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When the next summer season of soccer came around, Bella couldn’t have been more excited. The year had gone amazingly and she and Kate had become nearly inseparable. JP was an amazing adversary for the both of them and always had Bella’s back when she wanted to go hang out with Kate and would cover for them.
Bella and JP had also gotten closer. Bella adored her roommate and the time that she got to spend with her. They often ate meals together, studied together, and pushed each other during workouts and practices. Bella couldn’t believe how lucky she’d gotten when moving to Alaska.
“Why is Tanya here to watch practice?” Bella mumbled when Kate walked by her as she stretched. Kate shrugged and shot Bella her signature smirk and eyeroll. Bella just rolled her own eyes in response and then fell into step as the girls took a lap around the field as part of their warm-up.
Bella let up her pace so she could fall back with her roommate. JP and her boyfriend had broken up earlier in the week. It was an amicable break up, but Bella knew it had upset her best friend and JP hadn’t been her normal self in the several days since.
“How you feeling?” Bella asked as they took the corner and JP shot her a knowing look, “I know you don’t want to talk about him,” Bella held her hands up in surrender with a grin on her face, “I’m asking about you, J,” She pointed out.
She heard JP sigh and then saw her shrug, “I’m fine. I’m not even that tore up over it to be honest,” She glanced at Bella, “But he was… routine?” She said like a question and scrunched her face up, “That sounds terrible.”
“No it doesn’t,” Bella assured her, “You two loved each other in your own way. It wasn’t big professions of love and it wasn’t overly romantic but he was there for you and you for him,” She cocked her head to the side, “J, I think he was just your best friend,” She said and furrowed her eyebrows.
“You’re my best friend, La,” JP said softly and then turned back to look forward as they started their second lap, “But he was a great friend. A rock,” She made a face, “It’s weird not having him around. Not talking to him every day. It feels off and kinda empty.”
“Let’s go out tonight,” Bella said suddenly. JP looked over at her, hesitant smile on her face.
“Yeah?” She asked and Bella nodded, “Don’t you have plans with…” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder in the general direction of their coach.
“Don’t worry about Kate,” Bella laughed, “I’m sure she can entertain herself for the night.”
They fell into easy conversation for the last lap and Bella felt Kate step up beside her when she and JP paused near their bags to grab their water bottles.
“I heard that,” Kate teased though she didn’t seem upset.
“Good,” Bella mumbled, “Then you know I have to cancel on you,” She smiled sweetly up at her mate who just smirked.
“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t get too drunk.”
“Who said anything about drinking?” Bella pointed out.
“This is JP we’re talking about here,” Kate deadpanned.
Bella paused, cocked her head to the side, and conceded, “You’re right.”
0~0~0
JP had gotten over her breakup within a few weeks and hadn’t looked back. Bella noticed she wasn’t entertaining the idea of dating yet as several of the girls had tried to set her up only to be shot down politely.
Bella didn’t question it. When JP was ready to start dating again, she would. JP had even asked her about mating bonds a few days ago and asked her to describe the feeling to her. Bella had done so, smile on her face, but she felt bad for JP. She didn’t have that.
Bella sat down next to Tanya at the end of their practice when the rest of the girls had wandered off onto the campus, “What the hell are you doing here all the time?” Bella asked with a laugh as she dug around in her bag for her water bottle, “You hate soccer and you can annoy Kate at home, so what gives?”
“I have a theory that vampires actually can get a tan and I get bored sitting in the direct sunlight by myself all the time.” Bella blinked and then let out a laugh. She saw Tanya smirk and rolled her eyes at the blonde as she knocked their shoulders together. She sighed, “I dunno, B,” She shrugged as she watched her sister collect cones from the field, “I just get... lonely,” She finished and Bella studied her face for a few moments. She got it. Tanya was the only unmated vampire in their coven. Of course she would want to be around others and would feel different.
“Tanya,” Bella whispered, “I’m sure they’re just around the corner,” She assured the vampire.
Tanya gave her a sad smile, “Yeah.”
0~0~0
“It’s weird that CK’s sister keeps showing up to all of our practices and games, right?” JP asked. The two of them were out for pizza together on a Sunday. They’d had their second game of the summer the day before and had celebrated last night. Kate was off hunting with the coven today.
“Kinda,” Bella shrugged, “I asked her about it but... I think she just gets tired of doing the same old same old all the time,” She tried her best to cover the sadness in her tone. She loved Tanya so much. The blonde was like the big sister she’d always wanted.
“That makes sense,” JP nodded and bit into her slice of pepperoni, “I can’t imagine living through everything that they have. I guess there’s a reason that humans are mortal,” She joked and Bella swallowed thickly. JP looked up at her roommate when she didn’t answer and realization dawned on her, “La-La, I didn’t mean anything by it. I just couldn’t imagine having lived through the time periods that they went through. I mean people not having rights because of their color of their skin, women having no rights, wars, so many different world leaders. It's got to be a lot.”
Bella sighed and nodded, “You’re right. Kate doesn’t talk about it often, but when she does, she gets this look on her face. Like everything hurts,” She mumbled the last part and looked up when JP put her hand over Bella’s.
“You can’t take all of her pain away, La,” JP told her seriously, “But I'm sure you’re doing way more than you think you are,” She said.
Bella stared at her roommate for a moment before smiling softly, “Thanks, J,” She said genuinely, “Now who are you and what have you done with my roommate?” Bella teased and JP laughed too.
“Oh, thank god!” JP exclaimed as she sat back in her seat, “I don’t do emotions like that,” She said, “I need a drink now.”
Bella just rolled her eyes fondly.
0~0~0
Bella shifted against Kate’s side as she listened to her mate and Tanya talking. She tuned in when she thought she’d heard her roommate’s name.
“Ya know, if I thought she was ready to date, I’d set you up with her, Tanya,” Bella laughed and winked at the vampire before shifting against Kate again. When both vampires went silent, Bella looked back up to see both of them staring at her. “What?” She asked bluntly.
Tanya and Kate seemed to have a silent conversation with their eyes before Kate shifted and Bella sat up to look at her. “What do you mean?” She asked Bella curiously. “Why?”
“I just think it would work,” She motioned towards Tanya, “And then JP asked me about her the other day,” She shrugged and Kate’s eyes went wide.
“She asked about me?” Tanya asked as she sat forward closer to Bella.
“Uh, yeah, kind of,” Bella furrowed her eyebrows. “Why?”
“What did she say?” Tanya asked her. Bella furrowed her eyebrows at the excited tone the vampire had let into her question.
The human tore her eyes from Tanya to look curiously at Kate. Her mate’s face was nearly the same as Tanya’s. Bella glanced between the two of them before her mouth fell open and her eyes landed on Tanya.
“Why didn’t you say anything?!” She asked, full smile on her face now.
“Because I thought the bond was broken,” Tanya said. At Bella’s confused look, she continued, “It’s rare, but every so often a vampire can have a mating bond and it won’t be reciprocated,” She explained.
“That’s awful. So that’s why you didn’t have any issues with telling her you were a vampire,” Bella said as she turned to Kate and received a nod in response. “Oh!” Her own eyes went wide. “She asked me about bonds.”
“When?” Tanya asked, excitedly.
“About a month ago,” Bella answered after a moment. “I didn’t think much about it at the time. She was fresh off of her breakup and I thought she was just curious,” Bella bit her lip, “Sorry,” She apologized now that she realized how that information could have been helpful.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tanya assured her. Bella watched her smile creep back onto her face and grinned in return.
“Wait,” Bella held up her hand, “So you thought your bond was broken and what? You were just going to continue to watch her to, I don’t know, torture yourself?” She felt her heart breaking.
“You know how you don’t like not being near Kate?” Tanya asked her and Bella subconsciously leaned further into her mate’s side as she nodded, “And you know Kate feels that pull ten-fold,” She continued and got another nod, “Even if the bond was broken, that’s how I feel,” Tanya shrugged, “I couldn’t stay away,” She finished.
“We’ll have to work on this then,” Bella said with a smirk and Tanya looked at her wide eyed, her smile falling as she took in the human’s devious look.
“Bella,” She said in warning as the human picked up her phone, “What are you doing?”
“Making sure that J at least understands that she’s not straight. Because if she’s got to come to terms with that, then this might take a good while,” Bella answered and Tanya groaned as she flopped backwards on the couch.
0~0~0
Bella rolled her eyes as she listened to Tanya talk on the other line. She was pulling her shoes on so she could go meet up with the woman. “T, seriously, that’s not true,” She said as she opened her bedroom door. She pocketed her phone since she was connected to the call through her air pods anyway and saw her roommate sprawled out on the couch watching TV.
JP looked up and raised an eyebrow, “You look too cute to be hanging out with CK,” She said and Bella squinted at her playfully.
“I dress up for my girlfriend sometimes,” Bella said but even she knew that was a lie.
“Yeah?” JP raised her eyebrows as she sat up, “When was the last time you ran a brush through that hair before you went over there?” Bella heard Tanya’s laugh and huffed.
“It’s not like she doesn’t see me sweaty and covered in dirt and grass several times a week. I don’t see the point,” Bella conceded and her roommate laughed at her.
“Where are you going?”
“Uh, shopping with Tanya,” Bella answered and then had to refrain from rolling her eyes as Tanya started yelling.
“Invite her!” The vampire all but shouted in her ear and Bella bit her lip to keep from laughing, “B, seriously, please?”
“You’re invited if you want to come,” Bella said and shot her a pleading look. She didn’t really mind shopping with Tanya, but JP didn’t have to know that.
“Do I have time to change?” She asked.
“She doesn’t need to change, she’s perfect!” Tanya exclaimed and Bella pursed her lips for a moment to keep her laugh in.
“Definitely, J, I’ll wait,” She assured her roommate and took the girl’s spot once she’d gotten up to go change.
“You’re the best,” Tanya said and Bella did roll her eyes then, “Oh my god, I should have changed,” She mumbled.
Bella breathed out a laugh and shook her head, “You’re insane. You probably look like you stepped off of a walkway. Don’t worry about it,” She assured her and ended the call after saying they’d meet her at the mall.
0~0~0
JP had grabbed Bella’s hand and interlocked their fingers together as they made their way through the mall to the food court where they were meeting Tanya. The blonde took one look at them and her eyes flickered from their joined hands to Bella’s face. The brunette knew Tanya wouldn’t like that. Hell, even Kate had had to get used to it. She made sure JP wasn’t looking her way before mouthing ‘Sorry’ to the vampire.
“So what are we doing here?” Bella huffed and both Tanya and JP rolled their eyes at her.
“Seriously, B, you’ve got to get over this hatred of shopping,” Tanya told her and JP nodded in agreement.
“Right, she’s awful to drag out somewhere,” JP said to Tanya and Bella could have sworn that she could hear the butterflies in Tanya’s stomach.
They started towards the shop JP and Tanya agreed on first and Bella pulled her phone out.
Bella: Sorry, she’s VERY tactile
Bella shot the message off and a moment later Tanya pulled hers out.
Tanya: As long as she’s happy
Bella knew she didn’t really like it but at least she wasn’t about to rip Bella’s hand off.
Bella sat back for the most part and watched as JP and Tanya got closer. It started off a little stiff, but over the course of moving through several shops, the two of them had become fast friends. Bella noticed that Tanya’s smile hadn’t faltered once. God, now she knew how everyone else must feel watching her and Kate. It was sickeningly sweet. Though she couldn’t really find the will to care so much.
By the time they were ready to leave the mall, JP’s arm had looped itself through Tanya’s and the two had swapped phone numbers. Bella had had to leave the area at the look on Tanya’s face when JP had initiated contact. She found a spot away from them to laugh so JP wouldn’t hear her.
“That was fun,” Her roommate said on the drive back to campus and Bella tried to hide her smirk.
“Yeah, it was. T’s pretty great,” Bella hyped up her pseudo-sister. She glanced over at her roommate and took in her dreamy look as she watched the scenery pass by out the window. She just smiled to herself as she shook her head fondly.
0~0~0
Bella, Tanya, and JP had hung out together several times since their mall outing. From what Bella knew, JP and Tanya also texted quite a bit. She was glad they both had someone.
Bella glared up at Kate for the comment she’d just made. The rest of the girls had already walked off leaving just her and JP. Her roommate was picking up her bag and snorted at the comment that Kate had made causing Bella to turn her glare on her roommate. JP just held her hands up in surrender as she neared the two of them.
“I saw a sign about 80s-night bowling,” Kate said excitedly and Bella couldn’t hold her glare anymore as she looked up into golden eyes, “You guys wanna go?” She asked and Bella shrugged as she glanced over at JP to gage her reaction. “Awesome, I’ll bring Tanya too. It’ll be like a double date,” She laughed, “Like a double mate date,” She giggled at herself even as Bella’s eyes went wide in warning.
“A what?” JP asked after a moment and Bella face palmed.
“Katrina,” She admonished her mate and pinched the bridge of her nose. Kate stopped laughing at her bad joke and froze.
“Oh, babe, this is bad,” Kate said, “Oh, I’m not safe at all right now,” She mumbled as she started collecting all of her things, “I’m not safe in the state of Alaska right now.”
“Kate you’re not safe in North America right now,” Bella bit out, “You better start running. When you hit ocean, keep going,” She glared at the blonde who had the decency to look sorry. “You better go. I’ll give you a five-minute head start,” And with that, the blonde was gone.
Bella let out a breath and looked over at her frozen roommate, “J?” She asked cautiously and green eyes met her own, “How are you feeling there?” She asked softly and then watched so much emotion flicker over her roommate’s face until the girl was suddenly sobbing, “Shit.” She pulled out her phone as she led her roommate back towards their dorm.
Bella: 911
Tanya: On my way.
0~0~0
By the time Bella could step away from JP, the girl had downed three rapid shots of tequila and was feeling no pain. Bella had tried to stop her, but she was sneaky when she wanted to be. The human made her way downstairs and found Tanya pacing back and forth, worried look on her face. She filled her in quickly and watched Tanya grow angrier and angrier.
“How is she?” She finally asked after a moment.
“Close to drunk… If she’s not already there,” Bella said truthfully and Tanya sighed and shook her head as she brought a hand up to rub at her temple.
Bella answered her phone distractedly when it rang, “Hello?”
“Just bring her up, La,” She heard her roommate’s voice and Tanya’s head snapped up too.
“What?” Bella asked in confusion.
“There’s no other reason that you would’ve left and been gone this long. And we both know CK is still running for the hills,” She pointed out and Bella could hear the humor in her voice. Maybe she wasn’t as close to drunk as Bella thought. “Bring her up. I have a feeling this is a two person conversation,” She dead panned and Bella grinned before telling her roommate they’d be right there and hanging up.
“She didn’t sound too upset,” Bella pointed out and Tanya nodded. “Come on, let’s get you up there so you can salvage this.”
When they entered the dorm, JP was already sat cross legged in the corner of the couch. She looked up, made eye contact first with Bella and then with Tanya, and Bella could have sworn that she saw her roommate’s shoulders relax just a little.
Bella looked between them and then shifted, “So, I’m going to leave you two to it,” She said awkwardly and JP rolled her eyes, “And I’m going to go kill my mate,” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards the door.
“I get first dibs,” Tanya muttered and Bella paused for a moment before nodding.
“Noted,” She agreed with a grin before leaving.
0~0~0
Bella had finally gotten Kate on the phone and the vampire had come to get her. Bella had ridden piggyback style back to the Denali home and had just looked up at her mate with an unimpressed look on her face once she was placed down.
“I’m sorry!” She exclaimed as she ran her hands through her hair. “This is legit why people don’t tell me secrets,” She pouted and Bella sighed and shook her head before moving forward and enveloping Kate in her arms.
“We have got to get you a filter for that space between your brain and your mouth,” She mumbled and felt Kate’s arms wrap around her as the vampire nodded against her, “JP was almost drunk before I even left the dorm to go talk to Tanya,” She told Kate.
“Shit,” The blonde whispered as she shook her head at herself, “She’s going to murder me. Do you know how hard it is to murder a vampire?” She asked incredulously.
“Yes, Kate,” Bella answered as she nuzzled her face into Kate’s shoulder, “She’ll have to go through me first… though that probably won’t buy you much time,” Bella teased and Kate deflated, “Come on, let’s watch another episode of that god awful show you like while we wait.”
Nearly an hour later, Bella was all but laid on top of Kate using the vampire as a human sized pillow. Her phone buzzed and she propped up to look at the text.
JP: You can come back now
JP: Though I think I’d keep CK hidden for the moment
La-La: You two okay?
JP: We’re fine. It’s going to take some getting used to though.
JP: But, holy hell, she’s fine af right?
Bella giggled and Kate couldn’t take it any longer and shot her a pointed look, “Here,” She said as she held her phone out and Kate snorted before shaking her head.
“You better not answer her,” She warned and Bella raised her eyebrows.
La-La: Hell yeah, J. T is a goddess.
Bella waited a moment before Kate’s own phone buzzed and then laughed at the shocked look on her mate’s face, “Bella, that’s not funny.”
“It’s hilarious,” She mumbled as she climbed off of Kate and stretched her arms, “Will you take me back to campus?” She asked sweetly and the vampire couldn’t help her answering smile as she stood and hugged Bella to her, “We both know you’re the literal definition of beautiful, Kate. It’s not like you have anything to worry about,” She teased as she leaned up to connect their lips.
“I better not.”
0~0~0
Bella unlocked her dorm door and walked in. Tanya was about to leave and looked at her, “Where is she?” She narrowed her eyes and Bella glanced over her shoulder at JP who just held her hands up in a clear ‘I’m not helping you’ motion.
“She’s… hiding,” Bella said and Tanya raised her eyebrows, “She’s literally sitting on your couch watching some bad MTV show from 2001. Can you keep the pieces of her to a minimum? Like two to three pieces max? I’m not great with the hot glue gun,” She pointed out and Tanya just stared at her before she heard JP burst into laughter.
“I’m going to kill her,” Tanya muttered as she left and closed the door behind her. Bella locked it after her and turned around to see her roommate.
JP stared at her for a long moment before disappearing into the kitchen and coming back with the bottle of tequila from earlier and two shot glasses, “Come on,” She motioned for Bella to sit on the couch with her.
“How was it?” Bella asked as they settled and clinked their shots together before downing them.
“Not awful,” JP answered her with a shrug, “I mean… I already liked her,” She blushed, “But, now that I know this…” She shook her head as she trailed off and looked into brown eyes.
“I sobbed when Kate told me that we were mates,” Bella supplied and poured them another shot each, “Literally sobbed in my bedroom while she panicked and didn’t know what to do because I clearly didn’t want her to touch me,” Bella said and they both tipped their shots back again.
“And CK, what, freaked out?”
“Completely freaked out,” Bella answered with a nod, “You remember the practice where she was weird and we kept having to run laps for missed drills?” JP’s eyes widened in recognition, “That was the day after,” Bella confessed.
“Shit,” Her roommate whispered, “So, our conversation definitely didn’t go like that,” She said and Bella could hear a teasing lilt in her voice. That was good at least.
“No?” She asked as JP poured them another shot and Bella eyed it warily.
“Don’t be a wimp,” She said and the two of them downed another shot. “Nah, it wasn’t bad. I should have known. I mean I felt so fucking pulled towards her anytime she was around and I love talking to her so much. I mean it’s intense, right?”
“So intense!” Bella answered and nodded rapidly, “This is great to have someone human to discuss this with,” She grinned and they poured another round of shots.
0~0~0
Bella sent off the picture of the two of them. They were well and truly drunk now and had started posing for selfies. At one point while taking them, JP had licked Bella on the cheek as she snapped the photo and the girl had squealed but smirked when she looked at it. They’d giggled as Bella sent it off to both Kate and Tanya in a group chat. Neither were surprised when her phone immediately rang with an incoming facetime from Kate.
She answered, she and JP all but hanging off of one another while they tried to inhabit the same space on the couch.
“Katie!” She crowed and then Tanya was also on the screen as Kate shifted the phone, “T!” She said in much the same way and both blondes just stared at them.
“What are you two doing?” Kate finally settled on.
“Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots!” JP sang as she poured another two shots, “We’re almost out of tequila, La-La,” She pouted and Bella’s jaw dropped, “But! We have whiskey,” She said happily and Bella nodded in agreement and they downed their shots.
“Bella,” She heard Kate’s voice and picked the phone up again having forgotten that they were on the facetime call, “You have got to stop drinking. You both have practice tomorrow,” Kate reminded.
“Aw, CK,” JP whined as she draped her arms over Bella’s shoulders and laid her head down, “You’re a real stick,” She dead panned and the two roommates laughed at her bad joke.
“Stick?” Bella heard Tanya ask and heard Kate quickly explain it to her before Tanya was rolling her eyes but couldn’t help the fond look on her face.
“J, I think your spit dried on my face,” Bella complained as she rubbed at her cheek while JP laughed at her.
“Yeah, I don’t like that,” Both Tanya and Kate said at nearly the same time.
“We’ve literally made out before,” JP said off handedly as she reached out and, uncoordinatedly, rubbed at Bella’s cheek.
“What?” Kate asked and Bella turned to see two angry vampires. She nudged JP and the girl looked to the screen too before laughing.
“Oh yeah, old news. There’s probably a video somewhere,” Bella said and JP thought for a moment before nodding, “We’ve made out,” She nodded.
“Explain,” Tanya said and Bella giggled before handing the phone to her roommate and getting up to go into the kitchen.
“It was a dare,” She giggled, “We won. We so won. Hollywood never said we wouldn’t take a dare again.”
“Damn right she didn’t,” Bella came back with two bottles of water and handed one to JP. She thanked her quietly while the two vampires continued to fume.
“How? How did we end up with mates that are basically the same person in this generation?” Kate mumbled and Bella giggled.
“Because you two are like the same person in slightly different fonts,” She told them and Kate and Tanya both looked at her like she was crazy.
“Yeah!” JP joined in, “It’s like copy,” She motioned to Tanya, “Paste,” She said as she motioned to Kate. Bella turned to look at JP and nodded vigorously.
“That’s it exactly,” Bella agreed as the two of them leaned back into the couch together and continued to enjoy watching their slightly angry, slightly amused, mates. “Did you need something when you called?”
“You sent us a photo of JP licking you,” Kate reminded, “I was kind of concerned,” She answered and Tanya nodded in agreement, “Now I’m more concerned considering how drunk the two of you are.”
“Seconded,” Tanya spoke up.
“Anyway,” JP said, “I’m exhausted.”
“Same,” Bella echoed the sentiment.
“Yes, that sounds like a great plan. Please go sleep,” Tanya said to the both of them causing Bella and JP both to giggle at her.
“Good night, guys,” JP said as she stood and gathered their glasses to take back to the kitchen.
“Night, Bella. Night JP!” Kate called after her very drunk player.
“Night B. Good night, Jaqueline,” Tanya said and Bella’s head whipped around so quickly the vampires thought it might snap.
“You let her call you Jaqueline?!” She exclaimed and it was the last thing the two vampires heard before the call ended.
0~0~0
Several days later, Bella opened her dorm door to see Tanya on the other side. She furrowed her eyebrows in question and Tanya opened her mouth to answer the unasked question before JP was running into the room, “Tanya, oh my god, you’ve got to see this,” She exclaimed as she grabbed the vampire’s arm and pulled her towards her room.
Bella laughed, her smile permanently on her face. She watched JP show Tanya her newest project as they talked about their plans for the night while JP finished getting ready to go out. She watched on fondly when her roommate finally announced that she was ready, and she saw Tanya all but melt as she looked over at her. “Let’s go then,” The blonde said softly and Bella watched JP reach out and link their hands together, interlocking their fingers before tugging her back into their shared space.
“Night, La-La. Don’t wait up,” She said teasingly and threw a wink her direction. Bella rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile as she watched the two of them leave.
She dug her phone out of her pocket and called Kate, “Hey, baby,” Came her greeting and she smiled.
“You’ll never guess where your sister is right now.”