Old soul

HIDE AND SEEK

It had taken much less time than Natalia had thought - all the terror, the despair, the shattering of her heart. The minutes were ticking by more slowly than usual. Noah still hadn't come back when the girls returned to Alice. Natalia was afraid to be in the same room with Jasper now, afraid that he would know...she was afraid to hide from him for the same reason.
She would have thought she was far beyond the ability to be surprised, her thoughts tortured and unstable, but she was surprised when she saw Alice bent over the desk, gripping the edge with two hands. Rosalie was beside her sister, a comforting hand on her back as she leant forward to get a better look at Alice's face.

Alice didn't expect when Bella had called her name, but her head was slowly rocking side to side, and the girls saw her face. Her eyes were blank, dazed...Bella's thoughts flew to her mother. Were there already too late?

The girls headed to Alice's side, reaching out automation touch her hands.
"Alice!" Noah's voice whipped, and then he was right behind her, his hands curling over hers, loosening them from their grip on the table. Across the room, the door swung shut with a click.
"What is it?" He demanded.
She turned her face away from Bella and Natalia, into his chest. "Natalia," she said.
"I'm right here," Talia replied.
Her head twisted around, her eyes locking on Natalia's, their expression still strangely blank. The girl realised that she hadn't been speaking to her, she'd been answering Noah's question.
"What did you see?" Natalia said - and there was no question in her flat, uncaring voice.

Within seconds, Jasper was by Natalia's side, linking his hand with her own. His eyes were confused as he looked down at the girl who returned his gaze. Jasper could feel the chaos...for Natalia could guess what Alice had seen now.
Natalia felt a tranquil atmosphere settle around her. She welcomed it, using it to keep her emotions disciplined, under control.
Alice, too, recovered herself. "Nothing really," she answered finally, her voice remarkably calm and convincing. "Just the same room as before."
She finally looked at Natalia, her expression smooth and withdrawn. "Did you girls want something to eat?"
Bella shook her head, "no, I'll eat at the airport."
Natalia brought her hand up to move a stray strand of hair away from her face, "It's okay, I'm not hungry." The girl waited for Bella to be done in the shower, before having one herself.

Natalia couldn't help herself but already make up her mind. Despite her and Bella making a plan together, Natalia had one of her own - and she was determined to make sure her best friend makes it out of the mirrored room alive and breathing.
Natalia got ready methodically, concentrating on each little task. She left her hair down, working around her, covering her face. The peaceful mood Jasper created worked its way through her and helped her think clearly. Helped her plan. Natalia was anxious to get to the airport, and was glad when they left by seven. The six of them were separated across two cars - Alice, Noah and Bella in one and Jasper, Rosalie and Natalia in the other. Natalia was in the front passenger seat as Jasper drove and Rosalie sat in the back.

"Jas?" She asked.
He was a little wary, noticing something was wrong, "Yes, Darlin'?"
"How does Alice's gift work? The things she sees?" Natalia stared ahead, continuously reading the number plate of Alice's car in-front of them.
"It's not definite...things change - some things are more certain than others...like the weather. People are harder. She only sees the course they're on while they're on it. Once they change their minds - make new decisions, no matter how small - the whole future shifts."
Natalia nodded thoughtfully. "So she couldn't see James in Phoenix until he decided to come here."
"Yes," he agreed, wary again.
And she hasn't seen Natalia in the mirror room with James and Bella until she's made the decision to meet them there. She tried not to think about what else Alice might have seen. Natalia didn't want her panic to make her boy more suspicious. They would be watching both girls more carefully now, anyway, after Alice's vision. Their plan was going to be impossible.