chapter iv, gone

listening: sweet creature by harry styles
"two hearts in one home, it's hard
when we argue, we're both stubborn,
i know, but oh,"

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     A despairing cloud, one that had quickly cast itself the night that Bella went missing, hovered over the Swan home. The newly eighteen-year-old was found soon after she was reported missing, which eased the panic and fear that trickled into the family. Sam, to Amara's surprise, was the one to find the girl. And although the girl was wary of Sam because of the obvious situation between him and Leah, she was happy and thankful that he had been the one to find her, a sort of familiar face.

     However, months had passed since that night, and Bella was unresponsive. The girl was completely checked out in all aspects: physically, mentally, and emotionally. She was mute, and not just vocally; the girl had gone mute in her very being. Often waking the house up with horror-like screams from her nightmares, the family was unsure of what the nightmares were about, but Amara couldn't help but think it was the pure manifestation of fear and heartbreak that Bella felt on her eighteenth birthday. The pain of losing not just Edward, but being iced out by the entire family hit the girl hard, and everyone was feeling it.

     Amara tried to pry any type of reaction out of her sister, a smile, a sign, or even a single word, but it was all in vain. The baker was speaking to a stone wall, one built to deal with the pain. Amara really disliked Edward - all of the Cullens, for that matter. And even though she was supposed to be focusing on her business, it was hard to focus on anything but Bella. Her sister was suffering, and it was all because of a boy, and though she could relate to this betrayal and heartbreak that can only happen because of a boy, it was hard not to yell and scream at her sister. She wanted to tell her that this boy wasn't worth it; if he was able to leave her in the woods without a second thought, he didn't deserve her, but that's not what she needed right now.

     Glancing over at her sister as she jotted down small notes in her journal, Amara couldn't help but speak up.

     "I know you don't want to do anything because of what happened..." The girl trailed off.

     "But, I was wondering if you wanted to come to the flower shop with me, the one we went to before." There was a pause in the atmosphere. Bella's back straightened out, and Amara's leg began to bounce with nerves as she watched the change in her sister's posture. Her leg bounced as she began to feel nervous, wondering if her sister was going to say something.

     The nervousness soon disappeared as Bella nodded her head, just slightly, and a spark of hope filled Amara's chest as she saw the tiny response from Bella. Standing up slowly, so as not to overwhelm the girl if she were to see her excitement, Amara walked up to the back of the couch.

     Bella looked over her shoulder up to her sister, taking in the warm look and smile on her face. For the first time in months, Bella could feel the excruciating tension in her chest disappear. The girl knew she had not been easy to deal with, making it difficult for everyone in the house. But, the girl didn't need them telling her that "he was gone" or "to go out with your friends" or "go get your mind off things," all she needed was stability without force. She knew her father and stepmother got along well, but this was something that she couldn't just get over. They didn't know what she knew or felt what she felt. And the only person who was just there, not trying to force her into something, but was there in silence, was her sister.

     And finally, after months, she was starting to let go, and slowly, very slowly, coming to terms with the fact that Edward left and the rest of the Cullens went with him, and he did not care about her anymore. A part of the girl, the hopeful part, didn't believe that Edward left because he didn't care or love her, and he left to protect her. That his leaving and breaking her heart was his way, his sick and twisted way of protecting her, was a sign that maybe, just maybe, he would come back into her life someday. But the rational side was beginning to make her think, what if he didn't truly care and love Bella, and what happened on the night of her birthday was a way for Edward and the Cullens to leave Forks.

     Bella didn't know which side she wanted to lean towards, but it was so utterly exhausting to be sad all of the time.

     "The flower shop would be nice," Bella muttered quietly, making her sister smile, her dimples prominent.

     "Well then, let's go."

     Bella got up from the couch, her joints cracking slightly, as she had been sitting on the couch for hours by this point. Pacing herself to the door, the girl slowly slid her shoes, bending down to tie them for the first time in a long time. Standing behind her, Amara held her sweater up, holding it open for Bella to slide on. And as the girls finished getting ready in comfortable silence, the sound of zippers and the jangle of house keys created a warmth the house hadn't felt in a while. They walked out the door and locked it behind them.

     As they began their journey to the flower shop, Amara realized that Bella was never gone like she thought she was; she was just away for a while.

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Hi all! It has been the longest time since i have written anything.

i sat on this chapter for literal months, not knowing what to write. I knew it was going to be a filler chapter, and I know the chapter is short, but I really like how it turned out, and the next chapter is going to pick up in speed in the movie, along with being longer, so be ready for that!

 But I don't know how far I want to go into the movie's next chapter, so I am going to leave a poll to gauge what would be a good stopping point! I hope everyone who celebrates the holidays had a great time, and i hope everyone has a good New Year's!

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