Chapter 16

Bella POV

After he scooped me up in his arms he took off running, it was only about 10 minutes later I was being stood up on my feet. His arm wrapped around my waist. I could hear something kind of far off, like people or something.

"Edward, where are we?" I asked

"It's a surprise"

"Edward," I warned.

"I'm not doing anything wrong this was Alice's doing, and before you say what I know you're about to say, it is a surprise if you were sighted you would have a blindfold on so no you aren't missing anything."

Well you have to admit he did know what I was about to say. He doesn't need that power of his to know what I'm thinking.

"Hmph" I pouted, starting to walk off.

"Bella, love, come on, I'll lead you." I felt his arm wrap around my waist and turn me in a different direction. "You're going in the wrong direction." He told me gently, playing with a piece of my hair.

I looped my arm into his, not proper guiding etiquette but it left me closer to him.

"Ok you don't have to tell me what's going on but can you at least tell me where we are."

He seemed to think about that for a moment when his phone rang.

I heard the dial tone and then "Hello, Alice"

I should have known.

"No we're outside"

"I won't tell her a thing, I promise"

"Yes, you can tell her"

"Alice, we will be there in 2 minutes, ok."

He hung up the phone.

"To answer you earlier question no, I can't tell you where we are."

"Ok whatever let's just meet Alice wherever we are meeting her."

He started walking and true to his word on the phone, after about 2 minutes I was being dragged out of Edwards arms by the little pixie.

"Ali, where are we?" I questioned getting impatient.

But she didn't answer me, her next words were directed at Edward. "What kind of proposal was THAT?" she asked. "You made it sound like it was a business deal, not a romantic notion!" she hissed out almost too fast for me to make it out.

"Alice," Edward said, I could almost see him pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Edward," Alice mocked him.

"Alice!" I cut in, "Where are we?" I questioned again.

"Our house." she answered simply.

"I'm not stupid, Edward ran way to long for us to be at your house. It takes about 5 minutes for us to get to your house from the meadow, even with Edward carrying. We were running for about 10 minutes." I told her sounding bleak.

"I took a detour so you wouldn't figure out that we were going home." Edward told me sheepishly. I looked in his direction and glared. I felt Alice's small, cold hand turn my face.

"What did that tree ever do to you, you were giving it a death glare?" Alice giggled, letting go of my face.

I ducked my head down and blushed, embarrassed that I wasn't looking in the right direction. I felt Edwards hand gently try to move my head upward, it felt like he was making a suggestion, not forcing my face to rise. I kept my head down and he removed his hand.

"Bel-"Edward started.

"What's going on Alice?" I asked her to cut him off.

"I'm sorry Bella I wasn't trying to make you feel bad." She told me.

"It's fine, can you answer the question now."

"We are having a party!" she shrieked in a very Alice-like way.

"What!?" I yelled. "A party, what kind of party?"

"I told you she wouldn't be happy Alice." Edward put in.

"A graduation party, it will be fun!" she insisted.

"Yeah, that's what you said last time." I told her. I didn't need Jasper's gift to tell that the mood had darkened.

I turned towards Edward. "Did you really think I would like this or is it another 'human experience' you want me to have?" I asked making quotation marks with my fingers around 'human experience'.

"Bella, I just wanted you to have fun." he told me.

I turned away from them.

"Bella why don't you want to go?" Edward asked.

"Edward, I just don't okay." I said to him sternly, not revealing my real reason.

"Why are you so against this, Bells?" Alice asked.

"Alic-" I started, exasperated.

"Don't 'Alice' me." She told me.

I looked to Edward, "Can you take me home?"

"Bella can't you just come for a little while? Alice already called Charlie, he's fine with you staying over."

"Bellaaaaaaa!" Alice whined, "Why don't you want to come?" She asked me, raising her voice.

I started walking away from the noise, knowing they wouldn't let me get far from them.

"BELLA!" Alice yelled not liking being ignored. A moment later I felt her small hand on my shoulder. I ripped my arm from her grip, knowledgeable to the fact that if she didn't let me go, I would still be in her grasp. "Why don't you want to come?" She demanded. I kept walking but this time I didn't even get a few feet before I tripped. I felt Edward arms around me just as my hand hit a rock on the ground. It was pretty sharp and I was worried I'd broken the skin, I wriggled out of Edwards arms and stumbled backwards.

"Bella? What's wrong?" Edward asked, seeming slightly crushed that I had pulled away from him.

I figured if none of us had smelled it already that my worry about blood was invalid. "Sorry, I hit my hand on a rock, I thought I broke the skin." I said, "I didn't want to make you or Alice uncomfortable." I added hastily after realizing that he could have taken it as I was scared of him, not for him. I heard his tale-tale sigh after I finished my sentence.

"Your fine." He said to me, sounding dejected. I started walking closer to him wanting to comfort him but I faltered again. Just like a minute before his arms snaked around my waist, he stood me back up and I stayed in his arms this time.

"We are missing the party! Lets go!" Alice said excitedly.

"I still don't want to go." I said.

"Why Bella?" I just shook my head.

"Bella, love, why don't you want to go? I know you're not a big party person but it's just for a few hours?" he asked gently, I could feel his breath on my cheek, I knew he was leaning into me. I shook my head again but with less vigor than before. "Love, please, I just want to make you feel better."

"I haven't been around this many people yet." I whispered.