Corinna II (twilight saga)

8 ᴥ Honesty

He told me he thought I was his mate, but he told her so, so, so, so, so much more. Sitting on a plane for hours with the girl who was in love with and going to save the guy I thought I loved because he loved her more was torture.

---

"It's faster than running," Alice tried to calm Bella as we waited for the plane to take off.

"Only because we're dragging a human with us," I muttered.

"We need her," Alice reminded me softly.

I knew she was holding back the venom in her voice, wanting to shush me for the rest of the ride. She didn't need to handle the anxiously bouncing Bella and the angry, heartbroken Corinna. But that's exactly why she was being patient with me: I was heartbroken. I felt betrayed and like everything was being ripped away from me.

None of it was making sense in my head, though. Why was I so hurt? Why did I fall so hard and so fast for a guy I barely knew, and still barely know. I watched the flight attendent repeat the safety instructions again as I thought about exactly why I had latched on.

It wasn't just Edward. It was the whole family. The late nights with Alice and Rosalie, the hunting with Jasper and Emmett. Carlisle's patient smile and Esme's loving hugs. I had lost my family decades ago, and besides James it had been so long since I had anybody. Then I gave up James for the Cullens, too.

The feelings Edward gave me were very real. The electricity I felt, the way his smile gave me butterflies.... But I gave in so effortlessy.

He dazzled me. He took advantage of my need for a place in this world.

My eyes trailed to Bella now. The way she bounced in her seat, tears threatening to well up in her eyes again and again as she silently willed the plane to move. I sighed, putting my hand on her other shoulder, just like Alice, and held her still. When Alice turned her back to talk with Jasper privately on the phone, I wrapped my arm around Bella's shoulders to take her place.

"Jaz, no...no, tell them to turn around. It'll only speed things up!" Alice hissed out.

Bella's eyes were wide as she listened in on the conversation no matter how low Alice dropped her voice.

"If they go and he knows they're coming he's just going to do it faster..not to mention if he dies by the Volturi then there's going to be a fight no one will win, Bella. It isn't worth losing everyone," I explained quietly.

Her hands shook as she grabbed the hand on her shoulder. I went stiff but I didn't move my hand.

"But they could get to him...stop him and we could all go home alive," she whispered.

"We can't risk that." I shut her down. I softened my voice, "If it comes down to it... I'll do everything I can to stop him, okay?"

"I hate lying to Jasper," Alice sighed as she got off the phone.

I figured she was referring to the "I promise I'll get out of there alive if things go bad", so I tuned out as Bella asked her about it and they dove into who the Volturi was exactly. I stared at my nails as I thought about the Volturi. A century on this planet and I had never met the 'vampire royalty', and never had a reason to. It frightened me. They were like a scary story, told to keep vampires scared and hidden, but they were very, really much real.

"What?" I heard Bella ask.

I looked up to see Alice peering over my shoulder at a businessman. His eyes darted to the window when he realized she was staring at him. I turned around in my seat and cleared my throat, getting his attention.

"There's complimentary headphones under your seat," I smiled brightly at the way his heart sped up. "Use them."

It was quiet for a long time as Alice zoned back into Edward's plans and his future. I relaxed in my seat as Bella's eyes slipped shut finally. Her hand was still wrapped tightly around my hand.

"They're going to tell him no!" Alice hissed out, snapping Bella awake.

They talked for a while about his plans and how things would turn out. I tried to pay attention, but it was difficult to focus on the fact that the only way to stop him was Bella herself.

"If he turned me...like he promised," Bella was saying as I tuned in and out.

"Look, Bella. I'll turn you myself if I have to. But not in the middle of the plane." Alice shook her head.

That caught my attention violently waking me out of my depressive internal monologue.

"He was going to turn you?" I asked.

I watched Bella turn five shades of red before she nodded feebily.

"You two were closer than I knew, weren't you? Was this before or after I showed up Bella?" I asked, unable to control my anger.

"It was after.... Alice saw me...like one of you." She admitted.

My eyes flickered to Alice, who was conviently zoned back out. I was sick with the feeling of betrayal. I could only nod to myself.

"You said he thought we were mates...how true was that?" I mumbled.

"He did say that, Corinna. He really thought that-"

"But you both knew it wasn't true anymore. But no one thought to tell the other girl involved, huh? You know Bella I was starting to like you but this-"

She cut me off, "He was so upset everytime we talked about you.... The way he treated you has been so...awful, Corinna. I know you're angry but I tried to talk to him about it. I-I wanted you to know he still had feelings but-"

"I just...." I sighed, ducking my head down and squeezing my eyes shut. "It hurts, I'm not going to lie about that but.... I thought there was something between us but I think we both needed some soul-searching."

I smiled thinly, wanting desperately to just be able to cry real tears for once.

"He find what he was searching for, Bella. I just need to open my eyes a little more."

She was quiet for a while after that. I leaned my head back on the seat as I tried not to think about how much longer we had left on the plane before we had to run to our second one.

"He told me he didn't want me..the night you all left," she whispered, so quietly I wondered if I heard her right. "He said Alice's vision had changed...that I wasn't going to be one of you. I hated you for months. It felt like you took my place."

I laughed sadly, "I know the feeling."

"I know you do...but so do I, and I can't explain how sorry I am."

I stared at her, trying to understand why she was still going after him after everything he had done for her. I asked this out loud and she laughed this time.

"I love him." She shrugged, her eyes brimming with tears. "Even if he doesn't love me back."

"Bella, he's killing himself because he thinks you're dead. I'd say he loves you," I comforted her, even though it hurt to say it.

There was another burst of silence before she spoke up again.

"If... If everything works out and he does want me still...and I-" She closed her mouth rewording her thoughts. "Are you going to stay with the Cullens?"

I took in a deep breath. I hadn't decided yet, and I think that's why Alice didn't speak up as I saw her come out of her visions and listen silently. I thought about what I had said earlier, about needing to do some soul-searching and my undeniable need to just have someone in this world. I saw Alice's eyes perk up as somewhere in the back of my mind I made a decision.

"You will always be family, Corinna," Alice said quietly as the plane touched down.

I smiled sadly, looking back at Bella again. As much as it pained me, she was right. I was happy with my accidentally found family - and no short-lived fling was going to take away what I had found.

"Always."