Sexy Shell's blog: "Stories"

Hunting

I was waiting outside her house in my car, windows down and the engine off.  She didn’t hesitate this time, climbing into the passenger’s side quickly.  I grinned my crooked smile at her.  “How did you sleep?” I asked her.  “Fine. How was your night?”  “Pleasant.” I replied quickly.

“Can I ask you a question?” she said.  “No.” I grinned.  “Today is still mine.”  I wanted to know about people today: more about Renee, her hobbies, what they’d done in their free time.  I also wanted to know about the only grandmother she’d known, some of her school friends, and about boys she dated.  She didn’t really date anyone, so I moved on from the subject.  I was however surprised at her lack of romantic history.

“So you never met anyone you wanted?” I asked in a serious tone.  She was grudgingly honest. “Not in Phoenix”

I pressed my lips together into a hard line.  We were in the cafeteria by this point.  They day had sped by in a blur, that was becoming rapidly routine.  She took advantage of my pause to take a bite of her bagel.

“I should have let you drive yourself today” I announced, while she chewed.  “Why?” she demanded.  “I’m leaving with Alice after lunch.” I replied.  “Oh.” She blinked bewildered and disappointed.  “That’s okay, it’s not a far walk.”

I frowned at her impatiently.  “I’m not going to make you walk home.  We’ll go get your truck and leave it here for you.”

“But I don’t have my key with me,” she sighed.  “I really don’t mind walking.”  I shook my head.  “Your truck will be here, and the key in the ignition…unless you’re afraid someone will steal it.” I laughed at the thought.  “All right,” she agreed, pursing her lips together.

“So where are you going?” she asked casually.  “Hunting” I answered grimly.  “If I’m going to be alone with you all day tomorrow, I’m going take whatever precautions I can” I said somberly.  “You can always cancel”

She looked down at her hands and intertwined her fingers together.  “No,” she whispered, glancing back at my face.  “I can’t”

“Perhaps you’re right.”  I murmured bleakly.  She changed the subject quickly.  “What time will I see you tomorrow?” she asked with anticipation in her voice.  “That depends…it’s a Saturday, don’t you want to sleep in?” I offered.  “No,” she replied too quickly.  I held back a smile.  “Okay the same time as usual, then” I decided.  “Will Charlie be there?”  “No, he’s fishing tomorrow,” she beamed.

My voice turned sharp.  “And what if you don’t come home, what will he think?”  “I have no idea,” she answered coolly.  “He knows I’ve been meaning to do the laundry.  Maybe he’ll think I fell in the washer.” She laughed.  I scowled at her and she scowled back.

“So what are you hunting tonight?” she asked finally.  “Whatever we find in the park, we aren’t going far.”  I told her.  “Why are you going with Alice?” she wondered.  “Alice is the most… supportive.” I frowned as I spoke.  “And the others?” she asked timidly.  “What are they?”  “Incredulous, for the most part.”

She peeked quickly behind her at my families table.  They all sat there staring in different directions, exactly the same as the first day she saw them.  Only now there were four, because she was sitting with me.

“They don’t like me,” she guessed.  “That’s not it,” I said with disregard.  “They don’t understand why I can’t leave you alone.”  “Neither do I, for that matter” she said shaking her head.

 I shook my head slowly, rolling my eyes towards the ceiling before I met her gaze again.  “I told you…you don’t see yourself clearly at all.  You’re not like anyone else I have ever known or met.  You fascinate me.”  She glared at me then.  I smiled sheepishly.  “Having the advantages that I do,” I murmured, touching my forehead discreetly, “I have a better than average grasp of human nature.  People are predictable.  But you…you never do what I expect.  You always take me by surprise.”

She looked away, her eyes going back to my family.  “That part is easy enough to explain,” I continued.  “But there’s more…and it’s not easy to put into words.”  She was still staring at my family as I spoke.  Suddenly Rosalie, turned and looked at her, well not looked glared.

I broke off in mid sentence and made an angry noise under my breath.  It was almost a hiss.  I tightened my face as I tried to explain.  “I’m sorry about that.  She’s just worried.  You see…it’s dangerous for more than just me if, after spending so much time with you so publicly…” I looked down.  “If?” she said.  “Yeah if this ends…badly.” I said and dropped my head into my hands, as I had that night in Port Angeles.  I was in anguish, and she reached her hand towards me involuntarily.  She quickly dropped her hand back to the table.

“And you have to leave now?” she asked shyly trying to speak in her normal voice.  “Yes.” I replied as I raised my face; it was serious then I shifted my mood and smiled.  “It’s probably for the best.  We still have fifteen minutes of that wretched movie left to endure in Biology…I don’t think I could take it anymore.” Alice was suddenly standing behind me.

 I greeted her without looking away from Bella.  “Alice.”  “Edward.” She answered in her high soprano voice.  “Alice, Bella…Bella, Alice,” I introduced them, gesturing casually with my hand, a wry smile on my face.

“Hello, Bella.” Alice said with a friendly smile on her face.  “Nice to finally meet you.”  I flashed her a dark look.  “Hi, Alice.” Bella replied shyly.

“Are you ready?” Alice asked me.  “Nearly.  I’ll meet you at the car.”  I replied.  She left without another word.

“Should I say ‘have fun,’ or is that the wrong sentiment?” she asked turning back to me.  “No,’ have fun’ works as well as anything.” I grinned.  “Okay. Have fun, then.” She tried to make it sound wholehearted.  “I’ll try.” I said grinning.  “And you try to be safe, please.”  “Safe in Forks…what a challenge.” She retorted with a laugh.  “For you it is a challenge.” My jaw tightened.”Promise.”  “I promise to try and be safe,” she recited.  “I’ll do the laundry tonight…that ought to be a fight with peril.”  “Don’t fall in.” I mocked.

I stood then and she rose as well.  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she sighed.  “It seems like a long time to you, doesn’t it?” I mused.  She nodded glumly.  “I’ll be there in the morning.” I promised, smiling my crooked smile.  I reached across the table and lightly brushed my fingers along her cheekbone.  Then I turned and walked away.

Before we left to go hunting, we went to go and get Bella’s truck.  We took it to the school and parked it where my Volvo had been.  I wrote a little note that said ‘Be safe’ folded it and put in on the driver’s seat.  Then we dashed off into the distance and went on our hunting trip.