AN: Thanks tons and TONS to my magical and utterly amazing beta "not done baking" who sat through 3 drafts and gave great advice the whole way through. Love you!
It's too late baby, there's no turning around
I got my hands in my pocket and my head in a cloud
This is how I do
When I think about you
I never thought that you could break me apart
I keep a sinister smile and a hold of my heart
You want to get inside
Then you can get in line
But not this time
Cause you caught me off guard
Now I'm running and screaming
"Bella!" I cried out before I could stop myself. My feet ran faster than they had ever run before. I knew I had only seconds left to save her. I tried to reach her in time. But, even running at the speed I was she was too far. I could hear her heartbeat slowing and just moments before I actually reached her I heard it stop. ~
"Bella!" I caught up with her as she was opening the door to her truck that was still parked outside the house.
"I told you I'd pick you up for school."
"Oh, I forgot sorry." She said pulling her bag back out of the truck.
I nuzzled her neck and felt the venom flood my mouth. This was a normal reaction and I had grown accustomed to it. My blood lust had become nothing more than an annoyance after I had to actually taste her blood to save her. I knew I could control myself around her now.
She turned around to face me and dropped her bag on the ground. Then she threw her arms around my neck. She hugged herself tightly to my chest. I felt her body heat drop a degree or two when she made contact with my skin. I heard her heartbeat increase, pumping more blood to her slowly constricting veins. I smiled down at her and kissed her cheek.
"How are you, love?" I kissed her cheek again and felt her shiver. I rubbed my hands up and down her arms trying to warm her back up.
"Just tired, I stayed up all night studying for the chemistry final." And as if to punctuate the statement she let out a soft yawn, her mouth making a perfect "O". "That's why I forgot you'd pick me up." I grinned again and leaned down to press my face into her hair. I inhaled her scent, freesias and cinnamon. But I noted that it was tainted by something on the wind, something that reminded me of wet, moldy carpet. A mutt...
"Jacob is here, I'll wait in the car." I hugged her one last time before turning to go.
"Edward! Wait. Please." She pleaded, grabbing hold of my wrist. "Can't we put this feud aside just for 20 minutes?! He's just dropping off my motorcycle. This was the only time he could come, and he knows I have to go to school so he won't stay long."
I growled. "You know I hate that motorcycle! I told you to let him keep it! It's not safe. I can't protect you when you ride it. I can't save you from an accident." I sighed. "I just don't want you to get hurt, I couldn't bear it." Well that was part of the reason…. That bike was something that held memories of when I abandoned her… when I made the mistake of letting Jacob Black into her life….No matter what I did, I couldn't completely wipe away that hurt.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the loud roar of a full size tail pipe interrupted her.
I squared my jaw and slipped an arm around her waist and turned us around to face the oncoming bike.
Jacob stopped just inches in front of us and I glared at him. He was determined to aggravate me and he was off to a good start…putting Bella in danger like that. What if he hadn't stopped in time? And Jacob further infuriated me by having the nerve to wonder if he had impressed Bella.
He jumped off the bike and glared briefly back at me before sending a grin at Bella. I snapped my teeth.
"What are you doing here mongrel? This isn't your land. Go back to your filthy pack of flea infested beasts."
"EDWARD!" Bella exclaimed. I glanced over at her briefly to send her an apologetic look and then snapped my head back when Jacob spoke.
"Hey, I'm just here to drop off the bike…." He said shrugging. "Is Charlie here?" He held up a brown bag that dripped grease and the reeking deep fried fish that sat inside reminded me of a day old rotting rat corpse. "Dad made him some fish fry."
Bella wrinkled her nose and I instantly grinned. Simply knowing that Bella was unsatisfied with something the Blacks had done made my day just a little better.
"No Dad's not here, he went to California with Jack to watch a football game. Apparently Jack won some tickets in the mail and invited Dad. He won't be back till Tuesday." She leaned against me a bit and I hugged her tighter to me. The tickets hadn't been hard to get, and sending them to Jack in the mail was the easiest part, the harder part was to get Charlie to let Bella stay with us for the four-day weekend. Esme planned on taking us all to the San Francisco Aquarium or that was the back-story anyway incase anyone asked.
Jake instantly faltered. He was thinking about Bella all alone in her room...undressing...
"Jacob!" I shouted. He just grinned.
Bella rolled her eyes, oblivious to the dog's sick fantasy. "Thanks for dropping the bike off but, Edward and I were just leaving so..." she trailed off and I could see Jacob's obvious discomfort at leaving Bella alone with me. His mind wandered to thoughts of Bella crying and being forced into sexual situations with me, with Jacob running to her "rescue" and Bella falling in to his arms surrendering to him. Again a low enraged growl escaped my bared teeth.
"I would never do something so horrid. I leave things of that sort to animals like you!" My voice was horse with fury. "Besides, anything you can do, I can do better…"I breathed just loud enough for the mutt's ears but too low for Bella to hear. I felt a little childish saying that but the look on Jacob's face, one of utter loathing, made me feel a little better.
Bella made a frustrated sound and stomped off toward the Volvo.
I glared daggers once more at Jacob before following Bella.
I had just reached the car when I heard Jacob's growl as he ran off into the woods back to La Push.
When I got inside the car Bella was still disgusted.
"You know you shouldn't say things like that to him, now he is going to go and tell Billy and I'll have the entire pack of La Push wolves watching me for a week," she huffed.
"Can I make it up to you?" I asked my voice dropping an octave.
Bella instantly blushed and I took that chance to dip my head and catch her lips in a chaste kiss. A little gasp escaped her lips in surprise and I intensified the kiss, my hands taking hold of hers and pressing them to my chest. She sighed and threaded her fingers through my hair. I felt her pulse quicken and her breathing become heavy. She clutched on to me tightly and I had to pull away. My chest was rising and falling quickly, in time with her heart.
I started the car before I completely lost control. We pulled up to the school just minutes before the late bell rang.
I walked into my English class and took my usual seat in the back. I had learned the perfect/past perfect tense 20 times over and zoned out. I listened to the thoughts around me.
"Mike Newton, sex god, he was so good..."
EW.
"Bella, I wonder what she looks like without that top on..."
I gnashed my teeth and glared at the back of Tyler's head.
"Oh God! Edward is so hot, I can just feel his hands running up and down my..."
I physically gagged and turned away from Jessica.
"Lead with morals and we will follow
When they wake up they will see
that youth fades and glory days deceive.
What are you waiting for? Let's move on this,
time is of essence, like your kiss.
So say you're in with cards down
and guns drawn, this is it"
Alice was singing in her head. I looked over at her and just as I thought she was just barely bobbing her head and lip syncing. That song had been stuck in Alice's head the past couple days. I didn't know exactly what it meant, if it meant anything.
I smiled and looked back at the board. Just then the bell rang and I sprang up ready to meet up with Bella.
I caught up with her outside the Math building. She smiled broadly and kissed me as I leaned down to hug her. I picked her up and spun her around. I don't know what came over me but, I scooped up our bags, looked around to make sure no one saw us and then seconds later I was walking her up the hillside by the school.
"Edward! We can't skip class! I have a chemistry final!" Bella cried.
"Don't worry; Alice will make sure you get a chance to re-take the test. Mr. Hulling is very fond of Alice…" I grinned. "You know she's the only student to get an A+ in his class right? She should get an A she has only learned this stuff 30 or so times…Well, at least we know its not a sick pedophile type of appreciation."
She huffed, still not willing to skip. As much as Bella seemed to want to follow me I knew her GPA nudged her from the back of her mind.
"Edward, where are we going? I'm going to be late for Spanish!"
I laughed and kissed her cheek.
"I'll teach you Spanish." I said my voice sultry. "I learned it on a luxury cruise we took in 1990 to Brazil…." I cleared my throat. "Bella, mi bella. Amor Como el nuestro es inquebrantable." I cooed
"What does that mean?" She asked her head cocked to one side.
"Bella, my beautiful. Love like ours is unfailing."
She blushed and buried her face in my shoulder.
We reached the opening in the forest and I laid her gently down on the grass. I lied beside her and propped myself up on one elbow. I leaned over her and placed a kiss on her lips. I pulled away gently and placed a hand over her heart. I kissed her again and then I heard the scream, it was low, like someone being smothered I was pretty sure I was the only one who had heard it. I sat up abruptly.
"What is it?" Bella asked confirming my thought.
I listened to the jumble of thoughts down at the school and one jumped out at me. It was Alice.
"Edward, quick! Jasper just attacked a girl!"
I reached for Bella thinking quickly, I ran for the school Bella hanging on to my back. I knew everyone else was in class so I sprinted towards the smell of Lori's blood. I ripped open the cafeteria doors and found Jasper crouched over Lori Headland's body, blood dripping from her neck onto the white linoleum.
AN: Alice's song that's stuck in her head is "Audrey! Start the Revolution" By Anberlin: The beginning lyrics are "Hero Heroine" By Boys Like Girls: both youtube urls are on my profile