"Albero."

"Albero." I repeated after Carlisle.

"Fiore." He said, motioning to a bucket of flowers Esme was carrying. We were all outside the house setting up for the wedding that was taking place the next day.

"Fiore." I tried imitating him the best I could.

"Try rolling your Rs a bit more." He suggested and then looked down at the ground and patted it with his foot. "Terra."

"Terrrrrra." I said, putting an emphasis on the part he mentioned, earning a few snickers and giggles from family members that were close enough to hear me. It definitely needed work. 'This is stupid. Remind me again why I wanted to learn Italian around a bunch of people who speak almost every language on he earth fluently and flawlessly? What have I gotten myself into!?'

"Si sta facendo grande!" My mother praised. "Non si รจ arreso, Lanie."*

"Thanks, Mom." I sighed. "I wont."

I had asked Carlisle to teach me Italian so that I would be able to communicate better during any future trips to Volterra. That was the language the Volturi spoke most of the time. Maybe I didn't necessarily have to speak it myself since they didn't pay me any mind but I wanted to at least understand it. I was beginning to think it was a waste of time.

"He's not here." Emmett loudly whispered in my ear as he walked past. Apparently he had noticed me occasionally casting wistful glances around the edge of the forest for the past few hours.

"What!? Who?" I asked. He just smirked at me and went on his way.

"Even if he doesn't come by today, he'll be here tomorrow at the wedding." Rosalie stated like we were in the middle of a conversation.

"I...I... I don't what ya'll are talking about!" I stuttered, knowing full well what they were talking about. I had been hoping all afternoon that Seth would stop by. I had never mentioned it... only thought it.

"I'm sure he he'll show up." My father said in a reassuring tone, patting my back.

I bit my lip and furrowed my eyebrows in frustration and annoyance. What was I suppose to say, that I wasn't thinking about him? Thoughts don't lie! 'I REALLY need to come up with a way to quiet my inner monologue...'

"Yes. Yes, you do." Jasper remarked with a wink. I slapped his arm and then tried shaking the unexpected pain from my hand. Why do I keep forgetting how hard these people are?

"We wont talk about Seth if you don't want us to." My mother promised.

"I don't care what ya'll do or do not talk about!" I insisted. "There's nothing to say about him anyways!"

"If you say so." Carlisle said in a patronizing tone.

The fact that they were making a big deal about all this was starting to make me mad and I knew I had better think of something to go do before I snap at some one. Not that my temper itself phased them in the slightest bit -Emmett once compared me to an angry kitten- but I usually say things I regret in the process and I didn't feel like putting anyone through that.

I looked up to see Bella on the back porch putting on the high heels that Alice had purchased for her big day. It seemed as though they were having a disagreement about the whole thing. From what I could tell, Bella was complaining about them and Alice was trying to keep her positive. How typical.

"They're Manolo Blahnik." Alice was telling Bella, hoping that would make an impact on her opinion. I knew it wouldn't.

"Ouch!" I commented, sitting on the stairs next to them. "Those things hurt me just by looking at them."

"You should try wearing them." Bella muttered.

"Ya know... I've heard of some people going completely barefoot!" I suggested.

Bella gave me a hopeful expression at the exact time Alice shot me a warning glance. I stared down at the wooden steps trying to ignore both of them and stay out of it. Bella continued to attempt to walk in them... without much success.

"Um, you just have to break them in." Alice assured her.

"I've been breaking them in... for three days." Bella said in exasperation. "Can't I just go barefoot?"

"No. Absolutely not." Alice was appalled.

"I just think it might be a bit much, ya know. The dress, the shoes...all of this."

"No, it's exactly enough. Tomorrow will be perfect."

"Where do you want them, boss?" Emmett said to Alice, walking by with a large log that was to be used as decor.

"On either side of the aisle." Alice replied.

"What aisle?" Rosalie retorted.

"Does no one have vision?" Alice asked rhetorically, going down to show them what they were clearly not seeing.

Bella gazed up at Edward who was on the second floor balcony appearing to be deep in thought.

"I've never heard such conflicting thoughts in all my life than I have from that boy these past few days." I casually mentioned.

"What's he so conflicting about?" She eagerly asked.

I shrugged. "Ya know... His whole 'She's giving up her soul for me and I feel wretched about that but it's what she wants and I'll do anything to make her happy' thing." I imitated his voice.

She gave a half smile that was more to herself than to me and they shared a moment between themselves that I tried my best to block out of my mind.

"YOU, go home and gets lots of beauty sleep. That's an order." Alice said kindly but firmly to Bella.

"OK." She complied with a nod and started towards the front of the house.

'Dad doesn't think it destroys your soul.' I thought loudly to Edward.

'Contrary to your belief, he's not always right about everything.'

'He is on this account.' There was no doubt it my mind.

I watched him disappear inside to meet Bella and take her home.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Cullen!" I recognized a warm, happy familiar voice behind me.

"Hello, Seth!" My mother greeted. "It's good to see you out here today."

"Thanks! I came to see Lanie AND to see if you needed help with anything."

"Well, that's very sweet of you but I think we got it all!"

"Alright then! Ya know, I sure am grateful that you guys let me come over and visit Lanie whenever I want to even though I'm a..."

"Of course. You are always welcome." My dad said.

"Lanie's been pacing around, waiting on you to arrive." Esme said.

'What?! Why did she say that!? I HAVE NOT!... Have I?'

"Oh, yeah?" Seth responded to her statement with excitement.

"She's up by the house." Carlisle told him.

I heard his footsteps approaching and suddenly got really anxious for no apparent reason at all. Then I found myself checking my reflection in the windows next to me, straightening my clothes and smoothing out my hair. 'Wait.. Why am I doing this? I don't care what Seth Clearwater thinks! He's just some boy...'

"You already look perfect!" Seth complimented, having caught me primping up. He got to the porch much sooner than I had expected, before I had time to stop. I smiled at his reflection as he walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my body and squeezed me tight. It was the first time I was able to see his face when he held me like this. The expression was one of complete bliss, like he had been through hell and I was his saving grace. I forced myself to turn around, loosening myself from his embrace.

"How's Jake doing?" I asked him. Seth had already told me that when Jacob first saw the wedding invitation he flipped out, phased and has been in werewolf form every since. Last I knew, he was in Canada somewhere.

"About the same." Seth said with disappointment. We walked over to the railing together and stared out into the woods. "He doesn't want me around cause he doesn't wanna hear what's on my mind but I still get close enough to check up on him sometimes... even if it's just for Uncle Billy's sake."

"Do you think he'll come to the wedding? Bella would really like that."

"That's one of the things that I try to talk to him about. He does his best not to think about it when I'm there but you know best of all that people can't control their thoughts and I know he's planning on it." Seth smiled mischievously.

"What else does do you think about that he hates so much?"

His grin got even bigger and his eyes sparkled.

"Oh, right... Duh." I said, shaking my head. "Wait! Jake hates me?! Why?"

Seth chuckled. "No, of course he doesn't hate you. He just hates imprinting."

"Why?"

"The whole thing irritates him. He thinks it's stupid."

"Why?"

Seth laughed silently at my incessant questioning. "He doesn't think that it's real... like our love and commitment isn't how we really, truly feel and that it's just our genes forcing it on us."

Whoa. Did Seth just say he loved me? "But you don't think that?" I lifted my eyebrows. "You don't think it's just a supernaturally perfect genetic match?"

He shook his head back and forth while his eyes kept fixated on mine. "Not for me."

I smiled nervously a little and shrugged. "Maybe Jake will imprint on someone someday."

"Maybe...and then he'll finally understand my devotion to you." He replied.

His devotion to me? We'll just see about that! I had something under my sleeve that I've been planning on using as a test to see if I could get him to like me less. His infatuation was flattering but it's never been challenged.

"Hey, there's been something I've been wanting to tell you." I began. "I was the one who asked Jacob to keep you out of the battle with the newborns whether you liked it or not. Ya know, because I didn't want you to be in the middle of all the action."

He was blank-faced for a few seconds and I was wondering if he was going to get angry when out of the blue he had a big, amused smile spread across his face. "I knew it wasn't because Sam didn't think I was ready! That makes me feel so much better now!"

I tilted my head in confusion. "You're not angry with me?"

This time it was his turn to be confused. "For what, caring about my safety? Never! I could never be angry at you for anything, especially that."

OK then! THAT had a completely opposite effect than I expected it to. It doesn't seem like anything I say to this guy is going to shake him. I could tell him I hated his guts and he'd turn it around on me.

Suddenly he acted like he just remembered something and pulled an item out from underneath his hoodie. "This is for you!"

He held out out a soft, tan-colored, stuffed wolf. I took it from him and turned it over in my hand. The toy looked almost exactly like Seth did in wolf form. I knew it wasn't a coincidence.

"This is too adorable, Seth!" I squealed. "I love it!"

"It's uhh... It's to keep you company when I'm not here." He said kinda shyly.

"He'll keep me warm at night." I agreed with a smile and nod.

"At least someone in your house can now." He remarked and then widened his eyes, realizing that I might take offense and began shaking his head back and forth. "I'm sorry, Lanie! I didn't mean..."

"It's alright." I said with a smirk.

With no warning at all, Jasper appeared next to us, making me jump a foot in the air. I noticed Seth didn't flinch and I couldn't help but wonder if it was because he didn't have jumpy, human reflexes like me anymore or if he already knew Jasper was coming due to his excellent hearing or something.

Seth looked up at my brother with disappointment. "I guess it's time to call it a day, huh?"

Jasper stood straight with his hands in his pockets and gave him a single nod.

"I'll see you tomorrow, I guess." Seth said, like he was trying to persuade himself to go against his own will.

I put the plush wolf up to his cheek and made a kissing sound, he gently pinched my cheek and did the same. Then, right before he jumped off the porch I stopped him and rubbed the furry toy all over him. He and Jasper both looked at me like I was strange.

"It already looks like you... It might as well smell like you too." I explained.

Seth smiled and nodded in understanding then winked and took off back to the rez.

"You didn't have to run him off so quickly." I muttered to my brother.

"Alice's orders. She mentioned something about beauty sleep." He told me and started to leave but I grabbed his arm.

"Jazz, the other day you mentioned something about my feelings toward Seth..." I hesitantly brought up. "What did you mean?"

"Are you asking me to describe your own feelings to you?"

"I guess I know HOW I feel but I want to know WHAT I feel."

He gave me a half smile. "You want to know if it's love?" He asked. I bit my lip and nodded. "Discovering that is up to you. I wont take the fun out of it."

I sighed and gave him an annoyed glare which he shook his head at and put his hand on my back, leading inside.

"Hey! I forgot to tell ya'll... I can heal vampires' scars!" I informed him with excitement.

"We already know that." he said. I stopped walking and stared at him in surprise. He pointed to my head, "You've been thinking about it."

"Oh, right... So, do you want me to heal all of yours?"

"No." He answered like he had already thought of it. "They're a part of who I am. When I see them I am reminded of where I came from and how far I've come."

"I guess it DOES scare other vampires when they see you too." I remembered him telling me that once.

Alice popped up in from of us. "And I happen to find them to be incredibly hot."

Jasper laughed at her and then looked at me. "Besides, for our kind, scars are like tattoos... except with way better stories."

"Get to bed." Alice shooed me up the stairs. "You want to look your best for Seth tomorrow, don't you?"

"Yeah... I mean no... I mean I don't care!" I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Good-night!"


*You are doing great. Do not give up, Lanie."

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