Many thoughts flew through my head as I ran. They were mostly thoughts of hurt and anger. Rosalie was right. I was a freak. I'd been stupid to believe Edward when he'd told me otherwise.
I sighed and increased my pace. Edward. I'd been especially stupid where Edward was concerned. He'd turned Tanya down on the basis that he didn't want a relationship so why was I to assume that I would be any different? In reality, I had no chance but my head did not match my heart. Trees blurred past me and I felt a small sense of satisfaction that they would not be able to catch up to me. My increased strength meant that my bounds were longer and I knew none of them could match my strides.
Which is why I nearly jumped out of my skin when a warm hand touched my bare shoulder, leaving a familiar hot trail behind. I skidded to a halt, nearly impaling myself on a branch as I turned around so fast my vision blurred.
As I'd suspected from the hotness of the touch, it was Edward. "What are you doing here?" I growl fiercely, not particularly caring that it was Edward I was talking to.
"What does it look like?" He asks quietly.
"You really are fast if you caught up with me." I mutter angrily, avoiding eye contact.
"Yes, I'm very fast." He admits. "I wouldn't have been able to follow you if not. You're pretty fast yourself."
"Why did you follow me Edward?" I growl.
"You were upset Bella. I wasn't going to let you run off on your own. Besides, you might not have been able to find your way back." He murmurs.
"I'm not going back Edward." I say harshly. "So it really doesn't matter if I can find my way back or not."
His golden eyes meet mine. "Because of Rosalie? She's not worth that." He murmurs. "Please don't let her get to you. She's like that with everyone when she meets them."
"Really? Because she seemed fine with Kate and the others." I mutter sarcastically.
He takes a deep breath. "Well if you really must know… she's jealous." He mutters.
"About what?" I ask, frowning.
"You." He states simply.
I gasp in surprise. "Me? Why would she be jealous of me?" My voice shot up a few octaves.
Edward smirks. "Rosalie doesn't deal well with competition. You're just as beautiful as her and she really really hates that."
I felt rather hot around the face even though I knew physically my temperature wasn't changing. I snort as I answer. "I'm just as beautiful as Rosalie? Have you actually seen me?"
He steps towards me, his glorious angel face frustrated. "Yes. I see you very clearly Bella." He says intensely. "Obviously a lot more clearly than you see yourself." He sighs. "And she's also jealous of how much everyone likes you already. It took me, Carlisle and Esme a while to get used to her at first."
"Everyone likes me?" I question skeptically.
Edward groans. "Is that so hard to believe? Esme is practically signing adoption forms for you already. Carlisle has great respect for you. Emmett thinks you're great fun and Alice… well Alice views you as her sister already."
I was momentarily taken aback. "And Jasper?"
"Jasper doesn't really know you but he is pretty laid back. I'm sure he'll like you once he gets to know you." Edward says earnestly, stepping closer to me again.
"What about you?" I ask quietly.
"What about me what?" Edward asks softly.
"Do you like me?" The words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them.
He stares as me for a few seconds and then slowly walks forward, closing the gap between us. He takes a deep breath, grits his teeth and then relaxes. "Well… besides from the fact that your scent drives me insane I feel… yes, I like you Bella. You intrigue me."
"How so?" I ask delicately.
He smiles crookedly and I can't help but stare. "Your mind is silent. Your actions so far have been so unpredictable – you're difficult to read." He grins. "I love that about you. You speak your mind, you're not afraid to do that and let's not forget how you ran for eighteen hours to find me not knowing anything about me except from that you upset me. You truly are a remarkable person Bella."
My face feels hot. "Thank you." I say softly, unsure what to say in return to such a passionate statement.
"But…" He hesitates briefly before continuing quietly. "It goes beyond liking you."
His golden eyes meet mine fiercely and I freeze. It takes me a few seconds before I can reply. "What do you mean?" He pauses and then takes one last step towards me. He's now in my personal space but I'm beyond caring. His honey and lilac scent fills the space and, like with his room, I can't help but breathe him in.
He smiles softly, his golden eyes still holding mine. "One hundred years of this existence and you're the most unique vampire I've ever met Bella. You're so different to the others." He murmurs.
"We've established this." I say dryly, scowling.
He grins at me. "I didn't mean like that. I meant you're different because you make me feel… something I've never felt before." He says softly, instantly serious.
I don't answer. I can't. I watch with wide eyes as he slowly lifts his hand and, ever so carefully, places it on my cheek.
My eyes instantly drift closed and I'm surprised of how safe I feel when he's touching me. I feel him sigh and pull in a shuddering breath. "I'm hoping it's obvious." He whispers, his cool breath fanning my face. "Alice certainly picked up on it." He says curtly.
I half smile, keeping my eyes closed as I answer. "I have a feeling she doesn't miss anything." I say quietly. "But I've only known you for two days Edward."
"That's what you said to Carmen too but does it really make a difference if we're meant to be together?" He questions.
I jerk open my eyes but don't step out from under his hand. "You heard that?" I breathe.
"Not physically. Carmen's thoughts were pretty loud." He pauses briefly. "It was that conversation that made me realise that I was falling for you."
I couldn't concentrate when he was looking at me with those liquid golden eyes. "But… Tanya… you told her you didn't want a relationship." I say incoherently.
Edward tilts his head forward so his eyes are directly level with mine. "Because I didn't want a relationship with Tanya. You, however, aren't Tanya."
I frown. "Edward why would you want me when you can have someone as beautiful as her?" His intense gaze made me blurt out the first thing that came into my head.
He sighs and places his other hand on my face, making me gasp at the intense warmth. "Oh I wish you could see yourself the way I do. You're beautiful Bella. More beautiful than Tanya, Rosalie, any of them." He says fiercely.
"I'm really not." I protest.
"You are." He stares at me. "Believe it Bella."
I couldn't look away from him and he stared me down. I sighed in defeat. He wasn't going to back down. I frowned as I remembered something from yesterday. "Alice. What did she see in her vision? Something to do with me and you. She wouldn't tell me." I stared at him earnestly, wondering if I could use this to my advantage.
Edward took his hands away from my face, but his expression was soft, almost tender. "She saw this." He whispers, wrapping his arms around my waist.
I lean into him. I can't help it. "She saw you put your arms around my waist?" I question.
He chuckles, his eyes as warm and as golden as butterscotch. "Not exactly."
I look at him questioningly as he takes a deep breath and leans forward.
Then he kisses me.
The chase was over.