AN: Okay, so I vastly underestimated the popularity of this story and I am humbled by your responses! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review! I'm not sure how long this fic is going to be, but I know it's going to be pretty high up there in the word count. I don't have a regular update schedule, sorry to say. I've always been pretty bad at keeping to a set schedule in the past, as many can attest by my WiS fic's super inconsistent updates.
I've written up to chapter 6 so far and that's already 44k words. Hopefully, I'm going to stay on this writing streak and really pump out the updates. Thank you again to you all! I'm still having so much fun with this story. I'll try to develop the intrapersonal relationships between Bella and other non-main characters but I can't promise anything. This being 1st person POV shifting between only 3 people makes it difficult to really flesh out any side characters lol. But we'll see!
As always, please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think. If you feel like something is missing, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Alice
After we arrived back home, we were immediately intercepted by Esme who gave us an earful for attacking Edward. Her focus was on the attack itself until we informed her of the source of our ire. Then she just went on to berate us for openly demonstrating our otherworldly strength in public, which we also consoled her by iterating that we were the last students in the lot.
"Fine," she ground to a halt, still looking irritated. "But Rosalie, you have got to learn to control your instincts where your mate is concerned. Things are going to be difficult as it is since the girl is human, we don't need to add the risk of exposure to the list."
"Yes, Esme," we both chimed at the same time, a crinkling at the corner of Esme's eyes when she looked at me to include me in her glare reminding me she knew about Bella also being my mate. Rosalie and I would need to be more careful until the time comes where we can induct Bella into our world.
"And ladies?" Esme's voice pulled us up short as we turned to leave. "Edward knows what every one of us look like naked. Try not to fault him for something he can't control."
I couldn't help but snicker as we continued on our way up to our room. "That poor dear," I cried out dramatically.
"Yes," Rosalie replied, "It would be a mercy if we just put him out of his misery."
I was full-on laughing as I tumbled onto our bed, snorting as Edward's voice filtered in from his room on the second floor. "I know where you don't sleep!"
"Yeah, and we know where you sulk!" Rosalie called back with a smirk as she took up her place on the loveseat.
"I don't sulk, I brood!" he shot back. "Stop laughing Alice! I know who your mate is!"
"I will end you!" I screamed back, out of the room and down a flight of stairs in an instant just as his door slammed in my face. His high-pitched giggle from the other side of the door almost had me tearing through the barrier to get at him before Esme's voice drifted to me from downstairs.
"If you break that door, I will let Emmett choose your outfits for the next month!" I froze, my hand hovering in front of the door like a dead weight. Oh that was just evil!
"Do it, do it, do it!" was Emmett's two-cents, and I'll admit I was sorely tempted. But fashion eventually won out over the need to throttle my asshole of a brother.
"I know your secret," I whispered just loud enough for Edward to hear, his gasp satisfying as I grinned at the wood. I returned to my room, pouting while Rosalie hummed from her seat. "I would threaten to scratch up his Volvo if I didn't know you would have to fix it."
The blonde's chuckle was enough to raise my spirits a bit. Any sign of happiness from Rosalie was more than enough to soothe any irritation I was feeling. It was a sign of the changes finding her mate was having on her, the freely given smiles and teasing words was something that had once been withheld even from Emmett when they were dating.
Smiling softly, I tossed a pillow at the woman who deftly snatched it out of the air, swiftly tucking it behind her head. "Thanks. Say, what do you think about inviting Bella over this weekend?"
The question caught me off guard, but a quick glimpse into the future brought another pout to my lips. "Sadly, the sun is going to be out starting Friday afternoon lasting until Sunday, so we're going to have to skip out on school."
Rosalie's sigh was heavy and I completely understood. I wanted to spend as much time with our mate as possible, and having to take off from school meant a whole day and a weekend without the beautiful brunette. Sometimes being a vampire really sucks.
"Being a vampire sucks," Rosalie repeated aloud, drawing a giggle from me as I thought of the coming days. I was planning out my current wardrobe, what outfits I could put together in order to best entice ma belle and draw out more of those adorable little blushes. We had to enjoy them while they lasted, considering vampires can't blush.
"Yeah, but just think," I added, "Eventually our little Bella is going to become one of us and then we'll never have to worry about her being separated from us again."
Rosalie's sigh was somehow both heavy and light with emotion, a feat I'm sure only the blonde could pull off. "I still worry about that. I want her to join us, don't get me wrong, but I don't want her to wind up hating me for taking her away from her family and friends. She'll have to come to terms with the fact that she's going to have to watch the people she loves grow old and die while she's stuck with us."
Nodding, I watched Rosalie's gaze turn distant. It was one of the few downfalls of being immortal, having to experience the pain of losing everyone to time while remaining frozen in stone. "I happen to think she'll take to being immortal with gusto! She's a strong person, so willing to stand up for her beliefs and ideals despite the thoughts and opinions of others. I'm sure that will translate over into being a vampire."
Rosalie pursed her lips before a small smile lifted them. "You're right, pipsqueak. Bella has an incredibly strong will for a human. I look forward to whatever tomorrow brings, so long as she'll be there waiting."
My smile was just as soft as I continued to observe the other woman. Whispering half to myself, I murmured, "Whatever tomorrow brings..."
Bella
The next few days followed a similar pattern in that I was suddenly inundated with the overwhelming attention from my two personal goddesses, as well as half the male seniors. I'd already had to field requests for dates from both Eric and Mike, both of which didn't seem to know how to take 'no' for an answer.
Luckily I still had classes with my two lovely ladies, whom I still had no clue how I of all people had drawn their attentions. Alice was as straight-forward and upfront with her interest as someone can get, while Rosalie simply stated her thoughts bluntly and without even a hint of hesitation. Well, if I looked even half as gorgeous as she did, I would have a bit of an ego as well. Still, my face had taken on a perpetual flush around the two girls, especially since Rosalie had taken it upon herself to walk me to half of my classes for the first part of the day, and Alice covered the second half of the day after lunch.
They still sat with their family at their usual table, but they would spend most of the lunch period shooting either texts or looks across the cafeteria. Hell, even Lauren had picked up on the attention I was getting, her snide comments about me 'stringing along every boy and girl in the school' making me roll my eyes. I refused to acknowledge her bitchy attitude, considering the only individuals I cared about were sitting across the room from me, shooting glares at the girl at my side as if they had overheard.
I had begun to notice things like that these last few days. Not only did my ladies seem to always know what was going on around both themselves and me, but they reacted to things outside of their field of purview. For instance, the death glare Rosalie was shooting Lauren as if she knew exactly what she'd just said to me. Or the way they always seemed to be there when I started to trip or fall over perfectly offensive surfaces.
And the ice cold feel of their skin, or the matching golden-hued eyes. The solid feel of their bodies (Alice seemed to find every excuse to press or lean up against me), so strong in a way that belied their delicate femininity. Maybe I was just being paranoid. I mean, it's normal to look for flaws in otherwise flawless individuals. Hell, even their brothers were gorgeous, perfect in ways that no mere mortals should be.
I got so used to seeing the girls, hanging off their proffered arms while being escorted between classes. So it came as a shock when Friday came around and neither girl was waiting for me in the parking lot that morning. A quick check of my phone revealed apology texts coming in simultaneously.
Eris: 'I'm so sorry! I completely forgot we had planned a family camping trip this weekend!'
Satan: 'Please forgive me for not being there this morning. Our family pulls out of school on clear days to take a family retreat together.'
Not gonna lie, I had a pout on my lips to rival Alice after reading their messages. How do you forget to let someone know you were going off on a planned family event? I could understand Alice forgetting, the girl was a bit all over the place at times, but Rosalie? I doubt that girl would forget what the temperature was three weeks prior.
Then I realized how I was acting and sighed. I shook my head at my childish reaction before shooting off a reply to both girls. 'Oh how shall I cope without the presence of my own personal goddesses?! Woe is me, woe is me!'
I had to remind myself that these girls, while perfect and beautiful and so sweetly attentive, were not mine. I had no claim to them and, despite their assurances that they actively did want to be my friend, they were their own people and I would just have to learn to walk myself to classes for the day. I could do that.
By the time lunch came around, I was in a right foul mood. I don't know how I had gotten so used to having those two around so quickly, but somehow everything felt dim without them here. Like, everything I had come to enjoy about my school experience was missing, all because of these two girls.
I was slumped into my seat at the lunch table, picking at the pizza I had chosen (not like the school cooked anything else worthy of being called 'food'). It was Lauren who eventually butted her smug nose in when she noticed my sour mood.
"Missing the Cullens?" I swear, if I wasn't so down I would have gladly smacked that smirk off her face. "Their dad always pulls them out of school when its a clear day. Something about the family 'enjoying the splendor of nature' or some mess." She actually reached over and patted my hand patronizingly. "Don't worry, your little princesses will be back by Monday."
I glared at the girl, hand clenching into a solid fist as I prepared to break either her jaw or my hand, only to jerk at the sound of my phone going off. It was an incoming call from Rosalie's phone, a smile instantly breaking out over my face. I quickly tossed my leftover lunch and bolted out of the cafeteria before answering.
"To what do I owe the honor of your dulcet tones, Aphrodite?" Yeah, I still don't know where the hell this confidence was coming from, but you know, gift horses and all that.
"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?!" I found myself laughing at Alice's playfully irate tone in the background, while listening to the lovely sound of Rosalie's laughter rumbling in my ear. She had apparently put me on speaker.
"Isis, my little moon goddess! And how are you doing?"
The titillating giggle that followed was as adorable as it was enticing. "We're doing okay, but we missed you so we decided to surprise you!"
There was a sound of shuffling before Rosalie's voice vibrated through the line. "Truly, what did we ever do before we met you, little darling?"
Smirking, I had to look at the phone in disbelief before addressing that. "Probably led far more interesting and exciting lives. I am not a wealth of exhilaration, let's be honest here."
"I call bullshit," Rosalie instantly replied, causing my mouth to gape at the crude response.
"Right!" I had to jerk my head away from the phone as Alice's voice nearly screeched directly into my ear. "You're a fascinating and infinitely beautiful creature, ma belle! And we won't let anyone say differently, including you!"
I found myself laughing even as the all-too-familiar blush heated my cheeks. "Fine, fine, I surrender. I throw myself on your mercy."
"Our 'mercy,' huh?" I almost groaned at the implied quotations, knowing that whatever was about to come out of Alice's mouth was going to jumble my brain. "Is that what you want to throw yourself on?"
Predictably, there went my last two brain cells exploding into a hormone-induced meltdown. All I could do was struggle past the lump that was now solidly caught in my throat, my mind filled with all the possible places I'd like to throw myself.
"I think you broke her," came Rosalie's chuckled response and I swear my body clenched at the sound being projected right into my ear.
"You're both going to be the death of me," I eventually gasped out, voice breathy in a way that was totally beyond my control.
Rosalie's voice wasn't quite enough to drown out Alice's "la petite mort!" as the blonde seemed to move the phone away from the pixie girl. "I think we both knew that was coming, so I'm just going to apologize for my sister's mind residing in the gutter and wish you well on the rest of your school day."
Almost as if she'd planned it, the bell rang for the end of lunch. Laughing at the timing, as well as blushing furiously at Alice's not-so-candid sexual reference, I simply rolled my eyes. "Goodbye, my goddesses. Soak up some of that sunshine for me."
"Will do!" came Alice's perky voice once again closer to the phone, as if she hadn't just casually referenced having an orgasm.
"Goodbye, little darling. Feel free to call or text us if you have need." I couldn't keep the adoring smile from my face as I blew a kiss into the phone, pressing the End Call button right after.
With a heavy sigh, I tucked my phone away before turning towards the main building for my next class. These two girls are going to test every bit of restraint I possibly have.
Rosalie
"Seriously, Alice? 'La petite mort'? That's how you decide to distract the girl?!" I wasn't really upset, but damn. Alice should know better! I know she means well but I didn't want her pushing my mate away with her overenthusiastic way with words.
"Hey," she protested with a pout, "I said we needed to call her before she got into a fight. I didn't say how we would distract her. Besides," she grinned suddenly, "Did you hear that catch in her breath? Little Bella already has experience with that little death."
Groaning at that thought, because thanks Alice, I let my head thud back against the tree I was sitting against. Alice and I had decided to go for a hunt together, something we'd been doing more and more this week. We had been relaxing after cleaning up our kills when Alice's eyes had glazed over in the usual manner when she had a vision.
It only lasted a few seconds but as soon as her face cleared, she was grabbing me and tearing her way towards the edge of the town. "We need cell service!" she'd briefly explained when I asked what was going on.
When we finally got back in service range, we were still on the outskirts of the town, with several yards of forest to continue to hide in. "Call her," Alice had demanded. "We need to distract her before she gets into a fight."
Growling, I had dialed her almost immediately, hating that I had had to leave my mate to whatever fate was about to befall her. It wasn't until after the call ended that Alice finally went into more detail, only expounding on my hatred for the little twat named Lauren.
"Bella was about to punch Lauren Mallory for mocking her about missing us." This brought a smile to my face, thinking on the fiery nature of my little Bella-mou. "Unfortunately, this would have gotten her suspended for three days and I absolutely refuse to miss out on the opportunity to see our Bella."
Nodding, I pulled her into a side hug. These instances of initiating physical contact were becoming more and more frequent as well, at least with Alice. Somehow, just the very existence of Bella as my mate had shifted something within me. I felt warm, and filled with this happy little light that I could only attribute to Bella. My smile came easier now, whereas before it had been forced at the best of times, and nonexistent more often than not.
I had grown so used to hiding behind my sneering mask of indifference that when I'd seen the girl across the cafeteria that first day, it was like I could literally feel the ice shattering from around my heart. Where before there was anger and distance, there was suddenly closeness and love.
Love. That was a word I had long ago tossed aside. Oh, I loved my family, but I also knew that I had to keep them at a distance. Not only for myself, but for their protection as well. Things broke around me. People changed, hearts soured, love failed. Then Bella Swan had come barreling through in her clumsy, klutzy way and uprooted every single defense I thought would never fall.
I knew Alice could see it, too. She was almost attached at my hip these days, especially during the weekend I had to spend away from Bella. I found myself drawing comfort from the pipsqueak, her near constant presence and open affection welcome now in a way it had never been before. I trusted her above all else, save for Bella. I knew she, too, would protect Bella with her very last unnecessary breath.
Bella liked Alice, too. It was plain to see, but I didn't feel threatened by it. If Alice's presence in the girl's life was a positive boon then I saw no reason to worry. My mate was so perfect and with every little bit I learned about her, the more I fell for her.
And fall for her I was, no mistake about it. She might be my destined mate, but she was so much more! She was funny, and sarcastic, and intelligent, and so many things-I could go on and on and still never run out of positive things to say about her. But she was also self-conscious about her looks and I couldn't stand to see the doubt that sometimes appeared in her eyes when she peered at us.
But then again, her stubbornness could rival Alice's and that was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying, because I knew if the girl asked, I would do just about anything for her. And that in itself was terrifying, because I had to be so very careful. With her being a human, our interactions had to be slow and deliberate, because just the slightest pressure could break the girl without even thinking.
I couldn't wait for the day when such restraint wouldn't be necessary anymore, but for the time being I was going to enjoy the hunt. Because whether the girl knew it or not, I was an apex predator and she was my most desired prey.
With a feral grin, I let loose a chuckle that was matched by Alice at my side. Yes, this was going to be fun.
Alice
I honestly could watch Rosalie all day long when it was just the two of us, when she let down the last of her defenses and was just...Rosalie. The purely happy, excited, loving woman that Bella inspired her to be. I had taken to guessing what was going through that pretty blonde head of hers during the times her expressions began to change with her inner-dialogue.
The grin she settled on in the end was easy for me to put to thought, and when she chuckled I couldn't help but match it with my own. Oh yes, I couldn't wait to continue our little seduction of one Bella Swan. Because that was what we were doing at this point.
Admittedly, I didn't think we would fall this easily into courting the girl, but our interactions with Bella just came so easily that our instincts insisted we stake our claim in some way. I don't think Bella quite understood just how interested we were in her, but the last few days definitely showed a definitive progression in our pursuits. That little 'la petite mort' I let slip earlier was definitely pushing it but I couldn't help myself.
If I was honest with myself, I couldn't quite get the image of a half-naked Bella out of my head most nights. Gods, she was gorgeous. That girl hid a luscious body beneath her baggy clothing and I'll be damned if I wasn't going to talk that girl into modelling some new outfits as soon as possible. I already had the designs drawn up in my head, I just needed to begin working on them. Maybe that would distract me from thinking about the beautiful body I was attempting to cover up.
Groaning, I leaped to my feet. "Let's head back. The others are going to start wondering if we've snuck off to see Bella."
Rosalie's chuckle followed me as we began making our way back. "I can't say I haven't thought about it, but we can't reveal ourselves just yet. Despite the fact that she's already revealed herself to you. I'm still jealous over that!"
I laughed at my sister's plight, moving swiftly through the wooded area. "I'm sure if you asked nicely, little Bella would gladly strip for you." I dodged to the left around a large tree just as Rosalie's clawed hand swiped at me.
"Brat!" she yelled, the nearly silent sound of her footfalls gaining on me quickly. I barely had time to brace myself before strong arms tackled me down into the underbrush, a carefree laugh echoing from me into the surrounding woods.
I turned over onto my back beneath her, smiling happily up at the grinning blonde. I swept her hair back behind her ear, earning me a soft, loving look. "Your smile is so precious," I murmured, my chest warming as I thought of how that very smile came from Bella. "You could steal that girl's heart with it."
The look on her face went from smiling shyly to frowning in confusion. "Why are you so adamant about helping me with Bella? Wouldn't you rather focus on your own mate?"
I couldn't help the little giggle that left my lips. "You don't see everything, mon fleur. I have been wooing my mate. I don't think you would notice if the world was ending around you, with Bella in front of you."
I laughed at the silly grin that spread across her lips. "You're probably right. That girl just draws me in with every single part of her. Her smile, her laugh, gods her smell!" She cut off with a groan, a shared shudder passing between us as I could just imagine that delectable scent. "Anyway, before you sidetrack me with thoughts of Bella," she glared playfully down at me, and it was only then that I realized she was still practically on top of me. "If you need help with your mate, I wouldn't mind returning the favor. It's only fair."
It was strange in a way that wasn't strange at all, but I was entirely comfortable with this woman's weight resting on top of me. Again, it would seem that this shared mate thing had us both completely relaxed in each others' presence. "I'll keep that in mind, but for now let us focus our attention on Bella. As I'm sure that is sooo hard for you to do."
Rosalie's snort was both delicate and derisive in a playful way that was still so strange to see in the formerly closed-off woman. "As if that girl would ever be far from my thoughts." With that she finally leaped to her feet, offering me her hand. Taking it, I jumped up to stand beside her before we both began making our way back to the house.
Bella
Gym was hell that Friday. Normally, I would be teaming up with Alice and Emmett (who, it turns out, is a giant man-child who loves gaming and hates sports) with whatever sport we were being forced into by the Coach. Only, now I was practically alone and today was the illustrious dodgeball day we'd been promised (threatened).
I groaned for the third time that period as I failed to dodge a vicious throw from Lauren who appeared to have some kind of vendetta against me. I have no idea what I did to piss this girl off but I'll be damned if every single Out I received during the game didn't come from her. At least the early bashings I was receiving from the annoying rubber balls was giving me plenty of time to sit in the stands and text my ladies.
Eris: 'My life simply has no meaning without you!'
I smirked and rolled my eyes as I replied. 'Dramatic much? I mean, surely the Cullen ladies can survive a few days without all of this *gestures at my dirty gym pants and sweat-stained t-shirt*'
I was having fun with the back-and-forth with Alice but even I had to admit I was missing those girls something fierce. Made that much worse by Rosalie's text.
Satan: 'I miss you. As the flower misses the sun upon its setting."
Fuck. I had to swallow against the lump that rose up in my throat. Holy shit, how do I come back from that?!
'A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but my Rose is delicate and her thorns more than worth pricking for.'
I had to blink several times as I reread the text I'd just sent. I'm just going to give up wondering about how fucking smooth I've become with these two, 'cause it's gotten bloody ridiculous.
Eris: 'Sorry, dirty girl, but I've seen you mostly naked. I know what you hide beneath that atrocious attire.'
The sound of my choking drew a few curious glances as I felt myself flush, this heat having nothing to do with the day's physical exertions and everything to do with Alice friggin' Cullen! Before I could even begin to think of a reply to that (because, yeah, even I'm not smooth enough to have a comeback to that right away), a new text arrived from Rosalie.
Satan: 'Roses, red and glowing, amongst the thorns are growing. All the thorns I keep for me, all the Roses are for thee.'
Not gonna lie, I swooned a bit. If it weren't for the gathered students around me, I probably would have released a most pathetic squeal, but I settled for just grinning like a love-sick fool. Because seriously, if I wasn't already half in-love with these girls then I don't know what.
First, to address Alice. 'Are you literally trying to kill me here? I think every ounce of blood in my body just flooded my face. You can't just say things like that!' There, that was a reasonable reply, right?
I had to stop and really think of a good reply for Rosalie as well. We were on some sort of poetic streak and I didn't want to break it. But I also wanted to one-up her and see if I could throw the girl off the way she and her sister were prone to do for me.
'And would you spare a thorn for a gentle heart, yearning to feel the pain of unbridled love?' I had to pause in my writing several times, reading and rereading my freestyle poem before finally sending it off as is. Who knew I had a poet's heart in me?
The bleat of the Coach's whistle drew everyone's attention. "Alright, that's it for today! Make sure you keep up your warm-ups at home this weekend and I'll see you all on Monday!" And with that, we all made our way to the locker rooms to change.
I was out in the parking lot waiting for Charlie when Mike called me over to his group. Sighing, I joined them with a small smile, trying hide my annoyance at seeing Lauren there. But with Angela also there, I felt more relaxed, which was probably why I missed Mike's initial question.
"What?" I asked when I realized they were all staring at me, awaiting an answer.
"I said," Mike said with a laugh, "A bunch of us are heading down to La Push this weekend for some beach time. I asked if you wanted to join us." His easy, confident smile was almost endearing, if not for the leers I've caught coming my way when he didn't think I was looking.
"Um, I don't know. Me and water don't get along." The last time I'd gone swimming, I'd slipped and nearly broke my arm on the side of the pool. I wasn't even in the water!
"It'll be fine," came Angela's quiet, shy tone. "We don't always go in the water. I just go for the scenery." I would have laughed at the way her eyes drifted over to another male student (Ben, I think his name was) before looking down at her hands.
"Yeah, come on, Bella!" came Eric's overenthusiastic addition. "It'll be fun, I promise."
Finally giving up, I agreed to go with them. Since I still didn't have a ride of my own, Angela volunteered to pick me up tomorrow at noon. I think the only reason I agreed to this outing was to get my mind off of missing a certain pair of wondrously beautiful sisters. Gods I'm pathetic.
It was nearly four by the time we got home. When we pulled into the driveway, there were two other vehicles parked there already. One was an old rusty truck that I wouldn't be able to name for the life of me. I bet Rosalie would know. Ugh, I managed to go without thinking of them for about half an hour this time, personal best.
That was a bit of info we'd exchanged in the interim of the last few days. Apparently, Rosalie was a car-nut, spending her spare time actually working on the vehicles her family owned. Like, this woman wasn't just hot, she was sexy grease-monkey hot. I didn't even know that would be a type for me! And then there was Alice, who was a literal fashionista who designed her own clothes in her spare time.
When we got out, Charlie was walking over to the truck. "What do you think?" he asked, leaning casually against it.
"Uh, what do I think about what?" I blinked, unsure of where Charlie was going with this.
"Well, I can't keep taking you back and forth to school, so I thought it was about time you had a pair of wheels of your own." He slapped the side of the truck for effect, my gaze settling on the vehicle for several seconds before it finally set in.
"You got me a truck?!" I practically shouted, causing Charlie to wince.
His smile looked strange on his face but I have to give him A for effort. Before he could comment, a young man stepped out of the other car nearby, helping what looked to be an older Native American gentleman into a wheelchair. "Actually," Charlie continued, "I bought it off of Billy here, but it didn't get running until today."
Slowly, Billy wheeled himself forward, a kind, easy smile on his wrinkled, tanned face. "Hey there, Bella. Billy Black," he offered his hand which I shook, meeting his black eyes with a confused smile. "Boy, last time I saw you you were a little thing."
Turning, Billy addressed the young man at his side, a black-haired boy of similar complexion to the old man. "You remember my son, Jacob?"
There was definitely something familiar about him, but I couldn't place it. He had very gorgeous features, gentle yet solid, his long jet-black hair almost framing his face. "We used to make mud-pies together," the boy laughed, and I had a vague recollection, but seriously, they couldn't really expect me to remember something from that long ago.
"Bella," I said, shaking his proffered hand before addressing Billy again. "Thanks for the truck." I jolted, then turned to my dad, "You too, of course, you bought it."
The men laughed at my awkward fumbling before Billy gestured to Jacob. "It's Jacob you should really thank. He's the one who got her running."
I felt my eyes widen as I returned my gaze to Jacob, his boyish smile almost bashful as he scratched the back of his head. "I rebuilt the engine. Why don't you fire it up!"
And that's how I wound up with my very first car-truck, whatever. I spent a little more time talking with Jacob while Charlie dragged Billy (literally) up the stairs into the house. Eventually, I was able to sneak away to my room, claiming exhaustion from Gym. The first thing I did was toss my new set of keys into my beside table, reaching for my phone.
Eris: 'Are we sure that's where your blood was pooling? Are we 100% certain?'
'Oh come on, that's stepping over the line?'
'I'm sorry, please love me! :_( '
I had to force back a harsh laugh at the girl's antics, my face once again taking on its new shade of red. 'Calm down, Tiny Goddess, I just got home from school. Dad got me a new truck! Yesss, freedom!' I was half tempted to ask if I could come visit them now, but I felt that might be pushing a little. If they wanted to see me, then they would invite me over, right?
Satan: 'And so I wait for you like a lonely house
'til you will see me again and live in me.
'Til then my windows ache.'
And just...fuck. This blonde goddess was not going to make this easy on me, was she? This felt deep, far deeper than two friends of barely a week of knowing each other should be talking. So why, then, did it feel so perfectly natural to embrace these feelings and return them? And I knew just which sonnet to send back.
Take this, Aphrodite!
Rosalie
The ping of my phone going off brought a smile to my face as I prepared myself for what Bella would come up with next.
Bella-mou: 'Only do not forget, if I wake up crying
it's only because in my dream I'm a lost child
hunting through the leaves of the night for your hands...'
Oh hell, this girl was going to be the end of me. The warmth spreading through my chest was so overwhelming, so all-consuming that I had to hold back a gasp. Pablo Neruda was one of my favorite poets, and not only had she recognized my use of one of his sonnets but had chosen one to return so quickly that she had to have known it off the top of her head.
I was in love.
That was it, it was simply inevitable from the moment I met her eyes, but I never expected it to come upon me so quickly. I didn't expect it to fill me with so much emotion that my eyes water with tears that would never fall. I didn't know that it could be so...everything...that my empty, shallow existence could be filled so irrevocably and completely with all that is Bella.
Gods, why did it have to be a clear day all weekend?! I wanted-needed my mate with me. I wanted to feel her warm arms around me. I wanted to wrap her up against me and never let her go. This ache was so painful, I was sure my chest would crumble beneath the avalanche of feeling. I hardly noticed when Alice giggled from her place on the bed.
And so I did the only thing I could, I sent another text, putting my heart on the line with bated breath burning with a love so profound I knew no other way to express it.
Bella
I had waited a while for Rosalie's reply that I had almost given up. Alice, on the other hand, was quick to come back.
Eris: 'So you're saying you do love me?! I could flyyyyy!'
I could only smirk playfully at the girl's text. If only she knew. Actually, 'If you only knew...' Fuck it, if I was in for a penny, might as well go in for a pound.
Her immediate response surprised me, only for me to laugh at the brief, 'Eep!' she'd sent. Seems like I could turn the tables just as easily as they could. Score 1, Bella.
I was riding high on my little victory, until Rosalie's reply pinged my phone.
Satan: 'I do not love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.'
The heavy pulsing of my heart was the only sound in the room. So quiet, so steady, yet suddenly thudding in a way it hadn't before. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! It was official, I was completely broken, shattered into pieces by something as simple as words. Words that held meaning. Words that felt. Words that I struggled to endure as they breathed new life into my heart.
Part of me knew that we were in a sort of competition of prose. Part of me knew this more than likely was just more playful banter and it couldn't possibly hold weight. Not for her, not for the blonde goddess of a woman whom I still couldn't understand why she was my friend in the first place.
But I felt them, like a stone pulling me deeper and deeper into depths I never expected to even contemplate, let alone experience first hand. I didn't know what to do, what to say. I was halfway convinced this was just a furthering of our weird friendship and teasing. I simply couldn't reconcile the idea that this could have meaning.
And so, with nothing more than my beating heart and feelings jumbling together in my mind, I sent one last text for the night.
'I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.'