RED MIDNIGHT • Twilight •

1 ≻ Soulless

"Oh, Bella! You have saved our family," Esme told me holding my hands and hugging me then, of course that no as strongly as she had hugged Edward.

"She is right, Bells," Emmet told me freeing me from Esme's hug, "We owe you big this time."

"Oh, yes, we do. You cannot imagine how brave she was to face the Vulturi," Alice claimed coming to stand next to me, grabbing me by the shoulder as if I had won a prize or something.

"I'm sure she was," Jasper said standing right in front of me. "I guess I'm the one to blame for all this, Bella. I hope you can forgive me for my behaviour at your birthday party and, well, all that happened after that."

"I would never ask you to excuse yourself for being who you are, Jasper. There's nothing to forgive, really." I told him trying to show that I actually meant my words.

"You're fantastic. Thank you, Bells," Jasper told me giving me a timid and quick hug.

"I'm so glad you're all back here, but we should get inside now, it's getting cold for Bella here outside." Carlisle was amazing. With everything that was going on, he still had time to think about me.

We walked towards the main door but I felt someone had grabbed me by the arm, making me stop. The rest of them entered the house, giggling, like if they were aware and wanted to give me some space. I turned to see who was retaining me and opened my eyes in disbelief. It was Rosalie.

We stood there for a few second until she finally decided to speak. She took a deep breath and looked at me. "Thank you for saving my brother." Although I could feel her words were honest they still made me shiver. She was still very intimidating.

"You don't have to thank me," I told her, smiling timidly.

"Maybe not. But I want to. So... thank you for saving him and bringing him back."

"My pleasure."

Again an awkward silence. We stayed there looking at each other until she smiled at me. It obviously surprised me and I bet she noticed.

"C'mon. Let's get inside. It's actually cool for you here outside." Was it possible that after all she had decided to accept me?

However, I did not have much time to think about it. As soon as we got inside the house everything felt perfectly fine, like if it all fit again. Rosalie led me to a small table in the centre of the big room where Esme was leaving a cup of hot coffee for me. I sat on an armchair while drinking my coffee and watched the three brothers who were on the sofa: Edward in the middle of Jasper and Emmet, who were still fooling around with him.

I noticed that Carlisle and Alice were talking with their backs turned to us, like wanting some privacy. I frowned. She must have been telling him about our encounter with the Vulturi and the terms under which they had let us go. What brought me back to Edward.

My eyes were on him again with the hope that his face had changed by now. And fortunately, it had. He was laughing, but probably because his brothers were teasing him.

"You played a great drama queen there in Italy, didn't you?" Emmett told him pushing him towards Jasper.

"So that is all you wanted, Edward? A little bit of attention, uh?" Jasper told him laughing louder.

"Oh, shut up. You're just envious because you know I'm braver than you," Edward said standing up and staring at them for a while, surely reading their thoughts. "I love you too. Don't make me say it again, please."