A/N:
I didn't know what to write for this chapter. I really am just buying time until the perfect moment to drop the bomb. [Not literally. I am 100% against nuke's] I hope you like 'Priorities.' Oh, and sorry I took so long to update.
Priorities
"Renesmee should be home from school soon. We'll tell her then."
"Alice, she's technically two and a half. She's too young to process news like this."
"She is mature enough to be responsible with news like this. If it effects her, she needs to know."
"This might not effect her!"
"Edward, we don't know who it effects. Therefore she needs to know."
"Bella, please back me up here." Edward abrubtly turned to Bella causing her to flinch back the tiniest fraction of an inch. Despite the microscopic distance, the motion did not go unnoticed. Bella hesitated before answering.
"I'm sorry Edward. Renesmee deserves to know."
"Deserves to know what?" Renesmee entered the room.
"Nothing." Edward huffed. "Just go to your room."
"Um no?" Renesmee glanced at Alice who was motioning for her to stay. "Is there something I should know?"
Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie and Jasper got up to leave. Emmet stayed wanting to see some action. Esme silently insisted he leave, so he got up and followed his family out. Edward stood stone like staring out the window like Jacob had the day before. Alice almost smiled at the coincidence.
"Renesmee, the reason you came home early is,"
She paused waiting for Edward to interrupt, but no rebuttal came.
"I had a vision."
Renesmee remained silent waiting for further explanation.
"You know how the visions work right." Renesmee nodded.
"Yeah, you focus on one person, or keep them in the back of your mind. As they change their minds, their decisions appear."
Alice nodded in approval. The explanation lacked detail but it was how the visions worked.
"Yes that's how they work. Usually. Some people who are aware of my ability learn how to clear their minds or not set any decision in stone."
Renesmee slowly nodded to show she understood, because she did. She just was not interested in the conversation. Much more important things were on her mind. Alice didn't seem to notice or care, so she continued.
"Well two days ago, May 23rd, Do you know what day that is?" Alice asked Renesmee.
"No. Should I?"
"Yes it's a rather important day in this house. It's one of the two days a year I check in on the Volturi."
At the mention of the Volturi Renesmee knew that this news was not good news.
"What did you see?" Renesmee prepared herself for any answer.
"Well, nothing."
A weight was lifted off Renesmee's shoulders. She was not expecting that answer but it was certainly easier to take than any one of the graphic scenarios she had imagined.
"Oh." she breathed. "What does that mean?"
Alice sighed. Bella shifted in her seat as if hearing this for the first time.
"None of us really know. Obviously they're hiding something that is very important. Something that they can't just disguise, but have to complete hide from us. Maybe even everyone."
Renesmee's eyes flicked to Bella. She was whiter than the snow caps on the Cascades in February. She had been acting really strange after the incident. Renesmee didn't dare mention anything to anyone though.
"So that's it?"
Alice and Bella turned to Renesmee with the word 'shock' written across their foreheads.
"Well yes I guess so." Alice stammered.
"Can I, go then?"
"Go where?" It was the first noise Edward had made since retreating to the window.
"I was thinking my room but if you object,"
"Renesmee! Don't be fresh." harped Bella.
Renesmee shrugged then left.
"Teenagers amaze me." Alice said.
"How so?" Bella asked.
Edward did not acknowledge Alice but listened.
"They freak out over the tiniest things yet real news barely phases them." Bella did not reply to this.
"Your right. They put the most meaningless things at the center of their lives." Edward spat out every word as if they tasted horrible.
"Trust me," Alice smirked. "This is definitely not meaningless."
Bella's and Edward's heads both turned towards Alice. She had gotten their attention.
"I really shouldn't tell you this little secret, but I just can't hold it in." She squealed.
Alice was nearly bouncing in her seat. She looked at Edward then Bella then Edward again. She set her eyes upon Bella before spilling.
"Patience!" She stopped bouncing at repeated the word. "Patience. That is the secret to parenting. Renesmee will tell you when she's ready." Alice hopped up and bounded across the room.
"Since when are you the expert on parenting?" Edward growled
"Since when does anyone doubt a psychic?" Alice grinned at Edwards silence. "Am I wrong? Please let me know if I am. I have yet to stand corrected. I hear it's an experience everyone should have. A little humility never hurt anyone." She stopped, waiting for a response of some sort. "So please, do let me know if I'm wrong." Alice added sarcastically before she left the room.
"Did you catch any of her thoughts?"
"Nothing but a brownie recipe and fridge dimensions."
*****
"Nicole? Oh my gosh thank goodness your home." Renesmee released her crossed fingers. She was still hoping that Mr. and Mrs. Robins were in good moods. She usually didn't need luck for that though.
"Hey, uh," Renesmee started. "I was wondering if we could hang out or something. I really need to get away from my, um"
"Dad?"
"Oh?" Renesmee laughed realizing that this was not the first time she's called requesting that. "Yeah."
"Sure, My mom actually suggested it earlier but we couldn't reach you."
"Oh sorry. I slept in late today." Renesmee smiled at the impossibility. "About what time should I come over?"
"Anytime I guess. My dad is working and my mom left to go food shopping around one. She should be back soon. She won't mind if you come now though."
"Uh,"
"Hey?" Nicole laughed. "I'll call her to make sure it's fine."
"That would be great."
"Geez Nessie, just let loose every once in a while. Your too nice. So… should I be expecting you in say, half an hour?"
"Well I'm on my way out now so about fifteen minutes at the most."
"Great! See you."
Renesmee grabbed her already packed bag and opened her window.
She considered it a very old fashioned way to leave. But at the time, it was
the most convenient way.
Fifteen minutes later, she was standing outside Nicole's house. She knocked on the door. Within a minute Nicole's sister, Ashlynn, was there.
"Prepare yourself." She told Renesmee, then left with the door still open. She stepped beside Renesmee, swinging her keys.
"Where are you going?" Renesmee asked her.
"Are you kidding? I'm not listening to that again! She is so dramatic."
Renesmee shrugged and walked inside. Nicole was not in the living room. She also wasn't in the bathroom. Nicole's house was not as big hers but Renesmee still did not feel like walking around to look for her friend.
"Nicole? I'm here. What's up?"
"Oh!" Nicole's voice cracked. "I'm in here. In the kitchen"
Renesmee walked towards the kitchen.
"Wow, you sound like your sick. Are you sure I should be here?"
"I'm not sick. I'm drunk."
Renesmee's knees fell out from underneath her. She grabbed the kitchen doorframe to keep herself from falling.
Nicole was on the floor of the kitchen. Her face was beat red and her hands shook even while pinning her legs against her chest.
"Oh my gosh, Nicole! What happened? Your drunk? Why? How?" Renesmee shook her head in disbelief. "Why?"
"I'm very drunk indeed. Love drunk. I do believe that I will soon wither away and die of a broken heart. It's been done before you know. Elaine the Lily was a very fair one. She loved him so much! But he simply walked away from her. Soon after," Nicole paused and looked up at Renesmee, adding dramatic effect no doubt. "Elaine died!"
Renesmee raised an eye brow at her friend. A skill she had inherited from her mother.
"Didn't she love Lancelot? As in Lancelot of the lake, most valiant knight of the round table?"
"Yes. What's your point?"
Renesmee gaped at Nicole with disbelief.
"One, Lancelot did not simply 'walk away' from Elaine. He was extremely angry with her for tricking him for the sake of some prophecy.
Nicole opened her mouth as if to speak but Renesmee continued.
"And two, Lancelot, King Arthur, the round table and all that are myths."
"Then why do King Arthur and Queen Guenevere have graves in England?"
"Publicity. They're empty!" Renesmee laughed. Nicole was such a melodramatic.
"Why are you laughing? I'm hurt!"
Renesmee's smile was wiped from her face. Nicole was dramatic, yes, but she need a really good reason to cry.
"I'm sorry Nicolette. What's u…"
"No! Don't say that. Don't say it, don't say it!" Nicole pleaded. "Please, whatever you do, don't say the W. U. phrase. Chris used to say that all the time!"
"Oh Nicole I'm sorry. What happened between you and Chris?"
The mention of his name caused Nicole to become even more distressed. She started rocking back and forth balling on the kitchen floor. Renesmee knelt beside her showing Nicole that she was there for her. She did not dare interrupt her fit though.
After a few more minutes of heavy sobbing, Nicole finally calmed down enough to speak.
"It was the water fountain, the bump, the bang, Lauren and Chris. It was them! Spit-swapping! Ugh… Nessie, why are guys so dumb?"
Renesmee thought it over a moment before answering.
"Well, I guess all that, 'I'm a dick face' gene is packed between their thighs. It would be a lot easier to understand the situation though if you slowed down a bit."
"I'm sorry. It's just so, overwhelming."
"I know, I know. Hey, don't apologize. I understand."
At that Nicole looked up at Renesmee with angry eyes.
"No you don't know Renesmee. Your relationship with Jacob is perfect!" That hit Renesmee hard, because her relationship with Jacob was not perfect.
"Nicole, this is not about me. I'm very sorry that I said I know, because I really don't. I was simply being sympathetic and hoping I could make you feel better."
"See! Right there! You use your teachers pet/ perfect person/ suck up voice and you think suddenly everything's all better." Nicole shoved Renesmees arm off and away from her. "I don't want your sympathy. You try so hard to be every ones friend. When are you going to realize it can't be done? You can't fix every ones problems. Especially if you don't have experience fixing your own. Do you know what other people go through everyday? Of course not, because Renesmees life is just fine and dandy!"
Renesmee could no longer hold in the tears that were threatening to break her strategically mental barrier.
"I can't believe that you out of all people would assume my life is perfect. It is far fro. I called so I could get a break from my obviously not perfect family! Do I know what people go through everyday? No. Sometimes I wish I did. Sometimes I wish me and my family were normal. Actually, a lot of the time. So excuse me if the best I can give you is my supernatural sympathy!"
Renesmee ran out of the house and soon found herself outside of Jacobs house. At first she wondered why she ran here but then she realized that there was a bigger problem at hand. She might have just revealed herself to a human.