Chapter Four- Making Plans
Sorry it took me so long, I have a lot going on and Christmas isn't the best time for me as it is. Anyway, I could give you a hundred excuses but it would take less time if I just gave you the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I am in no way Stephenie Meyer, nor do I mean to steal her incredibly expensive rights.
(A/N, PLEASE READ IMPORTANT! Okay so in the beginning this was going to take place in the 1900's, but due to the fact that I don't want to waste ten chapters on sailing across the ocean, I'm making this a modern day disease, with modern day transportation. Sorry for any confusion!)
We walked into the dining room. Well, everyone else walked in, I kind of bunny-hopped in. The sugar was already making a difference in my system, and I could see Alice still looking at me funny. I just grinned and ignored her. Or at least tried to. It was hard to ignore someone who was sitting next to you and kicking you over and over again under the table.
"What do you want Alice?" I asked, trying to use my mean voice. I gave her my mean look too, but neither really worked. She just gave me a mean look back. I finally sighed, giving up trying to beat her, and looked away, waiting for her to say whatever it was that she had to say so badly. Instead I felt her warm arms slide around my waist in a hug. I wasn't sure what she was doing until I heard- or felt- her sobs.
"I-I miss m-m-mommy B-bella," whispered Alice, not wanting to be overheard by Esme or anyone. I understood why too. We loved these people and they were really nice to us, but they could never take mommy and daddy's place. I just hugged her back, knowing that nothing I said or did would make her feel better, only feeling safe in my arms would work. It was a twin thing, according to our parents. They had always said that we were linked through some weird twin bond.
"Okay, Carlisle is back and we need to talk," said Esme, taking charge like usual. Carlisle walked in behind her, looking more tired than ever. I gasped at the dark circles under his eyes, but mostly of all that his eyes themselves were pitch black. Like 'it's night and something could be right in front of me and I wouldn't see it' black. Maybe I was wrong but I thought that they were golden brown. I was about to say something but then decided that he probably had contacts because he was embarrassed that he had black eyes. Yeah, that's it.
"Okay, so you all know that anyone who had the disease or had a family member with the disease isn't allowed to exit the country?" started Carlisle. Well all nodded and he continued, "Well, we're going to leave. When Edward gets better, we are going to go somewhere else. Where does everyone want to go?"
As soon as Carlisle said that, cries of 'Paris!' from Alice and Rosalie, and 'America' from Jasper. I just sat back and watched as everyone fought about where to go. I personally wanted to go to New York. I heard that it was really pretty and that they never went to sleep there. Alice was always in bed by 10 but I never fell asleep that early. I think that the city that never sleeps would be perfect for me.
"Okay, so our main choices would be France or America. I'm guessing that Alice and Rosalie mean Paris, and that Jasper wants to go somewhere in the South, but what about Emmett and Bella?" asked Carlisle, giving Emmett a puzzled glance. Apparently he would have usually been the first one to throw out a suggestion, but he was oddly silent tonight.
"Well, I will follow Rosalie anywhere. Pleas forgive me!" he said, pleading with her. Oh, oops. I didn't realize that she was still mad at him from earlier. But she smiled at he and it seemed that all was forgiven. And then everyone looked at me. And kept looking. I blushed.
"Well Bella?" asked Carlisle gently, "Where would you like to go after we leave Spain?" I didn't want to say anything but the way that they were all looking at me made me feel like a bad person for not saying anything at all. So, I reluctantly sighed and prepared to say it.
"Well, I want to go to New York City. Maybe not right now, but maybe when Alice and I are a little bit older. I know that it is a good place for shopping, so Alice and Rosalie would be happy, and that there is a lot of historical landmarks, which would make Jasper happy." I blushed after saying so much, especially once I saw the wide-eyed looks that everyone was giving me, "What?"
"Well Bella, that would probably be the perfect place for us to go. Why don't we go to Paris for a few years- I want everyone to learn the language. And then once you are fourteen or fifteen, then we can go to New York. How does that sound?" asked Carlisle, compromising everyone as well as he could.
"Wait, Carlisle, how's Edward?" I asked, making him pause as he walked out of the room, trying to be conspicuous about it. He stopped and looked at me. He just smiled and I knew what he meant. Words weren't necessary, I knew from the look in his eyes that he wasn't okay, but that he will be soon.
"Okay, who wants to go on the trampoline?" asked Emmett. Alice and I jumped up and down squealing. Where were they getting all of this? I had always wanted to go on a trampoline too, and I saw one sitting in the back yard near the door. I was pretty sure that I hadn't seen one there earlier.
"Um, Emmett, when did we get this trampoline? Was it there before?" I asked, looking up at him with big round eyes. He smiled at me and gave me a look that made me think I didn't really want to know. I shook my head and ran up to walk by Alice.
"Bella… I really like these people. They're… good. There's something different about them, but I don't think that they're bad. I think that we should stay here with them." Alice said this sounding so sure about it that I would have been crazy to doubt her. I smiled and nodded. I wasn't entirely sure if she was saying this because she honestly felt that way or if she just wanted to go to Paris.
"Okay, Alice. But let's go on the trampoline now!" I squealed excitedly, running toward the trampoline, grabbing Alice's hand to pull her along. Soon Emmett was there next to us, and Jasper not long after him. We laughed and jumped and screamed, playing pop corn and random games that Emmett made up.
I knew they weren't really our family, but in that moment everything felt right. It felt like I finally belonged and that we could be safe- even without mommy and daddy to protect us.
Okay I'm being lazy because I'm on break, but this is what I came up with. Please review and let me know what you thought, all ideas are welcome! That little box in the center of the page is calling your name!