Solstice

PARTINGS

I woke on the dot of six a.m. and went to shower, cleansing the dirt of the forest from my marble body. When I was dry, and had squeezed the moisture out of my hair – I had allowed it to retain some of its natural wave; Edward preferred it that way – and dressed in my usual uniform of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, I padded into the sitting-room to find Edward and Ness having a stilted conversation. Ness was drinking from a large cup of coffee, and I frowned: I would've preferred her to forgo such stimulants. But, to my surprise, it smelt good. Too good.

I sent Persephone a quick text message – WHAT HAPPENS IF I EAT AND DRINK HUMAN FOOD? – and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. 'How are you feeling?' I asked sympathetically. Nahuel would return to his forest home the following day, and she would only be able to communicate with him through email. We were really going to miss our new vampire family.

Ness showed me her gleaming smile. 'Happy. Nahuel's decided to stay,' she announced, and I blinked in shock. 'He doesn't want to leave me.' Her cheeks pinkened as I sat next to Edward on the couch and took his hand. 'And I don't want him to leave, obviously. And I want him to have more time with Carlisle.'

Carlisle had returned a week ago, but I hadn't been able to get any alone-time with him; the family commanded all his attention, and he had been particularly interested to see another half-human, half-vampire specimen. He'd promised that we would have some uninterrupted space after school today. I frowned.

'I need to speak to him pretty urgently, Ness,' I told her, and she pouted. 'This is important,' I said sharply. 'I know that you're thrilled that Nahuel is here, but –' Edward pressed my hand, and I fell silent. Better not say something I might regret. Ness was very young, after all. And her sheltered life had made her younger still.

'After that, then. You won't need to speak to him for ages, will you? It's not like adults have a lot to talk about anyway, is it? I need more coffee.' She streaked from the room to the tiny kitchen Alice had grudgingly allowed Esme to add to the house – any room not occupied by clothes was a complete waste, as far as my fashion-loving sister was concerned – and I heard her fill the kettle.

'Go easy on her, Bella,' Edward whispered. 'We're still getting to know her, after all. She hasn't learnt our ways, yet. Her moral compass was centred by Jacob Black, and his idea of what is acceptable behaviour differs quite radically from ours.' He smiled at me, his golden eyes calm and beautiful. 'Don't worry,' he chided me, gently nudging my shoulder. 'It can all be undone. We can show her the right way.'

'I hope you're right,' I told him as Ness drifted back from the kitchen, her makeup bag in one hand, her coffee cup in the other. We made desultory conversation – I knew Edward still felt uncomfortable around the daughter he hadn't been allowed to raise – until it was time to make our way to the prison where we spent our days. 'The forecast for the solstice is sunny,' he told Alice, Jasper, Ness and I, and we all gave muted whoops of relief. We all hated school. Hated the boredom, the scents, the stench, the repetitive nature of our days. As we got out of the car, Ness dropped her book, and the young man I'd seen staring at her over the weeks – the blond-haired boy with eyes like chips of Mediterranean sky – caught it before it fell into a puddle.

'Thank you,' Ness stuttered, embarrassed, and he smiled widely at her. She didn't like attention, even though she had always been the centre of it – but I supposed it was different when she was in her home environment, safe and surrounded by loved ones. The boy, Chad – of course he would be called 'Chad' – walked alongside her towards the main entrance, chattering away. From what I could ascertain, he was inviting her to a football game.

The three mean girls were waiting by the main doors, and their faces were twisted with rage. I nudged Jasper, who unobtrusively sent out a calming atmosphere, but it did little to dispel the tension. My stomach nodded: there was trouble ahead. As they followed us from homeroom, I heard the despicable things they were whispering about Ness – calling her fat, calling her ugly, calling her – my beautiful, innocent daughter! – a slut – and whirled round to face them.