A/N: Thank you to the response from the first chapter! :D
99 days to go…
Bella:
Day 2 – 26th August 2012
I wake up the next morning at 9:30, after setting an alarm clock since Alice told me about our busy day. I go into the bathroom, which in an en suite, and quickly brush my hair and teeth. I don't get dressed yet, since I don't know what we'll be doing today.
Once I get downstairs, I can smell pancakes being made. Esme is an extremely good cook.
"Hello Bella, did you have a nice sleep?" Alice asks, chirpy and happy as ever. How she can be this happy so early in the morning, I don't know.
"Yeah, that was a really comfy bed!" It was probably the most comfy bed I've ever slept in. It felt new, as though it had only been bought a couple of weeks ago.
"That's good. Right, today, we're going to be all getting to know each other, then we're going to show you round Forks, and then, if there's time and you're not too tired, we'll do a bit of shopping! Ok?" Alice says, in her usual high pitched and quick voice, as she walks with me to the kitchen. Esme gives me a plate with a chocolate chip pancake, and I dig into it quickly.
"Thank you, Esme; you are such a good cook!" I say between mouthfuls. I can tell I'm definitely going to be putting on weight while I stay here. I look over to Alice, and I see she's not eating any breakfast.
"Oh, I've already had mine; I ate before you woke up. I'm a morning person." It's like she could tell I was going to ask her. She does seem like a morning person, though. Actually, she seems like a day-and-night person, constantly filled with energy.
After I finish eating, I go upstairs and get ready for today. I'm looking forward to getting to know the Cullen's, as I've only really spoken to Alice, Esme and Carlisle. I go into the living room, like Alice told me to, and I see all the Cullen's waiting for me. I blush, feeling bad for making them wait for me, and quickly try to sit down. However, my clumsy side decides now is the best time to make itself known, and I trip on, well, air.
Thankfully, Edward manages to catch me, before I make an even bigger fool of myself and fall on my face.
"Thanks." I mutter, and I blush even more. Great start to the day.
"Right, now, I think we should all start off by saying a random fact about ourselves." Alice says happily. "I'll go first. Sometimes I have dreams of things that will happen in the future." Wow, that's cool. I see Rosalie scowling at her, and wonder why. Maybe she doesn't like Alice? How can you not like Alice? I've only known her for a short while, but she seems really nice.
"I'm really interested in history, more specifically historical wars." Jasper says, sitting next to Alice. Alice and him are so cute together.
"Um…my middle name is Lillian?" Rosalie sort of huffs. I'm pretty sure she's only doing this because Alice and Carlisle are making her.
"Bears are my favourite animal!" Emmett shouts, grinning like a child. He looks a bit like a bear.
"Inside voice, Emmett." Carlisle says, joking slightly. "Right, I have always wanted to be a doctor and have a big family."
"I have re-discovered my love of cooking!" Esme beams, and I can't help but smile back.
"I, uh, I play piano." Edward admits, a bit sheepishly.
"Wow…oh, I…I would like to be a writer when I'm older, I love English." I tell them all. They all nod, and Alice then says we have to do other things to get to know each other. We spend the next couple of hour's just talking, learning things about each other. I learn that Esme can't have children naturally, so they decided to adopt.
After we've talked for a couple of hours, Alice says her and Edward are going to take me round Forks, and show me where everything is.
"If you ever get tired, just tell Alice. I think she sometimes forgets people aren't as hyperactive as she is." Edward says quietly as he opens the door for me.
"Ok, and, thanks." I say to him, and he goes round and gets in the other side while Alice goes in the front to drive.
"You're welcome. So, you enjoying yourself so far?" Edward asks. Alice had to go back inside, something about forgetting her phone.
"Yeah, you've all been so nice and welcoming. And thanks again for before. You know, stopping me from falling. I'm a bit clumsy. I trip over my own feet!" I admit.
"Don't worry, it was better than having you fall and bruise yourself." Edward chuckles.
"You said you play piano?" I ask, and he nods, looking curious. "Do you think you could show me, some time?" I blush again, for reasons unknown to me. Sometimes, I think my body decides to blush just to annoy and embarrass me.
"Yes, I'd love to." Just as Edward says that, Alice comes back, holding her phone.
"Who's ready for a tour of Forks?" She squeals, before driving off. For a while, all I see when I look out of the window is trees. Alice and Edward keep reassuring me there is civilization, but I'm not too sure.
"Ha! See, we told you, Bella! Right over there is the school." Alice says, pointing through the trees where I see one fairly large building, and another building next to it. I think back to my school in Oxford. The two are very different.
"It's small. And very grey." I comment, and Edward laughs.
"Well, there aren't many students. But I will agree on the grey part. It is rather boring." He tells me, and we continue driving again. We pass a couple of houses, but no one seems to have neighbours within a walking distance. All the houses are hidden by endless amounts of green forests. I'm sure there would be great hiking places here.
"Do you ever go hiking?" I ask them, voicing my thoughts.
"Yes! Why, do you like hiking?" Alice asks enthusiastically. Hell, she always enthusiastic.
"I do, but there aren't many hills or forests in Oxford. I think Forks has stolen them all." I joke.
"We'll have to take you some time." I nod quickly. That would be awesome. I'm already dreading going home. As we're driving, we drive past a parked car. The car is all black, with tinted windows. I shudder, and my breathing picks up. I try to calm myself, but it doesn't work.
"Are you alright, Bella?" Edward asks, and I nod a little and try to take big gulps of air. I'm just being pathetic. If they could see how pathetic I was, they wouldn't have bothered with anything… "Are you having a panic attack? Bella? Alice, pull over the car." Edward orders.
"No, don't stop! Please!" I beg. Alice just nods, but Edward doesn't look satisfied.
"What's the matter, Bella? What happened?"
"It's nothing, I'm fine now." Least it wasn't a full blown panic attack. One time, on a school trip, a similar thing happened. In a way, I'm glad I ended up fainting, because then I didn't have to answer the awkward questions. I wasn't allowed to say anything.
"You almost had a panic attack! That isn't nothing." Edward disagrees.
"Key word; almost. I'm fine now." I wish he would believe me. I'm a rubbish liar, and I'd prefer to not have to lie to them. I notice that Alice has stopped driving, and we're in a town sort of area. Good. We're far away from that black car.
"What set off the panic attack, though?" Edward tries again, this time his voice is softer.
"I…I just saw something…That reminded me of my parents. That's it, ok?" That's partly the truth, so at least I'm not a complete liar. Edward nods, but he knows I'm not telling him everything.
"You look like you need some ice-cream, come on." Alice says eventually, breaking the awkward silence, and Edward's stare, trying to figure me out.
*******99DAYS*******
We continue our trip, and Forks is even smaller than they described. I love it, though. It's small, surrounded by forest, and not boiling hot. What's not to love?
Thankfully, Alice says I need rest after what happened in the car, so we don't go shopping. I'm not a big fan of shopping, I find it both boring and tiring.
"Can you not tell anyone else about what happened today?" I don't want more people speculating about why I might have had a panic attack. Just because I saw a black car with tinted windows.
"I think we should tell Carlisle." Edward says and I begin to protest, but Edward just continues. "He's a doctor; he might want to make sure you're alright. Physically." I reluctantly nod, and we all go inside.
They call for Carlisle, and we go up to his office.
"How did the trip around Forks go?" He asks, smiling, obviously not feeling the tension between Alice, Edward and I.
"Bella had a panic attack." Edward blurts. I scowl a bit at him, before correcting him.
"I almost had a panic attack. I'm completely fine now. I'm sorry to be a burden, it won't happen again." I tell Carlisle quickly.
"Are you alright, Bella? What triggered it, if you don't mind me asking?" Carlisle asks.
"I'm fine, really. It was just…a…a m-memory. Of my parents." I mutter, feeling bad again for lying. I look down at my feet, knowing Carlisle won't believe me, but hoping he won't push the matter.
"I'm so sorry about your parents, Bella. I can do a medical check if you think that's necessary?" I shake my head furiously. "Ok, well, as a doctor, I'd say get some rest, and as a father, I'd say eat some food that's probably bad for you, then rest." Carlisle smiles, and I agree with him before leaving.
Esme gives me some M&M's to eat, the crispy ones that you never seem to be able to find in England, in a bowl, so that I can take them up to my bedroom. I lie awake, eating M&M's for a bit, since I'm not really tired.
"I told you this was a bad idea!" I faintly hear Rosalie say downstairs.
"No, it's not! All I know, is she saw the car, and got nervous." Edward said. How dare he tell them about what happened?
"Look, she's here now. I like her; I can tell we're going to be great friends! Now, Rosalie, shut up, and Edward, stop betraying her trust. Otherwise, she'll hate you, and I'm sure you don't want that." I completely agree with Alice on everything, but mostly on the fact that we're going to be great friends.
A/N: What do you think was the cause of Bella's panic attack?
Review please! :)