"Even the perfect car breaks down".
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Quiet hums echoed through the almost silent Swan house the only other sound coming from the upstairs bathroom as Addison moved around the kitchen making sure nothing burned or undercooked, she knew that Isabella wouldn't want anything big for her first meal after barely eating for months so she stuck with something simple and easy. She carefully put the egg sandwich together before setting down some pieces of bacon on the plate and pouring some coffee into a mug, at the exact moment, Bella stumbled into the kitchen, "oh my god, she's shiny and clean" Addison teased making Isabella smile slightly, "here come eat some...brunch?" Isabella sat down at the table eating small bites of food as Addison began to clean up her mess.
"So I was thinking we could take a trip to Seattle, do some shopping and catch a movie, just get out of the house for a while" Addison felt like she was talking to thin air as Bella stared blank holes into her back. "I thought you didn't want to be seen" she finally spoke making Addison shrug in response, "eh who cares if anyone asks I'll just tell the truth, I'm just checking in on you". Bella didn't want to leave the house but then she thought of Addison's words 'you gotta keep living hon', it was only the movies and some possible shopping, "alright yeah that sounds...good". Addison smiled brightly making Isabella envious of the girl's happiness it seemed to come so easily to her, "great! now finish that and then get dressed, I'm gonna go home and change, I'll pick you up in..." she glanced down at her wrist checking her watch "20 minutes".
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Everything was too much...the fresh air and wind blowing through Bella's hair ruffling the freshly cleaned locks, and the loud music playing on the radio that she practically had to shout over to talk, she wanted to be home. "I uh- didn't know you had a car" she could feel her voice becoming hoarse already, "I don't!" Addison replied, "it's Carlisle's Mercedes he left it in the garage for me to use" her fingers tapped against the steering wheel to the beat of the music adding to Bella's irritation. "I haven't found the right car just yet". Isabella raised an eyebrow before turning down the music feeling her skull began to pound, "a car is just a car". Addison's head snapped to look at the human appalled at her words, "oh no honey, the wrong car is just a car but the right car is the car, the perfect vehicle is like the perfect boyfriend, something you could spend the rest of your life with". Bella rolled her eyes looking out the window at the passing scenery "even the perfect car breaks down".
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"I don't get why there are so many zombie movies" Isabella mumbled as they walked out of the warm movie theater into the freezing cold both pulling their jackets around themselves, "maybe it's like a metaphor for crass consumerism or something, or maybe people just like zombies, they love vampires" Addison replied bumping Bella's shoulder with hers trying to get a reaction out of the human. Bella opened her mouth to speak when a deep voice cut her off "how 'bout a ride, girls?" time seemed to slow for Bella as she looked across the street, four rough-looking guys loitering out front of a bar next to their motorcycles. They seemed almost familiar but they were covered by a shadow and she couldn't help but think back to that night in the alley, a chill went down her spine as she stared at the four men then suddenly she heard a voice whispering in her ear, "move Bella".
Edward was standing next to her or so it seemed, but he had to be an illusion; an apparition which became clear when Addison stepped through her brother dissolving him into nothingness and speeding time back up, "come on" Addison mumbled staring across the street with uneasy eyes. "I know them...I think" Bella whispered "hmm good for you, can we go now" Addison urged getting bad vibes from the men but Bella shook off her hands, "I want to see something" and much to Addison's frustration she began to walk forward towards the men, frightened but drawn leaving Addison anxious, biting on her nails debating on what she should do. Should she drag the human away? Should she?
The apparition of Edward reappeared in Bella's path making her stop "turn around Bella, this is dangerous" but when she took a step backward he fades, testing her hallucination she strides forward making it reappear, "stop now". She's almost smiling as she reaches the guys finally able to see them clearly "you're not them". "We'll be whoever you want, honey" one of the guys smirked as another pulled up next to her on his motorcycle extending his hand to help her onto the bike making Edward's apparition reappear once again. "Walk away, go back to Addison", determination spread through her as she climbed onto the back of the bike, "I can break promises too" she mumbled. "Bella wait!" Addison shouted as the motorcycle lurched forward going way too fast making the human cling to the stranger.
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Addison's chest began to tighten as she watched Isabella disappear with the random strangers, she should have stopped her, something really bad was going to happen and it would end up being her fault once again. She rushed towards the Mercedes fumbling with the keys as her throat began to tighten, and the exact moment she got the keys into the ignition her phone began to ring, "what!" she shouted feeling herself go into complete panic mode. "Addison do not drive" Alice stated calmy even though she was mid-concern. "I c-can't just s-sit h-here" Addison stuttered through her words "ugh s-shut up" she growled twisting the key and turning off the car that sounded too loud at the moment and made her skull throb, everything was way too heightened. "Addison listen to me, Bella will be okay but you need to stay put, do not drive" Alice repeated in the same stern yet calm voice, "b-but s-she" Alice softly shushed her twin ignoring the concerned looks from the family, "it's okay, everything's gonna be okay" she reassured.
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Addison whimpered leaning her head against the cold steering wheel, her fingers digging half-moons into the leather, she was choking and gasping for un-needed air trying desperately to calm down, it had been so long since her last panic attack but she couldn't get the images of Isabella's bloody body out of her head or the images of Bella cornered by the four bikers scared out of her mind. "Addison do you remember the technique Carlisle taught you to calm down" Alice's voice was calm waiting patiently for her sister's response "uh y-yeah". "Okay good, I want you to close your eyes and try to focus on your breathing, remember slow deep breaths", Addison's eyes fluttered shut as she tried to focus on her breathing, in and out, in and out but each breath felt like something was punching her in the gut after a few minutes Alice spoke up, "now make a fist". Addison's hand tightened into a fist, nails digging into her palm as she contuined focusing on un-needed breaths.
"Slowly open your fingers" Addison began to open her hand pretending like all the tension was floating away as she relaxed her body, she continued that process a few times before re-opening her eyes feeling like she could finally take a breath without someone's hand around her throat.
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"You feeling any better sissy?" Alice asked after a few moments of silence "y-yeah...I'm just tired" she mumbled in response tracing the rough edges of the half-moons dug into the expensive leather, "I d-don't think I can do this Alice", what if every time Isabella did something stupid she had a panic attack, she'd end up going completely insane. "What can't you do Addie?" Addison opened her mouth to respond when she saw Isabella slowly walking towards the Mercedes mumbling something under her breath, "I don't think I can stop myself from killing this stupid human" she growled hanging up the phone. "What the hell is the matter with you!" the car shook when she harshly slammed the door adding to the pure anger in her voice, "I...thought I saw something". Addison let out a sarcastic chuckle "well good for you! Do you know how dangerous that was, you don't know them, they could have killed you!" Isabella was numb to the world, all she heard from Addison was blah-blah-blah. "Whatever this is like talking to a fuckin deaf person" she scoffed angrily.