like you do | leah clearwater

annabel lee

Juliet couldn't help but notice the depressed energy that radiated off Bella for the month following her accident. Sure, Juliet realized maybe going through something like almost dying with dampen your mood, but she realized that this was something different. Psychically, Bella was completely fine. Dr. Cullen had cleared her of any injuries the week after the accident. Charlie didn't even notice the off mood of the upper floor, really only talking to Bella during meals. Thanks to these over-the-table conversations, Juliet learned Bella had a small group of friends and was "settling nicely", but Juliet could see the far away look in Bella's eyes.

At first, it didn't seem like a big deal. Juliet, now driving Bella to school while her truck was in the shop, noticed a pair of girls who always waited by the stairs for Bella. Jessica and Angela, as Bella would eventually introduce them, and a pair of boys who always seemed to follow Bella out after school-Eric, and none other than Mike Newton. And then, after a week and a half, Juliet noticed them. Shiny black cars, perfect pale white skin. There was a group of four people, teenagers-Dr. Cullen's adopted children, who always watched Bella as she walked up to school. There was something about it, something about the way they watched, that made Juliet uneasy.

"You're just being crazy." Jake said, leaning against the small wooden counter. "I bet Dr. Cullen just asked them to make sure Bella wasn't still in pain."

"Yeah, that's probably it." Juliet wasn't convinced, but Jake's explanation was the only one she had, so she clung to it. "Anyway, it's dumb, to be so worried. It was a one time, stupid accident. Totally random."

"Yeah, coulda happened to anyone." Jake confirmed. "Anyway, what matters is that she's fine, right? I mean, my dad said Charlie sounded really worried when he called."

"I think any visit to the hospital really freaks him out, you know?" Juliet slipped off her stool, a small stack of books in her arms. Jake picked up the other two stacks and she mumbled a thank you before heading towards one of the row of shelves. "But Dr. Cullen checked her over, he said everything was fine. And Sue came by last night-same thing." She turned, looking back at Jake in time to catch his face wrinkling. "Oh come on, Jake, Dr. Cullen isn't that bad."

"Yeah, you say that now." He huffed. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she weaved through the rows. They finally stopped, near one of the front windows. A low shelf sat under the window, with plants piled along the windowsill. "I mean, how much do you even know about the Cullen's, anyway?"

"Not a lot." Juliet shrugged, kneeling down to begin putting books away. Jake set the two stacks down, sitting back against the shelf behind Juliet. "But no one does, I guess."

"Well, my dad seems to know them." He said. "Or recognize the name, at least. The Elders don't seem to like the Cullen's at all."

"Weird." Juliet huffed. "Anyway, my dad said it was one of the Cullen's who saved Bella."

"Really?" Juliet didn't have to look at him to know Jake found this amusing.

"If you're so curious, ask Bella yourself." Juliet snorted. "My dad's been asking when you're coming around next, anyway. Maybe he thinks you'll have a chance with Bella instead." Jake laughed loudly.

"Yeah, sure." He snorted.

"Jake!" The pair stopped, sitting up and peering over the low shelf. Outside, Quil and Embry were playing in the snow. A large snowball missed Embry, slamming into the window in front of them.

"I should go." Jake sighed. "Make sure they don't drive away your customers." Juliet laughed. "See you later, Jules."

"Bye Jake." Juliet slotted a few more books away, looking up just in time to see Jake jumping on Quil. She chuckled to herself, picking up the left over books and walking further into the store.

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"You go to La Push High, right?" Juliet perked up, turning her head slightly to see Bella standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Yeah." She stood back, leaning against the fridge door. "Why?"

"Well some friends of mine are going to First Beach on Friday, since we have a three-day weekend." Bella started, her arms hugging tight across her chest as she took a cautious step in to the kitchen. "I was...just wondering what you knew about the place?" Juliet nodded, taking a drink from the back of the fridge before shutting it.

"It's a cool little place." Juliet nodded, setting the cool can on the table. "Just a beach, you know? Kinda rocky since it's out on the water. It's a lot better during the summer, I'll tell you that. It'll probably rain whole you're there."

"Does it ever stop?" Bella muttered. Juliet couldn't tell if she was meant to hear that or not, so she ignored it.

"You know dad's friend Billy? He had three kids, Rebecca, Rachel and Jake." Juliet reminded. It took a moment, but Bella eventually nodded. "Becca moved to Hawaii and Rach goes to WA State in Pullman, but Jake's still around." Juliet idled in front of the microwave, waiting. "You might see him, he's pretty cool. A little younger than us, but you wouldn't be able to tell." Juliet chuckled.

"Yeah, cool." Bella hesitated. "Hey, what do you know about the Cullen's?"

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"Poetry!" Leah's voice wasn't loud, persay, but it still echoed off the walls of her small bedroom. "We had to do Shakespeare, and now poetry!" She huffed, plopping down onto her bed, the assignment paper still in her hand. "I'm never gonna graduate, Juliet."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad." Juliet's voice was quiet, calm, as she reached over Leah's shoulder and freed the paper from her grasp. Sitting back, Juliet's eyes scanned over the words quickly. "Ah! See, you have a ton of poets here to choose from." This only illicited a groan from Leah. "What, do you need me to choose one for you, or something?"

"Would you?" Leah asked after a beat of silence. Juliet sighed, letting the paper and her hand fall to her lap. "Jules?" Leah asked after about a minute of silence.

"Shh, I'm trying to think." Juliet held up one finger. Leah rolled her eyes, pushing Juliet's hand away. "Here, how about an Edgar Allen Poe poem?"

"That creepy guy?" Leah's eyebrows furrowed.

"God, he wasn't that creepy!" Juliet groaned, picking up her notebook and a pen. "You should do one of his shorter poems, or even just a part of it." Her pen moved quickly and swiftly across the paper. "And this was the reason that, long ago, in this kingdom by the sea, a wind blew out of a cloud, chilling my beautiful Annabel Lee. So that her born kinsmen came and tore her away from me, to shut her up in a sepulchre, in this kingdom by the sea.

"The angels, not half so happy in heaven, went envying her and me-yes!-that was the reason (as all men know, in the kingdom by the sea. That the wind came out of the cloud by night, chilling and killing my Annabel Lee." Leah followed along easily to Juliet's muttered poem, only brought out of her quiet daze when Juliet shoved the paper towards her. "Annabel Lee, by Edgar Allen Poe. There's more to it, if you want it just come by the store when I'm working and I'll find a Poe book for you."