ethereal ✧ emmett cullen [ 1 ]

𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈. nightmare

Picking it up, I lightly traced the outline of my mother's face. She was so beautiful to me. She put supermodels and vampires alike to shame. What would she want for me? For my future?

Was it all worth it?

     Of course, it was. Everything felt worth it when it came to Emmett. So why was I so attached to my mortality?

     The answer was the photo in my hands. My mother's sparkling smile, the way she gazed at my sleeping form with such adoration. Daylin always told me I was the most precious thing she'd ever laid eyes on. Becoming a vampire meant leaving that image of myself behind, and more so, leaving my big brother behind.

     I couldn't do that.

     My eyes closed, and with a tight grip, I set the photo back down on my bookshelf. It took me a minute to collect myself, but as soon as I did I exited my room and headed back to the kitchen. Taking a travel mug, I filled it with coffee. I'd just finished screwing on the top when my phone rang. I picked it up, not bothering to see who was calling.

     "Hello?"

     "Hey,"

     I felt the tension in my shoulders dissipate at the sound of Emmett's raspy voice.

     "Miss me today?" I teased him, grabbing the mug with my free hand.

Walking towards the front door, I relished in his quiet chuckle.

     "Maybe a bit. Today's been... weird. It doesn't help that you weren't there," he sighed, and I felt a bit of guilt pass through me. He was probably worried all day, me being at the reservation and all.

     "I'm sorry. I... I wasn't trying to go out of my way to piss you off, earlier at school. I just- I needed answers, Emmett,"

     "Did you get them?"

     "If by answers you mean finding out the Quileutes are shapeshifters, then yes. I got them,"

     He let out a sigh of relief, "Now you know why I get so freaked when you're over there, right?"

     "I understand, yes. But... none of them would ever hurt me, or Bella," I shrugged, locking the door behind me.

     "We don't know that,"

     "You may not, But I do."

     He groaned, and I could practically see his angry little pout.

     "You're so stubborn, you know that?"

     "I know. But you love it," I hummed in triumph.

     "It's safe to say I love everything about you."

     I blushed. We were just casually talking on the phone, but he still managed to make me feel so shy.

     Emmett brought the best out of me: confidence, determination, bravery... I hoped I did the same for him. And if all that wasn't enough, he made me feel beautiful. Me, an anxious little human. Endless nights he spent, ravishing me with compliments and sweet nothings, counting the freckles on my face. He said they reminded him of stars in the sky, to which I'd called him cheesy. But I loved it.

     "I love you," I blurted out.

I felt myself go still, completely taken aback by my words. I hadn't intended to declare something so serious over the phone, but... it felt right. The knot that had been building in my stomach since I'd picked up the phone unraveled. It was hard to explain, honestly. Sometimes my instincts made me do things my mind wasn't prepared for.