Chapter 1 College
Like so many Twilight Readers, Stephenie Meyers sparked a dream in me to write again. All the credit goes to her but I appreciate the opportunity to explore and improve my own writing skills using her fabulous characters, settings, and story lines. She has had an enormous impact on so many people and I only hope that someday, I will be able as a writer to touch a fraction of the lives that she has with her stories.
Eternal Day begins after New Moon and continues to what I see as one possible conclusion to the Bella/Edward story. This story will be mostly rated T but may have to be changed to M near the end. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Chapter 1 College
The day was gray and gloomy, perfect weather actually, as I rushed trying not to be late again for school. Overcast days with no rain were my favorite. I grabbed my raincoat knowing the inevitable wet stuff would probably appear at some point. Smiling up at the low hanging clouds, I pulled the door to Charlie's house closed behind me and headed for the shiny, silver Volvo.
They were waiting for me in the driveway, like most days, at least most cloudy days. Edward opened the passenger door as I approached.
"Good Morning," he greeted me in his soft velvet voice. Every time I looked at him his beauty stole my breath away.
I climbed in the front seat. "Good Morning," I answered, my heart racing already. He closed the door softly behind me as I twisted around in my seat to smile at the passenger in the back. "Hi, Alice."
"Hi Bella," she said. "Did you sleep well?" Her silvery voice sounded like wind chimes in a light summer breeze.
"Yes, thank you," I said turning back and buckling in as Edward backed down the driveway and headed towards school.
It was hard to believe I had lived in Forks for almost two years now. Alice, Edward, and I were attending the satellite campus of Peninsula Community College, located right here in Forks. We had all missed so much school during our senior year and had been too late for most college application periods, so the local community college seemed like the best option for our freshman year.
It suited me just fine because I could continue to live with my dad, Charlie, and I could cover the tuition, barely, with my microscopic college fund. Alice and Edward could also stay at home with the rest of the Cullen family in their beautiful house set deep in the woods.
The plan was that we would all transfer to a "real university" next year. Of course, that wasn't really my plan.
So we enrolled in Peninsula College – Forks Campus. Occasionally, one of us would have to drive up to Port Angeles, to the main campus, for a special class or exam but for the most part it felt like an extension of high school.
I had kept my college classes generic, a liberal arts track with a focus on English and Literature. I figured I wouldn't need it, so I just chose a major that interested me.
Edward, on the other hand, actually appeared to want to learn something and opted for classes in computer technology and cyber security. I guess he felt he should keep up with the modern world.
Alice, no doubt, inspired by their "adopted" father, Dr. Carlisle Cullen and her exposure to my endless series of injuries, decided to try her hand at a premed curriculum. I was impressed that she wanted to make that type of commitment. I knew it had taken eons for Carlisle to master his natural instincts and be able to save human lives instead of taking them. Exposing himself so needlessly to human blood, in order to help people. It said a lot about his character. And now, Alice wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Edward pulled up outside the building where my first class was held. I wouldn't be late now, due to his excessively fast driving, so I took a moment to lean over and kiss his perfect, icy lips. He smiled as I leaned away and opened my door to get out.
"I'll see you at lunch," he said softly.
"Okay," I said already missing him. "Bye Alice," I gave her a quick smile and closed the door. They sped away as I entered the building.
The worst thing about college was not having most of our classes together like we did as seniors in high school. The best thing about it was there was no requirement for GYM. I didn't exactly excel at sports and I usually ended up hurting myself or others around me when I had to participate.
Unlike the graceful, athletic Cullens, I have always been an utter klutz. A "walking calamity", as one of my gym teachers had told me one time. As I settled into my seat in the back of the classroom, I wondered if I would be graceful like Edward and his family when I …
"Ms. Swan?" My thoughts were interrupted when the teacher, Ms. Kite, called on me apparently not for the first time.
Oops, I thought. I had no idea what she had asked me. I guess I'd better start paying attention and stop daydreaming about the future.
I smiled at the boy sitting next to me as he snickered under his breath. He was tall, with shoulder length straight black hair. He reminded me a lot of my ex-best friend Jacob Black. My classmate, Tom, was younger and leaner than Jake but they were both from local Indian tribes and had a strong resemblance. Tom whispered the answer the question I had missed, but Ms. Kite heard him so I was busted anyway.
"Thank you, Tom," she said and moved on to the next unsuspecting victim. "Thanks," I whispered back to him and smiled again.
"Anytime," he said grinning. He reminded me so much of Jake that it was hard to keep my face from showing the anguish I still felt over the loss of my friend.
Our class was Northwestern Native American Indian History, so Tom already had a jump on most of the students having grown up on the nearby Hoh reservation. He had graduated early from the Quileute Tribal School as part of their HeadStart program, and his parents insisted he spend his first year here at the Peninsula Community College since he was only sixteen.
This history class was actually my favorite class this semester so far. I knew some of the history of the local Quileute Indians from hanging out with Jake and his crowd. He had been my best friend and life raft when the Cullen's had left during much of our senior year of high school.
I never would have made it without Jake. He had been my best friend, although he had wanted to be much more. I had learned all about the Quileute legends from him. They believed that they were descended from wolves. There were even stories of men that turned into wolves, werewolves.
Then, I had seen it for myself when Jake came of age and his genetic marker kicked in. The Quileute Werewolves, just a legend in most people's minds, were real. Young Quileute men who possessed the right genes would be transformed into giant wolves if their mortal enemy, the vampire, showed it's self anywhere near their lands.
Their enemy had moved to town just two years before I did, which started a chain reaction that eventually reached Jake when he was coming of age last spring.
Tom was a really nice kid, and I enjoyed his company on sunny days when Alice and Edward stayed out of the public eye. We often ate lunch together usually at the nearby coffee shop in downtown Forks. He knew a lot about the local history and I found his stories fascinating. I also discovered that our professor, Melanie Kite, was his Aunt. Sister to his father, Dale Kite. She had never married.
The bell rang and I looked over at Tom again. "See Ya," I said waving to him.
"Later," he agreed and we went our separate ways to our next class.
The morning dragged on endlessly. I was anxious to get to lunch to see Edward and Alice. They were waiting for me outside the door of my last class and we walked together to the small campus cafeteria.
Edward took my hand in his cold one as we walked. The routine of our life was comforting in one way, but I always felt a little edgy, anxious to move on to more important things. It kind of felt like we were in a holding pattern, circling endlessly. I was happy but not satisfied. And then there was always the fear in the back of my mind.
Fear that they were coming.
"What would you like?" Edward asked as he led me to the line to buy the institutional looking food.
"I'm not really hungry," I said eyeing the bland looking options.
He pursed his lips at me. "Bella, you have to eat," he said in a disapproving tone.
I sighed. "I'll just have a salad," I said pointing to one of the pre-made, slightly wilted mixes in the clear plastic box. Who knows how long it had been sitting there waiting for some unsuspecting consumer like me.
Edward nodded to the girl behind the counter that we would take the salad, "and a Coke," he added. He paid and we joined Alice at the table where she sat waiting for us.
One nice thing about college was that no one was really paying attention, so the Cullens didn't need to pretend to eat anymore. They didn't buy food at lunch only to throw it away untouched like they had at Forks High School. We only made this trip to the cafeteria for my benefit.
I stabbed the salad with my plastic fork as Alice and Edward exchanged amused glances.
"What?" I said annoyed at their exchange.
"You're so funny, Bella." Alice chimed in her silvery voice.
"Really?" I said pouting.
"Yes, it's like you don't even want to eat normal food anymore. Like it makes you angry," she said smiling at my petulant behavior.
"Sorry," I said. "I just wish we could get on with it so I wouldn't have to anymore."
Edward's smile faded. "Bella, are you so ready to give it all up?" He said wearily. We'd had this conversation too many times recently.
"Yes," I said stubbornly. "You're just stalling now. You know it has to happen," I insisted.
His jaw clenched. "Bella, we've already been through all this. We need to wait until summer, there will be too many questions if you drop out of school in the middle of the year. Besides, what would you tell Charlie?"
"I know," I said dropping my eyes, giving up. "I'm just worried they might show up." That wasn't the entire reason for my impatience but he already knew that.
His voice was gentler as he reached across the table to touch my hand. "You don't need to worry. We'll protect you and the chances of them coming in the next six or eight months are very slim." He tried to reassure me. "Besides Alice will see if they're near by," he added smiling softly at me and lifting my chin so he could look into my eyes.
I knew Alice's gift of seeing future events would provide notice before any unwelcome visitors arrived, but sometimes even her visions were inaccurate as she herself was quick to point out.
"I know, Edward," I pleaded, "but you yourself told me that I'm a danger-magnet and if something is out there, it will find me," I whined.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight, Bella," he said and I could hear the subject closing.
I just nodded. There was no reason to keep pressuring him about it. He was right, as usual. It would take time for me to recover from my transformation and I would have to stay out of the public eye for a while.
Even though I understood the reasons why we had delayed my transformation another year and I had agreed to it, I couldn't help but feel anxious and agitated about it. Last summer, after our high school graduation, when I was scheduled to become an "official member" of the Cullen clan, there had just been too much going on. Dealing with Victoria, the vicious vampire intent on killing me after Edward's family had killed her mate, James, when he had all but killed me, had taken everyone's constant attention until she had been eliminated.
Then just a few days later, Charlie had a fishing accident. He had fallen out of his boat, breaking an ankle and had almost drowned. After a few days in the hospital, he still needed me for an intensive six-week recovery period. It felt like a conspiracy at times. At least he had finally eased up on Edward. Edward's assistance had been invaluable during his extended convalescence.
By the time things had settled down, it was time for college classes to start up. Since we hadn't made arrangements to go away to school, I didn't have a convenient excuse to disappear and begrudgingly, I agreed to wait until the end of the school year. Edward was elated, of course.
"Oh, Bella, I had an idea!" Alice piped up, suddenly excited, her eyes sparkling. "The teacher in French class this morning was talking about a summer exchange program. Students can study abroad for the summer and it counts for a course. You know, you live with a family at their house and speak French and learn the culture."
I looked at her a little confused. "Why would you go to France, Alice, you already speak fluent French?"
Her laughter was like tiny soft bells ringing. "But you don't, Silly!"
The light bulb went off over my head. "Oh – that could be my ruse to leave for the summer – to study abroad." I said liking the idea immediately.
Edward just smiled, listening to us scheme.
"Yes," Alice continued, "I could pretend to be your host in France and talk to the teacher and Charlie and, of course, answer calls until you're able to. It would be so much fun!" She said her eyes dancing with delight.
"Wow, Alice, that could work. You are so devious!" I said smiling approvingly. My mood improved dramatically. "You'll have to actually teach me to speak French though," I said teasing her.
"No problem," she nodded confidently.
"Come on you two. We're going to be late for class." Edward said picking up my tray to discard the remains on the way out.
We walked together to our last class of the day, the only class we all three shared, Advanced Calculus. Yuk! I was glad I shared this class with Edward because I sometimes needed his help with it, even though I didn't like to admit it.
I struggled to pay attention to Mr. Grandy but between my lack of interest in the subject and the distraction of Edward in the seat next to me, it was a losing battle. I finally gave up and started doodling on my notebook. Edward glanced over at me, an eyebrow raised, noting my lack of attention.
School just wasn't high on my priority list these days. It was hard to be interested when I knew this would be my last year of it, at least for a while. Who knows once transformed into a vampire, with limitless time on my hands, I might actually be interested in Calculus – but I doubted it. For now though, I let out a sigh of relief when the bell rang releasing us from the tedious torture. Edward chuckled softly as he watched me, obviously understanding my thoughts, even without being able to read my mind.
One of the great things about our class schedule was that we were home every day by two o'clock. Usually, we spent the afternoon at the Cullen's house since Charlie wouldn't be expecting me until around six o'clock when he got home from the police station.
After I turned nineteen in September, Charlie seemed to relax a little about my whereabouts. I guess he figured if I had gone off to college somewhere else, he'd have no idea what I would be doing. Since he got to see me every evening for dinner, he probably assumed he was getting way more than most parents would get from their nineteen-year-old daughter. I was glad I got to spend the time with him though. I didn't know how much more time there would be with my human family so I tried to make an effort to spend time with him now.
Besides that, he was helpless in the kitchen. I don't know how he had survived before I came to live with him. My cooking wasn't gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, but I could hold my own in the kitchen. I had to learn to cook because neither of my parents ever had.
Renee and Charlie had divorced when I was only six months old. She hated Forks but he refused to leave, needing to tend to his elderly parents, so she took me and moved away. I spent most of my childhood in Phoenix, the land of the sun. It was a hard adjustment moving back to the rainiest place in the U.S. - Forks, Washington, but now I love it. Or rather - I love who lives in Forks.
Edward and I had met when we were juniors at Forks High School. We had a bumpy start to our relationship because, of course, I didn't know he was a vampire. I didn't know he craved my blood so strongly that he almost killed me that first day in Biology class when the only open seat was next to him. I didn't understand any of it when he looked at me with black hate-filled eyes. I couldn't fathom why anyone would hate me so immediately, so completely, when they didn't even know me. Then he disappeared for a week and I thought he must have dropped out of school. I figured that first day must have been about something else rather than me and that's what had made him so angry. But then he reappeared, a changed person.
He was still breathtakingly gorgeous of course, but now he was friendly and his eyes were different too. I was sure that first day when he had glared at me, his eyes had been black - coal black. But when he returned, they were a strange ochre color, darker than butterscotch but with the same golden hue. When I asked him if he had gotten contacts, he seemed puzzled by my question and had insisted he hadn't. Maybe, I had just imagined his eye color and the hateful way he had stared me.
I found myself watching him every day. Never in class, but from afar, across the cafeteria during lunch where he would sit with his four siblings. They had all been adopted by Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife my new schoolmates had informed me. All five of them were extraordinarily beautiful and very pale with dark circles under their eyes. They kept to themselves, never talking to other students and sometimes not even to each other. I was fascinated.
Then I was almost killed, first by a van sliding on the ice in the parking lot at school and later by some men in a dark alley in Port Angeles. Edward always seemed to appear, impossibly, in the nick of time to rescue me. It only made me more curious to find out about him. Was he some sort of teenage superhero?
My friend, Jacob Black, a Quileute Indian, who lived on the nearby reservation in La Push was the one who, unknowingly, clued me in about the Cullens. He told me some old Indian legends about the Cold Ones. He didn't believe the legends but his dad did. I confronted Edward with Jake's stories and my own theories and in the end he confirmed that he and his family were vampires. By then, of course, it didn't matter. I was already unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
The Cullens, unlike other vampires, had chosen not to feed on human blood. Carlisle, their father figure, had been changed into a vampire sometime around 1663, at the age of twenty-three. He had abhorred what he had become and had tried unsuccessfully to kill himself. He grew weak refusing to feed on humans until one night, nearly insane with hunger, he attacked some passing deer. He found he could survive on the blood of animals and with this new insight, his philosophy was born.
Over time the other members of the family had committed to his 'vegetarian' lifestyle. Edward had been the first to join his family after Carlisle had saved him on his deathbed during the Spanish influenza epidemic in 1918. Shortly after that, Carlisle rescued Esme, who later became his eternal partner. Rosalie and Emmett joined them a few years later and finally Alice & Jasper. The vampire that had changed her had abandoned Alice, but her gift of "foresight" had led her to Jasper and to the Cullens.
Jasper had lived with a "conventional" group of vampires but became depressed and had left them eventually finding Alice in her search to join the Cullens. Jasper had fed on humans for a long time before joining the Cullens, having been changed into vampire in 1863. Having drank so much human blood, it was a difficult struggle for him to abstain. Only his love for Alice, kept his natural instincts at bay.
As we entered the Cullen's home, Jasper came down the graceful, curving staircase to greet Alice. They wandered off together to another part of the house and we were alone.
"Come here," Edward said taking my hand and leading me over to one of the wide leather sofas in the enormous living area that occupied most of the first floor of the house. He picked up the remote and switched on the large plasma TV that faced the couch. He muted it and stretched out, patting the cushions in front of him.
"I've been waiting all day to be alone with you," he said as if it had been months since he'd held me close instead of just hours since he stole out my bedroom window early this morning before Charlie woke.
I lay down next to him, my back to his cold hard chest. He pulled an afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over me so I wouldn't get chilled with his icy body pressing against mine. My eyes wandered to the TV as I felt him tracing the side of my face with his long fingers. His cool breath tickled my ear and I could smell his sweet, delicious scent. He put his lips to my neck just below my jaw and inhaled deeply.
"You smell amazing," he said in a dreamy voice.
"I was just thinking the same about you," I said, my mind swirling and my pulse racing with his closeness, his touch, his scent.
All the trials we had been through in the past two years, seemed like a distant memory now. Or in some cases a fading nightmare. We had survived it all though and he had been able to resist my blood, choosing to love me instead. Why, I still couldn't fathom, I was so ordinary. And Edward was so, well, extraordinary that it still didn't make sense to me. But he loved me and I believed him now. Finally.
The cold November wind started to whip outside and a deluge of rain splattered down thru the thick forest surrounding the Cullen's home but I felt safe in Edward's arms and I sighed in contentment. My eyes wandered again to the large TV as Edward continued his exploration of my face with his light, cold fingertips always careful to be gentle with me.
A commercial on the TV caught my attention. It was an advertisement for a travel agency and boasted sunny island scenes of beautiful white sand beaches, the azure ocean water so vibrant it looked fake, and perfect-bodied men and women playing volleyball in the sand.
"Edward, let's go away on vacation!" I said with a sudden burst of inspiration, rolling onto my back so I could look up into his golden eyes.
Edward smirked, thinking that I was joking with him.
"No really," I said, "isn't there a private beach we could go to somewhere for winter break?"
"Bella," he started. "You know what happens when I'm out in the sunlight."
I did indeed know. It was one of the most spectacular things I'd ever seen. I remembered back to our first date. The day we spent together in Edward's meadow was etched forever into my mind. When he stepped into the bright sunlight, he literally sparkled like a thousand tiny diamonds were imbedded in his skin. The beautiful meadow, stunning in a colorful bouquet of wildflowers, paled next to his brilliance. I'd never forget that day or how beautiful Edward was in the sunshine, or our first kiss.
"I know," I continued, "but isn't there someplace we could go, where no one will see? Some place at the ocean, maybe? Where it's warm." Even though we lived near the coast – it was rarely warm and sunny here in Forks, certainly never tropical like the island scenes that had my imagination running rampant. As if to emphasize my point, another gust of wind and rain hammered at the glass wall that made up the back of the Cullen's home.
"Bella, this is why I want you to have a normal life – so you can do normal things – with normal people," he said eyeing me.
"I don't care about being normal," I said belligerently. "I just thought it would be fun to go to the beach and swim in the ocean with you. You've told me before that vampires are excellent swimmers," I said trying to distract him from his thoughts of me being normal as if I ever had been - even before I met him.
"Yes that's true but…" at that moment Alice bounded into the living room. We looked up in unison at her entrance.
"Hi Bella, Hi Edward," she said in her silvery voice. She was all smile exposing her gleaming white teeth. "I couldn't help but hear that Bella wants to go to the beach for Winter Break. What a great idea!"
Edward sighed, exasperated. "Alice, you know…." but she cut him off.
"I know, Edward, but I think there actually might be a safe place to go on vacation. I heard Carlisle talking to Emmett about it the other day. He thought Emmett and Rosalie might like to go there on their next honeymoon," she explained gleefully.
"Hmmm," Edward murmured. "Where is this place?"
"He said there was an island off the coast of Costa Rica. He found out about it from Carmen & Eleazer the last time he and Esme were visiting them in Denali," she explained.
Edward sat up pulling me up with him. "I've never heard of this place." He stated the surprise clear in his voice.
I listened with rapt attention to their exchange. They spoke quickly but slow enough for me to understand which was considerate as it was a conscious effort on their part.
At that moment, Carlisle walked into the room. No matter how much time I spent with the Cullens, their beauty continued to strike me each time I laid eyes on any one of them. Carlisle was blond and more gorgeous than any movie star I'd ever seen, and my heart skipped a beat as he sauntered over towards us. It was like being monitored at all times in the Cullen home as everyone, except me, could hear everything that was said in a normal tone of voice almost anywhere in the house whether they were trying to listen or not.
"Eleazer mentioned the island retreat when we were up in Denali a few weeks ago." Carlisle joined the conversation. "They were considering a trip themselves. It's owned by a couple, like us, that hunt animals. The retreat is very private and is only open to our kind and with a few exceptions, to humans who know of us and can be trusted with the secret of our existence." He looked pointedly at me and smiled.
"Is there a beach?" I asked excited. I was already imagining walking down the beach, hand in hand with Edward while he sparkled like fine crystal in the sunlight."Yes," Carlisle said. "There is supposed to be beautiful beaches, excellent diving, and a variety of recreational activities available." I noticed the subtle look he gave Edward.
Edward carefully studied Carlisle's face. "How safe would it be for Bella there?" He asked cautiously. Keeping me safe was always his full time occupation.
I looked hopefully back and forth between them. I was already thinking of the clothes I'd have to get Renee to send me that I'd left with her when I moved to live with Charlie in the wet cold environs of Forks. I was pretty sure they'd still fit.
"I believe so, Edward, but I'll speak to Eleazer about it again if that's what you kids want to do. It might be a fun trip for all of us if you don't mind more company and I can get away from the hospital," he suggested.
I looked happily at Edward but Alice voiced my enthusiasm before I could even open my mouth. "Oh, come on Edward let's all go – it would be so much fun!! We could even go shark hunting!!"
Edward's mouth turned up in a small smile unable to contain his pleasure at the thought of hunting down the greatest hunter in the sea. "Well, let's find out more about it, and then we can make the right decision," he conceded.
Alice and I smiled hugely at each other – it was impossible not to catch her contagious enthusiasm. She was like the sister and best girlfriend I'd never had. Alice was always upbeat and happy except when her rare gift of seeing future events left her knowing something bad was coming.
"I'll check into it some more then," Carlisle said, smiling at our exuberant exchange before he left us to return to his office.
Edward watched in amusement as Alice and I spent the afternoon planning the trip and deciding what new things we would need to buy. Alice loves to shop.
"Are you planning to feed Charlie this evening?" he asked finally interrupting our girlish chatter.
"Oh," I said realizing the time. "I guess I need to get home."
He laughed softly and stood reaching for my hand from where I sat on the floor with Alice.
"Bye Bella," she said. "See you later." She jumped up, dancing off into the other room to find Jasper. I shook my head at her exquisite grace – she would leave any ballerina envious.
Edward drove me home, too fast as always. We sat for a moment behind my old red truck as the rain continued to sheet down around us, blurring the view out the windshield and submerging us in our own private underwater world. Charlie wasn't home yet so I lingered in his warm, dry car.
Apropos of nothing, I asked, "do you really think it's possible?" I said this as if he really could read my mind.
Edward, like Alice, also had a special gift. He could hear the thoughts of people around him. Everyone's thoughts, except mine. This exception to his natural gift was an extreme source of frustration for him much of the time. I was glad though, that he couldn't hear my mind. It would have been especially embarrassing at the beginning of our relationship if he could have known how completely absorbed I was by him.
"Are you referring to the proposed island trip?" he asked. Even though, he couldn't actually hear my thoughts, he knew me well enough now to know what I was thinking much of the time anyway.
"Yeah," I said hopefully.
"I don't know," he said. "We'll have to see what Carlisle can find out." He still looked concerned, for my safety, no doubt.
"Will I see you later?" I asked, knowing it was a rhetorical question.
He grinned, "Yes, I'll be here."
He reached over and softly touched his perfectly smooth, icy cold lips to mine. Touching my face, he held me to him for a moment longer. I felt the familiar electric shocks along my jaw as his fingers gently held me prisoner. Finally he drew back, his eyes on mine, smoldering like liquid gold. I reminded myself to breathe as I reached blindly for the door handle behind me.
"Until later then," I whispered and ducked out into the rain.
He waited until I was safely inside and then silently pulled away into the darkening night. Even though I knew he'd be back in a few hours, having climbed through my bedroom window, as he did almost every night, I still missed him in those intervening hours. I never felt complete or whole when we were apart. It was as if a part of me always went with him.
I set about fixing Charlie's dinner and while it was cooking, laid my schoolwork out on the kitchen table. I worked steadily until Charlie arrived home.
"Hi Kiddo," he called as he walked through the door.
"Hey Dad," I answered as I stacked my books up and placed them on the end of the counter out of the way for our dinner.
Charlie stepped out of his boots, hung his sheriff's jacket and gun belt on the coat rack in the hallway and joined me in the kitchen.
"Dinner is just about ready," I informed him checking on the casserole in the oven.
He smiled and moved to the kitchen sink to wash his hands. "How was your day, Bells?"
"Great," I said. This could be a recording of just about every evening with Charlie. It was same conversation, just a different night with different food. Life was fairly predictable with him, which was fine by me. I always knew what to expect.
We ate dinner and then Charlie moved to the living room to catch the game, again much like any other night. I cleaned up the kitchen, finished my homework and headed up the stairs with my copy of the Iliad, the current book we were reading in my literature class. I had read both the Iliad and the Odyssey before, but it was fun to read Homer's great Epics again. It was also a good distraction while I waited for Charlie to go to bed and for Edward to arrive.
"Night Dad," I called as I climbed the stairs, waving my book at him.
"Night Bells," he called back, his eyes never leaving the screen.
I got ready for bed and turned out the lights except for the lamp, which sat on my nightstand. I propped up my pillows and snuggled down under the faded old quilt that had adorned my bed since I was a little girl. I had just gotten deeply involved in the plot when I heard Charlie's door click shut and it seemed like only moments later that Edward came silently through the window.
I grinned at him. Our nightly rendezvous never seemed to lose its sense of exhilaration. My heartbeat raced along erratically every time I laid eyes on him. I set the book down on the nightstand as he switched off the lamp.
"It's late," he whispered, although it was only ten-thirty. He liked to come early hoping that I would get at least a few hours of sleep after we'd had time to snuggle and whisper quietly all the things that seemed easier to say in the darkness of night.
He slipped off his shoes and slid under the quilt with me, holding me close to his cold body. Edward had drawn many careful lines in our physical relationship with the intention of keeping me alive. While Charlie would have had a stroke if he knew that Edward spent almost every night with me here in my room, nothing was actually going on that would cause him concern, much to my dismay.
It was quiet for a long time, with only the sound of Charlie's snoring and the rain gently pelting the rooftop, as background noise.
"Are you asleep?" he asked, his voice soft and low.
"No," I whispered but I was starting to get drowsy as I inhaled the sweet scent of him emanating from his chest.
"Alice and I won't be going to school tomorrow." It sounded like an apology. "The rain is clearing out tonight and it will be sunny," he explained.
"Oh," I said understanding they'd have to stay indoors or at least out of the public eye.
I felt his hand trail along the length of my arm, from my shoulder down the inside of my elbow to the ends of my fingertips. I shivered in delight at his light, cold touch, the skin on my arm raised in multitudes of little goose bumps. He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed each fingertip separately. It was amazing how sensual he could be even in such a chaste manner. I couldn't contain the low moan that escaped from deep in my throat.
He rolled so that we lay on our sides, our faces only inches from each other. I could see his golden eyes smoldering in the darkness. The room started swirling as it always did when I breathed in the concentrated scent in his breath. As I learned from experience, I had to focus on breathing or I would pass out. He leaned in and gently brushed his lips against mine.
"Sleep," he gently commanded against my lips. My mind and body complied before I could fight it as the darkness engulfed me.
Sure enough, the next day was sunny, and when I woke Edward was gone. I drove myself to school in my red '53 Chevy truck. The engine noise was deafening after riding in Edward's quiet Volvo on most days. I loved my truck though it had character. In the case of an accident it was a tank, which was good for me, as bad luck often seemed to chase me down since I'd moved to Forks. My truck would protest if I requested speeds upwards of fifty mph but just driving around Forks wasn't taxing for the old boy. I parked in the student lot near my first class building and made my way across the lawn, enjoying the rare sunny weather.
"Hi," I heard a familiar voice call out to me. I looked over and saw Tom Kite, his long legs closing the distance between us quickly. Even though he was three years younger, he was already a head taller than me. What do they feed those boys on the Reservation? I wondered.
"Hey Tom," I said greeting him as he fell in line with me, shortening his stride to match mine.
"So you drove yourself today, huh?" he commented, hooking his thumb back towards my truck in the parking lot behind us.
"Yeah," I said not offering any explanation. Tom had seen me being dropped off by the shiny Volvo for class on other days but he didn't know the Cullens and I wasn't offering any explanation for my transportation discrepancies.
"Want to grab lunch today?" I asked him as he held the door to the building open for me. I wondered briefly if he had put it together that we only had lunch together on sunny days when I drove my truck to school. He probably had, he wasn't in college at sixteen for nothing.
"Sure," he said smiling eagerly, his white teeth in sharp contrast to his russet skin and black hair.
"Coffee Shop?" I asked him already knowing his answer.
He nodded. "I think I'll get the Logger Burger today!" he proclaimed grinning widely.
The Forks Coffee Shop was a quaint little diner just a block south of campus. The menu was exactly what you'd expect from a small town diner but the food was actually really good. Once you'd eaten there a couple times, they knew you by name and asked if you'd like your favorite today. Of course everyone in Forks knew who I was, being the daughter of Police Chief Swan it was inevitable and embarrassing most of the time. If I ate anywhere in town with Charlie, the restaurant owner would try to give us our meal free, but Charlie always insisted on paying. He didn't want anyone to think he would accept bribes, even if it were just a cup of coffee. I normally didn't get the same offer when I wasn't with him though.
I really enjoyed spending time with Tom. Like Jake, he was easy to be around. He was easy going and confident but I could tell he felt awkward being in college with kids two or three years older than him. He didn't fit in well and I could relate with that. I had never fit in well even with my own peers. We were in class now and Ms. Kite was lecturing on the Quinault River Treaty.
"The Hoh, Quileute and Quinault tribal leaders met with territorial governor and Indian supervisor Isaac Stevens to negotiate the Quinault River Treaty on July 1, 1855. According to the treaty, the natives would cede lands to the government in return for reserved tracts of land for their exclusive use. The parties signed the document on January 25, 1856 and it was finally proclaimed on April 11, 1859." Ms Kite explained as if reading it straight from a textbook. Her face composed, too composed, was perhaps masking something she didn't want us to see. I figured there was much more going on behind her careful lack of expression. These were her people after all, her history, and the end of an era.
Ms. Kite continued on, "the Hoh people were originally one village among several villages of the Quileute tribe. They are the only other people to speak the Quileute language. This language is very unique because it's unrelated to any other root language in the world. It's also unique because it's only one of five languages with no nasal sounds, such as 'm' or 'n'. Young people who live on the Quileute and Hoh reservations are still taught their native Quileute tongue, even today."
I looked over at Tom and smiled.
"The Hoh reservation is located at the mouth of the Hoh River and was established in 1893." She pointed to an overhead projection of the Olympic Peninsula, which showed all the reservations. "The Hoh reservation is only four hundred and seventy-six acres while the Quileute reservation is approximately one square mile or six hundred and forty acres. You can see they're very small compared to some of the others such at the Quinault Reservation located here." She used her laser pointer to point out each reservation as she talked about it.
I took careful notes about the history of the local Indian tribes, not just because I wanted to get a good grade, but also because I really was interested to learn more about them. When class was over, we confirmed our lunch plans at the Diner and waved as we went our separate ways.
Tom found me as I made the short walk to our lunchtime destination. Once inside we grabbed our favorite booth. After ordering, I looked up at him across the table.
"So, Tom, you and your Aunt are part of the Hoh tribe, right?"
"Yep," he said
"So tell me more about your tribe," I said, attempting to extract some of the wealth of information that must be stored away in the boy's head.
"What do you want to know?" he asked grinning at me.
"Oh, come on," I said exasperated.
He just waited, amused.
"Um, let's see, okay how about this - why did they split from the rest of the Quileutes, become their own tribe, and get their own reservation?" I asked smirking at him.
While we had learned that the Hoh had been one village of the Quileute tribe and had later been granted their own reservation and established their own tribe, no explanation was ever given as to why they split.
Tom's eyes became guarded as his smile suddenly disappeared; this was not a welcome topic. I watched him, curious, as his face changed tenor. "It's not talked about a lot," he started. I nodded trying to encourage him. "But there were some disagreements between my people's village and the other villages in the Quileute tribe."
"Oh," I said not sure if this was a forbidden topic and that I was being rude asking about it. He seemed very uncomfortable with my question. "Tell me about the reservation," I asked deciding to try something easier.
He brightened a bit at the change in direction of my questioning. "It's really small," he said a bit sheepishly. "There's really only a few long houses and some other buildings at the mouth of the river. My family is one of the last still living in the original tribal village. There are some other homes back in the woods." He finished and took a big bite of his Logger Burger.
"Hmmm," I murmured chewing on my own burger. I swallowed and took a sip of Coke. "How many of you live in the long house?" I asked trying to stay to easy topics.
"Well, my parents, my sister – Kate, Aunt Melanie, my Grandmother, and me so that's six. Back in the old days a dozen or more people would live in each long house so we have plenty of room."
"That must be nice having all that family around you," I said thinking of my childhood with only one family member present at any given time.
"Yeah," he said, "but sometimes it's hard to get any privacy." He said rolling his eyes towards the ceiling.
We laughed and went on to talk about our other classes and his future plans to be a brain surgeon or something equally fanatical. It was amazing to think he was only sixteen. As we went our separate ways to our next class, I thought again how much Tom reminded me of Jake, not only in his coloring but also in his upbeat, easygoing manner.
After suffering through yet another excruciating lecture by Mr. Grandy, I escaped and pushed the ceiling of my truck's self enforced speed limit of 50 mph as I made my way impatiently to see Edward.
As soon as he opened the door to my truck and pulled me out and into his arms, I felt the immediate sense of release that always accompanied his presence. I lifted my face to his and he knew immediately what I wanted. He bent his head down to lightly kiss my lips without releasing his iron grip around me. It felt like days instead of hours since he'd held me. Was I actually becoming more obsessed with him? Was that even possible? I wondered again at how I ever lived through those terrible six months when I thought he was gone forever. I held him even tighter as I buried my face in his stone hard chest.
He chuckled softly. "I may have to skip school more often," he said his eyes dancing as I looked up at him, "if this is the type of reception I'll get."
I smirked at him releasing my death grip around his waist. He took my hand and walked with me up the stairs and into the house still laughing quietly to himself.
"Bella," Alice called as she ran down the stairs, a blur of black hair and white skin, coming to a graceful halt in front of me.
"Hi Alice," I said always a little unnerved at the speed at which they moved when they were being themselves.
"Come on," she said taking me by the hand and leading me to the long couch in the living room. I looked back over my shoulder at Edward who stood there with a look of chagrin on his face as she stole me away from him. He wasn't used to having to share me. I just raised my eyebrows and shrugged at him as she dragged me to the couch.
"I have news about our vacation plans," she said so animated she almost looked like a cartoon character. "Carlisle says the Island is a perfect place for all of us to vacation and has already secured a villa on the beach for us to stay for ten days. We leave on December thirteenth!" Alice explained so excited that she was almost vibrating.
"Wow," I said, "I guess I'm going to have to hurry up and figure out how to ask Charlie's permission to go with you. That's only a couple weeks away." I was excited but concerned now whether Charlie would let me go. It surprised me that they'd already made reservations. The Cullens apparently didn't have any trouble making decisions, like I did.
"How about letting me ask him for you?" Alice suggested, her eyes dancing with a mischievous glint. Charlie loves Alice. Ever since she helped with my recovery from the "James Incident" as we referred to it, he would do anything that Alice suggested. He was totally mesmerized by her.
"That would be great!" I agreed immediately, knowing her success would be assured.
Edward just watched us with a totally unreadable expression on his face. I was sure that he was still concerned about my safety on this trip as there would be other vampires on the island that he didn't know. Since I had almost been killed on multiple occasions before by other vampires (and by other humans for that matter) including his own brother, Jasper, he was a little cautious around anyone he didn't know.
"Consider it done then," she said confidently. "I'll talk to him this weekend." And with that she jumped up and raced back up the stairs.
Edward just shook his head as I smiled broadly after her.
"I couldn't have asked for a better sister," I said
"Nor I," he agreed as he smiled at me, his beautiful face shocking me again. Would I ever get use to it? Would I ever get use to the fact that he was mine? I doubted it. I took a deep breath as my heart restarted.
