We Are Family

They're On Their Way?

Once the drivers had left the property, the gates closed firmly behind them, the resident vampires were free and clear to move as fast as they wished

They zipped around the house faster than Bella could see, moving pieces of furniture and unpacking clothes into closets. Naturally, Alice's took the longest. Even though the majority of the clothing had been donated before they left the United States, there were many (many)  pieces that Alice was not willing to let go of, and Bella knew there would be a shopping trip at some point in the very near future. 

Walking down the stairs after taking a shower, Bella found that the rest of the family were still situated around the living room, each of them sat either on the couch or in one of the armchairs dotted around the room. Alice and Jasper were playing chess, Esme adjusting decorative pieces around the room, Rosalie on a tablet tapping the screen at a speed that Bella was struggling to see, Carlisle, Emmett and Edward were watching a sporting event on the television. Bella, of course, sat beside Edward on the couch.

"What is this? American football?" She asked.

"No, it is called Rugby. Very popular sport over here in the United Kingdom." He answered, Bella watched the screen as a player was slammed into the grass and winced.

"So," Carlisle spoke up drawing everybody's attention, "Esme and I think that we should enrol you guys in college. There is one not too far away, and there are only four months left of the school year. After that, you can all disappear to college or whatever you want to do next."

"I agree with Carlisle," Alice said, "it would definitely make us look suspicious if we don't go to school as the school calendar year is different here, it won't look so strange if we disappear for a few months after Bella is changed, except for Carlisle of course who will continue to work at the hospital," Alice said.

Bella opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by the vibrating of her cell phone on the coffee table. Picking up the phone and noting that it was her mother, Bella silenced the phone and put it back onto the table in front of her. 

"Your mother?" Carlisle guessed. Every time Bella's mother had called, he had been forced to watch as Bella slightly closed in on herself further and further.  

Bella nodded, "Yeah, it was. I just want her to leave me be, even if it is just for a short while." Bella reached over and grasped Edward's hand, squeezing it as tightly as she could manage. 

The room quickly turned silent, each of the Cullen's furious in their own way for the childhood, or lack thereof, that Bella had been subjected to as a child. Esme, attempting to divert her newest daughter's mind from spiralling down the rabbit hole, spoke up.

"What does everyone think about the school idea?" Esme asked.

"If it would raise less suspicion then I'm up for it, of course," Edward said.

"If us 'kids' have to disappear for a few months or years, the going to college cover could work if we went to school for the last few months of their semester." Alice chimed in.

"Yeah, I agree with the others, besides it might be fun..." Emmett said.

"I don't think a few months at school would kill us, and it might help us in the long run," Jasper told the group.

"Bella?" Esme asked.

"I think that if it will help we should do it, I know you guys are doing this for me and I'm really grateful, I hate causing problems," The girl mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"You aren't causing problems, Sweetie." Esme said to her, "You're one of us now, we all help each other." Esme took Bella's remaining hand in hers and squeezed reassuringly.