Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is a genius, I'm not. Simple as that.
A/N: Thought I'd try something. Reviews would be very much appreciated!
Period: Inbetween NM and E.
Chapter One
Edward, Edward, Edward, where are you? I kept glancing out my window for the always polished Volvo, brushing my hair erratically. I tried to avoid all mirrors, for the poufy look vanished somewhere in the eighties. I'm going stir-crazy Edward, come faster!
Eventually I gave up on trying to fix all of my inadequacies since it only made me feel worse about myself, and scrambled down the steps toward the kitchen. I saw my father out of the corner of my eye, and I chewed on my bottom lip. I still held a small grudge against him. I knew I shouldn't, but I did, and I was too stubborn to let it drop.
When I walked in I fought the urge to make a sarcastic remark. Charlie was making yet another inedible concoction on the stove, and quite frankly I was scared to ask what it was.
"Smells great, what are you cooking?" That was a lie, and he knew it; it smelt like a mix of fried chicken and fire extinguisher. But, all in all, I had been trying to suck up to him to the best of my ability all summer.
His face was still stern and barely moved when he answered: "Question is what I was cooking. Gave up a while ago; ordered pizza."
I tried to lighten the mood. "Pizza's good. I cleaned my room and straightened up your room for you while I was at it." I left out the part of dusting the picture of him and my mother at a local festival while she was pregnant with me. It still freaked me out how attached he still felt about her.
"Yeah, well, thanks."
"No problem."
We sat for a while until the bell rang for the pizza, desperately awaiting anything to break the silence. Unlike most of our quiet evenings, this was an unwelcome one. It seemed a bit anxious actually.
He plopped down on the couch while I was still in the kitchen and I could tell he was trying to avoid me until after we both ate. Not only was I curious about the sudden treatment of Charlie, but the nagging worries of why Edward was so late didn't help me any. It just didn't seem like him, and I was convinced something must have happened.
I finished my two pepperoni pieces – I usually ate more, but at that moment I was too nervous to eat anything. I decided to find out what was troubling Charlie to keep myself distracted.
"Knock, knock," I muttered, tapping on the wall of the living room. He turned his head to invite me in. That was a good sign. "Uh, Dad? I need to talk to you for a minute."
"Well, you have good timing; commercial's are on." With a flick of his finger he muted the television which starred a very busty woman (a little envy to my own – or, lack of) washing a car with some special product.
"Yeah, so what was with the silent treatment earlier? Is something wrong…?" My question trailed as he sighed and sat up in his chair, rubbing his fingers through his somewhat graying hair.
"I'm leaving town for a while," He finally stated, glaring funnily at the carpet. I let out a very audible sigh of relief. "Well, that's not bad. You had me thinking there was another killing spree or something…"
He took a long breath and threw something into my lap. Instead of some headline which involved vampire-like situations as I assumed, it was something very unexpected.
"Something Wicked This Way Comes?" I read out loud to my Dad, who flinched in response. He was always a bit on edge when it came to magic and witchcraft. I actually had to hide the fact that I went to see Harry Potter one summer.
"Wow…this is uh, different…" I stated uncertainly; reading the article quietly to myself. I knew Charlie would freak if I read anymore out loud.
An outbreak attack involving a secret society is now on watch. Civilians claim they used unexplainable powers to penetrate and demolish the dead, leaving behind not even a trace of evidence.
"Oh – Oh my God," I must have shown my shock, for Charlie was on his feet.
"It's okay, if you want me to stay home I will. I can call right now in fact –"
"NO!" I too suddenly exclaimed, trying to resituate him on the couch. "No, I mean, I can always stay at Alice's. Her whole family is going to be home and plus it's hidden away from the town…" Plus I can spend time with my boyfriend and find out what's really going on. The Cullen's were like a second family, and I was definitely faulting on my whole "show them I'm vampire material" promise that I made for myself.
He pondered the fact for a few tantalizing seconds and then answered: "Don't think you're ungrounded because of this. I just want to make sure you're with people."
Another second.
"Are you sure Jessica and her parents aren't available?"
*****
I reached for my phone – I really needed to invest in one without a cord – to call the Cullen's. Of course, Alice already knew of my latest plan but I wanted to make sure. I felt weird and like an obligation if I just invited myself. You know what they say about assumptions.
In no more than a minute after I called, my doorbell rang. Even though I more than expected it, It still gave me the chills.
"Yeah, Bells is upstairs. There's pizza if you're hungry." I heard Charlie chuckle in that special way he always did when any of the Cullen girls stopped by. He especially had a soft spot for Alice.
"Thank you Charlie, you are like a second father to me." She chimed. I could tell Charlie was smiling, yet somehow I could also see that he was secretly disappointed at being called a father by Alice. How he even remotely thought somehow she would want to be with him, I'd never know.
She came in my room inhumanly quick and shut my door. "Of course I want you to come, Bella. Edward sent me." I became suddenly aware of the bleeding of my lip, for I'd bitten down so hard.
"Alice, what's wrong? Where's Edward? Please tell me he's okay. Tell me everyone's okay!"
She took my arm in a firm but gentle way and sat me on my bed. "He's hunting." She stated grimly as I exhaled in spite of myself. "Alice, that's no big deal – you had me scared to death!"
She cut my impromptu, nervous laughter with an unsubtle remark. "Not that kind of hunting, Bella," My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "He went with Carlisle and Emmett."
I had to bite down on my already throbbing lip from making weak and pathetic whimpers.
"The article…" I trailed off, Alice nodding in confirmation.
"The supposed 'clan' is heading our way and Carlisle suggested we check it out. It's possible they're vampires who are just very tidy. It's insane what the humans are thinking."
My face flushed in quick embarrassment. "Are you sure… you know… that there's not actually witches coming?" It sounded stupid even to my own ears, and she laughed musically. I was always a little jealous of how angelic she always sounds.
"Bella! You are so ridiculous sometimes. I can easily see how Emmett finds you so amusing."
I stood up, folding my arms together. "What, you don't believe in magic? You don't believe that there's anything unexplained out there?"
For once, she looked taken aback for someone who could see the future. "Of course I do. I am something unexplained, Bella. It's just, witches and warlocks? You really believe in such things?"
"Well maybe not exactly 'Hogwarts' and all, but I believe there is magic of some sort. You know somewhere. It could be here."
She stared at me in awe as she grasped me in a sudden hug. "Don't worry; we will make sure nothing comes your way. Especially not these 'magical' people." She laughed to herself in my embrace. It took me a second for my Swan attitude to kick in. Don't get me wrong, I hated to argue with Alice but excuse me, I was not afraid of much anymore.
"Ahem, what? You don't need to console me like a child. I can fend for myself, and I'm going to be one of you soon anyway! I don't need the mighty Cullen's to fetch me my rattle and fight off big, bad strangers!"
I stood there, stuck in my own resentment. We stared at eachother for one long moment before either of us moved. Before long, Alice grew smug, whisking down my stairs to consult with Charlie; I chased down after her, making a racket compared to her silent footsteps. He was still watching Sports Center, but for Alice he would gladly mute.
"Charlie you are looking younger every minute!" He turned beet red, smiling as wide as humanly possible. "You wouldn't mind if Bella came to my house early, would you? To get settled and all, I mean."
He soon came back to his role of the overprotective dad and head sheriff, warning her of the sudden danger. "I just think she'd better stay the night with me until I'm gone. I'll drop her off tomorrow. I just don't want anything to happen to her – or you, of course."
"Yeah, see, sorry Alice. No can do!" I interjected, throwing myself in the way. I knew of course, how she could blithely move past me. And, ignore me for that matter, like the Cullen's do so very often when it came to these situations.
She put a hand on Charlie's arm and gave it a few pats. "Char-leeee, you really don't need to worry. We will all take care of Bella. Plus, my father is very strict of us staying inside. We will be on complete lockdown. Scouts honor!" She signaled the 'scout's notorious trademark, and my father foolishly chuckled. I shifted my feet and already began to pout. She won, and she knew it.
"Well, all right. Complete lockdown."
"You got it!" She answered back with a determined nod.
She dragged me back up the stairs, and I stayed in silent bereavement all the way. I heard the football game already start as Alice began to pack my things. I noticed she didn't add in too many of my clothes. I guess I was going to be completely furnished over where I very stubbornly decided to stay, giving Alice an excuse to play Bella dress-up.
"Oh, chin up Bella. We'll have fun, you'll see. Plus, we're not actually on lockdown. Us girls can take care of ourselves."
Alice saw that didn't completely convince me. I tried to keep my guard up, my unwillingness draining with every one of her smiles.
"Plus you'll get to see Edward and know what's going on firsthand."
From the look on my face, once again, she knew that she'd won.
A/N: Well, there's Chapter One. Should I continue? You know what to do.