EPOV
The rest of the family arrived at the new house about an hour later. I could hear them from my place in the master bathroom, as they unloaded boxes and shuffled their feet through the thick, gray carpet. I had instantly loved it. It reminded me of my carpet back home – this carpet was gray instead of gold, of course, but that didn't bother me too much. It was the familiar touch of it. I was lying on the cold white tile of the bathroom, trying not to think.
Alice was the first to find me. She came up to the room, sighing as she watched me sprawled across the bare floor, staring unblinkingly at the bright bottle as if it was my lifebelt in a horrible shipwreck. I twirled it around in my long fingers, when something so obvious hit me, it was a wonder I had considered it until that second.
She could be a vampire!
I jumped up, waving the bottle like a flag. Alice jumped, not expecting the sudden movement. I ran over to her, shoving the bright red and pink bottle in her face. "Alice! Look at this!" I spoke happily, smiling.
Alice, a confused look on her face, snatched the bottle out of my hands, looking at it from every angle. "What's this?" She asked, though the bottle clearly read 'Strawberry Shampoo'. I groaned in frustration.
"Bella," I explained eagerly, "she used to wear this!"
"Oh, Edward," Alice sighed, looking at me sadly. "You know that isn't likely, right? " She looked down, sad, and I realized she didn't want to get her hopes up – her best friend had been killed, and that hurt her more then probably any of us had realized. I stood up straighter, sure that the risk of hurt was worth taking. "Anyways," Alice continued, "If Bella were alive by any chance, that means she would be a vampire. You didn't want that? Remember? You couldn't stand the idea of her being undead."
I blinked, surprised at what Alice had said. I hadn't remembered what I had first so violently argued against. I hadn't wanted Bella to be a monster, like me. I couldn't imagine sweet, innocent Bella killing animals and sucking their blood. I thought I had known pain when I had left Bella – but I was quickly realizing that wasn't pain. The fact that I knew she was in Forks, alive, had been enough for me. Knowing Bella was dead hurt more then that ever could.
"It doesn't matter," I told Alice, closing my eyes, feeling like a horribly selfish person for saying the words. "I just want Bella back."
I knew she wasn't a vampire. I had looked at her dead body and the blood stained on my hands myself. For not the first time, I wondered what had happened when they found the body and found we had run away from Forks – if course they would know I was the guilty party. I shook my head, thinking of poor Charlie – it would've killed him. He knew I wasn't worth trusting. He had known it, and now his daughter was six feet under the ground.
Hunched over like an old man who had seen too much, I left the master bathroom, letting my feet dip in the carpet, and padding towards the room that had declared as my own. It seemed like it was becoming a pattern. My golden couch and bed were already in the room – they seemed so off, with the gray carpet. Lying on the bed, I felt myself start to dry sob. I couldn't bring myself to care.
BPOV
After a lot of pushing and impatience, I had finally managed to get Rexy out of the house, and the van hooked up to our mustang. I nearly shoved him in the car, following behind to get in myself. Rexy was so baffled; he had no choice but to do what I was pushing him towards. Suddenly paranoid, I had put the top up on the mustang, despite the some-what pretty day outside. Backing out of the driveway, I turned, and looking down the street, I nearly screamed. I managed to turn it into a mangled gasp at the last moment.
Edward.
He was in his precious Volvo, speeding towards our old house. I knew that car better then anything in the world. I knew Edward well enough to know a determined, almost desperate look would be on his face right now, as he stomped on the gas pedal to go faster. But I was just as determined that he wouldn't find me.
"Go!" I screamed in panic, ducking a little in my seat. Rexy turned a little in perplexity at my tone, not speeding up at all.
"Hurry!" I urged. "Go!" He wasn't going nearly fast enough for my liking, and I wanted to scream. The second we were safely out of the driveway, I leaned forward as far as I could, slamming the gas pedal in a primal fright. The car, along with the van hitched to the back, swerved dangerously.
"Bella!" Rexy gasped, wildly swinging the wheel to keep us on the road – we had swung a little too close to the edge last time for our taste. "What on earth is going on here?"
"Please, " I begged, ashamed at what I was doing, and how afraid I was of one stupid boy. I was running away from my past as fast as possible, and it was weak. "Just go. Please, Rex. Just drive. I'll explain it all later, when we get to the new house."
He glanced over at me, taking in the trembling hands and terrified face. That was enough for him to realize how truly scared I was. He tapped the gas pedal, and the car instantly speed up. Neither of us looked back.
He didn't answer my plea, but kept both hands on the steering wheel, staring dead forward, refusing to look over to me. He was gripping the steering wheel so tightly; I could clearly make out the tendons jutting out. I could practically see the questions swarming around his head.
It was a vain reassurance. But I was safe – for now.
A/N: I'm really sorry - I know this is a really short chapter. But thanks for reading! You know the drill. Please review? It means a lot.
Love you all, my awesome readers.
-Sare
