*I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.
Chapter 1
The lights were off as Evie walked up the pathway to the front door. The house looked the same from all those years ago when she and her mom would visit her cousin Bella and Uncle Charlie. Her mom, Katherine always liked the small town feel of Forks Washington. Her mom loved growing up with her cousin Charlie, who was more like a brother and Billy Black who lived on the Quileute Indians Reservation in La Push Washington. Evie took a deep breath trying to force the back tears.
Evie missed her mom but knew that with chemo and radiation treatments, traveling was a big NO for her mom. She felt guilty leaving her mom back in California. She missed home. The sound of the waves breaking and crashing as the tide washed up on the beach. That was best sound in the world. She frowned as she thought of home. Her chest began to tighten as she thought of her mom and home.
She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She knew her Uncle was home. His police cruiser was parked behind what she assumed was her cousin Bella's Chevy truck, aka the thing. She smiled thinking that there was no mistaking that this house belonged to the Chief of Police. She always thought it was cool that her Uncle was the Chief.
She glanced at the truck once more as she remembered Bella e-mailing about her 'new' truck and boyfriend…Edward. At least she thought that was his name but she wasn't quite sure. But there was also Bella's best friend Jacob. It made Evie wonder if Jacob was Jacob Black. He had a huge crush on Bella when they were younger. He was always a happy kid with a big grin permanently plastered on his face. The porch light turned on, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Can I help…Evie?" Charlie looked stunned. He blinked a few times before he broke out into a smile. It only lasted a few seconds. "What are you doing here? I thought you arrived on Monday." He opened the door to let her in. She grabbed her bag and walked in. She noticed her Uncle still had his mustache.
"Mom gave you the wrong day," she began to explain. "She's been a bit off on her days. She meant Friday not Monday. I took a cab." He gave her a look. "Uncle Charlie, I take the bus all the time. It's almost the same thing." He scowled at her. She dropped her bag by the couch in the living room.
"I can't believe how grown up you look," he said rubbing the back of his neck. "You look so much like your mother." He could feel his throat tighten. Katherine didn't deserve the pain she was going through. She was always so full of life. It didn't matter that Kathy was only his cousin. He always thought of her as his kid sister. Both being only children, brought them together. "How's your mom doing?" He could see the hesitation in her eyes. He wouldn't wish Cancer on his worst enemy.
"Umm…," Evie responded. She shifted from one foot to the other. "Mom's holding up." She pushed the lump in her throat away. "She's tough," she added clearing her throat. "Sorry we missed Bella's graduation." She pulled her hair way from her face. "Mom wasn't up for traveling and I didn't want to leave her so soon after everything that happen."
"I understand Evie," Charlie nodded with a sad look on his face.
He motioned for her to take a seat. Evie looked around the room and smiled. It looked exactly the same as it did four years ago. The couch and recliner were exactly the same. They were even in the same spot. She smiled thinking of the last time she was here. They celebrated her twelve birthday here. Her dad showed up to help celebrate.
There were pictures of Bella through the years all around the room. There were a few of Bella, Jacob Black and her when Bella was six and Jacob and Evie were four, sitting on the dock while Uncle Charlie and Billy Black, Jacob's father, fished. There was also one of the three of them covered from head to toe in mud, Bella was five and Jacob and Evie were three.
"Where's Bella?" she asked taking a seat.
Charlie shifted uncomfortably. "She's with her boyfriend," he replied. It looked like the word boyfriend left a bad taste in his mouth. "She should be home…," he stopped talking when the front door opened and they heard voices.
"I'm just saying Bells," a male voice said. The voice sounded familiar.
Charlie and Evie stood up as Bella and a very tall guy walked into the living room. His dark skin was a beautiful shade of brown. His black hair was as dark as night. Evie's eyes connected with the tall guy for just a moment, but the dark pool of his eyes were familiar and friendly. His physique was nice to look as his dark blue shirt hugged every muscle on his chest and arms. The cutoff denim shorts showed off his muscular legs. The fact that he wasn't wearing shoes didn't deter from his overall presence. She quickly looked at his eyes.
"Jacob," she asked a bit uncertain. The recognition in his eyes made her smile.
"Evie," he said with a big goofy smile. He crossed the room in two steps and engulfed her in a hug. "It's been forever since I've seen you." He pulled away and they laughed. He still looked the same except for the growth spurt.
"I know," she replied returning his huge grin. "You're huge. I have to crane my neck back just to see you." She was looking up at him.
"That's Jake, the giant," Bella added with a laugh. Evie and Bella looked at each other and smiled.
Bella looked exactly the same, mahogany hair with chocolate brown eyes. She was still as pale as ever. She really stood out next to Jacob. He was looking at Bella as if she was the only girl in the world. Hmm she wonders how the boyfriend feels about this or if he even noticed.
"Bella, you look great," Evie said pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry mom and I missed your graduation." Bella hugged her back. "I've missed you."
"Me too," she replied before pulling away. "I thought you were coming next week?" she asked a bit confused.
"Mom gave Uncle Charlie the wrong day," Evie answered. Jacob sighed.
"You knew she was coming and you didn't tell me," he grumbled. Evie laughed at Jacob's expression.
"I wanted to surprise you," Bella quickly responded with a smile. "Besides I'm pretty sure the last thing Evie wanted was another mud pie in the face." She looked at Evie and laughed.
Evie turned and scowled at Jacob. "That's right. You shoved it in my face and mouth," she exclaimed hitting him in the arm. "Ouch," she cried out looking at her hand. He laughed as she shook her hand. "Your arm is like a concrete wall." They laughed except Charlie, who was watching them with a weird look. "Hey what happened to your hand Bella?" she questioned her cousin as she lifted her bandaged hand.
Jacob ruffled Evie's hair before standing next to Bella. She couldn't help but notice how Jacob and Bella moved towards each other. It was almost like a dance. Their bodies glided along to their own beat.
"That would be me," Jacob admitted reluctantly. He felt bad that Bella got hurt, but it did force her to face the fact that she loved him or so he hoped. They took a seat on the couch.
"Figures it was you," Evie stated with a smile. She took a seat next to Bella and Charlie sat on the recliner.
"How long are you here for?" Jacob asked leaning back and throwing his arm around the back of the couch.
Bella looked at Jacob. Something passed between them but Evie wasn't sure what it was. "A few days," she answered. "My dad is taking me to Hawaii for my birthday next week."
Jacob let out a low whistle. "Must be nice," he said smiling. "My sister Rebecca lives in Hawaii with her husband."
"Wow, I didn't know that Rebecca was married. Where's Rachel?" Evie asked. "How's your dad?" She loved hearing Billy's commanding voice when he told stories.
"She's in college," Jacob replied. "She works during the summer and takes classes as well. Dad is okay." He had one of Bella's hands in his own. He was playing with her fingers.
The phone rang. "I'll get it," Charlie volunteered.
"How's Aunt Kathy?" Bella asked in a soft tone. Evie could hear the sadness in her voice.
"Mom's okay. She was more worried about me," Evie quickly responded. "She thought it would be a good idea for me to visit here until my dad gets back from Japan." Jacob raised his eyebrows. "He's on a photo shoot," she explained. "That's one of the reasons he is taking me to Hawaii for my birthday. He has another photo shoot in Hawaii and decided to mix business and pleasure."
"Wait, your birthday was in March," Bella said with a confused look.
"Hey that's right," Jacob added. "Your birthday is after mine." He leaned forward but kept Bella's hand in his.
"Yeah, you're both right. He was in Paris for my birthday," Evie replied. "It's a late birthday present." She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She couldn't deny the hurt she felt when he called apologizing for missing her birthday. That was the second time he cancelled their Hawaiian vacation.
"I can't wait to see him," Bella smiled. "I remember Uncle Mitchell would put on puppet show for us." She moved a bit closer to Jacob. His body heat kept her warm.
"Oh, yeah," Jacob exclaimed. "Whenever we got bored, he would make up these funny stories with puppets." He laughed making Evie and Bella laugh too.
"You'll get to see him in a few days," Evie pointed out. "This will give me time to meet your boyfriend." The happy atmosphere suddenly changed to awkward.
Bella looked sideways at Jacob before giving me a polite smile. Jacob's jaw tighten as he tensed up a little bit. He looked away for a moment. Bella touched his arm and he relaxed. Evie wondered if Bella realized the effect she had on him or the effect he had on her.
"You will meet him tomorrow actually," Bella answered. She looked away when Jacob turned towards her. The small smile on his face made her nervous.
"That sounds like fun," Charlie said in a sarcastic tone as he took his seat on the recliner.
"Dad," Bella scolded. The tension in the air was building up. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Actually, you, Evie and I will be in La Push tomorrow," Charlie stated. Bella looked worried but Jacob had a huge smile on his face.
"But I have plans with Edward and Alice tomorrow," Bella said looking at Charlie. "Maybe we can go to La Push another day." She knew Edward would be upset about her going to La Push. In her peripheral vision she could see the huge grin on Jacob's face.
"I'm sorry kiddo but Billy, Sam and Emily are throwing you a graduation party. They felt bad missing the party at the Cullen's," he said. But he didn't sound sorry at all.
"Maybe we could all head over to La Push," Evie suggested but she could see Jacob's jawline tighten up again and Bella looked scared. "Or not," she quickly added. She placed a hand over her mouth as she yawned.
Bella glared at Jacob. "You knew about this didn't you?" she asked. No wonder he wasn't pouting about her spending time with Edward.
"Why don't you girls head upstairs and set up the roll away bed I put in Bella's room," Charlie suggested as he placed a hand on Bella's shoulder.
"Sorry, but I am a bit tired," Evie commented as another yawn came out. "It took a while to get mom setup at the facility." She grabbed her bag as she followed Bella.
"I'll see you both tomorrow," Jacob called out as Bella and Evie headed upstairs. They waved bye to him.
"The bathroom is right here," Bella said pointing to a door. "Char…my dad's room is there and this is my room," she finished as she swung open the door.
"It looks exactly like when we were kids," Evie said walking into the room. She looked around the room. Everything was the same except the computer on the desk. "Remember when we used the closet as an elevator," she asked laughing.
Bella laughed. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We pretended to take the elevator at the Empire State Building," she continued to laugh. "Dad didn't change it much over the years." She walked over to the roll away bed. "It's not that comfortable but it's better than the couch," she said.
They unfolded the bed and added sheets. Bella walked to her closet and pulled out a comforter. Evie grabbed her bag and bounced on the bed. Bella shook her head at her cousin.
Evie pulled out some pajamas. "It'll be fine. I'm only here for a few days," she commented as she gathered her stuff. "Besides I'm more interested in spending time with you and Jake and being a teenager for a while." She knew the next few months would be hard.
Bella grabbed her arm. "I can only imagine what you've been going through, but I'm here if you want to talk," she said with tears in her eyes.
"Thanks," Evie whispered as she tried to push the lump in her throat aside. "Do you want to change first?" She needed to stay strong. Her mom needed her to stay focused.
"No," Bella replied as she patted Evie's arm. She looked at her phone on the nightstand. "You go first. I need to umm….call Edward and explain about tomorrow." This would most likely be a conversation that would make her feel guilty for spending time with Jake. Somehow it would feel like she was choosing Jake over Edward.
Bella looked worried but Evie didn't feel like pressuring her. She smiled and walked out of the room. She headed to the bathroom. Everything slowly started to catch up to her. The mirror above the sink showed her sad reflection. She turned on the water and quickly undressed. As the water hit her chestnut colored brown hair she closed her hazel eyes. Tears threaten to fall but it wasn't the time to fall apart.
Evie turned off the water and dried herself off. She was in the middle of brushing her teeth when her phone rang. Dylan's face flashed across the screen. She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's face as she hit the reject button. Pushing him out of her mind, she rinsed her mouth and grabbed her stuff. As she entered Bella's room her phone rang again and once again she hit the reject button.
"Whoa," Evie said breathlessly. The guy in front of her was gorgeous. His reddish brown hair and butterscotch eyes were beautiful. His perfect features were chiseled just right. As gorgeous as he looked, something was a bit off about him. There was a coldness that seemed to surround him.
"Hello," he spoke. "You must be Evie. Bella has told me so much about you." His perfect smile didn't reach his eyes. His forehead began to scowl down as if he had a headache.
"Evie this is my boyfriend Edward Cullen. He was um…worried," Bella said nervously.
"It's nice to meet you Edward. Bella has told me a lot about you too," Evie said a bit hesitant.
"All good, I hope," he laughed softly. Even his laugh sounded too perfect.
"Are you okay?" Evie asked looking at him. His smile seemed forced and his butterscotch eyes were boring into her. His forehead was still scowled down. "It looks like you have a headache."
A weird looked crossed his face for a split second. "Um…I wasn't feeling well early," he answered.
"And yet you still came over to check on my cousin," Evie replied. Bella gave her a look. "I think I'll go downstairs and keep Uncle Charlie occupied while you…well you know." She placed her stuff on the bed. "It was nice meeting you Edward." He gave a lopsided smile that showed perfect straight teeth, too perfect. She walked out the door and felt a shiver all over her body. She shook it off and headed downstairs.
"You didn't tell me that your cousin was like you," Edward said a bit harshly.
"What are you talking about?" Bella asked frustrated. "Why are you here?"
When Evie went to take a shower she noticed the missed calls and texts from him. He didn't even give her a chance to call or respond to his texts. He immediately climbed through her window and began bad mouthing Jacob and the rest of the pack. She had to resist the eager to roll her eyes when he started with the same old argument. The pack was dangerous and Jacob couldn't be trusted.
A part of her understood why he felt that way. Jacob had feelings for her but they were unwarranted. Okay, maybe not completed unwarranted. A part of her loved Jacob, but the other part loved Edward. She knew it was wrong to let Jacob continue to feel this way about her but he was her sun when she was alone in the dark. She hugged herself thinking about that painful time in her life.
"I told you," he began to say in a low voice. "I was worried when I couldn't reach you. When Alice couldn't get a vision of you, I immediately came over to make sure you were unharmed. I read Emmett's thoughts," he caressed her cheek. "And now I come to find out that your cousin is here earlier than we thought. Alice didn't see her coming but I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the dog…"
"Don't call him that," she snapped. Her hands were balled into fists at her side.
Edward could see she was upset. "I'm sorry love," he quickly pulled her into his arms. "I worry when I don't know where you are and especially when Alice can't see you." He twirled her hair around his finger. She flexed her hands trying to relax.
"What did you mean about Evie being just like me?" she asked. A thought crossed her mind but she quickly pushed it aside.
"I can't read her thoughts," he answered. "It's quite frustrating." He pulled away to see her face. It was even more frustrating not being able to read Bella's thoughts.
"I wonder why that is," Bella questioned. "You can read Charlie and Renee's." She began to bite her lip, a nervous habit, as she mulled over this bit of information.
"I hear Charlie talking to Evie about going to bed," he sighed as he looked away. "I'll talk to everyone tonight about your cousin coming over tomorrow. We could have a movie day or," he could tell she wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it. "What is it?" he asked gently as he stroked her cheek. He had a feeling he knew who it concerned but he needed to contain his emotions in regards to the dog. It would only push Bella in the wrong direction and he couldn't afford to place her in danger where the wolves were concerned.
"Billy invited us to La Push tomorrow," she answered in a small voice. "Charlie already agreed." She could see the anger in his eyes but he quickly hid it.
"I see," he said trying to keep a smile on his face. "I hear Charlie coming up the stairs. I think that's my cue to leave." He kissed her forehead and quickly left. She was left grasping nothing but air.
"Night Uncle Charlie," Evie sounded tired. "Is he gone?" she whispered.
"Yes, he's gone," Bella answered with sadness in her voice. She couldn't help but blame herself for Edwards's unhappiness. "I'm going to change for bed. Excuse me." She gathered her stuff off her bed and began to walk out.
"Are you okay?" Evie asked. She could see that her cousin was upset. Bella stopped at the door with tears in her eyes.
"I'm okay," she lied with a small smile. She walked out the door.
Edward stood in the coverage of the trees as he listened to Bella and her cousin. The thought of his Bella being pawed by that dog infuriated him. He had enough to worry about with Victoria. He didn't need Jacob's constant pursuit of Bella. He tried once again to read Evie. Nothing, not a single thought.
"Edward," Alice's bell like voice floated in the air. She stood next to her brother trying to read his mood. She knew he was angry but he was also frustrated. "We need to leave," she stated without further explanation. He gave her a look but she ignored his bad mood.
"The wolves will be here," Emmett said looking behind him. "They are only a few minutes out." He didn't mind keeping an eye on Bella but he did miss Rosalie.
Emmett looked at the window to Bella's room. He knew coming back was wrong. All it did was cause more hurt and pain for Bella. But if he was being honest, he did miss Bella's clumsy ways and not to mention how easily she was embarrassed. Edward hissed at Emmett.
"Sorry, but you should really control reading my every thought," Emmett smirked as he thought of Rosalie.
"Damn it Emmett," Edward snapped as he turned towards his brother but stopped.
There was a low growl coming from the dark coverage of the trees surrounding the Swan residence. Emmett watched as a large dark silver wolf slowly approached them. He could see a large brown wolf walking alongside the dark silver one. Edward instantly recognized them as Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron. Emmett let his mind wandered to the possibility of wrestling with the wolves. Alice tapped his arm. He shrugged and followed Alice. Edward glanced at the wolves before following his siblings.
Paul watched them walk away. He shook his head trying to clear his nose of the sweet sickly smell of the leeches. Jared moved around trying to find a spot that didn't reek of vampire but it seemed they saturated the entire surrounding area with their stench. Paul stopped moving and sniffed the air towards the house, more precisely towards Bella's window.
"Hey, do you smell honeysuckle?" Paul asked through the mind link the pack had with one another when they are in wolf form. "It can't be leech lover." His wolf felt possessive for a moment.
Jared wiped at his face with his paws. "It smells the same as last time," Jared replied with a grunt. Actually there was something different. "How the hell do you know what honeysuckle smells like?" he asked shaking his head. "You know what, I don't want to know. Jacob told Sam that Bella's cousin is in town for a few days." He let his mind wander. He missed Kim, his imprint. She was probably in bed missing him too. He was picturing her face. Those lips of hers were so full; especially when she was wrapping them around his… Paul nudged him, nearly knocking him over.
"Damn man, you just left her house. Quit being so pussy whipped," Paul scoffed. Damn imprints. No way in fucking hell was he ever going to imprint. He liked fucking whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted.
"It's not my fault you're developing a crush on Bella," Jared said with a laugh.
"She should be so lucky," he said as they made their way around the perimeter. "The leech lover isn't giving anyone the time of day, especially baby alpha."
"I don't know," Jared continued. "Jake and Bella looked cozy on the beach." The pack was taking bets on whether Jake would get the girl. The Cullen leech had a firm hold on Bella.
Even though Paul didn't care about Bella and Jakes relationship, he did care about Jake. He was his Pack Brother and they protected each other. He found Jared lying down under a tree close to the house after he finished his run around the property. He turned as laughter floated from Bella's room. He took another sniff of the air and almost moaned. That scent was intoxicating. He secretly hoped the leech's cousin looked as good as she smelled. He felt that same possessiveness as before. He didn't know what it was or even what it meant. He nudged Jared until he rose on all fours. They made their way to an area with more coverage.
"Hey did you see…," Evie sputtered as she turned away from the window to look at Bella.
"See what?" Bella asked curiously. She knew the wolves were probably patrolling around the house.
Evie shook her head. "I thought I saw a bear or a wolf but it couldn't be," she said with a slight laugh.
"What?" Bella asked. "If it was a bear or a wolf they would make a lot of noise." She laughed trying to play if off. "It's probably your eyes playing tricks on you." She continued to laugh hoping Evie would believe her.
"Your right, I think I'm a bit more tired than I realized," Evie yawned. She walked to the roll away bed and pulled the covers over herself. "Night B."
"What time did you two get up this morning?" Charlie asked as he walked into the kitchen. There were pies cooling off on racks, a variety of cookies in containers and assorted cakes.
"Five," Evie answered before popping a piece of cookie in her mouth.
"I texted Emily last night," Bella was frosting the last cake. "I told her I would bring desserts since they were taking care of the main dishes and stuff."
"Well that was very nice of you," he commented. Evie opened a container with chocolate chips cookies. He smiled and grabbed a few.
"Do you want breakfast?" Bella asked. She noticed Evie putting the lid back on the cookies. She rolled her eyes as Evie laughed.
"No, I think these will hold me over," he answered with a raise of his hand. "Besides, I have to run to the office for a few minutes," he called out as he grabbed his keys to the cruiser. "It gets cold by the beach so pack a jacket, both of you." The door closed with a small bang.
"Just a reminder what I told you about Emily," Bella was looking at Evie with a sad look. "I know you won't say anything mean but she's been through a lot." An image of the beautiful girl with long black hair with red scars down the right side of her body had Bella taking a deep breath.
"Hey don't worry," Evie commented. "I can only imagine the pain she's gone through. I would never add to it." She didn't even know Emily but her heart felt for her.
"Thank you," Bella replied.
Evie looked out the kitchen window and decided to change the subject. "I thought you said the sun would be out," she pushed the curtain aside and pointed.
"It will be," Bella laughed. "It won't be hot like California weather but still nice and warm." She continued to frost the cake.
Bella knew that her days were numbered before she left this life behind. There was no way she wanted her cousin a part of that life. The thought of Victoria coming after her family wasn't something she could allow. Between the Pack and the Cullen's they we're well protected.
"I hope so," Evie said as she hopped up on the counter. "I have my bikini on under my shorts and shirt." She smiled as she swung her legs.
"Just don't stand next to me," Bella scoffed as she rolled her eyes. She was wiping her hands off on a dish towel.
"Still jealous that I can tan while you blind people with your whiteness," Evie said laughing as she jumped off the counter before Bella could hit her with the towel. She moved over to the table and grabbed another cookie.
"I'm not jealous," Bella commented. She thought of Jacob. She loved the color of his skin. How warm and smooth it felt under her fingertips. A knock at the door brought her out of her daydream. What is going on? All she seemed to think about was Jacob these days.
"I'll get it," Evie called over her shoulder. She opened the door to see Edward standing at the door with the same scowl from last night.
"Good morning Evie," Edward greeted her like an old friend. He smiled but he found it quite irritating not to hear a single thought running through Evie's mind.
"Good morning Edward," Evie smiled but she felt a sudden coldness seeping towards her. She brushed it off as an overactive imagination. "Bella's in the kitchen." She opened the door to allow him in.
As he passed her, she noticed his pale porcelain skin looked smooth and void of any color. She felt the coldness again, maybe she wasn't imagining it. She followed behind him as he entered the kitchen.
Bella felt when Edward walked into the kitchen. She stiffened at his touch. The more Edward bad mouthed Jacob the longer it took for her to forgive him. But yet when Jacob bad mouthed Edward, she could easily forgive him. There was too much going on for her to actually sort through everything. She took a deep breath as he rested his chin on her head.
"Are you still upset love?" he whispered softly in her ear. Her body was still tense in his arms. He rubbed her arms trying to relax her but she seemed even tenser.
Evie could see the tension in Bella's body but there seemed more going on than the typical disagreements between boyfriend and girlfriend. She walked to the living room to give them some privacy. She looked out the window and noticed a black Mercedes. The windows were tinted too dark to see inside. She closed the curtain when her phone rang. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket. She smiled when she noticed the caller ID.
"Hey mom," she answered happily. "How are you doing?" She missed her so much.
"Evie," her mom sounded tired. "Oh sweetie I am so happy to hear your voice." Kathy leaned back in her chair. "I'm okay sweetie. The facility is taking care of my every need." She took a deep breath to keep the tears at bay.
"Mom, you know I don't mind being there with you," Evie stated. "I can come home this afternoon and cancel my plans with dad. He'll understand." She could hear it in her mom's voice that there was something she was holding back from her.
"No," Kathy quickly replied to her daughter. "You need to be a teenager and not a caretaker." She held her hand up as a gentleman appeared at the door. He waited with a grim look on his face.
Evie let out a frustrated breath. "Okay, I don't want to argue," she mumbled gently. "I'm sorry mom; I didn't mean to upset you." She could feel a small lump in her throat.
"Sweetie," she sighed as she motioned for the gentleman to take a seat. "Let me call you back. The nurse is here for my treatment."
"Okay mom," Evie replied. "I love you." Her voice caught at the end.
"I love you too," her mom quickly answered back. The tears she was fighting began to fall.
Evie heard the click ending the call. She put her phone in her pocket and leaned against the wall. She took a slow steady breath. She headed up the stairs to Bella's room. She grabbed a pair of jeans, a long sleeve shirt and shoes. She was about to leave the room when she remembered her hoodie.
As she made her way downstairs she could hear hushed voices and it sounded like Bella was upset. She pulled out her phone to give her something to do well Bella and Edward talked. The familiar rift of a song played on her phone indicating she had a new text message. There was only person with that particular ring. Dylan Andrews, her boyfriend.
She stood next to Charlie's recliner debating whether to read the message when she realized the house was quiet. The only sound she heard was her heartbeat. She was about to walk into the kitchen and check on Bella when there was a knock at the door. The sound startled her for a moment but she quickly made her way to the door.
Evie opened the door to see a cute guy standing on the porch. His was grinning at her. She could actually see a twinkle in his eye. His dark rustic skin tone looked silky. His black hair was short and sticking up a little bit.
"Hi," Evie said returning his smile. She could see Jacob and another guy talking. The guy looked over in her direction and gave a shy smile. His eyes were dark but there was something familiar about them. He was shorter than Jacob and a little leaner. All three were in cutoff jean shorts and shirts that showed off their muscles.
"Hi, you must be Evie, I'm Seth Clearwater," Seth felt his heart speed up. This girl was cuter in person than in Jake's mind. She smelled like honey. He slowly looked her up and down but when he met her hazel eyes he could have sworn his heart skipped a beat.
Evie watched him look her over. He looked young but when their eyes finally met, she had to admit he was a good looking guy. "Hi Seth," she opened the door wider to invite him in. He looked over her shoulder and took a step back. Evie looked behind her to see Edward and Bella walking towards them. She turned to face Seth and was startled to see Jacob and the other guy standing behind Seth.
"Hey Evie," Jacob said without looking at her. He was staring straight past her. She had a feeling he was looking at Edward. "This is Embry Call."
"Hey Jacob," Evie quickly muttered. She was feeling claustrophobic standing between everyone. "Hi Embry," she greeted him with a smile but she knew that it probably looked more like frown.
"It's nice to meet you Evie," Embry said with a shy smile. "Smells like you and Bella have been baking." His smile widened and Evie softly laughed.
"Man, I hope you guys made chocolate chip," Seth sighed with a goofy smile on his face. She looked over her shoulder. Edward was practically glaring at Jacob.
"Yeah, we started early," Evie laughed. She could feel the tension coming from both sides.
Seth tensed up for a moment but rolled his shoulders and seemed to relax. He didn't like feeling this way. Jacob was in a serious stare down with Edward. He crossed his muscled arms over his chest. Embry took the same stance as Jacob.
"Um…Seth do you mind helping me load the stuff in the truck?" Evie asked taking his hand. Seth looked at Jacob who slightly nodded his head towards the kitchen. "We baked a lot." Bella mouth 'Thank you' as Evie pulled Seth passed them.
Edward waited until Evie was far enough away. "Jacob," Edward said with a bit of anger. He held Bella's hand close to his chest.
"Leech," Jacob hissed. He tried to ignore their hands but he slipped and let the anger roll over him. Edward smirked at Jacob's discomfort.
Evie and Seth were in the kitchen stacking the trays. Seth smiled and walked out of the kitchen carrying the trays. Evie shook her head and followed him out. She could see him munching on a few cookies. The hall and porch were empty as they walked out the door. She followed Seth to the truck. She could see Jacob, Embry, Bella and Edward standing several feet away.
Jacob took a deep breath to calm down. He hated that the leech could read his mind. Edward gave Bella a quick kiss that infuriated Jacob. He could see the surprise look on Bella's face. Before he could think about it, Jacob let one of his fantasies of him and Bella play out. Edward turned to face Jacob with venom in his eyes.
"Those two really hate each other," Evie commented as they stood at the back of the truck.
"Yeah, I don't think hate begins to cover it," Seth stated looking at Evie. He turned when he heard Jacob and Edward began to argue.
"It's your dad Harry Clearwater?" Evie asked leaning against the truck.
"Yeah, he was," Seth whispered. He looked away and cleared his throat. "He had a heart attack a few months ago. He passed away."
"I am so sorry Seth," Evie stated as she took his hand.
"You didn't know," Seth replied as he gave Evie's hand a squeeze. They turned to look at Jacob and Edward when they heard Bella telling them to stop.
Evie turned and winced as Embry stepped between Edward and Jacob. They looked ready to kill each other. She moved towards them when she saw Bella's face. The words 'Dog' and 'Leech' were said. Evie didn't understand why they would call each other by those names. Bella was pushed behind Edward, but the look on her face changed from worried to angry. She tried to move away from Edward but he kept her firmly behind him. Evie looked down to see Seth's arm wrapped around her waist.
"Let's wait here," Seth muttered as he pulled her back towards the truck. She was slightly behind him.
She watched Seth move his head as he watched Jacob and Edward. But the way he moved, it looked more like Seth was following the conversation and reacting the same way as Embry. But there was no way Seth could hear them. She couldn't even hear them.
Charlie's patrol cruiser pulled up the driveway. Jacob and Edward were in each other's face but of course Jacob towered over Edward. They didn't seem to notice Charlie walking up to them or at this point didn't care. He walked up to the boys and separated them. Embry was behind Jacob while Bella moved closer to her dad. Bella noticed a look of hurt cross Edwards face but it was quickly gone.
"It seems like you boys can't play nice unless there's a referee," Charlie stated as he looked from Jacob to Edward. "Well what's the problem now?" he asked in an exasperated tone. Seth allowed Evie to move them closer to the small group.
"It seems Eddie Boy here," Jacob said with a smirk, "is upset that Bella is spending the whole day in La Push." His arms were crossed over his chest.
Evie couldn't help but note that Jacob emphasized the word 'whole' or the fact that he had a taunting look in his eyes. She covered her mouth to keep from laughing at Edward's reaction. He may seem cool and collective but Jacob knew what buttons to push.
Charlie sighed. "Look Edward, I know you had plans with Bells here," he said. Not that he cared if they were ruined. Anytime Bella is away from Edward, was a great day for him.
"Dad," Bella started to say but Charlie held up his hands.
"I know Bells, I know," he sighed again. "But Billy and Emily felt bad that they missed your graduation party and wanted to do something nice for you. Now we are all going to La Push," he said looking at Bella. "You two can spend tomorrow together." He looked at Edward.
"Hello everyone," a song like voice floated behind Evie.
"Alice, I told you to wait in the car," Edward politely said. He knew she was just as upset that Bella would be surrounded by the wolves with no one to protect her from Jacob's advances.
"I know but I wanted to say Hi to Charlie," Alice answered. She faced Charlie. "How are you?" Her smile was perfect.
Alice's pixie face and short black spikey hair suited her, Evie thought, but like her brother, there was something a bit off with her. Evie got the same coldness from Alice. She noticed the same butter scotch eyes and pale skin. Evie knew that once she figured out what was wrong, it would be bad.
"Hello Alice. I'm good, just heading to La Push," Charlie responded with a smile.
Alice gave Charlie a bright dazzling smile. "Oh, I thought Bella was coming over to our house today," she replied. She tapped her finger against her chin. "Maybe Bella could come over for a few hours and then head to La Push later this afternoon." They could always tell Charlie that Bella was too sick to go to La Push. She gave Charlie a big smile.
Jacob gave Alice a dirty look. Edward tried not to smile as he read Alice's mind. He could also read what Charlie was thinking. The tension was practically crackling in the air. Embry was still next to Jacob but Bella somehow ended up between Jacob and Edward.
"Not to be a kill joy or anything, but I really don't know that many people in La Push," Evie interjected. She wasn't shy about meeting new people but there was an annoying vibe she was getting from Alice.
"Hey," Seth grumbled in a hurt tone. He looked at Evie and pouted.
"Sorry Seth," Evie whispered. She patted his cheek and smiled. "But the ones I do know, I would like to see." As much as she hated going by first impression, she would make an exception in Alice's case.
Alice turned and faced Evie for the first time. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Alice Cullen, Edwards's sister." Her smile was bright. "You are more than welcome to come over too."
"That sounds like a great idea," Charlie exclaimed. Alice and Edward smiled. "But it will have to wait until tomorrow." He clapped his hands a bit surprised that he didn't cave in to Alice's request. Maybe he was wrong but he felt like his days with Bella were numbered.
Edward kept the shocked looked off his face. He could have sworn Charlie was about to agree with Alice. He could see the smug look on Jacob's face which infuriated him. But he knew how to control his emotions.
"It was nice seeing you Alice. Edward," Charlie said with a tilt of his head.
"That sounds great Charlie," Alice replied with a smile. Something was off, she could have sworn her vision of Bella spending time with her and Edward was certain. "We should probably leave" she said looking at Edward. "We can see Bella tomorrow," she turned and faced Evie, "of course you are more than welcome to join us." She eyed Evie with critical look. Could she be the reason for the sudden change in Charlie's decision?
The smile on Alice's face scared Evie a little. But there was no way she was going to let her know that. "That sounds great," Evie replied with a big smile. "I look forward to it."