Chapter 18:

Lux POV:

"ZOE! OH MY GOD I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" I squealed, hugging my blonde best friend. She eagerly squeezed me back, twirling around

If you don't remember, Zoe was my best friend back in the day. It feels like ages since I was back with her as a human, though it's only been a week.

"I missed you too!" She squealed back. We eventually stopped hugging and turned towards the curious Cullen family in the hall.

"Zoe, this is the Cullen family. I went to summer camp with Edward and Rosalie, when we found out that they live in the same town as my mom. I've stopped by every year for the holidays, and I thought "Hey why not come see them for Thanksgiving this year?" And I've been with them for the past week, and I'll probably be moving in with them soon." I rushed out, lying on the spot.

"You're moving out of my apartment?" Zoe asked hurt. Their was an awkward silence. The Cullen's awkwardly backed out of the room, murmuring their goodbyes.

"Um yeah..."

"Lux Elaina Thompson, why didn't you call? I was so worried when you didn't come home after Thanksgiving. And then I travel all the way to Forks to find you at your friends house? And now your moving in!?" Zoe yelled.

I totally forgot my original last name.... Shit I'm going to have to be careful what I say around Zoe. How on earth am I going to act around her?

Plus there's so much she doesn't know, and there's not really a food way to tell your beat friend that you're not a human. Like, I was almost mugged to death and two vampires bit me so I could live immortally. Or how about, I'm not only a vampire, I can also turn invisible, and give anything or anyone my powers. Oh yeah, did I mention that I have a were wolf boyfriend? Yeah, they exist too. Or maybe that I am a Protecter for a girl I tried to kill, and that people think I kidnapped her best friend. Oh but this one's the best, an old ass vampire that murdered children is coming after my mom, grandma, and me, along with the fact that the Volturi is trying to frame me for her crime?

Great conversation starter. FML.

"I did call you, twice! And I can move wherever I want Zoe! How did you even find me?" I asked. Zoe frowned, crossing her arms.

"I went to your mom's house after you didn't come home two days later with no message, and she told me you ran into some old friends to stay with called "the Cullen's" so looked it up and drove here. Forks isn't exactly a big town Lux." She sassed me, I growled.

"Look I know you're upset but I'm leaving on a.....um...... Trip tomorrow, so I really just want to relax right now." I told my clingy best friend, sighing. She sighed too, hugging me.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to know you were safe. And it's fine if you move out, I get that you probably want to be closer to your mom, but I'll miss you." Zoe said smiling. I nodded, pretending that's why I was moving out.

"Yeah it'll be easier that way." I mumbled, humoring myself.

"So I have two questions for you." Zoe said, leaning on the wall and playing with her blonde hair.

"Yeah?"

"One, is where are you going on your trip? And two is, seriously? The purple contacts are a little tacky, if you're going goth, at least go original." I laughed.

"I'm leaving for a little vacation before Christmas." I easily lied. She didn't need to know that I was going to hunt Aria all over the world, until I killed her.

"Oh I see. Well that's nice. How long?" Zoe asked, and I closed my eyes in thought.

Traveling all over the world by foot...... How long would it take? ( I couldn't take my Ferrari because the Volturi would hunt me down and drag me back to Volterra for questioning). Hmmm...

"Like three days...ish."I said and she laughed.

"Well okay then. Three days...ish."

"Do you want to stay in my room while I'm gone? It's a long drive back home, and I need someone to take care of Shadow." I offered and she grinned.

"Sure, I miss that fur ball!" Zoe exclaimed, hugging me.

"Okay, I'll introduce you to everyone."

&&&&&&&&&&

Once I asked Carlisle and Esme if Zoe could stay in my room while I was away, they immediately agreed. I introduced my old friend to all the Cullen's, and showed her around the house so she knew where she was going. Then I introduced her to the Cult. That was.... Interesting.

"Hey babe! Who's this?" Carter asked, running towards me shirtless. I smiled as he wrapped his tan muscular arm around my waist and pulled me close.

"This is my old best friend Zoe Parker. Zoe this is my boyfriend Carter Faye." I introduced.

Instead of winking or teasing me about the male attention I was getting currently, Zoe was completely out of her nature. She almost...cringed, like she had smelled something rotten when Carter arrived. She didn't inhale through her nose and narrowed her eyes at him. Carter did the same, pulling me closer.

"Nice to meet you." Carter managed to spit out, and I was utterly confused why they were acting so weird. Zoe looked around impatiently.

"The pleasure's mine."

After that I quickly separated the two, and briefly introduced the rest of the Cult, earning the same reaction from every one of them.

What. The. Hell.

I eventually took Zoe back inside, and we went back to my room, where I packed for my trip. She sat on my couch and pet Shadow, the TV remote in her hands.

"So what's with you and my boyfriend's friends?" I tried to ask casually, sneaking a side glance at her, tearing my vision away from my duffel bag.

Zoe aimed the remote at my plasma, and changed the channel, shrugging.

"Not my type."

Ohhhhhkay then....

&&&&&&&&&&

The next morning I left for Bali, running barefoot with my small duffelbag filled with clothes. I had already said good bye to everyone, including Shadow, and was on my way by 11:00 am.

My goal of this trip was to try to find clues as to where in the world Aria could be. Carlisle and Esme even gave me some people that might be able to help me along the way. In the mean time, Elizabeth and Alice were supposed to update me with news on Mina, whereabouts on Aria, or anything that could help me track this last down.

I had been gone for 2 days and had gotten nothing so far. I have travelled to Bali, Colorado, Norway, Netherlands, Australia, Nepal, and Iceland so far, and nobody has been able to give any useful information on Aria to me.

Currently I am in Rome on my way to a couple that Esme told me to try asking. Alice called me earlier today saying that Mina still hasn't been found, and that three more kids from the high school have been taken. She thinks it's Aria.

I think the most frustrating part about this whole mess is that even though Aria is kidnapping MY school, she still doesn't live there. She still could be in, I don't know, Japan by now with Mina and the other kids. It's like an endless wild goose chase.

Anyway, as I was running through a forest to get to the couple's house, my phone went off. I stopped and answered.

"Hello?"

"Oh my gosh, Lux, it's Elizabeth dear." I heard my grandmother rush out excitedly.

"What's happened!?" I anxiously asked.

"I found the old school uniform I wore the day of Aria's attack, the one she bit me in." Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Wait... So you're saying that you have Aria's scent at your house in a uniform?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes. Now all you have to do is come home, familiarize her scent and track her down. She's dead now, honey. A vampire's scent is a dead giveaway of where their hiding." Elizabeth explained, and my spirits soared.

This could finally be over. Everything would be done. I could kill her, protect Jackie, save Mina and the other kids, turn Aria in, get the accusation of being her odd my back, clear my records, and protect my mom, grandma, Carter, the cult, and the Cullen's.

It would be the ultimate grand slam.

But the problem was that if I lost, everything would go completely opposite, and everyone I love would die... Because of me.