Midnight
I was running. Running for what seemed like hours. The hands on the clock just ticking away. Then it tolled. 12:00. I kept running, hearing the booming chimes, the grass along the path was grasping at my legs, licking them like a green fire, trying to pull me it. The eleventh toll. I was too late. My legs burned and threatened to burst. I wanted to stop, but something pushed me along. I was almost at the tower. The last toll chimed, it sang with such a force it almost knocked me over. I was too late.
I woke up screaming. I was unable to remember what I was running to or from. I had had this dream before and by now my mom had gotten used to me waking up screaming that she no longer came to see if I was ok. I looked at my clock. It read 8:04. I was late for school. I ran to the bathroom and showered as fast as I could. I jumped into the black Benz Edward bought me, even though I asked him not to. But I was glad. I needed the horsepower this morning.
When I got to school, Edward was there, waiting, as usual, by his silver Volvo. He greeted me with a quick and intoxicating kiss. His smell was deliciously sweet, and his naturally messy bronze hair was blowing gently in the wind.
"Bella, your early this morning, sleep well last night?" Edward said looking at me tenderly, smiling.
"Of course, didn't you?" I said laughing, because we both knew he didn't sleep.
He laughed his soft, milky laugh and said, "No, I went hunting with Jasper last night, we found some wonderful mountain lions, you know they are my favorite.
I met Edward three years ago when I moved to Forks, probably the smallest town in Washington. The sun rarely shined, and it was surrounded by thick masses of green forest, I was a good thing too, because when the sun shone, Peter and his family would sparkle like their soft, stone skin was carved into a million facets. My first day of school, I saw Edward and his two brothers and two sisters, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie at lunch, curiously having food in front of them, untouched. This made me worry that they were all anorexic, though Emmett looked like he just ate a whole cow, and Edward was athletically built, not to skinny not too fat, with strong facial features, his cheekbones were the predominant features until you looked into his violet eyes, always swirling like liquid topaz.
As we walked to English Edward held my hand, I loved the feel of his marble-like icy skin. It always made me feel calmer, and I needed it because of my two distinct personalities. Constantly tearing at me. Threatening to rip me in half. They fight for power, the power to overcome me and control me. I dream constantly that one half of me is lying on a cold, stony ground. The other half is lying on a warm and sunny beach, in the sand, absorbing the warmth. At first I couldn't really understand what was happening. But then I remembered that I was having the dream again. Where my personalities tug at me. Most of the time, when I'm awake, I let the bright and cheerful side takeover, covering my past and the dark, dreary, unlikable me. But unfortunately, sometimes, the past floods into my brain and I slip into a depressed state.
"Bella?" Edward whispered to me in Math. His eyebrows were together, and the corners of his beautiful lips were pulled down.
"What, you sound…worried…is something wrong?"
"No, it's just, you know I don't like leaving you. But I have to, I'm thirsty, me, Emmett, and Alice are going "hiking" tomorrow, I was just letting you know." He said this with a pain that I couldn't put my finger on; it was like a mix of hatred of himself for leaving me, and soreness in his heart for having to be away from me.
"Oh," I managed to mutter, feeling the edges of my heart begin to hurt, like someone punched a hole right through me and the edges refused to heal, "…when are you coming back?"
"Tomorrow silly, I love you." He said with a smile.
"I love you too, jerk." We both laughed.
"Edward? Edward Where are you?" I whispered with alarm.
"I'm right here Bella, in front of you." I heard his smooth, hypnotic voice call me somewhere in front of me. Almost as soon as I am about to walk forward toward the beautiful sound, he appears, his eyes black with thirst. He smiles at me showing his beautifully white teeth, glistening even though we are surrounded by darkness. My eyes are glued to his smile, sinister but with a pure beauty that only an angel could have. These teeth, that I should be afraid of, keep me entranced for what seems like hours, shiny, and sharp, and white. Edwards smile widens as he notices me ogling at his pearly beauties. Not a single one is stained with blood.
"What…are…you…doing…?" I manage to stutter.
"Hunting, love. Does it scare you?" Edward said that with a nonchalance that frightened me even more.
"Not really," I lied, "but why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because your blood calls me, Bella, it smells so much sweeter than anything I have ever tasted, I can hear your heart pumping it through your veins, I can almost taste it, it is so sweet. I promise it won't hurt." As Edward finished his sentence, I was suddenly full of trepidation, because he said that last part like a dentist tells you that the drill won't hurt, even though he knows it will. I wanted to run, but my legs planted me where I stood.
"Edward, please," I pleaded, "…don't hurt me, I love you…I thought you loved me?"
"Bella, of course I love you; I would never hurt you…intentionally…" That half smile I loved spread across his angelic face making me laugh.
"Ok, so, what's with the fangs and the scaring me to death?" I asked cautiously.
"I was showing you who I am, love." With those last words, echoing through the dark void, I bolted up out of bed, sweating.
Whenever Edward would go "away" I would have horrid nights. Ones that would make your blood curdle. But when he came back everything was wonderful again. He always apologized because he knew what happened when he left. He would always tell me he loved me and kiss my forehead, and then he would serenade me to sleep with my lullaby.
When I wake up the next morning, I find Edward sitting in the old blue rocking chair, smiling, looking like a god. Every time I look at him I thank god for such a gift, and that he made him just for me. Edward notices I am awake and he glides over to the bed to kiss me on the cheek and then he dashed out my window to go home and change. By the time I get out of the shower, he is laying on my bed reading my old copy of Wuthering Heights. He gently tosses the book onto my desk next to the ancient computer my mom gave me and we leave for school.
When we got to English, the whole class was excited because we were watching a movie. Edward laughed is velvety laugh I loved so well, and when I asked him what was funny he told me he knew it was going to be a snooze fest because he had "seen" it before. I couldn't help but giggle when he smiled the half smile he only gave me. As it turns out, Peter was right. I ended up falling asleep, and sleep was not good for me in public because even with Peter right there, like every human, my subconscious takes over.
It was dark, the kind of dark your mother tells you to be scared of. I felt a presence though; it comforted me. It felt warm, but cold, I could sense its protection only a few paces ahead of me. I went to take a step towards the invisible and I lost my footing. I tumble down for miles, falling, screaming. Something or someone catches me and I realize it's him. He came back for me, he really does love me. I suddenly realize I am in pain, horrendous pain. He whispers, "Its ok, you're safe now." I mouth, "I love you.
Edward taps me on the shoulder and I bolt up right, scared to death. The movie wasn't even half way through.
He notices my nervousness and writes me a note in his perfect script,
Bella, What is wrong? Your acting funny, I can sense it.
Were you dreaming again?
I read his question, and look at him with a slight pissed off look in my eyes and tell him in my horribly normal teenage girl text,
I'll tell you later, I promise.
As he looks at me through his long lashes his eyebrows crease together. I know he is still unsettled about the fact that he can't just hear what I'm thinking.
As I think of his and his families "talents" I remember back to the day I found out about his and the rest of the Cullen family. I was on a trip to La Push, the Quilute Indian reservation, and an old friend of mine from years ago, Jacob Black, told me some old legends about vampires. Immediately, I realized three things. Edward was a vampire, I didn't know if he planned to kill me, and I was unthinkably deep in love with him.
"Isabella Swan, are you paying attention?" I quickly snapped out of my unusual deep thought process and answered my English teacher solemnly,
"Yes, I just…got distracted, sorry.
Even though he didn't answer me directly I swore I heard him mutter something rude under his breath.
The bell rang. As I got up to leave, Edward grabbed my hand. He pulled me into the most breathtaking kiss he had ever given me. I could feel my heart beat quicken its pace so much that it almost flew out my chest.
"Come with me, I want to give you what you have been wanting forever now." He said with a bit of an icy but elated edge, I even saw his eyes turn a brilliant shade of topaz.
"Really?" I asked a bit too loud, loud enough that what was left of the class turned and stared at me; I felt my cheeks go red.
"Yes, now come on, Carlisle and everyone want to be there…" I looked at him puzzled because he just stopped. He never did that.
"What, Edward, tell me.
"There's a catch…"
"What is it?" I asked knowing what he was going to say. I was only 18. It was too early. I wasn't going to be that girl. I refused.
His eyes turned a dark black, and he leaned in and kissed my hair, my forehead, my lips, and my neck.
"Edward Cullen, if you don't tell me right now, I am leaving!"
"Sorry Bella this is hard, I know how you feel…I just don't want to disappoint you.
"Edward I love you. You know that, just tell me, I know what you're going to say…but I want to hear it.
"Ok…" he paused and took a deep breath, his eyes were back to his bright gold color and he smiled that half smile that always made me melt, then he spoke. In a voice so smooth and calm,
"Marry me. I love you Isabella Swan, I love you to the end of the earth. Marry me. Please.
I was so stunned at the 'please' he tacked on the end. He never said please. I had a million thoughts running through my head, and my mouth moved without me thinking.
"Yes, I love you; I will be your wife. Now can we please go so we can get this over with?" We both laughed, and he threw me on his back, we were running, another fantastic pro to being a vampire, high speed running. The next thing I knew we were in Vegas. The marriage ceremony was short and sweet; it only took 15 minutes.
When we got to the Cullen's place, each one of them was sitting in the living room, waiting. Edward gently sat me on the table and kissed me so passionately that I swore I would melt into a puddle on the floor.
"I love you." He whispered in my ear, his sweet breath intoxicating me, making my head spin with pleasure.
"I love you too.
Each of the Cullen's welcomed me to the family and kissed my forehead, then disappeared to let Edward and I have some privacy.
Darkness. Sinful darkness. So thick you can't think straight. I couldn't tell but I was moving. Slowly, slinking across the abyss of what I assumed would be the floor had someone thought of lights. Next to me I see a glimmer, and then Edward is there next to me, kissing me. I absorb his smell, his taste.
"What is going on?"
"Your changing Bella, Carlisle has induced a coma so that you wouldn't feel the pain.
"Am I dreaming?" That was all I could say before he slipped away, back into the darkness.
I suddenly see a beautiful creature in front of me, stunningly beautiful. At first I think it is Rosalie but I soon realize, I am seeing myself, my vampire self. Finally. Right on the stroke of midnight. Just as Carlisle said, "Midnight will be your time of complete change, you will notice the distinct changes in your senses, and you will be far lovelier than you are now my dear. Do not be afraid. We will help you. We all love you.
I suddenly see my human past, flowing in front of me like a movie. It was over; I am going to be with Edward and the Cullen's forever.
'Is he a ghoul or a vampire?' I mused. I had read of such hideous incarnate demons. Then I set myself to reflect how I had tended him in infancy, watched him grow to youth, and followed him almost through his whole course; what absurd nonsense it was to yield to that sense of horror. 'Where did he come from, the little dark thing, harboured by a good man to his bane?' muttered Superstition, as I dozed into unconsciousness.