-𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐤-𝐒𝐮-𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐯-
Jasper, Nefertiti, and I sat in the back of English Lit class as Zeffirelli's '68 "Romeo and Juliet" plays. The suicide scene was on.
"Arms, take your last embrace, and lips, O you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss...," Romeo spoke.
The room was dark as the class sat.
Some students were entertained, some moved, and Mike trying not to fall asleep. The teacher, Mr. Pattinson, mouthed every word. "Here's to my love!" Romeo drank the poison.
"O, true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick." "You know, life seems to be vast now," I whispered as Nefertiti nodded.
"Nothing compared to when I thought I lost you two," Jasper whispered back.
"There are worse tragedies than a birthday. Look at Romeo. He's responsible for his wife's death. Who could live with that?" He looked at the screen. "Though I do envy him one thing," he continued.
"Juliet's alright... if you like that beautiful sort of thing," Nefertiti sighed.
"Despite that, she faked her death to be with her love, who thought she died."I added. "Not the girl, the suicide," he replied.
"Nearly impossible for my kind. But humans, a little poison, a dagger to the heart. There are so many options."
"Why would you even think about that?" I asked him as Nefertiti glanced at him. "I considered it. Once. When James wanted you both and Alex," he explained. "If I'd gotten you killed."
"It wouldn't have been your fault," I reminded him. "Either way, I had a plan," he looked at us.
"What plan?" Nefertiti asked. "There are... ways for us," Jasper explained. "At least one way. I would have gone to Italy, provoked...." "The who?" I asked. "The Volturi...," he answered.
"Is something you'd like to share class, Jasper?" Mr. Pattinson asked. "Su? Tiri?"
"Certainly not. But I apologize for being a distraction" "Perhaps you should rewind to act five, scene one line twenty-eight eighty-nine," he recited.
"If you had the strength of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight."
Mr. Pattinson just looked at him, then moved off, intimidated. "Eyes on the screen, people," he asked. Nefertiti and I giggled quietly as we snuggled into his side.
After a few minutes I could see Mr Pattinson looking at us, smirking, I was very uncomfortable.
Jasper looked at me, feeling my emotions. "What's the matter?" He whispered, holding my hand then squeezing Nefertiti's hand, feeling her emotions.
"Mr Pattinson is looking at us, smirking. I'm uncomfortable" I said as Nefertiti nodded.
Jasper looked at Mr Pattinson, raising his hand. Mr Pattinson paused the video, looking at Jasper. "Yes Jasper?"
"I suggest you not look at the twins like that, or any woman for that matter. Quite unpleasant" Mr Pattinson looked shocked as the class looked at him with disgust.
"You're lucky I haven't told the principal and get you fired. May I remind you that they're teenagers?"
Mr. Pattinson just looked at him, then moved off, intimidated, embarrassed, and shocked.
"Eyes on the screen, people," he asked. The kids looked at the teacher disgusted. "Thank you" we whispered, kissing his cheek.
-𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭-
Lights glow from inside the beautiful house as we stood in front of a painting. Jasper drove us to the Cullens' after school. "The Volturi are a very old, very powerful family...,"
he explained as we looked at a painting.
I saw the 18th-century painting, depicting Grecian figures in swirling robes writhing among pillars and balconies.
On a high balcony, four calm figures look down upon the bacchanal; two black-haired, one snowy white, and one golden-haired. "They look regal," Nefertiti noted in their outfits.
"The closest thing my world has to royalty...," Jasper added as I studied the painting, the largest on a wall crowded with pictures.
The other walls are towering bookshelves. "Francesco Solimena painted this; he often depicted the Volturi as Gods," he continued as I examined the golden-haired "God."
"Is that... Carlisle?" I asked. "Yes. He lived with them for a few decades," he confirmed.
"He describes them as very refined, for killers. The Volturi are also what you might call enforcers." "Of what?" Nefertiti asked. "The only rule they have: to keep secret the existence of our kind," Jasper said.
"We don't make spectacles of ourselves, or kill conspicuously unless we want to die."
"Don't even talk about that. You can't let anyone hurt you. The Volturi or anyone else," I asked as Nefertiti nodded. "Who else would hurt me?" Jasper asked me.
"You said there were more dangerous things out there than you. And I know you have at least one enemy-," Nefertiti reminded him. "You said she'd come after you for killing her mate,"
"Victoria? Yes, someday. But Alice will see her coming," Jasper said.
"And she won't win. She would have to go through me to get to you." We looked up at Jasper, pained. "I don't want any of you guys to get hurt," I told them.
"I wish I can protect you," Nefertiti said.
"I know you do, both of you," he smiled. "But until then, protect yourself. But you both protect me from boredom..." He kisses my lips then Nefertiti's lips.
"And loneliness... You both give me a reason to stay... un-dead. But it's... my job; to protect you both..." He took our hands and led us to the living room.
Edward and Bella followed us to the top of the landing, then we walked down the stairs. Hundreds of pink candles and rose-filled crystal bowls lined the room.
As Rosalie, Ardeth, Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, and Alice looked up at them all of them stunningly beautiful.
Bella would love to disappear, but Edward led her down to the living room where Esme and Carlisle hugged Bella and me warmly.
"Sorry about all this. We tried to rein Alice in," Carlisle told us. "Like that's even possible. Happy birthday, Bella,"
Esme smiled warmly as Alice snapped a picture of Bella, Nefertiti, and me with them.
"Found it in your bag. Mind?" She asked as Bella shook her head.
Emmett moved to Edward's side and nudged him. "Dating an older woman. Hot," he smiled as Bella caught that. Edward elbowed him sharply to shut up.
Nefertiti and I giggled at them as Alex stood next to Jasper. "What?" Emmett asked as Rosalie stepped up.
She handed a silver package to Bella. "It's a necklace," she dead-panned. "Nefertiti picked it out." She walked away, bored. Bella has to smile. She saw Ardeth across the room.
They waved to each other as Alex ran to Ardeth to him. "Show me the love!" Alice asked them as Jasper pulled me and Nefertiti into a kiss.
"For your scrapbook. Now open your presents!" Alice squealed as she drags us over to a table piled with elaborately wrapped gifts, a huge cake, and a tall stack of china plates.
"Alice, we're the only ones who even eat cake. That thing could feed fifty," I reminded.
"Hope you're hungry. Here, this one's from Emmett," she hands Bella a big box. The others crowd around as Ardeth and Jasper shied somewhat away.
Bella, no fan of being the center of attention, opened the gift to find an empty car-radio box.
"Um... thanks?" Bella asked. "Already installed it in your truck," Emmett smiled.
"Finally, a decent sound system in that piece of-." "No hating on the truck," Bella told him. "Thank you, Emmett."
"Open mine," Alice asked as she handed her another box. She began to open it. Bella smiled as she tried to open the box.
"I can help you Bella" Alex smiled as he helped Bella try and open it. They both moved the box too quickly and Bella cuts her finger and Alex cut his palm.
"Ouch, paper cut," Bella hissed as a single drop of deep red blood appears.
"Ow," Alex whined slightly, looking at his cut. "Are you okay sweetheart?" Nefertiti asked as we looked at the cut, Alex nodded. I thought little of it as a line of blood appears.
Then I heard a disturbing, grisly snarl as I looked up. The last person I'd thought I'd see lunged toward Bella and Alex
Edward.
Teeth bared, eyes beyond reason in attempt to get Bella away from himself, Edward pushed Bella, causing her to crash into the table, plates shattering.
Alex ran to Jasper and Edward slammed into Ardeth. It sounds like boulders colliding. Ardeth pushes him hard.
Edward sailed backward, hitting the wall. But he ricocheted off it and came back at Bella. Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle tackled Edward from the side, dragging him to the ground.
Alice helped to hold him down. "Ed....shh...," she asked.
"It's just a little..... blood." She froze as she turned to look at Bella.
Then everybody's eyes snapped toward Bella as they caught the overwhelming scent of blood. I held Bella's arm as She was lying amid the shards of broken china.
Nefertiti was holding Alex's cut hand.
I looked at Bella's arm, seeing now that it's been slashed by plate shards; bright red blood pulsing out of her, pooling.
I looked up as all of them, including Ardeth and Jasper, but not Carlisle, stare down at Bella, at her blood, with fevered eyes.
Seven suddenly ravenous vampires. Carlisle jumps to Bella's side as he holds her arm. She hissed in pain as Jasper, white as a bone, snaps out of it and stands between me and the others.
He pushed the crying girls out of the way.
Edward looked at Bella in shock and guilt as he slowly came back to his senses. He shook his head at what happened.
Bella knew it wasn't his fault. She was hurt again. "Emmett, get Edward out of here," Carlisle ordered, but there was no response. "Emmett." Emmett reined himself in as he elbowed Rosalie.
They drag the snarling Edward out.
Esme held her nose as she politely exited with the others. Alice looked at Bella and me, apologetic. "I'm sorry, I... can't...," she told us as she slipped out the door.
Jasper and Ardeth were still on guard as Carlisle examined Bella's arm.
"I'll have to stitch this up," He informed me. "I'll carry her to the kitchen," Ardeth intervened.
"Thank you Ardeth," Bella told him as his eyes darted to her blood, smiling softly. "I'll take care of her, Ardeth," Carlisle asked.
"Check on Edward Ardeth. Go. And you guys go home" Carlisle urged me as Nefertiti and I looked at Bella. She nodded as we left. Jasper looked at me with guilt in his eyes as he followed us.
"It's not your fault, Jasper," I reminded him. "Don't think this is your fault Jasper" Nefertiti said as she held Alex's hand.
He turned away, unable to meet our eyes. We felt guilty for what happened.
-𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫-
"Romeo and Juliet" lessons are on the board. Everyone's scribbling essays. Nefertiti and I glanced at Jasper's desk; empty. We sighed unhappily as the class continued.
At the cafeteria, we sat with Bella, Jessica, Angela, Eric, Hans, Rara, and Mike. They joked and threw things. We were distracted, looking out for Jasper.
-𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐯-
I was in the girl's room as I looked at the pictures. Guilt ran through me, knowing what would happen to her. Edward broke up with Bella because he didn't want her to get hurt again.
I didn't want to break up with the twins at all.
But they'll keep getting hurt because of me. Same with Alex, I don't want anything to happen to them.
I looked down at the twins scrapbook to see the photo of us kissing.
I pulled it out and held it, Alex ran in. "Dad!" He yelled, hugging me, I kissed his cheeks. I looked at him with love in my eyes, regretting my decision.
"Can I tell you something?" I asked, holding both of his hands, Alex nodded.
"Dad has to leave you and your mom and auntie" Alex's face fell, a heavy wave of sadness filled my senses. I sighed, kissing his head.
"I'm not leaving because I don't love you guys anymore" I told his, Alex's eyes were filled with tears. "I'm leaving to protect you guys, Okay" Alex nodded as I wiped away his tears.
"Can you promise me something?" Alex nodded, and I smiled softly.
"Take care of them for me?" Alex nodded, hugging me, tears flowing down his faces. I kissed his cheeks, I pulled out a locket from my pocket.
"These are for you, so you'll always have something of me with you" Alex took it, I helped him put it on.
"I love you. Always" Alex smiled as I stood up as I saw the twins coming out of Bella's truck. They smiled at me, pure happiness coming off of them.
God I'm gonna miss those smiles.
-𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐤-𝐒𝐮-𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐯-
We saw Jasper in our room as he came outside. "Jasper," I smiled. "You're here." He stood by the shelter as Bella drove off.
We hurried toward him to hug him but slowed when we saw his cold, distant face; an unreadable mask. Nefertiti and I glanced at each other. "Is something wrong Jasper?" Nefertiti asked.
"Walk with me?" Jasper asked as he gently took our hands.
Dread fills us as we let him guide us toward the woods. Jasper stops by a fallen tree as he turns to us. "We need to leave Forks," Jasper told us. "What? Why?" I asked.
"It isn't because of what happened right?" Nefertiti added.
"It's time. Carlisle's supposed to be ten years older than he looks; people will start noticing," Jasper told me. "But... when?" We Looked at him, confused.
"Now," Jasper told us as we tried to think of something.
"I guess, we'll have to think of something to tell Evelyn, but we'll be ready-," I said. "Not you both, Not Bella, Not Alex," Jasper corrected me. "Us."
"What? No! Jasper, what happened with Edward, that was nothing," I stated.
"Nothing compared to what could happen. You don't belong in my world," Jasper told me.
"You both are too young for me." "But we belong with you," Nefertiti said. "You don't," Jasper told us.
"Don't say that," we replied. "We do belong with you. We can't live with ourselves if you left us. And what about Alex?" I asked, looking at him as Nefertiti tears up.
"I don't want you anymore!" Jasper yelled at us.
"I never loved you. I never loved Alex!? Why would I date someone with a kid?! Let alone two people?! Find someone else's life to ruin together!"