Chapter 9 – Friends
I was still in shock. My love, my Bella was here. It was a happy/sad feeling, but mostly happy. I thought she had died years ago. I contemplated having Alice look for her future. I wanted to die to be with her in the next life, but Esme talked me out of it. "Edward, Bella would not want you to do that to yourself." I remembered Bella's words from her birthday, How dare you even think like that? She spat at me. What if something did happen to you? Would you want me to go off myself? I still winced at the thought of Bella hurting herself because of me. When we arrived home, I sprinted out of the car and into my room. I took out the much too abused picture I had of her, the one I took from her room that dark day. I rarely looked at it in the past 50 years, thinking she had passed on. Her face was a permanent picture behind my eyelids. I looked at her face in her picture, the flush of her skin and her deep brown eyes.
I had to let her go a long time ago. At least, to the point that I was able to interact with my family the way I did before she came. But when it came to special occasions, I distanced myself from them. They had someone and I was envious. But now, she's here and alive. Alice and Esme were right though, she should have tried to find us. Oh, I cannot believe this. Bella is here and she has a daughter. I am too happy. But that answers where that blouse disappeared to, I picked up Alice's thoughts. She was practically levitating since we got home. She was already planning shopping trips with Bella and Renesmee.
Renesmee, Bella's daughter. That was completely 1000% unexpected. I admitted to myself that I did somewhat hope Bella would become a vampire and I would find her. I didn't let that hope progress, that was the main reason why I cut myself out of her life, but it was till there. When I saw Bella as a vampire, that hope built in my chest so much that I could have exploded from joy right there. But when I saw Renesmee, I did think she was a relative until I heard her say "Momma." Bella as a mom. I was grateful to Renesmee. Even though Bella was in this life, I was glad she was not alone. Renesmee, Bella's daughter. Bella's and….. I stopped at that. I saw red as I thought about the fiend who hurt my Bella. The one who stole her innocence and her full life. If she wasn't here, and I found out that happened to her, I would have hunted that ravenous animal to the ends of the earth.
I prayed that he would come back to Washington, just close enough for me to rip him apart. I smile came on my face when I thought of Bella hunting and ripping him apart with me. I could imagine the exuberant smile on her face when she got her revenge. The fantasy progressed as I saw the two of us embrace and I pressed my lips to hers. I was holding her closely to me, safe in my arms, where she belonged and where I wanted to be. I've yearned for that for more than a century. But it was my time again, Bella was here and I would have her back. While she spoke, Alice cursed me mentally, Why did you make us leave? If we were there, she wouldn't have endured what she had, or at least not alone. Edward, make this right, she is supposed to be my sister. I nodded to myself, I will make this right. I loved Bella now more than ever and I was already beginning to develop a love for Renesmee. She loved Bella more than anyone on the planet and she kept Bella happy. I know Renesmee did this because Bella was her mother, but I would find a way to repay her.
She was part of Bella, and Bella was part of me, so I knew, eventually Renesmee would become part of me as well. So, I began to plot, plot on getting my beloved back and showing her daughter I would never hurt her again. I saw Renesmee was mad at the man who left her mother broken. How was I going to gain Renesmee's forgiveness? How was I going to gain Bella's, and more importantly, how was I going to gain their trust?
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I drove to the school and Renesmee played with the radio. She lived for music, among other things. I had to admit, even to myself, I saw a lot of Edward in her. She loved music, when it came to me, she was very protective, she loved to drive recklessly fast, she wanted to teach me how to dance and she loved to annoy me. When I drove to the school, I saw Alice and the rest of the Cullen children in the car next to me. Alice was driving and Edward was in the passenger seat, "Hi Bella," she cheerfully chimed. Renesmee leaned forward to playfully glare at her. "Hi Renesmee." She waved, "Momma, is she always like that?" I smiled, "Worse." The light changed and I flew away from them. I saw Alice glaring in the rearview mirror as I passed them. Alice caught up with me and cut me off, "NO SHE DIDN'T!!" Renesmee spat. I pulled next to them at the next light, "Momma, let me drive." I rolled my eyes, looked at Alice, "Sure." I got out and switched seats with her.
"Alice, you owe me a new car," I said getting into the passenger seat. Renesmee snarled my engine, "Oh I'm going to kill that little vampire." Renesmee slammed the gas and flew away from the light. She saw Alice catching up, so Renesmee switched on the boosters she installed in the car and we flew pass the school. I turned and saw Alice still trying to catch up. Renesmee slammed the brakes, spinning the car around. When Alice pulled up, she and Renesmee began giggling. I got out and started walking back to the school. Emmett climbed out, laughing uncontrollably and grabbed my wrist, "Wait, wait," he hunched over still laughing. I looked around, trying not to laugh. I pushed him down to the ground, falling back into my old role. He snarled at me, "That's the second time you….." I stepped back, "you touch and you have detention. I'm still your teacher." I smiled as I got into my car and threw it into reverse, "Ness, Alice, let's go."
Alice and Renesmee talked for the majority for the morning, becoming fast friends. When I got to my fourth hour class, I noticed Renesmee, Alice and Rosalie transferred into the class. I shook my head, this was going to be a long semester, "Good morning class." I began the day's lesson. As usual, I heard the muffled moans of the boys, but I picked up a deep, quiet growl. I turned around and saw Edward glaring at one of the students. "Mr. Cullen?" I looked up to me and I held out the chalk, "Do you think solve this equation?" He nodded, "Yes, Ms. Platt," he stood and went to the board. I went back to my desk, taking off my sweater, revealing my strapless top. I heard a quiet snap and saw dust falling to Edward's feet. I raised an eyebrow, "Hold on," I placed a hand on his shoulder. I pulled down the marker board and rewrote the equation, "This is better." "And try not to break the marker," I spoke silently while handing him one. "Everyone, try to get it yourselves."
I sat on the edge of my desk, watching the class. I saw Renesmee and Alice were talking quietly. I cleared my throat, the both of them looked up and I shook my head. Renesmee got back to work, but Alice stared at me. I pulled my authority, "Something wrong, Ms. Cullen?" Her mouth fell open, "No Ms. Platt." She turned her head to her work, "Come on, Bella," she whispered. I smiled, "I'm still the teacher until the end of the day," I responded turning back to look at Edward's progress. He was already done and was pretending to double check his work. I hopped off the desk, "Very good. Thank you, Edward." He handed me back the marker, touching my skin. As we touched, I automatically looked into his eyes; his were already on mine, "You're welcome, Ms. Platt." "Bella," he whispered heading back to his seat. I saw Emmett holding out his fist to Edward as he walked by.
I walked through the aisle, checking the student's work. I lingered by Emmett for the shortest moment, and hit him in the back of the head, "Try and you're dead," I whispered. It was amazing how I was able to communicate so openly and playfully with them in a roomful of humans. "Ok," I spoke aloud, "as you can see Edward got it right. Now who got it?" I continued with lesson, finishing ahead of time as usual. "Alright, now I have a surprise for you all. Who knows what is happening in Seattle next weekend?" Seven pale hands went up in the back of the classroom. I rolled my eyes, "Ms. Hale?" Rosalie smiled, "The Cherry Blossom Festival." I nodded, "Correct. Now, that is my personal favorite event and some lucky few will be attending it with me. Tomorrow I will be quizzing you with the five most difficult equations we've ever had. The first 10 students who finish first and pass the quiz, will be attending the festival with me. The only thing you will have to bring is a camera. Is anyone up for that?" The class broke out into happy chatter agreeing to the academic challenge, "Excellent, so you might want to study. I'm going to vicious on this quiz, sleep on that."
The bell rang and the class cleared out. I cleared my desk and saw none of Cullen's or Renesmee had moved. They were talking amongst themselves. I walked to the back of the class, "Problem?" Alice beamed, "You know I'll see what questions you'll put on the test and I just memorize those." I grimaced, "More than a century and you've done the impossible. You're more irritating." She pouted, "Mean." I shook my head, "Get to lunch." Renesmee was chattering with Alice, Rosalie and Jasper as they left, Emmett close behind. I packed my own bag and saw Edward leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed looking at me, "What?" I asked. He sighed and looked to the floor, "Bella, we need to talk." I shrugged, "About?" My voice was dripping with acid, what did he want? He looked at me from underneath his long lashes, "About why I left?" I shook my head and sighed, "Not now. This isn't a good time."
I walked past him, "Anyway, it doesn't matter. That's how you felt. I learned to deal with it and I did what you wanted, I began to live my life." With that, I walked away and left him there, to think about that.
