The month that followed the accident was uneasy, tense and, for a while, embarrassing. Bella had come to Eden the morning after, relaying the dream she had. A dream, about Edward Cullen.
To Eden's dismay and Bella's excitement, the former found herself the center of attention. Tyler Crowley had followed both girls around, his mind obsessed with making amends and figuring that helping either of the girls would be enough. Eden had tried to tell him, uncomfortably, that the best way to make up for it would be to simply forget all about it, but he remained insistent. Fortunately, he was too afraid to follow Eden to her lunch table with the Cullens and sat with Bella. The girl had already ranted to Eden about Mike and Eric's distaste for not only each other but to the addition too.
Eden, and whether it was accidentally or purposefully she would never know, had pricked her ears for thoughts of Edward and his family. He was never surrounded by crowds of bystanders, and not the victim of any extra staring. She wondered why this was, but didn't question it further. It was a good thing that there wasn't attention on him.
The rest of the Cullens had quickly warmed up to her, too. Even Rosalie, the stubborn vampire that she was, had developed a soft spot for the quiet girl. The weeks passed with little change. While Edward grew closer to Eden, and Bella speculated about things that Eden couldn't have even guessed, the days remained rainy and cool. If there was one thing that Eden could rely on, it was that. She made sure to keep her thoughts neutral with Edward's cool behaviour with Bella. Eden didn't want to pry, as she knew the bloodlust was difficult for him, and instead dodged the questions when Bella asked about him. She knew it made her sad. Mike, however, was pleased by the tension between Bella and Edward. His thoughts had told Eden that Mike had been worried that Edward's rescue might have impressed Bells, but after it was obvious that it had the opposite effect, Mike grew more confident.
Eden had been transferred to Edward and Bella's biology class for reasons that Eden could only assume was Edward, and although she couldn't sit next to them and could only witness the tension and Mike sitting on the edge of Bella's desk, Eden was glad to be apart of it.
The snow washed away for good after the accident's day, and while Mike had voiced his disappointment that he'd never gotten to stage a snowball fight, he was pleased that beach trip would soon be possible. The rain continued heavily, though, as the weeks passed. Jessica and Alice had made both girls aware of another looming event on the horizon, and Jessica had called Bella asking for permission to ask Mike to the girls' choice spring dance in two weeks.
Alice had refused to keep her mind on the future visions around Eden, and she had reverted to singing an old nursery rhyme, like her brother, with a pixie-like grin. Eden herself had found herself in better moods, and she knew it had to do with the Cullens. They were like a second family to her.
"Are you sure you don't mind... you weren't planning to ask him?" Jessica persisted when Bella told her that she didn't mind. Eden sat beside the girls, fiddling with her jacket sleeve on the cool morning.
"No, Jess, we're not going," Bells assured her, and Eden stifled a giggle as she realised why.
Bella's dancing skills, to say the least, were less than average. Eden had already heard the stories of her clumsiness and knew that the last thing the Swan girl wanted would be to fall flat on her face in front of everyone.
Jessica attempted to convince her half-heartedly. "It will be really fun."
"You have fun with Mike," Bella encouraged, and that seemed enough to satisfy her.
However, the next day, Eden knew why Jessica wasn't her bright and bubbly self in Bella's classes, Trig and Spanish. Mike had told her that he'd think about going to the dance with her, and Eden's heart sunk for the girl. Eden would be following the same excuse as Bella, that she would be going to Seattle with her cousin the weekend of the dance, but she could feel the second-hand sadness of Jessica.
In biology, while Mike strode over to Bella's desk silently and Eden's stomach turned in anticipation. Eden was only a few desks away from Edward, who rested his head under his arms on his desk.
Edward, Eden called mentally. Are you alright?
I'm playing friendly. Mike is about to ask Bella out, as you would have heard, and I want to hear her reaction. Edward responded, and Eden watched his body shift a little as he stifled laughter.
Why... Why do you want to hear her reaction?
At this, Edward looked up. His hair was slightly ruffled, and he turned to meet Eden's eye. Don't worry, Eden. I'm all your's.
Eden blushed, glancing down. Beside Edward, she could hear Mike talking to Bella.
"Did you already ask someone?" His eyes flickered towards Edward, and Eden fought to keep the frown off her face.
"No," Bella laughed stiffly. "Eden and I aren't going to the dance, at all."
This caught Mike off guard. "Why not? I figured she'd go with Cullen and you'd come, well, with me?"
Bella glanced back at me, the panic wild on her face. "Um- We're going to Seattle that Saturday,"' she explained, knowing that they both could use some time out of town.
"Can't you go some other weekend?"
"Sorry, no," Bella said. "So you shouldn't keep Jess waiting any longer - it's rude."
Mike mumbled, "Yeah, you're right," and walked back to his seat. Eden felt a stab of remorse for the boy, he had genuinely liked Bella, but his thoughts told her that he would like Jessica just as much.
Eden blankly registered Mr. Banner begin to talk, and she glanced out the window, trying to stop her brain from running. Unfortunately, a wave of nausea flushed over her and all at once, the voices became louder. Insignificant, mindless thoughts, but a volume that nearly made Eden throw up. Eden closed her eyes, stifling a cough.
"Ms. Bane?" the teacher asked, wanting an answer to a question that she hadn't heard.
Eden glanced briefly in his direction, only letting herself concentrate on his mind's voice for a moment to get the answer. "The Krebs Cycle."
She looked back down, feeling Edward's eyes over her and the mind's of the class curious at her sudden shift of mood. Cowardly as ever, Eden shifted her hair over her face, blinking and trying to breathe in and out.
Towards the end of the teacher's explanation, Eden raised her hand. "C-can I- I go- to the b-bathroom?"
Mr. Banner nodded shortly, and Eden gathered her things quickly. She stumbled out of the room, hearing the bell ring loudly and an even stronger rush of voices attack her. She blankly shuffled to the bathroom, where at the first chance she got, she knelt down beside the toilet and threw up. Due to her empty stomach, it was stomach acid and made Eden's throat feel dry and scratchy. Light footsteps followed a few moments later, but Eden closed her eyes and leaned up against the stall door.
"Eden? Are you alright?"
It was Alice, her musical voice sounding clean to her ears. Eden spoke up with a rasp. "I-I'm fine."
Alice didn't believe her in the slightest and quietly asked if she could come in. Eden unlocked the stall door, and Alice gave her a sad laugh when she saw.
"You look terrible, Eden," she whispered, extending a hand.
"Thanks, Al."
Alice couldn't bring herself to smile. Instead, the vampire looked down, speaking more to herself than to Eden. "Why didn't I see this? What went wrong?"
"Hey," Eden croaked, reaching out to grab Alice's hand. "It wasn't you fault."
Alice gave her a pointed look, and Eden found it hard to push away the thoughts that so desperately wanted to surface. She knew Edward was, or would be in a few moments, outside of the bathroom. She could hear his thoughts, worrying, as well as the thoughts of every other student that had seen her stumbling form.
"Edward will tell me," Alice said lightly, her words not unkind. "I just hope you'll be ready. Eden, whatever it is you're going through, you don't have to do it alone. We're here for you, Edward is here for you. I'm here for you."
Eden felt tears well up in her eyes, and she looked down to avoid the pixie-like girl's eyes. She couldn't think of why Alice cared about her so much, but in that moment chose not to think about it. In that moment, she let Alice wrap her cool arms around her and hug her tightly. In that moment, Eden chose to let herself cry.
___________________________
When Bella had collected Eden from the sick bay just after Gym, after Edward had forced the girl to go, she was distraught.
"Basketball," Bella had complained at first sight, looping her arm around her cousin's. "It was brutal."
A part of Eden was glad that the normality of Bella kept her grounded, and she found herself in a better mood as she walked through the halls with her. Her mind desperately wanted to dwell on the negatives of the morning, but Bella's absent-minded chatting and Alice's cool touch kept her mind away.
She had felt like a coward when she faced Edward. He didn't say much, just forcing her in the direction of the nurse as Alice left to her next class, but his thoughts spoke volume. He was worried. Worried for her, for what was wrong. Worried for Bella, even. But Eden had followed his tricks and at the first feeling of Edward in her head, she began quoting nursery rhymes. Still, she knew that the vampire boy would eventually get her to tell him, and Bella's onslaught of questions would inevitably come.
As Bella and Eden rounded the corner, the former nearly choked on her spit. Her feet scrambled to a halt, and it took a light tug from her cousin to continue. Eric was leaning against the side of the truck, his tall, dark figure reminding Eden of Edward.
"Hey, Eric," Bella called, her tone brighter then before where she had muttered a curse.
"Hi Bella," Eric responded, then glanced at her cousin in an afterthought reaction, "Eden, hey."
"What's up?" Bella asked, unlocking the doors as Eden slid into the passenger side, knowing that this wasn't her conversation.
Eden could hear his thoughts, and had to smother her mouth to muffle her giggles.
"Uh, I was just wondering if you would go to the Spring Dance with me?" His voice broke on the last word, and Bella exchanged a short look with her cousin.
"I thought it was a girl's choice," Bella responded, startled.
"Well, yeah," Eric admitted, sheepishly.
Bella have Eden a final look before standing straighter, regaining her composure. "Thank you for asking me, but Eden and I are going to Seattle that day."
"Oh," he said. "Well, maybe next time."
"Sure," Bella agreed, then bit her lip.
Eden cringed at the hope that shot through Eric as he slouched and strode back towards the school. She suddenly became aware of Edward, walking past the front of Bella's truck with his lips pursued. Eden laughed shortly despite herself. Edward had known just as much as she had. Bella, however, didn't think it was as funny. Huffing, she yanked her door open and jumped inside, slamming her door.
"You alright?" Eden asked, playing innocent as Bella revved the engine and drove out of the aisle.
"Maybe."
Eden glanced at Edward's Volvo, two spaces down. Edward was planning on cutting off their truck, wanting to give Tyler the chance to - oh god.
Don't you dare, Eden thought, directing her mind at Edward.
Wouldn't dream of it. Even in his head, could Eden hear his sarcasm.
She rolled her eyes, knowing that he wouldn't see. Bella gave her a curious look, but it only lasted for a second before the Volvo smoothly pulled out and cut off the old truck. He stopped there, and Bella hit her head on the wheel, groaning.
"He's just waiting for his family," Eden defended, watching them walk from the cafeteria and feeling dread sink in as Tyler's "voice" got louder.
As if on cue, Alice turned to the truck and waved brightly, prompting Emmet to give his grin and Rosalie to nod. Jasper waved shortly. Bella, however, glanced at her rearview mirror, frowning when she noticed the line. Tyler was in his new car, directly behind the truck, waving. Bella mustered a smile in response.
Shortly after, a knock sounded on Bella's window and both girls turned to see Tyler smiling confidentially.
I'm going to kill you, Eden threatened Edward, and she saw his frame shake slightly in laughter in the car in front.
"Sorry, I'm stuck behind Cullen," Bella told him after she struggled with the window.
"Oh I know," he nodded, before turning his attention to Eden. "I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here. Will you go with me to the Spring Dance?"
Even though Eden knew it was coming, her words still found a way to stumble over themselves.
"Oh- I-" she began, before shaking her head. "We're not-not in town."
"Yeah, Mike said that," he admitted.
Bella continued for Eden, her head turning in confusion. "Then why-"
"I was hoping it was a way to let him down easy."
"Sorry, Tyler," Eden said with a sense of formality, her confidence growing as Bella's irritation grew. "We really aren't in town."
"That's cool, we still have Prom."
Before either of the girls could reply, he was walking back to his car. A joint look of horror and shock crossed Eden face, and it took only a look for Bella to laugh. Eden glanced at the silver Volvo to see Edward's siblings slipping in, and he vampire's eyes on her through his rearview mirror. He was laughing, too, and Eden rolled her eyes at both her friend's attempts.
Just you wait, Cullen. I'm going to make sure you regret that, Eden thought, before looking back to Bella.
"The- the look- on your face!" Bella wheezed, beginning the slow, careful drive back home.
When the girls returned, Bella immediately started on dinner, chicken enchiladas, and Eden went upstairs to the room. However, a short time later had the phone in the room ring and Jessica answered, and suddenly Eden didn't feel too tired.
She walked downstairs, this time heading out the front of the house and settling down on the porch.
She missed her parents. She missed Amsterdam, her home. And yet, she couldn't find it in herself to regret coming to Forks instead of into foster care. If she had stayed, she wouldn't have met Edward or Alice. She would have been more alone than ever.
A little while later, Bella came outside and joined Eden out the front.
"You'll never guess what happened to me today," Bella began, not even pausing to give her cousin the chance to answer. "Edward Cullen, your boyfriend, spoke to me. He literally told me that 'it would be better if we weren't friends'. Like Jesus, brood much? Sorry, I know you like him and all, but any chance you could get him to stop with the mood swings?"
Eden answered carefully. "He finds talking to a lot of people difficult, he can't have meant it like that. And he is not my boyfriend."
Bella frowned, waving her arms shortly. "But like, how? You guys act inseperable, and I swear this afternoon you guys were undressing each other with your eyes through his rearview mirror. Yeah, I saw that, Miss Bane."
Fortunately, Charlie's police cruiser pulled up in the driveway before Eden could think of an excuse, pushing down her blush. Bella's "we'll talk later" look screamed at Eden, and the latter poked her tongue out cheekily.
Charlie was suspicious when he came over to smell the green peppers, and he had mentally reminded himself that he was a cop, brave enough for anything. He liked it, which certainly helped for Bella and Eden. Eden had tried a bit of the food, not wanting another relapse like the bad one that day, and took a too-small serving. However, Charlie was satisfied with her eating and even Bella smiled.
"Dad?" Bella asked when he was nearly finished his food.
"Yeah, Bella?"
"Just wanted to let you know, Eden and I are going to Seattle for the day a week from Saturday, if that's alright?" Bella asked, and Eden found herself nodding along.
"Why?" He sounded surprised, and his thoughts told Eden that curiousity and suspicion were the result of his job.
"I wanted to look at a few books - the library here isn't very open, and Eden is needing a big update in her wardrobe." Bella continued, and Eden hummed in agreement before giving her cousin a dirty look.
"That truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage," he said, frowning.
"I know, we'll stop in Montesano and Olympia — and Tacoma if we have to."
Charlie continued asking. "And it'll be just you two, then?"
Eden wanted to laugh as she heard his thoughts, ranging from being suspicious of a secret boyfriend, to worrying about car trouble. Bella and Charlie exchanged a few more questions, while Eden fiddled with the tablecloth. Would Edward want to come? She didn't want to test his strength, and a car ride with Bella wouldn't help.
"I don't dance, and I'm pretty sure Eden would rather pull her hair out," Bella countered, lightening the mood as she giggled.
This, Charlie understood, and Eden received a number of memories of him in his earlier years and his own clumsiness.
"Oh, that's right."
Eden leaned back in her chair, glancing up at her roof, her mind finally relaxing to the sounds of her cousin and uncle's light conversation and the subtle smell of rain.