world we created, paul lahote

Chapter 13

part ii: eclipse

After her magical date with Paul, it was no wonder Lucia felt like she was floating on air the next morning. It was safe to say the beautiful boy had managed to keep her mind busy all morning.

But her sunny mood was threatened when Bella arrived with Edric -- or was it Edwin? Lucia didn't care really -- Cullen in tow, bringing him to Charlie's doorstep. She heard from the kitchen how her uncle exploded in a fury, screaming threats at the pale boy who had broken his daughter's heart and caused her to leave so suddenly.

"You step one foot in this house and I'll shoot!" Charlie bellowed.

Lucia quietly snorted at the display. As if the police chief's paltry gun would do any damage to the strangely beautiful boy standing coolly before the storm of insults. Edwin seemed unfazed by Charlie's wrath, though Bella shrank behind him timidly. Lucia observed the Cullen boy closely as the argument outside continued to escalate.

Up close, she took in his lanky, somewhat awkward frame with surprise. Gone was the intimidating presence from afar -- he resembled more of a sleep-deprived teen than the immortal being Bella made him out to be. Pale to the point of looking almost dead, as ironic as that was.

Lucia had expected someone more along the lines of a Greek god from the way people spoke of the Cullens. But no, Edward was just a gangly boy, albeit an exceptionally good-looking one due to what he was.

When Bella caught Lucia's eye, silently pleading for an ally, Lucia reluctantly tore her gaze away from the scene entirely. She wasn't about to get mixed up in the messy triangle between those three. Bella would have to handle her father's wrath alone. After all, if she was so grown to leave without regard for her father's feelings, she'd have to deal with them too.

Shooting one last cursory glance at the stranger on the doorstep, Lucia retreated inside. While Lucia felt sympathetic to Bella's plight, she had no plans to get more deeply involved in her pool with vampires swimming about. She'd much rather spend time with Paul and the other Quileute boys than deal with bloodsucking creatures like the Cullens.

It seemed beyond idiotic to form buddy-buddy relationships with vampires. Lucia would leave Bella to manage her own questionable choices with friends or partners on her own and keep the company she had. Now that Lucia thought about it, were the Cullens keeping Bella as their next meal? She'd seen it happen countless times when she watched The Vampire Diaries.

The arguing had ceased after Edlwin had left but Charlie hadn't finished his lecturing. He'd grounded Bella until further notice which was understandable. She held no regard for him as her father, merely using him as a place to stay while her mother was following some random guy she met not too long ago. Charlie then left for work, not sparing a glance at his daughter.

The tension in the kitchen was thick as Lucia flipped pancakes and Bella watched awkwardly. She wanted to lecture Bella because, in all truth, Edgar wasn't the one at fault. She was. She didnt care for the people around her and it showed a lot. Bella was selfish and impulsive and while people had their flaws, her cousin's was glaringly obvious. She said nothing, however, that was until Bella broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about leaving like that."

Lucia gave a slight shrug without turning. "What you do is your business. But you made your bed, now you gotta lie in it."

"I'd do it all again for Edward," Bella insisted.

Lucia plated the pancakes for the both of them with a thoughtful hum before moving to sit with Bella at the table. Sitting down, Lucia continued calmly, "Look, if Edgar is what you want then fine. But next time maybe think about how your harebrained choices impact the people who care about you."