A/N: My excuses for not writing are in Attraction.
Basically… Everyone wanted everyone-ness. So, let's see if I can manage that while also attempting at plot development. THAT will be a task.
Thanks to shobbs, yet again, for what is going to happen in this story.
This chapter is by Sherwood
Chapter Seven: The Best In Me
And so I lived. I spent every single day with my sister, unless she had gone hunting with my brother-in-law. The months passed and winter slowly melted into spring, and I was ecstatic at the thought of my graduation approaching. That would mean that the date of my change would be coming closer.
When Bella first told Edward, he was only a little bit apposed to the idea. I think he gave in due to Bella's 'persuasion' and the fact that he had already faced this decision with my sister years before.
My mom still didn't know about my sister. For all she knew I just had two new friends that Donyel and I were constantly with. She didn't know that in a few short weeks I'd be dying. It was scheduled, even more so than when the doctor had initially planned my death.
But I wouldn't really be dying. I'd be starting a new life, a different one, albeit, but a life none the less.
Sucking blood was better than turning blue six feet underground and slowly rotting away.
I shuddered at the thought of myself dressed up in Sunday's best, lying in a wooden box buried underneath the heavy earth. Instead of dwelling on that thought, I pulled on a light tee shirt and switched to things my sister and I would do together once we'd be a real family again.
It was so exciting. I had missed her all my life.
I hopped into some jeans when I heard a knock at the door downstairs. Running towards the sound I shoved my feet into my slip on vans (courtesy of my sister) and heaved open the front door.
Standing there in front of me was the beautiful Donyel.
The girl of my dreams, if you would.
I instantly began to smile and she giggled before giving me a silly wave. I stepped outside and closed the door behind me, grabbing her hand with my own and stepping down the stairs lightly.
"Morning Andy," she said lightly, swinging our arms back and forth between us. I grinned at her and swung them even higher.
"Morning Don!" she laughed at the nickname. My mother had often thought that 'Don' was a boy until I actually explained the fact to her that she was Donyel.
"It's actually pretty warm for April," she said, taking her hand from mine and slipping it into her pocket. It was, despite the cloud cover.
These clouds weren't dark grey and stuffed full of rain, these ones were light a fluffy, just thick enough to block out the sun, even if bright light was still pouring down. The heat was just right, warm enough to leave a jacket behind. We were heading towards Bella's place. The four of us had decided to just hang out and act stupid all day. Like we usually did.
Donyel and I carried a light conversation nearly the entire way to Bella's huge house, until I stopped abruptly in the middle of the road.
"I'm tired," I wailed. She looked at me curiously, an amused smile breaking onto her lips. "You go get Bella… I'll wait here." She laughed and started walking backwards to keep watching me.
"Alright, but you're going to be all alone on this creepy old road," she teased. "I mean, I heard there are even rapists and murderers around here." I laughed and then jogged back up to her.
"Alright never mind." We both laughed again. God, it felt so good to be this happy with her. She was exactly what I wanted, exactly what I needed to feel better again.
I had agreed with Bella to at least tell Donyel how I felt before the change. She didn't need to know about the cancer. That would be too much for her. I wouldn't want to see her upset before I had to leave her for good.
We turned into the driveway and started walking over the massive lawn when something dawned on me.
"Waaaaait," I yelled, stopping again, mid stride. "I have a car… why did we walk?" Donyel burst into laughter and I groaned, shaking my head.
"It was funner this way. Besides, you needed the exercise." She poked me in the gut. I dropped my mouth, faking shock.
"Excuse me, miss moo, but you're one to talk!" she pretended to be offended but I could see her shoulders shaking from laughter. I chuckled again and threw my arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer.
All of a sudden there was a blood curdling scream. We both froze and looked up towards the house. We waited, and I could faintly hear a sound that resembled crying… or choking. I took a hesitant step forward and heard a scream again. Now I was getting worried. It was Bella screaming, too. And she didn't have any reason to scream; she could look at something and crack it in two… pretty much.
I saw her dart out from around the side of the house and I made a movement to run after her, to find out what she was screaming about, but I froze.
Was she running normal speed? I think so… Donyel still doesn't know about them, like she'll never know about me. Luckily Bella was running just a little over human pace, enough to look like she ran track. Then, from around the side of her house came Edward, running just as fast as she was.
Then I realised why she was screaming. They were playing, teasing, just having some regular old fun like any married couple would do. Edward was apparently chasing her; both were laughing and acting just like newlyweds. It was the first time I'd seen them like this, and they truly looked like they belonged together.
Bella turned around and faced him, stepping backwards slowly. Edward picked up his pace and ran at her. Bella laughed again and danced around him, just narrowly avoiding his grasp. Donyel aww'd at them quietly and we both stopped to watch. Bella started running away again, but Edward was faster. He got up behind her and grabbed her by the waist, swinging her around several times before falling onto his back, my sister securely held his chest. They both smiled and I grimaced when I saw them lean into a kiss.
I screamed in disgust and they looked up, laughing. They slowly got up and we all headed towards the other.
"Hey guys," Edward said, trying to catch his breath and act casual. Donyel snickered at him. Bella was wearing a light green tee shirt and jeans, while Edward had on a blue tee and darker jeans. Donyel and I were dressed very similarly, but in different colours.
"What are we going to do?" I asked them. Bella perked up.
"Let's play football," she said, almost evilly. Edward raised an eyebrow at her.
"You never play sports…" he said softly. She looked at him and grinned.
"I've always wondered what it'd be like to play you. You don't stand a chance, punk!" she pushed his chest softly and then ran back into the house, emerging with a football. She threw it out into the yard and it landed perfectly into my arms.
"Me and Andy are a team!" she yelled, coming up and throwing her arm around my shoulder. I laughed again and Edward moved over to Donyel, mimicking the action.
"We can take 'em, right?" he asked her. She smirked and nodded.
"Heck yes!" Everyone laughed heartily. This was going to be interesting. Edward and Donyel moved to the other end of the gigantic lawn. The shade of the large trees made it a lot cooler, but we'd be warming up soon from the exercise regardless. Edward was throwing the ball to us first and he seemed like he was being very careful about it.
"Come on, Cullen!" Bella shouted across the field. I started laughing again, she was taunting him. And, I knew for a fact that our family just plain sucked at sports. "Throw the ball! Jeez, I bet you throw like a girl!" he shot her a look. I assumed they were communicating through mind-speak.
"What's that?! You're scared I'm going to beat you! Well yeah, what'd you expect?" she was giggling then too, but only loud enough for me to hear.
With a grunt Edward threw the ball and Bella and I went racing. I picked it up first running a short ways before Donyel was right in front of me. Bella kept running, luckily. I tossed the ball to her. She jumped up and caught it and then started running towards the end of the lawn.
We hadn't really established a goal line, but she'd get there eventually. Donyel stopped running and stood with me, watching them as they had their little showdown. We both sprinted up closer, watching Edward approach her.
With a small cry Edward lunged at her, and she tried her best to dodge out of the way, but he tackled her, sending her flying to the ground. Of course, he was right on top of her. I snuck past them, Donyel was preoccupied with watching them. Bella grinned.
"Andy!" she yelled, tossing the ball feebly towards me. I fell to the ground to catch it and then jumped up, running for my life to the other end. I heard Edward scream out a 'No!' while Bella laughed her head off and Donyel tried to catch up with me. I thought I'd gone far enough so I threw the ball down and attempted a little victory dance. Donyel was laughing loudly when she finally reached me, and since my team-mate was out of play (making out with her husband) I gave her a high five.
We both caught our breath and then Donyel gently touched my arm. I looked up and met her beautiful brown eyes. My heart skipped a beat.
"Yeah?" I asked. She looked nervous.
"I wanted to talk to you…" she said softly. We moved behind a tree, hopefully out of view of the 'lovely' couple. Lovely if you're into listening to vampires making out.
"What's wrong?" I asked. She smiled weakly, her eyes not longer meeting mine. I moved closer, holding onto her arms. I didn't want anything bringing my girl down in the dumps.
"Nothing's wrong… I just…" she looked up and her eyes danced around my face, not really wanting to look in my eyes, but managing it for a second. "I really like you, Andy." My heart stopped. "I always have for a long while. And I think I'm getting pretty close to loving you."
Hahah.
This was surprisingly really easy to write!
I did it BASICALLY in one sitting! And, by one sitting I mean in one afternoon! One loooong afternoon. And I enjoyed it. It was preeeetty easy to do, and I am actually pleased with the result, pointless as it is! (well... the ending part, at least.)