I almost had a stroke when I rounded the corner and saw a tall, dark figure leaning against the side of my truck. Then I realized it was just Angela. I started walking again.
"Hey, Angela," I called.
"Hi, Ryan."
"What's up?" I said as I was unlocking the door. I wasn't paying attention to the uncomfortable edge in her voice, so her next words took me by surprise.
"Uh, I was just wondering... if you would go to the spring dance with me?" Her voice broke on the last word.
"The shy one asking me out?," I said, too startled to be diplomatic.
"Well, yeah," she admitted, shamefaced.
I recovered my composure and tried to make my smile warm. "Thank you for asking me, but I'm going to be in Seattle that day."
"Oh," she said. "Well, maybe next time."
"Sure," I agreed.
she slouched off, back toward the school. I heard a low giggle.
Amanda was walking past the front of my truck, looking straight forward, her lips pressed together. "Really a promise breaker and a voyeur how naughty." I said aloud, she stumbled then glared with a pink tint on her cheeks. I didn't know vampires could stumble. I laughed and just turned on the truck and backed out to leave but was cut off by Amanda's Volvo really how petty can you get.
While I was sitting there, looking everywhere but at the car in front of me, I heard a knock on my passenger side window. I looked over; it was Lauren I didn't like her too much she was kind of stuck up if you ask me. I glanced back in my rearview mirror, confused. her car was still running, the door left open. I leaned across the cab to crank the window down. It was stiff. I got it halfway down, then gave up.
"I'm sorry, Lauren, I'm stuck behind Cullen." I was annoyed - obviously the holdup wasn't my fault.
"Oh, I know - I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here." she grinned.
This could not be happening.
"Will you go with me to the spring dance?" she continued. "I'm not going to be in town, Lauren." My voice sounded a little sharp. like fuck off everyone I don't want to dance. "Yeah, Angela said that," she admitted.
"Then why -"
she shrugged. "I was hoping you were just letting her down easy." What a cunt!
"Sorry, Lauren," I said, working to hide my irritation. "I really am going out of town."
"That's cool. We still have prom."
And before I could respond, she was walking back to her car. I could feel the shock on my face. I looked forward to see Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper all sliding into the Volvo. In his rearview mirror, Amanda's eyes were on me. she was unquestionably shaking with laughter, the bitch. I drove home slowly, carefully, muttering to myself the whole way about revenge and plots.
I had dipsy make enchiladas when I got home I was craving something with peppers.Charlie seemed suspicious when he came home and smelled the green peppers. I couldn't blame him - the closest edible Mexican food was probably in southern California. But he was a cop, even if just a small-town cop, so he was brave enough to take the first bite. He seemed to like it. It was fun to watch as he slowly began trusting me in the kitchen.
"Dad?" I asked when he was almost done.
"Yeah, Ryan?"
"Um, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Seattle for the day a week from Saturday... if that's okay?" I didn't want to ask permission - it set a bad precedent - but I felt rude, so I tacked it on at the end.
"Why?" He sounded surprised, as if he were unable to imagine something that Forks couldn't offer.
"Well, I wanted to get few books - the library here is pretty limited - and maybe look at some clothes I'm pretty limited on what I have right now." this was true I had like 5 shirts and some pants all my other clothes were like 3 sizes too small I went from 14 to 17 it's a big growth spurt.
"That truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage," he said, echoing my thoughts.
"I know, I'll stop in Montesano and Olympia - and Tacoma if I have to."
"Are you going all by yourself?" he asked, and I couldn't tell if he was suspicious I had a secret Girlfriend I mean I did have a few but whatever or just worried about car trouble.
"Yes."
"Seattle is a big city - you could get lost," he fretted.
"Dad, Phoenix is five times the size of Seattle - and I can read a map, don't worry about it."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
I tried to be crafty as I hid my horror.
"That's all right, Dad, I'll be fine I'm a grown man."
"Thanks." I smiled at him.
"Will you be back in time for the dance?"
Grrr. Only in a town this small would a father know when the high school dances were.
"Nope not interested."
The next morning, when I pulled into the parking lot, I deliberately parked as far as possible from the silver Volvo. I didn't want to put myself in the path of too much temptation and end up owing her a new car. Getting out of the cab, I fumbled with my key and it fell into a puddle at my feet. As I bent to get it, a white hand flashed out and grabbed it before I could. I jerked upright. Amanda Cullen was right next to me, leaning casually against my truck.
"You shouldn't use super human speed to do simple things it makes you look like a whanker you know?" I asked in irritation.
I scowled at her perfect face. Her eyes were light again today, a deep, golden honey color.
"Why the traffic jam last night?" I demanded, looking away. "I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death."