Sameness
"What, Edward? What is it?" I asked in a whisper.
"Sshhh." He hissed at me.
I stood stock still, bracing myself for something that would jump out of the bushes. I was rather relaxed, though, considering how I would have reacted if I was human. I would have been scared that it was Victoria, or the Volturi, but I knew that neither of them could touch me.
Suddenly, there was a snap of a twig nearby. I whirled around, but nothing was there.
"What is it?" Edward asked, turning to face the same way as me.
"Nothing. I just thought I heard something, that's all."
"Really? That could be a good thing; maybe you are getting your hearing." He said hopefully.
"Hmm. Maybe."
I smiled at the thought of this, maybe I was transforming properly. Maybe I just needed time.
Then I heard a voice. It didn't sound as if it were coming a particular direction, it was just a voice.
"Bella?" Said the voice.
"Yeah." I answered uncertainly.
"What?" This time it was unmistakably Edward's voice, but it still didn't seem to be coming from anywhere.
I turned to look at him.
"Someone said my name." I told him.
"No they didn't Bella." I was looking right at him, and I could hear him, but his lips weren't moving.
"What the hell?" I yelled.
That was just weird. How could I hear him when he hadn't even spoken? Was I hearing his thoughts? But that's what he could do; surely I couldn't have the same power as Edward?
My thoughts were interrupted by a noise coming from my right.
I turned around to see a massive wolf bearing down on us.
"Bella? Is that Bella? She looks…different." Then I recognised the voice.
"Seth!" I squealed.
The wolf ran back into the forest, but before long, Seth appeared from between the trees, wearing nothing but a pair of old shorts.
"Bella? How did you know it was me? What are you doing here? He's thirsty, you know?" He said, flipping a thumb in Edward's direction.
"Yeah, I know. But how did you know?"
"They smell worse when they need blood." Seth grinned at Edward, and Edward grinned back.
"Wait. Oh, right, I forgot you can smell us –"
"Us? What do you mean us? You don't smell any different. You can't be?"
Seth looked from me to Edward and back again.
"Surely you can't be?"
"I am, Seth. I'm sorry, it was an accident –"
"Don't apologize. It doesn't bother me, especially considering I can't smell you. Why is that?" The question was directed at Edward.
"A production malfunction."
"Oh, nice, thanks." I said.
Seth gave a little chuckle. "I better get going. I'll see you around."
"See ya." Edward I both said at the same time, which sent me into fits of giggles.
Once Seth had gone, Edward and I kept going. He stopped on the edge of a small clearing, just behind a tree. He had a serious expression his face.
"I need to know if you can hear anything."
I nodded and closed my eyes.
"Anything Bella? Please hear something."
"Okay, you really have to stop doing that, I can't concentrate."
I closed my eyes again, but I couldn't hear anything except Edward's voice inside my head willing me to hear something.
"The only thing I can hear is you. No twigs snapping, no leaves rustling, nothing."
My voice broke at the end of the sentence, and I was surprised to find myself crying.
"Wait. I – I shouldn't be crying. Should I?"
"No. You shouldn't. But come on, we better get going."
"No. Just wait a minute. I want to know why things are like this. Why can I hear people's thoughts? Why can't I hear properly? Why can I cry? Why am I still warm? … What is that smell?"
I suddenly had the most delightful smell fill me. The question seemed to catch Edward off guard.
"Huh? You can smell that?"
"Oh yeah!"
And without another word I ran into the forest letting my sense of smell guide me. I could hear Edward yelling after me, but I was gone, I needed to eat.
I tripped over about three times, but hot quickly to my feet again, to chase the scent. I could tell I was getting closer because the smell was getting stronger. I reached another clearing, and there, standing in the middle of it, was Angela and Ben, kissing each other.