(Twilight theme by Stephanie Meyer)
EPOV
Thursday morning
The sun rose and Bella was still sleeping. I have taken to guarding her house at night while Jasper searches our side of the treaty line. I decided to go home and take a shower before school.
When I got back to Bella's her car was gone and I assumed she went to school early. When I arrived in the parking lot it was lightly snowing and there were quite a few cars missing including Bella's. I sat down in my first class and let my ability wander. Tyler and Mike got together a group of kids for an unsanctioned senior ditch day. God I can't believe I have been trying to keep an eye on her for a week now and Mike Newton is able to get past me. It is actually quite annoying. I am in a foul mood for the rest of the day. At lunch Alice disappeared. She didn't want me to know where she is going but I think there is a pretty good chance that she went to see Bella. I really dropped the ball today.
I waited in her room for her to get home. Around 11 I heard her truck coming up the street. I hopped out the window and went around to the front of the house making sure she was alone. She stepped out of the truck and I could not help but stare. She looked beautiful. Alice definitely found her; she was wearing something I knew she wouldn't have put together herself. She pulled out her cell phone and hit a number on speed dial.
"I'm home I just didn't want you to worry."
"Yeah I will. See you on Saturday… 7 o'clock it is."
"Love you Mo'"
Then she dialed another number
"Hello"
"Alice, I am home now."
She sighed then in tone a teenager would use when being lectured said, "Yes I will be in school tomorrow. "
"I'll see you at lunch ok?"
"Bye"
She took a deep breath as she reached the front door. When she entered Charlie was already in bed. She cleaned up the mess he left from his dinner. I went back to the tree outside her window. She came to her room and changed into her pajamas. Usually she would put on some music, but tonight she sang. Then the lyrics became a hum and she drifted off to bed. No more than an hour later she began to toss and turn. It looked like another nightmare. I wanted to go inside and hold her, but it would just make everything more complicated . . . if that is possible at this point.
I thought about what Laurent showed me in the meadow. He was thinking about her scent and imagined how she would taste. He thought about the hate and cruelty in Victoria's eyes when she sent him to find Bella. I should have been looking for her when Alice saw a glimpse of her. I was too busy with all the problems I blew up in my head. It was so consuming that I was bested by Mike Newton! That fact still pisses me off. The one thing I am happy about was that I did not decide to leave Forks. Laurent would have killed Bella when he came. I would have left her completely vulnerable. Now I just have to explain myself to Irina. Tanya told Alice how much Irina cared for him. I had no choice. I need to go to Alaska and talk to her in person, well once I find Victoria that is.
I continued to watch her sleep and around 4am Jasper found me. "Edward I have not seen anything out of the ordinary. She is definitely playing with us if she is out there."
"I don't understand it. It makes no strategic sense."
"I think that she can't find a way in between us and the wolves so she has decided to leave the area."
"Well she will not stay away long."
"I agree Edward, and you should come home." He looked at Bella's window "She will be fine"
"Yeah you are right I need to speak to Alice anyways"
We raced back to the house and when I approached I heard Alice's conflicted thoughts.
Edward is watching her but he told her that he wants her to move on
They are meant to be but she will move on if keeps this up
We can't continue watching her every move we need to find Victoria.
We should just leave and track her before she comes back.
The wolves are blocking me but I know I could help more if I get away.
She sounded so frustrated and when she heard our approach she switched to translating the national anthem to Korean.
"It's okay, relax Alice, we will go out of town tomorrow. You are right we need to be proactive instead of waiting for an attack. She will be safer and then I can move on."
I went to my room and plotted out a few areas we would search. I heard Jasper and Alice talking downstairs and decided to tune them out with some music. I put on Senses Fail and tried to just concentrate on finding Victoria. I lay down on the couch afterwards and listened to music until Alice came to get me. She had a couple bags packed and she motioned that we are set to go.
We walked to Emmett's jeep and Emmett and Jasper helped me pack the jeep while Alice concentrated on Bella's schedule for the next few days.
Vision
Bella holding a detention slip for Saturday school: truancy
Saturday school with 10 other kids
She fills out application for Seattle University for next semester
Charlie signing detention slip
Bella looking in the mirror at herself
Blank
End of Vision
"Okay well she will at least be safe until Saturday night. If I get anything else Edward I will let you know."
Bella looked so beautiful in the vision and it hurt knowing it was for someone else, but a part of me was happy to see her happy. I would concentrate on that for this trip. We drove to a camp ground about an hour away from Forks. We set up camp and split up. Alice and Jasper went North and Emmett and I went south. We had until Saturday night to find her.
BPOV
Friday went by pretty quickly. I looked for Alice during lunch, but I guess she and Edward started the weekend early. I wondered if they were out hunting or if they were in trouble. I had to shake the idea because I wanted to concentrate on last minute admissions letters. They were the only things keeping me in the real world. Every night I toss and turn waiting for Victoria to kill me in my sleep. I wake up and feel like someone is outside. I tell myself that I am being paranoid, but with Laurent showing up I have had bad feelings.
Every part of me wants to call Edward and ask him to stay with me, but after our talk I will not do that. He is right; we cannot be together if we are different. I keep thinking about my dream where I am an old woman and Edward is still 17. I would never be able to live my life. Love is powerful, but can I really go through life living in small towns with my boyfriend starting high school over and over? I could never have a career or a close friend, besides maybe Alice. I shouldn't be thinking about all of this.
I should concentrate on school and I should be getting prepared for a date with my best friend. I have never been on a normal date before. My relationship with Edward was so intense. We did not need to have a proper date. We just knew.
Tristan and I don't even know if we want to be together . . . like . . . that. Although it is nice to know that we have such a great foundation to build on. Edward is still a mystery to me for the most part. Plus it is nice to have someone who I can be passionate with. He will not have to hold back, like with Edward. We dated for 5 months; we were so in love and never got past first base. Oh my god why am I thinking about this bases? I should be concentrating on school!
Somehow I made it through the day and after school I went home and made stroganoff from grandma Swan's recipe. It was one of Charlie's favorite and I had to get his signature on my Saturday school form. When he got home and saw the table he was really excited. It was nice to have someone to cook for. Edward and I would never share that. We ate in silence and Charlie even had seconds. After he was done he leaned back in his seat and I dove right in.
"Dad, I have something I need you to sign, for school"
"What is it for Bells? A field trip?"
"Um, well I got Saturday school for an unauthorized field trip . . ." I tried to keep my tone light, but my stomach was knotted and ready for yelling.
"You ditched school?" His face was blank. Was he going to yell at me?
"Wow, I didn't think you had it in you. I was starting to think I got a defective teenager."
"Wait . . . What? You're not mad?" He was down-right happy actually by the tone he was using.
"I used to skip school all the time, so did your mom. I am just glad that you spent some time being a kid. You are in such a rush to grow up Bella." He Paused." How does Renee put it? You are our middle aged kid." Then he put on his Dad voice. "Now that you have it out of your system I would like you to stick to your classes ok? You don't want to mess up when you are this close to graduation."
"OK Dad, Thanks, I won't do it again."I handed him the slip and a pen as relief swept over me.
He signed my slip and I cleared the kitchen. I was still in shock when I went up to my room for bed. I picked up my guitar and played a couple songs that I was working on. My room seemed really lonely tonight. I changed into pajamas and went to look out the window. It was so dark tonight. After a yawn I finally crawled into bed and drifted off to my nightmares.
The next day I arrived at Forks high bright and way too early. I saw the usual suspects in the classroom looking as tired as I was. No one seemed too upset though. We all flashed smiles at each other that screamed "worth it!" We had Mr. Everly watching us. He left for the teacher's lounge after an hour. Eric went to the bathroom and when he came back he told us that Everly had fallen asleep in the lounge. We didn't even pretend to work after that. We all just sat together and discussed the day that got us in here.
"Angela looked like she was going to throw up after two drinks!" Mike said making a sick face.
"I don't drink usually Mike, I was just proud that I had kept one down" Angela defended herself
"Well by the time you get to college you will be able to handle more, babe" Ben soothed her
"The band was really good. Who knew that Bella could sing" Jessica said
I thought about the one song that Tristan convinced me to do. I felt my cheeks blush a deep red as I tried to hide my face.
"No Bella you were really good. I wish I could do that." Angela said
"Plus you were really comfortable on stage" Jessica added
"Can you believe we are almost out of here?" I quickly changed the subject
"Yeah this time next year I will hopefully be on a beach in California!" Jessica tilted her head back as if she could feel the rays on her face.
"I will just be happy to be out of Forks" I said and everyone nodded in agreement
Everyone had plans to go somewhere out of state, but we all applied to Seattle as a financial backup. It was nice to have a stress in common. Lately my problems have been supernatural and I can't talk about them with anyone. Jacob is so busy with his pack and the Cullen's avoid me like the plague. I miss Alice and Esme . . . well everyone so much. College talk is such a great escape.
"So what are you guys doing after this? Want to go grab something to eat or watch a movie?"
"Well we are grounded" Ben pointed from himself to Angela, Tyler and Lauren.
"I have plans, sorry" I said
"Me too" Eric said after Jessica gave him a hard look.
"I am free if you still want to go" Jessica said with some hope behind her words. They planned their night out and I made sure to note where they were going so I wouldn't bump into them.
Afterwards I went home and cooked dinner for Charlie. I put the dish in the oven to keep warm.
I took a nice warm shower and put my hair into loose curls. I picked out a dress that Renee bought me last year. It was a deep green and I have never worn it because it felt like something a Barbie doll would wear. It was definitely a date dress. I put on a tiny bit of make-up and then I sat on my bed to calm down. My heart was pounding out of my chest. 7 o'clock on the dot I heard a knock at the door. I took a deep breath before opening it.
When I opened the door Tristan was standing there leaning against the door frame in a black suit and an emerald shirt. He was holding a single orchid. He looked like he walked straight out of a copy of GQ.
He took my hand and kissed it softly. "Bella you are stunning."
I blushed lightly and put the orchid in the house. We stepped out into the cool night and I was more nervous than I have ever been with Tristan. It was ridiculous.
"So where are you taking us?"
"Well I decided since it is a first date we would follow traditional first date agenda, Dinner and a movie"
"Okay, that sounds great, but if we are going to dinner and a movie why are we driving in the opposite direction?"
". . . Because my dear Bella, we are not the traditional first date couple." He smiled and we drove until we arrived in front of the Forks estate. It was a huge old house that was used for town functions, usually big dinners for community clubs or the senior prom. There were no lights on but we parked the car and Tristan came to open my door. I gave him a confused look and he just kept on smiling. We walked on a path that wound around to the back of the building and I saw it. A beautiful gazebo lit up with twinkle lights. The lights glowed and faded slowly and it was beautiful. There were two of those outside heaters placed around a table set for two. "That look on your face has made this worth it." He said as I took in the venue.
"Tristan, how … this is like straight out of a movie." I stammered
"Well, I knew that you will be more comfortable if it is just the two of us. It is always hard to be yourself if you have the tiny town of Forks looking in on you. Plus when I found out Jared's brother does security here I could not resist. We get to play around in a mansion all night."
He knew me so well. I was so worried about people in town looking at us and Charlie knowing every detail about my first real date. This was so much more intimate and I could be myself. We relaxed and fell into our familiar rhythm.
-------- Mean while ----------
(A/N: This chapter was getting a little long so I will post the next one later today.)