√ 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 » 𝗲𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻

34; i know

It was day 6 of Emmett and Priyanka avoiding each other. Again.

And it was Priyanka's 19th birthday.

Carlisle and Esme had advised that Emmett not lie to Priyanka any longer, and until he told her, to not speak to her.

So Edward and Alice took up the job of keeping Priyanka engaged.

"Happy 19th birthday, Pri!" Edward cheered, swooping into the room happily, while Alice danced in behind him. Bella and him had shared an... especially special moment the other day.

"How did you know?" Priyanka opened her dark eyes and stared at the young boy apprehensively, "How did you know it was my birthday today?"

Edward didn't stop smiling, "Bella told me last night, of course."

Alice, who knew already what was about to happen, bit her rock-hard lip nervously.

Priyanka raised one eyebrow, "Is that so? I never told her. Did you know, Alice?"

Edward scratched the back of his neck, "Well, Charlie must have told her, because she-"

Alice picked up from her desperate brother, "Your parents must've told Charlie in that case, because-"

Priyanka rose from her bed, stepping in front of Edward, and looked at Alice, "Charlie doesn't know either. And my parents were reported dead a week ago. Even when they were alive, they never cared much about me. The last thing they would've wanted for me was a birthday party." There was venom in her voice.

Except she didn't say it out loud.

Edward swallowed, Alice looking down, knowing what happened, "Follow me."

-

Emmett laughed nervously, "Should've known nothing could get past you. I hoped that I could have more time to tell you."

Priyanka wasn't laughing, seated next to Carlisle. All of the Cullens were there too, Rosalie leaning over Cody, Alice on Jasper's lap, Edward and Bella seated across from each other, and Esme and Carlisle opposite ends of the table.

"And when were you hoping to tell me?" She asked, elbows on the table, gaze steely, "When I turned 25? Realized that you weren't growing any facial hair, or aging? Or, when we had sex- if at all? Maybe when you slipped up... drew some, I don't know, blood from me?"

Esme inhaled at that.

"You're lucky I found out," Priyanka finished, "That is not fair to me, and a huge part of this relationship. It's trust, Emmett. Trust that isn't showing it's face right now. And you guys, too. Carlisle, you're my doctor. Was I really safe here?"

Carlisle went to speak, but Priyanka held a finger up, "I wasn't finished. Esme. You- after all of the time we spent cooking, reading together, you never thought to maybe, just maybe, mention it?"

"Bella was the one who told me, Edward. But you know that already, don't you?" She asked the bronze-haired boy. "I was wondering how you always knew when I needed help."

"You too, Jasper," Priyanka frowned, "You really thought that I wouldn't notice how not anxious I was when I was near you? Thanks for the anti-depressant, though."

"I only trust Cody, Rosalie, and Bella. Unless Cody wants to admit that he was lying when he said I smelled good, too?"

Cody smiled shyly, and buried his head in Rosalie's shoulder, "There's nothing," He admits, voice muffled in Rosalie's lace shirt.

"Good. Bella's come clean, and Rosalie... if you don't mind, could you tell me exactly why you left? It's not like I saw you before anyways," Priyanka asked, mind clattering around with the information she was receiving.

"Uhm, yeah. You- you know when you and that blonde were having a fight in the hospital?" Rosalie swallowed, "Yeah, well that was me. Sorry."

"Oh."