(Leah)
"Well, that went better than expected," Mike said as we pulled into his parents' driveway.
We'd just dropped Bella off at her place, Charlie was apparently still stuck at the station. I turned to him slowly and gave him my flattest look. Anyone with two functioning eyes could tell Bella had a crush on him. And Mike? He absolutely knew it. He was just working overtime pretending it wasn't a problem.
"So," I said casually, "Bella has a crush on you."
Mike winced like I'd physically stabbed him. "Come on," he groaned. "Don't you see I'm busy trying to pretend it's not like that?"
That did it. I burst out laughing. Mike had that effect on people, most of the time without even trying. He just looked so betrayed by reality.
"I trust you," I told him once I caught my breath. "I know it won't be an issue on your end. But you can't just pretend this isn't happening. One day, you're going to have to talk to her about it. Otherwise, it's going to wreck your friendship."
He rubbed a hand down his face, sighing. "I know. I just… I don't know what to say without making it awkward. And have you seen Bella? She's basically the definition of awkward."
I chuckled. "I don't think things can get much more awkward than they already are. And Bella seems like a good girl. She probably won't make things difficult for you."
"Yeah," Mike said slowly, staring at the windshield. "Unfortunately, I don't think those feelings of hers are just going to disappear. We're literally soulmates. It's probably impossible to ignore that connection. It's like this pull, you just gravitate toward the other person."
That made my stomach tighten.
Soulmates.
The word echoed way louder than it should have. My thoughts spiraled before I could stop them. Did that mean he'd eventually feel the same way about Bella? Did that connection grow over time?
What about me?
I didn't even realize I'd spoken until the words were already out. "And what about us?"
Mike turned to look at me, and something in his expression made my chest tighten even more.
"Yeah… about that…"
The pause was torture.
Then he grabbed my hands and met my eyes. "We're also soulmates. And our connection is much stronger than what I have with Bella."
I snapped.
I jumped into his lap and bit his face.
"Wait, not in the face!" he shouted, trying to pull away, but I held on until I was thoroughly satisfied and my point was made.
"That," I said, pulling back, "was for making me nervous for no reason."
He groaned, rubbing his cheek that had already healed from my teeth marks.
"But how is that even possible?" I asked, more seriously now. "Two soulmates?"
Mike's expression shifted, becoming complicated, careful. "I think I'm… a special case."
That wasn't the whole truth. I could tell immediately.
I raised an eyebrow. "Alright. You're clearly hiding something. But don't worry, I won't pry into your secrets."
He looked guilty… but also relieved. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I just, I don't know how to say it. Or if I should even say it at all. But don't worry. It's not something that'll cause us trouble or anything like that."
"I'll trust you on that," I said, meaning it.
Then another thought hit me. "Wait. How do you even know all this soulmate stuff anyway?"
His posture straightened instantly, pride flashing across his face. "Perks of being a spirit walker," he said smugly. "Still don't want to try?"
I considered it for half a second before shaking my head. "Yeah, no. Keep your perks to yourself. I'm happy as I am."
His shoulders slumped. "Wow. Rejected."
I smiled.
…
(Bella)
As soon as Mike dropped me off, I went straight to my room. I didn't even bother turning on the light. I just threw myself onto the bed, arm draped dramatically over my forehead.
Traitor, I thought bitterly, directing it at my own heart.
Why did it have to race like that whenever Mike was near? Whenever he smiled that stupidly warm smile of his? The kind that made everything feel lighter without him even trying?
He has a girlfriend, Bella.
You can't feel like this about your best friend.
And you also have a boyfriend.
A boyfriend I loved.
"Edward," I muttered to myself. Just think of Edward.
Impossibly beautiful Edward Cullen. A hundred-year-old vampire I somehow shared so much in common with. The one who could turn my brain into mush with a single crooked smile. The one who made my heart ache in the best way possible.
And also the one who refused to change me, because he was afraid for my soul.
…There was that.
If I wanted a future with Edward, a real future, it meant eventually leaving my human life behind. Leaving Mom. Leaving Char… Dad, I corrected myself automatically.
Mike's voice echoed in my head, gently scolding me for calling him by his name. For pretending it didn't matter when it actually did. Dad pretended not to care, but Mike had seen right through it.
And just like that, my thoughts spiraled right back to him.
"Ugh!" I groaned, pulling my pillow over my face and shouting into it, the sound muffled but heartfelt.
Then I heard a soft chuckle.
I froze.
Very slowly, painfully slowly, I lowered the pillow and turned my head to the sound.
Edward was standing beside my bed.
I was painfully aware of how red my face felt as he looked at me with something akin to fascination, as if every ridiculous thing I did was new and unexpected. Like he was watching a strange but intriguing creature instead of a girl having a minor emotional meltdown.
And then an intrusive thought crept in, unwelcome and sharp.
Is that why he's with me?
Because he can't read my mind?
"How long have you been here?" I asked weakly.
Edward's smile widened just a fraction. "Long enough."
I seriously considered crawling under the bed and never coming out again.
After a few deep breaths, and a heroic effort to regain some dignity, I asked the question anyway.
"Edward?"
"Yes?" His eyes softened, attentive.
"Are you with me only because you can't read my thoughts?" I hesitated, then added quietly, "And because of my blood?"
He paused. Truly paused. Then he stepped closer, sitting beside me, his expression open and gentle.
"I won't lie to you," he said. "Those things did attract me at the beginning."
My chest tightened.
"But it didn't stop there," he continued. "I got to know you. The you who doesn't fear me, even knowing what I am. The you who worries more about everyone else's safety than your own, even when you're the one who's in the most danger. The you who reads the same book a hundred times and still gives it your full attention, as if it's brand new every time."
His voice dropped, softer still.
"You make me feel like my existence isn't a curse anymore. I love you, Bella."
My heart felt like it was trying to escape my ribcage.
In that moment, the doubt quieted. The noise in my head faded. I knew it with absolute certainty.
"I love you too," I said.
We kissed then, softly, carefully. Edward treated me like I was made of glass, like I was the most precious thing in the world. Vampire strength complicated everything, if he lost control for even a second it might mean my death, but somehow… we made it work.
And for that moment, at least, everything felt right.
…
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