Sunlight - Book 3

Chapter 12

The moment the final bell rang I sighed. This was the one moment when I wished my last class wouldn't end. Next I had to deal with Mr. Hawthorne and suffer through what I could already guess would be the worst hour of my high school year.

"How was your detention with your dad?" I asked Tyler to make conversation with him to distract my ever increasing nerves as he walked with me.

Tyler shrugged his shoulders.

"Did he hit you?" I gasped as my eyes began searching his face for any new marks or bruises.

Tyler shook his head. "No, I'm fine I promise. We just talked."

I let out a breath of relief. They just talked, Tyler was okay.

"What did you guys talk about?" I asked curiously.

He stopped right outside the 800 building and just stared at me. "You."

My eyes widened. What about me? What did I do?

"My father doesn't only physically abuse me. He gets verbal. He said-" He paused and took a deep breath before he looked down at his feet. "-You should get inside my dad isn't a fan of tardiness."

I winced slightly as I recalled the memory of his that I stole a glimpse of in the limo.

"He can't hurt me." I said as confidently as I could.

"I'll be out here waiting for you okay Renesmee." He said as he took a seat at one of the stone tables and began taking out his homework.

I smiled and then headed inside the building. The second I opened the door fear hit me as I realized I would be spending an entire hour with the monster that abused his son.

When I closed the door behind me I saw Mr. Hawthorne sitting at his desk flipping through a binder of sorts. He didn't look up at me.

"Sit. Down." He snarled.

I oblidged and took my seat quietly at the first table.

I sat and watched the clock overhead for five minutes before he finally closed the binder and then looked up at me.

His piercing eyes were cold and angry. Raising from his seat he walked over and stood before me. Very slowly he leaned in so his face was inches from mine. "Stay away from my son." His voice was calm and even but still I felt like he was threatening me.

There was no way I would let this man come in between my friend and I.

Very slowly, without breaking eye contact, I shook my head. "No. He is my friend." I said in a firm voice.

Mr. Hawthorne slammed his hands on the table causing me to jump.

"What Drew, are you going to hit me?" I said in a trembling voice. "Are you going to beat me like you beat your son?"

I wasn't sure if I my voice was trembling because I was scared or because I was trying to keep a cool composure to refrain from hurting this man if he lashed out at me. I knew if I lost control he would be dead and my family and I would be in trouble.

"How I punish my son is non of your business." he snapped before standing up again.

"He doesn't deserve it!" I barked back as I rose quickly to my feet. "He is a good person and you are a monster!"

Mr. Hawthorne because laughing manically. "I'm the monster..." He laughed. "That boy is the reason my daughter and wife are six feet under."

I closed the distance between myself and the teacher and stared him down. "That boy was just a baby who didn't know better and you are a cold hearted jerk who needs to get over himself. He wasn't driving the car you were so blame it on yourself."

Then I saw him raise his hand and bring it down to meet my face. Screaming I clutched my face in my hands as I fell backwards against the table and hit my head.

"You stupid little b***h!" I heard him shout in my ear.

Then I felt something hit my head hard causing me to scream again. Tears were streaming down my face and I could smell a sweet scent in the air. The sweet scent reminded me of blood and an exotic floral scent. I was bleeding.

As he continued to hit me I did everything I could to shield myself.

Then the door opened. Who was it?

"Get off of her!" It was Tyler.

I heard the two of them shouting obscence words at one another before I heard them hitting one another. As I forced my eyes open I saw a pair of scissors in Drews hand. No!

I tried pushing myself up but I felt too much pain whenever I moved. Very slowly it was like I was blanking out. I felt scared. What would happened if Tyler got hurt? Would his father come after me next?

I heard shouts of pain but couldn't place the voice and then it was all quiet. Oh no this was it! Tyler was hurt and now he was coming to finish me off.

A hand touched me and I began screaming as loudly as I could. Maybe if I was heard I could be saved before he did me too much damage.

"Shhhh.... Renesmee its just me. It's Tyler." I heard him say.

So I was wrong. It was Tyler who had gotten hurt but that monster of a man. That means Tyler was safe and so was I.

Immeadiately I felt my body relax from worry. There was only pain left to deal with.

I reached my hands out blindly to feel for his hands. When he took my hands into his I felt safe for the first time since entering this classroom.

In the next moment many things happened. The classroom door opened again and there were loud footsteps. Several angry voices filled the air.

"Put your hands up and step away from the girl!" One male voice shouted.

I felt Tyler pull his hands away from mine. "I didn't hurt her officer I was the one who called you." His voice sounded terrified.

"Tyler don't leave me." My voice was nothing more then a whisper as I reached out weakly for him.

After a few moments I felt his arms back to me. Then his arms were gently cradling my body before I was lifted.

"Does she need medical attention?" A male voice spoke.

I shook my head weakly. "My father and grandfather are doctors I'll be fine." I sighed as I clutched the front of Tylers shirt in my fisted hand. "Just take me home Tyler."

It felt like ages before I breathed in the fresh air. I didn't know where we were going or how we were going to get home but I didn't care at the current moment. All I knew is I felt safe and secure and that I was in good hands.

"Nessie!" I heard a familiar male voice. I forced my eyes open and sure enough my grandpa Carlisle was coming towards us.

What was he doing here? More importantly what about the sun?

"There is blood." I heard Tyler murmer. "I think she hit her head pretty hard."

He stopped walking and then I felt the temperature change as I left his human arms and was taken into my grandfathers ice cold arms.

"Lets get her home." My grandfather said.

I was carried to the car and then put in the backseat. I soon realized that I was laying across three other bodies. I opened my eyes and saw, accompanied in the back seat with Tyler and I, Alice and Jasper. In the front was Esme and Carlisle.

"What are you all doing here?" I whispered.

It was Alice who spoke. "Moving back in of course."

"Why? What about your business?"

"Don't you dare worry about me."

Soon enough we were at the harbor and I was being carried onto the boat by my grandfather. Then we were on our way home.

For a few minutes I was unconscious. When I opened my eyes Alice and Jasper were sitting at my feet as I was sprawled out along the seating by the window. Both were staring intently in my direction.

I felt my head pulsate and quickly brought my hand to my head. It was bandaged.

"The only downfall about being half human is that I get hurt." I growled to myself as I carefully pushed myself into a sitting position.

Jasper laughed. "Sounds like something your mother would say when she was...human."

I narrowed my eyes. Then I remembered. I quickly looked around the room only to see we were the only ones in it.

"Where is Tyler?"

Jasper licked his lips.

"Jasper what did you do?" I rose to my feet and lunged at him.

Alice caught me around the waist and restrained me.

Seconds later the door opened and in came Tyler. He was rubbing his shoulders as if to warm himself and then he looked at me and smiled.

I looked at Jasper and he began laughing to himself. Alice released me and then I stood to my feet.

"What is wrong with you! That isn't funny!" I yelled at Jasper.

Jasper held up his hands, a coy smile played across his lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't resist. I was just testing a theory."

Tyler looked from me to Jasper. His expression was confused but curious to what he had just walked in on.

Alice rose to her feet. "Make sure you keep your bandage on your head." She whispered in my ear. "You have rapid healing."

I nodded my head and then made my way across the room to Tyler.

"So this is your family?" He asked as he pointed to a large portrait on the wall of all us Cullens.

I pursed my lips to the side. "Yeah we are all adopted though."

"They are more then I could have ever imagined." Esme's voice said from behind me.

"I was young when I faced death after I lost my first child to a miscarrage. After that I couldn't have kids. I met Carlisle and we fell in love and wound up adopting our son Edward."

"Renesmee's father." Tyler added.

Esme nodded. "After Edward we adopted Rosalie and then Emmett." She pointed to each person as she named them. "Then shortly after Alice and Jasper." She said nodding in their general direction.

"They are all together." I added.

"Like together, together?"

I smiled.

Tyler shrugged his shoulders.

"Alice and Jasper. Emmett and Rosalie. Then Edward and Bella." Esme said naming off each couple.

"Who are these two?" He asked pointing to the twins.

"That's my cousins Penelope and her twin brother Matthew. They are adopted too."

We docked and one by one we got off the boat. My mother and father quickly embraced me and then we moved into the house.

Over the next half hour they watched me closely and even asked me if I was okay. After I threw a fit over their constant nagging they finally stopped.

I was doing my homework in the library with Tyler when Penelope and Matthew walked in. Luckily I had finished my last problem and was in the process of putting everything away because my attention was stolen completely.

"Hey Renesmee." Matthew said as he lifted me into his arms and swung me around before placing me on my feet.

Once he released me Penelope pulled me into her arms and hugged me. Then she held me at arms length with a large grin on her face.

"So guess what!"

"What?" I asked her.

"We are going to be going to school with you. Mom and dad said its safe to start now." Penelope was bouncing up and down with joy.

"Are you going to live here with us?"

Don't get me wrong I wanted to see my cousins more to have the chance to bond with them now that we had the time without the drama but I didn't want to share my room with anyone.

"No we are going to be living under the tree in the yard." Matthew replied sarcastically.

"Yeah all our things are already moved in."

"Moved in where?" I asked cautiously.

"Guest bedrooms. Grandma and grandpa are taking the guest house so Matty and myself get our own room."

That was right. There were five spare bedrooms on the second floor. Alice and Jasper would have one. Rosalie and Emmett would have another. Then there were two for Matthew and Penelope and then the last one for Tyler.

"I wanted the underground guest room but my mom said no." Matthew pouted. "Then I asked for the one off the living room and my dad said no."

I didn't know there were two other guest rooms in the house. I wonder who those were ment for.

My curious thoughts were stolen as I heard my grandma Esme call for dinner. Penelope and Matthew were the first from the room as I waited for Tyler.

We walked side by side down the hall to the dining area. When I oepned the door I couldn't help but smile as I saw the table was half full. It was nice to have my family here with me.

As I sat down at the table beside Tyler the door opened and in came my grandfather Charlie with Sue, Leah and Seth. I grinned happily as I rose to my feet to hug my grandpa but froze as I saw Jake.

"JAKE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I jumped up and down. I quickly jumped into his arms and he spun me around before setting me to my feet.

"Hey Renesmee." He smiled.

I wrapped my arms around him and closed my eyes. He was so warm but it was nice. Once his arms were around me I couldn't help but grin. When I looked up at him I saw something different in his eyes. His expression was different then what I was used to.

Very gently he brushed his hand along my jaw and then glanced up at my father before he released me.

"So...." He said as he let out a breath of air. "Let's eat."

We walked back around to my spot at the table. Just like in the old movies my mother and father watched Jacob pulled out my chair for me and then scooted me in before taking a seat on the other side of me.

"Hey." Tyler greeted as he leaned forward to look at Jacob. "I'm Tyler, Renesmee's friend."

Jacob nodded his head, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Yeah. I'm Jacob, Renesmee's... other friend."