Ch. 10
B: Q & A
I walked down the stairs slowly. Edward was holding my hand and walked behind me. I felt the whole family watching us as we got to the bottom and sat on one of the couches. I looked around at all their faces and said casually,
" So, I'm ready for interrogation. By the way, this is Edward Cullen." Sara raised her hand like she was at school. I looked at her and she asked,
"How long have you known him? Is he a vegetarian too? Is he your boyfriend? Was he the one that changed you?" Toree put her hand over Sara's mouth before she could ask any more questions. I smiled appreciatively at Toree and answered,
"No, Edward didn't change me. Yes, he is a vegetarian. And I met him two years before I was changed." I avoided the boyfriend question, hoping she would drop forget it. To everyone else it seemed pretty obvious Edward and I were close; just how close they weren't sure.
"Edward," Damien said, looking at him pointedly. From the gleam in his eye I could tell we didn't want to know what he was about to say. I say Edward frown slightly as Damien continued, "How could you let the person you loved be turned into one of us and then ignore her for the next 200 years? And now you just show up and expect us all to be fine with it and her to take you back. What if she had moved on? What if she didn't want you anymore? Hm, what'd you do then, Mr. Cullen?" He glared at Edward, waiting for an answer.
Everyone was silent for a moment as we looked at Damien, startled. We all knew Damien had a bit of a temper, but he'd never had a tantrum or exploded before. He usually just gave whoever he was mad at the cold shoulder.
" I didn't want Bella to be changed. So I left her after her 18th birthday. I meant to keep her safe." Edward said in a quiet voice, addressing everyone." It didn't work though. I've spent the last 200ish years thinking she'd moved on and had a normal life. That she had died when she was old and had had a family. I just recently found out she had been turned."
Edward turned his head towards Damien sharply and said in a strangled voice,
"I'm not trying to make you think I am noble. That's what really happened." He relaxed slightly and chuckled, " and I don't think you are her type." Damien looked at him, surprised. The rest of my family was staring at Edward, probably trying to figure out why he was saying those things to Damien. As I watched looks pass between them all, one of Edward's sentences hit me,
"What do you mean, my type?" Edward looked at me and smiled, waiting for me to catch on. I looked between him and Damien, and then gasped,
"You…" I looked between Damien and Edward once more and closed my mouth. I had never realized Damien might like me that way. I had always interpreted his concern for just that; concern for a family member. I shook my head and said to them all,
"I'm sorry. We'll be back." I stood up and Edward shrugged as he followed me. I walked to the door faster than I normally would have, but at a still human pace. As I walked outside, I turned and said casually,
"Oh yeah, incase you're wondering, Edward can read minds." I smiled and continued. I knew they were still sitting there, stunned. I shut the door behind me and smiled angelically at Edward. We had been back together for only a few hours; but already I could feel myself returning to normal.
Edward entwined my hand with his and we walked aimlessly down the sidewalk. I looked up at him curiously,
"Can you read my thoughts now?" He smiled and shook his head.
"Can you read mine?" he teased.
"Nope. But…" He looked at me, curious now,
" But what?"
" I can influence people." I replied. He looked at me, brow furrowed,
" Influence people?" I nodded my head,
"Mm-Hm. Like get inside their heads and change their minds. It doesn't work on you though." He raised his eyebrows,
"Oh, really? How do you know that?" I smiled innocently,
"Because you aren't kissing me right now." He looked at me, slightly confused. Then comprehension dawned on him and he smiled the half-smile that I loved.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. They weren't quite as hard and cold as I had remembered, but I wasn't human anymore. We stayed together for a moment or two until I remembered that we were on the sidewalk right beside the road and pulled back slightly.
He smiled, seeming to understand, and we continued walking. We neared the forest and I looked up at him, smiling,
"Wanna race? 1st one to the meadow wins." Without giving him a chance to answer, I sped off towards the meadow as fast as I could. I wasn't sure how fast I actually was. I had never raced anyone; but I had always been able to outrun my family.
Edward was already at the meadow when I reached the edge of the clearing. I walked into the dim sunlight and said, resigned,
" Okay. You win." He smiled triumphantly and asked,
"Did you doubt I would?" I rolled my eyes and sat down on a fallen tree. He walked over and sat next to me, taking my hand in his. I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed. I hadn't been this happy in so long; I didn't want it to ever end.