Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. I only own the plot.
EDWARD CULLEN KNEW A LOT OF THINGS THAT HUMANS DIDN'T. He had done a lot of things. But one thing he had never done was feel guilty about something he might have done to someone that wasn't Bella or his family, Emmett and Rosalie excluded. That changed when the new girl, Holly Potter (why was that name so familiar to him?), shouted at Rosalie on a "calm level", according to her friend, Luna Lovegood (again, why was that name so familiar, too?).
Now, here he was sitting in the living room, watching Rosalie get put down by Esme for being so rude to Holly.
"She's dealing with so much right now, Rosalie!" Esme cried, wringing her hands. "Why do you have to hate everyone you meet at sight?"
"How was I supposed to know she'd actually come from a war?" retorted Rosalie. "I don't have empathy powers like Jasper, who could have warned us!"
Jasper flinched at the blow. Esme pushed her finger into Rosalie's chest.
"Don't you blame this on Jasper, young lady! He shouldn't have to tell you how to act towards someone! Goodness gracious, it's like the older you get, the worse your attitude is becoming!" Esme was pulled back by Carlise, who looked wearily serious. Even with his vampire youth, the stress tines that had formed on his forehead made him seem as old as he mentally was.
"We're lucky she isn't going to file a complaint to the school, Rosalie," he said.
"Why?" asked Edward, confused by the sudden statement.
"She comes from a long line of wealthy ancestors with connections everywhere, especially on her father's side," explained Carlisle. "Even though her family originated from Great Britain, some ancestors of hers built residences everywhere in important parts of America and connections with people in power. I don't doubt that she knows how to use them, too. One single complaint from her is all it would take before the school would suspend you, if not expel you."
"She could do that?!" exclaimed Alice in shock.
Carlisle nodded. "I'm not saying to stay away from her, but be careful. Edward, you said you couldn't read her or her friends' minds?"
Edward sat up straighter, no longer slouching like he had been before during Esme's one-in-a-blue-moon tirade.
"Yes, that's true," he confirmed, feeling quite peeved about it again. "I can't understand why, though."
"They couldn't be pretending to be human, could they?" suggested Emmett. "I mean, they're obviously not vampires, and they're not werewolves, but they could be something else, couldn't they?"
Carlisle took the idea into consideration. "I have no clue as of right now of what they could be, but one thing's for sure: there's more to these newcomers than what meets the eye. We must watch ourselves; we do not know that they do not mean harm to us yet."
A few hours later, night fell, and it was time for Edward to go and sneak into Bella's room like he did on most nights. Something stopped him though. He was a stalker, though he didn't like to admit it, and the new trio that had arrived had him curious. It wouldn't hurt for him to just pop on over and sneak a peek at what they were doing, right?
Soon enough, Edward found himself leaping from tree to tree, following the scent of lillies that identified as Holly Potter's scent.
Edward felt the thrill of his speed. He couldn't understand why Bella was so nauseous from the experience—he loved the feeling of the wind flapping at his face as he kept gracefully from tree to tree like a leopard.
The scent of lilies was getting stronger, meaning that he was almost there. Edward felt the same satisfactory grin creep onto his face as it did whenever he was out hunting and he'd spotted his prey.
The feeling was cut short, however, as he was stopped by a pair of huge, burly arms.
"Emmett!" he hissed, thoroughly ruffled and annoyed that his adopted brother had followed him. "What are you doing?!"
"What are you doing?" Emmett retorted smartly. "Bella's house isn't this way and we both know that. You've got the pathway practically memorized by now!"
"I'm not going to Bella's," Edward whispered. "I'm just...going…out."
A snort was heard from beside him.
"Yeah, right, Edward," said Jasper, who had also apparently followed him. "Alice saw that you were going to stalk Holly Potter. You're lucky we didn't tell Carlise or Esme about this. Especially Rosalie."
"Rosalie's here too?" he hissed, face-palming. Alice and Rosalie popped up behind Jasper, as if on cue. They were both glaring at him too.
"Edward, this has got to stop," Alice said. "You can't just follow people around and watch them sleep just because you find them 'interesting'!"
Edward flushed. "That only happened once with Bella. Besides, I'm not going to stalk Holly, I—"
"Aha!" Emmett shouted triumphantly. "So you admit you're following Potter!"
"I—no, I—Argh!" Edward groaned, a stream of curses running through his mind that would make Esme faint...then make her wash his mouth with soap thoroughly like she did with Emmett once when he cursed after he lost a video game. "Why won't you all leave me alone?"
"Because we cannot tolerate this behavior from you anymore, Edward!" Alice hissed, not letting him get away once he decided to take a chance and leap closer to Holly's cottage. "Don't run away from me when I'm talking to you!"
"Don't talk to me while I'm occupied!"
"All of you, shut up!" Rosalie whispered shrilly. "They could hear us!"
It was then that Edward noticed they had arrived right in front of the cottage where Holly's scent was strongest. In fact…
"There she is," he whispered, low enough for only his siblings to hear.
They all snapped their necks to look at a single balcony where the wide slider was open, revealing emerald green silk curtains flowing freely in the breeze. Porch chairs were set up, along with a small electric keyboard. Sitting in front of that keyboard, hands position to play a melody was none other than Edward's new "interest" as Alice had so kindly put it.
She was wearing a silk nightie over sweatpants, an odd combination, but something she managed to pull off. Her hair was still in it's bun, but it was looser now, random strands of hair falling into her face, none she bothered to push away.
"Okay, you've seen her, let's go!" Alice whispered, tugging Edward's arm.
Edward, however, didn't budge. He watched the red-haired girl intently, as if waiting for something to happen.
"I know you're there, you know," Holly called out airly, a hint of annoyance plastered on her expression.
The Cullens froze, not knowing whether they should risk it and dash off, or stay and make Holly believe that she hadn't heard anything.
Actually, how did she hear us? thought Edward suspiciously in the midst of his panicky state. Our voices and movements are far too low for human-range hearing!
Then, from the slider door came a tired Luna and Neville. Luna was also wearing a nightgown, but this one looked like it belonged in the Victorian era, what with all the puffy sleeves and the modest look it had in contrast to Holly's, which only went right above her knee, along with the sweatpants. Neville was wearing gray pajamas and carrying three steaming mugs of hot chocolate on a tray.
"Peace offering?" he said meekly in response to Holly's unimpressed eyebrow arch.
Holly sighed. "Be glad that chocolate is my second greatest weakness. Especially the hot kind."
"Oh, we know how you like hot stuff," said Luna, wiggling her eyebrows. Neville, who had just taken a sip of the drink, spit it out, hacking loudly.
Edward scoffed at Emmett's reaction to the hilarious situation, which was by far the most protruding thought he could hear. He was still upset, though, not being able to hear the thoughts of the three teens. That was when it happened.
Holly's mind let a small window open for Edward to peek through.
The mind-reading vampire wasted no time in grasping the little thought that he could. He didn't even care what it was about. All he wanted was one, itty-bitty thought to satisfy him for the moment.
Good for you, Pretty Boy—you've moved on.
Edward furrowed his brows. Who was "Pretty Boy"? Was it someone at their school? And moved on? This whole ordeal she had caused moving to Forks was for a guy? And one who had apparently broken up with her and moved on, too?
Holly Potter must've been desperate for him, he thought, appalled. A clingy girlfriend was definitely not what he had expected her to be.
"Hot stuff aside, though, any luck?" Luna continued.
"Nope," replied Holly, popping the p sound. "I want to try—I've even got the whole lyrics thing written down and everything, but I just...can't for some reason."
"Try again," Luna prompted, taking a sip of her drink. "We don't judge, you know."
"I know." Holly smiled sadly. "Hermione and Ron were…"
"Hypocrites and envious of you," finished Neville. "But even though Luna and I aren't perfect, we can promise to be better friends than them."
"You already are!" laughed Holly. "I mean, you both packed everything up and moved to Forks just so that we could find...you know...him."
The mood dimmed from friendly to despondent. Luna looked extremely guilty. "I—I'm so sorry, Holls, I really, truly am. I never thought he'd have actually found—"
"It's fine, Luna." It was clearly not fine for Holly, who had winced painfully and cut the blonde girl off before she could finish her apology. "And you know what, good for him! It's like you said: he doesn't know what he's missing."
"True," Luna agreed. "So… are you going to play or what?"
Holly laughed but this time, it was genuine, with her head thrown back and her emerald green eyes shining with humor.
Then, Holly placed her fingers on the keys and played a slow melancholy melody.
Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily
You found a new girl and it only took a couple years
Remember when you said that you wanted to give me the world?
Edward had changed positions, so now he could see Holly's face as she sang. She was smiling in an embarassed sort of way, as if thinking, Man, I feel so stupid for believing that.
He couldn't understand why he suddenly felt the urge to hug her, so he ignored it, and continued to listen.
Ah-ah-ah-ah
And good for you, I guess that you've been working on yourself
I guess what Death did for you, it really helped
Now you can be a better man for your brand new girl
Now, her voice went higher by a few octaves and she closed her eyes, her voice hauntingly miserable now. Edward realized that she must have memorized the melody by heart, seeing as she kept it all bottled up for a long time.
Well, good for you, you look happy and healthy
Not me, if you ever cared to ask
Good for you, you're doing great out there without me
Baby, God, I wish that I could do that
I've lost my mind
I've spent the night crying on the floor in my bathroom
But you're so unaffected,
I really don't get it
But I guess good for you
Holly's eyes opened again and she sported the same smirk she had before, only this one seemed to say, Good for you. Really.
Well, good for you, I guess you're getting everything you want
You bought a new car and your career's really takin' off
It's like we never even happened
Baby, tell me what is up with that? (Huh)
And good for you, it's like you never even met me
Remember when you swore to God
I was the only person who ever got you?
Now the tune became foreboding, leading up to another note. Holly's voice turned bitter with...not regret, but something else. Edward wished he knew.
Then, she looked up, smiling sarcastically at the exact spot where Edward was crouching.
He froze. She couldn't see him there, could she?
Holly continued smiling sarcastically in his direction for a while, before directing her gaze to the piano and singing her heartbreak song.
Well, screw that and screw you
You will never have to hurt the way you know that I do
Well, good for you, you look happy and healthy
Not me, if you ever cared to ask
Good for you, you're doing great out there without me
Baby, God, I wish that I could do that
I've lost my mind
I've spent the night crying on the floor in my bathroom
But you're so unaffected, I really don't get it
But I guess good for you
Holly threw her head back as she belted out the high notes, vocalizing with her melody she had composed. Edward didn't need a mirror to know that his jaw had been dropped. He heard the snickers from his family and mentally groaned, knowing that none of them were going to let him live this humiliating moment down, especially Emmett. It was always Emmett.
Ah-ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah-ah!
Again, the red-haired girl lowered her voice to sound ominous and low as sang the next part.
Maybe I'm too emotional
But your apathy's like a wound in salt
Maybe I'm too emotional
Or maybe you never cared at all
Maybe I'm too emotional
Your apathy is like a wound in salt
Maybe I'm too emotional
Or maybe you never cared at a-ah-all!
Edward felt as though his dead heart had been revived again. Was that the strange power Holly had? Was she some sort of magic singer? He cleared his thoughts and listened to the last part of her song, which was being sung in an incredibly low, but harmonical way. Holly was definitely talented in the music department.
Well, good for you, you look happy and healthy
Not me, if you ever cared to ask
Good for you, you're doing great out there without me
Baby, like a damn sociopath!
She started screaming now, like a dam had burst, bringing her chorus of emotions flooding back into her being. She leaped out of her chair, and if there was a way to banging on piano keys with care, Holly did it.
I've lost my mind
I've spent the night crying' on the floor in my bathroom
But you're so unaffected, I really don't get it
But I guess good for you
She sat back down on her chair, relaxing slightly, eyes closed.
Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily
Maybe he would have stayed there, in awe of her, but he was broken out of his trance by a vase exploding from Holly's room. They jumped in surprise, turning accusing to the cause of the sound.
Alice apparently thought this was the perfect time to leave because as soon as Edward heard her thoughts, he glared at Emmett, who was approaching him with his arms out, ready to scoop him up. Edward was not going to let that happen.
15 seconds later, a grumpy and struggling Edward was being carried back to the Cullen residence by Emmett. As soon as they entered, they were met with the stony and stern faces of Esme and Carlisle. Everyone else tensed and stood still as statues in anticipation.
Finally, Carlisle stepped forward and said, "Where have you all been?"
They all started talking at once, which, for a vampire, could get very annoying. In the end though, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, and Alice were all pointing their fingers at Edward and said, in unison, " It was Edward's fault!"
Carlisle sighed. "Jasper, explain. Only Jasper."
Jasper narrated everything that had happened to the point where they reached Holly's cottage. Esme blew her top when she heard that Edward snuck off to spy on Holly, whom she believed was innocent along with her friends with her whole heart.
"EDWARD ANTHONY MASON CULLEN!"
The rest of the Cullens winced, even Carlisle at Esme's tone. The mother-like vampire grabbed Edward and dragged him further inside and Edward, failing to break free from her grasp, was looking at the rest of his family with pleading eyes, but they knew not to mess with Esme when she was like this. Not even Emmett.
This is going to be a long night, thought Edward miserably as he was roughly thrown onto the couch.
A/N: Hi, here I am! Here's the Olivia Rodrigo song, Good 4 U, which was one of my favorites from her Sour Album. I don't really know how to describe a song being sung and played in words, but I tried my best, so I hope it was descriptive enough for you! If you liked these kinds of chapters with Holly singing, please say so in the comments so that I can put in more, because there are a lot of songs that I want to use for this and I would love to if you guys also wanted these.
Okay, questions!
1. What's your favorite Olivia Rodrigo song? It can be from any of her albums!
2. Do you want Holly, Neville, and Luna to meet the wolves on their own, or through the Cullens somehow?
That's all for now! I love everyone who loves this fanfic!
—TeamLeo765