Hearing Damage

Six

 Juno and Bella return to school expecting tons of pity. Juno is covered in bandages, a sling over her arm to keep her shoulder as still as possible. People neither of them know are coming up to them, asking if they can do anything. They ask Bella about Juno, about how she got hit and Bella wasn't even touched. Edward and the rest of the Cullens completely ignore the two sisters. Prom quickly approaches, and Bella is asked out by Mike, Eric, and even Tyler, the guy who almost killed her and her sister. She denies, using the excuse that she'll be busy. 

A few days later, Bella and Juno, well, just Bella, is invited to First Beach with her friends. Juno is part of the package. They ride to the cold water in two cars, part of the group in Tyler's van, the rest in Bella's clunky truck. Three boys approach the group, Juno recognizes one as Jacob and pats Bella's shoulder, pointing in their direction. He jogs to meet her and her sister, smiling a wide smile. The two boys behind him follow, looking confused. 

He grabs Bella in a hug, pulling her close and saying a few things. The two boys who came with him look to Juno and begin talking, most likely wondering who they were. She shakes her head, pointing towards her ears. They look confused until Jacob points to her, introducing her and her sister. He must have explained the burden she puts on her sister. Jacob takes Bella on a walk down the beach and the rest of the group go further down the beach, the guys surfing and the girls gossiping on towels. Juno sits in the back of Bella's truck, closing her eyes and laying back. She thinks of how she must be burdening her sister. She depends to much on her, she's holding her back from her new friends, a new start. She finds herself falling asleep.

She's shaken awake by Bella, who tells her they're heading out. She goes to the passenger side of the truck, putting on her seat belt careful of her arm. When they get home Bella runs to her room without any words. She logs onto her computer, searching things she never thought she'd ever search. Juno sits in her chair, thinking of her favorite hobby. She decides to write Charlie a note, asking to let her start it up again. She leaves it on the kitchen table for him to read when he gets home. She decides to check on Bella.

She knocks on her door, catching her attention.

"Hey." Bella just nods, going back to her computer. Juno sighs and walks over to her, seeing what her sister is looking at. Vampires. Bella sits still, looking down as if she's caught doing something bad. Juno sits on the floor beside her feet.

"You think they're vampires, don't you." Juno questions her sister. Bella looks at her, thinking for a minute before she responds. 

"I don't know what I think." 

"I do too." If Juno was speaking, it would have been almost inaudible. 

"What do we do?" Bella asks her sister. She shakes her head, raising her shoulders. Bella runs her delicate hands through her hair, resting her head in her hands. Juno looks to the ceiling, realizing how insane the both of them must be. Juno never thought of it before. But it all makes sense. She reads over the articles Bella found, and her heart falls to the bottom of her stomach. 

"There's a book. In Port Angeles." Bella informs Juno.

"When will we get it?" 

"Whenever we get the chance." Juno nods. She sits on Bella's bed, laying back and struggling to relax. She can't. Bella lays beside her, grabbing her hand and running her finger over Juno's skin. She can't believe what they're both thinking. Edward sits behind her eyelids, his honey eyes staring into her soul. She thinks of Juno in the hospital. How Mr. Cullen acted around her sister. He wasn't breathing, or if he was, barely. He was unbelievably gentle with her, as if she was a piece of sugar glass. It may have been because of how injured she was, but something tells her that isn't the case. He wasn't like that around Bella. He acted like Edward does around her.