I sipped the champagne, from the Champagne flute. Dad and Sue were having their first dance, you and me by Lifehouse. I sighed. Jacob had gone to talk to Billy and Seth and Leah were busy preparing the car for the Honeymooners. But Dad was happy and that was all that mattered.
"Bella Swan?" I cheerful voice from behind me came arose. I turned around to see Mike Newton standing behind me. He had lost practically all of his baby fat, and was good looking enough, for a human.
"Mike Newton? Is that really you?" I smiled despite myself.
"The one and only. Rumours were rife that you were coming back to town for the wedding, at least they are true," he sat down opposite me.
"Well here I am. I hear you're married now. Who's the lucky lady?"
"Yeah, she'll be over in a minute. You here with anybody?" he asked, he didn't really think about me still, in that way, after all this time, and a wife.
"No, all my friends are in Alaska," I sighed, taking some more champagne.
"You should come down more often. It's nice to catch up. How are Angela and Ben?"
"Engaged."
"Wow. A lot of the old High School crowd sticking together then," he looked at me sympathetically.
"Yeah. A lot of that going around," I finished my drink. A waiter came around and I grabbed another flute of champagne, with the strawberry bobbing at the top.
"You still hung up on him Bella?" he himself had a glass.
"I don't know anymore Mike," I ate the strawberry.
"Cullen was a Jackass anyway. His whole family were weirdo's," he was trying to console me I guess.
"Don't talk about the Cullen's like that. They are good, nice people." I was slightly annoyed now. He stared at me. Then looked behind me.
"Bella may I present to you my wife," I turned around and gasped.
"Oh my God! Jess?" she smiled at me, holing her left hand for me to see.
"Yes Bella it's really me," she smiled at me. "Mike can you get me an orange juice please?" she smiled. I stared at her protruding stomach. She was Pregnant, quite far along by the looks of it. Mike left and she took his place.
"Wow Jess it's really good to see you. You finally got him then?" I laughed, she smiled at me.
"Well Bella, after you left, Mike just couldn't resist me anymore and he realised who he belonged with, and it wasn't you," she said in a sickly sweet voice. I laughed.
"Well I am Happy for you guys. You belong together,"
"That's right we do. And soon our family will be complete," she stroked her stomach lovingly.
"Boy of Girl?" I asked, trying not to get pissed off with her tone.
"Both. Twins run in Mike's family," she smiled at me again, "They are due November 27th, but they are probably be early, we were both early, Mike and I,"
"Right, well you look great Jess, they still kicking?"
"Silly Bella, what do you know about pregnancy?" she laughed stiffly.
"More than you think," I said. She glared at me.
"Well I have loads of support, my parents, Mike's parents, the whole towns actually, are you here with anybody?" she sneered.
"No, I'm here for my Dad."
"Oh, well that's ok. I'm sure that you will find someone, eventually," she muttered the last word and took a sip of Champagne from Mike's glass.
"You shouldn't drink during pregnancy, unless you want your Daughter to turn out as Bitchy as you did," I stood up, angrily leaving her behind.
The rain echoed off the top of the Marquee. More couples had joined Dad and Sue on the dance floor. Paul and Rachel, Quill was holding the now four year old Claire in his arms, and dancing in a circle, Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim. Just to name a few. I paused Dad was happy, everybody was happy here, even Jess, she had won the competition for Mike, one that I had not even entered. Maybe it was time for me to be happy, finally let go of Edward Cullen. I sighed. I bumped into someone.
"Sorry," I went to move on through the crowds but I was held back.
"Whoa Bella, where you off to?" Jacob. Just the person I needed to see.
"Jake, can you come with me for a second?" I asked sweetly, suddenly remembering something I had needed to ask him.
"Sure," I pulled him back towards the house and into the deserted living room.
"Okay Jake, this may sound like an odd question but you know earlier, when you came to get me to go to the church?"
"Yeah, you were listening to that CD. What about it?"
"Did I have any fresh Vampire Scents on me?" I tapped my wrist impatiently.
"No, I smelt the pixie that came here like two years ago, but even that was stale, at least 10 hours old at the time, Why?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
"No reason, just didn't want to cause any discomfort at the wedding," I lied. He wasn't going to buy it. "Just go back and enjoy the party." I urged.
"What are you planning Bella?" he asked again.
"Nothing, I will be out in a moment," He narrowed his eyes then turned around.
If I didn't have any fresh Vampire scents on me, which meant the Edward had not been in my room today. It was something about being in Forks. The Hallucinations, the voices, the stuff... I hadn't even gotten voices when I went to Alaska, let alone the hallucinations. Being in Forks, in Washington, and being in danger enabled me to have the hallucinations. Because that was when I had been with him. It all made sense now. But did that make me want to stay in Forks, or get out of here, running and screaming?
"Bella? Charlie and Sue are leaving," A knock on the door informed me.
"Thanks Quill, I'll be right out," he smiled. I turned to go back into the yard, but if it was just being in Forks that made me get the voices in my head, then I prayed that one more thing did not return.
OOOOOOOOOO
I woke up in my bed, screaming. Like I had before I had left. This was the thing that I had hoped would never return. But it had. Figures. It was 5:30 in the morning. I had a major clean up ahead of me, but I didn't want to start yet. I grabbed my toiletries bag and left for the shower. The hot water washed away my tears. At least nobody would hear me scream here. Look what had happened to me, all because of a boy. I washed my hair with my favourite strawberry shampoo and conditioner. Willing it to take me away from everything here. Wishing that Edward had not come into my life, just to walk back out of it again. Wanting to turn back time, just to spend one more moment with him, to plead with him not to go. I don't know how long I was in there for, but I only got out of the Shower when I had used all of the hot water. I groaned. It reminded me of Edward. My hair was wet that first night he had stayed with me, to avoid suspicion with Charlie.
Get a hold of yourself Swan, you are a strong, confident woman, who does not need a man to make yourself complete. But it would help along the way.
I got out of the shower, with a towel around my head and one around my body. My room was unseasonably cold. And I turned on the radiators. It was 8am now. It was the weekend, so most of the kids in Forks would be trying to amuse themselves with trips to Port Angeles. Like I had, before Edward had left me. I got dressed, there were clothes still here, and my suitcase was just my bridesmaid dress. I got changed into a pair of jeans and a loose green sweater. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked tired, just like I had done before I had left for college. Although that was for a different reason, not that I knew it at the time. I frowned.
I saw Edward standing behind me, smiling. I turned to face him.
"You always did look beautiful Bella, you have to start looking at yourself in a more positive light." He was wearing the same thing that he was wearing the day he had left.
"And you are not real. Are you going to be around for the next two days, making up for the past two years worth of recklessness?" I put my hands on my hips.
"Obviously. Did you enjoy my gifts Bella?" he smiled.
"They were gifts from my family, not you," I reasoned. I was having a conversation with a figment of my imagination. Wow, I was desperate for company.
"The CD was from me, you seemed to enjoy that." He sat in my rocking chair, like he had so many times before.
"Are you just going to follow me all day or do I have a choice in the matter," I snarled, my fingers itching for my cell phone. Jake was just a phone call away.
"No, just when you need me," he laughed.
"Then you can leave now," I growled.
"Okay and he faded away.
That was odd, like a ghost, flitting in an out of my life like he didn't care. I frowned slightly and walked out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen. Making some cereal. I sat down at the table, and then something strange happened.
Like I went back in time. The last time he was here, whilst we were watching Romeo and Juliet. Me pleading with him never to hurt himself over me and him agreeing. Well now I hoped that he would. Make him suffer the way I have done. Let him hurt himself. I groaned, stabbing my cereal with my spoon.
"Stupid, noble, vampire," I muttered. My phone vibrated. It was Alice.
"Hey Alice, to what do I owe this pleasure?" I asked, eating my cereal.
"Oh no reason, just wanted to see how you were. I hate being in the dark," she laughed.
"Well me too, it's called being human. How is everybody? I haven't spoken to Emmett in a while, or Jasper." I played with my cereal.
"Well they are doing pretty well. Jasper is with Carlisle and Esme hunting, and Emmett," she sighed, "well you are about to find out," I smiled to myself subconsciously.
"I want to talk to her," I heard a far off voice yell in the distance.
"Here, talk to her, but I need that back after you have finished," Alice's voice grew fainter.
"Alice?" I asked into the receiver.
"No Emmett. Jeez Bella, I should think that you know my name by now. Em-mett! Two syllables, starts with an 'E' ends with a 'T'. Emmett, Emmett, Emmett. Woop, woop!" he cheered like a cheerleader.
"Ok, ok Emmett, I know who you are. What have you been up to then? Come across any Grizzly's lately?" I finished my cereal, and put it in the sink. Leant on the counter.
"No, they aren't good yet. Going into hibernation, not coming out of it. I've had to make do with deer and Elk, the occasional Lynx if I am lucky. You found any good animals yet?" he boomed a laugh.
"No, but I found Jessica Stanley. Oh sorry, make that Jessica Newton," I snarled.
"Jessica Newton? Oh no, Mike caved? He could do so much better than that little she devil," he said pityingly.
"What have you got against her? She stalk you or something?"
"Not exactly, but she wasn't very nice anyway. Whore. Shall I come down there and kill her?" he laughed.
"No. It's okay, or at least wait until after Thanksgiving. When her twins are born. Which she is so proud of obviously, wow she can carry Children. Good for her, she must be the first woman to do so!" I bitched.
"Newton got her pregnant? Jeez, didn't know he had it in him. Well it's only until tomorrow afternoon anyway. Then you can come home."
"Any word from Edward yet?" I groaned.
"Um yeah. How did you know?" he sounded surprised.
"I didn't. What did he send a smoke signal, or a flare?" I growled.
"No, he used a cell phone. We are not at the turn of the century anymore."
"Emmett you were never at the turn of the century. You were born in 1915," I rose an eyebrow.
"Don't raise your eyebrows at me Bella Swan. Anyway, the news on Eddie boy, you want to know or not?" it was freaky how he knew I had risen my eyebrows. I grabbed my keys and walked out of the front door and into my truck.
"You're going to tell me anyway right?" I sat down, but didn't start the engine.
"Well he said he was on his way up, and would be here Thanksgiving break,"
"Well I am away then so I may just not come back," I thought out loud.
"Now Alice is coming with you." He sniggered.
"I was kidding. Please tell her I was kidding!" I pleaded. "It's too late; she can't wait to meet Little Anthony Dwyer." I groaned, but it beat being all on my own in an unfamiliar city.
"Great, Renée will love that," I sighed, she really would.
"By the way, Anthony? Does your Mom know that was Edward's middle name?"He sounded concerned.
"It's my cross to bear, but it's not the point. Mom is happy, Phil is happy, Anthony is happy, Dad's happy, everybody's happy. So whenever I see Anthony, all I see is Edward, I can get over it." I started the engine. It roared to life.
"You still have the truck! Wow, do you still have the stereo I bought you?"
"Um...Sure," I lied.
"Where are you going today?"
"Around."
"Cool, can you stop by my house and get me something, last time I was there; we left in a wee bit of a hurry." He asked. Go by the Cullen's? After all this time? It must be important or he wouldn't ask me.
"What do you need?" I groaned internally
"Well, can you get some of my clothes, they are brand new and have never even been worn, we bought them back from Africa, they are still in the wrapping and everything. Ooh, Ooh and the pictures are in there too. They are under the bed." he pleaded
"Okay, okay Emmett, I'll get them for you, is there anything that Alice needs?"
"NO!" Emmett yelled down the line.
"Oh yes Bella, can you pick up some of the photos in my bedside table, and in the back of my closet, go right to the back, then make a left, there will be a green body bag, it covers a very important piece of clothing. Don't look at it, but you must get it ok?" she grabbed the phone off of him. Then went very stern.
"Yes, ok, ok. I will get it. I'm on my way now." I said, backing out of my driveway.
"Are you Bella? Are you really?"
"It's on my to do list," I reasoned, driving down my street.
"I'm going to hang up now Bella," and she hung up. Finally some peace.
It was strange driving through Forks. Proper driving. I went to the Thriftway and stocked up on some 'lady products' for the rest of the weekend. Also so stationary for the essays back at college. Trying to busy myself here was just like it was after Alice left. But I was not going to go to Port Angeles. At least not by myself. I loaded up the truck and made my way to the Cullen's. But just as I was about to get in, my stomach lurched again. It was so painful it wasn't even funny. This could not be normal. But it would probably be gone soon. And if it got so bad that I couldn't stand then, and only then, would I get a medical consultation.
I took a few deep breaths and in a few minutes it had disappeared .For now at least. I turned on the engine and left the Thrift way, driving to the Cullen's house. It took an age, but that was because it I didn't go faster than 30 miles an hour and I went around the corners extra carefully. I was delaying myself deliberately. I really didn't want to be here but Emmett and Alice needed this. So I took the turning that led to the house. It seemed even longer than I remembered. But then I saw it. Lawn overgrown, probably had snakes in it or something like that. I parked in front of the driveway, the only flat surface in the front of the house. I got out of the truck. Now it had dawned on me, how was I supposed to get into the house? Then my phone vibrated. A text message from Alice. 'Key under the mat. A x' That girl thought of everything. I walked over to the door, and under the mat, was a key to the front door. My hands were shaking as I put it into the lock, it twisted easily and I walked right in.
The view made me intake a breath. It was like they had never left. There were pots and pans all over the kitchen. Like they had just popped out. There were still photos up. Some of me and the Cullen's. Some of the most recent Weddings. I saw Rosalie's looked like it was in New Years Eve 1999. Wow. Carlisle and Esme's most recent wedding was in 1987 by the looks of it, that and it said, 1987 on frame. September 15th, I was 2 days old. How had I not noticed these when I was here? Because they were on the staircase, and had not really looked then. Jasper and Alice's wedding in Vegas. What a hypocrite. She could plan extravagant parties for everybody but her. Ugh, I am so using that against her.
Anyway, I got to the third floor and met the row of rooms, not looking to my right; I went straight to Emmett and Rosalie's room. I looked like a bomb had hit it. Things were strewn all over the floor, things were thrown over like there was nothing to be said, now you could tell they had just upped and left. I tried to walk over to the bed but I fell twice. I crawled over to the bed, and there it was. I dragged it out. It was heavy. On top were indeed several photos of Rosalie in a skimpy bathing suit. Eww. Once I had it out of the room, I pushed it lightly across the floor to the edge of stairs.
I walked across the hall to Alice and Jasper's room. This one was cleaner; I grabbed the photos from her bedside table, and then proceeded to her huge closet. It was twice the size of my room back home, at Charlie's , rows of shoes, belts, suitcases, handbags, make up, dresses, jeans, skirts, socks. The list went on. I went to the back, and there was a green body bag, it was hanging low down, like she had just gotten it. I held it over my arm and walked out of Alice's room .I got to hall, and went to get Emmett's stuff, but something rolled out of his bag. Right down the hall, past Carlisle's study, and right into the slightly ajar door of Edward's room. I sighed. I really didn't want to go in there, but it was for Emmett. So I placed the box and the clothing and photos on top of the box. I walked to the door quickly but paused as I touched the knob but twisted it open.
I tried to not look in it, honestly I did, but I couldn't help it. It was like he had never left. The Music on the shelves had a thick layer of dust; the leather sofa had a layer of dust. Then next to it, was a photo frame, two of them. I wiped the dust off of it; it was a photo of me, trying to get him to stop taking photos. I looked so happy. I nearly started to cry, but I put it back where it was and took the next one. It was of me and Edward, kissing. I burst out crying; I threw it on the floor and ran out of the room. How dare he still have that! But I forgot about the box, and the last thing I remember was falling over the box and into the darkness...
