#bella and her are ............... having a rocky road

[way2gosuperrstarr]

might be pulling an allnighter tonight . oh man

playing mediator/peacekeeper/babysitter for these animals,,

[tropes-and-tales-archives]

Whistle Down the Wind, Chapter Two

Word Count:  2698

TW:  Pining, unrequited love, angst.

AN:  Part of a series.  The series masterlist here.

Sonny’s first month at SVU came and went.  It was rocky at first, and he was only willing to take some of the blame for it. Sure, he could be brash sometimes. He put his foot in his mouth more often than he wished – it was a family trait.  But the people of SVU were a tightly knit family, and he struggled to find an in-road with them at first.  They weren’t very friendly to outsiders.  Fresh zeppole didn’t work.  The best pizza in Manhattan didn’t work either.

He couldn’t talk to his parents about it.  Neither his father nor his mother agreed with his career choice, and if he complained to them, they’d just try to convince him to quit and move back to Staten Island to work at his uncle’s towing company.  

He couldn’t talk to his sisters about it.  He wasn’t that close with his two older ones, Gina and Theresa.  And Bella had her own stuff going on.  She and Tommy had gotten a place in Chelsea and were trying to figure out their life together.

He tried to talk to his girlfriend Nicole about it.  He usually staggered to her place, dead tired after work, looking for comfort. 

When he first started his tour through the SVU departments of the five boroughs, he tried to talk to her about the cases he was handling:  the rapes, the assaults, and abuse against children. She wrinkled her nose at him and complained that it was too unpleasant to hear, and he understood that.  He tried to talk to her about the problem of fitting at Manhattan’s SVU, but she just shrugged.

“You can quit when you pass the bar,” she replied, scrolling through her phone. “Then you can make a real salary too.”

So he texted you.

He wished his life wasn’t so hectic; he wished he could see you more often. You were a great listener, and you gave the best advice for someone so young.  You had helped him with his decision to enroll in law school – in fact, you had been his biggest fan and supporter.  Early on, you had even helped him study, sitting cross-legged on his couch and drilling him with questions before midterms or finals.  But he had met Nicole shortly thereafter, and she had pointed out that it was weird for a single guy to be such close friends with a single girl.  So he had drawn away a bit, and his life took over. 

But he still texted you.

Struggling at new precinct, he typed.  Co-workers don’t like me.  What should I do?

Quit your job, came the response.  My cover band needs some eye-candy to dance on stage while we play.  We can pay you in exposure.

Sonny grinned and watched his phone as you wrote out something more serious.

Just be patient, stretch. You’re smart and great at your job. They’ll come around.  No one can resist that Carisi charm, even the jaded film noir detectives in Sex Crimes.  I’ll send you a playlist to help pump you up.

This is why you’re the best, he typed.  Thanks for the pep talk.  Lunch next weekend?

He watched as the dots indicating that you were responding appeared on his screen, then disappeared, then appeared again.  But all that came through was the word, absolutely.

He replied with a date and time that you confirmed, then signed off by thanking you again.  You signed off with the poop emoji, an inside joke between the two of you because you’d spent your first year with a smart phone thinking it was a chocolate ice cream emoji.  That was something else that Sonny liked about you – you had a great sense of humor, and you were always able to laugh at yourself.

The smile on his face faded.  He deleted the string of messages between the two of you, then went to join Nicole in bed.  He felt a tiny pang of guilt to have been texting you while his girlfriend waited for him, but you were just a friend.  He thought that if he could just get Nicole to spend some time with you, she’d see that you were a great person and not a threat at all.

After all, how many friends took the time to create amazing, personalized playlists that perfectly captured the moment?  Over the years, you must have sent him a hundred different playlists: one for his graduation from the academy, one for law school studying, one for his workouts.  One for when his dad had a heart attack, one for when his nonno died.

He only deleted the messages because Nicole had gone through his phone once. Not that there was anything to hide from her.  But he didn’t want the hassle of another fight.

********

You waited at the restaurant for Sonny for half an hour before you just went ahead and ordered.  While you waited for your food, you texted him.  A reply came halfway through your sandwich – an apology.  He had deleted the original message, he said, and completely forgot.

You felt a pang but played it off.  Of course you were forgettable.  

He apologized three more times before promising to make it up to you. You told him about a performance you had in the coming week.  You were a guest performer with the Gramercy Chamber Orchestra and would be performing the cello for Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata, one of the harder pieces for your preferred instrument.  You were nervous – and you rarely got nervous during performances.

Can I bring Nic? He texted.  I’d love for the two of you to get to know each other better.

Your mind immediately started to go to the meanest place (assuming that someone like Nicole wouldn’t be able to tell Schubert from Shostakovich), but you pushed those thoughts down.  It was completely unfair to stereotype, and you felt like a terrible feminist.  Just because she was gorgeous and well put-together didn’t mean she wasn’t nice or smart.  Or a music lover.  

You knew that part of your judgement came from your childhood.  Your mother had been a winner on the midwest beauty pageant circuit, and she had tried to transition to the role of stage mother once she married and had you.  That’s how your musical talents had been discovered so early, and that’s what won you more titles than you really deserved, but once you were old enough to rebel, you did.  It could have been fun – you saw plenty of fellow contestants with their mothers or aunts, laughing and genuinely enjoying the experience.  Not you though.  Your mother was too focused on winning for either of you to have any fun.  Even when you won, she still picked apart your performance until you felt tiny.

You kept up with the music lessons.  You abandoned the lessons in how to walk and smile around fake teeth. Your mother, in return, criticized you at every turn.  Your poor posture.  Your lack of care about hair or makeup.  Even when you found your own sort of aesthetic – eyeliner on regular days, a signature red lipstick for events – it wasn’t the right kind of makeup.  She even criticized the way you walked.  A lifetime of internalized judgement about beauty was sure to make you skeptical about Sonny’s girlfriend.  

The jealousy over the fact that she was Sonny’s girlfriend probably didn’t help.

You needed to be nicer, you chided yourself.  Maybe Nicole was a perfectly lovely person and you weren’t giving her a chance. Maybe instead of being jealous and giving in to your baser instincts, you could be kinder and expect something nice to come of it, like a new friendship.

Sure, you typed back.  Bella and Tommy will be there too. I’ll get two more tickets.

You explained to him how nervous you were and what a huge honor it was to play this piece, especially with a group of professional musicians who were world renowned.

It’ll be nice to have another friendly face in the audience, you told him.

Once you got through this performance, then you could focus on befriending Sonny’s girlfriend.

********

Sonny had the entire evening planned.  First, he’d cook dinner for him and Nicole, then they’d go to your musical thing.  Afterwards, drinks to celebrate:  him and Nicole, Bella and Tommy, and you.  He was determined to make you and Nicole be friends.  He wanted you in his life, and he wanted his girlfriend to know that you were a friend – and nothing more.

Dinner was a disaster.  He made chicken parmesan and risotto, but Nicole only picked at it.  She scraped the breading off of the chicken and refused the risotto altogether.

“It’s nothing but carbs and fat,” she complained.  

“Sorry,” Sonny said, ducking his head.  “I can bake you another chicken breast.”  He stood up and preheated the oven, popping another piece of chicken into a dish, seasoning it with just a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.

Once it was cooked, he slid it on her plate and she gave him one of her brilliant white smiles.  “Thanks, babe.”

“No problem.”  He sat back down and finished his own meal, now cold.  “I’m looking forward to going out tonight.  I think you’ll really like her once you get to know her.”

Nicole rolled her eyes.  “I’m not really into classical music,” she said.  “Can’t we go to that new bar in Tribeca?”

Sonny gathered up the dishes and started loading the dishwasher.  “It’s important to her.”  He glanced over at his girlfriend and watched her stick out her lower lip in a pout.  “Maybe we can head to that bar afterwards,” he added.  “All of us can check it out.”

Nicole stood up and came to stand behind him.  “Yeah, a double date with a fifth wheel,” she muttered.  Sonny felt her snake her arms around his waist, and he leaned back a bit against her.  “Or we could just stay in and make it a regular date with just the two of us…” she added, trailing a hand down his front until she was cupping him through his pants.

“Nic,” he said, trying to make his voice stern.  He could feel himself responding to her brusque strokes, and he glanced up at the clock on the microwave.  “Well, we have a little time before we have to leave,” he finally conceded.  

********

You calmed your nerves the same way you always did:  you visualized yourself, alone, in deep, cool water. Surrounded by nothing but dark blue water.  Just you, floating in the cold and dark.  No sound – at first.  Then, as you surrendered to the cool and dark, the first notes of the piece you were about to play.  

No one else, nothing else existed.  Just you and the music.  No matter what, it was always you and the music.

When you strode out onto the stage in your sharp women’s tuxedo, your low heels clicking across the boards, you didn’t hear the applause.  You didn’t see Bella and Tommy in the second row, or the two empty seats beside them.  All you saw was your cello waiting for you and the slight smile on the conductor’s face.  This was the last piece of the evening.  The main event.

You took your seat, taking your cello and bow in your hands.  You felt like a witch sometimes with the instrument as your familiar.  A wholly living thing that you could work with your will.  And, in turn, it enchanted you.

Once you were settled, you gave the conductor the faintest of nods.  Then you began.

The musicians behind you were amazing.  The allegro flew by, and you almost fumbled on the adagio but didn’t. By the time the allegretto began, you and the cello were essentially one creature.  It was a sort of magic you could never put into words.

When the final notes faded and the conductor dropped his arms, you were startled back to reality by the thunderous applause.  You blinked against the lights and then blinked again as the conductor laughed at you and gestured for you to stand.  When you did, the audience stood up.  Then you were blinking away tears too and grinning so wide that your mouth hurt.

You found Bella in the audience and gave her your patented half-shrug, as if to ask, “not too bad?”  Tommy, looking uncomfortable in a button-down shirt and blazer, shot you two thumbs up.

It wasn’t until your gaze drifted to the two empty seats beside them that your smile fell.

When you went backstage to gather up your stuff (and receive congratulations from the professional musicians, which made you almost giddy from praise), you checked your phone.  No missed texts or calls from Sonny.  He probably got called in to work.  It happened more often now that he was with SVU, and you’d never hold that against him. His job was stressful enough without you piling on.

You met Bella and Tommy in the lobby, and you went out for a drink.  They couldn’t stay long – Tommy had curfew for his parole – but a couple of drinks were fine.

“You were so good!” Bella said, pulling you into a hug.  “I’ve never heard that much applause at any of your events before.”

Tommy nodded over his soda.  “I didn’t know the music, but it sure sounded great,” he agreed.

You sipped your own beer.  “I can’t thank you enough for coming,” you told them both.  You felt the usual tears of your post-performance high start to prickle behind your eyelids.  “I was so nervous.”

“I’m just sorry Sonny missed it,” Bella sighed.  You nodded and took another swallow of beer.

“Yeah, well…” you trailed off for a moment before continuing.  “Since he went to the Sex Crimes precinct, he’s been getting called in all the time.”

Tommy snorted.  “Sure,” he started, but Bella slapped his arm, and he focused on the tabletop.  You looked back and forth between them. 

“What?” you asked.  Bella sighed and Tommy looked up at you, sheepish.

“He sent Bella a text while you were backstage after the performance,” he replied, his face turning red.  “Let’s just say that he was committing sex crimes instead of investigating them.”

“What?” you asked again, confused.  

Bella sighed, louder.  “He and Nicole decided to stay in for a, uh…romantic night in.  Or so he told me in not so many words.”

“Oh.”  The buzzy feelings from your success dissipated in an instant, replaced by a burning jealousy. And, along with it, anger.

“He said he was going to try and stop by once we settled in at a bar,” Bella added gently, trying to soften the blow.  “I texted him when we got here, and he’ll be on his way soon.”

You shook your head and finished the rest of your beer.  “Text him back and tell him not to come.  I’m celebrating tonight.”  You flagged a waitress down and ordered three shots, which were promptly delivered to the table.

“I can’t drink…” Tommy started, and Bella cut him off.

“We need to get home before his curfew…” she said, but you talked over her too.

“These are for me,” you said.  You threw all three shots back, one after the other.  “I’m celebrating tonight.”  You ignored the look that passed between Bella and her boyfriend. You ordered more shots, then scanned the bar.  When the shots came, you downed those too.

“I’ll catch up with you later, Bella,” you said.  You pulled first her, then Tommy in for hugs, then waved them off. They gave each other that look again, but you ignored that too.  You shooed them away until they left, reluctantly, and only after you promised to text Bella when you were home safely.

You shouldn’t be so picky, Sonny had told you once. 

Too right, stretch, you replied in your head.  You made eye contact with a guy at the bar who gave you a brief smile and a nod.  You made your way over to him and let him buy you a drink.  And then another.  And another. Because you were celebrating tonight.

[starfruitwyne]

Quiet On The Other Line - Bellice Oneshot

Summary:

After encountering yet another bump in the rocky road of her situationship, Bella finds herself on Alice Cullen's doorstep in the middle of the night in the pouring rain. With Edward simmering down by himself in the mountains for a month, Bella takes to Alice for comfort and companionship. Together they start to bond in unexpected ways and Alice starts to wonder if Bella has had ulterior motives from the beginning. // Lots of angst and plenty of sm*t here. Enough to give you an adrenaline rush! You can Google what that is.

Alice wasn't surprised to see the soaked, shivering brunette on her doorstep at three in the morning in the middle of a heavy rainfall. She had received an earful of her aggravated brother's relationship drama all afternoon. Bella this, Bella that. Despite having half listened to at least an hour of Edward’s incessant rambling, Alice scarcely remembered what had caused the fight between him and his equally emotional human lover.

‘Edward’s not home,’ Alice said. And this was true. The broody vampire had left to “clear his head,” as he’d put it. That was always how he’d put it.

‘I know,’ said Bella Swan, the girl on the doorstep. She was soaked to the skin from the violent downpour. Her red college varsity jacket did little to protect her from the wind and rain. At her side, she clutched a thick, canvas tote bag. Her keys dangled from a shiny carabiner hooked to her jeans. Through long, drenched strands of hair, Bella peered up at Alice like a lost kid. ‘I came to see you.’

Alice was confused. Usually, if Edward wasn't around after a fight, Bella would walk home and stay home. Usually, Alice wouldn't see Bella for a few days. Usually, she'd be so distraught, she’d even skip a day or two of college. None of this, none of it at all, was usual. Something must have been very, very wrong.

‘Come in,’ Alice said, not wanting to leave the girl out in the harsh weather.

Bella bowed her head gratefully and quickly shuffled inside like a wet kitten, though she shook like a dog once Alice closed the front door.

‘Why didn’t you bring a freakin’ raincoat? Or even a hoodie, for crying out loud!’ Alice said, bringing her hands to Bella's frozen face. ‘You’re as cold as I am!’

‘It started pouring when I was halfway here,’ Bella shivered. ‘And the truck's in the damn shop again.’

‘Jesus, that's a twenty minute walk! You need a damn phone, you could have called,’ Alice rambled.

‘I know,’ Bella said dismissively, followed by a hard shiver.

‘Someone could’ve come and got you.’

‘I know.’

‘You know I can't always foresee shit like this! If you had a ph—’

‘I know! Alice! I fucking know!’

Alice closed her mouth, stunned by the girl's outburst. She brushed it off and pressed the back of her fingers to Bella's forehead.

‘Go to my room. Get in the shower and then change into whatever.’

‘Are you sure—’

‘Go, just go! You're gonna catch a cold,’ Alice said, gesturing for Bella to hurry upstairs already.

Without another word, Bella did as she was told. She dripped rainwater onto the smooth, marble steps as she went. Alice went to find a mop and met her mother in the kitchen.

‘Is that the Swan girl?’

‘Yeah, she was looking for Edward,’ Alice said. She rummaged through a broom closet.

‘She knows he's not here, right?’ Esme asked, looking up from the sewing project she had laid out on the kitchen table.

‘Yup,’ Alice said. She pulled out a mop and then a plastic bucket.

‘Poor girl,’ Esme said with a motherly frown. ‘Does her father know she's here?’

‘I don't know,’ Alice said. ‘And I've been looking into Edward. He's not coming back for, like, a month. I think.’

‘You’ve seen it?’

‘Yup,’ Alice said. She picked up her bucket and mop and hurriedly left, wanting desperately to avoid any more questions from her mother.

‘Ah, young love,’ Esme sighed.

Love, Alice thought incredulously. Whatever it was that Bella and Edward shared was not love. Infatuation at best. Obsession at worst.

‘I hear those angry words!’ Esme called in a sing-song voice from the kitchen. Alice ignored her and quickened her pace to escape the vicinity of her mother's mind-reading barrier.

Once she had finished mopping up Bella's wet footsteps, she went to check her bedroom for the girl.

She was crying, all curled up in the middle of Alice's reading nook. She had found a pair of tennis shorts and a black band t-shirt. Her clothes were tossed into a heap by Alice's laundry, along with her dirty, green high-tops. Her damp, lengthy hair clung to her trembling shoulders.

‘Hey, woah,’ Alice said, approaching the girl slowly. ‘You gotta tell me what happened this time. Edward never said anything. And I can't read your mind, remember?’

The vampire sat down on her couch next to the quivering ball of tears. She awkwardly placed a hand on Bella's shoulder and stroked it as if she were a pet. The rain beat down on the large skylight above them. Bella’s crying was so distraught, it seemed to be spurring the weather on.

‘Come on, B, tell me what's up,.’ Alice had softened her voice now, a tone she often used with human babies. In her current state, Bella could pass as one.

‘Stupid shit,’ Bella said. She sniffed and shakily sat up, crossing her legs and grabbing a pillow to hold to her chest.

There was something so youthful about the motion. So juvenile. Alice stared at Bella's sad, brown eyes and how they seemed to never end. Two murky pools of deep, dark grief. That was something that Alice secretly thought Bella wore well. Grief. The way the bags under her eyes never seemed to leave simply accentuated her constant gloomy expression. The way her jaw was sharp and rigid when she cried - there was just something about it that Alice found pretty. She was always a sucker for Shakespearean tragedies. Maybe that's where the admiration for such a face came from.

‘He said I'm a brute,’ Bella said hoarsely. ‘That I need to work on myself. And a bunch of other crap. Fucking stupid.’

The girl rested her forehead on her pillow and let out a few more pitiful sobs. Alice continued to pet her shoulder, unsure of what else to do.

‘I’m sure he was just concerned about you,’ Alice said quietly. ‘Boyfriends will say things the wrong way now and again.’

‘He’s not my fucking boyfriend,’ Bella said frustratedly. ‘I dunno what the hell he is or what we are or what any of this shit is.’ Bella slapped her hands against her pillow.

‘Damn,’ Alice said with a chuckle. It wasn’t unusual for Bella to get angry. She had two very dominant emotions: sadness and anger. And a lot of things, Alice noticed, made Bella angry. Authority. Hierarchy. Paris Hilton. But never Edward. It was unusual for her to show so much disdain towards Edward. Tonight, however, seemed to be full of unusual things.

‘Why did he say you were brute?’

‘Because of… everything, I dunno! Vampires and humans and bullshit. I… He said I’m too much, whatever that means. Too much for a vampire? Kiss my fucking ass,’ Bella said, throwing her arms up in frustration. ‘Sorry, I just— Ugh! I'm just sick of him. He called me stubborn. Like a child, y’know? Do I look like a child?!’

Alice pondered this. She lifted away a lock of Bella's damp hair to get a better view of her face. The lamp light illuminated her features — the slope of her button nose, her round cheeks, her frowning lips. However, no matter how warm the light was, the bags under Bella's eyes were dull and prominent. And, of course, Alice thought she wore them quite well.

‘Enlighten me,’ Bella said, grinning amusedly. Her bleary eyes blinked up at the vampire, spilling two more tears over her rosy face.

‘Apart from the pouty lip and angry eyebrows, I wouldn't say you look like a child,’ Alice said. ‘A street fighter, perhaps.’

‘Sick,’ Bella sniffled. She tapped at her nose with a tissue.

‘How come you wanted to see me?’ Alice asked then.

‘Oh, yeah,’ Bella said, suddenly reminded of why she was there.

‘You’re usually only here for Edward,’ Alice added. ‘In fact, I think the last time we spoke one-on-one was a whole month ago. At your volleyball game, remember?’

‘I try not to,’ Bella said. ‘My damn knee still isn't right. I dunno why I thought joining a college team would make me any better at it.’

‘Bella, seriously,’ Alice said, a tiny smirk creeping over her lips.

‘Oh, you're fucking laughing!’

‘I’m not!’

‘Bitch, you're a liar!’

‘Look, when Newton sent you flying into the stratosphere with that slide, it was kind of hilarious, okay? Jesus.’

Bella laughed — really laughed at Alice's confession. She burst into a fit of teary giggles. Alice placed a hand over her grinning mouth. It was rare for Bella to express such outwardly joy. And when it happened it was simply infectious.

‘I always thought you were real funny, y’know?’ Bella said with a tired sigh.

‘Oh, really?’

‘Uh huh, totally.’

‘Well, I'm flattered. But you still haven't answered my question.’

Bella took a shallow breath. ‘Can we smoke first?’

Alice had foreseen the question coming, though not in a vision. Bella usually - if not always - partook in the stuff when she and the other Cullens got together for a hangout. THC was one of the few substances that had any effect on vampires. Carlisle had once explained it had to do with their metabolism. Vampires could experience intense highs from certain chemicals. However, the effects wouldn't last nearly as long as they could for the average human.

In other words, when Bella wanted to smoke, Alice had to smoke even more.

‘You didn't come here just to mooch off my supply, did you?’ Alice asked, rolling the first joint. Her nimble fingers made quick work of the roach and paper. She pushed her sweater sleeves above her elbows for ease of movement. Rolling was serious business. Alice took the utmost pride in her joints.

‘Hey, no, it's not like that,’ Bella said.

‘Easy, I'm joking. I'm funny, remember?’

Alice flicked at her green lighter and held the end of the joint in her mouth over an ashtray. The lighter sparked a couple of times, occasionally giving flame before dying out again.

‘Shit,’ Alice murmured through her teeth.

‘Hang on,’ Bella said. She hopped up from the couch and went to fumble in her tote bag. Alice continued to spark her lighter.

‘Whatcha bring in that thing?’ Alice asked, her sticky joint hanging lazily from her lower lip.

‘Uh, just my phone and shit,’ Bella said nonchalantly. ‘Ah! And this baby,” she smiled, holding up her cherry shaped jet lighter.

‘Cherry, my old friend!’ Alice cheered. ‘Always coming through for us.’

‘Filled her up yesterday,’ Bella said, tossing Alice the tiny blowtorch. ‘I’d have brought some fuel if I’d known yours was dead.’

‘Well, you could have texted me,’ Alice teased, ‘If only you had a—’

‘Oh, give it a rest,’ Bella laughed. ‘Cells freak me out, okay?’

‘I promise you, there’s nothing scary about owning one. Unless you want me to send you a cursed chain letter?’

‘Wow, you’re really selling this to me,’ Bella said, raising an eyebrow.

Alice smirked and flicked at Bella’s lighter. A steady, noisy flame ignited from the ceramic vessel. ‘Hallelujah,’ the vampire smiled. In seconds, the end of her joint was lit. She inhaled. Her vampire strength made for excellent lung capacity. Over the decades, Alice found she had perfected the art of the slow drag, knowing exactly when she had enough smoke to get her buzzed. Alice exhaled without even the slightest cough and passed the joint to Bella.

Bella had been watching her. She rocked back on her crossed legs and leaned against the stack of pillows behind her. Her baby pink lips pursed and took the joint between them. She dragged and puffed and dragged and puffed. And coughed. And dragged again. And puffed again.

‘Fuck, what are you tryna forget?’ Alice asked.

‘Oh, shoot. Guess I should get to talking now, huh?’ Bella choked. She passed the joint back to Alice, who took one more drag before setting it down in the ashtray.

‘Talk to me, B.’

‘Okay,’ Bella sighed. She cleared her throat. ‘Well, first of all, can you tell me how long Edward's gonna be gone for?’

Alice rolled her eyes.

‘Please, Alice? And I won't ask again.’

Alice stared Bella dead in the eye. Had Bella’s visit simply been a disguise to ask her a boatload of questions about her lovesick brother? Was Bella only here to use Alice as her crystal ball?

‘I swear,’ Bella said.

Alice sighed. ‘About a month,’ she said plainly. ‘Three weeks and four days, to be exact.’

Bella exhaled sharply and cursed under her breath. Her mouth formed a thin line and she nodded to herself. ‘Thank you. That's all I wanna know about him, I promise.’

Alice raised a thin eyebrow. ‘Go on.’

Bella dragged her red-knuckled fingers through her hair. It was a bit wavy after having some time to dry. Alice liked it.

‘I just felt like I… wanted to see you. I mean, yeah, I wanted to see you— needed to see you, actually.’

‘Yeah?’ Alice said. ‘Why’s that?’

Bella's chin was tucked into her arm. She had curled up like before, though no pillow was wedged between her and her thighs now. Her pale legs were squeezed together. Alice stared at the slight bruising on Bella's right knee. She gently reached out her hand to stroke it softly. Bella lifted her head to watch.

‘Does it still hurt?’ Alice asked.

Bella shrugged, ‘Just a little.’

Alice wasn't sure what compelled her to do so, but she continued to rub her fingers over Bella's knee in small circles. Bella watched quietly. Alice could tell she was trying not to cry again. Her eyes, now tinted pink from the weed, were growing shiny once more.

Slowly, Bella's hand crept up to hold onto the fingertips that stroked her knee. Alice wordlessly let her. It was such a vulnerable act; so desperate for the touch of another. Even if it wasn't human.

Alice stared at the ring Bella wore. It was an old, gilded, antique thing with a carved image of Jesus adorning its circular face. Alice recalled Bella saying her father had given it to her as a child, but these days he didn't so much as say Grace at dinner.

‘Bella?’ Alice said, softly prompting the girl to speak.

‘I think I just didn't wanna be alone,’ Bella said.

Alice frowned pitifully. ‘Whatever happened to your new college friends? Or your old school friends?’

Bella winced. ‘I think they're all avoiding me. But it's not like I'm a joy to be around lately.’

Alice leaned in closer, moving aside the stray pillows and the ashtray in between them. Bella still hung loosely onto Alice's hand. Gently, Alice squeezed Bella's fingers. The tender touch sent Bella over the edge, as fresh tears spilled over the girl's dark lower lashes.

‘C’mere,’ Alice said. She let Bella sink into her arms. Bella wrapped her arms around the vampire and buried her face into her neck. They stayed like that for some time, Alice slowly rocking Bella and stroking her hair, Bella sobbing against her. The rain outside started to ease until it became a gentle shower.

‘Everybody fucking leaves me,’ Bella said finally. ‘My mom, my friends, Edward; Everybody leaves eventually.’

Alice let the words hang in the air. They were so defeated. And yet, Alice knew that even if she couldn't read Bella's mind, they begged for reassurance.

‘I’m here.’

The girl stiffly pulled away from Alice's embrace. Her eyes were slightly puffy now, only adding to the tragedy which consumed her expression. And still, Alice found it so fitting.

Silently, they gazed at one another — into one another. Alice could hear the slight crackle of Bella's lungs as she breathed, no doubt caused by the copious amount of weed and tobacco the girl smoked daily. It was a wonder how Charlie had never smelled the stuff on her clothes.

Alice followed the direction of Bella's gaze. Her eyes would fall upon her lower face and back up again, asking a question which Alice could not hear.

‘Alice?’ Bella said then.

‘Hmm?’

‘Can I kiss you?’

Alice blinked. Her lips parted in surprise. ‘Kiss me?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh.’

Silence. Unblinking silence. Alice stared. Bella stared.

‘Why?’ Alice said.

Bella chuckled incredulously. She scrunched her eyes, flicking the remnants of tears down her face and onto her knuckles. ‘Because I think you're fucking pretty, that's why.’

‘But… what about—’

‘Don’t say his name,’ Bella interrupted. ‘Please, just don't. I don't wanna think about him.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Alice said.

Bella shook her head, dismissing the apology. She shakily shuffled closer to Alice before flopping down in front of her again. She used both hands to brush Alice's spiky bangs out of her eyes. All the while, Bella made sure to keep eye contact with the vampire. There was a new look on her face - one of determination. Her nose and her cheeks were a sugary blush. Her eyes shimmered, still fending off new tears. Her eyebrows were furrowed as if she were thinking particularly hard about something. And her mouth was a thin, pink line.

Bella's hands came to a stop at either side of Alice's face. She cupped her like a precious jewel. Her big, brown eyes were so intense. Alice thought about how burdened they looked.

‘You’re sooo pretty, dude. I can't fucking believe it sometimes,’ Bella said, still with that hardened expression.

‘You look so damn angry,’ Alice said softly. She brushed her thumb over Bella's wrist. She knew it would do little to soothe her.

‘Kiss me, Alice,’ Bella whispered.

Alice licked her lips instinctively. Their faces were inches apart. Alice could see the depth of colour in Bella's eyes now. When she looked closely, she could see flecks of sparkly caramel. The hint of a rusty, red hue also hid behind the earthy brown. Like rich clay in a riverbed.

Bella had freckles. They were a delicate fawn colour and were sprinkled over the apples of her cheeks, her forehead, and the tip of her nose. Alice was compelled to count them. To just spend the day sitting and talking and counting.

Alice couldn't remember who had leaned in first. And usually, she was quite good at remembering things. But one moment she was taking Bella in, and the next she was pressed against Bella's body, kissing her tenderly as the girl straddled her lap.

The kiss was slow. Bella's hands had found their way under Alice's sweater. Even so, they only lingered around her waist and back. Alice's hands were lost in Bella's hair. She allowed herself to tug on it every so often, eliciting a quiet moan from the girl.

Bella tasted like weed. And Monster Energy. And gun metal. It was intoxicating. She smelled like a burning forest; pine needles and smoke and charred flowers. When their lips would pull apart, Alice found that she was the one to close the gap again. And still, it was all so careful; full of the intensity and lust of a first kiss, but holding an air of unspoken hesitance.

Bella was out of breath when the kiss finally came to a natural end.

‘Shit,’ the girl panted.

‘You good?’ Alice asked softly.

‘Yeah, I’m good,’ Bella laughed breathily. She removed her hands from underneath Alice's sweater. The vampire was surprised at the sheer warmth they left behind. Memories of the girl's presence. Ghosts on her skin

‘Um… I should go. I've probably overstayed my welcome,’ Bella said, glancing at the clock over Alice's writing desk.

‘At this hour? Out there?’ Alice asked, looking out her window. The rain, though no longer violent, still fell at a pace that was less than inviting.

‘Yeah.’

‘Bella, just stay here.’

‘Are you sure—’

‘Yeah, idiot. I'll make up the couch bed for you.’

‘Geez, well, if you insist,’ Bella smirked. Something about the smirk told Alice that Bella knew she'd rather be executed than let the girl catch pneumonia.

Quickly, Alice got to fishing out top sheets and meticulously fluffing up pillows, much to Bella’s amused protests. Alice waved her hand away and smoothed down the sheets. She was hosting. That was something she did best.

‘Seriously, you’re not a hotel maid,’ Bella said. ‘I don’t need— What is that?’

‘A spritz of lavender essential oil. It’ll help you sleep,’ Alice said, smiling proudly at her work.

‘Jesus,’ Bella laughed. ‘I think you’re doing too much.’

‘Am I?’

‘Totally.’

‘Good.’

Soon Bella was tucked under thick blankets. She nestled down like a rabbit in a warm burrow, closing her eyes once she was in a comfortable position. Alice decided to sit by her writing desk, facing her from across the small room.

‘Comfy?’ Alice asked.

‘Mmf,’ Bella said through the fuzzy covers.

‘I’ll take that as a yes.’

Alice continued to watch the girl. Only the top of her face peeked out from the covers. It was almost five in the morning. Birdsong had begun to swell outside, greeting the warm hue of the slowly rising sun. Bella’s soft snoring joined their chorus.

Alice laughed quietly. She turned towards her desk and absentmindedly drummed her fingers against the wood.

‘Ali?’ came a sleepy voice.

‘Hmm?’ Alice said, turning around once again.

Bella’s eyes were still closed. She had turned slightly to face Alice.

‘I like kissing you.’

Before Alice could process the whispered words, Bella was snoring quietly again. The vampire exhaled through her nose, surprised yet again by the human’s unusual behaviour tonight.

‘Same,’ she said to herself.

☆

When Bella left the next morning, awoken by an unimpressed phone call from her father, Alice was left wondering if they’d ever again hang out the way they had. Alone. Just the two of them. Something about the night’s activities left Alice yearning for more. More pointless conversation. More bitching about her mopey brother. All of it had made Alice feel so warm. It had made her feel like a girl. It had made her feel human.

And the kiss. At first, it did not thrash around Alice’s mind the way she had expected it to. But it still lurked in the corners. Three whole days went by, and still, it crept into Alice’s frontal lobe when she folded her laundry. It flashed across her vision when she tried to read or write in her bedroom. Only ever in brief bursts. Only ever a whisper of what the kiss had truly been.

And then it started to plague her. It appeared in her daydreams in vivid colour, wrapping itself around her brain like an obsessive, flesh-eating worm. Afraid of her family peering into her thoughts, Alice began to seclude herself in her bedroom. But staying in the place where the kiss had happened did little to banish it from her memory.

Alice tried to write to distract herself, but all of her poems and stories ended up being about love and pink lips and girls with big, brown, puppy dog eyes. How could one kiss take up so much of Alice’s mental capacity? It was getting ridiculous.

‘Swanny girl’s been looking rough lately,’ said Rosalie, passing Alice by in the kitchen. The clock struck noon. Alice raised her eyebrows. She could have sworn it had been much later in the day. When Alice didn’t reply, Rosalie continued.

‘Saw her passing through town the other day. Does she even sleep? Humans need a lot of that, don’t they?’

‘That’s rude,’ Alice said, mulling over a wineglass of deer blood.

‘Ooh, is that fermented?’ Rosalie asked, swiping the glass before Alice could protest. She sipped once before Alice could stop her.

‘Girl,’ Alice said.

‘Geez, you're off your game today. Hanging around Bella threw off your foresight, huh?’

‘Leave her be, she's dealing with Edward.’

‘Oh, I know. He seemed pretty heated when he took off. I told him to spare me the details of his lover’s quarrel though.’

‘He didn't tell me anything about it anyway,’ Alice said, trying to hide her frustration.

If there was one thing she didn't like about Bella, Edward never spoke about her to anyone. Never allowed her to cross his mind when surrounded by family.

Alice loved her brother, even if it was not always reciprocated. She cared about his wellbeing. And not being allowed to know about someone who so greatly impacted his immortal life thoroughly bothered her.

‘You said a month, right? Girl's gonna be abusing that drum set of hers.’

‘They’ll hear it halfway to the moon,’ Alice chuckled fondly.

Bella played drums. Alice remembered how she had explained that it channelled her anger into something productive. The vampire admired that about her. She was full of rage. But she had somewhere she felt safe putting it. Even though Charlie had to beg her to “can it” after nine pm.

‘You coming with us to hunt later? We're looking for deer,’ Rosalie said, typing rapidly on her white Nokia.

‘I’ll think about it,’ Alice said.

‘Aw, come on! You can get blood drunk at noon some other time.’

‘I’m not getting blood drunk!’

‘Oh, please. I barely had to tip the glass to get that sip.’

Alice laughed at her sister's quick wit. ‘Okay, look, I'll strongly consider it.’

‘Great. See you in the clearing at six then,’ Rosalie said, walking off with her eyes glued to her phone.

Alice huffed. She wasn’t particularly in the mood for hunting today, and that was truly telling that something was bothering her. She loved the thrill of a good, long chase. She loved feeling the dirt between her fingernails and the salty air of the bay on her tongue. Most of all, she loved the catch. She could not deny the guilty pleasure that would overcome her after a successful hunt. Alice relished the sensation of bringing a living thing to its demise, tearing at flesh and sinew with her sharp teeth. She was somewhat of an animal herself, after all. How could she starve her beastly instincts of the adrenaline rush of killing?

Sighing, Alice went to take another sip of her deer blood, only to find out that Rosalie had sneakily stolen it. Perhaps Bella truly had shaken her foresight askew.

‘Bitch!’ Alice yelled into the house.

‘Thank you!’ came a faint reply.

Perhaps a good hunt would take her mind off of Edward. And Bella.

☆

The deer was fast. It weaved in and out of the trees like the wind itself. It knew these woods. But Alice knew them better. She had seen many of these trees when they were only skinny saplings. She had watched humans map out the hiking trails. Knowing this, Alice let the deer run ahead. She would catch up eventually.

It was always a treat when the other animal put up a fight — posed a good challenge. As Alice slowed her sprint, Carlisle, Emmett, and Esme caught up with her.

‘What a runner!’ Esme exhaled. ‘She’s taking us to the border!’

‘Well, she won’t reach it,’ Emmett said, grinning smugly.

‘You don’t plan on taking the kill do you?’ came a voice from above. Rosalie dropped down from the trees. Her leather hunting boots lifted the pine needles from the forest floor as she landed.

‘Don’t worry, babe. I’m a man of my word. No one’s taking down that deer but you.’

Rosalie placed a loving kiss on Emmett’s cheek. Alice faked a gag.

Carlisle sniffed the air, looking for signs of where the deer had fled. He stretched out his back and placed his hands on his hips. ‘I’d say if we split and circle, we’ll be able to direct her back into our territory. If we let her get too close to the border, that’s dinner off the table.’

Alice looked in the direction the deer had run. She closed her eyes and inhaled, allowing herself to smell every little note the forest held within. She rooted her boots to the ground, letting her body absorb every small motion; every padded footstep and slow blink. In her mind’s eye, she saw that Carlisle’s plan would work. However, for everything to play out correctly, the coven would have to move quickly.

‘You’re on the money, Carlisle,’ Alice said. ‘But we need to move now!’

‘Perfect,’ Carlisle grinned. ‘Esme, Emmet, the three of us will form the triad formation. Alice and Rosalie, outer circle.’

‘Adaptive triad, on your mark,’ Alice and Rosalie said in unison. They crouched at the ready.

‘Move out,’ Carlisle instructed.

In seconds, the family had split. Alice and Rosalie created a wide circle around the deer’s trail. The rest of the Cullens would form a triangle around the animal, decreasing in size as it became easier to trap.

Alice could swear she could feel her heartbeat when she ran this fast. Like the still ichor within her had suddenly found a purpose to flow once more. Nothing could distract her at this moment. Alice was locked in like the beast she was, pinpoint-focused on the task at hand and absolutely nothing else.

A faint rumbling noise sounded off in the distance. It played out in a rhythmic, four beat time signature. When Alice listened closer, she could hear the quiet reverb of an accompanying instrumental track.

“Laid to Rest.”

‘Lamb Of God?’ Alice thought out loud. She listened for longer, coming to a stop in the middle of her sprint. ‘Bella,’ she whispered.

The aggressive melody of the Lamb Of God song was being bashed out at a violent pace. It sounded like Bella had moved her drumset to the garage, most likely under Charlie’s wishes.

She played every note like she had the intention of somehow killing each one. Alice was intrigued. She listened and felt for Rosalie’s presence. She was already starting to hone in on the deer. Taking this as a sign that she could break away from the group, Alice leapt into a nearby tree, scaling it so she could gain a better vantage point to listen to Bella’s angsty performance.

Atop the thick branches, Alice closed her eyes and listened. A vision formed. She could see the girl, alone in her garage with the roller door up. Her truck was probably still in the shop. But its absence certainly gave Bella more room in there.

She was heating up from her rigorous playing and had stripped down to a white tank top and baggy sweatpants. A small cross hung from a dainty chain around her neck. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, though it did little to stop the finer hairs from falling over her lashes as she played. Alice envisioned Bella’s hands and was surprised to find that they were bandaged and slightly bloodied. What on earth had she been up to over the last three days?

Charlie was away today, Alice could sense it. She could also guess from seeing the cigarette that dangled from Bella’s lip. Bella had stolen a few of her father’s Newports. A second one rested behind her ear. A third was nestled in her pants pocket.

The thought of Edward was surely still bothering Bella. She looked pained. Frustrated. So damn angry. Alice’s attention, unfortunately for her family, had been grabbed by the neck.

Where are you? I’m about to move in. It was Rosalie’s voice in Alice’s mind. Unsurprisingly, she sounded very annoyed.

I’m here in the canopy. Do you need me?

I guess not. But why? Where are you going?

Alice didn’t answer. And Rosalie didn’t wait for her to. Alice heard the crunch of meat and bone as her sister took down the deer, a mile away from where she stood. Alice jumped down from her tree and started up a sprint in the other direction.

It was time to pay someone a visit.

☆

‘Fucking damn it!’ Bella groaned, slamming her drumsticks down on her set.

Obscured by thick foliage, Alice watched her from afar, studying her intently like the forest creatures she hunted. Prey. Amusing prey.

‘There you are,’ Rosalie huffed. She reeked of her fresh kill. Dark splashes of blood ran down her hunting gear and smeared across her lips. She joined Alice on her chosen tree branch, swaying it gently.

‘Rosalie,’ Alice greeted.

‘What happened back there? Why are you here?’

Alice had predicted Rosalie’s arrival and also her question.

‘I just wanted to see her,’ Alice said quietly. ‘I heard her across the forest.’

‘So did I! But I didn't dissolve the hunt over it!’ Rosalie said. When Alice didn’t answer, Rosalie followed Alice’s line of sight. She clicked her tongue. ‘What has you so interested?’

Alice shook her head, ‘I don’t know. I just think she’s so fascinating. Don’t you?’

Bella was sparking up her second cigarette. She had sat herself upon a treestump in her front lawn. The temperature change sent a shiver down her spine. The sweat on her skin had surely been cooled by the evening air. She rubbed at one arm and continued to smoke.

‘Truly fascinating,’ Rosalie hummed. Her mouth curled to one side and she wrinkled her nose. ‘You’re not fawning over this girl, are you?’

Alice’s eyes widened. ‘What? No, of course not. Edward would freak,’ she hissed.

‘As if,’ Rosalie said. ‘You’re his favourite.’

‘That’s a joke. And I won’t be inserting myself into his relationships.’

‘Well he certainly isn’t nurturing this relationship, if you could even call it that.’

‘Rosalie!’ Alice gasped.

‘I’m serious. All he’s done to that girl is love bomb her, throw childish fits, and abandon her when he needs to take responsibility. And I’m damn sick of everyone leaning back and watching it happen.’

The blonde vampire’s face was stern. The blood on her mouth had begun to dry, cracking and flaking onto the forest floor. Her lower lip was sucked under the top one in a tense frown.

‘I don’t particularly like her,’ Rosalie said. ‘But I also don’t like how Edward’s treating her. All this running away.’

‘Things are complicated between them,’ Alice said.

‘I don’t see how up and leaving the girl by herself will help that.’

‘What are you saying?’

‘What do you wish I was saying?’

Alice was silent. Rosalie observed her wordlessly. There was a hint of what Alice could only describe as sadness in her eyes. She was unsure of why it was there.

Suddenly, that look of sadness changed to one of surprise. Rosalie’s mouth slowly hung open and she frantically looked Alice up and down. Her brow lowered, creating lines at the corners of her eyes.

‘You kissed her?’

Alice bared her teeth. She must have let the memory slip. She could not pinpoint when the vision had crossed her mind exactly. But Rosalie had caught it. Rosalie knew.

‘It wasn’t my idea,’ Alice whispered guiltily.

‘Dear god,’ Rosalie said, stretching the last word.

‘She just— She wanted to! It really wasn’t anything like that. I haven’t even thought about it, really. Until now, I suppose. But I mean it, it didn’t mean anything. We were high.’

‘This is… Damn, this is—’

‘We were high. And she was so upset. And— And it was so nice, Rosalie. It was so nice. And it wasn’t for very long. I…’

Rosalie stared, letting Alice ramble herself into her grave.

‘Oh, I've screwed up. Say something, Rose.’

‘Hey, all right. Calm down, I’m not angry. I’m kind of happy for you.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Come on, Alice. Don’t pretend like you haven’t been gushing about a partner since the day we met. I think you even hit on me when we did.’

‘Oh god, do you think I look desperate?’

‘No, stupid. I think you need to catch a break. Look, what you guys choose to do is your decision.’

‘I don't want to do anything with her,’ Alice said.

‘Why’s that?’

‘Because! Because... I don’t think she needs that right now.’

‘Needs what? A healthy relationship?

‘No, Rose. Another one of… us.’

‘Ain’t that the truth,’ Rosalie sighed heavily. She poked her tongue into the inside of her cheek. ‘What are you going to do then?’

Alice watched Bella through the leaves. She hated how pretty she looked when she was focused. Shaking the thought away, Alice pulled her eyes away from the scene.

‘I need to tell her we can’t kiss again.’

‘Man,’ Rosalie said, ‘This coven’s a damn soap opera these days.’

Alice laughed sadly. ‘I think it’s the right thing to do. I think if I stop this now, it’d hurt Edward less. Won’t it? God, tell me it will.’

Rosalie shrugged. ‘He’ll find out regardless.’

Alice let those words sit with her. Suddenly, Bella’s drums started up again. Both vampires turned to watch her.

Rosalie sighed. ‘We’ll put your drink aside. See you at home.’ She placed a tender hand on Alice’s shoulder and stared at her with a knowing sincerity. Alice watched her silently disappear between the tree trunks. She turned back towards Bella, who was trying to master a particularly difficult part of her song.

Carefully, Alice slipped down from the tree and began to walk towards Bella’s garage. The girl spotted her quickly and quit her drumming to wave at the vampire. Alice waved back.

‘Yo!’ Bella exclaimed. She hopped up from her drum set and hurried over to bring Alice into an awkward hug. ‘Whatcha doing here?’

‘Hey, B,’ Alice said, smiling warmly, ‘I was just out hunting with my family.’

‘Shit, well, it’s nice to see you. You missed Charlie. He left not too long ago.’

‘Ah, gone for the evening?’

‘For the night. You wanna smoke?’

‘I don’t mind.’

Bella playfully punched Alice’s arm and brought her inside. The house was cooled by the late summer air. A glowing, honeyed hue was creeping in through the windows, draping over the walls and furniture like a gold-spun gossamer blanket. Bella sat Alice by the breakfast table and laid out her smoke box between them. Sunlight pooled into her dark eyes, turning them from deep brown to a gilded amber. It was magic.

‘You’re awfully quiet,’ Bella observed as she unfurled a new slip of wax paper.

‘I guess I’m just tired after the hunt,’ Alice said.

‘Nice save,’ Bella chuckled. ‘Something bothering you? You might as well take your turn to unload on me after last weekend.’

‘Aw, Bella, I didn’t mind our talk. You needed it.’

���Yeah, yeah, whatever. What’s up?’

‘Your smoke alarm is about to go off.’

‘Huh?’

A high pitched beeping noise blared over the kitchen. A thin pillar of smoke was rising from the oven.

‘Shit! My hashbrowns!’

Bella scrambled out of her chair, knocking it to the tiled floor with a bang. She flung open the oven door and stuffed a towel around the metal tray inside. Frustrated, she slammed the tray into the kitchen sink and coughed as she waved away the smoke.

‘Aw, it’s fucked,’ Bella muttered, staring at the blackened pucks of potato.

‘I’m sorry, my foresight has been so off lately,’ Alice said, turning to open a window.

‘I ain’t blaming you, dude,’ Bella chuckled, fanning the grey mist out of the house. ‘Shit, well, I guess I gotta order takeout. That was the last thing I had to eat for tonight.’

‘It’s Wednesday, you didn’t do any grocery shopping over the weekend?’

‘No, I was crying and eating your face off last weekend, remember?’

‘Oh, yeah.’

Bella snickered. ‘Light up on the porch, I’m ordering a pizza.’

Alice gathered the half-rolled joint and sat herself outside. She had to shield her eyes from the low, setting sun. Her skin glittered softly, but she knew she’d soon be safe from its damning rays.

She fiddled with the end of Bella’s joint and flicked at her lighter. It sparked and failed again.

‘Shit, yeah, you’re dead,’ Alice muttered, turning the plastic thing in her hand.

She had forgotten. Sighing, Alice leaned back on her step, letting the chill forest breeze brush over her face. The faint smell of burnt hashbrowns mixed with the mountain air. Something began to tap rapidly at Alice’s left knee. When she looked, she noticed it was her fingers. They quickly rapped against her knee like they were trying to gain her attention. Unsettled, Alice placed her other hand over them.

Odd, she thought. Phantom nerves, perhaps.

‘That’s done,’ Bella said, appearing on the porch steps. She hunkered down next to Alice and handed her the cherry lighter. ‘Sorry, I forgot yours is bust.’

‘At least one of us remembered,’ Alice said.

Bella briefly narrowed her eyes at the statement. She shrugged it off after Alice finally sparked up. They sat in silence as Alice took the first pull.

‘You said your family went hunting?’ Bella said, taking her turn to drag. ‘Did you not go with ‘em?’

‘I did.’

‘They leave without you, or?’ Bella trailed off.

‘Uh, no. I kind of ditched them.’

‘Flake,’ Bella grinned, tapping out her ashes.

‘I wanted to stop by,’ Alice said.

Bella inhaled and puffed. ‘Just to see me?’

‘Yeah, I guess.’

Bella fiddled with the roach of her joint, turning it over and over between her fingers. A small smile was creeping across her face. It was dripping with mischief.

‘What?’ Alice said.

‘Oh, nothing,’ Bella replied and went to take another drag.

‘What?’ Alice repeated, more urgently than she would have liked.

‘Well,’ Bella began, ‘You’ve never stopped by before. Not by yourself. And not to see me. Just me.’

‘Yeah,’ Alice said. She didn’t know what else to say.

‘I don’t mind, ya know?’

Silence. Alice watched the girl drag once more, reeling back to cough a few times.

‘Y’good?’ Alice asked.

‘Good,’ Bella choked. She brushed a hand over her face, giving Alice a glance at her bandaged knuckles.

‘Hey, what happened to you?’ the vampire asked, reaching out to inspect the damage.

‘Hmm?’

‘Your hands, B, you look like you've been cage fighting.’

‘Oh!’ Bella laughed, ‘Yeah, uh, I was just punching shit.’

‘Punching?’

‘Yeah, walls and stuff,’ Bella said. She nodded over to an old, disintegrating brick wall, which stood at the end of her lawn. ‘I been punching that thing, uh, a lot. And also the drywall in my room. My wardrobe is currently hiding quite the crater.’

‘Geez,’ Alice said.

‘Yeah, shit’s fucked,’ Bella said, puffing shortly on her joint.

‘How have you not broken something?’

‘I dunno.’

Alice shook her head in amazement. ‘You are so bizarre.’

‘Thank you.’

Silence. Staring. Silence.

‘Look, Bella,’ Alice started.

‘Yeah, here it is,’ Bella laughed quietly.

‘No, listen. I wanted to ask you something. About last weekend?’

‘Mhmm?’ Bella nodded, tapping her joint and letting it die in her fingers.

‘About… the kiss?’

‘Ah,’ Bella said. Her gaze was focused on her green high-tops. She shuffled them awkwardly. ‘You come here for round two?’ the girl asked. She forced a sheepish grin.

‘Bella,’ Alice said dolefully.

‘I’m joking.’

‘I know.’

Silence.

‘I don’t think we should do it again,’ Alice said finally. ‘I think it’d just make things more complicated for you. Don’t you think?’

‘Hell if I know what’s good for me,’ Bella shrugged. She flicked her roach into the gutter. ‘But, yeah. Maybe you’re right. I’m sorry if I’ve made things weird between us—’

‘Not at all, absolutely not at all,’ Alice breathed. ‘I promise.’

‘Okay,’ Bella said. ‘Good.’

A delivery truck began to approach the house. Alice hurriedly stood and rushed inside. Her skin was still shimmering against the sunset. As she waited for Bella to fix up with the driver outside, she silently rehearsed her departure. It was done. She wouldn’t have to worry about Bella or kissing her or thinking of kissing her anymore. She could deal with composing her explanation to Edward later.

‘He forgot my sauce,’ Bella grumbled once she reappeared in the kitchen. Once she had set her food down on the table, she glanced over to Alice awkwardly looming by the doorway.

‘You’re leaving?’

The vampire played with her fingers. ‘Oh, yeah. I thought I should get going.’

‘Stay a while.’

The words caught Alice off guard. She had expected Bella to want some alone time after such a loaded conversation.

‘I mean, are you sure?’

‘Yeah, dude. I was gonna put on What Lies Beneath.’

‘You hate that movie.’

‘Yeah, but I like watching it with other people,’ Bella shrugged.

Alice couldn’t help the amused smile that crossed her face. ‘I’m dressed in my hunting gear.’

‘Then wear something of mine.’

It was clear that Bella didn't plan on letting Alice leave any time soon. Thinking it'd be rude to refuse her invitation a second time, Alice gave in.

‘All right. But I’ll bounce after.’

‘Cool.’

☆

Alice sat on the lumpy couch in Bella's living room, dressed in a pair of her sweats and an oversized hoodie. Bella finished two slices of her pizza before becoming engrossed in the low-budget horror movie. Despite it being a movie she heavily disliked, she knew the ins and outs of every terrible shot and stilted line of dialogue. She laughed at every cheap jumpscare and rewound when Alice laughed too. During the boring parts, Bella rolled a handful of pinners and insisted they be smoked to “enhance the experience.” Alice joked that she was the only human who could out smoke a vampire, though she didn’t exactly doubt the notion either.

With about a half hour left of the screening, Bella’s pocket buzzed and beeped. She idly fished out a shiny, silver Motorola.

‘Are you joking? When did you get that?’ Alice questioned.

‘Oh, yeah,’ Bella said sheepishly, ‘I decided to finally enter the digital age,’ she said, awkwardly waving the phone about.

‘Since when?’

Bella shrugged. ‘I’m, like, nearly twenty-one. And if my college friends weren't initially on my ass about it, you sure hammered it into me last weekend.’

‘Who’s in it? Add me!’

‘Sure,’ Bella smiled, handing the phone over.

Alice excitedly clicked on Bella's contacts. She glanced over the small list of names. Her father was pinned at the top of the list. Alice also recognised the names of Bella's old high school friends and a few names she did not recognise.

One particular name stuck out like a sore thumb.

‘You have Edward on here.’

‘Uh, yeah. I had his number in my journal from, like, a year ago. He told me to take it down. Just in case I ever decided to get some digits.’

‘Did you text him?’

Bella was quiet. She was focused on the screen of the TV now, sheltered by her long hair.

‘I did,’ she said bluntly.

‘And?’

‘He hasn't responded.’

Bella messed with the shoulder of her tank top. Her eyes were locked on the TV, but they did not move.

‘I’m sorry, I didn't mean to upset you,’ Alice said.

‘It’s fine. I don't care.’

Alice frowned. She gently brushed away the curtain of Bella’s hair that separated them on the couch. Her mouth had formed into a familiar thin line. Her cheeks shifted as she clenched and unclenched her jaw.

So damn angry.

‘You sure you don’t wanna talk about it?’

‘I’m very sure.’

‘All right,’ Alice said softly.

Without realising, Alice had let her fingers linger in Bella’s hair. Her fingertips rested behind the shell of her ear. Bella turned herself slightly, not leaning into the touch but not pulling away either. Her eyes were still narrowed, still angered by the person on her phone.

‘It’s okay,’ Alice whispered tenderly. A finger slipped from Bella’s ear and stroked her cheek. Bella blinked slowly as she studied Alice's face.

‘What?’ Alice whispered.

‘Hmm?’ Bella said.

Alice smiled crookedly. ‘What are you looking at?’

‘You.’

‘Mm,’ Alice hummed.

‘I like looking at you,’ Bella said.

‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Uh huh, very much so.’

Damn it, Alice thought. This was not the type of conversation that people who don't kiss would have. And Bella was looking extremely kissable right now. All glowy in the light of the TV. Warm from the weed. Soft to the touch.

Bella had turned her body so that she was leaning towards the vampire. One hand was nestled between them, dangerously close to Alice's hip. The girl's chin was tilted upwards, practically inviting Alice in. It became clear to Alice that vampires weren't the only creatures to harness the power of seduction.

‘I like looking at you too,’ Alice said. Her voice was a low whisper as if she were telling Bella a closely guarded secret. In a way, Alice felt like she was. She wasn’t supposed to say things like this to Bella. Right? Friends don’t speak to each other like that.

Right?

‘What do you like about looking at me?’ Bella asked. Her eyes had half closed and the hint of a smirk played on the corners of her lips.

If Alice could blush the way humans did, she was certain she’d be redder than Bella’s cherry lighter.

The vampire’s throat ran dry. Her next word was strained but true.

‘Everything.’

Bella was inches away now. She placed a gentle hand on Alice’s thigh and slid it upwards.

‘We can't,’ Alice whispered, though she found herself leaning in just as close.

‘I know,’ Bella whispered back, tilting her head ever so slightly.

‘Oh, Bella,’ Alice whined. Mournful. Wanting.

The end of Bella's name was cut short by an eager mouth. Firm lips pressed against Alice's, so hard the vampire feared Bella would bruise herself. It was so hungry. And frighteningly determined.

The girl slid into Alice's lap, and Alice couldn't stop the way her hands fell onto Bella's hips or trailed up her back under her tank top; how they clawed down Bella's skin, how they pulled her even closer.

The kiss was a mess, all tongue and teeth. Alice couldn't get enough. It was addictive. She nipped at Bella's lower lip and lost her hands in the girl’s hair, not minding how rough she was being; Bella's soft moaning only spurred her on.

Bella sucked once on Alice's tongue, slow and deliberate. When she pulled away with a ragged breath, Alice could see the hard nubs of her nipples poking through her white tank top, which had slid up significantly to reveal her pale under breast. Her ribs peeped out from under the thin fabric. Alice gasped at how soft she looked. Her pale silhouette tinted blue against the TV screen made her look as if she were made of milk glass.

‘No bra?’ Alice said breathlessly.

‘Yeah, yeah, fuck the patriarchy,’ Bella panted. And Alice giggled.

Their lips collided once more. Bella held Alice's face in both hands, kissing her with a passion that was so intense it was almost animalistic. Feral.

Alice shifted in her place on the couch, causing Bella to moan into her mouth.

‘Shit,’ Bella gasped, pulling away briefly. ‘Do that again. Please?’

‘This?’ Alice asked, pushing her hips upwards and into Bella's straddled centre.

‘Uh huh,’ Bella squeaked.

Alice obeyed. She began to grind herself over Bella's sweatpants, allowing some error for the girl to settle into her rhythm.

‘Jesus,’ Bella panted, ‘Fuck. Shit.’

‘Does that feel good?’ Alice asked shakily.

‘So good,’ Bella nodded. Her hair began to stick to one side of her face and forehead. It reminded Alice of when she’d shown up on her doorstep in the rain.

The way Bella’s hips moved with Alice's was simply hypnotising. Alice observed every bone and muscle working together to aid Bella towards her high. And it wasn't far off, judging by the girl's quickening pace.

Alice's eyes fell on Bella's heaving chest. She inched Bella forward so that she could take one nipple between her lips through the fabric. She tugged lightly, eliciting a needy whine from the girl.

‘Don’t stop,’ Bella breathed, ‘Please, don't fucking stop.’

Bella's hands gripped Alice's shoulders. She bucked into her frantically, beginning to lose her rhythm as her orgasm finally rose to the surface.

It was heaven to watch. Bella pressed herself deep into Alice's centre, grinding slower and slower until she'd rode out every last wave of her release. She had fallen against Alice's chest and buried her face into the vampire's neck. Alice rested hers into Bella's mane of hair.

Bella trembled against her, still rubbing out the last of the high. Eventually, she came to a still, letting her breath catch up to a regular speed. Alice stroked her smooth back with both hands, allowing the girl to collect herself.

For a while, Bella's irregular breathing filled the room. The movie had long ended. Alice stroked the girl's hair with one hand, her other draped over her back.

‘Shit,’ Bella finally mumbled against Alice's hoodie.

‘Yeah,’ Alice sighed finally. ‘Shit indeed.’

‘We… I shouldn't have that.’

Bella shakily sat up on the vampire’s waist. And of course, Alice would have painted her vision on the finest canvas. Hung it in the damn Louvre. Written poetry about how pretty every damn hair on her damn head was. She was perfect. Half naked, hair dishevelled. Perfect.

‘You’re so beautiful,’ Alice said.

Bella huffed, ‘Thanks.’

‘I mean it,’ Alice said.

‘Well… You still want to leave?’ Bella asked, turning back towards the vampire.

Alice laughed. She couldn't help it.

‘I probably should.’

‘Damn.’

‘I’m sorry, I said I'd be home later.’

‘Can you lie?’

Alice rolled her eyes and went to budge Bella off of her. The girl hissed, startling Alice.

‘What? What is it?’ Alice asked worriedly.

‘Nothing, I… I'm just really wet.’

‘Oh,’ Alice said.

The two burst into a fit of giggles, falling about the couch as they did. Bella awkwardly pulled down her tank top and insisted Alice keep her clothes, no doubt a reason for them to meet up again.

‘You can text me, you know?’ Alice grinned, standing with Bella on her front porch. ‘Whenever you need.’

‘I know. Thank you,’ Bella said. ‘Um, and thanks for… staying a bit.’

‘No problem,’ Alice said. ‘I guess I'll see you around?’

‘Yeah,’ Bella said. ‘I’ll see you. Around.’ She gestured awkwardly.

‘Goodnight, Bella.’

‘Night,’ Bella said, waving shyly as Alice descended the steps.

‘Ali?’ Bella called.

Alice turned to face her inquisitively.

Bella tapped her foot on the porch wood. ‘This was… We can’t… What do we do now? After… all that?’

‘I don't know, B,’ Alice said softly.

Bella nodded dumbly. ‘Was it… bad?’

‘Bad?’

Bella cleared her throat. ‘Was it a bad thing that we did this?’

Alice frowned - a heavy sadness weighing down her chest. She walked back up the porch steps and drew Bella in for a firm hug. The girl hugged her back just as tightly, burying her face into the soft fabric of Alice’s borrowed hoodie. When Alice pulled away, Bella’s winced expression resembled that of a wounded animal.

‘How about we talk about it another time?’ Alice whispered.

Bella’s lips pouted for a brief moment before she nodded slowly.

‘All right,’ Alice said quietly.

Bella reached down to kiss her, slow, firm, and longingly; as if it would be the last time she’d ever get the opportunity. In the back of Alice’s mind, she wondered if it would be. It took all of her strength not to kiss her just as firmly back.

Bella pulled away, her eyes not meeting the vampire’s.

‘Goodnight, Alice.’

‘Goodnight, Bella.’

Without another word, Alice sped home.

☆

‘You motherfucker!’

‘Rosalie,’ Alice groaned.

Her sister had greeted her at the front door, a shit-eating grin on her pristine face.

‘I knew it! I knew you were bullshitting me. You were gawking at her like she was the second coming!’

‘Who’s coming?’ Emmett asked, walking into the foyer and holding a mug of blood from the family hunt.

‘Alice and Bella boned.’

‘Aliba— Bwuh, huh?’

‘We did not bone,’ Alice huffed, ‘Don’t be so vulgar.’ She made a beeline for the stairs, mortified by her sister’s shameless prying.

‘Hey! Get back here!’ Rosalie yelled up the stairs.

Alice shut her bedroom door behind her. She leaned against the wood, silently begging her sister not to charge through it. Rosalie's muffled ranting echoed throughout the foyer. She was cackling like a hyena. Alice had to admit that her enthusiasm towards the situation was somewhat of a comfort, even if it was at the expense of her dignity.

With her mind a swirl of untamed emotions, Alice shakily sat herself down at her writing desk. Her haven. The walnut surface was hidden beneath several crumpled pages of Alice's mind matter. She sighed and took one of the white, crinkled balls, smoothing it out with her palms. It was a single phrase, hastily scrawled in black ink.

If I should take your pain away, would you still look as sweet?

Alice moved the page aside and grabbed another.

Sadness flows through you and permeates your blood. To drink of it would surely bring me to my knees.

‘Jesus Christ,’ Alice mumbled.

‘Bitch, open the door,’ came Rosalie's voice from outside the room.

‘I’m brooding,’ Alice called back.

The door opened. Alice sighed. Rosalie entered with a tall glass of red in one hand. She slammed it down on Alice's desk and then folded her arms.

‘Start talking and then you can start sipping.’

Alice reached for the glass, only to have it swiped away.

‘Are you going to talk?’

‘Rose,’ Alice groaned.

‘Don’t make me poke around in that filthy little mind of yours,’ Rosalie said, twiddling her fingers in Alice's face. ‘Tell me what happened.’

‘Fine,’ Alice sighed, throwing her arms up in defeat. ‘We kissed. Again.’

‘And?’

‘And… maybe some heavy petting.’

‘Ohoho,’ Rosalie beamed. ‘This is incredible.’

‘Yeah, you seem weirdly pleased about it,’ Alice said dryly.

‘Because it's you! You don't do stuff like this. You're Alice. Our sweet little Alice,’ Rosalie said, tousling her sister’s hair.

‘Knock it off,’ Alice grumbled. She snatched the glass of blood from Rosalie and took a long gulp. ‘It’s not like I've been the one initiating all this.’

‘Oh?’

‘Yeah. Bella has been, like, so… intimate? I feel like she’s never even looked my way until now.’

‘Well, maybe you just didn't notice,’ Rosalie said. ‘You had Edward shielding her from you.’

‘Don’t talk like that. Don't speak of him that way.’

‘I’m serious! Maybe Bella's been trying to get closer to you but she's been too busy scrapping with that man-child every other week.’

‘Can we drop this? I'm done. I'm done talking about this.’

Rosalie shook her head. ‘You need to lighten up.’

‘And you need to stop talking about Edward like he isn't going through his own stuff.’

Less than amused, Rosalie began to make her way out of the room. She paused at Alice's door.

‘Edward has had plenty of time to deal with his own emotions. That girl shouldn't be the one to sort them out for him.’

As Rosalie opened Alice's door to leave, Emmett stood outside with one fist in the air, ready to knock.

‘Yo… Uh, so did Alice and Bella really—’

‘Yes, they did,’ Rosalie scoffed, pushing past Emmett and heading downstairs.

‘Damn it,’ Emmett muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

‘What?’ Alice asked.

‘I owe Rose so much money.’

☆

Three more days passed, each without any word from Bella. Alice began to wonder if she'd decided to revert to her phoneless ways. She wondered if she'd texted Edward again. She wondered if Edward had replied to her. Or if she had punched the rest of her brick wall into dust. Most of all, Alice wondered if Bella was thinking of her.

The girl’s vengeful drumming could be heard across the forest. It was enough to assure Alice that she was at least still alive. Though it did little to distract her from thinking about her.

Alice had lost all hope in trying to banish the girl from her mind. Thoughts of Bella came frequently now. They took form in Alice's brain whenever she had a moment of peace. When she was walking in the woods at night. When she was cleaning her fangs. When she was listening to her vinyl records. Not even the soothing tones of Ella Fitzgerald could free her from the mental prison that was a new crush.

When she tried to peer into Bella's future, Alice could see her brother there with her. The vision was not clear. She could not tell if they were happy or sad together, just that they were with one another. When Alice dared to look even deeper, still she found Edward, his blurry face staring back at her from a world that had not yet dawned.

Alice couldn’t fathom the disappointment that followed when she did not see herself in the visions. This disappointment was then often followed by guilt. It was ridiculous even to consider. Of course, Alice wouldn't play a part in Bella's future love life. The vampire wasn't sure why she had even wanted to look. Had she truly expected to find herself there? A fuzzy figure wrapped in Bella's arms? How silly it was even to imagine.

Then why do you keep checking? Alice asked herself as she curled up on her couch bed. She had failed to fold it away after Bella's unexpected visit. A part of Alice didn't want to do such a thing. She liked remembering that Bella had been there. Her scent still lingered in the pillows and blankets. Smoke and flowers.

Saturday night had rolled back around and Alice found herself alone in her bedroom, listening to Louis Armstrong, waiting the night away. Brooding had become something she had found herself doing more and more. Despite it being quite a popular vampire pastime, Alice rarely indulged in the activity. She was built for movement. Running aimlessly with friends. Driving fast down a highway. Dancing for hours in exclusive speakeasies.

These days, she found herself uninterested in anything else but the headstrong girl living in the little white house, with bloody knuckles and dark circles. Bella Swan. Tragic, doomed, Bella Swan.

A mug of warm blood was nestled between Alice’s fingers, covered by the sleeves of her oversized sweater. It was well into the early hours of the morning. Alice had planned on going for a solo hunt, but she could not bring herself to get into a hunting mindset. Her body had felt off as of late. She knew damn well why.

The life of a settled vampire was simple: Hunt. Drink. Brood. With most of those things knocked off her list today, Alice was growing frustrated with the lack of enrichment.

Bzz bzz.

No. It couldn't be. Could it?

Alice slowly picked up her phone. A contact which she had lovingly decorated with star emoticons appeared on screen.

hey. u awake?

Alice re-read the contact name over and over, making sure that it was who she saw it was. After taking a full minute to come to terms with the fact that Bella had contacted her, she received another message.

i 4got u dont need 2 sleep. im dum as fuk :P

Alice bit back a smile, hearing Bella's voice in her head. The girl typed the way she talked. Alice found it amusing. She hovered her fingers over her keyboard, hesitating before bringing a single finger to the buttons.

Wide awake :)

Bella’s response was slow. Alice figured she was still getting used to the small keys.

sweet. r u busy?

No, why?

The chorus of “Inside Your Heaven” by Carrie Underwood blared from Alice’s phone. She jumped in surprise, usually able to sense when she was about to get a call.

Bella’s name lit up on her screen. Alice stared at her phone in silence, letting the song play until the chorus repeated once again. She accepted the call.

‘Hello?’ Alice said warily.

‘Hey,’ came Bella’s voice over the speaker. It was quiet and slow and was followed by a burst of two short coughs.

‘Hey, sleepy,’ Alice replied. ‘You’re up late again.’

‘Yeah,’ Bella said groggily, fighting a long yawn. ‘I can’t fall asleep.’

‘Why’s that?’ Alice asked. She pulled up one of her blankets from the couch bed. Something about the way Bella spoke made her want to feel cosy.

‘I dunno. The house is creepy when it’s just me sometimes. Maybe that’s it.’

‘Charlie’s out?’

‘Yeah. Or, shit, maybe it’s this stupid microbiology exam I have coming up.’

‘You study?’

‘Yeah, dude, sooo much,’ Bella groaned.

Alice giggled. ‘Maybe you’re a bit overworked then. Too much brain activity in that noggin of yours.’

‘Sure, sure,’ Bella said.

God, her voice, Alice thought. Does she know how delicious it sounds?

‘What you been up to the last few days?’ Bella asked.

‘Oh, you know. Feeding, reading, standing in one place for hours at a time.’

‘Damn, I’m getting serious FOMO.’

‘You’re sure missing out.’

Bella shuffled in her bed, causing the audio from Alice’s phone to crackle. Alice listened intently as Bella sighed and settled into a different position. Eventually, the line went static, accompanied by Bella’s soft breathing. Alice wondered for a moment if she’d suddenly fallen asleep. But that question was soon answered with another short cough. Alice smirked.

‘All good?’

Once again, it got quiet on the other line. Alice’s ears pricked with anticipation. The way Bella was breathing didn’t sound like she was dozing off. It sounded like she was almost holding it. Alice then picked up on a small, dry swallow.

‘I wish you were here, dude,’ Bella said.

It was Alice’s turn to go silent. She messed with her sweater sleeve, pinching it and twisting it between her thumb and index finger.

Bella cleared her throat. ‘You still there?’

‘Yes.’

‘Okay.’

‘I’m right here, Bee.’

Alice heard the subtle squeeze of Bella’s throat tightening and untightening. She heard fingers slowly scratching across tangled hair and the wet slide of teeth chewing on soft lips.

‘It’s cold here,’ Bella said, her voice growing low and quiet.

‘I’m not sure I can help you there,’ Alice replied.

‘I could. We could.’

Alice had to close her eyes and take a slow inhale. She fluttered her eyes open again and leaned back into her couch, staring at her ceiling.

‘Yeah? How’s that?’

Bella took her time answering. The static on the other line seemed to grow louder.

‘I could hold you till you’re warm.’

‘You could.’

‘I could rub my hands all over you until you’re just as warm as me. And then we’d both be warm.’

Alice had started to tug at the neckline of her sweater. She bit down hard on her lower lip to stifle her quickening breath; a primal instinct that only kicked in when she was nervous or excited.

‘That might warm me up, yes,’ Alice said. She hated how evident her flustered voice was.

‘Mhmm, I’d make sure of it.’

‘You sound determined.’

‘I am.’

Alice rolled onto one side. She focused her eyes on her hunting boots by the doorway. Her next words were whispered and shaky.

‘How else would you warm me up?’

Bella laughed softly. Alice pictured her smile.

‘How do you want me to, Alice?’

Alice dragged her fingers through her hair and scrunched it at the ends.

‘I’ll be over in five.’

☆

Bella shoved Alice into her bedroom door, rattling the picture frames on her walls. Her lips locked with the vampire’s the second it slammed closed. Her hands pulled at Alice’s coat, though Alice had already shimmied it halfway down her arms. It fell to the floor, followed by Alice’s sweater.

In a frenzied waltz, Bella guided Alice towards her bed, never once breaking their makeout session. Alice’s hands had snaked down to Bella’s ass, squeezing it over her boxers. The two stumbled and collapsed onto Bella’s mattress, Bella rolling Alice onto her back. Her eager hands trailed over Alice’s chest, down her stomach, and finally rested on the zipper of her jeans. The desperation and speed at which Bella moved was sending Alice’s mind into a spin. She was so quick yet so calculated. She’d done this before.

Alice’s jeans soon joined the growing mountain of clothes on Bella’s bedroom floor. Bella had slid them off with ease.

‘I like your panties,’ the girl smiled, coming to straddle Alice’s lap.

‘You’ll like ‘em better on your fucking floor,’ Alice replied, sitting up to crash her lips to Bella’s once again.

In unison, two pairs of hands fiddled with the clasp of the other’s bra, resulting in giggles when it took longer than expected to unhook them. Again the clothes pile grew. Alice flopped back down against the mattress.

‘Jesus,’ Bella breathed, ‘Oh my god, they’re so fucking pretty.’

‘Yours too,’ Alice said wistfully.

‘And you,’ Bella began, leaning down to pepper kisses along Alice’s jaw and neck, ‘are so perfect.’

‘Oh, B,’ Alice groaned, arching against the bed.

Bella inched herself to the end of Alice’s waist - Alice watching her go down - and gently pried open her pale legs. She placed a firm kiss against the thin fabric of Alice’s panties, eliciting a soft gasp from the vampire.

‘You’re so wet already,’ Bella said in awe.

‘Look what you’re doing to me,’ Alice panted.

Bella made quick work of tugging the underwear down and throwing it aside. An unfamiliar warmth radiated from Alice’s body. It felt so strange but so nice all the same. A long dead hearth reignited.

Bella’s movements had come to a snail’s pace, a startling contrast to her once erratic speed. A slow, firm tongue pressed against the slit of Alice’s pussy. It travelled upwards, swiping over each dip and fold. The care and attention to which Bella gave each second of eating Alice out was admirable. She did not race to reach her sensitive clit, only teased it with the tip of her tongue. When Alice thought the girl would finally give in to her bucking hips and needy whines, her tongue would only slip downwards again to lap and suck at her folds. Bella was going to take her time, and she seemed to be sadistically relishing in the torture she was inflicting upon the vampire. Alice could see the corners of Bella’s mouth twitching upwards. She knew she would have to be patient.

‘What do you want, pretty girl?’ Bella hummed against Alice’s heat.

‘You’re such a fucking bitch,’ Alice laughed breathlessly. Bella only grinned.

‘Oh, am I not being nice to you?’ Bella mewled. ‘Am I not giving my pretty girl what she wants?’

‘Please, Bella,’ Alice panted. ‘Please, I need you.’

‘Mhmm?’

‘I… I need your fucking tongue on my fucking clit.’

‘That’s more like it,’ Bella said.

She ducked her head back down, repeating her agonisingly slow journey from the bottom of Alice’s soaked entrance to the very edge of her pulsing clit. Just when Alice thought she was still going to deny her any relief, Bella lapped her tongue over the shiny, pink nub.

‘Oh, fuck,’ the vampire exhaled.

Bella continued. She gently licked and swirled her tongue across Alice’s clit in a steady rhythm. Alice matched her movements by gyrating her hips, pressing herself harder against Bella’s tongue. Bella slid her arms towards Alice’s tits. She squeezed them tenderly and rolled her fingers between her erect nipples.

Alice felt like she was burning up. She hadn’t been this warm in a long time. She begged her body to keep her orgasm at bay for just a few minutes longer, but she knew that such a goal was foolish to think attainable. Bella felt too good.

‘I’m so fucking close,’ Alice whimpered. Her eyes felt watery. Her legs were stiffening. Bella hummed against her clit. ‘Oh, god,’ she moaned, her hands scrambling to grab hold of something before settling in Bella’s hair, ‘Oh, Bella.’

Alice’s back lifted from the mattress as her high finally reached its peak. She stroked herself against Bella’s mouth, Bella’s tongue lapping over her with every move. Each wave was as vibrant and wonderful as the last. Alice imagined pure, shimmering light radiating from within her, shooting through her arms and legs; right to her toes and fingertips. When the light finally began to dim, a warm buzz washed over the vampire, numbing her gently.

The vampire melted back against the bed. Bella sat up, skin glistening with Alice’s juices. She wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand and flicked her thumb across her lower lip.

‘Yo, you’re shaking,’ Bella said, crawling towards Alice at the top of the bed.

‘Yeah, I’m still coming down,’ Alice exhaled.

‘C’mere,’ Bella murmured, pulling her in for a cuddle.

Alice eagerly accepted the embrace, lazily rolling onto her side. Bella placed her chin atop Alice’s head and draped her arms around her shoulders. Alice pulled the girl in by her waist, face nestled atop Bella’s warm chest.

The silence that passed was short lived. Alice placed a tender kiss on Bella’s jaw. Bella hummed in approval.

‘That’s nice, baby,’ Bella said quietly.

‘Mhmm,’ Alice mumbled against her skin, reaching up to massage one of Bella’s tits in her palm.

‘Shit,’ Bella breathed.

It was Alice’s turn to roll Bella onto her back. She couldn’t help grinning at Bella’s excited expression. She was too adorable for her own good.

‘What do you want, B?’

Bella licked her lips.

‘I want you to fuck me.’

‘That can be arranged.’

Bella giggled, ‘No, Alice, I want you to fuck me.’

Alice raised an eyebrow but still smirked at the smiling girl beneath her. There was a mischievous glint in her eye.

‘Gimme a sec,’ Bella said, wriggling out from underneath Alice’s hips.

Alice watched as the girl hurried into her closet, rummaging about the shelves for something hidden away. She soon reappeared with a shoebox and placed it on the bed.

‘Whatcha got there?’ Alice asked.

‘Just… something fun,’ Bella said.

She opened the lid and revealed a series of leather straps and fasteners.

‘Item number one,’ Bella grinned. She fished into the box again. ‘And two,’ she added.

Alice’s mouth fell open as the girl revealed a sizable purple dildo. The vampire giggled incredulously. ‘She’s huge!’

Bella cackled, ‘Are you surprised?’

‘I don’t know, I… Jesus, Bella.’

Bella laughed again and began to piece together the toy and the heap of straps.

‘I said I wanted you to fuck me, Alice,’ the girl said, voice falling a pitch lower.

Warmth pulsated at Alice’s centre. ‘You did say that, didn’t you?’

‘Come here, baby,’ Bella said, patting the edge of the bed in front of her.

Alice obeyed. She watched intently as Bella connected the toy to the straps via a rubber ring. Alice giddily waited for Bella to help her into the strap-on and adjust it so that it hugged her comfortably.

‘Fit okay?’ Bella asked, stepping back to admire her work.

‘Shit’s heavy,’ Alice chuckled. ‘But yes, it— Oh, fuck, the swing!’

Bella erupted in laughter, holding her hands over her face. Alice steadied herself against a nearby dresser, also falling into a fit of giggles.

When the laughter had died down, Bella had placed her hands atop Alice's shoulders, kissing her tenderly. The vampire pressed her close, the toy squished between them.

‘Where should I put you?’ Alice hummed.

‘Bed,’ Bella mumbled through kisses.

Alice guided Bella towards the edge of the mattress. The girl wasted no time in wriggling out of her underwear and sitting up on her elbows, staring darkly at her secret lover.

‘You look so beautiful,’ Alice said, positioning herself between Bella's legs. Bella was drenched, her inner thighs slick with her wetness.

‘God, I need you so bad, Alice. I need you so fucking bad.’

‘I’m here, B,’ Alice grinned, eyes half-lidded.

Alice wrapped Bella's legs over her hips to get a clearer angle. She felt slightly awkward in her harness, having never used such a contraption before. But seeing Bella below her - impatiently squirming with anticipation - was enough to ease her nerves.

‘I’ll go slow at first, okay? I haven't done this before.’

‘That’s okay, Ali,’ Bella smiled warmly, ‘I’ll guide you through it.’ A look of adoration crossed her face. Alice felt butterflies again.

The vampire gripped the middle of the silicone shaft, her other hand clamped on Bella's left hip. She carefully eased herself forward, Bella eagerly meeting her halfway. Slowly, Alice placed the tip of the dildo at Bella's entrance. The single touch alone was enough to make the girl whine.

‘God, you're soaked for me,’ Alice said.

‘Put it in, Alice. I need you, I need you now,’ Bella rambled.

Alice inhaled slowly before easing the tip into Bella's entrance. The girl moaned encouragingly. It was music.

It was easy to slide the rest of the toy inside. Bella was dripping to the point of it being almost too frictionless. But Alice soon found a steady pace, allowing both her hands to grip Bella's hips. She rhythmically thrust into Bella's walls, garnering short, approving moans from the girl. The wet slap of each stroke made Alice feel dizzy. It thrilled her to know just how aroused Bella was. Because of her.

‘Harder, Alice,’ Bella spoke after a few unspoken minutes.

‘You sure?’ Alice asked.

‘Mhmm, please. I can take it. Fuck me harder. Please.’

Alice obeyed. She scooted Bella further onto the bed before supporting both of her legs in her arms. With bated breath, Alice began to thrust deeper. Harder. The bedframe knocked against the back wall at an even tempo. Alice hoped that none of Bella’s neighbours were having an early morning stroll right now.

Bella's mouth was a long O. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her brows raised and scrunched together. Her arms flopped against the mattress above her head like a ragdoll. She had grown quiet with this new pace - but Alice was reassured that she was enjoying each minute by the tiny whine that occasionally escaped her lips.

‘That’s so fucking good,’ Bella grunted through gritted teeth.

‘Yeah, baby?’ Alice panted.

‘Yes, fuck, yes. Mmm, I need you from behind. I wanna turn around.’

‘Okay, baby,’ Alice said, slowing her pace and pulling out with a wet pop.

‘Shit,’ Bella panted. She sat up on her knees and pulled Alice in for a passionate kiss. Alice moaned into it and hosted Bella onto her waist. Bella squeaked in surprise.

‘Christ, I forgot how strong you are.’

Alice giggled and peppered kisses over Bella's neck. ‘I wanna try something.’

‘Oh, yeah?’

Alice carried Bella over to a nearby armchair. She positioned her so that Bella was kneeling away from her. Alice eased Bella forward and grabbed her wrists, securing them behind her back with one hand.

‘I like where this is going,’ Bella smirked.

‘I’ll make sure you love it,’ Alice whispered into Bella's ear, causing her to whine in desperation.

She slapped the dildo up against Bella's dripping pussy. The girl moaned impatiently, wriggling herself towards Alice's strap-on.

‘Uh uh, good girls wait,’ Alice said sternly, holding the tip of the dildo to Bella's throbbing entrance.

‘Alice,’ Bella whined.

Alice began to slide the shaft of her strap-on inside Bella's folds, painfully slow. The frustrated whimper that followed this decision only spurred her on.

‘Does my good girl not want to wait?’ Alice cooed.

‘Mm mm,’ Bella whimpered, shaking her head.

‘Oh, how bad does my good girl want it?’

‘So fucking bad, Alice.’

‘You’re going to have to do better than that, my love.’

‘Please, Alice. I can't wait any longer. I need you, I'm desperate for your strap inside me.’

‘Good girl.’

Alice thrust herself into Bella's pussy at a pace that was almost brutal. Bella did not hold back her moans of pleasure, fully submitting to the desperate, horny mess she had become.

Alice gripped hard at her wrists behind her back. Her other hand had taken a bunch of Bella's hair and cocked the girl's head backwards. Alice managed to pull Bella up towards her, pressing firm kisses into her cheek and jawline. Bella's mouth hung open, allowing Alice to hook her thumb inside the girl’s jaw between her teeth.

‘Choke me,’ Bella mumbled.

‘What was that, love?’ Alice asked, removing her thumb from Bella's mouth.

‘Choke me, Alice,’ Bella panted.

‘Yeah? You want me to be real rough with you, huh?’

‘Uh huh,’ Bella whined.

Alice reached her hand down to Bella’s neck. She carefully placed her fingertips on either side of the girl's throat, making sure not to apply any pressure to her airway. She picked up her pace again, thrusting hard into Bella's warm walls. Gently, Alice squeezed at Bella's throat, eliciting a new kind of moan from the girl. It was guttural. Unashamed. It told Alice that Bella was close.

‘You’re being such a good girl for me, Bella,’ Alice muttered between hard thrusts. ‘Letting me fuck you so roughly. You're taking this strap so well.’

‘Oh, Alice,’ Bella whined, ‘You’re gonna make me cum so hard.’

‘Mmm, I wanna hear you cum for me, baby.’

‘Oh, fuck… Oh, fuck!—’ Bella exclaimed.

She came undone, calling out Alice's name and trembling against her hips. A splash of sticky juices ran down her legs, coating Alice as well. At last, after three more slow and deliberate strokes, the dildo slipped out from Bella's entrance and she began to fall against the armchair.

‘Woah, I got you,’ Alice said, hoisting the limp girl into her arms. ‘I got you, b.’

‘Unnghh,’ Bella groaned.

Alice stifled a giggle, ‘You okay?’

She pulled back the covers on Bella's bed with one hand and then placed her onto the mattress against her pillows. Bella remained limp, curled up on one side, eyes delicately closed.

‘B?’

‘Hmm?’

‘I wasn't too rough with you, was I?’ Alice asked, now growing worried. Perhaps Bella wasn't able to take her after all. She leaned over Bella, one knee sinking into the bed.

A small, breathy laugh escaped Bella's lips. ‘You were fucking phenomenal, stupid.’

Alice sighed in relief and shook her head, bewildered. She slipped out of her strap-on harness and joined Bella in bed, covering their naked bodies with the cool duvet.

Once Alice had laid down, Bella stiffly wriggled closer to her, nestling underneath the vampire's chin. Alice draped one arm over Bella's body.

A few minutes of peaceful silence passed. Alice watched as Bella's body rose and fell with each steady breath.

‘Hey,’ Bella mumbled against the vampire's cool skin.

‘Hmm?’

‘Do you think ‘m too much?’

Alice rubbed Bella's arm over the covers. ‘No, Bella.’

‘Y’don’t think ‘m too angry all the time?’

Alice placed a tender kiss atop Bella's hair. ‘I think your anger is valid. I think you're allowed to feel it.’

Bella took so long to reply to Alice that the vampire assumed she had fallen asleep. But the girl suddenly shuffled closer against her naked body.

‘I like you, Ali.’

Alice closed her eyes gently. ‘I like you too, Bella.’

‘G’night, Ali,’ Bella mumbled sleepily.

‘Goodnight, B,’ Alice smiled softly.

Though she would not sleep, Alice was grateful for the moment of peace that was following such an active night. She silently stroked Bella's damp hair and listened to her gentle snoring, accompanied by the dawn chorus outside.

Alice did not worry about what she was to Bella, or how they'd navigate their relationship from here. All that mattered to her now was that the girl was in her arms, safe and asleep. And that Bella wanted — needed Alice to be there.

☆

Fucking Bella became an almost daily occurrence. If Alice wasn't texting her regularly, she was at Bella's house when Charlie was out, screwing her like an animal in heat.

Alice became accustomed to learning exactly what would give Bella the best high. She also learned what would slow it down, keep it from her, and drive her insane. It was such a thrill to figure out what exactly made the girl tick and what made her squirm with frustration.

Bella liked pain. And lots of it. She begged Alice to grip her thighs and leave bruises on her soft skin. She wanted hickeys everywhere; her neck, her chest, her tits. She liked nails down her back and her hair pulled into a ponytail by a firm fist. She liked being spat on and slapped and choked and dragged.

She liked being bitten. Alice had found a way to nip at the girl without her fangs getting in the way. And though Bella had pleaded with her at one point, Alice did not dare draw blood.

She did not question Bella's need for such extreme physical activity. It was relieving some stress. And Alice was only glad to help her.

Bella had purchased herself some thin turtleneck shirts. Alice's fingers had left dark marks on her wrists, waist, and neck; and Bella was not planning on conjuring an excuse for Charlie anytime soon. She would just tell him she was preparing for the fall and that turtlenecks were totally in right now.

Alice knew that her own family suspected something was up, though they never made any attempts to pry on the matter. Something told her that they already knew but did not dare to intervene. If not out of fear, then for unspoken respect. Rosalie would smirk and roll her eyes if she ever caught Alice heading out alone.

‘You’re so good to me,’ Bella moaned on the verge of yet another high, face shoved against her pillows with Alice pounding her from behind. ‘I’m close.’

‘Me too,’ Alice panted, slamming herself into the girl at a practised pace.

‘God, I love it when you cum when you’re wearing that thing,’ Bella said. ‘You’re so fucking hot.’

‘Mmhmm,’ Alice mumbled, too on edge to form words.

‘Fuck me, Alice,’ Bella pleaded, a sign for Alice to start speeding up so she could finish.

Alice gripped Bella’s waist and flipped the girl onto her back. She pounded the girl onto her strap, staring intensely. Bella’s face scrunched into a stern look, an expression that formed when Alice was giving it to her particularly hard.

‘Kiss me,’ Bella breathed. And Alice did.

They came in unison, a divine melody of long moans and fluttered breaths. Alice chewed on Bella’s bottom lip, grinding herself against her a few more times before pulling out and flopping down beside her.

‘Was that good, my love?’ Alice asked as Bella sprawled out on top of her like a lazy cat.

‘As always,’ Bella said, placing a firm kiss on Alice’s cheek and lips.

They held one another, basking in the morning sun while their bodies relaxed and settled.

‘I’m sensing Esme wanting me to come home,’ Alice said then, staring at the ceiling and tracing circles on Bella’s shoulder.

‘What for?’ Bella mumbled.

‘A hunt perhaps. It’s been a while.’

Bella stretched and groggily sat herself up. Her hair was a tangled mess, all bunching to one side. Alice smiled fondly and did her best to tame it with playful fingers.

‘Will I see you soon?’ Bella asked.

Alice wriggled herself out of the strap-on harness and pulled on one of Bella’s shirts.

‘Probably,’ the vampire said, rummaging around the room for more clothes. She pulled on her jeans and sweater before busying herself with her boots. As she dressed herself, she felt Bella’s eyes watching her closely.

Alice was about to ask the girl what was catching her eye so intensely when a sudden surge of nausea swelled in her gut. Alice stumbled and steadied herself against Bella’s dresser. She could hear Bella’s surprised gasp and the clamour of her feet as she approached her to see what was wrong. But the girl’s voice was far away and Alice’s vision was becoming blurred. A shot of pain ran up through Alice’s chest and into the back of her skull. The room melted away, revealing an explosion of colour on the back of Alice’s eyelids.

A vision. A strong one.

A fuzzy figure was running — no, sprinting through the woods, crashing through trees and breaking boulders as it went. The ground beneath the figure was hardly touched at all. They were chasing something. Someone. And they wanted them dead.

A clear voice broke through Alice’s noisy mind. A familiar one. It was terrified, all raspy and broken.

Rosalie.

‘It’s Edward,’ her voice said, forcing its way into Alice’s consciousness. ‘He said he caught wind of your thoughts on his way here.’

Rosalie desperately pushed six more words into Alice's mind, ones that sent a visceral shiver through her body.

‘He’s come home, Alice. He knows.’

☆

Bella would not let go of Alice’s sweater sleeve. She dug her shoes into the dirt, trying desperately to get Alice’s attention.

‘You can’t go alone! I need to see him! I can talk to him—’

‘He’s going to kill me, Bella!’ Alice screamed, yanking her arm away from the girl’s firm grasp.

‘He won’t if I’m there! Please, Alice. Let me fucking come with you!’

‘Get. Off!’ Alice yelled, tugging at her shirt collar before shoving Bella backwards.

The girl tumbled to the ground. She lay there in the dirt, propped up on her elbows. Alice stared in shock. Bella’s wide, brown eyes blinked up at her. Horrified. Angry. So damn angry.

‘I… I can’t fucking bring you,’ Alice said, her voice now a hissed whisper.

Bella struggled to her feet and stared hard at the vampire.

‘So you’ll just leave? You leave and get yourself killed and then what?’ Bella said as hot tears began to spill over her blushed cheeks.

‘I don’t know,’ Alice said. ‘Then you can be with him.’

‘That’s such bullshit,’ Bella spat. ‘This is such bullshit.’

‘It is!’ Alice screamed. ‘It was! All of this… All of this fucking was.’

‘The fuck are you saying?’

‘I should have stopped!’

The two fell silent. Bella’s heavy breathing created clouds of condensation which billowed up into the crisp air. Only two feet of space lay between them. But to Alice, it felt like miles.

‘I should have stopped,’ Alice repeated shakily. ‘But I couldn’t.’

‘I… I didn’t want you to,’ Bella sobbed. Her words were strained. Slow. ‘I didn’t let you. I needed someone. And… I just didn’t let you go, Alice. I didn’t want to.’

Alice stared softly. ‘I didn’t want you to either.’

Bella swallowed roughly. She angrily brushed away her tears and balled her hands into tight fists.

‘I don't know what happened, Alice. I… I fucking used you. But somewhere along the way I… I started—’

‘Don’t,’ Alice pleaded, ‘Don't start that sentence.’

‘I started loving you, damn it! I don't fucking love anybody!’ Bella screamed. More tears fell to the dirt beneath her. ‘But I love you. I fucking love you, dude.’

Alice was stunned. Bella's sweet face, scrunched into a pained expression, begged her to stay.

The vampire stared out across the treeline behind her. The woods were so silent. In any other circumstance, she would have thought it to be quite pretty. Peaceful. But now, the towering pine trees swayed in a way that reminded her of Death beckoning her forward, welcoming her in with long, dark fingers.

‘I thought we had so much more time,’ Alice said calmly, still facing the trees. ‘I thought we’d never reach the end. Isn’t that silly?’

‘Alice,’ Bella whimpered.

‘But here we are. The end.’ Alice turned slightly, not wanting to look Bella in the eye. ‘I sure wish it could have been a different one.’

Alice ran. The forest blurred past her. She squinted through her tears, begging in her mind for Bella’s cries of anguish to fade fast. But they followed her all the way home, echoing like a swan song.

☆

A clawed hand swiped across Alice’s face, sending her into the dirt with a booming thud. Esme screamed and fought to reach her daughter, but Carlisle held her back, not wanting his wife to get caught in the middle of the dispute.

‘They’re killing each other, Lisle!’

‘Emmett!’ Carlisle yelled.

Emmett lunged for his brother, sending him flying into a nearby boulder. Edward crashed against the hard stone, shattering it to pieces.

‘Get out of my way!’ Edward grunted, flinging a sharp, stray piece of the boulder in Emmett’s direction. Emmett dodged, sending the piece into a porch window.

Rosalie leapt onto Edward’s back, slashing her fangs across the vampire’s shoulder. Edward yelled in pain and frustration before flipping Rosalie onto the ground, creating a sizable crater in the earth. Emmett raced towards his lover, shooting Edward a look of pure, feral rage. Rosalie was quick to regain her posture, hunching down in a ready stance. Emmett mirrored her, prepared to take down his brother with her. Edward loomed over them.

‘Edward!’ Alice screamed, shakily standing and wiping ichor from her mouth, ‘This is our fight.’

Edward huffed and charged for the smaller vampire, who gnashed her teeth into his face. Edward hissed and aimed his fangs at Alice’s jugular. Alice was quick. She dipped in and out of Edwards slashing teeth and swinging fists. But she knew she would have to start fighting back before exhaustion took hold of her.

Edward finally managed to tear at Alice's arm with a firm swipe, sending Alice to the ground once again. Alice stared up at her brother through the black liquid that oozed out of one side of her forehead. Her sweet, darling Edward. Who was this creature above her? This tall, scary, ravenous thing? The very vampire that had saved her from death all those years ago was now about to send her there for good.

Edward took a step back, maliciously waiting for Alice to stand again. Alice never broke eye contact with him as she trembled to her feet.

A car horn blared in the distance. Edward and Alice jerked their heads towards the sound. A little red truck was speeding towards the house, shaking like a tin barrel of snakes.

‘Bella,’ the vampires spoke in unison.

The truck swerved into the driveway, spinning in a circle before screeching to a halt. Bella kicked open the driver-side door and raced towards the pair of battling vampires.

‘Bella! Get back!’ Rosalie screamed.

‘Don’t come closer, Bella, please!’ Alice begged. But still, the girl ran.

‘Well, look who’s here,’ Edward grunted, shoving himself into Alice’s chest and sending her back down to the dirt. Alice huffed, clutching her body.

Bella screamed and slid to a halt, hands clawing at her face in terror.

Alice dry heaved, beginning to feel the toll of her brother’s strength. She attempted to stand but a heavy boot gently pushed her back down. Horrified gasps erupted from her onlookers. Alice’s eyes strained to see Edward, now towering over her like a menacing giant. It was too late. His dark eyes shimmered, blinded by the rage that flowed through him.

‘So, this is it, brother?’ Alice coughed weakly. ‘What a fine and honourable death you have given me.’

‘Oh, don’t get pretentious. You don’t deserve the pleasure.’

‘Edward!’ Bella begged.

‘Don’t move, Bella,’ Edward demanded. He leaned in closer to Alice. ‘This is for betraying your family. For betraying me.’

Edward’s boot raised above Alice’s head. Alice closed her eyes and let her body relax. She felt the earth beneath her shift as if a grave were already taking form around her. It was near bliss.

‘Edward, she's mine.’

Edward froze. His wild eyes stared holes into Bella’s spirit. Slowly, silently, he lowered his boot to the dirt beside Alice’s face.

‘What did you say?’ Edward asked lowly.

‘I… I said she's mine,’ Bella said hoarsely.

Alice fluttered her eyes open. All of a sudden, Bella was by her side and hoisting her up, supporting her against one hip.

‘She… She was there for me,’ Bella began. ‘And she listens to me and she tells me things about myself that I don’t fucking believe but she swears them anyway. And I… It feels… good. It feels safe. And I love her, Edward, I'm so sorry. I love her.’

Edward was silent. His stern expression only softened slightly as he stared between the two. Alice stared back at him, her lower lip quivering.

‘Alice?’ Edward said quietly.

Alice hung her head, exhausted. When she met her brother’s gaze again, his face was dark with grief.

‘I love her too,’ Alice said.

From across the yard, Rosalie buried her face in Emmett’s chest and sobbed. Carlisle and Esme looked on in frozen concern.

Edward’s shoulders relaxed. He nodded to himself, staring at the ground. His eyes, dark from blood lust, were somewhere far away.

‘I… I run, don’t I?’

‘Oh, Edward,’ Bella said sorrowfully.

‘And I still want to. I still… can’t give you what you want. Perhaps I should have realised that long ago.’

‘I can’t do this,’ Bella whispered. ‘Not with you. Not anymore.’

He nodded again. ‘Very well.’

Edward turned to Alice, who had been holding back the urge to collapse into his arms; forgive him for his anger, tell him that it was all going to be okay. He was her brother, in life and death, he was her brother.

Today that had all changed.

‘Please, take care of her,’ Edward said solemnly.

Alice could only nod as she clutched Bella’s arm. In complete silence, Edward turned and started to walk back into the forest, the midday sun glinting off of his diamond skin. The coven surrounded Bella, watching him disappear into the trees.

‘Will… he be back?’ Bella asked.

‘He will,’ Carlisle said.

Esme placed a wary hand on Bella’s shoulder. ‘But not for a while.’

Alice winced and buckled against Bella’s body.

‘Ali,’ Bella gasped.

‘Let’s get her inside,’ Rosalie said, ‘She needs help.’

☆☆☆

Summer left like a slow whisper, its heat still apparent in the fall air. Alice sat on her porch steps, smoking a pinner and reading her original copy of The Strange Path. A mild breeze sent crinkled leaves scattering across her shoes. Rosalie was inside with Esme, preparing the blood from a recent hunt. Emmett and Carlisle were chopping firewood out back.

Alice turned a page and found that her mind had completely scrambled the last paragraph she had read. Though her memory had started to vastly improve since Edward’s departure, she found it still faltered in places. Sometimes she’d forget to take out her favourite hunting bow. Sometimes she lost track of a deer in the woods.

There were things she could not forget. Her brother’s face. Despite it all, it remained sweet in her memory. The way his thick, dark eyebrows raised when he was curious. The shade of his swooping hair. His strong arms. Edward. Dear Edward. Her brother.

A beat up, red truck pulled into Alice’s driveway. A girl with choppy, chestnut hair and a canvas tote bag exited the driver's side and waved to her. Alice smiled and waved back.

Bella plopped herself down beside her and leaned in for a kiss before swiping the vampire’s pinner away.

‘Ay!’ Alice exclaimed, ‘Naughty.’

Bella puffed and exhaled, ‘What do you think?’

Alice cupped the girl’s face and studied her new hairstyle. It was cut messily, almost haphazardly so; no doubt a bold DIY. But damn, did Bella make messy look good.

‘I love it. It’s so rugged,’ the vampire smirked. ‘Makes you look like a rockstar.’

‘So you’ll ride me all night long?’

‘Fuck off,’ Alice chuckled.

The two stood and headed inside, Bella immediately greeted by the coos of the Cullen welcoming committee. A small table had been decorated with branches, red leaves, and fairy lights. Alice sat back on a stool in the kitchen and watched as Bella laughed at Emmett’s terrible jokes and graciously thanked Esme for preparing her a giant turkey leg.

A fuzzy feeling swirled in the back of Alice’s skull. When she let it swell - if she focused very hard - she saw herself standing outside a little white house.

Beside her was a girl with choppy, chestnut hair. They shared a kiss.

The End

"Demi Moore" by Phoebe Bridgers

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you're all doing well :) I like to imagine that Bella looks how Kristen Stewart does in Love Lies Bleeding at the end of this story. It just suits the canon hehe. I leave you with "Demi Moore" by Phoebe Bridgers as this story's theme song, linked after the end of this fic.

[sloshed-cinema]

Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)

Well, now we know what it would look like if Ken Adam designed a chicken farm. If the original Chicken Run was a parody of The Great Escape, this sequel is a loving send-up of classic Connery era James Bond movies, with a dash of Mission: Impossible for good measure. From the second the preposterous façade of Fun-Land Farms is revealed, with its moat of explosive robotic ducks and its craggy exterior, exactly where this will be going becomes abundantly clear. The central break-in and recover mission reads as an excuse to come up with a gag a minute, ribbing those classic spy action tropes. The ethos of the villains is once again: how can someone be so diabolical and yet so dim? A retina scan is in fact just some bloke cross-referencing a magnified image of one of his coworkers’ eyeballs against an Eye Pad manual; even a photo is enough to trick him. The contraption that Ginger is strapped into obviously goes to 11. And formidable guards can be knitted into submission. The crown jewel of it all is the return of the formidable Mrs Tweedie. Her entrance takes so long that it prompts her potential business partner to check his watch as she slowly descends a spiral staircase that exists for no reason, but boy is it worth the wait. Tweedie is in full Dr No mode, hair meticulously coiffed and sporting a Nehru collar on her dress. As with Bond adventures, the sticky situations the chickens land in are always tight, but their escape methods tend towards the home-brewed and simple. Of course popcorn is the solution to all of life’s problems! Aardman Studios shows once again that all it takes is a sparkling, winking wit to make for a cracking fun adventure.

Of course, even with fun gags aplenty, grounding the adventure in characters we want to see succeed makes things stronger. Now that Ginger and Rocky have a child, the sense of priorities for Ginger especially shift: where earlier she had been a freedom fighter, now she views herself as a protector, wanting to shield her little girl from the cruelties that she escaped. But that protection comes with a cost, and the extreme measures Ginger decides to take upon learning about the new farm threaten to quash Molly’s own burgeoning sense of individuality and freedom. Molly’s desire for adventure lands the lot of them in trouble, but also prompts Ginger to realize the importance of that drive in her daughter. None of this is new ground in family animated movies, but it’s executed with sincerity and strong performances from Thandiwe Newton, Bella Ramsey, and Zachary Levi (and fun return performances from the lot of the hens) to make it worthwhile.

The opening strains of the Chicken Run main theme prompted such a strong pang of nostalgia in me. Harry Gregson Williams’ score to that earlier film made a strong impression on me growing up, one of the first to really show me the power of good music in movies. This take drops the kazoos which featured throughout the original score in favor of jazzy little zingers that wink at Lalo Schifrin’s Mission: Impossible theme, but it’s just as equally stirring and melodramatic as before.

If you needs must have a butt joke in your movie, make it about a rat getting fisted.

THE RULES

SIP

Someone says 'chicken' or 'freedom'.

Mission: Impossible or James Bond parody sting in the score.

Someone name-drops Sir Eat-A-Lot.

We cut back to the snail trying to escape a dreadful lecture.

BIG DRINK

A truck goes by on the road past the island.

Popcorn is mentioned.

[mrsnerdygirl]

No but this is cannon, like in Half Blood Prince, when Snape and Bella argue, we can understand from Bellatrix’s words that her and Voldemort’s relationship is on a rocky road currently, and it is clear that she is so irritated, and in my opinion it isnt only because of Snape, knowing human behaviour, people argue and lose their cool very fast when they havent been their best recently, or have had problems.

Headcanon: All Death Eaters can tell when Bellatrix and Voldemort have argued because they are both sullen and irritable, and they can tell when they have made up.

[backpockct]

INTRODUCING ISABELLA “BELLA” THOMAS (AND LOVED!) BY CORRIE

 ⸻     have you  ever  heard sugar mouse by  oh atoms ,  well  it  is  ISABELLA “BELLA”  THOMAS to  a  tee  .  the  thirty  year  old  teaching assistant has  been  spotted  wandering  down  portobello  road  markets  just  last  sunday  ,  do  you  know  them  ?  would  you  say  she   is  more  stubborn or  more  kind-hearted  ?  anyway  ,  they  remind  me  of big cosy teddy bear-style jackets, pastries cut into cute shapes, pastel iPhone wallpapers and flared high-waisted jeans  ,  maybe  you'll catch  them  around  yeah ?     ⸻     [          ◟  AISHA DEE. ◝   ��       ] 

triggers: mention of absent parents / bullying

THE BASICS:

full name: isabella elena thomas

nicknames: bella

birthday: 13th september 1993 (30 years old)

gender: cis woman

sexuality: heterosexual

relationsip status: very single 

BASIC INTRO: 

bella has always been a london girlie, she was born and raised in the city, never moved anywhere else.

she’s had a bit of a difficult start to life, she was born to a single mum, who decided she want to be one. 

so one day she dropped bella off at her grandparents house and never came back, she’s been taken care of by her grandparents ever since. 

she adores her grandparents, she’s always been forever greatful to them for taking care of her. 

bella does know where her mother lives, she does see her every now and then but she doesn’t have all that much contact with her. 

she had a bit of a rocky time in high-school, kids did make fun of her for her different home life and it was.

she did have a very supportive home life though, her grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins have all been there for her, making sure that she was doing well.

but anyway, fast forward to adult hood, bella has her own place and she’s currently working as a teacher assistant.

she is really enjoying being a teaching assistant and one day she does plan on becoming a teacher. 

outside of work, she’s got her own place in notting hill, with a couple of her best friends, its a very cute place. 

she is very big into soical media as well, she’s always posting fun instagram stories, tweets etc.

everything is very aesthetically pleasing in bella’s life, she’s all about that clean girl aesthetic but she does this all for fun, it’s not serious.

she’s always doing her best to keep up with the latest trends etc, tryna stay cool and relevant but in her own way tbh. 

bella is a sweetheart, a cutie!! the song i chose for her is all about keeping going, that things will get better etc, it’s totally bella’s vibe bc her life has gotten better in the end.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

roomates:

friends:

hook ups / fwbs:

exes:

co-workers

neighbours:

if you’d like to plot with any of my muses then feel free to hit me up on discord @ corey in wetherspoons ™#0678. thank you!!

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

I'm curious about how you came to the conclusion that animal blood makes vampires debilitatingly weak? I remember Edward stating that it only made them slightly weaker. Of course, you can't rely on Edward for any reliable information whatsoever, but I'm curious if there was something in the text I missed which directly contradicted him?

Directly, no, but it's pretty heavily implied.

Jasper brings up the matter of the diet in Eclipse as if this is a very large difference. Had the Cullens eaten people before the battle, then they may have done as well on their own without the wolves help. It's an option that's seriously considered.

Had it made little to no difference, I imagine Jasper would not have even bothered to bring it up.

Then we have Alice and the baseball game. In Midnight Sun, Meyer describes the baseball game and Alice is... It's bad. She's supposed to have this superhuman strength, and she can barely get the baseball out of the field: something humans can and do accomplish. This is a sign of a horrendously weak vampire. True, a part of it is undoubtedly because of her height and weight and how she died, but also the lack of human blood.

More, that Edward admits to it at all is telling. We're talking about the guy who compares blood lust to ice cream. That feeling that nearly had him murdering all of Biology, yeah, just like when you really crave Rocky Road.

This guy sugar coats things all the time and is very insecure. He's not going to admit, out loud, to Bella who he's constantly trying to impress that "You know what, I'm actually debilitatingly weak and anyone could squash me like a bug." That he says anything about it is... telling. Had he been on par or only slightly weaker I imagine he wouldn't have brought it up at all, it'd be moot point.

His saying, "I may, be, you know, just a tad weaker than those who drink human blood", pretty much confirms for me that he's on the starvation diet and he knows it.

[szchaql]

Total Opposite (part 4)

PAUL LAHOTE X SWAN READER

Part 3 Masterlist

(Y/n)'s POV

The journey home with Jacob full of silence. He didn't say anything, just driving the car. The memories of big grey wolf, baring his teeth, growling, keep appearing on my mind. What exactly happened? I glance at Jacob who focus on driving, trying to ask him.

"It'a okay, (y/n)... it's fine. We all will be waiting for you until you are ready to listen the whole story. And Paul didn't have any intention on hurting you.. you are too precious for him..." Jacob beat me in breaking the silence.

"But the look on his face was like he want to murder someone.... will i be fine??"

"He just angry.. Paul is known for his hot head and short tempered man. But he really try his best not to let his temper exploded when he near you. But today, i think he just couldn't help it and phase..." Jacob glance at me. "I may not like Paul... but i know he will protect you at all cost... believe me.. you will be safe with him rather than with any of us."

I raise my eyebrow, confused. "Why??"

He shake his head. "It's not my place to tell you that. Be patient. Right now, all you have to do is calm down and take all of this slowly.. we will tell you when you're ready.. don't force youself to understand it in one day.."

"Take a hot shower and calm down, okay?? I have to go pick up Bella and maybe tell her about it." He said as we arrive at my home.

I nod and get inside, luckily Dad isn't home yet. I immediately go to my room and lay down the bed. There's must be something, and it's a serious one. But why Jake said that i'll be safe with Paul? He nearly killed me today...

I decided to take a hot shower to clear up my mind. Taking a hot shower help me to calm myself. I drift myself to sleep soon after my body hit the bed after shower.

In the next 2 weeks, i totally ignored Bella, Jacob and all of the wolves. Seeing them just keep reminding me of that grey wolf. I just keep hanging with the Clearwaters and Tiffany. Even at school, when Jared, Paul, Jacob and Bella try to approach me, i always took different path and avoided them. I'm not ready yet.

Today, having nothing to do at home, i decided to walk on the forest. I know it's stupid because it's dangerous, but i need some quite moment. Seth and Leah are having a short vacation to Washington with Sue and Harry, Tiffany is having a family day. Bella is out with Jacob, as i keep refusing to talk to her. Part because what happened that day at Jacob's and part because she's having a relationship with vampires despite she knew about my traumatized. I bet Edward is a vampire, knowing they had a relationship before.

I keep walking deeper into the forest while thinking about everything that happened to me. Not realize that a massive creature are walking behind me, watching me. Until the sound of a broken twig that i immediately look behind. My breath hitch when i see the same grey wolf, standing not to far, eyes lock at me.

I gulp and freeze. What should i do? If i run, will he chase after me? Or should i just stand here? Without realize, i step back slowly.

Seeing me like that make the wolf whine loudly while he lay down on his stomach, ears flat, slowly crawling into me, eyes keep looking at me. When he close enough, he poke my leg with his large snout. He whimpered when i didn't give a respones.

"You won't hurt me, right? You won't kill me, right?" I ask as the wolf shake his head, whimpered. I slowly reach his head. When his suprisingly soft fur meet my hand, i can't help but to stroke it and without realize, i smile. He lean more into me and whimper softly, enjoying the interaction.

After quite some moments, he retreat and walk into behind one of the tree. The sound of bones make me flinch and short after Paul walk with his human form, shirtless, wearing a cut short jeans, and old shoes.

I look into my feets, embarased. "Hey..." his soft voice make my look up at him. He smile softly at me, hands on his pocket.

"Hey..."

"What are you doing in here, alone? You know that it's dangerous." He scolded me softly.

"Sorry... i just want to have some quite time and forest is always my place to think too.. so.. yeah... Bella is out with Jake, the Clearwater are out to Washington. And i'm alone." I chuckle and look up at him.

I realised that i'm so short compared to him, just barely reach his wide shoulder. He has this brown eyes that confusingly full of love and adoration.

"Mind if we walk together? I can't leave you alone on the woods, there're so much dangers.. and i know some amazing place." He ask, blushing.

I nod at him and we walk side by side in the forest.

"Mind to tell me what exactly happened? What are you guys?" I look at him. He look hesitated. "Is this really a serious matter?"

"More or less.. are you sure about this? We can wait until you are ready. No pressure at all.. we decided to ask Harry to tell you all about this thing.."

"Uncle Harry?"

"He is one of our tribe elders, alongside Billy, Sue and Old Quil. Since you are close to the Clearwaters, we thought that it best to have him tell you about the legend and the tribe." He explained, looking slightly hope that i listen to him.

"I think it's better you who tell me first. Later i'll ask Uncle Harry if i have questions that you can't answers. Okay?" He nod.

Paul tell me the tribe legend and everything behind the shifting into wolf. How they are decendants of the first shape-shifters. The Quileute.

"So, you are all wolves? Shape-shifters?"

"Only the lucky one who have the gene that can phase."

"Then... Seth and Leah can shift too?"

"Yeah.. maybe not with Leah, since we never have a female shape-shifter. Seth can phase one day, even if we don't want that to happen."

"Poor, Seth... but isn't it great to have an ability to shift into wolf? It's cool, you know.." i chuckle softly.

"Yeah, but we always put our life in dangerous, to protect people and the tribe. And imagine children shifting into one.. how hard is it for them. It's already hard for us, but the children.. can't even imagine it."

"Anything else? About the tribe or the wolf thing?"

"Then there is one more thing about being a shape-shifters..."

"I'm still listening."

"There's something called an imprinting. It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like… gravity moves… suddenly. It's not the earth holding you here anymore, she does… You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend. To sum it up, it's like our way of finding a soulmate." He look down at me as we stop walking, standing in the middle of a forest.

"Why are you telling me all of this? All of this are secrets, right?"

"Yeah. But you are part of our tribe member. Since the day on the beach..."

The beach? What happened at the beach?

"You are my imprint, (y/n).. when we looked each other at the eyes on the beach.. it'a the day that i imprinted on you... as an imprint, you have the right to know everything about us, the world around us. Even the vampires thing.. you have to know about all of this, so you are aware of the world you are living as an imprint." The word imprint shock me even more.

Me? An imprint? How? Why?

"Why me? How?"

"We don't know.. and we can't help who we imprinted on.." he shrug and we continue walking.

"I want to ask about something.." i look down at my feet as we walk. He hum as response.

"Maybe this is a little out of topic, but is... Edward.. a vampire??"

"Yeah.. all his family, the Cullen are vampires.. but they considered themself as vegetarian. They only drink animal blood..." Paul explain about the Cullen.

So, Bella was having a relationship with a family of vampires. I want to be mad at her, but i can't. The way she so heartbroken when Edward leave her, they must be had a very good relationship before. And most importantly she's happy.

"Bella want to tell you about the Cullen.. but she never found the time to explain it. You already find it by yourself, so maybe it'll be easier for her to explain. She want you to be safe, (y/n).. don't be mad at her. Yes, she was wrong to had a relationship with vampires, when she alone is a human. But the reason she didn't tell you is because you past. She afraid that you can't accept it and she didn't want to loose you."

"Even if i want to be mad at her, i just can't. She's happy with Edward and to me, her happiness is everything.." Paul chuckle softly.

Short after, we arrive at a beautiful sceneries, the cliff. The ocean beneath it is so beautiful. "We used to cliff diving in here. But when we walk toward the other side, it have the most beautiful sceneries. Come on, hold on to me, okay. It's dangerous." He strecth out his hand and i take it. The warm from his hand make me comfortable and feel safe. No wonder Jacob said that i'll be more safe around him. Even if he has an anger issue, I believe that he don't have any intention to hurt me. The way he talk and treat me with so much love and adoration is great.

"Here we are." He said after we walk about 10 minutes. My eyes lit up when i see the scenery. We can see the mountains around us and forests beneath us. It's so beautiful. Well, beside the cold wind, everything is great.

We both sit down, near the edge. Paul sit really close to me, giving his warmth to me. "Do you like it?" He look over me, smiling softly.

I smile back at him. "Totally.. how did you guys found this place?"

He shrug. "When we are doing patrol, Embry found this. But we rarely gather in here, we usually doing cliff diving. But never going alone, okay? The road is rocky and steep. Ask the boys if you want to come here, if i'm unavailable. Okay?"

I chuckle softly. "Is all of you always this protective? Not in a bad way, though.."

"Of course. Imprintee is always our number one priority. They are our everything. Even alpha order didn't work on us if it regarding of our imprint. And after what happened to Emily, we usually always be careful around them."

"I never knew we are this valuable... what if the imprint die? Or reject you?"

"We cannot live without them. We will be so heartbroken, so lost. It's like we lost our other half... that bad.." he look at the scenery ahead us, looking serious.

Even though imprinting is an amazing thing, it also hold a very important factor on the shape-shifter life. I can't imagine how much it hurt if their imprintee reject them or die.

We talk with each other, getting to know each other well and enjoying each other presences, until it's dawn and we head back home. Paul walk me back to my house as it almost dark.

"Let's see each other again?" I ask as i look into his beautiful brown eyes.

He nod. "Tomorrow i'll pick you up? Let's go to Emily's and since tomorrow is Sunday, we always have picnic at the beach. Want to come?"

"Of course."

He smile softly and kiss my forehead. "I'll pick you up at 8, in the morning. Okay?" I nod, smile at his behaviour. "Get inside. Don't forget to eat okay? And sleep well."

"Okay.. see you tomorrow, Paul. And thank you for today, for everything.. i totally enjoyed it." I said as we then say goodbye and part ways.

As i lay i bed after took a shower and did my homework, i can't help but smile at what happened today. First i was so scared around Paul, but now i totally love being with him. Maybe it'a the imprinting thing, i don't know. I should ask Emily about this.

Tag : @calling-dips-on-j-hope @ivettt

[evilqueen91]

Snippet of my fic on AO3-

Where Darkness Hides

“What am I going to do? She needs a friend now more than ever.”

Irina sighed, “It’s what humans go through dear.”

He shook his head angrily, “No.” he took a deep breath, “She’s different.”

Tanya stepped out onto the porch followed by the others, “What’s going on?”

A slight breeze picked up and the sweetest smell Tanya had ever inhaled filled her senses causing her to close her eyes. A warm calm filled her body and her eyes snapped open, “What is that smell?”

He frowned as he gripped the rag tighter, “My friend.”

Irina sighed, “She’s a human sister.”

Tanya blurred to him, snatching the rag out of his hand.

Carmen grinned, “I know you have a thing for humans Tanya but really.”

Tanya smiled until a voice snarled to their right, “You lied to me Laurent.”

He stared wide eyed at Victoria, “It’s not what you think. She’s not- “

It was too late, Victoria blurred into the woods.

He growled as he sprinted after her, “Shit!”

The family followed and Tanya frowned, “What is it?”

He grimaced at her, “The girl she wants to kill is the one that I took this from.”

Tanya did not hesitate, didn’t even think before she sprinted after the fiery red head. They made it to the road and Tanya followed the sweet scent of her human.

Bella blinked against the sharp stings of the cold wind as she sped towards the bridge at the end of the road that crossed over a river. She caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of her eye, but nothing was there when she looked. She turned her head back to the road and saw Victoria standing in the middle of the bridge just as her tires crossed onto it. She jerked the bars to the side and the bike shifted sideways laying down on its side, pinning her leg underneath the heavy machine. She could feel the heat from the hot engine slowly beginning to burn her leg.

The ice combined with the speed she had been going made it easy for them both to slide across the bridge at an angle. She gasped as the motorcycle disappeared over the edge taking her with it. The sense of flying as she plummeted towards the freezing water below in somewhat of a slow-motion movement was peaceful in a morbid kind of way.

Eleazar and Laurent caught Victoria and Tanya did not break her stride before swan diving off the bridge into the frigid water. Bella desperately struggled to free her foot and leg from the motorcycle as it sank deeper, her clothing was seared to the engine and her shoe was caught tightly. The cold water was numbing her body already and she was having a hard time moving her fingers. Golden eyes appeared in front of her. She could feel her lungs struggling against the need to breath as the unknown woman ripped her jeans, freeing her foot from her shoe, before grabbing her arm and swimming straight to the surface.

Bella coughed as she crawled on hands and knees across the rocky and snow-covered shore, her body already shivering from the cold. She pushed herself to her feet as water dripped off her and she spun to face the golden eyed vampires.

“Why is d-d-death never f-f-far behind you vampires? You claim to be different but every fucking time I get closer and closer to death!” Her teeth chattered loudly.

Tanya held her hands up as Laurent appeared next to Bella, “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Tanya.”

Bella looked up from under her dripping wet hair with a glare that was pure evil and with the voice to match, “The Cousin’s.”

Laurent felt a chill go down his spine, “Bella your lips are turning blue.”

She shook his hand off, “Leave me alone.”

Tanya frowned, “Please let me help you.”

She backed away from her, “That worked real well last time.”

Laurent frowned, “You’re going into hypothermia Bella. Don’t let what he did stop you from living.”

She shook her head, “Stop bringing him up.”

“Bella so help me if you don’t let us help, I’m going to knock you out.”

She crossed her shaking arms over her chest, “Fuck you.”

Without warning Laurent reached out and punched Bella in the mouth. Tanya caught her before she fell and growled angrily at him.

He shrugged, “I warned her.”

[cringeytwilightsideblog]

the cullens throw their long-suffering father the first birthday party he’s had in 300 years (also Jasper’s inner cowboy comes out STRONG)

Hey, thought Emmett as he peered around Edward’s doorframe. Whatcha doing?

“I am organizing my CD collection.” he said. “Why, may I ask, has half of my Mozart been replaced with ABBA?”

“Because ABBA is better than Mozart. Anyway, I need to talk to you.”

“Ok…” Edward said. “Well?”

“In private.”

“I can read minds, idiot.”

“Yeah, but I can’t. Come with me.”

Edward sighed and grabbed his khaki raincoat, his khaki rain boots, and his khaki hat and headed outside with Emmett into the forest. As they were running through the trees, Alice jumped down from one directly in front of Edward, who crashed into her so hard her arm came off.

Alice stuck the arm back on and said brightly, “So! What are we doing?”

“We’re going to have a birthday party for Carlisle!” Emmett announced.

“ Nobody knows his birthday.”

“Bella googled some old census records.”

“Hi!” said Bella, walking out of the woods dragging a deer behind her. “Do you guys mind if I eat lunch?”

“Remember to say grace, dearest one.” Edward reminded her. “The good lord smiles upon those who pray.”

‘Hold on.” Alice said. “You mean all these years Carlisle just could’ve googled his birthday and instead he has to be all dramatic and mysterious about it?”

“I guess it runs in the family,” Emmett said, looking at Edward in his all-khaki getup, reading from the Bible over Bella’s dead deer.

“What?” asked Edward. “My soul is in danger. I need God to reel it back in.”

“Your soul is a fish?” Bella wondered.

“No, love of my life. My soul is a void.”

“...Nice.” Bella took her hydroflask out of her backpack and started filling it with deer blood for later.

“So!” said Alice, trying to get everyone back on track. “Where’s Jasper and Rosalie?”

“Rosalie’s working on her car and Jasper wanted to make the party cowboy themed so he’s at the store picking out hats.”

“Great!” Alice said brightly. “The other outcome I saw was Emmett making it an 80s disco- nevermind.”

“Can we make the party God themed?” Edward wondered. His siblings shook their heads. Bella slurped her deer blood with her metal straw. “You need to get a life, Wardo.”

“I am dead on the outside as well as the inside, my beloved Bella,” he said, sighing. “Therefore I cannot ‘get a life,’ unless that is your way to tell me to kill someone.”

“No. That’s not what I- Oh no! I spilled blood on my khaki skirt!”

If Edward had still had blood circulating his body and therefore had the opportunity to faint, he would’ve passed out then and there. “Bella! No! I-it’s a tragedy!”

“Shut up Edward.” Alice told him. “She still has all the khaki skirts that you gave her for her birthday. And Christmas. And Halloween. And like every holiday on the calendar.”

She paused as she saw something. Edward frowned.

“Jasper’s coming back!”

A few seconds later Jasper came crashing through the forest with several Walmart bags full of cowboy hats. He plopped one on Emmett’s head and threw the bags at Alice, who somehow managed to catch them all.

“I’ve been runnin’ all over hell’s half acre roundin’ these bad boys up!” he proclaimed.

“Gimme one of those,” Bella said, snatched a few out of the Walmart bag, and properly cowboyed up herself and her husband.

“I SAY YEE, YOU SAY HAW!” Jasper yelled so loudly that a couple blue jays flew out of the fir tree they were vibing in. “YEE!”

“HAW!” screamed Bella, Emmett, and Alice.

Why did they respond to that and not the time I tried to pump them up before church with ‘I say Jesus, you say Christ’? Edward wondered. It was truly a mystery.

“Alright cowboys and cowgirls.” Jasper said, his southern accent coming out strong. “We’re throwin’ the rowdiest, most rootin and tootin party y’all have ever seen! Alice!”

“Yes!”

“You are in charge of the decorations! Emmett, you help me construct a rodeo in the woods! This, coincidentally, happens not to be my first rodeo! Edward, you’re in charge of the music! None of that gosh diddly darned Mozart, ya hear me? I’m talkin’ country music. You might wanna run down yonder to Tennessee and-”

“I will NOT!” Edward cried. “How DARE you insult Mozart like this! I am leaving!” He yanked the cowboy hat off his head and threw it on the ground.

“Don’t let the screen door hit ya where the good lord split ya!” Jasper called after his retreating figure. “Bless his rotten, Yankee heart. Alright. Bella, you’re now in charge of the music as well as your original job, which is arguably the most important one. You need to figure out how to make sweet tea that we can drink.”

“That’s easy!” she said. “Take the blood of a diabetic mountain lion!”

“Alright! Now we’re getting somewhere! Emmett, what is it?”

Emmett had raised his hand. “So you know how Carlisle spent like a week in a potato cellar?”

“Yeah.” Alice said. “What about it?”

“What if we make a ball pit… but with potatoes!”

Jasper, Alice, and Bella cheered. Edward, who was lurking in a bush 20 feet away decided that since none of them were using the collective brain cell today he should probably rejoin them. Little did he know that Rosalie actually had the collective Cullen brain cell today, shown by the fact that she was staying out of all this.

“Hello, family.” He announced, dramatically walking out of the bushes. “After some consideration, I have decided to come back.”

“Edward, you weren’t even gone for 2 minutes.’ Alice said, sighing. “Have you changed your mind about the music, at least?”

“ I suppose I’ll help,” he said begrudgingly. “Can Bella help me, though?”

“Yes!” Bella yelled. “I’m gonna play cotton eye joe for three hours straight! Whoever sticks it out till the end gets the diabetic mountain lion sweet tea!”

The two of them plopped down with Bella’s phone to assemble a playlist that contained such classics as Country Roads, Take Me Home, Cotton Eye Joe Gregorian Chant Techno Remix, and the Tennessee state song, Rocky Top. Edward sneaked Clair De Lune in when he thought nobody was looking. Bella promptly deleted it when he wasn’t looking.

Over the next few hours, Emmett and Jasper constructed a small rodeo and then ran around the tri-state area looking for some bears to ride around.

“Look at him.” Jasper said fondly as Emmett wrestled a bear to the ground. “Grinnin’ like a possum eatin’ a sweet tater.”

Alice went to bi-mart for decorations, which for those of you unlucky enough not to live in the pacific northwest, is a cowboy walmart.

By 1 in the morning they had everything set up. Emmett was sitting on the bear in the middle of the rodeo and singing along to Edward and Bella’s playlist. Jasper was helping Alice hang the cowboy hat fairy lights at the last minute, seeing as she was too short to hang them herself.

“Alright, buckaroos!” Jasper cried. “It’s time to go get Carlisle!”

Bella, Edward, and Alice ran back to the house leaving Emmett and Jasper to supervise the bear and the sweet tea, respectively. They burst through Carlisle’s door to find him staring at his creepy vampire paintings.

“Carlisle!” Alice said. “Come with us! We need to show you something!”

Carlisle allowed Alice to drag him down the hall and Edward went to find Esme and Rosalie. A minute later, they were all assembled on the lawn and ready to go.

“Which way was it again?” Bella wondered, looking at the woods.

“Follow me!” said Alice, and ran through the trees until the rodeo came into sight.

“What is this?” Carlisle asked, hearing ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ blasting from Bella’s portable bluetooth speaker that they had put on the table with the sweet tea.

“Hi, Carlisle! Hi, Esme!” Emmett yelled.

“Why is he sitting on a bear?” Esme muttered to her husband.

“Honey, it’s not the weirdest thing he’s done. I’m more focused on the rodeo. And the fact that they’re all wearing cowboy hats.”

Alice plopped a cowboy hat on each of her parent’s heads. “On three! One! Two! Three!”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR CARLISLE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOU!” everyone sang. Edward harmonized badly.

“Is it my birthday?” Carlisle asked. “How did you figure that out?”

“Google!” Bella said proudly.

“That- that’s quite interesting.” Carlisle said, wondering why he’d never googled himself. “How old am I?”

“377!” Bella announced proudly.

“Ah. And may I ask why Emmett is sitting on a bear?”

“This is Fernando, named after the best song in the world,” Emmett said, patting the bear’s head. Edward stared at them, aghast that he hadn’t named the bear Debussy as he had suggested.

“We set up a rodeo for ya, pop!” Jasper said. “Do ya like it?”

“I made sweet tea!” Bella said, grinning.

“I love it.” Carlisle said. “Are you going to wrestle the bear?”

“You bet!” Emmett yelled. “Come at me bro!” The bear growled at him. Emmett growled back.

After Emmett had successfully wrestled the bear, Bella put on ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ and had the entire family dance until the hour-long loop was over. Since nobody had won, they all shared the diabetic mountain lion sweet tea. Emmett pulled some potatoes out of his jacket and threw one at Alice. She threw it back and soon they were fighting each other with potatoes. At this point Esme noticed that the sun was rising and ordered them to clean up, go back to the house, and get ready for school.

[wonder-kid-pugh]

World Champions - (Rose Lavelle x reader)

For this one the reader is a male so sorry about it but I kinda need it for it to be a guy for this because he's going to be on the French Men's National Team

Y/n's Pov

I fix my cap on my head as I walk through the streets trying not to be recognised which is even harder now with the women's world cup on in France. And it's not hard to pick them out as there are fans carrying their countries flags and where their home colours. I smile when I see a French jersey walking the streets.

I smile when I see a bunch of kids playing with a ball. One kid had the ball and started juggling it and tried to do an around the world but loses the ball as it rolls towards me. I smile as I stop the ball and start juggling it while walking back toward the group of kids. I kick the ball up and balance it on my back. While I'm hunched over I take off my sunglasses as I hold out my hand to shake one of the boys hands. The boy gasps as he jumps up and down before shaking my hand. They start speaking in rapid french as I laugh and talk to them for a bit. I take a few quick pictures before I'm on my way again.

I walk down the street to my original destination my favourite ice cream parlor. The shop was a small quiet one that kinda hidden on a side street that I stumbled soon one day and have been coming to since. To come here you would either have to know where your going or you just happened to stumble across the place.

When I walk in I see a group ahead of me having trouble ordering. The owners are friendly with me seeing as I'm a regular here. "Salut Pierre, tu as besoin d'aide?" (This came from google translate so sorry if this isn't correct. Hi Pierre, do you need some help?"). "Ce serait super merci Y/n" Pierre nods (That would be great thank you Y/n). I turn back to the group but I freeze when I realise who I'm talking to.

"Sorry we were here first" the defender says as she narrows her eyes at me. I shake my head and smile at them, "No no no. It's not like that. Pierre doesn't speak English so I was just wondering if he needed help with your order as I guess none of you speak French". The small red head blushes, "Oh sorry". "Would you mind ordering for us. Our french isn't the greatest" one of the blondes speak up. I smile, "Of course what are you having?". They all tell me their orders and then I turn to Pierre, "Puis-je obtenir un chocolat, une fraise, un citron, un oreo, une route rocheuse et mon habituel s'il vous plaît?" (Can i get one chocolate, one strawberry, one lemon, one oreo, one rocky road and my usual please?") Pierre nods and tells me they'll be done in a minute and they'll be dropped down to the table.

"Merci beaucoup" I thank him before turning to the girls, "they'll bring them to the table in a bit". They nod as they follow me to a booth and sit down. "Thanks for helping us. I don't think we ever would have been able to order if it wasn't for you" the brown haired midfielder smiles. "You know I would have thought you would have been fine seeing as one of you played for PSG when they were younger" I tease as the blonde blushes, "In my defense it's a bit rusty". "So I take it you know who we are so?" The freckles defender asks from beside me. I chuckle, "Well I mean who doesn't know one of the best teams in the world".

"We never got your name" someone asks. It's then I realise I never took off my hat and sunglasses. When I pull them off I can see all their mouths drop open causing me to laugh, "I'm guess you know who I am as well it seems". "Your Y/n L/n! Of course we know who you are!" Sonnett exclaims. "And your Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan, Kelley O'Hara, Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle of the US women's National Team" I answer. "You watch womens soccer?" Rose asks. "Of course I do. I always watch your games. You have some of the best players in the world on your team" I smile looking directly at her which causes her to blush and look down slightly.

Before anyone else can speak Pierre comes with a tray with our ice-cream and hands them out while he passes me my big sundae. Sonnett's eyes go big, "What is that?!" I smirk, "One of the greatest things you will ever taste". "Can I try some?" Rose asks shyly. "Sorry World Champions only" I tease, "maybe if you win the world cup then I'll share". "Yeah Rose world champions only" as Kelley swipes some of my sundae before I can stop her. I laugh as I fist bump Kelley as Rose pouts but I slide the bowl toward her as she tries some of mine. Rose smiles happily at me while taking some of mine.

I continue to talk to the girls about the world cup and everything else until we're eventually done our ice cream which was finished a lot quicker due to Rose stealing mine. Right before we leave I walk up to Pierre and pay for everyone. "You didn't have to do that you know? We could have paid" Rose smiles. I shrug, "You can pay me back when you finally get equal pay". Kelley snorts, "That may be a long time".

I shake my head, "Honestly it's ridiculous but I don't think you should be getting equal pay-". Before I can finish Kelley interrupts me  trying to size me up but it doesn't work as I kinda tower over her, "What did you say?" I laugh, "You didn't let me finish! I don't think you should he getting equal pay with the men's teams when you are clear better than them. I think you should he getting paid more. Like they didn't even qualify for the world cup, which you have won 3 times already". "About to be 4!" Mal shouts as Lindsey and Sonnett join in. Once again Kelley's face turns pink, "Sorry...again". I shake my head, "It's fine. I understand where your coming from".

Kelley smiles at me before she runs ahead and jumps on Mal's back leaving me to walk behind them with Rose. "This is your first world cup yes?" I ask as we walk. Rose nods but I can still her bite the corner of her lip, "Yeah. I just hope everything goes okay". "Well from what I've seen your one of the best midfielders in the game so I don't think you have anything to worry about" I say as I nudge her shoulder slightly. I can see a slight pink tint come to her cheeks, "Well unless you face France that is". She nudges me as I laugh loudly which causes the ones in front of look back at us.

For the rest of the walk I learn more about the American midfielder and she is extremely excited when I tell her about my little husky Bella. Sadly we reach their hotel which mean going our separate ways, "Well this is us". I nod, "Well if I don't see you again. I wish you the best of luck with your games and the equal pay". Mal smiles at me, "Thanks Y/n. We should meet up again if you have time so we can pay you back for the ice cream". "Your fine consider it a thank you for all your doing to impact women's soccer" I shrug. "Will you be coming to any of the games?" Emily asks as I catch her giving Rose a quick look. Rose elbows her as I laugh, "I will definitely try to come to some of your matches".

The rest of them smile before saying a quick goodbye and heading inside which leave Rose and myself alone. "I don't think they're very subtle are they?" I ask as I motion to them trying to hide as they watch us. Rose sighs and shakes her head, "Not at all". "Well I hope this isn't the last time we meet. I enjoyed talking to you" I smile down at her. She blushes crimson, "Yeah it was fun". I think for a moment before chancing it as I gently take her phone out of her hand, "Well how about if you ever want to explore France you can give me a call and I'll be your tour guide" I say as I type my number into her phone. Rose laughs and nods, "You'll be my first call".

I smile as I kiss both of her cheeks which causes her face to go completely red as I chuckle, "Jusqu'à la prochaine fois ma belle fleur".(Until next time my beautiful flower). She tilts her head at me, "What does that mean?" I shrug and smile, "Can't remember. Au revoir Rose". And with that I walk home leaving her flustered behind me.

XXX

I sigh but clap as the referee blows his whistle signalling the end of the match which ends in the US favour. Although I'm happy they won it was bittersweet seeing as they were after knocking out France of the running. I find myself on the pitch consoling some of the players. "Pas de veine. vous avez bien joué, vous méritez d'être allé plus loin" I say to Henry. (hard luck. you played great you deserve to have gone further). She nods glumly before walking off to talk to her teammates. My eyes trail to the American side watching them celebrate their well earned victory. My eyes land on a certain midfielder who's jumping up and down celebrating with her teammates.

I start to walk over but I decide against it and let her celebrate the win. I walk toward the tunnel when someone calls my name. I turn to see Kelley running up to me with a big smile plastered on her face. "Hey Kelley. Great game". She smirks at me while raising an eyebrow at me, "Are you that upset we knocked out France that you left the pitch instead of talking to us?" I toss my head back and laughs, "I thought I would let you celebrate the win instead of bothering you guys". "Well I don't think Rose would mind you bothering her" she teases as she wiggles her eyebrows at me. I cough as I try to hide my blush when I hear the clitter clatter of cleats walking towards us.

I look down the tunnel to see the team walking towards us. When Rose spots me she jogs up to us and hugs me, "I didn't know you were coming today!" "Well I said I would come to some of your matches didn't I? You played great by the way" I compliment. Again her cheeks tint pink while everyone smirks at us, "Thanks". "You mad we knocked out France?" Emily teases as she pokes my cheek. I roll my eyes as everyone laughs, "I'm sad they didn't get farther but I'm happy that they lost to you guys".

"Does that mean you'll buy us more ice cream?" Mal jokes. I snort, "Come back to me when your World champions and I'll see". "Well I want the one you got last time" Rose smiles. "Do you not remember? That's for world champions only. You gotta win first" I tease. "Yeah Rose have to be apart of the world champions club" Kelley teases as she wraps an arm around Alex. "Fine but that means you have to be there watching when we get to the final" Rose grins.

I shrug, "Okay but I'll need to get a jersey so everyone knows who I'm supporting". "You should wear your favourite players jersey" Lindsey smirks. "Maybe I will. I already have someone in mind" I smile. "Who would that be now?" Rose asks a smile gracing her face.

"Tobin Heath of course" I smile cheekily. Rose pouts while everyone laughs and I high five Heath. Everyone starts to walk to their dressing room which leaves us alone again while she still pouts at me, "Are you seriously going to wear her jersey?" "Well I mean she is an unreal player AND she's a world champion". She shoves me as I burst out laughing, "Your mean". "I'm joking! I'm joking! I'll probably wear number 16's jersey. She's been on fire recently" I say once my laughter ceases. "Yeah I hear shes a pretty good player" Rose smiles. "I guess I better go find one of her jerseys then" I grin.

We stand there for a bit longer and I laugh as I can hear the shouts coming from the girls locker room, "I better let you get back to your teammates". "Yeah before someone comes looking for me" she nods. "Au revoir ma belle fleur" I whisper as I kiss both her cheeks again. I smile as her face heats up again and groans, "What does that mean?" I shrug before I start walking away down the tunnel.

"Win a world cup and I'll tell you"

"Your insufferable!"

XXX

I was up on the feet as Rose scored the second goal of the match against the Netherlands. The stadium was deafening as all the US supporters were on their feet celebrating. I watched as Rose was swarmed in hugs on the field before she runs to the bench and hugs her teammates. As they jog back to their half I see her look around before she lands on me and smiles seeing me on my feet clapping.

The rest of the game passes by slowly as the Dutch doesn't give in and keep playing. But it seems that Roses goal solidified their victory as finally the final whistle blows. The sub rush the bench as the stadium is in up roar as the US become back to back World champion's.

I smile as I can see some of the girls start to cry as they celebrate their victory. As the stage is being built the girls go celebrate with their families in the stands. I was surprised to see Rose jogging over to me as I catch her in a hug. "Congrats Rose I knew you would win!" I shout over the crowd. "Now you and Kelley can stop teasing me about not being a world champion" she tells me. I laugh, "Welcome to the club champ". She's about to say something but she's being called away by the girls. "Go join your team ma belle fleur" I tell her. She sighs and looks back at the girls, "I expect to see you at the party later as well. I'll tell them to let you in". "I'll be there" I smile.

She grins before she runs back over to the girls celebrating their world cup win.

XXX

I walk into the party a bit awkward seeing as I don't really know anyone here. "Y/n!" I turn and see Lindsey and Emily have spotted me and had already had a few drinks in them. "Hey guys" I laugh as Lindsey stumbles towards me with Emily close behind, you okay there?" "Never better! We're world champions!" Emily cheers sloshing her drink a bit.

"Any ideas where Rose is?" I ask. They both start giggling excessively as they both turn and walk from where they came from, "Rose!! Lover boy is looking for you". I scoff as I can feel my face heat up as I spot Rose talking at the bar with Mal. The whole bar pretty much turns to look at me as Lindsey and Emily start pushing me towards Rose. Mal waves at me before dragging the two blondes away leaving me with Rose who's still laughing at my expense. "Yeah yeah two of your best friends just embarrassed me infront of the whole bar. Laugh it up" I roll my eyes as she eventually stops.

"Well you clearly haven't see the news yet then" she giggles. I look at her confused before she pulls out her phone and shows me an article of us two hugging as the article talks about how the two of us are dating because I was wearing her jersey. "Well then. They got that done quick" I sigh as I run a hair through my hair. "Does that mean you'll buy me my ice cream tomorrow boyfriend?" She teases as she takes another drink. "If you remember that tomorrow then sure" I laugh as I get my own drink.

"So how is it feeling to be a world champion?" I ask. "Great you want to know why?" She smirks. "Okay I'll bite why?" I ask. "Well it's great being a world champion, but you know what's even better? Being a world champion who scored in the world cup final. Not that you would know" she says grinning in my face. "Oh okay then. I admit defeat. "You are clearly the superior player" I smile. "Now your getting it" she laughs.

For the rest of the night is spent dancing and a lot of drink as well as singing 4 stars. For a short while we were able to slip away into a corner under a bunch of fairy lights. "Well seeing as your my boyfriend now. Does that mean you would like to come to the ESPY's with me?" She asks as she looks up at me. I smile down at her, "I will on one condition". "What is that?" She asks. "This" I cup her face and bring my lips to hers.

When we break apart we were both breathless. "Woah" I breath out which causes her to giggle, "Not a bad way to end a great day".

"Who said it had to end ma belle fleur?"

Okay I'm sorry if this isn't really great. I had this for a while and every time I tried to write it, it was a bit eh so this is the best I could come up with. But it's longer than usual ones! I hope you liked it!!

[ginwhitlock]

Southbound  ch 1/ ch 2

After the Cullens leave her behind, Bella is left to pick up the pieces by herself. A year after her eighteenth birthday, a split second decision lands her in her truck, running far away from everything she has ever known. She decides to go south. What will she find in San Angelo, Texas?

One day I’m going to have to admit to my demise. The casket will be small and the rain will be pouring like it does everyday there. Charlie’s eyes will puff up like abandoned birthday party balloons in the desert heat-- and I will not be there to dry them. The church parking lot is gonna look like a high school reunion. A maze of junkers that never quite made it out of Forks, the high heels of my former friends swapped out for rain boots.

After a tearless goodbye from a pastor I never met and school acquaintances I never spoke to, the purple haze of my childhood bedroom will be packed into brown cardboard boxes. Like I didn’t live there at all. As if my mark on the world only existed in our-- my meadow.

I could feel the curl of dandelion weeds at my back pocket but refused to move an inch. His ochre eyes were spun as thick as honey as he laid beside my body. There was a gleam of something I couldn’t place in the part of his lips, but I returned the smile with my own. The press of cold flesh spread through my neck, down my spine, through my toes and into the mush under his shoes.

In the small blink of my lashes his form disappeared into the air.

The bed of wildflowers around me turned to ash before I could reach for him. All I could smell was nothing like the forest and everything like a bonfire left wild. The flames crawled towards me, my body refusing to budge in its wake. My head screamed to just MOVE.

My eyes opened to a blurry mass of nothing. Tears rolling down my cheeks, their path as uncertain as my whereabouts as I raised up on my elbows. They dried before I could wipe them away.

The pads of my fingers found the line of ancient stitching on the bench seat like a security blanket. My rapidly blinking eyes rolled around the cab in an untraceable pattern. The windows were clear and still, the leather beneath my backside warm to the touch. I could see my reflection in the silver lining the dashboard, the dark blanche underneath my eyelids clenched at my tired heart

There were no flowers. No meadow. No him.

Sitting up completely, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was carrying. The rushed exhale through my cracked lips brought my lungs to the dip of my ribs-- the familiar ache pulling the back of my skull taut.

Outside, the swell of Texas sun rises just beyond a gathering of trees. I can’t remember how I got here, the smell of asphalt long gone. Instead a dirt road lined my eyesight. It gave far too little clue to my immediate surroundings. Above me the sky was as clear as the south gets and the ground solid like beaten down gravel-- but no road signs. No mile markers.

I can’t even see behind the horizon.

The air in the cab became overcrowded with my fear, the push and pull of breath fogging up the chilled glass. I feel like a child left behind in a supermarket. Unreadable ques leading me farther and farther into the swamp of confusion.

My tires sat flat against the path, just beside it, as if I had just turned off to get some shut-eye. But why here? The middle of absolute nowhere? Had I learned nothing from the nomad with the hair like my forest fire?

My hand twisted the ignition before I could stray to the silver scar on my right wrist. It’s memory glinting in the corner of my mind.

All I can get out is the sputter of the motor, a failed attempt to rise the slumbering beast.

Another hard turn returns with the same groan.

I could feel the sweat start to slide down the expanse of my back in a winding trail. The salt water seeping into the flannel pushed up around my hips in a faux blanket. My palms slid around the wheel-- the leather close to splitting.

Me too, baby. Me too.

The door handle started to whisper to me. A stupid notion to leave the steel barrier hung onto the interior in flashing chrome.

I should've taken that damn cell phone Charlie tried to buy me last year. I could’ve at least called a tow. Maybe found out where in the hell I was-- but no. Who did I need to call back then? A boy who could pick out my heartbeat in a sea of a hundred exhausted teenagers? The press of my scent to his senses would’ve said everything I need to say anyway.

But now, no almost-not-quite-humans with super hearing as far as I could see.

The rusted-out Chevy felt more and more like a cage by the minute. A rushed push of the door frame threw my feet to the red dirt. A careful hand skimmed along the side of the truck as I followed the structure to the bed in a half-creep.

My ears were hypersensitive to the billow of wind blowing through the tops of the oak trees. The motion reminded me of the run on Edwar-- the creature’s back through the forest. Normally unwatchable to my dull eyes, but on his back I could see the restlessness of the air, the ever moving flight of dragonflies and underground wonders. Well up until I had the urge to puke.

I couldn’t say the sight of the wavering treeline didn’t give me the same feeling.

My entire body jumped nearly out of my skin at the sound of metal slapping something solid. My back clenched, the hair on the back of my nape sent sky-high.

“Down girl, it’s alright, no need to get all bug-eyed on me now.” A man’s voice came from a few feet behind me. My mind raced with the decision to face him or not. To see the person who would finally take me out. Or to lay down and leave the world not knowing the monster’s face.

A rough hand on my shoulder stops my thoughts in their measly tracks.

“You know,” A deep breath let out just behind me bounced off the metal of the truck back into my ear, “I don’t know many people that stray over to these parts real often. You must not be from around here, miss.” His hand turned my body to face him, the packed dirt underneath my sneakers scuffing into the silent air. My body felt as though it was under a spell. A rabbit held under the jaws of a coyote.

His smile caught me off guard.

It was no show off teeth, carnivore-sharp grin. It was a gentle pull of lips. A soft rose blush underneath the skin. The rest of his face was shadowed by the brim of a worn leather cowboy hat, his eyes masked slightly by it. Dragging my eyes down, I could almost feel the cotton of his button-up. It looked lovingly washed, as if it was worn for decades and not weeks. His Wranglers were in the same predicament. A smudge of what looked like motor oil stained into the crease of his knee, a rip could be easily seen by his ankles. And on his feet-- matching cowboy boots. The spurs had the same metal of his belt buckle in a vintage way, I could almost see him buying them as a set in some small town in the middle of Mexico.

“Sweetheart I know I’m good lookin’ and all but I did ask you a question a lil’ while ago…” He trailed off, his mouth set in a teasing upturn.

My eyes went wide, the fear lifting off my shoulders oddly by his tone. “I… Yes. You could say I’m not from around here.” The sentence tumbled out with a small thought of protecting myself. Keeping myself alive was first-- even if the apparent cowboy held himself like warm butter, quirked and sweet.

His brow lifted.

“You’re as closed off as a heifer in the dry season ya know that?”

His hand left my shoulder and held themselves up in mock surrender before placing them on his belt. His hip made contact with the side of the truck while starring me up and down. His eyes dragged up my fingers to my shoulder up to my lips and nose. My chest constricted with self consciousness.

The man in front of me rivaled every human boy I’ve ever met-- well man I’ve ever met. His legs, drawn out with a long line of denim, his shoulders square and broad. He looked older than He was, if anything he reminded me of Jasper.

The wavy blond hair peeking out of his hat, curling around his laid back collar. The stone corners of his shaded jaw. The slightly tanned skin, made from working fields I didn’t need to see. Even the fullness of his lips reminded me of the veteran vampire.

When his eyes landed on my own I realized-- he was waiting for me to speak again.

With a deep breath through the nose I managed to start, “I’ve been traveling from Fo-- the Pacific Northwest for a couple months. I got into Texas not too long ago.” A simple nod from his covered head prompted me to keep going, not commenting on my change of location. “I was just north of Lubbock last night. I woke up in my truck not long ago, but I’m not too sure where I am to be honest.” A low breath left my throat when I finished.

His stature straightened and I could now see how truly tall he was. He towered over me by a foot, almost. His mouth opened in a toothy smile and my brain clicked.

“Oh my god is this your land? I’m so sorry I didn’t know this was private land, my truck won’t start and I--” My ramble was suddenly cut off by a guttural laugh.

“Missy! You act like imma gonna what? You think imma skin your hide for wonderin’ onto this piece of dirt? C’mon now. Lemme getchu you somethin’ before you fall over dead.”

His back turned to me almost too fast. His form started to trek across to the treeline, his boots leaving indiscernible footprints into the rocky ground. I started to run to catch up and then stopped myself. Why would I follow this man? Did I have no self preservation? I didn’t even know him, no beachy waves or shiny belt buckle would be worth maybe dying over!

“Are you comin’ or what missy? I need to call my brother about your truck, so we gotta go to the house. It’s not far I promise.”, he yelled from the treeline, somehow persuading me to inch forward, heel to toe, towards him. My brain lost in the end, my pace quickening until I was right on his tail.

His neck turned to look me dead in the face, the shadow from his hat casting over the both of us for a moment. It was the most serious look I had seen on him in our short time together. It was almost soldier-like.

“I never asked.”

My eyebrows pinched together. “Asked what?”

“Your name, darlin’.” His face broke, smiling in a childish way, making it look like the simplest thing in the word.

My thoughts of self preservation long gone, I responded, “...Bella.”

His smile widened.

“Peter. Peter Whitlock.”

[mandoinevarro]

30 questions!!

30 questions

tagged by @hansoulo and @vercopaanir whom I love to infinity ❤️❤️❤️

i skimmed through the questions and i already know this is a mistake bc my answers will be dumb as hell, but im bored so lets gooo

1. Name/Nickname: Mariana and i don’t think i have any nicknames? some friends call me Marianita but that’s even longer so call me whatever you want

2. Gender: female, she/her

3. Star sign: gemini (sorry) 

4. Height: 1.63m which google says is 5′3″

5. Time: 4:15 pm

6. Birthday: early june

7. Favorite bands: this is embarrassing but i can’t think of a single band i listen to regularly other than Tank and the Bangas but I feel like that’s more of a ~group~. let me check on my phone. okay ABBA, Blondie!!!!, idk if Calle 13 counts as a band but let’s throw that in, La Oreja de Van Gogh,

8. Favorite solo artists: I’ve been a Shakira stan from birth, Dounia, Alberto Barros, Selena (Quintanilla not Gomez, I can’t remember the last time i listened to  selena gomez ), Luedji Luna, Megan Thee Stallion, Daymé Arocena, Soha, Nat King Cole

9. Song stuck in your head: Journal of Ardency and for some reason The Rocky Road to Dublin

10. Last movie: The Prince of Egypt

11. Last show: Barry

12. When I did create this blog: around March, right before the Age of Covid started

13. What I post: horrible filth that my id spits out in the shape of writing, cool gifs!

14. Last thing I googled: ex gobernador de jalisco

15. Other blogs: my 2012 lurking blog that i forgot the password for and shall remain a secret

16. Do i get asks: Sometimes and i love them with my whole heart❤️️

17. Why i chose my url: i love nevarro what can i say

18. Following: i can’t check without closing this

19. Followers: the same amount of christmas lights on my christmas tree

20. Average hours of sleep: either 5 or 12

21. Lucky number: 4 according to Chinese cookies

22. Instruments: I played the flute in school, so none

23. What I’m wearing: a sports bra and classy sweatpants

24. Dream job: i always wanted to be a piñata maker when i was a kid, they have these super long poles with a hook at the end to lower them and it looked like magic to me

25. Dream trip: Cuba, Brazil, i would sell my right kidney to go to Morocco, Egypt

26. Favorite food: esquites

27. Nationality: Mexican but not the fun kind

28. Favorite song: right now maybe Idilio, Moliendo Café or Anna Wintour

29. Last book: The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

30. Top 3 fictional universes I wanna live in: id say ASOIAF but not really unless i wanted to be brutally murdered.

tag: @hdlynnslibrary or @hdlynn, @leo-moon, @bestintheparsec, @ollypopp, @ms-fatally-yours, @bella-ciao, @max--phillips and anybody else who wants to have fun on this nice Tuesday afternoon

[ecofinisher]

The Adventures of Super Nathan 4 - Chap 1

Fandom: Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Pairings: NathanielxLila, AdrienxKagami (Side/background ships: LukaxMarinette, JulekaxRose, IvanxMyléne)

Rating: 13+

-----------

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29003949/chapters/71182620

https://www.wattpad.com/1016775028-the-adventures-of-super-nathan-4-chapter-1

-----------

Ah yes, I'm starting this fic without even having an idea what the middle will be, Lol. How I love that. Right now I have this fic in plan and one for the Snow Queen fandom (Which practically is dead or is alive, but in Russian only) so I'm giving it here a try as I actually planned to start this one first and Snow Queen just fell into my life by accident. (As usual, a ship pulled me into the fandom along with Amy MacDonald because why not?) (I also have the interest in a Crossover between MLB and SNow Queen, because I just love the idea of RollanxGerda with their elemental powers as superheroes in a lovesquare too xD I need to outline that once I got ideas.

Additional note:

- All mentioned offsprings, classmates, and random are actual OC's of mine.

Nathaniel Kurtzberg sat on the couch of the Kurtzberg household face timing with his wife Lila Kurtzberg, which was out for a few months in Italy due to her work as an actress.

„Today really was now the last day of our recordings here. Tomorrow in the morning I will catch the train to head back to Paris. That one will go directly to France and has only one stop in Turin," Lila explained making Nathaniel nod.

„How many episodes are now in front of me until the one you recorded today?"

„Uhm I think you have 18. We are currently at 42. But you will enjoy the last few episodes, cause my character Isabella will......nah I can't spoiler you that, but you will be surprised," Lila quoted making Nathaniel frown.

„Oh now I'm curious,"

„Hey, I already told you why I had to dye my hair in black and brown lens. You have to wait for it along with the other viewers,"

„Can I at least know if it will end in a cliffhanger?"

„Duh of course. It's the end of the season, that's to keep the tension high," Lila answered. „But I can tell you there will be a few new faces and one of them you may recognize very well,"

„Who? Any of your aunts?" Nathaniel questioned making Lila shake her head.

„No it's Wayhem," Lila responded. „He will have a minor role as a class clown. He is actually pretty decent for that role. At least in the tryouts he was,"

„Thanks to Gabriel he made it there too. That's actually cool,"

„It really is," Lila agreed.

From behind the couch where Nathaniel sat appeared a small girl, which jumped up at the couch on Nathaniel causing him to yelp and the girl with the long brown hair looked at the smartphone to see the raven-haired woman on the other side of the electronic device.

„Hi mama" The girl greeted her mother, which smiled enchanted at seeing the daughter on her husband's lap.

„Hi bella, where have you been?" Lila asked at the sudden appearance of the girl.

„I think Nathalie was working on something special for you," Answered the redhead gazing into the blue eyes of the daughter, which winked back at the man. „But as it is a surprise you can't know it until you're here," „You two are being really mean," Lila joked crossing her arms pretending to be mad at the decision of the two blue-eyed family members.

„Come on pumpkin. You'll see it tomorrow when you get back. I'm sure it will blow your mind, right Nathalie?" Nathaniel asked earning a nod from the daughter.

„Well then the only thing I have to do is to wait until tomorrow," Lila added earning a nod from Nathaniel. „Has anything special changed during the time I was gone?"

„Well, what happened.....yes Sabrina is pregnant. I've heard that from Adrien. Adrien has next Friday his exam again, which he had failed two times before and I think that's it so far. Tomorrow also I will attend the first school day of Nathalie along with Luka and Kagami with their son,"

„That's great Nathy, and Nathalie I don't know what your dad said, but don't forget to brush your teeth before going to bed," Lila warned earning a nod from Nathaniel.

„We took care of it. I promised to let her watch your show tonight if you're okay with it,"

„Okay. It's actually rated 13+, but just the last few episodes I would rather not let her watch,"

„Okay it's fine," Nathaniel responded. "I'm here for her,"

„Look I'm finishing the call for now. I'm going to visit Nana before leaving,"

„Okay, be careful," Nathaniel warned making Lila chuckle.

„Don't worry with Trixx around me, I'm safe," Lila assured earning a nod from the husband.

„See you tomorrow,"

„Bye Nathy," Lila said sending Nathaniel an air kiss, then Nathaniel turned the call off and picked the remote to turn the TV on, which was showing a commercial of Wayhem holding a cereal package in his hands.

„Nutty by Nature. The new cereals for young and teens containing almonds, raisins, and walnuts. Try it out. This may contain nuts and gluten. Suggested to be served with milk or yogurt,"

„Isn't that the cereal you wanted to try out?" Nathaniel questioned sitting up on the couch, followed by Nathalie which sat beside the father.

„No, it had Ladybug on it," Nathalie mentioned earning a nod from the redhead.

„Okay, we can see it next Wednesday during shopping," Nathaniel said, then watched on the TV the logo of an Italian studio appear, then Nathaniel placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. „Look Nathalie the show is about to start," Nathaniel said putting the TV a little louder as the logos had played a 90th themed song in the background and showed a coyote near a road in the middle of the desert howl leading to the start of the intro and a car pass by on the road, then the theme song of the show began to play which was a pop-rock remix making Nathalie dance with her head amused at the song.

„Cool," Nathalie commented afterward she smiled brightly as she recognized in the intro her mother walk towards the camera, then under her married full name was blended in and Nathalie looked up at Nathaniel, which smiled at seeing her name on the screen.

„And what do you think of mom?" Nathaniel questioned. „Doesn't she look beautiful there?"

„She is very beautiful, dad," Nathalie agreed lying her head on the father's shoulder looking at the screen seeing a different actress with a similar body and facial structures as Lila strutt towards the camera and an Italian name appear under the woman's name.

„That woman there plays the younger version of your mom," Nathaniel pointed out earning a nod from the daughter watching the camera switch back to a male younger, character who also had his actor name announced on-screen through the introduction of the show.

At the mansion of the Agreste's, Adrien Agreste along with his wife Kagami and their common son had made the first steps of their life under the same home they were in since their first part of the education.

Adrien's ten-year-old sister sat in his old bedroom watching TV along with her five-year-old nephew Elliot. The boy Elliot sat interested looking at the movie to see a male character with fire powers throwing it on a trunk to make fire, so a group of kids got reunited around it to heat their hands.

„Rocky the fire guy is so cool," Elliot commented earning a nod from the older niece.

„What about Ally the water girl?" Questioned Hope. „She's also cool,"

„Nah I prefer Rocky," Elliot defended making Hope chuckle, then see an anthropomorphic rabbit push out from the ground two walls to form a tent-like shelter.

At the entrance of the room entered Kagami wearing a white tank top and red shorts as her sleeping outfit, then she made her way towards the couch, where the two blonde Agreste's sat and she placed her hands over on Elliot's shoulder.

„Elliot, it's bedtime," Kagami announced leaning her cheek on Elliot's face making him sad. „Do I really have to go now to bed?" Elliot questioned looking up at Kagami, which nodded.

„It's almost 10 am sweetie and you know tomorrow is your first school day and no one wants to have a tired boy during the class?" Kagami stated tapping the boy on the nose.

„Can I wait until the break?" Elliot questioned watching Kagami look at her watch and at that moment the movie got into a commercial making Hope groan disappointed.

„Not again," Hope complained making Kagami chuckle.

„Look you two, what about tomorrow we all watch that movie you were looking at? You two, me and Adrien?" Suggested Kagami earning a nod from the two blondes.

„Where's Adrien?" Hope asked watching Kagami open the TV guide to check the movie title. „I haven't seen him since dinner,"

„Your brother is studying for the big exam. You know after the last two times he failed he isn't really easy to convince to stop or take a break,"

„Dad is studying too much, mom," Elliot mentioned earning a nod from the mother, which helped her son down from the couch.

„Learning about medicine isn't for everyone. Even if Daddy is giving his best," Kagami mentioned earning a nod from Elliot.

„Will school tomorrow be hard for me?" Elliot asked making Kagami shake her head.

„No, it's very easy if you pay attention and if there is something you don't understand you can always ask your teacher at the school or us," Kagami said watching Elliot grab her hand, then Kagami walked out with her son into the corridor to reach the last room, where she got into and was in the bedroom, which got altered after Hope got older and Elliot was born into the Agreste heir. His bedroom contained a bed with a night table beside him and on the left side he had a bookshelf with only a few books on it and the others remained empty for now. On the wall he had four different watches both analog and digital, each of the clocks was adjusted to the European time zone and the Japanese time zone, which had about a difference of 8 hours. Kagami watched Elliot open up the bed for himself and got into it, then grabbed from under his pillow a red panda plush making Kagami smile remembering they had got the animal from their trip to Japan two years ago. Elliot used to sleep with the plush every night after they bought it for him.

Kagami adjusted the covers of the boy and looked at the boy, which smiled at the woman afterward Kagami pecked the boy on the cheek wishing him a good night.

„Good night, my little boy,"

„Good night mom," Elliot wished watching the mother caress the boy on the forehead gently before he closed his eyes, then the woman got up and left the door half-open and walked across the corridor into the bedroom, which now was used by Adrien and Kagami to sleep. Kagami encountered Adrien sitting in front of a desk with his arms on the table reading a book about diseases. Adrien was notably close to falling asleep, then Kagami walked toward the man, which was focused on the book, then Kagami placed her hand on Adrien's shoulder shrieking him along with herself, then Adrien sighed in relief to see it was just his wife.

„Oh it's you Kagami," Adrien mentioned watching Kagami pick up the water glass on the table handing it out to Adrien, which took it to drink,

„I just brought Elliot to bed," Kagami mentioned earning a nod from Adrien, which yawned. „And you better go to bed too, get a good night of sleep, then you wake up, have a walk or a jog, take a shower, have a good breakfast and you continue your work. Give your brain a little more oxygen before you spend another day inside the house. Elliot sort of is right, we barely saw you today,"

„I'm sorry," Adrien apologized getting up walking into the bathroom to wash his face. „I have been focusing a little too much lately on the studies,"

„Half of the summer vacation," Kagami added earning a nod from Adrien, which grabbed a towel to clean his face. „Tomorrow depending on if he receives homework or not I suggested Elliot and Hope to watch the movie they didn't finish watching tomorrow. If you're okay with it, join us watching the movie. So you'll be spending a bit of time together with your son and at the same time you can give your head a break,"

„Sounds like a good idea. What's the movie about?" Adrien asked leaving the bathroom, then removed his t-shirt while Kagami closed the door behind them.

„I don't know, but the main characters seem to be some sort of superheroes with elemental powers," Kagami responded. „I think you may like it as well,"

„Okay, okay. We'll see it then," Adrien spoke getting rid of his trousers as Kagami got into the bed, followed by the blonde, which covered himself with the bed cover and looked around at Kagami, which yawned making Adrien smile and lean his forehead on his wife's, then kissed her on the nose. „Good night,"

„Good night Adrien," Wished Kagami closing her eyes along with Adrien, so they would soon fall asleep.

Luka Couffaine stood in the kitchen of their 3-room apartment putting inside a sandwich grill a piece of toast on each black surface, afterward he added on the front row a slice of cheese and on the top of it, he added ham onto it. Luka closed the grill tight so it would grill the sandwich, so he took the time the device was cooking to store the ingredients back and he took out a pack of orange juice, then filled it into two cups, then brought them to the table. Luka walked out of the kitchen towards the corridor of the apartment to spot his son Rouven Couffaine get out of the bedroom while yawning making Luka smirk.

„Morning champ," Luka greeted the boy, which made his way toward the kitchen. „Did you sleep well?"

„Yes" Rouven responded. „Is mom gone to work?"

„Yes she is, but she told me to give you kisses and wish you a good first school day," Luka mentioned. „And you don't need to worry about it, you will see Elliot and Cody there. At least you will already know two people,"

„Cool," Rouven responded sitting down, then Luka went back to the kitchen to check, if the paninis were done and saw the grill had the green light turned on, then Luka opened it to remove the paninis into a plate and placed it in the middle of the table, so Rouven could take one, while Luka took the other.

„Mmh I love this smell," Rouven commented as he took a bite from his sandwich. „Delicious,"

„What do you think will you learn today at the school?" Luka asked. „Any idea?"

„Math?" Rouven answered.

��What else?"

„Gym. Mom said I needed to pack my gym stuff," Rouven mentioned. „She forgot to help me,"

„Okay, I will help you later with it. You don't know, where mom left your notes for school per coincidence, right?"

„I don't know,"

„Alright, let me just finish my toast and I will see, what you need," Explained the father earning a nod from the boy, then Luka heard his smartphone on the counter begin to play a rock solo, followed by Rouven use his hands to pretend to play a bass, making Luka chuckle, then Luka picked up the smartphone to see his wife's name highlighted over the number.

„Hello Marinette," Luka greeted. „Rouven is already having breakfast,"

„Great, look I forgot to pack Rouven's gym clothing. Can you do that for him?"

„Sure I was about to do that after Rouven mentioned it. Was there anything more on the list except for that and the writing utensils?"

„Uhm the water and the snack box I left it inside the fridge, the writing utensils he's got it inside his satchel, books and booklets he'll receive at the school as they require a certain type of it and that's all so far....oh and the school cone. I have hidden it in the back seat of your car,"

„Okay, I will prepare everything for Rouven. See you later,"

„Bye, I love you,"

„I love you too, Marinette," Luka finished the call, then walked toward the corridor to get to the room of his son to organize the needed school material.

On Monday morning around the 9, Ivan Bruel was reaching along with his son to the elementary school.

„We're here," Ivan said looking down at the raven-haired boy. „As I see Rouven or Elliot didn't arrive yet,"

„Yes," The boy said, then watched along with the father a black sports car stop, where a man with a mustache sat and from the back seat left a brunette woman together with a blonde girl which carried her backpack, then both made their way to the schoolhouse.

„We seem a little early or everyone else is already here. What do you think of going in to see your classroom?" Ivan asked earning a nod from the boy, then the man accompanied the son to the entrance of the schoolhouse to spot a few more children along with adults surprising Ivan at the number of parents that were present to attend their children's first day of school.

„Wow, there are really many parents present. Have you seen it, Cody?" The strong man asked earning a nod from the brown-eyed boy.

„Yes," Cody responded, then noticed in front of a classroom his father's old classmate Nathaniel Kurtzberg stay looking onto a sheet, while next to him stood Nathalie Kurtzberg holding her school cone tight in her arms.

„Nathaniel, hey!" Ivan called walking along with Cody to the redhead, which smiled and held his hand out to have Ivan slap his hand on the friend. „You're going to the class of Miss.....uh.....Donner. Evangeline Donner,"

„It is Donner like give in French, not Donner like thunder in German?" Nathaniel asked showing his daughter's schedule to the tall man.

„Probably the French version," Ivan mentioned. „Can we go in already?"

„I think so. I just got here," Nathaniel responded entering into the classroom to find a few students present with their parents in the classroom, then Nathaniel widened his eyes as he recognized a few of the parental figures inside the room. „Wow, I know some of those faces look that's Leeton Sakamoto. He plays in the Parisian soccer team," Nathaniel said advising Ivan to look at the second row, where a middle-sized man stood beside the desk looking at his own son, which was showing the adult something.

„Yeah and there's River Langerak the journalist Alya works with," Ivan pointed out watching the woman take a selfie with the raven-haired daughter making Ivan smile at the deed the woman was doing.

„Uh hum," Agreed Nathaniel, then both walked their kids into the class and Nathalie sat down in the third row along with Cody.

„Do you think Elliot and Rouven will be in our class?" Nathalie asked the boy, which shrugged his shoulders.

„I don't know," Cody responded placing his school cone on the table, afterward Nathalie did the same and both leaned their backs against the wall watching a brunette woman enter along with a blonde girl into the class greeting accompanying her to the first row on the left side.

„That girl I saw before as I got here," Cody mentioned. „I think her grandpa is rich. He drives a very fast car,"

„Cool," Nathalie answered, then watched a man dressed in a police suit accompany his raven-haired son, which waved along with the dad at the present citizens, afterward a Rose Lavillant entered into the class making Nathalie smile as she recognized one of her mother's best friend enter along with a white-skinned girl with light blonde hair, making Nathalie curious.

„Whos' that girl?" Nathalie asked making Cody shrug his shoulders. Rose smiled as she recognized Nathaniel and Ivan, then meet up with the guys by embracing both with excitement.

„Oh boys I haven't seen you for so long," Rose began. „How are Lila and Myléne doing?" Questioned the blonde.

„Fine," Both men answered.

„Lila is coming today from Italy from her acting time. Have you per coincidence see the show yet?" Questioned the redhead earning a nod from the petite woman.

„Yes, I've been liking it so far. Juleka mostly," Rose responded. „Oh and I have only told Kagami about it, but I and Juleka finally made it to adopt our first child. Let me introduce you to Eireen. She's originally from Danish descendants, but her parents lost their lives in a......shipwreck,"

„Oh," Both men replied sad, then Rose patted the girl's head making her smile a little.

„She has already been for a month in our house to get to know us better. So far I think she's liking to be with us,"

„If she's interested, she can befriend Nathalie," Nathaniel mentioned. „Nathalie is my daughter. She's sitting right behind you," Explained the redhead watching the blonde girl look back at the brunette girl, which smiled a little shyly at the adopted girl.

„Hi nice to meet you," Eireen said, then Cody got up and showed Eireen the place.

„Hey you can sit with her if you want," Cody offered making Eireen shrug her shoulders.

„You don't have to go for me," Eireen mentioned making Cody shake his head.

„No, it's okay. I'll be sitting somewhere else," Cody explained making Eireen nod and sit down on the chair, followed by Cody picking up the school cone.

„Oh, I forgot your cone. Will you wait here? I will go immediately to the car to get it," Rose said making Eireen nod, then Rose ran out. Nathaniel took out his smartphone to check the time and saw a message from his wife Lila Kurtzberg.

„Are you at the school now?"

Nathaniel went down on his knees, then held his camera to Nathalie making Nathalie jokingly stick out her tongue, followed by Nathaniel making a dorky face so he could take a picture of the two.

„Shall I send it to mom?" Nathaniel asked the girl for permission which nodded, then the father got up to send the image to the mother of the girl.

„Hey Ivan, hey Nathaniel," A voice said, then Nathaniel looked aside to see Luka Couffaine come along with his son followed by Kagami with her boy Elliot.

„Hey Luka," Nathaniel greeted.

„Hey Luka, hey Kagami," Ivan greeted. „Where's Adrien?"

„He stood back to study," Kagami responded. „You know this Friday he's got the exam and hopefully he will pass it this time,"

„Oh right. I really hope he can make it this time," Mentioned the raven-haired man. „It's harsh when all your friends pass but you,"

„Yeah it really is," Kagami said, then she heard someone call her name and she looked across the classroom to see Adrien's old university friend Jin pass by together with his son. „Hey Jin, great to see you,"

„Same Kagami or should I say.....Mrs. Agreste," Jin joked doing to the woman finger pistols making the son look confused at his father's comment.

„Is that a friend of dad?" Elliot asked looking up at the mother making her nod,

„Yeah. He was with your dad in the same class about five years ago," Kagami mentioned. „Dad would probably love to see him again,"

„Let's tell Dad, " Elliot asked watching Kagami place her hand on the boy's shoulder.

„Maybe we can ask Jin to visit us after school," Kagami mentioned then Nathaniel came between the two Agreste's.

„Are you three actually coming tonight to the surprise party?" Nathaniel asked making Kagami wide her eyes and facepalm.

„Kuso, I forgot about it. I promised you to come and I also promised Elliot and Adrien to watch the movie they missed yesterday,"

„On TV?" Nathaniel questioned.

„Yeah, but we can still watch it on replay before 72 hours pass," Kagami mentioned. „I should have written all my promises down on an agenda. I've been so busy lately that I forgot it,"

„It's okay. Can happen," Luka mentioned patting Kagami on the shoulder.

The school bell rang and before the teacher entered a blonde woman entered along with a blonde boy making Luka chuckle along with Ivan, making Kagami and Nathaniel furrow their eyebrows in confusion, then Nathaniel looked at Luka questioningly.

„Hey, you're married," Nathaniel spoke, then Luka hit the friend on the shoulder.

„I know. I'm just laughing cause that's the woman who vaccinated Rouven last time at the doctor," Luka explained, then watched the class teacher enter into the classroom with a suitcase on wheels, then she gazed in surprise as she saw the full class along with their parents.

„Wow, I'm impressed," The teacher commented placing her suitcase beneath her desk. „This is the first time after ten years, where I have so many parents present on their kids' first school day,"

„It's actually a pretty good thing," Jin shouted making a few adults snicker.

„It really is. And you're the father of who?" The teacher asked.

„I'm Jin Norgay, father of Zheng Norgay," The man introduced himself approaching the son, which sat on the table next to a blonde boy.

„Alright so, as this is our very first day of school. We will be spending the first hour getting to know each other. First I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Mrs. Donner. I'm 33 years old and I was born in Bretagne. In my free time, when I'm not working I like to read and play cards with my family," The teacher introduced, then picked up a ball of yarn from her table and held it on the beginning of the threat and threw it at the first student on the first row, which was a raven-haired boy. „So you're the first one to introduce yourself to the class. You don't need to tell a lot. Your name, nationality and maybe what your parents work is a good start," Mrs. Donner suggested earning a nod from the boy.

„Hello everyone. My name is Duarte. Actually, I have two names. I'm called Duarte André. But you all can call me Duarte. Both my parents are police officers, which met at the work. I come from Portugal, but was born here in France," The boy said earning a nod from the teacher.

„And now pass the ball to the person you want and hold the thread," The teacher asked watching the girl threw the ball back at a raven-haired girl, which smiled at the boy.

„My name is Ruby Langerak. Uh.....I'm from many countries somehow....My mother is from Ireland and England. My father from Sweden and Portugal. I'm sort of from all those four countries," Ruby explained making a few students chuckle.

„Wow, that's interesting. Which languages do you speak at the home?"

„English and French for now," Ruby responded. „My mom said maybe later I could learn Swedish as it is similar to English and furthermore if I want to Portuguese,"

„I can teach you," Duarte suggested earning a nod from the raven-haired girl.

„Aww that's sweet," The teacher commented.

„And my mother is a journalist and my father works in a theatre building the stage and other important things," Ruby explained throwing the ball at Cody, which sat behind her.

„Hello my name is Kodiak, but everyone calls me Cody. I'm from France and my mother works as an actress at the theatre and my father works in the kitchen for a house, where only seniors live,"

„A retirement home?" Asked the teacher making Cody shrug his arms.

„Yes Mrs. Donner," Ivan responded making the teacher smile and Cody passed the ball to Elliot, which frowned at Cody's lazy decision.

„My name is Elliot Agreste. My father is French and my mother is Japanese. My mom works in a bureau at the animal rescue center from my father's family and my dad is at home learning for a big exam, so when he passes he can become a doctor,"

„Ah wow, that's a great idol you got there," The teacher complimented making Elliot smile and look up at Kagami, which gave the boy a thumb up. Elliot threw his ball at Nathalie, but it landed in front of Eireen, then she looked at Elliot, which shrugged his shoulders but smiled at the adopted girl to let her take the ball of yarn.

„Hello everyone. My name is Eireen, I'm from Denmark. My parents died a few years ago in a ship like in the movie with the iceberg and I was in an orphanage with other kids and got adopted this year by my mother. This year is a little special to me, cause I have for the first time in my life new people that like me and also I have now two mothers instead," Eireen said, then a few adults looked at each other bewildered at Eireen's situation.

„Did you hear that, she has two mothers" A voice said making Rose swallow at hearing that comment, then Luka noticed it and placed his hand on Rose's shoulder to comfort her.

„That's still amazing Eireen. At least you found two people that are there to help you out and take care of you. That's what matters the most, right Mrs. Donner," Luka stated earning a nod from the teacher.

„Yes you're right Mr.....,"

„Couffaine, Luka Couffaine"

„Yes thank you, Mr. Couffaine "

„Don't worry. You'll know my name in a few years," Luka said jokingly making the teacher chuckle and watch Eireen slide her ball to Nathalie.

„I'm Nathalie Kurtzberg. My dad is from Germany and works in a comic book store. My mother is from Italy and works on a TV show as an actress,"

„Oh is it from the show Isabella – The rebirth?" Questioned the teacher watching Nathalie look up at Nathaniel which nodded.

„I've seen a few episodes. I think I know who your mother is," Mrs. Donner stated watching Nathalie throw her ball across the room at the hands of a blonde girl.

„The name is Debby, short for Deborah. I'm from Spain and Scotland. My mom works as a vet assistant and my father works in a recording studio for music," The girl introduced herself earning a nod from the teacher, then she threw the ball across the room to another boy, which introduced himself to the class too, followed by others students until everyone's turn had passed.

[ofchampiiions]

CHRIS EVANS, HIM/HIS, CISMALE ⟨ ❄ ⟩ we’ve been keeping an eye out for  [ ( FORTY YEAR OLD )  BECKHAM BEAUCHAMP   ] lately .  they have been living in WICKERY FALLS for about [ HIS WHOLE LIFE  ]  but something sparked my interest more . as it turns out - the [ BEAUCHAMPS ] family have indeed tried their best to tuck away [ BECKHAMS ] ’s [ SECRETIVE NATURE  ] tendencies , but it only seems to bring out [ HIS ] [ HYPOCRISY ] more . according to an anonymous source  , [ HE ] can be [ CHARMING ] . they are a pretty cool [ MAYOR ] most shocking of all ,  it seems that [ BECKHAM ] has been keeping a secret : one that could destroy [ HIS ] life .  the thing is nothing stays secret for long , especially in WICKERY FALLS . ( ooc: keeks, she/her, 24, est )

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒

𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 : beckham beauchamp 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 : beck / beau 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 : widowed 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 : Belinda &. Boris beauchamp 𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : none 𝐏𝐄𝐓 : golden retriever named blue 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : march 10th 𝐀𝐆𝐄 : forty-two 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍 : wickery falls, colorado 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 : mayor of wickery falls 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 : heterosexual 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒 : english , spanish , french , greek &. portuguese 𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 : dirty blonde 𝐄𝐘𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 : green 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 : 6’1 𝐙𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐂 : pisces 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 : wickery falls university

𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

beckham beauchamp was born into a wealthy known family , a founding family none the less . ever since he was small , he was taught that he needed to think before he said or did anything . his mother polishing him to be the face and heir of the beauchamp fortune , his manners and life to be as polished as his family wanted him to be .

the teen years seemed to be harder and harder for Beckham , he didn’t want to be a senator or a lawyer , or a mayor . he just wanted to live his life and be happy but his sorbets had a different thing in mind for him , leaning towards anger and disobedience more than anything . everyone seemed to look up to the beauchamps but little did they know that boris was a little too harsh on beckham , smacking him around through closed doors , making sure he knew he was in charge in the family . little later in life , beckham met bella. you can say she was the type of girl that made any kind of man want to be better . little by little he started to fill into fathers shoes , taking the responsibilities that he needed to take care of . yet tragedy always strikes especially for people like them , his father had become sick . maybe in his mind it was just old age , something that he had coming . spending  some alone time with bella, he decided to take her to the Rocky Mountains for some alone time, later that night he had found out that his father had passed away.

racked with guilt , he couldn’t think of anything else to do or feel . bella helped him through it , pushed him to be a better person , to see past the pain and whatever he feared would drag him down . he took his matters into his own hands and started a family with the woman who belonged at his side , making him a better man .

giving him two gorgeous girls , he couldn’t be happier . the tittle of being mayor was practically in his hands , he was going to be the youngest mayor wickery falls ever had . Taking his girls and bella to a retreat there was a driver who wasn’t paying attention and invidious drunk slammed into them . suffering head trauma he had to be induced into a coma for two weeks , after gaining conscience he was told the devastating news that only Bethany and himself survived . his heart shattered into a billion pieces , his other half and as well as his baby was missing , they were dead and there was nothing that he could do to bring either of them back . as the time proceeded , his main goal was to care for his daughter and continue his road to being mayor .

fast forward fifteen years later , he had just been elected mayor of wickery falls . his daughter thriving and getting back into the dance studio . things seems to finally be fitting right into place ...... or are they ?

[choicesfanatic86]

Through the Storm: Part 1

DISCLAIMER:      All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except characters  unique to my story.  Those belong to me. ;)

PAIRINGS:  Riley (MC) x OC, Riley (MC) x Liam, Liam x Riley (MC) x OC, Olivia x Drake, Bertrand x Savannah, Maxwell x OC

SUMMARY: Riley Lawson returned to New York a broken version of herself after a failed whirlwind romance.  Years later, she has put the past behind her and rebuilt herself into a successful event planner who is happily enjoying her fast-paced New York lifestyle.  However, just because she’s put the past behind her, doesn’t mean it won’t come back to haunt her.  When an unexpected letter turns up on her doorstep, she’s forced to face the people and feelings she ran away from all those years ago.

Please check out my MASTERLIST.

PERMANENT TAG LIST:  @umccall71​ @drakelover78​ @jamielea81 @bobasheebaby​ @speedyoperarascalparty @hopefulmoonobject​ @theroyalweisme @gardeningourmet​ @jlouise88 @hamulau​ @traeumerinwitzhelden​ @blackcatkita​ @mrs-simmy​ @kaitycole​ @alwaysthebestchoice @mfackenthal​ @trr-duchessofvaltoria @pbchoicesobsessed @liamxs-world @flyawayboo​ @devineinterventions2​ @ranishajay​ @jayjay879​​ @alepowell @greyeyedsmile14​​ @mspaigemoore​​ @princesaakl @annekebbphotography @angelicfangirl  @katurrade​ @cordoniaqueensworld​ @ao719 @kingliam2019​  @custaroonie​ @lovemychoices​ @texaskitten30 @harlequinash @smalltalk88  @pixieferry @thatspicegirlssong 

Tag List for TTS Only:  @herladyshipxx  @captainkingliam  @cocomaxley @queencatherynerhys​ @spetstoof​ @grapefrults @pessimystic-fangirl @dralenamax @hhiggs @penguininapinktuxedo @topsyturvy-dream @diamond-dreamland @pnhanga @ladynonsense​ @mrsdrakewalkerblog @crookedslimecreatorpasta @liamxs-world​ @flowerpowell​ @bruteforcebears @withice​ @jared2612​ @darley1101​ @sleeplessescapades @leelee10898 @craftytacotrashdream​ @eileendannie​ @bella-ca @x0valkyrie​ @sunandlemons​

11/26/29 - Here we go again.  I bet you’re wondering why I’m rewriting/revamping TTS? Five months ago I got a critique about TTS saying that the reader felt it wasn’t realistic enough.  For them, things felt rushed and kind of disjointed (examples they gave were the beginning/agreeing to go to the wedding; glossing over Drake/Olivia’s relationship; Riley’s relationship with Paul; Maxwell and Andy’s engagement.  I’ll admit, my heart hurt a little because I had put so much time and energy into it and had been getting so much positive feedback that I kind of got blindsided by that critique. With everything that was going on in my life, I kind of just ignored it and moved on thinking that I’d address it when I had more time.  Of course, I didn’t really get back into writing again until recently.  So, I took the opportunity to reread TTS and I found that the reader who shall remain anonymous (lol!) was correct.  It was rushed . . . I did do a disservice to such awesome characters like Paul and Andy and Maxwell and even Olivia!  So I’m gonna do right by this critique and rework it so that it is a bit more realistic.

So?  What does that mean?  The plot is going to change.  Eek! I know.  Scary.  But the general premise will remain the same.  Plot twist - I already have the ending written and that won’t change.  But Riley’s time in Cordonia will be a bit different. :)

I really hope you guys decide to continue to follow along!

If you want to be removed from the tag or be tagged, please message me! :)

                                          PART 1 - LIFE GOES ON

“Oh my goodness,” I whispered.  “Roxy, you’re a magician,” I sighed as I inhaled the delightful cinnamon aroma permeating from my warm cup of cappuccino.

Roxy winked at me.  “I know what my best customer likes,” she chuckled.  “It’s been ages since you’ve swung by for a visit.  I had to make it just perfect for you.”

I smiled brightly at the owner of the coffee shop.  Roxy’s Coffee Shop had become a second home to me over the last two years.  I had stumbled across it back in college when I first came home to New York.  I was in between mid-term exams and needed somewhere to decompress before heading back to campus and happened upon this little hole in the wall café.  It was love at first sight.  Sure, there were a bunch of mainstream coffee shops scattered across the city, but there was just something that drew you in at Roxy’s.  For one, they had the coziest little set up going on.  The lighting is dimmed just right and the chairs are extra cozy – which is perfect when you want to get lost in a good book or in my case a really tough crossword puzzle.  Another thing?  Roxy makes THE best cup of cappuccino this side of the Hudson River.  I couldn’t count how many times I found myself huddled in a corner sipping a cup of Roxy’s perfectly brewed coffee after a long day of classes.

And that’s just where I am today – snuggled in a plush, brown chair at the far corner of the shop, steaming cappuccino in one hand and the New York Times in the other.  This was the life.  I brought the cup of cappuccino to my lips, savoring the delicious taste as I sipped it slowly.  “I’ve missed this,” I sighed happily.  “I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much,” I offered.  “Business has been crazy, and . . . well . . .you know how it goes when you’re your own boss,” I explained.

“Do I ever . . .” Roxy agreed.  “Stay as long as you like.  I’ll be sure to have Gus bring you a refill when you’re done,” she smiled.

“Best Barista Ever,” I exclaimed.

“Just you today or is that handsome hunk of man joining you?”  Roxy asked waggling her eyebrows.

“Just me,” I laughed.  “Paul’s in Boston.”

“Too bad,” Roxy winked at me.  “I’ll leave you to it,” she motioned toward the crossword puzzle page in front of me.  “Mmhmm, she chuckled.  Only girl I know that does the New York Times Crossword in pen,” she shook her head as she went off to tend to another customer.

Sighing, I leaned back into the chair getting myself comfortable.  Roxy had been right.  I hadn’t stopped by in at least a month.  After all, it had been just as long since I had an actual day off.  I was about due for some nice rest and relaxation.  When Alicia offered to do my consults for the day, I jumped at the opportunity to breakaway for a little while.  I was going a bit stir crazy in the four walls of my office.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved my job and I loved being my own boss even more, but I seemed to constantly be moving at the speed of light.  I started Savvy Events right out of college and despite the rocky start I had trying to get it off the ground, things have been booming every since.  

I loved the hustle and bustle of my fast-paced life.  My weekends were spent planning and coordinating some of the trendiest events in New York City.  So I wasn’t planning parties for the Kardashians just yet, but I did plan a party for one of the girls from Sex and the City once and it got featured in Glossy magazine.  That was pretty epic.  Mostly though, I found myself catering to high-end business professionals who were just too busy to plan parties themselves – corporate galas, year-end celebrations, weddings.  You name it; I pretty much could plan it.  My weekdays were just as busy – filled with client meetings, scouting visits, and designing sessions.  It wasn’t easy, but it kept me busy, the money was great, and I was really, really good at my job – if I do say so myself.  

Admittedly, there were times when I missed how much downtime I used to have.  I sometimes longed for the days when I could randomly decide to wander aimlessly around the city and discover all of the little idiosyncrasies that New York had to offer.  But the Riley back then didn’t have as much responsibilities as I do now.  Man, just thinking about how much has changed over the years makes me nostalgic for life pre-business.  I’ve come quite a long way from the days when I was waiting tables at that dingy little bar out in Brooklyn.  I couldn’t help but smile when I thought about all the late night shifts I spent working at Upscale.  I snorted at the memory.  Upscale . . . what a totally misleading name.  There was absolutely nothing upscale about that crummy, little bar.  The patrons were a bit too touchy, and my manager Craig was a giant ass.  It wasn’t all bad though.  My coworkers were fun and the tips were a dream, especially when I was trying to save up enough money to get back into college.  And if it wasn’t for that oh so glamorous waitressing gig . . . my life would have turned out pretty differently.  Hell, I never would have met him.  Had I not picked up that last party the night he walked into the bar, I never would have met the man that turned my life upside down.  I never would have had the opportunity to cross off so many items on my bucket list.  I never would have gotten to see the world outside of my tiny little studio in Brooklyn.  I never would have fallen in love.

Ouch.  Let’s not go there.  It had been months since I had even thought about him. I closed my eyes at the thought, clinging onto my cup just a tad bit tighter.  My heart had a slight twinge . . . of pain?  Regret maybe?  I shook my head, mentally chiding myself for letting myself go there again.  I was doing so well.  What had it been three months since I last thought about him?  Or them?  That had to be some sort of record.  They say time heals all wounds, and I was slowly starting to believe it.  It had been two years since everything had happened, and I refused to allow myself to ever be that weak again.  I’ll never let myself revert to the girl I was back then.  I came back to New York a ghost of my former self.  I remember feeling like the aching heartbreak would stay with me forever.  I thought that I would be doomed to a life of wallowing in my never-ending grief.

It still amazes me that I was somehow able to pick up the pieces of my broken life and glue them back together again.  It was a long and hard road that took many months, but here I am . . . almost as good as new.  Were the fractures still there?  Oh yes, of course.  Once something was broken, you couldn’t just pretend that it hadn’t shattered into a million pieces.  The cracks of my former life . . . as much as it killed me to still admit it . . . were still dancing along the surface of my rebuilt life . . . although faded they were still very much a reminder of everything that happened all those years ago.  

God, how tragically sappy.  The buzzing of my cell phone thankfully interrupted my thoughts.  Looking down, I saw my boyfriend’s name flash onto the screen.  I couldn’t help but smile.  Here I was dwelling on the past when my future was calling.  Paul had been away for the last three weeks facilitating a corporate merger between two well known companies.  Headquarters for both companies were based in Boston, and although his law firm was centered in New York City, they wanted him to go out and meet the clients directly in their neck of the woods.  He’d been flying in and out of Boston for the last few months.  I missed him something fierce when he was away, but we’d been getting by through countless text messages and many FaceTime sessions.

“Hi, Handsome,” I answered.  “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you until later today,” I murmured.

“Hey, Gorgeous, I know . . . but I just couldn’t let a whole morning go by without hearing your voice,” he responded.

“Well, lucky me then,” I smiled.  

“Luck you indeed because I also happen to have a surprise for you,” he said.

“Ooh,” I hummed.  “What kind of surprise?” I could feel my smile grow wider.  Paul was something special . . . he was funny . . . sweet . . . caring and oh so thoughtful.  He spoiled me.  A lot.  And I didn’t know exactly what I did to deserve snagging a guy like him, but I was certainly thankful for whatever powers that be that found us winding up together.

“Guess who was able to book an earlier flight and is flying in to see you in exactly three hours?” He said in a sing-song voice.

I was grinning so big my cheeks were starting to hurt.  “Shut up!” I exclaimed.  “Paul, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day.  And you know what?  You’re just in time for movie night,” I almost squealed.  “They just haven’ been the same without you these last few weeks,” I laughed thinking about what it’s been like him without the last few weeks.  I had used my best friend Andy as my stand-in date and she was less than thrilled at my movie selections.  “I’ve had to resort to spending movie nights with Andy and you know how that goes,” I chuckled.

“Oh, I have a funny inkling about how that went down.”  He chuckled.  “Let me guess, she demanded it be a sci-fi flick?”

I groaned.  “YES!” I exclaimed.  “She tried to get me to watch Deep Impact three times,” I sighed.  “I told her that I had no desire to watch a movie about a giant asteroid pummeling down to Earth, but she scoffed when I suggested Legally Blonde,” I said with a slight chuckle in my voice.  

Andy had been the first friend I made when I moved back to New York.  We found ourselves in the same creative writing class at Hudson University and instantly bonded over our love for all things French.  Before you knew it, we were inseparable.  I loved her to bits and pieces, but she drove me absolutely crazy.  For every similarity we had, there were at least two differences.  For one, I was an absolute neat freak . . . whereas Andy seemed to leave a trail of clutter wherever she went.  Even our taste in movies differed astronomically.  Andy was all about action-packed sci-fi thrillers, whereas I leaned more toward the cheesy romantic comedies.  Despite our differences, and me wanting to throttle her a time or two, she and I became tremendous friends, and I absolutely, positively couldn’t imagine what life would be without her.

“Let’s just say that last movie night resulted in a full blown popcorn fight,” I laughed.  “That I ended up cleaning all by myself,” I sighed.  “There were many a moment I wanted to shove a handful of popcorn in her mouth just to keep her mouth busy,” I chuckled.  I paused for a moment, before clearing my throat.  “It’s been a long few weeks, Paul.  I’ve missed you,” she murmured.

“I’ve missed you so much, too, baby.  Remind me not to leave you this long again. Next time, I’m packing you up with me,” he laughed

I grabbed the newspaper and threw it in my tote bag.  “Careful … I just might hold you to it.”

I glanced down at my watch and was a bit surprised with how much time had flown by.  “Ah damn, if you’re coming home in a few hours I should head back to my apartment.  Get things cleaned up a bit.  Maybe we can do dinner at Russo’s tonight if you aren’t too jetlagged?  Then maybe catch up on all our movie nights we missed while you were gone?”  I asked hopefully.

“Anything you want, babe.  I honestly don’t care what we do as long as I get to see your gorgeous face.”  

I could feel my cheeks grow hot at his compliment.  This guy.  My God, was he a sweet talker or what?  I got that our relationship was still in the honeymoon stage so to speak – we had only been exclusively dating for eight months after all, but man, did he know how to sweep a girl off her feet or what?  Butterflies?  Nope, I had full blown moths fluttering around in there, and somehow, he also managed to make me go weak in the knees each time I saw him.  

Admittedly, I wasn’t exactly keen on the idea of going out with him at first, but I’m very glad that he was able to wear me down eventually.  Yeah, the frequent trips to Boston were hard, but we were making it work.  And surprisingly, we hadn’t even had a single disagreement since we first started dating.  Our relationship was easy.  Comfortable even.  And well . . . normal.  God, how I craved normalcy.  Those were things that I never had with him.  Then again, I don’t think there was anything really normal about my relationship with him.  Ugh.  I’m doing it again.  Just stop.

Paul’s voice broke through my internal struggle.  “There’s ah … something I wanted to talk to you about, too.  Been thinking a lot about it while on the trip, and was hoping to run it by you today.”

“Oh?  Okay, that sounds good,” I replied, as I waved a quick goodbye to Roxy.  “I’ll see you in a few, babe,” I smiled as I tapped the end on my phone and left Roxy’s Coffee Shop.  

The trek back home wouldn’t take me long as I only lived a few blocks away.  There was so much I needed to do before he got in, but I was pretty excited to see Paul.  FaceTime was great, but nothing could replace seeing him in person or hearing his laugh right across from me.  We had met about a year after I returned to New York.  I had finally picked myself back up and moved on from my time in Cordonia.  I had reenrolled in college, finished my last semester and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Shortly after I graduated, I went to my local credit union and asked for a loan to start up my own business.  It was a gigantic risk at the time – after all, I had no backup plan if I failed miserably.  They started me off with a modest loan which I used to get the foundation of Savvy Events created.  Even with the loan, money was tight.  To cut down costs, I was working out of my apartment with only a single laptop and my design book.  

Paul’s law firm was one of my very first clients.  I’d been hired to coordinate an event honoring the firm’s newest partner – Paul.  When I went in to meet with him for the initial consultation, I found myself surprisingly attracted to him.  I hadn’t dated anyone since . . . well since Cordonia, and it wasn’t like I was looking to date again.  My heart was pretty shut off from jumping into ANY relationship, and when I met Paul and felt a little spark, I tried my best to snuff it out.  I didn’t NEED a relationship and I certainly didn’t WANT one.  Especially after the shitshow that had happened back in Cordonia, but there was something about Paul that kept drawing me in . . . even though I wanted none of it.  Paul was tall, slender with touches of gray in his dark hair.  He was just under ten years older than me, and he had an air of sophistication that was very fitting of a corporate attorney.  I tried my best to ignore the growing attraction between us.  It was my first major gig and I could not screw it up by being attracted to the guest of honor.  That would be a big no-no.  I wanted to keep things professional.  I also didn’t want my newly pieced back together heart, broken again.  I tried so hard to pretend that there wasn’t anything between us . . . but each meeting had me falling a lot more in like with him than I wanted.  He was sweet, charismatic and genuinely interested in knowing more about me.  That’s why, I wasn’t all too surprised that when the party was over he had asked me out to dinner and wouldn’t accept no for an answer.  

I agreed to a single dinner and made it clear that I wasn’t looking for anything serious.  I didn’t go into a lot of detail, but just gave him the rundown that my heart had been smashed to smithereens and there was no way in hell I was going to fall down that black hole again.  He was oh so patient and understood completely.  That single dinner turned into a standing weekly date which then turned into frequent movie nights throughout the week.  Eight months later, I’m still in major like with him.  LIKE.  Not love . . . I mean, yes, there have been moments when he does something so amazingly, sweet that I go all heart-eyes on him . . . but love . . . yeah, no.  Thanks to him, I don’t really think I can ever “love” someone so freely again.  If there was anything that I learned from my time in Cordonia it’s that love is a four letter word that makes you weak . . . and I’d be damned if I would allow myself to get swept up in that whirlwind again.

After wrestling with my thoughts, I found myself standing on the front stoop of my apartment building.  It was the typical New York City brick-built walk up.  It was in a pretty good area near a lot of shops and markets.  It was also ridiculously close to the subway making it so easy to find yourself in any one of the other boroughs of the city.  Because of that it was obscenely expensive.  I mean, two bedroom apartments in New York are already obscenely expensive, but one in close proximity to the subway typically broke the bank.  Thank God for Andy.  Without her splitting of the rent, we never would have been able to afford something in this area.

I climbed up the three flights of stairs to my apartment unit, all the while, butterflies floated around happily in my stomach.  My mind raced to what I was going to wear to our early dinner tonight.  It also drifted to what Paul wanted to talk to me about.  He seemed a bit vague about it.

“Hey,” I said happily as I walked through the front door.  I threw my keys onto the island in the kitchen.  Andy was sitting on the floor furiously typing away on her laptop.  Papers were strewn all around her in different piles.  

“How’s the thesis going?” I asked, eyeing a few of the crumpled, wadded up paper next to her.

Andy stretched her arms over her head, yawning.  “I’ve been at this since seven this morning and got all of one page done.  You tell me.”  She snorted.  

Andy was an English major who had earned her Bachelor’s Degree two semesters ago.  Her educational goals were much loftier than my own.  She wanted her PhD.  I just wanted to get the hell out of school.  It had already taken me a bit longer than expected to get my degree, and I didn’t have the funds or drive to continue any further beyond my BA.  

Andy was in her second semester of Hudson’s Literary Studies MA program, and I didn’t envy her in the slightest.  While my life had become consumed with all things Savvy Events, her life was consumed by her thesis.  I didn’t understand why someone would willingly spend so many hours of their life working on a paper that could either make or break your educational endeavors, especially when there was going to be more schooling and papers waiting for her on the other side of her MA.  She’d still have at least four more years in her doctoral program.  I internally cringed at even the thought of it.  Andy had mentioned a few times that she’d probably have to move out of state to pursue the PhD program that she wanted.  I didn’t even want to think about what that meant for our friendship.  

Andy had been my saving grace when I first moved back to New York.  And if I were being honest, she was the only friend I had for quite a while upon returning.  When I had come home to New York, a lot of my college friends had graduated and moved out of state.  Even my old coworkers at Upscale had found new jobs and moved on with their lives.  A lot changes in six months.  I was left in a state of limbo, not really having anywhere to go or anyone to turn to.  Meeting Andy was a blessing that I so desperately needed at a time when I wasn’t really sure what to do with my life.  

I never really told Andy what happened to land me back in New York, and being the godsend that she is, she never pushed or pried.  I vaguely mentioned that I had been traveling out of the country for a while, and she assumed that I had been a part of some foreign exchange program.  She never prodded and I never corrected her because . . . well . . . talking about Cordonia . . . and him . . . would just reopen the wounds that had taken so very long to heal.  I wanted a clean break from all things Cordonian.  I left no contact number or forwarding address.  I wanted them to forget I ever existed, and to be honest, I wanted to forget they had ever existed, too.  

“Hey, one page is better than nothing right?”  I popped open the refrigerator grabbing a soda can out of it.  “Want one?”  I said as I held up a can to offer Andy.

“I’m good.  I’m wired on three cups of coffee right now.  I don’t think my body can handle any more caffeine right now.  So how was your day off?”

“It was fantastic.”  I sighed happily.  “Paul’s flying in today . . . in a few hours in fact.”

Andy cocked her eyebrow.  “Really?  I thought he was going to be gone for nearly a month?”  

“Me too, but I guess his negotiations must have wrapped up quicker than expected, so he’s flying back.  We’re doing dinner tonight at Russo’s, so you’re on your own tonight okay?  Looks like my movie partner is back in action,” I chuckled as I made my way toward my bedroom.

“Thank God!” Andy exclaimed.  “Your taste in movies is horrendous, geeze,” she sighed.  “Wait . . . does that mean you guys are planning on coming back here and having some post business trip loving, because I was planning on working until at least eleven tonight.”

“Andy!” I yelled, turning away from my doorway.  “Seriously?” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“I’m just saying!  Every time that man goes away on business, you can’t keep your hands off of each other when he gets back. I mean, I get it, you’re still in the honeymoon phase of your relationship … but can you may be spread the lovey dovey googly eyes crap at his place tonight?  I do not like being the third wheel,” she said pointedly.

“Stop it,” I scolded.  “And we aren’t that bad,” I chided.  “I mean . . . yes when he comes back from his business trips we are quite happy to actually be together in person again . . . but we hardly push any hard limits . . . we always keep it to a nice and comfortable PG-13 level, thank you very much.”

Andy waggled her eyebrows.  “Sure, you keep telling yourself that.”  

I rolled my eyes and threw my balled up jacket at her head.  “I’m going to go get ready for tonight.  Get your mind out of the gutter.”

As I turned into my bedroom and started to rummage through my closet for something to wear, I heard Andy enter my room behind me.  "Hey, before you go off to get all glamorous for your date …  you got mail today.  Seems pretty fancy . . . and it looks like it has some sort of foreign postmark.  Cor-something?  I can’t make out the rest,” she said as she squint her eyes to make out the lettering.  

My hand clenched on my closet’s door, an unsettling feeling forming in the pit of my stomach.  “Foreign?” I asked, turning to stare at Andy, my jaw clenching.  “What do you mean foreign?  What’s it say?” I asked, abandoning the clothes in my closet.

Andy had the envelope in her hand and looked at it again.  It was a cream-colored envelope.  She scrunched up her face again.  “Well, the postmark looked weird, and I had to sign some sort of funky slip of paper to acknowledge that I received it,” she shrugged.  “I can’t really read the full postmark.  Look,” she motioned to the envelope.  “It even has a fancy red seal on it.”  

My heart beat faster in my chest and my legs felt like they were turning into noodles.  A wave of emotions washed over me.  Foreign postmark . . . red seal . . . it couldn’t be.  Could it?  Not after all this time.  I mean . . . it’s about two years too late to be reaching out.  The thoughts hummed through my head as I eyed the envelope in Andy’s hand.  

I cleared my throat, trying to steady my voice.    “Does it say who it’s from?”

Andy shrugged nonchalantly, as if the letter she was holding wasn’t the ticking time bomb that it was.  “Nope, just some sort of insignia.”  Andy handed me the envelope.  “Does it look familiar?”

I swallowed hard, my eyes dropping to the seal.  My fingers traced the wax seal on the envelope.  Did it look familiar?  Of course it did.  I’d seen the crest hundreds of times during my time in Cordonia.  Bertrand and Maxwell had made sure that I was familiar with all of the court’s seals and crests.  I wanted to speak, but my voice cracked a little in the process.  How could this happen?  Fifteen minutes ago I was so excited that Paul was flying home . . . . now all I felt was absolute dread.  The butterflies from earlier were gone, replaced by a gnawing feeling of anxiety.

“Ri?” Andy questioned.

I lifted my head.  “Hm?” I asked as I felt my eyes glazing over.

“Does it look familiar?” She asked again.  I could sense the impatience growing in her voice.

“Y-yes,” I replied softly.

I could feel Andy’s eyes boring into me.  “Well?  What is it?” She asked.  “Who’s it from?”

I licked my lips nervously, and cleared my throat.  “It’s the family crest of House Beaumont from Cordonia.” I replied softly.  My chest felt tight, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe.  I braced myself on the arm of the couch, trying to sit down.  I tried my best to remain composed, but I could already feel hot tears pricking my eyes.

Andy scrunched her face up in confusion.  “From where?”