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Paul had driven Zelda back to the Clearwaters, claiming Jacob was taking care of Bella. He rolled his eyes when she asked for proof with crossed arms but called Jacob nevertheless so she could talk to Bella. She glared when she reached to take his phone but he pulled away his hand, instead putting his phone on speaker. It aggravated her to no extend, but she kept quiet due to the fact that he saved her from jumping into her biggest fear.
"Bella? Are you okay?" She called, maybe louder than necessary, maybe to show Paul how hard it was talking to Bella like that but it didn't change his mind.
"I'm okay, Zelda. Jacobs driving me home, maybe you should check up on Charlie." Bella suggested and somehow Zelda got the feeling that she was interrupting something.
After thirty seconds more of asking each other if the other was okay and Bella apologising for being stupid, the call had ended and Zelda swung her legs around in the passenger seat of his truck, looking out her window to avoid his gaze.
"Thank you, Paul. For saving me." Paul had said himself, smirking when Zeldas head shot up towards him.
"Excuse me?" She asked and frowned.
"Thank you for risking your own, fragile body holding me back from jumping into my own death." He mimicked a girly voice and Zelda felt unbelievably mocked by him.
"No one told you to do that, Lahote. In fact, I don't get why you didn't just let me jump." His eyes shot towards her and if he wasn't driving they would have stayed on her way longer. How could she think that? How could she act like her dying didn't mean anything to anyone.
Zelda crossed her arms and looked at her still swinging legs.
"Are you kidding, Swan?" He asked and Zelda looked at him, almost hopefully. Maybe she hoped he would show her he cared in a way, even tho Zelda knew it was highly unlikely, and she didn't even know why she cared. He looked at her conflicted and he knew that maybe it would solve a lot of their problems if he told her now.
"Emily would have my head." He only muttered tho, and he could almost hear the pack laughing at him and calling him a coward. But how could he tell her? How could he tell the girl that would run away from him even before shifting, that she was bound to him. And how could he expect her not to reject the imprint, if he didn't want this himself. And he wasn't even sure of that anymore; he didn't know how to feel about all of this, about his own damned imprint hating his guts.
The pair had come to a stop infront of the Clearwater residence, interrupting Paul's internal monologue and Zelda could instantly make out her dad standing there, arms crossed and face down. She got out of the car before it was even properly parked and normally Paul would have said something, but he decided to keep his mouth shut, given the circumstances.
"Dad?" She said softly, walking over to him and his eyes instantly lifted off the ground. His eyes were red and his face was contorted in pain and Zelda knew he had been crying. He opened his arms, instantly taking his daughter in and hiding his face in the crook of her neck.
"I'm so sorry, dad." She mumbled and he nodded in response. When he let her go, Zelda turned to Sue Clearwater and hugged her as well. She noted how some people from the pack were there, minus Sam Uley and how both Leah and Seth Clearwater weren't there. She thought that maybe Seth shifted.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Clearwater." She said and internally cringed at the Mrs. and if Sue noticed she didn't say anything. Zelda felt bad that none of her children were there to support her, but she figured they were dealing with some things themselves.
Her eyes flew around and landed on Paul, who was yet again already watching her. Both of them quickly looked away, which was amusing to the pack.
Zelda stayed there for another thirty minutes or so until she got a call. Excusing herself, she walked to Paul's truck, walking behind it so no one would see her and picking up the call which she now saw was from Jacob.
"Zelda?" He said when the ringing stopped. He sounded angry. Really angry.
"Jake, yes what's wrong." She asked and she could hear him take a deep breath.
"Bellas on her way to Italy." He said and Zeldas eyes almost fell out of her head.
"Bellas what?" She asked and somehow she couldn't believe it, but then again; Isabella Swan.
"Stupid Cullen leech was here and then other stupid leech called and thought she was dead so now she's going with leech number one to save that bastard from killing himself." He explained, Zeldas hand raising to touch her forehead, hoping she was hallucinating.
"I can't believe she's going to Italy.. isn't that where the vampire kings live?" She asked more to herself than Jacob. She heard his breathing and she was sure he was trying to calm himself down.
"Hey, don't worry about it Jake. She's going to be fine." Zelda reassured him, but deep down she knew she didn't believe it herself. Her sister kept throwing her and herself in such dangerous situations and Zelda felt bad about it. She was sad, confused and she felt sick. And she hasn't even brushed her teeth yet. She decided to start dealing with the easiest things. She searched her purse for the two items she needed, hiding them up her sleeve and walking inside the Clearwater house, sneaking into the bathroom and brushing her teeth as quickly as she could. She walked back out and stood next to her dad, leaning into his side as she grew tired. It had been a long day.
