My toes were at the edge of the cliff. Wind blew the hair from my face.
"Bella." I smiled as the perfect velvet of his voice slid into my mind.
Yes?
"Don't do this." He pleaded.
You wanted me to be human. Well, watch me.
"Please. For me."
But you won't stay with me any other way.
"Please."
I rolled onto the balls of my feet.
"No, Bella!" He was angry. The anger was so lovely. I lifted my arms up with a smile on my face and flung myself off the cliff.
I woke with a start.
"Edward!" I screamed. I was on the couch, the phone in my hand. I had been waiting for Alice to call when I had fallen asleep. Oh, yeah, I know what your thinking. 'But, wait, didn't you go with Alice to get Edward?' That's what Alice had seen me doing. She didn't figure the fact of Jacob.
He held me back.
Oh, yeah. I was mad. No, actually, I was pissed. After Alice had driven away I had kicked Jake out and told him to never come back. I meant it. School started again tomorrow. What if Alice called while I was gone? What if Edward did? The phone rang.
"Hello?" I said answering it instantly.
"Bella?" It was Jake.
"What do you want, Jacob?" I asked impatiently.
"Bells, I just want to say I'm sorry." I hung up on him. A wave of fury came over me. If I had gone with Alice I would have seen him! Maybe Alice hadn't called because… no, I'm not going to think about it. Edward is alive. I threw the phone at the wall and it fell to the ground with a thump. I would have seen him, heard his soft, musical voice.
"I HATE YOU, JACOB!" I screamed as loud as I could. I buried my face in the couch cushions and screamed. I rammed my hands on the couch in a tantrum. I could have felt his cold, satin skin. Kissed his hard, stone lips with mine. A sob escaped my throat and I curled into a ball.
I heard a car pull up in the driveway. Charlie.
"dammit!" I wiped my hands across my eyes and ran up the stairs and into my bedroom. I threw myself onto my bed and cover myself.
"Bella?" Charlie called. I turned on my side and closed my eyes. He walked up the stairs.
"Bell-" He stopped short when he saw my 'sleeping' form. He tiptoed over to, placing a kiss on my forehead. He tucked the covers in more. "Night, Bells," he whispered. He closed the door behind him and I turned over, looking at the ceiling. I was scared to sleep. Alice wasn't here; I knew I would have nightmares. I turned my face into the pillow and sank into unconsciousness.
Edward stepped forward. I couldn't see him clearly, he was blurry. Sunlight hit him and diamonds sparkled on his skin. They were my memories and they didn't do him justice. People stared at him, fingers pointing. People in black robes grabbed him from behind. Not people, Vampires. They pulled him backwards into the shadows and pinned him to the ground.
"I'm coming, Bella," he whispered as they ripped him apart.
"NO!" I screamed. I screamed again into the pillow, tears flowing. "Edward, no," I whispered, my voice broken. Sobs raked through me and I covered the hole that was almost nonexistent. I was a tiny ball in my bed, squeezing myself so hard in almost hurt. Charlie slammed the door open.
"Bella?" He turned me over. "Bells, are you okay?" I nodded slowly. "What's wrong?"
"A-Al…" I could finish her name.
"Alice?" He said and I winced as I nodded. "I knew this would happen, damn it, Bella." He stroked my hair. "I hate them damn Cullens."
"No!" I yelled. "No, Dad. Don't hate them, please don't, it isn't there fault, they had to leave. They are good people and they-" He cut me off.
"Okay, Bells, I won't blame them but…you have to move on, they're gone." I nodded and slumped down onto my bed.
"I know." I felt tears streaming down my face. They were gone and they wouldn't be coming back. Ever. Charlie pulled me to his chest and rocked me slightly. Charlie and I had never been good at expressing our emotions.
"They're gone, but there are many other people who would love to have you. Many other boys besides Edward." As Charlie said his name out loud a sob broke through.
"I know, Daddy." I whispered. Charlie froze, whether to the admitting there were other boys or the title I hadn't called him since I was seven I didn't know.
"That's good, Bells. That's good." We stayed like that until I fell asleep.
My alarm went off at five-thirty. I woke up, the events of yesterday hitting me like a wave. I gasped and covered my mouth. No, there was no acting like a zombie. I had to keep up the charade. Everything is fine. I went through my morning routine. I was suddenly sitting the parking lot at school, people milling around me. I got out of my truck and walked to class.
"Oh, my god! I heard someone saw Alice Cullen riving through town the other day!" Jessica was telling Lauren.
"Surprised she didn't stay with Bella?" She sneered my name. I walked faster and reached English class.
"Okay class, our new book is…Pride & Prejudice." most of the boys groaned and some of the girls squealed. True Love. The thing that never ends, never dies.
"But to remind you of the lovey-dovey books…I'm going to have you guys read some Romeo & Juliet aloud." I looked up, startled. "First…Bella." I winced. "Read the last lines of Romeo's last Monologue." I clenched my fist and nodded as he passed the book to me.
"Eyes look your last. Arms, take your last embrace, and lips, O you The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss. A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come bitter conduct; come, unsavory guide! Thou desperate pilot, no once run on The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark! Here's to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick, Thus with a kiss, I die."
I whispered the last line, tears brimming in my eyes. Was the dream real? Was he really gone? I pressed my hand to my mouth and put the book down.
"Bella?"
I grabbed my book bag and ran from the room, tripping the whole way. I could feel the stares boring into my back as I ran. I found myself in my truck, tears streaming down my face. How could Jake have done that to me? I wiped my eyes and started the truck, I couldn't go back to school today. I drove I don't know exactly how but I ended up at the start of the hike. The start of the hike Edward and I had taken to the meadow so long ago…
I ran into the woods, not knowing which direction or if I was even in the right place. I burst through ferns and into the meadow. Sunlight was shining through the trees. Its was so beautiful I could almost imagine him standing there, the sunlight glinting off his skin. Like thousands of tiny diamonds. I wrapped my arm around my torso to hold together the ever present hole. I slumped to my knees and just cried. I cried so hard it almost hurt.
"finally… Bella…" I heard an evil voice growl. My head whipped up. Victoria was crouching 10 feet from me. I stood up and backed away.
Don't move, Bella. Edward's voice rammed into my mind.
"Well…I was hoping to have pretty little Edward here so he could watch you die…"
"Edward…" I whispered. "Are you alive?"
Bella, I love you, I love you so much.
"I love you Edward." I closed my eyes as Victoria lunged.
But the impact never came. I opened my eyes. A huge red-brown wolf was fighting her. Three more wolves burst through the trees and attacked the red headed vampire.
"Jacob!" I watched as Victoria's teeth sank into Jacob's neck right before the Sam-wolf bit her head off. The other wolves finished Victoria off as Sam shifted back to normal form.
"Jake!" he said as Jacob shifted back. I didn't care that they were naked, I ran to Jacob.
"Jacob!" I cried. He was withering and white foam was coming out of his mouth. "what's wrong with him?!?"
"Vampire venom is poison to us."
"what! No! no, no, no! Jacob!" I screamed as the other wolves shifted and ran over to their brother.
"Jacob!" I was sobbing now. He spit out foam and opened his eyes.
"Hey, Bells."
"I'm so sorry, Jake! I didn't mean those things I said!"
"Yeah you did, Bella. It's okay." He whispered. It was like the wolf pack wasn't there. I was the only thing in the world.
"I love you, Jacob." I told him. I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. When I moved away he smiled.
"I've been waiting for that since I saw you 14 years ago. Love you, Bells."
"No! No Jacob please! You are the only person who's keeping me sane! Please!"
"Love you…" He turned to Sam. "Take care of her, Kay?" Sam nodded as tears streamed down his face. Jake turned back to look at me. "Kiss me again…" I pressed my lips to his and felt his last breath on my face. "Bye, Bella…" Sobs raked through my whole body and I put my head on his chest.
"Jake…" I whispered. The wolf pack each put a hand on Jacob and said stuff in Quileute. They had lost a brother…I had lost the only person keeping me sane, the only one who kept the hole covered.
"Bella?" Sam choked out. "We should go." I shook my head and held Jake tighter. I felt strong warm hands lift me up and carry me.
"No! Jacob!" I sobbed into Sam chest.
"Bella, we'll take him home. We'll bring him home…" He whispered brokenly. I was gasping, my lungs not working right. Suddenly my breathing stopped altogether. Sam didn't seem to notice.
Breathe, Bella. Edward's voice said. Breathe!
"Why?" I asked out loud, losing the last of the oxygen in my chest.
Please, for me. If not for me, for Jacob. He would want you to live. You know that. Wow. Long sentence for the hallucination. I knew he was right. I looking a shaky breath and let it out again. Rain started to pour down on us and I started to shiver. Sam pulled me closer to his hot body and ran faster.
"He's gone." I whispered and Sam looked down at me n alarm. "They're both gone…"
I'm here, Bella. I'll always be here. Edward's voice told me. Then a melody filtered through my mind. My lullaby. I felt myself grow tired and I close my eyes and drifted to sleep.