𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍, aro volturi ✓

𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

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DON'T TELL BILLIE

BELLA SWAN WAS FEELING GUILTY LATELY, FOR MANY REASONS, BUT MOSTLY FOR WHAT SHE WAS DOING TO BILLIE.

She was at the graduation party at the Cullen residence when Alice received a vision of the newborn army and their plans to come for Bella, and the human girl was all too thankful that Billie was at home when her mother when it happened.

It was mutually agreed upon between both the Cullens and Sam's pack that Billie was not to be involved. Bella was the one who pleaded with them, all in a self-professed act of sparing her friend from even more supernatural drama. On her mind, it was her fault that Billie got caught up in the Volturi and into Aro's evil clutches, and this was her way of righting her wrongs.

Though, she did feel extremely guilty about making everyone withhold the truth from her. Sam agreed that it'd be in Billie's best interest to not be involved, given that she was one of their own now and thus was his responsibility; all while Carlisle agreed that no other vampires needed to know about Billie's existence now that she was already on the Volturis radar.

The Burbank girl herself was starting to catch onto Bella's deceit, evident in the way she had interacted with Bella in the last week leading up to graduation. It was like Billie was walking on eggshells around the brunette, but Bella promised herself that she'd be the one to tell Billie everything once Victoria was gone for good.

"I don't like this one bit," said Embry the night of the graduation party, where he, Quil, and Jacob were among the Cullens discussing Alice's vision. "I don't wanna lie to Billie."

Embry was firm in his belief that all this secretiveness would just harm the blonde girl in the long run. He thought it'd be better if they came clean, and then told Billie to take a vacation away from Forks until the newborns were dealt with.

However, Bella thought differently, and that in turn made everyone else think differently too.

"Then don't lie— just evade the truth a little," Bella all but begged, "it's to protect her."

A firm look from Jacob had Embry's premeditated retort disappearing on his tongue, but his chest heaved uncomfortably. He knew Sam would put another gag order on him, and was already not liking the way he'd made the younger boy withhold key details about the whole Victoria thing. 

When Embry stepped back, effectively backing off on the issue knowing he'd never win it, Bella nodded— more to herself than to others.

It was all to protect Billie, and sure she'd be upset now, but she'd surely come to understand why they did what they did.

They just needed her out of the way.

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"I think you should do one of those campus tours of Seattle this weekend," Bella proposed one afternoon, the pair sitting in the Swans' backyard on what was one of the only sunny days of the year.

The campus was nowhere near the place where the newborns were congregating— meaning Billie would be far away from the battle but still close enough that should anything go wrong, someone could collect her.

Billie was directly under the sun, turning to her friend that was covered by the shade casted from the home. "It's still early, Bells," the blonde all but dismissed, shifting her face into the direct rays of sunlight, "plus, I'm grounded after the whole car incident."

Right; Katherine Burbank grounded her daughter after she'd received a mystery vehicle which resulted in her old one, the one that had outstanding payments due still, disappeared. Her excuse of a friend of the cullens is loaning it to me just didn't cut it.

"I'm sure she'd let you go... for educational purposes." Bella was really trying to sell it, trying to persuade her friend into taking the trip to Seattle.

But even though Billie Burbank was kind, she was not a fool.

"What's going on, Bella?" she asked, straightforward. The look she was giving her friend was one of pure deadpan, obviously sniffing out the disparity in the air.

Bella tried to play it off, and the mantra everyone established earlier in the week starting ringing in her head like a wind chime.

Don't tell Billie.

"I just think you should do the tour sooner rather than later," she shrugged, hoping Billie would just do as she said and let it go. "Please?"

An uneasy look flashed across the blonde's face, though she managed to conceal it within seconds. "Are you not telling me something?"

"No—" Bella was quick to push out, and the lie sat heavy on her tongue, "— I just think it'd be a good idea. I'm going out of town next weekend too, so..."

Billie's head tilted, a grin shot towards Bella. "Where you off to?" she asked innocently.

"Camping with the Cullens."

"... you hate camping."

"I do," Bella winced, just thankful that Billie seemed to nod at that. "But I can't say no... you know how Alice gets."

The blonde girl settled at that, a light bubble of giggles erupting from her. "Oh yeah, definitely," she mused, her head pointing back towards the sun with her eyes now closed, "last time I went camping, my mom almost started a forest fire... we haven't been in a while, obviously."

Bella laughed, imagining a scene where Katherine was anxiously trying to stomp out a larger-than-normal sized campfire and a younger Billie having a freak out on the side. "Emmett's in charge of the fire, so chances are something similar will definitely happen."

At Billie's more pronounced laughter, Bella felt another pang of guilt radiate through her. It sucked, all the lying and dancing around topics, but truly it was for Billie's own good.

Hell, if Bella could, she would hide her blonde friend from Aro for the rest of their lives.

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[ wyn's note ]

bella is unintentionally crewing billie over, MEANING we are effectively entering the storm™️. and trust, the next comings chaps are not what you're thinking... im even a lil gagged at what i've planned LMAO

also updates will be a bit staggered— i've started summer school and a co-op program AND i'm going back to switzerland so bear with me LOL

ty all for 16k!! all love, xx !!