Speak || A Twilight Fanfic

Chapter 2

Two weeks had passed since Gabriella had arrived in Forks, and helping Bella had seemed close to impossible. It wasn't hard to see why Charlie Swan had become exasperated with the situation. In just seven days, Bella had managed to deplete her sister's energy with futile attempts at cheering her on. Nothing seemed to be enough to pull the older Swan girl out of the pits of her sadness, but it didn't seem like things could get any worse. The younger girl had already extended her stay for another two weeks. She didn't expect anything to be worse than that.

But the second Bella started her winter break, they did. Since she didn't have to leave the house for school, she would remain on her office chair all day, moping for a guy who would never come back. A boy who hadn't cared enough about her to make sure she was okay after shattering her heart. Not that Gabriella thought a guy who left her sister alone in the woods to find her way back had enough of a heart to care for her. But it was hard to see her sister waste away into an empty shell of a human over a boy that was not worth it, in her opinion. However, she knew if she ever asked her sister, she would tell her he was the only boy she'd ever love and that her life made no sense without him. That much she could tell by the way she was acting.

To bring a semblance of cheer to the somber house, Gabi decorated with the few Christmas decorations her father had. She set up the tree in the living room, hung the stockings, the lights, and the garlands. And though it helped to make the house seem brighter, the air remained heavy and choking. No matter what she did, Bella's sadness seemed to take over every inch of the structure. It permeated the walls and settled into the floor boards, trying to make a home in the other inhabitants of the Swan residence.

In the little time she had been there, the girl had settled into a routine. She'd wake to make a quick breakfast for whoever was in the house at that hour. Whether it was oatmeal or a simple sandwich, everyone was fed. From the moment they woke to the time they went to bed. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner —Gabi was in the kitchen most of the day. Charlie was grateful enough for himself and Bella, growing tired of ordering the same food every single day. Most days, it was only Charlie and his youngest daughter sat at the dining table, eating in silence, drenched in exhaustion. Bella would join them once in a while, picking away at her food and pretending she was downing the whole meal, but at least she was putting something into her body, even if it was never enough.

When she wasn't cooking, she'd sit in Bella's room, trying to make conversation or talking about the last book she read. But her sister remained quiet and unmoved. When she left for work sometimes, her sister wondered how she behaved there. Around the house, she would only answer her family with a series of grunts and one-word answers. And Gabi doubted her sister would still be employed if she acted that way at her job.

Much like that evening, she had left quietly for a short shift at Newton's Olympic Outfitters. With Christmas right around the corner, she had been getting more late-day shifts.

"Bye... Bella," Gabi said to a slammed door. "For heaven's sake."

The younger Swan girl was growing tired of her sister's attitude, and she could not fathom how her father had put up with it for the past three months. Gabi didn't know who she was living with anymore. Whoever it was that was sleeping in the room in front of hers was not her sister. Whoever it was made life emotionally draining, creating an ambiance of despair that was almost impossible to bear. How Bella was doing it was a complete mystery.

But there was one thing Gabriella was looking forward to other than the highly anticipated Christmas day. Jacob had called the week before, inviting her and her sister for a winter bonfire at the bonfire. He'd told her that he understood if Bella did not want to go but that it was worth a try. His lively personality would be a refreshing juxtaposition to what she had been living with the past couple of weeks. And she had it on good conscience that she would have a good time with him.