Remember 20

Chapter 20

"Alice?" I ask.

It stays quiet for a minute.

I hear a breath catch on the other end.

"No," a male voice says.

I close my eyes and smile; I'd know that voice anywhere.

"It's Edward..."

"Is it really you?" he asks.

I nod, feeling like an idiot, I answer him, "Yes, it's me."

"I've missed you so much, Bella." hearing him say my name sends a shiver through me.

"I miss you, too, Edward." Tears spring to my eyes. He misses me. "I want to see you so badly."

The pain in his voice nearly breaks me, "Soon, I promise." he says. "Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"I...yeah, I should be."

"Why aren't you at school then?"

"James took me away. I sort of got into a fight with two of the girls there."

"What, why?" he growls.

"They were being bitches. All day people have been asking me questions about things I won't answer, that I can't answer. Then Lauren touched me, and I lost it." I can hear his growl, but when he speaks, he's calm.

"You won't have to deal with them too much longer. In two weeks everything will be over, and I'll come for you." He says.

I can't help the smile on my face. "I graduate in a few days, it will be perfect."

"Hey, is that my phone?" James asks as he opens the car door.

"Is that James?"

"Yeah, it is," I answer them both.

"As much as I'd rather hear your beautiful voice, let me talk to him."

My throat tightens, and my vision blurs. "Okay...I really do miss you."

"I miss you too, but soon."

"Soon..."

"Okay, you can do this!" I pep-talk myself. "You've been through hell and back, you graduate tomorrow. Everything will work out, and then Edward will be here soon."

"Isabella, come down here!" Charlie calls out, making me jump.

"We can do this," I say rubbing my small baby bump.

I head downstairs and nearly stop when I see Jessica Stanley's mother sitting at my kitchen table.

"Do you have something to tell me, young lady?" Charlie asks a bit too calmly. "Mrs. Stanley says something happened Friday."

"You attacked my daughter and her friend, Lauren Mallory." She glares at me.

I can't help but glare back. "Did Jessica tell you everything?" I ask and her glare falters. "Did they tell you that they verbally attacked me just because a male friend was consoling me?" I look to Charlie who looks a tad guilty. "They cornered me and wouldn't let me leave. No one would help me, everyone just sat and watched. Then Lauren touched me...she tried to...to pull my shirt up." Unexpected tears start to fall; I'm angry, scared and tired of lying.

"How dare they!" my father growls and turns his own glare on Mrs. Stanley who now shrinks back. She looks shocked and almost sorry.

"Why would they do that?" She asks.

Here it goes, "Because they wanted to show everyone this," I pull back the new shirt James brought me. "I'm pregnant, they wanted everyone to know even though I told them it was none of their business."

Charlie is teary-eyed, and Mrs. Stanley looks to be in shock. After a moment she recovers, "I am so sorry this has happened to you. I'll have a talk with both of the girls and Bella, if you have anymore problems with them, please let me know."

Wow, that was a huge change in attitude. I nod, and she stands, Charlie goes to follow her as she continues to apologize and scurry away.

When she's gone, and Charlie comes back, he looks relieved. "You're finally announcing it?"

"You know?"

He nods, what the heck!

"You're not mad at me?"

He sighs and shrugs his shoulders before taking a seat, "I was at first, I was outraged, but I talked to Renee about it, she confirmed my suspicions and talked me out of my anger."

"Mom knows?"

He nods, "I was so angry, Bells, but then Renee said, why get angry over something that we cannot change? It's done, and it is what it is."

"You don't hate me?"

He stands and pulls me into a tight hug, "I could never ever hate you, Bells. No matter what you do in this world." when we finally let each other go he hesitates to ask, "So, um, does the father know yet?"

I shake my head no.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"The next time I get a chance."

"And you promise he didn't force himself on you?"

"Edward is good, Dad, I promise."

He grunts, "Edward, was he here the other day, you know with these shirts?"

"No, Edward is elsewhere, the shirts belong to a friend who's been looking out and protecting me."

"Yeah, what's his name?"

I bite my lip, to tell or not to tell. I mean he is a freaking cop for crying out loud.

"Bella, your secrets are always safe with me. I'll protect you always, even from the law."

"His name is James, and he follows me everywhere I go."

"Are you still in danger?"

I shrug, "I don't know, but Edward seems to think so."

"IS it his fault you're in danger?" he asks but it almost sounds accusatory.

I shake my head no, "Edward protected me when no one else could, and he taught me to defend myself. I got myself in danger that night when I got lost in Phoenix and witnessed the murder of his parents.

Charlie is quiet for a while, and I can't get a read on him.

"After you tell Edward about the baby, I'd like to meet him."

"Dad, really?"

"It's just to thank him."

"Maybe," I tell him, and he smiles.

×Week 12×

I smooth my dress down and laugh, I can't believe Charlie already knew, and so did Renee.

Charlie is more observant than I thought.

Today we graduated.

There were twelve of us who graduated, so we're having a party at school.

When I went back on Monday, I wore a fitted shirt and a pair of jeans with a stretch band Charlie bought me. People stared, they whispered and flat-out talked out loud for me to hear, and I just ignored it all.

I'm pregnant, and it's out there.

"Bells, are you ready to go?" Charlie knocks.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I open the door and immediately his eyes land on my baby bump.

"You look...good." he says looking back up at me.

I smile, "I also look pregnant."

He nods, "Yeah," he rubs the back of his neck.

"Let's get this over with." he nods in agreement.

We pull up to the school, and that's when Charlie notices James across the street. "Is that your protection?" he nods in his direction.

"It is," I tell him.

He only looks a little troubled, but he pulls himself together before climbing out of the truck.

I watch as James rolls down his window and motions for me to join him. Looking back to Charlie, and I can see his eyes are following me.

"I'll be two seconds," I tell him, and with a stiff nod, I'm quickly crossing the street.

"What's wrong?" I ask because surely something is wrong if he's calling me over.

"There is a new black Escalade in town, it doesn't belong to any of the residents, and it hasn't been staying at any hotels. I've got a strange feeling about it so stay close. Are your strapped?" he asks.

I nod, "It's in my bag."

"Okay, just relax, have a good time because you deserve it but if you see anything or anyone out of place call me, tell your dad and then get the fuck out of there, got it?"

I nod, "Thanks, James."

"I gotta call Edward, I'll see you soon," he says.

My heart clenches at hearing his name. I force a smile and turn back around to find my dad. I really hope everything is okay.

"Everything okay?" Charlie asks as I get closer.

"I hope so, let's get this over with." I loop my arm through his offered one, and together we enter the high school gym.

The lights are low, and the atmosphere is relaxed, but I can't shake the paranoia, and I think Charlie is picking up on it.

"I'm going to get us some food, you grab us a table," Charlie says. For a small group, everyone sure has a lot of family here. I find a table off to the side and take a seat ... it's meant for six but oh well.

I get an uneasy feeling in my gut when I feel something press into the back of my head.

Holy...I know that feeling.

"Shh, Isabella, let's go for a walk." An unrecognizable voice says.

I stand, my bag still on my shoulder, and I turn to see who this person is, only he sticks the barrel of the gun into my back by my ribs and whispers, "Don't even, just get going."

I move as the gun leads me and just as we reach the door, across the crowded gym I spot Dad. He's looking around confused, and then his eyes land on me.

Being a cop, he realizes what's happening very quickly and starts making his way to us, but I'm being rushed out of the door. Outside I see James' car, and for a second I'm relieved until the guy behind me laughs. "James is dead so don't get your hopes too high up."

He's... what?

No, he can't be.

Tears spring to my eyes.

"Get in the back." the guy shoves me towards a black SUV. The back door opens, and a man with skin like old worn leather sits on the other side. His hair is long and black just like his eyes.

I'm pushed into the back seat with him, and I just know I know him, but how?

I can hear my father screaming, but I can't look at him.

"Who are you?" I ask as the SUV pulls away

The man huffs, "You don't know me, but I know you, Isabella. He talked about you all the time." he shakes his head with sadness. "Jacob Black was my son, and your boyfriend killed him."

Holy shit.

It's Jacob's father, and he doesn't know...

I killed Jacob Black.

Charlie's POV

The flashing lights were giving me a headache.

Bella is gone; the kid watching her is currently fighting for his life, and I have no clue who has my baby girl. I shouldn't have left her.

The front seat of James' car is soaked with blood. There's a gun on the floorboard, but a gut feeling is telling me to look beside the seat. I stick my hand in between and feel something hard. I manage to grab it and pull it out. It's a small black cell phone.

"Did you find something Chief?" Deputy Biers asks.

I turn to him and slip the phone into my pocket. "No, just checking everything."

He nods and is on his way, believing my lie.

I head back to my truck and climb in. I fish out the cell phone and try to unlock it. There's a four-digit passcode, and my first three attempts don't work. Just as I'm about to try again the phone buzzes in my hand.

E.C.

I really hope it's who I need it to be.

I slide the green button, and the call is connected. I stay quiet for a minute, and so do they.

"Edward?" I finally ask... no answer.

"I'm Charlie Swan, Bella's father, and I need your help."