Chapter 4: Conversations
"What are you doing after school?" Angela ask.
"Laundry."
She laughs a little but sober up real quickly. "I mean after graduation."
"Oh, well...i don't know."
"Yeah. Me too. I mean, i have a few options, i just don't know which one to take."
"And with Ben in the equation it gets even harder." I deadpan.
"Exactly. I don't want to break up, but, long distance relationships doesn't always work, right?"
"No i suppose not." At least that was the reason why my ex-boyfriend broke up with me.
"Right." She reply, a little bit upset.
"But, hey, maybe it does work, you know? You won't ever truely know if you don't try."
She gives me a small smile and a quick goodbye hug before of walking her way to her boyfriend's car.
"So, am i really the only person you are not talking to?" The question came from someone behind me and i already knew who before i turned around to properly greet said person.
"Bella." I say, a surprise tone in my voice. "Sorry i almost didn't recognise you without your shadow behind you." I add, sarcasm dripping from my mouth.
"Ha-ha. I'm glad you didn't lost your sarcasm. It's one of the things i most like about you."
"What do you want?" I ask, not really in the mood for small talk. The parking lot was full of students and i could see a few curious eyes looking our way.
"I just want to talk."
"...hm..."
"Come on, Cass. You know i am sorry, for everything, and i understand why you are upset, but, please, you are my best friend. I can't lose you too."
"Lose me too? Like you did with Jake? Do you have any idea how much you hurt him?"
She sighs, as if already knowing i would touch that particular subject and that she was already tired before even starting the conversation. "I know he is upset."
"No, Bella. Upset doesn't even cover. Remember how you were when Edward broke your heart? Yeah, that's how he is feeling."
This time she winces, but i don't care, i just turn around and start to walk again, this time to my bike that is parked next to the sidewalk. She follows me, of course, but stay silent for a minute, as if trying to come with a better way of approach.
"I know. He...he writted me a letter."
I stop next to my bike and turn sideways to look at her. She was sad, i could see, but that didn't change the fact that she was the one hurting Jake.
"What do you want, Bella? Honestly."
She hesitates first, looking at me intently, as if trying really hard to read my mind. "I just want my friends back. I don't understand why we can't all just be friends. The Cullen's don't like the pack, the pack hate the Cullens. I have my two bestfriends in one side, and i am on the other. Why do i have to choose? Why can't we all just get along?"
"If you have to make those questions. You really don't understand at all."
"Then explain it to me. Why does it have to be this way?" She is almost crying by now, and seeing my friend like that made my heart squeeze a little tighter.
"Jake is 16 years old. And he just had his life change from one day to another. Then he finds out the reason why he can't be normal anymore is particulary your vampire boyfriend's fault. And to get things worse, the girl that he loves, chosed said vampire and abandoned him. Right on the moment that he most needed you." A few tears drop from her eyes at that point, but that only makes me want to talk even more. "When you were going through the worst moment of your life, who was the person that was there for you?"
"Cass, i..."
"No, you will listen. You asked and now i am giving you the answer, so you better listen to it carefully." A few meters behind her, i see Edward coming our way but that does not stop me either. "We've been friends for years now. For a long time I was the only friend you had. When you started to obsess over Edward, i gave you my total support, even though i didn't really liked him from the beginning. When he left, and you were completely broken, i was by your side, even though i was hurting just as much as you. Then, two weeks ago, he just comes back, saying the Volturi, the most powerful vampire coven in the world, demanded me to be turned into one of them. Edward destroyed my life. How many years do you think i still have to live before they come after me?"
"They will protect you..."
"Who? The pack? I could never ask them to do that. Victoria is one thing, she is only one and it is already a really hard task, but a whole coven? I would rather leave to a very far away place then to put the people i love in that kind of position."
"The Cullens..."
"The Cullen's are the reason why i am in this mess, Bella. Your precious Edward specifically. Tell me something now, honestly. You saw them, the Volturi i mean, so tell me, would you let your precious Edward fight them to keep me alive? Would you put his life in the line for me?"
"Cass, i'm sorry..."
"That's what i thought, exactly. When it comes to Edward's life, you would do anything to protect him."
"Not if it cost your life."
"Are you sure about that?" I ask, but she doesn't have a change to answer because the devil himself shows up behind her.
"Are you alright, love?"
Bella just nods, and he gives me a worried look. I could see in his eyes he was feeling very conflicted about all this scene. I saw regret, sadness and a little bit of anger too.
"She is fine. She is just finally seeing things how they really are." I say, nonchalantly, then i turn around to leave.
"Wait." Edward calls me back and i stop to listen. "Carlisle wants to talk with all of us together in our house."
"Why would I..."
"It's about the attacks in Seattle."
Well, that shut me up. The attacks and disappearances in Seattle has been all in the news, and even Sam showed some concern to it.
"Alright. I'll follow you."
Please, don't make me regret this.
I don't know to who i was saying this, Edward or God, maybe both. The point is, i mean it.
The Cullen household was as impeccable as always. Perfect little housewife Esme wouldn't have any differently, of course, i think bitterly.
Edward and Bella parks first, then leave the vampire's car together. I get off of my bike and follow the couple inside the huge house. Eyes down and a scowl intact in my face.
"Bella!" I hear Esme's voice before i see her, and it almost makes me gag. After so long thinking she stole my man it was kind of hard to stop thinking of her as a flake. "Cassidy." She say next, but hopefully didn't try to hug me like she did to Bella. She kept her distance and i appreciated that.
"Hi. Bella, Cassidy!" That was Alice, and of course she hugged both of us like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Alice...back off." I complain softly. She doesn't give a shit though and hugs me tighter, only letting go when Emmett shows up and takes her place. "Jesus." I breath out after being squeezed in a bear hug by said vampire.
"My little sister of another mother. How have i missed you." He say, and for some reason it warms my heart and i unintencionally return the hug.
"Yeah. It's good to see you too, Emmett." I answer, after he finally puts me down.
Rosalie suddenly appears by his side, and for the first time ever, i think, she does not look at me with hate in her eyes. "Hello, Cassidy." And, did she just say 'Hello'?
Who are you and what have you done with Rosalie? "Hi."
She gives me a little smirk that said she knew exactly what i was thinking and if i didn't knew better i would think she was a telepath too.
Jasper makes an entrance then, his eyes completely frozen in my face. He didn't look unconfortable anymore, or ashamed at all. He actually gave a me a small smile and a little wave.
"Hi Jasper."
Last but not least, the man of the house, the one that always made my heart beat faster, the one that is currently coming down the stairs as if he was a fucking debutant. My ex-boyfriend, Carlisle. What's with this man, honestly? I take a deep breath and exhale loudly, goosebumps take my body as i pretend he does not affect me at all, even though it was obvious for everyone in the room that it was a lie. Actually i had to shoot Emmett a glare because he was looking at me with a knowing smirk on his face.
"Love, you came." He said happily.
"I already told you to stop calling me that." I reply, but that damn smile does not leave his face.
"I'm glad you're here." He answers.
"Whatever."
"Should we begin?" Esme ask, making the others follow her example and seat down in the living room.
"Why I am here for?"
"The situation in Seattle." Edward answers nonchalantly.
"And what does that has to do with us?"
"Attacks of that magnitude can only be made by vampires." Jasper reply.
"More than one?"
"Definitely."
"Another coven?"
"So close to us? It's unlikely." Alice say, as if frustrated about something.
"What then?" Bella ask, probably feeling as confused as I was.
"An army." Jasper answers once again.
"An army?" Bella splurts.
"Yes. An army of new borns."
"An army of just freshly transformed vampires?"
"I believe so."
"But, why would someone create an army of vampires in Seattle?" I ask, already knowing the answer but praying to god that I was wrong.
"We are the closest coven around." Emmett say, as if finally realising that fact.
"Why would they wan't to fight us?"
"There must be a reason to it."
"Obviously." I murmur quietly, rolling my eyes, but also biting my lip worriedly.
"Is Victoria." Bella says and she is so certain about it actually makes me believe in that too.
"It would make a lot of sense. She was alone, trying to kill us. With an army is easier." I reply.
"It's not Victoria, if it was I would have been able to see it." Alice sigh.
"Please, you can't see everything." I snort, to which she gives me a glare for it.
"Yes, I do."
"Oh come on. You guys have a pack of werewolves that hate you, an army of newborn vampires getting ready to go to war against you, and the fucking Volturi coven on your back. Explain to me, How did you not saw that coming?"
For the first time ever, Alice stayed frozen in a shocked silence. I mentally pat myself in the back for conquering that great achieviment of shuting her up, it wouldn't last long i knew, but it did felt good though.
"Well." Carlisle breaks the awkward silence, giving me one disapproving glance but not saying anything about it. "Now that it is all established, Edward is there anything you want to add?"
"Yes. Hm. There is a man that Alice saw in her visions, apparently he is the one in charge of the army but he doesn't look like an older vampire, actually i think he was also just transformed."
"And?" Carlisle inquires.
"He is from Forks."
Huh? "What do you mean?" I ask, thoroughly confused.
"He was born in Forks. But he started to reside in Seattle almost 3 years ago."
"How do you know that?"
"It's all in the missing poster."
"What missing poster?"
"You haven't seen it? I think i saw one in the school too."
"No, i haven't being in my right mind lately. Anyway, who disappeared?"
"Riley. Riley Biers."
"..."
Thump. Thump.
Riley...
My heart beat increases, the world around me seems to turn upside down, my breathing gets irregular, i start to sweat cold.
Riley...
"My love?" Carlisle's voice sounds consurned, but the only thing i can think about is the last time someone else called me that.
That same word. He used to call me that too.
...*...
"Cass, love?"
" ?"
"You need to go, my parents can't find you here. Come on wake up!"
...*...
"I am serious, i love you only you, for god sakes i am not cheating on you."
"And you just think it is super normal for you to be so cozy with that bitch friend of yours?"
"She is not a bitch. Come on baby, you know i just want you."
"That is easy to say. It is hard to prove though."
"How can i prove it?"
"How about not keeping me a secret anymore?"
...*...
"I'm sorry love, I hate fighting with you. I know you want us to be a normal couple, that hold hands and kiss in the middle of the street. But i can't, i'm sorry. You're too young, it would be a pain in the ass if they find about us."
"Why? You seriously think the population would grab they forks and come after us?"
"It wouldn't be the weirdest thing to happen in this town."
...*...
"So you just gonna leave?"
"I'm sorry, love..."
"Don't call me that."
"Cassidy...i'm so sorry. I know how you must be feeling right now but..."
"You know shit. Fuck you, Riley. I don't fucking need you!"
"This wasn't supposed to happen this way. I'm sorry, but i have to go..."
"Then go. I don't give a damn!"
"Goodbye, Cassidy."
...*...
He left the day after, only leaving behind a small note saying that he was sorry.
...*...
Riley Biers. My ex-boyfriend Riley is...dead.
Notes: Another plot twist for you guys ;)