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Post by Amber Jefferson on Dec 23, 2008 12:50:35 GMT -5
(Tag Edward, Carlisle, any other Cullens)
Amber rounded the corner, careful not to tip the dish she was carrying. She was always reminding Dr Cullen to eat, and he never really seemed to eat much when she did, so she was determined that this time she would make sure he got a decent meal. Granted, pasta salad was hardly gourmet fare, but it was food, and it had to be better than the stuff they served here at the hospital. Besides, she was a pretty good cook, if she did say so herself. Even if he didn't eat it, at least it would remind him that he needed to have something.
She shook her head and chuckled to herself, thinking about Dr Cullen. He was always looking out for his patients, but never seemed to look after himself, always pulling double shifts and working so hard. She was glad he'd recommended the hospital take her on as a sort of volunteer nurse. She was somewhat surplus to requirements, so she had ended up more or less as Carlisle's assistant, and so much like a nanny that it seemed that at times, she would probably have to remind him to breathe if he had actually had to think about it.
As she neared Dr Cullen's office, she looked up and was surprised to see someone standing by the door. It wasn't abnormal that Carlisle should have visitors, he was always being asked advice by some doctor or nurse, but this one wasn't in uniform, so she could only assume he was a patient. She pulled herself up to her full height which, granted, was disturbingly small in comparison to the young man ahead, but at least she wouldn't look like she was slouching. Putting on her best 'nursey smile', she made her way toward him, all the while taking a good look at him.
He didn't look to be injured, though it was hard to tell if there was anything below the surface. He was tall, and surprisingly pale, and seemed to have something other then medicine on his mind. Perhaps he had been treated by Dr Cullen in the past and was here to thank him. It wasn't common, but it was possible. Reaching the visitor, she looked up at him, suddenly feeling slightly uncomfortable, though not entirely sure why. She took a small step back, increasing the space between them.
"Good evening, I'm Amber" she said, forcing her voice to be steady despite the nervousness. "Are you looking for Dr Cullen?" She paused, listening for a moment. She could hear low voices in the office, one of which she could tell was Carlisle's. "I'm afraid it looks like he's in conference. Is there anything I can help you with?"
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Post by Edward Cullen on Dec 23, 2008 22:41:25 GMT -5
When Edward had arrived at the hospital to see his father one of the nurses had informed him that Carlisle was busy in a conference, or meeting of some sort. While he knew if it had been an emergency his father would have interupted any business he had to attend to, Edward knew that what he came to talk about could wait. It wasn't urgent business but it concerned him the same. While his siblings didn't have as much free time as Edward (being paired up and otherwise occupied in the nighttime hours), Edward himself had time to spare. It was during this time that he had picked up on a pattern of murders. Not enough to appear to be a serial killer, because they weren't all in one area, but they were deaths that appeared to move in a linear fashion across the cities, Edward was concerned when Seattle was the latest city, it seemed too close to Forks.
Edward stood patiently in the hallway, wondering if Carlisle would think he was reading into it, looking for a pattern that wasnt there (which was highly probably as it was a small pattern at best). He could hear the footsteps of a woman approaching from behind him, he figured she'd walk by as the countless other hospital workers did, but instead she stopped to talk to him.
"Yes I am looking for him" Edward said, putting on a small smile trying to be polite. He shook his head however when she asked him if there was anything she could do to help him. "No, I'll just wait until he's available...I'm his son"
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Dec 24, 2008 9:41:47 GMT -5
Amber's jaw dropped in shock at the stranger's words. Well, that certainly explained the skin colour. Everyone knew that Dr Cullen was a foster parent, and she'd heard often that Social Services liked to place kids with foster parents that looked a bit like them, so they could blend into the family better. Carlisle rarely mentioned his family, in fact she had only heard him mention them once or twice, and only when she had asked if they were well. She didn't like to pry, but she felt it was only polite to inquire. It also explained the nervousness. Carlisle had some inexplicable quality that made everyone want to keep their distance at first, and even now she was only just beginning to get used to it, though, she hesitated to admit, she still didn't like to get too near his personal space. His foster son had the same quality, no doubt a result of being around Dr Cullen all the time.
She realised that her mouth was still open and slammed it shut quickly, her eyes taking in the figure before her. He certainly wasn't what she had expected, not that she had really had any notion what he might look like in the first place.
"Oh!" she blurted, unsure what to say. She was often somewhat lost for words around strangers but in this case, she was speechless. "I mean...I'm so sorry, I'm not normally...wow." She knew she was babbling, but it was as if her mind had somehow disconnected from her mouth and the latter was simply taking control of itself. She blushed, something that was starting to annoy her with its frequency lately, she was making so many blunders, everywhere she went, it was embarassing. Taking a deap breath, she started again.
"I'm sorry, you just startled me a bit. Dr Cullen doesn't talk much about anything outside of work, so I never really expected to see you here, or knew what to expect. I guess you could say it's a bit of a shock." She chuckled at the understatement, quite possibly the biggest this century. "Well, since you look about my age, and I'm pretty sure you're not Alice, I guess that must make you Edward?"
She dimly remembered the warning Jessica had given her on her first day at Forks High, telling her to avoid the Cullens at all cost, especially the kids, saying they were weird, but having worked with Dr Cullen, she was beginning to feel that perhaps that was due to not understanding them. Either way, she liked Carlisle, and she was more than ready to give his kids the benefit of the doubt.
"Sorry, I'm so rude, I'm Amber, as I say. I'm his assistant." She gestured to the bowl she carried, shrugging slightly. "Do you mind if I wait with you? I brought him some supper, it's been a pretty long shift so I figured he might be hungry, and between you and me, the food here's hardly Michelin Standard."
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Post by Edward Cullen on Dec 27, 2008 1:02:42 GMT -5
Edward watched the girl in front of him stare at him for a moment as her mind went through the process of makingthe realization of who he was, in relation to Carlisle. He was amused when she wrote of the coincidence of their appearances to social services trying to find parents who resemble the children. Humans were so quick to justify the things that didn't make sense. It was this unquestioning nature that allowed the Cullens to settle in different places for as long as they did.
He gave a light laugh as she got flustered and began apologizing. "It's quite alright, I didn't mean to startle you" He told her honestly, listening as she explained that she hadn't expected to see him here since his father doesnt talk much about them at work. He smiled again as she deduced that he must be Edward and not Alice. "Yes you've guessed right"
"Amber, its very nice to meet you." He told her "And you're more than welcome to wait with me, I'd enjoy the company" He added, knowing it was a human thing to say. "It was very thoughtful of you to bring him soemthing, I'm sure he'll appreciate it...how long have you worked with him?"
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Dec 27, 2008 9:33:37 GMT -5
"Thanks" Amber said quickly, leaning against the wall, taking the weight off her feet a little. She had been working for over 4 hours already, pretty much since school had finished, and her feet hadn't yet reached the stage at which the constant pressure evolved from pain to general numbness. She was glad of the break, even if it was only a few minutes.
She thought about his question, sifting through her memories since she had moved to Forks. It seemed like a lifetime ago, and the job here at the hospital seemed almost as if it had always existed.
"I think it's about 3 months now" she finally answered, surprised at the knowledge, "Maybe even four, I've kind of lost track of time. I didn't realise it had been so long." Her voice trailed off as she thought of the empty evenings before she had started working there. Yep, it had been at least 3 months since she had last been at home more than twice a week in the evenings. She took a lot of shifts at the hospital, almost always working evenings, but occasionally during the day on weekends. In a sense, she was a workaholic. It was always a relief to focus on other people's problems, problems she could help ease, instead of her own. She gave a little chuckle, glancing back up at Edward, smiling.
"It seems like forever, to be honest. I love it here, and Dr Cullen's a great boss. It was him that got me the job here. I owe him a lot." She wondered whether she ought to explain why she had received such kind help from the doctor, but decided against it. He may be Dr Cullen's son, but he was still virtually a stranger, and it was never wise to run off at the mouth if you didn't know someone. That was how she had lost a couple of her foster homes, by forgetting that rule and letting teachers at school know about her home life. Now, she kept it quiet. If she was asked a direct question, she gave as direct an answer as necessary, otherwise, it was a case of 'ask no questions, tell no lies'.
She considered for a moment asking how Edward and his foster siblings had managed to swing such a good placement, being put with someone like Carlisle while she had ended up with the Jacksons, but quickly pushed the idea away. That was something friends asked, not new acquaintances. Wracking her brains for a moment, she tried to think of things to say, finally deciding on what was likely the safest bet.
"I hear you go to Forks High too. Jes- I mean, one of the other students mentioned you and your brothers and sisters were the last new kids before me" she laughed at the quote from Jessica, carefully omitting the comment the girl had made about the Cullens being weird. She was already beginning to like Edward, he had the same calm demeanour as Dr Cullen, and despite the original nervousness, she felt at ease with him. She was starting to get the feeling that nervousness was a side effect of talking to the Cullens. Everyone else seemed to exhibit a sort of reserved distance around the doctor, as though afraid of him, and she could never understand why. Now she wondered if the kids at school were the same with Edward and his family. "How do you like it round here?"
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Post by Edward Cullen on Jan 1, 2009 14:34:29 GMT -5
As Edward watched her shift her weight, he was reminded that humans didn't like standing to wait for things. "If you want, there's some chairs over there that we can wait in, you can set the bowl down while you wait" He suggested, trying to make her more comfortable. They'd be able to see Carlisle's office door from the chairs so they'd know when he was done with his meeting.
"I'm glad to hear he's a good boss, not too hard on you. I know he loves working here too" Edward told her with a smile. Carlisle was always so good at being liked at work. He fit in better than any of them. Edward wondered if he'd ever get to that point, or if it was just part of Carlisle's personality that made him that way.
Edward listened for a moment to some fleeting thoughts of Amber's that revealed that she was a foster child. He felt a little guilty for the lie that he was like her. It was obvious from her thoughts that her home wasn't a very good situation for her. He was lucky to have Carlisle and Esme, even if they weren't his adopted or foster parents in the way people thought.
Edward nodded as she asked him about Forks High. "Yeah, we go there." He smiled as she asked how he liked it. "I like Forks. " He said, trying to keep his enthusiasm down even though it was one of his favorite locations due to the climate. "I think its nice here. How are you liking it?"
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 1, 2009 15:41:13 GMT -5
“Good idea” Amber said, accepting his suggestion gratefully. It would be nice to rest her feet, and it would take her mind off how ridiculously tall her seemed compared to her. She lowered herself into one of the chairs with a sigh of relief, placing the bowl on a small table filled with magazines. She smiled as he talked about Carlisle, seeing the fondness on his face. It made her glad, to think that the cheerfulness she so admired was indeed genuine, and that it was appreciated. She chuckled, unable to imagine ever being overworked when Dr Cullen was in charge.
“Hard on me? If anything, he’s probably a bit too lenient, though I’d never say that to him. He’s more like a friend than a boss, makes me feel a little guilty sometimes” she glanced at the doorway automatically, as though half expecting him to walk out any second. “I mean, how many people manage to get their exact, perfect job handed to them on a platter? I dunno what I did in a past life, but if anything was going to be rewarded, this is definitely that reward. It may be long hours, but I can’t think of a place I’d rather be than here.” She couldn’t resist teasing him a little when he answered her question about how he liked Forks. It was blatantly visible on his face that he was understating his reaction. She poked him gently in the arm, smirking slightly at his nonchalance.
“You’re fibbing, I can tell” she giggled, glad to see that someone shared her enthusiasm for the little town. “Come on, you can tell me. It’s great isn’t it?” She could see he was a lot less outgoing than Dr Cullen and figured she may as well encourage him to come out of his shell a little. After all, they had a lot on common, she might as well make an attempt at friendship. “I love it here, personally. I guess I’m kinda weird that way, I hate sunny weather, too bright and hot. Give me cool weather any day, especially the rain.” She knew she was babbling, but it was rare that she had the chance to talk to someone her own age about things she loved, and it was a joy to do so. “There’s something so...I’m not sure how to explain it, it’s almost purifying, about the rain. And then there’s Forks in general, it’s just plain, well, like you say, nice.” She laughed, suddenly realising that there was no other word that could accurately describe the town. It wasn’t spectacular, nor fantastic or special, just ‘nice’. “The people are nice, or at least most of them” the corner of her mouth quirked in a sly smile as she imagined the few people that weren’t entirely nice, like Jessica, Sarah and Philip. It surprised her that she put Jess in that category, as there was no real conflict between them, but she had never felt any genuine friendship for or from the girl. “Yep, it’s nice alright.”
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Post by Edward Cullen on Jan 4, 2009 23:13:13 GMT -5
Edward was glad that Amber seemed pleased with his idea to sit down. As they sat in the chairs he did his best attempt at a slouched look as teenaged boys rarely sat up straight and proper looking.
"He would be glad to know that you felt so comfortable around him" Edward told her honestly. Carlisle always tried to put people at ease, which was often difficult for their kind to do. Carlisle had gotten better at it than most of them. "Perfect job? So what do you get to do? Help him with filing? Or are you a nurse?" Edward asked, knowing that if she enjoyed her job she probably also would enjoy small talk that involved questions about her job.
Edward was a bit surprised as she poked him in the arm. Most people avoided any contact whatsoever with the Cullens. Had Carlisle gotten the girl that comfortable with him, that it should rub off on his son? That was impressive. He then started laughing at her comments, surprised that there were other people who enjoyed Forks as much as he did. "Ok, you're right, I love it too" He admitted to her. "I've been to a few places before, but this is definitely my favorite. I like the small town feel instead of the big city, and I'm also fond of the weather, as strange as that seems to most people...but you'll probably find that most people here find me strange as well" He said, having heard from her thoughts what Jessica had told her about him.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 5, 2009 8:31:08 GMT -5
Smirking a little at the question, Amber tried to figure out how to explain her position at the hospital. She had never really had a specific role, and it seemed hard now to categorise her work there.
"I guess you could say I'm a bit of a dog's body" she said, not sure how common the phrase was, but remembering that one of her older foster mothers had used the term to describe her. "I do a bit of everything. I file, I do triage, I do rounds, basic nursing. I basically just go where I'm needed, though that's part of why I'm a little suspicious of Dr Cullen's part in my getting the job here, I only ever seem to be needed where he is." She laughed, knowing that much at least was true. "I suppose what I said before is about the closest there is to a job description for me, I'm Dr Cullen's assistant. I think maybe it's because people always seem kinda nervous around him, it seems to help when there's someone like me around. Something subconscious, like if someone like me can be ok with being around him so much, then they must be okay too. I dunno if that's why he does it or if it's just me using my Psych classes waaaay too much."
She smiled innocently at his last comment, looking away for a moment as though trying to think of a kind way to reply. "It has been mentioned" she said, her smile turning into a grin as she turned back to him. "Don't worry though, that's what they say about me too, so I tend to take things like that with a pinch of salt. Besides, anyone who likes rain is fine by me. Between you and me, I'm kind of used to people judging everybody without giving them a chance, so I have a tendency to avoid the normal and go straight for the strange. You meet the nicest people that way, and so far Forks has been pretty rewarding that way."
She couldn't help running her mind over the various ways that had proved true. Mike was far from the type of person she would normally have considered friend material, and now she couldn't imagine life without his friendship. Carlisle was the same. She had been warned to avoid the Cullens and now she had met two of them and so far both were turning out to be exactly the opposite of what people had said. Admittedly she had seen many people reacting the same way Jessica had, with a sort of quiet trepidation, but so far she had only ever felt that way for a moment before getting to know them.
"I know it's rude of me to ask, but how come people think that about you guys? I mean, I've only met you and Car- Dr Cullen, but so far I don't see anything weird. I mean, sure you're a bit paler than everyone, and you've both got those awesome eyes." Her jaw dropped in shock when she realised she had said the last part out loud. She hadn't intended it to sound the way it had, and she quickly scrambled to try to salvage her dignity as best she could. "I mean...oh geez, please don't tell him I said that! I didn't mean it *that* way, I just meant the colour. It's just such a cool coppery colour. But anyway, even with those differences, I don't get why people avoid you." She blushed, hoping he wouldn't tell Dr Cullen what she had said. She could only imagine the rumours that would start if anyone heard that and took it the wrong way.
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Post by Edward Cullen on Jan 10, 2009 12:13:46 GMT -5
"That's very interesting" Edward responded after listening to Amber describe what she did at the hospital. He did find it interesting that this girl didn't appear to have any one job. But what made him more curious was his father's involvement. Why was he doing so much to help out this girl? It seemed he was getting rather close to this girl, and Edward couldn't figure out why, other than his father's usual compassion. "Are you interested in a career in medicine?"
Edward smiled back at her, appreciating her honesty about what people spoke of him. "If it helps I haven't heard anyone saying anything like that about you" He told her honestly. While it wasn't that the other students would gossip to his face, he definitely heard any that was going around the school. "I'm glad you've been finding some nice people here"
Edward listened with an amused smile as she actually voiced her curiousity as to why people spoke that way about his family. He lowered his eyes quickly out of reflex however when she mentioned their color, knowing it was something that was better if people weren't observant of. He quickly moved his eyes back up, not wanting her to think she had offended him. "It's alright" Edward told her reassuringly, hesitating a moment as he wondered how to explain why people thought what they did. In Edward's mind it was all survival instinct. They sensed there was something wrong about them, and they were right.
"My family..." He started trying to find the right words. "We tend to keep to ourselves, moving around they're the other ones that we're comfortable with" He said knowing she'd understand the idea of being the new person. He tried to think of the reasons that Jessica and the others had used in their minds to justify their feelings towards the Cullens. "Maybe they see us as unfriendly for that, or maybe they just are weirded out by the fact that my siblings, though non blood related, are dating"
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 10, 2009 15:07:13 GMT -5
(OOC: Sorry it's so long! It's impossible to judge on the quick reply lol )
Frowning, she thought about his question, realising suddenly that although she loved her work at the hospital, she really had no idea whether she wanted to continue with it or not.
"You know, I have absolutely no clue!" she said, surprised at the realisation. "I guess I never really thought about it before. I mean, I love it, don't get me wrong, it's just not something that's ever really seemed all that important." She glanced around, making sure noone was watching, before pulling a foot up to rest on the edge of her chair, leaning her cheek on her knee so she could face Edward without craning her neck. "I dunno how much you know about me, if anything, Dr C always seems pretty quiet about other people's business, but I'm not sure whether that's different with family" she said, her more refined exterior slipping slightly into the tougher side that tended to show when she talked about her past. It was a habit she had tried hard to break but it never seemed to disappear completely.
"I'm a foster kid, as you probably know by now, it's hardly classified information. Thing is, I've been in a lot of homes, and I do mean a lot. Some of them, I ran away from, coz I couldn't take what they were dishing out. Most of them ended up sending me back coz I was too quiet or sulky. I dunno what they expected. You get beat up everyday at home and then get the same at school, you're hardly gonna be full of the joys of spring. I never really had a place to call home in the proper sense of the word. I always just kinda focused on getting through each day. I guess I never really thought much beyond making it out of foster care alive, at least not as far as getting a career." She gave a cynical chuckle, thinking about the situation she was in now. "I suppose I better start thinking if I'm gonna stick around here. One more year, and I'm my own girl." Her face had grown serious, almost sad, as she thought, and she pulled herself back together quickly.
"I think that's why I ended up here in the first place. You and your siblings, you got lucky. Dr Cullen's a great guy. Sarah and Philip, my foster parents? Not so much. First couple months in town, I spent more time here than I did anyplace else. Philip's got a serious temper, 'nough said. Most of the doctors didn't really wanna deal with me, they don't really care about kids that aren't gonna be around long, so they just gave me a couple aspirin and sent me home. After a few visits, they got sick of 'the clumsy kid' and just passed me off to Carlisle." She had been looking at Edward until now, watching his expression in case he showed the usual signs of boredom or aggravating pity she had grown used to, but now she lowered her eyes, looking off to the side a little, almost avoiding having to see how her would react to her 'wimpy side'. "He was the only person who actually bothered with me, or even noticed anything was wrong. He never really said anything, but I think he pretty much figured out what was going on. He used to let me stay here as long as I wanted, just so I didn't have to go home. Then one day, he said they were looking for someone to work here, and I couldn't sign up fast enough. Much as I love it, I doubt I'll ever manage to make a career out of it. I'm not smart enough."
She smiled, glancing back up at him, the smile quickly turning to a grin as her favourite subject came back to her mind. "Besides, the arts are my passion" she said enthusiastically. "Acting, singing, writing, all of it. Other than when I'm here, the one time I feel really and truly alive is when I'm singing or listening to music. It's like whatever I'm feeling just turns into sound and I can say it better than I ever could with words."
She listened as he talked about his family, raising an eyebrow, her lip curling slightly in disgust. "Seriously? Wow. Not meaning to sound witchy, but they really need to quit judging. I've seen you guys around school. Rosalie and Emmett, they're the older ones, right? They're adorable together. And Alice and..." she paused a moment, trying to remember the name she'd heard around school. "Jasper? They are so sweet, it's almost unbelievable. I just don't get why people think of fostering like regular family. You're not related, so what's the big whoop? I can kinda see the nervousness angle, even I get nervous around Carlisle once in a while, and I was nervous when I met you, but I'm used to that, so I just ignore it now. And as for keeping to people you're comfortable with? That's why I stick to Carlisle and Mike. Carlisle's...I dunno, he's Carlisle I guess" she laughed, unable to think of a way to describe their friendship. "In a way, I kinda think of him like a dad without the dadness. I can talk to him about stuff I couldn't talk to most people about. I suppose you could say he's one of the best friends I could ask for. And then there's Mike..." she trailed off, thinking about her best friend fondly. "What can I say? You know how they say when you meet the person you're destined to be with, you feel as if they're the other half of you? It's weird coz Mike and I are just friends, and yet that's what it's like. It's like when he's around, I'm more me than when he's not."
She frowned a moment, thinking about what she had said, then rested her forehead on her knee. "Yeah, that made no sense. I think I'm just babbling now. I do that a lot nowadays."
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Post by Edward Cullen on Jan 14, 2009 23:30:24 GMT -5
Edward smiled as she told him she hadnt really considered a career in medicine before. "Thats ok, you're still young enough to change your mind and explore other options" He told her. The thing about being forever young was that you were constantly able to explore different things, but he could only ever get so far in his schooling before starting over, or just finishing on his own.
He was surprised at how she started to open up to him. He couldnt decide if it was because he was related to Carlisle who she trusted, or because she knew of him as a foster kid as well so thought that he would understand. As she told him about the abuse, the memories flowed throughout her mind, painting a more vivid picture than her words did. He immediately felt sympathy for her and hated what they had done to her. If this had been a few decades ago, her foster parents may have been his next meal. "That's awful..." He spoke softly his condolences.
"I have been very lucky to have Carlisle and Esme take me in. They're better parents to me than I could have ever asked for" Edward told her. He truly did appreciate everything they had done for him, and the love that was shared by his family. He nodded slightly, understanding why Carlisle had found interest in her. Carlisle's compassion was his greatest attribute. "That sounds like my father" He said with a smile. "If you dont mind me asking...why haven't you turned in your foster parents?"
"I can already tell you'd be smart enough for any of that, but if the arts are your passion, you should follow it" He said encouragingly.
Edward was more than surprised as how accepting she seemed of his whole family. It was rare at school to find people who accepted them. Edward didn't know how this girl's instincts weren't telling her to run far from his family. Yes maybe she could accept Carlisle, with all the help he'd given her, but she should at least be weirded out by his family and want to keep her distance. It was only normal! He listened to her talk about Mike Newton. He was the type of boy she should be comfortable with, not Edward. "Maybe you two will end up more than just friends"
He smiled again as she told him she was just babbling. "Feel free to babble, it can be good for you" He told her. He wasn't the babbling kind, at least not to people he had just met, but he didnt mind listening to her. She was much less annoying than the thoughts of the nurses behind them.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Jan 29, 2009 12:21:38 GMT -5
Chuckling, Amber shrugged. “That’s the thing about life, things change so quickly, you never know what’s gonna happen next. That’s why I tend not to plan things too much anyway. Besides, I’m too skittish, I’d never be able to just make up my mind and then do something, I’d have to go through about twenty other things first and then I’d probably end up where I originally intended to be.” She threw back her head and laughed, a ridiculous image in her mind of the various things she would probably end up doing in the meantime before eventually settling back on medicine, everything from library work to lion-taming. She quickly stifled the laugh again before she could bother anyone, her smile softening at the kind words.
“To be honest, I can’t stand the idea of leaving Forks, and that’s what’d happen if I reported them. I’ve never really felt like I belonged anywhere before, but I do here. Carlisle kinda keeps me going, just keeps reminding me it’s not that long before I’m able to get out on my own, get my own place. First thing I do then is gonna be to report them, make sure no one puts kids with them again. I’m tough, I’ve coped with years of it, one more shouldn’t be too bad.” Shaking her head, she raised an eyebrow. “Me? Smart? Not likely, I could never remember all the stuff I’d need to.”
She blushed as he spoke about Mike, the idea preposterous. “Mike and me? Nah, we’re just friends. It’s just that kinda friendship where you can just sit and do nothing but feel like you’ve still done all you needed to. Besides, even if I did like Mike that way, I’m not the kinda girl he’d go for, I’m too me. Guys don’t like me that way.”
Giggling, she circled a finger round her temple, rolling her eyes. “You sure you don’t think I’m crazy? I have that effect on people, I’m kinda one end of the spectrum or the other most days, either really quiet or really chatty. One day everyone thinks I’m sulky, next day they think I’m nuts because they have no idea what I’m talking about.” She frowned a moment, pursing her lips to one side as she thought. “You know, I think that’s what’s different about you and Carlisle, you don’t creep me out like most people do. There’s not many people I can babble around, but it’s actually not scary talking to you guys. And yeah, there I go again, I really should learn to stop talking while I’m ahead.” She laughed again, covering her mouth with her hand before whispering, “They don’t like laughter too much here, it’s too disruptive. Heaven forbid anyone should be in a good mood.” She rolled her eyes again in mock horror.
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Post by Edward Cullen on Feb 19, 2009 1:08:56 GMT -5
"Sometimes the way to the destination comes with the scenic tour" He commented on her idea of trying many things before settling back where she started. The corners of Edward's mouth turned up to a smirk as he heard the thoughts in her mind of taming lions, but had to restrain himself from laughing and giving away that he knew more than he should. How humans could knowingly want to be that close to a creature that could take their life in a second was beyond him. Lions like himself, were natural predators. You can try to tame them all you want, but there were bound to be accidents.
"If its not that long you could always hope for a better home to wait out that time in and return here if this is where you're comfortable" Edward said, hating the thought of her remaining in such a bad situation. "But I suppose you've already thought through your options" He said letting her know he wasn't going to say anymore to try to sway her mind. "And you're smarter than you give yourself credit for...Carlisle wouldnt trust you to work for him if you werent"
Edward stifled another chuckle as she spoke of her relationship with Newton. Teenagers were often so naive about relationships. He had watched so many over the years go from just friends to much more. Still none of them ever saw it coming. "Just friends for now, but you never know who feels what, some guys take awhile to see what's in front of them...but if not sounds like you have a good friend."
"I've seen crazier" Edward commented, frowning slightly as she mentioned how he and Carlisle never creeped him out. It was what had initially caught his interest in her but it still made no sense to her. It was against all survival instincts. "My family usually tends to do the opposite and not jump at the chance to talk to us" He then found himself smiling at her joke about the hospital not liking people to be in a good mood.
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Post by Amber Jefferson on Mar 15, 2009 12:38:09 GMT -5
“Got that right” Amber agreed wholeheartedly, glancing around absently, as though expecting to see the sights she had seen so often over the years, street corners, sheltered spots under trees, back alleys, all her old haunts. “Maybe you’re right though. I might give it a try. I mean, I like the people, and the work. If I fail, so what, won’t be the first time. Seeing his smirk, she rolled her eyes, giving him a withering smile. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Everybody always says you should make a plan and stick to it, and maybe I’m not doing myself any good by changing my mind so much, but if there’s one thing you learn when you’ve lived the life I have: you have to take advantage of things while you have them.”
Listening to his suggestion, she nodded, raising her index finger as if he had touched on some grand theory. “See, that right there’s what I mean. That’s the logical approach, and that’s all well and good, when logic can be applied. It makes perfect sense, and in any other case, I’d be jumping at the idea, but in my case, I don’t think it’d work. I’ve lost count of my foster families, I think I’m somewhere near 10 now, maybe more. Every single one’s been like this one way or another, whether it was the kids at school beating me up or my foster parents. That many tries, you stop holding out hope for a change and you just learn to live with it. If I’m totally honest, and this is just between us, if the kids at school find out, I’ll know who told them” she paused, giving him a significant glare before allowing it to fade back to a smile, “It’s worth it. I mean, friends, a nice town, good school, it’s more than I’ve ever had. Putting up with being pushed downstairs, punched, kicked, that kinda stuff, that’s minor. I’ve had way worse before, and I never had anything that made it any easier. I hardly notice it now. Only reason I do is so nobody else does, keeps the questions away.” Looking down at the floor, one hand raised to her hair, twisting a strand around her finger nervously. “I really should learn not to talk so much” she chuckled.
Looking up again, she frowned slightly, before the expression turned to a bright, proud smile. “Yeah, I guess so. I mean, Carlisle’s smart, surely he wouldn’t trust me to do filing and things for him if I was a total dunce.” Her face reddened again at his implications about Mike. She had never thought of him as more than a friend, but she couldn’t deny that, if she was to pick out the qualities she would choose in a boyfriend, Mike would tick every box. Sweet, caring, funny, smart in his own way, outgoing, everything she admired in a person. “You think? I dunno, I’m not really the kinda girl guys go for. At least, I don’t think so. They’ve never really shown any interest in me. But like you say, he’s a good friend, so either way, I’m more than happy” she added, nodding happily. Whether or not she found a boyfriend, and whether or not it was Mike, was the last thing on her mind at the moment. Sure, it’d be nice, but right now she was content with what she had. Anything else would be a bonus.
“Yeah, but you guys are different somehow. I’m not sure how, and I don’t mean this in a bad way, but you kinda stand out. I think that’s why I like you guys so much. Normal people scare me a bit, they judge too easily, as you know. People like me just don’t fit in with them. I haven’t had the kind of normal upbringing they have, I haven’t lived in the same place all my life, haven’t even always had the same family, so I never feel right around them. I think that’s how come I feel better around you and Carlisle, I mean Dr Cullen. You’re more like me, in a sense, so I feel more like I can relate to you. Who knows, maybe I am crazier than you think, because I’m not sure that made any sense.”
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