After the devastating death of her best friend, Caroline Swan moves back in with her father, Charlie Swan, and older sister, Bella Swan. Because of Caroline's rambunctious, sarcastic, and witty attitude, secrets begin to unearth themselves, leaving...
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Bella's birthday is in a week. She turns 18 and she's so old! Trust me, Bella knows, I told her to her face.
"You're OLD Bella!"
"Gee, thanks Caroline,"
"Anytime,"
I still have to find her a present but have absolutely no idea what to get her. I plan on asking Alice for ideas when I go to dinner with the Cullens and Isabella tonight. Speaking of, I'd showered in cold water since I'd been feeling a bit under the weather and warmer than usual.
I didn't know what to wear, but the Cullens weren't people I really cared about how I dressed so I slipped on my usual, jeans with rips, combat boots, a brown shirt that came to my elbows, and Trishton's jacket. It was more of a security blanket if anything and it had that same campfire and pine smell on it still, three months after he'd moved onto somewhere better.
Edward would be picking Bella and me up, driving to his house where his family was ordering pizza. I guess Isabella just wanted me to get to know her boyfriend's family better in case they got married, which in my opinion, was utterly ridiculous. I'd never marry until I was ready to be a slave to a man, doing his dishes, clothing, cleaning up after him. Good riddance!
I tugged down the edge of my sleeve over my left wrist to hide a tattoo I'd gotten in Mexico. Abuela had technically been my guardian, but I'd gotten Renee's permission also, but Charlie didn't know and that's the way I'd like to keep it.
My tattoo was small, a bit bigger than a penny, but with black ink. It was a small heart with a book inside. Wrapping around the outside of the heart were the words, 'The Cover Is Not The Book.'
It was incredibly sentimental to me because those words had been part of Trishton and my first conversation.
"Carol? You ready?" asked Bella, using my nickname.
"Uh, yeah," I said, taking one last look in my full-length mirror on the back of my door. I would've absolutely adored this outfit if it didn't reveal a lot of the scar on my back and bring out the tinier scar above my left eye.
I descended the stairs to find Edward and Bella holding hands, making me of course mime gagging as Bella blushed and looked away. Edward just looked at me amused before opening the front door politely for Isabella and I.
"Pourquoi merci, gentil monsieur!" I teased as he play-bowed along, making me realize he understood french.
"Bien sûr belle dame!" he only smiled to my slight shock. Isabella only looked back and forth between us with an inquisitive look.
"It's french dear Isabella," I said, raising my left eyebrow slightly. She merely sighed at Edward and my antics before holding Edward's hand again as he opened the car door for my sister. I was pleased to find that Edward did not open mine for me, psh, like I needed assistance opening my own car door, puh-lease!
To say Edward drove fast, was under-exaggerating. I was pressed back into the leather seat, holding onto the passenger seat in front of me for dear life.
"I think I'm gonna be sick!" I groaned, clenching my eyes shut. A light chuckle came from the front seat where the car ever so slightly slowed as it neared a beautiful house. I stumbled from the car, nearly falling over.
"So, something does shake you up after all," said Edward in a teasing manner.
"We'll see what shakes you up first!" I muttered. "Getting tossed off a building or run over by a car!" I knew Edward couldn't hear me, but still, I saw his shoulders shaking a little. . .with laughter? Cold? I don't know.
Edward had his arm around Bella's shoulders as he opened the front door. As I stepped across the threshold I was immediately tackled by a tiny pixie. I stiffened in surprise, before realizing it was Alice.
"Oh my gosh, Carol! I thought you'd never get here!" she squealed, holding me at arm's length to most likely thoroughly examine what I was wearing. She put a hand to her chin, nodding.
"Yep! I approve! The boots go with the shirt which in turn brings out your eyes," everything from then on became a jumbled mess I couldn't understand at all. "andohmygoshIcan'tbelieveInevernoticedthatyoureyesaredifferentcolors!Omg!Likeone'sblueandtheotherisgreen! That'ssocoolCaroline!" she exclaimed in one breath. I stared at her for a moment, my brain still trying to catch up with her 7000 miles a minute talking. I blinked, before shuddering.
"Sorry, blanked out there. Um, yeah it's heterochromia. Fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S are affected by it." I mumbled out as I rubbed the back of my neck. I didn't miss when she seemed to crinkle her nose, as if offended at the smell of my jacket. I just shrugged it off though.
"Oh! I have to introduce you to my family!" said Alice. I swear, every sentence she said ended with an exclamation mark. I let her practically drag me up the gorgeous stairs and up into a kitchen that was bustling. All at once, five beautiful people turned to face me. Alice stopped suddenly, sending me nearly colliding with her as Edward and Bella made their way up the stairs behind us.
"Caroline, this is my family! Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Emmet, and Rosalie!" said Alice. I gave a shy smile, hiding partly behind Alice as I gave a small wave. I didn't know why I got like this around people. I had already met Esme, Jasper, Emmet, and Rosalie.
"Hi, Caroline. Bella and Alice have told us so much about you," said. . .Carlisle? I'm guessing that was him. I couldn't remember people's names for the life of me and a school bus of children which was embarrassing at numerous points.
"Heh, that's nice," I said, not knowing how to respond. Rosalie just stared at me before marching off, leaving me more than slightly puzzled. I mean, it sounds mean, but Bella I could understand if that had happened to her. I mean, Bella. Sweet Bella. Where to even start? She seemed to have a tendency to forget that her life wasn't everlasting and she wasn't impervious to everything. So, that tended to lead to many life-threatening accidents that often ended up with Isabella in a hospital.
I'd stopped coming to visit her every time after the seventeenth 'spill' and just sent her a 'Get Better' card with the word again underneath. I wasn't too great at human interaction if you couldn't tell.
"Come on! I want to show you around!" squealed Alice, dragging me away after one last look at her family who all seemed to be on edge for no apparent reason. Alice dragged me to her room, sat me down on the carpet, and began painting my nails in like, 5.2 seconds without my say.
Hey, at least they were dark blue, a color that I liked.
"So where'd you get that jacket?" she asked, taking a millisecond to look at it as curiosity crossed her face. I think this must've been the most serious I'd ever seen her.
"Oh, uh from Trishton," I said, not exactly eager to open up that can of worms again. And, thank god Emmet burst into the room after, his huge form taking up the entire doorframe. He let out a laugh while I took a liking to him, he reminded me of a villain from one of my mangas back in Mexico.
"I challenge you to Mario Kart!" he said dramatically, pointing at me. I blinked, before splitting into a grin that seemed to confuddle him. Alice froze, causing me to turn around to look at her.
"Come on kid! I want to best you with that silly grin!" said Emmet, yanking me from the room where Alice sat still, her eyes glazed over. He pulled me into a living room that was open to the kitchen while Jasper sat in an armchair with a controller. He avoided my gaze, instead, finding the remote interesting apparently. Hey, to each their own.
"Ready?" sneered Emmet, starting the game. I shrugged, might as well let him think he'll win so I could pull the rug out from underneath him later. Let's hope he hadn't bet on this game or his wallet would be a little lighter.
