Please R&R. I'm getting a little nervous.
4-The Plan
When Papa Carlisle came by the next morning things went better than I had hoped. As soon as he got here Grandpa found some reason to be off and left us alone to talk in the kitchen. I have always found Papa Carlisle to be the most practical and ready to listen to ideas and not judge.
I showed him the website and we downloaded the application forms. We even made a phone call that I really thought was a long shot he would even consider but all in all he was perfectly understanding and helpful. Oh, if only my parents would be the same.
He also agreed it would best if he didn't think too much about the plan until we assembled that afternoon to talk it out.
I left a thank you letter for Grandpa and we left mid afternoon and headed back to the big house. My fingers were crossed the whole way.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I sat at the big dining room table alone and waited for the others to come in. Carlisle had brought the big phone from the desk and placed it on the table. I guess he was planning to use the speaker phone. That part of this plan was the most scary and prone to backfire. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Soon the others arrived, gliding around in their vampire coolness. I didn't know if Mom was shielding me but I figured it didn't matter because all would be laid out soon enough.
I hoped they knew how appreciative I was that I was even allowed to call this meeting. I know most parents would just lay down the law and not really permit their children to make demands and plans about their life. But I was no ordinary child and they were not an ordinary family.
I began.
"Thank you all for coming to meet with me." My voice was not as strong as I had hoped it would be. I would have to do better to get them to take me seriously. No one was moving at all. It was like talking to pillars on a porch.
Before I could begin again I heard the front door open and Jacob rushed in. I gave him a glare but didn't say anything. Apparently someone thought he had a right to be here.
My heart began beating faster and I attributed it to nerves. I knew it could not possibly be the fact that his chest was heaving from running and his eyes were shiny, his hair windblown soft and his… enough! I blinked and looked away gritting my teeth together to maintain some control.
"As you know Papa Carlisle has determined that I have stopped growing so rapidly and should physically mature at a normal rate for the next few years. Now since before I was born I have grown quickly in all areas, physical, mental and emotional. The only part of my life that had no way to advance was experiences. I am very sheltered here. I couldn't go to school or even be seen in the town because of my growth. I think that those days are over and that even though I'm really a junior in college as far as Esme's curriculum shows…I could now attend school with others that look my age."
I waited as the others looked around at each other. I think they were expecting tantrums or ill conceived notions and I was glad to disappoint them.
Mom was the first to react. Her cool smooth voice floated across the table. "I think that sounds like a very good idea. We have always been distressed over our inability to give you normal human experiences. But I can tell by your face that there is more to this than attending Forks High School. We came to hear your plan." She crossed her legs and laid her hands upon the table.
"I would like to attend a boarding school for girls, far away from here. I need to try to be as normal as possible and there is no way I can do that living here."
Many voices started flying at me.
Jacob – "You are not moving away!"
Dad – "That is out of the question!"
Alice – "Where is this school?"
Jasper – "Now, everyone lets listen to what she has to say."
There may have been more but that was all I could make out. I waited until Jasper had them calm enough to continue.
"Dad, you say it is out of the question. I anticipated that would be your reaction. But just to make sure, why is it out of the question?" I took a deep breath and held it. This was the key. This was the point of no return that would make or break my infamous plan.
His voice was controlled, calm, loving, and resolute. "Because it is too dangerous. When you were very small we nearly had to fight a war to keep you alive. There are those who would destroy you and you must be protected. That is non-negotiable."
I bit my lip. This was going perfectly. "So the reasons I can't go to boarding school are – There are those people who want to hurt me and I must be protected from them and from any other miscellaneous threats that we might not even be aware of. Do I have the jist of it, Dad?" My hands were gripping my knees so tightly under the table I worried I might leave a mark… or shatter my knee caps. I tried smoothing my hands across my thighs and waiting him out.
"Yes. Absolutely, that is why you can not go. What?" He turned to Mom as she laid a hand on his arm.
"Easy Edward, you know how clever she is." Mom looked back at me with her worried trying to figure it out face.
I continued with a quick glance at Carlisle. He looked sad but resigned. He had told me if the conversation went in the direction I predicted then he would do his part.
"So as a family does everyone agree that my life experiences are greatly lacking and that leaving for boarding school would go a long way in correcting that but because there are those… lets just call a spade a spade here, there are vampires that wanted to kill me and might still want to and there may be other dangers that we haven't even thought of and I need protecting from both of these things…" I took a deep breath to continue. "And this is why I can't go to boarding school."
They all looked around at each other and then at Mom and Dad. Ultimately, it was their decision. No one seemed to find a way to refute my arguments because I seemed to be talking myself out of it. I seemed to be making their points for them. But really I was leading them right over my trap door of logic that I hoped would bring this all to a close.
When my chest started hurting I realized I had been holding my breath. I filled my lungs slowly as not to look as nervous as I felt and waited. Finally Mom and Dad stopped looking at each other and communicating with their eyes. Dad spoke.
"Yes."
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!
I calmly turned to Carlisle. You can make the call now, Papa." It looked like it hurt him to do so but maybe it was just my guilt for dragging him into the middle and making him my accomplice.
Everyone turned to Carlisle but Dad, he turned to Mom with a question on his face.
"He asked me to shield him for the meeting. I'm sorry. He thought Nessie should have a chance to convince us or not on her own merits without his opinions or thoughts."
He joined the others in staring at Carlisle as he hit the speaker button and we could all hear ringing that sounded odd and tinny.
Finally the ringing stopped but there was no sound. After about five seconds an ancient hollow voice spoke. "Good evening Carlisle, I've been expecting your call."
Dad looked furious, Mom looked terrified. I hoped I didn't look smug.
Carlisle answered, "Good evening, Aro."
