Chapter 3 - Warning

Equinox

Chapter Three
Warning

The next few weeks none of the Cullens watched Bella or me, and the hurt was written all over our faces. But on the bright side, the dream went away, but my nights were still full of Duin and his strange family. Angela, Jessica, Mike, Tyler, Bella and I, now all sat at the same lunch table everyday, like friends. Although I knew my real friends were still back home, and they didn't let me forget, they still call every night. And after hearing about my accident, ordered me to never go out alone again, or they would literally come to Fork's and drag me home. They meant it too.

In the mean time I began to embrace the forest, I hiked into a clearing, near the house, everyday. And, once there, I set up my recording equipment, recording different parts of songs that I had composed, and recording them over other parts that I had played with different instruments, making a song. I was doing this for my grandma, who's birthday was coming up quickly, she always wants to hear me sing, so I figured I'd make her a CD.

The Webber's didn't mind my hiking, as long as I had a cell phone, wasn't over two miles from the house, took my pills with me, and dressed warmly. As long as I fallowed those rules they didn't mind one bit. In fact sometimes the twins went with me, they loved to hear me play, and they helped set up the recording to. Angela tagged along too, if she didn't have any homework, and stared in awe as I played the guitar while singing then the drums, base guitar... And what ever else I needed. It's now like this was all mine though, I rented it from a music store, that I had gotten a job at Monday through Thursday. But I was just extra help, so I usually only needed to go in once a week or so, it wasn't a busy store.

As usually I was walking to my first class, but our group was oddly silent, as if some gloom hung around it. I couldn't help but feel something too, maybe it was just me, but I had a feeling that today, was going to be very interesting day.

"Um, Beth..." A boy named Austin was behind me, I didn't know him well, I only knew him from this class, French, the only class I didn't share with Bella. He wasn't looking at my face when he spoke, I could feel the nervous energy rolling off him though. "you know there's a dance in two weeks, and I was wandering, well I mean it's girls choice but..." He didn't finish his sentence, and he looked up to see my reaction, I was laughing. Not because he asked me or anything, nut because that was the reason that Jessica and Mike and Bella had all been down. I was fighting back joyful tears.

"I'm sorry Austin, I'm not laughing at you," I explained, calming down. "it's just that I've been wandering why the place seems so tense today, and this must be the cause. But I cannot accept your invitation, I have plans that day, with Bella." I said hoping that Bella, not so good on her feet, would have plans to be somewhere that night. It wasn't that I didn't like dances, I loved them, but I never learned how to dance with a guy, I was kind of hoping to reserve the first dance for some one special. Duin's visage popped unintentionally into my mind.

The rest of the day, where ever I saw a guy, they were staring at me, smiling or blushing in embarrassment, Bella's day wasn't much different as we trekked around the school, I told her that if anyone asked we had plans to be some where else, she agreed. Jessica and Mike were so tense around Bella that I wandered if they had just murdered her cat in cold blood. During lunch we sat our normal table, and Jessica, normally in the middle, sat at the end, and Mike at the other.

Next in biology I was put at the mercy, of Tyler Crowly and Bella was put at a similar position by Mike. Edward I could see was trying hard not to look at Bella, when we came in and I was forced to sit at Duin's nearly empty table, because his partners had gotten sick, he was staring all to calmly at the black board Duin, too, was uncomfortable, he was still as stone, but his eyes flickered from me to Tyler every few seconds, when he rested his head on the edge of his desk.

"Hey, Beth, did you have any plans for the dance?" He asked with exaggerated slowness, I sighed, was this day ever going to end?

"Tyler, I'm going out of town with Bella that day, and besides I have no clue how to dance. I'd just stand around bobbing my head and pretending that I was actually some where else." I said exasperated.

"Oh, okay, do you think Bella might change her mind if I asked her?" He asked hopefully, I turned to look at Bella, but Duin's glare interrupted my current thoughts. He was looking at me with such intensity I wondered if he was trying to see through me, his glare did not let up, so I turned to Tyler.

"I doubt it..." I said, fighting a roll of nausea, is this how Bella had felt when Edward had been staring daggers at her? Probably.

"Okay," He leaned in toward me, taking a peak at Duin. "if the Cullen causes any trouble for you, let me know okay?" He said tuning back to his table.

The rest of the period he was glaring at me, his eyes not quit as yellow as I remembered them. And his face held an unknown emotion, that made me feel pained, but I didn't know why. Edward was glaring at Bella, a bit more composed, and natural, but all the same he stared. At the end of class Duin seemed torn, between leaving and staying, staring at the door and then at me. Finally making his resolve he turned to me, his eyes not glaring as I expected them to be.

"Beth," He cautioned, his voice full of apprehension "I'm sorry I've been so rude lately. I know that it's not fair, but," He looked away from me struggling with words. "It's better that were not friends, I'm not good for you, I'm dangerous to be around. And I don't want you to get hurt, Edward feels the same way, it's better this way." He said it all in a rush, and then gathered his books and left the room. I felt empty inside, like the wind had just vanished, and it had taken the all the oxygen with it. Sometime later when the first bell rang I ran to gym class, and for once, I was almost as klutzy as Bella.

Angela had to stay after class again, so I caught a ride home with Bella, she seemed pissed, I asked her about it, she told me about Edward, I told her about Duin. We decided that they're either trying to let us down slowly, or there was an actual reason for their strange behavior Bella was pulling out when suddenly a silver Volvo pulled out in front of us, I could see Edward and Duin's reflections in the front mirror as they waited for the rest of their family. They were laughing, cracking up at something that neither of us could see, and I saw a line starting to from outside, I was contemplating shouting for them to get a move on. I decided to go ahead and do it, like they cared anyway.

"Bella, I'm going to yell at those bastards and tell them to get a move on, wait here." I said throwing the door open, I still saw the silver Volvo shaking with laughter, I balled up my fists. I walked to Edward's side, not wanting to see Duin's bright happy face.

"What are you doing! Holding us all up, are you trying to aggravate us? First you act friendly then treat us like we have the next strain, to saving our lives, to ignoring us like suck up snobs and just a half hour ago you were telling us how we can't be friends, and now you laughing your asses off, while you wait for you family, allowing a line to form and making our lives miserable!" I hadn't meant to say the last part but it did shut them up quite nicely, they looked down shame faced I walked away slamming the door of Bella's truck. Eric and Tyler poked their head in just then though, I was about ready to punch something.

"I don't suppose, that you nee-" Eric started, but I cut him off, finally snapping.

"We're going to be gone that weekend, end of story, tell any other boys who are planning on asking! I'm walking home, see you later Bella," I spit out and for the last time, slammed the truck's door closed and ran into the forest. I caught a glimpse of Duin's stunned face when I ran by their car, he looked alarmed to me, but I just kept running. I was home in no time, and I was still pint up with energy, so I hiked out to my sanctum and sat angrily by my guitar.

"Why dose life have to be so darned messed up?" I asked myself, taking the guitar in my hands and starting to play. I didn't notice it was raining until I left the clearing, I was too absorbed in my aggravation to notice, but now as I walked back to the house where Angela glanced around eagerly, I noticed the wet moisture on my clothes. When she saw me, with no jacket and half drenched and frowning she ran over and ushered me into the house.

"Beth, were going to go shopping for dresses, Jessica, Bella, and I, would you like to come along? I know you aren't going but you could see Port Angeles with us, what do you say?" She asked as I dried my hair, and combed all the tangles out.

"Sure, I like to shop, I might buy a dress anyway though, I need one for church, I only have one other one, and it's getting kind of old." I said trying to sound practically, I really just wanted to get out of Fork's for a while, I wanted to see just an ounce of sunshine.

"Great, were going Monday," She said, smiling. "Mike also invited us to a party down at La Push, it's supposed to be sunny... Can you believe it?"

"No way! Here in Fork's? I thought that the sun didn't shine on us?" I said mockingly, smiling now that the day was over, I headed to bed shortly after, and I fell asleep, dreaming of sunny beaches.

(^)

The next day was the most obnoxious, stupid, happiest day yet. Not just because it was almost Friday, I had two outings to attend, or because I had just gotten my my CD for my grandma finished. No, it was because this morning, some one was waiting for me to get out of the car.

"Angela, do you mind if I drive today?" I asked as we headed to the car, the twins trailing behind us.

"Sure, just don't crash." She handed me the keys and I climbed into the drivers side, I hadn't driven in about two months, but today I wanted to drive, I wanted to do something different.

On the way to the elementary, I noticed Duin, walking alone again. I was still frustrated with him, so I didn't offer to drive, but he looked up at me as I drove past, his stare almost made me run a stop sign. I thought I saw him smirk, how badly I wanted to wipe that off his face....

I dropped Angela off at the door and parked the car where ever there was an empty spot. I was just about to open the door, when suddenly it was yanked from under my grip, and I tumbled out. Duin looked down on me with surprise and amusement. I glared back.

"What do you want? I thought you were trying to ignore me and stay away from me for my own good?" I said stiffly, getting up in one swift motion.

"Beth, I know I told you that but... I can't help trying to be around you, I can't stop thinking about you. So please- Wait!" I started walking away, I heard this before, back at my school this happened allot, people trick you into thinking they like you and then they dump you. I wasn't fooled.

"Okay, you and Edward had your fun yesterday with the parking lot, but I'm not taking anymore of this crap okay?"

"What..?" He put a hand on my shoulder and swung me around, the look in his eyes was so serious it was almost scary.

"Duin, do you honestly want to be my friend yes or no?" I said, my voice had an edge that I never meant to put there. And his perfect face didn't help, it just made me every bit more angry, because he would never want to be with me when he looked like that, and I looked like... Me.

"Elizabeth, I want to be your friend, it would be... better... healthier... um... less life endangering, if I wasn't though. But I can't stay away from you Beth, your just to darn cute and reckless." He said stumbling with the words. I tried to grasp the meaning, because he was trying to tell me something, and I apparently wasn't getting it.

"So, let me get this strait, you want to be my friend, but you think that you'll be risking my life if you are? Is that right?" He nodded, his face tense on my reaction, I scoffed. "Well that's completely stupid! You've saved my life, twice, and you think that your dangerous? I should be concerned about you, one of these days my karma is going to rub off on you." His expression became shocked, and behind that I saw the same amusement.

"So, were friends?" He asked, his voice was lighter, hopeful

"Yes, but, you first have to apologizes for last night." I said trying to be stern, but my face was off, because his usually unbelievably gorgeous face just became beyond what I thought it was possible for any face to look like. I couldn't stop my blush and ogling, as his smile became wider.

"I'm sorry, but, I do have to admit that it was worth it to see Eric and Tyler being rejected so ferociously. You could probably have been heard half way across school, Edward thought you had anger issue problems. Do you see a psychiatrist every week?" He asked smirking.

"No but my brother used to, he kept beating me up every time he didn't win one of his games. Or he'd have a tantrum. My best friend, Katie, has that problem, if she doesn't have a good game in bowling."

"Did you like bowling?" We arrived at my class room, and he was leaning across the door frame, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Yes, and volleyball, swimming, quire, and soccer; but they don't have any of those things here." I said glumly.

"You play your guitar outside, and you sing too."

"How do you know that?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing. His face was filled with embarrassment

"I... well, I can hear you sometimes on my home from school," He said sheepishly. "you're really good you know that?" His answer caught me of guard, I was speechless.

"You better get to class, I'll see you at lunch, okay?" He said walking away, I stared at him besotted. I stumbled into class, confused, not taking in anything from the teacher. I couldn't wait for lunch, I was so excited that I went to the cafeteria a period early, I walked back to class sheepishly.

Mike and Angela seemed to be hyper aware of the way I kept looking over my shoulder and smiling for no reason, but I couldn't help myself. I was about the luckiest person alive, I figured, because I was about to sit with my guardian angel, not something that most people got to do. When the next bell rang I noticed that not only was I anxious, but so was Bella, she stumbled more then usually on her way to the lunch room.

I wasn't very hungry, I only got a Gatorade and sat down at an empty table, waiting. Several people tried to sit with me, mostly boys, but I told them that I already promised to help someone with their homework. That some one was either trying to make me nervous, or slowing down time, because it seemed forever before I felt the headphones tug out of my ears.

"Hello, I believe you'll be helping me with my home work today, right?" Duin asked sitting across from me, with nothing to eat, I wondered vaguely why he never ate lunch.

"Yep, now what was that home work about... Ah yes, it was the theory of why unhealthily-pale-mood-changing-extraordinarily-strong-anorexic-insomniacs are dangerous." I said flatly, sarcasm was etched into the words. Duin laughed, it wasn't quite a normal laugh though, not like the I'd heard before, more composed.

"Right, well, I need a theory first, why do you think that unhealthily-pale-mood-changing-extraordinarily-strong-anorexic-insomniacs are dangerous?"

"Hm... Theory one, you've been given the super soldier pill?"

"No, I don't think so, try again."

"You're actually a zombie, awaken from your grave?"

"Oh, so close. But no, try again."

"Give me a hint here, are you in Greek Mythology?" I asked, raking his expression for any faltering, I found none. He shook his head, amusement was plain in his eyes.

"Do your dietary habits include humans?" I asked, I saw the slightest hardening in his eyes, he shook his head though. I was getting close, and it ought to have frightened me that I was, but it just didn't.

"Okay, do you hunt animals?" I asked slowly, my voice almost a whisper. He nodded his head solemnly, I had four choices on my hands, Swamp monster, Phooka, Werewolf, or Vampire. I didn't want to push him though it was probably a secret, and I had enough knowledge to know that he was dangerous in some way. And that should have made me afraid, but I was actually elated, excited that I was with some one so nice, comforting, and yet mysterious. I felt light headed, I wasn't sure why, maybe I was having a dizzy spell.

"Okay, that's all I wanted to know, I don't want you to tell me any more. I know that your dangerous, I know that your not a carnivore So I consider my self warned, but don't expect me to be afraid, because that will not happen no matter how hard you try." I said sipping some of the blue liquid in front of me. He glared at me, amazed, and shocked by my assessment

"What do you mean? Beth, you have to remember, that I am dangerous, no matter what my dietary habits are, don't forget that I'm not completely hum-" His words were cut off, as I had suddenly noticed his family staring at him, their faces horrified, and merciless One of them locked my attention, the tall blond one, his gaze was frightening, but I didn't feel fear. I felt, on the other hand I suddenly wanted to sing, I didn't even know why, but his glare just made me so angry I wanted to sing. So I started singing, softly, and this was the reason for Duin's unfinished sentence, he looked at me with confusion

I sang louder, I couldn't hear it though, my eyes were closed so not to see the stairs of my class mates. My words suddenly seemed not my own, I forgot what I was saying, hearing the faint buzzing replaced my voice around the room. When I hit the last note there was complete silence, I got up and walked out the room, with eyes still closed. As soon as I felt the cool air on my face I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.

Duin wasn't there, no one was, I sighed in relief and walked on, not really caring where. I ended up in biology, five minutes early, I doodled on my note book, waiting for the class to fill up. The day dragged on in silence, no one talked to me, and if they did I couldn't hear them. Duin and Edward did not show up for biology and Bella fainted halfway through class. When I saw her breathing deeply, I helped her up.

"Do you mind if I take Bella to the nurse?" I asked, I didn't hear an answer but I left anyway, Bella slung over my shoulder. We made it to the side walk where she gave up, but I didn't, I kept walking, caring her. Finally Edward came up to me, his mouth was moving, but I didn't hear it, but I guessed what he wanted. I carried Bella over to him and let her get carried away in his arms. I walked back to class slowly, I heard no wind; but I felt it, I heard no birds; but I watched them fly past. What was wrong with me?

I saw Duin, out of no where, his hands were anxious as they shook my shoulders. His mouth was moving, I barely made out the words from lip-reading. 'Can you hear me, Beth? What's wrong with you?'

"I don't know, why weren't you in class today?" I asked casually trying to keep my calm, not answering the first question.

Again he was saying something about ditching class with Edward and I didn't catch the rest. He was asking questions so rapidly I had no hope in reading them off his lips. He seemed to take in my vacant expression as a confirmation He walked me over to his brother's car where Edward was loading Bella in the passengers side. Duin dumped me by the side of the car and turned to Edward talking rapidly, I knew they were talking about me. I couldn't tell what they were saying about me though, my eyes drifted to Bella, who was staring at me with anxious eyes.

I was suddenly aware that my ears had a faint buzzing noise in them, I tried to cover my ears to not hear it, but it got louder. I bit my lip, trying to ignore the buzzing, but a pain started to form, it felt like a metal rod was pushing through my ear. I staggered, and Edward and Duin tuned to look at me, they were worried, there was no denying it. Duin was stepping up to me, hesitantly, and he spoke with exaggerated slowness so I could read his lips. 'Were taking you to see Carsile, we'll tell the nurse that you passed out. Okay?'

I nodded, and Duin shoved me into the back of the car, and sat beside me, staring at me. Edward walked back to the office and came back in a few minutes with a note, he gave it to me and drove off. Duin didn't stop staring until we were at at a huge house in the middle of the woods, I didn't even know we were moving. Duin lead me out, Edward and Bella watched hesitantly as we walked to the front porch.

I still couldn't hear anything, not the door opening or closing, not Duin's frantic questions that were to fast for me to read. I noticed Dr. Cullen coming down stairs his face troubled, he looked at me and said something that looked like. 'Bet, an you ear me righ no?' I wasn't sure how to respond to that so I just stared at him uncomprehendingly.

Then there was a flurry of movement, Duin was talking animatedly to Carsile, while shooting quick looks at me, I satisfied myself with sitting on a sofa and tracing imaginary designs into the arm rests. I noticed now that another woman was with them, I didn't even see her move. She was looking at me now and then to, I didn't know her, her caramel hair resembled mine, she looked about Dr. Cullen's age. I didn't know if I should ask her if she had a name or not. But she came and sat with me anyways, with a paper and pencil and wrote in an elegant script a name.

Esme

"Esme?" I asked, every one turned at my sudden voice, then Duin and Carsile went up a beautiful staircase. Esme nodded, in response, she took the pencil in her hand wrote down something else.

Elizabeth, Duin told us about you, I'm his mother, he and Carsile are going to get some equipment to treat your ear, or what ever is wrong with your hearing. Have you ever lost your hearing before?

"No, I've come close though, I get allot of ear infections."

Have you ever needed hearing aids? Or have had other hearing problems?

"Nope, besides Vertigo, I only get that kind of thing when I have a cold or something though. I suppose it's possible that the infection in my ear spread, it might make sense even that it happened in the lunch room, there was allot of noise."

How many ear infections have you had?

"I get one about once a year, which makes sense too, because I at least have three colds a year." Just then Carsile and Duin came down, they were carrying a suitcase it was covered in dust, I guessed that Carsile hadn't been much of a optometrist.

They spoke for a while, then Carsile shoved a funnel looking thing in my ear, I was used to it, I felt a warm light shoot through there. Then Carsile looked at some old notes, and he took an odd looking thing out, it reminded my of a pipe, he shoved it down my ear, I turned on my side so that one ear was lying on the sofa. And then he took some weird oil out and poured it down the pipe and into my ear. It was hot, but I was used to this treatment, I didn't even flinch as I felt it slip through my ear canal, then it was like an eruption of sound.

"-I think it's working, don't be anxious Duin." Carsile was saying, Duin was tapping impatiently his face was speculative, and Esme was beside me, whispering to Carsile.

"Thank you Carsile, I'm sorry to interrupt you, I must be bothering you. But I think that I'm good, the oil is comming out the other ear now, it'll be a few minutes I wager for it all to get out though." I said pounding my ear, trying to get all the water out. They all stared at me for a moment, not sure if I could hear or not.

"Honestly, I can hear, how much do I owe you by the way Carsile?" I asked fishing out my wallet, Carsile shook his head and smiled carefully.

"No, you don't owe me anything, it would be an insult to my hospitality." He said, and I stood up, Duin looked at me cautiously.

"Are you sure? I feel like I've intruded in on all of you, I'd better be leaving, The Webber's are going to think some one's gone and murdered me." I said lightly, I felt the tension in the room sifen. I noticed that the other Cullen's were home, I smiled and waved, I figured that they probably thought I was intruding too.

"I'll take you home," Duin said gruffly, he threw a wary glance at Rosalie, who was sulking. "come on." I fallowed him out the door and outside, I could hear his foot steps and the birds shrieking above us and it comforted me.

"Thank you, Duin," I frowned, thinking of all the things he'd done for me and that I'd have no chance of repaying. "you must be sick of my health problems by now ay?" I said glumly.

"No, not in the least," He answered. "it's almost fun, having to drag you to Carsile."

"How did you know that something was wrong with me though?"

He looked away, embarrassed again." Well, Edward told me that you didn't hear him, and Bella told him that you didn't hear the teacher or your friends. They were worried, I was worried, so I came shouting from a distance, when you didn't hear me... Well I knew something was wrong." He said quietly.

"So could you hear me singing?"

"Yes, it's better when I can hear you more clearly. I wondered why you did that though?" Curiosity burned in his voice, it was my turn to flush.

"Well, your brother -if he's your brother- Jasper was staring at me and I, all the sudden, got so angry that I... Well I just started singing." We walked to a garage full of expensive looking cars, he opened the door to a black PT Cruiser. I gulped, it reminded me of the car my brother had been driving when they crashed...

"What's wrong?" He said, suddenly anxious, again at my teary eyes. I shook my head defiantly and got in the passenger side, he was still staring at me and I was lost in memories. Suddenly at the memory of them pulling out the car from the creek, he stopped staring at me and winced. He looked down ashamed, and started the car, we zoomed through the forest path.

"Do you miss them? Your family?" He asked.

"Yes, I do, but at least I know that their... Well most of them are in heaven..." I hesitated, I didn't know that all of them were in heaven.

"What happened to you father, your real father?" He asked softly, his eyes were not on the road, but I didn't question him.

"He committed suicide, I was only one, I don't remember him. But I do have Trever." I said, trying to break the powerful stream of memory's that seemed likely to over flow. Duin's eyes were sympathetic, he took my hand, cautioning his movements, it looked like he was testing himself, and squeezed it lightly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, who is Trever?"

"He's my brother, my foster brother, he's in Japan he joined the Air force." I explained, careful not to look directly into his perfect face, I knew if I did I would start to cry.

"Oh, how old is he?" Duin asked lightly.

"Oh, he's around twenty six, he has a wife." I added, conversationally, I noticed that we had stopped, and we were parked out side of the Webber's house.

"Beth, one more thing," He looked nervously at any where but me. "do you really not care what... I mean, how I'm dangerous?"

"Of course not," I said squeezing his icy palm. "If you want to tell me thats fine, but I wont force it out of you. And if you ever want to talk to me about it, I'll be here. But I really could care less about what you are on the outside," I poked him in the chest gently, his eyes still avoided mine. "I care about what's in here." I got out of the car, and he waved at me, a smile playing at his lips.

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