It was awkward, highly awkward considering that everybody in the room was silent, and the tension was suffocating for most. Everybody had something to say, but wasn't going to say it in fear of aggravating Antonio more than he currently was, it was a sight to behold considering he was holding his daughter in one arm, while the other worked silently on some paperwork in the corner of the room away from Bella's bed. French, it was all done in french, the bane of Bella's existence.
Leah was also a bit quiet, a bottle of milk sitting in front of her just in case, and the other one working on the laptop Antonio had allowed her to borrow. She was made to sign back into school, choosing to instead go online than back into class out of embarrassment, she was almost nineteen and the thought of being surrounded by sixteen to eighteen year old made her sit a bit stiff. She wanted this though, she wanted to finish what she had given up on, and it'll do her no good to reject the much needed help at the moment. Though her problem didn't lay there, her problem started over the fact that someone was staring at her, boring holes into the side of her head as she silently worked on her mandatory files.
It was Isabella. A bit curious as to why a Clearwater was here, and even more curious why one had come with her brother instead of Isla or Jennifer. She had noticed that Antonio was quite close to a few people other than her, Jacob, Billy, Sue, Harry, and apparently Leah now. She didn't understand how people that rarely saw him got closer to him than the girl who was biologically related to him. She was his sister, and even with the lack of contact over the years, you'll think that he'll want to get close with her, learn about her like she wanted to learn about him. She wanted to know what his favorite food was, if he had any hobbies, future dreams, even his past dreams that he had already accomplished. She wanted to know all that, but he didn't seem like he wanted to know anything about her, he didn't bother getting into her business, didn't bother to even get protective over her until she ended up almost dead from a clumsy 'accident.' She felt as if he truly didn't care about her to begin with.
She also felt the way she did, because he also didn't seem too fond of the Cullen's either. While he wasn't making it obvious, the lack of interest he had shown in them when they had introduced themselves spoke in volumes. He was the first human she had seen that wasn't curious about them, not at all fazed by their unnatural beauty, nor how they had come to know Bella. It frustrated her, he was on Edward's ass a week ago, now he wouldn't even spare him a glance, because of that damn paperwork that she had yet to know what it contained. She had a nerve to ask him about it, after all shouldn't she know what their grandparents did also? Shouldn't she even be a part of what he's doing considering he wasn't the only grandchild they had, that was also another thing that she constantly worried about...why didn't they take her? Why didn't they ever give her a call, or even invite her to come visit them if they had so much money? Why was it Antonio that seemed to be everyone's favorite while she was just there?
"You look like you have a lot to say, Isabella." She was also back at square one with him, no longer was he calling her Bella, but instead back to using her full maiden name, Isabella. She hated being called Isabella so much, "do speak now or forever hold your peace." It had garnered the attention of the Cullen's also that tired looking everywhere else, but them out of respect. They had only gotten his name, and age, he didn't bother telling them more, and didn't care to ask them more either. Surprisingly the feeling of being ignored was welcomed since they've dealt with having attention on them for far too long.
"J-Just curious as to what you were working on." That little awkward hair twirling problem she had made its reappearance, an obvious sign that there was more to the story than she was telling, "you haven't looked up ever since you started on it."
"Work, I'll rather finish it now, than later." He'll rather do that than look at her? He could complete his work anywhere else, but it had to be in the hospital where she had almost died, "it's been long overdue, because someone wanted to run with my child." The Bar was already there actually, though the paperwork he was looking at was just a hoax. It wasn't french, and it sure as hell wasn't any normal work he was doing, Halloween was coming close, and like every year he would be hosting a party for all his current, and future clients. Of course, this would never make it to the ears of his sister.
"Though it has to be right now? Wouldn't you want to take this time to make sure your sister is well." Though while it wasn't what everyone wanted to say, they had Jasper who was honestly curious about the man in front of him, he wasn't going to let his petty emotions get the best of him for asking questions that no one should get offended by in the first place.
"Work doesn't stop just because life decides to throw some curve balls." While he might've stopped working on his mortal job, he didn't stop working as a creature of the damned, he still had things he needed to make sure was in place, and he even had a father that's life was on the line. He's lucky to be a being that doesn't require rest, though it does sound nice at the moment, "I'm sure your father can attest to that, being a doctor and all." He could've held these papers off though, signing off on some contracts that the dreadful vampire had demanded in order to obtain the little hole in the wall.
"Besides, I've been putting this off long enough." Been putting it off for about a month now, his family was supposed to be moved out, opened the bar, stationed some workers, and even began preparing for Kyrie's first birthday party. They still didn't know what to do with that, were they going to have a party with their mortal friends before taking it underworld, or would they mix it all together and hope for the best considering some might not be too happy about the mix up. There was a lot to think about, and the safety of his family came first before anything else.
"How long?" Bella leaned, eyes scanning over the top of the page despite not being able to read 'french.'
"Too long," He slid the papers over from her view, choosing now to take a small break from the stack of papers he'd been working on for the past hour. Leah soon became his main focus as he leaned over to see what she was doing, checking over the half finished digital form.
"You can sign for a school in Seattle if you wish, or you can stay in La Push High school, the choice is yours. Also add Charlie, and Jennifer as your guardians also." She had him, and Isla already on there, but it wouldn't hurt to add his father, and Jennifer considering that it would be better to have more. He was a little proud of her, but there was so much he wanted to ask her about why she had even gotten to this point in the first place. What about Sam was so good, that it made her pledge her entire life to him? Was he attractive? Smart? Rich? He had to be something, because dropping out of school to get a job to support him was something only a fool would think to do. He wasn't a good person, if he allowed her to do all that, a horrible person in fact considering he didn't even want to go forward with marrying, and moving in with her despite her paycheck going into the home he was staying in.
He felt like this only happened because he had left Leah alone, rarely ever had any of the boys bothered Rebecca, Rachael, and Leah since he hung around them so much. They always kept their distance, why? He would never know, though he still sees it now, with Seth somewhat avoiding him. He wasn't close with Seth like he was with Jacob, didn't even know the boy had existed until he came back, and maybe that was his fault for losing contact with his 'family.' He wasn't the best brother that the girls could've had, but he did try making up for it, by paying for their college, and wedding.
"What's she's signing up for? Why does she have all of you as guardians?" Bella also scooted over to see the laptop that Leah was working on, maybe she was just getting antsy sitting in one place, but her curiosity reached its peak when the attention had finally left her, and onto another unnerved victim. It had also drawn over the Cullen's who glanced every so often as Leah typed what she was told into whatever section it belonged in.
"Seattle has a night school if you're worried about being stared at." They had multiple programs, and what she decided to settle with was her problem that she would have to deal with. She was a big girl now, that could make her own decisions.
"I mean, I also want a job also, so would it be better to do night class? I don't want to be too overwhelmed." She had many plans, and one didn't include leeching off of her childhood friend, and his family. She was actually going to go forward with moving out, and she felt much more nervous than she did excited. She wasn't going to be living with her parents anymore, she wasn't going to be living on the reservation anymore, she wasn't going to be seeing Seth, Jacob, Billy, Paul, and even the worst of them all, Sam and Emily. She wasn't going to be working at that pathetic diner that barely gained her enough to pay for her phone bill, she wasn't going to have to deal with that.
"Night school would be good if you want the entire day to yourself, but I wouldn't push for it if you want a job. There's no need to overwork yourself, you'll be living with me for a while." He smiled, though it seemed a bit forced, considering he had an entire teenage girl leaning across his shoulder, and a baby in his arms. He was covered, and more than likely a bit annoyed that Bella had even positioned herself this way.
"Leah's staying with you? When did you decide to leave the Reservation? I though none of you-"
"It's not against the law for us to leave, Isabella." At least it wasn't something the people of La Push, enforced, "Rachael, and Rebecca left a while ago." It was considered looked down upon, and even disrespectful to their people to leave, but why were they so determined to stay? Any place other than that reservation was horrible to them, they didn't see the good that could come out of getting their people out of the reservation and learning newer things that the beach, and old legends can't teach them. It was getting old, verbatim, and honestly a bit annoying considering that anybody who dared believed otherwise was wrong, and taking the side of the enemy. Though who was the enemy in their eyes? Who did they see as a threat?
"Leah had been looking for a place, and I offered to give her one of the available rooms until she got where she needed to be." He pushed her back, easing her back into the bed, and switching Kyrie from one arm to another. She seemed drained, and a part of him was worried as to why she was sleeping so much.
"You're moving already? We didn't even get to go out together. You promised to spend time with me."
"I told you when I first arrived that I wasn't staying long, and I invited you to multiple events to spend time with my family that you had declined in favor of your 'boyfriend.'" That time at the beach, the dinner was supposed to be something family related, but Charlie wanted them to have fun, and Bella had decided that would be the day she went on her date with Edward. She had two amazing chances that she ditched for her toy statue, "you'll be staying for a short while also."
"B-But how am I going to go to school if I'm in Seattle? How am I going to travel back and forth so much with my injured leg? How am I going to see my friends? Go to prom?" She bounced back, her hands going tight against Edward's shirts. It irritated him, eyes zoning in on the hand that seemed to latch onto death as if it would save her.
"Why?" She couldn't say that she was going to miss Edward, they had 'broken up' and Antonio didn't seem to enjoy his presence like she thought he wouldn't.
"The house was destroyed when we returned from our dinner. The entire bottom floor needs to be renovated, though I've decided that my dear old dad needs the entire place fixed." His true plan was to destroy the entire thing, but he knew his father loved his childhood home more than anything. He would simply add, and remove pieces that are no longer needed, and make the space more homey to live in.
He hated how bland his father's life seemed to be, and a part of him wanted to set him up with some good woman to take care of him when they couldn't. It would be a long shot to set him up with a woman of their caliber, but he was sure, if he asked Jennifer, she would find a perfect human woman to set him up with.
"But, school." But, Edward. He merely rolled his eyes, wasn't she going to ask what had happened for the house to be destroyed enough to be renovated, or was she just worried about the fact that her time with Edward was going to be limited.
"I've gotten in touch with your doctor, you'll have a free past for a little bit to skip school, and I'll send someone to get your homework. You can still attend prom, and the school has offered to throw in a packet that would keep you on track as long as you complete it." She would be excused from attending school for an entire week, but she didn't know that until she got to that point.
"I can bring him to work if it makes it easier." Alice smiled, or attempted to smile at least, a bit unnerved considering she was the last person that Antonio seemed to care about for some reason.
"We all have at least one class with her so we can bring the notes for her-"
"Leah, would you mind bringing in Bella's work for the first week? I'll hate to add more work onto you, though Isla isn't feeling well, and Jennifer can't be trusted to bring anything in at the moment." No Cullen would enter his home, as long as he lived.
"Y-Yeah." Did she really have a choice, the agitated purse of the lips that Antonio sported while he worked silently, and the look of surprise from Isabella that he even declined was a bit weird? Or suspicious, she didn't know.
"Antonio."
"Thank you, I'll make sure to pay you for that also, I'll hate to have you doing so much without being compensated." He shuffled his papers. Conversation over as he decided that his attention would now be focused on his empty stomach. Now he could leave Kyrie here with Leah, or he could take her with him just in case the vampires got any ideas.
"Have you seen mother? I've been here for a while and she hasn't come back?" He could also hand her off to their mother, but the memory of what had happened with his mother had him deciding that it might not be a good choice. He didn't want her life to be in danger either. He had so many choices, but he guessed there would be nothing wrong with taking Kyrie down to wherever this hospital stored their blood. It wouldn't be fulfilling like a body would, but at least his hunger would be quenched for a little while longer.
"It has been a while." Bella signed, if she had to think about where their mother was, it was probably at some random phone booth outside, considering she probably forgot her charger somewhere again, "I haven't seen her, though I'm positive she's still around here." She wanted to see them interact, Antonio had Charlie wrapped around his finger, but she was positive that she had mom wrapped around hers. Not once had Renee spoken about Antonio, but the second she stepped into Charlie's home, she was constantly reminded of his existence. It was frustrating at first, but she realized that not everything might be what it seems.
"Hopefully she'll show up, before they let you go. I was really eager to see her again." He said that a little too dryly for anybody in the room to fully believe him, but to keep the peace, no one said anything.
"Mind taking Kyrie again, Leah?"
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Sorry, been busy with school, and working on fixing up certain books to be published later on in the year...or next one.
I'm writing a book that I've created myself, and I couldn't be more excited, and a bit overwhelmed. I'll let you all know how that goes after a while, but I'm really excited to work on it considering I do love writing for you all!