldn't seem to stand on his own.
"I should take you to the hospital right away," Edward suggested, but Devon shook his head.
"I don't want to worry my mom or Charlie. I hadn't gotten into a fight since I arrived, and I don't want them to misinterpret things."
Edward thought for a moment. It was Sunday, so Carlisle would come home early from work.
"Then
let's go to my house. My father can help you."
Devon stared at him for a long moment. The pain was stronger, so he agreed. He just wanted to make sure he didn't have broken ribs.
"Alright. Thanks."
They began to walk to Edward's car, and it was almost a strange coincidence that Esme was leaving the supermarket and saw both boys. She was alarmed to see the unknown guy so injured and hurried her steps.
"Edward, what happened?" she looked at Devon with concern. "Is that boy okay?"
Edward cleared his throat.
"He's Devon," Esme almost smiled but felt a little more worried for the poor guy. "He was just fighting with some guys trying to defend two girls, but they were more, and I arrived just before they finished him off," he joked at the end, and Devon couldn't help but smile. "He doesn't want to go to the hospital to avoid worrying his family, so I told him I could take him home. Carlisle comes home early today. I think those guys broke two of his ribs."
Esme nodded, quickly opening the car, leaving the shopping bags on the floor, and helping Devon get into the back seats.
Edward hadn't noticed it at that moment, but seeing and smelling Devon's blood didn't affect him at all.
Esme and Edward put the shopping bags in the trunk and also got into the car. He tried not to drive too fast, but he failed miserably, accelerating too much and dodging the cars in front of him.
But the truth was, he was very worried about Devon and his health at that moment.