Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the characters, I'm just messing with their lives a little :]
In My Arms
Chapter One: Said You Would Be There
"Oh come on Bella, it'll be fun, promise." Renee said, grabbing me by the forearm and pulling me toward the dreaded rollercoaster.
"But mom," I moaned. "Of all rides, why this one? You know I'm terrified of heights." Of course she completely ignored me, still pulling me toward it. "Live a little Bells." she laughed. Oh yeah, 'live a little' sigh my hampering, erratic mother. I was used to it though and simply being in her presence was good enough for me. I may put up a small fight about some stuff but as long as we did them together, it was fine with me.
Charlie who had been observing the scene unfolding before him from the side chuckled to himself, I glared at him mockingly.
"Fine." I said giving in and almost laughed when Renee gave out a tiny squeal, sounding and looking like a little girl on Christmas morning. I smiled to myself and looked up to see that Charlie had gone to the man at the ticket booth.
"Come on, let's get front row seats," Renee said excitedly yet again pulling my arm, then she started her rambling. "Oh sweetie this is going to be so much fun, I heard that if you sit up the front it's completely breath taking, like literally, when you sit at the front and the ride is suddenly going down the steep part and you're facing the ground it actually feels like you're going to fall when really you're not, and wow it's such a rush." she said all this in one breath. My mother is awesome, but I really worry about her at times, especially right now.
"Mom, mom." I said gently. "Breathe."
"I'm just so excited." she squealed.
We were finally seated (front row seats, of course) and Charlie had arrived sitting in the row behind ours.
"So, my girls, you ready?" I loved when dad called us his girls, there was just something endearing about it. We never really got a chance to reply, I opened my mouth say 'As ready as I'll ever be' but the rollercoaster suddenly pulled to a start causing me to fly forward, I never thought I would be thankful for the invention of safety bars. I shut my eyes immediately not wanting to look down, to make matters worse Renee pulled out a digital camera. A fucking camera. I knew my mom was a little crazy but, oh come on. She started snapping pictures of us the whole time laughing and went as far trying to take pictures of Charlie behind us. That's when Charlie stepped in telling her it was too dangerous, and thank God for that. She still managed to get a few in, although Charlie did keep trying to grab the camera off her.
"I am never, ever getting on a rollercoaster again." I stated which only resulted in Renee and Charlie laughing.
"Oh yeah, laugh at my expense." I said mock angry, rolling my eyes. "Now can we go on a ride that isn't life threatening? And I choose it." I added as an after thought before Renee could suggest anything crazy like 'The Ghost Ride'.
"Okay, you choose and we're willing to go with whatever it is." Charlie said smiling and wrapping an arm around Renee's waist, she snuggled into his side. I smiled inwardly myself.
"Right, I want to get on the Ferris Wheel," I said smiling, knowing that this was a ride Renee and Charlie liked and well, of course I would love it. It may be high, very high in fact but the view from above was always just so beautiful, so breathtaking. Unlike the rollercoaster where it was always rushing and you couldn't catch a glimpse of anything it was moving so fast, and also add to that the fact that I can't even keep my eyes open while on it. The Ferris Wheel though, I loved when it was dark, like right now and even though Forks may not be the 'prettiest' place, I've noticed that the dark changes the way something appears, and looking at Forks from a Ferris Wheel, it's beautiful for sure. I liked how you can be so high off the ground and when you look around you, you can see this mass of space and all the streetlights and cars rushing. It's weird how from one small place it felt like you could see the world.
I was snapped out of my reverie by Renee linking her hand through mine and saying, "I think that's a brilliant idea."
"Great." Charlie said smiling and snapping a picture of Renee and I, quickly hiding the wretched thing behind his back. Okay, when did he take the camera off Renee? Hell, they both knew I hated pictures.
"Wh-huh? What was that for?"
"Memories?" Charlie replied, chuckling. Okay, I guess I should let that slide so I smiled and asked if they were ready to go, and so we left to get on the Ferris Wheel, the whole time joking and laughing.
When we finally got on the ride, me sitting on my own (I decided it would be better if Renee and Charlie got to sit together this time). I couldn't wait for the ride to start, I kept looking back at Renee and Charlie, whenever they caught me looking at them they would smile and wave at me, and I would do the same. At one point I turned only they weren't looking at me this time, Charlie was looking into Renee's eyes with such intense passion I didn't even think it possible, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her towards him, he leaned down to her ear and whispered something that was unintelligible to me over the noise and chaos below us, though it made Renee look up at him, smile and then peck him on the lips. It seemed as though they were in their own little world.
I sighed and turned back, I wish I could find someone to love me like that or even merely look at me the way dad looked at mom, with eyes so full of adoration, protectiveness, care, kindness, value, devotion, passion and just pure and utter unconditional love. It was there, you would have to be blind not to see it.
I beamed as the ride started turning slowly. I took in a big gulp of air, and pushed my hair out of my face, the wind was making it impossible. I leaned back and looked up at the night sky at all the different specks of light and the few constellations. The moon and stars lighting up the sky, it was truly beautiful and to top it all off, I was with the best parents in the entire world. I mean, yeah we did have our ups and downs, but, we always solved them.
"Bella," I heard my mother call, I turned only to have her snap a picture of me yet again, though this time I laughed. They had done that so many times tonight, it was just funny now. "Ha! See that Charlie," she said nudging Charlie's arm. "Gloom and doom Bella just laughed in a picture." she said mock surprised.
"Ha, ha," I replied sarcastically, rolled my eyes and turned to look out at all the lights, I chuckled under my breath as I heard mom go on and on about how we just 'have to get these photos published by tomorrow'.
After that ride we went on loads of different ones, it was brilliant and later on that night we waited for the fireworks to start up and when they finally did, it was truly magnificent.
When we eventually got home I was absolutely exhausted, I almost fell climbing up the stairs but thankfully mom was behind me and she held me up as much as she possibly could in her own tired state. Dad came up behind us after shutting all the lights and closing all the blinds, he too drunk with fatigue.
"You girls tired?" Dad asked. Seriously?
"Uh, dad, no I'm not tired I'm just falling over onto my face for no apparent reason." I replied sarcastically. He laughed and replied with a, "Hey, you can't blame me Bells you do that anyway."
"Hey!" I exclaimed lazily at his hit on my klutziness, when mom laughed right along with dad instead of backing me up. "You're supposed to love me more, I'm your daughter after all." Renee just kept laughing.
"Sure, sure," Dad said, all smug. "She loves you more." he muttered, but not low enough for me not to be able to hear.
I trudged into my room and went straight to the bathroom, I washed the little makeup I had on and brushed my teeth roughly, just wanting to get it done and over with, so I could get into the large bed that was just begging for my company. I put everything back into my bag and stuffed it in the press under the sink. As I stepped out of the bathroom me being me, I stubbed my toe against the door. "Ow!" I hissed, lifting my foot to inspect it which resulted in me hopping around on one foot, not a good idea. Especially for the uncoordinated. I tripped on the carpet in my room, next thing I knew the carpet was getting closer and closer until eventually it was too close. "Ugh." I groaned rolling over on the carpet. "Great, why me?" I humfed and just lay there, until I heard mom's laughter. I turned to see mom and dad standing just outside my room, mom full out, belatedly laughing and dad pursing his lips but still I could see he was fighting a smile himself. He cleared his throat and I immediately knew he was going to take a jab at me.
"Dad," I said warning evident in my voice, although I don't think I sounded very intimidating splayed out on the carpet like I was. "Do not even say a word." I threatened.
"What? I was only going to say that you sure got the genes." he said smirking and eyeing Renee, who was laughing still until she realised Charlie was looking at her.
"Wai-what, me?" she asked incredulously, Charlie laughed and nodded.
"Uh, dad in mom's defence I think I got that off you. I mean lets face it, you can't even turn in a full circle, without falling." I knew I was pushing it but the look on his face was priceless, mom caught on and joined in. "Oh yeah," she said trying to put on a serious face but failing miserably. "Remember that time in Phoenix and we were celebrating James' 26th birthday and a slow song started and how you thought it would be 'funtabulous' if I danced with you? And then when I did you ended up tripping at the begining of our dance and went flying, and then ended up on dear James' giant birthday cake." She said laughing while I joined in too.
"Hey," Charlie said flushing furiously. "I was completely inebriated, oh God I didn't just say that." he said hiding his face behind his hands, resulting in our laughter to increase. I was just glad the attention was off me. "You know what Bells, goodnight and sweet dreams." he said grabbing Renee's hand and pulling her away to their bedroom. I chuckled and tried to get up, the pain in my toe completely forgotten. When I was finally in bed, I shouted a 'goodnight mom' and a 'goodnight dad'. I heard mom laughing and saying, "Goodnight sweetie." I rolled my eyes and snuggled up into my snug duvet.
I growled when I heard my phone go off telling me I had a new message. I craned my neck to look at my alarm clock, 12:30pm, who the hell would text me at this hour? I pulled out my phone of the charger too see that it was in fact a text from Jacob, I smiled as I read it.
Hey babe, I know ur probably angry that I'm txtn' real l8
but I'm not apologising :p Wanted to say hope you had fun 2night with Renee and Charlie
and I miss you, can't wait 'till this weekend's over and I'm done with the
shitloada' cars to fix . Six days down another 1 to go :]
Goodnight xxxx
I sighed as I curled back up into bed. I missed Jacob too, I haven't gotten to see him in almost a week, what with him helping around and keeping his dad's garage stable. Jacob and I were best friends as kids, of course our parents always assumed we would end up together. That's where the whole 'shove-Bella-and-Jacob-together-any-oppertunity-possible' fiasco came in. Yup, it sure worked, sometimes though, I would think it would work better if we went back to just being friends. Whenever I dig up the courage to finally tell Jacob he would always say something like, 'I'm so glad are parents did what they did' or 'You're the best girlfriend ever, you know that?' or the usual 'Hey babe' and God I hated myself for it. Every second with him I felt like I was using him, leading him on. But there was always the moments where we truly did seem like best friends, atleast to me we did, but he was always so happy and so chipper that I couldn't bring him down, so I kept it to myself. I didn't know if I should blame Jacob or our parents or even me. I just didn't want to lose Jacob.
I slowly drifted off to sleep with thoughts of the fair, mom, dad and one awesome night. As exhausted as I was, I was ecstatic.
I woke up the next day with a sinking feeling in my stomach. Something was wrong, very very wrong. I got up and ran to the bathroom as I felt my stomach lurch. I quickly flipped the lid off the toilet and hurled. I sighed as I lay back, pressing my cheek against the cold floor. What was wrong with me? It must of been something I ate last night, it had to be.
I got up and slowly trudged towards my room, I felt so week like I was dragging my weight. When I finally got to my room I grabbed my skinnie jeans and my Spill Canvas t-shirt, I slowly pulled on my black converse and started to make my way downstairs. I had just about reached the last step when I heard broken sobs coming from the kitchen. I picked up my step and started making way faster towards the kitchen.
What I saw there broke my heart to pieces. Charlie was sitting at the kitchen table, a paper in his hand, bloodshot eyes and tears running down his cheeks. In all my life, I had never seen Charlie cry.
"Dad?" I said as I slowly and hesitently made my way towards him, he never replied just continued to stare at the piece of paper and cry. "Dad," I begged. "Please answer me."
I kneeled down beside him and put a hand on his knee, he flinched away from me and I tried to hide the hurt that caused me. I had to be strong for Charlie. "One sec dad, I'll go call mom." I told him and got up, meaning to run to mom and dads room to get Renee, only a strangled cry from Charlie stopped me just as I was about to run upstairs, and what he said next change my entire life forever.
"No," he cried. "No, she's gone, Renee's gone."