By The Lake
Chapter Eleven: Crash
EPOV
Saturday Morning.
I roamed around the house to check everything. Living room, good. Dining room, good. What else...? I tapped my chin as I tried to think what I'd miss. We set up the living room and dining room with candles and flowers for Bella's mini celebration later. Nobody was really coming since she requested it. Just us Cullens, the Hales and Bella's parents. They were supposed to arrive later this afternoon. I took a deep breath as I stood at the top of the stairs over looking downstairs.
Nope. Something's wrong. A little off, maybe.
Ah. Alice. Her energy was missing. Somehow she wasn't running around the house managing all this, this morning.
Sigh.
I climbed up to her room to check on her. Was she still asleep? She shouldn't be. I know her too much that for her when there's a party, there's a party, no slacking around. Especially if she was the one who organized it.
"Alice?" I opened the door.
She was sitting on her bed with the laptop balanced on her tiny legs. "Yes?" She turned to face me.
And I swear I would've thought twice about the Alice in front of me right now. Her face wasn't happy. There seemed to be no trace of that now.
"What are you doing?" I asked her.
She seemed lost. Oh my god. Has she gone crazy now? Her face was blank. Emotionless. Like she's shut down and transferred onto another world.
I shook her elbows as I sat beside her. "Alice. What's wrong?" I asked a little worried.
"I don't know. Where's Bella?" She shook her head then looked at me. Our eyes met and there was something there that didn't belong to Alice. Was it worry? or fear, perhaps?
"She's sleeping. What's up, Al?" I asked again.
"I don't know, Edward. I don't know." She began crying.
Something's not right.
"Did Jasper break up with you?" I swear, even if it was Jasper who broke her heart, I'd still kill him. Even if he's sort of my bestfriend at the moment.
Hey! Family first, right?
"No no no. Jasper and I are very much together. It's Bella I'm worried about." She dropped her head.
"What about Bella?" Okay. This is starting to worry me now, too.
"I don't know! I can't tell! I wish, I could, Edward! It's like my stomach drops and I get a punch in the gut whenever I think about her!" She said, frustrated.
"Are you telling me that you're having some sort of, like, a premonition?" I breathed heavily now. What was going to happen to Bella?!
"I think so." She shut her eyes tight and shook her head.
"Maybe you're just nervous for tonight." I suggested.
"Maybe. I really hope that's just it, Edward. You know that I can sort of predict the future."
"Don't say that!" I hissed.
Hurting Bella was not on my list. Whether it be physical or emotional, she cannot be harmed.
"I'm sorry." She buried her head under her pillows.
It was obvious that we were both pushing away that thought. We both didn't want that. But now that Alice have said it...Shit! I think I may have to get out of here now.
I ran down the hall to my room.
I entered ever so quietly and I watched Bella sleep. She looked so serene and beautiful. It was heartbreaking to see her like that. I was lucky last night that Rose was here. She was the one who changed Bella into her nightdress while me and the boys cleared up the meadow.
I lied beside her on the bed and smiled at her beauty.
I kissed her on the cheek, "Happy Birthday."
Her eyes fluttered open and she twisted to see me. I smiled weakly at her.
She smiled back, "Thank you. Goodmorning."
"Alice said you are not allowed to go out of this room until tonight." I told her as I quoted Alice with our last minute chat about my precious gift.
Last night was the first part. Later was going to be the second part.
Her initial reaction was "What?! Does she want to kill me with boredom?!"
I laughed. "I'm sorry but you're the birthday girl."
"Exactly. I should be allowed to get out of this room." She told me.
"Then the rest of my surprise is ruined." I dropped my head, feigning disappointment.
"Oh." She said flatly. "Fine then. I'll stay. But you should find me something to do." She beamed again. "And you are going to feed me, right?"
"Of course, Bella. I'll bring up some DVDs and our breakfast." I got up and went down stairs.
I fixed two bowls of cereals, Banana Nut Crunch and two glasses of water. If she asks for something else, I'll just come back for it. I got a tray that had legs so I could place it down on the floor upstairs. I set the bowls and glasses there.
I went in the same time she got out of the bathroom. I placed the tray down and took one bowl and handed it to her, "Here you go. Banana Nut Crunch."
"Thank you." She smiled and put a spoonful in her mouth.
We ate breakfast quietly and decided on which movie to watch first. We watched Twilight, first. A film about a vampire, Robert, falling in love with a human girl, Kristen. And then we watched New Moon, the sequel to Twilight. Here, the vampire leaves the human girl and the human girl finds comfort in a werewolf, Taylor, while she suffered the absence of Robert. I brought up lunch and we ate while we watched. And then we watched The Proposal.
Hey! Don't ask me about all the chick flick thing going on. Bella's wishes.
It wasn't long until Alice came in the room to send me away. She said she still had to dress up Bella.
I went down to check once again. Esme and Carlisle were cooking pasta and chicken. Emmett was with Jasper and Rose. They helped around too. Rose helped Alice with Bella. Jasper, Emmett and I fixed whatever we can still fix around.
It was already four in the afternoon and Charlie haven't called me yet. I decided to call him. Maybe he forgot. Nope. The operator answered which means they're still on the plane. But they were supposed to have landed two hours ago.
I suddenly had that nagging feeling that was almost close to what Alice had described to me this morning.
No...I pushed away the thought. It was a bad image.
I finished bathing by 5 and I obediently wore the clothes that Alice had laid out for me on my bed. They moved Bella to Alice's room with a blindfold.
As I finished buttoning up the blue button up long sleeved shirt, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." I said as I took the blazer from the bed and put it on.
"Edward..." It was Alice and her voice was just the same from this morning.
"I know, Alice. Me too. It's not good but we have to do this for Bella. Can we just forget this first?" I shrugged and looked at her.
"I'll try." She sighed and I pulled her in for a quick hug.
"Wow. You look pretty, Al." I looked at her from head to toe. She was wearing a silky dark violet dress that ended above her knees. Her hair was spiky as usual. I see that she's putting less effort on her look now. Makes me wonder what Bella would look like later.
"Thank you. Don't change the topic." She frowned.
"You got me there." I sighed too.
"You know we have to do this, Edward. Even if they're not here." She looked at me. "It's almost time."
I simply nodded.
I'm sorry Charlie and Renee. If only you arrived here on time...I thought.
I sighed and joined the rest of my family downstairs.
BPOV
I was ecstatic that Alice didn't make me wear high heels and really short dresses today. Instead we compromised and I ended up wearing a green sleeveless dress, flocked with black roses and it had a velveteen waistband. She also agreed that I wear my newly bought pair of Vans. But when she let the make-up pass, too, I didn't know if I should still be happy. I don't know. I mean, yeah, I was so glad that I didn't have to wear make-up but there was something else...Something about Alice. I pushed away any negativity that was starting to form concretely. She even didn't touch my hair very much. She only curled it to increase the volume.
Rosalie helped her but since there was not much to do, we ended up chatting about her and Emmett. She looked all made up next to me and beautiful. She was wearing a long black dress and black high heels. Her lips were hot red and her silvery black eye makeup defined her eyes. She reminded me of that Nikki from the Twilight film that we watched.
Alice barged in the room and excitedly pulled me away. "It's time, it's time!"
"Happy Birthday, Bella." Esme hugged me as we reached the bottom of the stairs. Rosalie was following us behind and she quickly took Emmett's side as she got down.
"Happy Birthday." Carlisle smiled a fatherly smile and I remembered Charlie. Where was he? He said he'd be here.
"Come on! Let's open your presents!" She said as she gave back the presents to whoever they were from. "But I already gave you yours yesterday."
Oh! Yes! The dress! And the meadow!
"Yes. Thank you, Alice. For just everything." I hugged her.
Esme smiled at me and I remembered my mother. My heart hurt for a moment. I wish she was here. I missed her badly. I should definitely give her a call later.
She handed me a small chest that was covered in intricately carved swirls and shapes. I opened it and there was a bracelet that held a diamond heart as a pendant and a note that said: To Bella...From Esme and Carlisle
"Esme...you shouldn't have spent too much...but thank you." I told her as we hugged again.
"Edward did warn me. That's from my mother. You deserve it." She smiled with Carlisle.
I searched for Edward to give him a look but he wasn't around.
Rosalie came to me and handed me a long rectangular box. "It's a necklace. Alice picked it out." She hugged me too.
"Thank you, Rose." I smiled at her.
Then Alice handed me a big box. Well at least it was bigger than everybody else's. It was light, like empty of some sorts. I shook it a little to check.
"I already installed it in your truck. A decent sound system from me and Jasper!" He hugged me and lifted me off the ground. As soon as he put me down, Jasper gave me a quick hug, too.
"Thanks, you guys!" I mocked punch their biceps.
That only leaves one person. Edward.
I turned around and Edward was handing me a ring box.
My eyes grew bigger in realization. I gulped.
"It's not an engagement ring, Bella." Edward said and everybody laughed.
I opened it and there was an onyx flower on a silver ring and had little diamonds for its leaf. I gasped at it's beauty.
"You promised me that you wouldn't spend." I told him as he hugged me.
"I didn't. I've bought it long ago and told myself that I'd give it to the woman that I will marry. Not as an engagement ring just a promise ring." He smiled and I kissed him.
He kissed me back and I forgot the audience we had until Emmett cleared his throat.
I blushed deep red and Edward chuckled.
"Well, I bet you all are hungry. We better get dinner set up, Esme." Carlisle pulled Esme away.
I was headed for the phone when it rang. I was hoping to call Renee.
"Cullen residence." I answered.
"May I speak with Edward Cullen, please?" A lady asked on the other line.
"I'm sorry. May I ask who this is?"
"Sorry, ma'am. I'm Sarah from Seattle Airlines." She said.
Seattle Airlines? Did Edward plan on flying out? He never told me anything.
I looked around and he was gone again.
"Well, he's not around at the moment." I told Sarah.
"Oh, okay. Is an Isabella Swan there, then?" she asked and I scrunched my eyebrows.
I felt my heart race. I didn't know why I became nervous.
"S-Speaking." I said.
EPOV
"You can call everybody now, Edward." Esme told me. I decided to help out Carlisle and Esme when I thought I saw Bella go over to the phone. I watched her lift the phone when I turned to go to the kitchen.
I turned around and Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie were smiling as they entered the dining. "Just Alice and Bella, now." I chuckled.
"BELLA!" I heard Alice panicked voice echo through the whole house.
I ran to see Bella drop the phone in her hands as her eyes widened and tears started to collect. Her knees were getting weak and she started to fall. I caught her before she hit the ground.
"What's wrong, baby?" I asked really worried now. Perhaps, this was what Alice had warned before?
She only whispered two words and her tears rushed endlessly. "They're gone."
I can't believe it! They're gone! :'( Condolences to Bella. :'( What did you think?
Thank you for the reviews! :)
