world we created, paul lahote

Chapter 06

Lucia threaded her fingers through her espresso-coloured waves, gathering the soft curls into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. A pale light shone across her tan complexion, her green eyes twinkling like stars over the vast expanse of the night sky. She was unoccupied today, opting to abandon studying for the time being and set out to make some lunch for Charlie and Bella.

She had heard in passing how a friend of Charlie's was coming over with him a bit later to help him work out a plan to catch the wolves that roamed the forest. She couldn't count the number of times Charlie had received a call while at home from worried townsfolk who had seen these towering wolves.

Lucia quickly washed her hands and set about retrieving the ingredients to make panini -- one of the very first dishes her grandmother on her father's side had taught her. She opened cabinets, pulled out various ingredients and arranged them on the countertop. Most had been bought by Charlie who had grown quite fond of Lucia's cooking and rarely ever ate out anymore. Why would he when he got such tasty food right from home?

The Barone girl looked up at the sound of hurried footsteps thumping on the wooden stairs. She watches as Bella walks into the kitchen, her steps hurried and a bag on her back, making a beeline for the fridge. She yanks open the door, causing the bottles lining the door to clank together and rattle on the shelf they were on, grabbing an apple and a bottle of water.

"Where are you off to?" Lucia asks, pausing entirely in her task and momentarily forgetting about it at her cousin's hasty movements.

"A hike," Bella replied bluntly, running water over the apple. "I've got to keep my legs moving, you know."

"Mhmm." Lucia watched as Bella turned off the tap and quickly shoved the bottle of water and the apple into her bag before she took notice of the worried look being sent her way. Lucia runs her fingers over the wooden cutting board, feeling the smooth surface beneath her fingertips. "You seem to be eager to meet someone with how fast you're moving. Got a new boyfriend or something?"

"What? No." Bella looked positively aghast by the insinuation she could possibly move on from her blood-deinking lover. A pain as sharp as a knife pierced her heart at the thought of him, attempting to hide the expression of heartbreak from her face.

"I found this pretty spot with Ed..." she swallows thickly, "Edward a whole back. I'm hoping I can find it again."

Lucia worried her lip. Charlie and that strange Sam Uley guy had both warned her away from the woods, hinting at the dangers that were inside it and the thought of Bella heading in there without worry concerned her. She was sure her uncle had warned his daughter to stop with these erratic and careless actions. It was truly a mystery how Bella hadn't ended up dead yet with how she went about living.

"Alright..." Lucia trailed off. "Just... be careful, yeah?"

"Of course." Bella went to move towards the back door but paused, tightening her hold on the strap of her bag. "Would you like to come along? The company would be nice."

"Uh, no. I'm good," Lucia declined with a hesitant smile. She pointed at the ingredients before her. "I'm about to prepare lunch. Charlie will probably be hungry when he gets here, you know?"

"Yeah, no, I get it. I'll see you later." Bella turned and exited the house, the back door closing behind her. Lucia watches through the kitchen window as Bella stalks towards the forest and disappears in the thick brush. With a soft sigh, she returned to her task of making panini.

Gently, she picked up the crusty loaf of bread, the crust crackling under her touch. She sliced it into thick, even slices, creating the base for her panini. Reaching for a knife, Lucia began to layer the ingredients -- thinly sliced prosciutto, sharp provolone cheese, juicy tomatoes, and a generous spread of pesto.