Cold Heart

"I can't thank you enough, Charlie,"I say, fervent in gratitude. I give the awkward, introverted, man a hug. He reacts like I usually do-frozen and tense. However, I'm simply too filled with temporary happiness and gratitude to care. My parents died last week, and well, I'm not about to let my aunt house me. So when Charlie heard the news, he offered to take me in. So I've been shipped across the country to stay with my childhood best friend, Bella Swan. I know this girl more than she does herself, which just goes to show that our relationship is extraordinary. We met in Phoenix, where I had just moved at age 7. Since then, we had hung out and texted forever, even when I moved back to Atlanta at age 16. Safe to say I haven't seen Bella in a good two years, but I missed her so much that I've just been pining to hug her again. Bella and Charlie are the only people that know about my family's ... predicament. A town this small though, I won't be surprised if someone reads it out of our minds. The two of us slide into the police cruiser, and I relax on the familiar seat. Sure, I've been seated on the backseat more then the front, but Charlie doesn't need to know that. I peer out of the window at the dark small town, taking in its imperfections. We chat like old friends, and silence takes over comfortably. "How is she?" I ask, referring to Bella. Charlie grimaces. "She's great. Her boyfriend isn't, though." And I perk up in interest. "Old Bella's got a boyfriend, does she?" I smile. "Hey, what happened to her converting to lesbian and marrying me?" Charlie smirks. "Guess you can surprise her, Ti. She still doesn't know that you're here." It's been a running joke for a long time. After I told Bella that I was a lesbian, she embraced it accordingly. Just goes to show that when a straight girl can be friends with a boy, a gay girl can be friends with a girl too. Charlie frowns. "You know, I'm worried. Bella's pretty clumsy, but she was almost killed on the second week of school." My head almost hits the roof. "She what?" - I swing out of the cruiser as we pull up to the quaint yellow home. Bounding up the stairs, still high on fear and worry, I slam the unlocked door against the wall and scream up the stairs, "BELLA SWAN! GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE!" A couple of seconds later, a groggy Bella rolls down the stairs, wearing earbuds and a drool spot on her chin. Bella wipes at her face with sweater paws, and squints her eyes, trying to wake up. "Ti-Tiana...?" She whispers in disbelief. "Duh, how many friends do you have named Tiana> Do you even have friends?" I tease as she squeals and jumps up from halfway down the stairs. Now, because this is Bella Swan we are talking about, she naturally has to fall down the rest, tripping and breaking her arm with a sighing Charlie Swan behind me. Naturally. Disappointed, but not surprised, I massage my head in exasperation. "I'll take her, Charlie, just get me the keys," He throws them to me, and I pick Bella up "Let's go, bestie. You owe me an explanation and a hug."