《Entwined Destinies》 Prologue I have given a lot of thought to how I would die, that¡¯s what thanatophobia and being an life-long overthinker will do to you. I¡¯d imagine it to be like drifting off into an dreamless sleep- there would be no more thoughts, no feelings, no pain and no suffering, but there wouldn¡¯t be pleasure either. In fact there would be nothing just a neutral state of eternal oblivion. Or maybe if I was lucky and something as incomprehensible as souls did exist then perhaps I would get to Heaven to be reunited with my loved ones. That¡¯s a big maybe because as far as I knew life didn¡¯t offer one second chances. However whatever would occur after my death surely peace would be awaiting me. Or so I thought.. because I¡¯d never imagined it like this.
It was sunny and the skies were a cloudless, ocean blue. The sun felt warm as it shone across my face and I was laying in the soft grass of a meadow, my eyes set on a girl. Her face was ordinary, yet unfamiliar- a stranger I somehow knew and loved. Despite the ordinary appearance she was beautiful and her eyes seemed to hold love and affection; her brown hair and warm eyes reflecting beautifully in the sunlight. I knew deep inside that she was my girlfriend but I couldn¡¯t place the feeling- I just knew and felt at home in her presence. Her soft and pink lips curled into a smile and I leaned in to kiss her. I wanted this moment to last forever. The scene around me distorted and I was walking; trying to navigate my dark surroundings. The rain that came pouring heavily from the skies above was blurring my vision and soaking my clothes. As I looked around I found myself in a forest that stretched all around me, the trees swaying by a strong wind. I looked behind me and a shadow was standing there in the middle of the forest, watching me; A faceless entity, alien yet disturbingly human at the same time. It stood there as still as a corpse. Watching. Waiting. Inducing chills all over my body and freezing me in place. Then, it seemed like something in its demeanor changed and the shadow had moved closer, and without warning it came flying towards me. In a rush of panic I ran as fast as I could, as if my life depended on it. Trees blurring and passing me in a swift motion while I was being pulled forward by an invisible force; weightless and powerless as if my legs belonged to someone else- towards an unknown destination. An old, abandoned building appeared like a shadow against the trees and as I approached I didn¡¯t hesitate, pushing open an heavy door that lead to the entrance. It was dark and the hallway stretched endlessly, and as I walked it was as if my destination kept getting further away from me, so close but never truly in reach. Suddenly weak lights started flickering, causing distorted shadows on the walls. In the short flashes of light in the all consuming darkness faint traces of blood revealed itself; smeared over the antique walls and floor and seeping into the cracks. A feeling of fear, impending doom and unease was growing in my stomach; a sheer contrast to the peace and love I felt before. ¡°Adam¡± a vague voice echoed through the hallways, shouting my name in the distance ¡°Please, stay away¡± It was a warning, begging me to not come closer but I couldn¡¯t stop, I had to get to them and I didn¡¯t know why. Music started playing and bouncing off the walls; it was a distant but familiar melody that I remembered from somewhere. It felt out of place in the scene I was finding myself in but part of my surroundings nonetheless. Then the music ringing in my ear became louder, more real as if it was approaching me. And suddenly it was dark again.
I opened my eyes. My heart was pounding audibly and forcefully in my chest and I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins as if I was still finding myself in that frightening building or eerily forest, the anxiety dancing in my stomach as I tried to adapt to my new surroundings. I was laying sideways in my bed, staring directly at the bright light of the phone in front of me. The music didn¡¯t disappear, it was coming from the damn phone ringing on my bedside table; with the alarm I had set for every morning. I yawned as a reflex and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and as soon as I realized the horror and fear from the scenes before were just a nightmare and I was laying safe under the comforter of my bed I was starting to calm down; I took a deep breath, relief settling in and my heartbeat slowing. But then I remembered the dream from before, the peaceful and beautiful scene and the love I felt radiating from the girl.. A striking sadness took over when I was confronted with the harsh reality that I didn¡¯t have a girlfriend, at least not anymore. I closed my eyes wishing I was taken back to that world, to reach the peace and love I felt with her; to be back in that moment and how happy I felt. On the other hand I remembered the blood, the shadow, the voice and the fear, and the nightmare made me never want to sleep again. It made me feel conflicted about my dreams. It didn¡¯t matter anyway, she was just a fraction of my subconscious mind. She didn¡¯t exist, no matter how much I wanted to. With tearful eyes and reluctant acceptance of the real world I sighed and grabbed my phone to cancel the alarm, the ache in my heart grounding me in the cold reality of my empty apartment. As I glanced at the time I saw it was 6:05 am, meaning I had just short of an hour to get ready for work. I loved waking up early, it made me feel energized and productive even in the weekend, and even if preparing myself for another day of mundanity. I stretched and sat up, then I threw the covers off, grabbed clothes from my closet and made my way to the bathroom to take a hot shower. After a refreshing shower I got dressed in casual clothes I felt comfortable in; a pair of jeans and grey t- shirt, then finished it off with my favorite black leather jacket- a classic you would imagine bikers to wear. I stared at the man in the mirror. I was average looking, not exceptionally attractive but not ugly either, though my my mother would have you believe different. I ran my hand through my messy hair and let the bangs fall flawlessly across my forehead. I didn¡¯t bother to style it, I thought it was a waste of time and I liked it the way it was. I was white skinned, the pale complexion you would expect from someone born and raised in the Northern regions of the United States. I inherited the same brown eyes as my mother but hers were warmer, mine were dark, empty somehow and held a hint of tiredness, with purple eye bags running underneath it. I had a short stubbled beard that fit with a man my age- just a man in his mid twenties going through his early mid-life crisis. I sighed, and as I couldn¡¯t bare to look at myself any longer I brushed my teeth and after taking care of my dental hygiene I left the bathroom. I was living in a small apartment in the middle-class area of New Jersey. It was cold this time of the year with temperatures as low as 23 degrees Fahrenheit, and as I hadn¡¯t been bothered to fix the heater yet that cold was palpable throughout my apartment. I hadn¡¯t been bothered to do much, period. I made a hot cup of coffee, flavored it with sugar and sat at the table near the window. I had just moved in about a week ago and besides buying and moving in furniture, most of my belongings were still in moving boxes that I had pushed into corners. I just didn¡¯t have the energy to do anything after a long day of work that wasn¡¯t eating and unwinding away on the couch with a good movie or book. At least I had finished putting up my Christmas decorations last night.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. I couldn¡¯t lie, it looked cozy. The warm lights and pine garlands lining around the window and fireplace, the old fashioned colored lights in the Christmas tree next to the TV, the various candy canes and snowflakes, and the cheerful Santa Clause greeting the people outside. And of course I didn¡¯t forget to buy every decoration and baubles in its traditional colors as I was used to in my childhood- red, green and gold. My apartment was truly brought to life. But despite the warmth and comfort it brought to my apartment I also told myself it was useless, no one was coming to see it. Christmas was always my favorite time as a child, and still was as an adult. I would have Christmas dinner at my parents but after that I would come back here, alone. I took a sip of my coffee and stared outside. The view was beautiful and was the main reason why I decided to buy the apartment; a view on the Atlantic ocean and the skyline of the metropolis New York City looming in the distance. There was a heavy snowfall but that didn¡¯t ruin the sight, only enhance it. The pale sunlight of early dawn was coming through the thick mass of grey clouds; reflecting in the water and making the scene look like it was directed in a movie, or painted as the famous work of an artist rather than something I was looking at in real life. I could never get over it and it made me feel at peace. The city of course, while serene from afar was always bustling with life even at this early hour of the day. As I reflected I had to admit that I was lying to myself. The view wasn¡¯t the only reason why I wanted to move out and start over- it was her. I had always yearned to connect with someone deeply since my adolescence, but that feeling somewhat subdued when I realized it wasn¡¯t for me and was likely never going to happen. Connection didn¡¯t come easy for me, rejection taught me that- I had only a handful of friends in high school and I wasn¡¯t conventionally attractive enough, let alone socially adapt. So I focused on other things: Faith, self improvement, my career. And family. That was until I met her. I swallowed and twirled the small spoon around in my coffee. The break up was burned as a vivid memory in my mind and I still felt the same stabbing pain in my heart as when it happened. The wounds were too recent, too fresh. Our relationship wasn¡¯t without its issues, it never is but despite the imperfections we were happy together, or at least we tried to make it work. Or so I thought. We were supposed to spend Christmas together until that day when everything changed.. when I found her in bed with someone else. I still remember that exact moment when my heart shattered in pieces, the anger, the rage- it lingered. It was a type of hurt and betrayal that would have a lasting impact on someone, that would make you see the world and its inhabitants in a different light, a dim light. It turns your perception of love, something pure into something fragile and easily broken. And even if I healed, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust someone again. I stared at the skyline in the distance, the towering glas steel buildings reflecting the pale sunlight. People down there were buying overpriced coffee and posting perfectly crafted lives on social media. Then tonight they would come home and do the same thing all over again. It was an endless, repetitive cycle of consumerism that never ended. It all felt so.. empty. Modern life seemed to revolve around indulgence and fleeting pleasures. I knew that it was partly because of my neurodivergence that I didn¡¯t fit in, but more than often I also felt alienated from my peers. The truth was that I was always looking for something more.. something meaningful. To be free from the confines of society, but I could never really grasp what that was except a wish to start over, to be someone else with a different life. A fierce passion and drive burned inside of me with no outlet, with no clear goal or direction in mind. I suppose it was one of the reasons why I kept switching jobs. I looked down at my hand, stretching it and as I closed it into a fist I glanced at my knuckles. They were still red, raw and swollen- holding traces of a past fight. Bruises were already starting to bloom, a dull ache radiating from each joint. At least it gave me the excuse to use the line ¡®You should have seen the other guy¡¯ for once when someone would ask me what happened. But I knew deep inside that he wasn¡¯t to blame for the affair, he was just as unaware as I was- a victim. The ringtone of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I sighed, grabbing my phone from the table to look at the caller¡¯s ID flashing across the screen. ¡®Mom¡¯ I hesitated for a moment before answering ¡°Good morning, mom¡± ¡°Good morning Adam¡± she answered ¡°You sound tired, is everything alright?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± I lied ¡°Just another day. I haven¡¯t really had time to unpack most of my stuff yet¡± ¡°Have you thought about quitting that job?¡± I took the last sip of coffee then swirled the spoon around in the cup ¡°I thought about it¡± I sighed ¡°But honestly, I love my job and it gives me financial stability. It¡¯s not like my dream job is waiting for me¡± ¡°Adam you¡¯ve been unhappy for years. You can¡¯t keep wasting your life like this.¡± ¡°I know¡± I muttered ¡°I¡¯m just figuring out what I want.. since the break up it¡¯s been-¡° ¡°I know¡± she affirmed ¡°I just want you to make choices that are right for you. But you¡¯ll get through this.¡± ¡°I know¡± I repeated ¡°Thanks, mom¡± ¡°Maybe you should take a day off, focus on yourself.¡± ¡°I appreciate the thought but it works best for me if I can focus on something.. to go out and do something so I won¡¯t feel unproductive and my mind can¡¯t wander¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡± she paused, taking a deep breath ¡°I don¡¯t think you should go to work today. I¡¯m having a bad feeling¡± ¡°You always have a bad feeling, mom¡± I chuckled ¡°I¡¯ll be alright I promise, just try to relax¡± ¡°Alright but if there¡¯s anything you¡¯ll call me, okay?¡± ¡°I promise¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re coming over for Christmas eve, right?¡± She asked. I chuckled. My mother could always talk my ears off, which was entertaining and provided conversation but I always had to be the one to hang up first. ¡°Of course, as always¡± I reassured her ¡°You know Christmas is an important family tradition for me¡± ¡°It¡¯s just.. I don¡¯t know if we can afford any presents this year¡± she admitted. ¡°You know how it is with the economy.. everything is getting expensive these days.¡± ¡°Mom¡± I sighed ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I might still do it as a gesture but those things aren¡¯t what¡¯s important to me- It never was.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to buy us anything either honey, we would be glad to see you and spend time together.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see¡± I chuckled ¡°I¡¯m not one to give up easily.¡± ¡°When do you have to leave for work?¡± ¡°I still have to scrape the frost from my car so I should probably go.¡± I answered. ¡°Make sure to wear your cross necklace, for good luck.¡± She said¡± ¡°Always.¡± I answered. ¡°Good luck at work honey. I love you¡± ¡°I love you too, mom.¡± I answered. ¡°Tell dad and my brothers I love them.¡± ¡°Will do¡± she said ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± I hang up the phone and glanced at the time- 6:55 am. Time to go. I looked at the cross necklace on the table; it was a Christmas present from my childhood and ever since held great meaning and significance to me because of how it got me through so many tough and difficult times. I grabbed the necklace and put it around my neck. With a sigh I grabbed my keys and winter jacket and stepped into cold morning air while pulling it on- closing the door behind me. The freezing cold hit me instantly- biting into my skin and I shivered, putting my hands in my pockets to warm them up. The snowfall became heavier and snowflakes danced in the pale sunlight, covering everything in a white blanket. I remembered there was a warning for the weather last night on TV. I had just changed the tires suited for winter and I was always careful while driving anyway- I decided I just had to take extra care and i¡¯d be fine. My car- a matte black Audi was parked just in front of my apartment. I brushed the snow off my car and turned on the engine, letting it warm up as I scraped the frost from my windows and windshield, greeted my neighbor and wished them a good morning when they stepped outside and got inside of my car. I turned on the heater to a maximum as I reveled in the warmth and comfort then turned on my favorite radio station. The first thing I heard was a news report- repeating the weather warning and advising people to drive carefully and make sure they check for snow chains and winter tires if they can¡¯t stay home. The calm and peace of the early morning were nice but as I drove to work there was an underlying feeling of impending doom in my stomach. I didn¡¯t know if it was the weather warning or my mother¡¯s ominous words, but even though I knew her to be overprotective and that this wasn¡¯t unusual from her, her words kept circling into my mind. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something about today felt terribly wrong but I shook the thought off, dismissing it as her usual worry. Still the feeling of dread lingered just like the frost on the road refusing to melt away. A New World Dr. Carlisle Cullen ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good¡± Carlisle answered while writing in his notepad ¡°Where are you from Adam?¡±
Charlie stayed quiet while we walked out of the hospital and into the pouring rain. It was refreshing to finally be out of the humid hospital room and I felt much better already. I knew from the books that Charlie Swan wasn¡¯t a man of many words and neither was I so we silently entered his cruiser. The sun already went below the horizon but as we drove I noticed how much green there was around us. Forks was just another small town and nothing interesting in particular except for the scenery. I always wanted to visit Forks, and Washington in general so I took it in as much as I could. We pulled up to a small two-story house which to my surprise looked exactly how I imagined it. I saw Bella¡¯s truck was parked outside. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. 1. Explanation: This is a dream and I will wake up in my own bed soon. Counterargument: this experience didn¡¯t feel like any other dream. I had too much control over my thoughts and body. My physical reactions, sensations and emotions felt real, so did the other people I¡¯ve met. 2. Explanation: Similar to 1 but I¡¯m in a coma, this would explain why I wouldn¡¯t be able to wake up. Counterargument: Same as 1, I had never been in a coma before so I wouldn¡¯t know how a endless dream would feel but again it felt too real. 3. Explanation: This is some outer body experience in which I astral projected myself into the twilight universe. Counter argument: The twilight universe is fiction and only exists because Stephanie Meyer wrote a book, making it a fraction of her imagination. 4. Explanation: I died and my soul reincarnated in this world. Counterargument: Again, Twilight is fiction and there¡¯sno tangible proof that I do have a soul, and if I did why would it bring me here? 5. Explanation: I died and this is my personal hell. Counterargument: I closed the diary and put it in a backpack then I turned around and saw the sun had already rose. Well there wasn¡¯t much sunlight to see, it was misty and drizzling softly. I had been writing all night, nothing out of the ordinary for me but Charlie would be up soon. Just as I thought that I heard footsteps coming up on the stairs, jumped into the bed and pretended to be asleep. ¡°So. Doctor Cullen just called and he said you can start at school today.¡± ¡°You can call me Charlie¡±
¡°Yeah that sounds about right¡± I answered. My last class ended and I walked to the cafeteria, grabbed some food and sat alone at a table. That¡¯s when I saw the Cullens, at a table at the far end of the cafeteria. Not eating, or really doing anything. They were just standing and sitting around like they were posing for a modelling magazine. They weren¡¯t looking at anyone either, mostly just paying attention to themselves, it was strange. I picked a pizza from my plate and took a bite but then I felt Edward¡¯s gaze was on me. I hope he didn¡¯t see me noticing them too much, at this point I wished I had Bella¡¯s mental shield just to not have to deal with his invasive gifts. I looked at him and locked eyes for a brief moment but long enough to see his gaze grew more frustrated. Shit did he read what I just thought? This is exactly why I didn¡¯t want to deal with him. His intense stare got too much and I ran out the school to get some fresh air, I walked around a corner and bumped into someone. I looked up and it was Edward, staring at me. Freaking Edward Cullen was stalking me now. His upper lip twitched. Interview With a Vampire Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°What?¡± His lips twitched into a small smile as if there was some humour in what I asked.
We sat down in the kitchen and ate our meal. I wasn¡¯t exaggerating, I *was* starving. Plan: Find out the Cullens¡¯ interest in me but stay CLEAR of Edward Cullen.
Alice
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. really understand at least. Edward would probably come closest with his mind reading abilities which I guess is why they were so close. ¡°Your visions are much cooler though, I wish I could predict the future at all times and see what¡¯s coming¡± "But I don''t understand. How can the future be both set in stone and ever changing?" "it''s an interesting paradox for sure" I answered "My theory is that while some things are outside of our control we still have the free will to act and make our own choices" "Hmm.." She said "Anyway thank you for the talk Adam. It was lovely to meet you but I should go now. We¡¯ll meet again soon¡± she continued after a moment, and started walking away. ¡°It was nice talking with you Alice¡± like her. I looked at Edward and he locked eyes with me one last time before getting ready to leave with his family.
River Flows In You
them: A vampire. A creature of the night, a living corpse. How and why is what kept me awake. It wasn¡¯t the fear of becoming a vampire that feared me so much, it was dying itself. I hypothetically thought about being a vampire in my own time before and if the possibility arose I would consider it. Like Bella I never really felt like I was born to be human, always feeling out of touch with the world and others. On the other hand I also agreed with Edward, I wouldn¡¯t want to be a monster. that was the pull of twilight, the tale of unconditional love and family. A light went on inside of me and I stepped away from the edge. Perhaps there would be a place for me here, I had more knowledge of this world than anyone but Alice and I could use it, to change it for the better. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. It was a small, round grassland with violet, white and yellow flowers growing all across the landscape, it was the only sunlit location within the forest which made it stand out and come alive. The meadow truly was unlike any other place, it was as if I was stranded on a whole other planet- one that was blessed with magic. I looked at the open sky, it was dawn which coloured the heaven in a multitude of beautiful colours; mainly orange and a darker ocean blue. I watched the sun rise and the clouds pass by as I listened to the relaxing sound of the flowing of the water in the stream nearby and the early birds chirping in the distance. If I didn¡¯t have to find my way back to Charlie¡¯s I could stay here forever. I walked to the other side of the meadow and into the forest again. I followed a straight path and finally there was light. I was out of the woods but now found myself on a roadway. Well, at least I wasn¡¯t in the forest anymore. ¡°What were you doing out in the woods?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Edward has never been interested in a girl before¡± Revelations Charlie was waiting for me inside still wearing his police uniform, his hands resting on his hips. ¡°Where have you been?¡± He asked looking me up and down. ¡°I was about to file a missing report and have the whole corps look for you¡± Charlie didn¡¯t look happy, at all. He had a sour expression on his face. I understood his concern because I sneaked out in the middle of the night without telling anyone, but on the other hand I was an adult where I came from and not used to being limited in my freedom to this extent anymore for a long time. I also didn¡¯t like it when my parents did it, it made me irritable. On the other hand I also didn¡¯t realise that I was a part of this world now and there¡¯s rules I had to follow, perhaps my brain still didn¡¯t want to let go of the thought that this was all fictional and therefore it didn¡¯t matter what I did. ¡°I was out in the woods all night to clear my head.¡± I said, deciding to be honest with him. He made a face ¡°What were you doing out in the woods? He frowned, wearing a difficult expression on his face ¡°Jesus Christ Adam, take your shoes off¡± he said, gesturing towards the hallway. I looked down and saw my clothes were drenched because of the rain, and my shoes were covered in the mud and moss of the forest. ¡°Sorry¡± I said and took my shoes off, putting them on the heater to dry. ¡°I had to think about a few things, I couldn¡¯t do it in the house¡± ¡°Look¡± he sighed ¡°I know it¡¯s not.. easy to be away from your family and everything you have known for so long but there are still rules you have to consider¡± ¡°I know¡± I said ¡°I¡¯m still getting used to that. I used to be on my own where I am from. Like an adult¡± He looked at me for a moment then gestured his hand towards me. ¡°Well you might have been an.. adult in New Jersey, but adults still have responsibilities¡± Responsibilities. I had the sudden urge to tell him that he was not my father and that he should have taken responsibility and been there for his daughter when she needed him, but instead was left with her incapable mother who parentified her. That her childhood was stolen. I swallowed my words. I knew it wouldn¡¯t be fair to put all blame on him. Back in the time it was more than usual for the mother to get custody over the child, even horribly incompetent ones like Ren¨¦. Charlie probably tried his best, he was just a victim of the law and an unfair justice system. I knew that he loved and cared deeply for his daughter so I couldn¡¯t bear to get mad at him. He just happened to be awkward and didn¡¯t know how to show it or really know how to take care of another person, including himself, and honestly? Neither did I. But in reality, if I *really* thought about it no one was at fault. It was just the way the story and characters were written. It just all felt so real, being here. Everyone I had talked to seemed to have their own free will to act. At least, so far. ¡°I know I should¡¯ve told you and that I¡¯ve been kind of taking it for granted that you gave me a place to sleep, but I do appreciate it¡± I told him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, just don¡¯t do it again¡± he grunted. ¡°That¡¯s a deal¡± I said offering my hand. He shook my hand reluctantly ¡°Right. So i¡¯m going to go to work you can watch TV or make homework, whatever it is you kids do. And you can order some takeout later if you want¡± ¡°I can cook as well, if you have ingredients at home¡± ¡°You can cook?¡± He asked curiously. I liked to cook a lot back at home, for myself as well as others. It was one of my favourite activities. Though admittedly I ordered lots of takeout as well because of my laziness. ¡°I do. I cooked a lot back at home¡± I answered. He nodded ¡°Sure, well you¡¯re free to use the kitchen and see if there¡¯s anything you can find.¡± ¡°No worries sir, I got it¡± Charlie left and I made my way upstairs to take a hot shower and get dressed into some fresh clothes then I turned on the TV in the living room and made myself some snacks that I could find, then I watched a TV show to waste away the day. Some hours later I turned off the TV as I started to get hungry and Charlie was coming back soon. I searched the fridge and cabinets to see if there was anything I could find to make a meal, but there wasn¡¯t much. I found some stored noodles, bell peppers, onions and tomato sauce. Pasta it was then. I grabbed a pan, cooking pot and cutting board. I filled the cooking pot with cold water then cut the peppers and onions as I heard the front door unlocking, followed by footsteps going up the stairs. I put the sauce and peppers in the pan and let them cook, then added the pasta to the boiling water. After 10 minutes I drained the water down the sink and mixed the noodles with the sauce. I added some salt and spices, then started to clean up when I heard the shower turn on. Sometime later I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. ¡°It smells good in here. What did you cook?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°I made pasta¡± I said as I put some of the kitchenware in the sink. ¡°Pasta. Great.¡± He answered and he took a seat on one of the chairs. I took two plates, scooped up the food then I grabbed forks and knives and then served it on the table. I took a seat in front of Charlie and we ate. ¡°Not bad¡± he said as he gobbled up the pasta. ¡°Thanks¡± I answered. ¡°You know one positive about pasta is that you can store it in the fridge and eat multiple days, so you don¡¯t have to order takeout tomorrow¡± I said, teasing him about his dietary choices. ¡°Yeah yeah, you¡¯re right¡± ¡°You don¡¯t cook much, do you? I asked him. ¡°No. My wife- ex wife used to back in the day. ¡° I saw his expression change, there was unresolved pain behind his eyes, and sadness. I knew he never fully recovered from their divorce so I decided to change the topic to lighten the mood. ¡°So what is she like? Your daughter I mean¡± I asked shovelling some pasta into my mouth. He stared at me for a moment before answering ¡°What makes you ask?¡± He gave me the kind of suspicious look a protective father would give to an potential suitor or love interest of their daughter. He probably assumed that since I was a guy I had some sort of romantic interest in Bella, which I didn¡¯t but he didn¡¯t know that. ¡°Just curious¡± I shrugged. ¡°Well.. she¡¯s very beautiful, she takes a lot after her mother actually¡± I doubted the part of her taking after her mother, she wasn¡¯t half as self absorbed to my knowledge I listened to him and took another bite, waiting for him to continue. ¡°She¡¯s also kind, and smart and happens to be a good cook much like yourself¡± I opened my mouth to say something but he hinted at wanting to say more. ¡°And.. she deserves the best¡± he said, hinting at his suspicion as he gave me a glare. ¡°She sounds great¡± I said, smiling at him. ¡°Well. She is¡± he mumbled taking another bite of his food. I cleared my throat and we continued to eat in silence, Charlie spoke just before the awkward silence started to be unbearable. ¡°So I spoke to the bureau today¡± ¡°And?¡± I asked ¡°And we couldn¡¯t find any data on you or your parents back in New Jersey. It¡¯s like they¡¯re not even on the radar¡± he muttered with a confused tone in his voice as he kept his eyes on me. My heart sank immediately. Of course there wouldn¡¯t be any information about either myself or my family. If I truly was transferred to a fictional world then none of us would exist in here. A lump filled my throat and not wanting to show my emotions to Charlie I stood up and cleaned up my plate. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed but we¡¯ll speak tomorrow¡± I said hastily before making my way to the stairs. On my way I remembered something and turned to look at him. ¡°Before I go there¡¯s something I wanted to ask you¡± He gave me a curious look ¡°Sure what is it?¡± ¡°Can you drop me off at the Cullens¡¯ tomorrow?¡± He looked at me for a second and frowned before answering ¡°The Cullens? What business do you have there¡± ¡°I met Alice Cullen at school and she asked me if we can hang out¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll drop you off before work tomorrow¡± ¡°Thank you and goodnight¡± I said before making my way upstairs.
I was woken up by the bright sunlight and got up. I walked out of my room and noticed by the loud snoring sounds that Charlie was still asleep. I decided to take a quick shower, got dressed and waited for Charlie downstairs in the kitchen chair. After I ate some breakfast I heard Charlie coming down the stairs and he appeared in the kitchen, fully dressed in his police uniform. ¡°Good morning Mr Swan¡± I greeted him ¡°Charlie¡± he reminded me ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± ¡°Yes¡± I confirmed with a nod. I got the jacket and backpack and we got into his cruiser. Charlie started driving and I unzipped the backpack to grab Bella¡¯s iPod, put the earpieces into my ear and looked through the Linkin Park songs. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± I heard a voice beside me ask. ¡°Your daughters room. I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t mind me borrowing it for awhile right?¡± ¡°As long as you put it back where you got it from¡± he answered ¡°I will, sir. I must say she has a great taste in music.¡± I smiled as I put on one of the songs. ¡°Yeah¡± was all he said and appeared to be lost in thought as we continued our drive in silence. We arrived a rectangular house in the middle of the woods, not just a house but one of the fanciest and largest houses I¡¯ve ever seen, it was several stories tall. It was definitely the kind of house you¡¯d imagine rich people to live in. I was in awe by how luxurious and grandiose it looked seeing it with my own eyes. After I said my goodbyes to Charlie and agreed to pick me up after work I took my earbuds out and walked towards the entrance, hesitated for a moment and knocked on the door. Carlisle opened the door. Yes, they did live here. ¡°Hi.. um do you mind if I come in?¡± ¡°Sure come in. Alice said you were coming¡± Carlisle said gesturing for me to come in. I walked into the house and Carlisle closed the door. ¡°So. I guess Alice also mentioned that I wanted to talk to you guys?¡± Carlisle nodded. ¡°You can take a seat in the living room. I will get the others¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Thank you¡± I said and I walked into the living room, taking a seat on the couch. A woman who was just an inch shorter than me came into the room, she had wavy caramel-coloured hair, a heart shaped face and slender body. I thought she was beautiful. I thought about how she adopted and raised 5 teenagers with Carlisle and how she was mentally, and physically the same age I was. I couldn¡¯t imagine doing that but I praised them for it. ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡± She asked. ¡°No I¡¯m good, thank you¡± I said smiling, politely rejecting the offer. Carlisle entered the room with the rest of his family, except Rosalie and Emmett. Edward, like always was just staring at me and didn¡¯t look happy with me being there. Alice and Jasper took a seat on the couch in front of me. Edward leaned against the wall, still staring in my direction. Jasper was also staring but not at me, rather it looked as if he was staring right through me. It made me feel uneasy. ¡°Rosalie and Emmett are.. hunting but they will be back soon¡± Carlisle said. ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡± ¡°No thank you, Esme already offered¡± I said. Well at least these people were hospitable. Carlisle took a seat on the couch along with Esme, who held his hand. ¡°What is it that you wanted to talk with us about?¡± Carlisle asked. ¡°So you guys probably already know- or assume that I know certain things about this family¡± Edward and Carlisle exchanged looks for a second then Carlisle eyes glazed back at me. ¡°Alice told us as much, yes. Although she didn¡¯t tell us exactly how you know about these things¡± I took a deep breathe ¡°So where I¡¯m from there¡¯s these young adult novels called Twilight¡± ¡°Where you¡¯re from you mean New Jersey?¡± Esme asked ¡°Yes and no. I think the New Jersey I¡¯m from is in a different universe, or dimension. Or at least that¡¯s my theory¡± They all frowned and looked at each other for a moment, except for Jasper who continued to stare at me with his golden eyes like a predator ready to attack its prey. ¡°Please continue¡± Carlisle said. ¡°So this book Twilight, it¡¯s about a girl named Bella Swan who moves to Forks to live with her dad and she gets involved with your family. These books includes a lot of details about your family, your past, future¡± I stopped briefly for a moment ¡°and what you are¡± It was quiet for a long moment and they appeared to be deep in thought. Except for Edward who just laughed and shook his head. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is we¡¯re living inside of a book, a fictional world?¡± Jasper asked in a monotone voice and a straight face, It was the first time I heard him talk. ¡°Fictional, maybe because right now I¡¯m doubting that part. What I¡¯m saying is we come from different worlds¡± ¡°Wait so you know everything, about our past I mean¡± Alice asked I nodded Her demeanour changed and she leaned forward on the couch ¡°Do you know, about what happened to me?¡± She asked with a nervous tone in her voice and played with her fingers anxiously anticipating my answer. I shook my head ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alice, I wish I did¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± she sighed in a quiet voice and her face saddened ¡°And I believe you, Adam¡± she smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if he truly does know anything¡± Jasper said ¡°As far as we know he might just be making this story up. Which would be very convenient¡± ¡°I believe him¡± Carlisle¡¯s musical voice said confidently. ¡°It does explain why I found him in the state he was in, which was peculiar to say the least¡± ¡°And I can prove it¡± I said. I didn¡¯t want Jasper of all people to distrust me, if anything he was the most dangerous one in this family since he was new to the vegetarian lifestyle in this point of the story and I didn¡¯t want to give him any reason to eat me, as horrific as that sounded. The thought alone sent shivers down my back. ¡°I know how you guys turned, into vampires¡± ¡°And you think this is helping your case?¡± Jasper asked. I didn¡¯t see him talk this much with Bella, perhaps this Jasper is different or just searching for a reason to attack me. I hoped it was the former. ¡°Let him explain Jasper, it¡¯s okay¡± Alice reassured him. ¡°Jasper was turned by a woman named Maria after fighting in the civil war. Emmett was attacked by a bear, Esme tried to kill herself by jumping off a cliff, Rosalie was left for dead after being sexually assaulted and Edward.. he died from the Spanish flu¡± I looked at Edward to see his reaction but he had the same stone cold expression on his face, I found he was incredibly difficult to read despite being the one person whose thoughts I knew best. ¡°They were all saved by Carlisle who together with Esme turned this into a family which I highly praise and have respect for. You guys might not be related by blood but if I know anything is that this truly is a family¡± Carlisle and Esme looked at each other and smiled. ¡°Thank you Adam.¡± Carlisle paused briefly and directed his attention towards his family ¡°If he knows all of these things then the only possibility is that what he tells us is the truth¡± I heard the front door slam open and Rosalie stomped into the living room, followed by her tall muscular boyfriend. She had a fiery look on her face. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± She asked immediately, her voice full of anger and judgement. ¡°Adam just came to talk to us and explain-¡° Esme said before she got cut off. ¡°Explain what? How he has information that can compromise our entire family, let alone every other coven and vampire out there¡± ¡°Rosalie what Adam told us is the truth. After all he came to us in trust when he could have hidden this information. That alone should show you that Adam is of no danger to this family¡± Carlisle explained calmly. ¡°Even if he tells the truth. How do you know we can trust him. He hasn¡¯t been in town for over a week and he somehow just happened to know things about our family¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said¡± Jasper said in his usual monotone voice. ¡°Trust me I have no reason to tell anyone. If anything I have reasons to keep it to myself and I know that unlike other vampires you don¡¯t harm anyone¡± I said in my attempt to calm Rosalie. Rosalie glared at me ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you¡± ¡°We will figure out what to do but for now we have no reason to believe Adam has any intention to harm us. If anything he¡¯s having the same uncertainty we have¡± Carlisle answered. ¡°Yeah let¡¯s all have a tea party and pretend this situation isn¡¯t dangerous for any of us¡± Rosalie groaned before turning away and running up the stairs.¡± ¡°Rose-¡° Emmett yelled after her but she disappeared. I felt anxious about the situation that was occurring in front of me and Rosalie¡¯s hostility in particular. I didn¡¯t meant to stir up any drama but I knew Rosalie would always be distrustful about strangers let alone a stranger who knew their secret and rightfully so, I couldn¡¯t blame her for wanting to protect her family and hoped that as time went on she would warm up to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that¡± Esme said and smiled ¡°She will turn around eventually once she gets to know you better¡± ¡°I know¡± I chuckled ¡°She¡¯s right though, you don¡¯t know if you can trust me but I hope by coming here that I showed my intentions¡± ¡°And you did¡± Carlisle said in a calm voice and smiled ¡°Trust me your faith in us won¡¯t go unnoticed by any of us even Rosalie¡± ¡°I appreciate that¡± I said smiling back at him. Carlisle always was the best of the Cullens and despite his physical age was incredibly wise, kind and mature. I highly respected and looked up to him and part of me wished I had a father like him when reading the books. ¡°For now I think it¡¯s best if you stay with us for awhile so we can figure out what to do with this information you have and perhaps if it can help us in any way¡± Carlisle offered. I pondered over his request. Bella was coming to Forks soon which meant I couldn¡¯t stay with Charlie much longer as much as I enjoyed his company - I had to look for a different place. I also couldn¡¯t imagine ever saying no to this offer. Staying with the Cullens was like a fanboy dream come true no matter the situation I found myself in. ¡°I¡¯d love to stay here if everyone else is okay with that¡± I answered. ¡°You¡¯re always welcome here dear¡± Esme said in a motherly fashion. ¡°I think he should, just so we can keep an eye on him¡± Emmett smirked as he crossed his arms. ¡°You know I already consider you my sibling¡± Alice said excitingly before nudging my leg. ¡°That¡¯s settled then¡± Jasper said, giving me the creeps again. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing¡± I mentioned ¡°And it¡¯s about Edward¡± I looked over to him briefly to notice his cold and statue-like expression hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°So this girl¡± I continued to explain ¡°She¡¯s Edward¡¯s blood singer and when I said story what I meant is it¡¯s a love story¡± I heard a deep voice spontaneously burst out in laughter ¡°Edward interested in a girl? Yeah right. Imagine that is something that would happen.¡± Emmett chuckled, nudging Edward with his elbow teasingly which only made his expression grow harder, his lip twitching a little. I tried to contain my smile to not irritate him any further. ¡°Well for one she¡¯s not just any girl, she¡¯s his blood singer adding to the fact that she¡¯s the only person whose mind he can¡¯t read. It draws him to her¡± I stopped talking to navigate their reactions, they all looked at me with a puzzled look on their face trying to process the information. I wish I didn¡¯t give away too much already to spoil Bella¡¯s relationship with Edward. I knew from myself that I did not have a filter at all and I found it difficult in my day to day life to keep things for myself or not speak my mind in certain situations when I started talking. Being too open and honest was perhaps one of my flaws. ¡°Yes. Alice told us you said something like that would happen. So is it true?¡± Esme asked, her eyes twinkling in excitement with the probable idea of her son finding love in the future. ¡°Yes it is, but that¡¯s all I will say for now though¡± I added anxiously ¡°I might have said too much already¡± ¡°No it¡¯s fine¡± Carlisle said ¡°We truly appreciate you coming forward and telling us these things Adam¡± ¡°Thank you, Carlisle¡± I answered, taking a deep breathe. ¡°For now let¡¯s all take a break to process this information and get you settled into your room, you can sleep in the guest room for now assuming that¡¯s okay with you¡± I nodded in affirmation and smiled at him ¡°That¡¯s fine with me¡± We stood up and left the conversation there for now, I thanked Carlisle and Esme once again for their hospitality and accepting me into their family then settled into the large guest room which had just one double sized bed and a walk in closet. It had a huge window overlooking the dense green forest in the backyard of the house. It was raining softly against the glass. I never had a luxurious room like this, it was about twice if not three times the size of the bedroom I had back at home. Crazy as it was I found a few similarities between the Cullens and my own family besides the fact that we were from completely different classes and lived opposite lifestyles. I was from a lower class family trying to survive everyday while they were rich and never had to worry about mundane everyday things people usually worry about like paying bills and working 9-5 to have enough food on the table for the day, they would never have to avoid living on the streets. We also never traveled so I grew up isolated and ended up spending a lot of time alone with my hobbies, although I tried to go out and do something fun in the weekend like visiting a sports game if I could. Instead their worries were about protecting their family in a different yet similar way, to keep them safe in a world that wouldn¡¯t understand them, a world that would condemn them at every turn because that¡¯s what we do with people who are different from the norm. An unfortunate thing I also related to too well. Opposed to that I had 3 younger siblings and they were like my best friends, if not my only friends. So I understood their family dynamics and why Rosalie acted the way she did. I turned around to enter the closet and pick a fresh set of clothes I could wear as pyjamas. I wore a simple white t-shirt and comfy grey sweatpants and when I turned back around I was paralysed on the spot and for a moment I thought my heart was outright going to stop. Edward was nonchalantly sitting on the bed staring at me with his blank face, his golden eyes frozen in place. I was shaking and took a deep breathe trying to calm my rapid heartbeat before moving closer to him. ¡°You made me jump¡± I said, my voice still shaking a little from the sudden appearance. ¡°Sorry¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just do that¡± I said. ¡°Do what?¡± He asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I answered, more irritated than I intended. ¡°You can¡¯t just sneak into people¡¯s room and appear out of nowhere¡± He laughed a little like there was some humour in what I said. ¡°Well, I am sorry¡± ¡°Whatever¡± I replied. There was a short silence ¡°So why are you here?¡± He waited a moment to collect his thoughts before replying to my question. ¡°This girl, her name is Bella?¡± He asked while frowning, there was a bit of a confused expression on his face now. ¡°Of course that is why you¡¯re here¡± I answered snarky, still agitated with his presence. I didn¡¯t know why exactly that him being there irritated me but I knew that I was subconsciously acting like an ass to him for reasons yet unknown to me. He acted amused ¡°Why does everything that I say or do get on your nerves so much?¡± ¡°Have you met yourself? It¡¯s because everything you say or do is irritating¡± He licked his lips then answered in his musical voice ¡°Well, trust me I am well aware of that fact. There¡¯s a reason for me being like this¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re depressed and a bit of a melancholic sometimes. I know everything remember¡± He chuckled ¡°Um.. something like that¡± ¡°And I can relate.. so maybe the reason why I¡¯m being a dick to you is because you remind me a lot of myself when I was younger, and even nowadays unfortunately¡± ¡°That would make a lot of sense, actually that was one of my theories¡± ¡°Theories for what?¡± I frowned. ¡°For why you were acting like a dick¡± he laughed ¡°But admittedly I wasn¡¯t in my best behaviour either when we first met and a bit of a ¡°dick¡± as well so my sincere apologies for that¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine really, but maybe we should try and be nicer to each other now we¡¯re family¡± I answered. He nodded ¡°Agreed¡± he cleared his throat ¡°So.. this girl¡± ¡°Right. So what do you want to know?¡± I asked then took a seat on the bed, pulling one leg up. ¡°I just don¡¯t get it, that¡¯s all¡± he looked down then looked back up to me with his puzzled expression. ¡°I could see it in your mind. Me and this girl together it was very.. bittersweet. But how do I know it¡¯s not just something you made up?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie about something like that¡± I said ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe but I don¡¯t want to give away anything, you¡¯ll have to meet her yourself¡± ¡°I know¡± he said ¡°But I also wouldn¡¯t put it past my family to set me up like that especially Esme. You can imagine being the only single in this family has its drawbacks like being nagged about finding a soulmate all the time¡± he laughed, then his facial expressions turned more serious ¡°I love my mother but I know it¡¯s not something I can give to her. I¡¯m not interested in other people like that¡± I listened to him attentively and sighed, running my hand through my hair ¡°Trust me it¡¯s all too familiar for me, I¡¯ve been single forever and I see my siblings.. my actual siblings date all the time. I¡¯ve came to the conclusion that I¡¯m meant to be alone.¡± ¡°Do you wish you had a partner?¡± He asked ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t because you¡¯re afraid of rejection and not being good enough to be loved or understood romantically¡± he asked, more like an observation than a question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m just trying to understand you¡± ¡°Yeah¡± I cleared my throat ¡°And if you don¡¯t know yet from your mind reading tricks I am neurodivergent¡± ¡°Neurodivergent?¡± He asked. ¡°It means I¡¯m on the autism spectrum¡± I said, pausing briefly ¡°I was diagnosed as a child¡± ¡°I know¡± he answered ¡°And I kind of suspected it. Your mind is.. a bit more difficult to read and navigate than others¡± ¡°Are you calling my brain weird?¡± I teased him. ¡°No¡± he chuckled ¡°it¡¯s just your brain is wired differently so it¡¯s harder for me to understand and figure out. If that makes sense¡± I laughed ¡°Yeah I guess. I¡¯m glad I have some sort of immunity against your mind reading so I¡¯ll consider it a superpower¡± He laughed alongside then ran his fingers through his ginger hair ¡°Anyway that is why unlike anyone else you understand why I don¡¯t believe you, right?¡± ¡°I know¡± I sighed ¡°But trust me when I say you just have to meet her and everything else will fall into place.¡± ¡°You told me she will arrive soon, is that true?¡± I shrugged ¡°Yeah, Charlie said she¡¯ll arrive within the next few weeks to live with him¡± ¡°I see¡± he nodded before returning to his pondering silence. ¡°And you mentioned she¡¯s my blood singer?¡± ¡°Yes¡± I saw the ice cold expression return on his face, like he was putting on a mask of hard stone. ¡°I know It¡¯ll be fine though, just look at it like this at least one of us will have a chance at everlasting love¡± He nodded but the statue like expression remained on his pale face. ¡°It was nice talking to you Adam perhaps we¡¯ll speak again soon¡± Edward said before disappearing like a gush of wind. I thought nothing of his behaviour after he left, just him being his typical self. I gave Charlie a call to let him know I was moving in with the Cullens and thanked him for taking me in, then wished him and Bella well in the future. I laid on the bed staring and listening to the rain which was satisfying to my senses and relaxed my muscles so much I slowly drifted off to sleep. It was a school day the next day and I decided I was going to leave Edward alone for now. That same night I overheard him talking and arguing with Carlisle and the rest of his family. And the next day, Edward was gone.