[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 13- the meeting

Previously - On Forever is Along Time To Stay Away

“Okay, but only if the others want to hear it I'm not going to bore people with my story if they don't want to hear it.” I watched in amusement as Bella, Ali, Tracey and Alice left the room, Emmett and Rosalie were the only two left in the room.

“Okay then, I must ask you guys to refrain from interrupting because some parts may be shocking and some might be down right unbelievable but rest assured that everything in this story is the truth and nothing but the truth... I did not just say that.”

Lia's POV

Emmett and Rosalie looked at me expectantly. I sighed and pulled a photo album from under Bella's bed. Flipping it open I pointed to the picture on the first page. It was of me, Emmett and Tracey throwing rocks into the lake. The sun was setting signaling the end of a perfect day, it was the last picture ever taken of us... the last one taken right before their disappearance's.

“This was the last picture taken before Emmett's and Tracey's disappearance, taken the day before actually. I wanted to show you this picture first not because it is where we begin our story, but because this is the picture that has the most significance throughout my story.

I flipped to the second page, “This is where I will begin the story.” there laid a picture of me, Emmett and Tracey everything was the same as it was in the first picture, the only difference's are that we are about 12 years younger and me and Emmett aren't engaged in the second picture. That was all that had changed in those 12 years our engagement and our size, everything else had stayed the same...

Setting- July 5th, 1921 Tennessee

Lia's POV

I stood and watched as the horse drawn carriage gently bobbed down the dirt ridden path away from my Aunt and Uncle's cottage, where I was to live from now on. I sighed and turned away as the carriage turned a corner and rolled out of my peripheral vision. I turned towards a group of tree's hearing a rustling sound coming from their branches, seeing nothing I shrugged and turned walking into my relatives household. Thinking nothing of it during the next week.

One week later

I slowly made my way through the woods that surrounded my new home, leaving a trail of bread crumbs in my wake so I could find my way back. I dropped the last of my bread crumbs as a came to an open meadow. My eyes widened with excitement, and I ran through it. Somehow I managed to trip and fall into a huge puddle of mud, getting me and my clothes filthy.

I heard two snickers coming from behind me, I turned and came face to face with two young boys. One looked my age, and the other couldn't have been less than a year under us. I blushed but you wouldn't be able to tell with the amount of dirt that covered my face.

The older boy had the decency to stop snickering, though a smile still graced his face. He held out his hand to me, “May I help you?” He asked.

I studied him for a moment before shaking my head no, “No thank you, I could do it myself.” I placed my hands under me and tried to push myself up, which only ended up with my face being smashed into the mud once again. I groaned inwardly as the younger of the two started to snicker again. Tears began to fall down my face, and soon I started hysterical crying.

The older boy told his brother to shut up as he walked towards me, bending down he placed his hand under my chin. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

I shook my head and whimpered, “I can't get up.”

He chuckled softly and lifted me up by my shoulders standing me up straight. “Why are you still crying?” he asked in exasperation.

“M-my Aunt is g-going to be upset with me! I ruined my dress!” I cried, my tears coming down in rivers now and there was no way for me to stop them. The boy in front of me grabbed my hand and started to pull me in an unknown direction. “W-where are you taking me?” I was confused and a little scared. Who are these people and what do they want?

“I am taking you to my house, my mother will know how to get the stains out she does it for me and Tracey's clothes all the time.” At my confused look he added, “Tracey is my younger brother.” nodding his head towards the slightly smaller boy, “My name is Emmett, by the way. Emmett McCarty.”

I smiled slightly, “My name is Lia, Lia Rosalie Hale. It's very nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” His smile was so sweet and carefree, that was the first time I had fallen for him. “Come on we had better get going if you want to get home before dinner.”

He pulled me into the woods, the boy Tracey trotting slowly behind us.

A couple of minutes later we came upon a farm. A babbling brook ran across its length. I gasped it was the most gorgeous place I had ever seen and I grew up seeing many. This place has a sense of peace, a sense of freedom, that a city could never hope to accomplish.

Emmett looked at me amused and pulled me through a garden filled with what looked like the most delicious fruits and vegetables I had ever seen.

He chuckled softly and watched as his brother ran into the house calling for their mother, “You would think that you never seen a place like this before.” He commented after he noticed my wide eyes.

“I haven't this is the first time I've ever been to a place like this.”

A women walked out of the house holding Tracey's hand, she smiled lovingly as she noticed me and Emmett. “And who might you be?”

I blushed embarrassed at my state of dress, “My name is Lia Rosalie Hale, and it is a pleasure to meet you ma'am.” I curtsied and held my hand out for her to shake.

“My, what a well mannered young lady you are! And please call me Phoebe. Welcome to our humble home.”

I smiled, I can tell I was going to like this lady, “ Thank you, Phoebe. I am very happy to be here.”

Emmett coughed to get our attention, “Mom, Lia got into a bit of an accident. Would you mind, cleaning her clothes so she doesn't get in trouble with her Aunt?”

Phoebe laughed softly, “Yes I can see that. Why don't you three take a bath, while I clean up

your clothes.”

“Umm, Mum? She's a girl.” said Emmett pointedly.

“So whats the problem? Now go, up you get I have some cleaning to do.”

I thanked her and followed Emmett and Tracey up the stairs and into the bathroom, shedding our clothes we all stepped into the bath... I refuse to tell you what had happened after that.

Next time on – Forever is Along Time to Stay Away

Lia and Emmett's engagement, Tracey's confession and the two teens disappearances.

Tracey looked me straight in the eye, “I love you Lia, I always have and always will. Please before you marry Emmett, think about what you may be giving up.”

“...Emmett....” I had no idea what to say, what could I say? Tracey was like a brother to me, but if thats true how could a brother hold those kind of feeling for a sister???