A/N
Hey lovely readers, my apologies about this chapter being so late. Life has been crazy right now.
Quick recap for anyone who may have forgotten a few things that were previously mentioned earlier in the story and are also in this chapter:
1. Vampires can be affected and become high if they ingest the blood of an animal that has accidentally consumed meth, weed or other drugs.
2. Just like in Cannon Edward is seventeen years old. However, he is in 9th grade and playing the role of a fifteen year old.
3. In this fic Bella is fifteen years old and is in 9th grade with Edward.
Now, let's see how Edwrad and Bella are doing during lunch.
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Edward's POV
Bella and I continue to sit in the grassy area on the quad. The beautiful blush leaves her face, our eyes lock and her heartbeat increases.
I find myself wishing I could crack the code that keeps her mind silent to figure out what she is thinking. Maybe then I would understand why she seems hesitant to ask me questions about vampires, when she was so eager to do so just moments before. I hope her shyness isn't because I laughed at her question.
"I thought you were going to ask me some questions." I gently remind her and quickly add. "I promise I won't laugh at anything you say."
That is definitely something I will never do again. I learned my lesson and my punishment - she'll make me eat food, which is something I'm not eager to do again. Nor do I want to go into the details of how I have to get rid of it. No. That would be embarrassing to have to explain to my girlfriend of two days that I have to cough up anything I consume - other than blood - much like a cat would hack up a fur ball. Maybe one day, when I feel more comfortable, I might share that information with her, but not today.
Bella smiles at me and reaches for my hand. Our fingers intertwine.
"I want to ask you lots of things." She says, sounding shy.
"Go on." I encourage her.
She shakes her head no.
"Why are you being shy now?" I ask, hoping she will tell me.
Her deep chocolate eyes peel away from mine; she glances around the quad before her eyes lock with mine once more. "Kids are coming out of the cafeteria. We're no longer the only ones out here." She begins to explain. "What if someone overhears?"
I smile at her thoughtfulness.
Being familiar with the legends of the Cold Ones, she's aware that the existence of vampires is to be kept a secret.
A thought comes to me about how she might be able to ask her questions. With us being out in the open but without drawing unwanted attention to ourselves.
"Pick a movie or book about similar creatures," I begin in a whisper tone. "And make it seem like you're talking about those characters. Only I will know otherwise."
She nods her head yes and bites her bottom lip.
I'm not sure why, but seeing her teeth dig into her lip that way, makes me feel things that are both new and exciting. Unfortunately, I feel myself becoming hard though I can't understand why. I quickly look away to the other side of the quad, where a little squirrel with a very bushy tail is climbing a tree. Concentrating on the small animal, my body goes back to its natural state.
Much better.
"Okay." Bella says, I turn to her. "Have you ever seen the Disney Channel movie Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire?"
"Yes. I may have seen it once or twice." I admit, which isn't exactly a lie, nor is it the truth.
I've seen that kid's movie ninety-seven times since it aired on the Disney Channel three years ago. Not that I like watching it, because I don't. But because I have older brothers who blackmail me into watching stupid vampire movies that they enjoy making fun of when they indulged in tainted animal blood from curious bears that have ingested dope. They seek these animals out just to have a little fun. It's enjoyable for them, not so much for me.
Definitely not fun at all.
Especially after the strange incident of 1962 when Emmett and Jasper became impaired for the first time. It was all during a night when they went out hunting alone. Apparently, the bears they hunted had raided a hippy festival, since both of my brothers had ended up higher than the Empire State building.
Their night had started out like any other, in the forest hunting, then somehow, they went to an ostrich farm. They had plans to ride on the giant birds and have a race, but that quickly ended when the owner of the ostrich farm called local law enforcement. He had the two juvenile delinquents that woke him up at an ungodly hour, detained, and for unknown reason he was sure that my idiot brothers were going to molest the ostriches. At least, that's what the Sheriff told my father when he was called to pick up my brothers at the station. I was home when he got the call and was in disbelief.
My parents weren't happy at all when they brought my brothers home that night. Their odd behavior didn't do any favors for them either. Emmett was screaming like a goat in between laughing his ass off as he climbed on the back of the couches. While Jasper was on all fours, barking and running around the house like a dog. It was a crazy sight to see. Before that moment we weren't aware that vampires could become high. After that, Carlisle and Esme made it a family rule that anybody who is intoxicated from drug infested animal blood, must stay home where it's safe. To say they were afraid of possible exposure was a total understatement. Which is why I have seen that kids' movie Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire way too many times.
I shake my head at that strange memory.
"Well good." Bella smiles. "Since you've seen that movie you'll know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah." I return her smile.
Despite her wanting to ask me questions about my kind, I feel at peace. How easy it is to be myself around this magnificent, caring creature.
"In that movie, there's a vampire named Dimitri. Do you remember that character?" She asks before continuing.
I nod my head. "Trust me," I say in a dull tone. "I have a photographic memory, with perfect recall. I can literally quote the whole movie from start to finish."
Unfortunately, I am not exaggerating. I really do know every line from that movie from beginning to end. An excellent memory can be a blessing as well as a curse. Remembering vampire movies definitely falls under the category of a curse since they are so ridiculous.
Bella's eyes are huge. A mixture of being impressed and shocked paints her beautiful face. Wanting to know where she's going with this, I encourage her to go on.
"He can't go out during the day because of sunlight." She says slowly and carefully. "How would that work in real life?"
I can't help but smile. She's going by the generic vampire myths now.
"Oh, I don't think the sun would be a bother," I say in a teasing tone.
"Why not?" She wonders.
Just as she did to me earlier, I lean into her, cup my hand over her ear, and whisper. "The sunlight has no effect on me," I promise as she shutters a little. Not out of fear I realize, but maybe from a chill from my cold breath. "It doesn't make me turn to dust or go up in flames either. But my skin is different from yours on sunny days, it isn't bad, but it does make us stand out, which is why I don't go to school when the weather is nice. I'll show you what I mean sometime."
I pull back, and she grins.
"Promise?" Her brown eyes twinkle with hopefulness.
"I promise."
Satisfied, she nods her head. "Now, in the movie, Dimitri sleeps in a coffin. Do -"
"Nope." I cut her off. "That's just a myth. Vampires can't sleep at all."
The expression on her face is so disbelieving it is comical. It gives away how surprised she is by this bit of information. I can't help it; I let out a laugh. Just one short laugh.
She glares at me. "I thought you weren't going to laugh. Remember?"
I end my laughter as quickly as it started. Rapidly I rearrange the expression on my face. She's right. I promised her that.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh." I say honestly looking into her eyes. "I'll be good. Please go on, ask whatever else is on your mind."
Giving me a weary look, her eyes don't leave mine.
"Another thing I have always wondered is how the vampire character was made from the beginning. Was he born that way or bitten?" She asks thoughtfully, her eyes never leaving mine. "There's nothing in the stories I've been told that explain it."
The curiosity in her eyes is hard to miss. Even though this is not a question I wish to answer since it brings back memories of how I was created, along with the burning pain that followed. I know I will answer her with complete honesty.
"Bitten." I simply say.
"By whom?" She wonders.
I sigh. "My guess would be his father." I say keeping it hypothetical but speaking the truth at the same time.
Bella gasps. She says nothing but appears to be in disbelief.
The expression on her face is of horror and anger; I'm almost sure of it. I want to erase her qualms, ease her fears and see her happy again. I also don't want her to think badly of Carlisle, the only father I can remember, the one who I love and try to emulate.
Hoping to make her smile, I bring her hand to my face and brush my lips against the back of it. Immediately I notice the warmth of her skin against my own cold stone lips. Her heartbeat increases as blushing heat radiates off of her and onto me. I repeat the action once more before I drop my hand that is still holding hers.
She looks at me with a dazed expression on her face. Her heart is still pumping wildly; she exhales but doesn't speak.
"Maybe he was trying to save a young boy who was dying from the Spanish Influenza in a hospital in Chicago. Maybe he was honoring a promise he made to the dying mother of the boy. Not trying to be malicious in any way, only helpful." I offer, still speaking hypothetically but providing the truth.
"Spanish Influenza?" Bella says, dumbfounded.
I gulp. Will my age bother her when she finds out the year I was born? In many ways, I'm still seventeen; the only difference is that I have walked the Earth for one-hundred-and-two-years. Either way, though, I'm older than what my school records say I am, what my parents claim I am, since this time around I'm playing the role of a fifteen-year-old.
"What other questions do you have for me?" I quickly change the subject before she has a chance to ask me about my age.
Eventually I will have to tell her my age when the time is right. Or if she asks me about it, whatever comes first.
"Please stop dazzling me." She slightly shakes her head, as though to clear her mind.
"What?" I'm unfamiliar with the phrase she uses.
"I can't think when you look at me that way." She admits, her eyes on the grass instead of my face.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, feeling confused.
"Sure, you do." She whispers. "Don't vampires control people's minds? Isn't that what you're doing when I feel all dizzy?"
My eyes widen in concern. I can only read minds, not control them - though she has no idea about my gift. Maybe her being dizzy is from an underline sickness. I'm not sure, of course, but now I wish I would have listened to my father and gone to medical school, at least once. I never thought going to college would be of any use to me. Now that I have a human girlfriend, I get the feeling a medical degree would come in handy.
"Should we go to the nurse's office?" I let go of her hand and immediately grabbed the tray to throw our trash away. I stand, and so does she.
"No." Her tone is firm. "And please don't say you're worried about me fainting." She puts her hand up to stop me from speaking. "I'm a lot tougher than you think."
"Yes, ma'am." I feel like a child that has just been scolded as we walk to the trash. Quickly I discarded our garbage.
From a distance, I hear laughter and catch the thoughts that go along with the immature giggling. Unfortunately, I'd know those snickers and giggles anywhere, I suppress a sigh.
"Well, that was entertaining," Jasper says, his voice is coming from the direction of the cafeteria entrance. 'Never thought I'd see the day he'd get reprimanded by a female.'
"Damn right!" Emmett's laughter echoes, making Bella and other kids turn to the overly happy sound. "Kid got put in his place by his little woman."
Both of my idiot brothers break out in a fit of laughter.
As Emmett had bluntly put it, it's not uncommon for my brothers to get 'put in their place,' by my sisters when they are doing or saying something stupid. But since I have never had a girlfriend until yesterday, it's never happened to me. It's rather unfortunate that they had the pleasure of witnessing this new development.
"Aren't those your brothers?" Bella wonders, jerking her head in their direction.
"Yes." I grab her hand. "Let's walk to the library; we can spend the rest of our lunch break there," I suggest.
"I thought we were going to go to the public library after school." She reminds me.
"Yeah, about that," I say as we begin to walk. "Why don't we go somewhere else?"
"Where will we go?" Bella wonders.
"I know a place we can walk to," I say thinking about a little secluded spot in the forest I go to when I want to be alone. "Where I have in mind is a little more private than a library. It'll be just you and me, and you can ask me all the questions you wish. Plus, we won't need a ride from my older siblings to get there."
I have a strong feeling my brothers won't be letting me forget that Bella scolded me, and I would rather not ride with either of them this afternoon.
"Sure. That sounds nice." Bella replies in a dreamy voice.
Suddenly a scent that smells like Bella, but it's different in a way, makes its way to my nostrils. I smelled it last night when we were at the market but I'm not sure what it is. Though it's utterly mouthwatering, it isn't her blood; I know that. Somehow it seems stronger than her blood, more potent in a way, and it's making it difficult for me to think. I'm not sure what it is as I feel myself rapidly becoming hard.
I'm not sure why I'm rapidly becoming hard, but I have this weird feeling that it has to do with the unknown, mouthwatering scent that's coming from Bella. She glances at me as we walk over to the English building, where the library is. As she looks away from me, I quickly adjust myself, trying to conceal my hard-on. I feel embarrassed about how easily I can become aroused around this beautiful, sweet, kind hearted girl.
Bella rubs her thumb on the back of my hand. That one little touch, so soft and warm, has my head reeling and craving more. Trying to change the direction of where my thoughts are going as we approach the English building, I hear the sound of my brothers' footsteps not far behind us, along with the dainty footsteps of my sisters' behind them.
Great. They are all following us. Though I can't imagine why.
Without a word Bella looks over her shoulder as we walk. I wonder what she's thinking as she turns to look at my face.
"It seems we are being followed." She says in an amused tone.
"Yeah," I agree, sounding less than enthusiastic. "My siblings are being weird," Though that is a complete understatement.
Emmett chuckles at my spoken words. Rosalie scoffs, Jasper snickers, while a mixture of amusement and curiosity radiate off of him. Alice is completely silent as her mind is on the near future.
Though all of them would no doubt disagree with what I said, it's actually a complete understatement. They aren't acting weird but more like obsessive vampire stalkers that won't leave Bella and I as we walk into the open doors of the English building with all of my siblings tagging along.
"Maybe they just want to hang out with us before we all have to go to class." She suggested.
"Actually, they are interested in any questions you may ask me." I provided what I heard in their thoughts.
Bella stops walking, I do too, and so do the rest of the people in our crazy train.
"You can't possibly know that." She says, cocking her head to the side like she's trying to figure out a puzzle.
My body becomes rigid. I quickly realize my mistake, without meaning to reveal what my siblings were thinking. Inwardly, I curse myself for my mistake.
Eventually I'll tell her all my secrets, that I'm sure of. It's only a matter of the time being just right or when she asks those questions. Whichever comes first. I want to hide nothing from her and be completely honest.
A peaceful feeling courses through my body at the same time a familiar hand lands on my shoulder. I turn to my right to see the cause of the change in my emotions, my brother who has honey blond hair and a smirk on his face locks eyes with me.
'I can feel what you're feeling. Don't worry so much, little bro. She does suspect but she's only curious.' Jasper silently says, talking about Bella and my gift. He turns to her. "Edward just thinks he knows everything." He says with a laugh followed by a chorus of agreements from our siblings. "I'm Jasper, by the way."
Bella smiles at him. "Hi Jasper, I'm Bella. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." He nods his head.
No sooner than the words left my brother's mouth, Emmett and my siblings gathered around us like football players in a huddle.
"Yay!" Alice bounces over, standing on Bella's other side now. "Now you know all of us. Let's go to the library and talk. We have nine minutes and no one but the kookie librarian is there."
"All of us can answer any questions you may have." Rosalie offers in a sticky sweet voice. In her mind I see that just like Alice, she is envisioning a friendship with the girl who's holding my hand.
Expressionless, I stare at my oldest sister. Something must be wrong with her. She's actually being nice to someone that isn't our kind. That never happens.
'Stop staring at me like a braindead nincompoop.' Rosalie glares at me.
Ah. There's the grumpy sister I know and love.
I open my mouth to speak, not to say anything to Rose. But to suggest we go to our destination instead of taking up space in the hallway as two girls walk past us.
"Times a ticking, my little kumquats," Emmett says before I can speak. I quickly close my mouth as he breaks up the huddle, turns around and stretches his right arm in the air. "Onward to the place where books live!"
Everyone agrees and follows Emmett.
Obviously, he was bored standing in the hallway too. Though he was quicker than me at reminding everyone that lunch break is almost over, he worded it very differently than I would have. But that's because he explains things in a unique way that's all his own. He keeps things interesting that way.
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Thanks for reading.
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