Trust Factor

Chapter 4: Bella Should Watch Her Back

Monday January 13-7:35pm-Volterra-Italy

"Bella, you will love it here," Caprice squealed as she pulled her old friend to the spare room.

"Now Caprice, we talked about this. No one can know that I'm here, understand?" Bella asked as she placed her bag down on the small twin sized bed.

"That's fine, only 2 other girls live in this house, o' and Silvan, but he is never around. Lola, the school principle, never checks in. You should be fine," Caprice said. "Unless the Volturi decides to show up at our door. Ha, They never show themselves. I don't know how they can run this place without coming out of their fancy lair."

Bella looked at her friend and smiled, "They don't sound like they would do such a good job," She said with a small laugh.

"That's what Monica said last week. She also said that we only keep them around because they ran the vampires out of Volterra many years ago. That is not why you keep a family in power, but it's not up to us school girls," Caprice shared.

"Vampires? Do people really believe that story?" Bella asked with concern.

Caprice looked up from her unpack of Bella's suitcase. "I guess I've not really thought about that. Most people talk about that story like it's history rather than fiction. I never thought of it as just a story. Vampires are talked about around here just as Hitler and his followers are talked about between Jews. No one sees them as fictional characters as other would."

Caprices answered to Bella's question, shocked Bella a bit. If they thought of Vampires as real, did they think of other mythical creatures as real such as Werewolves, Mermaids? She didn't want to think of being found out.

"Don't worry about the History of the story, that's stuff for students," Caprice said with a simple laugh.

It seemed so natural for a girl, such as Caprice to laugh. It seemed more unnatural for Bella to laugh in the situation she was in. She was officially in hiding.

Tuesday January 14-8:18am-Cullen house-Forks, Washington

Cleo woke in Alice and Jasper's room. The Cullens said they would have Edward, the 17-year-old god's, room set up to fit her by that night. It was strange thing to get use to some of the vampire facts. They didn't sleep, or eat, super speed, really strong, not to mention the fact that the Cullens were unexplainably rich.

Alice was at the door the second Cleo was out of bed. She stayed a respectable distance away from Cleo as she walked out of the room. There was a small smell coming from the kitchen that woke her up just a bit more than she was before.

"Esme made breakfast. And don't you think it is a burden because we don't eat. Don't get me started on how much we see the wolves, you know Jacob and Leah from last night. Jacob and Leah's brother Seth are around more. Sometimes, very rarely, Quil and Embry," Alice rambled as she guided Cleo down the stairs and to the kitchen, where she found Jacob, the tan boy from last night and Nessie at the table.

"O' good morning Cleo," Esme said in a caring mother like tone. "I have eggs, I hope you like them."

Cleo missed the motherly tone. Her mother left not even a year after her transformation leaving her as the woman of the house and the role model for her little sister, Kim. Keeping things normal around the house was mandatory. It actually bothered her sometimes.

Bella stood in the kitchen as well, watching over her daughter, Cleo guessed. She seemed to find whatever Cleo did intrusting, as did any vampire in the house. Cleo was different from them. The watched her every move, from the way she kept liquids away from her body to the way she ate slowly to savor flavors.

"Cleo," Alice called in her music-like voice. "I was thinking, I could give you a make-over today. Rosalie can cut your hair and we could make you a bit more unnoticeable."

"That sounds great," Cleo said in her more angelic voice.

Cleo's reaction to her first question got Alice excited. She thought she might see if she could stretch it just a bit more. "I can also take you shopping in Seattle," she said excitedly.

"That sounds like fun," Cleo said.

"Really!" Alice asked surprised.

"Why does that surprise you?" Cleo asked.

"I don't know, I guess I just haven't met anyone who actually liked shopping with me. I could get use to having you around," Alice said with a smile.

Cleo smiled too. She was finding Alice's enthusiasm comforting. She felt more welcomed when Alice treated her like a friend not a stranger.

After breakfast, Jacob took Nessie to La Push, Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Bella went off into the woods to compete in anything they could think of. With Carlisle at work and Esme with him, Rosalie, Alice and Cleo had the house. Alice got her make-up bag and pulled Cleo into the bathroom where Rosalie was waiting with scissors.

"How short can I got?" Rose asked as she pulled a smock over Cleo's Pink t-shirt.

"As short as you want," Cleo answered. "As long as there is no water being used."

"I cheeked all the make-up, no water, promise," Alice admitted. "You will looked so good."

The two girls work for hours. Hair was all over the floor, tops filled the counter, and a towel lay over Cleo's lap. Alice kept a serious look as she perfected her work, with pink nail polish that matched Cleo's top. Rose topped her short due with a pink rose clipped to the side.

"What do you think?" Alice asked spinning Cleo so she could look in the mirror.

"It's amazing," Cleo said shocked as she looked at her unrecognizable face. "I love it."

"Do you really?" Alice asked excited that she finally found someone who would enjoy being played with as she use to with Bella.

"I think you look adorable," Rosalie admitted. "I can say I did a great job."

Alice laughed at Rose's comment to Cleo's new hair. Cleo giggled a bit not fully getting the joke but understanding enough.

Tuesday January 14-3:35pm-La Push Beach-Forks Washington

Jacob watched as Nessie splashed around in the water with Claire. Quil sat next to him listing to the description of the girl who had showed up at the Cullen's. Seth and Leah were fighting nearer by about something that happened that morning at home, but secretly were listening to what Jacob had to say about the strange girl.

"I haven't really talked to her. She seems shy around anyone but Alice," Jacob admitted. "Her hair is usually up, so I've not really seen it well enough to explain. I can tell you she smells wonderful, like standing on the beach."

"Do you think she lived by the beach?" Quil asked.

"Yes, she does seem like a beach kind of girl," Leah said engorging herself and her brother into the conversation. "I don't know what it was but somehow she just gave off some beach-like vibe."

"She seems intrusting. I would love to meet her," Seth said enthusiastically as he normally did.

"Ok, come with me tomorrow and you can meet her in person for yourself," Jacob said before he called Nessie over and said they were leaving.