CHAPTER 21
The night before Bella's wedding Charlie was already passed out drunk on the couch, leaving Bella and I the only ones awake. Knocking on her door, I pushed the door open to see Bella packing the last of her belongings.
"Hey, Bella. Um… I know we aren't close anymore but I feel you deserve the truth. After your wedding, I'm going to Italy to be with Alec. As far as Charlie knows I am going to Italy for a soccer trip but I'll disappear when I get there."
Bella came and sat next to me on the bed, I was preparing myself for her to start yelling but it never came, instead, Bella pulled me into a hug.
"Cece, please don't."
"I love him. You and Edward are getting your happy ending and now I want mine, and my happy ending is with Alec. I'm going to be with him whether you like it or not."
Nodding her head in agreement, Bella hugged me, choking back a few tears. I hugged her back. The sound of tapping on Bella's window drew our attention, I rolled my eyes and got up, leaving the room as Bella rushed to the window to let Edward in.
The next morning Bella, Alice and I were in Alice's room. Alice was putting makeup on Bella, I was already dressed and ready for the wedding. Alice had forced me into a purple conservative gown, it fell down to my feet, though it had a plunging neckline, my back was fully covered to hide the ugly scar. My hair was pulled up in an intricate braided twin buns on top of my head. Alice was fretting over Bella as she had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.
"What did I say about beauty sleep?"
"Sorry, bad dream. It was wedding jitters."
Hearing heels on the wood floor I looked toward the door to see Rosalie standing in the doorway. She almost seemed hesitant to come into the room.
"Do you need some help? I could do her hair."
Bella seemed genuinely surprised at her offer.
"Really?"
Rosalie scuffed as she made her way to Bella and started to pick at her hair.
"Please. I'm not offended with your choice of groom."
"Just my blatant lack of respect for mortality."
"Essentially."
Alice brought Rosalie and Bella into a group hug.
"Weddings. They bring everyone together!"
I rolled my eyes as I left the room. Standing at the top of the stairs I saw Renee and Charlie standing on the stairs looking at the wall of graduation caps. Renee hurried past Charlie, giving me a short hug as she went into the room where Bella was. Charlie was still looking at the caps when I passed him, stopping only when he called out to me.
"I met your Italian boyfriend and his brothers."
"Oh? What do you think of him?"
"He seems okay. I guess I now have to give you the talk too."
I frowned at Charlie's words. What talk was he talking about?
"Now that you are in a relationship you are going to want to… express your feelings in a more physical way."
"Ugh… Dad. We don't have to have this talk."
"I know your mom gave you the talk but I think you need it again now that you have a boyfriend."
"No, dad. We REALLY don't need to have this talk."
Finally understanding what I am trying to say, Charlie turns a little red before hurrying up the steps as I walk down the stairs and into the living room where Phil was sitting on the couch, alone.
"Hey, Phil."
I sat down next to Phil as I asked him how his baseball career was going. Not long after we started talking Alec, Demetri and Felix came into the room, all three of them wore suits. Cutting my conversation short I got up and went to Alec, seeing him in modern clothes was incredibly sexy.
"Don't you three clean up nice."
Alec kissed me on the head as Demetri winked at me, Felix was messing with his tie. Phil cleared his throat as he came to us.
"Phil. This is Alec and his two brothers, Demetri and Felix."
Alec, Demetri and Felix politely shook Phil's hand.
"I recognize you two. You walked Cecilia home when she was visiting us."
The look on Alec's face let me know that Demetri and Felix had not informed him of what had happened. Phil mumbled something about finding Renee before he left the room as Alec turned to Demetri and Felix. Alec didn't say anything, waiting for one of them to speak up but Demetri only looked at Felix as Felix looked at Demetri before they both turned toward me. These assholes wanted me to tell Alec, I glared at them before turning to Alec, taking his hand in mine.
"Sweetheart. Have I told you, you look very handsome today?"
"Flattering won't get you anywhere. Tell me when you ran into them?"
"Well, after Jane took me to the airport I met up with Bella and Edward in Florida. One night I went to the skatepark and on the way home I was attacked. I was knocked out and when I came to Demetri was there."
Alec's head turned to Demetri so fast I was surprised his head was still attached. Demetri put his hands up in surrender.
"Nothing happened to her. I intervened and killed the people before they could do anything."
Looking like he was going to hit Demetri, I gently took Alec's other hand in mine, drawing his attention to me.
"I'm okay. Demetri and Felix made sure I got home safe. Now come on, let's go find our seats. Away from Demetri and Felix."
Leading Alec out back, we took our seats in the third row with Demetri and Felix sitting in the very back.