Rushing through crowds of people under the blazing hot sun of Volterra seemed like a good idea all throughout the plane ride. In fact, Alice and I had mutually decided that it was the best course of action since cars were probably not allowed on the small town of Volterra. It all seemed set. I was ready. However, right now — while I was at it — it seemed like a death trap instead.
In my rush to stop Edward from committing suicide, another shoulder bumped into mine and this time I didn't even turn around to say sorry. I simply ran. I had bumped into a dozen shoulders so far. More then them, I was sure that I was going to be the one to face the brunt of it all instead.
Apparently, the cause of my strenuous physical activity right now was because Edward had changed his course after our phone call. Now he was just going to reveal himself to the very crowd I was running amongst. Death by the Volturi didn't seem like an option when they wanted to recruit him not burn him.
I was running, waiting for the bell tower to ring. Alice had me that he was close to it. I pushed on. Just then the bell tower rang loud and clear and I turned left directing myself towards it, he was close by. I was going to get him! Definitely.
In my senseless running, I barely registered the large fountain and merely jumped into it, trying to cross over to the other side. I tried, and I was wet then too. The all- red dressed crowd were beginning to stare as well. I just ran faster. It was then when I saw him. Even from a distance, I could tell — he looked frail. What had he done to himself? How long had he not fed himself?
My feet quickened before I jumped over the fountain and onto the pavement as I ran towards Edward. He looked dead. Dead with guilt or some other emotion I could not read. It had been a year since I had last seen him, a year that I had spent most parts wishing that I could. Seeing his face now, I found myself wondering why he looked so sickly instead of crying about all the memories we had. He looked absolutely beat as he removed his shirt in a pace that seemed almost depressing. Edward looked depressed.
The panic in my heart increased as I saw him making his way forward from the shadows and closer towards the light. I ran harder. My legs were beginning to give away now, I was either going to collapse or crash onto something. I had run for so long. At this point, I only hoped that I would crash in to Edward. That way it would at least save him from taking his own life.
"Edward!" I screamed, my scream laced with irritation as I tried to push my dying legs closer and closer to him.
He didn't turn. I cursed myself, him, and the weather of the darned place out loudly as I almost killed myself to take longer strides. I was closer. I was hopeful.
Edward stepped out in the sun just as I reached him. Thankfully before he ruined his life, my arms went around his neck and I hit him flush in the chest until we both tumbled back into the shadows. His arms automatically slipped around my waist.
"Are you insane?!" I screamed as I lay over him, looking down at a dazed-looking Edward.
"Heaven?" Edward mumbled dreamily, and I almost sobbed into his chest. He was such an idiot! Such an idiot to try and take his own life for whatever reasons he had!
The little piece of my heart that still cared for him, that still foolishly pinned for the memories I had of us, ached with the hurt for having him in my arms again. That little part of me was grateful that he was alive. That he was safe.
The other part, the larger part of me reminded me of how he had left. Of all the hurtful things he had said, and said with so much conviction. Of how he had left me in the forest, alone, lost. In the rain. The other part reminded me that I had not been a serious thing for him. We had never mattered.
"It will be like I never existed,"
I sighed in helplessness as I pushed back until I was sitting on top of him, and took Edwards face in my palms, smacking his cheeks to grab his attention, "Edward! It's me! You're alive!"
His glazed eyes lifted up in a far away motion, and then it locked onto mine. "T–Tanya?"
I froze.
Of course. Tanya. I remembered her. The Denali Coven. He had mentioned dating her once. Of course it was Tanya. Of course.
I shook my head, chuckling for almost falling for my foolishness again, and began getting up. My job was done. It was time I left.
When I caught the flight in a few hours to wherever it was that I would live at for the next week, I wanted to leave with only the warm memories of the vampire that was in front of me. I wanted to take all the moments where he had saved me, the moments where we had laughed, where he had comforted me. Regardless of our conclusion, I was not a bad person and I knew neither was he. Maybe it was just the circumstances that made him decide to play with my heart.
"Right," I thought to myself, making up my mind silently as I looked at the sea of red in front of me. My heart made up, I hardened myself. Soon I would walk into that sea and be lost to this world. All traces of the Cullens, the vampires would dissolve from my system and I'd live. I'd survive. And I'd be happy.
Even though it was clear now why Edward haf showed me any interest, and why he had left. He had saved me once, and today I had saved him. I did not regret it. Now we owed each other nothing. It hurt, I wouldn't lie. But one day I was sure it would stop hurting. Slowly I felt as the last bit of hope that had blossomed and nestled itself in my chest since the plane ride seeped out of my system and disappeared. A lone tear slipped down my cheeks to mark its death. This was it. The end of Edward an I.
"I'm not Tanya, Edward," I stopped and turned around to see Edward still on the floor looking dazed, "Get a grip."
Instantly, Edwards glazed eyes darkened considerably and he straightened, coming out of whatever haze he was in.
"Bella?" He looked at me with confused eyes.
I waved my hands in dismissal above my head as I continued to walk away from this mess, "Yeah, it's me. Good luck with life!"
"I'm afraid no one is leaving,"
A swift shadow blocked my path and I gasped when a tall cloaked man's cold hand slid around my chest and pulled me back into his hard own hard one. It was like an automatic reaction, my wide eyes snapped up towards the voice only to meet blood red ones. My heart sunk in my chest. This was it, I was never going to see my father again.
I had rushed all the way here to save a man who didn't even want to want me anymore. Had he ever wanted me? But then again what had I expected? Hadn't I known that was the reason why any man in love could ever walk away? Because they were in love — but not with you. He was never in love with me. Or maybe in some brief moment, he was in love with me for a minute or two. But did that change anything? I was still going to die because I couldn't hurt the Cullens like they had hurt me. In the end, I was the only one to lose.
Edward was at my side instantly. I wished he would just go back to being sprawled on the floor.
"Surely no crime has been committed, the girl can go," He hissed, eyeing the intimate grip the tall dark haired man had on me.
The tall man growled in warning before another cloaked person — this time a tiny blonde girl — opened the door and stepped outside, motioning for us to step in.
I noticed the exact moment the girl arrived, it was the exact moment I felt Edward give in. That scared me. How dangerous could the girl be for Edward to submit so easily? How powerful could her abilities be? I could see death waltzing his way more quickly towards me now. Soon he would reach me and we would dance the waltz of death. Then I would never be able to go back to Charlie. To me, this world would be lost.
"The Kings would like to see the girl and the mind reader. The seer too when she gets here,"
I almost instantly hoped that Alice wouldn't be able to get out of the police filtered traffic jam.
"Move along then," the blonde girl sounded bored as she commanded us, taking a step back through the doorway into a dimly lit hallway. Despite myself, I felt my body relax when Edward's arm wrapped around me.
"We are not running away. Let Bella go, Demetri,"
The vampire in question chuckled before his hand slipped away and he moved a step back. It was a reflex action, looking up at the source of laughter. I frowned when I realised that he looked like a normal college boy who probably had a sports scholarship. As if feeling my eyes on him, his bright red orbs snapped to my warm brown ones and I gaped when I saw how amused he looked. Instantly I looked down at my dirty sneakers, Of course, the Volturi must have thought I was the stupidest human on the planet — and I couldn't disagree. I probably was.
"She is beautiful, I'll give you that. You picked your toy well," His words were taunting. I flinched but kept quiet, feeling Edwards' arms tighten around mine. He too remained quiet.
He didn't deny it, though, I noticed. He couldn't deny it. I was a toy, wasn't I? I had been adored just as toys were when they were new, I may have also been loved just as toys are for a day or two, and then when I was not interesting enough to fill the hole in his chest I was left behind. Just like a toy. At that thought, I grimaced as disgust began curling into my system. At least Demetri had said I was beautiful. But then I was sure Tanya was far more beautiful then I was. She was a vampire and I was a petty human. Brilliant, she won there too.
I couldn't help but turn my head up to look at Edward, open disappointment in my eyes. I almost wanted to push him away and take the arms of the tall vampire who was probably laughing at my idiocy. Almost wanted to yell at him for all the hurt he had caused me, but I didn't — this was not the time. I didn't think I'd ever get the time anymore.
The dark hallways we passed seemed only dark by nature and not by the interior design. The hallways were brightly lit with the golden glow that came from beautiful lamps that were attached across the walls. I suppose the viciousness of what occurred inside here couldn't be painted over even by a dozen coats of paint. Death still hung in the air.
When a very modern looking hallway came into view as we stepped out of an elevator and turned to our left, I knew that my death had almost reached me When the blonde girl stopped, Edward and I did the same. She turned and our eyes met. I couldn't look away, "The masters will see you both now."
"Edward! Bella!"
"Of course," I thought as I turned to face Alice. Alice would come just before death arrived. Alice could not just run away and save herself. My sarcastic thoughts had me almost eye-rolling at the helplessness in this situation. I guess in the end, all three of us were going to die together.
Behind me, the large regal looking doors opened and I almost flinched when Edward's grip tightened on me. Still, I followed him in, in silence.
"Aah! Edward! I see you found a very different way to give yourself what you wanted!"
I couldn't look up to face the person with the comical tone. "Definitely Aro," my mind chuckled darkly. I made a mental note that Aro was the one who looked almost like a peacock and needed a haircut. His current hairstyle could compete with Severus Snape's own mop of grease, and that was saying something.
"Although you're not the mate, are you my dear?"
Alice gasped as I felt my skin chill. Mate? Tanya was his mate? The urge to snap my head in Edward's direction and slap him was strong, but despite my constricting heart, I lifted my head up and looked Aro straight in the eyes. I felt foolish and embarrassed, and I was sure that everybody shared the same opinion about me. Still, I thought it would be alright just as long as I acted confident in myself. Even if I had just jumped on a plane to fly a hundred miles only to save someone who was dying for someone else. I was fine. I was alright. I was the bigger person.
It took me a while to realise that he was expecting my reply. So I did, despite my burning embarrassment, I spoke.
"I am not his mate. I am his singer,"
Aro's smile warmed and I found him more distrustful when he had that expression on, "That you are."
He turned to glance at Edward before turning back to me and continuing, "Your blood smells like molasses. The sweetest I've smelt in centuries. I believe you could be any vampire's singer. Special."
I could only stare at the regal being before me as the Vampire King stepped forward — and despite Edward's low growling — wrapped his hand around my wrist and skilfully pulled me away from Edward's grip. Secretly, I was thankful.
Slowly, the vampire king's hand found mine and we just stood there, hand in hand for a second or two. I thought I heard Alice whimper at the contact Aro and I made, Edward, however, stood silent. I suppose the guilt really was catching up to him.
Good.
I almost flinched back from shock when Aro suddenly let out a hysterical burst of laughter and let my hand fall down with a sudden drop. Instantly at my reaction, he was back beside me, his hand hooked in mine. If I didn't know better I would say that the king couldn't get enough of touching me — but I did know better and I knew that his ability had probably not worked on me.
His hand found my chin and I let out a surprised squeak. This definitely seemed like a part where Dracula would kill the minuscule human virgin in the horror novels. He surprised me, his fingers brushed against my chin for a second, before he tilted t upwards. When eyes gaze met his jovial ones, I was sure they looked just as confused as I felt.
"Sweet Isabella. You must be sad. Are you?" He mumbled underneath his breath, almost as if his words stood for only our ears to hear. But I knew, everyone in the large room had heard. Aro surprised me when he next turned towards Edward sharply.
"It seems like I cannot read, Miss Isabella,"
I turned towards Edward to see as he straightened his posture. Immediately two cloaked vampires were beside him.
"I can't read her too,"
"Jane, if you please?" A loud deep curious voice spoke up and I looked up in its direction. My mind almost stopped when I realised there were two other kings that were present there as well. Was this why Aro was the face of the Volturi? Because he commanded attention until it was only his?
"Marcus, brother, what a splendid idea!" Aro chuckled before he turned towards me again. He was eyeing me curiously, the excitement that bubbles in his amber pools didn't hide anything. He was fascinated.
My eyes, however, stayed on the tall brooding king who had first suggested this. Sensing my gaze on him, King Marcus titled his head to the side — curiosity burning in his gaze as they met mine. I almost stopped when it glazed over and he straightened in his throne, his head now turned towards the other king.
"This might hurt a lot," I heard the young blonde vampire drawl out confidently from somewhere beside me.
"Go for it," I mumbled absentmindedly, like a fool that I was, barely thinking about what she was about to do at all. Instead, my gaze was already turning towards where the other King that King Marcus was looking at.
The first thing my eyes caught was an arrogant jaw, then a pair of lips thinned in anger. For a moment I almost stopped, surely that King was going to be Caius Volturi, the most ruthless king.
"You're going to die anyway," I had to remind myself as I continued to lift my gaze and his aristocratic nose came into view. Two hallows made their way on both of his cheeks, like the models those famous male model agencies liked to showcase. His eyes came next and that's when everything stopped. His blazing livid bright red eyes were currently on something behind me.
Curious, I turned to see what he was looking at and a very angry Jane let out an almost deliriously loud growl.
"Marvellous! Don't you think so, Caius?" Aro exclaimed, but I found myself turning back towards the other king — Caius.
It was an unusual name, for an unusual looking man. I thought he looked like an angel... and yet like a fallen one. Was that why they called him the devil? Wasn't the devil the first fallen angel? He looked quite striking, that was for sure. Maybe not the conventional sort of handsome — but strangely the sort of handsome I'd like to look at.
When my eyes sought him out his time, his gaze was already on me. I could never begin to express what I felt when our eyes met. Did the world disappear time? Did it freeze in time? I noticed the exact moment when his bright red eyes glazed over and darkened. His eyes never left mine when he suddenly gripped his throne. I watched in confusion as he turned towards King Marcus and snarled at him.
"Kill the human!" He growled out loud, still glaring at his brother and not at me.
"There you go," My inner voice drawled out sarcastically. I, on the other hand, let out a sigh. I didn't want to die — but would that change anything? I was sure almost no one wanted to die, even the ones who took their own lives... in the very last second of their breath, would even they have not wished that things had been different? I didn't want to die, I wanted to go back home to Forks — to Charlie — but life had never given me what I wanted. So this was it.
Edward and Alice's cry seemed like a distant mellow as I two guards began gliding their way towards me.
Awkwardly, I turned towards a stunned Aro who stood looking at his blonde brother with clear shock. The blonde king. I didn't dare look at that face again. I didn't know why I did it, stupidly reached out and tapped on King Aro's cold arm. The way he snapped around just as two pairs of cold hands found my arm, his wide eyes surprised, told me that he had not been touched by a human in a long while. I had done something extremely stupid, once again.
"Yes, dear?" He surprised me when he leaned forward until his face was just beside mine. I could hear Alice and Edward's protests in the back. I didn't know if I should have cried or told them that they had led my life to this. I didn't do either, I was too afraid to cry and too guilty on my own to blame them.
"Can you..." I stopped, hesitated.
"Could you..." I sighed, stopping again. How could one ask a vampire to kill them and make it as quick as possible?
"Could I do it you mean?" Aro asked, seemingly needing no words to understand my disaster of an attempt to make requests.
I nodded, ignoring Edward's yells from behind me, "Yes, and please... let them take my body back home if that's possible."
Aro nodded, but his head snapped towards his brothers, "I say death is not necessary, brothers. With her abilities, she would be an excellent addition for the Volturi."
"I think it's a wise decision," Marcus spoke out loud, his deep voice reminded me of Professor Severus Snape from Harry Potter somehow. It didn't help in the matter that he almost had the same hair as well. I still did not know whether I liked him or not. Strangely, I hadn't been able to decide if I liked Professor Snape too. Well, that was until he died. May he rest in peace.
Both the brothers turned to the blond king, and this time I looked back down at my sneakers. I was never going to look at that vampire king again. Ordering a human to be murdered at first glance? He truly did live up to the nickname Edward told me he held — the devil.
"No! Please just turn her! We'll take her! We'll keep her!" Alice's yell screeched through the entire room. Shocked and suddenly even more terrified.
There was no way in hell I was going to live with them when Edward was probably going to bring Tanya around and frolick in front of me as if nothing ever happened between him and I. Or worse if he began calling me his sister... I was sure I was going to have faint. No. I was definitely not going to live with the Cullens and Tanya for the rest of my eternity. I would rather die instead.
I felt myself pale when I realised that she was looking behind me, staring at whatever it was behind me with her terrified golden eyes. My heart thumped in my chest when I realised she was screaming all of this to the youngest king, but despite that, I kept my eyes glued at Aro's black and red robes. He was the safest to stare at.
Then the blonde vampire was up and sweeping forward in an almost elegant turn. I on the other-hand stood rooted to the ground, frozen as my death approached. This was it. I was going to die. A little part of me felt like it was being betrayed, and it confused me. Suddenly I didn't know who had I felt had betrayed me. The Cullens? Me? Or the blonde King? It was absolutely stupid — the devil had no reason to save me. I had no reason to feel betrayed. It was absolutely stupid.
One second he was on his throne and the other he was before me, nose to nose. His blood-red eyes stared into my browns while I looked down at black robes. I was not going to look him in the eye, looking at him in the eyes did weird things to my brain and apparently his too. He had told his guards to kill me off the last time he and I had looked at each other.
Not again.
"Why aren't you looking at me? Don't think I'm privileged enough to be directly looked at by you, like the other men?" I could almost taste the blood on his lips as he leaned in further, brushing his nose against mine.
All of a sudden I knew what was wrong between us. The sparks that spread through my entire body at the mere brush of his nose against mine, told me. The sparks that reached the tips of my fingers and the tips of my toes — they told me what we were. All of a sudden I realised why the world had frozen when our eyes had met. Why I felt betrayed. This vampire that felt warm to me — not cold.
I was his soulmate. We held an affinity. Hadn't Rose told me I was wrong for Edward? That Edward was wrong for me? When she told me exactly how she felt with Emmet, wasn't that what I was feeling too?
My mate.
Then it hit. My soulmate had seen me, he had looked me in the eye and had wanted me dead. My soulmate wanted to kill me.
"Answer me!" He snarled into my ear and being ripped out of my thoughts I felt myself automatically pull back from the ferocity in his voice.
As if knowing I would flinch back, his arms slipped around my waist just as I moved back, and pulled me flush against his hard chest again.
"Just kill me," I whispered back, bitterly. When I had promised myself I would not look at him, I really had meant it. But I found myself lifting my warm brown gaze up until they locked themselves with his red pools, "And don't touch me."
At that moment, everything around us was quiet, and if I weren't so scared to look anywhere else but this angry young King's eyes, I would have seen just how curious and yet terrified everyone in the room looked.
"Still in love with the mind reader, are you? Can't tolerate any other's touch?" Caius growled and I fidgeted in his arms, his fingers loosened around me but his hand tightened, all the same. I gasped when his movement brushed his chin against my hair and I heard him take a deep breath in, and then out, despite not needing any.
"Pathetic," Caius spat, his eyes blazed with anger, "You even smell like him."
I wanted to slap him. Was it possible that all my fear of the vampire had just seeped through the pores of my limbs at the same time as the electricity had spread through my entire body when we had first touched?
"I am not in love with Edward. I knew he had someone else he wanted to kill himself for. I came to save him because he once saved my life. And of course I smell like him, I almost toppled him over trying to protect you all's secret. Also, I didn't want to look at you because the last time I did you to the guards to kill me!"
Caius' lips tightened into two thin lines as he took my answer in. Then he slowly let me go and moved back towards the throne. I just stood there, weak-limbed, slightly shaking slowly after everything that happened.
Extremely entertained by the spectacle was happening between his brother and me, Aro let out his frighteningly hilarious laugh and instantly Caius turned back towards me. Aro's laugh died midway.
For a moment he stood there, looking at me while I continued to look away to my right still refusing to meet his eye. Then he turned back towards his throne.
"Take her to the empty room in the west wing,"
I felt my heart sink in my chest, I was sure Caius's bright red eyes were piercing into mine, waiting for me to look at him and challenge me to speak otherwise. I didn't. But I couldn't stop the tears that slipped down my cheeks. I would never be able to see my father again. Definitely not now that I had met a murderous Vampire King as a soulmate.
"It has been decided! Isabella stays! Let the mind reader and seer go," Aro exclaimed happily as he rounded towards Caius and I. He really wanted to see what abilities I had when I turned into a vampire, I realised. I couldn't help but wonder what he would do if I didn't get any abilities after becoming a vampire. Did I even want to become a vampire anymore?
"No! Bella! Let her come with her! We'll turn her!" Alice screamed from behind me and I turned around just in time to see her breaking away from the guards' hold.
I couldn't help it. I ran towards her, towards the last stagnant piece of my previous life in Forks before I brought her in for a hug. We clutched to each other as I silently sobbed and Alice kept repeating a series of apologies.
"Bella,"
Alice and I both stilled. My gaze moved up to Edward just as Alice shot her brother a deadly glare. His eyes remained on mine.
What was I supposed to do? Smile or cry? I had saved him. He was free to go. In the end, even if I was not the one who got to walk out of here alive, I still hoped to keep only the good memories of us and nothing else. It would be a very long and angry lifetime as a vampire otherwise. After all, I had loved him once. Not too long ago, I had loved him enough to lose myself.
So I sighed as I broke my hug with Alice, and slowly reached over to hug Edward. This was our goodbye. From today we held no history, we held no love, no hate, nothing. I was done.
His arms were just beginning to slip around my waist when I was pulled back into a hard chest. A strong pair of arms wrapped around my chest and waist and pulled me back into my holder's chest. I knew who it was, I knew it because he felt warm. A low growl left Caius' chest and I looked up to see him glaring at Edward.
"Take the Cullens away before I change my mind brother — " he turned towards an amused looking Aro as he maneuvered me with him, his arms still steadily wrapped around me. He turned to the child, "Jane, take her away."
Looking down at his arms around my waist and chest, I gulped realising it was just as Rose had said it was between Emmet and her. He wouldn't be able to stay away from me now that he had touched me. He was going to be insatiable, and maybe I would be too. That was defnitely not good! Then I gulped harder because somehow I didn't mind.
"Yes, Jane please show Isabella to her room!" Aro sang in a jovial voice as he moved to seat himself in his throne.
As if sensing my eyes on him Caius broke away and moved back to his throne too. His gaze now on the stone wall to the further left.
I sighed as I turned my eyes down and moved towards awaiting Jane.
"Isabella?"
I stopped just a step away from the door.
"Your belongings will be delivered to you by latest tonight,"
I nodded silently, still looking down at my feet before continuing my pace towards the door.
"Oh and Isabella?"
I stopped again. My whole essence now alert, King Aro was toying with me. I didn't think I appreciated it.
"Your cell phone will be with your belongings as well."
"But brothe—"
"Caius, she has a life. We can not just steal her away out of the blue," This time it was Marcus who spoke.
I wish he hadn't.
For each time a word left his lips an unknown part of me cracked under its weight. Caius hated me. Caius was my soulmate. Did people have more than one soulmates? Was I stuck with one that hated me for the rest of my existence? I shook the thoughts off.
Straightening my back again I reformed my expression as I looked up and forward, my freedom out of the room.
"Thank you," I acknowledged simply. I had to, they were being extremely kind for all the rumors I had heard about them. Not waiting for an answer I quickened my pace and at quite a speed, rushed out of the throne room just second afterward.
••••••••••••••••••••••••
"Would you complain if I asked you how you were feeling?"
I found myself being slightly amused, quite despite myself too, considering the situation I was in. But there was no escape, and I really didn't want to bother fighting right now. After everything that had transpired today. I was just so tired.
So I let the amused smile grow on my face as I turned towards the painfully walking Jane beside me, it was quite obvious it was killing her not to use her vampire speed but walk with me, at my pace instead.
"Maybe you should ask and see?" I sent a lopsided half-smile her way as I tiredly dragged myself towards where ever it was my room lay at.
Jane looked at me with a rare grin and nodded. "How are you feeling?"
I stayed silent for a second before I sighed, finally letting my shoulders slump, "Like fate's personal joke."
Jane turned towards me as we walked towards my new room but I kept on looking straight ahead. Maybe that way it would be easier to get it all off my chest.
"I flew here to save a vampire I had cared for a lot. I knew he wasn't here because of me, but still, I came. In the end, I saved him. Even though I can't go back home anymore."
I sighed again as I looked away.
"So yes. I feel ridiculous," I almost whispered just as we came to a stop. Jane visibly sighed beside me before she placed a cold hand on my shoulder while pushing the large decorative looking door open with the other.
"The Cullens are a stupid coven. The mindreader couldn't have been good enough for you anyway. Besides, I believe master Caius without a doubt better than the mind reader!" Jane spoke out in a matter of fact manner, and my eyes snapped to her sharply. How could she have known? Did everyone know?
"It was that obvious huh?" I chuckled pathetically, moving into the beautiful room.
"I think everyone knows by how he behaved, yes," Jane acknowledged and I nodded, my eyes roaming the grey and white themed room.
"I think you like it. Well then good!" Jane acknowledged and quickly moved towards the door.
She stopped as if to think of something before she turned uncertainly, "Also, Bella, I'm surprised you caught on."
And then she was gone.
