FOREVER AND ALWAYS ━━━━ jasper hale.

31- Idiots

"Everything happens for a reason. But sometimes that reason is that you're stupid and you make bad decisions."

-Unknown

***

(That gif and that quote, jeez I am dying.)

"So it's your job to protect us from being killed by a rouge vampire?"

Paul shrugged, pushing a branch out of the way so I could step past. We were on a walk, so that I could cool down and process this new information, and the pack thought that Paul would be the most likely to be able to restrain me if I decided to murder someone or whatever.

"Pretty much." Paul shrugged. I sighed in understanding.

"So tell me about you. All I know is you ran with the bloodsuckers."

I rolled my eyes, smiling nevertheless. "Well, my name is Courtney Ivory  Swan, I used to live in Arizona... I play baseball and my favorite color is red."

"Boring!" Paul sang, nudging my shoulder with his hot one. "Come on! Gossip!"

I burst into laughter at the way he phrased that, pulling myself up onto a branch, Paul doing the same with seemingly no difficulty. "Um, fine, I was convicted of murder when I was fifteen, and Bella and I had to flee the country to start a new life."

Paul paused, as if considering my story was true, before smiling. "Shut up."

"You looked like you believed it!"

"You didn't crack a smile that whole time!"

We both giggled, me almost falling out of tree in the process. Paul grabbed my arm and pulled me back up, that only making us laugh harder.

"Hey." he choked out between chuckles. "Did anyone tell you what that necklace means?"

"What do you mean?" I grabbed onto the branch we were sitting on to keep my balance.

"It means sister. He gave you a necklace that means sister."

My heart felt like it melted into my shoes. Oh... that's why he was trying so hard to not snap at me when I literally pounced on him. I felt bad. Jacob knows I love him to death. He has too. If not, I'll be sure to tell him.

"This better not be an indirect proposal to my sister."

Paul snorted, swinging his legs like a little kid on a swing. "I guess that makes you my sister too... indirectly."

I grinned. "I guess it does."

That's when something from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I squinted, making sure I was seeing correctly. Bella, at the top of the cliff that overlooked the ocean. I slid down from a branch, preparing to run and see what the hell she was doing.

"Courtney?"

"One sec." I held up my hand. Bella looked around, and then stepped off the side of the cliff into solid air.

I screamed, my hands flying to my mouth. Did she just jump off of a cliff? What the fuck?

"Get Jacob!" I cried, and Paul grabbed my arm. He saw it too. I was positive.

"You can't go jump off that damn cliff! It's not safe in this weather! Just walk around to the beach and wait for us there!"

"There's not enough time!" I snapped, shoving my jacket into his arms. "Get Jacob."

"Courtney this is stupid and reckless!"

"Well." I cast one look over my shoulder before breaking out in a dead sprint.

"I am a true idiot."

My legs flew across the ground, my adrenaline keeping me going. The cliff's edge was in view. I didn't even think. I just launched myself into the air, before free falling down into the freezing cold water.

The cold hit me like a brick wall. My muscles all stiffened, and it took a second before I began swimming. I saw Bella's unconscious form sinking into the depths, and I kicked with everything I had. My hands enclosed around her small waist, and I began kicking. The 100 extra pounds were pushing me down, and my eyes and lungs burned. I needed air. I was getting light headed.

Come on. Bella will die. And if she dies, then you can't kill her for doing this stupid shit.

I kept repeating that over and over again in my head. Come on, just a few more feet-

Bubbles came out of my nose as I exhaled, a few seconds later, my head broke the surface and I gasped for air.

***

"You know what? This is the dumbest thing you have ever done! Okay? Do you understand that I love you? You're my twin sister, and if I hadn't gotten there and you died? How do you think I would live with that? You may be a pain in my ass, but I need you! I know that you miss Edward, but have you even stopped to think how I felt! I lost Jasper. I lost Alice! And Rosalie and Emmett! They were my best friends! I keep trying to convince myself that I don't miss them, because I thought that they didn't love me. I said that I didn't love them because I thought they didn't feel the same. It has been months. We have to get over this! We have to be strong because we are strong! We are strong, Bella! But what do you think I would do if you were gone? Do you think I could have just moved on? We are eighteen, we are adults, we need to start acting independent, and not dwell on something that we can't change! We need to start living because we have each other! We have to live for Bella and Courtney, not for Edward and Jasper!"

I took a deep breath after my speech. Jacob and Bella both regarded me with wide eyes. I knew I was crying, I could feel it.

"Bella, we might be different. But you are my twin, and you will always be who I love the most... you are the only family I have left, And if you can't live for yourself, live for me, please?"

Bella's lip quivered, and her trembling body jumped up and squeezed me into a hug. We were both sobbing, shivering messes. But we were together and we were alive.

And that is what matters.

A/N: I may have gone a little over bored on the speech... this didn't take long to write, but it was important. Plus, we all know who is coming in the next chapter!