Writer in the Dark - J. HALE

37 - ʜᴜɢꜱ

AFTER A  lengthy retelling of what Alice had told him about the run-in with the Volturi and a few other discussions that had taken them into the morning, the conversation that they should have had months ago - after the initial kiss- came up rather naturally. They talked about it for a few minutes as he drove her to school, weighing up options without so much as a hint of discomfort. "I say we just see what happens," she spoke softly as he stopped the car in a sheltered part of the parking area - so no mortals saw that they were back quite yet. "You know live in the moment," she added with a soft grin, referencing a conversation they had had after the kiss. It bought back a fuzzy feeling that flooded through her fingertips and all the way down to her toes, surrounding her being in a happy numbness.

He chuckled, snapping her out of the feeling, "Evasive."

"Do you know me to be any different?" she asked with a slight eyebrow raise. With a soft smile and a muttered goodbye, she opened the car door and shut it gently continuing to walk away from the car as she pulled her headphones back onto her head. She was glad to find that no one watched her exit the car and no one thought that her having a lift was suspicious, in fact, it sorted some people's image of her out. They thought a family member must have dropped her off, something which bought a smile to her face that lasted for the majority of the day.

At lunch, she retired to the library and read like she usually did, only this time there was a distraction. Before they had left the house, Jasper had put his new number into her phone so now the two texted endlessly, further catching up with the other. It was nice to have him reply to her messages this time, instead of talking to a brick wall for some sort of regality in a very confusing and numbing time for her. She managed to read about two chapters, compared to her usual twenty by the time the bell signalled last period.

"Why are you all smiley for," Eric asked as she walked into her last lesson of the day, taking a seat next to him since he always saved it for her. She liked that about him, he chose to sit with her like usual instead of moving to be with Angela. It made their relationship dynamic less overwhelming she thought, not overly dependant like most mortal high school relationships were. Who wants to see two people making out in the back of an English classroom?

"Nothing Eric, nothing at all," she replied in an almost vacant voice, fighting the smile that showed on her face ever so prominently. He did not buy it at all, instead of feeling the urge to ask her what was going on. He hadn't seen her this way for a long time, in some ways it was refreshing.

"Is this one of those you haven't eaten today so you're slightly insane moments? Cause I have an apple if you want it," he offered, scooting his chair back slightly so it was easier to reach his bag if she said she needed it.

She smiled gratefully, the gesture warmed her heart. "No no I'm good. Just happy," she responded, looking back to the front of the lass where the teacher was incorrectly analysing one of her own novels.. She watched Eric's expression change out of the corner of her eye, the sudden brow raise and quint of the eye that she desperately wanted to avoid.

So she raised her hand. "Do you not think that this is insane? I mean sometimes the door is just red, there are no hidden dangers behind it. It's not a novel that discusses the 'dangers' that you're talking about so why on earth would the author choose to add in a hidden sight of danger when they're writing about a wholesome little family and all they got up to. It's insane, don't you think? How warped modern society has become because of their views on the classics. The door is just red, it's not some sign of blood or danger or even calling the women whores. It is not and quite frankly that's a very sexist comment to make. It is a red door and the audience would not even notice it that deeply or analyse it to the extent that you are."