Midnight Sun ❖ (Embry Call - The Twilight Saga)

01

A SOFT BREEZE rippled through the mesh curtains of Gracie's bedroom. The sunlight pierced through and bounced off the soft, white blankets draped over the young girl's sleeping body. She stirred a little, yawning as she stretched her arms above her head. Gracie sat up, looking to her bed side clock. A quarter to seven and the birthday of her earliest friend, Bella Swan.

The mornings were peaceful, especially without her older brother Riley. He was currently studying his freshman year at the University of Oregon, away from their family. That meant no fighting over the last piece of toast, or the final drop of milk in the carton. It also meant that Gracie could borrow his beloved 98' Jeep for school. Mr and Mrs Biers left very early in the morning, every morning, for work. There weren't many jobs in Forks which was why they travel over three hours every morning and afternoon to the heart of Seattle.

Gracie bit into her breakfast, looking out the window at the orange leaves barely holding onto their branches. She enjoyed being alone in the house, alone to her own thoughts. Bella hated celebrating her birthday, even as a child. She hated the attention, and for some reason she now hated the feeling of getting older. Gracie Biers didn't want to be a bad friend and not give her nothing at all, so she decided that she'd chip in with her father, Sheriff Charlie Swan. Bella's parents had gotten her a camera and empty photo album, to which Gracie added a complete photo album of every single photo with Bella and herself since childhood. She couldn't say no to that.

The young golden-blonde girl's school bag lay next to her in the front seat of Riley's Jeep as she began to drive towards Forks High School. As one radio channel went to an advertisement break, she flicked over toward another. Gracie normally didn't listen to news reporters on the radio but this one struck her, listening to his words. 

      "Another missing hiker brings the total to three presumed dead. The rangers are searching for the killer animal..." the channel stuttered with static as the forest trees blocked the reception. 

Gracie flicked to another music channel brushing over the news report completely before she drove into the carpark of the school a couple minutes before Bella. There, she joined her usual group as they all waited for Bella to arrive. Not a moment later, her orange Chevy truck drove into the lot, parking right beside Gracie's borrowed Jeep.

"Today's the big day, Bella." Jessica began, to which she nudged her knowing Bella didn't want to be reminded of her birthday. She stuttered for a bit before changing the subject, "Um, 'R and J' essay due?"

Bella fixed her hair whilst answering, "Oh, yeah."

"Wherefore art thou, Bella?" Mike laughed, making the rest of them laugh out of sarcasm. Bella, on the other hand, didn't laugh so much.

"I wanna take a picture of you guys. My mom wants me to put together, like, a scrapbook full of memories. Like the one Gracie made me." Bella smiled a little, setting her camera up.

The five teenagers got ready in position, either squirming around and complaining or in each other's position, perfecting their pose to make themselves look good. Once the photo was taken, Mike pointed out Edward's arrival. That was basically it for the group of friends, her attention was diverted solely to him. They each said their goodbye's, heading toward the buildings whilst Bella waited for her boyfriend. 

The school bell rung, to which the first class of the day for them was English. Gracie dished out her essay from her bag, handing it in to the teacher as they all walked in. He mumbled many thankyous to each student handing one in, his voice evidently waiting for one person to have forgotten theirs. To his disappointment of not having to yell at someone for forgetting their Romeo and Juliet essay, he chucked in the video of the film for the class to watch for the rest of the lesson. Their teacher, Mr. Berty, leant on his table right beside the TV, mouthing every line of the movie as if this was his life, his passion and his love. Jessica sat intensively watching it like the emotional impact was rubbing onto her, beside her was Angela biting her lip as she nodded, her too affected by the play's words. Beside her and Gracie was Eric, crying which made Gracie wonder why she wasn't so emotionally drawn to this movie. She didn't really have an emotion toward it, especially after spending all last night writing a paper on it. Beside her, was Mike. At least he wasn't crying or intensively watching. He spent more time trying to keep himself awake, his face dropping into the palm of his hand whilst blinking a hundred times. Toward the back corner sat Edward and Bella, they were like magnets. Wherever he went, she was there and wherever she was, he seemed to be there too. Mr. Berty paused the video and Mike looked up at the clock in hope that the bell was about to ring...but it wasn't. Another twenty minutes.

The teacher stood up, "Now, who'd like to repeat the last few lines of iambic pentameter just to show they were paying attention?"

Everybody squirmed in their seats hoping he wouldn't ask them, not because they weren't listening but the section was just so long and ... "Mr. Cullen?"

The entire class all turned around watching as Edward took a deep breath, sitting up straighter than before, "Yes, Mr. Berty. O, here will I set up my everlasting rest. And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last last embrace. And lips, O you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing death."

Mike's mouth stayed wide open, in shock of how Edward could be just so flawless and incompatible to himself. He clearly wasn't listening; he was talking to Bella the entire time but still knew the last five lines. Mr. Berty ordered us to look back to the screen clearly getting more aggravated over not having the upper hand to yell at anyone for not doing the right thing. It was rather amusing, actually. The last twenty minutes flew by and the bell echoed through the halls. Gracie looked to the back, watching as Bella took Edward's hand heading out the back door. Gracie instead turned back around to head out the front door where she turned the corner sharply, bumping into someone.

"I'm so sorry..." The Biers' girl apologised, soon laughing as she realised it was Mike.

"So... I have two free tickets to see Lover's End..." he began to stutter, "or... Maybe...um... some other movie...tomorrow night?"

Gracie paused, not really knowing what to say. You had to give it to Mike, he was so determined. Both with Bella Swan and Gracie Biers.

"I'll let you know tomorrow, Mike." She said, watching him nod and smile as if she'd accepted. Gracie nodded herself, moving away awkwardly towards her next class.

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