sparks fly~ paul lahote

ⅹⅵ. sleepovers with bella and phone calls from alice

Bella had called Diana over again, for a 'girls night' this time. The girls decided to be responsible for a while and caught up with homework first. Charlie was watching a game and there was small talk rotating around the living room, only Diana could tell Bella was on edge. After an hour, the girls headed up to Bella's room, and Bella dialed Jacob's number.

Diana heard the voice-mail, then Bella's disappointed sigh.

"Hey, Jake. Just checking to see how you're doing. And to say I'm sorry, about, you know... how I feel and... hope the flu passes fast. Call me."

Bella sighed, again and fell back onto her bed, tossing her phone away from her. Diana glanced at the distressed brunette, then decided to question her.

"So, I take it, the movie with Mike and Jake went splendidly?" She joked.

Bella sat up and glared at the vampire, "No, it certainly did not! And for that I hate you."

Diana chuckled, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"Well, why did you ditch me?" Bella asked, she tried to be light-hearted, but Diana could tell she was worried. It would've been easier if she knew about them...

"I got caught up in something, I didn't mean to take so long."

"Oh," Bella nodded, Diana instantly forgiven, "I forgot. I know you need to hunt."

Diana nodded quickly, Yeah, that's totally what I was doing last night, hunting.

Bella seemed to have let go of it, and the two kept easy flowing conversation, till late into the night.

"So, I hate to be the girly friend," Bella laughed at herself, "-but, just allow me two minutes of girl talk?"

Diana chuckled and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. The numbers just changed from 1:22 to 1:23, "Alrighty, two minutes on the clock."

"Have you met... anybody? Like, anybody that you like? Anybody that you might consider dating?" Bella asked.

Diana froze, she wasn't expecting that. Paul flickered through her mind, but she didn't really know how to tell Bella about him.

"Or, are you still... like does it still hurt you? Even after so many years?" Bella tried again.

"Uhm... well," Diana swallowed. "Truthfully, it hurts every day. I feel like every day that goes by is just me getting one step closer to forgetting him."

There was a beat of silence as sadness took over the two heartbroken girls. They stayed like that for a while, comforted just enough by the fact that they weren't alone.

"I have met someone though," Diana whispered. Bella only nodded, sensing that this wasn't an opener for more girly talk.

"I think... I mean, I hope... he's a step in the right direction."

⎿✶⏋

Diana had stayed with Bella that night. She had watched the human sleep, breathing peacefully. The vampire yearned for the blissful ignorance that accompanied a human's sleep. She knew, even if she could, she'd probably avoid sleep as often as possible. Simply because she knew of the dangers that accompanied blissful ignorance.

The vampire settled for reading all of Bella's books, to pass time. Once she had done that, it was almost 5:30, she decided to leave. She grabbed her purse and jogged as quietly as she could, downstairs to find Charlie in the kitchen.

"Oh, I didn't wake you did I?" he asked, dumping his cup into the sink.

"No, I'm just an early bird," Diana smiled, accepting the mug of coffee he handed her as she slipped into her shoes.

"Well, I gotta go in, but I wanted to thank you."

Diana furrowed her brows and tilted her head, "For what?" she asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"She seems better, finally..." he smiled at Diana. "I just wanted to let you know that... that means a lot to me. So, thank you for being there for her."

Diana nodded, smiling, "I haven't had a real friend in a long time, it's nice."

Charlie nodded, then cleared his throat, "Well, I gotta head out, see you later, Diana."

"See ya, Charlie."

After Charlie had left, Diana dumped her mug into the sink and left the house. She hopped into her jeep and started driving. She didn't know where she was going at first, but it turned out that she didn't need to worry about her destination, as a giant wolf leaped into the road blocking her path.

The girl slammed on the brakes, her vehicle sliding to a halt not more than three feet away from the silvery beast. Diana gasped and rested her head on the steering wheel. Had she been human she would be hyperventilating, but being a vampire it had only felt as though her heart had been struck to life.

Diana took a deep breath, then looked up and locked eyes with the wolf. The beast was sitting in front of her vehicle casually as if she hadn't almost crashed into him. She glared at the dog, seething.

Then she rolled down her window and shouted at him, "I don't understand what brought that on, but can you move now?"

The dog looked over his shoulder, then he looked back to the girl in the jeep and let out a bark. Then, when she rolled her window up, he bounded away. Diana scoffed and took off again, driving down the lane. She was close to her house when the rain started.

Gentle drops at first, then, it was as if the sky had opened up to unleash a gigantic storm. Sheets of rain came sweeping down, and the wind began blowing harshly against the trees. When she arrived home, not long afterward, she tossed her things aside and decided to hop in the shower.

The water was cold, and she thought about the rain outside. With the chilly winds and freezing temperatures, Forks, Washington really was the perfect place for a vampire to live. She got out and wrapped a towel around her body.

Just as she had slipped into sweatpants and a sweatshirt, her phone started buzzing. The caller ID read 'Alice' and so, she answered.

"Alice?"

"Diana! Hi!

Diana looked around, grabbing her book and heading to her room, "Hi, Alice. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I just wanted to check in with you, to see how you were doing."

Diana laid in her bed and situated herself amongst her pillows and blankets, "I'm good," she sighed, "-never better."

"And... Bella?"

"Mad at you guys, sad. Feeling betrayed that a family she had called her own just up and abandoned her."

"Diana."

She sighed, "Yes, I know. You knew it wasn't going to be beneficial, you didn't want to leave, it was your idea for me to come here and help her through the depression, you really do care about her, you thought of her as your sister, blah blah blah..."

"Diana, I just called to check-in, you ignored my last call. But, I can see that I'm bothering you so, I'll just let you go."

"Wait," Diana sighed and sat up, "Alice, I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my plate recently."

Diana could hear a muffled sigh, "I know," Alice said. "That's why I wanted to check-in, I haven't been able to see you in my visions. What's going on?"

"We've been hanging out with her friend, Jacob, the Quiletes you warned me about? They're really nice, they let me roam the land with Bella and Jacob."

Alice was silent for a moment, then Diana heard Jasper's voice, "Diana?"

"Hi, Jaz. It's been a while."

"Yes it has, and I'd love nothing more than to catch up with you, doll, but Alice just bolted out of the house, so I'm going to go check on her."

"Sure, just let her know I'm sorry."

"I will, but she knows."

Diana sighed again, "Bye, Jasper."

"Goodbye, Diana."