Disclaimer: I thank Stephenie Meyer for sharing her character but I do not own them.
Chapter 24. Miss Communication. (Bella's Point of View.)
I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I picked up speed dodging trees and holes in the ground. I still wasn't the most graceful of people so I needed to watch out for anything that might trip me up. The moon was starting to set high in the evening sky and the wind picked up producing small drops of water from the shaken trees.
There was a new scent in the forest and I could feel someone else close on my trail. As I approached the forest edge I saw three beautiful women standing straight up one was holding the remaining blue flag. Rosalie was coming from the other end of the forest. I stopped dead in my tracks and just stared at the three women.
Rosalie's thought process didn't seem disrupted by them at all when she reached the tall blonde she grabbed flag and proceeded to run again. I couldn't help but just stare at them, they were all different and yet alike at the same time. All three had big brilliant smiles on there faces. My ego dropped another notch just in there very presence.
Finally they started walking towards me when I felt a pair of arms snake around my waste and pull me close. "Where do you think you are going? I told you that you were my prisoner." Edward let out a slow chuckle and buried his face into my neck. Then the tall blonde walking towards us spoke. Her voice was that of an angel.
"Edward dear! It's been too long; won't you introduce us to your friend?" His head snapped up and I could feel his arms tighten around my waste. "Tanya, Kate, Irina… we weren't expecting you." Edward rested his head on my shoulder without introducing me or anything. As soon as they were close enough I stuck out my hand to greet them. "Hello, I'm Bella."
The first one whom I assumed was the leader of the group stuck out her hand to shake mine, "Nice to meet you again, my name is Tanya." She had long strawberry blonde hair and a breath taking smile. Her eyes held a certain light that I couldn't quiet place but she never once really even looked at me. Her eyes never left Edward.
Well she's prettier than when I last saw her, tell me is she still turning you away? I have a place for you ya know.
I felt a low growl in Edward's chest and as I thought his arms couldn't get tighter around me he proved me wrong. I ignored her comments knowing two things; first she probably had no idea that I could hear her and two being that it would probably only upset Edward more if I even acknowledged it.
The second to approach me had dirty blonde hair and was slightly shorter than Tanya. She had a small crease in her forehead but the same smile and eyes lit up her face. She didn't shake my hand but instead nodded her head towards me. "Hello, I'm Irina."
And you are in my way.
Edward shot her a dirty look and I couldn't help snicker at her thought process. So far the first two seemed pretty horrible, the third woman was almost as petite as Alice, she had short red hair that made her pale skin stand out that much more. Her small eyes were wide open and her smile was just as blinding. She grabbed my hand shook it timidly before pulling her hand back to her side. "I'm Kate; it's nice to meet you!"
Good Job Eddie, Good job!
I lowered my head down trying to hide my laughter but couldn't, Edward simply rolled his eyes and let out another breath. "May I ask what brings you three here?" His comments where short and to the point and I kept getting this feeling that he didn't much care for them at the moment. "Well we just stopped in for a few days to say hello and see how things are going." Tanya had another blinding smile on her face as she looked Edward up and down.
I was trying everything in my power to not let her and her thoughts get to me. It's not like Edward and I were a couple… he was probably only upset at her comments because he considered me a friend and nothing more. I let out another sigh and shifted my legs so that I was standing more comfortable.
"Well Edward, are you going to walk us to the house so we can greet the rest of the family?" Irina had crossed her arms looking very impatient. I was about turn around to lead the way but Edward had tightened his grip again around my waste. "Actually I think you three could find your way… Bella and I will catch up with everyone later."
We stood there in silence for awhile allowing everyone to leave. Edward never dropped his arms and never left his position behind me. I really didn't want to be the one to break the comfortable silence that was being shared between us, I didn't want him to drop his arms and decide that friends shouldn't be holding each other. I really didn't want to be just friends. Everything was horrible and from what I could see in Tanya's mind she had her eyes set on Edward. I didn't want to share, but he also wasn't mine to begin with.
So we stood there, not moving, not speaking. I was terrified of what would happen once we broke apart and I actually let him speak. I can remember the pain of my heart shattering into a million pieces and I didn't want that pain back…every second that I spent in this silent bliss was healing my heart. The thought of having the pieces put back together just to watch them shatter again was terrifying. I doubt that I could take it again.
"Bella, could we talk now?" His voice was pleading and unsure, I wanted to say yes and just get it over with but the thought of prolonging this horrible conversation seemed better and better the more I thought about it.
"Sure, but not right now. I'd like to go home and shower and change first. Is that alright?" I tried to use the same pleading voice hopping that he would give in to me as much as I easily gave in to him. He nodded his head and spun me around grabbing my hand in the process. We took off running through the woods together and stopped once we reached the clearing.
Everyone was already gone and all reminisce of the previous game were cleaned up. It really looked as if no one had been here earlier. I glanced around making sure that no one had forgotten anything before I turned back to Edward. He was staring at me…his eyes felt as if they were going to pierce through my heart digging craters into my soul.
"Do you mind if I wait for you in your room when you shower? I really don't feel like socializing with everyone else." There was something behind his question, an emotion that I knew I recognized behind my own eyes but I couldn't name it. "Sure." His smile was enough to start a fire in the pit of my stomach as we took off running towards the house again.
Once inside I grabbed some clothes and headed for the shower. Edward sat down on my bed fumbling through an old book that I had been reading. "I'll just be a second." He nodded in response making himself comfortable on my bed. I was never going to wash the comforter again!
I undressed quickly and hopped into the shower scrubbing all of the war paint Rosalie had used on my face earlier in the day. I let the hot water pour on to me warming my senses and relished in the steam that was now covering the mirror. I took in a greedy breath and let out a small sigh.
There was no way to avoid the conversation with Edward anymore. I needed to get it over with so that I could wallow in my self pity at least one more week before pretending everything was just great in school. Senior year was going to be the worst year in my life.
I started getting dressed as slowly as possible not wanting to face my demons in a hurried manor. Once I was dressed I opened the bathroom door letting the cool air from the hall engulf me before walking towards my bed room where Edward waited for me. "Let's get this over with!" I mumbled to myself before opening the bed room door.
There he was the god like creature of my dreams sitting poised on my bed staring off into space. He glanced at me for a second before a smile crept across his face, he leaped up from the bed and within half a second he was at my side rewrapping his arms around my waste and closing my bed room door. He sure did know how to greet a girl.
I bit my lip in frustration trying not to let my day dreams run wild with me and my heart again. As he pulled me over to my bed I took a seat next to him and braced myself for the emotional onslaught. His eyes were wide and a smile was still plastered on his face. Great he was going to enjoy this.
I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath and right before I was going to ask him to get it over with I felt his lips on mine. The never even had the chance to exhale before my arms wrapped around his neck and my fingers where laced into his hair. I don't know what came over me but I was practically straddling Edward thanking whatever gods I could that I wouldn't have to come up for air. The urgency of his kiss is what confused me the most; it was almost as if he felt the same way.
I felt the longing in his embrace and suddenly I was lying next to him on the bed. He pulled away and I could feel the frown pulling at the sides of my mouth. The smirk on his face told me that he noticed and I hoped that he didn't take it the wrong way… I missed those sweet lingering kisses. I ran my fingers through his hair again staring at his eyes. "Bella, we really should talk."
The moment is now over, now is the time to bring on the pain. I closed my eyes prepared to sit up but Edward would let me. Instead he encased me into his arms and started to whisper in my ear. "Bella, I love you…I have always loved you, I will always love you, and I will always need and want you. Please forgive me."
His deep voice tickled my ear and sent heat straight through my very core. If I wasn't a vampire and incapable of sleep I would have thought I was dreaming. How could this creature actually want me? I categorized a few things in mind while laying in Edwards arms.
One he was really mad about my change, maybe it wasn't because he didn't want me. Two he could just be saying this to appease me. Three, why in the world would he have to appease me when obviously someone as beautiful as Tanya wanted him, and four if I was some how dreaming or in a dream like state who was I to complain and want to wake up? This was my happy place.
So I settled for options one and four and let a smile take over my face before glancing back at Edward. "Please tell me that smile on your face is for me?" He almost appeared to be pouting; Alice was rubbing off on him. I rolled my eyes and kissed him lightly on his bottom lip not dragging out the kiss. This one was meant to be soft a sweet.
"What are you thinking?" I had heard that questions asked a million times before, but I never really thought that he would care enough to ask me again. I looked into his for a long time deciding that the truth is the best option of explanation for my actions. Instead of speaking it I projected my thoughts from earlier lingering on selecting options one and four.
He pursed his lips together and moved his head to the side leaning up on one elbow so that he could stare down at me. "I have so much I need to apologize for." His eyes looked sad and in turn that made me sad. I couldn't allow him to feel pain. If the separation between us caused him as much pain as it had caused me then I had to find away to bring his beautiful smile back.
I slid my hand up the side of his face and rested my fingers in his hair. I tried searching his eyes for what I needed to say or do to bring his smile back but the only thing I could think of was the need for my own apologizes to him. "Edward… I…" am being very rudely interrupted! There was an insane knocking at the door followed by several giggles that couldn't have been from Alice and Rosalie.
"I bet you they are in there, I can hear moving around." A familiar voice was making my ears burn from anger. "Well maybe we should interrupt." That was the best idea that any of them have had sense arriving here. "Interrupt? Are you kidding, she seems to prude for anything to be interrupted. Let's just go in!" As soon as I saw Edwards eyes grow in astonishment at there braveness I jumped up off the bed and with lightening speed made my way to the door opening it violently.
My eyes feel into slits as a low growl erupted from my chest. I felt my eyes go black with anger as Tanya and Irina slid past me into the room to talk to Edward. Kate gave me an apologetic look before joining in sister's in my room. "I'm sorry; I don't think I invited you in my room." I tried to sound as nice and polite as I possibly could but the self satisfying look that Tanya gave me ignited a whole other string of profanities in my mind.
Edward stood up grace fully next to my bed tilting his head to the side leaving his mouth gaping open. Tanya kept thinking about what she wanted to do with him in my bed while Irina had her own string of cruel thoughts pointed at me. Kate looked like a deer caught before the headlights almost mirroring Edward's confused expression. I was livid!
Edward you know that I am better for you, why put up with the chase?
Edward's expression didn't change and I got the small filling that Tanya was here to claim her prize. I desperately wanted to tell her to take herself and her sisters back to wherever she came from.
She's just an immature little child, look at her!
Irina's thoughts were now my breaking point I felt my instincts take over and every muscle in my body flex. Right as I was about to tackle her and rip her hair out of her head two arms wrapped around me a calm rush took over my form. Edward's face relaxed slightly but his position never changed. I rolled my eyes trying to wiggle free from whoever had there hold against me.
"I think you three have worn out your welcome here. And if you plan to extend your trip any further you should do it at the other house because you are no longer welcome in this one." I glanced out of the corner of my eyes to see a very furious Alice standing next to me.
Her eyes were wide and pitch black, the white of her knuckles was almost transparent and her nostrils flared slightly. I had to give it to the little pixie. I had never seen her really mad before and this was hopefully the last time I would. Her anger was astonishingly still beautiful and absolutely terrifying at the same time.
Tanya shrugged her shoulders as if Alice's comments meant nothing and motioned for Irina and Kate to follow her. Kate mouthed 'sorry' to Alice and me before they walked by to exit my room.
You know where to find me Edward.
No amount of calm that Jasper could put off would have taken the black glare out of my eyes as I watched Tanya exit the room with her sisters. My head craned around to see that Jaspers expression was almost as livid as mine and I couldn't help but feel guilty knowing that I was possibly the reason for his anger. I took a solid breath and tried to clear my mind when I heard the door slam shut down below and Rosalie mumble "Don't let it hit you in your rear on your way out!" Jasper released his death hold from around my waste and instantly my glare moved to a still unmoving and shocked Edward.
My temper flared again and this time it was Alice who grabbed my arm and led me out of the room and down the hall. She pushed me into the room and shut the door behind her locking it. "What happened back there, I saw a pretty nasty cat fight about to happen. By the way… Jasper would have been proud." She glided over to her bed with a smirk on her face before patting down on the bed for me to join her.
I explained to Alice in details of my confrontation starting with meeting them in the field to them inviting themselves in my room. I took a long breath before hanging my head in shame. "So everyone is going to be pretty mad at me huh?" Alice let out a small chuckle before placing her hand on my back. "Not exactly, see… Tanya and her sisters have been friends of the family for a really long time, but everyone here is fully aware of her promiscuous ways and of Irina's temper. I'm pretty sure that's why Edward has also never shown an interest to there advances." She shrugged her shoulders and offered me a big grin, her eyes had already gone back to there normal honey shade and her face didn't look near as scary as it had in the previous moments.
Alice was back to looking like my angelic little pixie. "Oh my god! Bella, I have a great idea!" An eternal groan made its way through my system as I slumped down further into Alice's bed. "Alice, please no shopping! I don't think I could bare it right now!" I felt the bed shake with her small laughter as she announced that we were kicking the guys out and having a girl's night with movies and pedicures. I rolled my eyes but decided not to fight, it was at least better than her normal option of shopping.
"Rosalie!" Alice had already run out of the room dragging me with her and was calling Rosalie over from the top of the stairs. I could hear Jasper and Emmett talking from down below. Rosalie came running up looking at me curiously before pulling me into a hug. "They're lucky it was you and not me. I would have already been starting there fire for there corpses." Rosalie pulled back and offered me a wicked grin that made me shudder. I wasn't afraid of Rosalie but I would never second guess what she was capable of.
"Rose, we're having a girl's night! Time to kick the guys out!" Alice was practically jumping up and down the stairs rubbing her hands together sinfully. I tried to give Rosalie a pleading look before Alice pulled me into my room and started pulling my clothes off and throwing pajamas at me. It did not work because exactly what I had predicted happened.
As soon as I was dressed in my flannel pajama bottoms with a navy blue tank top and my hair pulled back into a pony tail I was ushered down stairs where everyone was still sitting in the living room. Carlisle and Esme approached me with huge smiles on there faces before giving me a hug and leaving. There thoughts where in unison letting me know that they were not mad at me and everything was just fine.
My thoughts wondered briefly to how Carlisle and Esme really did make the perfect match for each other. The love they held in there eyes whenever you would look at them was magnificent to say the least. Emmett and Jasper stood up to leave following order's just given by Rosalie and Alice. And I watched the four of them exit the front door closing it quietly behind them. Rosalie and Alice had disappeared to god knows where to gather god knows what for my extended night of torture.
This left just Edward and I in the living room now. When I had finally collected my thoughts and noticed my surrounding's he was a mere inch away from my face with his hand gliding down my cheek towards my jaw. I snapped my head back and peered into his sad eyes. Images of today's earlier events playing in my head… the way he just stood there while Tanya and Irina looked down on me and thought badly about me. If he loved me and no one else he would have stood up for me at least.
"Edward, I think you should leave." I was too tired to fight so instead of my voice coming out serious and angry as I truly intended it to sound; it sounded tired and weak. His fingers grazed my lower jaw line before running over my lips where he placed a small kiss. "Bella, we will talk soon." His voice had an authority in it that I had not heard before but his eyes still conveyed the sad pleading look I had seen earlier. "Yea" was all that I could mumble out before he turned and left.
I felt like crumbling to the ground in that moment as my labored breathing took on a new desperation.