[1] gratefully invisible ~ jasper hale

|24|

'WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, JAZZ?'

|24|

"GODDAMMIT, WHERE'S SHE?!"Lilian grumbled under her breath, her temper getting the best of her.

Bella Swan seemed to have disappeared from the globe. Multiple hours ago, the pale brunette promised to meet the other three girls at the restaurant. She said she would go to a bookstore and walk straight to La Bella Italia, where they would meet. Bella had asked Lilian to come at first, but the blonde hadn't. Lilian wanted to judge dresses for Angela and Jessica, which was surprisingly fun.

But she still wasn't there. Lilian, Angela and Jessica were just exiting the restaurant – they were hungry, so they ate – when they saw a somewhat baffled Bella Swan standing on the sidewalk.

"Isabella Marie Swan!" Lilian yelled angrily, "Never, never scare me or anyone like that again. I left at least eleven messages. Dammit, I ate without you because –"

"I'm sorry I kept Bella from dinner," a smooth voice, like velvet and silk, spoke up, "we bumped into each other and just kept on talking."

Lilian rolled her eyes at Edward's lame excuse, but Angela and Jessica swoonedover it. They sucked up the lies without hesitation, leaving Lilian to think how lethal the Cullens actually were.

"No, we totally understand," Jessica said airily, "that happens, right?" Lilian just huffed, glaring at Edward warningly.

"Are you riding back with us or..." Angela hinted, helping the oh-so awkward Bella Swan out. Lilian realized the silent girl just practically arranged a date for her. And of course, the chivalrous boy named Edward Cullen did his duty.

"I think I should make sure Bella gets something to eat," Edward stated subtly, "if you'd like? I'll drive you home myself."

Bella shook her head slightly, as if waking up from a stare, "Uh, yeah. I should eat something," she stuttered awkwardly, and Lilian rolled her eyes, smirking.

"Well then, go for it, girl!" she laughed, pushing Bella forward, "We'll see you in school tomorrow."

Bella gaped at Lilian before nodding her head slightly. The blonde took it upon herself to drag the other two Juniors back to her car, as they were a giggling mess because of Edward's appearance and the fact that Edward fucking Cullen had asked new girl Bella Swan to dinner.

✕

When Lilian arrived at home, it was after midnight and she was pretty sure no one else was awake anymore. She quietly opened the front door and walked upstairs in some kind of stealth-mode. She didn't know how she did it, but not even Hunter and Daisy looked up when she passed their sleeping spot.