Disclaimer: If I owned Twilight, it would be so much better.
Author's Note: Here's another edited chapter for you. It's the one that's with Bella. The edited version is much longer/more interesting. There's much more from Bella in Jacksonville Blues this time around.
Jacksonville Blues - Forced Vacation (Bella's Point of View) (1050)
The sound of someone rummaging around in my dresser woke me up. I reached for the mace under my pillow (one of Charlie's mandatory precautions) and sat up, holding it at arm's length. It was just Charlie. "Dad, what are you doing?"
Charlie had been busily stuffing my wardrobe into a duffle bag. He dropped the bra he was holding and turned to look at me. He looked extraordinarily guilty. "Hey, Bells, I didn't know you were awake."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm packing for you. You're going to stay with your mother for a few months," his mouth formed a little line.
"What?"
"You're going to stay with your mother for a few months. The sun and warm will do you good."
I started to panic. If I left Forks I would lose the little piece of him that I had left. "What about school. It's the middle of the year!"
"I talked to the councilor and she said that she would talk to the principle and he would let you have the next few months. You can make it up when you get back."
I frowned. It was only for a few months. Maybe it would do me some good, though the councilor had been making my life hell for the last few months. She had probing questions that almost always mentioned one or more of them. It was mostly about him. She didn't know that she was just making it worse.
"Fine, dad. Maybe it will do me some good."
My flight took off from the Seattle airport at two. I was seated next to a moderately attractive young man. About ten minutes into the flight he turned to me. "Excuse me; can I borrow your headphones for the movie? It seems that they forgot to give me a pair."
"Sure thing," I mumbled, handing him my headphones.
He smiled brightly. "Thanks, are you sure you don't want to watch it?"
"No, I don't like romantic comedies."
"How did you know it was a romantic comedy," he asked his smiled slipping.
"They always are," I turned away from him and stared out the window.
Three hours later, the plane landed in Tampa. The young man turned to me. "Thanks, again, for the headphones. It was a good movie."
"I'm sure it was," he shook his head at me, clearly not understanding my bad mood, and left.
Renee and Phil were waiting for me at the gate. My dear, eccentric mother was holding a sign that said: "WELCOME TO FLORIDA, BELLA!"
I sighed. This was exactly what I had expected (and hoped wouldn't happen).
"Bella," my mother cried, running up to me and giving me a huge hug. Phil walked up behind her, smiled, and waved. I was grateful for his laid-back personality at times like these. "I'm so glad that you decided to come," Renee gushed. "We're going to have so much fun! The first thing that we're doing is going to the zoo! Isn't that exciting?"
"Renee," Phil interrupted my mother torrent of enthusiasm. "Bella might not want to go to the zoo first thing. Or at all! Do you want to, Bella?"
"It's OK; it's not too much of a time change. I'll be fine," I smiled gratefully at Phil. Sometimes my mother got so caught up in her plans that she disregarded everyone else's wishes.
It was an hour drive from Tampa to Jacksonville and another half hour to get to the zoo. After an hour and a half we were all happy to get out of the stuffy car and into the fresh air.
Then I saw the sign. It was hung directly next to the entrance.
Alfonso's Zoo of Curiosities
Presents:
THE FIRST EVER VAMPIRE IN CAPTIVITY!
SEE THE HORROR!
Visit today!
My heart sank. This was not good.
"Is something wrong, honey," Renee asked.
"No, mom," I swallowed. "I just didn't expect them to be advertising vampires instead of giraffes and hippos."
"I know! Isn't it exciting?"
Exciting was not that word I would have used. What if it was someone I knew? What if it was him? I couldn't bear the sight of his face. It would kill me. But dear, sweet Renee didn't know that. So I would have to go in.
The line for tickets was long. It was stuffed to the brim with reporters and people who looked like scientists. Then there were the tourists with screaming children who all seemed to want ice cream. It seemed like hours before we finally got to the gate.
There was a huge crowd around a small cage just past the primate house. I assumed that it contained the vampire. A lump formed in my throat as we walked closer to the crowd.
"Come on, Bella, let's get closer," Renee grabbed my arm and pulled me through the throng of people.
I had never been claustrophobic before, but the press of people around me made me feel slightly queasy. As we approached the front of the crowd, I could hear the shouts if reporters. "What is your name?" "How old are you?" "Where were you born?" "How did you get to be here?"
A louder voice rose above the rest. "PLEASE DO NOT YELL AT THE ANIMALS. ALL REPORTERS TO THE SEAHORSE FOUNTAIN FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. CARLISSIAN ABOUT THE VAMPIRE," the voice lowered slightly. "Anyone else who wishes to learn more, please gather at the seahorse fountain. THANK YOU."
The crowd abruptly ran off to the left and Renee and I were left standing in front of the enclosure.
He was beautiful. I suppose all vampires are. The sun was out in full force and his pale skin was glittering like a diamond. Painful memories entered my mind, and my chest started to ache. No! I was not going to let Renee see me like this! I straightened and took a closer look at the vampire. He had medium length dirty-blond hair.
Suddenly, he turned and I was confronted with a familiar pair of burgundy eyes. I stiffened. James, the vampire who had tried to kill me, was laying only a few feet away from me with only a flimsy fence in between us.
Things got worse. James raised an eyebrow. "Bella?"
Reviews!
Saephana: Oops! Guess I screwed up! Don't hesitate to tell me that I mucked up the grammar or spelling or such.
rebelwilla: Yes, poor, poor, James.
Mama2Four: Thanks much!
Me : I know, right? It's been almost a year!
