Chapter 3

POV CHARLIE

the poor boy had lost his whole family...

but the worst part of it all is that he had witnessed the murder live!

All this at the age of 6!

I don't know how I would have reacted if I had to lose Bella...

then to lose all his brothers and sister in addition to his parents...

God only knows how he's holding up...

he seemed to be getting better and better though so I offered him to go back to school but it was a big mistake on my part.

Indeed the kid had developed a fear of the public and people as if the killer of his parents would resurface at any moment and come after him...

but it is also understandable because according to him, the murderer had told him that he would come back for him when he was older...

I was going to take all the time he needed to adapt to high school even if he didn't go in the end...

this last time I saw that he was no longer having panic attacks when we were in the parking lot, I knew it wouldn't take long for him to finally get in.

Then one day without warning he got out of the car and headed in!

I knew it wouldn't take long for him to call me to come to get him but I was proud of him...

although I was shocked inside.

POV Arthur

finally, I hadn't been to class all week...

every time I got even a little closer to the school I had panic attacks.

Although I did everything I could to get there...

So more than three weeks went by like that and as the days went by my fear gradually disappeared.

Until the day I finally got out of the car!

All eyes were on me as I walked with my head down...

today I had put on my glasses so as not to draw attention to me...

if I hadn't worn my headphones I'm pretty sure I could have heard some chatter about me!

I headed to the school reception to get my timetable...

when I entered I took off my hood and my headphones not to be rude to the receptionist...

''hello what can I do for you?" the lady asked me nicely

''Hello, I'm new, I'm here to get my schedule..." I said barely loud enough for her to hear me.

''ah! You're Arthur Swan...the director wants to meet you please follow me!" she said with concern in her voice...

I had taken my uncle's last name because I was afraid that the vampire would find me otherwise!

I followed her to the director's office then she knocked on the door, a man's voice was heard on the other side of it and we went inside...

''Good morning Arthur!'' he said cheerfully

''Good morning Mr...'' I said a little louder than usual so he could hear me properly...

''Arthur... first of all, your uncle has already told me about your situation... know that if you have any problem you can come to see us during the classes or the breaks...'' he said a little sadly

''I understand, thank you..." I said shyly

''Also, if it's okay with you, I'd like to make some of the staff aware of your situation because I don't want you to feel uncomfortable and also I want you to meet with the social worker (sorry, I don't know what you call it in the US) at least once a week! ''

''What? I mean... and if the students all learn about that..." I said a little less shyly

''Don't worry about it... we can keep a secret!" he said proudly

I couldn't believe it! What exactly was he thinking? Did he want me to be some kind of attraction for the other students?

I understood the social worker part though but the rest left me speechless...

did he think I would be one of those students who came to school to kill everyone?

I had so many questions and certainly my paranoia was getting the better of me at that moment!

I didn't have the character nor the mental strength to refuse these proposals so I accepted them all reluctantly!

There was also the fact that I had just overcome one of my fears so I didn't want to go back like the other times...

but luckily the director didn't force me to attend classes where I felt bad...

the receptionist seemed curious about me as she accompanied me to my first class but she didn't ask any questions and I thank her for that!

Finally, I arrived at my first class but there were only 30 minutes left before the end of the class...

When I entered I quickly saw that the teacher seemed to recognize me and I immediately understood that this bastard of a director had already told them about my past!

''Oh, you must be Arthur," he said.

''Yes, it's me, sir,"

''Come in, you can sit at the back of the class if you want to" he answered me nicely

I did as he said and took one of my history books and read it...

during the class, no one tried to talk to me which was fine with me honestly...

I went through the rest of the classes and although I was tense at first, it wasn't so bad...

at lunchtime I went to a secluded classroom and ate a sandwich that Charlie had made for me, reading a book...

At this point, I was thinking about all sorts of things...

how easy the classes were and how easy it would be for me to graduate...

but most of all I felt stupid for having been afraid all this time!

In the end, I took all the morning classes without any problems...

«Maybe it was all in my head after all... » I sighed in resignation

while I was thinking that the door of the classroom opened and after a few seconds a girl entered...

I couldn't describe her...

she was the most bewitching creature I had ever met!

I felt like being drawn to her from the depths of my being, like a magnet...

for the first time in my life, I felt like talking to someone of my own free will!

But I looked away when our eyes met...

I was too shy and reserved, but also too insecure to engage in a conversation so I did what any introverted person would do!

I put my things away and started to leave but...

she spoke to me...

''oh! Sorry I didn't know anyone was here already...'' she said in an angelic voice

seeing that I didn't speak she said "you don't have to leave you know!''

without looking at her more I said to her: "no, it's ok, I was leaving anyway...''

then I passed her and I went out to go to another classroom...( sociability is not his strong point for the moment! Wait a bit and it will be fixed... thanks)

Rosalie POV

I knew that my family had forbidden me to talk to him but I was too curious...

so when I saw that he was not in the cafeteria I went to look for him...

and it was not difficult to find him.

I was now standing in front of a door and I knew he was inside!

I prepared myself mentally for what I was going to say to him but...

when I opened the door and went inside, I was like frozen in time!

For me, it lasted several seconds...

I contemplated him and all the sentences I was prepared to say to him flew out of my mind

I stayed there looking at him without saying a word!

Finally, he started to put away his things and to leave...

''oh! Sorry I didn't know anyone was already here...'' seriously?! My first interaction with him and I lie to him? Stupid!

But he didn't answer me...

'' you don't have to leave you know!" I wanted to make him stay but...

we don't know each other what I was thinking!

Of course, he answered lying "no, it's ok, I was leaving anyway...''

As he was leaving I turned to see his back as he walked out the door!

Then I stood there like an idiot...

for a long time... in fact, until the school bell rang!

DRRIIING

the sound of the bell snapped me out of my trance and my anger at myself and him!

POV ARTHUR

I attended the other classes and each time I sat in the back of the classroom.

In the end, I had no interaction with the other students all day if you don't count the pretty girl with the blue eyes during lunchtime...

tomorrow I would go back to the same room, maybe I would run into her again!

however, it's sad to say that the only girl I had conversations with within the last 10 years was my cousin Bella if you don't count my psychologist...

Finally, the day was over and I went outside and immediately spotted my uncle's car parked not far from there.

But as I approached, I spotted the girl I had 'talked' to during lunchtime, our eyes met again and she smiled at me!

At the time I didn't believe it...

why was she smiling at me?

« She must just be in a good mood, that's all... »

Finally I came out of my thoughts when my uncle came in front of me and said ''Arthur! I'm proud of you!''

I turned my head to look at him and said "why?" and he said "come on... don't play dumb... you know what I mean!" and I said looking at the girl "yeah... it wasn't that bad after all...''

and we left for home...

CULLEN POV

they were talking to each other but they had an ear to Arthur direction as his uncle started to talk to him finally he said

''yeah... it wasn't that bad after all...'' looking at Rosalie

''ROSALIE! What does that mean? Why did he look at you just now?'' said Edythe in annoyance

''I don't know..." said Rosalie in defense

''She went to meet him!" said Edward

''WHAT!? But you knew Carlisle didn't want us to get close to him!" said Edythe

''What are you playing at, Rosalie?!" said Emmett in turn

''Calm down already! I only talked to him for a few seconds, that's all!'' said Rosalie

''Obviously, this really marked him!" said Alice

''We'll talk about it at home!" said Rosalie angrily.

LATER AT THE CULLEN'S

''Is this true? Rosalie?!" said Carlisle

''Yes! but It's okay..." said Rosalie still angry at the others

''You have no idea what this can cause!" said Esmée

''So what, it's dangerous for us and what? It's not like we're vulnerable..." said Rosalie

''No, it's dangerous for him!" said Edward

''For him? in what way?" said Rosalie

''Think about it, Rose! His whole family was killed by our kind! How do you think he'll take it when he finds out what you are?'' said Carlisle

''I hadn't thought about it... I was just curious about him...'' she said defensively

''Well... don't go near him again, understand? And that goes for all of you!" said Carlisle

''But that's not fair! I've been living alone for almost a century and now that I have the chance to be with someone you're taking it away from me! ''

''I agree with her!'' said Alice

''Me too..." said Jasper