Facing The Music

Emmett's POV~

Jasper and I came back to school on Monday. The Wednesday previous, we'd had the satisfaction of reducing James to a pile of rubble and then torching him. Nothing in this sorry excuse of a high school could top that. Boring, boring, and more boring was all I had to look forward to.

We'd spent Sunday hunting, with Jasper taking more kills than usual. We were both still thirsty, what with being so close to Bella's blood, but Alice had called this morning to assure us that we were good to go. Disdaining Edward's Volvo, Rosalie insisted we take her car to school. Jasper just shrugged and climbed into the back seat.

When we got to school everyone was abuzz with whispered gossip. Not that we couldn't hear it. Not that we cared. The Cullens missing an entire, sunless week was something new in their dull little lives. It was just the way it was, and I easily blocked out all the hubbub.

Rosalie was frowning thoughtfully, though, when I sat down opposite her in the cafeteria. "What's wrong, beautiful?" I said, too softly for the humans around us to hear.

"I'm listening."

Jasper and I exchanged a concerned glance. Since when did she care about what the children were saying? "Listening to what?" Jasper whispered, searching her face.

"Trying to figure out who did it."

"For crying out loud, Rose, just say--"

"Hush!" Then she cocked her head and glared at me, her lips turning out in just a hint of a pout. Even without trying, she was gorgeous. "Haven't you been paying attention at all?"

"To the others? No," I answered.

Jasper shrugged. "Not really."

She delicately pulled a face. "Somebody insulted Edward's masculinity."

Beside me, Jasper smothered a grin.

"On his locker," she added, enjoying the scandal.

My shoulders shook as I fought down the belly laugh.

Her eyes glowed, unintentionally seductive. "In permanent ink." Then she sat up straighter. "But no one knows who did it."

"Just when having a mind-reader would be handy," Jasper chuckled, idly squashing the dusky-green peas on his plate with a fork.

Rosalie ignored him. "So I've been trying to eavesdrop all day, but I haven't heard anything besides speculation."

"Who are the prime suspects?" I whispered.

Her gaze darted from mine to Jasper's conspiratorially. "The usual - Edward's rivals for Bella. Tyler Crowley, Eric Yorkie, and Mike Newton."

I grinned despite myself. I hadn't seen Rose this excited about human gossip in years.

"My money was on Eric," she continued. "He's spineless enough to do something like this, but Melanie Jamison saw him turning in a band trip permission slip at the office during the time it must have happened. I was just zeroing in on Tyler and Mike over there when you oafs showed up."

I casually stared at the fluorescent light above the table where Mike and Tyler ate with their friends. They sat at opposite ends of the table, and I got the distinct impression they were pointedly ignoring each other.

It didn't matter, really, who had done it. It was just a stupid prank, and the locker was probably already repainted. No harm done. Except that Edward was my brother, and anybody who picked on my brother had me to reckon with. It went against the grain to let something like this slide, especially when we could have so much fun getting back.

"Any clues on who it was, Jasper?" Rosalie asked.

He concentrated for a moment then laughed softly. "Newton's got guilt rolling off of him in waves, but I'd bet a grizzly that Crowley knows something. He's so smug he's all but glowing."

"Is that so?" I grinned, and I stared intently at Newton. People can sense when a predator is watching them, especially when they're edgy to begin with. It was a basic human instinct that, for the most part, lay dormant, but it only took Newton a couple of seconds to nervously glance my way. When he did, I grinned hugely, showing off my teeth, and waggled my eyebrows at him.

All the color drained from his face and he turned a sickly green. Jasper snickered.

Rosalie turned to follow my gaze, and the sweat on Newton's forehead was visible, even half-way across the room. He picked up his lunch tray, his hands trembling, and hurriedly dumped it in the nearest trashcan. Without a backward glance, he rushed from the room.

Rosalie looked back to me and beamed. "You're so evil. I'd pounce you, if we weren't surrounded by a couple hundred children."

"I can take a rain-check," I answered with a shrug.

"I suppose we'd best ignore him now," Jasper said wistfully.

"And pass up a golden opportunity for some innocent fun?" Rosalie pouted.

"Carlisle would frown on any shenanigans," I pointed out.

Her smile was breathtaking. "Carlisle isn't here."

Devious never looked so good. "What did you have in mind?"