𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬² | 𝙏𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ✓

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

"Alice, please, we went to high school with the same people so I think it's a little odd to ask me who to invite." Lucine chuckled as she sat in the Cullen's kitchen with Alice and Meloria as Tobias and Ren joined Rosalie in her studio.

Meloria chuckled, "Yeah but, from what you've told me, you had other friends aside from them. Maybe you want to invite some of them." She suggested as Alice nodded.

"Okay, there are only two people from high school I'd want to be there." A smile grew on Lucine's face at the fond memories of her close friends.

"Let me guess? Tyler and Angela?" Alice asked immediately, making Lucine roll her eyes playfully.

"Yes yes, say what you want but they're my friends." Alice jokingly narrowed her eyes at the woman. "Very good friends. I remember the graduation party clearly." Lucine blushed in embarrassment as she groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Meloria looked between them, confused. "What happened?" She asked, wanting to know more as she watched Alice continue to tease their friend.

"Lucine and Angela used to have... fun together at parties back then." Meloria looked over at Lucine wide-eyed. "What!? I thought you and Rosalie were together back then!?" Lucine shook her head.

"I wish but we were in major denial through it all. Believe it or not, I was dating a man before Rosalie and I finally decided to grow some balls and confess." Meloria's whole mind was blown. Everything she knew about the couple suddenly changed.

Everyone made it sound like they'd been together and in love since the second they met.

"Wow. You and Rosalie are so in love you could've fooled me." She laughed, making Lucine blush at the knowledge of how obvious she and her fiancé were.

"Either way, I've already invited them. Believe it or not, they ended up getting married like two years after graduation." Lucine looked over at Alice in shock. She never would've thought that those two would've gotten together.

Especially considering Angela was dating Eric near the end of their senior year.

"Wait," She started, finally out of the shock trance she was in. "If you already invited them, why'd you ask me?" Alice shrugged, "confirmation. I already invited the pack too since I know you were close to them before you, you know." Lucine nodded.

She hadn't gone to see them since coming back. She only remembered hearing Jacob for a bit while he spoke to Tobias before she materialized.

"It'll be nice to see everyone again. Just a bit sad that Bella won't be there." Meloria placed her hand on her shoulder, giving her a slight smile as she looked over as if telling her everything was going to be okay.

"Your sister's always been a bad person." Alice blurted. "You dying felt like her chance to finally be, in her words, 'the main character'. Whatever the hell that means." She finished as Lucine let out a sigh. "She might not have been the nicest but she was still my sister. I thought she was better than this." Lucine ran her hands through her hair, anxious at the thought of her sister out in the world alone.

"Stop worrying about her." A male voice said from the entrance of the kitchen. "She's strong and a master manipulator, Lucine. She'll be okay without you there to throw yourself in the face of danger for her." Edward had a point and everyone knew it. Ever since she became a vampire, she become stronger in every aspect of the world.

But, Bella was still her sister. She couldn't help but worry about her even if everything her friends said was right.

"Look, I didn't know Bella as well or for as long as you all did but for the short time I did know her, she wasn't always a bad person. Sometimes people are driven to say or do stupid things." Meloria tried to reason to ease Lucine's worries.

"I know she wasn't always a bad person. I just hate that she let those types of emotions control her. If I knew me coming back would open old wounds," Edward didn't let her finish. "Stop, Lucine. You can't keep blaming yourself the same way you did back then. Bella chose to do and say what she did. You can't keep taking all the blame for your sister." Lucine looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Edward, at least tell me you loved my sister." He looked at her in shock for even thinking of such a thing. "Of course, I loved your sister. I hate to admit it but I still love her. But I can't be with someone that doesn't care for our daughter. I can't love someone like Bella." He said sadly, missing his wife.

Lucine let out a sigh, she didn't want to talk about this topic anymore. No one did. Bella made her choices and she only had herself to blame for how things turned out.

Before anyone else could say anything Tobias, Ren, and Rosalie walked into the kitchen smiling and laughing.

"What's going on?" Lucine asked them as she put on the best smile she could come up with after the conversation they just had. Rosalie sat on Lucine's lap, pecking her lips lovingly. "Ren and I convinced Tobias to paint us at our wedding in two days." Lucine looked over at the flustered boy.

"Oh my god, really?!" Lucine had lived in his consciousness for years so she'd seen his talent firsthand. "If it's okay with you." Lucine squealed, and carefully signaled her fiancé to stand up so she could go hug the boy.

Tobias reciprocated, holding her almost as tightly as she held him. "I'd love for you to paint us. It'd be an honor to have a piece of your talent capture our special moment." Lucine said as she stopped hugging him and placed her arms on his shoulders.

They spent the rest of the day talking about the wedding, the family teasing the soon-to-be-married couple.

Ren couldn't help but feel happy as she laughed along to her father's teasing of her aunts. Having her mother around was almost suffocating growing up. It felt like she had to walk on eggshells at all times but now she could breathe.

Now she could talk and joke around without the fear of triggering something in her mother.

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The next chapter will be the finale!

Hope y'all are excited for the wedding and reunions!

-HS.*