Heavy Hearts | Quil Ateara [3]

sept

Aging was always a strange concept. You can never feel yourself getting older, you simply do and then you find yourself looking back only to realize that you're no longer that little girl with pigtails that would play in the mud and follow her older sister around.

She knew, that with time, she would undoubtedly grow old while her sister and family would stay young. She felt as though it was only her and her father that did not have immortality. One day, she would have to leave the Cullen's behind and it scared her more than she thought possible.

Dragging herself out of bed before the sun was even up, she wasn't surprised to find herself the only one awake in the home. Bella and her father wouldn't be up for a while and Alice always left around this time to get changed.

Moving into the kitchen, Andy started up the coffee machine for the others before making herself a cup of hot chocolate. Sitting on he kitchen counter, she held the warm cup in her dainty hands.

She was wearing a sweater, the collar high to cover her neck. The bandage was still here, the bite in her neck needed only a few stitches but it was noticeable now. You wouldn't be able to make out what it was without looking closely, but the scar could be made out by anyone.

"It doesn't look that bad." Andy jumped as Edward made himself known, startling her.

Looking at him, she could see the dark circles that were rowing under his eyes, see the black depths that covered the golden color. "It doesn't look good though," she answered bitterly. "When was the last time you fed?"

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly. Rolling up the sleeves of his long sleeve shirt, he began to move around the kitchen. She watched him as he took out pans and various food items. It was strange to see someone so fluent at cooking because it didn't look real. He acted as though he had been in her kitchen hundreds of times and made this food a million times before. "I'm going to head out tonight and grab something."

"Does that mean Alice has nothing planned?" Andy perked up considerably. "No crazy parties?"

"No, she has a party planned. Just not for tonight," Edward told her with a smile. "She expects another friend to steal you for the evening."

The vampire walked toward her, an omelet in hand. She took it from him, fighting a small smile of her own. "Thank you," she whispered. She watched as he moves to another cabinet, taking out her dreaded medication.

Grumbling, she takes the small pills from his hand and drops them into her mouth quickly to be done with it. She hated taking the pills, she found she didn't need them since it wasn't her own emotions that caused her so much trouble. It was everyone else but she figured she might as well just take them to quiet it her own mind even if it was only slightly.

"I have something for you," he tells her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet box. She took it from him, the soft fabric tingling her fingers.

Inside lay two tiny bracelet charms, beautiful and intricate. The first was a miniature camera carved from precious emerald. She could see the tiniest of details that were carefully added. The second was a heart of cold marble. It was simple and plain but it meant more to her than she could have imagined.

"I- thank you," Andy breathed. Looking up, she gave him a bright smile. Tears welled in her eyes and she gave him a tight hug.

Edward took hold of her left wrist gently, slowly attaching the bracelet that Quil had given to her for her birthday the year prior. Taking the new charms, he added them so that they were either side of the wooden tree.

"Happy birthday Andy."

"Happy birthday Andy!"