03

*＊✿❀❀✿＊*Chapter Three: Y.A Romance Novel*＊✿❀❀✿＊*

Hearing that a loved one was in the hospital was never an easy thing. Especially when that loved one was your twin sister, who had moved halfway across the country because she had apparently broken up with her boyfriend (Jules had trouble believing that part). It was Renée (Bella and Jules' mother) who called to relay the news. Apparently, Renée had still been in Florida when she received Bella's call about coming home, and had only just stepped off the plane when she received the call saying that her daughter was in the hospital.

It was a surprise when Jules and Charlie heard that Bella wanted to come back to Forks, but neither put up a fight. However, it wasn't a surprise when Bella did eventually come back to Forks, and Edward Cullen was by her side — to Jules at least; Charlie may have been somewhat confused.

During that time, Jared Cameron had Shifted, and Sam had practically barred Jules from coming down to La Push. Understandable, she supposed, as she figured Jared would be a little frantic until he got this under control and Jules didn't want to accidentally get hurt. So, she waited at home, receiving nightly phone calls and text messages from Sam with updates.

In the meantime, Jules had a bone to pick with a sister. And what better time than when she was bed-bound and literally had no choice but to listen?

"Talk," was all Jules said as she closed Bella's bedroom door. Bella had the decency to look confused. "As much as falling down two flights of stairs and through a window is pretty on brand for you," the Swan twins chuckled, "I saw that faint bite mark on your wrist." Bella's face darkened. "You can tell me, Bells," Jules' voice softened. "Please, Belly, don't shut me out again."

Bella sighed, "it's not my secret to tell."

"Edward?" Bella didn't respond, inadvertently giving Jules a response. "There's something about them, isn't there? The Cullens?"

"Ju, I really can't.."

"It's okay."

Jules started to scream, but took a deep breath when she realised it was Edward climbing through Bella's open window. "What.. how did you get in here?" But, Jules' question went unanswered a Bella and Edward were engaged in their own quiet conversation. "Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?!"

"You already know," Edward said vaguely.

"You know?!" Bella exploded.

"Know, what?!" Jules exclaimed in the same tone.

"Or," Edward continued, solely focusing on Jules, "at least, you've thought it."

"I've thought lots of things!" Jules exclaimed. "Impossible things! "Nothing is impossible, if you put your mind to it," Bella mused.

"You are not seriously Marty McFly-ing me, right now," Jules rolled her eyes in exasperation, but Bella simply offered a shrug and an innocent smile. Trying not to break out in a laugh, Jules turned back to Edward. "Enough games, just tell me."

"I'm a Vampire," Edward confessed.

"Get fucked."

"Jules!"

"What?" Jules tutted at Bella. "If he's not gonna answer properly, I have the right to tell him where he can stick it." Despite himself, Edward chuckled. "This isn't funny, Edward! This is my sister we're talking about! She runs away on a whim because she claimed to have broken up with you which I could never believe that Bella would do that because she's so besotted with you it's disgusting." Bella and Edward shared a sweet smile at that. "And, then, when she does come back home, she comes here with a broken leg, a few broken ribs, and a fucking human bite mark on her arm. What am I supposed to make of that, huh?"

"JuJu.." Bella trailed off, a sad expression on her face. "I'm so sorry. I never wanted to leave, you have to believe me. It was the only way to keep you and Charlie safe."

"Safe from what?" Jules asked.

"Vampires, Juliana," Edward rolled his eyes, "keep up."

"Vampires do not exist!" Jules exclaimed again, getting frustrated with him.

"Why are you so against the idea?" Edward asked calmly.

"Because if you're really a Vampire who lives forever, what does that mean for me?" Jules asked, making the pair to look at her confused (Edward a little less so as he could read her mind but he didn't want to let on yet). "Oh, come on, don't act as if you haven't thought about this? You live forever, Bella doesn't want to be without you, ergo she turns into a Vampire, ergo I lose my sister because I cannot stand the fact that we're not gonna grow old together." Jules then focused on Bella, her eyes stinging with tears. "That was always the plan, Bells. You and me. But you're gonna choose him over me?" She looked back at Edward. "That's why I cannot accept this."

And, with that, Jules walked out. She didn't even realise she had left the house until she felt the crunch of the leaves and the twigs beneath her shoes. She kept walking, feeling the tears run down her cheeks but refusing to acknowledge the reason for them. Her feet were on autopilot, knowing where she needed to go before her mind did and before she knew it, she was on La Push beach. Her safe haven away from all of the chaos.

She had no idea how long she had been there, staring out at the sea as tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

"Jules?" The voice of a friend snapped her back to reality. The brunette looked around to see Jared; Sam was nowhere to be found. "What's wrong?"

Jules knew there was no point in hiding anything: she knew he had noticed her puffy eyes, and also figured that as he was a Shifter, he may have more insight. "The Cullens." She noticed Jared stiffen up at the mere mention of their name. Due to that, Jules technically didn't need to say anything else because she pretty much had her answer, but she decided to ask anyway, "they're Vampires, aren't they?"

"How do you.."

"Bella came home with a bite mark on her arm," she interrupted. "She's still human," Jules added when she saw the tension rise in Jared's shoulders. "I'm assuming one of the Cullens saved her, however you do that. I've known something was up with the Cullens when I first came across them," she explained to Jared. "And when Bella started dating Edward, my suspicions only grew because she suddenly became all secretive and Bell and I have never had a secret before so I knew this had to be big."

"She knows what he is?" Jules simply nodded at the boy's question. "And she's still with him?"

"She's making jokes about it," Jules scoffed. "I just.. it makes zero sense. How can you be with someone who actually wants to drink your blood?"

"It's sick is what it is," Jared commented, sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Jules lay her head on the Quileute boy's shoulder.

"Anyway," Jules breathed, "no more Vampire talk." Jared hummed in agreement. "On the other side of the supernatural spectrum, how are you doing?"

Jared laughed quickly. "I'm coming to terms with it, I think. Sam's been a big help. I have no idea how he did all of this on his own."

"It must've been lonely," Jules sighed.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence before Jared broke it, smirking as he asked, "so, how's life being Sam's Imprint?" He laughed loudly when her cheeks turned pink. "Good, then?"

Jules let out a breathy laugh and nodded, before sighing, "on one hand, it still feels strange but on the other, it's somewhat completely normal. Like, look at our lives.. you turn into a wolf, my sister's dating a Vampire, and I've been Imprinted on by not just a wolf, but the Alpha." She chuckled to herself, "now that's a Y.A romance novel waiting to happen." Jared laughed at that. There were a couple seconds of quiet again, before it was interrupted by a loud rumble. Jules turned to Jared who wore a sheepish smile. "Was that your stomach?!"

"Hey now," Jared exclaimed, "being a Shifter is hungry work. We burn off so much more energy, you see?"

Jules nodded in understanding, before deadpanning at Jared, "is this your way of asking for my banana bread?"

"It's the best!" Jared exclaimed, putting on an extra innocent smile. "Please!!!?"

"You're taking us," was Jules' compromise as she held out a hand for Jared to help her up.

"I didn't bring my car," Jared pointed out but Jules simply smirked. "No. No way. Sam will literally kill me."

"Oh, come on Jar!" Jules pleaded. "You do want the banana bread, don't you?"

It took Jared less than a minute to fold.

The feeling of riding on a Werewolf was utterly indescribable. Jules felt invincible as she and Jared ran through the forest, indestructible even. She held on tightly to his smoky-black fur as he carried her, and before she knew it, the wolf was already gesturing for her to get off. She did and the wolf transformed back into Jared (donning a new pair of shorts) before the duo made their way out of the clearing.

"This isn't your place," Jules commented as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

"No shit, Sherlock," Jared guffawed and yet, he walked into the place like he owned it. "You coming?"

Jules shrugged before nodding and joining him.

Jules got to work immediately, easily finding all of the ingredients she needed as Jared chose to 'help' by untunefully giving his renditions of Elvis Presley's greatest hits (Jules may have caught herself humming along but that wasn't the point).

"Something smells good," came a voice, a voice Jules had grown well-accustomed to in the last few weeks, as he stepped through the front door. Jules stared at Jared, unimpressed, and rolled her eyes when he offered her a mischievous smile. Footsteps came towards the kitchen and there he stood in the doorway. "Jules?"

"Hey," Jules offered meekly, before coughing, "nice place."

"Uh, thanks," Sam shot her a small, confused smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Jules asked him, an innocent smile on her face, giggling as Sam immediately started to defend himself. "Sam," she cut him off, "I'm joking." The tension let Sam's shoulders. "Jar found me in La Push," at that, Jared offered Sam a mocking-salute. "Said he was hungry, and he dragged me over here. I hope you don't mind."

Sam was elated beyond belief that Jules was in his home. He wanted her to feel comfortable in his life. Sure, he was still a little wary of Jared simply because it had only been a few weeks since his first Shift, but he couldn't sense that he was going to be a threat to his Imprint. Sam relaxed a little, making his way over and taking a seat at the breakfast bar, simply admiring Jules as she and Jared shared stories and laughs.

Jules had never felt more welcome and relaxed in a home that wasn't hers. When she was younger and used to visit Renée, Jules often felt like she didn't fit into the life that Renée and Bella shared. Like she was an inconvenience. However, in La Push with Sam and Jared, she actually felt wanted. Jules was beyond happy that she had other people in her life than Bella (who was too obsessed with Edward to worry about her twin) and Jacob (who managed to find a way to make almost every conversation about Bella). Charlie was the only consistent, normal person in her life and whilst Jules loved her father unconditionally, of course, she needed people other than him sometimes. And the thought that she had Sam for life hadn't quite sunken it yet. Sure, she loved having him around and she tended to smile just that little bit brighter whenever she heard his voice, but she couldn't help but stay a little guarded. The only reason Sam had spoken with her for the past few weeks was because he Imprinted on her. Jules was positive he wouldn't've bothered with her otherwise, and something about that didn't seem to sit right with her. However, every time he looked at her with the look of pure adoration in his eyes, Jules conveniently forgot about her doubts.