Hello! I had some time in between my investigation for uni, so I decided to update!
I hope you like it!
Thank you, silent readers, for your visit. Thank you for the alerts, favorites, and reviews! I appreciate it very much!
The name of the chapter is in Spanish, and its meaning is around these lines: it means, for example, when you discover something or realize something that it can be somewhat evident. At least that's how I understand it...
Are there any Spanish speakers here apart from me?
The Butterfly Effect.
Chapter 10: Que comes, que adivinas.
Bella remained silent for a few seconds, with her stare locked in a random spot in front of her. She wasn't worried at all about what Alice had seen or stopped seeing. She was a little sad. She loved the Cullens very much, and she missed them dearly, despite how happy she was in Volterra. Her tears kept flowing down her cheeks. Heidi looked at her concerned. She could understand what she was feeling even if she had never gone through it herself. She softly approached Bella and put a hand on her shoulder, silently comforting her without invading her personal space. Bella looked at her and smiled softly thanking her. Heidi felt a rush of tenderness towards her and couldn't help but hug her. Bella clung to her and contrary to what she thought, she didn't cry anymore.
"Are you alright?" Heidi whispered when they broke the embrace.
"Yeah" she nodded. "It just took me by surprise. I know that since we were so close, she is very attuned with my future, but I wasn't expecting her call." Bella put her phone on one of her jean pockets and smiled ashamed. "Sorry if I ruined our day"
Heidi shook her head. She couldn't understand why Bella didn't see herself clearly. She was an amazing person. She was fun to be around. She didn't open easily to people, making those close to her very fortunate to be in her inner circle. She suspected Bella didn't like to waste time on people who weren't worth it. She was for all intents and purposes avoiding the Cullens and that was hurting her.
"Can I ask you a question? You have every right to not answer, and if I'm out of place please tell me." Bella nodded. That line reminded her of when Felix asked her for the note that she had given Demetri in the plane. "Why are you avoiding them?"
"What?" She couldn't have been more surprised.
"I know you haven't talked to either of them since you arrived. I was wondering why. You clearly love them. They're also your family, that doesn't go easily. And for everything you've told us, they love you too."
Bella was left without words. She wasn't aware of the fact that she had been consciously avoiding them. But now that she thought about it, she could see that Heidi was right. She should call them and talk to them. It wasn't fair to cut all contact. She knew how that felt, and she wouldn't do the same. Esme and Carlisle had received her in their home with opened arms. Emmett had made it his mission to look after her as a big brother would do. Rosalie wasn't exactly fond of her choices, but she knew that she would never find someone so willing to go to the end of the earth to support your choices even if she didn't agree with them. Alice had taken her under her wing since day one. She had been her best friend and her ray of hope that day more than six months ago. Jasper had tried to attack her, but it was the only mistake he had ever committed, and it wasn't fair to punish him with silence. And Edward, she had loved him with passion, she had been ready to give her life in every sense, for him. She knew that there was a pending conversation with him, but that was a conversation she wasn't ready to have. She made a mental note to call Emmett later this week before Felix arrived.
"Oh, Bella. I didn't mean to upset you." Bella realized she was crying again. She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her sweater, a bit more aggressively than she intended. She hated crying.
"I didn't realize I was doing that." She thought about it and maybe she was doing that because she didn't want to remember her past. She was confused now. She wanted to be with Felix, he'd knew what to say and how to read her. She missed him so much. She breathed in and out a few times to clear her head. She wouldn't let her feelings put a damp on her road trip with Heidi.
After that small revelation, Bella and Heidi put the topic of the Cullens aside and enjoyed the rest of their trip. They laughed and confided in each other about little details about their lives. Bella told her more about her life in Forks with her Dad, and some funny stories she remembered of her childhood. Heidi told her more stories about her adventures when she was a nomad and those few first years with Demetri. They had been married for 116 years now and Bella couldn't mask her surprise. In her mind, the dates each of her friends had told her were abstract ideas on her mind, but now that she put a more familiar context to the figures, she was shocked at how old they were. But at the same time, her romantic side was sighing like a teenage girl in front of the poster of her favorite artist.
"He has been the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. You'd think that spending so much time together, we know everything about each other. And that's pretty much how it is. But at the same time, I love discovering new things with him. He is obnoxious, loud, obtuse, but he is also caring, crazy, and one of the sweetest men you'd ever see." Bella observed her friend's smile and couldn't help but smile with her.
"It's wonderful to see how much you love him." Heidi winked at Bella's words. "My parents divorced when I was very little, but I never stopped believing in love. As cheesy as that sounds. And when I met Edward, I fell in love with him. I never doubted for one second what I felt for him. Just as I don't doubt my feelings for Felix." Maybe she still wasn't in the same place as Heidi and Demetri. And despite all of the things she still had to learn about Felix, she was certain he was the one. The one she wants to spend her forever with. She hated comparisons, and always felt guilty when she compared Edward and Felix and knew that he despised being compared with her past relationship. But having been so close to marrying Edward, she could say for certain that this was different.
Heidi couldn't mask her surprise fast enough. "You love him?"
"Felix?" Heidi nodded. "Of course I do. He's wonderful." She didn't understand her surprise.
"I thought you were still in love with Edward. That's why I was so worried about you." Heidi admitted.
Bella laughed and hugged her friend. "I don't blame you. And Felix is very lucky to have you protecting him so fiercely. But I was very attracted to Felix since the beginning. It took me a bit to admit that I liked him and that it was ok. And that it was ok to break up with one guy and move on. Being vampires is not different. But yes, I love him. And he knows I do." Heidi clapped excited and Bella laughed blushing at her friend's enthusiasm.
"He loves you so much, you know?"
"I know. He told me yesterday." Heidi clapped again excited.
"You make a very cute couple. I love it!" Bella laughed.
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They spent the whole day in the small town, enjoying every bit of it. They came back late at night and Bella retired directly to her room not before thanking Heidi for the day. Heidi hugged her gently and quickly and retired to her room. The day had been a success. She didn't know Bella as well as Felix did, and for him, she had tried to not judge her too quickly. She could be her husband's family but that didn't mean she had to like her just upon seeing her. But after spending time with her the last couple of weeks she had seen her for who she was. She was just a girl, scared and uncertain of what fate awaits her but she maintained her head held high and didn't weaver from her decision. That had earned Heidi's respect at first. Then, upon trying for her best friend and her husband, she had come to love Bella as well. She had still a lot to learn from her, but she was certain that her friend was finally in the right place.
She had been dubious as to how the day would go. How to approach the subject without seeming as if she was overstepping or meddling in her life. But she was trying to protect her best friend's feelings. That had been her job every time she had seen that man trust too much a woman. Felix had a golden heart and his most grave mistake was to trust too easily at times. So she swore to herself to protect him. Though he had never shown this kind of interest before, nor he had been so smitten with a woman before. Heidi was glad that Felix had finally found his one.
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The next days Heidi and Bella spent a lot of time together. They walked, they played, they watched movies, they even went dancing and drinking. Bella discovered that vampires could tolerate alcohol. Albeit in great quantities and quality. Expensive liquor was their favorite, according to Heidi. Bella just drank some beer and a few fruity cocktails. She had never been an avid drinker. She could enjoy an occasional beer or cocktail, but if she had her choice, she could happily live without drinking alcohol. She was in good company so she decided that for once she would loosen up a little and, even though she wasn't drunk, she could not say that she was sober either. Heidi took care of her, even if she was in worse shape than Bella. But they had fun, they laughed at silly things, and they returned safely home. The difference, Bella realized in the morning, is that Heidi didn't suffer from hangovers as she did. But she made up to her by giving her food and drinks to recover.
In the spur of the moment, Bella asked Heidi to cut her hair.
"What?"
"Would you cut my hair?" Bella repeated.
"Why do you want to change your style?"
"To commemorate a new beginning. I have wanted to cut it for a long time but never found the courage." Heidi still looked at her as if she was insane.
"Are you still drunk?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "I am not drunk. I am sober. Will, you cut my hair or not?"
"If you're certain that's what you want, then yes." Bella nodded. "Just remember that there won't be much time for it to grow fully back before your transformation."
"I know. I have thought about it. And I want to do it." Heidi saw her resolution written in her face and nodded. "I want it just below the shoulders, not longer, not shorter." She told her serious, handing her a pair of scissors.
"When the hell did you buy scissors to cut hair?"
Bella shrugged. "I like to be prepared."
Heidi didn't like Bella's seriousness, so she decided to tease her a little.
"Does that mean you have condoms in your night table?" As she expected Bella blushed as she had never seen her blush. But she didn't answer, which Heidi took as an affirmative answer. "You do!"
Bella shrugged without giving away any answers. But she was still as red as a tomato. Heidi patted her shoulders, signaling for her to move. "Go wet your hair and I'll cut it." Bella stood. "And Bella." She turned. "This talk is not over!" she pointed the scissors at her friend laughing loudly as she saw her running to the bathroom.
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When she had been with Edward, her favorite thing apart from having someone to be romantically with was founding comfort in his smell. Jacob had been her sun, and her safe port, the one place she could go when she felt a storm coming up. Or after the storm had passed. But like with Edward, there had always been that feeling of being torn. It was either a storm between werewolves and vampires or the simple storm of jealousy or unrequested love. She had loved them both very much in different manners, but she had always put them before her. It was always what would make Edward happy or what would make Jake happy. She could count with the fingers of one hand, the number of times she had done something because she wanted to, and not to make either of them happy.
With Felix it was different. There was no unrequested love, there was no danger (of course, before, the danger came from them, and now she was in the midst of it, but there was no danger anymore). Felix was her storm and her port. He could rile her up as easily as he could calm her down. He would drive her nuts but give her sanity. He was what she needed to be truly herself. No more putting everyone's happiness before her own. No more forgetting herself to please others. She had slept every night this week on his bed, finding comfort in the lingering smell.
She smiled riding her bike happily. She loved being free.
But suddenly, she heard someone scream, and before she knew it, she was flying off her bike and hitting the pavement. She screamed out of pain and she felt her whole body hurt. She heard voices approaching, speaking fast in Italian. She had hit her head and could smell the blood. She lost consciousness and everything went black.
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That same day, later in the afternoon, the guard returned from their mission. Felix and Demetri entered Demetri's room laughing and joking. They were sure to find both their women there. But they only found a distressed Heidi who was on the brink of hysteria.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Demetri rushed at her side and took her by the upper arms shaking her lightly.
"Bella's missing" She whispered.
Demetri's eyes couldn't have opened wider if he tried. "What? What do you mean missing?"
"She left around midday and hasn't come back yet. I tried her phone, but she's not answering. I don't know what else to do!" She yelled desperately and hysterically. She was so scared for her friend. Bella wasn't the most oriented person out there, and she hasn't been in the city for that long. She was scared that she was lost. She had to remind herself that this was the 21st century and that it was not difficult to find your way around if you're lost. But then again, Bella didn't speak Italian.
"Babe, you have to calm down." Demetri ordered softly trying to reach his wife.
"Why weren't you with her?" Felix's accusations did reach Heidi, who stepped away from Demetri and walked furiously towards Felix.
"Because I have responsibilities, asshole! I am not her nanny. She doesn't need a fucking a nanny!" She yelled and pushed him making him stumble slightly backward. He was not expecting her to get physical.
Instead of apologizing and telling she was right, which he knew was the right thing to do, he turned towards Demetri. "Track her" he demanded.
He looked troubled to admit "I can't"
"What do you mean you can't?"
"My gift doesn't work with her. Never had."
Felix kicked a table, which broke into tiny pieces of wood.
"Hospitals," Heidi whispered realizing that they had to call the hospitals. And they did. For the next half an hour they called as many hospitals as they could until they found her. She had been run over by an asshole who had passed a red light. Bella was rightly crossing the street with the bike when the asshole hit her.
Felix rushed to the hospital and made in record time. He was allowed to see Bella only due to his obvious distress. But it was against hospital policies to allow non-direct relatives to approach the patients.
He gathered strength and calm and approached the small cubicle where Bella was held in the emergency room. She was staring at the ceiling. She had bruises in her face and a bandage as well. He could smell the blood in the wound of her forehead, the one covered with the bandage. She also had one arm strained against her chest in a thing he did not know the name of and didn't care either. All he cared, is that she was well. She was bruised but she was still with him.
Bella moved her head with a small hissing noise due to the pain and locked her eyes with Felix's almost black ones. She couldn't help but smile. "You're back" she whispered. Her voice gave away the fact that she had been crying.
"You almost gave us a heart attack, Bella." He admitted kissing her forehead very gently. She smiled amused.
"Sorry."
Bella's eyes closed and she fought to keep them open. "Sleep. I'm here"
Bella shook her head. "I can't sleep. I might have a concussion." She softly explained to him what that meant and why she wasn't allowed to sleep.
"Could you tell me what were you thinking?" She tilted her head and groaned in pain again. Her head felt like a hot balloon. "You always go biking when you need to clear your head."
She smiled. "I'll tell you when I don't have elephants stomping in my head and shoulder"
Felix did not understand what that meant, but at the lack of explanation from her, he assumed it meant she didn't want to talk about it.
I hope you liked it...
I felt like Heidi needed to spend some time with Bella, and the last chapter was a bit loose on this, so I decided to focus another chapter on their road trip. Maybe a heart to heart. Woman on woman.
Kisses!
Paty4Hale
