CATALINA, paul lahote

FOR YOU

[ alternatively : not for them ]

CATALINA COULDN't BRING HERSELF TO SPEAK AS SHE SAT BESIDES THE WHEEL OF HER CAR, her eyes focussed on the road in front of her instead of her sister who was staring intently at the side of her face. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. The words seemed to circulate the car, winding through the air until they settled on Cata's lap - and she didn't want them. At the sound of her backseat door slam shut, Cata glanced through the rearview to see Edward Cullen now sat there, his brooding eyes already on her sister who had flinched violently at the noise.

"Your father will forgive you." His voice carried through the car, slicing it's way through Bella's silent apologies.

"He won't." Bella snapped out, Cata glancing to see her sister's shoulders hunched over. She looked guilty.

Good. She should.

"I told him the same thing my mum told him the day she left." Bella explained as Edward's eyes glanced over her twin. What's wrong with her? Why does she care so much?

Because she loves him.

"You said what you had to so he'd leave." Catalina Swan fell silent, her anger practically radiating off her in waves. "Don't worry about him now, he's safe. The tracker's following us."

"Oh, whoop - de - fucking - doo." Catalina spoke for the first time as she glanced out of her wing mirror, knuckles rolling over the wheel as she caught Alice's gaze in the car behind her.

Her attention shifted to the Diner they had just drove past, a frown tugging at her lips at the sight of her friends tumbling from the diner. Eric and Angela left first, his arm hung around her shoulder as she sipped on a takeaway cup that Cata had no doubt that it had been tampered with vodka beyond belief. Jess and Genie were the next to leave, both laughing at something that had Eric called back to them. Tyler was the last to stumble from the Diner, clearly a few too many drinks down as Nell supported him upwards; Mike swinging Tyler's keys around his index finger like a trophy because he now got to drive.

Catalina felt her heart clench.

Ignorance was, after all, bliss.

"I'm sorry." Bella muttered, her eyes following her sisters.

She got it now, Cata's warning. About this life.  But too little too late, and now was far too late.

Catalina didn't reply, moving quickly from the car when she pulled in front of the Cullen residence. Bella could only watch as Rosalie met her at the door, still dressed in her baseball clothes. The pair muttered lowly to one another, sharing glances to Bella - and whatever it was caused Edward's brow to pull together. "What are they saying?" Bella asked lowly.