Chapter 3:
Ridiculous

A rabbit.

I fed off an innocent rabbit.

Then again, that's not to say that they people I fed off of before weren't innocent, but at least they were scum – the people no one wanted around. The ones no one would miss.

But… Rabbits?

I was, needless to say, incredulous. After what felt like an eternity after my statement to Edward, Carlisle and a few of the others took me to feed, knowing that I would need something inside of me if Bella was going to stay around. The first time he told me what I was hunting, I had to keep myself from laughing. I thought he was joking. I was wrong. It must have been a sight to see my shocked expression, because a smile lit his features – though this was a serious situation.

By the time we were done, and I had gotten through my first experience of hunting animals rather than people, I was in no less of a foul mood than I was before. There was no doubt on their minds that I was still pissed at Edward for invading my mind. And, though I knew I really had no place to be upset, I was.

I couldn't help it.

We were sitting in the living room of their house. Finally, I had learned their names.

Edward, Bella, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie. Of all of them, Rosalie was my least favorite. But she made it clear that she wasn't fond of me, either.

"Bree," Carlisle began, softly, and I knew there would be more questions about my past.

"I already told you," I snapped, harshly. "You don't need to know anything else about me."

He sighed.

"Just give her back to the Volturi, Carlisle. She's more trouble than she's worth."

Turning to Rosalie, I snarled, ready to snap her head off. It would be my pleasure, actually.

"Rosalie."

"As if I'm the only one thinking that," she argued, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

The snarl on my face grew larger, that hurt.

Stupid, insensitive, jerk.

"You are," Edward said, "As a matter – of – fact."

I wanted to smile and say "Ha!" but I didn't, because it didn't hurt any less. They weren't on my side. I had to remember that. It seemed that I kept forgetting. They saved me, but that didn't mean anything. It's better that way anyway. Diego had been on my side when we were back with Riley's coven, and look what that got him.

An unimaginable death.

It was all my doing – I was just as bad as Riley, imprinting these ideas in his mind that, in the end, did him more harm than good. Maybe Rosalie was right. I was more trouble than I was worth. If I hadn't been myself around Diego and I hadn't opened myself up to him, he wouldn't have gone to talk to Riley. If I'd been a good friend, a smart one, I wouldn't have let him go by himself.

Diego…

I sighed. My heart hurt every time I thought his name.

And it scared me.

Diego and I had known each other so shortly, yet he affected me so greatly. Wherever Riley was, if he wasn't dead – though I'm pretty sure either these vampires or the Volturi got him – I would get him. A part – a strong part – of me wanted to avenge Diego. But if Riley and that Victoria woman were already dead, I had nothing else to do. Which was strange. I had spent my whole vampire life waiting for the one thing Riley had prepared us for.

It was weird not living in waiting.

"Bree?"

I wished things had gone differently. At least, I wish I'd realized what happened to Diego while I had time to go with Fred.

"Bree?"

Maybe then I wouldn't feel as bad… As if that were even possible.

"BREE!"

"Oh. What?" Oops. I had spaced out.

"We're going to explain a lot to you, you need to listen."

I nodded, feeling stupid for so easily spacing out and yet not blaming myself because Diego was someone I didn't mind spacing out on. The Cullens', each taking turns, began to explain where we were and what they were trying to do – living a normal life for as long as they could before they would have to move to avoid suspicion.

It was ridiculous – against everything I knew as a vampire, in a sense. We kept everything under control, letting no one know of our existence, but Riley had made it seem like we would soon have the run of the town. But, this? Blending in with these silly humans? I had forgotten about living a human life. Even though it was not that long ago, it felt to me like it was that way, and I couldn't begin to imagine what it was like. And yet, they struggled so much just to get this?

What was the point? They were never going to be human – I was never going to be human. We were all vampires; there was no changing that simple fact. The people they knew here, the ones they talked to everyday, would be dead in no time and they would remain unchanged by time. What about that did they find so appealing.

"Are you okay," a voice asked, but I was too deep in thoughts to know who it was. "You've been quiet for a while."

"I just don't get it."

I was sure I heard Rosalie sigh. Looking up, I was right. She stood with that arrogant attitude she possessed and left the room, clearly stating that she found this pointless and a waste of her oh-so-precious time.

"Get what?" Edward asked, his human clinging onto his arm.

"I don't get why you would want that."

And that, I thought, was the nice way of phrasing it. What I really wanted to say was, what on earth would make you want to do such a stupid thing, when you're meant to kill these people, not befriend them?

Alice seemed interested in this, as she leaned forward in her seat on the couch. She studied me openly, with interest, her bright eyes boring into mine. Yet, she said nothing, pressing me further with only the look in her eyes.

"These people you want to blend in with, these humans are nothing. They will be dead in a few centuries time and you'll be alive. Unchanged. Unaffected. Left behind. You're only setting yourself up to be let down. Why on earth would you want to open yourself to hurt? Even if it makes you feel good for the slightest time?"

None of the Cullens' spoke, and neither did I.

It felt like ages before one of them spoke, and it turned out to be Bella who did so – the human who so easily disregarded the fact that I wanted her blood.

"You don't want to feel normal?"

Through curious eyes, I stared at her. Did I want to feel normal? "I wouldn't know how to, even if I wanted to."

"You don't remember what it's like to be human?"

"I remember the thirst. How it gets so overwhelming that the back of your throat burns like mad and all you want to do is rip someone's throat out. Just to feel the warmness of their blood sliding down your throat."

"Oh."

"That's my normal."

There was a pause, and in it I studied Edward. By the look on his face, I knew that he was talking to someone in their head, most likely Carlisle, as it was probably about a decision on what to do with me. I minded, a lot, that they thought they had to talk about me where I couldn't hear. If I didn't want them in my mind, why the hell would I want them talking about me in theirs?

With a nod of his head, Carlisle cleared his throat and brought all attention to him.

"Starting Monday, Bree, you are going to school."

"School?"

What the heck was this vampire going on about? School? Of all places, he wanted me to go where there were kids walking around, all full of the all too tempting blood that I craved? Was he trying to get me killed?

"That's ridiculous!"

Alice, excited about the thought – for whatever reason she found fit to be – shook her head. "Carlisle can make it so you're in one our classes at all time. You'll always be watched."

Agitated, I sneered. "Is that supposed to be a good thing?"

The pixie like vampire ignored my comment, as if it were nothing. "You'll need to get new clothes, though. You have none here and what you're wearing won't do."

Clothes, I thought, confused. That was what she was talking about, but it was of such small significance that I almost wanted to laugh. But I didn't. There was nothing to laugh about in my situation.

I was a left over from Riley's coven, whom these Cullens had to keep in track, less the Volturi come knocking on their door.

I don't think I'll ever want to be with Fred more than I do at this moment.

Kind of short, but mostly a filler chapter to what I have for next chapter. I want her to meet the wolves, but i'm not quite sure if its too soon for that. I know one thing, this will not be an imprint story, so you can cross that out of your minds. Haha. Maybe I should wait until after school to let her meet them. That would be better, i think.

What do you think?