Hierarchy (Twilight)

21

Friday, March 11, 2005 (the Cullens house)

I sat at the counter as I watched Carlisle cut bacon, Esme grate cheese, and Emmett cut up vegetables for the salad. I wanted to do something but they all insisted that I sat down and taste what ever needed doing so.

"Is she even Italian?" Rosalie stood beside me impatiently as she held the salad bowl.

"Her name is Bella." Emmett had a little duh in his voice as he spoke to Rosalie.

"I'm sure she'll love it, no matter what." Carlisle stopped cutting the bacon as he talked.

"Whoo! Get a whiff of that. Here comes the human." I sniffed the air and was immediately greeted by the sweet and strong smell of Bella's blood.

Even if I didn't have vampire level smell, Bella had a strong and sweet scent.

"Bella, we're making Italiano for you." Esme rounded the counter towards Bella and Edward with her normal wide grin.

"Bella, this is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes." I watched as Emmett waved with the knife in his hand.

"Emmett, don't wave with shape objects. Especially when someone in front of you still bleeds." Emmett apologized and went back to cutting the vegetables.

"You and Alex have given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time." Carlisle reached over and pat my head in a fatherly way as I smiled widely.

"I hope you're hungry." Bella was obviously lying as she agreed with Esme about being hungry.

"Yeah, absolutely."

"She already ate." The bowl in Rosalie's hands broke under the crushing pressure of her grip.

I watched as the glass and salad fell to the floor causing me to become slightly sad, I was looking forwards to eating that.

"Yeah, it's just because I know you guys don't eat."

"Of course. It's very considerate of you." Esme smiled even though I knew she was kind of sad that Bella wouldn't be eating.

"Just ignore Rosalie, I do."

"Yeah. Let's just keep pretending like this isn't dangerous for all of us." I stayed seated since I didn't have shoes on and if I stepped on the glass I would cut myself and my blood would set Jasper off when he got back.

"I would never tell anybody anything."

"She knows that." Carlisle again tried to make everything better even though what was being said was true.

"Yeah, well, the problem is, you two have gone public now, so..." Esme gave Emmett a warning but Rosalie cut in.

"No, she should know. The entire family, including Alex, will be implicated if this ends badly."

"Badly, as in... I would become the meal." Everyone but Rosalie and I were chuckling at Bella's choice of words.

"Hi, Bella. I'm Alice." Alice jumped down from the branch on the balcony and rushed to hug Bella as Jasper came in behind her.

"Jasper, do you mind helping me?" Jasper turned to me as I attempted to distract him from the smell of Bella's blood, my attempt wasn't as good as what Alice could do though.

Jasper walked over to me and picked me up bridle style and placed me down beside him well he held my hand tightly.

"Oh! You do smell good." Alice backed up from hugging Bella as Edward pulled a face as he commented on Alice's odd comment.

"It's okay. Bella and I are gonna be great friends."

"Sorry, Jasper's our newest vegetarian. It's a little difficult for him." Jaspers held onto my hand tighter and I leaned myself closer into him to let him know I was there.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's okay, Jasper. You won't hurt her." I felt my confidence shrink as Alice got Jasper to calm down in a couple seconds.

"All right, I'm going to take you on a tour of the rest of the house." Edward took Bella away and Esme told Rosalie to clean up the glass.

I let go of Jaspers hand and let my balled fist fall to my side. Jasper looked over to me but I didn't bother to look at him, I was too embarrassed.