chapter four

Forks, Washington was a town clouded by gloom. A town stuck under a plethora of trees that blocked a majority of Apollo's light from beaming down on the town of unusually pale teens. It wasn't exactly the tourist destination of the year, and everyone knew when someone new came to town. Because you were either too tan to be there, or you were just classified as an outsider for not being out of your house before. But the town was quick to judge who wasn't and was a usual resident, as it was a mostly close knit group.

When Este and Newt, Kaz, and Titus had stumbled into Forks, Washington for the first time it had been maybe a year or two earlier. Este finally had enough of being in camp that she made a plan and just left, causing everyone else to follow her. Bouncing around from place to place for a while, living out of a Box Car amongst other things before they ended up in Washington, a little far from Rhode Island I'd say.

    The abandoned house that Este kept visiting was much like the House of the Ancestors, past demigods had lived there. It was one of the rare places that demigods whispered about yet never found. How could you be so sure? By the hidden runes and symbols around the property. Much like the forcefield left at camp, it protected the demigods from ever being attacked by monsters in the area that it covered. It was the one place that they were certain they wouldn't have to be worried about getting killed. Yet, it didn't protect the Devereaux's very well.

Elyse and Elijah were two mortal friends that the demigods had. They'd met them on their first day of school in Forks High, and often hung out. Finn was met on one of the few run-ins with the Police Chief that Titus had after deciding to run on the side of a highway. And from there, the group formed after a long trust exercise and many threats. A believably unstoppable team of demigods and the clear sighted, aka the ones who aren't demigods and can see through the mist.

How could they pull all of this off though? Surely someone would know that there wasn't a parent in the home nor did any of these children seemingly have parents... but that's where you were wrong. Some of these teens did have parents. Still do. Mortal parents at least. Elijah and Elyse both had living parents, but both were always so busy that they simply didn't pay attention to where their kid stayed. And Este knew how to fake having a parent on the phone, or at least a legal guardian.

A skill that she had learned over the years. After the passing of her mother, Angelica Devereaux, many years prior. The twin's lost her at the ripe age of five years old. Something that they would never forget, and they would never speak of. No one but the twins, two others, and the gods knew of what had happened to their mother. And no one else would ever hear a whisper of what had happened. The only indication of her death was the two demigods left as orphans.

    Este still found herself in confusion towards the events of the night prior. The vivid image of Finn Carnehan talking to her down in the basement, looming over her as if he had all of the power in the world as he dished out some information about a new body that the Cullen kids had discovered. The lie was that he'd spent the night with Kaz. The truth? No one except Este knew he had been in the house that night after everyone went to bed.

    It was an annoying thought, but she didn't fight to bring it up with her brother or the others. Then a knock rattled the door to the bathroom causing Este to be pulled out of her thoughts.
"If you have to take a piss, there's another bathroom. Go elsewhere," Este retorted as she finished drying off her hands with the towel stuck to the rack.

"Este, hurry up," Titus was the one to start knocking on the door, "It's almost time to go."

"One second," Este commented again as she then wiped her hands off her jeans. "Piss off with the banging Titus. It's really annoying."

"Hurry up and please do come out because I've really got to pee," Titus whined as he shifted on his feet on the other side of the door.

    Este rolled her eyes but eventually opened the door, shifting to the side as she waved for the boy to enter the bathroom. And it was only a second later that he rushed past her, and as soon as she heard his fly unzip she rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her. Muttering something about how he was an imbecile before going to put on one of her pairs of converse. Chewing on the inside of her cheek as she sat on the barstool in the kitchen, before looking over at the boy who was staring at her from across the room. Causing her to cut him a glance before looking away as if she hadn't looked at him at all.

    Damned Carnehan.

"Kaz and Titus wanted to ride with Finn. I thought it'd be fine if we just rode together," Newt commented to his sister as he sat down on the barstool on the opposite side of her.

Este's eyes cast over to her brother as her fingers continued to tie the knots of her converse laces, "Fine with me. Prefer to be with less people this early anyways."

    Newt simply grinned over at his sister. The two looked like total polar opposites, the irony was that in every way they were. Not just in appearance, but in behavior. Yet, in the end, Newt would do anything to protect his sister just like Este would do anything to protect her brother.

"Kaz, Titus, you're riding with me in the corvette," Finn hesitated to say her name for a moment, his eyes lingering on Este before he continued, which caused Newt to look over at his sister as if he was silently questioning her while Titus nearly fell down the stairs. "Newt and Este in the Mercedes."

Fuck you Carnehan. Stop pulling this shit. The brunette was beginning to get infuriated with the boy. Her blue eyes cast to her brother before Este shook her head as she grabbed her bag from the floor, next to the barstool she had been sitting on, before going to walk out the door. Remaining silent as she walked past Finn while casting him a glare, who then started walking behind her which caused her walk to move just a tiny bit faster. Not enough to catch anyone's attention. Just as the tension between the two began to thicken with each waking moment that they were in the close proximity of each other.

Este and Newt were juniors with their friends Elijah Wesley and Elyse Adair. Kaz was a senior this year alongside Finn. While Titus was all by himself being a sophomore.  It was a miracle that they all had passed their grades, the demigods were riddled with every problem in the book. Always being near death, being hard-wired in Greek making them dyslexic... it was all a nightmare. Este would never forget the one time she showed up for two months straight and the office asked her if she had a personality disorder.

Este's hand wrapped around the door handle as she pulled the passenger side open, throwing her bag into the floorboard before she dropped down into her seat. Shutting the door quickly after as she adjusted herself before buckling her seatbelt. If this day is not decent I will be screaming into my pillow and blaring Christina Aguilera. Why do I need school? Let me live my life. The weight of the bookbag against her feet kept her grounded to reality. She was dreading her return to Forks High. The home of the Spartans. After all, the last time that they had actually showed up was November of 2004, now it was September of 2005. Nearly a year later, an entirely new school year.

Este found her lips tugging downwards into a frown as she looked out the window, upon pulling into the parking lot of Forks High. A feeling of dread running through her veins as something in her stomach twisted into a firm knot. Almost giving her a warning as she looked over at her brother, her eyebrows furrowing together as she felt a wave of nausea hit her. This wasn't something usual, and she knew her anxiety wasn't that bad yet. Gods something attack me right now so I don't have to go into this hell.

Her brother carried the same confused expression. Making Este aware that she wasn't the only one feeling like this. That maybe he felt it too. But what could make the two feel this way? They shared two singular abilities, while the others varied. They could feel someone die and when visiting the dead, tell you exactly when and where a person died without seeing it themselves. The other was their ability to travel through the darkness and the shadows to end up wherever they wanted.

So, whatever was happening with them right now had to correspond to one of the two abilities. Este wondered if this was what Carnehan had been referring to the night before. That they would feel something with their arrival at the school and that it would be rooted towards the Cullen's. But how could anyone be sure of this? Right, they're the only new kids and the only ones that we have yet to meet or be around. And they were the only ones in fancy cars besides the demigods.

"Let's go," Titus had easily hopped out of the other car once they had finally parked, pulling Este out of her thoughts as she rubbed a hand over her forehead, Titus banging on her passenger window, "I'm going to get the hottest chicks this year, I know it!"

     Este sat in silence with her brother for a moment.Shaking her head as she ran a hand through her hair before she exited the car, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Este."

    Este adjusted the straps on her bag as she tried not to roll her eyes at the way her brother said her name. Newt seemed to shake-off her coldness as he leaned against the side of the car. His hand pressed against the strap of his bag as he smiled widely as he usually did.

"I can see why they told us we had to be aware that things have definitely changed," Newt had leaned over and muttered in his sister's ear as he looped their arms together, looking around before looking back at her, "I don't have a good feeling walking into this so keep your eyes open. And your head low."

Este gave a slight nod as she stayed close to her brother, feeling comforted with him near her, "I think I understand now why they've been rushing us to come back from our quests, there's no telling what we've got on our hands here, Newt," She whispered as she felt a pair of eyes lock on her from across the parking lot, "Someones looking. And I have a feeling it isn't a horny teen."

    Este almost laughed at her own comment. Trying to hide the amusement out of her expression as she leaned against Newt. The two Devereaux twins looming close together as they always did.

"Horney teens," He scoffed before continuing, "Don't look," Newt whispered in return as he looked over at Finn who stood with Kaz and Titus on the other side of the car, "Focus on any of us, I'm going to do the same. We've got class to get too and you know what we have to do. Hades, you won't let anyone forget it."

Newt was older than Este by two minutes, but that did not stop him from taking initiative. Being over protective of the younger twin and stepping up when it came to being a brother. Newt was the more rational twin, thinking things through and using his head while having a big heart for his family. Este was the opposite. Short tempered and irrational, acting on her anger or her sadness when she reached the point that she couldn't see anything but her pain. Her heart was a locked cage that barely anyone got through. Her emotions were her weakness, but she refused to call her family her weakness. So she acted cold - hoping that no one could see what lied within.

"Let's get going," Este muttered to her brother as she pursed her lips together in a thin line while something crossed over her steely eyes, "The bell should be ringing soon and we share most classes. Or at least everyone in this group shares a majority of classes together making it easier for none of us to be split up and be-"

"Breathe," Newt muttered to his sister in an attempt to calm her down, "αναπνέω," He repeated before he began to pull her along to the other side of the car where the others stood, "AP Lang is our first block. Who else is in there or close to us?"

"I'm in there, the others are a hall over but we aren't alone in that class," Finn's knuckles turned white as the grip on his backpack became painfully tight, Este's gaze fell behind Finn as she tried not to look at him or the others, "I'm sure that nothing will happen on school grounds."

    Someone tell this kid to shut up for five minutes since he wants to creep around and lie all of the time. Of course he's in this class. Wonderful morning already. Este simply turned to look at her brother before letting her gaze fall elsewhere. Her face falling back into its usual scowl as her brown hair covered part of her face. The smell of the moisture in the air was familiar, but it never failed to make her scrunch up her nose just a bit. Someone please let Forks smell like a normal town and not a humidifier for four minutes.

"Let's get going, hey ladies," Titus was practically bouncing on her feet as he winked at girls who walked by him, causing everyone to give him either flirty smiles back or looks of annoyance, "Damn, did you forget the amount of αγάπη killed at schools, Finn?"

"What love has been killed at school?" Kaz deadpanned as he ran a hand through his raven hair.

"Maybe that's what's making us sick," Este whispered to Newt as a smirk daunted on her lips, teasing Titus as she looked back at her brother, "If we don't move now I'm going to take the car and go back home. Truancy can't affect me when my mother is dead."

"Este," Kaz's jaw hit the floor the moment he realized what she said, there was a laugh bubbling up his throat but it was clear he was trying his best to hold it back, "You know I can't handle comments like that!"

"The fact that you're laughing at our pain is honestly quite humbling. Some friend you are," Newt retorted with an eye roll as he remained close to his sister.

Este let out a small huff as she tried not to laugh, tilting her head in amusement as she raised an eyebrow at Kaz, "Exactly, now, Kaz I'd like an apology because I do believe that I do not laugh at your trauma like that."

"Este, you don't get an apology because you threatened to shave my head in the bathroom this morning because you couldn't-" Kaz watched Este's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare and his mouth immediately became sealed shut as he muttered out a quick, "Scary. That one."

    After a moment of silence, and the uncomfortable gaze of Finn Carnehan being stuck on Este... the girl decided to break the reformed silence.

"Alright, enough of this bullcrap. Let's get going before we isolate ourselves so much that we become the center of attention," Este repeated much firmer this time, pulling off of her brother for a moment as she began to grow more annoyed with the talking, "Low profile, you idiots. Does anyone understand that means acting normal for five gosh dang seconds?"

    Este was tense, and the anxiety bubbling in her chest wasn't helping. Her lips pursed in a thin line as her eyes narrowed a tad. The brunette's look caused a pause of discomfort from the others before Titus broke the silence.

"I can't hold liquor and I can't hold girls but I can cheer people up," Titus shrugged as he began to walk, "In a nicer frame of Este's words, let's get going!"

"Class. Now," Newt pointed over to the stairs as the first bell began to ring, "We've all gotta run. We're going to be late," Newt sounded exasperated by this revelation, "Really should've joined the track team."

"I think it'd be joining XC, and having a leg injury that makes it pretty impossible to not limp might've ruined that dream, buddy," Este remarked as she helped her brother walk at a sped-up pace as they took off.

"Maybe you should do football," Titus retorted jokingly as he rolled his eyes, "That should be cardio enough to run across the campus for a stupid class. Or get Este and Newt to-" Titus stopped when he looked over at the space where the twin's had left from, "Guys? Where'd they go? Damn, let's go."

"I told you they'd come back today. We are their investigation." Someone muttered inaudibly at the sight of the group's return.

The moment the twins along with Finn emerged from the shadows, near their classroom, out of sight from the crowd of students, Este dropped her grip on Finn's forearm before even her brother could catch sight of them touching. Her arms went across her chest again as she looked over at her brother before looking at the classroom. Her nose scrunched up in disgust at the lingering feeling of Finn's touch, something she typically wasn't bothered by until he began constantly lying to her, before she grinned noticing the familiar name on the doorway. A teacher she had before and she adored.

"Mrs. Batesman, it's been quite a while," Este nodded her head at her teacher, a glint of happiness shining in her eyes as the older woman turned, smiling as her banged bob framed her face perfectly, "It's always a pleasure to have your class."

"Eurydice!" Mrs. Batesman was the only teacher Este didn't tear into for using her first name, "This will be my second year having my favorite student. I knew you'd listen to me when I told you to come and take AP Lang. I never mind working through your dyslexia," Mrs. Batesman shrugged her shoulders before looking at the two standing with her, "You must me Newt, I can piece you together from the stories your sister has told me."

    Este's lips turned upwards as she glanced to the side at her twin brother. A moment of peace filling her after the anxiety of their return to school.

"Hopefully it is all good things," Newt managed a smile as he nodded at the teacher, "I've heard amazing things about you. I can barely get her to stop talking about you when I mention school. Let alone when anyone mentions English. You can't get her to be quiet for even a moment. And that's saying a lot for this one."

"I would know. Trying to get her to speak through my class was a task, but eventually I broke through. A wonderful student. Talented in her knowledge," Mrs. Batesman remarked as she moved some papers around.

Este gives her brother a side glare with a grin as she looks at the paper in front of Mrs. Batesman, "Seating chart, typically she places everyone in alphabetical order for the first day of school so..." Este scans over the list before looking at Finn, "You're closest to the wall, third row, then I'm the edge desk, Newt you're the middle desk."

    There was a moment of silence as their eyes cast over the room to put an image to Este's words about their seating arrangements, but soon each knew where they were going and nodded in affirment.

"Please don't cause an uproar, and don't pass out this semester. Please," Mrs. Batesman looked over at the girl who made a face, "I won't forget about that, Este. Now, take your seats before they stampede you," She pointed towards the students shoving themselves through the door.