•Same old•

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
XL. Same old.
Friday afternoon Edward took me to the field where they had decided the tight would take place. I was wearing my engagement ring on a necklace, tucked into my shirt. I had many reasons for it, the first one being that I did not want to risk losing it while moving around so much. Second, I want to tell people before they see the ring. Third...I was dreading Jacob's reaction.
I pulled a small pocket knife from my jacket pocket and looked at Edward, who hovered close by. "You sure you want to be here for this?" I asked him softly as I raised my eyebrows.
"I've told you before, your blood doesn't bother me," Edward assured me as he shook his head.
I nodded quietly in response. I held open the palm of my previously broken hand. Carlisle had taken off my cast yesterday morning and I was finally free to move my hand again. I held the blade to my palm. I glanced at Edward and noticed him looking away. Not because of the blood but because he couldn't bear seeing me hurt myself.
I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath as I cut a small line across the inside of my hand. It took a second before the blood started seeping through the broken skin. I didn't look down at the blood. Blindly I used my free hand to wipe up the blood and began smearing it across trees and onto the glass below my feet.
"Won't it affect the others?" I asked Edward curiously as I moved around to smear more blood across any surface I could find. My breathing was a little heavy and I was careful not to look at the blood. But knowing it was there, was enough to make me feel a little dizzy.
"No," Edward replied as he watched me, following behind me. "They've gotten quite used to you now and their heads are focused," he explained, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Unlike the army's will be," he muttered. "You're going overboard," he told me.
"If this is all I can contribute, I want to be thorough." I insisted as I continued to move around and smeared blood where I could, still careful not to catch a glimpse of red.
"The newborns will be frantic." Edward scoffed softly as he stepped up to me. He pulled a roll of bandages out of his pocket and took my hand in his. Deliberately I looked up at the sky to avoid looking at my hand. "Now let me put a bandage on that."
Edward was careful to wrap the bandage around my hand, making sure to cover the whole cut and letting not even a drop of blood show. When he was done, he brushed a soft kiss on my bandaged palm before turning his gaze to me. I locked my eyes with his.
"You're not wearing your ring," he noted softly as he looked down at my left hand, frowning at my empty ring finger. I had it on just this morning, and now I didn't, and he was confused.
I tugged at the silver chain around my neck, pulling out the ring that was tucked into my shirt. "I put it on my necklace for the time being. Until we tell people." I explained softly, and Edward reached out, cradling the ring between his fingertips. "I also didn't want to risk losing it," I added and he hummed in understanding.