The Little Things

27. Meeting the Cullens

Bella closed her eyes. "I know. But I love him. I can't imagine life without him."

"I can. It's filled with peace and quiet." I mumbled.

Bella narrowed her eyes. "He genuinely makes me happy. I am not changing my mind."

I rubbed my face. "I hate this. Bella, is all this really worth it? Is he worth giving up everything you know? Worth becoming something that thirsts for blood? You can't stand the sight of blood."

She nodded.

I shook my head, my emotional tank empty. "I don't know what you see in him and I still hate him. I don't think he has been good for you. I don't agree with your choices. But I'm tired of being angry at you."

"Okay. But I don't like how you talk about him."

I just turned and opened my door. "I'm annoyed at you. Really, really annoyed."

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it. I sighed. I hadn't planned on revealing such deep feelings to Bella. My original plan had included a bit of yelling and shaking and pleading. But the conversation took a surprising turn.

I really had missed Bella in the five years that I had lived with Dad. We had been close as children, but mom always played favourites. I knew I was the unwanted child and I couldn't handle staying with her. Not only that, but mom could barely handle caring for herself, much less two dependent children.

Then, when I was staying at Dad's for the summer when I was nine, I asked if I could live with him. Mom didn't put up a fight and Dad was overjoyed. But Bella only came back the next summer for a month, and after that I only ever saw her for a few days a year. And we grew apart.

I was glad that Bella and I had lessened our hostility. I was so tired of it all. I knew things wouldn't instantly be perfect, but it was a millistep forward. I still despised Edward with my entire being, and I was frustrated at Bella's acceptance of his hurting her.

He didn't deserve Bella. She may be extremely annoying and stupid sometimes, but he didn't deserve to ruin her life and by extension mine and Dads.

I pulled my hair loose from its braid. If Bella was determined to turn her back in humanity for all time, I would do my best to change her mind. And if I couldn't change her mind then at least I would have done my best.

So, over the next week I did my best to interact nicely with Bella. It was hard as she sat with the demon icicles at school, worked at Newton's after school, and often disappeared to her room. I still glared at Edward and Bella always frowned when I did. A couple times I tried to dissuade her from becoming one of them but she always changed the subject.

She still didn't go down to La Push and she still called Jacob everyday and asked me about him. Once I asked her why she was so insistent on talking to him.

"He's my best friend. I don't want him angry with me." Is all she said.

Jacob wasn't angry with her, though he thought she was being stupid. He despised Edward as much as I did and so we tried to keep our conversations away from that part of our lives.

Nina eventually came around but I hadn't had a chance to talk to her in person yet. Embry had gone to her house and pounded on the door until she let him in. According to her there were a lot of tears from both of them, and in then end they decided to tentatively restart their relationship.

Quil shifted back a day ago and was thrilled to be with his brothers again. He was also happy to have gained a couple more brothers along the way.

Even though Bella and I were very slowly repairing things, I never expected her to show up in my room unannounced and start talking quietly and quickly.