Interminable E. Cullen

Chapter 24

It had been weeks since the drama at the movies. 

Many rants had been spent in Ophelia's room where she gratefully took in the distraction from her anxious feelings. Jacob had apparently caught mono, which according to Bella was false because of the last time she ran into him in the pouring rain, shirtless at that. 

The distraction that was spending time with her sister and Jake had ended, leaving her to overthinking and anxiety. Many nights she spent curled up close to Kingsley, silent tears streaming down her face as if every drop would somehow seep into her skin and make its way to fill her emptiness. 

They never did. 

It was a strange feeling when Edward Cullen had left. As if in some way he had taken a piece of her that left her feeling incomplete, and she hated it. 

Ophelia hated the way her body ignored her mind and still longed for the vampire that left her so easily. She hated the way that she had been so dependent on him, in turn leaving her with aching holes that would never close. 

She had such a pure love for him. Welcoming him so easily despite being closed off and worried at first. 

For good reason apparently, she thought to herself. 

Her body and soul had welcomed him like an old friend, a kindred spirit, a soulmate. Letting him encompass her whole being like a warm blanket only to have it ripped off on a cold night. And yet no other blanket could compare to the one she wanted, the one she missed so dearly. 

Always leaving the window unlocked just in case he came back. 

Did she even want him to come back?

It should be an easy yes or no question but still it felt so complicated. Yes, she wanted him. But not in the "oh I missed you, I forgive you" kind of way. Ophelia wanted him to have never left in the first place. She wanted him to want to be there with her. And if that had been the case he never would have left to begin with. 

No, she didn't want him to come back. If he did she couldn't be sure that she wouldn't just succumb to his apologies and stupid words that always sounded so perfect coming out of his mouth. She couldn't be assured that she wouldn't still be angry with him. 

But she was. She was so angry. 

It hurt worse that it seemed he didn't need her as much as she needed him. That she was the one sitting here feeling pathetic at his loss. 

There were so many questions left unanswered;

Did Alice watch her in her visions? 

Was Jasper upset with himself still? 

Did Rosalie still hate her?

 What was Edward doing?

 Did he confide in someone else afterwards? 

Would he fall for someone else that he'd stay with unlike her? Someone he'd keep his promises to. 

Would it be long after she died that he'd return to Forks with someone he intended to stay with forever? 

Would Ophelia be happy again?

***

"Bells maybe we should go. Dad said Jake is still sick." 

"No, Opie. I know he's not. Something's wrong and I need to check on him. Please stay in the truck for me." 

Not even two seconds letter, Ophelia was climbing out of the truck and following her sister. 

Ophelia could hear shouts. Boys hollering and being loud. She could also hear her sister stomping even closer to the boys and she grabbed Bella's hand quickly so that she could keep up. 

"Where is he?" Bella asked and Ophelia could practically hear her teeth grinding together from anger. 

"He's not here. He doesn't want to see you." One of the boys responded. 

"Bullshit. What did you do to him?" 

"Bells, please." Ophelia tugged on Bella's sleeve, quietly begging her to calm down and leave. Her anxiety was rising rapidly now and she desperately wanted to go home. 

They went back and forth for a few more moments before Bella started pulling her back the direction they came only to stop once again. 

"Bella I told you not to come. I don't want to see you anymore." This time it was Jacob speaking, his voice shakey from agitation. 

"I don't care, Jake. Just please tell me what's wrong." 

"Bella please," she whispered again, her hands trembling now. 

"Look what you did.  You shouldn't have brought Opie. You know how uncomfortable she gets around this stuff." 

"Don't tell me how my sister gets," Bella snapped back, still too frustrated to notice that Ophelia was no longer holding her hand. 

She was trembling as the two bickered back and forth. 

"You upset her!" Jacob roared in anger, his form now shaking tremendously in front of Bella who had finally turned her gaze back to her younger sister. 

"Opie, I'm so sorry," Bella mumbled, feeling bad that she wasn't paying attention. 

It was too late. 

Seeing Ophelia get anxious over the two of them fighting made Jacob angry, an awful tearing noise sounding through the air as he began to transform. 

His paw was coming down fast, too close to Bella for her to get away in time. 

And then Ophelia did the one thing her sister always did for her. The thing she never got to repay until now.

Protect her.