Aeipathy • Paul Lahote

Stargazing

"They're... interesting," she chuckled, struggling to fully grasp what had happened in the past few hours. It wasn't every day that you walk in to a vampire den behind your overly human sister. "Slightly strange, that lot. Is there something off about them that I should know about?"

It was phrased jokingly, but Estrella wanted to see if her sister would share anything with her on the matter. Bella just shrugged, her eyes not straying from the road in front of them. "Most people say that," she responded. "They're really close so new people are a bit weird for them."

"They're a bit weird for new people, too," Estrella laughed, making Bella snort. "Also, hey, since you dragged me to this house in the middle of nowhere, forcing me into your deathtrap, I think it's only fair that we play in the woods for a bit or even just have a sisterly bonfire on the beach."

Bella sighed at that before noticing Estrella's face coming closer to her in her peripherals. "Your puppy dog eyes won't work on me if I can't see them and I can't see them because I'm a responsible driver who won't take her eyes off of the road." Despite her words, Bella could sense her sister getting closer and closer, until her nose was pressed against Bella's cheek. 

"Pwease?" she begged, her voice softer and sweeter. "I've missed you so much."

Bella's stomach contracted at the possibility of running into an upset Jake while on the La Push beach, but her sister's puppy dog face had never lost a fight. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed. "Fine, but only if I get to drive the truck." Before Ella could protest, Bella continued talking. "We'll stop back at home to let Charlie know and to grab blankets and pillows and we'll set up camp in the back of the truck to do stargazing. I know how much you love that."

Estrella instantly shot back up properly in her seat with a grin split across her face. Her body wiggled in her seat in what Bella knew was her victory dance as she giggled to herself. "Dude, this'll be great! The Swan Sister's Sleepover in the back of a deathtrap!" Bella couldn't help but laugh. 

It didn't take them long until they were packed up and ready to drive out to the beach. Charlie was more than excited to get the girls out of the house. Despite his earlier warning to Bella about her being grounded, he couldn't follow through with it when he saw how lively his daughter had become since her sister had come by. The memories of Bella curled up in her room for months on end in an isolated depression were still too fresh and seeing the girls bounding in and out of the house was too much to deny. 

By the time they reached La Push, the sun was beginning to set and the stars were just starting to peak through. Bella couldn't help her slight paranoia, looking around at any noise. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation from Jake in front of Estrella to both ruin the mood and expose secrets to her sister. But, once they had finally set up the truck bed to be comfortable and cozy, Bella's anxieties melted away. Her sister's giggles had become infectious and soon the two girls were curled up in the nest of blankets, sharing stories until the stars fully came out. 

"God, if I ever want a bit more attention, I'll make sure to just be the new girl in school," Estrella laughed, teasing her sister lovingly. "I can't imagine being Isabella Swan, the new girl of Forks High and the competition for all of the boys in school."

"You won't have to imagine for long," Bella grumbled jokingly. "I mean, you're gonna be the new girl fairly soon." Before Estrella could fully react to that, loud laughter filled the previously silent air and Bella's smile dropped instantly. Her joking tone left as she looked around tensely. "We should leave," she mumbled, moving to start packing up her stuff. 

"Bells, what are you doing?" Estrella questioned, grabbing her sister's arm to stop her. "What did I tell you? If Jake or any of his hooligan friends have anything to say to you, they can talk to me first. I'm not going to let anything happen to you and I'm not going to let an idiotic group of teenage boys ruin my fun night with my sister, okay?"

Bella sighed but nodded, not fully relaxing next to her sister as she heard the pack step closer. "Yo! Bella!" a voice called before the group of guys stopped next to the truck bed. It had been Embry to call her name, but another voice piped up afterwards. 

"Funny seeing you showing your face around here after-" Paul had started, but instantly stopped as a different face spun towards him in anger. The second he met her eyes, he froze, stunned. But she continued moving. 

"Hey, who the hell do you think you are, talking to my sister like that?" she hissed, glaring at the boy. His eyes glazed over as he stared at her with a slack jaw. "Hello? How about you stop staring like a creep and actually answer me?"

If the rest of the pack hadn't been so stunned at the fact that Paul even had an imprint, they would have been roaring in laughter that his imprint was even feistier than he was. But instead, all they could do was stare in shock.