FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I did exactly what I said I would.

I tried to do my research on Emmett, searching for the answer to a question I didn't understand. However, I'd be lying if I said the first two nights of my investigation weren't just me staring blankly at the Google search bar.

I didn't even know where to begin. I eventually started with the simplest thing I could: typing Emmett's name into the search bar. When no results popped up, I felt like an idiot. But, that didn't stop me from continuing down that path. I proceeded to type in every single one of the Cullens' names.

At least I knew none of them were wanted criminals. With how Emmett had spoken, it seemed like a possibility.

To top it all off, we had the worst possible internet. The weak signal and my ancient laptop weren't a good combination.

At school, I kept things business as usual.

Emmett walked me to and from my classes, I did my best to focus on my lessons, and Bella and I still hung out during our free period. However, my new lunch situation was anything but normal. Because of my little scrap with Jessica, I decided to sit in the library. I didn't mind, it gave me time to get my homework done. That way, the second I got home, I could focus on my detective work.

Emmett and I didn't talk about my little mission; we ignored it entirely. Well, until I could present him with an answer, at least.

It wasn't until the fourth night that I found myself close to giving in. This wasn't a game that I could just ask for a hint, and it was as though I'd looked through every possibility. I had deep-dived into so many different conspiracies, legends, you name it - I read it all and tried desperately to connect anything to the Cullens.

Aliens were my best guess.

It was Saturday night, and the clock had just struck nine-thirty. I was thirty-two pages into an "Ancient Creatures" catalog on a random website, ready to call it a night. But something caught my eye.

Eight lines down, in times new roman font.

     "The Cold Ones are one of the most ancient creatures known to mankind. Immortality consumes them, and they live their days in the darkness. With skin as cold as ice, pale as the moon, they entrap humans with their sheer beauty,"

I stopped reading, my tired mind barely able to take in the information. I racked my brain, the name of the ancient creature striking a nerve. I knew I'd heard it before...

Embry. He'd mentioned the Cold Ones during his story about his tribe's legends.

I felt myself inhale sharply, my fingers moving slow on the keyboard as I typed in a new search. I was on to something.

After typing in the "Cold Ones" my heart stopped the second I saw the first result's URL.

Along with a multitude of random numbers and letters, one word, in particular, caught my eye.

     Vampire.

Goosebumps rose on my skin, and instantly I shut my computer. I pushed it off of me, further onto the bed. I couldn't decipher a single thought racing through my mind - or maybe, my mind had completely shut down.

No. No fucking way.

Convincing myself that I was just tired, I took a deep breath and attempted to relax.

All I could picture was the Cullens. Their perfect looks, their cold to the touch skin, their pale complexions... and those eyes. Those piercing eyes. I gulped. The Cold Ones weren't real, just like Embry said - it was just a legend. Vampires weren't real.

Were they?

In the heat of the moment, I moved for my phone. I needed to do something, anything to distract myself. I scoured through my contact list, barely reading each name as they passed.

I clicked on Embry's contact. Without a second thought, I pressed the 'Call' button. It took a few rings, and I grew worried that he might be busy. But, it was my lucky day. The phone picked up, and I was greeted by the sound of coughing.

"Embry? You okay?"

The coughing died down.

"Hey, Eve. Yeah, I'm good, I'm good. What's up girl? We miss you here," his laidback tone eased the tension in my shoulders. I barely noticed the nickname, even though Daylin was the only other person to use it.

For some reason, it felt right for Embry to do the same.

"I'm glad, I miss y'all too. But, uh..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"You sure you're good? You sound kinda stressed,"

Was I that easy to read? Even over the phone? I sighed.

"Yeah, actually. Um, I've just been, like, working on some stuff. It's been a long week,"

I cut myself off as I heard some more coughing. It wasn't Embry this time, however. Someone else seemed to be in the room with him. Embry whispered, quieting them down as I waited patiently for him to respond.

"Sorry, Quil's here too, we're just- um- hangin' out,"

"Oh, cool. What are you guys up to?"

Embry giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing's funny, it's just, hah- um-"

"Hey, dude, give the phone to me," I heard Quil speak up. After some shuffling, I assumed his request had been granted.

"Quil?"

"Hey Evelyn, Embry said you're stressed. You should, like, come over and chill," his voice, normally boyish and almost soft, sounded raspy.

I wondered what Embry had meant by hanging out.

"You sure? I don't wanna invade on guy time,"

"Listen, if you've had a tough week, I've got the perfect medicine,"

So that's what he meant.

"...alright. I'll call a cab and be there in, uh... thirty. Have Embry send me the address,"

"Nice! For sure, see you soon."

Hanging up the phone, I sat in silence.

I knew there was no way Daylin was going to let me leave this late, especially not to go hang out with two boys he'd hadn't met.

I'd never snuck out, but I knew there was no way I could tell him where I was going. I didn't lie to Daylin, either. My options were limited. 

I sat in place, unmoving as I debated with myself. Reaching over, I opened my laptop. Still on the screen sat the search results for "Cold Ones" and along with it, the word that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.

     Vampires weren't real.

I kept telling myself this over and over, trying to be rational. I mean, rational people knew better than to believe in something so outlandish.

So why did I?

I shut my laptop as I got up. Setting it down on my desk, I made my decision. Quickly grabbing my coat, I took a deep breath. I made a quick call to the cab company, ready to go.

I needed to get away from my own thoughts.

༻༺

Sneaking out had been easier than I thought. Daylin had already gone to bed, and I knew he was a heavy sleeper.

I felt a bit bad, but I told myself that this was necessary. Besides, I was seventeen. He was going to have let me do what I want sooner or later. Or at least, that's what I told myself.

After giving the driver Embry's address, I eased into the leather backseat. It didn't take too long to reach the rez, but time dragged on. It was pitch black outside, leaving me a bit unnerved.

I hated how anxious the search results had made me. I felt crazy. Shaking my head, I silenced my phone. The last thing I wanted was any more possible shit to deal with.

Before long, I'd made it. It was difficult to see the house at night, and the dark forest surrounding it didn't help. I was quick to pay the cab driver, moving as fast as possible to Quil's front door. Being outside was giving me the creeps.

I knocked on the door and after a few moments, Embry was there to greet me.

"There's my favorite pale face. Get in here,"

I entered the home, Embry closing the door behind me. It was warm inside, and I welcomed the heat with open arms. I took off my coat, following him past the living room and kitchen.

"Here, this way,"

I followed him, and within a matter of seconds he was opening the door to what I could only assume was Quil's bedroom. As soon as he did, however, I was met with a strong smell.

"Heyyyy, Evelyn. Glad you made it," Quil hummed, looking up at me with red eyes.

Ah, yes. The wonders of marijuana.

I knew what weed was, I didn't live under a rock. Back in Georgia, it'd been passed around parties like it was nothing. I'd never taken anyone up on the offer, but Forks was already presenting me with the weirdest situations - one more couldn't hurt.

"Hey, Quil. Havin' fun?" I watched as he lounged across his bed.

"Mom's outta town, I'm having a ball,"

I laughed at his words, shaking my head as I took in my surroundings.

H had a rather small bedroom, but it was a good small. The type of small that made you feel secure. Not claustrophobic, but cozy. Rock band posters littered the walls, and other than the bed, there sat two beanbags and a small desk. Yellow Christmas lights lined the top of the walls, giving the room a soft sort of glow. Music played quietly from a speaker sitting on the desk; it was the perfect environment for a kickback.

I took a seat on the blue beanbag, Embry sitting on the orange one next to me. I watched Quil as he pulled a fresh joint up to his lips, lighting it with ease. After taking a hit, he offered it to us.

"Dude, ladies first!"

My smile felt permanent in their presence.

"Thank god, chivalry's not dead."

Quil fell into a fit of giggles, handing the joint over to me. I tried to play it cool, looking it over as I held it between my fingers. They noticed my hesitation.

"Ohhhh, have you ever smoked?"

I shook my head in response to Embry's question, my ears growing hot with embarrassment. I didn't want to seem lame. Regardless, the two boys shrugged it off.

"No problem, it's easy. Just inhale, then breathe in,"

"Yeah, then hold it for a second, and exhale."

I took a deep breath and nodded, raising the joint to my lips. They watched, intrigued to see how I'd react. I followed their instructions, inhaling. After a couple of seconds of this, I pulled it away from my lips and breathed the smoke into my lungs.

My eyes went wide; I wanted to cough. But, I also didn't want to make a fool of myself. I held it in as long as I could, then exhaled. The smoke fell past my lips, and the room erupted with applause.

"Well done, young grasshopper. You have made your Sensei's proud," Quil mused.

"So is it, like, supposed to hit instantly, or...?"

"Nah, we'll pass it around a few times and then you'll feel it. Just kinda relax into it," Embry reassured me, patting my shoulder.

And that's exactly what we did. The more we passed the joint around, the smaller it got. And, in return, the higher I was. After Quil ashed it, he moved to roll another one. I was hesitant but after seeing him light it up, I gave in and took it on my turn.

"You're a natural, Eve," Embry was completely sprawled out on the bean bag. My body language matched his, and I felt my head fall back as I breathed out the smoke.

"It's easier than being sober, I'll give y'all that."

Before I knew it, we finished that joint too.

My head felt heavy, my body warm. It was a sensation I'd never experienced. Smiling at the lights in the room, I allowed myself to let go. I'd been way too high-strung that week, and for the first time in days, I felt good.

We spoke about tons of different things: music, movies, funny stories from our childhood, everything. Our topics switched up in the blink of an eye. It was insane how short my attention span had become, but I was glad to see that we were all in the same boat.

Embry had just finished explaining how he used to thoroughly believe in aliens when I was reminded of my earlier discoverings. Words fell past my lip before I could think twice.

"Okay, okay, real talk. I need to ask y'all a question,"

They both looked over me, dopey smiles on their lips as they waited for me to continue.

"So, like, remember how you told me about your tribes' legends? And the Cold Ones? Well, what if, and hear me out," I paused, "what if the Cullens are the Cold Ones?"

Saying it out loud sounded so stupid.

"The Cold Ones are from centuries ago, man. That's not even possible," Quil shook his head with a smirk.

"Not if they're, like, immortal,"

"What are you on about?" Embry was confused, but the corners of his lips remained upturned. It wasn't his usual smile, however. He was hiding something.

"This sounds insane, but, like... what if the Cullens are vampires?"

They went silent, the only thing audible being the low-volume music playing in the background. I saw as Embry's smile faded, along with Quil's. I blinked, waiting for them to say something, anything. They exchanged glances. Why weren't they calling me crazy? I felt my throat tighten as I sat up.

"Is there something you need to tell me?"

Quil let out a breath he'd been holding, and Embry waved a hand.

"Um, sorry. We're just- really high, that's all. Uh,"

"Answer my question, please,"

They went from staring at me, their eyes timid, to looking at one another. Their faces shifted between emotions like they were somehow communicating without words.

I cleared my throat to regain their attention. I could feel the concern written all over my face. They were hiding something from me, I knew they were, and they knew that I knew. I could feel my heart rate pick up, and I let out a shaky breath.

"Evelyn, you're just out of it, that's all. Um, want me to take you home?" Embry tried reaching his hand out to comfort me.

"I'm gonna use the bathroom, I-I'll be right back."

Before they could respond or ask any questions, I stood up and stumbled my way to the door. The weed wasn't helping my coordination, that was for sure.

I made it to the bathroom. I locked the door, setting my hands on the sink. Gripping the edges, I took a deep breath. Embry was right, I was just way too high. I should've stopped after the first joint, but I hadn't been thinking straight. I needed to go home, and sleep.

Looking up at my reflection in the mirror, I scoffed. My eyes were red and duller than usual. They were half-lidded, making me look dazed. I prayed that they would whiten back up soon.

I composed myself before heading back. Embry and Quil stood in the living room, speaking in hushed tones. Quil's face was covered in panic, I could see it in his eyes. Embry seemed to be calming him down.

They turned to me as I entered. Embry offered me a charming grin.

"Ready to head home, pothead?"

I weakly nodded. My mind was racing with thoughts. If anything, my high only made my concerns from earlier worse. Quil gave me a hug, and as I returned it he gave me a squeeze.

"Sorry for freakin' you out, sometimes that happens if you smoke too much. If you ever, uh, wanna do it again, just let me know. Or we don't have to, it's totally up to you-"

"Got it, Quil. Thanks, for everything. I'm sorry for killing the mood,"

He shook his head, ruffling my hair.

"You didn't, no worries. See you later."

As Embry and I left, I wrapped my arms around myself. I didn't know what to think.

They looked so shaken when I said the Cullens were vampires. Not like they'd just realized it and agreed with me. They reacted like I'd figured out a secret I wasn't supposed to know.

The part of my mind that usually told me I was overthinking was nowhere to be found.

"I, uh, brought my dad's car this time. Glad I did, I dunno if you could handle a bike ride right now," Embry tried to joke around. I didn't react, getting into the car without a word. He did the same, starting it up with a sigh.

"You sure you're okay, Eve?"

"Y-Yeah, I just wanna go home. I'm exhausted,"

"I get it. Oh, hey, don't forget your seatbelt."

Great. Not only was I high as a kite, but I couldn't even focus long enough to remember to put on a seatbelt.

༻༺     

The ride was fairly quiet. Other than the soft sound of the radio, there wasn't much noise. Embry could tell I wasn't in the mood to talk. My thoughts were way too jumbled.

I couldn't stop thinking about the Quileute legends, the idea of vampires, but most of all, the Cullens. Things were beginning to make way too much sense.

They were so strange. As I mulled things over, I picked up on details I'd hadn't before. For instance, I never saw them eat. Not at lunch, and not at their house. It was minor, sure. But at this point, every little thing mattered. They didn't go to school that one sunny day, either. Weren't vampires allergic to sunlight or something?

I was deep in thought, but a sharp intake from Embry pulled me out of it. My eyes darted over to him in the driver's seat. His jaw was clenched, and his hands gripped the steering wheel to the point where his knuckles were turning white.

"Uhhh... you okay?" I fumbled over my words.

"We'll see."

What was that supposed to mean?

Turning a corner onto the main road, I noticed we were reaching the meeting point of the La Push reservation and the town of Forks. And there, in the middle of the road, sat a Jeep.

And not just anyone's Jeep - Emmett's.

For a second I thought maybe I'd finally lost my mind. Perhaps the weed was making me hallucinate. But I knew I wasn't hallucinating, not as I watched Emmett get out of the car.

"Stop- stop the car, Embry,"

"Why? I need to get you home," his voice was defensive, and even as we got closer, he didn't slow down.

"Stop the fucking car!"

My voice came out shrill. I knew I was too inebriated to be dealing with the situation I was about to dive into, but I had too many questions.

At first, Embry didn't listen, but as the distance between us and Emmett grew smaller, he huffed.

"Fine."

Slamming on his breaks, the car skidded to a stop.

Emmett stood in the headlights. He was glaring daggers at Embry, and I found myself suddenly not wanting to move. He looked... scary. I was intimidated and mentally unprepared to face him with my suspicions.

Embry sat silently, still not letting go of the wheel as they seemed to have a stare-off. I felt like I was being suffocated. It was too much. Deciding I'd had enough, I forced myself to get out.

"Emmett- uh, what are you doing here?"

"Get in the car,"

I was confused by his request. His eyes never moved over to me, they stayed trained on Embry, unblinking.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just get in, Evelyn,"

"She doesn't have to listen to you."

My eyes drifted over to Embry, who was now standing at my side. I walked forward a bit, and he quickly grabbed my hand. I glanced back at him, confused. Emmett's clenched fists were shaking, and he was about to move closer when Embry spoke up.

"Don't you dare take another step, you know what'll happen if you do,"

Emmett scoffed, "I haven't forgotten the treaty. But you better let go of her, dog. Before I make you."

The treaty. Did he mean the one created by the Chief and the Cold Ones?

I kept looking back and forth between them, my hands trembling. How Embry had managed to come down from his high was beyond me - my mind and body still felt tingly, fuzzy. I pulled away from Embry, attempting to take a deep breath.

"It's- it's okay. Emmett can take me home,"

"Evelyn, it's not safe,"

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. It was all too much to deal with.

"Embry, I have to do this, please. I have to go with him. I'll text you, I promise," I finally looked up at him, eyes begging to let me go. He returned my gaze, his concern clear as day. He didn't trust Emmett, and I knew the feeling was mutual.

"...text me the second you get home, okay? And you," he met Emmett's glare, "if you so much as even leave a scratch on her-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you. I'm pissed off enough,"

I left Embry's side for Emmett's, unable to even make eye contact with him.

"Emmett, just get in the damn car," I hissed as I flung the door open. Climbing in, I slammed it shut behind me. It was freezing, but I didn't mind. Maybe it would help sober me up.

The two outside continued their standoff, and I swore I heard Emmett's low voice. Whatever he said made Embry's eyes shoot to me, and I tiredly shook my head. I hoped he saw my desperation, a plea to leave so we could be done with this.

Luckily, he did. He gave Emmett one last glare, storming back to his car.

As soon as Embry was gone, Emmett got in with a straight face. I couldn't pinpoint his emotions, but I knew they were far from positive. Starting the engine, he did a u-turn and began our journey to town. He didn't say a word, and neither did I.

Just a few feet from me was what I could only assume to be a Cold One.

   A vampire.

—edited

༻༺

So let me begin this A/N by saying this:

In no way during this chapter am I trying to glorify the use of drugs. I know how I feel about the legalization and use of recreational marijuana, but I am not going to push those beliefs on any of my readers through this story.

I simply wanted to find a good way for Evelyn to come to truly realize what the Cullens were, in a unique way that fits her and the story. The idea began when my friend and I came up with a funny little headcanon that some of the pack members (specifically Quil, for zero reason) smoke weed sometimes. And then I realized I could use this in my story. Not only make it feel more real, more "teen" like, but also as a plot device.

Again, I am not trying to romanticize drugs. I hope you all understand that and enjoyed this chapter.

Don't forget to leave a like, a comment, and add Ethereal to your library! Every little bit of support warms my heart. Thanks, guys!

~May