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CHAPTER TEN sᴘᴏᴛʟɪɢʜᴛ
The pretty sound of the birds was more evident up among the trees. Up there, just among the clouds, we live in our own little bubble, letting in only the sweet sounds of the forest and easy thoughts of us. It was that space amongst the treetops next to the house that replaced our spot in the forest by the bed and breakfast. Sometimes I missed it: the familiarness, the symbiotic sense of my being within the trees, the ease of being able to find Alice away from the business of town and closeness of her siblings. But here, this was our new home base, bringing with it a sense of newness that could be nothing but exciting and comforting.
"Edward and Bella are here," Alice said from where she laid against my stomach. Alice waited a moment before she continued. "I think it's best we go down. We may have to diffuse a situation."
She began to slide down the branch, dropping through the wide-open window that led into my room.
"Diffuse a situation?"
She nodded, smirking humorously. "Rosalie's out by the Jeep."
That small collection of words said enough. Rosalie and Bella could never mix into a good end product. When we met by the front door, the four of them- Emmett, Rose, Bella and Edward- were still there. Rosalie was slid under Emmett's car, seemingly ignoring the pair, while Bella nursed her hand, tucked into her boyfriend's side.
"Fall down again Bella?"
"No, Emmett. I punched a werewolf in the face," she drawled, scowling slightly.
I let out a brief, surprised laugh, which seemed to cheer her if only for a second. "I'm going to need to hear the rest of that story."
"You'll hear it."
"Jasper's going to win the bet," Rosalie chimed from beneath the car, which was held up from the floor by one of Emmett's hands.
"What bet?"
"Let's get you to Carlisle," Edward said with a grimace.
"What bet?"
"Thanks, Rosalie," Edward hissed, not looking at Bella's weak glare. "It's infantile. Emmett and Jasper like to gamble."
"Emmett will tell me," she hummed.
"They're betting on how many times you'll slip up in the first year."
"Oh. They have a bet about how many people I'll kill!"
Edward sighed in defeat. "Yes. Rosalie thinks your temper will turn the odds in Jasper's favour."
"Jasper's betting high."
"It will make him feel better if you have a harder time adjusting. He's the weakest link," Edward said as he took her by the shoulder, steering her away from Rosalie and toward Carlise, who now stood by the doorway.
