Insanity ☆ II

eight.

" it's important to realise
you can miss something
but not want it back. "

☆.·:*¨eight¨*:·. ☆

ANOTHER MONTH HAD PASSED AND the trees had started to wither as Autumn hardened into Winter. It had been two months since Bella's 18th birthday, and the girl was still yet to utter a single word. Marilyn Kegley, on the other hand, enjoyed her deep conversations with the Blackthorn coven. She had settled into their way of life and had even found the change refreshing.

Every Monday night the "vegetarians" would leave to hunt on the outskirts of the city, where the gravel was replaced by overgrown grass, loitered with several cows, sheep, and lambs. The human-blood drinkers would hunt on a Friday night when the streets were loitered with drunk men and women, slobbering around with no apparent purpose other than to continue walking among the alleyways.

The rest of the week was spent either going to work or relaxing at the manor. Rehema had a part-time job at a small gift shop and Dominik had a small job at the local bakery, similar to the one his family used to own. Grayson did not have a traditional job but rather was paid by nomadic vampires to train them how to fight. It seemed Grayson had a small gift of helping others unlock their full potential with their powers, or in other words, expand them.

Grayson and Marilyn had gotten close in the few weeks she had been at the manor. They would talk until the early hours of the morning about anything and everything. Marilyn enjoyed their conversations, as it helped take her mind off Noah Taylor. She knew she wouldn't forget him easily, but she knew she had to try.

This particular night, the subject seemed to turn onto Marilyn herself. "I'm sorry, but I just can't see it," Grayson smirked, looking away.

"Can't see what?" Her eyebrows scrunched up ever so slightly, turning her body to face Grayson slightly.

"How you could be engaged to such a pompous prick!" He exclaimed, laughing. Marilyn couldn't contain her laughter at his attitude. It had seemed she finally broke through the tough exterior of Grayson Blackthorn.

"He-he was kind at the time. I didn't know William would go after my sister." She laughed, happy it was not possible for her to wake the other inhabitants. Marilyn was too engrossed in the conversation that she did not realise this was the first time she genuinely laughed since leaving the Cullens. Sure, she giggled here and there, but this was the first time she felt free to be happy. She felt free to be happy with the Blackthorn Coven.

"Do you have a picture of her?"

"Why, so you could go after her too?"

"No! I'm not into necrophilia." Once the two had finally contained their laughter, Marilyn pulled a small, slightly creased photo from her purse. It was taken the same day as the garden exhibition in the city. Grayson took it in his pale, calloused hands, examining it for two seconds before handing it back.

"I can see why William went after her." His face held a miniature smirk, one that made Marilyn scoff in disbelief.

"Grayson! You're meant to be on my side!" She was angry that her sister was able to corrupt the mind of the man she had just come to know.

"I am! The man was engaged to the prettiest girl in New York who died! Of course, someone as shallow as him would have gone after the next best thing he could find."

"Y-you think she was the next best thing after me?" Marilyn stuttered, confused. She had spent her whole human life in the shadow of her older sister. Whenever she and William would go into town or to family events, she always noticed the stares they received. She didn't need to be Edward to know what they were thinking. 'I would have thought Rose would have been married before little Marilyn!', 'What's a fine man like William doing with little Marilyn Kegley?"