Chapter Three
-Bella-
"Edward? What the hell was that about?" I might be human, but I'm not stupid. Something just happened in Mr. Jenkins class between Edward and that new girl. What was her name? Jasmine? Like Sam Uley once told me, I'm good with weird. I could tell there was something different about her. Was she another vampire? Maybe from a coven far, far away?
"She's different." Edward replied, simply. Wow, now it all makes sense. I thought, dryly.
"I can see that for myself, Edward, but different how? Is she from another coven? She looked scared of you." Edward smiled that small, knowing smile that simultaneously makes me melt and drives me crazy.
"She's not afraid of me, Bella. She's afraid for you." Wait. What? I looked at him inquiringly.
"She's not a vampire, Bella". Edward continued. "She's something I've never seen or even heard of in all my years. But she could immediately sense that I was an immortal being and…" He hesitated over the next part.
"And?" I asked, as I stepped in through the car door Edward held open for me. Always a gentleman.
"She could sense our thirst for human blood. She could tell that I, that all of us, were restraining from feeding. She thinks we're all monsters and that you're life is in danger." He finished as he started the Volkswagen and drove away.
I thought this over. What the hell IS it with this place? Forks was like a cesspool for the supernatural. I still wondered what she was, exactly. Whatever she was, she was gorgeous. Cocoa skin that looked smooth as butter, large almond eyes, a perfect hourglass figure, and she walked with a strange sway.. She was.. Enchanting. I looked down at my worn sneakers and faded jeans.
"She's right, Bella." Edward interrupted my mildly jealous thoughts.
"What?" I replied, genuinely confused.
"About us being monsters. And now you want to become one." He finished flatly.
"Edward… Don't start this please." I protested. "You can't be a monster. It's not possible. And my decision is not about monsters and humans. It's about being with you forever."
Edward zipped around the car in a blur and let me out of the car. He looked down at me with those eyes. "I love you, Bella." He murmured.
Nothing else mattered. Not the new girl, not my jeans or sneakers, not the moon or the stars, the heavens or the earth… Only Edward.
"I love you, too." I whispered back. He kissed me slowly, hands roaming all over me, until Charlie cleared his throat loudly from the kitchen window. Edward looked back and waved.
'I'll be back to watch you sleep." He said before driving off.
I kept the small talk with Charlie to a minimum and disappeared to my room. I sat, same as I do every night, and thought about Jacob, where he might be, and if he's ok. I kept in touch with his dad, but I felt uncomfortable calling and visiting. As much as it was not my intention, I really did use and abuse Jake. Benefiting from his glowing personality as I healed from Edward leaving, and then going back to Edward without so much as a backward glance to Jake.
Sure, that's how it appeared. But that wasn't the whole truth. I still had battles within myself over leaving Jake for Edward. It was hard to ignore his physical attraction. His tanned skin, beautiful smile, and hard, chiseled body. And as if that's not enough, he was a truly wonderful person, loyal, honest, so caring, and a true friend. He is probably a magnificent lover in every way. But I'll never know, now…
