Friend Of The Dead

Planning

The concept was hard to grasp on. But of course it would be, I was talking about tricking people who have been alive for the past century, something like that cannot simply be child's play. It requires inventiveness, alertness, and capability. You require these aspects; you need to be sly when you want to outfox the fox. But how was I supposed to make it seem like an accident? It would seem rather suspicious when they finally see Strange Sophie Swan without her gloves and a few hours after that the occurrence of an accident that involves one of their memories that even they have forgotten about.

And I haven't forgotten about the last time I delved into Edward's memory when I'd bumped into him in my rush to get out of the school. Once I was back in the real world he'd said one word that crashed into me like a boulder. "How?" he'd asked, gazing at me with honey-colored eyes that held nothing but alarm and fright, with a slowly developing hint of realization. I suppose he now knows why I wear gloves, but at normal chance, he shouldn't. Normally when I enter the mind of someone and foresee one---or more than one---of their memories, they act as if nothing had happened. Like time had simply stopped for that fragment of minutes and I was the only one who'd looked around and noticed. So when Edward had looked at me with knowledge he shouldn't have, I knew in my mind, in that exact moment, that he knew something. Whether he had felt me poking around the surface of his memories or when I'd dived deep into his swirling pools of consciousness, I didn't know. But he knew I did something, something that related to my gloves, and so far if he sees me without them he'll know something fishy is about.

So how was I going to execute this plan without rising further suspicion? The last thing I need is to become an item of interest to bloodthirsty vampires. I pondered this as I sat on our porch, my sketchbook in my hand as I delicately drew the irises of Jeremy, who as I now know, had made a strange friendship with Athena. Sometimes she would tell me to summon her more often because once she was here she provided company to Jeremy who was just as equally eager to spend time with her. I furrowed my brows together in concentrations as I tried to perfectly print his dimples down on the paper. Music was blasting in my ears though I could hardly hear it. Even the drawing I did with half-a-mind, all I could think about was evidence. Evidence proving vampires, the Cullens, and all other kinds of creatures.

I didn't hear Charlie come out and sit next to me on the stairs while I was absentmindedly shading Jeremy's hair. I started in my place when I saw him smiling down at me softly. I tentatively took my headphones off.

"I see you're back to drawing."

"Did I ever stop?" I was truly curious. Had I really neglected the true passion of my life because I was so preoccupied?

"No I suppose not, it's just...lately you seem rather---tired. You're either out in God-knows-where or sleeping." He shuffled beside me and took a sip of his beer, eyes brushing across the image I was halfway through drawing.

"I guess I am tired. You know, school and homework laying down on me." I twirled the pencil in-between my fingers and tucked a rogue strand of hair behind my ear with my free hand. The lie felt bitter and wrong on my tongue, but Charlie was too pure to be thrown into the supernatural world.

"Cute kid," Charlie said with a nod in the sketch's direction. For a moment I stiffened up, afraid he would recognize him since the accident was not that long ago. But when Charlie obliviously shifted his sight to the forest that was the view from our backyard, I knew I was safe.

"Where'd you meet him?"

I blinked.

"I haven't. He's a conjured up image of my imagination." I let a small smile escape and saw Charlie do the same. It's the same thing I would say whenever Charlie asked about the people in my sketchbook. Over time it's become a routine or some private joke.