Falling To The Sun | B. Swan + E. Cullen

onze

It was spring break in Forks again and this time Roman was ecstatic to have Bella here this time, to spend time with. It made her feel light, dizzy with delight because it was going to be so nice not to need to worry about school and work now. She only needed to go in for the next hunting party. 

She had the chance to spend so much time with her, unworried and stress-free. She was on cloud nine. 

Being with her for two uninterrupted days, able to see each other whenever they wished as they wondered around the LaPush, Roman couldn't spend enough time with her and she really hoped that Bella felt the same. 

She truly hoped she did, at least, since the other girl invited her along to join her at work. And she went. She sat around Mike's shop, jumping to both of her friends between passing along the hiking boots, checking out all the new styles with interest. 

Mike jokingly tried to get her to buy a pair. She got two. Bella got the commission. 

"So what, are you dating the kid from LaPush? The Sophomore?" Mike asks, part teasing, part resentful, and Roman wonders if he's just being petty for the sake of being petty because he didn't get the commission. 

He really could have brought this all up earlier when they had all come in together. 

Bella shrugs. "You would think, but no. We do spend a lot of time together though." 

Mike's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Don't kid yourself, Bella. The guy's head over heels for you." 

"I know," Bella sighs but her eyes flit to Roman. "Life is complicated." 

"And girls are cruel," Mike said under his breath. 

Anger bubbles in her chest at the harsh, unnecessary comment. He sounds so sad, so stupid, all because the girl he likes doesn't return his feelings. She had half the mind to knock over a display just to piss him off but she was worried he would make Bella pick it up. 

"I"m not being cruel. I just don't feel that way about him," she says dismissively, waving off his rude attitude. "Besides, I have a girlfriend." 

Her heart stops, mouth dropping, and she gapes at the girl, not quite believing what she was hearing but hoping it was true. 

Mike chokes. "What?" 

"I have a girlfriend, technically. We haven't made things official, but I know she'll say yes," Bella states, lips twitching as she tries not to smile. 

"I would," Roman pipes up, not bothering to hide her grin. 

Mike doesn't talk to them for the rest of the shift.

That night they managed to drag Marnie away from work, bringing her down to the reservation to join Charlie and Bella for dinner with Billy Black and the Clearwaters. Sam and Emily come, bringing a dessert that would make a grown man cry, and Roman beams as her mother interacts with her friends without any issue or hesitation. 

It helps that Harry and Sue are there and she's quick to tell them all about the progress they made on the wolves, hoping to reassure the parents, and the only relief they get is from Roman's reassurances. She wouldn't let them get the boys if she could help it. It's enough to keep them steady. 

Only after Jacob and Bella skip out early does Seth show up, babbling with this distracted sort of jitter to him that tips her in right away that he's doing this for Jacob's benefit. She wouldn't send him away even if he was meant to keep her busy. 

"It's so strange to see him and I never know what to say, either of them," the boy admits, giving the couple the stink eye and she wraps his shoulders in a hug. He was getting so tall.