Words: 1,131

Chapter Three: Water Bells

Emily had me help out with the grill and the entire pack was around the campfire talking about their run in with Laurent a few days back. You'd think that since they'd see each other a whole lot that they would have had that subject way off their minds, but it didn't.

They probably just had the thrill of fighting their first real vampire that was in the vicinity of where humans lived. Anyways, we cooked most of the food for them, since they could eat an entire cow, and still be hungry. Besides, Emily and I alone didn't usually eat nearly as much as they did individually.

For a while they were telling us of the stories that their ancestors had gone through, and Emily listened fully, while I felt kind of guilty for tuning them out. I was making sure that they all were in their story deeply, while telling myself that trying to swim in a huge body of water right now wasn't really a good idea, I'm still not sure how this mermaid-tail-thing works, I could really drown. I'd be better off working in their bathroom…

But I don't want to take up her bathroom and tell them that they can't go in it when they might need to.

Lose-lose situation… There has to be a puddle somewhere, I glanced at the beach that was at least a yard away. Then, I got an idea.

"Uh, I'm sorry; I have to use the bathroom, may I be excused?" I asked Emily, feeling everyone's eyes on me, and the guilt double.

"Of course, you know where it's at?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, I do, thank you," I murmured, blushing. "Uh, you can continue with your story." I said to Sam, and he did just that.

I walked into the house, and found her back door easily. Once I was outside, I tiptoed to the beach floor and began my journey to one of the small ponds near the beach since it wasn't far from Emily's house. After looking around to make sure that there wasn't anyone near, I crouched down into the sand and sat there.

"How much water will I need, anyways?" I said to myself, out loud. I remembered that I was completely covered in water whenever I changed, so, I reached into the puddle and immediately began rubbing myself in water, hoping that the change would take longer this time. I looked over the wet places of my water and began to count mentally. 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…nine…? 10.

Nothing happened.

I frowned. "Oh—!" another 5 seconds.

Something happened.

I watched as the water that was on my skin melded together and became one before seeping into my skin. My body, as it absorbed the water, slowly transformed me. My legs turned clear, liquid-like. Like a figure made of liquid—water, instead of something solid. My legs grew together, still see-through, and then my stomach became just as clear as my legs, but my transformation didn't stop there, once my entire body was liquid-y I was half expecting to go fish, but that didn't happen for another ten seconds.

Once my body was done being liquid-y, I saw my tail fade into view and my scaly top cover my chest, and I was visible again, not that I was invisible, but I wasn't water anymore. My excitement sky rocketed.

"I'd definitely guess about 20 seconds." I grinned. That was longer than the last time though… I swear it was only 8-10 seconds that I transformed. I just hope it wouldn't take longer just to transform the next time. And how will I know how to control it?

"How am I going to dry?" I gasped. I started panicking because I could hear someone at the door. I'm completely covered by the bushes and all, but what if they come outside?

That's when the freaky-water thing happened again, when I was flailing my arms. 5 seconds, and my body turned into a clear liquid again, and another 5 seconds later my skin was completely dry, but whenever the water became my skin again my tail was completely gone and I was in my skinny's and sweatshirt again. It was almost as if the water turned into air, just vanishing from its original form of sight.

That couldn't be normal.

But, I didn't waste time on it, I got up and ran into Emily's house and freshened up a bit. Jacob was in there, of course, and whenever I passed him while going back outside, I decided I'd let him in on my secret one day, soon. It wasn't fair that I figured out his secret, so he should know mine too, I mean we're friends aren't we? Friends share secrets. I stopped and turned around to face him. "What's up Jake? Is there any more food left?" I joked.

Jake scratched the back of his neck and looked away shyly.

"Ha. Ha. But anyways, the guys are having a pack meeting right now. They caught scent of something unnatural. We have to go," he looked apologetic.

"In the middle of the day?" I asked, confused. I'm sure they usually looked for things at night? Unless it was just that time whenever they were catching Laurent that they went at night, then they might not have a real schedule.

"Bella, it's the evening."

I looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was just setting. Well, whatever. I shrugged. Time flew by quickly, then.

"Well, are you taking me home?" I asked, feeling kind of bad for wanting to leave, but not wanting to be here alone with Emily all the same.

"Yeah, let's go, kiddo." He grinned.

"I'm older than you," I muttered, but walked off in the general direction of his car that was outside, in the parking lot, and parked near Emily's sedan.

The ride home was usual with Jake. It wasn't exactly a quiet ride though. I still wanted to tell him my secret, but I don't want anyone in the pack to know. And Jake told me that the pack shares a mind. There were no secrets with them. I still had my doubts though, hopefully he could keep a secret from his pack…

"So, Bells, do you think you could come over again sometime?" he asked smiling a bit.

I thought for a minute, not really wanting to say yes, but not really wanting to say no. "I'll think about it," I smiled at him. My real reason for not answering being that I didn't want them to know my secret.

But that was for another time. I'll tell Jake after his pack meeting.

"I want to tell you something later, anyways." My smile wasn't forced this time, and it was real.

AN: Bella's power was mentioned in there, I'm not sure if any of you caught it though. If not, it will be clarified. ^_^