A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.

Chapter 8-

Bella's POV- Awkwardness in a cute little basket

What am I doing?

Why am I doing this?

Have I dropped my common sense somewhere on the way here?

Should I go and check?

This is…crazy.

I should just turn back and run to the world of sanity.

As fast as one ever can.

Yes.

That would be the correct, not to forget best thing to do in the situation.

After all, if you don't have a life to call yours, you don't have anything, right?

I mean, what good would billions do if you were dead?

Now, I did not have any billions in my name, unfortunately. But I did have a life. And I wanted to keep it so.

I would try my level best to keep it so.

I did not want to die.

I was just eighteen!

Being a vampire was different. I did not mind being dead-dead; the 'only dead' status was the problem here.

But why was I even thinking about this?

It was a complete waste of mental processes.

Ed…he was gone….and so was the entire family, leaving the weak and defenseless human behind, the hurry to get away from here and her visible in their eyes.

Nobody wanted her.

Not even the vampires who did not have any fixed criteria that they followed when they chose their victims; smell blood and pounce being their infamous motto.

Not even they wanted me!

Can you believe that?

Wait.

Am I actually cribbing about this fact?

Seriously, I need to see a doctor!

Preferably of the mental health variety.

I should be counting my lucky stars that they had not drained me dry, all other things secondary….but they were family.

And soul or not, I had expected more from them.

They had considered me a daughter, a sister, a friend and a….

No.

Ed…he had not seen me as anything but an obsession.

I was his unhealthy obsession; the medium through which he maintained control in his life.

That was it.

I was never his equal.

He never saw me like an equal.

And that was the harsh reality of my life.

"Oh sweetie, are you alright?"

I looked up with a jerk, a strange woman wearing a long skirt and a bright colored tunic wrapping her arms around me tight as she attempted to console me for some unknown reason, her shiny black hair cropped short and covering her ears, long silver earrings dangling in the air and creating their own melodious sound.

Still, none of this explained why she was touching me- and more importantly, who the hell she was?

"I am…sorry." I stumbled over my words, forcing the woman and her long grabby tentacles away from me. It was a task, believe me. "I…who are you again?"

Yes, honestly is always the best policy.

Even if it makes you sound like a rude, impolite jerk.

Even then.

Especially then.

After all, what better way is even there to get away from the unwanted people of your life?

This works like magic, always!

Don't believe me, look at Lauren.

She could write books on the topic.

Anyhow…Wait.

Was this Sam's….

No.

I mean….she looked older…

This woman was easily in her fifties, and Sam was thirty?

Now, I have nothing against age difference, love being love and all of that, but people on the res could not be this accepting and open-minded?

She was closer to his mother's age.

This would create quite a stir even in the busy and seemingly modern Phoenix where nothing is a big deal!

Even Renee had married a man younger than her, but there was a difference between five and twenty-five!

Phil was five years younger than her; he was not twenty.

Yuck!

"I am Paul's mother- Paula. He is named after me." the strange woman giggled loudly, almost as if that explained everything weird and unexplainable in the world.

Oh.

No.

No.

No.

Sam was married to Paul's mother?

Considering I was standing outside Sam's house at the moment and all of that.

Shit.

Wow.

And anyone and everyone had easily accepted this massive change in dynamics between them?

Wow.

Just…wow.

I have no words to use, not even in the privacy of my own head.

I was that…astonished by this revelation.

Good surprised, yes.

But even slightly horrified.

Imagine, your mother marrying your friend…someone you grew up with, discussing your ridiculous crushes on the way….

Jeez.

Thank you, Charlie and Renee, for not embarrassing me in this manner!

No, seriously.

I should probably buy them gift baskets, a thank you note accompanied.

Charlie would probably be content enough with an unlimited supply of beer and an empty house once in a while, Renee would be slightly more difficult to please, but it was nothing that money couldn't buy.

Renee was weirdly materialistic in some ways.

Either way, they deserved it all.

I would gladly give them my first born, if they asked for.

Anything to get away from some embarrassment of this variety.

Now, I know what you are thinking, Ed…the Jerk- Yes, that name suits him more- was over a hundred. He was, but he looked seventeen. And that is what is important. You may be an empty useless vessel from inside, but if you are packed in a shiny box, people will still pay money to buy you.

The rude reality of life, what can one even say!

Edward may have been as ancient as the sun (I know- I know that is not possible, just giving an example!) but he looked seventeen and so, that is all what people noticed about him.

Anyhow, none of that is important at the moment.

No.

This strange woman- Paula, asking me a million and one questions at the moment, was my major source of worry and discomfort.

"So, Bella," she smiled, "Do you like apple pie? I have made some for you. When Sam told me that Paul has found you….I was so happy…."

Weirdly, she reminded me of Alice. She was equally perky and full of joy.

Nope.

Not going there.

That unwanted and full of painful memories- door shuts in 3…2….1…

"How…how do you know my name?"

Should I take into a run?

Was my life in danger?

"Sam told me."

I could literally hear the 'Duh' in that sentence, so evident that it was.

"Oh." I nodded my head briefly, looking to my shoes in nervousness, wondering of what happens next.

I was here.

Where was I supposed to go from here?

Was I supposed to go inside the house?

But I did not want to. I almost stomped my feet in agreement.

But could I just…you know…run away in the opposite direction without worrying of any consequences?

Hmm. Why was running away always my first thought out of any and every situation?

Jeez.

It is true, you do turn into your parent as you grow older.

And who wants to sit wearing flannel shirts in front of the Television the entire weekend.

No.

Renee was slightly the better parent to turn into, the slightly to be kept in focus.

"Such an idiot I am," the woman- Paula laughed, "I did not even invite you inside, so impatient that I have been to meet you. Come in."

"I…."

I am just fine right here.

I need to get home.

I have homework to do.

I need to….

"Come on, now," she pulled me in with her, her long nails scratching into my skin, making me wince in horror and pain, as I subtly attempted to rub my hands.

Damn.

Did the woman take scratching people as a pastime?

How could anyone be this good at it?

It was scary!

"Everyone, look whose here." She soon announced to the room at whole- coming to a stop in what seemed to be a living room, more than a billion people staring back at me, expressionless and judging, dropping whatever they had been doing and just staring at me for the rest of eternity.

Okay, so there was like twenty-five people in the room- max, not a billion, obviously, but the rest of the part about them staring at me was all true.

It was weird.

"Hi." I shyly mumbled, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear, everybody in the room just continuing to stare at me, silence covering us in its suffocating blanket.

Can we all just shout awkward?

Jeez.

"Bella." Head asshole spoke up. "I knew you would come."

I rolled my eyes at him, a scoff leaving my mouth at the man's over-confidence.

I hadn't come here for him, or because he had supposedly ordered me to.

No. I was here because….

I don't know.

I was curious.

Blame the curious cat.

It had dragged me up here.

More importantly, Joy was in some weird mood of cleaning the entire house today and had ordered Quil and me to leave, sprouting some bullshit about us coming in her way.

And this had seemed to be a better option than sitting at Second beach for the next few hours- swatting the flies away- which was exactly the option Quil had chosen, though in hindsight, I would definitely have to give this statement and my decision-making skills a second thought.

"Oh, Bella, which is your favorite stone?" Paula took my hand in hers, supposedly unaware of the awkwardness in the room. "We have this family jeweler in Port Angeles; I will take you to him someday soon. I am so excited!"

What?

Why?

I wasn't her daughter….or you know, daughter-in-law.

"Mom, I am not marrying her!" the man in question growled out, burning holes in me from where he sat in the corner of the room, the hatred in his eyes make me shiver in nervousness.

Why did he even hate me as much?

What had I even done?

From what I remembered; hatred had been the last thing in his eyes the first time we had met.

"Pauly…" Paula sighed, narrowing her eyes at him. "You will not fight this. It is a wasted effort."

"I don't want it!"

Wow.

I have walked right into a family drama.

Yay me!

"Now," a young woman with three angry red scars marring her face spoke up, a pacifying smile accompanied. "Why don't I give you a tour of the house, Bella? Let's keep the heavy discussions to the elders."

Why? I almost pouted in denial and stubbornness.

I don't want a tour of the house.

I would rather see the outside.

Apparently, no one cared much about my opinion, as the stranger dragged me towards what was her first destination in this so not desired tour.

Why?

Why was I even here?

The curious cat, what had you lead me to?