𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠¹| 𝙏𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ✓

I.XVI

She stepped into the Cullen's home and was greeted by the delicious smell of whatever they were cooking. She raised an eyebrow remembering that they didn't eat human food.

"What's going on?" Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett moved around the kitchen cooking. "Oh, thank god you're here," Rosalie said as she walked over to her friend, hugging her. Lucine laughed, "Edward is bringing over your sister to meet us." Carlisle answered.

"Which I think is a bad idea. It's bad enough that one human already knows our secret." Lucine flinched slightly at her friend's words before muttering a silent, "Sorry." Rosalie quickly brought her into another hug. "You know I didn't mean it like that. It would've just been better if it was just you." Lucine laughed at Rosalie's blatant hatred for her sister. "You know just as well as I do that she won't tell anyone." Rosalie just rolled her eyes and went back to whatever she was doing.

"Lucine, could you come and taste this for me?" Esme called out to her. Lucine nodded, walking over to her as she held out a spoon towards her. She tasted it making her hum. "This is so good. If Bella doesn't have any, I'll eat it all." Esme laughed as she served Lucine a bowl. Lucine started eating with the occasional burn on the roof of her mouth with the first few bites.

"It's not going to run away from you Luce." Emmett mused as the rest laughed. Lucine shrugged. "If you could taste this glorious soup, you'd be doing the same." They laughed as Emmett and Lucine kept talking for a bit. Rosalie, Esme, and Carlisle finished up a few things when they heard footsteps getting closer.

Edward and Bella walked into the kitchen just as Lucine was getting a second serving. "Bella, we're making Italiano for you," Esme said with a motherly smile. Lucine nodded rapidly behind her. "This Italian wedding soup is phenomenal Bells." She said as she took another spoon full.

"Bella, this is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes." Bella and Esme threw out Italian phrases. "You've given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time."

Lucine spoke again. "Please use it more often." The bowl was empty beside her as she sat with a full happy belly. Esme laughed, "Bring over ingredients and we have a deal." Lucine's eyes sparkled at the thought. "Definitely deal." The excitement that came with the thought of Esme's cooking was overwhelming sending her back to sit down.

"I hope you're hungry." Esme's words caught Lucine's breath. She looked over at Rosalie as she picked up a bowl of salad. She stood up quickly to catch it.

"Yeah, absolutely."-"She already ate." Rosalie crushed the bowl between her hands making pieces of glass and salad fall into her hands instead. Lucine stood up with a sigh as she let it fall through her hands. "Well, there went that plan," she said under her breath and she huffed, taking a seat next to Emmett.

"Let's just keep pretending like this isn't dangerous for all of us." Edward scoffed. "Don't be such a hypocrite Rosalie." Rosalie narrowed her eyes towards him. Edward continued. "We keep your little pet around and no one says anything so why is my girlfriend suddenly an issue?"-"Do not dare speak about her like that." Rosalie was fuming making Emmett stand up to comfort her.

"It's okay Rosalie." Lucine finally spoke as she stood up. Bella kept her mouth shut as her boyfriend insulted her sister. She stood in front of Edward, looking him dead in the eyes as if forgetting that he could take her life in seconds.

"I am no one's pet. I didn't mean to nor did I want to know your damn secret." There was a pause as they all looked at what was happening. "If you hate me so much, lover boy...then kill me." Carlisle stepped up. "Okay, that's enough."

"I would never tell anybody anything." Bella finally spoke. Lucine faced her sister as she took a few steps back to stand beside Rosalie. "They know that," Carlisle spoke. The conversation stopped there as Alice and Jasper walked in.

In good old Alice fashion, she went in straight with a hug, which Bella received awkwardly. Jasper turned to Lucine, who was still staring down at her sister. Anger still settled nicely in her chest. She looked over at him, trying to smile at him. She let out a sigh, knowing that she couldn't hide her feelings from him. "I know, I know. I'm trying to calm down but it's easier said than done right now." Her eyes gravitated towards Bella. He smiled at her, using some of his ability to push that anger down. "Thanks." He gave her a nod before turning back to the rest.

"It's okay. Bella and I are gonna be great friends." Everyone shifted around a bit awkwardly. Carlisle explained to her how Jasper was still getting used to being around humans. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Now that they were in a casual setting, Lucine couldn't help but admire how good-looking he was. She fake pouted for a second as she remembered that he was already spoken for.

Just once? No? Fine.

She laughed at herself slightly, making accidental eye contact with Edward making her clear her throat as she looked around at anything except him.

He rolled his eyes before taking Bella with him to show her the rest of the house.

"I think that went well." They all laughed slightly before getting together to clean up. Esme poured the rest of the soup into a container for Lucine to take home, which made her almost cry because of how good it was.

After cleaning up, they took a seat around the dining table. "So, what'd you see?" Emmett didn't waste a single second. "We'll be fine. Plus, he'll be happy with her." Alice looked at Lucine with a look that made her shift slightly in her seat.