CATALINA, paul lahote

EMILY

[ alternatively : the accident]

"MUM. I'M FINE. HONEST." CATA SIGHED WITH A SMILE, rolling her eyes good naturedly to Bella who lay on her bed. Her finger trailed across the canvas that sat on her desk as she sat on her chair, a little post-it clung to the corner the harsh red that read 'A :)' glaring up at her.

"Are you sure, honey? You and Bella can come visit any time you li-."

"Mum." Cata cut her off firmly, and Isabella frowned at the crease in between her brow, her eyes didn't quite meet hers. She thought it had something to do with the leg cast but she couldn't be sure. Neither Swan twin had healed. There were still bruises that Cata was too weak to fix. But she was fine. Completely, totally fine and she swore it up and down every time anyone asked.

So they dropped it.

"We're fine. Promise. I've got to go, but I'll ring you soon okay?"

"I love you, Cata." Her eyes clenched shut, and for a minute she almost felt bad for cutting the conversation short.

"Love you too, mum."

At the beep signalling the end of the conversation, Bella looked up to find her sisters eyes already on her. Her lips parted before shutting again, and Cata chuckled at her. "Go on, what do you want to ask me?"

Isabella smiled sheepishly at the knowing look on her sisters face. She always knew her better than she did herself. "The boy - Paul. The one who was here before-." She stopped short. "You never talk about him."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Dad seems to like him." Bella says instead. A smile on her lips at the smile that crossed Cata's lips at the mention of the boy. She remembered his tattoo. And his hair. And they way he looked at Cata.

Cata stood, crossing the room and picking up a top that lay strewn on the ground. Her hands folding it mindlessly, "If he meant less, I'd talk about him more." She looked to her sister, who lay propped against the pillows, her leg with a cushion underneath it, the cast still on.  And then like a switch, Cata turned away, a cough clearing her throat. "We should make tea before Charlie gets home, I was thinking that pasta recipe you were talking about the other day-."

The younger twin watched her sister as she placed the top she had folded on her, babbling distractedly with that vacant look she'd had in her eyes since the accident. He meant something, Bella could tell. But she couldn't tell how much.

She felt like she barely knew the girl in front of her anymore. Like when you look in a mirror and you don't quite recognise yourself.