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Many things shall be revealed in this chapter and a few of your questions shall be answered… but not all, that time has not come yet BUT soon! I promise it will be soon! :) until then…
Disclaimer: I own nothiiiing
Butterflies and Hurricanes
Chapter 10
*~Alice~*
This could not be happening. It was all over; I thought it was all over! 'How did she find out?'
Bella was completely silent the whole journey home. She was furious but I knew it wasn't aimed at me. I knew what she wanted to do to Lauren but it wasn't worth it; the petty little girl didn't know what damage she'd caused by uttering that forbidden story. It was buried and buried deep but neither Bella nor I had actually dealt with it.
That had to change.
Bella seemed to be thinking along the same lines as myself, 'we really are sisters in a way' I felt a little better knowing my sister would never leave me or let anything happen to me.
"Ali, we need to talk this through." She murmured softly, placing her gloved hand upon my thigh. We were outside the house now although we had yet to exit the cab.
"I know," I sighed, reluctant and not looking forward to what was coming, "we've been avoiding it for too long but I don't know if I'm completely ready yet." She nodded in agreement and understanding.
-
Instead of retreating to either of our bedrooms, Bella steered me towards the sofa where she sat down and opened her arms.
That was all the invitation I needed.
I pounced on her, grabbed hold of the front of her shirt, buried my head in her shoulder and cried until my tear ducts ran dry. I was not crying only for myself. I was crying for what happened to both of us, what could have happened and for all the tears that should have been shed over the years that Bella and I refused to let fall. I was crying for two, Bella always stood stoic but I could hold it in no longer.
Bella shushed me, rocked us and softly stroked my hair. She whispered sweet words in my ear, telling me everything would work out. She did not say it would be 'fine', we both knew that was impractical, but it would work out. 'It will work out the way it's meant to.'
I raised my head a fraction to see Bella's head resting on the back of the sofa, eyes closed and a slow trail of silent tears sliding down her face. Upon feeling my movement, she opened her eyes and smiled gently with eyes full of love.
-
That was how Charlie found us, a couple of hours later still wrapped in each other's arms and letting all the built up emotions seep away. He stood observing us a moment before joining us on the sofa and in a very un-Charlie-like manoeuvre, bundled the both of us in his embrace.
"They found out." Was all he said and we knew he was referring to the Lauren incident.
"Yes." Bella replied in a forced even tone.
"Did you…?" Bella shook her head.
"But I wanted to." Hatred for the girl who didn't understand crept into her voice.
"You didn't. That's all that matters right now." You could clearly hear the pride in Charlie's voice.
The evening was spent with actions and hardly any words. Bella and I weren't quite ready to discuss verbally what needed to be addressed but for now, emotions were enough. We were taking baby steps.
Due to the light homework load, Bella and I simply went to bed later that evening. We performed our usual nightly rituals before retreating to bed.
-
I spent a few hours tossing and turning my bed that night, unable to sleep. It was around one in the morning when I heard my door slowly creak open and Bella crept in. She was wearing her full length pyjamas, gloves, socks and a hoodie over the top. I was confused until she made her way towards my bed, climbed in next to me and cocooned us both within the duvet.
She was spending the night with me and giving the comfort she knew I needed.
God, I love this girl.
The next morning was cloudy and overcast but I knew that it would get progressively warmer as the day progressed. I turned towards Bella to inform her of the news when I took in her appearance.
She was slightly flushed, had a red nose and sheen of sweat covering her forehead.
"You're sick." I declared. She frowned unhappily at me in response.
"I'm never sick." She responded stubbornly. Unfortunately for her, her response was contradicted by the whooping sneeze that exploded out of her nose moments later.
"Uh huh." I nodded condescendingly at her which she didn't appear to appreciate.
"I'm still going to school. I'm not letting you face the hyenas by yourself."
There was nothing I could do to persuade her so I silently vowed to keep a precognitive eye on her throughout the day.
-
Bella appeared to be dressing for battle today however; her dressing in dark colours as she was planning to do was not going to help the stares and rumours we would be getting today. She was dressed exactly as a stereotypical bad girl would dress and I had a feeling she knew exactly what she was doing.
I leant against her doorframe and watched as she finished tying up her knee-high black leather boots. "I thought I'd give you a heads up for today but it looks like no matter what I say, you're going to continue dressing like an army brat."
She chuckled in response with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
"I may as well have a little fun with them." She rasped through her abused throat. I shook my head at her and made my way downstairs dressed in a more ordinary outfit.
-
I was right. As soon as we entered the parking lot it was as if a spot light had suddenly shined on us. I had to give this town credit for gossip; news travelled fast.
Bella was grumbling as she exited the cab and I caught a few phrases such as, "drowning" and "strangling". I didn't have to guess who her oaths were aimed at as I caught her sending a particularly nasty glare towards Lauren whose smug expression immediately dissipated under Bella's ferocious glower. It was impressive but not helping with our current situation; people were now looking at her with an even higher feared awe. Bella seemed to realize this at the same time I did for she began muttering under her breath again and her scowl deepened. My mood lifted slightly as I began silently laughing at her again.
I wasn't as discrete as I thought I was though because Bella informed me of the 'manic grin' spread across my face.
"You're scaring them Alice." She informed me with a smug grin of her own. I huffed and stalked off to our first class without her.
My raised spirits were rapidly fading as we entered English only to find Eric Yorkie nervously waiting in the seat next to ours. I saw what he planned to ask me right before I sat down I began frantically finding ways to gently refuse him.
"Hey Alice" he mumbled. I nodded with a polite smile on my face; Bella was smirking at me behind his back.
"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the dance with me?" His voice broke on the last word. I was riddled with pity but not feeling particularly diplomatic, my answer did not come out the way I planned.
"I thought it was the girl's choice?" Bella was shaking with silent laughter now.
"Well…yeah" he looked really uncomfortable. I felt guilty again.
"I'm really sorry Eric but Bella and I are going to be away that weekend." I added in a smile to make him feel better whilst kicking Bella in the shin under the table. He nodded and shuffled dejectedly to his seat. Bella gave me an over enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"You're evil." I mouthed silently to her as class began. She only grinned devilishly at me with one eyebrow raised as if to say, 'And?'
-
I was quite nervous when History class rolled round. I didn't know what to expect from Jasper, would he ignore me?
My worries were unnecessary it seemed. Jasper gave me a tentative smile when I sat down and I returned it in kind.
"Hello Alice, how're you doing today?" the hint of his southern accent was more pronounced than it usually was.
"Hey Jasper, I'm fine. You?" he wasn't repulsed! If anything he was concerned.
"Good." He smiled warmly before class started.
I was definitely in a good mood now. I turned to face the front of the room, feeling buoyant.
-
When it was time for lunch Jasper asked if he could walk me to the cafeteria which I eagerly agreed to. The walk was spent mostly chatting quietly to one another and learning each other better. It was nice and peaceful.
I learned that he was born in the south and that Mrs Cullen took in him and Rosalie when they were very young, he said that she was a true mother to all of them.
There was something off about his story, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I shrugged off the feeling for now, simply enjoying his company while I could; I didn't know when it would end.
He asked questions about myself and some about my sister. He never asked about the incident Lauren had spread around school for which I was grateful. I still wasn't ready to speak of it.
"You and Bella aren't actually sisters?" he inquired softly.
"Not by blood, we are sisters in all other ways" I smiled at him in reassurance that this topic was not off limits; Close, but not completely forbidden.
He nodded thoughtfully, "When were you…?"
"Adopted?" he nodded and I continued, "When I was eleven. It's a very complicated story and not one we like to speak about but… Bella and I found each other you could say. In a park and Renee took me in. We've been together ever since." I was bending the truth a little but at least I wasn't outright lying. He seemed to read my hesitance and changed the subject to lighter topics.
-
We had just reached the doors to the cafeteria when I noticed Bella standing just beyond them with Tyler Crowley blocking her route to the lunch-line. Due to her expression I gathered that it was not a conversation she was particularly enjoying. I glanced sideways at Jasper and saw him attempting to smother his amusement; he looked as though he could hear what was being said between them.
I marched through the doors in time to hear Bella refusing Tyler's invitation to the dance as politely as she could.
"Sorry Tyler," she didn't sound sorry in the slightest, "I'm going away that weekend."
"Oh, I know that's what Mike said." Tyler didn't seem to be affected by her frostiness.
"Then why…?" Bella looked torn between being confused and irritated.
"I thought you were letting him down easy." He shrugged casually.
Irritation was winning in her expression. It was fun to watch.
"I wasn't." Bella's voice had lost all cordiality.
"That's cool, we still have prom." And with that he swaggered off to his lunch table leaving Bella with the funniest expression on her face.
I couldn't hold it in any longer and I burst out laughing.
Bella glared at me but the effect was ruined by her having a coughing fit. Once she had finished I took a better look at her and felt ashamed with myself for not noticing sooner.
She looked awful. Her face was covered in a nearly reflective sheen of sweat, she was paler than usual and her nose now resembled Rudolph's.
"Bells, you look awful." I said in a strained voice. Instead of denying it she simply waved her hand.
"I feel it." was all she replied with before resting her head on her folded arms on the lunch table. We had sat as far away from our lunch group as possible in order to give ourselves and Bella's head some peace.
"What hurts honey?" I didn't like seeing her like this.
"Everything." She moaned lightly, lifting her head a little. She looked slightly green.
Before I could ask her what she was doing, she had stripped off her gloves, discarded them on the table in front of her and was attempting to waft cold air over any available areas of uncovered skin. 'She's never done that before, what the hell is wrong?!'
"Bella?" I inquired with alarm lacing my tone.
Before she could answer me, I was wrenched into a vision that nearly sent me into a full blown panic.
-
Anna-Marie, a girl in the year below us was going to run into the cafeteria. Skid, slip and crash into the lunch table closest to the door. She would hit her head on the corner of the table and a lot of blood would escape the wound. It wouldn't be serious, head wounds always bleed a lot. However, blood was blood and as soon as the smell reached Bella she would be vomiting the full contents of her stomach.
Straight after that one finished I was accosted with another.
Edward Cullen was chasing after my sister as she bolted for the door.
-
The Bell rang back in the present and I realised I was surrounded by the curious and concerned faces of my peers.
"I'm fine, just zoned out I guess." I muttered quickly before turning urgently towards Bella who was now staring at me, half conscious but still managing to look worried.
"Run. Now" I choked out.
She was startled out of her dazed state and took a moment to look at my panicked expression.
The cafeteria doors opened, Anna-Marie came skidding across the floor heading in an unavoidable crash course to the nearest lunch table.
Bella ran like the devil himself was chasing her.
Edward Cullen followed as if he'd heard and understood the entire interaction from across the cafeteria.
I turned my gaze towards the lunch table I was sat at, and saw the gloves Bella had left behind in her panic.
I snatched the gloves and desperately searched the cafeteria doors.
Shit. This was bad.
*~Bella~*
I felt like crap.
I had a headache, sore throat, nausea, overheated skin and aching limbs. Why did I have to choose today to be this stubborn?
I was desperate enough to remove my gloves, which I never do in public.
-
I was being lulled into a semi-conscious state of mind when Alice's face clouded in a vacant expression. She was having a vision, and when I registered the horror in her expression and the way she was looking at me, I realised that it was bad and I was included in it. 'Aren't I always?'
"Run. Now" She choked out, looking around wildly. I paused slightly not really understanding but knowing that trouble was on its way.
I saw Anna-Marie burst into the cafeteria and headed for the nearest table in what appeared to be a crash course.
I understood. Blood and vomit.
I ran out of there as fast as my unsteady legs could carry me. I did not fancy the prospect of vomit thank you very much.
I realised as I was hurtling around the corner that I was being followed and I would bet money that I knew who it was.
He was ghosting down the corridors after me, keeping up with me easily. Not that I was running that fast anyway; I was most likely staggering like a drunk judging by the way I was feeling. My heart was hammering in my ears and my vision was beginning to swim.
-
It seemed as though out of nowhere a pale and icy hand shot out and latched onto my wrist; my bare, uncovered wrist.
Shit. This was bad.
I clenched my eyes shut and waited for the choking and gasping for breath as the life was slowly drained out of his body and into mine.
-
It never came.
Instead, there was a strange feeling of static energy racing through our joined limbs. I opened my eyes to see Edward's own, wide and staring curiously at our touching skin. His eyes snapped up to meet mine, gold and brown staring fixedly and unwaveringly.
That was until I heard the noise. Pure and cripplingly painful white noise.
It started as a tickle in the back of my mind. It grew and grew until hundreds of voices were screaming in my head.
I screeched and dropped to the ground like a rock, clutching my head and clenching my eyes tight shut once again.
"Bella?" Edward's voice sounded in my ear clear and full of alarm and, fear? However, as soon as his skin was removed from mine the voices faded until there was utter silence in my mind.
-
I opened my eyes and stared at him with absolute wonder. He touched me. He touched me and lived to tell the tale; he gave me one hell of a headache for a moment - making my previous one seem like nothing – but he was alive and unharmed. I smiled brilliantly at him, my eyes still brimming with awe for this incredible and confusing boy.
He smiled back at me and reached forward as if to touch me again.
-
Alice raced around the corner, speeding towards me like a bullet with Jasper hot on her heels. They both came to a stop next to us and Alice's eyes widened when she noticed our positions on the floor and without damage.
She inconspicuously passed me my gloves and helped me off the floor.
"I can take her from here thanks." She said to Edward, smiling innocently at him.
"Of course." He murmured, lifting himself off the floor with impossible grace and fluidity. "Shall we Jasper?"
Jasper nodded and with one last look towards us, they both headed back down the corridor murmuring too quickly and quietly to each other for us to hear.
-
I opened my mouth to inform her of what happened when she quickly interrupted before I could speak, "Not here, wait until we're home." I nodded confusedly.
Alice managed to charm the nurse into letting the both of us leave school early, vaulting up the angelic charm to the maximum.
-
In our distracted but purposeful state we were both completely unwitting of the stares we were still receiving and the rumours that had yet to reach our ears.
-
We reached the house faster then usual seeing as Alice was driving and she pushed the truck to its limit.
When we arrived at the house instead of our little meeting taking place in Alice's bedroom, we retreated to mine.
We sat on my bed facing one another. There was a slight pause before Alice opened her mouth, "Speak."
I couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the way she said it but none the less I brought her up to date on what had transpired between Edward and I; the motions and emotions and most importantly the fact that he was unharmed when he touched my skin. I also told her of the voices I heard in my head when he touched me.
She had a thoughtful expression upon here face again, "Well it seems to be official now. Our suspicions were correct, Edward can read minds."
"But how could he touch me when no one else can? It doesn't seem…"
"Human?" she was looking slightly doubtful but not totally opposed to the idea.
"Think about it Alice. You said it yourself! The similarities between all of them even though they're not all related, the speed, the strength…"
"Heightened senses?" She interrupted suddenly. At my questioning look she elaborated, "When I told you to 'run' and whenever we're speaking it always seems as though they can hear every word. Haven't you noticed?"
I nodded. I had actually noticed but hadn't really thought about it.
-
We continued to bounce ideas off each other for the rest of the afternoon before recognising the growing pile of homework.
It was later, alone in my bed when I finally let my mind wonder back to mine and Alice's conversation. Before drifting into dreamland I had one conscious thought constantly swimming around in my head.
'If the Cullen's weren't human, then what on earth were they?'
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