Chapter 24 – A blank mind
BPOV
I listened closely to Edward's story about the Volturi. I didn't know anything about them.
Only that they were royalty. I got really terrified when I heard everything. Every power and everything they did.
I looked a little too much in Edward's direction I think. Sometimes he would glance at me and I got so embarrassed every time that I looked down at the floor.
Then I remembered. He could read minds. Ooh that's even more embarrassing! He could probably read what I was thinking right now! And I was thinking how gorgeous he was! Ooh Bella stop thinking about it! I shouted to myself. Great now he thinks I'm nuts too.
Then I noticed that everyone went quiet.
It was quiet for a long time and then Edward broke the silence.
"Can someone please say something?" He asked.
"I need to check my closet", Alice said, gave Jasper a look and the two of them walked out of the room. I knew that she wouldn't do that but I didn't know what she would do either.
"Well I'm so sorry son but they need me at the hospital." Carlisle smiled and left too.
"I've a house to clean." Esme smiled her motherly smile and walked upstairs.
"I'm going to check the cars." Rosalie left the room.
"C'mon Bella can't we carry on with the match?! I was that close!" Emmett held his hands together, showing a tiny space between them.
"You know what Emmett? First thing: I was going to get you. Second: I'm stronger so no way. And at least the third and the most terrifying thing: Alice's going to be furious", I said and I really was scared of Alice. Specially when she wanted to play Bella Barbie Doll.
"Bella I heard that!" Came from upstairs.
Then I heard Edward laugh.
Both me and Emmett looked at him and Emmett raised an eyebrow.
"What?" He asked us both. "Emmett it's fun to see you of all people loose a wrestling match. How did you loose in the first place?" He smiled a breath taking smile.
"I'm not going to let you know!" He said clenching his jaw in concentration, trying to block Edward out I guessed.
"We arm wrestled and I won." I smiled insecure.
He couldn't help his laugh this time either as he looked at Emmett.
"That's it! I'm out!" Emmett shouted while running for the door.
When Emmett left the room I got hyper aware of that it was now only me and Edward in the room.
I looked up to say something but as soon as I did that I was caught by his eyes.
They were the same shade of gold as the others in the family and now mine. But it seemed like I could just stare into them. Get lost in his eyes.
Even if I didn't need to breathe I noticed that I didn't. I took a shaky breath.
He snapped out of it and too took a deep breath.
"I should go and unpack." He smiled a crooked smile.
"Then I should go and move my things", I said and before he got the time to say anything I ran upstairs.
I could feel his presence right behind me.
"You're fast." He pointed out.
"You too", I said and we both ran into the room.
"Wow that's a lots of bags." I couldn't help myself before I said it. I covered my moth with my hands.
But he just laughed.
"I know. Guess who packed?" He smiled big.
"Alice", We both said at the same time and burst out laughing.
"somebody called at me?" We heard Alice's voice from her and Jasper's room.
"No. It's nothing!" Edward said while grinning.
He started to walk for the bags and I picked up my book.
"Wuthering Heights?" He asked me.
"Yes I've always loved that book", I replied simply.
"So you like the classics? Both music and books?" He asked but put it a little bit as a statement.
"Well I only know a few but those I love." I smiled while my gaze flickered to his face. His face was a little surprised but he quickly composed himself.
"How did you know?" I suddenly asked. Did he read that from my mind? I was sure I hadn't told him this. We didn't know each other at all but it was something...
"I found my DeBussy CD in the CD-player. I got surprised when I walked into my room."
"Ooh I'm so sorry. I must of forgotten." It felt like I would blush. But of course I didn't.
"No it's okay. I just wondered." He smiled.
"Do you need any help with those? I can help you if you want", I said pointing to the bags.
"If you'd like." His eyes locked with mine. Neither of us turned away.
"Ehm..what should I do?" I asked nervously not breaking the gaze.
"Can you please but my books and CD's in the shelf again? It doesn't matter where." His eyes burned into mine and then suddenly he broke up in that crooked smile of his.
Uhh Bella clear your head. I tried to say to myself.
I was the one who broke the gaze even if I didn't want to. It felt a little bit awkward.
I walked to one of the bags without looking at him.
"Which one?" I asked.
"That one to the right." Was his only reply.
Wow did he have more CD's and books? I looked around the room that was already filled with it.
We both started.
He took one bag that I assumed was with clothes and I opened the bag he had pointed at.
"Wow you really have much books and CD's." I breathed as I saw what was in the bag.
"Yeah. I love to read, playing the piano and listening to music." He said simply.
"Is that yours?!" I blurted thinking about the beautiful grand piano who stood downstairs.
"You mean the piano? Yeah it's mine." He looked at me and smiled.
"You like it?"
"It's beautiful." I breathed.
"Can I hear you play?" I heard myself say before I knew it.
"Sometime maybe", his voice sounding a little insecure.
Then he just smiled and we worked in silence.
When I was done I didn't know what to do.
"Anything more?" I asked him.
"No it's fine. Thank you so much." He smiled.
"Mind if I read a little bit?" I asked while picking up Wuthering Heights.
"Sure." And then he started to work again.
I reread it once again.
"You know you could borrow one of mine." He pointed to a shelf.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes of course."
I walked to one of the shelves and saw Romeo and Juliet.
That one I loved too but I only read it when I was human.
I started to read on the couch while I heard Edward walk around in the room.
"Mind if I sit down?" He asked so close that I jumped in surprise.
"Hm..s-sure." I said a little nervously.
He smiled and sat down. "You know what?" He said with a frown.
"What?" I couldn't help but notice the little space who was between us.
"I can't read your mind." He blurted.
"W-what?" I stammered.
"Your mind is blank for me." He stated.
"But you can read minds!" I said stupidly. His crooked grin appeared.
"Yes I know."
"Sorry." I smiled sheepishly.
"No it's just that I get so frustrated. I want to know what you're thinking", He said tensely.
"You do?" I asked surprised. I really didn't want that to happen and I felt relief wash through me. He couldn't read my mind. He couldn't hear how much he provoked me.
Wow did I just think that?
He seemed to get embarrassed.
"Yes", He said quietly.
"Why do you think you can't read my mind?" I asked to distract myself from my own thoughts.
"I don't know. Maybe you've some barrier around your mind or your thoughts are in another level." He was deep in thought.
"Is is something wrong with me?" I started to panic.
"No of course not!" He said way too quickly.
"It's just that...maybe Carlisle would check it out. Maybe you've got a power or something..."
"A power?" I asked.
"Yes. You know. Like mine. I can read thoughts and you...yeah I don't know."
"Ooh. But shouldn't we have noticed that after a whole week?" I mean it could be something more right? What if I got a power? That would be really cool. I smiled.
"A week?! What do you mean?" Then it seemed to hit him.
"You've only been a newborn vampire for a week?!" He asked me in disbelief.
"Well yeah. Is it something wrong?" I asked worried about his face expression.
"You should be a newborn vampire!" He nearly shouted.
"Yeah...but I'm not." I really didn't like to be different but I was glad that I wasn't a newborn.
"Wow. That's amazing!" He said and smiled.
"Do you think that is your power?" He added.
"What? Power..?" I didn't get it.
"You know. That you've something who does that you are skipping the newborn year." He tried to explain.
"But is that a power?" I didn't think it was any good. I mean Alice could see the future, Edward read minds and Jasper could control your mood. To not mention all the powers the Volturi had.
I mean I was glad I skipped the newborn year but still. That wasn't any cool or fun at all!
"Wait...", I said. "What about the 'I can't read your mind' thing then?"
"Well..I don't know. Do you want to ask Carlisle?" He asked with an expression I couldn't read.
"Okay."
He stood up and offered his hand. I took it and it felt like sparks reached my hand as soon as we touched.
I looked up at his face. It was impossible to read.
He gazed into my eyes and then turned away. When he finally looked at me his face was composed.
"Ready?"
I just nodded and we headed out towards Carlisle's office.
"Come in", We heard Carlisle say after we knocked.
"Bella, Edward. Is it something special?" He seemed to come home right from work because he was hanging up his hospital coat.
"Well...Carlisle...I can't read her mind." Edward didn't like saying this. I could see it in his face.
"You...what?!" Carlisle asked after two long minutes.
"No. Her mind is blank for me", He said quietly.
"
How is that even possible?"
"I've no idea Carlisle! I'm so frustrated right now!" Edward said in a voice I hadn't heard him use in the whole time he had been here.
"Do you have any idea to why?" Carlisle put on his professional voice.
"Of course not!" Edward almost yelled.
"Edward.", I said quietly and touched his arm.
It felt like he relaxed at once.
"I'm sorry." He glanced at me as if he was ashamed.
"I'm sorry", He said again and turned to Carlisle.
"Son it's nothing. Now it's just to try to think of the right explanation to this", Carlisle said deep in thought.
"We tried a few things. That it is her power but then what is it that did so she skipped the newborn year?"
"That's good thoughts. I didn't know about that thing about that you couldn't read her thoughts so I've only thought about the newborn year thing. I've absolutely no idea about that either. Maybe we will never know."
"Do you have any ideas of why he can't read my mind?" I asked.
They both looked at me and seemed surprised. As if they forgot I was there.
Carlisle was the first one to speak. "No. Maybe it's some kind of shield..."
"Why didn't we think of that!" Edward exclaimed.
"Edward wait! It's not for sure. It can be almost anything else"
"What else could it be?" Edward asked confused.
"I don't know..."
"Exactly!"
"Excuse me but what's a shield?" I interrupted them both.
"Ooh, I'm sorry Bella. A shield is something that protects you from any vampire power. As Edward's mind reading. But if you are a shield then it's not working with Jasper and Alice's powers..." He said confused.
I just stood there. Wow. A shield? That's really something!
"I know!" He exclaimed suddenly.
"What?!" Both me and Edward said eagerly.
"You're a mental shield!" He exclaimed even louder.
"A...mental shield?" I tried the words in my mouth.
"Of course!" Edward said to my right.
"How couldn't I see that?" He said to himself.
"Edward, Bella!" We heard Alice call.
"You better get going. We'll talk about this later." Carlisle smiled toward me and then turned to smile to Edward.
"Hurry!" We heard her impatient voice say.
"Let's not keep the pixie wait." Edward smiled as we started to walk out and I heard Carlisle laugh a little behind us.
"There you are!" Alice came running towards us.
"What is it Alice?" Edward questioned.
"It's time for baseball." She smiled hugely.
Hey guys, so sorry that I haven't been updated until now! I've been really busy the last week and haven't had the time to write!
Well I really hope you liked this chapter and please leave me a review/comment with your thoughts about it! *smiles*
Linn