Charlie’s POV
“Look, it was a just a few drinks.”
“Three bottles of expensive champagne, Sarah.”
“Like I alisema – a few drinks.”
“Do wewe think about anyone else before wewe start on the drink? Do wewe know who has to pick up the pieces after one of your benders?”
Sarah stared at me, different emotions crossing her face. Embarrassment, shame, disgust and then anger.
“How dare wewe speak to me like that!” she screeched at me. “You haven’t seen me in years, Charlie, so how would wewe know anything?!”
“Do wewe think I don’t talk to Kayla?” I shouted at her. “She calls me every time wewe drink too much. Why does she do it? She can’t talk to Darren because he’s too busy trying to save wewe from hurting yourself!”
Sarah’s wide blue eyes were round with fright. I had never shouted at her before. There had never been a need. Even when she left me with Kayla I never Lost my temper because I knew she was doing it for Kayla. But this was just disgraceful. She can drink in her own house but coming to Kayla’s graduation drunk?
“Are wewe saying that Michaela came here was to escape me?” Sarah looked near tears.
“Actually she left because of Darren,” I replied.
“Darren doesn’t treat her bad at all!”
“He doesn’t treat her anything,” I stressed. “He’s too stressed and worried about wewe to even bother with Kayla. She thinks he hates her when in fact his time’s occupied looking after you.”
Just then Darren came out of the gymnasium looking slightly happier than when he went in.
“She’ll talk to you, Sarah,” Darren said, smiling slightly. “Kayla doesn’t seem that upset about the incident.”
“Her name’s Michaela, Darren,” Sarah clipped before she pushed past me and into the gymnasium.
“You too,” I alisema to Darren.
“I don’t get what’s so bad about ‘Kayla’,” he told me.
“I’ve been calling Kayla that ever since she was a little girl. Sarah’s just trying to rid me of her life.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes. Darren stared down at his feet, feeling awkward at my answer. He felt guilty now for saying anything. Giving him a friendly pat on the back, to onyesha no hard feelings, I went into the gymnasium to be there in case a fight broke out. The hall was still packed with students, some still in yellow robes, and their parents. I spotted Edward with his family but Kayla was not with him. Maybe he had left her to give her some privacy with Sarah. I wandered through the crowd, trying to find Sarah and Kayla. They shouldn’t be far from Edward as he wouldn’t leave her alone without being within ten feet of her. Panic rose up in me and I squashed it down. There was no reason to panic. Kayla probably took her mother off into a quiet corner so her shouts could be heard well. This calmed me down and I managed not to shout out Kayla’s name. I didn’t want to embarrass her. Sarah had done enough of that.
“Charlie!” a panicked voice shouted behind me. I turned and saw Jacob running towards me with Mitchell.
“I can’t find Michaela.” Mitchell was the panicked one. His blue eyes were full of fear.
“Her scent’s weak, Charlie,” Jacob said. He was better at disguising his fear although he was breaking down inside his own mind. “I can’t find it strong anywhere.”
“She’s probably gone outside,” I said, trying to calm them as well as myself. “Sarah wanted to talk to her.”
“Weren’t wewe outside?” Mitchell asked.
“There’s got to be zaidi exits in this hall than one.”
“Charlie!”
Sarah was making her way towards me now. She didn’t look as panicked as Mitchell so I assumed she had spoken to Kayla and everything was going fine.
“I can’t find Michaela anywhere,” she said. “Then again every student here is wearing yellow so it’s no wonder.”
A doubt of worry was swirling round her mind no matter what mask she wore on her face. She was like Jacob in that way.
I looked around and saw that only a few were wearing yellow robes and it was definite that Kayla would have gotten out of her vazi as fast as she could. Even Edward wasn’t wearing his.
“Don’t worry,” I assured Sarah. “She’s probably in a corner with her boyfriend.”
Sarah nodded but doubted it.
“Charlie!”
Was this going to be zaidi bad news? I didn’t know if I could handle another person coming to me and saying they can’t find Kayla. Couldn’t they just do a thorough check of the gymnasium before they worried me?
This time it was Carlisle that had shouted me. He was walking towards me with his wife and Edward. They all had smiles plastered on their faces.
“Congratulations, Charlie.” Carlisle shook my hand. “You must be proud of Kayla.”
“Very proud,” I said. “No need to ask if you’re proud of Edward. He’s a brilliant young man.”
Edward was staring intently at Sarah and I think I knew why.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Esme smiled at Sarah.
“Sarah Swan,” Sarah held out her hand to Esme. “Michaela’s mother.”
“Esme Cullen, Edward’s mother.” Esme shook her hand and introduced Carlisle.
“Where’s Kayla?” Edward asked me. “I left her a few dakika zamani to talk to her mother.”
Sarah shrugged. “I came in here and I can’t find her. Looked everywhere and not a trace.”
Edward turned sharply in Jacob’s direction.
“You’re right, Jacob,” Edward spoke quietly. “But I will find her. I’m zaidi familiar with her scent than you. I could pick out her scent in a crowd of thousands.”
Edward sped off, not even at human speed. Esme now looked rather worried and so did Carlisle.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I alisema to them. “She’s probably gone off to have a sulk over the incident.”
“So this is my fault?” Sarah said, heatedly. “Michaela’s disappeared and it’s my fault?”
“I didn’t say it was.” I didn’t want to deal with her right now. If Kayla had disappeared then I didn’t want to waste time arguing with Sarah.
Before Sarah could retaliate Edward appeared with Alice. Edward was clutching a mass of yellow.
“I found these at the side entrance.”
“Kayla’s graduation robe,” Esme whispered.
“She had these in her hands before I left her,” Edward said. “I’m positive of it.”
“I’m sorry,” Alice’s dhahabu eyes were fearful. “I didn’t see this at all. Nothing.”
“It’s not your fault, Alice,” I comforted the small vampire. She loved Kayla and the poor thing was going to torture herself over this. I turned to Jacob. “Inform Sam and start searching. Go from the side door and try to trace her scent.”
Jacob nodded once and was gone.
“I want to help them,” Edward said. “I’m not staying here.”
I ignored him and turned to Mitchell. “Try to track her kwa her abilities. Go.”
“Charlie I’m not staying here!” Edward snarled. “She could be hurt! I want to help her!”
“Stay here, Edward. The pack and Mitchell have this.”
With his eyes blazing like dhahabu moto he turned on his heel and was gone in a blur of white.
“I’ll see if I can find her,” Alice alisema and she too was gone in a white blur.
The only people left were Carlisle, Esme and Sarah. Sarah looked horrified. She had just realised that Kayla was now missing and something wasn’t right about it. Of course, she knew about what I was and would be sure to blame me.
“I have to go get Darren,” she said, turning away from me. All the anger had left her. Her shoulders were slouched and she shuffled, not walked.
“You know what to do,” I alisema to Carlisle and Esme. They nodded and they too were gone. I was left standing alone. A hole opened up in my chest and every emotion I had suppressed when I first couldn’t find Kayla spilled over and flooded me. Where was my baby girl?
“Look, it was a just a few drinks.”
“Three bottles of expensive champagne, Sarah.”
“Like I alisema – a few drinks.”
“Do wewe think about anyone else before wewe start on the drink? Do wewe know who has to pick up the pieces after one of your benders?”
Sarah stared at me, different emotions crossing her face. Embarrassment, shame, disgust and then anger.
“How dare wewe speak to me like that!” she screeched at me. “You haven’t seen me in years, Charlie, so how would wewe know anything?!”
“Do wewe think I don’t talk to Kayla?” I shouted at her. “She calls me every time wewe drink too much. Why does she do it? She can’t talk to Darren because he’s too busy trying to save wewe from hurting yourself!”
Sarah’s wide blue eyes were round with fright. I had never shouted at her before. There had never been a need. Even when she left me with Kayla I never Lost my temper because I knew she was doing it for Kayla. But this was just disgraceful. She can drink in her own house but coming to Kayla’s graduation drunk?
“Are wewe saying that Michaela came here was to escape me?” Sarah looked near tears.
“Actually she left because of Darren,” I replied.
“Darren doesn’t treat her bad at all!”
“He doesn’t treat her anything,” I stressed. “He’s too stressed and worried about wewe to even bother with Kayla. She thinks he hates her when in fact his time’s occupied looking after you.”
Just then Darren came out of the gymnasium looking slightly happier than when he went in.
“She’ll talk to you, Sarah,” Darren said, smiling slightly. “Kayla doesn’t seem that upset about the incident.”
“Her name’s Michaela, Darren,” Sarah clipped before she pushed past me and into the gymnasium.
“You too,” I alisema to Darren.
“I don’t get what’s so bad about ‘Kayla’,” he told me.
“I’ve been calling Kayla that ever since she was a little girl. Sarah’s just trying to rid me of her life.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes. Darren stared down at his feet, feeling awkward at my answer. He felt guilty now for saying anything. Giving him a friendly pat on the back, to onyesha no hard feelings, I went into the gymnasium to be there in case a fight broke out. The hall was still packed with students, some still in yellow robes, and their parents. I spotted Edward with his family but Kayla was not with him. Maybe he had left her to give her some privacy with Sarah. I wandered through the crowd, trying to find Sarah and Kayla. They shouldn’t be far from Edward as he wouldn’t leave her alone without being within ten feet of her. Panic rose up in me and I squashed it down. There was no reason to panic. Kayla probably took her mother off into a quiet corner so her shouts could be heard well. This calmed me down and I managed not to shout out Kayla’s name. I didn’t want to embarrass her. Sarah had done enough of that.
“Charlie!” a panicked voice shouted behind me. I turned and saw Jacob running towards me with Mitchell.
“I can’t find Michaela.” Mitchell was the panicked one. His blue eyes were full of fear.
“Her scent’s weak, Charlie,” Jacob said. He was better at disguising his fear although he was breaking down inside his own mind. “I can’t find it strong anywhere.”
“She’s probably gone outside,” I said, trying to calm them as well as myself. “Sarah wanted to talk to her.”
“Weren’t wewe outside?” Mitchell asked.
“There’s got to be zaidi exits in this hall than one.”
“Charlie!”
Sarah was making her way towards me now. She didn’t look as panicked as Mitchell so I assumed she had spoken to Kayla and everything was going fine.
“I can’t find Michaela anywhere,” she said. “Then again every student here is wearing yellow so it’s no wonder.”
A doubt of worry was swirling round her mind no matter what mask she wore on her face. She was like Jacob in that way.
I looked around and saw that only a few were wearing yellow robes and it was definite that Kayla would have gotten out of her vazi as fast as she could. Even Edward wasn’t wearing his.
“Don’t worry,” I assured Sarah. “She’s probably in a corner with her boyfriend.”
Sarah nodded but doubted it.
“Charlie!”
Was this going to be zaidi bad news? I didn’t know if I could handle another person coming to me and saying they can’t find Kayla. Couldn’t they just do a thorough check of the gymnasium before they worried me?
This time it was Carlisle that had shouted me. He was walking towards me with his wife and Edward. They all had smiles plastered on their faces.
“Congratulations, Charlie.” Carlisle shook my hand. “You must be proud of Kayla.”
“Very proud,” I said. “No need to ask if you’re proud of Edward. He’s a brilliant young man.”
Edward was staring intently at Sarah and I think I knew why.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Esme smiled at Sarah.
“Sarah Swan,” Sarah held out her hand to Esme. “Michaela’s mother.”
“Esme Cullen, Edward’s mother.” Esme shook her hand and introduced Carlisle.
“Where’s Kayla?” Edward asked me. “I left her a few dakika zamani to talk to her mother.”
Sarah shrugged. “I came in here and I can’t find her. Looked everywhere and not a trace.”
Edward turned sharply in Jacob’s direction.
“You’re right, Jacob,” Edward spoke quietly. “But I will find her. I’m zaidi familiar with her scent than you. I could pick out her scent in a crowd of thousands.”
Edward sped off, not even at human speed. Esme now looked rather worried and so did Carlisle.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I alisema to them. “She’s probably gone off to have a sulk over the incident.”
“So this is my fault?” Sarah said, heatedly. “Michaela’s disappeared and it’s my fault?”
“I didn’t say it was.” I didn’t want to deal with her right now. If Kayla had disappeared then I didn’t want to waste time arguing with Sarah.
Before Sarah could retaliate Edward appeared with Alice. Edward was clutching a mass of yellow.
“I found these at the side entrance.”
“Kayla’s graduation robe,” Esme whispered.
“She had these in her hands before I left her,” Edward said. “I’m positive of it.”
“I’m sorry,” Alice’s dhahabu eyes were fearful. “I didn’t see this at all. Nothing.”
“It’s not your fault, Alice,” I comforted the small vampire. She loved Kayla and the poor thing was going to torture herself over this. I turned to Jacob. “Inform Sam and start searching. Go from the side door and try to trace her scent.”
Jacob nodded once and was gone.
“I want to help them,” Edward said. “I’m not staying here.”
I ignored him and turned to Mitchell. “Try to track her kwa her abilities. Go.”
“Charlie I’m not staying here!” Edward snarled. “She could be hurt! I want to help her!”
“Stay here, Edward. The pack and Mitchell have this.”
With his eyes blazing like dhahabu moto he turned on his heel and was gone in a blur of white.
“I’ll see if I can find her,” Alice alisema and she too was gone in a white blur.
The only people left were Carlisle, Esme and Sarah. Sarah looked horrified. She had just realised that Kayla was now missing and something wasn’t right about it. Of course, she knew about what I was and would be sure to blame me.
“I have to go get Darren,” she said, turning away from me. All the anger had left her. Her shoulders were slouched and she shuffled, not walked.
“You know what to do,” I alisema to Carlisle and Esme. They nodded and they too were gone. I was left standing alone. A hole opened up in my chest and every emotion I had suppressed when I first couldn’t find Kayla spilled over and flooded me. Where was my baby girl?
Llovera, gotas mínimas
Lloverá, de mi boca
Saldrá el mar
No, no, Romeo, no
No, no, me dejes ver
Tu vida fue gestada ya
Lloverá, caudales de agua
Agua lisa
Lloverá, desde mis ojos
No, no, Romeo, no
No, no me dejes ver
Que tu muerte fue gestada ya
Renacimiento
English Translation:
Llovera, minimum drops
Rain, from my mouth
Will the sea
No, no, Romeo, not
No, no, let me see
Your life was articulated and
Rain, water flows
Smooth water
Rain from my eyes
No, no, Romeo, not
No, do not let me see
May your death was articulated and
Renaissance
Lloverá, de mi boca
Saldrá el mar
No, no, Romeo, no
No, no, me dejes ver
Tu vida fue gestada ya
Lloverá, caudales de agua
Agua lisa
Lloverá, desde mis ojos
No, no, Romeo, no
No, no me dejes ver
Que tu muerte fue gestada ya
Renacimiento
English Translation:
Llovera, minimum drops
Rain, from my mouth
Will the sea
No, no, Romeo, not
No, no, let me see
Your life was articulated and
Rain, water flows
Smooth water
Rain from my eyes
No, no, Romeo, not
No, do not let me see
May your death was articulated and
Renaissance
Last born of the clan
First one to be free
Lived inside a house
Beneath the hanging tree
Loved them deadly nights
That chilled him to the bone
Words were cried at night
In unforgiving tones
Blood of his men was gone beneath snow
He picked up his kisu and his bow
Killer of Jonathan Low
Violence from without
And anger from within
Crawling through the fields
Informing inayofuata of kin
They all turned their backs
But they all knew his name
And if he could return
They'd probably do the same
Blood of his Marafiki was gone beneath snow
For all that I know, he died
Killer of Jonathan Low
The blood of his Marafiki was gone beneath snow
For all that I know, he died
Killer of Jonathan Low
First one to be free
Lived inside a house
Beneath the hanging tree
Loved them deadly nights
That chilled him to the bone
Words were cried at night
In unforgiving tones
Blood of his men was gone beneath snow
He picked up his kisu and his bow
Killer of Jonathan Low
Violence from without
And anger from within
Crawling through the fields
Informing inayofuata of kin
They all turned their backs
But they all knew his name
And if he could return
They'd probably do the same
Blood of his Marafiki was gone beneath snow
For all that I know, he died
Killer of Jonathan Low
The blood of his Marafiki was gone beneath snow
For all that I know, he died
Killer of Jonathan Low
Other lives, always tempted to trade
Will they hate me for all the choices I made
Will they stop when they see me again
I can’t stop now I know who I am
Now I’m all yours, I’m not afraid
And you’re all mine, say what they may
And all your upendo I’ll take to the grave
And all my life starts now
Tear me down, they can’t take wewe out of my thoughts
Under every scar there’s a battle I’ve lost
Will they stop when they see us again
I can’t stop now I know who I am
Now I’m all yours, I’m not afraid
And you’re all mine, say what they may
And all your upendo I’ll take to the grave
And all my life starts
I’m all yours, I’m not afraid
And you’re all mine, say what they may
And all your upendo I’ll take to the grave
And all my life starts
Starts now
Will they hate me for all the choices I made
Will they stop when they see me again
I can’t stop now I know who I am
Now I’m all yours, I’m not afraid
And you’re all mine, say what they may
And all your upendo I’ll take to the grave
And all my life starts now
Tear me down, they can’t take wewe out of my thoughts
Under every scar there’s a battle I’ve lost
Will they stop when they see us again
I can’t stop now I know who I am
Now I’m all yours, I’m not afraid
And you’re all mine, say what they may
And all your upendo I’ll take to the grave
And all my life starts
I’m all yours, I’m not afraid
And you’re all mine, say what they may
And all your upendo I’ll take to the grave
And all my life starts
Starts now
Your lips are nettles
Your tongue is wine
Your laughter’s liquid
But your body’s pine
wewe upendo all sailors
But hate the beach
wewe say come touch me
But you’re always out of reach
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
Your arms are lovely
Yellow and rose
Your back’s a meadow
Covered in snow
Your thighs are thistles
And hot-house grapes
wewe breathe your sweet breath
And have me wait
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
I turn the lights out
I clean the sheets
wewe change the station
Turned up the heat
And now you’re sitting
Upon your chair
You’ve got me Tangled up
Inside your beautiful black hair
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
Your tongue is wine
Your laughter’s liquid
But your body’s pine
wewe upendo all sailors
But hate the beach
wewe say come touch me
But you’re always out of reach
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
Your arms are lovely
Yellow and rose
Your back’s a meadow
Covered in snow
Your thighs are thistles
And hot-house grapes
wewe breathe your sweet breath
And have me wait
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
I turn the lights out
I clean the sheets
wewe change the station
Turned up the heat
And now you’re sitting
Upon your chair
You’ve got me Tangled up
Inside your beautiful black hair
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
In the dark wewe tell me of a flower
That only blooms in the violet hour
I was a quick wet boy
Diving too deep for coins
All of your mitaani, mtaa light eyes
Wide on my plastic toys
Then when the cops closed the fair
I cut my long baby hair
aliiba me a dog-eared map
And called for wewe everywhere
Have I found you
Flightless bird, jealous, weeping
au Lost you
American mouth
Big pill looming
Now I’m a fat house cat
Nursing my sore blunt tongue
Watching the warm poison rats
Curl through the wide fence cracks
Pissing on magazine photos
Those fishing lures thrown in the cold and clean
Blood of Christ mountain streams
Have I found you
Flightless bird, grounding, bleeding
au Lost you
American mouth
Big pill stuck going down
Diving too deep for coins
All of your mitaani, mtaa light eyes
Wide on my plastic toys
Then when the cops closed the fair
I cut my long baby hair
aliiba me a dog-eared map
And called for wewe everywhere
Have I found you
Flightless bird, jealous, weeping
au Lost you
American mouth
Big pill looming
Now I’m a fat house cat
Nursing my sore blunt tongue
Watching the warm poison rats
Curl through the wide fence cracks
Pissing on magazine photos
Those fishing lures thrown in the cold and clean
Blood of Christ mountain streams
Have I found you
Flightless bird, grounding, bleeding
au Lost you
American mouth
Big pill stuck going down
Should never think
What’s in your heart
What’s in our home
And so I won’t
And you’ll learn to hate me
Still call me baby
Oh, love
So call me kwa my name
And save your soul
Save your soul
Before you’re too far gone
Before nothing can be done
Try to decide when
She’ll lie in the end
Ain’t got no fight in me
In this whole damn world
Tell wewe to hold off
Choose to hold on
It’s one thing that I’ve known
Once I put my kanzu, koti on
Coming out in this all wrong, ooh
She’s standing outside holding me
Saying oh please
I’m in love
I’m in love
Girl save your soul, ooh
Save your soul
Before you’re too far gone
And before nothing can be done
‘Cause without me
wewe got it all
So hold on
Without me wewe got it all
Hold on
Without me wewe got it all
Without me wewe got it all
So hold on
Without me wewe got it all
So hold on
Without me wewe got it all
So hold on
What’s in your heart
What’s in our home
And so I won’t
And you’ll learn to hate me
Still call me baby
Oh, love
So call me kwa my name
And save your soul
Save your soul
Before you’re too far gone
Before nothing can be done
Try to decide when
She’ll lie in the end
Ain’t got no fight in me
In this whole damn world
Tell wewe to hold off
Choose to hold on
It’s one thing that I’ve known
Once I put my kanzu, koti on
Coming out in this all wrong, ooh
She’s standing outside holding me
Saying oh please
I’m in love
I’m in love
Girl save your soul, ooh
Save your soul
Before you’re too far gone
And before nothing can be done
‘Cause without me
wewe got it all
So hold on
Without me wewe got it all
Hold on
Without me wewe got it all
Without me wewe got it all
So hold on
Without me wewe got it all
So hold on
Without me wewe got it all
So hold on