SATURDAY
BPOV
Bells: Had to go to work early Tim called me in.
Going to Sue and Harry's later. Don't worry about me.
May not be back till Sunday morning.
Hope you and the boy have a nice weekend, be good.
Charlie.
I pulled the note off the fridge and threw it in the bin. Bet Edward's going to be relieved about that. I guess the fishing season has hit early. Charlie's friends Sue and Harry Clearwater lived near the harbour. Harry and Charlie had gone to school together since nursery and were friends ever since. Grabbing the carton of orange juice out of the fridge and two glasses, I went back into the garden where I had laid our breakfast on the table. It was sunny for once, who would want to miss this opportunity?
Edward was further down the garden on his phone. Moments later he sat back down in his seat and looked annoyed. "What's wrong?"
"Bella, do you have a computer? Or is there an internet cafe nearby?"
"Yeah it's in my room, it's a bit slow." Well, slower than a snail running a marathon.
"I don't know if I'll be able to do anything today love. My parents just received a call from my university, there has been a problem with some of the forms and they need me to fill them all out again or I will lose my place."
"Oh"
"I'm so sorry Bella."
"It's fine, I think I'm going to go for a walk around and catch up with a few friends." Or just sit outside with a book so it looks like I have a backup plan and I'm not really upset.
"Listen how about I do something later with all of us, including Charlie?"
"He's away till tomorrow." I saw the relief flood Edwards face.
.... .... ....
I left Edward with my decrepit computer convincing him that I plan meeting Rosie Hunter, a girl who use to make bell and animal puns with my name. Such originality there..."Isabella Sawn?" "Yes, but I rather Bella" "No a bell isn't a swan duh, Is-a-bell-a-swan".
I walked up to Peveril Point with a blanket and my books. Setting everything out I opened my book where the spine permanently acted as a bookmark. I was about to read the part where Alice sat down at the tea party, (all of my other books were back in London so I was left with reading old children's classics) when my phone started to ring. Ahhh the sick witch of the west.
"Hi Rose" I said indignantly.
She laughed. "Alice wasn't kidding then."
"Do you know what I did? I could have just told him about it once I saw it in the car, but no I actually hand the stupid thing to him. Oh and that's not even the icing on the cake, do you know what he said?"
"I have a feeling you're going to tell me," Rose said amused. "But if he agreed to take you in the car then he's won brownie points with me."
"You're dense. Anyway, he said it was a nice gesture, I mean c'mon-" Rose was laughing her head off until she started coughing. "That's karma."
"Whatever, so did you two...?"
I rolled my eyes. "Nope"
"Aww you're boring, what are you doing anyway?"
"I was about to enjoy a book till you interrupted. Edward is back at Charlie's because he needs to sort out some uni forms, and Charlie has gone to visit friends. You?"
"With Embear...wait you have the house free and-"
"ROSE! Can't I have a decent conversation with you without it being x-rated, and Emmett is there so change the subject please."
"Fine, you have my undivided u-rated attention Isabella." The line went silent I held back my snort. "It just means I have nothing to say then."
I sighed, "I guess I'm stuck with you the way you always were."
"Not true, when I was eleven the vicar thought I would turn out to be a brilliant nun"
"Sure he wasn't knocking down a bit too much holy wine?"
She laughed, "Probably, explains why our mass was always different to all the other girls at school. Did you find out why Charlie wanted you?"
"Already knew the story back home before I got here, I think the only reason he wanted me down here was just that."
"Bella he's lonely. Ahh I've got to go mum's nagging for us to help her with the shopping. Funny how Jazz is never here when she needs help."
"Oh I think he's helping out Alice"
"Yet you call me the dirty one?"
"Brilliant Rosalie! You've recognised your problem." I laughed as she put the phone down on me.
"Y'know I'm not sorry about the magazine now. Use your time wisely tonight - I know I will ;) "
Now I have a mental image of Emmett that I never wanted.
.... .... ....
I heard a rustling in the trees behind me, at first I thought it was part of my dream as I had fallen asleep. But the noise kept growing and was irrelevant to my dream. I slowly sat up and turned towards the trees. There was nothing there. I'm going crazy. Shaking my head, I grabbed the book and started to read again. A twig broke following more rustling.
"Hello? Is anyone out here?" I shouted. No reply. Probably someone's dog from down the road. I ignored the noise and checked my phone to see if anyone had contacted me, before carrying on reading.
"Bella? Bella... is that you?" I turned my neck so quickly I pulled it, I knew that voice anywhere. He emerged from the break in the trees staring anywhere but at me distressed. I ran to him and hugged him tightly. I pulled away and drank in his appearance. He'd changed so much.
It wasn't exactly a heat wave, warm for England, yet he was topless, showing muscles I hadn't seen before. He wasn't brawny like Emmett, just looked a lot stronger. His blonde hair had grown longer nearly reaching the bottom of his neck in some places, it suited him more and brought out his strong blue eyes. The jeans he was wearing were torn in many places and his skin was torn also probably from the trees. He was dirty, covered in what looked like mud, sand and dust.
I didn't know what to say to him. What do say to your old best friend from the sandpit in reception till the day you found out your GCSE results?
He had a strange look on his face. "Bella, did you come alone?" He asked worried.
"Yes." I said quietly.
"Er, can we move into the trees? I..it's not safe for me to be standing out here." I nodded and followed him down a small pathway where I saw a small dark blanket.
"You've been staying here?" He turned and nodded to me. Sitting down on the blanket, he gestured for me to sit down with him. He just stared at me, his eyes full of pain. "I'm so glad to see you James."
"So glad you never bothered to pick up the phone and call me once? It's not like I went anywhere." He looked up at me angered then his face softened. "Sorry, that was uncalled for."
"No, it's true. And, I'm sorry... I just- I just didn't know whether you wanted to talk to me anymore."
"Why would you think that?"
"I abandoned you when you needed me the most."
He moved closer to me and stroked my cheek. "But you're here now, you're back."
I pulled away, "No, not for good, just till Monday."
"Oh."
"I'm here because of you actually."
His eye lit up, "Really? Did Charlie talk to you about me?"
"Yes," I placed my hand on top of his, "James, you don't have to hide. No one is going to get you."
He stared at me with disbelief, "Just like no one got Emily and Angela?"
"What? No...no, no way, not Angela." Oh my God. Angela was one of the few girls who was nice to me, she had a heart the size of a house. Emily on the other hand was the leader of the Hate-Bella-Association. "When…when did this, happen?"
"Just three weeks ago."
"But why do you think you're next? I mean who says anyone is next?"
"Well when you left, Emily was really nice to Angela and I and she sort of became your replacement. Now they're both dead, the police have no leads as to who killed them, who's to say that they won't carry on killing people? If so, I'd be next wouldn't I? I was their best friend."
"And I was yours...that's why Charlie said I was in danger." I whispered.
My phone buzzed, I took it out to see I had a message from Edward. I looked at the clock before reading the message, I had been out here for five hours.
"I have finished everything. Maybe we could still do something? xx"
I looked up at James, he was trying to pretend he wasn't watching me but I could see right through him. I didn't want to leave him by himself, but I wanted to be with Edward too.
"Something wrong?"
"I have to go now, sorry."
"Something wrong with Charlie?"
"No, urm…actually it's my er, boyfriend he's back at home."
"Oh, well promise me you'll visit me before you leave."
"I will, you'll be here?"
"Yep, and Bella, please don't tell anyone I'm here. Especially Charlie, I don't want him to bug me, no offence."
"I won't, it was nice seeing you again James."
"You too Bells, bye." He hugged me. I said bye to him and went back to grab my blanket and book before walking home.
EPOV
I placed the two plates onto the table and lit the candle then blew it out straight away. The scene looked too cliché, so I removed it and placed the photo of our sandcastle from yesterday that I had developed in the middle of the table. A single rose I found in the garden was next to it and petals trailed around the plates. Instead, I dimmed the lights a bit, while still having the curtain open to allow the moonlight in.
I heard a key in the door so I quickly ran to the door so I could place my fingers over Bella's eyes to hide the surprise.
"Edward? What are you doing?"
"Nothing." I answered innocently.
"Okay..." She raised her hands to try to pull mine away, but I was stronger so I laughed. I slowly walked her into the kitchen and sat her down in her seat before removing my hands. I walked to the side of the table to see her reaction.
"Oh my...Edward," she started before tears flowed down her cheeks; I rushed to her side to comfort her before she placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's so- oh and you even have a picture of our sandcastle. Thank you." She turned to kiss me.
"For a second I thought you didn't like it."
She laughed, "I love it Edward." She picked up her fork and started to eat the pasta, I went for a safe dish, in case she didn't like it. "Mmm, this is delicious."
"What did you do today?"
"Just read outside on this bank."
"I'm sorry I had-"
"Don't worry you made it up with this beautiful dinner." She smiled at me. "Although I did see James."
I placed my fork down to answer her back. "Have you called Charlie yet?"
She shook her head, "I'm not going to, James just wants to be left alone."
I bit my tongue to stop myself from asking my next question.
SUNDAY
EPOV
Since Charlie came back earlier around midday he would give me hostile glares whenever Bella would smile at me or interact in any way. He really doesn't think I would disrespect his house whether he was here or not does he?
"Edwin, can you go to the corner shop and grab me a newspaper please." Okay, he does.
"Okay, where is it?"
"Follow the other side of the road leading away from the high street."
I followed the road until I found the shop, inside to my horror I saw Maureen behind the till talking to one of the other ladies of the gang. I watched as Maureen nudged her and nodded towards my direction. I grabbed the newspaper and went towards the till hoping they wouldn't remember me.
"My, my, my, we are in luck, aren't we Pat?" Maureen smiled to the other lady.
"We thought you were only here for a day, good thing we were wrong. Have you moved here love?"
"No, I'm staying here with my girlfriend while she visits her father – Charlie."
They both giggled and talked a while before remembering to pay for my items. I noticed a poster above Maureen's head that had two young girls on it with a paragraph that I couldn't see. Adjacent to that was a missing poster with James's picture on it. Pat noticed me looking at them.
"It's such a sad thing, I knew those girls since their mums fell pregnant with them. And to die in such a horrible way too. It's unfair us hopeless oldies remain alive when those who have to so much to live for die." Pat said woefully.
"I still don't believe for one minute that that kid is missing for protection, he's gone and done a runner hasn't he? Look at the upbringing father a disgusting drunk, use to beat him up. I bet he just followed his father's footsteps. I feel sorry for Allison; she didn't deserve that louse for a husband, then to fall ill...God bless her soul." Maureen finally handed me my change. "You don't know anything about what's going on do you?"
"No, sorry."
I walked back to Bella's house, thinking of some way to tell her what I had heard. If by some chance Maureen and Pat were correct, Bella had a right to know the truth. If she ever believed me.
A/N: I can't wait to start writing the next chapter :D
Weird, I usually have tons to write here, today I have nothing, zilch, zero, nada...