ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ | Twilight

𝐢𝐢.

| ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴏ |

Perhaps Hazel wasn't right to worry about her mother with the soon coming wedding of Bella and Edward. Something about attempting all of it, establishing communication and such, with so much happening, made her worry she was being, for lack of a better word, somewhat self-absorbed. Selfish, possibly. And she feared that bringing up her own dilemma would lead to a reaction that would only solidify her own feelings. After all, Hazel assured herself, Edward and Bella would be on their honeymoon in less than 36 hours, and she could fret about it all then.

"You're spending an awfully long time in here. Aren't you supposed to be heading over to Christian's soon?" Hazel turned toward the voice, finding Carlisle at the top of the stairs with an evidently concerned expression. "Is everything okay, Hazel?"

The doctor stepped further into the lounge room but maintained several feet between himself and the girl. Hazel shifted her eyes back to the bookcase she had been staring at only moments prior. Her hands twisted the hem trim of her shirt, unable to speak a response as her throat suddenly felt extremely dry. If anyone was able to read Hazel with as much skill as Edward and Jasper's abilities provided, it was Carlisle.

"Is it about your mother?"

Hazel felt the slight urge to snap and say she wasn't, but she had been calling Hecate that for too long already. Instead, she replied with a soft nod. Her green eyes glanced back at him, watching as he continued studying her and thinking.

"Gods aren't really my area of expertise when it comes to the 'supernatural'," Carlisle began, "but--"

"No." Hazel cut him off with a firm shake of her head. "It's not about her, as such. It's more... why now? Why is all of this happening now, why not before?" Hazel stepped back from the bookshelf, aware of Carlisle's eyes observing her as she perched on the arm of the couch. She hung her head, allowing the words to pour from her mouth. "Why did I have to have everything happen to me when I was finally managing to be halfway normal, when I finally was able to suppress my powers, when I was honestly never going to tell anyone." Hazel felt as if the situation called for some melodramatic tears, but none came forth. "I wasn't even going to tell you, any of you, but you were so kind, and I felt so safe..."

Hazel's ramble trailed off; her voice lost in her own confusion.

"Hazel." Carlisle had stepped over now, and he crouched in front of her, a soft smile on his face. "I'm sure everything will become a lot clearer in the future. And I understand you probably don't want to hear that, but it's true."

Hazel returned the soft expression he offered with a smile of her own. Satisfied, Carlisle stood and stepped back again.

"And Hazel," she raised her head and gazed at the man once more, "thank you for telling us. It means a lot that you came to trust us like that."

Hazel nodded again, uncertain of how to respond to his sentimental statements. As he left her alone once more, Hazel felt a single tear roll down the side of her cheek.

✰

"You know, I think I'm going to be the best-looking guy there," Anthony grinned as he stared at his reflection. He turned both ways, taking in the black suit with his clip-on bowtie, ignoring the mismatched socks sticking out from the bottom of his pants. "I mean, I know the Cullens are like the town heart-throbs or whatever, but I could totally show them up in this."

Hazel appeared behind her brother and resided her hands on his shoulders. She bent down slightly to match his head and gaze his mirrored self a once-over. "I bet you could totally knock everyone's socks off. They won't know what hit 'em."