Act II
Chapter 16 ━━ Compelling

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Shelley is currently leaning into a table, watching Bella, who sits in a chair opposite to Carlisle, who mops up her blood as he removes glass shards from her arm. He drops one into a bowl, plink. She tries not to look at the blood. 

"That was a scary experience." The blonde sighs, rubbing her forehead where she can feel a light headache rising.

"I sure can kill a party." Bella comments.

"It's not your fault. Jasper hasn't been away from human blood as long as the rest of us." Carlisle states.

"Seems like you're the only one it doesn't affect." Shelley remarks.

"Centuries of practice." Carlisle answers.

"Did you ever think of… living differently?" Bella asks.

"I enjoy my work too much. Helping people, saving lives. I'm hoping there's a point to my existence, even if I am damned." Carlisle points out.

"Damned? You're not damned." Bella says.

"Then you and I agree. But Edward doesn't believe there's an afterlife for our kind." He says looking at the brunette. "He thinks we've lost our souls." 

Shelley raises an eyebrow as she continues to listen to their conversation. Realising, Bella speaks. "That's why he won't… He thinks he'd be damning me."

"If either of you believed as he did, would you risk it? Off Bella, no, not ever…" Carlisle says.

With the promise of being back in the late-night, Esdras let Edward drive both the Swan twins home.

Shelley looks at the large red bow hanging from the new stereo in the dashboard as Edward drives in silence. 

Bella studies him. "Say something."

"What do you want me to say?"

"That I'm a klutz. That I should have been more careful." Bella says, making her sister roll her eyes and look out of the window. Of course, Bella blames herself for it.

"You got a paper cut. Normal people get paper cuts. And a normal boyfriend wouldn't have flung you into a stack of plates. A normal boyfriend wouldn't have had to fight the urge to kill you." 

"Stop. I don't want normal, I want you."

Edward doesn't respond, just pulls the truck into the Swan residence driveway and stops it.

"You can't protect me from everything, something's going to separate us. Accidents, illness, old age… as long as I'm human…"

Appalled by Bella's ramble, Edward speaks. "That's your solution? Me ending your life?" 

"I'm sorry. Did I hear wrong? Who is ending who's life now?" Shelley butts into the conversation.

"No one is ending my life. He's just giving me forever."

Edward faces forward again at Bella's words, jaw tight, mind working, tormented. 

"Are you talking about being a vampire?" Shelley asks Bella, who nods with a 'yes' to confirm her answer. The blonde glares at her sister, now anger boiling inside her. "Are you turning nuts?"

"I am doing whatever I want, Shelley. You can't stop me."

"For god's sake, Bella! Your life is not a fucking game to play!" 

"This is my life. I decided to spend my life with him, forever. And just as I said, you can't stop me and you don't even have any right to stop me!" Bella yells and the blonde is stung as if slapped. The elder twin realises what she said and looks guilty. "Shelley, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you-"

"No, you're right! I don't have any right to stop you! I'm just your stupid twin sister, who doesn't even worth more than a piece of dust! Do whatever the shit you want! I don't fucking care!" With that, Shelley climbs out and runs straight into her room and closes the door behind. Wiping the tears that stroll down her cheeks, she opens the window and jumps into her bed hugging her pillow.

Next day, Shelley groans looking at the 'Romeo and Juliet' lessons which are on the board. Everyone's scribbling essays. Bella's distracted, looking-out for Edward, who seems to be absent today along with Esdras.

Even though Esdras promised the blonde last night that he is going to show up, there isn't any sign that he was there when Shelley woke up this morning. Well, he did that creepy watching thing without her noticing before she knew about the whole damn vampire thing. But that was all before. He used to leave a note if he leaves before she wakes up. His phone didn't even work when she called him to pick her up since she's mad at Bella. So, she had to wait for Bella for a ride, where she ignored her all the way to the school and classes. Bella treated her like trash last night and she's just returning the favour. It's all fair, right? 

Later, Shelley yawns as Bella pulls her truck into the driveway. The elder twin has given up apologising after she realised that she's screwed. 

Lazily, Shelley climbs out the trunk after Bella, half closing her eyes, heads toward the house but stops, when she hears Bella's voice. 

"Edward. You're here."

Shelley looks up to see Edward and Esdras standing by the house. Esdras looks at her with a soft smile on his face, which brings her some kind of relief.

Bella hurries toward Edward but slows when she sees his cold, distant face, an unreadable mask. 

"Walk with me?" Edward asks her and the elder twin nods and they walk towards the woods, leaving Esdras and the blonde behind. 

"What's wrong with Eddie?"

"He's upset."

"Upset about what?" She asks even though she already knows the answer.

"Upset about what happened. On your birthday." 

"Okay. Your phone is not working."

"I switched it off." 

"Right. You didn't even come back last night. Didn't you?"

"Stuff happened after Edward came back, dropping you two home."

"Did Edward start world war 3?" 

"Kind of." 

"So, what's gonna happen?"

"We, Cullens, need to leave Forks. Carlisle's supposed to be ten years older than he looks; people will start noticing."

She reels, trying to take this in. "What?"

"That's what Ed's saying to Bella right now." 

"Are you guys really leaving?" Shelley asks and he nods, holding the sympathy. "When?"

"Now." He replies.

"Is it about what happened with Jasper?" 

"That and Edward thinks that it is nothing compared to what could happen. If he stays in Bella's life anymore. So, we're leaving and Edward wants me to erase the memories of him from her mind. Like he never exists." 

"It is better than a breakup, I guess." 

"It is." Esdras tells and sighs. "I heard what happened last night. Forgive her, Shelley. She's blind in love. I used to be like her when I was in love with Vanessa. You don't know what you do or say when love consumes you."

She nods, taking in. "Okay." 

"Good." 

"So… this is goodbye?" 

"Yeah…" He trails off.

After an awkward silence, she speaks up. "Stay." 

He chuckles. "You want me to stay? Even after you saw what happened yesterday?"

"We all know that Bella is fragile and you guys didn't feed on blood for so long. It wasn't any of your faults. And also I don't wanna lose my best friend."

He smiles and cups her cheeks. "I can't stay. Not now. But if you need me, just give me a call. I'll be back for you."

"It was switched off this morning when I needed you." She argues. "I was pissed at Bella and needed a ride."

"Well, it won't be switched off again. I promise." He admits confidently.

"You broke your promise last night." She reminds him.

"I won't again. You have to trust me." 

"I do trust you."

"Don't tell Bella any of this." He requests and kisses her cheek. "And don't get in trouble."

"I won't. I promise." 

They see Edward walking out of the woods, Bella following him behind, tears in her eyes. Like she cried or… still crying.

Shelley immediately starts to feel bad for Bella. Hope Esdras's mind thing works or she'll go insane because of Edward's sudden disappearance.

"Do it." Edward demands his brother.

"Do what?" Bella asks disturbed.

"I asked Esdras to do me a favour." Edward states. This seems truly agonising, this is for him. "I promise, it will be like I never existed.

Realising what's going to happen, Bella steps back. "No."

"Goodbye, Bella." Edward steps forward and kisses her forehead. She closes her eyes. "Ezra, Now."

"I'm sorry, Bella." Esdras shakes his head in disgust of what he's about to do next and vampire speed to her, forcing her to look at his eyes. "You will forget every single second you spend with the Cullens. We're just some couple of students you saw in your classes."

"Keep her safe for me." Edward says to the blonde before he speeds away into the woods. Esdras gives her a look and speeds into the woods after his brother.

And here, Bella opens her eyes, blinks confusedly and wipes the tears on her cheeks. "Have I been crying?"

"Ah-you said that something went into your eye." Shelley lies and guilt begins to bubble all over her. 

"Oh, right." She smiles, still with a little bit of confusion in her voice.

"Yeah. How about we eat some ice cream?"

"Sounds great."