Hide & Seek

Sometimes I wonder why mom picked Forks. Was it really just for her book? Or did she somehow know that this town was more than some dreary small town that was more wet than covered in trees. And what was with this new book of hers? Why did most of the things she wrote seem to happen to me?

"Tobi..."

I had to reach out and touch him. From now on, he was my life line. He was the one thing keeping me alive. If it weren't for him, I would have just given up on life now after that last jolt of pain.

"Tobi you're alive..."

A grimace uglied his face. No matter how much it hurt me, I kept my arm up to feel his soft, warm cheek that was always scrunched up from a smile.

But there was no warmth or softness. It was stone cold, and just as hard as one.

That's when I noticed his golden eyes, with a flicker of red around the pupil. He seemed paler, no longer having his dark Georgian tan.

"I'm so sorry Copper, I tired so hard to come and visit you, but they attacked me before I could, they were crazy fast, I couldn't run. I'm so sorry--"

My brow furrowed. What was he talking about?

"I missed you so much, Copperheard, please you have to forgive me..." his hand gripped at the one I had on his cheek.

"I love you, Copper Acres." And then everything went black.

- - -

I awoke with a start, in my bed. I had on my pajamas; no bandages or cuts, no sore muscles or bruises. I was perfectly fine. It was all a dream. The door to my bedroom opened.

"Hey there sleepy head. Have a nice sleep? You were out cold when I got home alst night around nine. Didn't sleep any at your friends house, eh?"

I stared at my mother as if she had just grown two extra heads. Party? What party? I didn't go to a party... as a matter of fact, where did I go?

"Oh well, hurry up. You'll be late if you don't leave in the twenty minutes." And then she was gone.

It was Monday. I could not remember a single thing I had done this weekend.

With not much time to question things, I was running around trying to find something clean to quickly threw on. I didn't dare go in the closest for something -- that would take too much time. So, I simply grabbed a turtleneck from one of my drawers and a pair of jeans that were right beside it. Even with the high collar of my blouse, I wrapped one of my many multi-colored scarves around my neck. I jumped from foot to foot trying to pull on my matching rainboats before using the stair banister as a slid to get down faster.

Mom merely laughed as I slipped and slid on te kitchen floor trying to get to the counter where my breakfast waited.

My yellow Porsche was racing down the slippery wet roads of Forks, Washington as I tried to brush my fingers through my short mousy brown hair. A car horn blared at me, causing my reflexes to make me grab the steering whell and pull the car out of the middle of the road.

And with my luck, that horn belonged to the chief of police of Forks. Perfect. I've been here for a few weeks and I've already gotten a ticket.

Fifteen minutes later, after a long wait in the rain for my liscenses and regristration back, I'm speeding back down the road to get to the highschool. I'm definitely late now.

By the time I've parked, the parking lot is completely empty for other than me and the cars. I think I hear a week of detention calling my name. I take off from my car and to the awning that hangs over the doors into the school. As I get closer to the doors, someone steps out from behind one of the columns holding up the awning.

It was one of the Mason-Swan-Dwyer students. He was blonde... Jasper was his name?

We stared at one another, his face was pulled into a look of disappointment, disgust, hurt... he couldn't have been feeling that way about me, could he? I didn't even know him!

"I'm sorry..." I thought I heard him mutter before he disappeared before I could blink. I was left alone, once again, in the parking lot.

When I finally made it to first block English, I hit the bullseye about detention -- one whole week of it for an hour.

- - -

Lunch was the same as any other day -- except Nessie and her family were no where to be seen. The clouds had parted about half way through second block, so all the teachers (that were not bitchy) had opened the windows to let in some fresh air.

I glanced around, not really paying attention to the conversation going on at my table. Something caught my eye. It was some necklace on some girl's neck, she sat on the other said of the cafeteria by a window. The light reflected off the diamonds.

Her skin sparkled as if covered in glitter - thousands of tiny diamonds embedded in her skin.

My head jerked back as I came to, looking over at Artemis as he tried to catch my attention.

"Yo, earth to Copper. Come back down from Planet X, will ya?" I swatted at his hand, pushing it away from my face, and picked up my sandwich to take another bite of it. Roxe, Tate, Artemis, and Zander went on with their chat, talking about what they did over the weekend.

"Hey, guys, did I hang out with any of you any over the weekend?" I asked uncertain. Mom thought I was at a friend's house, but I couldn't remember anything other than coming home after school and taking a walk through the--

"No. We were all in Seattle for a concert. Why? Don't you remember what you did?"

I stood up from my chair, my food forgotten as I stared down at the painted wooden table.

I had taken a walk through the woods right after I got home. Mom was in Seattle with her publisher. I took her jacket. My foot got stuck in between some rocks. I saw Bella sparkle. Something, or really someone, had attacked me like they were some kind of animal. (Was that what Jasper was apologizing for?) I died, I saw heaven's gates. I saw Tobi.

Tobi...

Tobi was alive!

No, wait... he was so cold... hard as stone... he looked so pale... and his eyes were -- golden.

"...opper... Copper! Are you okay?" Artemis had shaken me from my moment of shock. His hands were so warm... such a big contrast from Tobi...

"I have to go."

I ran out of the cafeteria building, into the sunny afternoon air, and toward the parking lot.

Something hit me as soon as I got into my car and started the engine.

My best friend is a monster.