A New Cullen Life

Chapter 9

"Ok Mia, I want you to focus on your invisibility. Grasp it, sense it. Feel it consume you," guided Eleazar. Amelia shut her eyes and focused, standing as still as a statue. She took a deep breath, trying not to feel too self-conscious. She was only too acutely aware of her family 'casually' observing her from inside the house while she attempted to master her invisibility skills on the front lawn. She could hear Jasper and Emmett sniggering about something – no doubt those two were taking bets at her expense again.

She exhaled loudly and took another deep breath, this time, holding it. She started to envision herself as nothing at all, as though she were not there. She opened her eyes, and found Eleazar grimacing sympathetically at her.

"I assume that you can still see me then?" Amelia groaned in frustration. She'd been practicing expanding the shield that she had duplicated from Bella, and it hadn't worked out too well. Eleazar wanted her to have better control over it before they attempted duplicating Kate's power. When that had failed, they'd gone back to practicing her invisibility.

"That would be correct," remarked Eleazar.

"Take a breather, Amelia," called Carlisle, "You're just tiring yourself out more."

"But we leave in five days!" she exclaimed frantically, "how am I supposed to protect us all if I can't even master one simple thing?"

"There's nothing simple about any of your gifts," broke in Esme firmly, "now listen to your father and take a break."

Amelia nodded, her jaw clenched in frustration. Thanking Eleazar, she took off for the forest.

"She keeps on disappearing into the forest," remarked Jasper. It was true – whenever Amelia got upset, which was becoming more and more frequent, she took off running to the forest, disappearing for an hour or two at a time. The first time she had done it, Rosalie had been sent after her. She'd found Amelia right by the waterfall again, her feet dangling over the side as she wept tearlessly in frustration.

"She'll be alright," stated Rosalie, walking into the forest at a more sedate pace to follow her littlest sister. It was her job, as Amelia's protective big sister, to ensure that she came to no harm. Much to Edward's vexation, while Amelia could not as yet expand 'Bella's' shield, her mind was firmly protected by it. Her thoughts were now just as silent as Bella's were. Amelia loved it. The rest of the family was not so sure about it. They relied on Edward, perhaps a little too heavily, to keep them in the loop on what Amelia was thinking.

"Hey Rosie," murmured Amelia, when her eldest sister came into hearing distance.

"Want me to uproot a couple of trees for you?" offered Rosalie, using her vampire speed to catch up to Amelia.

"I'm good thanks," Amelia replied softly, a small smile playing at her lips. Rosalie nudged her shoulder affectionately. Amelia poked her back. The blonde and the dark-haired vampires fell silent as they continued their walk, linking their arms together as they ambled along between the massive trees that lined their path.

"I wish the sun would come out. This weather is pretty bleak," remarked Amelia, surveying the bland, grey skies above the canopy of trees.

"The more overcast the weather is, the better it is for us," the blonde vampire replied, "oh. I get it. You want to see how you look in the sunlight, don't you?"

"Basically," chuckled Amelia, sitting down on the edge of the cliff and pulling Rosalie down with her, "it was mildly sunny the day I woke up, but I kept missing it. I was inside when it was sunny, and outside when it became overcast. I'm positively itching to see myself sparkle like you guys do, if I even sparkle at all."