26

"You may as well stop hiding away, I know all of your hiding places anyway." Rosalie sits down next to me on the grass behind the gym.

"I'm not hiding, I'm avoiding you." I stubbornly refuse to look up from my biology textbook. I've been dealing with the whole situation by throwing myself back into my studies.

"I've stayed out of your way for almost two weeks now, it's time to sort this shit out," she says, sliding the book from my hands.

"Okay." I turn to look at her with the same steeliness she regards me with in return. I take a deep breath. "You should have told me."

"I should have," she agrees. "But I didn't believe it, she was gone, and you were doing fine. There was nothing to be gained from telling you."

"I'd have known what kind of person my brother really was a whole lot sooner," I tell her.

"I've been telling you for years he's a douchebag, you should have just listened to me in the first place."

My lips twitch slightly. She's right.

"Come on, Edward, are you really going to let them ruin our friendship too? When have I ever let you down before?"

Rosalie is a fierce friend and I've never known her do anything else to make me doubt her loyalty.

"I guess I could maybe make a little time for you again," I say. "I mean, my social calendar is bulging, but for you …"

She shoves me but then throws her arms around me, kissing me loudly on the cheek.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," she says sincerely.

"I forgive you," I reply. I hope she realises how lucky she is, my forgiveness is something I'm not parting with easily right now.

"So, I heard something you should know." She sits back down. "Izzy's gone again."

"Phoenix?" I ask, trying to pinpoint the emotions her news has stirred up.

"Yeah. She's gone to look after her mom."

I snort.

"She can't even look after herself." I think of my own mom tending to her mother as she lay in bed, her life slowly and painfully ebbing away. I know it's not for the weak-hearted and yet that's exactly what Izzy has always been.

"Karma," Rose states calmly. I glare at her.

"Have you ever watched someone dying from cancer, Rosalie?"

I wonder if Izzy ever has and if she knows exactly what lies in store for her. "Even karma's not that fucking cruel."

~S~