Chapter 1
"Is he coming?" Dad asked me. I looked around.
"He better if he knows what's good for him." I said as I walked toward the punch bowl table. As I looked around for Edward
and slowly heading toward the punch bowl I was stopped by a male voice that called my name.
"Bella is that you?" A boy asked through the crowd. I tried to ignore him but suddenly there he was right in front me. "Hey Bella." The boy said a little louder than I would have liked.
"Hey um-." He cut me off and finished the sentence.
"Scott." He told me.
"Yeah Scott." I said back as I looked around for Edward.
"He's not coming." He told me. I looked back at him quick.
"What?" I asked.
"Edward, he's not coming." He told me.
"Why not?" I asked back.
"Something came up." Scott told me airily.
"What came up?" I asked my voice starting to get a hiss in it. Scott looked at the ground.
"Can't say I've been ordered not to tell anyone what we're doing." He said lowly. I grabbed his shirt collar with my right hand.
"Tell me why Edward isn't coming?" I asked with a hiss.
"Edward did warn me you'd get mad and he told me to tell you that you're his angel and he'll see you tonight at the house he'd make it up to you." Scott said softly. I release Scott's shirt with a little fling.
Whatever." I said as I turned around and started walking off.
"Bella wait." Scott said as he grabbed my left around. I spun around quickly pulling my arm out of his hand. "I'll stay with you if you want." He told me. I just looked at him. The idea wasn't bad and neither was he in the looks department. I looked at the floor.
"Sure why not." I said back. Scott took his right hand and lifted my head.
"Look I know I'm not Edward." He said as he got closer. I just looked into Scott's blue-green eyes.
"Thanks." I said airily. Scott slowly dropped his hand back at this side.
"So you want to dance or what?" He asked. I looked around.
"I need air." I said as I looked back at Scott.
"Air it is." Scott said as he took my right hand in his left and pulled me behind me. Getting outside Scott took me to the swing under the gazebo. Sitting down with him felt different like I was cheating or something. "So how long have you been here?" Scott asked softly. I looked at the sky that was now filled with stars.
"For a while but I'm thinking of going back home with my mom." I told him.
"What's it like where your mom is?" Scott asked.
"It's better than here I can tell you that." I said back.
"What's wrong with this place?" He asked.
"So many things." I answered back.
"Care to share?" He asked. I looked at him.
"No not really." I said as I looked back at the sky.
"Bella you don't have to clam up like that?" Scott asked in a whisper. I looked back at him.
"Why are you really here?" I asked. He looked at the ground.
"Edward sent me to keep you company." He said in a whisper. I stood up, turned around and just looked at him.
"Edward didn't really send you did he?" I asked with a hiss in my voice. Scott looked back at me.
"No." He answered.
"Then why are you here?" I asked again this time I balled up my right hand into a fist. Scott stood up and just looked at me.
"I love you." He told me. I just looked at him for a long moment.
"What now?" I asked.
"I love you." He said again. I stepped back a step or two. "Look I know how he makes you feel." He said airily. I just looked at him.
"I feel just fine with him." I said back.
"Bella do you really love Edward, I mean come on his hardly ever around." Scott said back. I turned around and just looked at the garden between us and the building.
"Yes I do love Edward." I said in an almost whisper. Scott came up behind me and grabbed my upper arms. I pulled free of his hands.
"Look I'm sorry for bring all this up but I just thought you should know how I felt about you." Scott said lowly. I turned around.
"Why would you think I'd even care to know how you felt about me?" I asked with a hiss.
"I'm sorry truly." He whispered as he looked at the ground.
"Not as sorry as I am." I heard Edward say. I just looked at Scott.
"What did you just say?" I asked. Scott looked back at me.
"I didn't say that." He told me.
"No I did." Edward said as he came around Scott and stood on my left. Scott and I just looked at him.
"I thought you were on that mission?" Scott asked.
"I was until I got wind that I was the only one on a mission." Edward said back.
"I thought you were coming to pick me up?" I asked Edward. Edward looked at me.
"I'm sorry but-." I cut him off by placing up my right hand.
"I don't care you said you'd come and you did until now." I said back. Edward came up and grabbed my hands.
"I'm so sorry I didn't come pick you up and come with you to this ball like I said I would." Edward said airily.
"And you think sorry is just supposed to cut it?" I asked. He released my hands and placed his hand on my face.
"Love of my life please I beg just forgive me." He said low and sweet.
"Why should I let you off the hook huh all you're going to do it just leave me again sitting somewhere alone." I said back not low and not sweet.
"Sweet heart listen if I had known what Scott and Galvin were up to I would have never went over there." Edward said airily. I pulled out his hands.
"I'm going home." I said as I turned and started walking off.
"Bella wait." Edward said as he followed.
"What Edward?" I asked as I continued walking.
"Let me make it up to you." He said as we walked into the building.
"Why would let you make it up to me when you should have been here to start with?" I asked as we walked through the crowd of people.
"Okay you're right but can we stop and talk about this." He said as he grabbed my left arm. I spun around and just looked at him.
"No we will not talking about this now understand?" I asked. He just looked at me.
"Got it." He said back. I turned around and walked through the door. Getting outside there stood dad.
"There you are I've been looking all around for you…where were you?" He asked.
"With Edward." I told him as I walked past him. Getting home I went straight up to my room and closed the door. Now standing in front the full length mirror I had stuck to my closet door I saw the dress I had on for what it really was.
It was a camouflage dress that went to the floor and ran out about a foot or so it had no sleeves only an inch wide strap on both sides. My hair was done up in a sort of half and half deal the top half was a bee hive deal while the rest hung to my shoulder blades.
Now I was in my red short and white tank top my hair was fully down stopping to the middle of my back. Suddenly I heard rocks hitting my room window by my bed. I turned and just watched the rocks hit the window.
Right now I was mad with Edward for doing what he did even if it was a trick on his part. Another rock hit the window and I finally just gave in and walked over to the window. Upon getting to the window I saw Edward standing there with rocks in his hands.
I opened the window and leaned out a little. "What?" I asked.
"Can we talk?" He asked sweetly. I just looked at him.
"Hold on I'll be down in a minute." I told him as I leaned back in and closed the window. Turning around I walked slowly to the door of my bed room. (What am I doing I'm mad at him.) I opened the door and walked out the room. As I made my way down the stairs I walked up to the front door.
I rolled my eyes as I opened the front door. Standing there was Edward with no shirt on just like he was at the ball. "Can I come in?" He asked. I walked out past him and the door slowly closed behind me.
"Why'd you even go over to Max's house?" I asked him. He looked at the ground.
"I can't simply just ignore him Bella." Edward said back as he looked up at me.
"You really don't love me do you?" I asked. He grabbed my hands.
"Bella I'm so sorry for going over to Max's and not coming to the ball with you." He said as I pulled my hands out of his. I walked off the porch and around the house. "Bella where are you going?" He asked as he followed. I walked past the yard line and continued into the woods.
"Do you see this?" I asked as I turned around I pointed behind me. Edward stopped about three feet in front me.
"It's a cactus Bells what about?" He asked. I dropped my hand and closed the gap between us.
"I feel like that cactus alone and full of thrones and right now I want so bad to shake off those thrones, pick up my roots and run but I can't because those roots runs so far into the ground that I feel stuck." I told him.
"Baby please don't-." I cut him off.
"Don't okay I thought you would at least do one thing with me instead you go out to Max's and I end up with Scott telling me he loves me." I told him. Edward just looks at me.
"Why won't you just let me say I'm sorry?" He asked.
"Because I thought you might be different than the other boys but you're not…you're the same as they are." I told him. He got this stun look on his face.
"Wait I'm like the other guys? I thought you knew be better than that?" Edward asked with a harsh tone.
"I do I just want Renesmee-." He cut me off.
"I know you do but being like this isn't going to help us none okay?" He asked.
"What you're saying is, is that we're not going to get her back aren't?" I asked.
"That's not what I meant." He whispered.
"Edward I love you, I really do love you but I need to go back to that place were they took her I thought I could handle this problem but I can't." I told him. He looked at the ground.
"When do you leave?" He asked lowly.
"In the morning." I answered as I started past him.
"Can I change your mind?" He asked. I looked back at him.
"No…I'm done." I said as I turned around and started walking away.
"Are you doing this because Michael came and took her?" Edward asked. I stopped dead.
"No." I said back.
"Then what is it?" Edward asked. I looked at the ground.
"Because I don't want to wonder if you will leave her alone in times she really needs you." I said softly.
"Bella please understand I won't leave you or Renesmee in times of need." Edward said back.
"Then why wouldn't you tell me what you were doing with Max?" I asked.
"You want to know huh fine I'll tell you." He said as I turned around.
"Why tell me now when you wouldn't tell me before when I asked?" I asked. He just looked at me.
"Because I never had to fight for you until now." He answered. I just looked at him.
"Don't go back to him." This voice that sounded like a girl told me in my head. I looked at the ground.
"Why not he's pouring out his heart." I spoke to the voice in my mind.
"You need to turn around and walk away." The voice added.
"Wait he's a good boy and if I leave now I'll lose him and I won't find anyone else good." I told the voice.
"Bella you okay?" Edward asked. I looked up at him.
"I'm fine I'm just trying to pull myself back on track." I answered.
"Wait you're thinking about us?" He asked.
"That little speech made me start thinking about what I really should be doing." I told him as he stepped forward and I stepped back.
"Come on Bells let me hold you one last time." He said softly. I shook my head.
"No I want a clear head." I said in an almost whisper.
"Now turn around and walk away." The voice told me.
"I don't want to leave like this." I told the voice.
"If you don't leave now they will come for you." The voice said back. I just stared at Edward. The voice had a point if I stayed the dreams I had will come true.
"What's your answer?" Edward asked. I looked at the ground. I didn't want to break his heart but this was the only way for him to stay free and clear of what was coming.
"I'm sorry Edward I have to go." I whispered. Edward walked up to me.
"Why did you go to Africa?" He asked. I looked up at him.
"I needed some answers and only Africa had them." I answered.
"And now?" He asked. I grabbed his arms softly.
"I don't know how I know but some people are coming and I can't be here when they get here." I told him.
"Are they people from Africa?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around me. I slid my hands to his shoulders and looked at his chest.
"I think so but I'm not one hundred percent sure." I whispered.
"Babe I can protect you." He whispered back as I looked into his eyes. Could he? Could he really protect me from government thugs? I knew he was a vampire and so was I well at least I thought I was until the other day. "So will you stay?" He asked in a whisper.
I looked at the ground. "Those people might have guns are you sure you want to put yourself in harm's way?" I asked lowly.
"For you I'd caught a grenade." He answered back. I looked into his eyes.
"That's so sexy but I won't stay and put you in that position." I said back. He just looked into my eyes.
"Bella choose right now stay or go?" He asked. I looked at his chest. "Look I'm sorry I just want you to stay so I can protect you and keep you safe." He whispered.
"Just go." The voice told me.
"I don't want to." I told the voice in my head.
"Go now." The voice said back.
"I'm sorry Edward I want to stay but I can't." I told him.
"Now turn and walk away." The voice told me. I turned around and started walking away.
"No I can't let is end like this." Edward said aloud as he ran up behind me, grabbed my right arm, spun me around and kissed me.