Soothing Cold

Chapter 21

BPOV

The first few weeks back at school feel as if summer never happened. Everything feels exactly the same as it has before, except that I am more at ease even when I am not around my guardian angels.

I even talk to a few of the other students, which I can't remember doing the year before.

"Happy Birthday Bella!" Cold arms suddenly wrap around me from behind, and I grin a little bit a when the pixie falls half a foot to the ground when she releases me.

"Thank you, Alice," I laugh as she takes my hands and gives me an excited twirl. "Emmett, a little help?" I request playfully.

The small excitable fairy is suddenly wrenched from me, allowing me to stop spinning as she's thrown over a broad shoulder.

"Many thanks," I giggle, turning to face my three vampires crowding around my truck.

"You definitely have to come over and let us celebrate. You wouldn't happen to be willing to let us get you drunk again, would you?"

I wearily stare at Alice's butt, suddenly feeling very nervous. They all assured me that I hadn't done anything too embarrassing, but Alice has been trying to find any and all reason for me to drink again, and Rosalie always gets this immensely amused smile that makes me absolutely sure I humiliated myself in front of her.

"Um.. no. I think I'm okay for a while."

"Phooey," I assume she pouts. I really can't be sure considering I'm still talking to her butt, but I feel like I know her well enough to be certain she is.

"Awe, but you are an adorable drunk," Rosalie coos from beside Emmett, causing me to flush slightly.

It's little comments like this that make me sure that I did something. She's been giving me more and more teasing compliments lately.

They make my insides feel all weird and I have these contradictory feelings of wanting to run away and wanting to be closer to her than ever.

"Sorry, no," I say quickly, and her smile just grows wider, but she doesn't push it.

"But you will let us celebrate?" Emmett presses, bouncing the pixie a bit causing her to giggle.

"Of course," I smile. "Jake and our friends from the Res, are coming over today, but it would be nice if we can all do something together? He thought you guys were really cool and has been asking to hang out again for a while."

"If he is coming to your house, that is definitely something that we can do," Rose softens. Every time I invite her to the Res, she turns me down. I have my suspicions that the rest of the stories of cold ones I grew up hearing, like the treaty, are a little more real than fictional stories.

That idea makes my head spin a bit, though, so I don't think about it much.

….

We have a bit of a chain going. I had used Birthday privileges to accomplish it, but it really wasn't much effort. Now, Rosalie sits behind me on my bed doing my hair. Behind her, Alice is doing hers. I happily braid Jake's hair in front of me (it's something I've done a million times before) and Jake calmly does Quil's hair while the boy gleefully puts as many ribbons in Emmett's short curly hair as he can manage while said boy pouts.

He had wanted to make it a circle so he can do Alice's hair, but she unequivocally refused. Nobody else wanted him to touch their hair, so he was left at the end of the chain with idle hands.

Which is probably why he picked up a dark blue nail polish and started to paint his toenails. Along with most of his toe.

"If you get polish on my bed, Emmett, I'm having Rosalie throw you out my window," I warn him cheerfully.

"Can I do your toes next?" he asks eagerly, not pausing in his work. He seems truly invested in his toes, and it amuses me more than anything.

"I suppose," I allow, brushing out my brother's hair and starting again. I was always really jealous of his long hair and playing with it has always calmed me.

Alice makes a noise of disgust. She's the one who normally paints my toes, but I don't actually care how they turn out. No one is going to see them anyway. Emmett can do my toes if he wants.

"When is Embry supposed to get here?" I ask, glancing at the clock.

Jacob huffs in front of me, causing his hair to slip from my grip a bit.

"You know how Leah's boyfriend broke up with her to chase after her cousin?"

"Yeah," I frown. It's the reason Leah isn't here right now. She pretty much shut everyone out, even us. She won't even answer when I tap at her window for hours.

"Embry's probably hanging out with him. He stopped talking to us and joined his little gang," Jake grumbles bitterly. And I blink in disbelief.

"You've been back for only ten months and our little pack of woodland brothers is already falling apart again," Quil sighs miserably. Even within our group, Embry and Quil have always been closer to each other. I had always gravitated more toward Jake, or Leah when he wasn't around (which was rare).

"Why would he do that?" Emmett asks curiously, blowing at his foot, which is half painted blue. I start to rethink letting him anywhere near my feet with paint.

"Drugs probably," Jake grunts. "Steroids. Everyone around Sam is suddenly shot up and became massive- even Embry. He even got all pissy when I tried to confront him. I hear steroids make you all angry like that."

Because she is behind me and her hands are threaded in my hair, I feel Rosalie suddenly become eerily still. I can't see Alice behind her, but I watch Emmett pause as well for several seconds before going back to blowing on his toes.

Their reactions make me get very anxious very quickly, but I know instinctively that I can't ask about it right now.

So, I don't. I finish the braid in Jacob's hair and drop my hands to my lap, loudly pronouncing that I'm finished.

"Cake?" Quil jumps up excitedly, instantly abandoning the ribbons in Emmett's hair at the prospect of more junk food. He practically ate an entire pizza by himself. Between him and Jake, my vampires didn't even have to pretend to eat.

"Sure," I laugh, climbing off the bed as I feel Rose's cold hands fall away from my hair. She never says much around anyone outside me and her family, unless it's an insult. She's actually quite a bit amiable with my childhood friends, and I expect that the reason has entirely to do with me.

As my brothers follow me, trampling down the stairs, I shove my anxiety so far to the recesses of my mind that I forget entirely that it's there. I've gotten very good at that skill.

A/N: We are getting very close to the end now. I know I've said that before, but now I'm really sure. Three more at most. I think.

Anyway, please review. Got a bit of a surprise next chapter.

~Silver~