Blood Moon

4

Scrap Metal

January came and went, with nothing exciting happening. Obviously, school started back up again, and Bella spent her time sitting in the vacant table the Cullen's once inhabited. I opted to sit by myself outside, doing my best to avoid the questions about my sister. She wasn't doing any better, but she hadn't gotten worse, and I couldn't stand telling people that she was fine when it was obvious she wasn't.

February was more eventful. It was the first Valentine's Day Paul and I would spend together, and even though I told him numerous times that I wasn't interested in feeding into a commercial holiday, he insisted we do something.

After arguing over what to do, we settled for a day down at the beach. He felt that wasn't going to be enough, but I told him that nothing would make me happier than to sit with him on the beach so we could watch the waves.

He came overprepared, carrying blankets and a basket of food down to the sandy shore. I tried to help, but he refused and carried it all himself. So, while he set up our little picnic, I stood just out of the water's reach and inhaled the salty air with a smile. He pulled me down into his arms, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders as he dug through the picnic basket.

While I despised the idea of perpetuating the idea of Valentine's Day, I had a great time with Paul. He was very attentive, and tried his best to learn things about me he thought were important; he wanted to know why I was so close with Jake and Billy, he wanted to know what I did when he wasn't around, he wanted to know why I liked the beach so much.

It was after our date, when Paul brought me home, that I saw Bella and our father talking in the driveway. I kissed Paul's cheek before climbing out of his truck, and approached the awkward pair.

"What's up, guys?" I asked, hearing Paul drive away.

"I'm going shopping with you and Jess, right?" Bella asked, turning to look at me with pleading eyes.

"In Port Angeles, right?" I backed up her obvious lie. "Yeah. Jess wanted to catch a movie, actually."

"See?" Bella said, pointing at me.

"Right." Dad nodded. "Shopping. Go... buy some stuff."

"Oh, dad." I sighed, patting his shoulder as Bella walked into the house. "You're doing a great job."

"Are you being sarcastic, Helena?"

"Always, dad." I smirked.

I followed Bella into the house stopping just outside Bella's room with a sigh. I leaned against the doorframe and knocked on the door.

"Hey." Bella greeted, cleaning off her desk.

"Despite you roping me into your lie, I actually have plans with Jake tomorrow." I told Bella. "Though, I am glad to see you out of your room and actually talking."

"I know." Bella nodded. "I just... I can't leave without-"

"I know, Bells." I gently pat her shoulder. "I get it, but you have to at least try to move on. You deserve to be happy, and moping around the house over him isn't going to help you feel any better."

"I'm really sorry, Lena." Bella said softly. "I never told you how actually sorry I was for saying what I said. I didn't mean it, I just needed dad to let me go."

"Thank you for apologizing." I smiled softly.

"We'll be okay, won't we?" Bella asked.

"Eventually."

====

"It's nice to have you around so often again, Lena." Billy said happily, watching me clean up Jake's room. "But you don't have to clean up after my son."