EPOV
She was determined. Bella was sitting at the table, with her pyjamas on. I was half tempted to take her like that. Instead, my gentlemanlike qualities pushed through and I called in Alice and Rosalie. They practically carried her up the stairs. I could hear her yelling at them, using quite a colourful vocabulary. Ali came downstairs and saw me waiting in the hallway.
"Pete. You wanted to meet him, he's here." She called. She walked up to me, shook my hand, smiled and walked into the other room. The sketch was so similar, and he is quite a looker. He does look like the playboy type though, I hope Bella knows what she's doing. Now where did I put the colour pallet?
Pete came wearily down the stairs. He took in my appearance.
"So where are you taking her?"
"Chateau du Sureau." I shrugged. His eyebrows shot up in response. "She'll hate you for that you know." He walked behind me, leaning on one of the kitchen chairs, I turned to face him.
"I know. But she needs to be spoiled."
"Be careful with her. I swear to you boy, if you hurt her it will be the last thing you do." He stared at me. I nodded, seeing the sincerity behind his words.
"I appreciate that. Um, have her home by midnight would you?" He asked. I smiled in response.
"Do you think she'd be able to stay awake that long?" I retorted casually. Pete chuckled and then his expression changed. Wow.
I turned to see Bella, my breath caught and my jaw dropped. She looked incredible, even with the sling, she stole the room. Everything about her tempted me, not in a bloodthirsty way, but in a very human manner. I could hear her blood rushing, as she blushed and tried to scowl at me. I barely noticed Alice and Rosalie leave. While I was driving she laughed unexpectedly. I looked at her, wondering what she could possibly be laughing at.
"You don't want to know. Well you might, but give me a few more days to figure it fully."
Her answer irritated me. I hated not knowing what she was thinking. Her beautiful eyes so rarely gave anything away, and tonight, everything else about her was that little more distracting also.
"What are you thinking?" I asked carefully.
"Wondering where you're taking me." She was holding back.
"There's more."
"Wondering why you're taking me." Still holding back.
"There's more."
"You don't want to hear it." I looked at her, more annoyed than ever.
"It's strange, not knowing what you're thinking." I slipped, then realised my mistake.
"I just told you."
"You edited." I complained. I looked at her beautiful face again, overcome by the urge to touch her again.
"Um, at the speed you're going I would really prefer you look at the road." I had to laugh at that, she worried about the silliest things. "How am I different from others that way?" she pushed.
I had to make sure my words were safe before I even opened my mouth.
"With most people it's easy to read their thoughts, on their faces. You're like an actress in the way that your true feelings never show."
"I'm a terrible liar though."
"But you're good at answering with half-truths." I frowned. It was infuriating when she did that. It made it so much harder to figure her out.
"I suppose. What are you thinking?" I laughed again. She could make me laugh so easily, more than even my family sometimes. But it was just the way she thought. She thought so differently to everyone else though.
By the time we had sat down in the restaurant, part of me wanted to propose to her. Part of me wanted to kiss her. Part of me wanted to warn her. The rest wanted to see how tonight would play out.
"So Mitosis, Osmosis and the structure and function of the cells will be on it?"
"I believe so. It wouldn't hurt to know some of the nutrients needed and processed by each part also." He replied. I sighed, my lips pursing. He smiled at the action, so I stopped and looked at him instead.
"Are you ready for the test then?"
"Yes, but I found this unit rather easy. I'm sure you'll do fine." He comforted me. I scowled. I slipped my feet out of my shoes and tucked one under me. My dress swished with the movement.
"I hate this dress." I complained. He looked genuinely surprised.
"Why? It looks absolutely fantastic, especially on you." He said quickly. I blushed and looked down.
"It's too expensive, too delicate, too shiny and it makes me nervous." I replied swiftly.
"It's figure flattering, full of movement, breathtaking to look at and it makes you look gorgeous." He replied, under his breath. I blushed even harder, staring determinedly out of the window. Our drinks and meals arrived then. When I looked at his glass my stomach clenched. It looked like red wine, but by the faint aroma wafting from it, I knew it wasn't. That made more sense, considering what he was. I sipped my daiquiri, enjoying the sweet taste and he stared at me again.
"Can I ask you something? It's all hypothetical of course." I added innocently. He nodded cautiously. "Let's say someone could know what people are thinking, read minds, you know – with a few exceptions."
"Just one exception." He corrected. "Hypothetically."
"How does that work? What are the limitations? How would...that someone... find someone else at exactly the right time? How would he know she was in trouble?" I thought back to the bike incident, and the rock climbing incident, the first one. He stared at me, deciding something.
"That someone."
"Let's call him Joe."
"Joe then." He smiled wryly. "If Joe had been paying attention, the timings wouldn't have needed to be so exact. Only you could get into so much trouble in such a short amount of time."
"We were speaking hypothetically." I reminded him frostily. He laughed at me, his eyes warm.
"Shall we call you Jane?"
"How did you know?" I pushed. He wavered again, between two sides. "You can trust me you know."
"I don't know if I have a choice anymore, you're too observant for your own good." He stared at me, my untouched food and back again.
"You eat, I'll talk."
I stabbed a piece of ravioli, popping it into my mouth. It was delicious. He leant back, taking a sip of his 'wine'. I saw his tongue collect a spare drop from his lip.
"I was following you, that night with the car. You seemed too distracted to pay attention to anything properly, and you were cycling, wearing black, in the middle of the night. If I had been reading the driver, I would've snatched you sooner, but I was still futilely trying to read you." He paused, staring at me; I had stopped eating. I sipped my daiquiri and started eating again. "I had to replace your bike, a handprint where I'd destroyed the metal would've brought up too many questions."
"I realised that." I paused and smiled. "Okay say this Joe has a sister named Betty. I've noticed that Betty seems to be oddly good at waking me up, moments before the really important stuff happens. Is that what alerted you to the rock climbing incident?" As I spoke his eyes narrowed.
"Too observant. Yes, Betty has premonitions. She saw you climbing without a harness and warned me."
"Betty has a boyfriend; Bob. He can control emotions. How does that one work?" I asked, feeling ridiculous. Edward half-growled.
"Bob can sense and alter emotions yes."
"All the other friends I can't find gifts for, unless you count childishness as a gift." I said, recalling Emmet on many different occasions. I was halfway done my ravioli when he put his head into his hands.
"Are they all so obvious?"
"No. It took tons of time to form speculations. Besides, when you can't do anything but sleep during the day, you get to have some pretty crazy dreams."
"I promise to you Bella I will explain everything, but not here." I understood. I kicked him under the table, making him jump. He looked up at me, carefully.
"So, back to regular questions then." I smiled at him. He took a few sips of his soup and his 'wine' and smiled, casually leaning back.
"What's your favourite colour?" he asked. I had to think hard about that one. I was staring at his shirt when I answered.
"Dark red, right now anyway. It changes from day to day."
The rest of the evening passed pleasantly. When I was finished, Edward stood, offering me his arm. I slid my shoes back on, sighing and stood. I took his arm, a little tighter this time; I was more tired. We walked out of the restaurant, Edward oblivious to the stares he was getting. When we got into his Volvo he drove, far too quickly, into the middle of nowhere. We sat in the dark car, listening to each other breathing. A hundred random thoughts crossed my mind, before he finally spoke.
"What have you figured about us?" I answered in a whisper, staring only at my hand.
"You don't eat human food. You are super strong, super fast, super beautiful. You aren't human. You are dangerous, you try to be safe. You try to appear normal. Alice has visions of the future. You can read people's minds. Jasper can control and sense emotions. Emmet has a weird sense of humour." He laughed then, I continued. "Your eyes change depending on how recently you've fed."
"Do you know what we are?" he whispered.
"Yes. But it wasn't because I figured it out, not fully anyway. A friend of mine, from Forks visited. He heard that I was spending a lot of time with you and came to warn me. He didn't actually believe the legends he told me, but it all fell into place after that." I looked at him and felt a pang of fear; he looked livid again. "You Edward Cullen, are a vampire."
Edward got out of the car and sat on the hood, his head in his hands. He stood up again and ran off. I slid out of the car and sat on the hood.
"Very mature." I murmured, seeing him nowhere and lay back, looking at the stars.
"I'm sorry." His voice came from beside my ear and I jumped up in alarm. He was leaning over, his face inches from my ear. "It's just... you weren't supposed to find out, at all. Let alone so suddenly, so accurately. It's infuriating. One girl having the power to expose our entire family for what we are."
"I wouldn't do that." I whispered. "We all have our secrets." I stood and kicked off my shoes, feeling the dry grass beneath my bare feet. I sat down in a very unladylike manner and rested my head against his car. Edward sat beside me.
"Don't you care?"
"What?" I asked.
"Don't you care that I'm a monster?"
"You aren't a monster. You're just not human. I've seen a real monster and he was as human as I am. You will never be able to convince me that you are a monster Edward." I stared at him and he stared back. Our faces were only a foot apart. "Besides, Alice is the monster if anything. She keeps subjecting me to torture."
Edward laughed his musical laugh again.
"I do have some questions."
"Like what?" he asked quietly.
"How can you come out during the day?"
"Myth."
"You obviously can't be burned by the sun."
"Obviously."
"Sleep in coffins?"
"Myth. We can't sleep at all actually. The whole pyjamas and beds and sleepovers thing is a facade."
"Wow. You had me fooled. Do you have anything against garlic?"
"Not personally." He chuckled.
"Crosses?"
"We have two in our house."
"Holy water?"
"Good for showers." That one made me laugh.
"Steak through the heart?"
"Our skin is impenetrable."
"Are you immortal?"
"None of us have died of old age, it's impossible to know exactly unless we all stuck around until the end of time." I sat, thinking about everything. We sat for the longest time. Oddly enough, I was calm.
"Aren't you concerned about my diet?" he asked.
"Well, I know the wine you had wasn't wine. How the hell did you manage that?"
"The chef thinks I'm a millionaire with odd tastes. I only ever eat soups, if I go at all, and rabbit and snake blood are delicacies in China. So that's what I drink. He has a bottle specially reserved for me." He paused, and turned my face towards his with his fingers. My heart thudded at the touch. "But from day to day, my family sticks to animal blood. Deer, bears, lions, whatever we can find."
"Why? Not that I'm complaining – but why go against your nature?"
"I don't want to be a monster."
"Edward..." I warned him. It made him laugh.
"Aren't you afraid of me?"
"I'm always afraid, of everything."
"Except climbing up walls without a harness."
"Yeah that."
We stared into each other's eyes and I leaned in, inhaling his scent. He disappeared. Edward was standing ten feet away. I could feel the hurt and shock on my face. It was exceptionally hard to see him, in his dark clothing, so late in the night, but he looked agitated, or excited.
"Sorry." I whispered.
"Wait a moment." He eventually walked, slowly back towards me.
"What did I do?"
"You smelled good."
"In a bad way, or in a good way?"
"Both. I was, overcome by thirst, momentarily." He stared at me, and the realisation of my situation began to stir up true fear. I couldn't move though. He had never seemed less human, or more beautiful.
"I'm the world's best predator aren't I? Everything about me attracts you. My smell, my voice, my appearance." He sighed. "As if I need any of that!" He ran off, at a regular pace, stopping fifty meters from me. I blinked and suddenly he was beside me. "As if you could outrun me." I sat, not leaning against the car anymore. He lifted it, with one hand, high above his head, balancing it. He then threw it, the shiny Volvo spun far off into the distance until he ran and caught it. He carried it back, settling it exactly where it had been before. He crouched beside me again.
"As if you could fight me off." He whispered. I sat, staring at him in the moonlight, my heart was pounding, though it wasn't from fear.
"Don't be afraid." He whispered. He rested his icy cold fingertips on my heart. It was pounding so loudly I was sure it was going to break.
"I'm not. Tell me; why did you run from me?"
"You know why." He said, sitting back down, resting his head against the car, a look of disgust on his face.
"No I mean, what did I do wrong exactly? I want to help make this easier." I said, smiling. He looked up at me, incredulous. "I don't have a death wish remember? I want to make this easy for both of us." His face softened and his eyes filled with that emotion again.
"It was just how close you were. Most humans are repelled by our inhumanness. And I suppose, the smell of your throat." His eyes excited again and he pressed his fingers to his temples. My mind was telling me to be scared, but my body was calm. I ducked my chin.
"Okay, no throat exposure." It worked, he laughed again. We sat there in the dark, staring at the stars, until I began to fall asleep. When I woke up, my head was in Edward's lap and he was absentmindedly stroking my hair. He was still watching the stars, whispering to himself. I sat up slowly. He looked down, smiling kind of awkwardly.
"I fell asleep." I stated, unnecessarily. He smiled less awkwardly.
"You woke up just in time. I was about to start driving you home. It's getting late." So he picked himself up and held out his hand for me. I took it and was pulled to my feet instantly. He opened the car door and shut it behind me. As we were driving back, he turned on his CD player. Claire de Lune filled the car.
"Claire de Lune?"
"You know Debussy?"
"My mother used to play a lot of classical music around the house. I know my favourites."
He hummed along with the tune, while he was driving and I drifted, unwillingly into unconsciousness again. There were so many questions I wanted to ask... But his musical voice and delightful smell, along with the quiet purr of the car, put me to sleep in mere seconds.
I dreamt of the ghost piano again, and Edward's arms tucked around me. He gently kissed my hair and I sat, content all night.
I was driving her home when she called my name. I looked over to her, to see her asleep. She smiled, sighed and said my name again, in an almost loving tone. My heart wrenched. I wanted so badly to tell her how much I loved her. I wanted to hold her in my arms, just as I had when she fell asleep earlier tonight. It was funny. We had been staring calmly at the stars, neither of us knowing quite what to say, when her head suddenly pressed against my shoulder. It then slipped and I caught her, before she smacked into my leg. I lay her head there, stroking her hair, admiring her beauty, for almost an hour. I gazed up at the stars again.
"What god could play such an evil trick as this? Make the lion fall in love with the lamb? What evil did I do in a previous life, to have deserved this torture so thoroughly?" I was positive she couldn't hear me, but at that moment she sat up. She looked slightly confused and quite guilty.
"I fell asleep." She said. I had tried not to laugh; it was practically inevitable.
When we were in the car again I hummed along to Debussy and in seconds she was asleep again. She must feel safe and comfortable around me. Part of me hated that; I was dangerous and should be treated like the monster I am. Part of me was glad; I felt safe and comfortable around her too. I drove her straight home, gently stopping the car and getting out. I opened the door and slid my hands under her, lifting her out of the car, as gently as I could manage. She snuggled in closer to me and my heart wrenched again. I closed the door with my foot and glided as carefully as I could to the door.
I heard a car door. She's home. I heard Pete think and moments later he opened the door. He tried not to laugh as I smiled.
'Shh." I whispered. He nodded and directed me down to her room. Ali came down and had to put her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing. She followed me downstairs, opening any closed doors for me. I lay Bella on her bed as gently as possible. Her hand clutched my shirt as I tried to pull away.
"Let go Bella." I whispered.
"Why?" she asked, still sleeping.
"Because you're asleep." I reminded her. She let go. I said goodbye to Ali and Pete and left. When I got home I sat in the car for a moment. I then ran back to her house. Ali had taken Bella's shoes off and was unzipping her dress. I looked away. I sat waiting until I was sure it may be safe to look again.
"Oh, the bruises on her ribs! She is an accident magnet." Ali whispered to herself. Nice and warm. She won't need two blankets, just the one. I looked again, through the trees and saw Bella, tucked under a blanket. Ali left and I quickly let myself in. I sat on the edge of her bed, like I did most nights now, and watched her. Her makeup was still on, making her look more like a posed model, than a sleeping teenager. I sat watching her all night, admiring her even breathing, her flickering eyelids; letting me know she was dreaming. When I heard her breathing become more irregular and I saw her smile, I knew she was waking up. I abruptly left, just as silently as I arrived.
"I love you." I whispered as I left.
As I was waking, Edward whispered 'I love you'. I smiled even more and opened my eyes to my ceiling.
"How the hell did that happen?" The question had two contexts; One – how the hell did I end up at home, unclothed in my bed? Two – how the hell did I get to the point where I wanted Edward to whisper those words to me? I could've sworn I hated him. I tried to remember back to where I had stopped hating him and I couldn't find it. Pete was right. Hate is the closest thing to love. I would have to be careful now. I couldn't let him know, not unless I was sure he felt the same way. I sat up, covering myself with the thin blanket and went to take a shower. I washed all of the makeup and hair products out, until I felt like plain old Bella again. I dried off, got dressed and went to find Pete and Ali.
They were painting. They had enough money to hire a thousand decorators, but they enjoyed the actual process of decorating, so they did it themselves. I was careful not to touch anything when I walked into the room.
"Hey sleepy!" Pete laughed. He was covered in paint.
"How was your night?" Ali asked. She hadn't a single drop on her. The difference between these two made me laugh so often.
"Um. I don't remember much after dinner." Lie, I remembered everything after dinner, except where I had fallen asleep. "We were driving home and..." I trailed shrugging, and wincing.
"Edward carried you inside, you were fast asleep Bella." Pete laughed.
"I stayed up most of the night!" I complained. Ali hugged me. Pete came over to do the same and I shrieked, ducking away.
"So what happened?" Ali asked.
"We talked. We ate. He took me to the Chateau du Sureau for Pete's sake! Oh, um, no pun intended."
"Wow. High class. Did you have fun?" Ali asked. I nodded. "Despite the fact that you hate him?" she prodded. I couldn't help it, I blushed. Ali smiled, knowingly and continued painting.
"I like the colour guys." The phone rang then and I picked it up.
"Bella! Tell me everything! Edward hasn't been home yet, so none of us know anything and it's driving me insane!" It was Alice. I walked down into the rarely used living room and carefully talked.
"Um, we talked, we ate, he drove me home."
"There's more. You're holding out. What did...did he kiss you?"
"No!" I practically yelled. "It wasn't like that. Look, this is really a conversation you'd better have with Edward." Alice moaned and complained, but I was barely listening. I was imagining him kissing me, again. What would it be like? Would it be as explosive as the first time, or better, or worse?
"Bella!"
"Sorry... what?"
"Would you like to come over later?"
"Um, I have to ask Pete and Ali, hold on a second." I walked back upstairs.
"Ali? Would it be okay if I went over Alice's later?"
"Why?" Pete asked. "A second date already?" I blushed and I heard Alice laugh through the phone.
"Alice wants to hear all about it right? She wants to know every detail of the date?"
"I am so glad I have a woman in the house who understands the workings of the teenage mind." I sighed.
"I don't get it. Why doesn't Alice just ask her brother?" Pete asked. Ali, Alice and I all laughed. Pete, realising this was way out of his territory shrugged and went back to painting. Ali gave her permission and I accepted Alice's invitation, wondering just how awkward that conversation would be. I was also wondering where Edward was. I went downstairs and sat on my bed, looking at my recently acquired dress. From the corner of my eye I saw a flash of white. I walked over to my dresser and picked up my hairbrush. It had a mirror on the back. I tilted it to look discreetly out of the window behind me and saw him. He was resting against a tree, observing. Stalking. My mind supplied. I refused to believe that. A real stalker wouldn't make himself so noticeable. Mine hadn't.
"Come on in Edward." I said. He jumped back, startled, smiled and jumped swiftly over the pool. He came in, looking curious.
"How did you know?"
"Maybe I can read minds," I laughed, "no, Alice called and told me you hadn't gone home yet, and I saw you with the eyes in the back of my head." I added seriously. He jumped playfully behind me, lifting my hair, searching for the hidden eyes. I laughed again and went to sit on my bed.
"Why haven't you gone home yet?"
"I don't want to face Alice. She can be scary when she wants to be."
"Well I don't want to explain to your family what I've learned, all by myself. I'd rather you go first and tell them beforehand. That way, if they decide to shut me up at least I'll be prepared." I half joked. I was actually afraid that they might not like a human knowing their secret. Edward glared at me.
"They would never hurt you. I would never let them." He added more quietly. My heart leapt again and I forced myself to act normally. I looked up at the ceiling. Dust must have tickled my nose because I sneezed. And boy it hurt. I sneezed twice more and was practically crying. Edward began searching for my pain medication. I pointed to the dresser. He handed me some ibuprofen. I swallowed it dry, it was easy; the pills were small. I sat, waiting for the pills to take effect. It would take about twenty minutes. Until then, I tried not to breathe or move. Edward sat, carefully beside me, and gently held my hand while I waited for the pain to stop. I looked down at his cold hand, softly clasping mine and my heart fluttered again. I began to feel dizzy and I realised that I hadn't breathed in a while. As I drew in the breath I inhaled his scent and the moment was too much. I passed out.
When I woke up I was lying on my bed. Edward was looking worriedly at me, clearly wondering if he should get Ali and Pete.
"I'm okay." I said, sitting up slowly. The room spun once and stopped. I looked at his worried face. "My shoulder was hurting, I hadn't breathed in a while, and you smelled really good." I admitted. He gave a small smile. I took his hand again, using it as support. I stood up and realised that the pain meds still hadn't quite had the time to make my shoulder feel better. Edward was still holding my hand, and I realised that the strange electricity was running through both of us.
"No twenty questions today?"
"Do my questions bother you?"
"Your reactions do."
"Do I react badly?"
"No you take everything so coolly. It's unnerving."
"You never answered some of my questions from last night." I reminded him. He frowned and thought back.
"What ones?"
"How does the mind reading thing work? Can you read everyone anywhere? Why do you think you can't hear me?"
"I can't hear everyone everywhere. I'm limited to about a four mile radius. If I've heard someone's mind before it can be more, and with my brethren it's the farthest. I think I can't hear you because your mind is...how do I explain this? It's like I'm an old radio. I can pick up all of the am frequency, but you are a brand new station on fm."
"So my mind doesn't work right? I'm a freak or something?"
"I hear voices in my mind and you're worried you're the freak?" I had to admit, it did sound kind of silly. I let go of his hand and started to push him towards the door.
"What did I do?" he asked.
"You have to talk to your family. It's the only thing I'm demanding. If I have to face a house full of angry vampires, I want to know about it." I said. He smiled again and leaned towards me, as if about to kiss me. I froze. He lifted his hand to my face and stroked my face, from my temple, tracing my cheekbone, to my nose. And then he was gone. I was finding it suddenly hard to breathe. I sat down and tried to think clearly again. At around two o'clock I was snapped out of my meditation by the phone. It was Alice, she sounded tense.
"Um Bella, you can come now. Do you need a ride?"
"No, I'm fine Alice."
I biked, trying to clear my head. I pedalled as fast as possible, using only one hand. I eventually got to the no-hand stage. That was easier. It was a little easier to control my balance. When I finally got to the house, Edward was waiting for me. He looked almost angry.
"I would've driven you." He pointed out.
"Biking is healthier." I retorted. He hugged me. It was an unexpected move, but a welcome one. I stayed there, in his cold, strong embrace, until he sighed and let go.
"Come on. They want to talk to you." Edward pulled me inside. I sat at the kitchen table. I didn't even flinch when they all suddenly appeared beside me, but that probably had something to do with the large dose of ibuprofen running through my system. Rosalie looked angry. Esme looked smug. Carlisle looked cautious. Jasper looked curious. Alice looked hyper. Emmet looked nervous, but only because he was watching Rosalie. Edward I couldn't see, he stood beside me.
No one spoke. I realised I needed to sneeze again.
"Shit." I said right before it, then sneezed. A flash of pain shot through my shoulder. Edward winced and Carlisle came forward.
"Have you..."
"I took two ibuprofen about three hours ago." I said. Now that the tense atmosphere was broken, everyone seemed to relax a little. Something occurred to me.
"Hey Edward?"
"Yes?"
"How old are you?" I asked, looking at him.
"Seventeen." He answered promptly, smiling. I opened my mouth to restate the question.
"I was born," he interrupted, "in 1901. In 1918 Carlisle found me in a hospital dying of the Spanish Influenza."
My eyes were full of questions, I was smiling, and yet my mouth was agape, trying to absorb that information. Edward was a century old. The others took in my reaction, seeming pleased, yet they had questions of their own.
"How did you figure it out?" Alice asked. They all sat at the table and I closed my eyes, starting from the beginning. I told them all the hints I'd seen, the small abnormalities that gave them away. I laughed when I realised the irony at watching Dracula in a house full of vampires. They seemed to absorb everything, until finally they sat smiling. Well everyone but Rosalie did.
"Aren't you scared?" Esme asked, bemused.
"Can't Jasper tell you?" I asked, a small smile on my face. "I'm not, though I realise I should be. I'm maybe a little scared of Rosalie right now though." They looked at her and she got up and disappeared.
"I'm confused. I thought she liked me?"
"She doesn't like having the family's fate in your hands."
"Hand. I can't use the other one." This got a smile from Esme and Carlisle and a laugh from Emmet. "Besides, I wouldn't tell on you guys. Everyone has their secrets." It was then that I saw a flash of guilt overcome Alice's face. My stomach dropped.
"Alice?" I asked quietly. She looked down at her hands.
"Edward and I did some research." She admitted. I stopped breathing, waiting for the end. "We found out about your father, and his murder. Bella I'm so sorry." Alice said. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.
"It's okay. I guess you have the right to know a little about me. Re-level the playing field." I shrugged and winced. As long as the rest stayed hidden I was fine. We stared at each other for a while.
"So I'm assuming you heard all about last night?" I asked. Alice jumped up excitedly.
"Actually, no. We only got the after dinner conversation. I want to know everything you were thinking!"
"Um, how about a compromise. Twenty questions, but I ask one, then you, then me." Alice nodded and dragged me to her room.
"Was he a good gentleman sort, or was he acting more like a player?"
"Gentleman, well except when he growled at me."
"Growled at you?"
"Nuh uh, my turn. How old are you all?"
"Jasper is twenty six, I am twenty, I think, Esme is twenty eight, Carlisle is twenty six, Emmet is twenty nine, Rosalie is twenty three. Edward is seventeen."
"Give or take eighty odd years." I pointed out.
"He growled at you?" The next thirty minutes we spent answering questions. I found out that Jasper was the youngest of all of them, followed by Alice, then Rosalie, then Esme, then Edward, Carlisle being the first of the bizarre family. I found out about their super-senses. The fact that they knew I had come to sleep at their house. The fact that everyone in the house could hear what we were saying anyway, so doors and walls were really no use. It got to Alice's last question when I wouldn't answer.
"How do you feel about my brother?"
"Emmet is still scary yet fun looking." She growled at me. I tried to convey with my eyes that I did not want Edward or the others to hear this. She took me to a computer and told me to type my answer.
"But your thoughts?"
"I can block Edward." She grinned very menacingly and I turned back to the blank word document. What to type? His smell intoxicated me, his presence uplifted me, his eyes smothered me, his smile dazzled me, his voice was literally the most beautiful sound ever, his touch made me feel safe. It was then I realised just how much I loved him. I loved him.
When I typed it, I typed a whole bunch of nonsense, to make it sound like I was actually writing something important. Amidst it all I typed three words.
Bunny rabbits can't fly without the miracle of paper airplanes. My underwear is blue silk, I think you'd like it. Thirteen is my favourite number. The dot on top of the 'i' is called a tittle. I love him. The sky is only blue on Thursdays. You can only win on Wednesday – before the apocalypse. I like this randomness
Alice laughed at my randomness. I could only imagine what Edward was thinking, or imagining right now. She saw the three little words and kissed my hair.
Then I can't wait to see Edward's reaction when he eventually realises it
She deleted it all and took me by the hand upstairs. Edward was looking angry. He was also humming at the top of his lungs.
"What are you doing to him?" I asked Alice.
"Remembering a very eventful night between Jasper and myself." She replied grinning menacingly again. "However, Jasper darling, we may have to make some new memories soon, Bella's opinion is very hard to drown out." Alice said, she wrapped her arms around the neck of her mate and he cleared his throat.
"It sounds good to me."
I laughed and went over to Edward. I stared him straight in the eyes.
"It was nothing bad. Don't worry."
Suddenly Alice gasped and came up behind me. Her hand slid down the back of my shorts and she giggled. Especially since I jumped up in shock.
"No personal boundaries. What the hell Alice?"
"Just checking. And you're right, I do like them." She meant the blue silk underwear.
"Well you bought them for me."
"True." I smiled. Edward and Jasper realised what we were talking about and immediately looked embarrassed.
"Let's do something." I searched around the room, looking for inspiration. I saw a chess board and pointed. "How good are you guys at chess?"
Alice and Edward playing chess was hilarious. He would think about making a move, she would see it and make her move depending on what she saw. Edward would see Alice seeing him making the move and possibly change strategy. It was confusing to think about. Two pawns were moved before Alice flicked over her king. I laughed; the game had taken two minutes.
Jasper played me next and we stalemated. He was impressed. I was put up against Edward and I won. He was so used to reading the minds of his opponents that I confused him. Against Alice I lost, or so she told me, since we never actually played. Emmet gave up a minute in and decided to sling me over his shoulder instead. Despite his seemingly rough movements he never actually jostled my shoulder. My laughing caused me more pain. Edward sat, still trying to pry what I had written from Alice's mind. Carlisle and Esme came down, looking disapprovingly at Emmet. He put me down, apologized and sulked off, to see his wife.
"I thought I told you to take it easy." Carlisle said, pointing to my shoulder. I sighed, feeling scolded too. It was my first real scolding in almost three years. Esme laughed though and hugged me gently.
"Are you really so comfortable around so many vampires?" she said.
"Yeah. You're still people, even if you aren't human." I smiled back. She accepted that. Alice forced us into a game of karaoke again, this time threatening me with what she had learned. I sung every song she threw at me, to the best of my ability, receiving rounds of applause. Edward sung one that made me blush in the darkness of the room.
"You're a falling star, you're the getaway car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
And you play it coy but it's kinda cute.
Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true.
'cause you can see it when I look at you.
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word,
You're everything."
I tried not to let the longing enter my eyes, but Jasper's laughter was evidence enough. Edward looked quickly at him and then shuddered; obviously Jazz was also blocking Edward.
When it came time to go home, Edward took me. He picked up my bike in one hand and offered me his other one.
"You aren't going to throw me like your car are you?" this sent Emmet into bales of laughter, I could hear it from outside the house.
"You don't trust me?" he asked back. I took hold of his hand and he slung me onto his back. I held on, with one arm and locked both of my legs around him. And then he was running. It took seconds to get to my house. He stopped, putting my bike down. I couldn't move. I felt sick, I was dizzy and a little terrified.
"You can let go."
"I think I need help." I said. Edward laughed and gently put me down. I promptly collapsed. Edward caught me, holding me close to him.
"Bella? Are you alright?"
"Motion sickness, I think." I was fighting the urge to not throw up. Standing in his embrace helped to calm me a little. After a few minutes, I felt okay again.
"I'm good." I said pulling away from him. "So tonight?"
"I'll come and pick you up."
"You're going to do that again aren't you?" I said.
"Yes. I love running. Maybe next time you should close your eyes."
That night he appeared at my window. I sighed and climbed onto his back again, keeping my eyes firmly closed. We got to his house and went straight around back, to his room. Alice was there. She looked happy.
"Bella! Guess what?"
"You're going to force me to go shopping again?"
"I will, yes, but only because we have prom coming up! The school will announce it tomorrow!"
"I'm not going." I said, waves of fear crashing through me. Jasper appeared by my side in a second, confused. I was still on Edward's back. He dropped me gently on the bed and I stared determinedly at the floor.
"Bella?" Jasper asked. Waves of calm and happiness coursed through me. I bit my tongue. I wasn't going to tell them why. Not tonight, not ever. I stayed quiet until Alice sighed.
"Alright. I trust you Bella. Not this year then. Promise me someday though?" she asked hopefully. It was unlikely, but I nodded anyway. She and Jasper left, leaving me staring at the floor.
"Not for the first time, I wish I could read your mind." Edward sighed. His hands reached forward to grab mine, then he restrained himself and went to sit at the piano stool.
"Any requests or am I given freedom?" he asked. I remained silent for a moment, until I was sure I could control my voice.
"Hold me." I asked, so softly I thought he didn't hear it. I looked up, to see his shocked, confused expression. "Please?" I mouthed. Edward carefully stood and sat beside me. His arm snaked around, resting gently under my sling. I lay my head on his chest and we sat there beside each other. I could feel his cool breath on my hair. He ever so tenderly rested his chin on my head. I sat there, wanting to tell him the story, the sad story that would haunt me for life, but I was unable to find the words to begin.
"I want to tell you, I really do...but..."
"But you also don't want to tell me. The fact that part of you wants to tell me at all is enough." He whispered back. I smiled.
"The lullaby again. Does it have a name?" I asked. Edward let go of me and I climbed into his bed, getting comfortable.
"No. Well, it does, but I don't want to tell you it. And yet..."
"You do as well." That made us even for tonight. I lay down and closed my eyes as the sweet familiar melody began to fill the room. My dream had changed, yet I think I liked this one more.
We were sitting in the middle of the field, our backs to the Volvo, staring at the stars. The car stereo was playing the lullaby. Edward sat, with his arm wrapped around me, his chin resting on my head.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too Edward." I whispered back.
I sat, unable to comfort her, but unable to not. I wanted so badly to destroy every demon that scared her, every nightmare, and every bad memory. I rested my chin on her hair.
She's feeling calmer. Torn still, but not afraid anymore. She's also feeling very... I heard a loud thud and jasper say "Ouch Alice!" ...very um...sleepy. He changed.
"I want to tell you, I really do...but..." she stopped. I knew what she felt. I often felt the same way, only ever around her though. When she finally lay down to sleep I heard her sigh and wondered for the umpteenth time what she was dreaming about.
"Jazz?" I asked.
"She's incredibly happy." I heard him say back. Bella whispered my name and I smiled sitting beside her.
"I love you." I whispered to her. I began stroking her hair when she whispered her reply. I couldn't describe the feelings I felt at that moment, but Jasper suddenly swore violently; I was overwhelming him. I think I was blissful, ecstatic, and full of longing. I was also cautious, sad and wary; I was a danger to her – we all were. But that small pessimistic part of me was drowned out, by the overwhelming love that poured suddenly from my soul. I wasn't aware anyone could feel so wonderful. I bolted upstairs, crashing into Esme. I swung her around and around, she could tell I was happy, but she had never seen me like this before. When I put her down I found Alice, hitting her, for she finally revealed what Bella had written on the computer. I couldn't think of anything serious to say, so I remained ridiculous.
"Blue silk?" I asked. She laughed in response. I found Emmet and tackled him, for no reason other than to be doing something, expelling the sudden energy I had. We rolled around on the floor until I kicked him. He flew through a wall. Esme and Carlisle were suddenly there, furious at me. But I didn't care. I was smiling like a maniac and trying not to. Esme couldn't stay angry at me, not when I was so joyous, and Carlisle was smiling too, amazed at my light-heartedness.
You really love her don't you? He thought.
"More than life itself. More than the sun, the moon, every star in the sky, every colour, every blade of grass, every song, every drop of water. I love her more than is vampirely possible." I said.
Esme looked like she was about to cry, although she physically couldn't. She hugged her mate and I heard Jasper complaining to Alice about the headache I was giving him. I went and found Emmet and Rosalie. She looked at me, surprised by my reaction.
"She loves me." I said, feeling ridiculous and not caring. She looked at Emmet, her love, and immediately understood. She stood and hugged me and I gave her the same treatment I gave Esme. I swung her around and around until we crashed into the dresser. Esme shot upstairs and took me by the shoulders.
"Go outside if you have to. Quit breaking my house." She warned happily. I shook my head and tried to calm myself. I walked downstairs, at a human pace and back into my room. Isabella lay there, looking happy, quiet, beautiful as ever. I sat at the piano and began composing another piece. This one was much happier and just as beautiful as the other one.