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Chapter 13

EPOV

The time after karaoke was absolutely amazing! Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie had graduated, we spent the most awesome summer together, Alice, Bella, and I started senior year while the others went to college, and Bella and I were stronger than ever. We were more in love than we were when we first started dating.

Bella and I were currently lying on my bed in each other's arms, talking about our plans for Thanksgiving. It was coming up next Thursday, and Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie were coming home Sunday, only four more days. I missed Emmett and Jasper. It was a nightmare living in a house with girls outnumbering the guys 24/7. I needed some guy time desperately. Not that I don't love Esme, Alice, and Bella. I truly do, but you need guy-time, too.

My dad was busy at the hospital with the holiday season coming up. People get sick of their family and end up stabbing them with a fork. My dad actually keeps track of that! Anyway, with him at the hospital, I'm the only guy in the house. And it's a nightmare!

I've been busy with football lately. I've been made captain of the team and I have been working the playbook and teaching the team the new plays. We're going to a workshop tomorrow to learn different strategies and plays and drills. It was overnight, which I personally think is weird, and the bus was going to drop us off at school on time for first period the nest morning. I don't get why the coach didn't assign this for a weekend. The middle of the week is kind of a strange time for it. I had yet to tell Bella, and I was worried. That would be the first time we spent a night apart since our big fight. I'm not sure how she would do.

So far, Bella's been doing great. She only woke up from a nightmare twice since she found out who did it. She says it's because she feels safer, knowing that Derrick's in jail and can't hurt her. He'll only be in jail for about seven years for raping another woman, but he won't know where Bella is. And I highly doubt that he'll go after her. I mean, why would he? She's done nothing except be a victim. If one of her friends would have thought of it before the trial, Bella could have gone down there to testify against him and say that he raped her. Derrick's father would have gotten arrested too, for not filing the report of her rape. Oh, well. Too late to do anything; I don't think that Bella would've wanted to go down there anyways.

Bella was telling me what she usually did on Thanksgiving. I'm not surprised that she spent it with Max and Christina. They were her family. She still has a hard time talking about Max, but it's getting better.

"… Since Max's mom was out, we decided that we would make Thanksgiving dinner. It was a disaster. Long story short, we blew up the turkey," she said. I laughed.

"How do you blow up a turkey?" I said, still chuckling.

"I don't know. We did everything according to the recipe: we made sure we had the right temperature for the oven, made sure we prepped the turkey right, and we made sure that we had the right time to cook it for. It just blew up," she giggled.

"Maybe you should stay away from the kitchen this year," I joked. She playfully slapped my chest.

"Maybe, but what will I do? I always help with dinner, I don't have an interest in football, no offense, and Alice and Rose will surely torture me if they new I was bored."

"I guess I'll have to keep you entertained then."

"Oh? And what do you propose we do?"

"I could play my piano for you."

"I would love that."

"It's a date, then." I decided that I should tell her about the football thing now.

"Hey, Bells? I got to tell you something," I said.

"What is it?" she said, concerned.

" I have a football workshop that I have to go to tomorrow morning. It's overnight," I said.

"Oh. Well have fun," she said.

"I was wondering if you were going to be okay. I mean, you've been doing well lately with the whole nightmare thing, but you never know."

"I'll be fine, Edward. I've spent the night by myself, before."

"I know, but if you have a nightmare, I know you like me to be there."

"That is true, but I'll be fine."

"Tell you what. If you have a nightmare, you can call me. Anytime, alright? I'm just a phone call away."

"Okay, if I have a nightmare, I'll call you."

"Okay."

We just sat in a comfortable silence. Before I knew it, we both fell asleep.

*I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV* EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC*

"I don't want you to go," Bella said.

We were standing outside of the bus. I was just about to get on.

"I know, Bell. I don't want to go, either, but as captain, I have to," I said.

"I'm going to miss you. Even if you're gone for only a day."

"I'm going to miss you, too."

"Cullen, get on the bus now! We're about to leave!" the coach yelled through a window.

"I gotta go, Bells. I'll call you later, okay?" I asked.

"Okay." She pulled me in for one last kiss before I got on the bus.

The ride there was torturous. Coach wouldn't let us have any electronics until we got to the hotel, so we sat there in silence. We weren't even aloud to sleep or read. I'm surprised no one dozed off yet. It's really boring. I know I'm getting close.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, we dropped our bags off in our rooms. We each had a roommate and it was just my luck to land myself with Mike Newton. I swear, I was going to kill him by the time this workshop thing is over.

We had about an hour before we had to be at the practice thing, so I called Bella. It was about her lunch hour.

"Hey, how is it?" she asked.

"So far? Boring. We didn't really do anything yet, but Coach wouldn't let us have anything entertaining on the bus ride so we were all bored as hell." I said.

"He didn't let you have anything? Did you at least get to sleep?"

"Nope. Every time someone dosed off, he would smack them upside the head."

"That sucks. Are you tired at all? Should I let you get some sleep? We were up pretty late last night." Before you even think about it, we were just making out!

"Don't you dare hang up! I want to talk to you. How was your morning?"

"Boring without you. I miss having you next to me." I got Ms. Cope, the secretary, to give me the same schedule as Bella. We sat next to each other in each class.

"I miss being next to you. Believe me. It's killing me, being away from you. I miss you too much and it's only been a few hours."

"I know. We sound like love struck teenagers when we say that."

"Technically, we are love struck teenagers."

"Yeah, but we're better than that."

"True." I heard a bell ring in the background.

"Damn, I got to go, Edward. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Love you. Bye."

"Love you, too. Bye."

I hung up and lay down on my bed. This was going to be a long day.

*I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV* EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC*

That stupid workshop thing was long and hard. I was sore and tired by the time I got to my hotel room. I took a shower, plopped down on my bed, and called Bella.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hey, are you busy?" I asked.

"No, I was just studying. How your practice thing?"

"Long and hard. I'm so sore right now."

"Do you want to go to sleep?"

"After I talk to you. How was your day?"

"Boring. Nothing exciting happened."

"Nothing ever does. Oh, by the way, you might have to bail me out of jail by the time this whole workshop is over."

"What? Why?"

"They made Newton my roommate."

"Are they insane? You'll kill him by the end of the night!"

"I know. Thankfully, he had a hard time staying awake in the elevator on the way back to the room, so I bet he'll just crash as soon as his head hits the pillow."

"That's good, but knowing you, you'll remember all of the times he hit on me and smother him with his own pillow."

"That's a good idea. I think I'll try that." She laughed.

"Go right ahead. Just know that I'm not going to bail you out."

"Why not. You're my girlfriend. You're supposed to do that kind of stuff when I get in trouble."

"I may be you're girlfriend, but I'd rather see Esme's face when she bails you out. That would be a funny sight to see."

"You're such a supportive girlfriend," I said, sarcastically.

"You're such a criminal boyfriend." We laughed, but mine turned into a yawn.

"Go to sleep. You're tired."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, just call me in the morning, if you can."

"Okay. Call me if you need me."

"I will. Love you, bye."

"Love you, too. Bye."

I hung up and fell asleep quickly.

*I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV* EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC* I*LUV*EC*

It was five in the morning when the coach pounded on our doors to wake us up. We had a half hour to get ready before the bus leaves. I don't understand why we need so much time. I'm pretty sure everyone took showers last night and we only had a couple of things to repack from yesterday. I think everyone was on the bus by five fifteen.

It was way too early to call Bella. I wanted her to sleep in. She didn't call me last night, so I'm guessing she didn't have a nightmare. That's good. I hated it when she woke up in the middle of the night, screaming. It just broke my heart to see her so sad and scared. Man, I'm whipped.

Once again, the coach didn't allow any entertainment whatsoever. We couldn't even sleep! That man gets us up at an ungodly hour and he expects us to stay awake?

We got to the school about five minutes before first period started. I got up and walked up the isle before the bus stopped. The door opened and I was the first one off.

I was confused at the sight before me. Everyone was running away from the school, to awaiting buses. Coach stopped someone running past us.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Someone's got a gun in the school," the guy said.

I didn't even process that before Coach pushed me back on the bus and told the driver to get us out of here.

We followed some buses to Town Hall across town. We were to stay there until our parent or guardian came to pick us up. I looked around for Alice of Bella. I looked for five minutes until I saw Alice jumping up and down, waving her arms frantically at me.

"Hey are you okay? Where's Bella?" I asked.

"I'm fine. You?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Where's Bella?" I asked again.

She hesitated for a moment. She looked like she was choosing her words carefully.

"I don't know. I've been looking for her. I've asked people if they've seen her, but no one has. I can't find her," she said.

"She's got to be around here somewhere, right?"

"I don't think so. I've been looking everywhere. I can't find her and no one's seen her. It looks like the last bus just arrived. And I think someone said that there were still some people locked in the school… with the shooter."

Oh, God.

A/N: I'm going on vacation on Saturday and will be back late on the 28th. i'll try to update while i'm there, but it wont be often. Anyhoo, please review! XD