Chapter 2 (Emmett's Little Secret)

Recap:

Bella has woken up after her ramble through the forest after Edward leaves in New Moon.

Emmett has met a dream girl while hunting in Brazil.

And she was gone. In a flash – half of the second I was touching her ever so intimately, and the other half she was non existent. I flew back from the clouds, and cavorted back to Earth. To Rosalie.

What was I thinking? The first girl I meet I manage to jump on. And scare off. I rested back, cross legged, to my elk blood, wondering what on Earth had possessed me to turn my back on Rosalie. But as soon as I pictured those emerald eyes… something happened to me. I don't know what, it was like a chemically enhanced tingle. It was not right.

I can't remember what else I did that night. Probably hunted some more, or did something like that. Went swimming in that lake I saw in the morning, something unimportant like that. I was still in a little bit of daze after my romantic tussle with the mystery girl.

I came to an epiphany the next morning and realized why I was interested in her. You don't meet many vampires often, mostly I just interact with humans. And human girls – well, as you could expect, they swoon at my feet. Being buff, smart and hilarious might have something to do with it, or maybe the fact that I am always completely off limits to them.

So human girls have never attracted me, apart from their scent and my thirst for them. But never physically, or romantically like Edward has with Bella. They would be so easy for me to have, and I consider so much less equal to me in so many ways. I have respect for humans, oh yes, but I have never been jealous of them. So what I am trying to get to is that I have never really been attracted to anyone much except Rosalie – and she is someone that I have always had, and always will have.

The reason I was attracted to this girl was obvious. She was mysterious – she was the unknown. She was more than that, in fact. She was a challenge. She was someone that was not going to play right into my hands, and someone that I knew I would have to work for.

I came to this ruffling conclusion after I had swum in the flowing river. The cold water had no effect on me – my body heat was probably lower than the water temperature anyway. Diving in, leaving my jeans on but my shirt at the bank, I swam to the very bottom and sat there for an incredibly long time. Some fish swam around me, and at one point I even saw some bear paws clawing at the surface above. After about what felt like was forty minutes, I swam up to the surface and dolphin dived to the bank.

Sprawling out amongst the reeds, I shut my eyes and concentrated on feeling the icy breeze. It was then I heard a voice, like an entire symphony of melodic harps, asking a rather compromising question.

'Enjoying yourself, Sir Emmett?' the voice called out.

Without opening my eyes, I coolly replied, 'Are you just here to see me with my shirt off?'

That had her bamboozled. I sprang to me feet, to find my startlingly beautiful companion grinning malevolently.

'What?' I asked, disturbed.

'You realize we shall have to go our separate ways very soon, Sir Emmett.'

'Oh really, Dame Cecilia, and why is that?'

'Don't you dare call me that.'

'But you are calling me Sir Emmett!' I cried, surprised.

'I know. I hate my name, Cecilia. Call me Cessy.'

'Alright I will then. But why do we have to go our separate ways?'

This had me stumped. Why would we have to go our separate ways? I could think of many reasons, but none that were particularly news worthy.

'Because a group of two hundred backpackers are supposedly going to be coming along at any moment.'

As if waiting for their cue, we heard murmurs (probably ages away yet) of about 200 people floating to our ears. Cessy immediately grabbed my hand in earnest with some serious strength and towed me, shirtless, up a neighboring tree. I was surprised to find a large, interweaving branch area that could just fit two people. Both of us were still slightly sparkling from the Sun.

Only two people could fit inside the space if Cessy sat in my lap, slightly curled up. She was incredibly light for such strength.

She whispered huskily, 'Maybe it would be better if you sat on my lap.'

I chuckled softy against her ivory neck, pleased she was comfortable enough to joke in our current position.

I noticed that her soft arms had draped casually around my bare, cold neck and that her dark hair flowed magically over parts of my chest. I knew that I shouldn't be thinking this way, but I had a feeling I wasn't the only one.

She intentionally closed her eyes and leaned her head against my shoulder, in the upper groove of my chest. I flexed lightly, suddenly almost nervous and slightly joyous in my situation.

I hoped the backpackers would be unfit…

Bella

Life was unbearable. Jigging school was the best option, and there was nothing that could be more amicably greeted in these time for Bella as a day to wallow in her sorrow.

This particular day Bella had climbed up a large hill on the outskirts of Forks. It was solitary and lonely; the perfect place to be miserable. In fact, Bella often stayed here overnight in a sleeping bag, leaving a note for Charlie to say she was sleeping over a Jess's. She would sprawl out on the damp ground, not caring even if she got hypothermia, and thought about the good days; the days that were hers, the days she wanted, the days that wanted her. The days she wanted to live.

She was lie on the soggy, wet ground, in an inefficient sleeping bag and look up at the half covered and faint stars. Even the stars had appeared duller and less appetizing since Edward had left; food, homework, school, everything had become more mediocre, less wanted.

So she would gaze up at the unfulfilling night sky and wish to high heavens that there was someone she could share anything with. All her feelings had become bottled up inside during the day; during these nights, Bella would bring a pillow to scream and groan in her agony as the hole ripped itself open with menace. Nothing was more painful and agonizing than what she felt now.

Life had lost its meaning.

Life minus her love wasn't life at all.

After screaming into her pillow for what felt like hours, Bella would drift into unconsciousness for what felt more like five minutes.

Knowing, deep down, and continuing to repeat in her mind, that life was over.

He wasn't coming back.

To be continued…