Chapter 11:
Cliff's Edge

"You okay?" Bella's voice was soothing. It matched the way the warm and damp cloth on her face felt. It was relaxing, a breath of fresh air.

After she fell unconscious in La Push, Jacob carried her all the way back to the truck and took both girls back home, leaving one last assurance that they would have extra protection in case the red-haired devil came back.

Hunter was thankful but she was out of touch. All she could think about was the sound of Bella's blood flowing through her veins. It tasted better than the best tasting thing in the world, the sweetness and the metallic-ness. Though she was both disgusted and amazed with herself, she was happy to be back to normal.

She nodded and slowly moved to sit up, "Better than before." Bella shifted and peeled the blanket off of Hunter's legs, revealing her fully healed ankle. It looked good as new, as if a giant werewolf didn't take a chomp out of her leg.

"Good." Bella muttered. She eyed Hunter's healed skin and grew envious. Obviously she wanted to be a vampire. She didn't want to grow old and die while her friends stayed living for eternity.

Hunter removed the rag off of her forehead. The short silence gave her room to contemplate if she should tell Bella about seeing Edward, about her nightmares. Her heartbeat spiked at the thought. What if Bella wouldn't believe her, what if their friendship would be ruined?

She was sure Bella had probably thousands of questions waiting on the tip of her tounge, same with Jacob. But she was afraid.

Bella's eyes trailed up to Hunter's, the red color nearly giving her a heart attack. But besides the supernatural, she could see Hunter's internal battle. "Who were you screaming at before you- you know."

There it was. The question Hunter knew would come. In that moment when she was screaming at Edward's ghost, she didn't care how crazy she looked. But now it seemed like she had no choice but to tell Bella. Especially since the guilt was building up.

Ignoring the soreness around her eyes, she let them meet Bella's again, "I-" her mouth clamped shut. Looking into Bella's eyes, she saw Edward standing behind in the corner of eye. It was like he alone was preventing her from revealing the truth.

It wasn't like they did anything together behind Bella's back, but it was the fact that she could see Edward. Everywhere she went, he followed. He talked to her, guided her, gave her advice, worried for her. He was in love with her.

That was what her brain kept repeating, "In love". It was making this a million times harder. There was no doubt in her mind, Edward loved Bella more. But it didn't matter as much if he still loved her too, even if it was a little bit.

Bella raised her eyebrows, waiting for her to continue. The pressure was on and it was making her sweat. "I saw my mom." She spoke. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either. A shaky breath followed and her hands clutched the rag.

"What?" Bella softly asked.

"I've been having nightmares about her over and over again. Each one, being worse than the last." Hunter ranted, "She's been haunting me Bella— like I mean actually haunting me."

Bella shuffled, her eyebrows moving closer together as the frown she usually wore, appeared. "I believe you. After everything, I believe you."

Hunter breathed out a 'thank you' and smiled. "What would happen in the nightmares?" She asked further, her eyes turning curious.

"She would tell me things," Hunter started, her eyes traveling to her hands, "Things like, how I'm just like her and how I'm 'blessed'. It's- it's all really like a scene out of a movie."

She didn't have the guts to tell Bella about the dead bodies, the blood, and her own boyfriend. It was just big and important things that she wasn't ready to reveal.

She swallowed nervously and Bella noticed. "Is that all? I mean, you seem like something's still bothering you."

Hunter shrugged and picked at her fingers, "I wake up in a cold sweat, I never remember much. Just her voice and her face." A lie. It shouldn't have felt as easy as it did. "I see her everywhere I go and I shouldn't. It's like she's actually there, guiding me or something."

Bella nodded, "It's like that with me. But instead I see Edward." Now her eyes were back on her friend. "I only ever see him whenever I'm about to do something wild and stupid."

Hunter scoffed, "Adrenaline junkie huh?" A giggle slipped past both their lips. However, it wasn't soothing enough.

"Do you know if my mom is actually dead?" Hunter asked when the silence returned. Bella raised her eyebrows, "She died giving birth, no?"

The short haired girl rolled her eyes, "That's what I hear."

Bella placed her hand onto Hunter's warm leg, their eyes never moving away from each other, "You don't think she might actually be alive?"

She sighed and pulled her legs into a criss cross, Bella's hand dragging away, "I'm saying that in my nightmares, she's a vampire. Red eyes, pale skin, the whole package."

Bella listened, her own theories shouting in her mind. "All my life, I've always thought she was dead. I mean why wouldn't I? My dad told me, Charlie told me."

Hunter ran her finger over the spot where her ankle was previously destroyed. How blessed she was to have fully healed without medical attention. How blessed she was to be alive.

"So you think she might've abandoned you guys to become a vampire?" Bella asked, believing that possibility with ease. Hunter's sad eyes fell and she nodded, fighting the bile in her throat.

Believing that could explain the lie. Her dad couldn't tell his child that her own mother left to be a dangerous immoral. Telling her that her mother was dead would be easier.

But now look where she is. She is seeing the whole story. She is finding the holes and the missing pieces. Bella moved closer to her and clasped their hands together, "Screw her. She missed out on getting to know the best, funniest, caring, loyal, beautiful girl in the entire world."

Hunter pursed her lips, fighting a smile, "Don't say all that." She murmured, feeling a weight lifting off her shoulders.

"It's the truth." Bella whispered. "You don't need her."

Now the smile surfaced. Their friendship had been dragged through hell but they rose above it. It felt nice for them to still have each other. Hunter rolled her eyes and pulled Bella in her arms. "Thank you." She mumbled against the dark haired girl's shoulder.

Bella only hugged her tighter and that was all they needed.

____

"You know, I'm really starting to think that I'm being ditched." Winston told her, watching her walk up to him in her front lawn. He sounded a bit hurt but his smile told her that it was okay.

She sighed and crashed into him, her arms wrapping themselves around his torso. He grunted and hugged her back, welcoming her warmth. "Everything okay?"

"It is now." She smiled.

Last night she didn't sleep at all. She was up all night staring out her window, keeping watch. She could feel Victoria's presence, she could feel the bad things coming.

But this morning she was alerted by a text from Winston, asking to hang. Obviously she accepted. They piled into his truck and he took her away. "So where exactly are we going?"

"I know this spot not too far from here. It has a pond and nice flowers. The sunlight even goes through over there." He beamed, keeping his eyes on the road.

She nodded and brushed her hair back, the wind whipping it around. "Sounds romantic."

"Oh yeah, one hundred percent romantic." He replied, glancing at her.

"You're not gonna kill me, are you?" She asked jokingly, earning a cackle from him, "Cause if you are, I would've worn something nicer than this. I want to look presentable when the police find my body."

The radio music mixed in with his laughter, the soft tunes enhanced him. He looked beautiful, like a dream. Something she's been craving for a long time. "I think you look nice just the way you are." He complimented.

Her lips curved upwards and she let the blush tinge her cheeks. The car moved down the road, the unusual sunlight shining off the black truck. Hunter knew today would be a good day.

Soon enough, they reached the opening and the car stopped. It was beautiful there. The water was welcoming, the way it shimmered and moved. The tall grass surrounding it reminded her of summer and it bought a smile onto her face.

Winston rounded the front of the truck, a picnic basket in his hand and a rather large blanket on his arm. "Ready for romance?" He asked.

She was stuck in a gaze. He was absolutely perfect. "Of course monsieur."

Their hands intertwined and he led her to a spot near the water, the salty scent mixing with the wind and hitting their noses. This was bliss. This was everything she's ever wanted. Pure happiness.

She had only ever remembered crushing on two guys in her lifetime, Jacob and a guy from her old school named Zack. He was an Australian transfer student, an art and photography prodigy, and he had the brightest green eyes you'll ever see in your life. It didn't last since he ended up moving to California and transferring again.

Though none of that mattered. Jacob, Zack, and even Edward were not even the last things on her mind.

   "You aren't allergic to any fruits, right?" Winston asked, carefully placing the basket on the ground. Hunter shook her head, "I'm clean." They unwrapped the blanket and laid it out on the ground before setting themselves on top.

Winston began unpacking the fruit while Hunter stared out in the distance, not an ounce of worry in her body. Trees surrounded them but it wasn't enough to block out the yellow sun or the view of the cliff she always wanted to jump from with Jacob. "I love the sun. I wish it would stay here all the time." She sighed, closing her eyes and basking in the vitamin C.

   "I know right. I would move to a sunnier place but Forks. . . it's home." He replied, turning to face her. He was right. No matter how easy it was to just up and leave, this place was an anchor. Everyone that lives here could say that this is the perfect place to be. Even if it rains almost everyday, you'll grow to love it. There's just too much history here. "There so much holding me back. So much that I want to keep."

Hunter looked at him, curiously, "Like what?"

There was a silence and their eyes stayed locked. He lost his father, to an animal attack that wasn't really by an animal. His mother isn't really in the picture so he just lives in a small home with his grandfather who was close to death. It wasn't much but it still meant more to him than ever.

   "Well someone has to take over the fishing in my house." He joked. Hunter breathed a giggle, she could tell that he used humor to cope with whatever he was going through. "No but uh, I keep feeling like my mom is going to come back. I just want to- to be here of she does."

Hunter frowned. Their situations were similar and that scared her. She was sure they didn't have the same mother due to the fact that they were the same age but it was still a scary coincidence. She nodded understandingly and reached over for a strawberry, "Hungry?" She asked, showing a small smile.

She didn't want to keep the conversation dull and to make him comfortable, she decided to change the subject. "Yes." He smiled back, biting the strawberry and stealing it from her hand.

Her jaw dropped. "You animal." She laughed, grabbing another and tossing it right at his face. He stopped chewing and his eyes shut. He tried to keep a straight face but Hunter's constant giggles forced him to give in. "That's it." He spoke after swallowing the sweet red fruit, "You asked for this."

She squealed and fell onto her back, his fingers digging into her sides and tickling her. With her laughter mixing in with the rare warm air, it was picture perfect. They wanted to stay like this forever.

After begging for mercy, he finally stopped. He laid beside her and they stared up at the clouds. They were still grey and slow but the splotches of baby blue made it all worth it.

   "What are we?" Hunter asked, her breathing returning to normal. They admitted to liking one another more than normal friends would and they've been on a date.

Winston's head turned to her, her eyes reflecting the sun and giving a golden tinge to her honey brown eyes. He wanted to be with her so badly. Since the day they met, he knew that she was the one. They had an instant connection and in the short amount of time they've spent with one another, it felt like years. "I don't know." He replied.

Her eyes faulted a bit and he noticed. That wasn't the answer she was looking for. She wanted him to tell her that they were together, boyfriend and girlfriend. She wanted to know that they were for each other. "Oh." She muttered.

Without another word, he sat up. Alarmed, she followed, "What happened? Did I say something wrong?"

He waved his hands, "No! No, you didn't. It's just- I-" he stopped. Her eyes poured into his and he froze. Her beauty was entrancing and he was under her spell. "You what?" She egged, her face patient and clear of confusion. It was almost like she knew what he was going to say.

He inhaled and opened his mouth to speak but his eyes caught sight of something behind Hunter in the far distance. It was a person, a female with fiery red hair. "Who the hell is that?" He asked, something Hunter wasn't expecting him to say.

Her eyebrows furrowed for a second before realization dawned on her. With her instincts turned on, she turned around and met the eyes of the woman who ruined her.

Victoria. A wicked and knowing smirk spread onto her lips and Hunter's scowl only darkened. She saw Winston. She knows who he is and now he's involved. Now he was in danger.

The ground rumbled heavily. So heavily that it could be mistaken for an earthquake. But Hunter knew better. It was the werewolves, no doubt looking for Victoria.

   "We need to go. Now." She demanded, her eyes never leaving the vampire yards away from them. Winston frowned, watching Hunter get up from the blanket. "What? Why? Do you know her?"

Hunter watched Victoria speed away. "No, but we need to go. It's not safe anymore." She lied. She quickly bent down and grabbed at the fruit, placing them back into the basket. Winston's confusion only grew as more questions began to fly out. "Wha-what do you mean it's not safe? What's happening?"

She shook her head, practically slamming things around. "So stupid. Why did I even think-" she cut herself off and looked up at the slightly freaked out boy. The Uley pack could pass through here at any minute and Hunter didn't want Winston to see even a strand of their hair. "Come on, hurry. We have to get out of here."

   "What? No, tell me what's going on. I can help you." He begged, moving back a step and watching her yank the blanket off the ground.

She laughed, almost maniacally. She looked insane. "You can't help me. I don't need help. What I need is to get you home."

The rumble of the werewolves only grew louder. She was tracking them by hearing, the louder they got, the less time they had to leave. "I don't need you to do anything but explain why you're acting like this." He retorted, following her back to his truck. "What happened to romance and perfection?"

   "I made a mistake. I shouldn't have let you take me here." She sighed, avoiding his eyes. She knew her words hurt but it had to be said. She should've remembered the risks, the warning that Edward gave her.

Winston's life is now in danger because he was seen with her in a romantic way. Victoria made sure to study Winston, to learn who he was just by looking at him. He was on the radar and that wasn't a good thing.

He blinked with disbelief. He was offended and hurt. He was under the impression that this was the perfect date idea, that she agreed to it. He shoved his hands in his pockets while his heart pumped faster, "Okay, what's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed and he continued, "Because you said yes to coming here. I thought we were on the same page."

Hunter slammed the passenger side door shut, "We are, Winston. Trust me, I wanted to be here with you. But I forgot about something I shouldn't have forgotten. It's extremely important to me that you get home safely and call me as soon as you get there."

   "What- why- so I'm just supposed to leave you here? Without a valid explanation? I mean- you're not even looking at me."

Her eyes move away from the trees and she meets his, her frustration rising. She had to get him out of here but he was refusing. His questions were too much and she wished she handled the situation better than she did. "Winston! You need to leave, now! I mean it." She said, more anger in her voice.

His eyebrows raised at her rise in tone. She was back to the way she was before, angry and out of control. Her eyes seemed distant, the way they did when he tried to make things work. It was like she was a completely different person.

A loud roar alerted them both and Hunter gasped, they were here. In a panic, she grabbed his face before he could turn around and connected their lips together.

Surprise grew in both their faces but they relaxed, enjoying the sparks that burned between them. The werewolves stomped in, noticing the couple but not losing focus on the mission. They followed Victoria's scent and ran right back into the trees on the other side.

Hunter opened her left eye, peaking. The brown haired wolf known as Jacob, stood in the center, watching her kiss Winston. She furrowed her eyebrows and shushed him, silently telling him to leave.

His eyes were unreadable but the huff he released told her all she needed to know. He ran off, his paws shaking the ground beneath them all. Winston pulled away in fright, turning around to see nothing but grass. "What the hell was that?" He asked.

   "Maybe a little earth tremor." She lied easily, sucking in deep breaths.

He turned to her, "And what was that." She blushed and walked over to the driver's side, popping open the door. "That was an apology, goodbye, and thank you kiss."

His frown returned, "Can I at least drive you home?"

   "Bella." Edward spoke, his figure appearing beside Winston's. She sighed, "Thanks but no thanks. I have something I need to do. Again."

Winston closed the space between them and pulled her into a hug, placing a gently kiss ontop of her head, "You owe me an explanation Reed."

She inhaled his scent and welcomed his warmth, smiling at the sound of his voice. She did owe him an explanation but it was enough time for her to come up with a perfect lie. "You got if Forge."

The two parted and he reluctantly got into his car. "Be