CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ᴀᴛʟᴀs
"I'm sorry. There wasn't much to chose from," Alice's voice cut through the sound of Bella's quiet snuffles.
"It's fine, Alice," Edward said as he climbed into the back of the dark car after Bella, leaving me to the passenger seat. "They can't all be 911 turbos."
"I may have to acquire one of those legally. It was fabulous," she hummed, eyes glazing at the thought of the sports car that had gotten us to Volterra in the first place.
"I'll get you one for Christmas."
Her eyes brightened. "Yellow."
The silence in the car wasn't unwelcomed. In a way, it was our own chance at a sleep-like state, left to our own thoughts, though unprotected from prying eyes they weren't. I welcomed it openly. The night clouded roads to Rome went by like a flash, thanks to Alice's driving, but the flight to Atlanta felt like an eternity.
"This is a time where I would love to be able to sleep," I said, eyes flickering around the darkened aisle, first to the old man snoring on my right, and then to the young child, who's headphones were blaring, on Alice's left.
She chuckled, glancing my way, eyes so bright and visible against the light blue haze of the plane. "I know how you feel."
"Do you think things will ever be easy?" I asked.
"Easy?" She voiced before she paused for a second in thought. For a moment I thought it may have triggered a vision, but then her head swirled back to me, eyes glittering. Alice shook her head. "No. It'll never be easy. But, I think things have the potential to be less complicated. It may just take longer than we want."
She rested her head against my shoulder after that, the ends of her dark hair brushing smoothly against the base of my neck, hand reaching across the elbow rest. Her fingers wrapped around mine, tightening and then releasing, then tightening again, as if she was trying to keep me together, trying to reassure me that I would want to stay whole for whatever was coming. I wondered again if she'd seen something she wasn't telling me.
In front of us, Edward and Bella talked, their voice little more than a muffled whisper. And while I knew thousands of questions must have raced through her head, as they did in mine, she didn't ask them. Instead, she leaned sideways, head nuzzling into Edward's neck, similar to how Alice cuddled into mine.
Despite everything that happened, I felt a certain sense of contentedness, a blinding need to keep everything I was feeling in those moments preserved so they could never change. I would have been beyond happy, if things had stayed like that forever, with Bella and Edward connected as one and Alice and I, well, just merely together. That was enough to scare me from saying anything at all, no matter how sure I was in my revelations. It felt dangerous to ruin something good just because I wanted more, but at the same time, I'd always been so afraid of myself, that I felt as if I could do nothing else but try.
The reception that greeted us at the Airport in Atlanta didn't seem to surprise anyone. Carlisle and Esme waited in a corner, shadowed from the rising sun by a large pillar, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper standing opposite.
Bella stepped forward, letting Esme's arms wrap around her neck. It looked awkward, with Edward's own arm still hanging to her tightly, but still, I felt a twist in my stomach. Carlisle went in too, nodding and grinning to Bella in thanks. I watched Alice float away too, leaving my side to run to Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper, eyes filled with emotion.
I hung back, hand griping the shoulder strap of my bag as if it were a lifeline. Watching all the greetings, the thanks and the smiles and hugs felt too intimate, like I was invading their happy reunion. Even Bella was treated as part of the family, and though I'd protected her for being my friend, I had to admit... that I was jealous. The childish feel lay restless in my chest.
But then Esme's grin landed knowingly onto me, and I felt warm as if the sun was reflected within her welcoming gaze. She pulled me in, whispering a soft thank you in my ear. Carlisle's hand rested comfortably on my shoulder as she finally pulled away, Alice's hand gravitating to mine, pulling me away and toward the doors.
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Don't worry, there will be another chapter posted in five minutes or so. I just wanted them to be in separate chapters. Also, I don't think you're ready for this next one!