dawn of a new era [nix girls]

[Melody Bishop]

it had been about a month since melody arrived in forks, and she still hated the place. it was nothing like italy. or england. well, maybe it was a little like london, but she didn't like london either. too much rain. melody had spent most of her time making sure the cullens were well aware of her presence. she'd gone far enough to actually knock on their door and tell them why she was there. they had to know she was there. melody wouldn't take them by surprise, and she was sure the small one had seen her coming anyway. aro had forewarned her of all their abilities. a clairvoyant, an emotion manipulator, a mind reader... melody had already had plenty of practice with a mind reader. she was, after all, in love with one. of course, nick could do lots of things the cullen mind reader was incapable of. and then of course, there was their pet human, the one she'd only glimpsed when they were in volterra. melody could smell her now, and she could smell the appeal that made the mind reader want her so badly. but it wasn't as attractive or delicious a smell as nick was as a human. melody would never forget that.

today, she was spending time away from the cullens. she'd know if something went wrong though. she could be anywhere she wanted faster than a heartbeat, so she wasn't worried about missing anything exciting. she went about the town of forks today instead, wearing sunglasses despite the overcast to shield her eyes. should anyone ask, she'd claim hangover. that would be easy enough. she was walking again today, as she still didn't have a car. it wasn't that she couldn't get one, she just didn't know what she wanted. melody spotted a small dinner, and, deciding to get a feel for the town, she crossed the street and entered the building. it was about half full, with people scattered here and there. she took a seat in the corner booth, knowing she could people watch from that corner. a tiny waitress came over and introduced herself, saying her name was peyton and that she'd be her waitress and would she like to start off with something to drink? melody peered at her from behind her sunglasses, which she refused to take off, though she was indoors. "i'll take a glass of red wine. merlot, if you have it," melody said. she wouldn't drink the stuff, but she'd sneak the contents of the blood bag in her purse into the drink, mixing it, and no one would be the wiser.

[Peyton Nix]

it was a boring saturday evening that peyton was spending working at the diner with her sister. most of the other kids her age were probably at first beach or something, surfing or doing whatever they did in the summer to the events that peyton was never invited to. not that she wanted to go anyway; her friends never went either. not that she knew of, anyway. it was just her and lyla working the night shift, but that was okay, since most people were on vacation anyway. summer was in full bloom, and all the seniors were getting ready to leave for college and whatnot. except that strange bella girl, who was getting married or something, to that cullen boy that everyone found so attractive. peyton didn't care about him. sure he was cute and all, but her best guy friend was cuter. there were about, oh, fifteen or so people in the diner eating and chatting and complaining about their orders. peyton was leaning against the counter with her forearms resting on it. "this is so boring," she said, turning her head toward lyla. she didn't get a chance to hear her sister's response, if there was one, because the door of the diner opened and that stupid annoying bell rang, and peyton laid her eyes on their newest customer. strange. the woman had the same pale skin and gorgeous aura as the cullens did. maybe she was a cousin or something. the mom's sister, maybe? they looked kind of similar.

when the woman sat down in peyton's section, she grabbed a menu and strolled over to her table. "hi, i'm peyton, and i'll be your waitress this evening," she said happily, setting the menu down in front of the stranger. "can i start you off with something to drink?" the woman responded, wine... merlot, if you have it. it was one of the smoothest voices she'd ever heard. she had to be a relative of the cullens. there was no other explanation. "one merlot, coming right up!" peyton spun on her heel and went back to behind the counter, tapping lyla on the shoulder. she still had a few more months until she was legal to actually serve alcohol, so she had to have her sister do it. "hey ly, the pretty woman at table seven wants a merlot," she said quietly, her eyes shifting in the direction of the stranger. "i think she's related to doctor cullen and his family. she looks and talks like them." she silently hoped her sister wouldn't give her a lecture on gossiping, because it was simply an observation, but peyton had an active tongue, and was always one to spread gossip, even if it was unintentional.

[Lyla Nix]

It had been yet another riveting Saturday night in the small town of Forks, Washington. There were times when Lyla wondered why in the hell she lived in such a small town, but then remembered that she was a struggling artist trying to make it big and needed the quiet of the town to work on her art seriously. Because it was such a small town, jobs were limited and so she and her sister Peyton worked at the local diner. Tonight they had the great thrill of having the night shift, which caused Lyla to roll her eyes at sarcastically. Night shifts were grand for only one reason...most everything in town was dead by nine at night. Except tonight. There seemed to be a buzz of about fifteen people in the diner, chatting it up with friends. Lyla stood behind the counter with Peyton, who made a comment about it being boring. "You're telling me," she said to her sister, who was already up and going toward the new customer that walked in. "Nevermind..." she trailed off. Lyla stood behind the counter, observing the new customer with curiousity. She was pale skinned, just like the strange Cullen family that lived outside town. But she paid no more mind to that and went to work cleaning.

Her attention was interrupted as she felt Peyton tapping her shoulder. Lyla spun around to hear her sister say that the new customer wanted a merlot and since Peyton wasn't legally allowed to serve alcohol, it meant that she was the one who was going to have to do it. Lyla didn't mind though. She listened as Peyton mentioned she might be related to the Cullens, she nodded and confirmed she was thinking the same thing. "Well, we won't know that for sure unless she says something," she said, going over and preparing the wine for the new customer. Smiling at her sister, she took the glass over and set it down. "I apologize for the change ma'am, but my sister isn't old enough to serve alcohol yet," she apologized politely. "My name's Lyla and if you need anything at all, just let me know." She smiled at the woman, who was still wearing sunglasses. Lyla was never one to ask rude questions, so she wasn't going to intrude or pry. That wasn't her place.