Flowers of Desire

Chapter Five

CHAPTER 5

Circe

I was worried about going to the mall with Alice, but it was actually a lot of fun. I feel like I'm a nicer person around her.

We got some things at the small thrift store in it, and we were gonna get sweets at a bakery, but neither of us were hungry. Come to think of it, I haven't eaten since lunch when I threw up everywhere. That can't be healthy.

She drives us back to her house, asking me on the way, "Hey, do you want to spend the night? I can introduce you to the rest of my family if you want."

"Oh yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun," I reply truthfully, genuinely interested in her family dynamics. Edward and Rosalie seem kind of weird, but Emmet was so nice, and I'm hoping her dad and other brother will be too.

She gets us to her house rather quickly, walking with me through the door.

She makes a sprint up the stairs to her room as I try to keep up, holding my two bags.

She walks into her room and throws her bags, much larger in amount than mine, on the bed, where mine soon end up as well.

"Okay, so my family is really weird, so I'm sorry if this ends up awkward, and if it does then we can just hide in my room," she assures me, her considerate words calming a worry I wasn't even sure I had.

I smirk, and as she takes my hand leading me downstairs I feel bugs in my stomach, not quite butterflies, more like creepy crawlies crawling around. It's a surprisingly nice feeling, not as terrifying as it sounds.

I make it all the way down the stairs, her hand still in mine, and walk through the white halls of her luxurious house.

I can hear the quiet voices of her family even before we walked in, and I immediately feel like they're talking about me. Judging me.

Alice squeezes my hand softly, comforting me silently, as we walk into the kitchen.

Immediately, everyone turns their heads towards me, all straight faced. It feels like the longest second of my life, everyone slack faced and judging, until finally, Esme and Emmet smile at me, kind as ever. And while I know they're not related, I can't help but find the similarities between them.

I scan over the people, noticing Edward, Dr. Cullen, a kid who looks like he's in pain, I think his name is Jasper or something, and Bella Swan for some reason. She's standing next to Edward, making them look like twins. They have almost identical hair colors, and the same erilly white skin, though Bella has slightly rosie cheeks.

"Hello Circe, I'm Dr. Cullen, but you can call me Carlisle," Dr. Cullen says, his hair contrasting to most of the others, shining a brilliant ashy blond.

"Oh hi," I say, trying to sound confident, yet failing miserably.

He smiles in a fatherly manner, chuckling, "I think it's time for introductions," he walks out of the path between the island and counter, "This is Edward, who I believe you know, Jasper, the youngest of all of my kids, and this is Bella, I believe she goes to school with you."

"Yeah she does, we met the other day," I blurt out, forgetting all of my manners in a fraction of a second.

I mentally facepalm, regretting my entire life in a flash, coming back to reality when Dr. Cullen asks, "Well, Esme is making Italian, would you like some?"

I would say yes, but the idea of eating food right now makes me want to throw up. IT makes me think of the way the lunch at school felt so wrong, stuck in my throat refusing to go down.

I smile as convincingly as possible, lying straight through my teeth, "It's fine, I'm not hungry. I ate before I came here."

Dr. Cullen makes an odd face, concern, or maybe contemplation, but ultimately gives up on whatever he was thinking.