Hurricane ► Jasper Hale [1]

[25]

ALLISON FOLLOWED BELLA up the cliff, walking along the trail that led to the edge. The girl slipped slightly on one of the large boulders, the rocks wet from recent rainfall. "What exactly are we doing up here?" She asked, grumbling as she wiped the dirt from her palms.

Bella didn't answer for a moment, simply walking ahead and watching her feet. The girl's hands stayed out beside her as she struggled to attain her balance. "I just want to see something." The words were mumbled quietly, and Allison furrowed her eyebrows as she detected a hint of guilt in her voice.

Bella reached reached the top of the cliff just as Allison realized that Bella had spoken those same words months ago, when she had first hallucinated Edward. "Bell, are you still seeing him?" Allison asked loudly so the girl could hear over the roaring wind. If Bella was, then Allison would feel awful because she had neglected to get her friend help.

"Yeah," The smaller brunette mumbled, shrugging off her jacket an tossing it on the dirt behind her. Her bracelets followed soon after.

Allison scrambled to get to the top, as she was still lagging behind due to the slippery rocks. Her boots slipped once more, causing her to slide and push her hands in front of her so that she didn't hit the rock too harshly. "Sweetheart, what are you doing?"

The frantic girl received no answer, though, as Bella just continued to mumble incoherent things. Allison supposed that she thought she was talking to Edward, and that terrified the girl. "Bella, please. Please, you promised!" Her voice cracked, her breathing becoming heavier as a single tear slipped down her face.

"Watch me," Bella whispered, ignoring Allison as she took a deep breath. The girl stumbled to the top of the cliff just in time to see her best friend leap off of the mountain.

"Bella!" She screeched, her voice higher-pitched than it ever had been before. Allison ran to the edge, stumbling and landing on her knees. "Bella!"  She looked down at the water, her hands gripping the edge of the cliff as she took in the rapid waves. She won't survive this, she thought deliriously.

Allison rose to her feet shakily as she saw Bella smack against the water. A sob escaped her lips as she backed up slightly. And closing her eyes, Allison jumped into the ferocious waves below.

As she fell, she saw vivid images against her eyelids; memories, she realized. But, they weren't memories that she would have expected. She would have thought that the memories would have been of her life before Forks, or perhaps Jasper, but instead they were all memories of her Protected.

"I promise, Allie."

"Al, I love you."

"I always worry about you."

"Allison, you're my best friend."

"Love you, A."

Her body collided harshly with the water, and she flailed as soon as she slid underwater. She opened her eyes, ignoring the sting of the saltwater. Her dark eyes looked frantically for Bella, not finding her anywhere. Allison flailed, the current pulling her away from her destination. She waved her hands in front of her face, and found Bella flailing as she struggled to get away from something. Allison was oblivious to the red hair swimming closer effortlessly.

Allison pushed herself harder, her legs propelling her toward her best friend. She squinted, hearing a faint screaming as Bella squirmed. And suddenly she stopped, becoming completely still, before floating downward. The Protector released a cry of Bella's name, kicking frantically as she struggled to reach the girl through the current.