Hillary's POV
The feeling of being wanted was like you suddenly had a purpose in the world, I always somewhat had that feeling with my sister but never like this.
Angela Weber was sweet, caring, beautiful and yet . . She was still bullied. Even in such a small town where everyone knew each other, they were just the same as big-city kids picking on the weaker, smarter kids.
So when I saw this wannabe model named Lauren pick on my new friend I put my foot down. She was obviously surprised that I, the loner emo kid, was standing up for the girl she thought to be lower than her. To say the girl would ever talk to Angela again was an understatement, she was definitely going to have to explain a few cuts and bruises to her parents.
And although Angela didn't condone violence, I knew she was happy to get a bully-off her back. Martha, of course, thought it was hilarious and fair punishment but also a little sad she couldn't do it herself.
Angela now sat with us, in the corner of the cafeteria even though she had her own friends. Martha was happy to have a new friend and I was just glad they both were content. But I still didn't like sweet Angela hanging with us for most of her time when she should be doing homework and messing around with her friends as a teenager should do.
I still smiled for them, it being almost completely real, at least it felt real. They laughed as they talked loudly, well Martha was loud while Angela stayed her quiet self.
"Wait, you're saying you filmed yourself as a talk show host with your stuffed animals?" Martha laughed, almost falling off her chair with how funny she thought it was.
Angie blushed, giggling softly, "I was seven." She defended her younger self.
My sister scoffed, "so? I wanna see that video." Her grin was contagious as I smiled along with them, this was just such a nice change of scenery.
Angie looked off to the side, "there's actually a few." She mumbled which made Martha laugh hysterically. I didn't really know what was so funny but I wasn't listening too much anyway.
"Love that." Martha shook her head with amusement.
I looked away from the happy two and watched Angela's friends sit at their table doing the same, laughing and talking with one another. Lauren sat among them, her face much more colourful than it should be. I smirked when her eyes caught mine, she quickly looked away as I knew she was probably scared of me now.
"What are you looking at?" I heard Angie ask. I averted my eyes and gave her a smile, almost to assure her.
"Nothing," I answered softly, shaking my head as if to make my point clearer. She brushed it off with a shrug and turned back to Martha, I'm glad she can be so naive.
• • •
Another PE period and another day of ditching it.
I walked behind the gym, towards the field where I would usually be during this period. I was sort of hoping to see the golden-haired, golden-eyed Hale but I wouldn't let myself expect him.
I sat underneath a tree, my back against the trunk as I listened to the wind dance through the branches with closed eyes. I let myself relax for the moment, my thoughts content and my breathing calm.
Footsteps broke me from my thoughts though, "what are you doing?" I opened my eyes to see Jasper standing over me, a small smirk playing on his lips.
I frowned at the boy, "relaxing." I answered nonchalantly, "you should try it sometime, looks like you could use it." I let out a chuckle which he joined in on.
Jasper sat next to me and we stayed in silence as if we had known each other for our entire lives. I was comfortable for once, even with this Hale boy next to me and I was confused yet thankful for the effect he somehow had on me. Maybe it was because we were both quiet and hurt in some way, I could see the scars on his arms and I didn't know if they were self-inflicted or not but I would never judge someone who has gone through pain in their life when I knew how it can feel myself.
"You seem very calm today." His voice broke the silence.
I hummed in agreement, "am I not usually?" I asked with humour to my voice.
I saw him smile out of the corner of my eye but it soon turned to a frown, "no, Hillary. I see the pain in your eyes when no one else can, you have suffered as much as I have." He spoke, not in sympathy but in understanding, he knew to an extent what I was going through.
"The base of my pain is rooted deep, Goldilocks." I brushed him off, not wanting to talk about my life. Jasper chuckled at my new nickname for him and seemed to let it go as well.
"Yes, I'm sure." He continued to laugh while I simply smiled in amusement.
Jasper was good to have around. He was a good company to keep, unlike most of the people in this school. The boy was definitely different, but who wasn't? It's boring to have completely normal people everywhere you turn and that's exactly what this town seemed to be most of the time, normal.
"Goldilocks?" I asked and he hummed in response, "there are two kinds of people in this world. Hopeless romantics and realists. . . Which one are you?" I turned to the boy as he thought, a frown forming on his face.
Jasper concluded his thoughts with a shrug, "I don't know," he replied, "what do you think?"
I smirked, "I think you're a hopeless romantic, no doubt about it. With your southern accent and blonde hair and amber eyes." My smirk turned to a soft smile. The girls definitely liked to stare dreamily at the boy and his brothers.
Jasper shrugged, "thank you . . . I think." He said before we both laughed at each other. "I hope to find out which one you are, Hillary."
I snorted, "I'm sure as hell, not the romantic type." I shook my head, mostly to myself.
"We'll see about that."
Martha's POV
The first thing I did when I got home was run straight to my room and slam the door shut, I didn't want to run into my father or his whore, I don't care what he had to say to me.
Hillary was stuck in detention, I would have stayed and waited but she told me to leave or she would make me, and I really couldn't be bothered dealing with my angry sister.
Another shitty day in the life of Martha Swan. But, of course, I couldn't escape, no matter how hard I tried something always pulled me back. The Cullens were already adding to this never-ending loop of whatever and I don't know if I liked it. One thing that was good, though, was my newfound friendship with Angela Weber, she was an angel.
I sighed and fell onto the bed, staring up at the white, chipped ceiling. I distracted myself by finding shapes and faces within the cracks of paint, it led me to be mildly entertained for the moment.
However, my peace was disturbed by Hillary's and my phone going off, the ringing filling the room making me growl and quickly get up to check it.
The number was unknown.
I stared down at the phone with uncertainty, this does happen but I always get anxious when it does. What if it was-? No! He's gone, Martha. He's never coming back.
I answered the call, put the phone to my ear and listened, "hello?" I spoke, my frown never leaving as I waited.
"Is this Martha Swan?" A voice asked through the line, definitely masculine.
I suddenly knew what this call was about, "yes." I muttered.
"I heard you put out for money." The man told me with a slight chuckle, sounding much too cocky for my liking.
I hummed, "only for good cash. You know the price?" It wasn't really a question, everyone knew my price and I wasn't hiding it. This was my only way of getting my own clothes and things, what else was I supposed to do? I've tried getting jobs, never works out. So what if I'm prostituting myself a bit?
The man answered with a yes and that was that. That afternoon I spent in a guy's, I didn't even know the name of, bed before collecting my cash and heading home. Hillary was worried sick but hey, at least I can now get a new jacket for the cold days out.
•••
I slowly walked to my locker, due to the slow people in front of me that would not get out of my way, but whatever. I grumbled under my breath as soon as I made it to my locker, yanking the door open to throw my books inside. People got on my nerves without even trying.
Something slammed into the locker next to me which made me jump, visibly this time. I looked over to see a giant of a man standing there, leaning against a locker, grinning at me with a mischievous glint in his golden eyes. Why did I already think this guy and I were going going to get along?
"Hey, girl. The names Emmett." His grin never left as he spoke and just by what he said I thought he was asking for something.
I raised an eyebrow, "if you want what I think you want then you're gonna have to pay, man." I tell him up front.
Emmett frowns, "what do you think I want?"
"What do you think I think you want?" I shot back, a smirk slowly forming.
The boy shook his head, "no, what do you think I think you think I want?" He questioned before gazing off with confusion, "wait. . . what?" He asked himself. We both laughed like lunatics, people giving us weird looks as they passed.
When we finished our laughing fit we both realised Rosalie had now joined us, glaring at her brother. Emmett ignored her and simply turned back to me like she wasn't there.
"Anyway, all I wanted to do was say hi. So. . There you go." The boy shrugged, appearing as if he were a playful child.
I nodded, "well, thanks, man." I said with a smile. I was surprised that's all he came over here for but I wasn't really complaining, this never happens unless it's the Cullen family coming to say hello.
Rosalie finally stopped glaring at her brother and gave me a small smile, "it's nice to see you, Martha." Her voice was still as beautiful to listen to as I remember, maybe more. What a creep I am.
I grinned, "Yeah, good to see yah, Rose." I told her, letting the nickname slip from my lips before even thinking about it.
The two left, Emmett getting a punch from Rosalie and him acting as if it had hurt. I shook my head with amusement towards the siblings, feeling much better than I did a few minutes ago.
I glanced back once more, seeing Rosalie doing the same before we both turned away. I couldn't shake the feeling, some weird feeling I was having around this girl and I don't know if I wanted it.