Chapter 4-choices Bella's POV

I just stared at Alice for a second, trying to decide if I want to tell her I know her family are vampires; or let them be with the assumption that there secret is safe. I chose the easier path, plus she looked a little worried. "Most people never accept anything from someone they are visiting, I just assumed sorry."

Alice relaxed a bit and smiled, "Pretty smart guess. So is how are you handling your father's death, if you don't mind me asking. You seem really sad? I'm not sure what I would do if I lost mine." I believed she would be lost without him just from the flash of sadness that crossed her face before she concealed it.

Oh what the hell, it might feel a bit better to get something off my chest; couldn't hurt any way. "In all honesty I went thru this a few years back." A laugh escaped my lips for a split second, "I have a rather cruel mother. She told me Charlie had died in a routine traffic stop. Someone had shot and killed him over expired tags. It took a bit to get over but I managed. I ran away a lot and decided on my 18th birthday I would come here to escape for a bit. Imagine my shock to see Charlie on the couch watching a ball game. I stayed for a few nights and went back to Arizona to get my things. He picked me up at the airport, dropped me off here, then had to work a night shift in the next town over, and well you know the rest. It sucks pretty badly because I really loved Charlie from the moment he sat me on his lap when I was almost 11. But after Renee took me and left Charlie I didn't really get to spend any time with him; so I didn't really know him to well." I got up and got a pop from the fridge and looked out the window over the sink. I shook my head, "I really don't know why I just told you that. I don't unload my burdens on others, I don't like pity. It's just easier to suffer in silence; you must have one of those trusting faces. "A bit funny to think a vampire as trusting, if it weren't for her golden eyes I sure as hell wouldn't.

Alice grabbed one of my hands from across the table, it felt a bit nice kind of comforting. "Bella I am so sorry, I didn't even know you were adopted. I guess we have something in common," She seemed a little sad now. "I just don't understand how people can be that cruel. I mean what would they have to gain from it all? Sorry again, I know no pity parties; But everyone is entitled to one every once in a while. There is no shame in it. For what it's worth I wouldn't look at you any differently." Her warm smile lifted my spirits a bit.

"Thank you Alice, you're very sweet. It was actually nice to get a little off my chest." I really should try to make some friends every once in a while; Solitude sucks after a while.

"That's what you call getting a little off your chest. Geeze Bella I would hate to think what you would call getting a lot off your chest. Most people go there whole lives without that much life changing experiences, and your only 18." Ok I shouldn't have laughed, but she has no idea my true age or even a millimeter of what I have went through. To think these few events are even life changing for me is a bit amusing. "What is so funny?" she looked a bit concerned, I could only imagine what's going through her mind.

Edwards POV-

Well there went that tree. Thinking of what her mother put her threw brought anger out of me I didn't even know existed; I hadn't even realize I crusted the ancient tree until I heard the crack. Why am I getting so furious over this girl? I knew nothing about her but I felt I had to protect her; I felt it with every fiber of my body. I was hanging on every word she said to Alice. I wanted to know more, I had to know more. Alice was good at hacking into anything on computers; I would put her to work. Maybe get an address to her mothers and beat some sense into the women. Couldn't hurt, might even make me feel better.

I needed to get out of Alice's head for a second. She was thinking Bella might be losing her mind a bit, but Alice couldn't blame the poor girl. She has been threw drastic events. I decided to call Carlisle and arrange sometime to discuss what is happening to me. Maybe vampires lost their minds as well; and I have a lot of minds to lose.