𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐱 | 𝐚. 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 & 𝐣. 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞

sixteen | what the hell

"So," Eric begins as he sidles up to Persephone, having waited patiently at the end of the hallway for Alice and Jasper to leave her side. They were like guard dogs, he thought, standing on either side of her and glaring at anyone who came too close. "Jasper and Alice, huh?"

Persephone nods, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Yes." She replies, wanting to add on "is there a problem?" but refraining. Besides being annoying to her, Eric has done nothing wrong, and doesn't deserve to be snapped at.

"Wow." He says, breathing out. "I mean, wow. The Cullens never date anyone." She turns to him now, glad he opened the conversation of the Cullens. She didn't want to pry about her partners' family business, but she couldn't deny that she was curious.

Alice and Jasper had avoided allowing her back to their house since the last time, and if she tried to mention their family they would change the subject quickly. She felt guilty for wanting to turn to others for answers about their family, but also a bit angry that it had gotten to this point. Are they embarrassed by her? Are they embarrassed by their relationship? So many questions, but no answers from the very people she's supposed to trust enough to get the answers from.

"Really?" She prodded, hoping he'd give out free information without her having to ask too much. She was curious, yes, but not enough to make her new relationship's problems obvious to a guy like Eric. By the way he angled his body slightly towards her and glanced at her, she knew he would give her something.

"Yeah. They stick to themselves. You know, every time it's sunny out their parents take them for a hiking trip – crazy, right? They're so close that they skip school for family days." He scoffs. "I mean, they're fucking each other, too. Which is like, illegal, I think."

"It's not illegal." She says absently, having already realised everything he's saying about the Cullens.

"Well, even so – it's weird. You know it's weird, right?" His eyes widened. "I mean, sorry. Your boyfriend and girlfriend?" His voices gets higher with confusion and fear. "Um, yeah, they're not weird! I just think the situation-"

"I get it, Eric. It's a bit weird, but they don't act like siblings." She pauses. "Plus, I like Rose and Emmett. They're sweet."

"Rose? You mean Rosalie?" He gasps in shock. "Dude, she's like – opposite of nice. She glares at anyone who breathes near her. What the fuck? And you call her by a nickname? Wow, you must be really into them." He glances at her again as they pause walking in the hallway.

"I'm with two of them, of course I know Rose. And of course I'm into them, do you date people you're not into?" He tilts his head.

"Yeah, okay. I get that. It's still weird." He shrugs. "They always acted like they were above us – like, all of us high schoolers were so much immature and, like, disease-infested while they weren't. They treated themselves differently than us." He shrugs again, shaking his head. "You're an exception, I guess. Look, I gotta get to class. Come by the lunch table sometime, yeah? We all miss you."

She smiles kindly at him and nods, watching as he walks further down the hall before turning to her classroom. His words play over and over again in her mind and she can't help but question, not for the first time, what the hell is up with the Cullens?

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thank u to everyone reading, voting, and commenting. i enjoy reading the comments & replying, and i love seeing the lists this is added to. it means a lot to me. <3

-A