Bonjour! Haha, lil bit of French there. Ok, so got my A Level Results…Not too bad I must admit! So, on with Chapter 8…
Chapter 8
Bella POV
I had been awake from about 4 O' Clock this morning from what I could tell from Edward's clock. The time now was 4.45am and I had failed at getting back to sleep. I was tucked under Edward's arm and pulled into his chest and I could feel his steady breathing on the back on my neck. I slowly detangled myself from Edward and sat up. I could see the light filtering through the room from the window and I felt like watching the sun rise. I climbed off the bed and pulled back the curtain just enough so that I could open and walk out the door. As I opened the door, the cold air hit me and I realised that I was only wearing my jogging bottoms and vest top. I searched around the room and came across Edward's jumper. I grabbed it off the floor and pulled it over my head and I had to admit, it swamped me. The sleeves were too long and the end of the jumper stopped just below my bum and I pulled up the hood, letting my hair cascade down one side. Perfect.
I slowly opened the door and left it open ajar and walked over to the balcony edge and leant on the barrier. Today was my birthday. I was officially Sixteen years old. I did not feel like a teenager, Rachel had always said I acted older than I actually was. I wonder if my mum would remember my birthday. I couldn't wait to get my hands on that letter, whoever had it. Deep down inside me, I knew that I would want Edward there when I opened it. The cool, light breeze hitting my face was comforting as I snuggled deeper into Edward's jumper. I had no idea how long I had stood their, thinking through all of these things.
"My jumper suits you" I jumped as Edward's voice came from behind me.
I turned around and laid my eyes on a half naked Edward. He had pulled on some jogging bottoms and I scanned over his body. Even his hair was gorgeous…that just woke up, scruffy look and just to top it off; he raised his arm and ran his hand through his hair. I sighed.
"It was cold and it was the first thing I could find" I admitted, turning back around to face the rising sun. Edward walked forward and I felt him hug me from behind.
"Happy Birthday Bella" Edward whispered in my ear. I smiled and leaned into his embrace.
"Thank you….You still up for ditching Alice today?" I asked, silently hoping that he hadn't.
"Of course! I would never miss a chance to annoy Alice" He said, chuckling.
"Good…but how are we going to get away?" I asked, slightly worried that Alice would catch us.
"Um, I'll think of something" Edward mumbled. "Right, come on Bells. Do you want your present now or later?" He asked, spinning me round.
"Er…Now?" I said, excitedly.
"Come on then" Edward grabbed me by the hand and dragged me back into his bedroom and sat me on the bed. "Close your eyes" he ordered and I closed my eyes.
I felt Edward take my hand and place a box into my palm. I opened my eyes to see a neatly wrapped box, complete with box in my hand. I slowly pulled open the wrapping and opened the box. Within the box was an IPod Classic. I picked it up from out of the box. I was gobsmacked. I turned it over in my hands and found that he had had it engraved with a message on the back.
Bella, Always part of the family, love Edward x
I smiled.
"Edward it's amazing." I said.
"Good. Now, you better get back to your room and shower because I think Alice may want to play Bella-Barbie" Edward whispered. Oh god.
"Oh no" I groaned.
I walked to Edward's door and quietly tip-toed across the corridor and into my own room and locked the door. Alice was not playing Bella-Barbie with me. I walked into the bathroom and started the hot water and was soon very clean and walking back into my bedroom wrapped in a big, soft towel. I walked into my closet and started to try and find something decent to wear today.
"BELLA! Open this door now!" I heard Alice yell from the other side of the bedroom door. Oh god.
"No. It's my birthday and I get to choose what I wear" I yelled back. I was not opening that door. I feared if I opened that door, Alice would kill me. She then started knocking repeatedly on my door.
"But Bella!" I heard Alice exclaim. Then this was followed by Edward shouting.
"Alice! It is 7am! Some people actually want to sleep in this house! Bella is old enough to dress herself!" I then heard Edward's door slam, and then Alice stomp off down the stairs. I smiled and silently thanked Edward. I walked back into my wardrobe and I pulled out a pair of light blue, ripped skinny jeans, black knee length boots and a dark blue, navy style tank top and a black cardigan…comfortable and decent. I walked into my bedroom and blow dried my hair, letting in fall into its natural curls when suddenly I heard a knock at my door.
"Alice, if that's you I'm still not letting you in." I warned.
"Bella, it's me." Edward's voice came from the door. I unlocked the door and let him in, glancing at the clock which informed me it was 9am.
"Wow Bella…you scrub up nice" Edward commented. "Ready for breakfast?" I nodded and followed him down the stairs.
We were all sat around the table and we had just finished our breakfast of pancakes, French toast, eggs etc. Everything we could ask for. Esme and Emmett helped clear the plates while Carlisle walked into the cupboard with Edward…I wonder what their up to.
"Right Bella, ready for your presents?" Esme asked just as Edward and Carlisle came out with a few presents in each hand.
"Okay so, this is from Carlisle and I" She said, handing me a small box. I pulled open the box to reveal a bracelet (/gifts/twilight-movie-forever-stretch-bracelet but not the engraving that it says) and engraved on it was a message that said Isabella Swan, Always a Cullen. I smiled.
"Oh it's perfect. Thank you" I got up and hugged Esme and Carlisle. Esme helped me place it on my wrist were it fit perfectly, just as if it was meant to be there.
"My turn!" Emmett yelled. He got up from his seat and then bounced over towards me. I swear he was more excited about my birthday than I actually was. "Here you go Bells" he placed a heavy present into my hand. It was quite a big rectangle shaped but was quite thin…what the hell had he got me? I pulled off the paper carefully and found a photo frame which could be hung on the wall. I turned it over in my hands so that the photo was facing upwards and my eyes watered at the sight. Emmett had made a collage of all the photos that had been taken of me since I had arrived. There were photos of me smiling with Esme and Carlisle, ones of me with Edward, Alice and Emmett, others including Jasper and Rosalie. There were ones of Rachel and David and also Jamie. When I looked into the middle, the image located there made me gasp. It was the picture of my Mother, Father and I when I was 5 hours old.
"It's for your room bells and you can also open it and change the pictures if you like" Emmett said. I got up and immediately hugged him tight around the waist which he returned.
"Thank you" I whispered. I let go of him and then returned to my seat.
"Finally, my turn" Alice said. "I still haven't forgiven you for locking me out this morning." She mumbled and I laughed.
"Oh sorry Alice…I mustn't have heard you" I giggled, catching Edward's eye who laughed.
"Yeah…anyway, here you are" Alice handed me a bulky package and I gently unwrapped it to reveal some clothes which I knew Alice would eventually force me into. I looked at all the clothes and felt as if Alice was trying to get me to be her little Barbie doll.
"C'mon Bells! I want you to try these clothes on and then we can spend the afternoon getting ready for your surprise later on!" She giggled, grabbing hold of my arm and tried to drag me off to my bedroom.
"Alice…I need the loo!" I yelled, which caused Alice to stop abruptly. "I'll meet you in my room yeah?" I suggested, hopeful that Alice would take the bait.
"Oh…but you have a bathroom in your room. That reminds me I need to get my make-up from my room. Bells, you head up to your room and I'll be there in like 5 minutes" Alice said and she skipped off up the stairs.
"Edward!" I said when Alice was out of earshot. "Can we go now please?" I said, hoping that Alice would not hear.
"Yeah" Edward rummaged through his pockets. "Shit…my keys in my room. I'll be back in a minute." He started off to run up the stairs.
"Wait!...Could you grab my coat on the back of my chair?" I asked. My nerves were getting the best of me, what if Alice came down? I really wanted to see Rachel and Daniel.
"Ok…" Edward said and ran off up the stairs.
"Your gonna get caught…"Emmett sang as he walked past me.
"Oh shut up Emmett. We won't get caught." I said, as Edward bounded down the stairs, handing me my jacket and I pulled it on.
"Oh really…" Emmett's eyes glinted in the light and a mischievous smile appeared on his face…oh no…he wouldn't! "BELLA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH EDWARD? RUNNING AWAY?" Emmett's voice thundered through the house. Oh shit.
"BELLA! GET YOUR BUM UP HERE NOW." Alice's voice screeched from upstairs. I could hear her feet bounding down the stairs and corridors of the house.
"Run!" Edward shouted. He grabbed hold of my hand and we sprinted towards the garage, running straight past Esme and Carlisle who just laughed. We made it to the car and climbed in as the Garage door opened to allow us to drive out. Edward started the engine and pulled away and as we drove past the front door, Alice rushed out, staring after the car just as Emmett walked out of the front door. I pulled down the window and waved goodbye.
"We did it." I said, the thrill of running away still rushing through my body.
"Yup, I told you we wouldn't get caught." Edward laughed, as he focused on the road.
"Yeah well Emmett is dead when we get home." I said, I couldn't believe he had done that, it was just so…Emmett!
"Yeah but I also think that you and I may get killed by Alice first." He chuckled. We continued to chat animatedly to each other as the journey pasted.
Edward's car pulled up to the front of the Orphanage and he killed the engine.
"Ready Bells?" He asked. I nodded in response and he climbed out of the car and opened my door for me. I climbed out and took a deep breath and we walked up the porch towards the front door. I could hear the commotion from inside the house, the children screaming and crying and Daniel's voice trying to calm everyone down. I smiled as I remembered the loudness of my old house and how I didn't miss it. I stepped forward and knocked loudly on the door and then took a step back, waiting for someone to answer the door.
The door opened a few seconds later to reveal a tired looking Daniel with a new child attached to his hip and cuddled up in his arm. He wasn't looking towards the door as he opened it as he was shouting into the house.
"Will you leave that alone Emily? How many times do I have to tell you?" Daniel said, and then he turned around and looked at me and his face looked shocked. "Bella? RACHEL IT'S BELLA!" He yelled into the house.
"Come in Bells!" Daniel said excitedly, opening the door wider to allows us into the house.
"Thanks, I see you have a new arrival then" I commented on the new girl that was curled in his arms.
"Yeah, this is Annie but anyway, Happy Birthday!" Daniel said and pulled me into a one armed hug. "Hello Edward, It's good to see you again" Daniel said, greeting Edward with a handshake.
"Bella!" I heard Rachel gasp. "Is everything ok? What's the matter?" Rachel said concerned. I knew this was because every time I was adopted, then I would always come back to be dumped.
"Nothing Rachel, the Cullen's are perfect. You remember Edward right?" I said, pointing to Edward.
"Oh of course!" Rachel pulled me into the living room while wishing me Happy Birthday and she sat me on the sofa, pulling Edward next to me. Each one of the children that I knew came up and wished me Happy Birthday too.
"Edward, want to help me with some refreshments?" Daniel asked and Edward agreed, leaving me alone with Rachel.
"Now how is the new life?" Rachel asked.
"Amazing, I love the Cullen's so much. They've given me everything that I could want." I smiled.
"Good and what about that Edward. Rather handsome isn't he." Rachel said and I blushed.
"Yeah, he's pretty amazing too" I smiled. He really was.
Just at the moment, Daniel came in and ushered all of the children out and handed something to Rachel, who took it and placed it into her pocket.
"Edward and I are just catching up. We'll be back soon" Daniel explained. Rachel pulled herself out of the armchair and took the place where Edward had been sitting and pulled my hands into hers…this must be serious. I thought.
"Now Bella…where do I start?" She sighed. "You've been so like a daughter to me and I'd rather do anything but hurt you but I made a promise to someone a long time ago and now is the time to honour that promise." She said. What the?
"When you were left on the porch, I've told you that your mother left a letter explaining who you were and why you were there but what you mother had also written was a letter for you to receive on your 16th birthday, which of course is today. I'm sorry I didn't tell you Bells. She said, if you were adopted and not told that you were adopted that you weren't to get the letter but of course, you were always here so you get the letter." She said, as she said this she was looking at our hands but then glanced up to my face.
So…she told me. This was what was in her pocket as we speak…the letter from my mother.
"Bells…" She questioned. "Please don't be upset with me…" She whispered, looking as if she was going to cry because she had to keep this from me.
"Oh Rachel" I pulled the fragile woman into my arms. "I'm not upset. Thank you for telling me". Tears formed in my eyes, she must have hated having to keep this from me. I released Rachel and we both wiped our tears away which had fallen down our faces. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a battered letter, which had yellowed in age. She placed this letter in my hand and I flicked it over in my hands and read the perfectly written Isabella Marie Swan on the envelope.
"Thank you" I whispered.
"I'll leave you to read it alone" Rachel said. "Would you like me to send Edward in?" She enquired. I shook my head. I wanted, no needed to do this alone. "Okay poppet, we'll be in the kitchen if you need us" She gently stroked my cheek with her hand and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Could I do it? This letter most likely contained all the answers to the questions I had asked in the past. I pulled my legs up onto the sofa and leaned back, forming a kind of ball. I rested my arm on the side and slowly slipped my nail underneath the opening, which was still sealed, reassuring the niggle in the back of my mind that Daniel and Rachel had not read this letter. I pulled out the thick paper and took a deep breath, preparing myself to read the answers to the questions I had asked so long ago. I close my eyes and slowly, unfolded the letter. I counted to three then opened my eyes…
Ooohh I'm bad aren't I? Cliff-hanger! Haha, I'm sorry but this will keep you hooked for the next chapter…Inside the letter! You must hate me if you love this story!
Read and Review? Much Love xx
