Chapter 17 – Trying
It's been a month since the festival and Edward had maintained a respectable distance. He and I do talk, but nothing intimate, we mostly kept it light. At school, Renesmee was getting closer to the Cullen's, building her own relationship. I knew I couldn't stop her and I didn't try to stop her. She wanted to make up for that night she find out their truth. Alice has even taken to going dancing with Renesmee and me. "Honey, you should now, the Bella I knew didn't know how to dance." I grimaced, while they laughed, "And she hated to go shopping." I stopped in front of the mouth of her driveway, "Good night, Alice!!!" She stuck her tongue at me, "Why don't you two coming in? Emmett wanted to see Ness." Renesmee beamed, "Please can we?" "You can go, of course." I didn't feel like walking on eggshells this evening. Renesmee's smile faltered, "Momma, please. All you do spend your evenings at home, alone. You need to be around people." Alice closed her eyes, "Bella, you're coming, I've seen it. So, let's go. Besides, someone really needs to fight Emmett." I sighed and drove down the driveway.
In the front yard, Carlisle and Jasper were fighting and Emmett, Esme, Edward and Rosalie were watching from the trees. "Finally, now we can settle this," Emmett bellowed as I go out of the car. I was wearing a red halter top with a beaded collar, black leather capris and heeled sandals. I shook my head, "Emmett, do you really want to do this? I don't want to embarrass you." He leapt off the porch, "Let's go." I sighed and gave Renesmee my shoes, "This will be quick," I whispered to her and she giggled. She looked to Jasper, "$1000 on my mom." He nodded and folded his arms. Emmett crouched down in front of me and I laughed, "Emmett, you're almost 200. Come on now," I goaded. He leapt into the air and I danced out of the way. I charged me, catching me in a headlock. My hands clutched at his massive arm, which was around my neck, "Come on, Bella." I winked at Renesmee, who was sitting with Edward. I threw my legs into the air, kicking him in the head and I flipped to the ground, landing on all fours, like a cat. I circled him, getting to my feet. He charged me again, and I caught him by his torso, slamming his head into the ground, pinning him there. I hadn't release me as he tried to fight out of my grip. His arms slammed into my stomach and I jumped back, releasing him. He flashed across the field, gripping my neck, throwing me to the ground. I sprang up, walking backwards, face up on my hands and feet, back flipping into a defensive stance. "What was that?" he asked. "Did I mention Renesmee and I mastered capoeria will we lived in the jungle and practice it everyday."
His eyes widened and looked at Renesmee; she winked at him. While he was distracted, I got my legs around his neck, tumbling to the ground. I reached back and held his feet together over my shoulder. We were tangled on the ground, "give up, Em?" He struggled to get out of my hold. His strength was impressive; I could barely hold on but I didn't give up. I elbowed him in the back and jumped up. I held up one hand, taunting him to try again with my index finger. He glowered and charge. I fell to the ground, caught myself with one hand on the ground, throwing my legs into the air and caught the side of his head with my shin. He staggered back, holding his head. I flipped back to my feet, waiting for the next attack. He eyed me over and strode off into the garage. "Is that it?" I called, "Wow, that wasn't much." I roared came out of the garage and I laughed. Renesmee bounded off the stairs and leapt onto my back, with her palm out towards Jasper. He paid her and she gave me half. She leaned her head against mine, "That was fun to watch." Esme smiled, "Hardly anyone beats Emmett." I nodded, "I think he held back, because I'm a woman."
Renesmee didn't let Emmett live down the fight, until I stepped in. "Sweetie, enough. Leave him alone, ok?" She nodded, "Fine. Ruin my fun." We were at school and the school year was almost over. In class, I walked in, greeted the class and began the lesson. "Ok, now, who feels ready for this final?" Six hands immediately went up, followed by several others. I huffed, "Ok, but I have an end of year surprise for all of you," I winked at Alice, "I went over my grade book last night and it seems that out of all my classes, this is one can be, if they should so choose, exempt from the final." Cheers broke out and I silenced them. "Ok, ok. You guys should be proud of yourselves," I walked through the aisles, "but, since I don't want you guys to lose your edge," I leaned against the counter in the back of the room, "pop quiz." I dictated equations and waited for them to solve them. "After the quiz is done…. You guys know the drill." I waked off the front of the class. As always, Renesmee and the Cullen's were done first and they had perfect scores. After another ten minutes, the rest of the class was done with their exams. I checked them and distributed them, "Alright so, so far, no one in this room has below and 85 average, so B's or better for everyone. Enjoy your summer and for some of you, enjoy college." The class broke into conversations and the Cullen's and Renesmee came to my desk. I looked up, "Yes?"
Emmett's smile was smug, "Thunderstorm tomorrow." I sighed, "Emmett, I don't know." I looked up and Renesmee looked at me with wide eyes. I caved, "Fine." The bell rang and the class cleared out. "Bella, do you mind if I go with you?" Alice asked. I nodded, "Sure." Renesmee, Alice and I ran into the forest by the schools, going to hunt. Alice and Renesmee made it a competition and I waited as they finished. I heard the others coming up, so I finished up my prey and sat in the high branches of a tree. Jasper sniffed the air and looked up, "Hey Bella." "Hey Jaz." He went ahead and hunted with the others, following Alice and Renesmee's trails. Looked down to see Edward climbing the tree. I had to admit, he was being persistent. Bella, please, open up to me. Edward perched in front of me, "Are you alright?" I nodded, "Yes, I was just waiting for them to finish up, but from what it looks like, they plan on staying here for the rest of the day." He smiled, "Maybe, Renesmee seems to have a competitive side." I giggled, "You notice that. When she was little, she would try to compete with me to swim across the river faster. First few times, I let her win, but she caught on." He laughed, "Then what happened?" I shrugged, "She started swimming every day and now, she can out swim a mermaid, not that we ever found one."
I looked into the forest, "Aren't you going to hunt?" He shook his head, "I didn't feel like sitting at the table alone." I nodded and leaned my head against the tree. My mind forgot he was there, but my body recognized his presence. "What are you thinking?" I looked at him, "You still want to know, after all this time." He smiled, "I will always be fascinated by your mind." I tilted my head to the side, "Ok." I pushed my shield away and showed him what was on my mind. My mind was on several things, but I kept one corner of it secluded from him, the corner which held my hallucination. I showed him my concern about my students, my worries about Renesmee and her leaving me and what the future would hold for me when she married Jacob. I closed my eyes and lowered my head, still showing him my concerns. A finger tilted my head up to face him, "Bella, she will never leave you." I nodded, "I know, but I can't keep her. She's found love and she should stay with him." His thumb stroked my cheek, setting it ablaze, "Renesmee will go wherever you go and he will go with her." I frowned, "I can't do that to Jacob and his pack. They need him here and he needs Renesmee. This is every mother's dread, letting her daughter go, but I'll have to do it soon."
"And you think you'll be all alone after that?" I shrugged, "What else is there?" He sighed, "Bella…." I leaned forward and patted his hand, "Edward, don't." "Bel…" I placed my hand over his mouth and shook my hand. He kept my hand there and kissed it, "We won't leave you alone. Not again." We heard the others coming, "Come on, Edward, we're going to play football," Rosalie called. He released my hand and leapt out of the tree and ran with his sister. I watched after them, leapt out of the tree and walked back to the school. You heard what I said. Please, Bella, just give me one more chance. That's all I ask. I wanted to, so much, but how can I believe him. Literally, only time would tell; and I had plenty of that.
