𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬² | 𝙏𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ✓

𝐗𝐈𝐈

Jasper walked Tobias over to a large bookcase the Cullens had in the living room. He looked through it, pulling out a tattered journal.

Just as he was handing it to him Ren and her parents walked back in.

"Tobes!" Ren said happily as he walked quickly over to him, wrapping her arms around the tall boy. He chuckled, "Nice to see you too." He said hugging her back. 

"What's that?" Edward asks as they walk closer to the small group. "Tobias here wanted to read Lucine's journal so I'm letting him borrow it," Jasper said nonchalantly. "What?" Bella asked, walking a little closer as she watched the boy skim his fingers over the leather cover.

"I was going to let him borrow it anyways," Ren confesses. "No offense Tobias but that journal is very important to our family." Tobias nodded at Bella's words. "I know, Jasper talked to me about her today. I'm sorry if my reading this is an intrusion of your family's privacy." He said looking between the adults.

Ren shook her head as she pushed the journal closer to him. 

"Don't worry about it. Aunt Lucine wouldn't have minded." She said looking at her mom. Bella simply sighed. "Okay fine, but please be careful with it. It's one of the last things I have of my sister." Tobias nodded. "Don't worry. I'll take very good care of it."

Ren happily wrapped her arms around Tobias' arm as she dragged him up to her room so they could read it together. She'd only read it once but would like to know it as well as her mother, aunt Rosalie, and uncle Jasper knows it.

"Thank you." He said to them before disappearing upstairs.

***

"These past few days were weird." Tobias read from the journal, sitting in a plush armchair near a window as Ren lay on her stomach listening to his every word.

"Emmett and Rosalie have been glaring at me during school for a few days now and frankly, it's starting to scare me." He re-read that line in his head a thousand times. "Why would they glare at her? Aunt Rosie told me that she's been in love with her since she set her eyes on her." Ren said as if reading her mind.

"Guess we'll have to keep reading to find out." He said with a small smile as he flipped the page.

Ren kicked her feet in excitement as if she was reading the journal all over again. She had one memory of her and that's all thanks to her gift. 

She can still perfectly remember the way Lucine held her in her arms as soon as she was born. The caring smile she had as she looked down at her and for the longest time, that image made her depressed because she never got to meet her.

"I still can't believe I get to be here with all of my favorite people. Some days, I wake up forgetting that the day before wasn't just a really vivid dream." There was little Tobias knew. Little that Lucine really ever revealed.

There was a knock at the door before it opened. Rosalie entered, leaning against the door frame.

"Here you guys are, I thought you guys would've been in my studio." She said with a smile. Ren shook her head. "Jasper is letting Tobias read Lucine's journal so we're reading it together."

"Well, more I read it and she just lays there and listens." Ren shrugs. "Same difference." She says making them both laugh.

Rosalie looked straight at the journal.

"Does that mean you told him everything?" Ren stiffened as she slowly sat up. "Told me what?" He questioned. "Renesmee, if you haven't told him then he shouldn't be reading it," Rosalie said sternly, more stern than he's ever heard her.

"I'm sorry, I forget about some things that she talks about." Tobias looks between them confused. "If he's reading it then either he finds out on his own or you tell him. I think we both know what the right choice is." She says before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Ren sighed as she ran a hand through her long hair.

"What is she talking about Ren?" Tobias questions as he closes the journal, leaving it where he sat before going to sit next to her.

"Promise me you won't get scared and run away." The look in her eyes made him nod his head. "You're my best friend, I don't think I'll be leaving you any time soon." He said with a small smile as he grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She took a deep breath before standing up and whipping her sweaty and clammy hands on her jeans.

"Well, the thing is. My family-we- I- well-" She stammered not knowing how to phrase it. 

"Just spit it out." He said as he stood up.

"We're vampires." The words came out quickly. She covered her mouth with her hands, not believing what she just said. Tobias chuckled, "Seriously Ren." She lowered her hands, her face serious.

"Oh my god. You're serious." His legs felt weak under him. 

They stayed silently for a second as he processed everything.

Vampires. Oh my god, they're all vampires. I'm in a house full of vampires.

"Was-was Lucine a vampire?" He asked, finally looking up at his friend. She shook her head, "No, she was completely human." She answered honestly. "And she was okay with this?" Ren shrugged. "I never got to meet her but considering she was in love with my aunt and her sister turned into one; I'm guessing she was." She answered.

"When did you turn? Are you even fifteen?" He asked, now questioning everything he once know about his best friend. "I was born like this. Half human and half vampire. My mom got pregnant with me before she turned." He nodded at her answer. "So you are fifteen?" She nodded, letting him release a breath he was holding.

"Good, I was starting to fear my best friend was some hundred-something-year-old vamp." He said letting the mood lighten a little as she laughed.

"So, you're not scared?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head on his shoulder. "A little but I'll get over it. If anything, it's pretty cool to know my best friend and her family are a bunch of vampires." He chuckled as she smiled.

"Just promise you won't tell anyone, not even your mom." He turned around to face her. "Why not? My mom is friends with your aunt Alice." Ren smiled, "And my aunt is going to tell her that herself. Don't worry so much Tobes." He sighed leaning his head against her. "I hope she takes the news well. Now, wanna continue the journal?" Ren nodded with a big smile.

"Please do." She said as she laid back on her stomach as he laughed, taking a seat in the armchair with the journal in his hands.