Living in such a small town meant that everyone knew everything about each other. It was difficult for secrets to be kept and gossip spread like wild fire. So the commotion that was caused when Bella arrived with Edward Cullen last week was astounding.
It wasn't completely unexpected of course, with how often they had been interacting with each other at school. I kept my distance respectively, Edward definitely became more awkward around me when Bella dragged him with her when she wanted to talk to me.
He spoke very few words to me and mostly kept behind Bella during our conversations, hardly ever joining in. It was strange when he did, it was like he knew what I was thinking before I had the chance to let the words escape my mouth. He answered my questions before they were even asked.
Neither Tori or I had spoken a word of this new relationship to Dad, he would flip his shit. I don't think Bella had even told her own father. The Cullens seemed harmless, and once Dad realised that and stopped believing in the myths, then maybe there wouldn't be such a strain on his friendship with Uncle Charlie. They were best friends growing up.
When Bella told me they were actually a couple, she expected me to show resentment but I quickly cleared that up, telling her my father and his friends were crazy. When I mentioned that I didn't even think the myths about the Cullens were real she seemed to relax somewhat, but I couldn't help but think that she was kind of hiding something.
I had also been trying to avoid Ryan this past week. His attitude towards Jake really pissed me off, and it pushed my buttons that he even thought it was an acceptable way to act towards my best friend. If he was going to treat Jake that way every time he saw him I was going to cut him off completely.
Anyway, it was the last day of school before spring break and once I got home I couldn't wait to have a nice long bath and crawl into my pyjamas. Tori and I had been discussing her crush on Seth on the ride home from school. She was certain he was going to ask her out over the break. "How do you think he'll ask me?" She boasted excitedly as my car stopped in front of our house. The rain was pattering harshly against the car so as soon as we got out we'd have to make a run for it.
"Well you're both pretty casual around each other. I don't think it'll be too extravagant. Just something sweet and romantic." I guessed and besides they were only 15, I doubt he'd do something completely out the box.
She reluctantly agreed with me, but she seemed a little sad at the thought he wouldn't do something big for her. We collected our things before exiting the car in a run, jumping over the puddles that had formed on the gravel. The porch outside the front door was dry and we shook out coats off before entering the house. Dad would go crazy if we left puddles.
We found Dad sitting in the living room watching football. "Hi girls." He said as me and Tori joined him.
"Hey Dad." We replied in unison, the both of us laughing at each other.
"Anything interesting happen at school today?" He asked, I stayed silent as Tori answered.
"Nothing really." She shrugged, propping her feet up onto the coffee table like Dad had.
"How's Bella? Fitting in okay?" Bella had been here for almost two months now, Dad had only seen her once since her return and that was when he went to pick Uncle Charlie up for a fishing weekend.
"Bella got a boyfrie-" Tori spoke but I slapped her arm wanting her to shut up immediately. "Ow, what was that for." And then a realisation spread across her face.
"Aria don't hit your sister. Whose her boyfriend?" You're so fucking stupid Tori.
"Err, I'm leaving." She quickly got up from her chair and ran up the stairs leaving me to deliver the news. Well this is going to be great.
"Come on Aria who is it?" He urged and I mentally cringed.
"Edward." Yeah that's enough information to give. He doesn't need to know his surname he hardly even goes to Forks.
"Edward who?" Damn it.
"Cullen." I said it unbelievably high pitched hoping that he wouldn't understand me.
"Cullen? Cullen! She's in a relationship with a Cullen!" Here we go. "I don't want you going near him." He said standing up from his chair pacing around the room, I followed him with my eyes.
"Didn't say I was going to." I folded my arms across my chest. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
"You know that they are dangerous and can't be trusted, it's bad enough you're going to the same school as them." I rolled my eyes mentally, if he caught me I'd be in deep shit.
"Dad, come on. He wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, he's harmless." I argued and he scoffed.
"That's what you think. Aria I don't want you going near him at all. Even if that means staying away from Bella. I don't want you anywhere near that family." He spat family like it was some sick joke. It made a shiver run up my spine.
"Okay Dad, fine." He can't control me at school, I'm still going to see Bella in school and outside of it, she's family.
"I mean it Aria Marie Hotah." Really? The full name.
"Yes, Dad, I get it." I said before leaving the room and heading up stairs. He thinks of me as some stupid child.
* **
The next morning I actually got a lay in unlike last week. I stumbled down the stairs at 12:28 only to be greeted by Jesse, Jared and Paul. Just my luck.
"Aria can you go put some clothes on, we have company." These are the first words Jesse had spoken to me since he hurt me, but I looked down at my outfit. I was still in my pyjamas and by pyjamas I mean a long t-shirt, but it was long sleeved and it came up to mid thigh. There was nothing really revealing about it, it just looked like I was wearing a dress.
"Well you could have told me we had company if you spoke to me. Hey Paul." I said and he pulled me in for hug. Even though Paul was a hot head too, he still acknowledged me.
"Hey Blue." I smiled up at him sleepily before making my way to the fridge.
"Hello Jared." I didn't want to be rude.
"Aria." He nodded at me and I smiled tightly before turning my attention back to the fridge. His face bugged me.
The house phone began to ring as I poured myself some orange juice. I knew Tori would answer it so I continued making my breakfast.
"Aria! It's Mom and she wants to talk to you!" I huffed lightly before grabbing my juice and making my way back up the stairs, Tori handing me the phone on the way.
"Hey Mom."
"Hi sweetheart. How are you?" She sounded tired.
"I'm okay. How about you Mom, how's the project going?" I asked genuinely interested, I needed her home.
"I'm good, just tired. We've only just finished pricing up the tender drawings for the hotel resort, my god, I have never seen so many blueprints in my life. We've got a whole lot of negotiation meetings lined up next , that's where they decide if they want us to actually build it or not. We'll find out then if we've done all that work for nothing." She chuckled and I smiled just enjoying the sound of her voice. "How's your arm sweetie?"
"It's.." I took a moment to pull up my sleeve to look at it. "It doesn't hurt anymore and the bruises are fading." Dad had told Mom about the incident. She didn't really know how to react so she just let Dad deal with it. Not that he's done anything about it but I wasn't going to tell her that, she was stressed out enough already.
"That's good to hear, has he spoken to you yet?" She asked referring to Jesse.
"Not really but he did before I came up to get the phone. He just moaned at me for wearing my pyjama shirt when we had company round. Its my long sleeved one and I didn't even know we had company. It was only Paul and Jared." I explained and she hummed.
"He's being difficult right now, don't worry about him."
"Okay Mom." I sighed rubbing my forehead, I was starting to get a headache, thank god it wasn't another migraine. I'd rather die than get two in the space of two weeks.
"Alright. Can I speak to Tori again now?" She asked.
"Yeah sure. One sec." I called for Tori and she came into my room, taking the phone out with her. I laid back down onto the bed, my head pounding. The only way I knew how to get rid of them was to sleep so that's what I did.
I was left alone to sleep all day, only to be disturbed by someone softly shaking my shoulder to wake me up. They had climbed into bed beside me and were gently shaking my shoulder, not in an annoying way, just enough to wake me up.
"Blue are you alright?" I hummed when I recognised the voice to be Jake's. I shook my head when I shuffled closer to him, resting my head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. "Is it another headache?" He asked and I nodded. He began to stroke my hair softly, he always did this when I had a headache and it always soothed them.
"I saw Bella today, we went to her house to watch the baseball." I hummed to show that I was listening. "When we pulled in, Edward Cullen was talking to her at her house. I mean he left before we even arrived but he was still there." He explained and I opened my eyes to look up at him to see he was already looking down at me.
"They're like together now. They arrived at school together all week." I mumbled and I felt him tense.
"They're together?" He said and I closed my eyes again. Turning so my body was now away from his and I was facing the wall. He liked her and it hurt.
"Yeah." I muttered as I felt him roll closer to me.
"That was quick." He said putting a hand over my waist to roll me back so I was looking at him.
"She'll be fine. She really likes him." I said and he stiffened again.
"She does?" I hummed again. I just wanted to sleep. I think Jake noticed because he pulled me into his side again allowing me to snuggle into him. "Sorry Ari I shouldn't be talking like this when you don't feel well. Go back to sleep."
Jake ended up staying the night, Dad didn't mind considering Jake does it all the time. He left after breakfast as his own Dad wanted him home.
I didn't really have anything to do for the day other than spring break homework so I sat there doing that. I got most of it done but gave up when it got to early evening. A storm was now brewing on the cold horizon promising nothing but rain and thunder, you could already hear it crashing against the mountains. The darkness and damp-smelling air threatened to ruin the dry day we had been having.
I was sitting on our front porch swing wrapped in a blanket. It was cold but I didn't mind. I liked the peace and quiet. It was nice to just sit there and relax. It made me feel calm. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a bolt of lightning cracked the dark sky into two. Jagged flashes of pure light cast a glow against the monochromatic background. Watching storms was one of my favourite things to do, I loved watching the lightening hit the mountains.
Soon, it began sprinkling. Then water droplets began growing larger and falling frequently. The light 'pitter patter' of rain turned into wet thuds as the icy water raced to meet the ground. Then the sprinkling turned into a torrential downpour.
I carried on watching the weather in silence until bright, spinning red and blue lights lit up the trees along the driveway, and Uncle Charlie's cruiser came into view. Why would he have his lights on?
I stood from my seat on the swing and jogged towards the front door of the house that was partly open just like I left it. "Dad!" I called in loudly, not sure whereabouts he was before I turned my attention back to Charlie, he wasn't wearing his chief uniform.
He looked panicked, shaken up. He jogged to the front porch and ran up the steps to meet me. "Aria where's Bella?" He grabbed my blanket covered shoulders in earnest but I had no idea what he was talking about.
"What?" I gaped at him as he still didn't release me, he wasn't holding me harshly he just wouldn't let go.
"Charlie what's going on?" Dad's voice hinted confusion as he looked between the two of us and then Charlie let go.
"Bella's gone." He looked like his whole world had crumpled.
"Gone where?" I asked in panic as Jesse and Tori joined us on the porch.
"She argued with that Edward Cullen, she was with his family today but they argued. She said she hated it here and needed to get away." He explained quickly and I glanced at Dad, his eyes were black with worry. No doubt he thought the Cullens were involved. "Aria, did you know anything about Bella hating it here?"
All eyes shot to me and I felt under pressure immediately. "No, not at all. I thought she was happy being here with Edward." I spoke honestly, I thought she was sincerely enjoying it here.
"Let me know if she calls you, I gotta call Renee." He turned back into the rain quickly leaving us all stunned. "If you hear anything-"
"We will Charlie don't you worry, she'll come around." We all stood and watched until Uncle Charlie's cruiser's lights disappeared in the rain. "It's them Cullens I'm telling you!" Dad snarled angrily and I snapped.
"You don't know anything. She could be home sick, or really broken up with Edward or she was tricking all of us and finally had enough of being here. I am fed up with hearing you blame the Cullens for everything, all because of some stupid legend." I breathed heavily through my nose as Dad and I had a stare down, my siblings watching with wide eyes.
"You have no idea what you are talking about. Maybe one day you'll understand. And it may be sooner than you think." His voice was eerily calm and it scared me. I didn't like how truthful he sounded, it was like he was losing his mind.
He gave me one last hard look before walking back in the house, Jesse following soon after leaving Tori and I.
"She ran away?" Her voice was quiet as she stared out into the rain another rumble of thunder echoing around us.
"I don't know." It was strange to me. She was so happy with Edward's presence around her. She felt like she finally fit in, she thought of Washington as home.
"She didn't even say goodbye. Poor Charlie." Tori shook her head in disappointment before she went back into the house as well. I was alone once again.
Dad's warning was still swirling around my mind.
What would I be finding out soon?