I was sitting in English class, not really listening to Mr Mason as he rambled on about….what was he talking about? Probably Romeo and Juliet again, what did that story matter to me anymore? I mean, Edward was Romeo enough, he was better than Romeo. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything against Shakespeare I just – Edward looked up at me with his golden eyes, interrupting my train of thought, he turned his head toward Mr Mason and I tried to pay attention too. I couldn't maintain my concentration because my eyes kept flicking to look at Edward's perfectly composed face. He gave me a quick stern look and I stuck out my bottom lip sulkily but turned my attention back to the teacher. Mr Mason finally stopped talking and began to write questions up on the board, everyone put their heads down to work. Edward's cool hand briefly touched mine as he slid me a note:
You should pay attention Bella, you want to pass your exams, don't you?
I wrote back quickly
You're distracting me, I can't help it… maybe I need a tutor :)
He replied in his neat script
Bella, you don't need a tutor and I can't help it if you find me so attractive
He grinned at me and we both got back to work. I was just about to start writing when Edward stiffened in his seat and I looked at him, concerned. His eyes flicked across the room wildly as if he were looking for something. I touched his arm and whispered,
"What's the matter?"
"Quileutes, here. This is not good, but they wouldn't dare…"
His voice was cut off by the sudden blaring sound of the fire alarm. The noise was deafening, not to mention completely unexpected, this was Forks after all. Who would guess that a fire was even possible in such a perpetually damp environment? We all covered our ears (except Edward) until the ringing finally came to an end. There was silence.
Then Jessica let out a piercing scream in her high soprano voice that was even worse than the fire alarm. And before my eyes a strange phenomenon occurred. All the girls in the classroom proceeded to scream, whimper, wail, I saw one girl start crying, it was like they were crazed or something. One of the girls from my Spanish class was hyperventilating and chanting "I'm not ready to die." The boy next to her rolled his eyes. Strangely enough, I could feel panic seeping into me too, if was infectious. Mr Mason called above the chaos in an irritated voice,
"Girls, please!" They either didn't hear or simply ignored him because they continued to act like complete maniacs.
"Calm down! There is nothing to panic about, this is probably just a drill…or, maybe not," more screams.
"Look, let's just follow procedure and leave the classroom, calmly."
Edward jumped up, taking me by the arm and he rushed over to the door dragging me with him. Without waiting for further instruction Edward took us out into the corridor where students were spilling out from the classrooms in all directions. Edward was distressed and I tried to talk to him but he was cutting through the crowd and I was being pushed by other students surrounding me. In the air were the sounds of both panicked and excited voices, some gladly welcoming the harmless interruption, some completely over reacting, but I recognised the smell of smoke in the air. Suddenly we stopped, I shivered and looked around to see we were outside, behind one of the buildings and we weren't alone. All the Cullen kids were there.
"Alice." Edward snapped.
"Edward, you know I can't see them," she replied sadly.
"Why didn't you hear them, Edward?" Rosalie retorted.
Hear who? Edward had said something about the Quileutes…I waited for his answer.
"I," he began, "I don't know, I did realise eventually, but not in time. I didn't notice their presence, I can't explain it - I'm sorry."
"There's no time for apologies and explanations," this was Jasper speaking in his firm voice, a wave of calm came over me.
"We have to decide what we're going to do," he went on,
"About what?" I chimed in.
They all looked at me with varied expressions. It was Emmett who answered, but he spoke to the whole group,
"They've set the main building on fire, there are students trapped…"
I gasped and Edward held me around the waist.
"Go," I squeaked, "get them out, do something!" Why were they standing here? If there were people trapped and they could get them out, why weren't they doing it right now? What would stop them?
A more intense calm washed over me and I glared at Jasper.
"We'd better hurry, it's a pretty massive fire." Emmett said.
"We can't," Rosalie sounded exasperated.
"But, some of them will die…"Alice whispered, Jasper wrapped his arms around her.
"How many Alice?" Edward demanded.
"Twenty or so, it's not certain."
I started to fell nauseous, twenty?
Edward took a deep breath and said,
"I don't know about you guys, but I can't sit back and let this happen. I won't expose us, I'll be subtle, but I'm going to try at least."
"I won't risk it!" Rosalie shouted and then whispered, "I don't want to move yet…" I didn't understand what she meant but I didn't have time to ask.
Edward picked me up in his strong arms and took one last look at his siblings before running swiftly away. He slowed down when he saw the gathering crowd. We had almost caught up to them when he put me down and turned my body to face him.
"Bella, please stay safe, I'm going to do what I can to get everybody out."
"But you can't do it alone!"
"I know, I've got Alice, Emmett and Jasper. Don't worry."
"But who did it Edward, was it really one of the Quileutes? How could they? Why?"
"Not now Bella, just find your class mates, and stay with them."
He bent his head, kissed me lovingly on the lips and then disappeared in a blur. I stood still, catching my breath before making my way toward the ever growing crowd of students and staff. My thoughts turned to Jacob, had he been a part of this? Edward said Quileutes, but did he mean all of them? It made me sick to think that they would do something like this, no reason can justify the need to set a school full of kids on fire.
I started walking toward where everyone was gathering; it looked like almost the whole school was there. I heard a rustling noise coming from the edge of the forest beside me. My pace quickened. I saw a dark shape move across the corner of my vision, my heart was racing. I was still so far from the others, if I could just – OOF! I was pushed to the ground with amazing force, the large body of my offender loomed over me, panting heavily. I coughed and spluttered, all the breath had been knocked out of me. I slowly opened my eyes, scared to see who or what had the nerve to do this. My vision focused…no, Jacob?
"Jacob?" I wondered allowed.
"Hey Bells," he answered cheerfully as if he hadn't just pounced on me like some animal.
"Um, would you mind explaining to me what the hell you think you're doing?"
"Oh, sorry, I got excited," he took my hand and pulled me to my feet.
"I'm sorry if I sound rude but what are you doing here Jake, it's not a good time, there's a fire…" a fire that the Quileutes were apparently responsible for,
"Don't tell me you were a part of this Jake, you wouldn't…"
His happy demeanour disappeared instantly, "Bella, it's not like that, I swear…yes, I helped organise it, but just believe me ok, this is for your own good, for everyone's safety."
I felt sick, sick to the bone, Jacob had been a part of this? He thought it was ok to kill people? My stomach churned. I whispered, "Why Jake?"
"Bella, this is serious, we wouldn't have done it if we thought people would die, but we knew that the Cullen's would make sure that no one got hurt – that's obvious. But that's the beauty of this plan," his eyes were gleaming and he had a smirk on his face, he was proud of this, "we didn't have to hurt anyone or start a fight, if they chose to play the heroes and get those kids out (which they're probably doing right now) the next thing they would do is leave, leave Forks altogether. They'll go anywhere to avoid being noticed – and someone is bound to notice their little skills. Then we'll be rid of them, for good, you won't have to put up with them anymore."
And he smiled the biggest smile ever and I just stared at him. Jacob was giving me ever more reasons to hate him, didn't he get it? Would he ever get it?
"Jacob, if we ever talk again I'll try to explain to you how you're making me feel right now, but at the moment I can't stand to look at your face." He looked cut and I stormed off before he had a chance to recover.
"Bella, wait," he pleaded.
"Leave me alone, Jake."
I ran the last ten metres to the crowd and then pushed through the students looking for someone I knew. I had just spotted Tyler when a shrill scream echoed through the air,
"JASPER, NO!" Alice. Alice never screamed like that.
I didn't stop to think, hearing her voice like that completely shocked me, and I bolted toward it. It had come from the main building I was sure, and when I saw it I almost tripped over my own feat. The whole thing was engulfed in angry red and orange flames, there were sections of scorched black and parts of the wall had caved in. I could only stare. As I got closer I could feel the air getting warmer and warmer.
"EMMETT, HELP HIM!" Alice's voice sounded again, I rushed around the building until I found the entrance, which was thankfully still in tact. I charged toward it. Once inside I completely regretted my decision.
Immediately it was hard to breath, black smoke hung in the air and it stung my eyes, how could I have been so stupid? The walls of the unstable building had collapsed in some parts and the fire was eating everything. I couldn't find the entrance, I had wandered and I was lost. I had to find Edward. I coughed, the smoke was choking me, I stumbled into classrooms looking for them, I had no idea where I was. I was about to collapse when I finally spotted them. At the end of the corridor were numerous dark forms silhouetted by the smoke.
"Jasper, try to remember, gather yourself, you don't want to do this." Alice was pleading.
"Edward!" I called, I was almost there.
"What's she doing?" Was that Emmett?
"Bella?" Edward called out to me.
I found them. Emmett and Alice had their arms wrapped around Jasper who was struggling fiercely and his eyes were focused on the girl in Edward's arms.
"Bella, what are you doing? I told you to stay!" He sounded slightly irritated but mainly worried.
I coughed and stumbled, Edward deftly moved the girl to his left arm and caught me with his right.
Edward spoke above the noise, "That's everyone, let's go, once Jasper gets some fresh air he'll be ok." I realised that the girl Edward was carrying had a deep gash in her forehead, which was bleeding heavily; I tried not to look at it.
Edward tightened his grip around me and began navigating us through the crumbling building looking for a way out. I couldn't concentrate and my consciousness was slowly fading but suddenly the cold outside air blasted us and it felt so good.
Edward still held me up and I coughed a bit but breathed in the fresh air.
As soon as I could speak I said,
"Edward, you're secret is safe isn't it, you're not leaving because of this are you?"
"Of course not Bella, don't worry – I'm not going anywhere."
I smiled.
"It was the Quileutes…are you going to talk to them or something?"
"Oh we'll be having a talk," he smirked.
We continued to walk and eventually had met up with the rest of the school. I sighed, the whole town had finally showed up. Included in this disorderly crew was Charlie… great. Edward laughed quietly,
"Get ready my love, embarrassment awaits."
I groaned, "Edward, save me!"
And then Charlie spotted me, my face streaked black from the smoke, and he yelled,
"BELLA!"