Chapter 7
A/N: Just a piece of information for you readers, unless otherwise noted at the beginning of a chapter, the point of view will always be from Bella just because she's the character in which most of the story centers around.
My façade was falling slowly. I had already almost caved in and told Alice in the bathroom what was going on. I wasn't quite sure what was happening but there was something about the Cullen's that just made me want to tell them that I'm sick and that I'm slowly killing myself for the sake of an outer beauty that was unattainable. I needed to do something that would inspire me to keep my mouth shut. Maybe my way out of this predicament was to avoid the Cullen's all together. However, I knew that doing that would be Edward's worst night mare because of the fact that he was so afraid of telling me his secret. He shared his biggest secret with me, shouldn't it be only fair I share mine with him?
"No of course you can't tell him, telling him would be the end of you. Telling him would mean you'd become the even bigger than the fat cow you are now. You can't tell him, no matter what." The evil voice that resided in my head yelled at me. I felt like I was having a war in my mind between me, myself and I. I didn't know what to do. I was crying silent tears as I made my way home from school. I knew I loved Edward but how could I love him if I don't tell him everything; isn't that what love is? I pulled into the driveway and took a moment to calm myself before walking and facing Charlie. There was no need for him to start getting suspicious as well, a couple people was already more than my fragile mind could handle.
"Dad, are you home?" I called out as I dropped my bag by the door and hung up my jacket. I walked into the house to find Charlie asleep on the couch. It was only 4 o'clock when I got home so I went upstairs deciding to do some homework until I needed to make dinner for Charlie. I nearly died when I opened my door because there sitting on my bed was no other than Edward Cullen.
"I'm really going to have to get used to that or else I am going to die of a heart attack." I sighed as I set my books on my desk and moved towards Edward. I cuddled up to his side and could already feel myself dozing off.
"Why won't you tell me what is wrong Bella? I love you so much; I'll do anything to help you. Anything you ask or need, I'll do it." Edward sounded so desperate to get to the bottom of what was going on with me. I was determined for him not to find out though. I sighed as I snuggled myself deeper into his side.
"I already told Alice that I'm fine. Really, I think it's just the banana I ate at school, I think it was bad or something. I'm fine." I lied to him. I wasn't sure just how well Edward could read me and part of me was hoping it was better than I gave him credit for while the evil in me was hoping he bought into my lie.
"Bella, I know that's not true but if you're not going to tell me now, I won't push. I'll be here for you whenever you are ready to talk to me." He was true to his word and did not push the subject any farther. "Sleep now, get some rest, you look so exhausted even after that restful sleep you got last night."
"Can you wake me up in an hour or so? I need to make Charlie dinner. Lord knows that man cannot cook a meal for himself less I risk him burning down this house. " Edward chuckled and began humming a beautiful tune into my hair that quickly allowed me to succumb to oblivion.
I felt someone gently nudging me telling me to wake up but I didn't want to move from the warm cocoon I had enwrapped my self in. It was way too comfortable. I heard someone talking to me but I couldn't make out the words for a minute.
"Bella, love, you need to wake up. Come on love, open your eyes." I heard that sweet voice that I was beginning to love so much. My eyes slowly fluttered open and I laid eyes on my angel; he was so gorgeous. So gorgeous in fact that I wondered why he picked a plain Jane like me to love. It just didn't make any sense.
"Hm, what time is it?" I mumbled out desperately wanting to go back to sleep and let the blackness surround me yet again.
"It's 5 o'clock love, here Esme made this so all you have to do is heat it up and give it to Charlie. There's some in there for you too. Alice saw that you'd be really tired when you woke up and asked Esme to make this for you and Charlie." He handed me a container filled with what looked to be meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I would have to remember to thank Esme whoever she was.
"Wait, who's Esme?" I asked baffled at this name. I couldn't ever remember meeting a woman named Esme. It was then that it clicked, that could be Edward's "mother."
"She's sort of like my mother. She's Carlisle's wife." He answered me helping me from the bed and steadying me when I began to sway. He had that concerned look on his face but I quickly grabbed the container of food and sprinted downstairs to plate it for Charlie. It was still steaming hot when I served it and was thankful I didn't have to heat it up because that would mean longer away from my bed and Edward. I pretended to make a plate for myself, throwing some in the trash to make it appear as if I had leftovers before washing the plate and placing it on the drying rack. I had to keep up appearances and all or Charlie would get suspicious. I sauntered over to him and gently woke him placing the food in front of him.
"Oh Bells, when did you get home? I didn't even hear you." He asked still half asleep as he stretched and yawned rather loudly. He inhaled and I could hear his stomach growl at the smell of the mouth watering food.
"I got home an hour ago I guess but I went upstairs and fell asleep myself. It was a long day at school and everything. It looks like you had a long day as well. Well, I'll leave you to your dinner. I have homework and everything you know." I nervously turned and made my way upstairs.
"Aren't you going to eat Bella?" He asked me as he turned around chewing the food that Esme had prepared. For a vampire, I'd have to say she was a pretty amazing cook. I may not have tried what she made but I could smell it and almost made me want to give in.
"I already ate dad before I woke you up." I flashed a small smile at him and made my way upstairs. "Good night dad." I called.
When I got back into my room I saw Edward mindlessly flipping through my favorite book, Wuthering Heights. He looked up as I walked back into the room and flashed me that knee-buckling smile. "How'd everything go downstairs?" He turned his eyes back to the book continuing to read.
"It went great, Charlie loves Esme's cooking that's for sure." I smiled at him and crawled over into his side on the bed. I had grabbed one of my assignments from my desk to work on while I lounged around with him.
"Yeah I can tell. That's all he's thinking about is just how delicious the food is. It's quite amusing." He smiled down at me wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. I was glad to have the many layers on that I did or else I'd be shivering already from Edward's frigid temperature. "Did you eat anything?"
"Yeah I had a little bit but I took it easy after the episode this afternoon. I don't want to push anything you know." I lied to him smoothly attempting to keep up my façade. I thought about what he had just said for a moment. "What do you mean 'all he's thinking about is just how delicious the food is?'" I was worried that Edward's answers were going to confirm my fears of him being able to read every thought that was going through my mind, every lie I had just told him, he would know.
"Well, some vampires come into a special gift. My gift was the ability to read minds. Carlisle thinks that our gifts, if we get them, have something to do with how our personalities were before we underwent the change. Alice, she can see the future." I felt as if my stomach had just completely dropped out of my body. My game was up; he knew what was going on. I felt myself start to panic and I'm sure he noticed the increase in my heart rate. "I can read every mind with the exception of yours. For some reason, I can't read your thoughts at all. They are just hidden." I felt myself sigh in relief. I hadn't been caught. I took a few deep breaths to calm my pulse down before speaking again.
"Do all vampires get powers or is it just certain vampires? And Alice can see the future? That's so cool." I was finding more and more about this secret world that supposedly never existed and it was making me long even more to become on like Edward. Would I ever become like Edward or would I be forced to age and wrinkle, as my love remained forever frozen at the ripe age of seventeen. I sincerely hope that wasn't the case because it would be very unfair.
"Not ever vampire has a power. I guess in a way we kind of all do but not all powers can be used in defense or attacks. Like everyone thinks that Carlisle has the gift of resistance because he doesn't feel anything when he's around human blood. There is just simply no call to him. And with Rosalie, she has the gift of beauty. She's one of the most gorgeous vampires. So not every power has to be something like mind reading or future telling." He explained to me more about vampire powers and what other kinds were out there. I was thoroughly enraptured by all of this information. Before I knew what was happening, Edward was tucking me into the covers and cradling me to his side. I guess somewhere in his story telling, my eyelids had begun to droop.
"Sleep now my beautiful Bella." He kissed my forehead and held me until my breathing evened out and I gave in to my exhaustion.
When I awoke that morning I patted my hand around hoping to find the solid rock arms that had just encompassed me throughout the night. I felt no marble arms though and turned over in frustration. Edward was not there. I started to panic until I saw the piece of paper next to my head in Edward's beautiful script.
Bella,
I had to go out and hunt before school, it's been a while since I've fed and I don't want to put you at risk for anything. I will be back before you are ready to head to school. I haven't gone far or anything. I'll be parked out front when you're ready to go.
Love,
Edward
I smiled to myself. He was kind enough to leave a note for me. I had spent enough time sitting in bed so I climbed out and climbed into the shower lathering my hair up in my strawberry shampoo and reveling in the scent of it. I went for comfort over look today and just pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a black sweatshirt before meeting Edward down by his car. He was standing there waiting for me with an umbrella and I smiled at him. Before I knew it, he had swept me up in his arms and carried me to his car.
"Thank you Edward, I could have walked you know, I'm not completely helpless." I smiled at him as he shut my door and ran around to his side of the car. He climbed in and secured himself in the seatbelt. "Isn't that pretty much pointless for you?" I pointed to the seatbelt wrapped securely around his torso. He grinned at me before starting up the car.
"Force of habit and plus it's the law, it's not like I can just tell the office that I am indestructible or anything. I think I might get sent to a Looney bin if I used that excuse." I giggled at his response as he sped off to school. I really did not feel like going into class today but I wasn't one to ditch. School had become such a bore now that there was no challenge for me. I bet that Edward felt the same since he's been repeating high school for so many years now. "Bella can I ask you something?" I nodded my head at him.
"Of course Edward, you can always ask me anything." I assured him listening intently to what he was about to say.
"Well, I was wondering, actually my whole family was wondering if you would like to come to my house and meet Carlisle and Esme. Alice doesn't shut up about you and so of course, Esme and Carlisle have become very intrigued by the girl who has stolen my heart." He grasped my hand in his and looked over my way for a second before returning his glance to the road.
"I would love to meet your parents Edward. Are you sure they're going to like me though, I mean how do they feel about you being in love with a human?" I looked down nervously at my hand playing with the hem of my shirt. Edward chuckled to himself.
"Bella, they already adore you so much. They already consider you like a daughter. I can assure you of that." He squeezed my hand ever so gently. "I can't believe how fearless you are. I don't know how I would react if our positions were reversed right now." He chuckled again before pulling the car into the school parking lot. We got out and hand and hand went through the day of classes.
A/N: Here's a second update for today. I'm working on the next chapter and I'll probably have it up in a few hours. I hope you are enjoying the story more and I'll try to get another update soon. Thanks again to all the readers and please if you will take the time to review the story just to let me know what you think. Even if all you have to say is "great!" I'll take it. Also, constructive criticism would be appreciated as well. Again, I apologize for badgering for reviews but I can't help it.
~Jess
