Chapter eight

The kiss

Bella was still reeling from Ester's warning, as she walked through the village clutching her empty basket. She and Elijah's relationship was turning star-crossed. Their fathers loathed each other, and Ester had made it very clear that she would harm her family if Bella and her sisters didn't stay away from her sons.

"Bella, what is wrong? You look as if you have just received some terrible news."

Halia, sweet, bubbly, cheerful Halia, bounced up to her. "I have, Hallie," Bella murmured.

"What is it?" she frowned, concerned for her sister. Bella forced a smile and shook her head.

"Everything is fine, Halia. I am just worrying. Is that not what I do?" she asked in a light, teasing tone.

Halia smiled. "You need to loosen up, Bella. Perhaps Elijah can help you with that." she gave a suggestive smirk. Bella gasped, looking scandalized.

"Halia!" she scolded her sister for having such dirty thoughts.

"Oh, do not act like you have not thought about it." She rolled her eyes.

"It is not appropriate for us to be thinking of such things, Halia," she insisted, blushing because she had, in fact, thought about being in bed with Elijah on numerous occasions.

"Whatever, Bella." She rolled her eyes before a childish grin flitted to her lips.

"Tag, you're it!"

Halia hit Bella on the shoulder and took off running. She was giggling as she ran, and Bella shook her head at her sister's childishness. She bit her lip, considering chasing her sister. With a final sigh, the temptation became too much, and she dropped her basket and took off running after Halia.

She laughed as she ran, not feeling this young and carefree since her mother became ill. She had been forced to grow up even faster when Abigail got sick, which was why Bella was the way she was. she needed a break, a chance to unwind. Playing tag with Halia provided that chance.

Bella ran fast as she could in her dress, Halia's giggles leaving the trail she followed. Her lungs burned, but she didn't slow down. She felt that she was running away from stress and responsibility. If she slowed down, they would catch up with her again.

Suddenly, an idea occurred to Bella. She waved her hands at Halia's sprinting figure, and her sister tripped and fell face forward in the woods.

"Hey, that is cheating!" she exclaimed as Bella caught up with her.

"I call it being resourceful," she retorted before hitting Halia. "Tag- you're it."

Bella took off running deep into the woods. She heard Halia stand up and chase her, causing Bella to run even faster. She liked playing games with her sister, no matter how childish they were. She liked letting go and having fun. She understood why her siblings wanted her to do it more often.

Bella found herself in a clearing, one that had life in it. She stopped running and met eyes with Adrian. He gave her a "what the hell are you doing?" look, before Bella was tackled to the ground by Halia.

She groaned when she came in contact with the ground, her sister on top of her. despite being small, Halia was pretty strong. Taking down her older sister was not a difficult task for her.

"Ugh, why was that necessary?" Bella moaned.

"Bella! Halia! What the hell are you two doing?"

The sisters' eyes widened at the voice, and they both jumped up, despite their pain. Bella brushed off her dress, dread filling her. her father was a very scary man when he needed to be.

"I apologize father. Halia and I-" she started to say, but he cut her off.

"You and Halia were just acting like irresponsible, reckless children," Erik snapped, clearly very angry. Bella held back her flinch, but moved slightly in front of Halia, as if she could physically block her father's cruel words from her baby sister.

She was a little confused as to why he was extra angry, and that's when Bella noticed why Adrian and Erik were with. Mikael and –of course- Elijah. She groaned inwardly, because the universe never got sick of Bella embarrassing herself in front of him.

Bella hung her head, glad for her dark, thick hair to hide her face. "Yes father, we were," she murmured quietly, knowing better than to argue. Arguing never got you anywhere with Erik.

"Let me tell you Girl, one day your childishness will get you killed. It will serve you right too," he snapped. Adrian flinched slightly. He wanted to defend his sisters, but he knew better. Defending got you just as far with Erik as arguing did.

"Yes father," she muttered, feeling as if he had just slapped her. Bella was not childish. She was mature and careful- almost to the point of being paranoid. But saying this to Erik would only make her punishment worse.

"Now run along Girl, and take your sister with you," he growled. Without another word, Bella gripped Halia's hand tightly and pulled her away. She couldn't look at Elijah, couldn't imagine what he was thinking.

First they almost kissed and then his witch of a mother told Bella to stay away from her. Elijah witnessing her father yelling at her would surely not improve their already struggling relationship.

~TLND~

"We were just playing tag," Bella insisted to Adrian, as the siblings had one of their many family meetings in the kitchen.

"I see no fault in that," Joseph said, squeezing Halia's shoulder. The youngest Erikson looked close to tears. She wasn't used to father's yelling.

"It is not what you were doing, it was that Mikael was there," Adrian explained. "You two embarrassed him, that is all. Mikael kept insulting Father about his 'wild, uncontrollable daughters.' Apparently it got around the village that Gemma was drunk last night, so that did not help matters."

"I am not wild and uncontrollable." Gemma frowned. "If you want to see wild and uncontrollable, go to Patrikson twins in the village- Ella and Emma. Those two will slide into bed with anything that moves."

Adora snorted. "I am sure that they would sleep with something dead, sister. As long as it has not been dead for very long."

Bella frowned at them. "Can we get back to the topic at hand, please?" she asked sarcastically, before turning back to Adrian and signaling for him to continue.

"Yes, Father and Mikael almost got into a fight, but Elijah and I managed to break it up," he finished, before frowning slightly at Bella. "He asked about you, Elijah. Before Mikael called him away, he asked me about you."

Bella's face turned bright red, but she was humming with excitement. "What did he ask about?" she demanded, imagining the best and the worst.

"He asked if you had any suitors." Bella almost exploded from the information.

"And what did you tell him?" she asked, holding on tightly to the front of her brother's shirt.

"Careful, Adrian," Garrett said, eying Bella carefully. "If you answer incorrectly, there is a good chance you will lose your head."

"I said that you never had any suitors that I was aware of," Adrian answered, and Bella hit him- hard.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked irritably, backing away from Bella.

"Now he thinks I am undesired!" she grumbled, glaring at Adrian.

"It is the truth!" he shot back. he did not understand women and their logic, nor would he ever.

"You were supposed to say that she had no definite suitors, but a few men in the village had their eyes on her," Gemma told Adrian, amused. "That way Elijah does not think that he has a lot of competition, but thinks that Bella is desired by other men."

"So I should lie?" Adrian asked disbelievingly.

"Yes!" Bella growled. "Your stupidity amazes me sometimes, Adrian," she muttered before storming off.

Bella grabbed the basket of clothes she had been in the middle of patching up and walked outside. She would complete her chores outside, since it was very nice that day. Bella knew that she had overreacted with Adrian, but she was sure that her chances with Elijah were shot now. It was a cruel thing, to have hope dangled in your face, only to have it ripped away.

~TLND~

"Is Bella really still upset with Adrian?" Joseph asked Gemma as they, along with Garrett and Halia, walked through the village next day. Bella had given them a list of things they needed at the market and some gold.

"No, it is not in Bella to hold a grudge longer than five minutes," Gemma replied, before handing Joseph half of the gold. "Here, go get the wine and flour. We'll meet at the oak tree when we're finished."

Joseph nodded and he and Garrett walked off. Halia and Gemma then began to shop for the things they needed. While looking at fabric a vendor was selling, Gemma bumped into a tall man.

"Oh, I am sorry," she said, looking up to see Elijah. He waved off her apology but grabbed her arm when she tried to walk away.

"Gemma, can I ask you about Bella?" he asked, frowning slightly. He hated that he had to go through Bella's siblings to find out more about her, but she had been avoiding him.

"You may," Gemma said rather apprehensively.

"Does Bella- does Bella not care for me?" he blurted out. He was not sure of how she felt about him, and it was driving him insane. Elijah had never met any creature more confusing and infuriating than women.

Gemma burst out laughing. "Not care for you? Are you crazy? Bella has had a crush on you since she was thirteen!" Gemma blurted out. Halia hit her sister, hard, and only then did she realize what she had said.

"Oh no," she whispered, hating her big mouth.

"What?" Elijah asked, shocked. "Bella has a crush on me?" he hadn't seen that one coming.

Halia rolled her big brown eyes. "Are you blind? It has been obvious to everyone in this village except for you. She cannot speak when you are talking to her, her clumsiness is increased when you are around. You do not realize what you do to her, do you, Elijah?"

No, he did not. But Bella did not realize what she did to him either.

"Thank you," Elijah said quietly after a while. He was still in shock. Then he walked away from the sisters, looking as if he had a sudden purpose that he was focused on.

"Oh no," Halia whispered to Gemma. "What have we done?"

~TLND~

Bella sat outside of her house, busy patching up one of Garrett's shirts. Suddenly, she found herself no longer alone.

"Elijah?" Bella frowned, surprised to see him. "May I help you?"

"You have a crush on me?" he blurted out, seeming very un-Elijah-like at that moment.

She suddenly felt she had had the wind knocked out of her. "What?" she asked, breathless.

"Do you fancy me, Bella?" he asked, walking closer to her.

Bella's heart was racing and her mouth was dry. Still, she somehow managed to choke out, "Yes. For years, I have."

Without another word, Elijah cupped Bella's face in his hands and kissed her.

~TLND~

A/N: thank you to: Belinda, AudreyDarke96, kk, and Sam0728 for reviewing!

Reviews are inspirational!

~Abby ;)