Twilight: But The Cullens Adopt a Gen Z Kid

Chapter Twelve: Courage

Staring at myself in the mirror, I groaned. I had absolutely nothing to wear. I mean, I did, Alice had stocked and restocked my closet numerous times. But I didn't know what to wear.

It was Saturday morning, and I was getting ready for my date with Leah.

A date. With Leah, of all people. I resisted the urge to squeal again.

For the past five days, (Yes, I'd been counting down) I had gone through a never-ending cycle of disbelief, chest-bursting excitement, freaking out, and contemplating how I had gotten to this point. Not to mention a few other things.

It really wasn't that big of a deal, but I was becoming more aware of my feelings for her, and while my new family teased me to no end for it, I was trying really hard to quench my obsession; because it had definitely become an obsession, to the point where I couldn't go an hour without thinking about her.

Edward has assured me that this was not a problem, as she felt the same way. This was how a vampire felt about someone they were interested in, a near instant connection, but really? There was no way she was even on the same wavelength. I knew I shouldn't be doubting a mind reader, but I had a hard time believing him. I hadn't known her for long, I hardly knew much about her. What right did I have to have such strong feelings, so soon? She had only asked me on a date, so it was clear she liked me. I needed to slow down.

And the fact that she was completely out of my league added to my confusion.

I looked awkward beside Leah. Strange, uncomfortable. While she looked to be about nineteen, maybe even passing for early twenties, I still looked like an awkward gangly teen girl. There would definitely need to be things done to change that. While I had always looked older than I actually was, I was afraid our difference in time would bother her and change her mind about me.

I had contemplated our difference in age, and how weird this all was. And then Edward assured me again- in a world like this, age didn't matter much.

"Right, you say that and yet you defend the way you acted with Ness." I rolled my eyes at him. He gritted his teeth in annoyance, clutching the vase he had in hand for Esme.

"She's my daughter. Of course it matters with her! She has human instincts, human feelings. Her brain is not in full development, therefore she is not of age to make adult decisions." An exasperate sigh escaped me.

"Then what does that say about me? What does that say about you?" A low growl rumbled his chest as he heard the direction my thoughts were going.

"Counting in how old her body is right now, how far in development her brain is, she's not far off from you, Edward. You're practically seventeen still. And in case you hadn't noticed, the number of years spent on earth don't really mean anything for us." He opened his mouth to interrupt me but I spoke before he could.

"Your brain is frozen in the stage of development it was in, Nessie's not. Meaning, she'll even surpass you. She'll be smarter than you." I grinned at him. "And before you give me the 'age is wisdom' crap, even if your argument was valid, I'll make the same argument your wife did: she has every right to make her own decisions."

"Not until she is full grown, she doesn't." He clenched his jaw as he set the vase down, as he looked he would crush it if he held it any longer. I rolled my eyes at him.

"You're being stubborn, and if I've learned anything about being around Nessie this past week it's that she gets her tight-knit decision making from you. She's decided she's not taking any of your bullshit, just as you've decided you're not going to give her the freedom she wants. One of you need to give up and talk to the other, and I don't think it'll be her. You're straining your relationship with her, dude." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, inhaling a deep breath.