Chapter 8

I felt the shift through the summer between our junior and senior year.

My small band of friends were busy, taking advantage of life, preparing to fly out into the world. I stayed busy too, but more and more it felt a ruse, a part I played to ease those around me. I carried his kiss to my forehead, like a blessing, a promise and as I walked through my senior year, that singular feeling of not belonging here seemed to surge within me.

As the end of my high school career rolled around so did May 8th. I had an excited hope in the idea of seeing Edward but felt a crippling shyness wash over me at the very same thought.

I had one last term paper to turn in and used it as an excuse to be alone. I timed my arrival at the library at Peninsula College just as the doors opened and planned to stay until the paper was complete.

Let him come and find me.

I smiled inwardly at the thought.

They were flipping on the lights as I walked through the lobby and the lady behind the counter looked up in surprise, "Good morning, you're here early for a Saturday."

"Yes, well, no sleep for the student with a term paper due," I laughed and waved as I continued on to my favorite cubical near the reference section.

I unpacked my backpack—notes, laptop, flash drives, apple, and a bag of chips. I ran to the bathroom before settling in for a long morning.

Returning, I found a breakfast bagel and a Starbucks latte on my table.

I smiled.

On the wrapper was the note:

Good Morning, Bella.

I touched it tenderly and picked up the coffee. A drawing of a boy sitting on a star, swinging his legs, and holding a rose smiled back at me.

I giggled.

"Thank you, Edward," I whispered.

"You're very welcome, my beauty," came from behind the nearest bookcase.

I quickly rounded the bookshelf only to find an empty aisle.

I huffed and returned to my cubicle. Seeing the stack of research, I sat down to eat my breakfast and dig into my paper.

As I worked on sorting my research and sipped my coffee, thoughts of Edward cluttered my mind. Without realizing it, I began to jettison my questions and hypotheses on a piece of paper, freeing my mind to focus on my research.

I went through AP Biology my first semester and this semester duel enrolled at Peninsula College, taking Environmental Science. In both classes, I became aware of all the areas we were failing our planet. Disrupted and vanishing ecosystems were causing a chain reaction worldwide. Bring in the threat of pandemics, altered genetics, and natural disasters. We were playing kickball with a time bomb.

Around eleven, I stood, stretching with the intent to go for a walk to clear my head. When I returned, there was a video paused on my open laptop and a cold-cut sub on my desk.

"Thank you, Edward," I whispered as I sat down before my laptop.

"You're most welcome, my beauty," Edward said from his spot beyond the wall of books.

I watched the video of Midway Island and the devastation of dumping trash into the oceans. Looking down at my notes, Edward's scrawl was written in a corner:

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

I Googled it and found a video of a large island of trash entangled with seaweed that ensnared and was ingested by all manner of sea life to devastating results.

I rubbed my eyes and sighed, trying to ease the heavy ache in my chest. I closed my eyes and felt a warm hand on my forehead drawing my head back to rest on his abdomen.

"Rest for a moment, Bella," He whispered as his smooth hand coursed back and forth over my brow.

I kept my eyes closed for fear he would disappear if I opened them.

"Edward, it's so heartbreaking," I sighed.

"I know, love. It truly is," he whispered.

He softly leaned me away from him, "Eat, Bella," he said and added, "I answered one of your questions."

He released me and was gone.

I bolted up and dug through my research to find my page of Edward notes. There it was, half way down.

Why does he only show up once a year?

In his now familiar masculine scrawl I read:

The answer is in the movement of the music box.

With my mind racing, I unwrapped my sub and took a bite. I pictured the cylinder rolling and coming into contact with the tine and the contact making the musical note.

I took another bite as my eyes landed on my coffee cup and the smiling boy on the star. Music box—stars—'straight on to morning'—ah.

I sat up swallowing quickly, "Planetary alignment!" I shouted.

I heard his laugh, "Yes."

"My God, Edward, we align one day a year?" I asked turning around.

He was behind me, his back against the bookshelves, "Yes, on your May 8th."

"May 8th," I smiled brightly. He smiled shyly back.

His face shifted to determination, "Finish eating and back to work for you, miss," he said with mock sternness.

I leaned excitedly toward him, "Can I ask another question?" I asked.

"No," floated in the air between us and then he was gone.

I finished my sub and continued sifting through my research materials with renewed determination.

~The impact on plants and animals due to dwindling Ecosystems and their global outcome on water and food supplies.

~How synthetic materials affect the planet through pollution and wildlife impact.

~Superbugs and drug-resistant germs

~Pandemic threatening disease, Ebola as example

~GMOs

~Chemicals, insecticides

~Recent devastation of Tsunamis, earthquakes, floods

~Wars, violent attacks, and genocide

With each new subject of research, my heart sank further into my chest. One area of global need was distressing but gathering all fronts of need together was—crushing.

As the late afternoon light filtered through the long windows of the reading area, I looked up, shattered, into the sympathetic eyes of Edward. I watched as a tear rolled slowly down his cheek, lingered at his chin before dropping onto his collar.

"It's too much," I rasped.

He swallowed thickly and nodded.

When he held his hand out to me, I ran to him, clinging as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

He walked us to an upholstered chair near my cubical and pulled me down with him. I leaned against his chest and cried. The smell of summer and the unusual beat of his heart calmed me over time.

My Edward

"Is it too late?" I whispered against his collar.

He sat me back, searching my face, and when understanding settled on his, he spoke.

"You will need to remember the findings and feelings of this day, little one."

I gave him a searching scan of my own, but he looked away and cleared his throat.

"Maybe your research is too broad for the paper. Perhaps choosing one area to pose your argument would better serve your needs," he said as he picked up my hand, studying it, turning it over before kissing the pulse point of my wrist.

I felt my blood heat and rush.

"Yes, I think you're right," I whispered.

He smiled softly and placed my hand on my knee and sat back. His eyes lingered on my lips before they moved up to my eyes.

With one finger, he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I should go, for now," he said softly.

Panicked, I blurted, "Are you going, already?"

"I'll say 'goodbye' before I go," he said with a soft smile.

He stood and walked me back to my workstation. Sitting me firmly down, he pushed in my chair. With his hand on my shoulders, he leaned in and said, "Now, do your best and make your words powerful, my little one."

I placed my hand over his on my shoulder, "I will, Edward."

Alone, I took a deep breath, cleared away all research, save manmade impact, and titling my page, Hubris of Humanity, I began.

I finished my rough draft before calling it a day. Walking past the front desk, the same library lady smiled and waved.

I started to wave back but stopped at her words.

"Looks like you got a lot done. I don't know how you put two sentences together with such a handsome research assistant." She said leaning over the tall desk.

"Yes, he was very helpful." I smiled before adding, "and handsome."

She laughed as I waved goodnight.

I reached home just after dark to an empty house. A note let me know dinner was in the fridge and they would be back from the Clearwater's around nine.

I took my Cobb salad up to my room and placed it on my desk as I began unpacking my bulging backpack. I pinned my bagel wrapper next to my madrigal program and sat my empty cup on my knick-knack shelf, making sure my little star boy could wave to me from my bed.

I heeded Edward's suggestion that I needed to remember the broad research I had gathered and placed it all into two thick files on my desk. My laptop had my rough draft safely backed up and saved.

I sighed and toed out of my shoes before sitting against my headboard with my dinner in my lap.

Halfway through my salad, he softly opened my bedroom door. I looked at the clock.

We had time.

He held up his hand, "I know you have a sea of questions, but I can't answer them, Bella, not yet."

I swallowed what I was about to say and reluctantly nodded.

He visibly relaxed and came to sit in the desk chair leaning toward me.

I held up my bowl, "Would you like some?"

He wrinkled his nose and smiled, "Thank you but no, I'll eat later."

"When you go home?" I asked.

"Yes, when I go home," he said looking at his hands. He looked up and tipped the chair toward me with his elbows on his knees.

"I've enjoyed today with you, Bella," he said quietly.

"I have too," I said wishing he would touch me.

As if he registered my need, he looked up and smiled softly before sitting back.

"I'll need to go soon but before I go, I want you to know I read your journals. My favorites are the first two. Your handwriting was so cute and your spelling was—creative," he said smiling.

"I'm glad you read them. I'm glad you know me better," I said, watching my fork play with the tomato wedge in my bowl.

"I know you, Bella," he whispered.

I looked up into loving eyes and smiled with a nod.

He stood and I bounded off the bed into his arms. He hesitated before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a tight hug.

"Be safe while I'm gone, love. Please be happy while I'm away," He whispered like a prayer, his breath washing warm through my hair.

I nodded against his chest, "I will, Edward, I promise," I rasped.

He nodded and released me.

He motioned me to him and hand in hand we walked down the stairs.

He turned at the front door, "See you in a year, my little one," he said as he studied my face and ran a knuckle gently down my cheek.

"You know where to find me," I smiled bravely.

"Always," he said solemnly before opening the door and walking into the night.

~Edward~

These years with her, I had been so focused on watching our story unfold that I didn't think to look for The Story. I would need to talk to Carlisle immediately. If he didn't have the answers, perhaps Aro would.

The frown I carried from these thoughts melted away as I played back the day. We had a beautiful time together. I think she wanted me to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her, taste her breath, feel her melt in surrender against me.—Yes, I really wanted to kiss her.