The Little Things

29. Kidnapped Again

The upheaval of the past weeks soon settled down.

Quil was a devoted babysitter, and when Emily's sister returned, they had to come up with a reason for Quil to keep seeing Claire.

In the end, Emily told her sister a version of the truth and though she wasn't happy about it, she welcomed the help. Claire was soon going to be an older sister and Claire's mom was overwhelmed.

Life continued on as normal yet there was an underlying tension in the pack about all the disappearances. Even with two new pack members Sam had them all working harder and longer, so I got to see Jacob even less which was annoying, but tolerable. It meant that I had a bit more time to catch up on missed homework.

I often wondered how the pack members were going to get through school, but Jacob told me that they went when they could and had a pass from the tribe elders to miss when necessary. Sam tried to make the younger ones stay in school if he could, but it only worked part of the time. Most people still thought they were delinquents and gang members but the guys honestly didn't care. They had each other and that made up for it.

Bella and I were still slowing easing our antagonism towards each other. We still had a few heated conversations, but they were fewer than before. The arguments mostly revolved around Bella's decision to become a vampire.

The Cullen family was also a point of contention with us but I was conflicted on my views of them. They were the very beings that I feared and hated, but they were also rather... nice. Or at least some of them were.

It had been raining that day and I had caught a ride to school with Bella, who was driving alone for once. As we got into her truck to return home that afternoon, the pixie appeared. I tensed up and glared at her.

"Bella! You're coming over today." She exclaimed brightly.

Bella looked surprised but happy. "That's great. When?"

Alice twirled. "Right now! I'm driving with you."

I shook my head. "No, Bella, please don't."

Alice looked at me with her yellow eyes. "I'm sorry Liana, but I saw you and Bella arguing if you stayed in the truck that day and it didn't end well. I was trying to help."

I snorted. "That's likely. Not everyone wants your kind of help."

Bella huffed. "You're coming."

Dad had eased her grounding a little and so she didn't have to be home, but she had to take me with her, so I was stuck.

I was unable to win the argument and so I somehow ended up squeezed between Bella and a cold, rock hard Alice. I knew that I smelled like Jacob as the pixie kept wrinkling her nose and I bemoaned the fact that would soon smell like her and have to scrub the scent off in the shower.

Alice talked a mile a minute and Bella happily responded. I was silent the entire way but I found it startling how comfortable Bella seemed with Alice. I still didn't understand it.

Once again we pulled up in front of the Cullens large home.

"Do I have to?" I groaned after they had both gotten out. I was still upset about last time and once again considered this kidnapping. "Jacob is going to freak out and then want to murder all of you."

Bella grimaced. "Yes, come on. You are so embarrassing."

I rolled my eyes. She had no room to talk. She had no fashion sense, and hung out with dead people. She was the one that embarrassed me sometimes. I reluctantly got out of the truck and dragged my feet as I followed them into the house.