⁺◟ STARDUST ! ⋆·˚ ❪ ✦♥ ❫
❛ chapter twenty ❜

⊹₊ ⋆ MELANIE HUFFED WHILE GETTING READY, pulling the black skirt up her legs. According to Alice, humans wouldn't go to their graduation wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. Which means she would have to dress up. She pulled a long-sleeved black turtle neck over her head, before putting on her black tights and black boots.

Once Alice was finished curling her hair, she slung on the ugly yellow robe and its matching graduation cap.

The group of vampires, excluding Edward, all made their way to the school, Alice, Melanie, Jasper and Caroline in one car, and then Rosalie, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle in the other.

The only thing getting her through today was the party tonight, that's hoping it wouldn't go tits up like the last one. The 'teenagers' all sat together, listening to Jessica give her valedictorian speech.

"When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers were always things like astronauts, president... or, in my case, a princess. When we were ten they asked us again. We answered, rock star, cowboy-"

At the mention of a cowboy, Melanie looked over at Jasper, putting her hand in a gun movement, aiming it into the air and mouthing the words "pow pow." Jasper laughed to himself quietly, careful not to let anyone else hear.

"-Or, in my case, a gold medalist. But now that we've grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how about this? Who the hell knows? This isn't the time to make hard-and-fast decisions. This is the time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere. Fall in love, a lot. Major in philosophy, because there's no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind, and change it again, because nothing permanent

So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask what we want to be... we won't have to guess. We'll know."

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

Later that night at the party, Melanie stayed in the same clothes, but taking off the cap and gown and putting a black blazer on instead.

Alice had gone all out as expected, fairy lights were hung, music was playing, there was so much food that Melanie and Bella would probably get made to eat because there was no chance it was all getting finished.

She was lay on one of the couches, talking with Jasper and Emmett when she noticed Bella out of the corner of her eye, the poor girl looked lost.

She excused herself and made her way over to the human. "Hey, you looked like you were about to freak out," Melanie said in an attempt to make conversation.

Bella jumped slightly, not hearing the vampire walk over. "Hi, and yeah, thanks. Alice really outdid herself didn't she."

"Did you expect anything less?" Melanie joked, earning a smile from Bella. Melanie wasn't the best at making conversation as it was, but trying to have a conversation with Bella, who was the most awkward person ever, was like talking to a brick wall. "Looks like your little pet is here."

That made Bella look over at the stairs, watching as Jacob, Quill and Ember all turn around to face the duo in synch as if it was perfectly choreographed.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked as the three walked over.

"You invited me, remember?" Said, Jacob.

"Was my right hook too subtle for you?" Bella replied earning a smirk from Melanie. "That was me uninviting you."

"Look, Bella, I'm sorry," Jacob apologised. "About, you know. The kiss, and your hand. I'd blame it on the inner animal thing, but-"

"But it's really just you being a dick?" Melanie butt in. She expected Jacob to glare at her and say something sarky back but instead, he nodded, agreeing with her.

"I'm really sorry... I brought you something. A graduation present." Jacob said, holding up a bracelet, Melanie took this as her moment to sneak away back to Alice who was walking down the stairs, a smile plastered on her face until it went away.

She didn't want to make it obvious, by running over and asking what it was she was seeing, so instead, she looked down at the ground, entering Alice's mind.

She saw a boy, probably around the age of eighteen or something, she had recognised him somewhere, but she wasn't sure where, he was holding a red shirt that Melanie assumed to be Bella's, he was passing it around to a group of vampires, letting them smell it.

Once the vision ended, Melanie took a hold of Alice, wrapping her arm around her waist, about to guide her back to her family until Bella came over. "Alice, what'd you see?"

"The decisions been made," Alice spoke.

"What's going on?" Jacob questioned, walking over to the three girls.

"You're not going to Seattle." Bella caught on.

"No. They're coming here."

The three girls and the three boys rushed over to the rest of the Cullen's, Alice began to explain her vision. "They'll be here in four days."

"This could turn into a bloodbath," Carlisle stated, finally stopping his pacing.

"Who's behind it?" Edward asked.

"I didn't see anyone I recognised."

"Maybe one. I've definitely seen him somewhere." Melanie revealed.

Edward nodded, agreeing. "I know his face. He's local. Riley Biers. He didn't start this."

"Whoever did is staying out of the action," Alice stated.

"They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision," Carlisle spoke.

Melanie sighed before speaking up. "It has to be someone who knows of Alice's gift then, if it was anyone else they wouldn't go through the trouble to make sure they're not a part of it."

"Either way, the army is coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town," Jasper explained.

Jacob looked around in disbelief. "Hold up. What damn army?"

"Newborns. Our kind."

"What are they after?" Jacob questioned.

"Hmm, I don't know, brown hair... human." Melanie hinted.

Alice rolled her eyes at her wife's actions before speaking up. "They were passing around Bella's scent. A red blouse."

"They're after Bella, what the hell does this mean?" Jacob asked.

Carlisle looked around at his family, before looking back at Jacob. "It means an ugly fight with lives lost."

Jacob sighed, looking back at Ember and then Quill, before turning back. "We're in."

"No. You'd get yourselves killed. No way." Bella hesitated.

"I wasn't asking for permission," Jacob spoke.

"Edward," Bella said, obviously trying to get him to say no.

Edward stayed silent for a moment, thinking. "It means more protection for you."

"Jacob, do you believe Sam would agree to an understanding?" Carlisle questioned.

"As long as we get to kill some vampires."

"Jasper?" Carlisle continued.

"They'll give us the numbers. Newborns won't know they even exist. That'll give us an edge."

"Carlisle, they're gonna get hurt," Bella whined.

"We'll all need some training. Fighting newborns requires knowledge that Jasper and Melanie both have. You're welcome to join us." Carlisle explains.

"All right." Jacob nods, taking a step forward. "Name the time and place."

"Jake... you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Bella... this is what we do. You should be happy. Look at us, working together. You are the one who wanted us to get along, remember?"