Chapter Three

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I Write Sins, Not Tragedies 

Chapter Three: Look at me, I'm flying. Not.

I didn't sleep well. In fact, I hadn't been sleeping well since I had heard that my mother had passed away. I kept having nightmares about the accident; about how it was all my fault. There were no clocks in the room, so knowing the time of when I shot awake was impossible. My only indicator was the pitch black sky and the instinct it my gut that was telling me; its late, very late. 

I really didn't feel like dealing with people, especially strangers. But after that meal that Esme left me, my stomach was screaming at me for more food. I had that near starvation sort of pain shooting through me, and it was coming close to unbearable. I needed sustenance. 

Since my instinct told the time for me, I figured it was pretty well safe to roam about the house without being forced into an awkward encounter with the strange family whose home I just so happened to be invading. I was wearing a red and brown nightshirt, and I blushed a little bit when the wondering of how I got into it came to my mind. Hopefully it was a girl who dressed me. Whoever it had been was kind enough to select a matching pair of house shoes that was set neatly at the foot of my bed. There was a golden light coming from just above the door, which was clear had been dimmed to give me just enough light, but not too much as to disturb me. Thoughtful.  

I was sure to be quiet as I pulled open the door, grateful that what was clearly an old house had been well kept enough to mask my venture. I looked both ways down the hallway; there were eight or nine doors total, and all were closed. I had to swallow my curiosity not to open them. Between each door was a piece of art, each one was tastefully linked in some way to the other and the each flowed. It came be something interesting when I had to pause to be sure the coast was clear enough to continue. They looked to be hand painted by someone extremely talented. 

I approached the stairs, wide a wooden. I was nervous now, sure that at some point they were going to creak and wake someone. Then I would feel bad. It was rude enough to take up space in their home, and eat their food; it's another to wake them up in the wee hours of the night. 

I decided that it would be best to take on the mountain all at once, and not just one step at a time. That way any disturbances would have been over and done with rather than drug on. I took a deep breath and held it there, closing my eyes before I took off. For a moment, I was flying; however, clumsy as I was, I lost my footing somewhere and crashed hard at the bottom landing. Mentally a stream of curse words were flung at myself. Surely someone heard that. 

There was a small laugh from my left, and a cold hand grabbed onto my arm pulling me up. "That wasn't exactly the smartest of plans, you know." This girl did not sound as if she had been disturbingly awaken by my tumble; it was more like she hadn't been asleep at all.  

"Sorry, about that." I blushed as I made it to might feet with her aid. "I didn't want to wake anyone." Ha. So much for that. "I was just..." 

"Hungry." The girl finished my sentence for me. I looked up at her face, somewhat flabbergasted. This girl, too, had the same distinguishing pale skin and yellow eyes as the two I had met before. I was relieved to also notice that I could stand eye to eye with her, meaning I wasn't so freakishly short after all. Her black hair was worn in a pixie style; and while it was stark against her skin, it fit her pixie-like features well. She laughed again, sounding like a bell and danced forward into the open room; her movements were like that of a ballerina, liquid and graceful. It sort of made me jealous and all the more aware of my clumsiness. "You're in luck, I was just making up a little midnight snack. My name is Alice, Alice Cullen." 

I began to walk over to the island counter that she was standing opposite of; her head was buried in the fridge. I began to answer. "I'm..." 

"Mary, I heard." She set down a few of her chosen ingredients and shocked me when she pulled me into a friendly hug, her cold body gave me chills. "It's so nice to meet you." While that was only an introduction she behaved as if she had known me her entire life. "Are pancakes alright?" 

My stomach made a noise that answered for me; and I laughed embarrassed. "Yeah, that sounds great." I paused, apprehensive to ask. "Not to be picky or anything..... I only eat my pancakes with....." 

"Chocolate syrup?" It was clear that she meant it to be a question, but she said it like she already knew. Alice wasn't facing me, but standing over the stove. She pointed her hand to an oak cabinet to her left. "Second shelf." 

Strange. "Alright.. Thanks.." I found the syrup and set it down on the table as I pulled out a chair. My eyes found the clock over the stove. Three in the morning. Wow. It was pretty late, I mean early. Whatever. 

Alice had fixed two plates of pancakes and put a slab of butter on each before she brought them to the table. She has also poured two tall glasses of milk. "I bet this must all be so strange to you, being here." She spoke as I had dove into my plate like some sort of animal. Any other time, I can promise you I would have been humiliated, but now I was just down right starving. 

"A little." It was all I managed to say between the gigantic bites that I was engorging on. I could feel each bite nearly melt in my mouth. It was like heaven; pure, buttery heaven. "These are really good." 

"Aww, shucks." Alice waved her hand in dismissal. "I bet garbage sounds great; after all, you haven't eaten much all week, have you?" Alice merely shuffled her fork around in her plate, but never took a bite. Though that was the last thing I was worried about at that moment, I was too busy looking at her. I couldn't figure it out. 

Another voice chimed in from across the open entry way. I turned my head and from what I could see it was a family room, which was centered by a large antique piano and a fireplace. "Alice, Jasper and I are going out." 

The man was fairly boyish in the face, with messy copper hair. I think it is pretty well pointless to tell you that he too bore the same skin tone and eyes as the others I had met already. This one was really pretty; mysterious looking. His eyes fell on me and he smiled crookedly. He mentioned his hand up to his lips, "You've got a little something right..." 

"Oh my god!" I turned back around facing the table, clutching a napkin to my mouth, clearing off all the chocolate. A gorgeous guy my age, and the first impression I leave it that I am a slob. "I'm sorry about that." 

I could hear him chuckling a little. "That's nothing to apologize over." He held out his hand politely. "I'm Edward, Alice's brother." I shook his hand. I was no longer shocked to feel that it was cold just like the others. 

"Adopted." Alice cleared up. "Adopted brother. We all are." 

"I'm Mary." I told him, stupidly at a loss of words. 

He smiled again, "Very pleased to meet you, Mary." He turned his attention back to Alice. "We will be back in a few hours. Just going to grab a bite." 

"Oooh." I crowed interested. "Where at?" 

Edward looked strangely nervous, but it was Alice that answered me with a laugh. "You just ate a whole stack of pancakes, Mary. It would be unhealthy to eat again." 

Just as she said it, I got a heavy feeling in my stomach that told me she was right; another bite and I would probably hurl it all up again. I shrugged in agreement. 

"Be careful." Alice said to Edward. 

"Always am." Edward turned to me just before walking out the door. "Mary, you should probably get back to bed. You need all the rest you can get to get better." 

As he shut the door, I yawned. "Alice?" 

Alice stepped behind me, leading me back upstairs to the room I was staying in. "Hmm?" 

"Who's Jasper?" 

"You'll meet him tomorrow morning, along with everyone else." It was a simple answer, but I was too tired to care. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out cold. I barely heard Alice call out from the doorway. "Goodnight, Mary."

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