Wildflowers | Alec Volturi

epilogue

The sun was almost always shining in sunny Jacksonville, Florida, sometimes that she basked in as the warming hear seeped into her skin, tainting it a soft gold with splotches of red that only made her alabaster skin look like it was on fire.

It was a spark that burst out of her lungs, warm breath that was only chilled by green apple slurpies and banana popsicles. A summer that never ended, a season that never really changed, and Robyn loved it more than anything to parade around in her cutoff jean shorts and light camisoles. She loved being barefoot, the restricting feeling of shoes often suffocating her toes, but she bared down, forcing herself not to shift uncomfortably in the stylish boots that Renée insisted on buying her. It made her inner girl shriek in delight, but the heel made her feet ache and the tightness around the ankle made her skin feel clammy and itchy.

They really were so pretty though, so Robyn decided that she would just suffer in silence as she felt her confidence burst with each step. It was enough to keep her from pulling at the tight clothes she had forced herself to wear, jeans and a long sleeve shirt, were stifling under the taunting sun - reminding her ruthlessly that this might have been the last time she felt such a sensation in a while.

Forks in the winter season was not going to be pleasant. Robyn had learnt this much from conversations with Renée and emails from Bella (when she was still receiving them).

It was part of what spurred her decision to go there. She wanted to make sure Bella was okay, her friend and step-niece (and sort of sister) having all but dropped off the face of the earth as she was quite literally overcome by her depression.

The small family could remember the distressed calls from Charlie, the way that Renée would sit by and speak to her ex-husband for hours as they worked over what to do. Their concern was enough to suggest bringing Bella here, and when the girl flat out refused, Robyn decided to step up to the plate and head down there herself to put her foot down on the matter.

At one point they were best friends, the closest as her brother started to date her mother, and she felt like it was a jab at her entire person to be treated like she was nothing. Robyn was going to fix that, help Bella heal, and everything was going to be fine again.

So with two suitcases packed full of her comfiest clothes and new attire for the coldest weather, Robyn stood by the trunk of the car, squinting up at the clear blue sky that beat down on them from the airport drop off, a silly little voice in her head chirping out at all the planes that she saw -- as though it wasn't expected to see so many of them at an airport.

"You sure you want to go?" Phil asked again as he reluctantly handed over her carry on.

She looked at her elder brother, carefully taking the weight from him and slinging it over her shoulder. He was so sweet and caring, and Robyn simply knew she would miss him more than anything.

"I'm sure. I think it would do us both some good, anyway, don't you?" Robyn asks, turning to face him with a bright smile. "You haven't had the chance to have some real alone time with Renee yet, have you?" 

He chuckles and throws an arm around her shoulder. He shakes her as he draws her into his side. "And what do you get from this?" 

"I get to live a while without adult supervision," she says matter of factly. 

Phil laughs, tilting his head back. He had crows feet around his eyes already from the sun and smiling, his skin a lovely tan colour that always made her envy him. She didn't tan easy, not when she was so prone to burning. 

Still, she had managed a cute colour that worked well for her, at least. It was nice. It was better than what Bella had ever managed to get, at least. 

"You're making it out like Charlie won't be keeping an eye on you." 

She shrugs with a playful grin. "In such a crime-ridden small town? He'll hardly have the time." 

Renee fails to hide her giggles from her place leaned up against the car, unabashedly letting her tears touch tanned cheeks. She didn't wipe them away, letting them slide paths freely to her chin. It was unfair how pretty a crier she was. 

"Don't make fun of Forks too much until you get there," the woman scolds half-heartedly. 

"I'm not making fun of anything. I'm just trying to make the big baby feel better," she teases, voice catching with emotion. She curses herself miserably for how ridiculous she was being. 

Like honestly, it was like an extended vacation. She was just going to finish out high school before she came back to the state, at least, ship off to college. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm the only one that isn't crying and you're calling me the baby," Phil grumbles. 

"I'm not crying!" Robyn protests loudly. "I'm just going to miss my bat. I doubt I'll get quality bats in Forks." 

"Just your bat and not your board?" Renee asks. 

The young girl groans in misery, nose crinkling as she tosses her hair back to the sun. 

"I've done my research. I know that the only suitable waters that they have in the region are on the Quileute reservation and apparently it's cold as all hell, especially at this time of year." 

"You're gonna let a little bit of cold water put a dent in your plans?" Phil asks and she can tell that he's trying to raise her hopes, motivate her to continue on with her plans. 

As much as he might hate to see her go, they all knew how much more she hated having to give up on anything. 

And really, they all knew that Bella needed more than a little help to pick herself back up again. Charlies increasingly more and more frantic calls were proof enough of that. As long as she could help Bella, then this will all be worth it. 

"You could always get a wet suit," Renee suggests and she has to resist the urge to pout because nothing can beat the east coast. 

"I guess I could," she says disinterestedly. 

Phil shakes his head. "We'll send you them both over with the rest of your stuff, don't worry. We'll see you soon, right?" 

Nodding quickly, she gives him another quick hug. "I'll see you soon for sure and I'll call you all the time." 

With a shaky breath, she gives Renee a quick farewell before she's heading into the airport holding tight to her suitcases and swallowing back pitiful tears. 

It was only a matter of time until Robyn was landing in Forks. Only a matter of time until she was plunged into a world of impossibilities. 

°°°

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