Lightning split the midnight sky. The thunder, however, is what woke me. Or so I thought. Even before my eyes had opened I had a strange, roller coaster-like feeling in my stomach. My heart raced. I couldn't think. I had never been afraid of thunder; or the dark. Not even when I was little. But, that night, there was something, I don't know, ominous in the air. I knew where I was: my bedroom in Forks. I knew who I was: Bella Swan. But what I didn't know was that downstairs, awaited the most dangerous thing I would ever encounter.
That thing; whatever it was, called to me- you may say that I like danger. Normally, I don't. But this danger, it felt good. The old stairs creaked as a tip-toed down them, my palms sweaty. Truth be told, I was so afraid that I couldn't breathe. When I could see the living room from the steps, I stopped dead in my tracks. I thought I was still half asleep… hallucinating. As I squinted my eyes against the darkness, I began to distinguish the shape of a person against the outline of the couch. But, this wasn't just any person, his outline was so familiar, and I could almost see faint fog coming off his breath… he was cold. He wasn't just human; he was much more.
"Edward?" I asked, still believing that I was sleeping. The figure didn't move. As I as I took another step down the staircase, a cool breeze caught my back. Wait, I suddenly realized, its spring… this was more of a winter wind. Slowly, and a little afraid, I turned my head and stared right into his deep, caramel eyes. How he came up behind me so fast… I couldn't tell you. But there is one thing I can tell you, and it's that he was too close for comfort. Only when the near-trance was broken did I realize that the breeze was his breath, coming slightly ragged- if I didn't know better, I would say he growled at me. This growl wasn't to frighten me, I felt, It was more as a means of defense. It was like he was afraid of me, even more than I was of him.
"Yes," he answered, timidly. I could see he had forced himself to come this far, but was trying even harder to resist something. I found myself staring at his perfect-as-marble-face. I stood there defiantly, not able to move. I thought my whole body had shut down; I even had to remind myself how and when to breathe; and when I did, I heard my heart thumping in my chest.
A car passed by the window and allowed just enough light to illuminate his face for me to see his unique-but amazing- crooked smile. With a small sigh, and maybe a little chuckle, he grabbed me around the waist, (with me squealing softly) threw me over his shoulder, almost like a husband, playfully to his new bride, and placed me on the old green couch. I felt like an old rag doll- but at the same time, it felt… good.
"You probably want an explanation for my being here?" He started hesitantly. "I just want to warn you. Stay away from me. You don't need to know anything else," he said, his eyes almost glazed over (in hatred, determination, or something else I couldn't explain). "I am sorry, really, for my rudeness in Bio. You just can't be around me. It's too…" his voice broke off, almost like he had to will himself to not strangle me. "Just stay away, okay?" As he turned to leave, I found my voice "Edward, wait." I managed to choke, with a great effort. He turned just slightly so I could see the corner of one of his brown (black?) eyes. He furrowed his brow as if to say "I'm Sorry." As I sat there still confused I saw in the corner of my eye, him jumping out the window.
The thirty seconds that I sat there, trying to sort out what had just happened, felt more like thirty minutes. Suddenly, I heard a diiing! Go off in my head. Then, I registered what had just taken place. "Edward!" I whispered loudly out the window. I knew he had to be on foot. I knew that I hadn't heard a car door. I knew that I was going crazy. I knew that I felt like vomiting! I knew that Edward had broken into my house! I knew I wasn't supposed to but, I couldn't help myself. I knew there was a good reason not to. I knew I didn't want to be. I also knew that I could not tell Charlie. Seeing that chasing after him was useless, I forced myself to sit back on the sofa and stare into space. Slowly, I felt myself slip into an almost satisfied sleep.