𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄:
Cheer for me!

HARPER DID NOT EXPECT everything to seem so light in a way. It's as if the Volturi are not coming for their heads!

The house is filled with giggles, laughs, and joyous smiles. And it's not something Harper May Knight is familiar with at all. Now that she thinks that being unfamiliar with such a positive environment is pitiful.

Because that was what she deserved from the start! And now she secluded herself from the outside world and surrounded herself with books, which she wouldn't complain about at all.

Because who wouldn't love to be surrounded by welcoming words that feel like home at every flip of a page? She loved every bit of it. Books accepted her and made her think she belonged after a long time of feeling unwanted.

Primarily stemmed from her biological parents.

Which are dead years ago, by the way! And they gave her a fear of abandonment. Thanks a lot, parents. Harper thinks to herself as she watches Emmett and Jasper spar in the vast forest backyard.

To be surrounded by nature has a specific feeling. The feeling of freedom and peace was the sound of the whooshing wind brushing towards the leaves of the trees and the water splashing and gushing on the rocks in the nearby river.

It was different from the buzzing city of Manchester. It was a good change of scenery, everything seemed to move so fast in the city, and that is a lot for a vampire. In a way, she always felt tired just by looking at the humans who speed walked their way towards their workplace.

The city is too noisy for her liking, but the bookshops are everything to her. She mostly stayed in Manchester because of the good supply of blood bags and books.

Yes. Books and Bloods. What a great title for a book, which she just scribbled in her mind, already thinking of the setting, plot, and climax. Even for Harper, planning a book is a wonderful feeling! But writing it, not so much for a brain like hers that stored millions of words, she couldn't find the right words to detailedly express what she was thinking about.

Harper is a frustrated writer! Says the books she has written over the years were published by a pen name. Yes, she wrote and published books that have been featured as New York Times bestseller!

"I hope you're enjoying your stay here, Harper," a voice suddenly spoke from behind. Startled, Harper turned around as her short fiery bright red hair smacked her face. She combs out her hair, fixing it in place. She sees Eden with a smile on her plump lips.

"Quite a bit," Harper answers shortly. With brows furrowed, confused. Crossing her arms to her chest. The story plotting must have zoned her out again. It happens more frequently than she would like.

"I was wondering if you could join us. We're helping Bella with her gift." Eden tells her as she nods towards the door, walking towards the hallway.

Gifts and Abilities. Vampires always have one, and it can be manifested from their most dominant human trait or be given to them when they turn. Well, for Harper, she has a love-and-hate relationship with her gift, to be honest.

Harper follows Eden to the backyard where she sees...two Edwards standing opposites to each other as the one Edward exaggeratedly says in a deep voice. "I hate everyone! I am a brooding and horny-ass ex-virgin."

Harper stops a laugh, coming up her throat. While the others didn't even try to hide it. Emmett mostly, with his booming laughter as he bends down, holding his knee and shaking his head, then he claps loudly, tossing his head back.

"That is so Edward." Emmett laughs loudly. And Harper must admit that she likes his laugh...which is odd.

"You did so well, darling." A Texan accent applauds. The man with slightly curled honey-golden hair sporting adoration in his bright red eyes as his lips are occupied with a big smile. Jasper Whitlock, Harper, recalled when Eden and Carlisle introduced her to the Cullen family.

An Edward suddenly morphs back into an ethereal lady with golden blonde hair and red eyes, too. With her porcelain skin and short blue dress, she can be mistaken as a living doll on how petite and cute she is.

"Thank you, love." Her British accent is thick and quite charming. It's always the goddam accents. Eloise Hareton-Whitlock takes a few steps towards her lover and snakes her arms around Jasper's waist, tiptoeing a bit as Jasper bends down, placing a peck on her pinkish bow lips.

"That was terrible." Edward unimpressively looks at Eloise, and Eloise turns around and rolls his eyes at him and retorts, "Well, your wife enjoyed it." pointing at Bella, replaying the scene that way played out earlier on her phone with a big smile.

Edward groans. Then Kate interrupts by clearing out her throat, "That was impressive, but we're here to help Bella with her gift, so let's continue."

"What are we doing, exactly?" Harper asks, looking at them one by one, while Garrett walks over to her and answers, "They are showing off their gifts, whether or not it could overpower Bella's gift."

Overpower?

"She's a Mental shield," Edward answers the questions in her mind, which she doesn't like. "My apologies." Edward suddenly says with an apologetic gaze. Harper just nods, pursing her lips.

Harper has never heard of a Mental shield. But it intrigued her what exactly Bella could do.

"Kate is just taking the opportunity to know our gifts, to test Bella's," Eden adds. Kate then beckons Eden to go forward as the Cullen family suddenly backs away from the circle. Harper furrows her eyebrows, looking at her family with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

"Eden, I love you, but your gifts are slightly scary." Rosalie looks at Eden apologetically, and Eden just shakes her head with a smile. "Come on, Jas. You've wanted to test my gift first-hand."

Eloise looks at Jasper worriedly as Jasper just places an assuring peck on her forehead. Walking towards Eden. "You ready?" Eden asks him, and Jasper just nods. Eden takes a deep breath as purple vapors from her palms, and the vapors surround Jasper while Harper watches in awe.

"Eloise." a whisper from Jasper that they all hear because of their exceptional hearing. Then suddenly, he screamed. He was struggling as the vapors held him in place. Edward's face contorted into terror.

"Eden! Stop!" Eloise runs towards Jasper as the purple vapors are taken back to Eden's palm. Jasper's eyes are filled with venom, and his face is filled with the despair that they all felt. He was losing control of his own gift.

"Hey. I'm here." Eloise kneels down, cupping his cheeks with both of her hands. "Love." Jasper's eyes set to hers, pulling her towards him for a deep and desperate hug. "It felt so real. I thought I lost you for good." Eden looks at them in guilt as Rosalie walks from behind her and hugs her from behind.

"No, you did not, and you never will. Come on," Eloise assured as they both stood up from the ground. Eloise led him towards their cottage.

"That was..." Garrett trails off. His eyes were full of disbelief at what he had just witnessed.

"Perfect." Kate applauds. "Let's test it out!" she then exclaimed.

"Fuck no," Emmett says, backing out as he raises his hands in surrender. Edward sighs heavily, stepping forward. As Bella looks at him hesitantly, "Are you sure about this?"

"No. But let's try." Edward tells her with pursed lips. "Thanks for being honest," Bella mutters a reply.

"Now, Bella, try to shield Edward from Eden's gift," Kate instructs as Bella just nods, her eyes squint in focus as Harper sees some sort of waves radiating around Bella. Eden releases the purple vapors in her palms as it almost surrounds Edward.

"Wow," Christopher says, impressed.

"Interesting." Eleazar blurts out as he joins them, with Carmen and Tanya following him from behind.

"Eden's gift is trying to enter my mind, but it's all just flashes of memories, not long enough for me actually to see." Edward examines. Eden takes back her purple vapors.

"Wonderful progress, Bella." Carmen comments, and Bella shyly smiles at her, "Thank you," Bella replies.

"Why not try your gift, May?" Garrett suddenly says, and Harper glares at him, and he just gives her a cheeky smile.

"That is?" Tanya curiously asks. Harper suddenly had an idea. "Since you had the idea, why not let them see it through you first," Harper says with no arguments as she was suddenly in front of Garrett, holding both of his shoulders, locking him in place.

Harper looks directly into his eyes as she commands, "Do a front handspring, step out, round off back handspring, step out, round of back spring, full twisting layout. And do the cheer on, bring it on movie that we watched." In a state-like haze, Garrett follows her orders, taking multiple steps back as he does the full gymnastics routine that Harper commanded him.

"Awesome! Oh, wow! Like totally freaked me out! I mean, right on! The Tor sure are number one!" Garrett cheers. And they all laugh as Garrett snaps out of Harper's command. And he stomps his feet like a kid, "I knew you were going to do something like that!" with a humph.

"That is freaking cool." Emmett grins as he mocks the claps that Garrett just did.

"Damn, right. Didn't know you could cheer, Garrett." Christopher teases, and Garrett just ignores him.

"Now, let's try it on Edward again," Kate says. Edward just sighs, accepting his fate.

Stepping in front of Harper. While Harper looks at Bella, "Why don't you try to use your gift now as I command Edward." Harper tells her, and Bella nods as she focuses.

Harper looks deeply into Edward's eyes, "Do exactly what Garrett just did." And Edward visibly struggles to stop his body from following Harper's command. As he struggles out, "The urge is there. It's definitely working."

"Stop," Harper commands, and Edward suddenly bends down, both mentally and, for the first time, physically tired. "I think that's enough testing for one day."

"Totally not cool. I was hoping he would actually do it." Garrett grumbles out as he stomps towards the house, with Harper laughing and following him from behind. "Oh, come on, Garrett, it was funny!"

While Emmett's eyes follow Harper's disappearing figure with a slight smile on his lips, he just shakes his head.