So it took me absolutely ages to write this chapter, I don't know why I struggled so much but I just didn't have the motivation, but I finally sat myself down and got into the flow and I'm pleased with what I've written, I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for all the reviews and votes!
WARNING: Just a warning for you all, this is the Port Angeles chapter, so some of you might find it uncomfortable to read. As this is my own version, what happens is slightly different. I know some of you may be uncomfortable with reading that part, so I will write the words skip and continue in capitals so that you know what to avoid. The events will be vaguely referred to after this and will be touched on in future chapters, possibly in more details.
If Charlie could have seen the speed Jess was driving at, then I was certain that he would have given her a ticket for speeding, but considering how early we had reached Port Angeles, I couldn't really complain. I also couldn't help but feel extremely happy about how much we were starting to bond in such a simple trip. Jess had been chatting away about how well her date with Mike had been and her hopes for their future and I could see the relief Bella felt, knowing that she likely had one less boy to fend off. Angela on the other hand had begun to have some reservations about Eric. She had been happy that he had agreed to go with her in the beginning but now she wasn't too sure about whether they were the perfect match. Jess and I had tried to get her to answer our questions about what she liked in a guy but Bella had cut her off from answering.
"What kinds of dresses are you guys looking to get?" She asked as we walked up to one of the many stores that the town had to offer. It was much nicer than Forks and seemed a lot brighter too even if it had begun to drizzle.
Jess prattled off about how she wanted something stunning but not too flashy. I immediately set to work and pulled out several different dresses for her to try on while Bella attempted to help Angela. Eventually she ended up sitting down and talking about how she hadn't ever been to a dance before and I couldn't have been more shocked.
"You're joking!" I stated in disbelief.
"You mean to say, you never went to a dance with a boyfriend or even a close group of friends?" Jess asked as she changed out of a dress that was 'too modest'.
"I've never really had a boyfriend." Bella laughed while playing with a thread from her blouse.
"I never really had that kind of relationship back in Phoenix. And I never really went out either." She admitted.
I noticed Angela quickly placing some of the more revealing dresses Jess had chosen for her back in their places on the rack. I stood up to help her find a modest yet flattering dress as Jess continued to question my cousin.
"But why, surely you've been asked out before. Hell tons of the guys at our school have even asked you out!" She exclaimed, clearly reflecting on how Mike had previously asked both Bella and myself out.
"Yeah and I said no to all of them!" She laughed as Jess exited the changing room.
"All but Tyler." Angela spoke.
"Wait, what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in Bella's direction.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She raised her hands showing her equal confusion.
"How do you not know?" Jess laughed, looking between the both of us.
"Tyler said he's taking you to Prom." Angela elaborated looking at the confusion across Bella's face.
"Since when?" I laughed, amused once I realised how furious Bella had become.
"No idea, I NEVER agreed!" She responded with outrage all the while turning a bright shade of red.
"You're kidding right?" Jess laughed, "This is why Lauren is so angry with both of you, I mean, she's mainly jealous of Aaliyah but she is pissed that you were apparently going to Prom with Tyler since everyone knows she likes him." I rolled my eyes at Lauren's unnecessary jealousy and drew my attention back to Bella.
"Maybe you should talk to Tyler and then Lauren at some point, you know clear things up?" I suggested while grabbing a dress that looked pretty.
"Or maybe I should hit Tyler with my truck properly this time..." She grumbled.
"I don't think that would be your best idea." Angela said with slight concern.
"Not to mention Lauren would definitely be out for your blood if you did do that." I mentioned as the other girls agreed with me.
"Then what am I supposed to do?" She asked as she played with her fingers and avoided our eyes.
"I say confront him. That's probably the only way to set things straight. Just tell him you don't wanna go with him." I said wandering further into the dress aisle.
Letting the other three continue the discussion of how to deal with Tyler, I concentrated on finding Jess and Angela the perfect dresses since we were yet to find any that met both their expectations. Letting my eyes glance across the racks, I found a gorgeous red dress. It was simple yet had an elegance that would draw attention and it had a sweetheart neckline with glittering decorations.
"Angie!" I yelled, grabbing the dress immediately. "This is it, it's perfect for you!" I squealed as we met in the middle. I held it up against her immediately thinking of how she could wear her hair and makeup that night.
"Are you sure? Where did you even find this?" She asked as she took a closer look.
"Further down the aisle, there are a ton of other dresses than these ones."
"That would look stunning on you." Jess sighed as Bella nodded in agreement.
"It's simple, but not too simple. And it's just as modest as you were hoping for it to be." I spoke seeing the uncertainty in her eyes.
"You're not wrong." She caved with a smile.
"Yes! One dress down and one to go!" I squealed as I grabbed Jess's hand and pulled her into another aisle while Bella and Angie laughed.
"I am so glad I'm not going to this dance." I heard Bella mutter as she watched me hold up multiple dresses up against Jess.
"Trust me, Bella, I may just have to help Tyler take you to Prom and I'm sure Charlie would be more than happy to help me with my plans." I teased as she nervously tugged at her hair.
"You know, I think champagne would be a nice colour on you Jess." Bella mentioned as we carried on our search.
"Really?" Responded a surprised Jess. Although she was within her rights seeing as this was the first bit of input Bella had offered.
"She's not wrong, it would go with your skin tone perfectly." I supported with agreement.
"I just want to look perfect. You know, special. It's not like we get to dress up like this all the time and I just want the night to be magical." She admitted with a blush.
I smiled and pulled her into a gentle hug.
"I'm sure it'll be everything you want it to be."
After leaving for another store we finally found Jess the perfect dress. I gasped as I saw it and turned to Jess dramatically.
"Jess, I think this is it. It's the one." I spoke in all seriousness.
She froze and scanned my face for any signs of a joke.
"Are you serious? Where?" She asked me as her eyebrows shot up. Pointing in it's direction, she gasped as she rushed to touch the fabric.
"I swear, how are you so good at this?" She exclaimed as she picked it up.
"It's a talent." I laughed as she started squealing.
"You know you're definitely helping us find our Prom dresses right?" Angela asked.
"As long as you let me help you guys get ready for this dance. We may be staying home but I'm really enjoying this girls trip." I hadn't had this much fun in a long while and it made me smile. Things felt normal for once and my mind had been completely distracted. The thought of Edward had completely escaped me and the notion of vampires was forgotten for once and it was refreshing not to have to think about things so deeply for once.
"Trust me, there's no way I wasn't gonna get your help after today." Angela laughed as Jess nodded in agreement.
"I've gotta admit, even I'm having some fun right now." Bella admitted as we headed to the other side of the store to look at shoes. I smiled at her as I reached into my purse for my phone before noticing it was missing.
"Crap." I thought to myself, "I must have left it in Jess's car."
"Hey, I think I left my phone in your car, I can't find it." I mentioned to Jess as she picked up a pair of stilettos.
"Oh, well do you want us to come with you?" She asked, looking between me and the others.
"I was actually hoping to get a book, I could come with you?" Bella asked.
"It's fine, you can stay with the girls, I could get you the book and meet you guys after?" I suggested seeing as Bella had finally started enjoying herself.
"Are you sure?" Angela asked sweetly.
"Yeah, I won't be long, Bella just text me the name of the book and the store and I'll go grab it and meet you guys after, I shouldn't be too long."
"Okay, we'll see you in a bit then." I headed back to Jess's car and noticed the sun had started to set. And for once, the weather wasn't too bad.
Soon enough, I had found Jess's car and was rummaging through the car to find my phone, which had fallen under one of the seats. Stretching ever so slightly, I finally managed to grasp it and pull it out of the car. I unlocked my phone to check the text from Bella and frowned.
"Quileute Legends?" I had no clue why Bella was looking into them since she had never brought them up before but I figured that maybe she had heard Jake mention them at some point.
Heading down the streets, I searched for the store she had texted me, eventually finding it in a slightly secluded area. It looked pretty empty from what I could tell so I figured that I'd be in and out soon enough, but finding the book was harder than I thought.
"Hi, do you happen to have any books on Quileute Legends?" I asked what seemed like an employee of the shop. I followed them to the quiet corner of the store and smiled as they pulled out a dusty looking book.
"Thanks." I smiled before taking it into my hands. Interested in what could be in the book, I flicked to the contents page to see there was a chapter discussing the origins of the Quileute tribe. I looked through the pages and found myself slightly shocked as the story was very similar to the one Jacob had told me. It even mentioned the name "Cullen" which made my blood run cold.
"Why would Bella want this book?" I distractedly thought as I paid for the book before pushing it into my bag.
"Does she know about the Cullens? But why would she? She doesn't even talk to them. Unless her and Edward are closer than I thought. But if he's so desperate to keep what he is a secret, why would he expose himself to the both of us?" I couldn't wrap my mind around the situation and found myself slightly panicked. Turning a corner, I found myself even more panicked as I bumped into an older looking man who reeked of alcohol.
"Oh, I am so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." I smiled politely as I attempted to step around the man and continue on my way back to the others.
"Not a problem, darling." The guy slurred with a sickening look in his eyes. I quickly looked away and kept walking only to feel a chill run down my spine as I saw more men in a similar state walking in the same direction as him.
"Don't panic, don't panic." I desperately thought. I was fine, just unsettled. I realised that all this panicking had made me doubt which path to take on my way back and I had clearly taken the wrong one. I had ended up down an abandoned road and there seemed to be an open space with no buildings around except for the ones I had left behind me.
Out of my peripheral, I noticed more and more men coming from different directions and I could feel my heart racing with anxiety. I grabbed my phone quickly, ready to dial Uncle Charlie, only to have it knocked out of my hand. I jumped back and felt myself collide with a chest.
SKIP THIS PART IF YOU READ THE WARNING ABOVE AND WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE READING THIS
"You okay darling?" I heard a voice laugh. It must have been the man from before. "You seemed like you were in a rush." He spoke, his lips uncomfortably close to my ear and his hands gripping my waist tightly.
I closed my eyes in fear straight away and felt my voice shake as I spoke.
"Please let me go." I couldn't believe my impossible bad luck to be in this kind of situation again. Except right now, this situation felt a hell of a lot worse than that party I was at.
"But I wanted you to meet my friends!" He laughed as he pushed me towards a member of the group who had been looking me up and down with a sinister smile.
"What's your name baby?" The guy laughed as he brushed my hair away from my face.
I felt sick.
It had always felt like an intimate gesture to have someone brush away my hair but right now, there was nothing but fear that I could associate with the action.
A tear leaked from my eyes as I felt his slimy lips on my neck and another man's hands on my bare thighs.
"Haha, boys I think she's shy!" Another voice laughed as I flinched. I was trying hard to keep myself together but I couldn't help it.
A whimper of fear left my mouth as the man sucked on my neck while the other decided to run his hands across my breasts.
"Dear God, someone help. This can't be happening again." I silently cried as I felt more hands grope and more men jeer.
Suddenly, I heard tyres squeak violently across the gravel and some men had jumped back to avoid being hit. I squinted and felt blinded by the lights but could only hope that Jess, Bella and Angela had found me.
I heard a growl and felt the men relinquish me from their hold as they stepped back in fear. As my eyes focused on the tall figure in front of me, I let out a sob of relief.
CONTINUE READING
"Edward." He kept his eyes on the group of men behind me and held out a hand towards me.
I grabbed it tightly and let him pull me close before telling me to get in his car.
Everything was happening so quickly that all I could do was comply and before I knew it Edward had driven us into a busier area of Port Angeles and parked in an open space. He had been talking but I had been thinking back to what had happened only moments ago.
"Aaliyah." He said raising his voice slightly yet maintaining a soft tone.
I looked in his direction for a few seconds before bursting into tears.
I threw myself into his open arms and felt myself crumble as the events of the evening cling to me. His cold hands rubbed up and down my back comfortably and cooled my body from the heated panic I had initially felt.
"You found me." I whispered as more tears fell from my eyes.
"Of course I did. I always do." He teased cautiously as he continued to hold me tightly. I let a watery laugh escape even though I hadn't fully come to terms with what had just happened.
"Bella, I need to call her." I said yet I made no movements to pull away from his chest.
"We can call her after." He replied, breathing out calmly.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
"What?" He laughed. I repeated my question only for him to tense slightly.
"Don't you think I should be the one asking you that?" He replied with anger lacing his words. I didn't reply, unsure how to respond. I didn't expect myself to ever be in this situation with anyone, let alone Edward.
"I was just angry." He added, letting his muscles relax once more.
"At me?" I frowned as I began to panic, once again.
"No, I don't think I could ever be angry at you." He replied, calming me down. "I was angry at those men. The fact that they were touching you, the things that they were thinking and what they could have done. And more importantly, the way they were making you feel." He admitted. I felt my heart warm at his words and my eyes watered once again.
"Thank you." I sniffed. "I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you how grateful I am that I have you in my life." I admitted as I thought about how he had constantly been there for me since I had met him on my first day.
"Trust me, I know." He replied as he held me closer to his chest.
We stayed there for a while longer, letting me find comfort in his scent. He smelled like the forest, but there was a sweet, almost floral scent there too. I decided that it was something I liked.
"I should probably call Bella now, I was supposed to meet her and the others ages ago." I muttered, unwillingly pulling away from Edward and wiping any leftover tears from my face. I cringed at the sight of his shirt that was soaked with tears and ruined with mascara.
"It's fine, honestly." Edward said, clearly seeing the regret on my face. "I'm known to get my shirts a bit messy so Esme has many methods when it comes to cleaning them." He laughed, making me smile in return. "Oh, here's your phone by the way. I grabbed it from the floor before we left. It's a bit cracked." He held it out and I took it from him. The cracks weren't too bad but bad enough that I would be saving up for a new phone.
"Thanks." I smiled again before calling Bella.
"Aaliyah! Where are you? We've all been calling you for ages! I was so worried, I almost called Charlie!" She yelled the second she answered the phone.
"I'm so sorry, finding that book took me a while and when I left I must have taken a wrong turn and got lost. Before I could call you or Jess, I bumped into Edward." I admitted while leaving out what else had happened.
"Edward? You're with him?" She asked with less worry. I heard other voices on her end of the phone before I replied.
"Yeah, I'll explain everything later. Where are you guys?" I asked before she could say anything else. I heard a bit of fuss before I heard Jess's voice come through.
"We kinda got bored waiting and already ate dinner at that restaurant we were planning on going to. But maybe you should grab something with Edward." She suggested. I raised an eyebrow towards him, not sure what to do.
"Are you sure? I mean, I could always eat once I'm home, besides, you're supposed to be my ride." Without hearing a reply, Edward swiftly took my phone and cut Jess off by saying he would be taking me to dinner and dropping me off at home, and by then I knew I'd be facing her endless questions over the weekend.
"Do you like Italian?" Edward asked as he hung up and returned my phone.
"Who doesn't?" I replied as he started up his car and began to drive.
What was supposed to be a 15 minute trip had become a very worrying 5 and I could only imagine what Charlie would do if he knew how fast Edward had been driving.
As we walked into Bella Italia I couldn't help but ask, "How did you know that we were planning on eating here?"
"The same way I knew where to find you." He admitted sheepishly as we were seated in a small quiet corner away from the many eyes that had immediately been drawn to the copper haired boy by my side.
"So, I'm guessing that wasn't a coincidence then." I laughed nervously as he awkwardly picked up a menu.
"I'll explain things once you've had something to eat. I'm not sure if it's wise to tell you everything after what just happened." He smiled gently although you could see in his eyes, there was no happiness behind it.
"If you're sure then." I replied as he called a waitress over. I ordered myself a pasta and a glass of water and tried not to laugh when the waiter turned to Edward and asked what he would like to eat.
He simply ordered some dessert and flashed her a smile that practically had her swooning and by that point I had started to giggle. He raised a curious eyebrow at me as she left and I was shocked that he had failed to realise how charming he had been.
"You realise that the second you smiled the poor girl almost fainted right?" I laughed as I pulled my cardigan on tighter.
"I think that's a bit dramatic." He chuckled in response.
"Edward, you're joking. You could easily charm yourself a free meal just by smiling."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Could I charm you?" He asked playfully and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and tease him.
"You wish you could charm me. Unfortunately for you, I see right past your looks."
"There goes my plan then." He responded with mock sadness.
"What plan?" I asked, curious.
"Well, I guess you'll never know." He replied as the waitress returned with the food, ignoring me for the most part and asking if Edward was sure he didn't want anything else.
Taking a few bites, I was instantly feeling a bit better although slightly more exhausted from everything that had taken place, but I didn't want to focus on that. So instead I asked Edward, "What's with the dessert?"
"I just thought you would want something sweet after." My heart warmed at how caring he was.
"You didn't have to order anything."
"I know, but I don't mind paying for it."
"I get that, but you also ordered like five different things, even if I do have dessert, there's no way I could eat all that!" I laughed as I took another bite of my pasta.
"Oh, I thought it would be nice to get some for the twins, Bella and Sheriff Swan." He said sheepishly. He ran his hand through his hair and I automatically realised that he was wondering if he had overstepped any lines. So I smiled and thanked him for what must have been the thousandth time that night.
"How are you feeling?" He asked as I moved onto the cheesecake in front of me.
"A lot better now."
"Good, if you want, I can start explaining things now, I know you have some questions." He seemed nervous and I could understand why, I doubt he had ever been in such a position before.
"Just a few, but you aren't obliged to answer any of them if they make you uncomfortable." I didn't want to make him think I had backed him into a corner that he couldn't get out of. I would respect his boundaries.
"Thank you, I appreciate that." His eyes were light once again, I hadn't noticed them earlier, but there were flecks of gold and they seemed to be the lightest shade they had been since I had met him.
"Your eyes." I whispered, before realising what I had said. I quickly pulled away and shoved another spoon of cake in my mouth. I could see him hold back a smirk and felt my cheeks heat up at his reaction.
"So,"I quickly decided to change the subject.
"How did you know where I was?" I asked, remembering that he agreed to explain that.
"I may or may not have... an ability." He winced at his wording while I blinked with confusion.
"Um, what kind of ability?"
"The type that allows me to read thoughts."
"You can read my thoughts?!" I whisper-shouted.
"Not exactly."
"But you just-" He cut me off before I could continue.
"I know what I said, just let me explain. Please." He looked at me and I could feel my body relax slightly even though the thought he could read my mind was unsettling. Did that mean he knew everything I had thought about him? And other thoughts I may have had in general?
"Okay." I replied, aware that this would be the only way I would get any answers.
"I can read thoughts but there are a few limitations to my ability that I only discovered after meeting you." I raised my eyebrows but refrained from saying anything and waited for him to continue.
"When it comes to reading your thoughts, it's almost like connecting to a radio station. Sometimes, it feels like I can't get the right frequency, but I don't think it's something I can control. I think that whether I can read your thoughts or not, is something that only you can allow me to do. There are some days where I can hear a few of your thoughts as clear as though you are speaking to me and other days where I can hear either snippets of sentences or nothing at all. And there has also been a few times where, well, where you've heard my thoughts." He admitted watching my facial expression change throughout.
"I've heard your thoughts?" I asked in complete shock. He nodded as I tried to wrap my head around what he had said.
"Are you sure? How do you know?" I asked with furrowed brows.
"There have been a few times where you've replied to my thoughts out loud and I know for certain that I have never spoken my thoughts aloud."
"Oh." Was all I could say.
"We can end the discussion here for now if you want? I understand that it can be overwhelming." I looked up at him and shook my head.
"No, I can handle it, it's just gonna take a bit of time for it to fully sink in. But I do think it would be best if we carried on this conversation somewhere more private." I admitted as I finished my food.
"Of course, let's get this all packed up." He called another waiter over and requested for the desserts to be packed up and had paid the bill before I could even reach for my purse.
I opened my mouth ready to argue that we should at least split it, but the stern look he was giving me forced me to swallow my words.
As we waited, I thought over his words and decided to test if he really could hear my thoughts. I knew for a fact that Edward wasn't and would not lie to me, but that doesn't mean he could be wrong.
I thought of a sentence that I could easily say out loud and focused on it.
"Let's take a walk along the boardwalk. Let's take a walk along the boardwalk. Let's take a walk along the boardwalk." Just as I thought he was wrong he looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Okay."
"Okay? Okay, what?" I asked, not sure if he was actually replying.
"We can take a walk along the boardwalk." He replied, grabbing the food and my hand and pulling me out of the restaurant alongside him.
My mouth dropped in astonishment and I didn't know if I should be impressed or worried. He quickly left the food in his car before guiding me to the boardwalk, there weren't many people there, so our conversation would easily become as private as we needed it to be.
"Okay, so you can read minds." I admitted as we slowly walked, our hands still clasped, although I wouldn't be able to let go of his hand if I had wanted to.
"With a few exceptions." He admitted. "Unlike your mind, I can't read Bella's at all. I've never heard a single thought of hers. It confuses me more. And with Charlie, I can no longer read his thoughts properly, although, it's not quite like reading your mind. And with the twins, I can hardly hear their thoughts, although, that may be because they're still very young. I've never been in a situation where I've had to be around kids." He explained honestly.
"So I'm guessing this thing is most likely something to do with the Swan bloodline." I muttered to myself.
"Okay, what else can you tell me about mind reading? Is it something that you can control? Can you only hear a few minds at a time?" I asked, becoming more interested.
"Unfortunately, no. I can't control this ability. I can constantly hear most people's thoughts, even when I wish I couldn't. I hear almost everyone's thoughts but only those who are relatively close to me. If I, however, focus on one person's thoughts, it helps make all other thoughts quieter. It's one of the reasons I find myself wanting to be around you." I wasn't sure if he was aware of what he was saying at this point, but he clearly knew how to make me blush.
"Just one of the reasons?" I asked, finding myself shyly looking up at him.
"One of many." He responded, looking right back at me.
"Would you be willing to share the other reasons?" I asked him, hoping he would comply.
"Eventually." He laughed.
"Oh don't worry, I can wait." I said with seriousness before joining his laughter. The tension had dissolved and I was feeling more relaxed in his presence after I had let him explain and answer my questions.
"So, when you found me, earlier, was that one of the times you could hear me?" I asked as I remembered how we started this topic.
"Yes, I could hear your thoughts. Your fear. And those men. I could hear their thoughts." He angrily admitted. I rubbed the pad of my thumb across his smooth knuckles to soothe him, pleased to see it work.
"It's okay, you stopped them. You saved me." He shook his head, distracted.
"I just wonder what could have happened if I didn't follow you to Port Angeles."
"You followed me?" I asked slightly freaked out.
"I had a feeling that something bad could happen if I wasn't around."
"Edward, I find that sweet but there's no way for you to be around me 24/7. And even if you were, that wouldn't ensure that something bad wouldn't happen." I spoke to him gently. I didn't want his sole focus to be on me. It wasn't healthy, even if he wasn't human. I wondered if I should ask him about my latest theory, but I decided that I wanted to focus on what we had discussed thus far. Everything else could wait. I knew that we would eventually have to approach that conversation, but I'd rather delay it.
"I know, but I care about you and I'd rather try than allow something to happen. But if you wish for it, then I will allow you your space." I thanked him, letting him know that I appreciated his consideration before yawning slightly. My eyes felt droopy and after the dinner I had I was feeling exhausted.
"We should head back to Forks. We can continue this conversation another day. Maybe we should let your mind comprehend everything we've spoken about tonight." He turned us around and we began to head back to his car.
I shivered at the breeze as my hair began to fly in the same direction.
"Here." Edward slipped his jacket off and placed it over my shoulders and I couldn't help but tease him about how cliche he was being.
"What a classic move." I laughed as he pulled his jacket around me tighter. He looked down at me and began to unfasten the zip.
"I mean, I could always take my jacket back..."
"Hey! No, I was kidding! I like your cliche moves!" I laughed pulling his hands away and zipping the jacket back up.
"That's what I thought." He teased as he took my hand again as we approached his car.
He opened the door for me and hurried to his side of the car once he was seated. Soon enough, he had turned the engine on as well as the heat and I felt my eyes start to close.
"What time is it?" I asked, not bothering to open my eyes.
"Almost 9pm."
"Oh, it feels later than that." I muttered sleepily.
"You're tired, get some rest." He was speaking quietly, as if he was scared to disturb me.
"Okay." I replied, letting myself drift off, too tired to try and stay up for the hour drive ahead of us.
Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, let me know your thoughts and ideas, if there's anything you guys want to see.
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