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POOR LITTLE WILHELMINA

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE BUSY CITY ITSELF SAT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY.

The architecture blended modern buildings with historic landmarks, creating a unique atmosphere that reflected both the university's rich history and its forward-thinking ethos. Lush green spaces and tranquil courtyards provided peaceful retreats for study and relaxation, while the abundance of state-of-the-art facilities supported academic excellence and innovation.

The campus was buzzing with excitement that weekend, as many incoming freshmen and their families migrated to come take a look at what the university was going to offer them come the fall.

Katherine was held up at work with a particularly strenuous case that had had her stressed for the last few weeks, so Billie was braving the college tour alone.

She'd ended up taking Bella's advice, even with said advice being as cryptic as it was, and was trying to make the most of it. She was staying overnight, her mother making some arrangements at a hotel near the school, and was doing exactly what her friend wanted.

She deserved a medal, really.

Billie was able to drive her new car to the campus, using her new phone that Jane must've stolen from somewhere and it's upgraded GPS features to help her get there. The first thing she noticed was a text from an already saved number, one that made it clear Jane must have logged into the device before Billie even got her hands on it.

Aro Volturi
I do not enjoy you venturing off by
yourself, but I trust your judgment.
Any unease and you will let me know,
and i shall have it sorted. X

I*
Apologies; I know my grammar.

Billie
Appreciate it! :)

Aro
:)

So, Billie Burbank was tagging along with some fellow stragglers amidst the multitude of tours taking place. She pointedly chose to avoid the optional tour of the law facilities, opting for the generalized tour of the library instead.

Luckily the university had swapped her programs ahead of the term, meaning that when classes were to be chosen come mid-summer, Billie would be selecting all the art history courses she wanted.

Katherine was supportive, and Billie mentally scolded herself for ever thinking that her mother wouldn't in the first place. She rarely gave much thought to her father, knowing that if he caught wind of such a change, he would probably be having a stroke in the Davidsons old place.

The thought of that made her smile as their upperclassman guide took them through the multi-storied library.

She wanted someone to record his reaction to her pursuing art history rather than corporate law or litigation. So yeah, for the first time in her life, she was relishing in sparking even the tiniest bit of disappointment in him.

Maybe Seattle University would give her the fresh start she needed away from the chaos that was unfolding in Forks. The Swan girl didn't have the luxury of waiting around— the Volturi wanted her to change as soon as possible, whereas Billie took the information Edward had given her and used it to her advantage. And it worked, considering she was enrolled in full time studies.

Billie couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her brunette friend; the Swan girl had only ever been nice to her, and even amidst her depression she had never wronged the blonde girl. In her mind, Bella deserved to be alongside her at college, and not just "attending the university of Alaska" which was obviously a coverup.

But, Billie had to start thinking about herself and her own future, which was something she didn't do very often.

And her future was beginning right there, in Seattle.

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Coming back to her hotel room, the sun having set only moments ago, Billie was entirely fatigued by the events of the day. There was non-stop movement throughout the campus, meaning she had missed her designated Saturday nap time.

She had an early morning tomorrow, needing to be out of the hotel by ten in the morning at the very earliest but needing to be back in Forks by ten the latest to start up her summer job at the antique store in Port Angeles for eleven. It was one of the terms of her grounding, after all: Billie had to find something to do this summer, and thankfully she was in need of a job anyways.

The blonde had barely been nestled into the rather stiff hotel bed when a singular knock sounded at the door.

The feeling followed.

Billie held her breath, inching out of the bed with light steps when another knock was heard. It was sharper than the first, and the mere sound of it made Billie's chest tighten uncomfortably. She started backing away to the balcony entrance, hand on the sliding door knowing that if she had to, she'd suffer the jump from the fifth story just to avoid being kidnapped.

I mean, a broken leg versus total death sounded like an easy choice in her eyes.

Another sharp knock, but this time, the sound of masculine humming followed. The tune was offbeat, unrehearsed, but Billie knew the song that whoever was on the other side of the door was trying to mimic.

The saints go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah. The saints go marching one of by one, hurrah, hurrah.

Billie had a white knuckle grip on the sliding door, ready to catapult herself off the damn balcony at this rate. But for some reason she didn't make any sudden moves, and when the door was suddenly kicked in off its hinges, she knew she'd made the wrong choice to hesitate.

The scream bubbled in her throat at the sight of the man in the doorway, a man too familiar for his own good. He looked unhinged, movements jerky as he stumbled into the room.

He wasn't supposed to be here. "What are you doing?"

Billie had never been scared of her father before— he'd never stuck around, and thus had never gave her a reason to be scared in the first place.

But now, as he stood blocking the only real exit she had, she realized the feeling intensified the closer that he moved towards her.

It was him.

The glint in his eyes disappeared when another figure stepped into the doorway. Kate. "Heard you were in town, kiddo," he said easily, and the smile that fluttered onto his face stood in contrast to the door he just kicked down. "Thought we'd stop by... though, I'm a bit disappointed in the sudden career switch."

Billie knew this situation could go sideways real quick. "Yeah, just wanted to try it out," she responded, keeping a level-head despite her desire to stick her tongue out at him.

"That's a shame," he sighed, eyebrows furrowing in faux-sadness. "But you like history, dontcha?"

"Yeah," she stated truthfully, because despite not overtly excelling in the subject in high school, she noted history in a more practical sense— coupled with art, of course. Though, she didn't reveal this out loud.

"That's great!" his smile was back in an instant, "so, you'd be able to tell us about the Cullens and their... history as vampires, no? Like, let's say, the transformation process in its entirety? Was it the same for them all?"

Billie bristled. "I don't know what you're talking about," she argued, back pressed against the door as a flash of anger phased within her father's eyes. How on earth had her father, and by proxy the silent as ever Kate blocking the doorway, figured out the Cullens' secret already?

And why were they asking about the transformation process?

"Don't lie to me," he all but snapped, heat settling in his tone. "But if you really can't, then you'll let me know where the Volturi are located."

"The who?" Billie laughed out, albeit rather nervously. "I'm sorry but that sounds like a disease — Volturi — so I'm not really familiar with—"

In a flash, her father managed to rush up to her and grip her arms tightly. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she knew it would leave bruises by morning. "Again with the lying," he scoffed, seeing right through the act of ignorance she tried putting on. "C'mon— we've narrowed it down to Italy, of course, and you could imagine how fast word travels when one of the kings finds their mate."

Billie's eyes widened by a fraction, looking to the stoic looking Kate still by the door. How—

"...so, let me ask you one last time; where we can find them?"

She'd protect her friends till her dying breath, and this time, the Volturi seemed to be roped into that group.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Vincent."

Wrong fucking choice, Billie.

A prick on her skin. The blonde girl looked down to see her father's grip on a plastic syringe of clear liquid. Her head went heavy for a moment, barely registering the feeling of arms on her— arms that were dragging her outside the hotel.

It was like she had poor eyesight and someone had taken away her glasses, the world around her becoming blurry as she tried to claw at the firm grip around her bicep. "D–don't—"

"Poor little Wilhelmina," it was Kate who spoke up, tauntingly, dragging her towards a car parked just behind the hotel in a secluded alley. The truck was opened by her father, and the blonde girl could almost vomit right on the alleyway pavement when they stopped her in front of it.

"You should've saved yourself when you had the chance."

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[ wyn's note ]

long chappy for yall!! if u haven't noticed, my ocs stay getting betrayed by their one shitty parent LMAO let's be real

also aro needing billie to know that he knows his grammar is soooo funny to me, like yessss ancient babycakes you know how to capitalize!! PERIODT

we won't find out vincent (and kate)'s motives just yet, but a hint is within the nursery rhyme he was singing: saints go marching. ;) #fanatics

thanks for 18k shawties!! all my love MWAH xx