the first occasion

[deepest_magic]

The house just northeast of Forks proper is very big, quite abandoned, and really easy to just walk right in if you're of a mind to. There are signs that people have been camping in it while hiking, but currently it is unoccupied by visitors, squatters, or any animals larger than a squirrel. There's been a fair amount of furniture but fewer small possessions left behind: couch, piano, dining table, wardrobe, armchair, kingsized bed. It's in extremely variable states of repair.

Comments

[deepest_magic]

"Hi! What's up?"

[neverbeatme]

"Not very much," she says. "How about you? You brought cards. Do you want to play cards? I bet you want to play cards."

[deepest_magic]

"Learned a new game. It's good for two people, not like euchre."

[neverbeatme]

"Cool, c'mon in and teach me!"

[deepest_magic]

Bella comes in and teaches her!

[neverbeatme]

Elizabeth is a quick study.

She doesn't beat Bella one hundred percent of the time, though.

[deepest_magic]

Well, that's better than she was doing with her dad!

[neverbeatme]

"This is fun," she declares.

[deepest_magic]

"Dad taught me! It's better than most things he does in his spare time like 'watch sports' or 'go fishing', for sure."

[neverbeatme]

"You make him sound very boring. Is he very boring?"

[deepest_magic]

"Kind of? On paper? He's quiet and conventional and likes things simple, I guess."

[neverbeatme]

"Maybe I should meet him. Find out for myself."

(She'd definitely like to meet him - he might have more information about a certain missing person she certainly didn't find in the back of a wardrobe.)

[deepest_magic]

"Sure, I'd be curious what you'd file away about him."

[neverbeatme]

She laughs. "I'll tell you if I file anything interesting."

About Charlie, that is. Some of the information she's looking for, she fully intends to keep to herself.

"I could come over for dinner sometime, I guess? Does that sound like a plan?"

[deepest_magic]

"Sure. Do you like fish?"

[neverbeatme]

"I am fine with fish!"

[deepest_magic]

"You could come over tonight, then."

[neverbeatme]

"Sounds perfect. In the meantime, wanna play again?"

[deepest_magic]

"Sure." Bella deals.

[neverbeatme]

Elizabeth plays.

This is one of the times she doesn't win.

[deepest_magic]

"Whoo," says Bella, totaling up their points for this series of rounds. "Squeaked over fifty points."

[neverbeatme]

"Congratulations on your victory."

[deepest_magic]

"Thanks!"

Eventually Bella leads Elizabeth back to her house for a fish dinner.

"Fish is like the only thing he can cook," Bella mentions before letting them into the house.

[neverbeatme]

"Lucky for me I like it, then, huh?"

[deepest_magic]

"Yep!"

The house smells like fish, and garlic, and lemon.

In a shocking twist, fish tastes like fish, and garlic, and lemon.