New moon
Chapter fourteen, reality

Persephone Cullen and Sam Uley immediately pull back and turn to look at the person behind them. Only one of the two recognized the familiar voice.

Embry, Paul, and Jared were behind her looking very guilty and nervous but stopped when they saw Leah had reached them. The three boys had tried to stop her from going inside the house but Embry accidentally started saying something about the beach which led Leah to make her way over and see her recently ex-fiancé with a new girl. It hurt seeing this view especially since he claimed there was nobody else.

She had spent the entire morning crying her heart out and he was probably here with her the whole time.  Laughing at her misery.

Sam watched Leah march over causing him to get up right away and stand in front of Steph blocking her from the view. The blonde watched cautiously as the brunette kept her glare at the men in front of her.

Leah's brown eyes meet Persephone blue ones for a moment causing Leah to get hit with a wave of insecurity and doubt. Since when was Sam attracted to blondes? It was no help that his new girl looked like she had come straight from a magazine or a movie screen. Leah couldn't deny how beautiful Steph was and that only made her angrier.

"You liar! I thought you told me there was nobody else!" Leah yells tears building up in her eyes. The moment she spotted her recent ex-fiancé with another girl, her heart fell to her stomach. "How could you do this to me?"

"Leah, I never wanted to hurt you-" Sam starts but it doesn't seem to calm her down. It just made it worse. Sam was in the middle of two girls he cared deeply about and knew by the end both would be upset.

Leah could hear the argument and mumbles behind her coming from Sam's posse but she ignored them. She disliked the boys when they changed, following Sam around like lost puppy's. Her anger still focused on Sam and this other girl.

"And you're no better!" Leah yells pointing accusingly at Persephone who looked at the beautiful brunette in shock and a little fear. "He was my fiancé a couple of hours ago! But I think you already knew that,"

Sam cut her off, not liking the accusation. He stood in front of Steph as if protecting her and wanting all of Leah's focus and anger going towards him.

"She has nothing to do with this. Be angry at me." He says eagerly and with a pleading tone. Steph looked at him and felt a wave of sadness hit her. Had she ruined Sam's relationship? And most importantly, Will this cause Leah to turn? After all, she is a Clearwater.

Even if Sam couldn't help himself, the action seemed to only offend and anger Leah more. The brunette shook her head in disbelief, "Oh you're defending her now? Are you serious? You cheater! How could you do this to me!"

Sam frustrated and unconsciously tightened his fists, Persephone immediately noticed and wanted to comfort him. However, that didn't seem like a good idea in front of Leah.

Her blue eyes immediately go to the boys who are watching the fight intensely. As if ready to intervene if necessary. Her eyes met Paul's and her panicked look made him take a step forward.

"Leah, I would never-" Sam started to say but his ex-fiancé immediately interrupted him with an out of breath tone.

"You're a liar! I hate you," she says in an angry tone, pointing angrily at Sam, "I hate you, I hate you-" her voice breaks and tears immediately wall up in her eyes.

"I hate you!" The brunette yells once again but this time leaning back, "I hate you! I never want to speak to you again! Ever!"

By the end, Leah Clearwater was sobbing as she ran away. Tears falling rapidly. Paul, Jared, and Embry felt awful as they watched. Sam felt guilty and awful as his first love cried like that. He hated when Leah cried and even if they're not together anymore he still hated it.

But Persephone felt her heart break, Leah's words hit hard. A huge wave of sadness and guilt came over her.

Sam turned around and saw Steph looking at the spot where Leah stood in disbelief. Her small pale fist tightened, knowing she was probably to blame for all of this.

"You broke up with her because of me...right?" The question felt like dirt in her mouth and maybe a bit stupid if she was wrong. But a gut feeling told her she wasn't. 'I'm so stupid for not noticing it before...Sam feels something for me.'

The wolf could have lied but he knew that would be wrong. Persephone deserved the truth. The whole truth. Sam is just hoping, she didn't reject him.

"Yes but it's not like that-" he tried to explain in a panicked tone. But Steph cut it off, taking another step back....away from him.

"You messed up, Sam," Steph says biting her lip hard. "I'm not good enough for you. I never will be."

"That's not true-"

"You don't truly know me, Sam! I'm a vampire there's no denying or ever changing that. I'm going to be alive forever and eventually, you'll die." The last word stung, but it was true. She was forever a nineteen-year-old girl. He didn't deserve to be stuck with her.

The men looked at her in disbelief and reached out to grab her softly but the blonde flinched which made him flinch. Her words were true, he didn't know her. Not really, he knew what he saw. How kind she was, how thoughtful and protective she was. But nothing but her past. Nothing about her life before.

"And even if we would get together, Sam! I can never give you a normal life." The blonde said sadly, tears falling out of her eyes as well.

"Nothing about us is normal, Persephone. I turn into a literal wolf and you suck the blood out of people." The words came out before he could stop them. But instantly regretted it. Especially when he heard her soft gasp. And the guy's growls of annoying, basically face-palming the words.

His words stung and made her heart drop. They weren't even together and they were already fighting. Nothing about this relationship or friendship would ever be normal or happy. They were just too different.

"I didn't mean that." Sam looked at her confused but before even questioning it Steph yelled, "I meant children, Sam! You'll see everyone around you having them and I never give you that."

Both stood in silence after that, Sam was young and was about to get married. It was a no-brainer that kids would have been the next step. Especially in a small town, most times kids get married right after high school. She's seen it hundreds of times. That was what hurt the most, seeing them grow and live life over and over again. And sometimes she'll meet their great great great grandkids. It was odd thinking about it but that is just the reality of this.

"Don't you dare say, you don't want them." Tears continue to fall and Steph's breathing starts to get uneven. "You'll see everyone around you having them and you will resent me."

"That's not true," Sam replies, wanting to just pull her close but that seemed like the last thing she wanted. His heart was breaking at her words because they were true. He and Leah would always talk about their future and kids were always a huge topic. They both wanted them and even picked up names as a joke one day but they stuck.

Steph hands go up to her face and she wipes her tears, "Your heart skipped a beat...that normal means someone's lying." Sam looked at her with wide eyes but didn't say anything because what could he possibly say to make this all right?

"Overtime you will hate me, so I'm doing us both a favor by ending whatever this is before someone gets hurt."

The blonde looks to the side and sees the boys looking at her in disbelief. And Paul with some anger.

"Leah will forgive you. She's perfect, Sam. Don't let her get away because you'll forever regret it." Steph finishes saying before speeding away leaving behind three guys unmoving and one with a broken heart.

"You should have told her. She deserves to know." Paul mumbles looking at the ocean in front of him. The others agreed with him but didn't voice their opinions.

Jared and Embry pull Paul away towards the house leaving Sam alone with his thoughts. Jared stopped for a moment and whined, "Wait, she's still making us those muffins right?"

Paul rolled his eyes and grabbed Jared by the arm, "Seriously? That's what you're thinking about right now?"

Embry started to laugh when they started to bicker but hoped today wouldn't be the last time they'd ever see the blonde Cullen.

——

Steph went straight to the Cullen's house, quickly changing to comfortable clothes, and sat against one of the windows just staring outside. Bella was safe in La Push and was doing better with Jacob back in her life.

The blonde thought about leaving but the thought seemed painful. It felt like Sam had a grip on her even since their first meeting. But she never wanted to mess up his life. If only Mrs Lee could see them now. The older lady would tear her apart.

Feeling alone, Steph wrapped the blanket around her and hugged one of her teddy bears to her chest. One hand was holding her phone and she was seconds away from calling someone to come get her. But didn't know how to explain her situation.

Taking a deep breath, Persephone called the one person who would understand her and would just listen to her rambles. The phone rings three times before Rosalie Hale picks up with a soft, "Hello,"

At that moment all her feelings came rushing back and Stuff began to hiccup as tears fell from her blue eyes. "Rosie, I-I messed up."

Rosalie immediately dropped her mechanic tool and rubbed oil off her hands to grab the phone better. A wave of worry rushed her and Rose hoped her younger sister was safe.

"Oh god, Persephone what happened?" Rosalie let out, not wanting to alert anyone but was ready to rush to Forks Washington no matter the situation.

After a couple of minutes of stuttered words, Steph was able to tell Rosalie about Sam and Leah. "It's all my fault, Rose. I should have stayed away, none of us would have happened if I had just stayed away."

The older blonde by age took her role as a big sister very seriously and did her best to protect Persephone from many things. Especially from a broken heart but it seemed like that wasn't possible.

After Edward met Bella and it was confirmed she was his mate. Rose practically prayed that the same wouldn't happen to Steph who was too fragile for that type of relationship. However, by the looks of it, Steph has it worse than Edward.

"Flower guy Sam is a...mutt." The last came at in disgust and that only made Steph let out another sob.

"I-I really like him Rose, ever since that day I felt something but Leah...oh Leah. I feel like the worst person ever. I ruined her life!"

"That's not true, you did nothing," Rose reassured trying her best to calm Steph over the phone. "If Leah was truly the one for Sam, he would have never felt anything towards you."

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm technically the other woman. I really am a monster now," The blonde half-human complained sadly.

"Listen to me right now Persephone Hope Cullen, you are far from a monster and not the other women because you did nothing wrong with Sam. You simply talked and there's nothing wrong with that. You would have been in the wrong if you kissed him while he was engaged but you didn't," Rosalie says, trying her best to find the right words, "You're kind, selfless, sensitive and so perfect...if you like Sam I-I think you should go for him. Don't pull away honey. Trust your heart,"

"W-what about Leah? I feel awful," Steph stuttered, it seemed like no matter how hard she tried the beautiful and sad brunette couldn't stay out of her mind.

"Leah seems like a kind girl put in a bad situation but I believe she'll be okay...maybe not now but over time she will." Both Rosalie and Steph hoped that those words would come true. "You deserve to be happy Steph, and all I want is to see you happy. These last few years, I've seen your smile less bright and I've seen you so sad. Stop thinking about others and just be happy."

Steph bit her lip and agreed. She has been different these last few years. Everyone had noticed it but no one said anything afraid she'll leave.

"I think I could love him and that's what scares me. I've never loved anyone like that and even if he's a shapeshifter...at the end of the day he's more human than I'll ever be. I can never give him a normal life. Edward knew that and that's why he left."

"But look at him now, Persephone. He's miserable and slowly killing himself. I don't want that for you, I rather have you happy for a while than you living like that for the rest of your life."

It was true, Edward wasn't himself anymore. He was slowly and painfully killing himself and that scared everyone. But for once, Steph finally truly understood him.

Her brother had once told her that when Bella passed, he would follow her. At first, she didn't understand him, how he could possibly leave everything and his family behind. But with Sam, to be with Sam, she would give up everything just for a chance. And well yes, that scared her, another part excited her.

Sam made her feel normal and if he still wanted her after her earlier words of reality, she was willing to try. Try to be together. However, it would be one step at a time since he just got out of a relationship and she was very new at this. However, the question stands, would he still want her?

——

Author notes: THANK YOU for reading and I'm sorry for the late update! I'm taking three summer classes and the homework piles up. But I'll do my best to update fast!

ALSO! The scene with Leah was inspired by the fight in the movie Something Borrowed! I linked the video up on top, hopefully, someone caught that.

I hope you all liked this chapter, and is there anything you want to see as I go further in New Moon?

I love Leah so much and want her to be happy! And she will but I'm still not sure with who and in what situation. But she will get her happy ending in this!

Also, a huge thank you to -novxscomet for making a beautiful amazing cover for this story! And this artwork! Thank you!

Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow me to stay updated. Thank you!

Word count: 2586