Scourge // Felix Volturi

Chapter 4: Monsters

"Happy birthday, Bella." Esme pulled my younger sister into an embrace and a flash went off. Alice was holding the camera that Charlie had boughten Bella for her birthday. "Sorry," she chuckled. "I found it in your bag and I couldn't resist."

"Alice," Bella grumbled.

Laughter spilled from my lips and I grabbed a glass of wine. "Nicely done, Alice. It's about time Bella had a taste of her own medicine." Ever since my sister had opened her gifts this morning, she had been taking pictures of Charlie and me nonstop. I hated having my pictures taken, as did Bella, but now that the tables have been turned, I found myself thoroughly pleased.

Emmett walked up to Edward and slapped his brother's back. "Dating an older woman. Hot." Edward sighed and Emmett laughed. "What?" The two brothers had a quick, whispered conversation and Alice grabbed a gift from the table and gave it to Rosalie.

The statuesque blonde looked down at the delicately wrapped gift and clicked her tongue. "Here," she threw it at Bella. "It's a necklace. Alice picked it out."

"Oh," Bella took the gift. "Thanks."

Taking a sip of my wine, I waltzed over to Rosalie. Bella was busy having more pictures taken, and Alice was dragging different members of her family into the photos. She was trying to get a picture of Bella with everyone.

Reaching Rosalie, I took another sip of my wine. "You don't like my sister." It wasn't a question. It was a comment.

"I don't," Rosalie confirmed, glancing at me from the corner of her eye.

Part of me wanted to ask her why, but it wasn't my business. People were complicated and not everyone could get along with everyone. It wasn't possible and it was ignorant to believe that everyone could get along. But still, I was curious as to what had happened between Rosalie and Bella.

Rosalie was beautiful, and she carried herself with confidence. Bella was beautiful too, but her beauty stemmed from her down-to-earth nature and general aloofness of her own beauty. Rosalie knew she was beautiful and she had an abrasiveness to her, one that could easily rub people wrong. When people were confident, others viewed that person as either vain or untouchable, possibly even cold and callous. But with Rosalie, her confidence seemed mask-like. Yes, she was confident, but there was more to it. I just couldn't place my finger on it... It was like she wielded her confidence like a sword. Like she was trying to prove something and keep people away all at once.

"I like your dress," I said. "And your necklace goes well with it."

Rosalie's fingers ghosted across the emblem on her necklace and for a second, I could have sworn I saw the corner of her mouth curl upwards. "Thank you."

Alice led Bella over towards her birthday cake and my sister made a comment. "That birthday cake is huge. It could feed fifty people. And you guys don't even eat."

My eyebrow shot up and Rosalie clenched her jaw. "Esme has us on a no sugar diet," she quickly explained. "She read that sugar was bad for people and she's made her mission to steer us clear of refined sugar."

"Really?" I glanced at Esme. "I never would have taken her as the Granola-Mom."

That made Rosalie snort. "Our family is strange."

"All families are," I replied, giving her a soft smile.

Alice handed Bella another gift and Emmett walked over to Rosalie. He draped an arm over her shoulders and she leaned into his touch. Looking away from them, I raised the wine glass to my lips. They were a couple... just another strange observation to add to the Cullens' ever growing list of oddities.