Southern Belle

“Well, we’re going to leave” said Lester. Jasper and I were in the middle of a heated debate about whether or not me sitting in his lap was weird. I was just seconds away from convincing him it was.

“You’re more than welcome to stay” said Carlisle “Esme should be home soon and would be more than happy to learn that the kids met some new friends.” Emmett put his hands over his face and groaned.

“Carlisle please shut up.”

“Well it’s true” said Carlisle. “It was years before Edward finally brought a human here, I mean you guys could at least try to make some friends.” Emmett leaned against Jasper and buried his face into his shoulder which earned him a strange look from Jazz, and a threatening one from me.

“Whatever” he moaned and I noticed that my family was standing up.

“Liddie, these seem like your friends, and we have a lot of homework that needs to be done” said Ariel. I could have argued and told her that the only one I really knew was Jasper, and that the others seemed to be really nice and welcoming, but I realized she was right. I couldn’t throw them in a room together and hope they got along, the Cullens would have to bond with my family the old fashioned way. At school and at random business establishments.

“Alright, but in a hundred years whenever your lives are as boring as they are now, remember this moment as the day when you turned down the company of cool people.” I’m just guessing on the cool people part, but I’m normally pretty good at being able to tell the level of someone’s coolness.

“Anyway, don’t stay out too late and if you do, be prepared to answer thousands of invasive questions.” Warned Lester and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he wasn’t over exaggerating.

“Got it, Captain” said Jasper as he gave Lester a lopsided salute “I’ll have her home by nine, then you can tuck her in and tell her a bed-time story.” I covered Jasper’s mouth with my hand, afraid of whatever else may have come pouring out.

“I know where you live” Lester threatened before Ariel nudged his side with her elbow. A clear sign that it was time to go.

“It was nice meeting you all, tell Edward and Bella we said goodbye.” Roxy led everyone to the front door and all five of them disappeared.

“And then there was one” said Rosalie. She was sitting in the corner with her legs crossed in quite simply a pissed off manner. What did I do?

“What can I say? I can clear a room like the best of them. It’s a talent really.” Give me five minutes at the podium at the U.N and you’ll have an empty conference room. And they’re used to dealing with annoying people. (The U.S President for instance)

“I’ve seen stranger gifts” said Carlisle. “At least yours can be useful” He had a point.

“Yeah, watch” I turned in Jasper’s lap since he refused to release me and faced Rosalie. “Hey Rosalie” I said in the sweetest voice I could muster. She glared at me and I took that as my sign to continue. “I was thinking about going blonde and your color is perfect. Where do you get it done?” The assumption that Rosalie had a short temper was proven when she gave me a look that made my blood run cold.

“It’s natural” she hissed and I smiled. Someone had image issues. A normal person wouldn’t have gotten so upset.

“Uh-huh, sure” I said and her hands curled around the chair’s armrest.

“I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not going to work” she said. Ah, how many times have I heard that one?

“Alright, but from one girl to another, you might want to lighten up on the lipstick. It looks a little hookerish.” That did it. She stood up and stomped up the stairs without looking at me.

“EMMETT!” she called from the top of the stairs, which made Emmett sigh.

“Thanks, Liddie” he said sarcastically. “If you all smell smoke, don’t worry. She’s just burning my body.” He ran up the stairs so fast you’d think he was actually looking forward to his apparent funeral.

“That was awesome” said Jasper. “You have to teach me how to do that. I’ve been trying to get her to leave me alone for years.”

“I’m sorry; the force is not strong with you. I can’t teach you the ways of the Jedi.” A star wars analogy can be used in a variety of situations. Plus they never get old.

“I have I told you I missed you?” he asked.

“Once” I said smiling.

“Well, I’ll say it again. I missed you.” He pulled my head down for a short kiss and I didn’t fight him. The sound of Carlisle clearing his throat was what broke us apart.

“Sorry to ruin the moment but we have an intruder.” He pointed to where a woman a little shorter than me with dark wavy hair stood staring at Jasper and I with a huge smile on her face. This must be Esme.

“Run” whispered Jasper so only I could hear him. “Don’t let her get you.” He helped me off his lap and tried to push me toward the stairs. “My room’s the first one on the right. GO!” I slapped the hand that was trying to push me and glared at him. He was making her out to be a monster; she was his own mother for crying out loud.

“Jazz, don’t make me slap you.” I glared at him for a moment more before stepping forward and holding out my hand. “I’m Lydia, you must be Esme.” She ignored my hand completely and pulled me into a hug.

“And you’re the person that made Jasper smile just now” she said with her arms still around me. “He hasn’t done that in half a decade.” She released me and I knew that I now had a conversation topic. Jasper not smiling, that’s like me being at a lost for words, just not right.

“Yeah, she’s an old friend” said Jasper. He started pulling me away from his parents but Esme grabbed his arm in a vice like grip.

“Sit” said Esme and I knew that if she wanted to she could put up quite a fight. Jasper sighed but complied with her orders. I of course just followed his example.

“Start talking” she ordered the moment we were sitting. “Today must have been pretty productive.” Well that was the understatement of the year.

“I met Lydia at school, she’s an old friend and I thought she died years ago.” Said Jasper, his statement was short and to the point, exactly how I would have answered.

“Alright” said Esme. “I’m not going to push you to tell me about your past. I didn’t push Rosalie about her engagement, Edward about his family, Emmett about his bear hunting days, or Carlisle about his time with the Volturi” my ears perked up like a German Sheppard. “When you want to tell me, you can” she sat back with a satisfied smile on her face. Like she knew exactly when Jazz would be ready to tell her.

“Were you really in the Volturi?” I asked Carlisle. I didn’t care that it had nothing to do with the current conversation. I wanted to know.

“Yeah, I spent a little time with them after I was turned.” He looked like he really wanted to talk about this and I was more than happy to oblige.

“What was it like?” I asked. This was basically like hearing that he had spent time with the queen of England, only like ten times better.

“How about we talk about this is in my office? I have a couple of pictures and journals and things.” I swear my heart started to beat just so it could stop again.

“I’d love that.” I stood up and he did the same. Carlisle motioned for me to head up the stairs and I did with barely a backwards glance at Jasper who seemed a little confused by my fascination with the Volturi.

After we made it to the top of the stairs I moved to the side so Carlisle could lead the way down the long hallway before stopping in front of a large black door. He unlocked it and we both entered.

“Wow” the first thing I saw was a huge painting on the wall in front of me. It depicted Aro, Marcus, and Caius sitting in their throne like chairs. To the right were the twins Alec and Jane, and Felix. While on the right stood Demetri and Carlisle.

“Yeah, a human painted that just hours before his death.” His golden eyes clouded for a moment but he cleared them with a shake of his head. “Anyway, what do you want to know?”