Author's Note: This one took me a little longer to write, as I haven't had much inspiration or drive lately. If you've read my recently posted almost one-shot, I've been terribly sick with the flu and I've only gotten to work a couple hours this week. Anyway, none of that really matters. Just enjoy, let me know what you think... the story is taking a less dark turn and I don't know how I like it yet. Just let me know.
*I've had to edit and replace this chapter so many times now it's not even funny, and I'm still catching mistakes. If you see them, don't hesitate to point them out.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Twilight' or anything thereof.
Bella's POV
"Okay." I replied straightforwardly. I was aware of something unusual about him all along, and somehow, even under all of the stress, fear, anger and the plethora of other emotions I've gone through today, I just knew in the back of my mind that it was something similar to this reality. Every time I imagined that I was in some danger, my primary thoughts consisted of a monster movie… and apparently I was dead on.
Well, bad choice of words.
So here he was, the apparent love of my life that I couldn't remember, 'dazzling' me as I had explained it in my journal, informing me that he was a member of the supernatural world, and somehow, all I could do was accept it happily. It was time to change the subject.
"So… reading minds, huh?"
"Yes. And speaking of, your father has just made his up to check on you." I groaned, aggravated. I forgot about having dinner with him and now I wasn't really concerned with it anymore. Edward was definitely distracting. "Pretend you fell asleep," he whispered, and before I could bat an eyelid he was gone. I laid down on top of my comforter to act as if I had fallen asleep unintentionally when I finished my shower.
I heard my father march up our flight of stairs, and then my door creaked open. He set something down on the bedside table next to me, and the smell of pizza hit me like a ton of bricks. Immediately my stomach turned with hunger and I had to prevent myself from grabbing the whole plate and shoving it down my throat. He sighed and turned my light off, and as soon as the door shut behind him, I sat up, set the dish in my lap and forced a huge bite of pepperoni and mushroom into my mouth.
It felt like heaven.
Edward came out while I was chewing impolitely and I was sure that I blushed, but I just couldn't help myself… I probably could have eaten my own hand at this point. He chuckled when he saw my face.
"I apologize for keeping you from your dinner Bella."
"Ish o-ay," I said with my mouth full. Immediately I was embarrassed again, but I couldn't think about anything else except taking another bite of my heaven sent dinner. Although I was extremely focused on eating, I was still incredibly aware of exquisite Edward. He sat down next to me and relaxed with his hands behind his head and his legs crossed at the ankles.
"Bella, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?"
My heart stopped for two reasons.
One, a gloriously fantastic, incredible man just asked me to have dinner with him.
Two, I wasn't sure which one of us was going to be eating.
But would he really ask my permission to consume me? I decided it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"What are you going to eat?" When he laughed, I figured it was safe to breathe again.
"Let me rephrase the question. Bella, may I cook for you tomorrow evening?" I decided to swallow this time so I wouldn't speak with my mouthful as I accepted his date proposal. I was excited beyond belief and I couldn't stop myself from giggling like a little girl.
"Sure." I tried to sound nonchalant when I answered, but I don't think it worked. A huge smile spread across his face. It was so terribly difficult for me to acknowledge the fact that he was smiling because he was planning on spending time with me.
"If you'd like, I'll pick you up tomorrow morning and we can spend the day there." I couldn't help thinking that I'd rather spend the night tonight, and I sighed inwardly, happy that he couldn't read my mind.
"Tomorrow morning it is." Then it occurred to me that I probably have something I'm missing, like a job or school. After all, tomorrow is Tuesday. "What about school or work?" By the look on his face, I took him by surprise. Good. That just further assured me that there was no mind reading going on in this room.
"You work at Newton's sporting goods store, but Alice informed them of the situation. You're off until all of this clears up."
"Newton, as in Mike Newton that you stole me from when I was sick on the sidewalk from the blood testing?" Not that I had minded, I was sure. He laughed.
"Yes, that Newton. His family owns the store, and he's your co-worker, much to my irritation." He was lost in thought for a few seconds. His jealousy made my heart swell and brought color to my cheeks instantly.
"Don't you work anywhere? Don't we go to school?"
"School is taken care of as well, but you have limited time to go back and then they're going to send someone here to teach you, similar to the situation of a person on bed rest. We're still trying to sort that out. As for me, I've been through it too many times to count, so it doesn't matter. And no," he added, "I don't work anywhere." No, I suppose he doesn't. I could probably hock his shirt and feed a third world country. Suddenly, he smiled and stood up, touching my cheek lightly.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow at nine-thirty. How does that sound?" His stunning gaze caused my thoughts to become incoherent, but I didn't care. I couldn't tear my eyes from his heart-stopping face.
"…Bella?" Oops. He was expecting an answer. I looked down, regaining logic.
"Nine-thirty sounds wonderful." He leaned into me and carefully kissed my forehead, and then he was gone. I threw myself back onto my bed with a sigh and fell into a deep sleep dreaming exclusively of Edward for the entire night.
Edward's POV
When her breathing became steady and slow, I quietly crept back into her room. She had tossed and turned slightly, so she was enveloped in her blankets resembling a cocoon. I looked around for the precious object that allowed me to see fully into Bella's mind, and spotted it on the floor beside her bed.
After admiring her beauty for a few short moments, I opened her journal and ran my hand over the first page that was written on, rereading and captivated by every seamless word and sentiment that she would never convey to me herself previous to today.
She picks and chooses what she informs me; no matter how time-consuming my pleading with her is to explain her thoughts, so in turn this diary is the sole portal that flows directly from her mind; thus it is vital to me that she continues to write in it.
Anyone else's thoughts I could throw to the curb; I couldn't care less to hear, but the one mind that I crave is denied me and it drives me into the ground with frustration every day. The woman I love, the relationship I hunger after is on the verge of falling away from me and I have no manner of acquiring the knowledge to what I should or shouldn't say and do apart from the ever-reliant Alice- who's visions, of course, are indefinite.
I sat adjacent to Bella until morning when she began to rouse, and slipped out through her window leaving the journal in the same position she had placed it in the night before, then went home to anticipate nine-thirty AM like no one ever has.
As soon as I walked into the house, Emmett bombarded me.
"Did you see her?" He asked frantically, slapping his hands on my shoulders.
"Of course I saw her." I had to laugh a little at his question.
"Did you talk to her?" He led me over to the couch and I sat down next to him. His eyes were wide with anxiety and his mind was only a hum of the vast amount of thoughts passing through at once. I blocked out the whirr and focused only on his speech.
"Yes, Emmett. I talked to her." He held his breath.
"I'm freaking out here."
"Yes, you've conveyed that clearly." I chuckled again. He barely cracked a smile.
"Did you tell her?" He asked a little quieter. His hands were wringing together with worry in his lap and his appearance was gloomy.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I figured you should explain it yourself."
"She's going to hate me," he grunted. He looked down pessimistically and I felt the tone of his thoughts turn into disgust directed at himself.
"No, Emmett, She won't. She'll understand that it was just an accident."
"Edward, this is Bella we're talking about here. Her temper is just short of yours and Rosalie's." I grimaced that he included me in that circle.
"Emmett, it's going to be fine. Just be yourself, explain everything carefully- that you never meant for this to happen, and tell her how much you care for her as a sister." His head dropped into his hands and he rubbed his temples with his forefingers. Rosalie walked into the room from the upstairs and settled with her back to the banister of the staircase.
"I'm assuming you aren't going to school today?" She asked, crossly. She wasn't speaking to me.
"No, Rose. Please understand." She rolled her eyes and sighed.
"I do. I still think it can wait, and our appearance is more important, but I do."
"Are you going to school?" She flitted to his side and he turned to look over his shoulder, one hand still on his forehead, and the other back into his lap. She folded her arms across her chest.
"Yes, I am. And so are Alice and Jasper. This can't hinder the rest of our lives, Emmett."
"I know that, Rosalie. I wasn't going to argue with you."
'Right now, anyway,' I heard him think to himself. 'I have too many other things to worry about than your selfish attitude. Jesus, she's sexy when she's pissed.'
I cut it off there and checked my watch. It read seven thirty… only two more hours to attempt to eradicate the nervousness. I left Emmett to discuss today's events with Rosalie and sat myself at the computer to Google recipes for Bella's dinner…
And then it came to me. I'd make her the mushroom ravioli that she ate at La Bella Italia on our first date in Port Angeles. I shuddered at the thought of the events previous to our dinner. I could only hope that this meal might generate more memories.
The big question was: what the hell else was I going to make for the other four courses? I sighed. Alice was going to have to stay home today, after all.
Bella's POV
My eyes opened involuntarily at six o'clock. I figured the reason I woke up so early was because of the nervousness regarding my plans today, so I didn't attempt to fall back asleep. There was no sense in fighting the inevitable, and I was so anxious that I felt like I just drank a cup of coffee. I groaned loudly as I stretched and before gathering my things to go take a shower, I checked out the window to see if Charlie had left for work yet. His cruiser was gone, so that was good news for me.
I anticipated the day ahead of me as I blew my hair dry after my long shower. I knew Edward said that Emmett was going to be there today, but I was rather hopeful that the other Cullens would be at school and work. It seemed impolite, but I could only take so many people… vampires at once. Though I suppose I wouldn't mind getting to know Alice a little better.
I threw on a blue v-neck sweater and blue jeans and bounded down the stairs to get something to eat. I stopped mid-step in the kitchen, realizing that I had no idea where anything was. After searching through every cabinet and only retrieving a spoon and bowl, I realized that the most obvious place for cereal was the pantry. I groaned inwardly at all the time I wasted and grabbed the cinnamon toast crunch from the cupboard and the milk from the refrigerator. I ate two bowls as leisurely as I could while watching a local morning news show, and the clock's ticks seemed to decelerate as I observed it with my peripheral vision. I finally finished and cleaned up after myself at nine o'clock.
I sighed and flopped backward on the couch, flipping through channels, and then I heard a light knock on the door. I wasn't expecting anyone but Edward, and he wasn't due for another half an hour. I went to the window and peeked out through the blinds, and a man in a wheelchair waved at me.
I dropped the blinds, threw myself against the wall and panicked. Of course he wasn't going to harm me, right? Famous last words. I thought I was jumping to conclusions yesterday and it turned out that I risked my life almost twenty-four seven with vampires. Anything was possible.
I dug my cell phone out of the pocket of my jeans and went through my contacts until I found Edward and hit 'call'. He picked up in the middle of the first ring.
"Bella?" He sounded alarmed.
"Thank God. Edward, there's a man outside of the house!"
"I'm on my way." I heard the purr of a car over the phone. "What does he look like?"
"I don't know. He's in a wheelchair." He sighed. I wasn't sure if it was irritation or relief.
"That's just Billy."
"Billy?"
"I'm almost there, Bella. Just let him in and I'll explain everything to both of you when I get there."
"Thank you, Edward."
"I love you." He responded, and hung up the phone. I didn't know how I would have responded to that if he hadn't. I know that I loved him before, but now…
Billy knocked on the door again and I came back to reality. There was no time for those thoughts at present.
"Coming!" I shouted. I pulled the door open and attempted to look enthusiastic about seeing him.
"Hi, Billy!" My fake smile probably made me look more mentally disturbed than happy.
"Hey there, Bella! How are ya, honey?"
"I'm good. You?" I answered, exasperated.
"I'm doin' okay, thanks." We stood in silence for a few seconds until I realized he was waiting for me to let him in.
"Oh, hey, do you want to come in?"
"Well sure! Thanks." I moved out of the way and he wheeled himself toward the living area. "I don't have much time, Bella. Sue Clearwater is waiting for me in her car. Ever since Jake ran off I've had to hitch rides with the neighbors." He laughed to himself. Jake? Sue? The memory of campfires, beaches and driftwood briefly came to mind, but it didn't make any sense. "So anyway, I'll get right to the point-"
The sound of Edward's car screeching to a stop in front of my house interrupted him. Edward humanly ran to my door and knocked politely and I waved him in. He forced a 'hello' and a friendly smile at Billy, who oddly responded with a grimace. Edward kissed the top of my head and we sat on the couch across from him.
"Billy, I know this is a little awkward," Edward started.
"Yes." Billy interrupted rudely. It didn't faze Edward in the least.
"We have a situation." That seemed to shift Billy from his original plan, but he reverted right back.
"If you please, I was speaking to Bella about something important that needs to be done."
"Yes, sir, but I think this information is vital to whatever you're attempting to explain to her." He tilted his head slightly as his angry gaze faltered a bit and Edward took it as a sign to proceed. It looked as if Edward was attempting to keep the annoyance from his features.
"Bella hit her head and has lost her memory. She doesn't remember you, Jacob or La Push period. She barely remembers Forks." Billy was silent for a few seconds, taking it all in.
"She seemed like she remembered me. She called me by name." The theme song of another news show chimed in and a woman began speaking of the crime rate in the Seattle area decreasing.
"That's because she called me and asked me who you were before she let you in."
"So she remembers you?" The way that they were talking about my situation, as if I wasn't here, made me feel out of place.
"No. We've had to reintroduce everyone." The sad look on Edward's face made me want to burst into tears.
"Why didn't Charlie tell me?" He looked down at his hands as he said it, and the question seemed rhetorical, but Edward answered anyway.
"It only happened a few days ago, and it's a trying time for all of us."
"Someone has to tell Jacob," was all he could say. Who the hell was Jacob and why was he so important?
"I don't think that's the best thing for her right now," Edward answered, and Billy snorted.
"Like you know what's best for her, parasite." He was in on the secret?! My head was spinning.
"So we've resorted again to name calling, then?" Edward answered calmly.
"I should go." Edward didn't answer. He simply stood and got the door for Billy, then politely closed it behind him. Edward's head hung low as the sound of Sue's engine roared off into the distance. He turned to face me and I stood up and exploded.
Edward's POV
As I closed the door and turned to her, I was about to speak, but her sudden outburst interrupted me.
"What was he going to tell me? How does he know about your secret? Who is Jacob? WHO WAS HE?"
"Bella, sweetheart, please calm down," I attempted to soothe her temper with my most alluring voice and it seemed to work. I pulled her toward the couch with me and sat down next to her with both of her hands enclosed in my own. "That's your father's best friend Billy and Jacob is his son. You've known him since you were a child. Jacob was…"
I groaned. There was no way in hell I wanted to supply Bella with the information that tore my heart apart every time I even dared to think about it, but she had a right to know. "Jacob was in love with you, Bella… and you… you loved him too. But you chose me over him and he left." I had to add the last part in for my benefit. It was selfish, but I couldn't help myself.
"Someone else?"
"Yes," was all I could say. My heart was breaking all over. If she saw him again, would she change her mind?
"How does he know about your secret?" How the hell do I explain that to her? I didn't exactly tell her I was a vampire yesterday, and learning the existence of yet another supernatural creature could very well do anything from give her a heart attack to send her away from me, for all I know. Apparently I paused too long. The expression on her face was past annoyed.
"Just spit it out, Edward. Nothing could be weirder than you being a vampire." I laughed, and she looked more irritated, but she had no idea what she was saying.
"Let's just say that Jacob has his own secret as well."
"He's a vampire too?" I wish he could have heard that comment.
"Not exactly."
"Stop beating around the bush, Edward."
"Alright, alright. Jacob is… his tribe, his family, it descends from wolves." I was ready for and expecting another outburst, maybe some tears, but her silence took me aback.
"Wolves."
"Yes."
"Like werewolves." She looked at me as if I just escaped from an insane asylum.
"Yes."
"You're joking."
"No."
"Yes, You're joking." Apparently she was not asking, she was telling.
"No, Bella. I'm not joking," I said a little more sternly.
"So, you're a vampire that I'm in love with. What's more, this Jacob, he's a werewolf. I am also in love with him, but less than you, so naturally he ran off. Most of all, this is altogether taking place under the wet, green canopy of Forks, Washington where the mythical creatures run free." I thought about the disbelief laced in her statement and I assumed no matter what I said she wouldn't believe me, or probably trust me anymore. I prepared myself for her to announce her return to Phoenix as best as I could, and answered honestly.
"Yes." She stared at me for another few seconds and then sighed.
"Okay." Okay? She got up from the couch and walked out the door. She placed herself in the passenger's seat of my Volvo and buckled her seatbelt like an obedient police chief's daughter should. I left the house, turning the light off and locking the door behind me with the spare key, and got into my car all at Bella's normal pace, minus the stumbling. I was thankful that she had temporarily forgotten to ask what Billy's original intention for his visit was. I assumed she was too overwhelmed with her fresh news to take it into account. As I got in the car, she spoke again.
"I expect that everything will be fully explained in due time, but as of right now I would really like to arrive at our predetermined destination. Sitting at my house all day discussing fairy-tales isn't what was on my agenda, so we'll consult on it over the dinner that you so lovingly promised me." Feisty Bella. Okay, I can deal with that. I kissed her hand to show her that I complied and drove to my house, forty miles slower than I usually would have.
Bella's POV
I knew it was true, I knew it was, but it was just so impossible to accept. I thought that I was aware of everything, but of course there's a plot twist. I was also in love with a werewolf, and he had run off, probably in his wolf form, to some unknown part of the world.
Why?
Why does it have to become more complicated? I was just getting used to the bizarre notion that Edward and his family were a coven of vampires, and that we were 'star-crossed' lovers. I figured there were more like them on the planet, but I wasn't even connected with that thought just yet. I was just attempting to take the Cullens in and figure the rest out later… But now there are werewolves too.
Does all of this exist in Phoenix as well? How many vampires and werewolves'… Hell, Trolls, dwarfs and mermaids have I come in contact with in my life? And most importantly, why the hell was I the one so connected with danger?
We rode in silence to Edward's house, and when I walked in there was a large, burly man lounging on the sofa that I briefly remember escaping to the second story of the house yesterday. I assumed he was Emmett.
Yesterday… It seemed a million millennia away from now. So much has changed from the short time ago that I woke up here with no memory. Edward nodded toward him and I slowly sat down next to him on the couch. His enormous smile made me feel completely comfortable around him. The beginning of 'I Dream of Jeannie' was on the television.
"I remember when this show came out," he began while the theme song was playing. Alice's head peeked around the wall separating the living room and the dining room and Edward escaped to the kitchen with her.
"You do?"
"Yeah. I met Barbara Eden in person a couple times. She was smokin' hot." That made me laugh.
"I guess so."
"You guess so? She's up there with Marilyn Monroe, Bella."
"Okay." I replied with a chuckle. "I guess I've never really thought about it. That's all." He patted my head. I had no idea why I was so at ease around him; he seemed like an older brother. I was almost as relaxed as I was with Edward.
Emmett found the remote beside him on the couch and turned off the television. He turned to me and looked me in the eye.
"Bells… I have something important to tell you. Something that you may not enjoy hearing… something that may sway the opinion you have of me- even if your opinion is still small; I understand that you haven't known me that long yet. Kind of." I smiled and nodded for him to continue. How could it get any worse? My life has already changed significantly quite a few times today.
"You've probably been wondering how this happened." He tapped my forehead with two of his fingers on the word 'this'. I thought I saw where he was going and I nodded in reply.
"It was my fault." My brow crinkled in uncertainty. I half expected that answer, but almost didn't want it to be true.
"What happened?" He sighed.
"Lover boy," he gestured with his thumb in the direction of the kitchen, "doesn't let you out much."
"Emmett," I heard Edward growl at him. Emmett just laughed.
"I was trying to let you have a little more fun in life, Bella. Before you… you know. Well, I guess you don't, but I'll let Edward tell you about that." Before I what? Before I died? What was he talking about?
"Emmett!" Edward yelled again.
"Alright, alright. Anyway, Bella, I took you skydiving and my carelessness caused you to hit your head on a rock. Your head hit in just the right place for you to lose everything." He gently touched the healing gash on the back of my head. His cold hand felt good.
"I see." I attempted to smile, but it didn't reach my eyes.
"Bella, please don't hate me," he pleaded quietly. "I love you like you're my own sister and I just couldn't live with you hating me." His hands lightly rubbed my shoulders.
"I don't hate you, Emmett. It was an accident. I understand." This time I pushed my smile to make contact with my eyes. I knew the truth of my words and although it was technically his fault, it wasn't intentional and there was no way of preventing the unavoidable. "I'm so clumsy, it was bound to happen sometime," I said with a laugh. He sighed with relief and pulled me into a bone-crunching hug. When I began to gasp for air, he let me go, and patted my head again.
"Thank you for being honest, Emmett." He slapped me on the back in reply and stood up, and then grabbed my hand and pulled me off of the couch and we walked into the kitchen together.
"Now that that's settled," Alice said with her hands on her hips, "I have a bone to pick with you." She pointed one wooden spoon at me and the other rested near a bowl of salad on the counter next to her. I assumed she was assisting Edward in cooking dinner. He was on the other side of the kitchen, quickly and avidly putting together small squares of ravioli stuffed with cheeses, mushrooms and spices. His ingredients were neatly laid before him, unlike a regular cook who may have things strewn about in the kitchen.
I was completely baffled at the problem that Alice might have with me. We've barely talked in the past few days.
"I saw you looking for a flashlight last night in my vision."
"…Okay…" This didn't clue me into the foundation of her anger.
"BELLA! How can you be so insensitive? I bought you all of that make up and all of those hair products and you just let them sit in that drawer, unopened? UNTOUCHED!" She stomped her foot. "What kind of a sister are you? I am deeply hurt. Those were presents from the bottom of my heart." She touched her hand over her chest at the last word of her speech.
"Oh… Alice I… I'm sorry…"
"It's fine." She waved it off casually and went back to tossing the salad. "Just promise me you'll make an effort to use them, or at the least learn how."
"I solemnly swear." I obviously had no idea what I was promising. She dropped the wooden spoons and ran to me, grabbing my face in either of her hands.
"YOU MEAN THAT?!"
"Um, I think?" The words came out slurred because of the position of my mouth.
"Emmett!" She turned to him, my cheeks still squeezed between her rock hard hands. He was now on the other side of the kitchen creating a face out of a slice of cheese. "You finish helping Edward. Do what he says, do you understand me?"
"Lame! My show's coming on!" He whined.
"Do what he says!" She simply answered.
"Come on, Bella, let's go get dressed up for dinner. I'm going to show you how to use all of that idle make up in your drawer, and then you're recreating it when we go out tomorrow."
"We're going out tomorrow?"
"We are now." And with that, we were in her room and I was being ambushed with false eyelashes, lipstick and teeth whitener.
"Oh, Bella. I missed you so much." She threw her little arms around my neck in mid-glue and as I rested my head on her shoulder, I felt like I was home.
Edward's POV
I attempted to protest, but Alice was gone before I could say anything. I thought it best not to follow her, as I'd probably lose the argument anyway.
"Let's get this over with," Emmett grumbled while he walked over to Alice's place to finish tossing the abandoned salad. He was lucky I didn't kill him. Mentioning anything about Bella becoming a vampire to her, even hinting at it was further away from anything she needed to hear at the moment. "How can they eat this crap, anyway? It looks so gross." He picked up a lettuce leaf and examined it, then bit down and took a bite. Immediately he spit it on the floor.
"This tastes more like dirt than the other stuff does."
"That's because it's organic."
"Humans are weird."
"They say the same about you," I answered without looking up. "Now add a half of a cup more water to the soup, and start the cake."
"Cake? I can't make cake."
"Just follow the directions, Emmett. It's not that difficult." He rolled his eyes and added the water to the soup, and then at his slowest walked to the area where all of the ingredients for the cake were set up and lifted the recipe to the light.
"How old is this?"
"It was my mothers."
'Eggs… Milk… Sugar… Boring. I'm gonna add a little spice to this,' He thought. I lifted my eyes and carefully watched him walk to the refrigerator, measuring his every movement. 'There we go. Cream cheese… chocolate… celery…' I stopped what I was doing and went to stand behind him. He set each foreign ingredient that he planned to use one at a time onto the counter next to him, and one at a time I put them back.
"Hey!" He yelled, when he realized my actions. "Edward, I was just going to-"
"Emmett," I interrupted, "Please follow the recipe. You can make a chocolate cream cheese and celery cake on your own time." He groaned with frustration.
'So much for making this day fun, Eddie.'
I laughed at his unspoken remark and turned around to finish the ravioli, and an egg hit me in the back of the head. I wiped it to the floor without turning around.
"Emmett, pl-" I turned around and dodged another egg that was bound to hit my forehead. I frowned at him.
"Save at least three of those, please."
He pulled three out and set them on the counter gently, and then proceeded to grab every other egg in his hands. How he didn't crush them instantly, I wasn't sure. Emmett wasn't usually too careful with delicate things. We've had to replace several hundred x-box controllers after he's lost games to us for exactly that reason. We now had a separate cabinet for them all.
I ran out of the room, not wanting to get hit with another egg, and Emmett followed behind leisurely. I ran upstairs toward my room, and as soon as he threw them at me Bella stepped out of Alice's room, into the line of fire. So instead of hitting me, Emmett got Bella with eight eggs right in the face. I assumed poor Bella just wanted to see what the all of the racket was about.
Emmett burst out with boisterous laughter that seemed to shake the house, and I was instantly at Bella's side wiping the egg from her face as she stood speechless with her mouth agape.
"Alice!" I yelled into her room, exceptionally louder than necessary. I was livid. That blue sweater looked amazing on her, and now she'd have to change.
"Why didn't you see this happening?" She was doubled over in laughter with Emmett.
"Oh I did, Edward, I did, I just couldn't stop it. It was too funny. Funny enough to get to do her make up twice." Alice winked at her and Bella groaned.
"Just point me in the direction of the bathroom and I'll get cleaned up," Bella sighed. Alice handed her a towel, a washcloth and a hairdryer.
"I'll go to your house to get you fresh clothes while you're in there, so don't lock the door. No one will come in and I don't feel like replacing a lock today, okay?"
"Fine."
"It's the last door on the right down this hall." Bella stumbled off to the bathroom and we heard the door open and shut behind her.
"Jeez. For people who don't use the bathroom, this is incredible," she mumbled from inside. I didn't think she meant for us to hear.
"We do shower, Bella," Alice replied with a giggle. I heard the faucet turn on and I went back downstairs to finish cooking in order to keep the image of Bella nude in my quarters out of my mind.
"When you get back, Alice," I said at a normal volume, although she was still upstairs laughing with Emmett I knew she would hear me, "You're going to help me finish cooking, since apparently Emmett is incapable."
"That's right!" He yelled proudly. I rolled my eyes.
"Fine," she replied, gliding down the stairs, "but after that I'm making over Bella, and you're just going to have to wait extra time to see her." Alice was almost out the door when I stopped her again.
"Will you get something blue, please?" I asked as finished the ravioli. I set them on the stove to cook.
"Already on it," she replied proudly.
"Oh, and Alice?" I stopped her again in mid-stride and she turned around.
"Yes, Edward," she replied, annoyed.
"Do me a favor. Do you think you can convince her to continue writing in her journal?"
"I can try." She smiled lovingly at me, and she was gone.
My mind inappropriately wandered back to Bella in the shower, and I began tossing the over tossed salad absentmindedly as I allowed my thoughts to improperly drift where they may.
