Chapter Twelve

"I am ready," I announced but all eyes were already on me by the time I got to the top of the stairs.

"Pumpkin!" My parents started for me and pulled me into their arms. I felt my dam trying to burst open when I succumbed to my parent's embrace.

"I wish you didn't have to go Bella, know that we would have done everything and anything in our power to make you stay." She said as they both embraced me tightly. I was tired of listening to them say it, I understood that I have to go but listening to how helpless they were to the situation didn't make me feel better.

My mum pulled me off her and held me at her arm's length with her arms on my shoulders. "Tell me you have everything you need." I nodded but not before mentally adding the fact that I needed my phone.

"You might want to add a jacket, your sweatshirt is too thin for the weather." EVP suddenly chipped in. Was it just me or she seemed a little edgy?

"Too thin?" I had specifically picked my outfit with the weather in mind. It wasn't cold but it was hot either, it bordered on cool.

"Trust me, the weather would pick up a notch." I didn't argue, wasn't in the mood too. It was taking me everything to keep a straight face, I knew an argument would take a lot of the strength I needed to see this through. 

I pulled away from my mum's arms and made my way up the stairs and back to my bedroom. I went straight to my closet and my roll of jackets, dresses and the likes looked back at me. I randomly picked a jacket.

I placed it across my arm, it was a black jacket with traces of red. I didn't want to put it all just yet. It was warm inside, I only came to take it so as not to argue I had no intention of wearing it unless I had to. I took one last long look at the room I had lived in ever since I was a little girl. 

"I would see you in a few weeks," I said out loud before I shut the door but I couldn't help but feel it might take even longer.

"Is this?" I asked as soon as I got down the stairs. 

EVP looked as if to say something but she decided against it and after glancing at my parents she said, "Shall we? Alaric would be back anytime now. The last thing I want is to put you guys in danger, I owe you freaking lot and I'm sorry."

"No, Calli, we should be saying thank you. The past sixteen years have been the best part of our lives." I wanted to say something but before I could my mum turned to me, "I am going to miss you a lot Bella." She sniffled and wiped at her tears with a hankie.

They rushed at me and hugged me one last time, "P-pumpkin!" My dad said, his voice breaking and I felt all my resolve shatter as I began to wail. "Don't cry sweetheart," he said trying to console me. "We would see you again, we promise. This won't be for long."

They broke the embrace and my mum kissed both my cheeks again, I could not help but notice they quivered against my skin. "Listen to you Aunt and I'm sure you'll be fine."

I wanted to protest against them calling EVP my aunt but I was still crying and I didn't want to ruin the moment by yelling at my parents. EVP opened the door and we both stepped out, my parents followed and stood by the porch holding onto each other. "Put on the jacket," EVP said.

"Just a moment," I called out and ran past my parents back into the house. I rushed to the couch and I couldn't find my phone, I was sure I left it there.

"Bella? Is something wrong?"

"No mum I'll be right out. I just need to pick something." I was frantic there was no way I would leave without my phone. How would I reach Mia? After searching like some wild anime for a few seconds I found it by the side couch between the armrest and the cushion.

I picked it up and shoved it into my backpack. Putting on the jacket, I returned the backpack to my back and rushed out of the room. I looked up at EVP with a Stern look on my face, she didn't flinch or smirk. That caught me by surprise.

"Climb on." She said and offered me her back. She squatted a little to my height.

I was sure my lower jaw fell to the ground, "What happened to regular transport?" I asked, there was no way I would let her give me a piggyback ride. I haven't had that since I was six.

"Too slow, we need to be out of here as soon as possible and we already wasted enough time trying to convince you."

My nose flared. Is she saying this is my fault? I opened my mouth to give her a piece of my mind but before I could get a chance to speak she added, "Please. If you won't do it for me, do it for them."

I turned to look at my parents who were frantically waving, my mum still had her hankie to her nose and my dad's free hand still rested on her shoulders. I wasn't the only one feeling broken, they looked genuinely sad to let me go. 

We had moved away from the house so my parents could hear EVP's words. I waved at them and turned my attention back to my ride. For some reason, I felt a lot of satisfaction calling her that. I mounted her like some horse and she stood up to her full height. She was really tall.

"Hang on tight."