The Outlier

THIRTY-FOUR (E.C)

As my time with Kai got more common, so did my lack of thirst. Though the scent of her blood is not overpowering, it is not at all unpleasant. Her blood smelled of sweet vanilla with a small hint of patchouli flower. Her scent comforted me more than anything ever could. 

I stood in front of my music shelf, laboriously inspecting my shelf for music Kai would like. Perhaps I could bring her some of my favorites and we could listen to them together. 

I could imagine it, listening to Johnny Mathis while holding her in my arms, swaying slightly from side to side. I'd gently kiss her forehead and peer into those magnificent eyes of hers and think about how much I love her. 

I wondered if Kai would let me take her to prom. I wondered if she would dance with me to slow love songs and let me twirl her around for all to see, but I knew better than to get my hopes up. 

Edward! I heard Rosalie's thoughts shout, open your door for me. 

For a long minute, I contemplated whether or not to open the door. The two options had very different outcomes. Option A) open the door and be berated for absolute nonsense and option B) lock the door and have some peace of mind. If I went with option A, I would never hear the end of it from Esme— that is if Rosalie wouldn't kick down my door regardless of my answer. 

...please?  she added for good measure. 

I opened my door and watched as Rosalie shoved her way past me, recieving a great waft of my scent before moving to the center of my room. 

I resumed my previous task and imagined a scenario for each song. I could practically feel her warm hands touching my chest, marking their way around me as we kissed beautifully. I brought the cuff of my sweater sleeve up to my nose, taking a deep inhale where Kai's scent was the most concentrated. 

"Edward," Rosalie said aloud. 

I looked up and raised my eyebrow as if to say 'go on'. 

Despite how lowly you think of my intelligence, she thought, I know of your relationship with the human. It doesn't take a mind reader to figure it out. 

"Pardon?" I calmly said. 

I know about you and the human, Rosalie thought, it satisfies me to know that you weren't public with anything— in case this ends in a... complication. 

I couldn't help but scowl at my adopted sister's words. 

"It won't," I assured her between gritted teeth. 

"Alright," she sighed, rolling her eyes at my defensive nature. "But I still don't understand." 

"There's nothing for you to understand," I sharply retorted. "This is a matter that concerns me and Kai, and the list ends there. You have Emmett, there is absolutely no reason for you to still view me as a failed conquest." 

"Why a human?" she asked, a sudden, rare fragility in her voice. 

"Emmett was human when you met him—" I began saying when I realized that wasn't what she was asking at all. 

"Why her?" I finished for her. She merely nodded. 

"Well, I'm afraid I must ask, why anyone else when she exists?" I countered. 

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, her cynical eyes closing in on me. 

"Why wouldn't I be?" I sneered. 

"She's human, Edward," Rosalie reasoned. I was confused for a fraction of a second before her thoughts explained what she meant. 

She's bound to change and grow. She'll grow older and want to bear children— and while she might want you now, who knows wether or not she'll still want you after a decade when she's nearing thirty and you're still seventeen, sterile and unchanging.