𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆.
chapter eighteen; Missing
" Bella's missing. "
Rowan silently drove home, not saying a word to her aunt as she rushed to her room. As much as she knew that Jasper was very well ashamed of himself for not being able to resist the urge for Bella's blood, she was swollen with anger and had yet to decide on where she should place it.
Seconds after laying herself on her bed, Rowan felt her phone buzz from her pocket. Taking it out, she saw that the very girl of the hour was calling her. She answered, not saying a word as her friend began to rant about how it was almost entirely the human's fault, and none of it being Edward's.
"Rowan, I need you to talk to me." Bella urged on the other line.
"And say what?" Rowan barked, "That everything will be fine? That I'm not worried about you constantly being in danger like this? It being a small incident?"
"Something like that." She replied, causing the witch to scoff.
"How long until all this gets you killed?" Bella quickly became silent without an answer. "As expected. I am going to hang up now." With a huff, Rowan closed her phone.
* * *
"Shh." The girl heard as morning came. She began to toss and turn in her bed due to the unfamiliar noise.
"I think she's waking up!" A voice whispered in excitement.
"Hurry, hurry." another said.
"Okay, okay." Someone spoke.
She turned towards the noise, groaning in tiredness as she slowly opened her eyes. Before her, four girls of which included her aunt were standing. Rowan quickly scooted up, rubbing her face as she came to recognize Lilura, Sacha, and Vanessa.
"Are you ready?" Evelyn smirked, coming forth with a homecooked birthday cake that carried sixteen birthday candles. They quickly lit up in a blink, and was placed onto the birthday girl's lap. "One, two-"
"Happy birthday to you!" The group began to sing, gathering around her. She blushed from all the attention centered on to her, not stopping until the song was finally over.
"Make a wish!" Lilura said as Rowan eyed her cake. It was beautifully decorated with her name written neatly in the center.
Rowan closed her eyes, attempting to come up with an idea. Witches were very considerate of their birthday wishes, fully believing the magic in hoping for something to come on such a special day. Nothing came to mind at first, until seconds later she came up with one.
I wish that this year I find what I truly want, what belongs to me. She thought, knowing that seeing the yearning that Bella had towards Edward effected her decision. Perhaps not in that way, but she wished for something that would make her feel the way Bella did for her vampire boyfriend, whatever it was.
Vanessa clapped, watching as Sacha moved the cake from Rowan's lap to her night table, and replaced it with a box. She smiled, opening the present. Inside was a short white dress, bewitching in design. The texture was lovely.
"Something tells me that you are going to be needing it in the future." Sacha said with a wink.
* * *
The Cullens did not attend school that day, which wasn't at all a surprise to Rowan. What did worry her, however, was the mindless derealization Bella seemed to have throughout the entire period of time. She had barley even had enough energy to tell her best friend happy birthday, but did so with a gift she had gotten her prior. A hand crafted box, with a hand cradling the full moon.
"So what's the plans tonight, birthday girl?" Jessica teased, taking a drink of her juice carton.
"Just a close family-friend dinner, nothing much." Vanessa answered for her.
"Oh, boo." She shrugged, "Well this weekend we have to do something at least."
"Yes!" Eric chimed in with a clap.
"Not even halfway through the day and I am already growing sick of the word birthday." Rowan whispered to the girl next to her at the lunch table.
Empethetic, Lilura decided to start a different conversation with the group. "You know, Tyler's been sending Vanessa letters. They haven't stopped keeping in contact ever since he moved."
"Oh, how romantic." Jessica swooned. She then nudged the boy next to her. "Do you write letters often, Mike?"
"Why not call?" he asked, earning an eye roll from her. "What?"
"Girls love to be romanced." Eric told him with a mouthful of lunch food. Angela gave him a look of content.
"Oh yeah?" Mike teased, throwing a ball of paper at him.
"It's more like audacious." The younger girl snorted, mimicking them. "'I miss you so much I can't bare it,' 'I can't wait to see you again,' 'I think I love you.'"
"Well we think it's sweet." Angela smiled to Vanessa. Rowan turned to a quiet Bella, as she stared at the Cullen's empty table.
"It's been like this all day." Sacha whispered from next to her, "What happened last night, it really did something."
* * *
After school, Rowan barely had enough time to set her school things down before having to get ready for dinner with the entire coven. She had on a maroon long sleeved shirt with a pair of bell-bottomed jeans. She was wearing her pendant, although it was more for decoration due to her not relying on it anymore, and her twin-flame bracelet.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she noticed that her phobe was ringing and decided to pick it up. "Hello?"
"Hey, Rowe." Jacob said from the phone.
"Jake." She smiled.
"I know you're probably busy right now, but I just wanted to call you to wish you a happy official birthday." He told her.
"Thanks," She replied, "you know you are the only person that didn't cause me to cringe when thinking about today?"
She could practically hear his smirk from the other line. "Oh yeah?"
"Mhm, I'm just looking forward to this day being over already."
"I get it, with so much attention on you..." Jacob started to say, but started to sound faint until she could no longer hear him.
"Yeah, Jacob? Are you there?" She questioned.
"Yes, I am so sorry." He apologized, "I think I have to go, my dad needs me. It sounds important. Can I call you later?"
"Of course." She nodded, "I'll see you later?"
"See ya." He said before hanging up.
She put her phone away, adjusting her hair one last time before opening her bedroom door and was immediately greeted by a very worried-looking Evelyn.
"Rowan, oh my god, Rowan. Do you know where Bella might be?" She pressed.
Rowan scrunched her face. "No, why?"
"She's missing. Charlie told me, I notified the rez."