Alec's POV
I parked my black Jaguar XKR-S outside the clock tower after taking her for a spin and purchasing my new MacBook Air and internet service. Nothing new happened around here. Sam hasn't called since sixteen months ago. I wonder if I'm still in her thoughts as much as she is in mine. Life here is dull and bleak without her. She was my joy and soul and when she left, she also left behind her an irreparable void. Now my only highlight has become my car and hopefully for a little variation, this laptop. I covered my car and went upstairs to my room. I plugged the laptop in like the instruction manual said. I started exploring bits and pieces following the manual and a magazine I bought about these Apple products. I was interested and amazed at how these mystical gadgets worked. Technology was truly amazing. But truthfully, I had other Sam related motives for buying the laptop. The more I thought about how our relationship had been, and hopefully will be when we reunite, the more I thought about those three hundred years separating us. They have never been a problem that couldn't be solved but I knew that if I wanted to be with Sam, I had to update my living. I couldn't keep dressing up as if I was going to a funeral all the time. I wanted to at least know the first thing about technology, this Apple brand in particular that she had told me about.
I remembered her telling me the story about her mother's boyfriend's laptop. She said that she has secretly used it without his permission and afterwards plugged it in to charge. Then at night she tripped on the wire and it smashed the monitor on the ground (or as I've recently learned VDU) He had made her pay two hundred euros and he fixed it up nicely for her. He removed the broken monitor and attached another monitor through wires. This was why she called it a semi laptop. And what annoyed her the most was that it was windows and her mother made her use the semi laptop for four years. It was always causing her problems or losing her work. She had said, "That was the day when I started hating Windows and shouting 'Long live Apple' at anyone who brought up the subject." I laughed at the carefree memory.
As the web loaded I wondered if I could use the web to find Sam. I knew that it would be like looking for a piece of straw in a mansion filled with needles. I didn't even know if she still goes by her name. Still, I gave it a try. A Facebook link loaded. There were about twelve with the same name. I clicked on each of them, only to end up disappointed until I arrived at the last one. The server said: This profile is no longer available, but I recognised the picture immediately. It was Sam and she most defiantly was human there. She had a pair of flushed cheeks and perhaps a zit or two but she still looked amazing to me. She was beautiful even when she was only human. And most importantly she was real in this picture. In some other pictures I had seen of the other Sams many were wearing provocative clothes that showed a lot of cleavage but Sam's was portrait sized and she was wearing a plain blue shirt. She didn't need sluttish clothes to look sexy. As if her smile wasn't proof enough of how glorious she was.
Ah, I really missed her. I just want to hear her voice once more and feel her running her dainty fingers through my hair. I knew that whatever happened I would never give up on her and on our love. Someday we would be together once more and we'll laugh at this…
…I hope.
(A/N: I know, short depressing A's POV but this was all I got. P.S: I currently own a semi laptop cause that story actually happened to me three years ago and believe me, it's not fun.-.-)
(A/N: Recap: -Sam's POV-
Screw you, meathead!
He looked at the paper, probably shocked that I turned him down. I crumpled the paper in a little ball, smiled an obvious fake smile and just as I had timed, the bell rung that moment. I shoved my stuff in my bag and followed Nessie and the others out for lunch.)
Daren's POV.
I stared at the empty space were she had been earlier. I was still dazed at what she had written. What the hell was wrong with her? Nobody and I do mean NOBODY has ever turned me down.
"Hate to break it to you mate, but I think she might prefer the other side of the fence." my friend Ron told me. I furrowed my eyebrows. Nah, I didn't think she wasn't straight.
"I don't think so. Well, I don't plan in sticking around here any longer, so I say we go grab some grub." I said, both out of hunger and wanting to see her again. This wasn't over. I always get what I set my mind to and she won't be any different.
We walked outside and apparently the news of what happened in biology had spread. Everybody looked at my way, some whispered, others greeted me and so I nodded at them and gave them my signature smirk. We went in the cafeteria. Usually people would stare at us but today it seemed like they had other people on their minds. And by other people I meant the Cullens. I had to admit, the air around them seemed frozen. The way they moved, it seemed as if they glided. They radiated light. Just the sight of them looked unreal and out of place in our shabby little cafeteria. Even I felt allured by their presence, and that's saying something. They didn't seem to notice one bit that they were being watched like mice on a moonlit night.
Once I managed to tear my gaze away from them, I pulled Ron who seemed to be lost in their aura to our usual table across from the cheerleader's and football player's table. Today Tiffany seemed to be in one of her common jealousy fits. Heath, her brainless boyfriend was just rudely staring at the Cullens. I wondered if he'd drool. Suddenly she got up and started walking towards the Cullens. I looked at them and saw that Edward guy talking to Sam, who nodded briefly and got up swiftly and smoothly. Even though she had a complete poker face, impenetrable and cold I could understand the tension she was probably feeling. Having almost three hundred pairs of eyes on you is no pleasure. I followed her with my eyes. Even Tiffany who was stomping towards her table looked to be affected by her closeness as she approached. Sam 'accidentally' bumped in Tiffany's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry." She said in a clear voice that expressed nothing but regret and sorrow. Then, in a movement so inconspicuous that I myself almost didn't notice it, she whispered something in Tiffany's ear. I could not hear what she said, though whatever it was left Tiffany frozen and surprised. Many expressions rolled on the latter's face. She then raced over to her own table and pulled hard at Heath's arm, who seemed to completely ignore her as Sam passed by towards one of the vending machines. Could he have made it any more obvious that he was completely checking out her ass as she passed by their table? His head followed her every movement. Only Tiffany's hard slapped broke him free of his gawking. She rushed out of the cafeteria and he had no other option but to follow her. I was so curious to find out what Sam told Tiffany.
And now was my chance. I got out of my seat and walked over calmly to the vending machines. She looked as if she was wondering what to choose.
"You sure as damn caused a reaction out there." I said as I pretended to think about what I was going to choose.
"Is there a reason why you made it your mission today to annoy the crap out of me?" she asked me with a thick layer of irritation in her voice. I smirked at her.
"Why would you think that?" I asked her, making my voice as hurt and innocent as possible. She sighed, obviously frustrated.
"Look, I'm seriously not interested. I'm just not ready to date, okay? I've had a really bad experience lately and I'm just not ready for any other relationship. Now, I seriously don't mean to be rude but back off and leave me alone. Do you understand?" she whispered softly yet still menacingly at the same time. I had to blink twice. Before I could make sense of what she just told me. Meanwhile she inserted the money in the machine, got a bottle of water and went back to her own table. She handed the water to the only tanned guy among them. She said something intelligible to me that her cousins obviously understood and then crossed her hands on the table and put her head on her arms. Had I possibly done that to her with just a little flirting? It's not like I've just tried to force her into riding me, for Pete's sake! I saw some of the Cullens flashing me angry glances.
I scowled at her reaction. She seemed much stronger than she was acting right now. Well, who knows? Perhaps it was her time of the month. I tore my glaze from their table and picked a bag of pork rinds. I paid for it and went back to my table. I talked with the others, which was mainly gossip about the new kids. I frequently looked their way. They all chatted and laughed, except for her. Half the time had passed of our long lunch break and she had not moved one bit. When she finally moved she just stared ahead, not looking at anyone or anything in particular. Even though she did carry the same alluring air as her cousins there was something off about her. She did not fit in among them yet even an idiot such as Heath could figure that she wouldn't belong to our side either. Never in all my live had I seen someone so monotone, depressed. And believe me I've had a fairly depressing life.
I looked away, and went back to my half finished snack and talking to the guys. They were planning to go see a movie on Saturday. I nodded as they planned, not really paying attention. I would ask Luke later. Lunch ended swiftly and the cafeteria emptied itself. I went to my last class, history, which was practically my snooze break lesson and just as the bell rang, signalling the end of school day I rushed out of the classroom and into the parking lot. I saw a huge mass of people at the back of the parking lot. I wondered what was going on. I asked some passing by freshman who was going to catch the bus. He told me I wouldn't believe it unless I checked it out myself. But what the hell was it? I go answered immediately as a long line of cars drove away. And what cars! Volvo, Mercedes, Land Rover, Honda, Mini Cooper and Audi! Guess to whom they belonged? Obviously to the Cullens! I walked over to my beat up Toyota which I was sure would fail on me one of these days. Just then Luke and Tasha jogged up to me.
"Dude! You've got detention! Don't you remember?" Luke said to me.
"Shit. I completely forgot about it." I said to them. I closed the car door and cursed some more. I had stuff to do after school.
"That's what you get for playing Casanova." Tasha said to me. Unlike me, Luke was a guy who didn't mind having a girlfriend for a long time. Tasha was his new fixation. He really liked her but I seriously couldn't stand her. What does she know about me to judge me? Though yeah, I was a bit of a Casanova as I preferred dating and one night stands. I mean seriously, my life is complicated enough; I don't really need a clingy girlfriend making my life hell.
I scowled at her and without any further discussions I went to detention.
After forty five minutes of agonising time wasting detention I left and walked away to my car. Only a handful of cars were left in the deserted parking lot now. I got in my it and drove away to my flat. My cold, empty flat. I sighed. Then I remembered that I promised to visit Gran this week. I U-turned towards the hospital. Gran hadn't been feeling well since her last chemotherapy. She had to shave her hair which has made her really depressed but that's not the worst part. She vomits a lot, she has completely lost her appetite and she's weak and bone thin. Secretly I hate going to visit her. Seeing your loved ones in that state is not something I find pleasurable. Sometimes I just wish she would die and get the suffering over with. I know, many would think I'm heartless to wish death upon the only person who has ever cared for me. But those who would think so they wouldn't have seen her this way. Its tearing my heart apart and the fact that I can only watch as the cancer and the remedy kill her slowly makes me feel vulnerable.
As I parked in St. Mark's hospital's parking lot I felt white hot anger replace the agony inside me. And that anger was directed at two people: my parents. My stupid, selfish, criminal parents. They were doing the time right now, my mom for fraud and my dad for drug dealing. They were on the FBI's most wanted list for ten years ago. I practically lived at Gran's by then and it wasn't a big deal when they got arrested. But news spreads fast and the kids at school started calling me a delinquent and well Gran couldn't take it any more so she made us move to Alaska. Not many women would have had the courage to do so but she said she had done it gladly for me. And now, seeing the cancer eat her away is tearing my heart apart. Where did all her strength go?
I exited the ward feeling my eyes brimming with tears. No, I was strong; I would not let anyone see my weakness. I would not cave in to it. Gran was going to die soon, I knew it. The doctors said that I should have faith but I know it's a lost cause. The usual spark and thirst for life I usually saw in her eyes was now gone. I guessed that deep down she too shared my wish. She just wanted to stop the suffering. I made my way to my car. Suddenly I heard footsteps around me. I turned around but there was nobody. I shrugged. Paranoid much? I got in my car and started driving away. The streets were cold and deserted. I lived in the down town area of our town, so I had to go through some pretty dark roads.
Suddenly my car stopped. I cursed and hit the steering in front of me. I looked at the dashboard which informed me that I was out of fuel. That was strange. I had filled the car yesterday and now it was out of fuel? I got outside, still cursing as I had to call the mechanic to tow my car. I leaned on the back of my car and dialled. I looked ahead and tried to turn up my shirt's collar to protect myself from the cold which was nipping at the back of my neck. I took a deep breath when I realised that in front of me there was a line of black fuel leading all the way to my car. So that's what happened. But still… it didn't explain the fact of what happened to cause the leakage.
"Hello, Bob's Auto Services, how can I help you?" a husky male voice said from the phone. I was about to answer when somebody hit me in the head. I fell to my knees, groaning in pain as my head throbbed. Only one person would have any reason to do that.
Derek.
My phone fell out of my hand. I heard a muffled voice come from it and out of nowhere a hand shot out to reach it.
"I'm sorry. Wrong number." a familiar voice said. I looked up and saw Derek shutting close the phone and grinning broadly at me. "Hey Daren! Long time no see."
I got up on my feet and looked him straight in the eyes. "What do you want, Derek? I'm not in the mood." I menaced.
"Daren, Daren, Daren. Haven't you learned anything since you've known me? I call the shots here." He said to me. "News reached me that you refused to join us. You know, nobody has ever refused and well, I feel hurt."
"I don't give a fuck for your feelings. Let me go." I said to him. Fuck all gangs. He had spotted me brawling with some guy while we were both wasted after clubbing. I had wiped the ground with him and after that Derek and his goons wouldn't leave me alone. They insisted that I join them but I refused. As if I would get involved in the very same thing that almost twenty years before landed my parent on a one trip ride to jail.
"I don't think so." He said. I started to get frustrated. I punched him in the nose and heard a satisfactory crack that made me smile smugly. I turned on my heels and abandoned my car. I ran for my dear life towards the woods. I felt unsure where to go. The woods were never welcoming, day or night. Nobody knew what horrible animals lingered in the woods. The woods themselves were a horrible maze of death. Once you get in, there's no way out. But if I knew Derek he would not have come alone. He knew I could take down five of his goons easily so he would be well armed this time.
I heard someone tsk behind me. I turned around and squinted to see in the non existent light. Only the studs on their pathetic gangster getup told me that there were people among the shadows. And judging from the number I was seeing there were quite a few.
"Running away, Robinson? I thought you'd stick to your morals and fight like a man." Derek's voice came from behind me.
"Morals! You dare talk to me about morals? I'm only one man fighting against a dozen? In what world is that fair?" I growled at him, felling my pride stinging.
"I guess you're right. But you know what they say, nothing's fair in love and war." Derek slurred at me. I felt a blow from the side but I quickly regained my ground and kicked my attacker in the shin. I heard him yelp in pain and curse.
"That's it! Enough playing, get him, boys!" I heard Derek say from the shadows. I tried to keep up with my attackers but the fact that I was surrounded by total darkness didn't help. But once I got a hold on them there was no stopping me. I must have knocked cold about six of them when they suddenly grabbed me from behind, blocking my arms and legs.
"No one, says no to me. No one!" Derek hollered from in front of me. I saw something catch the faint light of the moonlight and glimmer. It looked like a dagger in my eyes. Then, somebody lit a flare and I could see Derek in the eyes. He smirked at me and carefully traced the dull side of the dagger in his hand. Then he put the dagger in the flame. I saw it as it chanced colour from a charcoal black to a blazing orange. He then hastily put it to my left cheek. I screamed out in pain as the hot metal melted the flesh on my face. I knew that would leave a scar, and a horrible one at that, one that would not be possible to hide. I wanted to rip his heart out with my bare hands. I know that I was being vain, but this was something that would mark me for life.
"Did you like that?" he asked me. I felt a jolt of energy run through me from the earlier pain. I kicked as hard as I could and jerked off the two goons at my side. I fought them all and then I came face to face with Derek. He had used them as decoys. He smiled a shit-eating-grin at me and in one swift movement while I was distracted with a goon he stabbed me in the stomach with the dagger. I felt the breath being knocked out of me and replaced with pain. Way too much pain. The metal was still hot causing the pain to intensify. Derek put his hand on the handle of the dagger. I cringed away from him. Only one thought remained in my mind. Must survive. Can't die.
"Don't pull it out." I said in agony. I knew that if he pulled it out it would kill me. I needed to prevent blood loss as much as possible and get to a hospital.
"Yeah, right." He said to me. He mercilessly pulled it out, knocking my breath out once more. The pain was bewildering. I just wanted to loose consciousness and be done with it. They all left, laughing to themselves about how they brought me down. I held my hand on the wound to keep it from spilling more blood.
After a few painful minutes, my vision started getting blurry. I was dying and I knew it. The blinding light rushing towards me would eventually reach me and take me away. I thought I was hallucinating when the last thing I heard was a familiar pained voice saying "Holy shit! Stay back, Ness. It's a bloodbath out here."