The Rise of Lydia Rowe ↠ Jasper Hale (ON HOLD)

[2.05] moving on

Bella: Hey, Jessica and I are going to go see a movie in Port Angeles Saturday—do you want to come?

Lydia bit her lip, wondering if Bella had actually meant to text her that. From the way Bella had looked right past her a few days ago, and just the overall way she'd been acting since the Cullens left, it didn't make much sense for Bella to be asking Lydia to hang out. 

Then again, maybe this was Bella finally attempting to move on. 

After waiting a few minutes to see if Bella would text back with a sheepish 'wrong number,' Lydia typed out a reply. 

Lydia: I'd love to. What time? 

To Lydia's relief, Bella texted her back with the details and even offered to pick her up. Though she was a little apprehensive about it, Lydia tried to look at it as an opportunity to help Bella recover from the loss of the Cullens and come back out of the shell she'd retreated into for the past few months. 

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Saturday came quickly, and Lydia called out her goodbyes to her moms as she went out to meet Bella at her truck. The first few minutes of the ride were awkwardly silent, but Lydia managed to pluck up some of her courage and ask softly, "How have you been?" 

Bella bit her lip. Lydia wondered if she was considering whether she wanted to lie or not. "Not great," she finally murmured, choosing the truth. "You've probably noticed." 

Lydia nodded softly. "I was worried about you. We all were." 

Bella stared at the road ahead. "How did you do it?" 

Lydia frowned. "Do what?" 

"Move on," Bella murmured. "Get over them. Get over Jasper." 

"It wasn't easy," she answered softly. "It was hell. But... I don't know. I guess it got to a point where I realized they weren't coming back, and no amount of grief on my part could change that." 

Bella's gaze was fixed ahead, but Lydia knew her mind was miles away. "I thought after everything with James... I guess I thought we could handle anything." 

"Me too," Lydia murmured. She swallowed against the small lump forming in her throat. "If I'm being honest, I was kind of surprised you wanted to hang out with me." 

"Why?" Bella asked softly. 

"I thought you hated me," Lydia answered truthfully. "I mean, it was my... It was Jasper who tried to attack you. I thought you blamed me, at least a little." 

Lydia wasn't sure how she expected Bella to react, but she certainly wasn't expecting the short, melancholy laugh that Bella let out. "Really?" She blinked, as if taking that information in. "Lydia, I thought you blamed me." 

Lydia frowned. "Why would I blame you?" 

"I'm the idiot who got a paper cut," Bella mumbled, her amusement short-lived. "None of that would have happened if I could have opened that gift without messing it up." 

"It was an accident," Lydia said. "I'd never hold that against you." 

Bella risked a glance toward Lydia. "Do you hold what happened against Jasper?"