Astrophile (Paul Lahote)

sixty one

࿔*:･sixty one  ࿔*:･
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It seemed to Carter that waking up to the phone ringing was their new norm, as she groaned at the sound of the phone ringing echoing from the kitchen. As she buried her face further into her pillow, Paul let out a pointed snore from beside her, almost as if telling her that even a kick would not wake him up now. 

Carter glared at her boyfriend slightly as she shuffled out of her bed and walked out, “Guess it's my turn now…” she muttered to no one in particular. 

The insistent ringing of the phone came to an abrupt stop as she picked it up, “Hello?” she yawned into the speaker. 

“Carter.” Bella’s voice almost sounded relieved as she picked up, and Carter perked up, “Bella? Is everything okay?” she asked. 

“Yes, it's just… how fast do you think you can get here?” she asked, and Carter stared at the wall clock before answering, “Ten minutes?” 

“Okay, I'm waiting for you,” Bella said before hanging up. Carter pulled the phone away from herself for a moment, staring at it. 

She shrugged before she went off to change her clothes. She also ended up leaving out an aspirin and a water bottle for her boyfriend, along with a little note letting him know where she was going before she rushed out. 

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She decided to take her truck to the Cullens’ house, frowning as she spotted Bella waiting on the front porch for her. Carter frowned as she climbed out of her truck, “Hey, is everything-?” she began as Bella rushed toward her and gripped her hand tightly. Carter winced slightly at the amount of strength, “around the back,” Bella muttered, tugging her along. 

Carter let her be pulled away, concerned with how nervous her friend looked, “Hey, what's up?” Carter muttered halfway as they turned around the back, and Carter came to a stop, more confused than ever as she spotted Jacob standing on a trail casually, his hands tucked into his pockets as he kicked gravel around. 

“What are you doing here?” Carter asked him, but the younger boy simply shrugged, “dunno, she just called and told me to get here as soon as possible.” 

Bella shifted uneasily, something that was quite unusual for a vampire. It was almost as though she was making sure no one around them could hear them before she turned back to face her friends. “I need your help,” she muttered. “It's about Charlie…” Carter motioned her to go on. 

“He's been calling daily, even twice a day now… he's worried about me, and Carlisle is planning on telling him that I-” she choked up, “that I died.” 

Carter's shoulders deflated as Jacob took a step forward, “What?” he growled, “Why?” 

Bella shook her head, “When I was pregnant, we had told Charlie that I was too sick to see him. It was the only way to keep him away… but now… telling my dad that I’m dead…” bella looked away, “we might not have the most amazing father daughter relationship but he is still my dad, and i love him… telling him im dead means leaving him and Forks behind and i dont want to do that.” 

Carter shrugged, “So what can we do?” she asked, and Bella exhaled deeply, “I cannot tell Charlie what I really am. That would mean that the Volturi might kill him since no mortal is supposed to know about us. But I was thinking…there are no such rules that prevent shifters from telling people. If Jacob shifts in front of him, it may help me be around him without him growing too suspicious. He’ll know something about me is different, but only enough that he won't interrogate.”