Chapter 5 – Scent
EPOV
It has been three months since I was attacked. I had come to grips with my new life. It wasn't easy, but Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rosalie helped. At least I wasn't alone. After my first hunt, the burn in my throat subsided, but its still there. Emmett said I might as well get used to that. Life with the Cullens was good.
Carlisle had hundreds of books in his office that I began reading. Rosalie was teaching me about cars and Emmett was always challenging me to wrestling matches, most of which I won. Emmett groaned as he stood in the ditch his body made in the earth. I threw him too hard once again, winning the match. "Damn, kid," he said laughing, "That was good." I laughed as we walked back to the house, "Thanks." The Cullens lived such a lavish lifestyle. Everything in the house was pristine and perfect. I was afraid to touch anything, worrying that I might break it.
On other days, when I wasn't distracted, I stayed in my room thinking about Bella. Alice still went to school and every afternoon, she would tell me about Bella. "It wasn't easy for her today. At the memorial, Bella was given your jersey and she had to be taken to the nurse's office, because she couldn't stop crying. She stayed there for the rest of the day." Hearing this, I wanted to literally run to her, but I couldn't. Alice told me every minute detail of Bella in school; from how she wore her hair to the way she spoke with our friends.
At first, I thought I was annoying Alice, but she said she didn't mind. She understood why I wanted this. Some vampires had special abilities. Alice explained to me her ability of telling the future. She saw Emmett and Jasper coming home with me and saw that I would be remaining with her family. She also explained Jasper's abilities to sense the emotions from others.
I enjoyed spending time with Alice. She was a very bright and lovely person. I noticed at times that Alice looked like she was focusing on something far away. At first, I was worried, but Rosalie explained that she was seeing something in her visions.
My relationship with Rosalie was not as good as mine and Alice. Esme, however, became a very loving mother. She reminded me so much of my human mother, whom I missed very much. I still think about that I could have done to save her. Carlisle told me there was nothing I could do. I should be happy that I was alive, it that is what I am.
On days when I truly was fighting with myself to go see Bella, Esme would keep me occupied, talking about my human life. When she found out about my interest in music, Esme insisted that I play the grand piano in the living room. I was her way of welcoming me into the family. Almost every evening I played classical music.
One evening, Rosalie was in the living room as I was playing. My mind was focused on Bella so much that I began playing a somber melody. Uck, thinking about Bella again. How long is this going to last? My fingers slammed on the keys, "Rosalie, its going to take as long as it takes. I'm sorry if that's inconvenient for you," I snapped. She looked up from her magazine, "I beg your pardon?" I scowled at her, "I just heard what you said. I miss her, dammit." She looked confused, "I didn't say anything." I scoffed and went back to playing. So, now she wants to play this game.
Wow, now he's going crazy. Maybe he should bite the damn girl so he would stop moping around. I slammed the keys again, breaking a few of them, "Look, Rosalie, you can say whatever you want about me, but do not talk about Bella!" Rosalie pulled her eyebrows together as the magazine slipped from her fingers. How does he know that?
Jasper flew into the living room, "What is going on here?" Jasper stood between me and Rosalie. I took a deep breath, trying to control my temper, "She was saying I should just bite Bella, so I would stop moping around." Rosalie's eyes widened as if I told some great secret. Carlisle came into the room, "Rosalie, this is difficult for him. You shouldn't talk like that." Rosalie looked at Carlisle with a confused expression, "I didn't say that." I practically growled, "I just heard you!" Jasper's influence came over me, calming my temper.
Her face was perplexed, "Fine, but I didn't verbally say it," she looked back to Carlisle, "I was thinking that." Carlisle looked back to me, "Where you looking at Rosalie when you heard her?" I shook my head, "I was playing when I heard her." Rosalie stood back and gripped Emmett's arm, who came into the living room to see what's going on. Rosalie looked as though she was scared of me now. What kind of freak did they find?
Carlisle deliberated, then looked to Rosalie, "Rose, think about something else. I want to see this for myself." What is the point of this? Maybe he is gifted like Alice and Jasper. I blinked. Rosalie didn't move her mouth, bit I still heard her voice. "You think I could be gifted?" I asked. Rosalie's eyes popped, "That's what I thought." She sat back on the couch, "You can hear my thoughts." Emmett gawked at me, This is unbelievable. Not another one. I scoffed, "Thanks, Emmett. It's not like I did it on purpose."
After that evening, my mind reading became stronger. I could hear everyone while they were near. After a few nights, I tried to tune out Rosalie and Emmett. There thoughts were making me sick. Emmett thought of Rosalie as the most beautiful woman in creation. Well, they had each other and I didn't have the one I loved. More time passed and I learned to ignore the thoughts that sickened me. To tune them out, I thought about Bella. I noticed some of my memories were slipping away. I thought about her often, so that I wouldn't forget her. The color of her eyes, the hue of red in her hair and the heart shape of her face; I committed all to memory. She couldn't fade from my memory.
I was in my room when I heard a car approaching, it was Alice. She was late coming back from school. Alice came into the house and I heard her coming up the stairs. Maybe I shouldn't tell him this. But then again, he could probably hear me now. Tell me what; what did she want to keep from me.
Alice knocked on my door, "Come in." She came in; her eyes were worried. As she closed the door, I caught a different scent from her. It was very floral. The venom overflowed in my mouth. What was that delicious scent? I inhaled deeply; it was unlike anything I've every smelled before. The floral scent slammed into me. This was the most unbelievably sweetest scent I've ever encountered. Ignoring Alice's scent, the new scent drove me wild. I had to find the source of it.
Alice looked down at her clothes, Oh, no. Her scent is still on me. "Whose scent? " I asked, holding my breath. The scent was mouthwatering. It was driving me insane. The burn in my throat became a raging inferno. I had to know what caused this smell, because I could only imagine what it would taste like.
Alice bit her lip, "I was with Bella this afternoon. I spoke to her at lunch, to see if she was feeling better. Well, let me show you." Alice looked into my eyes and recalled her afternoon with Bella. Alice showed me the cafeteria, where Bella had a dispute with Lauren Mallory. I watched as Bella punched Lauren full on in the face. I smiled brightly as Alice played the memory over, "That's my girl!" Before me, Bella didn't even know how to hit. But after a few lessons, she had a right hook that could take down any guy.
They went to my house, which was now hers. She showed me Bella breaking down, screaming and crying. Bella found and put on my grandmother's ring. She explained to Alice about what I wanted. She got my letter. I remember a few weeks ago, Alice saw Mom's attorney visiting Bella and giving her what we I left. The last image was Bella wearing the ring and staring at it. I smiled sheepishly, "So, she has the ring. Now she knows." Alice nodded, "She said that was supposed to be her engagement ring?" I inhaled deeply again, taking in the sweet scent.
"Alice, what is that scent? It's delicious." She sighed, "Bella." I looked at her, "Bella?" This was Bella's scent? Of course her scent would be the most enticing to me. She grimaced, "I was hugging Bella this afternoon." She took off her jacket, "I'm sorry. I should have run through the rain to weaken the scent." I took Alice's jacket and sniffed it. Ignoring Alice's scent and focused on Bella's. She wasn't only beautiful. She also smelled incredible.
"No, Alice. I glad you didn't. I needed this." The inferno in my throat was driving me to go fine her, but I fear what would happen if I found Bella. This scent was from her blood. What would her blood taste like? The sweetest flavor I never knew existed. Wait, I couldn't think this way about her. Alice patted my shoulder, "I know this isn't easy for either of you. Honestly, I had to fight with myself from telling her the truth. I can't stand seeing the both of you in pain. You, here and hurting. Bella at school, in pain." I wished she would have done that. But what would Bella say? What would she do? Would she want to see me?
"Alice, I was taken away from my life, but I could never do that to Bella. I love her too much to subject her to this. I mean, part of me is screaming to do that myself. If it was the other way around, I would beg her to change me so that I could stay with her. But her, no. She couldn't love something like me." It pained me to admit it, but my lucky charm deserved better than me.
Alice sighed, "I'm not entirely sure about that. Bella loves you, no matter what you are. But still, you cannot see her. You are still too young to be near a human. And, just by her scent, you could lose control." I grimaced, "That's the only thing keeping me here. I would look for any reason to die if I ever hurt her." I let Alice's jacket slip through my fingers, like I was letting Bella slip away. Alice stood, "Edward, don't focus on that. I overheard her talking. She is still planning on going to college. Soon, she'll be gone living her life. That is all we could hope for."
Alice was right. I should hope that Bella would have a long and happy life. I loved her beyond all reason. I was a vampire now and Bella is a human. I would be too dangerous to be around her. I should let her go. Let her go, but not my love for her. I would always love Bella, even beyond the day when she doesn't love me anymore.
