Set Alight

Chapter 12

I wake up in the guest room on a comfortable bed under heavy comforters. My head is on pillows so fluffy they could be clouds.

I lay there for a while, not caring to move, until I realize I'm hungry. Slowly, I sit up.

My head doesn't hurt anymore, and the paint is gone from my pants...

Wait. I'm human.

Vaguely, I remember waking up somewhere last night and changing back. Somewhere moving. Someone's arms, maybe? Where ever I was, I changed back. Groaning, I sit up and stretch.

My room is a very pale green, emanating from the cracks in the drapes. Switching for my more comfortable ghost form, I float easily into the air and over to the drapes, pulling them wide open and tying the sashes around the thick fabric. The room is immediately bright with the green light; as light as it would have been with the sun in my room at home.

After taking a quick shower in the bathroom (coming out to find my bed made), I twirl my wet snowy hair into a messy bun behind me. It looked much better as black hair, where it darkened into shiny curls that I thought were simply adorable. The white hair, however, didn't shine or darken; it seemed to be just incredibly heavy grandma hair.

Sighing at my reflection, I turn and zip to the door before spotting something strange. Pivoting on the air, I launch into flight to the bookshelf. It had a single black book against the side on the highest shelf. Withdrawing it, I turn to the cover to see pale white hands holding a red apple, with the word Twilight emblazoned on the top.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I'd heard about this book! I'd never been able to read it, but I heard it was awful. I flip open the cover and read the short description. It didn't sound awful...

I read the prologue. Better.

Within fifteen minutes I'm completely engrossed in the book. I don't know what time it is, I don't particularly care. I just lay on the bed and read the strange love story between a human and vampire. Around a hundred pages into the book, there's a knock at my door.

"Come in," I mumble, loud enough for the person to hear and enter.

Danny pokes his head into the room. I don't look up. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Reading."

"What?"

"Twilight."

"What?!"

His shock surprises me and I glance up. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Have you ever read a novel before?"

I think back on it. "Classics from school. I think that's it."

"Who gave that to you?"

"Um... Ashton?"

"ASHTON!" he yells and disappears. My interest sparked, I flip the jacket of the book onto my page and fly after him, hesitantly turning intangible to get through the door.

I follow Danny's calls down the hall and into the main dining room, where Danny's family, Ashton and two pairs of adults I don't recognize are eating breakfast. Danny lands in front of Ashton's plate demandingly, folding his arms.

Ashton calmly dabs a napkin at the edge of his mouth, folds it and places it on the table, and looks up innocently. "Yes?"

"Did you give Emma Twilight?"

Jack bursts out laughing. Sam hides a smile behind a cup of water and the four other adults just look slightly amused or confused.

"I wanted to give her a new book."