wild ↣ p. lahote

xiii. i lost a friend

AURORA LEANED BACK against the couch and smiled, watching Bella accept her gifts from the Cullen family. She felt a little bad for the girl, it was obvious that she wasn't enjoying herself. Aurora knew of how Bella didn't want to grow any older and wanted to be changed into a vampire and she felt bad for her. This feeling of pity prompted her to launch up from the couch in the middle of Bella accepting Rosalie's gift.

"Mine next, you'll love it," Aurora said, producing a small wrapper out of her purse. Aurora handed it to Bella, who looked at it curiously.

"You got me a gift?" Bella asked, looking up at Aurora with her brows furrowed. "I thought your gift was the stereo with Emmett."

"Well, in a way that was my gift to you too. But I also got you something on my own," Aurora explained. "Open it!"

Bella frowned as she unwrapped the small gift from Aurora. The Cullen family circled around, no one knowing except Alice and Edward what the gift was. Aurora looked up and made eye contact with Edward, who smiled slightly at her. He seemed to approve of the gift. I still hate you, Edweirdo, Aurora thought in her head, making Edward roll his eyes.

"Oh, wow. Thank you so much, Aurora," Bella breathed out as she finally finished unwrapping the gift. Aurora looked back at Bella and smiled. Bella was holding up a heart shaped locket with the initials BC engraved on the front. "BC is for...?"

"Bella Cullen," Aurora finished, smiling warmly at Bella. "Open it!"

Bella opened the locket and breathed out as she saw the picture kept inside. It was a photo of her and Edward embracing in their special little meadow they liked to run off to. Aurora had snapped it after she and Emmett had followed them one day over the summer.

"This is amazing, thank you," Bella said, looking up at Aurora and smiling. Aurora smiled back, bringing Bella in for a hug.

"Of course. Happy birthday," she said to Bella as they pulled apart. And she meant it.

"Rory, I never knew you were such a good gift-giver," Emmett said, wrapping his arms around her waist. Aurora looked up at Emmett and smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"That was nothing. You should see me at Christmas," Aurora replied, waggling her eyebrows.

"We can't wait," Carlisle said, smiling at Aurora before turning to Bella. "Here's your gift from Esme and I."

"We noticed you've been looking a little pale recently," Esme said from beside Carlisle, smiling kindly at Bella and handing her a slimly wrapped gift. Bella started trying to open the gift, but struggled.

Aurora saw it coming a split second before it happened.

Bella's finger slipped, cutting open on the wrapping. "Shoot, paper cut," she murmured before it clicked in her mind. She looked up in horror just as Jasper lunged forward. Emmett left Aurora's side and slammed into Jasper, holding him back with Carlisle. Aurora watched in detached horror as Edward pushed Bella back, throwing her through the air and soaring into the wall. Bella fell onto a glass table, giving herself a huge gash on her right arm.

Aurora's eyes widened and she rushed over to Bella, holding her as the two humans watched in anticipation as Jasper struggled to control his thirst. Alice rushed up to Jasper in an attempt to calm him down.

"It's okay, Jasper, it's just a little... blood..." Alice trailed off, turning back around to look at Bella's bleeding arm. Alice covered her mouth and backed up, shaking her head.

Carlisle moved next to Bella, looking up at the rest of the vampires. "Take Jasper outside," he commanded. Emmett nodded at Carlisle before looking at Aurora and frowning. He tugged Jasper's arm and the two left the room, Rosalie and Esme following closely behind.