Darkness Will Come to Light [1]

XXXII. Sorry Not Sorry

Edward left for a week to cool down in Alaska and didn't return until the following Monday. He returned with liquid gold eyes. Melaina did not realize Edward was back in Forks, much less in school, until their shared third period.

Hi, she greeted him mentally and took her seat. Thanks for almost killing me. She sighed at the sarcastic thought that wasn't meant to present itself near Edward.

The mind-reader spun around in his seat to face her. "Alice caught that?"

Mel rolled her green-grey eyes. "Alice catches everything. Don't you know that by now?"

He looked ashamed, and he deserved to be. "I'm sorry, Mel. I lost control."

"I noticed. You looked like you were going to slap Bella." Or eat her.

"It had been too long since I fed," Edward said, lowering his voice with each word. "I shouldn't have risked your safety; I'm sorry."

Melaina shrugged and nodded. "Thanks. So, what's the plan? Besides not killing our new classmate."

"I can't avoid her, so I'll at least be civil in class."

"Sounds like a plan. You scared her so bad last week. It was like she saw a ghost." Melaina smiled at him jokingly and Edward sent a rueful smile back.

"Well... close enough."

~*~

Snow plus high schoolers equals a snowball fight disaster.

Growing up in Forks, Mel was used to the overcast days and endless weeks of rain. Snow, on the other hand, was not something she would ever get used to, or like, whatsoever.

In between classes, Jasper and Emmett decided to start up a vampire versus vampire snowball fight in the courtyard. Mel watched with a smile on her face as she stood against the wall with her sisters, but she didn't attempt to toss a snowball at the Cullens herself. Sometimes being human was a nuisance when she wanted to fit in with her new family.

Emmett snuck a quick stream of snowballs at Edward. He didn't react to being bombarded by wet slush, so Emmett got bored of that and turned to Melaina. Her pale eyes widened.

"No!" Her bear-of-a-brother laughed and tossed a handful of snow her way. She grimaced as the cold sprinkled down on her face and hair. "I'm going to die of hypothermia now. Thanks so much," Mel grumbled and shook out her snowy hair.

Rosalie smacked her husband upside the head and took her beanie off to place on Mel's head. "This should keep the heat in. I'll kill him if he does that again."

Melaina smiled at her sister and thanked her. She didn't mention that the beanie was cold against her head from Rosalie's temperature because it was the kind gesture that counted.

The bell rang to signal their next period.

~*~

At lunch, Jasper guided Alice through the rundown cafeteria with a hand on her elbow. Alice's eyes remained unfocused as she walked in autopilot. "It's going to be okay," Alice breathed.

"Of course it is," Edward grumbled. Jasper looked oddly smug at their hovering over Edward. Oh, how the tables had turned.

Thoughts comparing Edward to Jasper swirled around absently in Melaina's human mind. Edward was currently more of a threat to the human population than Jasper. The vampire with a singer had a bigger temptation than even the newest vegetarian. Blood was more likely to spill because of Edward at this point, and for once, Jasper was held above Edward in his level of control...

Mel trailed behind her vampire family. Edward whipped around with a growl. "That is not true, Melaina. Keep your thoughts to yourself." Mel froze mid-step with wide eyes.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen!" Alice chastised. "Do not growl at her."

He took a deep breath with closed eyes and his dark eyes returned to gold once opened again. "Forgive me."

"You better watch yourself. You already risked Mel's life once," Rosalie snapped. She laid a protective hand on Melaina's arm.

Edward slammed his lunch tray onto the table hard enough to crack both the tray and table. Jasper took the liberty of calming everyone down.

"Are you sitting with us today?" Rosalie asked. She cleared her irritated face aimed at Edward and looked at Mel for her response. Melaina quickly shook her head.

"I think I'm going to study on the floor." Mel indicated her usual spot along the wall with her insulated lunch bag.

"The floor is nasty, Mel. If you could see what I can see..." Rosalie shuddered.

Mel shrugged. "It's not like I'm eating off the floor."

"Are you sure you don't want me to quiz you?"

"Maybe tonight. I haven't started my flashcards yet."

"I won't growl at you again. That was wrong," Edward apologized again.

"It's okay. My thoughts weren't nice, so I'm sorry."

~*~

In biology, Edward and Melaina were the first two students to arrive. Mel kept her head down and her music up. She rested her chin on her crossed arms and watched longingly out the window at the pouring rain. Melaina wished nothing more than to be sleeping to the sound of rain tapping on the roof. Her eyes grew heavier at the thought.

Class started and Melaina noticed Edward interacting with Bella. She was only mildly surprised; Jasper may have been an empath, but Edward was by far her moodiest new brother.

Mel's attention was turned away from the two when her lab partner nudged her arm. Mel sighed, but pulled her earbuds out of her ears so she could write down the answers Angela rattled off to her.

Prophase.
Anaphase.
Interphase...

Biology was not Mel's strong suit, so thank goodness for Angela. Although Edward finished with Bella first, of course, Mel and Angela tied with another group for second, which earned them a bonus point on their upcoming test.

Mel frowned at the blobs on the slide when Angela went up to the front of the room to turn in their sheet. She was going to need all the help she could get.