Ellie stood in the bright, blue room, taking in her surroundings one last time. She worried that he wouldn't forgive her, but she had to do this. It was the only time that they would offer and if she didn't go now, she would never know if she could be more.
Mike was waiting patiently at his desk, eyeing her with curiosity. He saw her twitching with words unspoken. The way she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth had him holding his breath. Whatever she had to say was eating at her, and he worried that he wouldn't be happy with the outcome.
It was a moment more before Ellie could gather the smallest amount of courage. Unfortunately, her mouth was working faster than her mind, "I'm leaving."
Mike furrowed his brows. She was leaving? Where in the world would she be going right now? He paused to gather his words before stuttering out, "W-what?"
Ellie sighed. She had told herself how hard this was going to be, but she hadn't realized just how hard it would actually be. "I have to leave for a while."
"But not forever?" he questioned, his heart sinking in his chest.
"Not forever. Just a few months to my knowledge," she answered as best as she could. He deserved as close to the truth as she could get without endangering him. "I've been accepted into a special program up north. It's elite in all forms, and it's something I never imagined I would get to do. I have to go."
Mike slowly digested her words. The reality of them hitting him hard. His best friend was leaving him, but it was for a her future. He couldn't hold her back from that, not after everything that she had been through lately. She deserved the chance to just forget for a little while. Taking a deep breath, he nodded and crossed the room to wrap her in his arms. "Congratulations, El. I'm happy for you."
She gripped tightly onto him, holding him as close as she could. Mike would never know how much he meant to her, but in that moment, she could hold him. They could allow themselves to feel the comfort they needed just from being in each other's arms. "I'll be back soon, Mikey. I promise."
She only hoped that her words would ring true.
Bella and her father had been Ellie's second destination. She had never expected them to mean so much to her, but the duo had somehow managed to weasel themselves into her heart, and she would miss them.
Knocking thrice, Ellie prepared herself for whatever waited on the other side. She wasn't sure how Bella would react to more people leaving her life, but she had to do this. She had to go, and Bella would have to learn to survive on her own.
When Charlie opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see Ellie. She had been there nearly every day, trying to coax his daughter into life. He was surprised to see that look on her face though. It was a look that told him more than he could ever hear. She was going to deliver bad news. "Ellie."
She looked into his brown eyes and sighed. It was now or never. "I came to say goodbye."
"You're leaving too?" he asked, sadness filling his own eyes.
"I've been accepted into a special school," she said, rolling her lips between her teeth. "They only select so many people a year to attend, and they picked me. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."
Charlie rubbed his hand over his face. He couldn't begrudge her for something regarding her education could be? Well, he could, but it wouldn't do him any good. At least she was giving him a heads up. He just didn't know if Bella could handle any more change. "Is it a good school?"
"The best," Ellie said, her eyes watering.
He nodded before placing a hand on her shoulder. He sighed, knowing his next words were going to hurt her. "I can't let you see her."
A tear rolled down cheek before she nodded and quickly wiped it away. It was only right that he didn't want her to hurt his daughter any more than she already was. "Just... tell her I'm coming back. I won't be gone forever, just a little while."
"I'll let her know," he mumbled and kept his eyes to the floor. "Be careful out there, kid."
Ellie nodded, knowing he was saying he cared in his own way. "Thanks, Charlie. For everything."
He would never know what he and his daughter had done for her, but Ellie hoped they would be okay. Only time would tell.
Trudging into her home, she heard pots and pans clanging together. The smell of her sister's famous chicken casserole reached her nose making her stomach grumble, but Ellie wouldn't be eating tonight. She had business to attend to. Reaching the kitchen, she saw her twin pulling two pans of casserole out of the oven and putting two more pans in.
"Is there a reason you're cooking so much casserole?" she asked, leaning against the island. There were pans sitting everywhere on the counter.
Evie let loose a small squeak, not expecting her sister to just pop up like she had. She turned to face her twin, clutching a hand to her chest. "Just taking some dinner to the council elders," she said, catching her breath. "They've been so welcoming to me. I just want to do something kind for them in return."
"I'm glad you're doing well with them, Eve," Ellie said, smiling lightly at her twin.
"Me too," she smiled, her heart fluttering at the thought of how much she felt at home with the Quileute people. Her smile soon turned to a frown as the thought of her parents crossed her mind. "Listen, El, I've got something I need to tell you."
Ellie caught her twin's eyes, "This is about your parents?"
"Stay out of my head," she giggled but nodded nonetheless. "They finally bought a home. It's on the border of La Push and Forks. So you'll still be welcome there. I just wanted to let you know before I just up and move out. I'm really glad you let me stay with you."
"It was no problem," Ellie said, feeling better about what she was about to tell her twin. "You're my sister. I'd want nothing else than help."
"But you have news, too," Evie said, watching her twin twiddle her thumbs.
"Yeah," she said before pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. "The Council sent someone to fetch me today."
"Is everything okay?" Evie said, digging the plastic wrap out of the cabinet.
"I've been invited to attend The Academy," she said, watching her sister wrap the plastic around the disposable pans.
"You mean that prestigious one you told me about?" Evie asked, lifting her eyes to her twin. "The Academy for, uh, the Supernaturally Gifted?"
"That's the one," she said, thinking of her last visit there.
"That's great, Ellie!" her twin exclaimed, genuinely happy that her sister would be able to escape for a little while. "When do you have to go?"
"I'm leaving tonight," she said, pulling her eyes to the marble island. "I figured I could stop by Grandma Weston's and catch up before classes begin in the morning."
Evie stopped what she was doing and moved to her sister's side. "Do you need help packing?"
Ellie chuckled but declined, "I think I can handle it. Besides, you have some meals to deliver."
Evie pulled her twin into a hug before she walked back around to her casseroles. They didn't need words. They both already knew. Everything was going to be okay for them for once in their lives. They weren't going to have to worry about what was to come, and they were both relieved by that.
They just hoped it would last.
Whitefield was just as Ellie remembered it. It was a quiet, little town that held secrets darker than night. The evening air was chilly against her alabaster skin as she walked down the familiar streets of her old hometown. The walk to the Weston house was just a block away from the location she had decided to teleport to. She would have tried for closer, but she assumed that Grandma would have her usual wards up. It was better to just walk.
The small one story house was everything that Ellie could hope for in life. It may have been old and weathered, but it held love and happiness that could even be felt outside of its four walls. It was the only part of Ellie's childhood memories that she didn't want to change.
Stepping up to the white picket fence, Ellie slid her hand in a circular motion along the third post to the right and watched as the fence glowed a dim white. The lock popped open and allowed the blonde emissary entrance into the tiny yard.
The corner of Ellie's lip pulled up as she thought of the strong, old woman who trusted highly in the magic of witches she had met. As soon as she stepped foot on the grass, she was knocked off her feet by a hefty force and lifted into the air.
"Ellie Belly!" a masculine voice called as he twirled her in the air.
Ellie could feel his wide grin as it stretched across his face causing her own to form. "Beck!"
Slowly putting her on her feet, he said, "What are you doing here? Grandma didn't say you were coming."
"It was a surprise," she said, pulling her friend into hug. "I start at The Academy tomorrow and thought I'd stop by."
"I didn't realize they were already taking new students," he said as they pulled away. He raked his hand through his brown locks. "I'm glad you get to go though. It's great!"
He picked up her singular suitcase and gripped her hand before pulling her to the house. Casting his eyes to the side, he smiled, "You've changed since the last time I saw you."
"I needed something new," she shrugged, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.
Beck's eyes narrowed as they made it into the kitchen, "I know you better than I know most people, E, and that look you have in your eyes right now, is not one that I like. What happened? The last I heard things were going fairly decent for you."
Ellie frowned. Beck had always known her better than she knew herself. He was her brother by all by blood. She should have known he would catch her far off expressions. She opened her mouth to tell him about all of her troubles, but was cut off by Grandma Weston's voice penetrating the air, "Eleanor DuPree. It's about time you visited. I'm not getting any younger you know!"
Ellie smiled and allowed the older woman to pull her into a hug before saying, "All too well, Grandma. All too well."
"So, the old broad finally called?" she asked, looking the girl over and frowning. "And you look like you're beginning to feel ill. Are you feeling alright, Dear? That vampire is treating you right?"
Ellie's eyes closed, and she felt her stomach lurch at the thought of Jasper. Warmth bubbled beneath her eyelids at the mere mention of him. "She sent some creep to tell me. As for me, I'm as well as can be. Jasper and his family left town recently. They, uh, they asked me not to follow them. I wouldn't even know if I hadn't been left a note. He didn't even have the decency to tell me."
Grandma's eyes darkened. She knew it wasn't good, but she didn't expect the imbecile to have left. He could kill her by leaving her behind. "He's an idiot."
"Not as big of an idiot as me apparently," Ellie sighed, taking a seat at the kitchen bar.
Grandma rolled her eyes and smacked Ellie on the back of the head, "You tethered to him. That excuses you. He, on the other hand, has put you in dire danger. An emissary cannot be separated from his or her tether for a long period of time. It weakens the emissary in ways that are dangerous for all around them. It's one of our biggest weaknesses. How long has he been gone?"
"Around a month," Ellie said, eyes narrowed. That idiot was quickly climbing his way up a list that she reserved for her deadliest enemies. He would be lucky if she let him live when she next saw him. That is, if she survived long enough to see it.
Grandma sighed, at least it hadn't been longer. The longer they were separated, the worse Ellie would become, and she had witnessed the girl go through too much to fall to an ill fated tether. "You'll be fine for now, but you must see him soon."
Ellie dropped her head onto her arms, and Beck began rubbing circles on her back in an attempt to comfort her. She didn't want to see Jasper. He didn't want her. He especially didn't deserve to see her. Why couldn't her life just get even a little bit easier? There was always something trying to keep her from rising to her greatest potential. Why couldn't she just catch a break?
She would never know the real answer, but she would try her hardest to put an end to her struggles. She would win if it was the last thing she did.