Solstice

CONFRONTATIONS

'You have some nerve, Bella Swan,' Leah snapped. 'Sorry – Cullen. How could you do this to Jake? Does your sick, twisted little mind get a kick out of causing him pain? You've always been a thorn in his side – our side – since you came to Forks. Do you get off on doing so much damage, or –'

There was a sudden rustling behind me, and the forest wasn't so quiet any more. I smelt Emmett and Jasper's scent behind me, and unfroze an iota.

'Oh, right,' Leah snarled, rolling her eyes. 'Strength in numbers, because you're too much of a coward to face me on your own –'

'Cool it, Leah,' Seth muttered, looking deeply uncomfortable. I looked at him, and realised how much he'd grown: he had to be at least six foot four.

'No, I won't cool it,' Leah growled. 'She treats everyone around her badly - she always has -and she expects me to take it lying down, because she's special little Bella. Poor, whiny, needy little Bella. Poor little Bella the martyr – oh, is that supposed to scare me?' she scoffed as a growl ripped out of her throat. 'I've watched you play with people's hearts while sacrificing them all for your precious Edward. Don't play the innocent with me – I know you too well, though I don't want to. Believe me.'

'Ness made her own decision.' Emmett stood next to me, arms folded, muscles flexing. 'You guys may not have any free will, but she does.'

Leah laughed out loud. 'Right! We're all puppets, we have no feelings at all –'

'Right.' Emmett shifted, and Jasper mirrored his movement. 'You've always held a grudge against Bella. That's your prerogative. You don't get to accuse her of meddling in Jacob's relationships. That's between him and Ness.'

Leah rolled her eyes. 'Like Nessie knows what she wants.'

'Ness does know what she wants,' Emmett told her. 'Maybe it's time you found out what you want. Stop getting in Bella's face. I thought you were going to take anger management classes, deal with your issues? But no.' He rolled his own eyes. 'You come storming in here, ready to have it out with Bella, let your own venom and spite take you over.'

Leah gasped. 'How dare you speak to me like that?'

I found my own voice. 'How dare you speak to me like that?' I demanded, giving her a hard stare. 'You're not a part of my life, Leah. You never were. I tolerated you for Jacob's sake. Now, I just want you to get the hell away from me.' I hoped the hitch in my voice didn't sound like pleading.

Leah showed me her teeth, her once-beautiful face screwed up in fury. 'You think you can get me to back off that easily? After all the damage you've done?'

'Isn't it about time you imprinted on someone, Leah?' mocked Emmett, grinning tauntingly. 'Sure, a guy's not going to go for a genetic dead end, but you might find a nice gal –'

'Emmett, that's not helpful.' Carlisle, hands raised, intervened. 'Leah, what is worrying you? How is Jacob?'

'He won't eat,' Leah whispered, her eyes unfocused on the darkening forest. 'He won't sleep. He can't. He can barely breathe. It's like he's dead.' Her gaze focused on me. 'All because of you,' she spat. 'Why did you allow him to stay in the first place if your precious daughter was going to reject him one day?'

'Leah, that's not fair,' Seth objected. He cowered as she turned on him, his face chagrined. 'Bella hasn't done anything wrong. Ness not being around Jake isn't her choice –'

'Isn't it?' she hissed.

'No, actually.' I was surprised at how cool my voice sounded. 'What with Jake's absolute obsession, I couldn't have kept him out of our lives if I wanted to –'