Ephemeral

The Dark Mother

I kept a steady gaze on Aidan's back, who was walking casually behind Xavier. Bella was keeping herself close to my side, while I held hands with her – I was sure it was noticeable how sweaty my palms were and how tense I had become.

Aidan didn't turn around but shook his head after a few seconds of silence -- it caught my attention immediately.

"You'll hold your sister's hand..." He paused, and I hadn't missed how venomously he said the word sister. "And...not your fiancés?" Aidan asked into the air, tilting his head back some for his words to linger in the air.

I narrowed my gaze at that and chose to not comment.

I felt Bella tighten her hold on my hand, and out of the corner of my eyes I saw her reach behind her back. I swiftly turned towards her, pulling her back just as her hand was about to grab a handgun that was tucked between her pants.

How hadn't I noticed that before-?

Where did she even get that-??

"What are you doing?" I hissed over to her under my breath, bringing us over to the nearby wall.

It was good that she had a gun – however, this wasn't the time or place to use it-!

Bella looked me up and down and pulled away from me. She took a few moments to thoroughly examine my face. Then, she narrowed her eyes, saying her answer as though it were obvious: "I'm going to shoot him."

"You want to break out into a war-?" I whispered angrily. She frowned while clenching both of her hands. "Bells, if you shoot Aidan...he'll retaliate."

He will kill you and make it look like child's play.

I'll really lose you this time --

She scoffed under her breath quietly, not understanding what I was trying to say to her.

I just need some time to think and --

"Are you sure that you didn't develop Stockholm syndrome??" She pressed, pressed my back into the wall as she pushed on my shoulders roughly. I narrowed my own eyes at her, knowing that was the farthest thing from the truth. "Did you fall in love with him?"

I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my twin sister's mouth – I was stunned into silence as she kept going with her monologue --

"The same way that you ditched me for Jack?"

"What...?" I asked, my tone becoming dangerous at her accusation.

Bella let out a cynical half smirk.

"You heard me," she pressed her right index finger into my upper shoulder and I let her. I was in too much shock that I didn't have the energy to move. "You've always been too trusting – too naïve and stupid to see what was in front of you-!"

"You better stop this, Isabella..." I cut her off, prying her hand away from me. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Why are you treating me like this-?" I demanded, grabbing her shirt in both of my hands.

I forced us away from the wall and back into the hallway.

"Do you...?" I began to say, wanting to tell her everything, but the words wouldn't come out. Tears were beginning to form in my eyes as my defenses were quickly lowered. This was my sister – the closest person that I treasured in my life. "Do you even understand what I've endured...?" I looked at her up and down.

She remained silent but didn't look remorseful.

I took a breath and shook my head.

"I've had a lot of fucked up things happened to me – while you were here with Xavier -- I was worried about you-!" I was starting to become mad. "I thought about you every damn fucking day," I took a sharp breath because my throat was becoming tighter. "And..." I spat out my words, desperate to not let my eyes start watering again. "You have the nerve..." I glanced down at the ground. "To insinuate..." I shook my head, slowly raising my eyes to meet hers. "That I've fallen in love with him-?"