CHAPTER SIX
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i. i love you, isabella !

— ONCE ANTHONY HAD ENDED HIS PHONE CALL AND ALLOWED THE DEVICE TO FALL ONTO HIS BEDSHEETS, he listened for Bella's voice in the other room. After a moment of not hearing anything other than her radio blaring slightly, Tony deduced that she had hung up on their wild mother.

Heaving himself up off his bed, he stretched his arms into the air and debated whether or not he was actually going to talk to his younger sister, or if he should just lay back in bed and sulk or seethe in anger.

Deciding against the more depressing option, Anthony grabbed the handle of his humming oxygen tank and tugged it out the room with him.

The rubber wheels on the hardwood floor would have probably alerted Bella to his presence, if she wasn't already passed out on her bed when he opened the door.

Stepping into her room and manoeuvring around the wooden framed doorway, he glanced around the room that he hadn't seen in years. It was as if nothing had changed, despite the bedsheets and the computer in the corner.

There were drawings and pictures and little souvenirs stuck to the walls. Looking at all of them, he smiled a genuine, happy smile. He saw a child's drawing of a wonky dog stuck to the wall with frayed masking tape.

He recognized it as the one Anthony had drawn for her when he was seven.

When Anthony was young, he wanted to be an artist. He wasn't that bad either and despite an armada of people that told him being an artist wasn't a stable job, his sister never once doubted his ability.

Sometimes, for practice, they'd get out Monopoly money and little Bella would pretend to be an interested buyer while Anthony showed off all his rather abstract paintings and slightly off pencil sketches. Needless to say by the end of the day, Anthony was rich in fake money and Bella was creating a wall of art pieces in her room.

Simpler times, Anthony thought as he ran his fingers along the $500 bill of Monopoly money that was attached to the wall with a thumb tack next to a slightly better drawing of a butterfly.

Turning around to see Bella, still sprawled out on her sheets with the blankets bunched up at her feet and binders of homework laying next to her.

Anthony huffed slightly and sluggishly grabbed the binders and pencils off her bed, trying his best to set them on her desk despite his tubing holding him back.

Once Tony was done he sat down next to his sister, facing her.

For a moment, Tony's mind wandered between memories of him coming into his sister's room as a kid to sooth her nightmares as he moved the hair out of Bella's face.

He used to climb up onto the bed and hug Bella close. Even as a child he was trying to protect her from her demons.

How did it get to this? He thought. How did he get to this moment where Bella hated him for his illness.

His illness.

That's what it was.

This constant demon in his chest that screamed every time he breathed. It was cancer that ruined the relationship with his sister.

He wished it hadn't.

He wished that, while he could protect Bella from her demons, that he also had the strength to protect her from his own.

Snapping out of it, Tony saw the time on Bella's alarm. Realizing it was late and he had school in the morning, he decided to follow Isabella's lead and go to bed.

Rising from the mattress, Anthony grabbed the blankets and pulled them over his sister's sleeping form.

Sweeping her thick brown hair away from her face yet again, Tony leaned down and pressed his lips to Bella's forehead.

Hovering for a moment, Tony closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet and almost non existent, "I love you, Isabella."

That was the last of his visit as he rose, set Bella's alarm, and picked up his oxygen tank.

As he closed the door of her room, he heard a groggy voice.

"Tony?"

Anthony stopped for a moment.

"I love you too."

Then, Bella was fast asleep before she could see Anthony's gentle smile.

— NOTHING OBVIOUS HAD CHANGED IN THE MORNING. Charlie left early, as predicted of a town chief of police. Bella and Tony ate breakfast in silence for the most part.

Though for the first time in years, it wasn't uncomfortable.

Tony got up and put their dishes into the sink while Bella grabbed her keys and that was that until they got into the truck.

"So you got along quite well with the Cullens yesterday." Bella stated over the roaring of the engine.

Anthony was surprised, not quite expecting Bella to start up a conversation.

"Yeah they're a good group." Tony replied.

There was a short pause in conversation as Bella figured out what to say.

"Just out of curiosity, did any of them say anything about me?"

Tony furrowed his brows and a crease formed on his forehead.

"No? Why would they?"

Bella sighed, "It's just, I don't think that Edward guy likes me very much."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, somewhat liking that they were finally having a real conversation, but not necessarily thrilled that it was about the Cullens.

"We have biology together. We sit next to each other and- I don't- I don't know maybe I'm just really paranoid but it seemed like he was glaring at me." Bella stressed as they pulled into the parking lot rather early. Something that Bella had insisted on as apparently, a lot of students showed up early so they could mess around or meet up with their friends before class. Plus, it wasn't like there was a whole lot to do at home.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it. During lunch he was really nice. Maybe something happened between periods and he took it out on you." Tony, never the voice of reason, spoke.

"Yeah. Maybe." Bella stated as she cut the engine. She was kind of hoping Anthony would like her friends, but when that went down hill she began hoping her brother's new friends would like her. With Edward glaring at her for an entire class, she wasn't so sure now.

Getting out of the truck with a bit of struggle once again, Tony scanned the area for the Cullen's vehicles, wanting to find Alice before class.

He'd meant to ask for some contact information yesterday so that maybe they could hang out after school or over the weekend, but he'd forgotten because not only was he with Alice at the end of the day, he was also with Jasper.

He really wanted to get to know Jasper.

At the same time though, Tony had no idea if Jasper was even into guys and to be honest, he'd rather save himself the embarrassment.

Realizing that the Cullens were nowhere to be seen, Tony walked to the front of the truck where Bella was standing with some homework she'd pulled out of her bag.

Isabella was surprised when Tony came up next to her and leaned against the orange-red hood, but she didn't question it. Even when Anthony dropped his big brown jacket over her shoulders.

"Here," he stated. "It's cold out."

"Why don't you wear it then?" Bella unintentionally sassed.

"Because I'm not cold." As he said this, he noticed Emmett standing on the back of his Jeep Rubicon, and if Anthony squinted he could see the mess of blond hair that was Jasper in the front seat. Next to the Jeep was Rosalie's cherry Mercedes convertible, with Alice Cullen in the passenger seat.

Anthony watched as Alice hopped out of the car and scanned the parking lot, locking eyes with him and waving excitedly.

Turning to his sister, Tony nodded in farewell then power walked across the lot to greet Alice, who welcomed him with a hug.

It seemed like Alice really enjoyed hugging.

Not that Tony was complaining, he quite enjoyed Alice's hugs.

"Hey Alice." He chucked into the girl's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him down to her level. Tony could feel the cold of her skin along the back of his neck and he sighed contently as it cooled down his seemingly always warm skin. Jasper, from a few feet away, could feel the happiness radiating off the two and couldn't help but smile at their affection.

Alice had been telling him about visions she kept having, each one about Anthony and her hanging out or him and Jasper falling in love.

It was so odd to hear about it from Alice, but she was happy and oh so thrilled to become friends with the newcomer.

However, Jasper saw how little life Anthony had in him, and he barely knew the Swan boy. He wouldn't ask anyone to become like him, and he wasn't even sure if he should, but with Anthony's illness it wasn't sure how long their predicted love would last.

"All night I was wanting to text you about making plans this weekend, but I totally forgot to exchange numbers!" Alice stated as she pulled away.

Tony chuckled lightly, "Yeah I was thinking the exact same thing."

Alice beamed at this and pulled out her phone, opening her contacts and sliding it into Anthony's hand. He put in his number and typed out a quick message to himself, feeling the vibration in his sweater pocket.

"So you said something about this weekend?" Tony asked as he handed Alice back her phone. They began walking towards the school with Jasper falling in step beside Anthony.

"Yes!" Alice exclaimed, "I was wondering if you'd like to go to Port Angeles with me this weekend?"

"That's an hours drive away." Anthony reminded. Alice pouted slightly, thinking maybe Anthony was gonna back out because of the long drive.

Instead, Anthony wrapped his unoccupied arm around her shoulder and spoke again, "But it's definitely better than the stores here in Forks."

Alice grinned again and squealed excitedly. Anthony looked down at the pixie like girl in admiration, wondering how one person could have so much balled up energy.

"I assume we'll be shopping?" Tony stated.

Alice faltered for a moment, "If that's okay with you?"

Anthony laughed. Despite hating gay stereotypes, he was guilty of a few himself and one of them was shopping. Specifically for clothes. Living in Arizona with a mother like Renée, how could he not.

He couldn't deny it, he loved shopping.

"Don't worry, Angel I'm a very typical shopping-loving gay." Tony whispered into her ear. He was proud of his sexuality, and he wouldn't hide it. Especially from Alice, whom he was coming to like very much.

She turned to him, smiling.

"Firstly, Angel?" She questioned while giggling quietly, to which Anthony shrugged. "Secondly, why did you whisper that?" She matched his whispering tone.

Anthony glanced at Jasper, who was preoccupying himself by playing with his coat's zipper and pretending like he wasn't listening in on their conversation.

"Because your brother is illegally attractive and I really don't wanna ruin anything." Tony muttered back. "I just met him yesterday, I don't wanna scare him off by pulling the 'I'm gay' card."

Alice looked up at him as they walked past the art room sign and stopped at the steps.

"I don't think you have to worry about scaring him off." She smiled.

They both addressed Jasper, who was beginning to realize he'd followed them to their art class accidentally.

"Jasper?" Alice pulled him out of his trance like state once and for all.

"Have a great class, Alice." He nodded in the girl's direction. "And I'll see you in history." He told Anthony as he took a few steps away.

Pulling away from Anthony's arm, Alice spun on her heel and grabbed his hand, walking backwards on the steps. Anthony kept an eye on where her feet were planted just in case she nearly fell and he needed to catch her.

They got into the classroom with little to no difficulty, and immediately found their way to their seats.

Like clockwork, they went through the exact same routine as yesterday. Pulling out their materials before turning to each other and talking, completely ignoring when the teacher came in.

author's note

Hey guys, let me be fast
and just say a quick thank you to everyone reading
and supporting WDWG,
it means a lot.

Also I'd like to ask if
anyone feels like
2000 words per
chapter is too much?
That's been my goal since
I started writing
but I realize that's
also a lot of reading
for some people so
let me know if you
think I should shorten it!

Thanks again, I love you guys! ♥️