"Ouch, Alice!" I rubbed my head as she pulls a knot out of my hair.
"Well if you would sit still I would be able to speed up the process. Plus, its almost done. Please just let me do this." I sighed as I sat in front of her vanity. Alice woke me up earlier and decided to "fix me up" as she not so likely put it.
"Alice, honestly whats the point in all of this? I mean its not like I need to dress for success. . .or for anybody that matter." I mumbled underneath my breath. Colton didn't come home last night, nor has he made an appearance to call. Ugh! Why are men so infuriating?
My sisters hand stilled slightly as she brushed her fingers through my hair in a calming matter. As if on cue, a wave of content washed over me. Jasper made an appearance at least. Everyone has been watching me as if I was going to somehow kill myself. Jasper, of course being the overprotective brother he is, hasn't really left my side. In fact no one has.
"No word from the creat-" Alice stopped herself as I slowly turned my head to look at her. A small smile on my face appeared. "I mean Colton."
I knew what she meant. Everyone has nicknames for him and there was multiple. I sighed heavily, "No. Do you think I should call him? Make sure he's alright?"
"Absolutely not!" Emmett's booming voice echoed from outside the door. Hmm, Jasper must've closed it. Ever the gentlemen. "I say leave him for the pack of mutts that now take residence in La douche."
That got a chuckle out of all of us. Of course Emmett would make up a name like that. Creative family I've got here. "It's La Push, Em. I'm also not letting him get eaten buy a bunch of wolves that have slight anger issues."
"Slight?" Jasper sassed back. I glared at him and as his defense he sent another calming wave to me.
"You don't play fairly." I pouted and turned back to the vanity mirror that showed what I had to really offer and just like that I was back to being sad. Did I deserve to be like this? Did I not try everything in my power to keep Colton? Did I not offer enough?
"Stop." Alice said firmly.
My shoulders slumped as I sat back fully in the chair. "Stop what, Alice?"
"Stop thinking." I glanced up at her. Was she serious? "I mean it. Stop thinking that you weren't - that you aren't worth anything. You are worth every single star in the universe and you my beautiful sister will be okay. No matter what . . .just please believe me on this."
My sister was pleading with me. Usually I only hear that tone when she wants me to go shopping with her. What she said hit home. If Alice the All scene told me I was going to be fine, who was I to deny the little pixie. Curse you, Tinkerbell.
For her. For my family who stood by and watched me like a hawk, I straightened my back and glared determinedly at the mirror. The mirror portrayed a women who had guts, who had seen things. Someone who was fierce and smart. A ruler if I do say so myself. "Okay, Alice." My voice shook but somewhere deep down I knew everyone was right. "Do your worst."
"Please, I only do my best!" My sister said confidently. She was happy now, and when Alice is happy that means everyone is happy . . .and somewhat safe.
In the mirror I glanced at Jasper. His eyes held gratitude as he inclined his head towards me. 'Thank you.' He mouthed. Every single day that we breath all Jasper tries to do is make Alice happy. He spends most of the time following her and showing her as much as affection as he can. He showers her with random presents which is hard since I have to be with him as he picks out her gifts. He shows her how he feels by letting her feel his emotions. He just wants to make her smile each day. Who could blame him?
While Alice's head was in her make up bag, I smiled back and aloud Jasper to feel what I was feeling. He smiled back and nodded his head in acknowledgement. Before he left, he went up to his wife and pecked her on her cheek.
As he made Alice flabbergasted he walked away and opened the door and there stood Emmett, pouting like a third grader. "You guys never invite me anywhere."
He wanted to play that game, huh? I grabbed one of the many shades of red lipstick off the table and opened it up with an evil smile, "That's okay Emmett, I can include you now." The fear in his eyes made me laugh.
He quickly shook his head, "Nope I'm good!" With a rush he took off with me quickly on his heels.
"It wont hurt, Emmett!" I screamed after him. This was the most fun I had in a while. "Come back here!"
"No! Get away from me you 'she devil'!" I laughed as he stopped at the other end of the kitchen table. He may have been all muscle but man did he run when any make up was near. It was like he took lessons from Edward! Which is near impossible.
"Emily Rose!" Alice yelled from upstairs. "I swear if you mess up your hair, I will put fire to you!" I stopped and thought about that. The pixie maybe a pixie but her threats were all real. Hmm, what was my odds? "Emmett Cullen, dont you even think about it!" Wait what?
Before I knew it Emmett had me over his shoulders and in a flash we were out the back door. Instead of being mad at him, I let him take me as his prisoner. Emmett knows I don't like being man-handled. But he was my brother who was trying to desperately cheer me up, so who was I to go up against the bear?
I laughed joyfully as I saw an angry Alice blurring towards us. I twisted backwards and flicked my brothers head, "Faster my noble stead! She's gaining on us!"
"Aye, Aye captain!" Emmett picked up his feet and soon Alice was now farther away from us.
"Emily Rose, you get back here!" I just smiled widely. These moments. These are the moments I stayed alive for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Colton, where in the hell are you? This is the fifth time I've left a message with you and to be honest i'm starting to get worried. Look, I don't know what you're going through but please don't go through this alone when I'm by your side. Just please, please, please . . .let me in. I'm always going to be there for you. No matter what. I just," I sighed tiredly. "I just need you to please come back." I glowered at the phone before silently hanging up.
Even the phone mocked me as the screen saver illuminated the screen of me and Cole. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was happy. So how was it, that I could have everything one day and than simple lose it the next. How was it, that just the other day, we went for a midnight care ride, laughing with the windows down, the music playing softly in the background, with everything perfect, than today it all changed. Why? Why did it change?
Did he not understand the love and devotion I held for him? Did he not understand that I have sacrificed it all; my life, my families, my heart. It was all for him. Why didn't he give any love back?
Maybe because it was a new location. Yes, that had to be it. Maybe I can change for Cole. I don't know how I'll change but one way or another I can make him happy. I have too! I can't lose the one love of my life especially since I've been waiting for him for centuries. He was the one thing that I knew changed me for the better. He made me smile and laugh to the point where tears would stream down my face and now instead of joyful tears, they dripped sorrowful tears.
It all changed.
My shoulders slumped in defeat as I put my phone back into my pocket. A arm slowly went around my shoulders. I jumped in surprise but soon relaxed as the southern smell of my brother flew into my nostrils. " Its just me, Emily. Come on, Alice is waiting on us."
I nodded my head and turned to walk with him. "I know. . .it just-"
"Hurts?" He offered. Of course, the all knowing brother knew that.
I scoffed in agreement. "More like constant stabbing in the heart with a stake, slash, being held down while a mallet hitting you repeatedly in the chest while your eyes are being torn out of your head, kind of hurt." Jasper stopped suddenly and gave me a worried expression. My shoulders shrugged and last nights memories came back to me. "Emmett and I watched a zombie movie last night. Spoiler alert; the zombie didn't make it."
"Ah." Jasper Hale could try to figure me out, but even he didn't know what to do with me sometimes. No one did. Up ahead, Alice bounced angelically on her feet. Her black hair flipped around her eyes as a gust of wind blew in our directions. Jasper's' hand curled around my shoulder even tighter now and I knew it wasn't because I needed his support, it was because of the scents that blew around with the wind.
Humans were these fragile things. They didn't know what was going on in the real world. They didn't know what was out there. They didn't know what lurked in the night or what howled at the moon.
I wrapped my arms around Jasper for support and put my head onto his shoulders. "I got you, Jasper. Trust us, okay? Nothing is going to happen to any of them or to you. I promise." His jaw clenched as he nodded. "Alice promises." At the sound of her name he visibly relaxed. Every muscle that became tensed loosened.
Alice rushed forward and placed a hand on his chest, right where his heart should be. I untangled myself from my brother and walked towards the lunch room doors leaving the two love birds behind. As I walked into the cafeteria, my eyes scanned for the familiar pale skin and the sunny smell of flowers. Bella and Edward should be here . . .
"On your left, Emily." And there was my brother, sitting with Bella's friends. I would say "their" friends, but Edward only likes Eric and Angela and even then he tolerates them.
I smirked and strutted my way over, "I'm surprised Bella's talking to you Edward! Considering you damaged her truck last night." A low growl rumbled from his chest in warning. "Easy, Eddie! You know I'm just playing. But I am shocked you didn't damaged it further since you shudder every time you get into it."
I kicked a seat out next to Bella and nudged her. She smiled with her perfect porcelain teeth. "Hey."
"Hey, back. Sorry about the truck Bells! Edward doesn't know when to back off and live a little." Even thought he's been living for a hundred and eighteen years.
Mike threw a piece of paper across the table and smirked, "Perfect! You've got yourself a speech." Mike was . . .well Mike and when he was himself I could tell he was more relaxed, less arrogant if you will.
Jessica, in all her "perfectness" flipped the paper over and glared harshly at it. "No, this'll be my speech when I want everyone to throw diplomas at my head."
"At least its better than bricks." I sighed and popped my legs underneath my butt. All eyes flickered too me. "I'm just saying."
"You've got to embrace the cliches, Jess." Eric said as a matter-of- factly. Oh, Eric. Poor, sweet, innocent Eric.
"Jess doesn't need cliches. The speech is going to be epic." Bella announced. Her eyes held humor.
I glanced at Edward who wasn't even paying attention to the conversation. His eyes were only for her. Every second that Bella breathed it was like he was holding onto it. Like he held onto every heartbeat. He held onto every moment. She was his. Maybe not in all the ways, but I knew my brother better than anyone. He loved her. He admired her. She moved, he moved. Like two magnets.
Why couldn't Colton do that? Why couldn't he glance at me like I was his whole world? Why couldn't he love me?
I jumped almost out of my seat as my Tinkerbell sister sat gracefully down. Jasper in tow. How did I not here them coming. "Alice! I swear, I'm going to get you a bell."
She rolled her contact eyes and smiled widely. "I've decided to throw a party."
What in the what? I leave them alone not even for five seconds and she decided to throw a party? Don't get me wrong, Alice's party's are great. Its just us Cullen's don't really have a great track record with parties. There was that one time with Jasper and my family and I knew how that meant. Obviously she was throwing a party, not just for us to join but for the humans as well. I don't need to insult her but was she nuts? The Volturi was on our asses and she wanted to throw a party? Bright side, if they did invade our territory and they came to our house, at least we would've had a great snack for them! Maybe then they would leave us alone.
"After all, how many times are we gonna graduate high school?" Jasper asked smugly. Oh, you sly devil you! So not only did the fairy trick her husband but now shes looking for recruits.
"A party?" Angela was the first to speak. "At your place?" And just like the rest of us, we were all stunned. Trust me, you aren't the only one shocked, princess.
"I've never seen your house ." Jessica gulped. Why was every one so scared of our house? I would tell someone if we had ghosts, which we don't, but still. . .
We may have killed people but hey, don't we all?
Eric leaned forward and "tried" to whisper to Jessica. "No one's ever seen there house."
Edward scoffed and shook his head. "Another party, Alice?"
Alice's eyes turned to me and I swear if she was superman I would be dead by now. "Actually a party doesn't sound so bad. I mean, whats the harm really?" I may be a stronger supernatural being but Alice can see the future and I already knew once you stand against the fawn you get a whole rude awakening. Alice is small, but that doesn't mean she can't do damage.
"See! Emily agrees with me!" Alice pointed out. "It'l be fun!"
'Yes, Emily did agree with you because Emily is scared.' I thought to myself.
Bella crossed her arms and for a split second 'sassy, Bella' came out. "Yeah, that's what you said last time."
Bella: 1
Alice: 0
Alice began to say something but stopped automatically. Her face became blank and her body became steady. Vision time.
"Edward." I said quietly. His face became the same as hers and just like that silence erupted around our tables. A blur behind my brother caught my attention. Was that . . . no, it couldn't be. The person ran to the left and with a gust ran through the double doors, scaring the humans in the process. Luckily Bella noticed all our attention went elsewhere and decided to bring the attention back on the princess. I'll have to thank her later. "If you'll excuse me."
As I practically jogged through the cafeteria I felt all eyes on me. It didn't matter though. What mattered was the scent that lead me outside. What mattered was the recognizable leather jacket. I stopped at the edge of the forest as the scent miraculously disappeared. H-how was that possible?
"Where in the hell did you go?" I growled underneath my breath. The man flew past me and placed something in my hand. I gasped as I unclenched my hand. Inside my grasp was a flower. Not just any flower but my favorite kind; Asiatic Lilly. A tree branch not that far from me snapped. Robotically, I raised my head. This couldn't be him. Not after what he did.
"Colton."