Martha
I had finally realised something and it was something that had caused quite a lot of shock to my psyche, I realised we didn't deserve the life we had before Charlie. We didn't deserve to be treated like nuisances because we didn't ask to be born, we didn't deserve to live in the middle of a rocky marriage or especially the way our stepmother acted towards us. Hillary and I were the broken pieces of a relationship that was terrible from the start and we were expected to fix everything only to be blamed when that didn't happen. I realised all of this one night, lying wide awake in bed thinking about the dark cloud hanging over us that was our past. Hillary certainly didn't deserve any of it, I knew that deep in my bones, so why would I be any different?
Charlie had told us we were better off without either of our parents and I believed him because he was right. We weren't born for anyone else but ourselves. I'm slowly starting to think Hillary was thinking the same thing.
I've seen her talking to the Cullens more over the past weeks and she seemed happy with that smile that seemed so rare before but now made her eyes brighten and her cheeks strain. I could tell she enjoyed the company of Jasper and Edward more because they were quiet and they were thinkers just like her but she was also trying not to Alice so much, at least not actively.
Hillary and I stood awkwardly in the background as Charlie greeted his best friend, Billy Black, outside his home on the Reservation. The man had wanted to introduce us for a while and it just never seemed to happen naturally so Charlie took us to him and also for us to meet Jacob, Billy's young son, who was apparently 'a good kid' but that's what they all say.
"Billy, these are my nieces, Hillary and Martha." Charlie motioned for us to go closer and we shuffled forward, shoulder to shoulder, with matching grimaces.
Billy grinned up at us, "I've heard a lot about you girls, you know? I think Charlie really likes having you two around." He teased and Charlie playfully punched his shoulder with embarrassment clear on his face.
I shrugged, "We like it too."
"Jacob! Jacob, come meet the girls!" Billy called out only for a boy to exit the house not a minute later, "Jacob, these are Charlie's nieces, Hillary and Martha."
Jacob grinned with some of the whitest teeth I've ever seen, "Hey, nice to meet you."
"Yeah, uh, likewise." I let out an uncomfortable chuckle. Without taking my eyes off the boy, I leaned over to whisper to Hillary, "I feel so awkward."
"You're not the only one." She whispered back.
So, maybe first impressions weren't great but when were they? Other than those spontaneous instant connections their all pretty much awkward and just you feel like you want to go home already, well, that's how we felt that is. But then Charlie and Billy had to bring up going down to the beach and not that I didn't want to but I didn't really want to while Hillary was trying really hard to be nice so she quickly accepted with another grimace of a smile. I discreetly glared at her which received me an elbow to the ribs.
"How long have you guys been in Forks?" Jacob casually questioned as if finding a safe way to bring us into a conversation. I guessed he picked up on our body language quite easily. We walked along the beach and although it was a little windy and cold it was still nice and new seeing as we never once set foot onto the beach the whole time we had lived here.
"Uh, I don't know," Hillary shrugged, "a few months."
"That's cool. I've lived here my whole life so it's not that exciting."
"Well, we got kicked out of our last two houses, kind of, so Charlie brought us in." Hillary went on to explain while I simply watched the waves crash against the shore.
"Really?"
"Yeah, our mum's a bitch and our step-mother is just as bad."
"What about your dad?"
"He would be better if he didn't marry that woman and if he didn't drink so much."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, we don't anymore." Hillary and I shared a look of agreement as if to say we knew it wouldn't get any of our energy looking back on such a thing, we were finally better.
Maybe Jacob wasn't so bad and maybe we would visit more often with Charlie but that was still up for debate. We didn't usually like new people though I guessed Hillary wasn't looking so uncomfortable anymore and I wasn't either. The boy was a good talker and he knew how to keep a conversation flowing, something neither of us was really very good at. Who knows, maybe we would become unconventional friends with time.
Hillary
I knew I had been unfair to Alice, all she wanted was to get to know me and possibly be friends and now that I was out of that toxic house I knew that was alright. If I 'corrupted' her then she was old enough and smart enough to know she should stay away from me, all of her siblings looking out for her so why would being friends with another Cullen be such a bad thing?
That was what I was trying to tell myself as we sat silently in the library, Jasper reading a book beside me and Edward looking over his English homework beside Alice, though I knew he didn't need to. Alice sat in front of me seemingly looking off into space while I was just starting a book Jasper had recommended for me to read. I wasn't much of a reader but I liked it when the golden-haired boy did aloud so I decided to give it a try.
Alice suddenly snapped back into reality as I saw her blink heavily when I glanced up, "Do you have any other siblings, Hillary?" She gazed at me quizzically.
I frowned at the strange and random question, "No. Why?"
"I was just wondering. So, anyway, how are you?" She smiled dismissively brightly, folding her hands over top of each other on the table.
"Fine." I shrugged and looked back down to my book only to be swiftly kicked in the shin, "I'm good, Alice, thank you for asking." I glared at Jasper out of the corner of my eye, mentally insulting him, while Edward chuckled softly.
"Well, that's good... I've been worried about you."
My eyes flickered up, eyebrows furrowed, "You have?"
"Of course, we all have. When you were in the hospital I wasn't sure what to do."
"Well... sorry for worrying you I guess."
"What if we started over?" Alice clapped her hands theatrically and I almost jumped.
I set my book down with a sigh, "Again?"
"Why not? Maybe it will do us some good."
"It didn't work last time." The last it pretty much backfired a few moments after it happened and although that was entirely my fault I take no responsibility because it was Alice trying to get close to me.
"You're not very optimistic, Hillary." Alice deadpanned and I returned it.
"Have you ever known me to be?"
"... No but anyway maybe this one will work out."
"Why do you want to be friends so bad, I told you I wasn't good for you and yet it seems you don't believe that."
"You're able to be friends with my brothers, why not me?"
"Fine, we can start over again. You first."
Alice grinned with delight and straightened herself as if getting ready for a monologue and I had a feeling both Jasper and Edward were watching us with immense amusement. "Hello, my name is Alice Cullen and you are?"
I shook her outstretched hand, "Name's Swan, Hillary Swan, but you already knew that." I smirked, I just couldn't help myself.
Sooo, it's definitely been a while but here's a new chapter - the next few are going to be hectic but oh well. Anyway, sorry for the wait and I hope you all enjoyed :)