The Alchemist

Chapter 4

The second week after my return to America, was when I met the parental figures of that family. I had one big problem with living the way I was now. I had time to let nightmares take over my sleep as I slept deeper than usual. The first two days I had screamed my head off, waking Charlie and Bella. They'd had to hold me to make sure I wouldn't hurt myself until I woke.

Feeling bad for making them lose sleep over this, I had taken to tiring myself out like running and spending long nights studying. I also had gotten a bit addicted to coffee. After three full nights of no sleep at all, my body couldn't take it anymore, and I slept in class during English class. Icy bitch, as I had taken to calling Rosalie, took great pleasure in getting me into trouble for this by telling Mr. Foreman, the substitute that also taught us history.

He was the old-fashioned kind of teacher that tended to use old methods to discipline students. "Sir, I can't hear your lecture well over Leona's snoring." She said.

He threw a brush for the chalkboard at me. I had my eyes slightly opened at hearing my name, so I saw a blurry object coming at me, I caught it and simply returned it to where it came from the same way as a way to defend myself.

Apparently, it hit the teacher. "MISS SWAN! DETENTION! After school for a week. My class is not meant to catch some sleep, when you young students party too hard the night before." He scolded me.

"As if that's the problem." I muttered.

"What was that?" He barely kept from yelling.

"I said, as if that's the problem. Sir." I was not really being polite.

"Get out of my class and get your butt to the principle. Now." I did in a bit sluggish manner but that only seemed to annoy him more. He came at me to throw me out, but I only saw him as a threat. So I knocked him down with a defensive move.

"Don't you ever dare, to threaten me like that again." I spoke. Then I went to the principal and explained what happened. I didn't blame anyone for what happened.

"I know you are an adult by law but I will have to call your father." The principal, mr Dawson said.

"I understand, sir." By the time Charlie got here, I had fallen asleep again. Not deep enough to dream nightmares again, but I was surprised by his arrival.

"Mr Swan, may I suggest you take your daughter to see a psychiatrist? Hearing her story and that of the teacher, mr Foreman, I believe what she has seen and done in her service of the military, is making it harder for her to keep up with life." Mr Dawson suggested.

"We will look into it, thank you for the advice." Charlie replied.

"What will my punishment be?" I asked.

"You already have a week of detention. Your teacher has decided to add one extra week to it for your rude attitude. However he has left me to decide what you will be doing. Since you seem to want to tire yourself out so badly I want you to clean the cafeteria after classes. And make it meticulous." he said.

"Yes sir." I accepted it. It really wasn't nice of me to have done what I did.

"Good. I'm glad your politeness hasn't gone yet." I was accepting the punishment, but I refused seeing a shrink. The ones I had seen in the Middle-east, had been scared off, with how detailed I described each scene.

So I just made my runs longer, and one day I had run a different route as usual, as it had been a nice day and I just went through the woods. After about an hour out, I stumbled upon a path I never knew before. Following it, I found a house. It seemed rather modern, for being in the middle of the woods. Looking around it, I found no signs of who lived here.

"Leona?" Why did the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight? Is it because I didn't hear him coming, even though we were in the middle of the woods where silently walking was harder?

"Hi." I greeted Emmett.

"What are you doing here? Did you want a rematch, because you lost our bet?" He asked.

"You live here?" I have to admit I was a bit jealous of that. Because the place seemed beautiful from the outside, plus the location seemed pretty peaceful.

"Yes, would you like to come in? It's getting colder." I hadn't noticed that yet.

"No, thank you. I need to go home. My turn to try and not to burn the kitchen down, you see." Some of my senses were telling me to leave, which was strange.

"Aw, but at least come and warm up. I'll drive you home. I think it might even rain later on." Looking up the sky had gotten a bit dark.

"You're not going to give up, huh?" I sighed.

"No." Ugh. He reminded me so much of Mark. No Leona, you're not going there. Not today.

"Fine." I gave up, knowing he would win just by wearing me down. Thank god it's a Saturday, so my usual schedule doesn't get messed up too much.

Emmett dragged me inside, where I met Esme and Carlisle. The parents. "You must be Leona. Emmett hasn't had a day where he didn't speak about you. He seems to like you being friends. I'm Esme." The mother greeted first.

"Nice to meet you ma'am." I answered her.

"Oh please, just call me Esme. And this is my husband Carlisle." I recognized him from the hospital. I had gone for a check up with my own doctor there, when Charlie and I ran into him after. Charlie seems to like the man.

"Doc." I greeted.

"Miss Swan." The good man chuckled.

"See? No manners at all." Ah I was wondering if she was around.

"Blondie! I thought this place was rather warm until you walked in." I greeted Rosalie.

"Rose, you can't do that." She hadn't done anything other than glare. What was Alice talking about? and how did I not notice her? Now that I saw the family together, I noticed that they all shared one trait which should've been impossible considering the children were adopted. The eyes.

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Please comment what you think of it whether you do or don't like it. I do enjoy reading what you think of certain parts or chapters. though I do ask to be constructive (Is that how you say it?) with criticism so I can learn from it considering English is not my first language nor is writing stories something I studied in school.

Also I wish you all will hopefully have a better year. I word it like this as just because it's a new year it doesn't mean everything will magically be okay. Let's all work towards a healthier and more peaceful year after all we went through in 2020.