In Paris 1723

[2.8]

Chapter Forty - Dead Girl Walking

*Genevieve*

I leaned against one of the doorways, watching as Bella quickly raced into the house. She had a frantic look on her face as she tried to look around at the dark house for whoever had driven and parked Carlisle's car outside of her home.

I silently scoffed as I reached over and flicked the front entryway's light on, smirking slightly when I saw Bella jump in shock.

"Genevieve!" She exclaimed, rushing over to me and reaching out to pull me into a breathless hug.

I yelp and quickly duck out of her reach, "yeah. No. I don't do that."

She lowered her arms as she blushed, nodding her head. "R- right. S- sorry about that... what are you doing here? Are you the only one? Are you guys moving back? What's going on? Where have you been? Is Theodore here too?"

"You talk too fast. Has anyone ever told you that? It gets rather annoying the more you have to listen to it," I say, plopping down onto the steps and watching as her cheeks flush a vibrant pink once more. "Right. Now that you have zipped your lips, I have a chance to answer your seemingly never-ending questions... Yes. No. Great. No. 3.1415926535-"

Really?" Bella leaned onto one leg as her mouth fell into an unimpressed frown. "At least pretend that you care." 

"Right. Okay, here we go." I clear my throat and plaster on a blindly fake smile as I stand up and bounce up and down. "Oh my god! Bella! How are you? OMG! It's been sooooooo long! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Her eyes widen in shock as she watches me before she schooled her features and shakes her head. "Yeah no. Somehow you were better before."

"Exactly."

______________________

"Alice!" Bella's back straightened in surprise when she came face to face with Alice, who had just entered back into the house after ending her call with Jasper. The two stood still for a moment as they looked each other over, a look of relief passing through both of their faces when they realized that the thoughts of the other having left them for good, were wrong.

Bella quickly pulled the tiny pixie-haired girl into a bone-crushing hug, "Alice! Oh my god! What are you-"

"Bella!" Alice breathed, her eyes widening at the sight of Bella in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I just, I-I can't believe you're here. Is..." she trailed off, looking around the otherwise empty house, hoping to see Edward pop out of the shadows.

"Would you like to explain to me how you're alive?" Alice exclaimed, pulling away from Bella's hug. Watching as a confused look came over Bella's still-pale face.

"Wha-"

"I saw a vision of you. You jumped off a cliff," Alice explained, "why in the hell would you try and kill yourself? I mean, what about Charlie? What about-"

"I didn't try and kill myself," Bella interjected, trying to explain her motives. "I was cliff jumping. Recreationally. It was fun."

I scoff slightly as I move from my spot by the stairs and further into view. "I don't think I have ever met anyone more prone to life-threatening idiocy, and I've been alive for 300 years, Isabella. I've met a lot of stupid, stupid people during that time."

Eventually, we all move to sit on the couch. Bella now holding a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, courtesy of Alice, and nervously fiddling with the handle of the mug. Her chocolate brown eyes snapped up every few seconds and raced around the room, looking in every direction except for ours as she sat in silence.