✧

For the first time in a while, the sun was shining in Forks, Washington. Despite the autumn breeze, the sunshine helped in getting rid of the chilly temperature, allowing locals to soak up some nice vitamin D. With the sun shining and the glorious blue skies, that only meant the Cullens wouldn't be attending school.

As much as Mia is loving this weather, she can't help but wish it had been saved for the weekend. That way, she could attempt to convince Edward to show what happens to him in the sun since apparently, it doesn't burn him like she thought. Yet another thing textbooks should correct.

Currently, she's sitting at one of the tables outside the school. Many are sitting down on the grass, others are tossing a football around, while she and her friends are having lunch.

"I wish I could have ditched like the Cullens," Jessica admits as she leans her head back to soak up the sun, which makes the scar from the attack much more visible. "I can't believe Dr. and Mrs. Cullen yank them out for hiking and camping. I tried that out on my parents. Not even close."

Mia tries to stifle a laugh from knowing they're not camping, but are actually hunting. Edward has told her that on sunny days, he and his family head up to the mountains to feed. It's much easier to hunt in the daylight than at night since all the animals are out.

"Guys, I'm going to the dance with Eric," Angela excitedly says with a bright smile. "I just asked him. I took control."

"I told you that would happen," Bella tells her.

"Yes! Finally it's happened!" Mia loves seeing how happy Angela is. She's the only other person besides Bella and Edward that she actually likes and appears to be genuine.

Angela chuckles happily and wraps her arms around her and Bella, giving them a gentle squeeze before pulling away. "Bella, I insist that you should come to Port Angeles with us. It's dress shopping time!"

Bella is still hesitant in going, but after becoming interested in the folklore behind the reservation's history, she did research last night and learned there's a bookstore at Port Angeles. "Okay, I'll go."

"Good, 'cause we need all the advice we can get," Angela admits.

"So I take it you changed your mind and you're going to the dance?" Mia's hoping she comes as she really doesn't want to attend her first dance alone. Sure, she can go with the guys that have asked her, but none of them have caught her eye to make her willing to spend hours dancing with.

Bella shakes her head in denial, "I have something that weekend. I'm going to Jacksonville."

Unsure if she's being honest, Mia tries studying her body language to catch her in the lie. From the months that she's known her, she's learned that whenever Bella bites her lip, tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, or starts blinking rapidly, it's a sign she's nervous or is lying.

"Uh huh," she narrows her eyes in suspicion and taps her fingers against the table. "How about you postpone it?"

"It's a non-refundable ticket," Bella glares at her, a sign of asking her not to insist.

Letting out an annoyed groan, Mia leans her head back and shakes Bella's shoulders, "Come on, Bells. It's our first dance and I hear that the masquerade theme has gotten more votes. Imagine how hot and mysterious we'd look with those masks."

"I wish I could, but like I said..."

"Non-refundable ticket," both she and Bella say in unison.

"You guys sound like those creepy twins from that It movie," Jessica says, still not looking at them and continuing to soak up the sun.

The table turns silent as Mia, Bella, and Angela glance at each other confused at Jessica's understanding approach, but incorrect comparison.

"I think you mean The Shining," Mia corrects.

Jessica stares at them with a deadpan look despite feeling a tinge of embarrassment. She tries to say something, but like a gift sent from heaven, the bell rings and ends up saving her. "That's my cue to head to history. Don't want to be late."

"Since when are you in such a hurry to get to class?" Angela teases as both of them start walking away, leaving the latter behind.

Mia places her satchel over her shoulder and waits for Bella, but notices something is wrong, "Bells? Are you okay?"

"If the legends behind the Cullens are true, then that means the history of the reservation also is," Bella voices her thoughts aloud as she stares ahead. "I mean, the Quileutes being descended from wolves? I think it makes sense."

"Bells, it's like Jacob said, it's just a scary story," Mia feels a tinge of relief that she's not interested in the Cullens, but is instead focused on the Quileutes. At least it won't be a problem she will have to worry about. For now at least. "Come on. We're going to be late."

"I still think the stories are true," Bella starts rambling about the legends, but eventually, she starts talking about Jacob and the way he made her laugh that day.

Mia can only smile at the obvious crush her friend has, which she's definitely certain is reciprocated. She can only hope the pair get their head in the game and decide to go for it, but knowing how bashful they can be, it seems they will need a lot of help.

__________________

"I like this one," Jessica shows them a bright pink dress and holds it over her body. "But, like, I don't know about the one-shoulder thing."

Mia comes out of the dressing room wearing a black velvet dress. It's off the shoulder and tight above the waist, but flowy from below the knees. "I'm not sure about this one. It's cute, but is it too much?"

"That looks perfect on you!" Jessica exclaims, "It hugs your figure in all the right places. I say that's the dress."

Angela joins the pair wearing a lavender silk dress with a blue one in her hands, "Oh, my God. You look amazing."

"Right?"

She stares at herself in the mirror and turns to the side, paying close attention to how it fits her body. "I think you guys are right. I'm getting this one."

"One down and two to go," Jessica high fives her before taking over her spot. "Now tell me, is the pink too much? Is the one-shoulder thing a little outdated?"

Mia takes a step back and moves her finger in a circular motion, asking her to give a twirl, "It compliments your skin tone and fits you perfectly and..." she moves closer and whispers, "It makes your boobs look great."

Jessica smiles, "Right? That's exactly what I thought."

"And the one-shoulder thing is hot," Angela adds while holding the blue dress next to her. "What about this one, guys? I also like it."

"I like the beading," both Mia and Jessica say in unison.

"You wouldn't need jewelry."

"What do you think? Lavender or blue?" Angela frantically asks while moving the dress in front of her back and forth. "Is that good? Is that my color?"

"I really like the lavender on you," Mia assures her, sensing it's the dress she's the most drawn to.

"Agree, but I also liked the dusty rose one too," Jessica fixes her satin gloves as she stares at herself in the mirror. "Okay, I'm getting this one. Like Mia said, it makes my boobs look good."

The joy of finding their dresses suddenly vanishes when a group of guys knock on the store's window, winking and sending a few kisses and catcalls. One of them places his heavy gaze on Mia as he begins scanning her from head to toe. She folds her arms across her chest and flips him off, causing him to smirk as if the action satisfied him.

There can never be a day women don't have to worry about this happening. It's frustrating that not even inside a store can they catch a break and not be made uncomfortable and feel like they're in danger.

If it weren't for the damned trace, Mia wouldn't think twice in hexing them. Perhaps transforming them into rats would suffice. Maybe then, their new homes in the sewage drains would match their trashy personalities.

"Fucking pricks," she mumbles, rolling her eyes and walking away.

"Oh, God," Angela nervously chuckles as she looks away and shields herself with her hands.

Jessica grits her teeth, "That's uncomfortable."

"That's disgusting," Bella mumbles as she adjusts herself on her seat by the window.

Trying to diffuse the tension, Jessica tries switching the topic of conversation, "Bella, what do you think? Yes?" Both she and Mia start posing, showcasing their dresses as if they're being judged at a beauty contest.

"That looks great," Bella simply says, which is what she's been saying for all the dresses they've tried on.

"You've said that about the last five dresses, though."

Mia agrees with her, "We need more than just great. Are these glorious, life changing, and out of this world?"

Bella softly laughs and takes one more look of consideration, "The other dresses weren't that good. These ones are it, so get these."

"Yes, I knew it!" Mia walks over to her and raises her palms for a high five. She can see her reluctance, which only makes her more determined in getting her way. "Come on, Bells. Give it to me."

Hesitantly, she slaps her palms against hers. She remains seated while Mia heads back to the fitting room, leaving her with Angela and Jessica.

"You're not really into this, are you?"

Bella sees no point in denying the obvious. She's been quiet and mumbling the same three words, which is definitely not something an interested person would say. "I actually really just want to go to this bookstore." She looks down at her jacket and starts heading to the door, "I'll meet you guys at the restaurant. Can you tell Mia?"

Jessica's uncertain about this, "Are you sure?"

She's halfway out the door as she says, "Yeah, I'll see you in a minute."

Mia walks out not even a second later. She's now dressed in her regular attire and is getting ready to pay, but that's when she notices Bella's absence. "Where's Bells?"

"She said she was going to a bookstore," Angela explains.

"And that she'd meet us at the restaurant," Jessica adds as she continues looking at herself in the mirror.

She can't help but worry that her friend is out there wandering the city by herself. Anything can happen and that's the terrifying part, because if the locals are anything like those guys from earlier, Port Angeles could be the most dangerous place there is.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Jessica says, not sparing her a glance.

Mia's probably overreacting, but she can't shake the feeling that something wrong is going to happen. Knowing how clumsy and accident prone Bella can be, she won't be able to enjoy this outing if she's not certain everything's alright. Besides, she won't be much fun if she's constantly worried, so if anything, meeting with Bella would be much better than ruining the mood.

"You know, I think I'll go meet her," she tells her while paying for her dress. "I'll meet you guys at the restaurant later."

"Umm, are you sure?"

Once she's handed her dress, Mia starts heading out the door, "I'll see you later, and get those dresses. They look amazing on you." She turns around and walks out, contemplating which direction to go that makes her regretful for not having paid attention on the drive here. A bookstore surely can't be hard to find and if anything, she could ask someone for directions.

With her hands placed in her dark jacket, she takes the right and hopes it's the correct path. There's various restaurants and souvenir stores, but so far, no sign of a bookstore. She stops and asks a family for directions, which they so kindly told her it's in the opposite path she's taking.

Annoyingly, Mia turns back and continues strolling the dim pathways. With the sky turning darker and the streetlights not providing enough light, she becomes much more wary of her surroundings. Apparently, the bookstore is a little far from the shopping area and far enough to where it's darker than the rest of the streets.

Being at the restaurant would be much preferred. She's starving and in dire need of a nice cuisine, but no. She's wandering the dark streets into the unknown. Not that she's regretful because if anything, she prefers this if it means her friend won't be strolling the city by herself.

As she keeps walking, she comes to notice the silhouette of the bookstore. Outside is Bella holding a book in her hands as she looks out at the sky, taking notice of how late it's gotten.

"Bella!" Mia hollers and waves her hand up in the air, causing Bella to jump at her name being called from the dark. She hurries toward the bookstore and can practically see the relief etched on her friend's face when seeing her.

"You scared me," Bella sharply exhales and places the book in her bag. "I told the others that we'd meet at the restaurant. You didn't have to come all the way here."

"I know, but I got worried you would get lost or someone would try to hurt you."

Bella's taken by surprise. No one besides Charlie or her mom have shown that they care, so hearing that she does fills her with immense warmth. "Thanks for worrying. You- you didn't have to."

"I didn't have to, but I did," Mia starts walking back in the direction she came from. "You're my friend, so of course I'll look out for you. Now come on. Let's head back to the restaurant 'cause I'm starving."

With much more precaution, they walk alongside each other while Bella shows her the book she bought. "I know you don't believe the legends, but I do, and this book has much more information about the tribe, so I just had to get it."

Mia flips through the pages and is surprised to see how much detail is being covered. There's a few mentions of other supernatural creatures like werewolves, ghosts, heretics, witches, wizards, and the most talked about... vampires.

Great.

"You really scary stories, huh?" Mia hands the book back to her and shields her hands in her pockets for warmth.

Bella carelessly shrugs, "It's something interesting to think about. There's hardly anything interesting in Forks, so I figured why not occupy myself with this?"

Oh, how Mia wishes to tell her how lucky she is to be living an "ordinary" life. Being a part of the supernatural world might seem incredible to many, but in reality it's not. Don't get her wrong, she loves being a witch and having amazing adventures, but it'd be nice if her life wasn't constantly put at risk. Magic has its perks, but also has its cons.

"I get it, but-"

Her voice comes to a halt once they reach an alleyway. From the other end, two men are walking by, but stop when noticing them. They mumble a few incoherent things as they stride their way, making Mia and Bella hurry in the opposite direction.

"Saw you both at the dress store."

Her blood runs cold at those words. The look on their faces when seeing them at the store made her feel targeted, like the worst could happen with just one move and one word. She can feel her throat tighten and the blood pounding against her ears. Everything in her body tenses and she knows better than being afraid, but now as more men surround them, she's unable to prevent the sheer trepidation from consuming her.

"Hey, where are you both running to?"

By now, they're standing in an increasingly darker place. It's desolate and the sound of the cars can be heard from a distance. There's not a single soul in sight except them, making everything a million times more terrifying as anything can happen and no one would know.

"There they are!"

"That's my girl! You looked smoking in that little dress."

Mia grasps onto Bella's arm and tries looking past the group, noticing there's an opportunity to escape if she can only just push past them and run like hell. She moves a step forward, but three more guys appearing out of nowhere prevent any escape attempts.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Come get a drink with us."

A hand suddenly tugs at Mia's arm, separating her from Bella. Her fists clench as she gathers all her strength to land a punch directly into his jaw. The man groans and staggers back while the others stare in amusement.

"Woah! Looks like we got a feisty one!"

"Don't get aggressive, princess. We just want to have a drink."

Mia tries reaching Bella, but that same guy she hit grabs her by the waist and pulls her into him. His hands start wrapping themselves around her as she attempts to free herself. She flinches at his touch and starts digging her nails into his arms, but not even then does it make him release her. Her repulsion worsens when feeling his lips against her cheek, forming nausea at the pit of her stomach.

"How about we take the party somewhere else?"

"Don't touch her!" Bella demands as she attempts pushing the men out of her way.

Her demand makes the man holding Mia laugh, allowing her to smash her head against his nose that causes blood to start pouring from his nostrils. He harshly lets go of her, his groans of pain catching the attention of the group. They start laughing and come closer, their gazes heavy and filled with hunger.

"Looks like we got a fighter!"

"Maybe the other one will be much easier."

Bella knees one of them in the groin and dashes in Mia's direction. The smiles on their faces vanish and become replaced by a loathing glare. They come closer and Mia comes to the conclusion that no matter how hard they try fighting them off, it won't be of much use since there's about eight of them and they're just two.

She brings her hand into her inner pocket. The tip of her wand on her fingertips sends an electric current through her – enough to fuel her determination to protect Bella and herself without caring for the consequences of magic usage. She pushes Bella behind her and from her jacket's sleeve, her wand is able to come out just enough to allow her to cast, "Petrificus totalus."

The two men closer to her become paralyzed. They remain standing for a few seconds before crashing to the ground, making the rest of the group stare in bewilderment at the perplexing sight. She's about to petrify the others, but that's when the loud noise of tires screeching disrupts her concentration.

Mia glances back, immediately recognizing the Volvo and the driver. The car comes to a halt extremely close to the men, causing them to stagger back to avoid getting hit.

Edward dashes out of the vehicle and slams the door with an extreme force, "Get in the car."

Mia doesn't think twice in following his orders. She sits in the passenger seat while Bella takes the back. She stares attentively at Edward and even if she told him about her weekend plans, it still surprises her that he made the drive all the way here. Regardless of why, she's just grateful he arrived just in time. 

One of them wearing a baseball cap walks closer to him with a smirk. He sways to the side due to his instability caused by the alcohol that he nearly falls if it weren't for one of his friends holding him upright.

"That was a very dangerous maneuver," he drunkenly says, his words slurring with every breath.

Edward doesn't say anything, but instead forms a low and threatening growl. The men take a step back with widened eyes and mouths agape. He tries refraining from ripping their throats open, but with Mia sitting in the car, he tries searching for any ounce of composure to avoid frightening her.

Bella tries comprehending what she just witnessed, so she leans forward to ask Mia for confirmation, but she instead finds her rubbing her cheek incessantly and tossing her jacket as far as possible. "Are you okay?"

Her words go unnoticed as Mia could only focus on attempting to get rid of the terrible sensation of the guy's lips on her. The wetness, coldness, and reeky breath can be felt, causing her hands to rub harsher and faster. She kicks the jacket as far as the space allows to avoid the smell of his terrible cologne to fill her nostrils. She shuts her eyes, trying to push aside the disgust spreading all around her body. Not even when Edward enters does she look back at him. All she can focus on is getting rid of this kiss and the revolting smell on her.

She needs to take a shower. She needs to get rid of these clothes and burn them. She needs to wash her face a million times in order to feel clean. God, why can't Edward hurry and drive them home already? She can't handle sitting here not ridding herself of this nauseating smell.

Edward presses on the gas and accelerates into the group. Their yells can be heard along with the tires screeching as he reverses in a swift way and drives erratically into the crowded streets.

"I should go back there and rip those guys' heads off," he seethes, continuously glancing at Mia to make sure she's alright. Having heard those atrocities made every vein in his body burn with rage, especially when knowing they placed their filthy hands on her.

Bella waits for Mia to attempt to offer some comfort, but it seems Mia's still affected by what happened. "Um, no, you shouldn't."

"Yes, he should," Mia finally stops rubbing her cheek, now pinching her forearm as she's overcome with fury, hatred, and repulsion. Like Edward, she wishes to head back and punish them for this. The world would be a much better place if they're not in it and the thought that they're still out there and can prey on other women, only infuriates her much more. "They deserve to get hit by a bus and get dragged all over the streets as they scream and beg the driver to stop. Maybe another car can crash into them and finally put an end to their miserable lives."

Bella gawks at her with widened eyes, "I'm all for it, but I think we shouldn't add more fuel to the fire."

"You're right. I should just start a new one," she grumbles, focusing on the blurring roads and windows becoming foggy.

"You don't know the vile, repulsive things they were thinking."

Seriously? Great choice of words, Dracula.

If only he could read her thoughts, Mia would scold him for being too obvious. If Bella believes the Quileutes are descended from wolves, there's nothing that would stop her from figuring out the Cullens are vampires, which means having used Obliviate on Jessica would have been for nothing.

When sensing his eyes on her, she shoots him a glare. Inexplicably, her hands tighten into fists and her frustration starts to pass on to him.

"How do you know?" Bella asks, confused on his choice of words.

Edward is silent for a quarter of a second as he scolds himself for his slip up. He refrains from glancing at Mia since it would only raise suspicions, which is something she won't let him off the hook for that easily. "It's not hard to guess. Their looks and actions said it all."

"Hmm, interesting," Bella nonchalantly says before looking out the window.

"Can we talk about something else? Distract me so I won't turn around," Edward grits his teeth, his grip on the steering wheel becoming tighter.

"I say turn around. End them once and for all," Mia suggests in a low voice, but his vampire hearing allows him to hear everything.

Bella hates having to be the voice of reason, but it seems she's forced to be one for the night, "Umm, you should put your seatbelt on."

There's nothing humorous about her comment, but her failed attempt at distracting him is what makes him laugh, especially since he's a vampire and doesn't require a seatbelt. "You should put your seatbelt on. You too, Mia."

She rolls her eyes, "I already have it on. With your terrible driving, I'm not risking dying in this stupid Volvo. No offense."

He glances back at her, offended at her insulting his vehicle. "I wouldn't be insulting my car if I were you. At least I have one, whereas you have to ride shotgun in a worn down truck."

Bella scoffs loudly, "Hey, don't hate the truck."

Changing the conversation certainly helped as it's helping her anger start to gradually fade. She softly laughs and takes a deep breath, but one accidental look at the dress – the cause for this mess – makes her smile fade and returns her back to the suffocating memory.

Edward notices her mood change and it's times like these when he wishes to know what she's thinking. He can see the way she's staring at her jacket and is pinching herself, almost as if she believes this is a nightmare and is trying to wake up. She's doing the thing she does when she's uncomfortable. Her brows are furrowed and her hand is rubbing the back of her neck too anxiously. Her leg is tapping vigorously as she begins pushing the dress further from her.

"Mia, are you okay?" Edward scolds himself for such an idiotic response. Of course she's not okay. After being ambushed by those guys, only a fool would be calm and move on with their life as if it's nothing. He waits for her to say something, but she just gives a small nod and averts her gaze to the window. "And you, Bella?"

"I'm fine," Bella states and glances at her friend. "Do you think you can sleep over at my place tonight?"

The flashbacks to that ambush come to a halt and Mia's grateful for it. She can see her friend is more shaken up than she lets on and besides, spending the night at her place sounds better than being alone right now.

"Yeah, sure, but if you snore, I'm leaving."

Bella rolls her eyes, "Same to you. I'll kick you out."

As the rest of the drive turns quiet, Edward's unable to prevent from looking at Mia. She's trying to appear calm and make it seem as if this ambush isn't haunting her, but he knows it did. He's tempted to pull over and despite knowing that she's going to question him as to why he's here, he's willing to face interrogation as long as it keeps her mind off what happened.

"I hope you have some answers," Mia speaks in a lower voice, hoping Bella doesn't overhear.

Edward dreads having to form some elaborate lie that wouldn't mean admitting that Alice had a vision this would happen. He gnaws at the inside of his cheek, debating on how to explain himself without sounding like some stalker.

"Yes, no. To get to the other side," he bluntly says, making her gawk at him in confusion. "1.77245-"

Where the hell is he going with this?

Bella overhears him and wonders why he's reciting a mathematical answer, "Why are you saying the square root of pi?" 

"You knew that?"

Mia softly scoffs, her voice barely a whisper when she says, "Who doesn't, you numpty?"

Edward tightens his grip on the steering wheel, making a sharp turn that ends with her bumping her head into the window.

She rolls her eyes at him, frowning at his satisfied smirk, "Watch it, asshole!"

"My bad," he simply says as he tries refraining from laughing at her annoyed glare.

Before she can try asking another question, Edward parks in front of the restaurant, putting an end to this conversation.

Mia practically runs to the entrance, excited to finally dine a nice cuisine, but her footsteps come to a halt when seeing Angela and Jessica walking out. With their guilty expressions and takeout bags, it doesn't take a genius to know they already had dinner.

"Where were you?"

"We waited, but we were, like, starving, so we-"

She cuts her off, "Yeah, so were we."

Jessica awkwardly glances at Angela, neither knowing how to resolve this and make it any better. "I- I know and we're-"

"I'm sorry I kept Mia from dinner," Edward walks up from behind them and stands alongside her. "We just sort of ran into each other and got to talking."

Delighted smiles become plastered on Angela and Jessica's faces. Their complexion turns into a bright crimson as millions of thoughts run through their heads at the sight. 

"No, we totally understand. I mean, that happens, right?"

"We were just leaving so..."

"I should make sure Mia gets something to eat," Edward firmly declares, his gaze softening the second she locks eyes with him. "If you'd like."

A sudden nervousness rises from within her. Having dinner with him isn't anything new, but something feels different. She's not sure why these sudden feelings have appeared, but her heart keeps racing uncontrollably and her stomach feels as if there's butterflies inside. 

"Of course she would like," Bella practically nudges her in his direction, but needs to use her strength to push her closer. 

"Shouldn't you stay as well? I mean, you haven't had dinner either," Mia holds tightly onto Bella's arm, causing her to take her to the side.

"It's so obvious he wants to be alone with you," Bella tells her in a lower voice and Mia has to refrain from cringing at the fact that her attempts on not being heard would be in vain. 

Damned vampire abilities. 

"We'll be seeing you at school then," Bella squeezes her shoulder reassuringly before she enters the vehicle with Angela and Jessica, who keep staring at her with those same bright smiles. 

Mia waves at them as they drive off, soon being left alone with Edward. She tries to avoid staring into those mesmerizing eyes as they would only make her more nervous. Instead, she approaches the entrance of the restaurant with haste, but accidentally makes contact with his hand. She tenses at his touch and at the way electric currents course through her veins. When she allows herself to look at him, she practically melts. The way he looks at her makes her feel so seen, like he's the only person to know what she's thinking.

"Allow me," Edward's voice is low and fervent as he opens the door for her. He motions with his hand in a gentleman-like manner and tries keeping his expression stoic despite the nervousness within him. However, everything changes once she walks past him. Her dulcet aroma of lilies and delicate perfume leaves him completely mesmerized. He closes his eyes in delight and forms a small smile, but his trance disappears when hearing someone clearing their throat. 

To his misfortune, an older woman was also entering. There's accusation in her gaze along with a knowing smirk, but her thoughts are enough to cause him to panic. He's not being discreet with his feelings for Mia and if a stranger noticed, then that means she can figure it out soon. 

No, he couldn't let her know. 

Mia Grey is just a friend... but why does it feel so wrong?

Edward quickly enters the restaurant and stands next to her, his hands in his pockets and gaze averting to anything but her. In spite of having vampirism to help with his charms, he's now the perfect representation of a man attending a first date. 

The hostess walks up to them, "Table for two?"

He nods, "Yes. Table for two."

Mia takes a seat and quickly reaches for the menu. This is the most cowardly she's acted and she hates that it's because of him. She's never been this nervous before, let alone with someone who's just a friend. If her friends from back home could see her, they would judge her until the day she dies. 

It sure doesn't help when noticing his inability to take his eyes off her. He always has a way with words, but his stare is the one thing that makes her nervous. They're so expressive yet also beholding a wave of secrets. 

Mia waits until the hostess is gone to push her foot forward and kick him as hard as possible on the knee – even if she knows it won't do much. "Stop looking at me with those eyes. It's getting on my last nerve."

A soft smirk appears on his chiseled face as he tilts his head slightly, "What eyes?"

"You know what I'm talking about," she complains, gritting her teeth. "Stop. It's not cute. It's not funny, so just... stop doing it."

He chuckles, "We'll see if I can."

She shakes her head, not bothering to continue this conversation. Her breath would only be wasted as if there's one thing he's great at is being hard headed and being a pain in the ass. She sighs irritatedly and plops her elbows on the table too harshly, "What are you doing?"

The more he admires her, the more blessed he feels to be in her presence, "I'm looking at you."

"Edward," Mia complains as she clenches her jaw in annoyance. "Don't be cute and just answer the damn question."

Staring at her with a smug smirk, he tilts his head slightly as if studying her, "So you think I'm cute?"

Damn it, Cullen.

Her face becomes warm as a rush of energy pumps through her veins. The right thing would be to ignore his question or deny it, but it's proven harder to do so because how can she? Of course she finds him cute – well, more than cute actually. He's the most attractive person her eyes have ever witnessed and it's getting on her last nerve feeling this way.

"Just shut up," she snaps, leaning back against her chair and folding her arms across her chest. "Instead of being annoying, how about you tell me why you're here?"

The waitress arrives at the most inconvenient time. Their invisible wall crumbles as she begins taking their order: a chicken parmigiana with fettuccine alfredo on the side and nothing for the pale face. The raven haired woman turns around, but just like the waitress from Seattle, her interest for Edward is quite obvious due to the seductive glimmer in her eyes. 

Their food doesn't take much time to arrive. She sets their plates down and turns away, but flips her hair back and smiles at Edward, "So, are you sure there isn't anything I can get you?

Mia looks away to roll her eyes and clenches her fists under the table. It's incredibly frustrating being forced to witness this waitress expressing her interest in him without making sure neither of them are dating. 

God, why isn't Edward putting an end to this?

"No. No, thank you," Edward simply tells her without looking at her. 

Walking away, the waitress softly smirks at him through her shoulder, "Let me know."

Mia slams her fork down rather too aggressively and feels her appetite now gone. She doesn't understand why she's so angry or why she cares. It's not like he owes her anything. They're just friends, so this sudden anger is inexcusable. 

"Everything alright?"

"Why are you here?" Mia avoids his question by asking one of her own. 

"Alice had a vision," he admits. "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to reach you on time, so I arrived since this morning."

"So that means you were following me."

Edward has never felt more vulnerable in his entire life. She's the only one who has ever made him feel this way and it frightens him to be consumed by something so maddening. "I just... I feel very protective over you."

Mia hums in thought for a moment, "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you arrived at the right moment, but don't ever follow me again. I know you mean well, but I can take care of myself."

"It didn't seem like it."

She pauses, wondering if what she heard was actually said, "I used my magic against them. If you hadn't gotten there, I would have done more, so yes, I can take care of myself." 

"I'm sorry I said that," Edward apologizes, knowing he said the wrong thing and was wrong in underestimating her. "It's just-" he pauses for a moment as if gathering his thoughts, "I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you. If you knew what those low-lives were thinking-"

"I know," Mia places her hand on top of his, his cold touch alleviating her nerves and helping her move past what happened. "So, it seems you can't stay away from me, ghosty," she tries lighting up the mood by teasing him, but he remains serious and stares at her with such intensity. 

"I'm afraid I don't have the strength to do so," Edward's admittance takes her by surprise. 

It's safe to say that Mia has always been good in dealing with tension. She always found a way to see the light at the end of the tunnel and figure out different methods on how to remedy anything. It's one of her greatest praises, but now, she's left at a loss. 

Hearing those words coming from Edward placed her mind in a huge blank. She wants to say something clever, something snarky, or maybe something intense. He placed his heart on a silver platter and she's only offering silence. 

How pathetic can she be? 

"How unfortunate," Mia releases her hold on him and leans further into her seat, a soft yet fervent stare linking to his. 

He agrees, "How terrible."

Silence comes in between them, but unlike the previous silences experienced with others, this is one is comfortable. There's nothing awkward or strange. It's a comforting kind that is rare to find nowadays and having found it in each other has left them feeling like the most blessed. 

Not even when they exit the restaurant does it change, but the significantly cold weather wrecks their silence. Maybe she's exaggerating, but Mia refuses to put on her jacket knowing it still has that man's cologne imprinted on it. She rubs her arms together for warmth, but is caught off guard when feeling a coat placed over her shoulders. 

Edward does his best not to gaze upon those striking eyes, but the invisible string between them becomes harder to resist. Upon seeing she's already doing the same, he exhales a low sigh of relief, finding comfort at her resplendent stare and the fact that she's accepting his coat. He admires the way the twinkling lights hit her complexion, casting a warm shadow that makes the vibrancy of her essence more intense.

She loves the way he looks at her. It's such a beguiling mixture of fondness and comprehension. He stares at her like he's admiring an art exhibit, like she's a ballad and he's the composer, like she's the words of a complex poem and he's the creator. He stares at her like he cares about her as more than a friend... and that's more than enough to make her loathe herself for liking the way this feels.

Edward opens the door for her and heads to the driver's side. He turns on the engine and soon, they're driving off into the night. She focuses on looking out the window and nuzzles deeper into his coat, not realizing the faint smile appearing at getting a whiff of his alluring aroma. Just when she realizes her mistake, her eyes flutter open and adjust their focus to the scenery.

It's dark and only the headlights are the source of illumination. The moon is struggling to peek through the clouds, but the lingering light casts a shadow upon the towering evergreens. The sound of the blowing breeze fills her eardrums, sending a chill through her bone at its crisp chiming. She notices there's no other cars but theirs and that's when glances down at her watch and realizes just how late it is – 12:05 am.

Her mother is going to kill her for breaking curfew. She was supposed to be at home at 11:30, but this little detour took longer than expected. Her only hope is that somehow, she's not reprimanded, but of course, that's something out of her wildest fantasies.

"Is that my mother's car?" Mia rubs her eyes to rid them of the exhaustion when noticing the police station filled with cop cars and the lights from inside still on. "Can you pull in?"

Edward enters the lot and parks his Volvo right next to the Rabbit, "That's my father's car on the end. What is he doing here?"

Mia walks out of the car and starts heading to the entrance, but is taken by surprise when hearing the loud rumble of a truck. She glances past her shoulder and recognizes it's Bella, which makes her realize something is definitely wrong if she's here as well. Before she gets a chance to ask, Carlisle exits the station in a hurry and walks toward them

"Carlisle, what's going on?" Edward asks with concern in his voice.

He's hesitant in responding, "Waylon Forge was found in his boat out near his place. I just examined the body."

Bella incredulously asks, "He died?"

Mia shudders at the news, shocked that a death happened in this supposed safe town. Before moving here, her mother had done research on the best places to move to and chose this place due to its low profile and having the lowest crime rate. To hear that a death has happened is definitely enough to put her on edge.

"How did he die?"

"Animal attack," Carlisle's tone is wary as he exchanges a look with Edward – one that's enough to help her connect the dots that this wasn't the real reason.

This was a vampire attack.

She starts wondering if it's the same vampire that attacked Jessica. It would make the most sense considering he hasn't been caught and if he had been, Edward would have mentioned it.

Bella's eyes are wide in disbelief, "Was it the same one that got that security guard down in Mason?"

Continuing to exchange a suspicious look with Edward, he hesitantly confirms her question, "Most likely."

"It's getting much closer to town then."

"Bella, Mia, you both should head inside," Carlisle tries cutting the conversation short. He takes a step forward and gestures to the door, "Waylon was your father's friend and Isobel is inside keeping him company."

Bella nods in response and doesn't waste time in entering the station. 

Mia's quiet for a few seconds. She wants to ask them if her suspicions are right, but something tells her this is not something she should get involved in. She already has lots on her plate to become concerned about a rogue vampire.

"Thank you for today. I'll see you on Monday," Mia tells Edward before nodding in farewell with Carlisle. From the reflection on the door, she's able to see Edward continuing to stare at her and for a mere minute, she's tempted to look back. She scoffs to herself, refusing to cave and hastily walks inside.

The police station is fairly dark and if it weren't for the computer screen coming from the chief's desk, she would have stumbled over her own feet.

When getting closer, she sees her mother comforting Charlie. Her arms are wrapped around him and if it hadn't been for finding those love letters from a lover that lived here in Forks, Mia wouldn't have guessed that this must be him.

Charlie Swan – her mother's first and only love.

Her steps are slow, reluctant in reaching them and interrupting their moment. She knew moving here had been more than just a random pinpoint and her mother's logic that loving this town was the only reason. Moving here had been her second chance, so how can she dare interrupt this moment?

From the corner of her eye, she notices Bella hovering as well. She turns her head at her, both of them now staring in full curiosity at the pair. The way Charlie and Isobel are looking at each other is not a platonic look. It's a look of love and it's enough to bring smiles on the girls' faces.

"Did you know about this?" Bella softly whispers, gesturing her hand at the pair.

She shakes her head, "I had no clue."

Abruptly, Isobel and Charlie glance up and quickly adjust themselves as if they were caught doing something they shouldn't be.

"Bells!" Charlie says, his voice getting a few octaves higher.

Isobel sighs heavily as a nervous smile appears, "Mia! I- I didn't know you were here... that both of you were."

Mia starts striding in their direction, her look representing a teasing accusation. She folds her arms across her chest, not bothering to say anything to her. Instead, she looks over at Charlie and smiles, "Hi. I'm Mia. It's nice to meet you."

Charlie nervously chuckles and extends his hand, "Nice to meet you, Mia. Your mother has told me so much about you."

Bella takes the spot next to her and glances at Isobel, "I'm Bella. It's very nice to meet you."

Isobel takes her hand and firmly shakes it, "Hey, Bella. Your dad has told me so much about you that it feels like we've already met."

There's an awkward silence that lingers after. Neither know what to say considering Isobel and Charlie weren't planning on getting caught this way. If anything, they were hoping to tell them over the holidays, but it seems those plans are getting tossed out the window.

"I'm sorry your friend died," Mia suddenly blurts out, but immediately regrets it when realizing how insensitive she sounded. She shuts her eyes in embarrassment and internally scolds herself for her mistake, "I didn't mean it that way. I just- I'm really sorry."

Turning away, she really hopes she didn't ruin her chances at getting along with her mother's suitor. She rubs her forehead awkwardly, not knowing what else to do other than just wait. After a few minutes, she turns around and finds Bella comforting her dad while Isobel says her goodbyes and heads in her direction.

"How come you're here and not at home?" Isobel remarks, hoping to avoid having a conversation about this.

Mia carelessly shrugs, "It's a long story, but I'm glad I'm here. I got to meet your boyfriend."

"Shh!" Isobel wraps her arm around her and takes her outside. She takes a shaky breath and runs her hands through her hair. "Can we talk about this in the morning? With what happened with Charlie's friend, I don't have the energy."

"Sure," she says, following her to the car. "You know it wasn't really an animal attack, right?"

Isobel reluctantly nods, "I know. Seems this town isn't as safe as we thought."

Mia turns quiet and simply gets in the car. She hopes things don't worsen, but if these attacks are becoming much more frequent, it's only time until everything unravels for the worst.