I Do Not Twilight
Several months after Bella began wearing her mask, she opened her laptop and saw two faces looking back at her. She looked at the man with long brown hair and smiled. "You must be Marcus. I have met Caius so I am glad to meet you."
Marcus grinned and clapped his hands together once, "A bond was formed."
Aro smiled widely at Marcus who looked to the girl, "It is lovely to meet you. We are looking forward to getting to know you better when you have finished your courses."
Bella wrinkled her forehead together and cocked her head in confusion, "I don't know what you mean."
Aro swatted Marcus, "I have not spoken to her about my plans," he hissed.
"What do you want to talk to me about, Aro?"
He sighed, "I was waiting for the appropriate time to mention it. I have not taken a vacation in a very long time. You are graduating from school this year. I hoped you might accompany me on a trip through Italy, France, and Spain this summer. We could put your language skills to use. What do you say?"
Bella gasped, "I don't think I can get the money to afford a trip like that. But it sounds wonderful."
Dismissing her concerns with a wave, "Nonsense, I have houses every place we would be traveling, most of the activities we would engage in I get to do for free as a patron to the arts, and I have to send you a graduation present anyway which would be your plane ticket. There is not reason to say no. I have also already spoken to your father for his permission."
"Charlie said I could go?" Bella was shocked. She never expected Charlie to allow her to travel to visit a strange man in a foreign country. What Bella didn't realize was as a mind reader Aro knew a good deal about manipulation and found it useful in this endeavor.
"So you see," Marcus chimed in, "we will be getting to know you in the future."
Bella squealed! She was so excited she had always wanted to visit Italy and now she could do so with Aro. The two brothers laughed at her enthusiasm.
Marcus excused himself and waited for Aro to find him when he was done with Bella.
"Well brother what do you think?" Aro practically skipped into the room.
"She doesn't have enough bonds," Marcus groaned.
Aro frowned, "What do you mean?"
"It would be better if she had more friends. She is still very lonely. The more bonds she has now the more she will be able to accumulate after her change. You need to encourage her to get more friends."
So Aro did. He explained to her that keeping strangers out was perfectly fine but she still had to let other people in. He told her he was surrounded by allies who did see him without his mask. He told her she needed to meet people she could be herself around.
Because Aro had never steered her wrong before Bella went out of her way to meet friends. She cultivated the relationship with Angela and she began to hang out with Jacob. Soon she discovered secrets about Jacob which gave her even more friends among the wolf pack. She didn't tell Aro what they were though. She knew when to keep a secret.
Jacob even met Aro once. The two were chatting online like normal when Jacob jumped through her window and jumped on the bed next to her. He brought his face next to hers and looked at Aro.
"Hey, so you're the guy Bella talks about all the time, huh?"
"Yes, I'm Aro and I assume you must be Jacob?"
"So Bells is gonna visit ya in Italy after graduation, huh?"
Chuckling to himself Aro smiled, "It is the plan anyway."
Jacob nodded, "Well, you're way better than the loser she used to hang around. That guy was an idiot."
Scowling at the thought of Edward Aro nodded, "Yes, he was a complete moron."
Jacob grinned, "I like this one Bells. He's a keeper." Bella laughed in agreement.
Jacob left out the window and Aro looked at her, "Why do none of your friends use a door? And why on earth did he not have a shirt on?"
Bella just laughed and shook her head. "He is going to take me cliff diving next week."
"Wonderful, make sure he keeps you safe I hate travelling alone."
Bella chuckled and signed off.