Crescent Night

Chapter 13

It's been two days. Two days since Bella was hunted out of Forks by some psychotic vampire. Two days of unending rumors about Bella and Edward.

"She broke up with Edward?"

"That's what her dad says, but you know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think he broke up with her, and she couldn't take the embarrassment!"

"My mom says she's probably pregnant and they ran away, I mean no ones seen Edward either!"

"That's true, in fact I haven't seen any of the Cullens, I heard even Dr. Cullens missed work."

People in this town definitely paid attention when it had to do with gossip. And it was hard pretending everything was fine, and not act like at any moment you could get a call telling you your friend was dead. Or your partners.

But walking through Forks High hadn't been this tough since I first moved here. Desperately trying not to make eye contact, to not draw attention to myself, avoiding any and all questioning.

But I was doing my part I guess. Anyone close to Bella could be a target, and apparently one of the evil vampires was still hanging around town, so I had to stay out of it.

"Act naturally, don't do anything out of the ordinary, we don't need another target to babysit" Rosalie had made her instructions very clear.

She'd crawled in through my window four hours after I got Alice's incredibly vague text. She explained everything in excruciating detail, doing nothing to hide the annoyance in her voice. I just listened, agreeing with whatever suggestions she gave me.

"Esme is looking after the chief, i was told to warn you" She peered out the window, once again making sure she had not been followed "There's no reason the nomads would know about you, and we'd like to keep it that way, don't we?" She made a point to turn her piercing gaze in my direction, as if to accentuate her point.

I nodded, again having nothing to say. I had no questions, and no answers. Her thorough explanation and her chilly demeanor made sure of that. After making sure I knew what I had to do she left, and I haven't heard from anyone since. I haven't even seen her or Esme, who are supposedly keeping watch.

For the first time in months I felt alone, completely. Suddenly I had secrets again, and no one to share them with. Suddenly I was walking on thin ice, like if I made the wrong move people would know the truth.

This time felt more imperative though, there was a psychotic vampire roaming around looking for ways to get to Bella. So far she eyed her dad, and if that failed she might start looking through her friends list, which was alarmingly short, especially when you excluded the pro-human vampires.

I mostly got by unnoticed, though Jessica presented quite the challenge. She wanted to know the truth, and she intended to get it. And unfortunately for me, she had no reservations about asking me directly, most people settled for whispering when they saw me. I had managed to avoid Jessica for most of the day, but seeing as it was day two of Bella's scandalous disappearance she was determined to get the truth out of me one way or another.

To my credit, I had managed to avoid her for most of the day. Though it had taken cutting a few classes to achieve it. I was terrified over the mention of Bella's name, I haven't felt this unsafe in months, and Jessica's warpath wasn't helping. I could feel my anxiety rising every time I looked over my shoulder to make sure Jessica wasn't there.

My luck ran out once I got to gym. I had already cut two classes, and I foolishly thought she wouldn't approach me in front of everyone. I was sorely mistaken.

We were running laps around the school this week, so I made a point to stay ahead of her. I just needed to survive this last class, and then I wouldn't see her until Monday, and surely Bella and the others would be back by then. Right?

It'd been a while since I'd done laps, I was out of practice. The last time had been back in Puerto Rico, when I was still part of my school's volleyball team. But that was almost two years ago now, I could feel my legs cramping and my heart in my throat. But I managed to avoid Jessica for half the class, but my luck had to run out at some point.

"Elle! Elle, wait up!"

Puñeta.

"Hey, I've been trying to talk to you all day!" Her voice was cheery, failing to hide her excitement for new gossip.

"I've been kind of busy today." Maybe I can cut this short if I'm unpleasant enough.

"Sure, anyways, I wanted to ask you about Bella!" Could she be any louder, I looked around making sure there wasn't any unwanted company. I could feel my heartbeat picking up.

"I don't really know what you mean." I tried to outrun her, but she was keeping up easily.

"Of course you do!" She grabbed my arm, stopping me behind the school facing the woods. "She must've told you something, she doesn't talk to anyone else anymore!"

The rest of the class is passing us.

"Look she didn't tell me anything, we're not that close." I tried to pull my hand away but she wasn't budging.

We're alone now.

"Of course you are! You and her are inseparable, I mean, aside from the Cullens!" She gripped my arm tighter. "You don't have to hide it just because she made a scene you know!" I was looking around erratically, my breath coming out in short puffs.

Did something move in the woods?

"I don-I don't think we should really be here-" She cut me off.

"Don't worry the teacher won't notice, now c'mon tell me!"

What was that?

I can hear someone in the woods.

Am I imagining things?

I need to leave!

"Look, please i really don't know anything-" I can't breathe. Alice! Jasper! Someone please, I can't breathe!

"Yes you do! I saw you talking to her on Wednesday!" She still wouldn't let go. Let go. Let go! "Did they break up? I'm sure Edward broke up with her, I mean, no offense to Bella, but he can do so much better- Elle? Elle!"

I'm laying on the ground now, I think I fell.

I'm looking up at the cloudy sky, my chest hurts.

I can't breathe.

Jessicas running away, I think she's yelling.

Wait, wait! Don't leave me alone!

They know now, they have to.

They'll kill me for sure, to get to Bella.

I close my eyes, I think I'm crying.

I can hear quick footsteps.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.