Relief is here!!!!

I'm sooo sorry for not updating for so long. I know I should be Volturied. But here's the chapter that I just wrote. I want to dedicate this chapter to my newest reader, iamdarcie, who endearingly reviewed all my chapters with the same review to show her devotion, (and her subtle hint that I should update). Anyway, I would also like to dedicate my chapter to Sweet Pea, who's shown me that she'd forgive my lazy ass for not updating. And this chapter to all the ladies in Twilighted. I love you!!!!

Enjoy,

xoxo

Stormy Bella

Chapter 25- Heathcliff and Catherine.

"Miss Brandon and Mr. Hale, please step on stage."

It was a week after their visit to Renee. They flew back to Washington that same night, after being informed by the doctor that Renee was fine. Because Edward wasn't present at that on class, the assignment was extended to the next week.

Alice and Jasper stepped on stage. As usually, there was no script, nothing to read from. Alice was Catherine, and Jasper was Heathcliff. The subject of the assignment: showing their love. The students could do anything, make up any dialogue and anything necessary along the way. Like Edward's usual method, nothing was restricted as long as the emotions are invisible.

"Jasper, you're too gentle." Edward advised. "Heathcliff loves Catherine, true. But he has a rugged way of doing it." Then he turned to Alice. "Alice, you must make a much more violent reaction than that. Remember that Catherine only has Heathcliff, and she would trade the world to protect him. Catherine will kill Hindley if he harms Heathcliff. You don't have that kind of violence. Let's try again."

Bella watched intensely as Edward transformed himself into the ugly, ill-mannered Hindley.

"You bastard." Edward yelled, seizing Jasper's collar. "You owe me my gift. Who do you think you are?" He struck Jasper as Jasper struggled to fight back. "Just because father picked you up from whatever dump you're from doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." Edward sneered, and Bella was amazed at how he portrayed his character, Hindley. It didn't matter that Edward was beautiful; Hindley's ugliness has blanketed the beauty of his face. All Bella could see was the character's rotten manner. "You stole my toy."

Alice shoved Edward away. "Stop it Hindley. It's not his fault."

"This dog ruins everything." Edward yelled again, his fist tightened as if to punch Jasper. Alice's eyes widened in terror and pain as she tried to push Edward away. "Stop it Hindley, stop it." she cried.

Hindley stopped, and with a blink, transformed back to Edward. He smiled. "That's better. But still not there yet. I hope you practice more for Friday." As Jasper and Alice walked down the stage, he called the next couple. "Miss Swan and Mr. Black, please come up."

Jacob grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her up the stage. Bella eyed Edward, but he just wouldn't look at her. He was looking at Jacob.

"Okay Jacob, you will be Heathcliff, Bella will be Catherine, and I will be Hindley." He turned to Bella, his eyes betrayed no emotions. "The object of this practice is for you two to show the affections between Catherine and Heathcliff. Any dialogue, and any action will do."

Bella tried to concentrate on defending Heathcliff. What would Catherine do if the only thing she loves was taken away from her? What would she do to keep it? Hindley was trying to hurt Heathcliff, what would Catherine do to Hindley?

"You-You steal everything from me." Edward glowered at Jacob, anger visible on his face. He grabbed the front of Jacob's shirt. "My horse, you stole my horse." Edward scoffed. "Father thinks you're an angel, but I know who you are. I know." Bella started to tug on Edward's shirt, begging him to stop. "I know who you are. You're just a son of a dead whore."

"Stop it Hindley! Stop!" Catherine yelled. Hindley shoved her, trying to keep her from reaching Heathcliff. "I won't allow it. Catherine, this lowlife isn't worth your time. I won't allow it." Hindley yelled. He was trying to stop Heathcliff from grabbing Cathy's hand.

"Jacob," Hindley disappeared and Edward returned. "You must be more reactive, possessive than that. She's the only good thing that's ever happened to you." Then Edward sighed. "Bella, you should be more action and less word. Now, how about you be Hindley, Jacob, and I'll be Heathcliff? That way, you can see how Heathcliff, at least my Heathcliff, would act." Edward advised. Jacob nodded as they switch roles.

Bella could see it. It didn't matter how good she was becoming at acting, some things never change. Like the admiration she held for Edward every time he changed into a character. One minute he was the gentle, kind Edward, and then the next minute he became the rugged, violent Heathcliff.

"Go away, nobody wants you, orphan." Jacob shoved Edward away, and Edward didn't even respond. What? "It's your entire fault. You stole my toys." He kicked Edward. Bella felt her stomach stirred.

"Stop it Hindley! It's not his fault." She clutched Jacob's sleeves, pulling him away from Edward. Edward looked up, his eyes weren't at all angry like she'd expected them to be. They were rough, but very gentle as he looked at her. She smiled and started to walk toward him.

Jacob yanked her back. "No, get away from this filthy dog, Catherine. I won't let him near you." Jacob yelled, pulling Bella. She cried for Edward, and in his eyes she could see the anguish. No one takes his Catherine away from him.

Edward lunged forward, only to meet with Jacob's fist. Bella shrieked in horror, throwing herself toward Edward. Anger bubbled in her veins.

"Heathcliff! Heathcliff!" she struggle in Jacob's grasp, trying to reach for Edward.

"I won't allow it Catherine. I won't allow it." Jacob yelled, pulling Edward by his shirt collar, and punched Edward again. He struggled to fight back, kicking Hindley. His lips chanted the faithful words, "Cathy! Cathy!"

"Stop Hindley! STOP IT!" Bella was furious. Nobody treats Edward that way. Nobody touches Edward. He was hers. Hers. Hers!

She growled. Instinct took over. It blinded her reasoning, deafened her senses. She knew was that she had to protect Edward. She needed to protect Heathcliff.

Before anyone realized what was happening, Belle's teeth sank deep into the skin of Jacob's forearm, drawing blood.

In the back of her mind, she could hear Jacob's yelp. But all her focus was on Edward. In his pain, Jacob has shoved Edward a little too hard, that the bronze-haired man was on the floor with a busted lip.

"Heathcliff!" Bella, ignoring the cussing Jacob, ran toward her Heathcliff.

Edward, like all the students in the auditorium, was stunned to speechlessness.

"Heathcliff." She whispered softly, her finger tips slightly touched the blood on his lips. Warm and rusty, but the blood didn't make her feel nauseous this time. Edward's blood. Bella used her sleeves to wipe off his blood. Her Heathcliff.

She leaned her forehead against his, feeling the warmth radiating from him.

"Let's go, Heathcliff. Let's go to the field. Just you and me, Heathcliff." She touched Edward's face, tracing its hard lines. The sharp, angular jaw. The straight nose. The high cheekbones. Heathcliff. Edward. Heathcliff. Edward.

He nodded. In his eyes, the fire was burning. His fire. Her fire. Her love. His love.

He loved her.

Heathcliff loved her.

And she, she was a stupid, stupid lamb. So stupid for falling in love with a lion.

"That's great Bella." Edward said, his eyes not taken away from hers. "That was a good reaction of Catherine." Then, turning to Jacob, he said, "And Jacob, have you realized the difference between my Heathcliff and yours?"

"Yes," Jacob nodded solemnly, "your Heathcliff was loved by Catherine."

Edward was sitting at his desk. It was now night, and the light on the desk lamp shined dimly, just enough for him to see the words on the papers. He was grading the project papers.

Angela Webber, Tyler Crowley, Jessica Stanley, Mike Newton, and Lauren Mallory. Edward read the names on top of the cover page. Hmm, they're doing Romeo and Juliet.

How predictable.

Half of the class was doing Romeo and Juliet. The other half was doing Hamlet.

Obviously, Shakespeare was the only known playwright.

He turned to another project. Rosalie Hale, Jasper Hale, Alice Brandon, Emmett McCarty, Bella Swan and Jacob Black. They wrote their own play. Slowly, he turned the page to read the summary.

Hmm, Edmund and Elizabeth. Edward mulled over the story's summary. Vampire and human. Different species, difference diet. A forbidden love story. Struggle to control natural needs. Battle to fight instinct. A war with the heart. Defiance of laws of nature.

Edward froze as he realized how familiar this story sounded. Could it be possible for his heart to ache again? It's been hurting so much lately, that he felt numb with the pain. As an actor, he was used to the flow of emotions in his veins as he gets into character. Yet emotions, like his heart, have stopped working ever since Renee's words. Could he have hurt more than he had?

Yes he could. As he read Bella's words, he couldn't help the tremors shaking his body. His dead heart was alive again, throbbing with physical pain. It was as if someone has ripped a hole in the middle of his chest, and dug out his heart right in front of him. Why did she have to do this? Why did she have to torture him with her sad words and her desperate smile? Why did she have to hurt him?

He knew now. Knew that his love was returned. Knew that the feelings aching inside him isn't a one-sided, sickening love. Knew that the love that disgusted him so much wasn't his alone.

Knew that he wasn't the only one hurting by this twisted relationship.

Her words flashed before his eyes, taunting him. Edmund.

Edward smiled sadly. Bella was never a coy one.

Bella. She loved him. He knew now that she loved him as much as he loved her. The way she's perceived their love. She knew that it was impossible.

She loves me. I love her.

We're idiots. We're morons. We're masochists.

What was worse? Was it worse for him to confess his love and have her reject it? Or was it worse to know that she loved him, but never be able to tell her how much he loved her too?

To love or not to love; that is the question.

Edward smiled bitterly.

He was never given a choice.

I know. I know. It's so sad.

However, if you update, there might be a Thanksgiving gift for you to unwrap.

Love always,

Stormy Bella