If You Tickle Us, Do We Not Bleed?

The next day was just like any other day.

Well, it's pretty much like every day unless you count the fact that one of the Cullens – Edmund, or I think that's his name - wasn't at school. Well, he was pretty moody after school before he left the day before.

I heard Edgar tried to have his schedule changed or something like that.

Wow! He is such a drama queen. Just 'cause he didn't get what he wanted, doesn't mean he can just leave and skip school. I can't believe Dr. and Mrs. Cullen let him do that! If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's a child of Aphrodite with the ability to charmspeak. I mean, he has the looks and everything. And how else could he skip school without getting into trouble? Education is important!

I realized that I was starting to sound like a child of Athena. I made a mental note to go to La Push and hang out with the guys for a dose of stupidity.

Anyway, the day was pretty boring. I got detention 'cause I disrespected the English teacher. (Hey, in my defense, I was told by my brother that Daedalus was pretty much still alive for centuries until that year before the Second Titan War.)

At lunch, I kinda noticed the new girl staring at the Cullens. And the Cullens were also looking at her. Of course, they tried to hide it, but I caught a glimpse of the blonde's death glares at the poor brunette. I wondered what blondie's problem was.

My thoughts were interrupted by the bell. I gathered my things and ran out of the classroom. I made my way to my locker and grabbed whatever I left in there.

As I ran out of the school building, I bumped into something hard - a wall, maybe. Except, it wasn't a wall.

I felt a cold breeze brush past my skin indicating that a ghost was near. As a child of Hades, I can sense the dead. I can see, hear and sense ghosts and anything that is not alive.

Looking at the guy I had bumped into, I saw that it was one of the Cullens, the big one. I looked around, checking to see if there were any ghosts around, but there were none. I could have sworn that I felt the presence of the dead.

"Hey, watch where you're going," the Cullen said, holding a hand out to help me up. Taking his hand, there was that feeling again. I was confused.

My senses are never wrong. Never. But why were they telling me that the guy in front of me was dead?

I know the Cullens are kinda weird, but I had always thought them to be... alive.

Then again, this has been the first time I had ever been this close to a Cullen.

Before I could do anything, the guy walked away.

I shrugged off the feeling and headed out of the building. The thought that ran in my mind were: The Cullens aren't human.

Thankfully, this time, I did bring my car. If Zeus decides to make it rain for no reason, at least I'd be ready.

Like I had promised myself earlier that day, I drove to La Push to hang out with the guys.

First stop: Embry's.

I walked up to the front door and before I could even knock, the door swung open, revealing a smiling Tiffany Call.

"Hi Ashley," Embry's mom greeted.

"Hey Tiffany," I replied. "Is Embry home?"

"Uh, I think he's at Jacob's."

"Oh, ok. Um, bye," I said before turning and walking to my car.

"Oh, and, Lee Lee," she called out as I reached my car and opened the door. I turned to face her.

"Yeah?"

"Mind telling Embry that he needs to be home for dinner?"

"Sure thing," I said before climbing into the Porsche and closing the door. I drove to Jake's house.

I reached the little house and I grabbed my backpack before getting out of my car and locking the car. Hey, you can never be too careful.

Anyway, I made my way to the little garage that the guys and I usually hang out in when we're at Jake's. I'm not really a car expert but I don't mind watching the guys fix up Jake's car.

"Hey Lee Lee," the boys greeted as I came in.

"Hey guys," I replied before setting my backpack on the floor and grabbing my copy of Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'.

"Ooh, The Merchant of Venice," Quil commented as I sat down.

"'If you prick us, do we not die? If you tickle us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not laugh?'" Jake said in a fake British accent and I laughed sarcastically.

"Haha. Very funny Jacob," I said. "You do know that you said it all wrong, right? Oh, and Venice is in Italy. They don't have British accents."

"Yes, and I take pride in my humor, thank you very much," the Quileute boy said. I rolled my eyes as he turned his attention back to the car. I opened the book to the page that I had been reading.

"Hey," a voice said. I looked up from the book to find Embry. He smiled which made me smile back at him.

"Hey," I replied before returning my attention to the book in my hands. But of course, it was kinda hard to concentrate on the book when Embry was sitting right next to me.

Ok, maybe I hadn't completely moved on from that crush.

"Your mom said you need to be home for dinner," I said, keeping my eyes on the book.

He didn't answer.

I turned my head only to find my face a few inches away from Embry's. I looked away the same time he did, my cheeks turning red.

I heard Quil chuckle and I glared at him. The smirk on his face faded and I smiled knowing that I could scare him with just one look.

"So, uh, how's life with the pale faces going?" Embry said, trying to start a conversation.

"Same as usual," I replied. I actually have this suspicion that the Cullens aren't human. Of course, I didn't say that out loud. "I'd rather go to school here on the rez with you guys. They're all so boring." And they avoid me, so it's not like I have anyone to talk to or anything.

Embry smiled at that and I forced myself to go back to my book.

"Well, we'd rather you go to school with us too," Embry said, making me blush once again. I looked away from him so he wouldn't see my blush.

"Hey, Em," Quil called. "why don't you stop flirting with Lee Lee and help us with this?"

That only made me blush even more.

"Shut up," I heard Embry say. Quil laughed and Jake did too. Jake went to sit next to me and I buried my face in my hands. There was no way that I was gonna let them know that I was blushing.

"You guys are so cute together," one of them said. Which one? I didn't care. I'm pretty sure my face was as red as a tomato at the time.

Great. Now they're starting to sound like my mom.

"Aw. Look Jake," Quil said. "Em's blushing."

"I am not," Embry protested.

And the afternoon was like that until mom called Embry's phone saying that I had to be home. The teasing became worse after that.

But that was good. I almost forgot about the Cullen thing.

Anyway, as soon as I got home, dinner was ready and mom had been waiting for me.

"Hey mom," I greeted as I sat down across from her. I put some lasagna on my plate and started eating.

Mom shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder why you're not with your father yet," I heard her say.

"Well," I said, still chewing the food in my mouth.

"Lee, don't talk when your mouth's full."

I quickly chewed my food and swallowed before continuing. "Well, mom," I said. "I am still alive because of the gods swore on the River Styx that they won't kill another god's kid anymore."

"I don't think that really happened."

"Really? I was sure that it happened. Must have been a dream." I shrugged.

Mom chuckled.

"Well, I guess you better start offering some food to the gods before you end up in the Underworld," she said.

I scoffed. "I offer food to the gods." She raised an eyebrow. "Ok, maybe not all the time."

Mom shook her head. "Natty was trying to contact you," she said, changing the topic. "She said to IM her as soon as possible."

"Uh, sure. I'll do that after dinner," I said before returning my attention to the food right in front of me.

That night, I found it hard to sleep. Then again, who'd be able to sleep if they found out that someone walking is not alive.

It shouldn't have been able to bother me since I was used to seeing ghosts and dead people. I am a daughter of Hades. But I guess it's different when mortals can see them too and they're not in the Underworld.

Finally, I let the sleep take over.

I woke up the next day with one thought: I forgot to IM Natty.