⸺ AFTER MINE AND ROSALIE'S awkward dispute over my future, I carried on the day as usual. I rode in the car with Rosalie to the Cullen household after school was over, heading there on the way to Bella's birthday party. I felt under dressed in my sundress and sweater over top of it, while everyone else was in nicer clothes... what did I expect. Alice planned this party.
"Where even is she?" I ask Rosalie, laying my head on her shoulder.
Rosalie smiles down at me, and answers with a roll of her eyes, "Upstairs with Edward."
"Ugh." I scrunch up my nose in disgust.
Rose shakes her head, "He's just telling her about the volturi, remember?"
I nod my head. Rosalie had told me about the Volturi earlier in the summer. She said that it was something that she wanted me to know about her life, and about the world of vampires. There was still so much about this secret world that I didn't understand.
Bella and Edward soon came down the stairs, holding hands, and Bella looked shocked at all of the candles and roses everywhere. I had met a similar scene at the Cullen household once Rosalie and I had returned from our lake trip. Lilies, my favorite flower were everywhere, and there was a very big birthday cake, even though there were only two people at the party who could eat it.
I watch as Bella hugs Carlisle and Esme. "Sorry about all this," Carlisle says. "We tried to rein Alice in."
"Like that's even possible." Esme chuckles. "Happy Birthday, Bella."
Suddenly, a flash goes off. Alice has taken a sneaky picture of Bella and Edward. "Found it in your bag. Mind?"
Bella shakes her head reluctantly as Alice takes her hand. "Dating an older woman. Hot." Emmett comments, causing Elena to shove him in the shoulder.
Rosalie steps towards Bella, still holding my hand. She tries to wear a fake smile as she shoves the silver-wrapped box at Bella. "It's a necklace. Andie picked it out."
Bella nods, and smiles. "Thank you." Everyone can tell it's a fake interaction, they're only getting along for my sake. Rosalie doesn't like Bella because of Bella's disregard for human life, which is why I'm always so hesitant to bring up anything about me changing. It will just upset her.
I give Bella a hug, asking, "Can I tell you happy birthday now?"
She smiles, "I don't think I really have a choice."
I stand back, "Well then happy birthday Bells. Just be glad I didn't bring out the baby photos this year."
She rolls her eyes playfully, and Alice shoos Rosalie and I away to get a picture of just Bella and Edward. "Show me the love!" She chirps before snapping the photo. Alice then hands her a box after she takes the picture. "Here, this one is from Emmett and Elena."
Bella takes it, and with a confused look on her face, shakes the box. No sound comes out. She looks towards Emmett.
Elena flips her curly hair back, smiling "Already installed it in your truck."
Emmett chuckles, "Finally a decent sound system for that piece of-"
"Hey," Bella cuts him off, with fake ferocity tracing her voice. "Don't hate the truck."
That makes us all laugh, even Jasper who is standing in the corner, keeping his distance. Alice takes the empty box out of her hands and gives Bella another, smaller gift. "Here, this is Carlisle's and Esme's."
Bella takes the small box in her hands, smiling. As she tries to open it, she pulls her finger away, a speck of blood on it. "Ow," She sighs, "Paper cut."
For a minute, I forget where we are, I forget what a big deal this is, and I'm about to turn to Carlisle to ask for band aids, but then my face falls. I'm pulled behind Rosalie's back, her guarding me in front as I'm forced to watch Jasper, who a few seconds ago was smiling and enjoying the party like everyone else, lunge across the room at Bella, a vicious growl coming out of him and his eyes beyond reason.
Edward flings Bella backward, trying to protect her, but just pushing her into a table, cutting her arm. I put my hand over my mouth so I won't scream as Emmett holds Jasper back. Alice goes to him, holding his face in her hands as she whispers, "Jas, shush, it's okay, it's just a little..." She looks back to Bella, smelling her, "Blood."
Everyone now is looking down at Bella, everyone except Carlisle and I. Suddenly, there's two humans in a room with six ravenous vampires- one of the humans is already weaker than others, and the other is bleeding on the floor.
Carlisle darts to Bella's side, holding her arm. "Emmett, take Jasper outside." Emmett still doesn't move. "Emmett." Finally he snaps out of it, and Jasper doesn't struggle as he is pulled outside, Elena following him. Esme holds her nose and politely excuses herself, and Alice looks down at Bella again saying, "I'm sorry, I... can't..." And hurriedly goes outside. Rosalie finally stops guarding me now that everyone but Carlisle and Edward is gone, and she looks down at Bella with an emotion that I wouldn't expect in this moment: sorrow.
"Rosalie, I think you should go outside." Carlisle says. Rosalie looks to me, then back to Bella and Carlisle and nods, walking quickly out the door. Suddenly there is no one to hold onto, and I wrap my arms around myself. "Edward, I'll take car of her." Edward doesn't move. "Go check on Jasper. Go." and Edward reluctantly moves outside with the rest of his family.
I look down, already shaking from the... encounter? attack? Whatever it was that just happened, and now I have to watch as Bella's cut is clean, watch as she hisses in pain. "Andie." Bella speaks, breaking me out of my thought spiral. "You can go. I'm okay."
"No, I need to stay-" I start to say, but she cuts me off.
"Really. I promise. You don't need to see this." She says. I give her a small smile as a thank you, and walk outside onto the driveway, wheeling my oxygen tank behind me.
The only ones in the driveway are Edward and Rosalie, I assume the rest of the family has gone to the surrounding woods to ease their thirst.
And it was here where I started to cry.
I broke down in tears, and Rosalie was there to catch me as I fell, sitting with me on the concrete. I don't know how to feel. I had seen this happen before, to not only Bella, but myself as well, and if that wasn't already traumatizing enough, now she was almost attacked by someone who we considered our family... Of course I knew Jasper didn't mean too, but how could someone so gentle and kind be capable of something so... scary?
"It's okay," She kisses my head. "I'm so so so sorry. I'm so sorry." She says it over and over again until it starts to lose all meaning. I sit there, sobbing into her shoulder, not knowing what emotions I should be feeling.
"She's okay, right?" I ask, my voice shaking. "Everything is gonna be okay?"
"She's okay." Rosalie answers. I look up to her, and we stand up off the concrete. Her face is fake, she looks calm but i know she's hiding fear and sadness. I know that we won't be the same for a while. I know that this changes everything.
I grab her hand and squeeze it once. She squeezes it back, but she doesn't meet my eyes. My heart feels tight, and I feel scared about what all this means.
I can still feel that dread that something bad is coming as she drives me to my house.
.
okay okay I'M SORRY!!!!
i know that a lot of you guys didn't want for this to happen, but i think that it's important to the story. i promise it gets better.
also, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for 50k reads!!!!! thats insane that so many people have read every chapter and re read and enjoyed the story. thank you for continuning to be paitient with me and my writers block, lol. it's pretty awesome that this story is actually doing well and people actually like what I'm writing, so again, BIG THANK YOU AND A BIG VIRTUAL HUG!!!
also, thank you for all the sweet comments :) they make me so happy to know that people like my writing and find it funny.
thank you for reading!
- lola <3