Well, here's chapter 10 of Looks Can Be Deceiving! If you're wondering why it took me so long to update, that's because I ended up getting into this weird writing 'funk', and didn't stop writing. So now I have this chapter, the next chapter and the one after that completed. Oh! And I forgot to warn you, Edward WILL be OOC for a bit, sorry 'bout that. It's all part of the plot, I promise you. :] For those who actually read my outrageously long AN's, kudos to you. You can Pmail me and I shall send you about the first two pages of the next chapter in advance, just for you. But remember, Pmail me and ask, don't put it in your reviews. Anyways...
Thanks to Im Bettin On Alice for being my way too patient beta. I swear, if I was a beta and my author made me wait this long I'd rip her head off... :P
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Twilight characters or the Twilight universe. I'm just borrowing them for a few months. (:
"Those two will never know what hit them…
...Or what BIT them, at least."
Looks Can Be Deceiving: Chapter 10: Questionable Encounters
Monday morning came quicker than expected, with little disturbances from my nightmares. By the time I got downstairs, Charlie was sitting at the kitchen table, newspaper in hand and coffee mug on the table. He looked up when he heard me enter the kitchen. "Hey Bells, ready for school?" he asked, sipping his coffee.
"Yep," I replied, grabbing a bagel. "See you after work, Dad." I said on my way out. He smiled and waved. "Bye, Bells." I sighed in contentment as I walked outside, taking in the fresh air. Though it was cloudy, it was strangely warm for mid-March. I hopped into my truck and turned it on, listening to it thunder to life.
Entering the parking lot, I saw Ron and Alice already waiting by their car, Alice donning a big grin on her face. I parked the truck a few spots down and got out.
"Hi Bella!" Alice materialized beside me, making me jump. Ron shook his head and laughed. "Hey, Bella." He grinned. "Hey Alice, hey Ron." I smiled back. The three of us sat and talked by my truck until the warning bell rang.
"Well, see you two at lunch!" Alice said enthusiastically before flitting away. Ron turned towards me and held an arm out. "Well then, shall we, m'Lady?" he asked, over playing his already British accent. I laughed and linked my arm through his, being truly happy for the fuirst time in a long time. "I believe we shall," I said in my own equally cheesy accent.
We made it to English class with minutes to spare. Sitting down in our assigned seats, we read over the board. "Looks like we'll be doing a group assignment." I muttered to Ron. He nodded in acknowledgement. Before anybody could say anything more, the final bell rang and Mr. Mason jumped right into the lesson.
"Throughout this week you will be working on a group assignment with the person next to you. Together, you are to create a magazine based around the themes of the book you both will choose. This assignment will be due two weeks from today. Any work you do not get done in class will be done at home. I'll give you ten minutes to discuss with your partner now. By the time I get back you should all be finished." Mr Mason finished and left the classroom.
Ron turned towards me and grinned. "What book?" he asked simply. I shrugged and pulled out The Warden's Niece. "I've already started reading it, and you have read it." I explained. "Hmm. It does have good themes. And you're right, I have read it. Why not?" Ron shrugged. "Okay, perfect." I agreed, excitedly. Ron smiled and chuckled. "What?" I asked. He shrugged. "You're just amazing. Not many teenage girls your age would be excited about an assignment like this, let alone one involving The Warden's Niece." He said softly. I shrugged, and the teacher came back in the room, just as the bell rang.
I joined Alice for math, where the teacher assigned us monotonous length of a line segment questions. Finishing early, Alice and I talked for the remainder of the period, mainly about trivial things. There was one question that was eating at the back of my mind, even though it would completely kill me to ask. Taking a deep breath, I looked up at Alice. "What is he, um, I mean, Edward up to?" I choked out. Alice froze in her seat and looked at her hands, twiddling her thumbs. She frowned angrily, her eyes hard.
"He's...He's not here." She said stiffly. When she looked back up, her eyes had softened. Any sign of the anger in her eyes had vanished, and in their place was heart-wrenching pain. "We haven't seen him for months. He just...he left us, too." She whispered brokenly.
"Oh, Alice...I'm so, so sorry." I said sadly. Alice looked at me dubiously. "You're sorry? Why are you sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for! This is all that idiot's fault! If only he would just...ugh!" She whisper-yelled. "I'm sorry for dumping this all on you Bella, I just miss my brother, y'know?" she finished, getting up just as the bell rang.
I watched after her in confusion. If only he would just what? Shrugging off the curiosity, I made my way to my next class. The rest of my day went by uneventful, and soon I found myself in my bed, thinking about the earlier conversation with Alice. If Edward wasn't with the other Cullens, where was he?
Probably out with one of his distractions... My mind thought bitterly. Cringing, I shook that thought away and dove deeper under my covers. Even as I was falling asleep, I couldn't help but feel as if I was being watched.
When I woke up the next morning, I was surprised to find the sun streaming through my blinds, lighting up my whole room. Immediately I got out of bed and grabbed a clean pair of clothes before heading to the shower. I threw on my clothes, putting my hair in a messy ponytail. I went straight to the window and pulled the blinds up.
Sure enough, it was one of those rare, sunny days in Forks, Washington. I looked up at the sky and grinned. Not a cloud in sight. Though I was rather happy, part of me was saddened by the fact that neither Alice nor Ron would be able to come to school today.
Sighing sadly, I hurried down the stairs and grabbed myself a bowl of cereal. Charlie had to go into work early this morning, so I had the house to myself. While eating, I thought about Ron and my self's upcoming English project. I was currently only on chapter three, meaning I'd have to find some time to finish reading the whole book. After all, Ron had already read it. After finishing breakfast, I rinsed my bowl out and headed for the door. I happily grabbed my lighter spring jacket in place of my heavy coat and locked the door behind me.
I practically skipped to the truck, got in, and drove to school. By the time I arrived there, the parking lot was already starting to fill up with bustling teenagers. I got out of my truck and immediately headed toward first period English, not bothering to socialize with anyone.
I was the first one to arrive to English class, excluding the teacher. Sitting down, I took out my binder and started drawing random doodles until the bell rang. Mr. Mason instructed that we work on our group assignments for the period, and seeing as Ron was not here, I took out the book and started reading. It seemed that all other groups were doing that, as well. I was so wrapped up in the book that I jumped when the bell rang.
I hurried off to art class and sat with my group. Unlike most classes, in art class, we sit in groups of four or five. The teacher instructed us to do freestyle drawing that period, using pastels. Immediately I started working away, drawing a marvellous landscape. I looked over my work, shocked at what I had drawn.
It was a beautiful oval clearing, surrounded by trees and covered in a variety of wildflowers. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, not a cloud in sight. With a gasp, I realized that I had drawn the meadow.
"Amazing landscape you've drawn there, Bella." Mrs Caddy, the art teacher, complemented me. I quietly said thank you, just as the bell for lunch rang. Carefully putting my art in the art folder, I got up from my desk and headed for the cafeteria. I sat down in the corner table, lunch in hand, with Angela and Ben joined me shortly after. They were the only two 'brave' enough to sit with Ron, Alice and I. "Hello, Bella." Angela greeted warmly. "Hi Angela, hi Ben," I grinned.
I looked over Angela's shoulder to see Jessica lumbering up towards our table. Even since I started acting 'cooky', as Jessica says, she stopped hanging out with me. I suppose it would ruin her reputation to be found hanging out with a 'freak' like myself. I suppose I can't really blame her, though. She came to a stop at our table and sat down across from me.
"So..." she started, obviously expecting something.
"What?" I asked lamely, though inside I really was curious. She rose her eyebrows.
"You and Ron Cullen!" she thundered. The whole cafeteria quieted down for a second and stared at the two of us.
Can you be anymore louder?!
I instantly frowned and furrowed my eyebrows. "You certainly got over Edward pretty quickly after Ron showed up." She remarked. Angela gasped, her eyes widening. I cringed and resisted the urge to scream out loud and slap Jessica, ignoring the waves of pain crashing into my chest.
"We...We're just friends, nothing more. I'm sorry Angela, I gotta go." I choked out, quickly getting up and leaving the cafeteria. Choking back tears, I brusquely walked down the halls and to my locker, grabbing my bag and novel before heading outside. I walked behind the school and into the forest surrounding it, unsure of what I would find.
I'm not the most dangerous thing out there...
His voice reminded me as I stumbled through the forest. It had been so long since I had heard his voice, and that one miserable sob broke through. I stopped and sat down on a log, completely breaking down. Everything that had happened recently has just been too much to handle. I stuffed my head in my hands and let everything out. All the pain, all the memories, everything.
My name is Edward Cullen...
Do I dazzle you?
Oh God, no, please don't leave me again...
...I won't.
Bella, I don't want you to come with me.
It will be as if I never existed.
I half laughed, half sobbed a bitter, harsh laugh. "Stupid, Shiny Volvo owner..." I sobbed out, getting up off the ground and walking deeper into the forest. Slowly but surely, the trees started to thin out. I stopped at the very edge of the trees, peering out into the clearing.
Though it was completely different, the clearing still reminded me of the meadow. Though smaller, wildflowers were scattered about, as well as a few lone trees. Slowly, cautiously, I walked into the clearing and sat down under one of the smaller trees, overlooking most of the meadow.
I opened up the novel to where I had left off at, chapter 4. Among other things, reading was one of the things that helped calm me down. In the distance, a twig snapped and a feral growl sounded, indicating that I was no longer alone in this clearing.
The creature started moving out of the shadows, and started reflecting the sunlight.
Vampire.
I moved my eyes to the vampire's face and immediately froze. There, standing in all his tall, bronze-haired glory, was the one man I never thought I'd see again. He smiled diabolically and walked forward agonizingly slow. Something seemed off about him, I had realized immediately.
"Edward?" I breathed, reaching one shaking arm out towards him. He walked even further out into the clearing, the sun ricocheting off his skin.
He grinned even wider, until he wasn't even smiling, just baring his teeth. He tilted his head to the right and smiled a small, condescending smile. "Hello, Bella." He murmured, taking one more step forward.
A/N: *Snickers* Edward has issues... Hah, I know, it's been a while. Sorry. XD And that cliffy was mean... Sorry again.
Review, and I shall give you a preview of the next chapter, because I know you all absolutely LOVE my cliffies... Also, I won't be able to respond to any of your reviews until later, because I am extremely busy tonight and I'll be getting off soon. Truthfully, the only reason I came on was to post this chapter, and drive all of you insane with this cliffhanger.