The Black Flame Candle

Part thirty-one

Bella, Edward, Jasper, and The cousins walked into the cafeteria and sat down with Angela, Eric, Mike, and Jessica. Edward and Bella are at the end, slightly apart. Jasper and Audrey are seated next to them, only that Jasper had his arm around Audrey's shoulders. Elizabeth and Ruth sit next to Angela. Angela was busy addressing a pile of note card envelopes. Mike wrote what he was saying on a legal pad, while he helped Jessica with her Valedictorian speech.

"My fellow students. Cool. Right? Wow. Okay, right? Cute. We are the future. Anything is possible if you just believe," he announced. "Nice," Angela spoke up. "Blah, blah, blah... Perfect. And got yourself a speech," Mike smiled, confidently, as he ripped the page off and handed it to Jessica. "No, this will be my speech. When I want everyone to throw diplomas at my head. So.... thank you," Jessica replied as she crumpled it up and tossed it at him.

"Ya gotta embrace the cliches, Jess," Mike told her. "They are the bread and butter of all valedictorians," Eric added. "And this is why you are not valedictorian. And Jess doesn't need cliches. The speech will be epic," Angela retorted. "Epic? It will change lives," Audrey corrected her. "Definitely," Bella agreed as Edward and Jasper nodded in agreement. Alice and Sora arrived abruptly as they carried trays of food they won't eat, sitting down next to them.

Audrey takes a fry from Sora's tray. Getting a playful glare from him. "I decided to throw a party," Alice announced as they all looked at her. "After all, how many times are we gonna graduate high school?" Jasper asked as Edward and Sora stifled a smile. The cousins hide their smiles. "A party? At your place?" Angela asked, stunned. "I've never seen your house," Jessica added.

"No one's ever seen your house," Eric looked awed. "Except for Bella and Sandersons," Mike spoke up. "Right here, folks, right here," Audrey nodded, waving my hands. "Another party, Alice?" Edward asked. "It'll be fun," Alice shot back. "That's what you said last time," Bella reminded her. "Make sure not to have anything sharp," Elizabeth added. "Don't want to have another accident, Alice." The humans looked at her, confused.

Audrey shook her head, lying that the cake fell to the ground. Suddenly Alice froze, her eyes glazing over. She's having a vision. Mike didn't notice yet. "Well, cool, that's really uh normal of you. What time?" Mike asked. Nothing from Alice. "Dress Code?" Still Nothing. "Bring anything? Cheetos?" Mike asked again as Alice didn't say anything. Bella looked at Edward, concerned. He shrugged it off as Audrey turned to Angela.

"Want help with that, Ang?" Audrey asked as She turned everyone's attention from Alice. Sora looked at her and mouthed thank you as Audrey nodded back at him for diverting attention from his mate.

-𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳'𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲-

Jasper's car and Edward's car are both parked in the parking lot of the Police Station. They all got out of the cars and headed inside. They saw Charlie behind the counter talking to a middle-aged couple, whose faces are etched with grief and worry. "So what was that at school?" Bella asked. "What did Alice see?" Audrey continued. "Nothing. Something about Sora," Edward lied. "I know you know what she saw. Tell me," Bella pressed.

"It was nothing," Jasper replied. "You looked worried," Audrey stated. "Just so that everyone would notice how strange Alice is," Jasper sighed. "I think that ship sailed long ago," Audrey spoke up as Jasper smiled into Audrey's hair at her comment. Audrey pulled him aside. "Is it Victoria?" Audrey asked, lowering her voice. "Alice saw her in the woods near our house," Jasper answered. "She's coming this weekend. We need to get you and Bella out of her."

"The tickets to Florida," Audrey realized. "I can take her there and keep her safe." Audrey looked at Edward, who nodded. Charlie looked at them and subtly motioned for them to keep our distance. "I wonder what's wrong," Edward asked. "Someone is missing in Seattle, over a year ago. Charlie is doing what he can, but... do you know something about it?" Bella asked. "We've been tracking the situation in Seattle for a while. Unexplained disappearances, killings.

If the situation gets any more conspicuous, the Volturi will step in," Edward replied. "If they go to Seattle, they can come here. They'll see that Bella's still human," Audrey responded. "We won't get that far. But we'll go to Seattle if we have to," Jasper agreed. "I'll fax these down first thing in the morning," Charlie told the couple as they get up. "Thank you," the couple said as they left Charlie walked up to them as Bella watched the couple leave.

"Hey," Charlie greeted them. "Hey," Bella and Audrey replied. "Ready for dinner?" Charlie asked. "Yes!" Bella and Audrey spoke up. Charlie put a picture of a guy into a case file. Bella exited, flanked by Charlie, Edward, Jasper, and Audrey. "It is still just you two and me, alright?" Charlie asked. "Yes, we're just dropping them off. See you later," Jasper replied as they both started to leave and stopped.

"Oh...Bella. Our parents wanted to remind you about....the Airline tickets you got for your birthday," Edward spoke up. Bella and Audrey eyed him with suspicion but he appeared clueless. "What airline tickets?" Charlie asked. "A round ticket to see Ms. Renee in Florida," Audrey replied. "Wow, that was generous," Charlie was stunned. "And it expires soon. they say you might wanna use this weekend," Jasper added.

"Well, I can't just drop everything and go," Bella replied. "It might be your last chance to see her before you graduate," Edward asked. This landed with her. "Well, it might not be a bad idea, get out of town for a couple of days, get some distance," Charlie asked them. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing Mom as long as you use the companion tickets," Bella asked Edward. "Wait, just two tickets?" Charlie repeated as he looked between the two.

"Super. That makes me happy." "Don't worry, Charlie," Audrey spoke up. "I'll be going as well. I'd love to meet Renee, so I'll join them. Same with Jasper." "That's good," Charlie sighed. Bella and Audrey looked at each other as sunshine filled our eyes.