Hide & Seek

Emmaleigha Winchester was a kind middle-aged woman, her skin a luscious tan, crow’s feet wrinkled at her eyes when she smiled, and the evident serene voice of a mother left her lips when she spoke. Her voice was soft, gentle, that of a mother talking to her young child, yet she treated me of my age. Her hands passed off a warm mug of hot cocoa. I couldn’t remember the last time I had had such a delicious drink.

My father was the last person to hand me a steamy mug of the hot cocoa, back when I was too young to know what was really going on In the world.

Emmaleigha smiled at me reassuringly, sinking into the other flattened cushion of the love seat in of the living room of her home. A thin, yet comfortably warm, blanket was wrapped around my shoulders as one by one; a group of Quileute teens entered the room.

My breath caught in my throat as the room grew even warmer. I ended up shedding the blanket within only a moment of the room being filled. Emmaleigha was giving a look to her twin children as if to say, “She’s not ready.”

Hell, I even knew I wasn’t ready for what was about to come!

Too much had happened in the three weeks I’ve been in Forks. First the closet; mom’s book; Nessie and her family; Arty’s story; the project and Bella’s glares; Dr. Cullen; the forest, the cottage, Jasper… And now I’m surrounded by—by--… werewolves who are trying to figure out what to say.

What I needed right now, more than anything, was to be able to just pause the whole world, process that reality was full of monsters, and then would I push play after much hesitation. Arty kneeled in front of me, trying to figure out what the expression on my face meant. Tate was the last to enter the room, fixing a tank top that she pulled down to cover her torso.

Emmaleigha rubbed circles on my lower back, obviously trying to keep me from freaking out and running away. Of course, the ‘pack’ would catch me easily, but it seemed she didn’t want them going to those desperate measures.

“Copper…” I looked up at Artemis, his hot hand resting on my knee. I felt the warmth radiate through my jeans. Flinching back, Artemis pulled his hand back and Emmaleigha slowed her fingers before going back to a moderate pace again. “Copper, please don’t freak out.”

I couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t look at Artemis. I couldn’t look at Tate. So I looked at the other teens in the room. A few I had seen around the school, just in the halls as they passed while heading to class. I do know that I have gym class with the blonde that was practically attached to the hip of the older, more mature looking male. Her name was—Maya? Marie? Mary? May?

“Hi, Copper! I’m Mia. We have gym together, remember? I’m the one that had to sit out that one time for getting a sprained ankle after tripping over that dodge ball and Blackburn and—“

“Mia, don’t overwhelm her,” the male that had his arm around her waist grumbled, his stolid expression making her smile with a blush and force her to try and stand on her toes as she reached to kiss his cheek. Of course, he had to bend his head low enough for her to reach. Damn, they were all so tall. And I had a lot of questions.

“Copper, look.” I was forced to look at Artemis, again. He grimaced at the fear very evident on my face. I was scared shitless, and none of this was helping. “I know you know about the vampires, but not enough to know what is really going on…”

And so I was told the full, unrated, uncut story of Isabella “Bella” Swan and her life once moving to Forks to live with her father, the police chief at the time. From her meeting of Edward Cullen in Biology class to reuniting with her childhood friend, Jacob Black, a fellow Quileute tribe member. And then the incident with James; with Jasper at her birthday party; Edward leaving; Bella’s depression; Jacob’s undying love; the pack saving Bella from a vampire; Bella going to Italy to stop Edward from killing himself after thinking she killed herself; Bella coming back; the disappearance of Riley Biers; graduation; the ‘serial killer’ in Seattle; Victoria’s death; Bella and Edward’s wedding; the vague information of the honeymoon and then conception of Renesmee Carlie Cullen; Jacob’s imprinting on Renesmee; Bella’s first few days as a newborn vampire; to Volturi “war”; and soon after, the Cullens’ disappearance all together.

It had been a long time, well past midnight once the story had been told and I had a few questions that I could think of, answered.

(Damn, this would make a great book series.)

Finally, after I had finished about four and a half cups of hot cocoa, Emmaleigha left to go to bed since she had a morning shift at the hospital the next morning, and the room going silent, I was introduced to everyone.

I already knew Artemis and Tate, and I picked up on Mia quiet easily. The man Mia was attached to spoke up first.

“Gunner Ryder, pleasure to meet you,” he stated, his deep voice reminding me of an older brother that protected his little sister from anything. Mia snuggled into his side more; yawning very cutely (I must admit). He soon dismissed himself after that, saying he needed to get her home before her parents noticed she had been gone so long on a school night.

Next, the only other female of the group; she gave me a sarcastic two finger salute. “Nicole Zachary at your service! I love waffles and hate my height. I’m an only child live with my mom since dad died when I was younger. My favorite color is green and I want to be a radio broadcaster when I get out of high school.” I took in the quick summary of information on the teenager the same age as me. “You can call me Nici if ‘Nicole’ ever gets to be a mouthful.”

After Nicole, there was a younger, but still older looking, boy that walked up to me and took my hand. I winced invisibly at the hot touch of his hand taking mine, “Katel Summers,” his lips kissed my knuckles. “A true pleasure it is to meet such a beautiful creature.” Of course, I couldn’t help but blush. Great, just what I needed; a womanizer.

Walking up behind him had to be his brother (since the two had very many similarities, even if all the Quileutes seemed to look like they could all be related – like distant cousins). He smacked Katel with the back of his hand, pushing the boy out of the way. “Mason Summers,” he spoke, holding out his hand for me to shake. It practically caused my hand to disappear for a few seconds when they shook. His voice reminded me of Gunner’s, but not as deep. It seemed more like a low tenor voice, while Gunner’s was completely baritone.

Last, but definitely not least, were the twins. (What’s with all the siblings, huh?) If it weren’t for the way that they held themselves, I would have not been able to tell them apart; seriously.

“Devin Lewis.” He gave a wolfy grin, which I couldn’t help but mentally laugh at. His eyes sparkled with a lustful glint that made me shrink into the couch slightly. Artemis noticed immediately and apparently went into defensive mode. Tate had to pull them apart before they “phased, trashed the living room again and scared me even more.” Her words, not mine.

After the two had calmed down, and stopped trembling like a leaf in a hurricane (which was what I was told that happened with they got angry enough to almost/completely phase into their wolf form), I was introduced to the last wolf. Jason Lewis. I knew we’d get along well; we were both bookworms.

“So let me get this straight…” Artemis and Devin stopped their bickering, Tate looked up from her lazy position on the full sized couch across from the love seat, and Jason continued to twiddle his thumbs nervously. “You’re basically playing Cowboys and Indians with vampires, right? You each think the other is a ‘savage’ and wishes to get rid of each other.”

Tate laughed, a grin pulled at Jason’s lips, and Devin smirked with another wolfish look. Artemis had an expression on his face that said he was thinking. “I knew I liked this girl for some reason.” I rolled my eyes at Devin.

“Well when you put it like that…” Artemis started before simply nodding. “Yeah, to put it bluntly.”

Tate yawned, her eyes drooping for a second before she sighed and stood from the couch.

“Time for sleep. We still got school in the morning and I have a test in British Literature.”

My eyes scanned for a clock in the room. I found one. It was already a quarter ‘til one in the morning. I jumped up, running to the door to try and find some keys to steal so I could get back to my house before the National Guard came pounding on the Winchesters’ door.

“Shit!” I exclaimed, pulling my shoes on my feet. “Mom has probably called for the UN Army already!” I hurriedly looked for some keys but was stopped my a gently, yet very hot, hand. I looked up, Artemis had stopped me.

“My mom called yours the second you walked through the door. She had her number on the fridge. Mom said you were doing a project with us and fell asleep. We didn’t want to wake you up and your mom said it was perfectly fine that you said over.”

I was quiet, slowly nodding a moment later. I walked back into the living room only to find it empty. The twins, Mason and Katel had all vanished, obviously having snuck out the back door since it was still opened and Tate must have already gone to bed. Where was I to sleep now?

“You can have my bed.” I faced Artemis, noticing just how close he had stepped up to me. “I’ll take the couch.”

Our bodies were only inches away, his head bent so he wasn’t towering over me, his hand hovered over mine wanting to take it but he couldn’t.

“Thanks,” I whispered, “Can you show me where it is?”

The tension between us grew stronger, but I couldn’t handle this right now. I didn’t want to end up like Bella. I didn’t want to end up like anyone. I wanted to be Copper Ophelia Acres, daughter of Blakely Josephine Acres and Jonathan Dacoda Livington. I wasn’t going to fall in love with a werewolf or a vampire.

Or, at least I hoped I wouldn’t.

“Sure,” was his only word before he gently took my hand in his, the warmth making my entire body tingle. I was lead up the stairs, silence between us. The stairs squeaked.

Artemis quickly hid all of his dirty clothes in his closet, picked up dirty bowls and plates and cups, and hid (what I could only imagine were a teenage boy’s ‘reading’ material under his bed. I sat on top of the comforter, looking up at Artemis. His arms were full of dirty dishes.

“Good night,” he wished me, scurrying away to not embarrass himself anymore. Falling back onto the bed, I stared at the ceiling.

I needed to read what mom had written in her book so far. Maybe then it could give me a few answers.