The Bonds Between Us • E.Cullen x Fem oc x B. Swan

Chapter 20

"Alice, (yawn) do we really need to start getting ready at seven? We don't meet up til eleven thirty." Cori stated, which only got a huff from the pixie and a roll of the eyes. "I have to get you dressed, make up done, Rose has to do your hair, it's practically an all day event." Alice told her, a huff leaving her lips, as Cori whined.

"But we already have the clothes picked out, I really just want to wear my hair down, it's gonna be covered by a hat anyway, and minimal make up, please. I don't want my ache to flare again."  Cori begged, and Alice frowned. "You don't want to be all dolled up?"

"Ally, it's a kinda date, like a group thing. We aren't going to be alone, there's gonna be wind, and sand, and Jessica. I don't want to make it more of a big deal than that it needs to be. What if she doesn't think it's that big of a deal?" Cori asked, now rethinking the whole date idea.

"Cordelia! This is a date! It is nothing but a date, tag along friends, enemies, frenemies, or not." Alice told her. "Rose doesn't seem to think it's a good idea." Cori pointed out as her eyes seemed to find the floor interesting, along with her heart, and Alice scoffed. "Rose is too caught up in her 'human are horrible' mindset to realize what this means for you two. No one we've ever met has ever had the opportunity to have a second mate. This is big, for both you and Edward. Don't let Rose ruin that for you." Alice told her.

Cori's blue eyes rose, meeting gold. "You really think that? I mean what if she doesn't like me like I like her? Or she likes Edward, but not me. Or she doesn't like either of us? What if she thinks being in poly relationship is weird? What if I ruin everything by going out of this group thing that I think is kinda a date, but it's not really a date-"

"CORI!" Alice shouted, her bright eyes blown wide with a panicked expression at the spiral her friend was going down. "I saw Edward and Bella together, and you and Edward belong together. You're mates. I saw it. This is one thing that isn't going to change." Alice told her.

"But you didn't see me." "You're right, and Carlisle is looking into that, maybe it's a developing gift, but you're meant to be with us Cori. You're Edward's mate. We mate for life. You're not going anywhere." Alice reassured her and Cordelia's racing heart seemed to calm.

"Plus, you're pretty unforgettable Cori. You're the strangest human we've come across. You like mustard on your eggs, you love the arts, yet have no finished pieces, and your mind is so scattered the mind reader can't read it most of the time." Alice giggled. "That's my ADHD, not me." Cori argued and Emmett laughed from down stairs.

Sighing, Alice relented. "Fine." "Fine what?" "You can do what you want. No Barbie dress up." She told her and a Cheshire Cat grin bloomed on Cordelia's face as she hugged Alice. "Where are you going?" The pixie asked as Cori seemed to speed from the room, and down the hall. "Back to bed!"

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A few hours later, Cori had been lightly shook awake by Esme, claiming it was ten am, giving the girl, just enough time. Throwing on her outfit that Alice had gotten for her yesterday, she pulled out a small make up palette from her bag, rubbing her finger into the pan, she got the muted shimmery shadow on her finger, swiping it across her lid.

She was no make up guru. She didn't own brushes, in fact the palette she held currently in her hand was her mother's that she had swiped the last time she was in town.

Putting the palette away, she grabbed the tube of mascara, swiping it through her lashes a few times.

Misting her hair, she brushed it, then immediately through a black beanie over her strawberry blond locks.

Edward was on the bed, a book in his hands, but his eyes were on his pacing girlfriend. As she walked from one side of the room to the other, his eyes followed her, until she got to the windows, going to turn around, but jumping as Edward was right behind her.

"If your wanting to wear off the granola bar Esme gave you, I think you did it fifty- six paces ago." He told her gently and it quiet, and Edward felt bad, thinking he had hurt her feeling until a snort rang out in the room, followed by laughter.

"Thanks, I needed that." She told him, looking into his slowly darkening eyes. "You should feed." She told him, tracing her thumb under his eye. "I'm not hungry." He told her and she smirked. "What is it then?" "I like that jacket on you." "The leather one?" Cori asked and Edward nodded as he kept eye contact with her.

"Maybe you should get one too." She suggested and he smiled. "I think I'll stick to my overcoats." He told her and she nodded. "It makes you look like a librarian, I've read something like that." She said causing Edward to bark out a laugh.

"Go enjoy your date Cori." Edward smiled as he kissed her head. "You're not worried about Sam?" "I'm always worried about Sam, but how many times have you taught me over the last few years that I can't tell you no." Edward said and she just smiled. "You can, I just won't listen." She said standing on her tippy toes, kissing his lips. "Love you." "I love you Cori. Be careful." He told her and she smiled. "Always."

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Cori seemed to creep down the street, her eyes peeled, looking at the numbers on the houses. Edward had told her what the house looked like, but Esme, god bless her, had written down the sheriffs address. Just as Bella had said earlier, they lived on the same street, though that street ran almost the entire length of Forks,

Finding the house she smiled. It was like hers. It was homey, a small, two story, but it was lived in, more than hers ever was. To be honest, she never realized the Chief lived here. They lived on opposite ends of the street, Cori never passing their house as she never had a reason to, until now.

Getting out of her Jeep, she wrung her hands together, the nerves making her stomach churn.

Walking up to the door, she knocked, waiting as she bounced slightly. "I got it!" She heard a voice call from inside making her anxiety spike. Chief Swan.

"Mae, it's been a while. How've you been? Come on in." He said ushering the girl inside. "I've been good. The face is all healed up. Carlisle said I can go back to school on Monday." Cori told him and he smiled. "Good, good. Bella, Mae's here." He called up the stairs. "Who?" "Mae." "Lia?" "No." "Yes." Cori said and Charlie looked at her. "Bells, it me." Cori said and Bella laughed. "Okay. I'll be down in a minute, sorry." She said.

After sitting in the living room, talking about local fishing spots, and local news and people, footsteps were heard on the stairs.  Bella came around the corner, a dark purple long sleeve shirt that was bunched up around her hands, light wash jeans were clad to her legs along with the warmest boots she owned, two jackets thrown over her arm and a grey beanie thrown on her head.

Baby hairs seemed to escape, getting into her eyes slightly. "Here." Cori said standing up, going over and brushing all the baby hairs up and under her hat, her finger tips lingering at the brunettes temples, allowing blue eyes and brown to meet.

"Wow." Bella said as she looked at Cori. "It's not to much is it?" Cori asked shyly. "No, no you look great. I kinda jealous of the whales." Bella joked and Cori smiled, her confidence boosted. "I won't be looking at the whales." Cori told the brunette softly before turning to talk to her father once again, leaving Bella a blushing mess.

A/N: ☺️☺️☺️