So new chapter and not just any chapter, a Bella and Edward chapter! :D Now I guess some of you ask yourself, why it takes so long to update. The answer is very simple. I have no idea. I sit down and I write, but still time don´t seem to like working with me. Anyhow here you have a new long chapter which is about 10 000 words. So hope you will enjoy it.
Warning for grammar mistakes in this story since I didn´t have time to read it through as many times as I use to. So I am very sorry for those.
Chapter 8
Bella´s POV
"Well then I guess we should go to class." Alice said after an uncomfortable silence which had been radiating from all of the Cullens except for Edward who had been glaring at his brother Emmett. From said person I felt a strong twitching in his lips, as if he was trying to hide a smile. I on the other hand was only confused, why did his siblings react so strongly to their brother being nice to someone?
"Uhm, yes I think I will be late to my… uhm lesson in physical education." Emmett said putting extra strength at the word physical. His words were directed to Edward who sent out so much anger that it felt as if he was going murder someone, and Emmett was closest. Without thinking I placed my hand on his shoulder and the electricity that had been dragging me towards him rushed through me and made my heart race. I felt how Edward tensed under my hand before he to my surprise, relaxed.
"There is no need to murder your brother for being a jerk." I told him with a calm voice as I felt how Jasper leaned forward and how his eyes moved over my face. It was almost as if he was trying to figure something out or read something in my face. What's his problem? I thought to myself before I continued. "Besides I understand that you can´t be late to your lesson in PE Emmett since it seems that most of those muscles of yours is fake. It wouldn´t hurt for you to train them up a little so you don´t have to fear the five year olds here in Forks any longer." I felt how his mouth dropped and I gave him a small smile.
"Is Angela still here? I would like to talk to her before we go?" I said to Edward and I felt how he didn´t even turn his head before he answered me.
"Yes she´s still talking to Ben Crowley. Are you done?"
"Yes." I said to him not really paying attention. How had he been able to know that Angela still had been sitting in the cafeteria? He could have used his hearing of course, but that theory felt somehow wrong. Maybe I had just missed something. Then I noticed how everyone had risen from the table and was looking at me while Edward held his hand out for me to take. Blushing I placed my hand in his and allowed him to pull me to my feet.
It felt surprisingly right holding on to Edward´s hand, like my own fitted perfectly into his. It reminded me of two pieces of a puzzle. They were meant to fit with each other.
"Is it easier for you to hold onto my arm instead?" He asked once I stood up. A little disappointed I nodded my head and he let go of my hand before he held out his arm towards me like a gentleman. Carefully I laid my hand on his arm and it felt as if I was being escorted to a ball with my fiancé or someone very close to me. The thought made me blush once more. What is wrong with me?
"Well then we have to go now. Goodbye Bella!" Alice said as she skipped forward and gave me a small hug before she returned to Jaspers side. As they left the cafeteria he put his arm protectingly around her small waist. Emmett had already made his way over to the doors where he was waiting for Rosalie. I think he still was angry for me making a fool of him, but he only had himself to blame since he had made fun of Edward. I had just deafened him and I could not just ignore a perfect opportunity to have some fun.
Rosalie suddenly hurried towards me and gave a one armed hug. Before I had time to respond she had let me go and was on her way over to her boyfriend.
"Still want to talk to Angela?" Edward said when we were alone and I felt how his cold breath washed over me. It was still the same that I had felt in biology, just intensified and so strong that I had to collect my thoughts before I answered.
"Yes, I have to tell her something." He just nodded before I felt him moving his arm a little telling me it was time to go. I had thought that Edward would move very carefully with me like everyone else had done my whole life, but instead he kept a normal pace. Of course I knew that he knew I could get around on my own, but still I had expected…. I don´t really know what I had been expecting now when I thought about it. I was so used to be treated differently, that normal felt different.
It didn´t take us more than a few steps to reach Angela´s table but when we did I noticed that neither Angela nor Ben were aware of us. They were now sitting very close to each other and talked in quiet voices about how they would be able to sneak out of school. They, obviously, had been so lost in their conversation that they hadn´t even heard Mrs. Copes announcement. Strangely I felt a little proud over my newfound friend. She had managed to put her shyness to the side and open up to, not only me, but this boy in front of me. I felt stronger than ever that it had been the right decision to fix them up with each other.
"I can talk with her tomorrow." I said to Edward very low so only he could hear me and I felt how he shook his head a little before he started to lead me through the cafeteria. He threw both of our trays into the trashcan and I just had time to notice that his were as full as my own. None of us said anything and I was focusing so much on trying to get some kind of picture in my head of what Edward looked like that I probably would have been horrible to have a conversation with anyway.
I could tell that he was tall, taller than me and that he was muscular. Next to Emmett he seemed very thin and so did Jasper. But when you were as big as Emmett it was very hard for anyone around you to be noticed. Edward´s hair was very messy and was pointing in every direction, some of if hanging down a little in his face. His face was perfect, he was perfect. No matter how hard I tried I couldn´t find a single fault. He was not too tall or not too muscular. The only thing that was not right about him was that his heart wasn´t beating and that neither of his other internal organs worked. I could feel how his lungs sometimes filled with air, but he breathed it all out with once, none of it making its way into his system. His body simply didn´t need it.
Still it didn´t worry me. I was already so used to the Cullens that it didn´t bother me anymore. I knew they weren´t humans. Now I just needed to figure out what they really were.
We had finally reached the parking lot and Edward was guiding me towards the car he had stood close to this morning. We still hadn´t said a word to each other and I was longing to hear his voice again. He led me around to the passenger seat and opened the door for me before he helped me inside. It wasn´t like when Charlie nearly lifted me inside the car, this reminded me of the feeling in the cafeteria. As if it was a gentleman helping his partner inside the car because he wanted to and because he wanted her to feel special. And I did. I did feel special for the first time ever. He was so careful and his touch was so gentle when he helped me, as if he thought I would break at the slightest touch. His hand delayed a little in my own when I sat in the car and my heart started beating faster once more as I realized how close he was.
He had been leaning inside to make sure I was sitting okay and his face was just centimeters from my own. I could feel his eyes burning my skin.
Then he backed away and shut the door, disappearing from my line of vision for a few seconds before he opened the door at the driver's seat. The spark was still there, but it was a little weaker now than in the cafeteria. The difference now was that it was burning inside of me instead. Did he feel the same way? If he just had worked like a normal human I would have been able to read him. Irritated I let out a small "huff" sound and of course Edward hear it.
He looked a little at me as he started the car and began driving out from the school parking lot.
"You don´t talk much do you?" He asked his voice sounding a little amused. I just answered him with another angry "huff", not liking that he thought he could know something about me already.
"Come on, how about I ask you a question, you answer it and ask one in return?" Well I couldn´t really turn down that offer.
"Okay, I accept. But I start." I said and I heard him chuckling a little but kept silent waiting for my question. "Are you gay?" I asked my voice dead serious and I heard how his breath caught in his throat. Immediately I started laughing, I couldn't hold it in, and I felt how he understood I just messed around with him, my way to revenge.
"No I am not." He said. "I am actually interested in a girl right now but I don´t think she knows." I felt how hope both grew and disappeared. It felt impossible that he meant me, but at the same time why should he have told me otherwise in the way he did. As if he wanted to give me a hint. "Can you really see?" He asked me not knowing what I thought.
"No I can´t." I simply said.
"Then how did you mange to go through the woods without getting lost and then walk into our house as if you had been there a thousand times before? How do you do it?"
"I thought we would ask one question each?" I mumbled and turned away.
"You can ask two in a row if you want." He said and sounded a little ashamed. As if he understood he had been a little to forward.
"Let's just say that I ´m not as blind as everyone thinks I am, but I still can´t see the things around me in the way you mean. What is your favorite color and why?" I knew the name of the colors, but I had never seen any of them and was curious about what made a person like a special color.
"Brown, it is a very rich and wonderful color. Warm as well." He said without hesitation and I felt how he looked at me. Did I have something with the color brown on me?
"Do I have the color brown?" I asked. I had never asked anyone that before. Then I noticed that Edward suddenly had become a little nervous. I couldn´t be one hundred percent sure, but the way he gripped the steering-wheel and moved his eyes away from me gave me some hints.
"Your hair is deep brown, but in the sun you can see red and golden highlights." His voice was very low and something told me that if he had had any blood in his veins he would have blushed. I didn´t understand why though, as far as I considered it there was nothing wrong with telling someone their hair color. Then I felt how the car started to slow down before it stopped. None of us said anything for a while. This ride had been too short and we had barely had time to talk with each other.
"Well we´re here." Edward was the one to break the silence. I turned to him even though I knew it wouldn´t make a difference; it just felt better being turned in his direction. Then a thought hit me.
"You know it would look wired if Charlie Swans blind daughter all of the sudden could walk to the door herself and was left alone in the house."
"Are you trying to invite me inside Miss Swan?" Edward said making his tone formal, which caused me to smile.
"Maybe I am Mr. Cullen." As soon those words left my mouth I heard how Edward opened his door and suddenly he was outside my own, opening it and holding his arm out for me. I once again took a firm grip onto his arm as he helped me out of the car and to the front door of my house. Slowly I opened my backpack which I had been holding in my hand and got the key up. Just as I was about to open the door I felt a cold hand over my own, but I didn´t let go of the handle. Then I felt a small pressure on my hand and the door cracked open. Trying to ignore his staring gaze I made my way inside and took off my shoes. The second my feet were back on the ground I felt content.
"Are you just going to stand there or what?" I said to Edward who still stood in the door as I made my way into the kitchen.
I don´t know for how many hours we talked, all I knew was that for each minute I became more and more fascinated about the boy I was starting to get to know. It didn´t matter that I all the time found out new things about him, I wanted to know everything about him and something told me he felt the same way. We kept on shooting questions at each other, one more bizarre than the other. The worst was probably when I asked Edward about his worst memory and he said it had been when he saw Emmett dancing around in a very small leather costume. That had caused me to laugh so hard that tears nearly had fallen from my eyes.
Never before had I been so happy or been treated so normally by anyone. Nor had I been able to talk so openly to anyone before. I had told him about the problems of growing up with no sight, but also about how it had made me see the world. I told him about my parents and their phobia of me getting into trouble, how they always had tried to protect me. In return he told me about his family. I could notice that he wasn't telling me the whole truth since he kept dragging his hand thorough his hair, something I had learned that he did when he was nervous or lied, but I did not want to question him.
What amazed me the most was how easily we talked with one and other and how we could move on from one subject to another without any embarrassing pauses. And once there was a pause it didn´t feel uncomfortable. It felt normal and we didn't need to fill it out.
Right now we were sitting in my room; I was sitting on the bead and Edward in my old rocking chair. I had shown him around the house earlier and we had somehow ended up here. We were talking about Alaska since I had been curios about his time there when my phone rang. At first I didn´t know what to do with my cell phone since it never rang except for when my mom wanted to reach me, but this was not her ring tone. Carefully I took my phone from behind me and opened it.
"It is Bella." I said.
"Bella! It´s Jake, where are you? I was going to pick you up remember?" Shit Jake. I had been planning to call him once I got home to make sure that he couldn´t insist on driving me, but I had forgotten about it.
"I am at home; we were allowed to go earlier since our teacher was sick." I told him, hoping that he wouldn´t ask who drove me home. I could tell that Edward was very tense as he listened to our conversation. Normally I would have yelled at the person doing that, but now I noticed that I didn´t care.
"Did Charlie manage to get off from work and drive you home?" Jake asked sounding calm. For now.
"Not really a guy in my class offered to drive me home and I accepted. I had planned to call you but I forgot." My voice was securing and calm. Please don´t ask more questions.
"Okay, I guess that´s alright. Who was it by the way?" Damn.
"Edward Cullen." I said and heard how it became completely quiet in the other end of the phone. "Jake?"
"WHY DID YOU NOT CALL ME BELLA? I never would have approved of this! He is a danger to you! I am coming over." Jake literally growled in the other end of the line.
"Don´t you dare Jacob Ephraim Black" I hissed. "I am more than two years older than you; I think I can decide for myself what to do. And why would Edward be a danger to me?"
"Ask the leech himself!" Jake was about to say something more but I snapped the phone shut. Still boiling I turned my attention to Edward. He was staring at the shut phone in my hand.
"I´m sorry for what he said." I told him and he seemed to wake up from some kind of haze as he turned to me. Edward ran his hand through his hair before he looked at me again.
"I think it´s time for me to go." He said as he rose from the chair and nearly started running out of my room. His attempt to run away was useless though since his movements had told me early on what he was going to do. Therefore I had time to get up from the bed and grab a hold of his hand before he reached the door. Something told me that if he wanted to he could just pull his hand out of my grip and disappear before I had time to react. I mean I already knew he could move faster than lightning.
"You know if you hadn´t tried to run away I wouldn't have asked you but now I will. Why does Jake consider you as a danger to me?" Jake was even lower on my list of friends after his outburst on the phone, but I knew that he wasn´t stupid and he usually had a good reason behind his statements.
"Please tell me. I want to be with you, but then I have to know." I added with a pleading voice when I realized that Edward was not going to answer. Panic slowly rose inside of me. If he left now I would lose him, deep inside I knew that I would never see him again if I allowed him to walk out of that door and the thought made my heart ache. Still he must have heard something in my voice because I felt how his body started to put more weight on the floor, telling me he no longer was trying to run away.
"What do you know about me and my family Bella?" He asked out of the blue and I was a little taken aback by his question, which was not the one I had been expecting.
"You moved here two years ago and…" I began but he cut me off.
"No what do you really know about my family?" His voice was sounding strangled and stressed. I took a deep breath before answering.
"I know that your skin is hard as stone and cold, but still soft so it resembles to a humans skin. I know that you have no heartbeat and that none of your other organs work. You don´t have to breathe, have increased hearing and sight as well I think. Alice can somehow see things before they happen and you all can move faster than any humans. You are flawless from what I can tell when it comes to looks and your voices are more the most beautiful symphonies." There was small silence after I had told him what I knew.
"You know all that?" He then asked sounding amazed.
"Yes, and there are a few more things I have been thinking about." I felt how he turned around to face me, not letting go of my hand.
"What if I told you I wasn´t human?"
"I would not be surprised; there are no humans that can be like you are and I that I have figured out that you therefore cannot be human." I told him my voice sincere. I felt him lean down to my level and put his mouth against my ear. His cold breath making its way down my neck made my body shiver.
"What if I told you that I am a bigger danger to you than anything else on this earth?" It was very hard to tell, but I could hear his anxious tone.
"I wouldn´t care, since I can´t let you go and since you are always on my mind. Only when I am with you it feels better."
"And if I told I am a vampire?" His voice was shaking with nervousness and for a second I froze. A vampire? They didn´t exist did they? But then again what decided say that they couldn´t exist in this world. Wait a second! If Edward was a vampire it meant his family were vampires as well and I now understood the danger Jacob thought I was being exposed for. Still I had been alone in a house full of vampires, talked with them at lunch and now once again been alone with one for hours without getting hurt. That the Cullens were vampires also explained all the treats I had found strange about them during the time I had spent with them. It also now made sense that Jasper and Edward had stopped breathing the first day I meet them when the wind changed. They must have felt the scent of my blood and stopped breathing to not put me in danger. They are not dangerous; at least they try not to be. I thought to myself.
"That it doesn't surprise me and that I´m still not afraid of you." I felt how Edward was about to protest so I just kept on going. "If you had wanted to kill or hurt me you and your family have had many golden possibilities, but you haven´t. Instead you have tried your hardest not to put me in danger. Somehow you have control over your bloodlust; otherwise you never could have been so close to me as you are now." As said this it was as if Edward understood that he was still leaning down close to my neck and I felt how he drawback quickly, nearly faster than I had time to pick up. He looked down at me as his expression became puzzled.
"So you are not afraid of me?" He asked with disbelief.
"No I am not." I said smiling up at him as I felt how his mouth turned up in a crocked grin. The expression on his face made my heart beat faster.
"I´m glad to hear that, but I still should return to my family. It´s late and Chief Swan will be home any minute. I don´t think you would like to explain what I´m doing in your room considering how protective he is." Edward told me making me groan when I heard the last part. I had forgotten about Charlie.
"You are right, but you owe me answers! I can´t hang around a group of vampires without knowing anything about them." I told him mockingly as I walked around him and started to head down the stairs, Edward following close behind.
"You really don´t have any problem with the fact that I could kill you in a few seconds and that vampires all over the world causes other humans to live in terror." His voice sounded happy, but there was an undertone of something I could not identify. And when he put it that way…
"No I am not since you obviously is not like them." We had reached the hall and it wasn´t until now that I noticed that I was still holding onto Edward´s hand. It felt so natural and right, but I quickly let it go and blushed harder than ever before. Why had I begun blushing so much suddenly?
I felt how Edward´s eyes looked at my hand before he took his jacket and pulled it on. His sent washed over me once more and I couldn't help to breathe it in, not caring if I acted strange.
"I guess I should go then." Edward said in the doorway and for the first time it felt awkward.
"Uhm… yeah I guess you should." I told him not knowing what to say. He was nearly out the door when he turned around and took a step closer to me.
"Bella…"
"Yes." I felt my heart beating crazy in my chest and the electricity was now pulsing between us.
"Uhm… Would you like me to pick you up and drive you to school tomorrow? You know since Chief Swan begins work early and all…" Before he had time to continue I took a step forward and placed a finger over his mouth. His lips were smooth and soft under my finger, but still firmer and harder than any humans. I had no idea what gave me the courage to act this way.
"I would love you to pick me up tomorrow and you can stop calling Charlie "Chief Swan", it´s to formal when he isn´t around don't you think." His lips turned into a smile and what happened next made me freeze. Edward´s left hand carefully took a hold of my own and kept it in place as he lightly kissed the finger resting over his clod lips. A shiver went through me and I couldn´t say anything as he slowly turned my hand in his own, kissing it as an old gentleman would.
"Then I shall eagerly await tomorrow when I can see you again. Good evening Bella." Then he started to head out the door and was gone. Still in a haze I clutched my hand to my chest trying to get some order to my crazy thoughts. I can´t wait for tomorrow.
Edward´s POV
A very tense and awkward atmosphere was now surrounding the table where we all were sitting. My siblings didn´t really know how to react to the obvious way, in their opinion, both Bella and I flirted. Emmett was also trying very hard not to smile when he thought about how easy it was to see how much I wanted to spend time with Bella. Just like a love sick puppy I heard in his thoughts and I couldn´t help but to glare at him. I wasn't that bad. Was I?
"Well then I guess we should go to class." Alice said finally breaking the silence and I heard how Jasper thanked whatever higher power there was that he was going to finally leave all of our emotions behind.
"Uhm, yes I think I will be late to my… uhm lesson in physical education." Emmett said continuing to mock me quietly in his mind. It´s good to know you like girls Eddie, I mean for a while there I couldn't help to worry that you would never get to become a man. But now when you have Beautiful you might get to try something new.
That he hadfelt sorry earlier for making fun of me was long gone in Emmett´s mind and I felt the anger rise once more. Another thing that was really irritating was how he chose to translate Bella's name since he himself thought that she indeed was extremely beautiful. I knew most would have seen it as a compliment in a way, but I was a vampire and it was in our nature to be protective so instead it only added to my anger. Then to my big surprise I suddenly felt how a small, very warm hand was placed on my shoulder and a strong current of warmth and power rushed through me. I didn´t need to look, I knew it was Bella and her touch made all my anger disappear. I automatically relaxed.
"There is no need to murder your brother for being a jerk." Her soft and bell like voice told me quietly and it had a the same calming tone that it had had the first time I had met her. Somehow when the rest of my family heard her calm tone they as well could let go of their awkwardness and the tension around our table was gone. I saw in the corner of my eye how Jasper leaned a little forward and I gave him a warning glare which he ignored.
Glare all you want Edward. I am just trying to figure out how she does it. How she can calm all of down by just a small change in her posture and tone of voice, she should need a lot more. I mean our feelings change as well. Especially since she is annoyed, but I think that is because I am staring at her. I couldn´t help but to look at my angel and there really was annoyance in her face. Then she looked away from Jasper and turned in Emmett´s direction.
"Besides I understand that you can´t be late to your lesson in PE Emmett since it seems that most of those muscles of yours is fake. It wouldn´t hurt for you to train them up a little so you don´t have to fear the five year olds here in Forks any longer." We all saw how our brother's mouth dropped as he tried to come up with a comeback to what Bella had just said.
She is really good. We are so going to get along I heard him thinking and couldn´t help to feel glad. Emmett was accepting Bella and he was already figuring out how he would be able to turn her over to his side.
"Is Angela still here? I would like to talk to her before we go." Bella said then out of nowhere and I forgot that she somehow was able to pick up movements so I just answered her like I should have done with my siblings, just listening after Angela's thoughts and giving the answer.
"Yes she´s still talking to Ben Crowley. Are you done?" I quickly asked trying to fix up my mistake but even though Bella answered she seemed to be lost in deep thought. Not noticing that we all rose from the table and then stood there waiting for her. She didn´t react for a few seconds and we all were worried that someone would notice so I reached my hand towards her, thinking that she might react if she felt something moving near her. It turned out that my thought had been correct when Bella started blushing and placed her small hand in my own. Carefully I closed my ice cold hand around her warm one and it felt as if the whole world had become brighter. I knew I had found my second piece, my soul mate in this young girl. It was the only explanation to how this could feel so natural and how I could be able to resist her extremely appealing blood that I could feel pulsing through her veins.
I helped her up from her chair, but once she stood up the situation felt wrong. In the time I came from the women always held onto the man's arm instead of his hand. It would also be easier to lead Bella if she held onto my arm and not my hand. Simply it would still look as if she couldn´t see where she was going and it would help her keep that facade up since she seemed to want it that way.
"Is it easier for you to hold onto my arm instead?" I asked her still wanting to give her a choice, and not wanting to let go of her hand. I saw how she nodded her head and I let go of her hand. Then I reached my arm out for her as I had been taught since I was a child. Bella seemed a little hesitant as she moved her hand slowly towards my arm before she, to my surprise, placed it on my arm the same way a young girl from my time would have done. A beautiful blush once again spread over her cheeks, giving her face more life.
You are so cute together! I heard Alice thoughts as she skipped forward to give Bella a hug before leaving with Jasper who still tried to figure out how my angel could read our emotions. I was ready to go when I noticed that Rosalie was still standing in the same stop that she had been in when she rose from her chair. Emmett was already standing by the doors, waiting for his mate, a little worried. Then to both Emmett's and my bafflement Rose rushed forward and gave Bella a very fast hug before she walked out of the cafeteria very fast, a confused Emmett following behind.
I realized that Bella was trying to grasp what had happened as well and I decided it was time to break both of us from this frozen state.
"Still want to talk to Angela?" I said turning towards Bella as I said so. She looked a little lost for a moment before she answered.
"Yes, I have to tell her something." She said and I nodded my head not thinking about that she couldn't see it and did a small movement with my arm to warn her that I was about to start walking. I had already noticed that Angela and Ben seemed to only have eyes for each other since they not had reacted to Mrs. Cope's announcement like the rest of the students. Then again I could tell from both of their minds that they probably had been mates if they had been vampires. They both had very easy to open up and talk with each other which all mates had. It was also one of the earliest treats showing.
When we reached their table I stopped not saying anything to see if they would notice us, but they just kept on talking with their heads close together.
"I can talk with her tomorrow." Bella said in a low voice to me and I couldn´t help the smile that spread over my lips or to shake my head a little. She sure was special. Any other girl on this school would have eagerly interrupted their friend and dragged her away to get the latest gossip and to give her opinion on the boy. Bella on the other hand put Angela and Ben's new relationship in the first place. As we walked out of the school every single student, and teacher, that we passed stared openly at both us while all of their minds screamed at me. No one could believe that Edward Cullen associated with anyone that wasn´t a part of his family.
Of course Cullen who has never even looked at a girl would make a move on Bella Swan who probably is the hottest girl in the country. One guy named Dean thought and most was guys was thinking something similar, except for the once who was planning on how to steal Bella´s attention and get me out the way.
The girls on the other hand were screaming, crying and feeling huge amounts of hate and jealousy towards Bella. How can a girl who has been here for two days win the guy I have been trying to catch for two years? She is blind for God's sake and that makes it impossible to play in the same league as me! He must be feeling sorry for her! It was just one thing to say, these girls were right. They never played in the same league as Bella because she was playing in a league which was exclusive even for vampires.
It was a relief to walk out of the school because even if the thoughts of the student body didn´t disappear they became a little more muffled. I lead Bella towards my Volvo and opened the door at the passenger side for her. Then I carefully helped her inside the car. I didn´t lift her inside as Chief Swan had done; her sad face was still clear in my mind. Instead I just supported her as she carefully climbed into my car on her own. I just had to be careful not to break her. It wasn´t until now that my brain had started to wake up once again and tell me that Bella was human and therefore extremely fragile. That I could break her with a single touch made me hurt mentally.
When she was sitting inside I leaned in a little to make sure that she was sitting alright and just as I was about to drawback my eyes locked on her lips. They looked extremely soft and had a very light red color which made it look like she was wearing some kind of lip-gloss, but with my sight I had seen from the beginning that they were perfectly colored that way. My eyes traveled over her perfect face, taking in each line before they landed on her lips again. Then I heard how her heart was beating like crazy and how her blood flooded faster through her veins and I quickly drew back. As I closed the door I had to collect myself and drive the need for her blood out of my system before I could walk around the car and sit down in the driver's seat.
There was warmth inside of me that I never had experienced in my many years as a vampire before. I think it had something to do with the feeling that Bella was sitting with me in my car and also the spark that always seemed to exist between us. Just as I was about to start the car I heard what sounded like an irritated sigh coming from Bella. I looked at her a little as my body worked on its own and started the car and began driving away from the school. Had I forgotten something? I was first thinking that I would wait and see if she said something, but then I remembered that she nearly hadn´t said a word to me. And once again she had chosen not to talk, making a sound to express her feelings.
"You don´t talk much do you?" I asked her trying to get a reaction from her, but all I got was another "huff" sound, this time angry. Why couldn´t I read her thoughts when I needed it?
"Come on, how about I ask you a question, you answer it and ask one in return?" I offered wanting her to talk with me.
"Okay, I agree. But I start." She said still sounding a little upset, but eager as well. I chuckled a little when I noticed that she acted as Emmett. "Are you gay?" Her question made me choke on the small amount of air that I just had breathed in. Was she kidding with me? Her face is really serious my mind told me as I looked at her. But then her mouth turned into the most beautiful smile and her bell like laughter echoed in the car. The sound had a similar effect to me as it had the first time and I lost myself in the sound. Then I somehow managed to drag myself back into reality, but a part of me was still floating in what could have been heaven.
"No I am not. I am actually interested in a girl right now but I don´t think she knows." I hoped that she picked up the hidden message in my answer but I could not tell if she did. Her face was an unreadable mask. "Can you really see?" I then asked, wanting to get an answer to the question that had been bugging me for a while.
"No I can´t."
"Then how did you mange to go through the woods without getting lost and then walk into our house as if you had been there a thousand times before? How do you do it?"
"I thought we would ask one question each?" She mumbled and I saw how she turned away. Suddenly I felt awful and ashamed. I had allowed my own curiosity to get in the way and made her uncomfortable.
"You can ask two in a row if you want." I tried to get back on the right track and make the situation easier again.
"Let's just say that I ´m not as blind as everyone thinks I am, but I still can´t see the things around me in the way you mean. What is your favorite color and why?" It was obvious that she was changing subject, but her tone was lighter again and I wasn't going to keep on talking about a subject which was making her uncomfortable.
"Brown, it is a very rich and wonderful color. Warm as well." I said without thinking.
"Do I have the color brown?" Her question caught me a little of guard and I was put in a pretty awkward situation. My love for the color brown had started when I saw Bella and the color of her hair, but if I told her that would she think I was to forward again?
"Your hair is deep brown, but in the sun you can see red and golden highlights." I mumbled to her, not giving away my inner thoughts. After that Bella stayed quiet and I didn´t want to break that silence in case she was irritated or uneasy with my description of her. Then I saw Bella´s house getting into view and slowed the car down before I parked it outside.
"Well we´re here." I said after we had stopped and Bella turned her face towards me, her unseeing eyes somehow twinkling a little.
"You know it would look wired if Charlie Swans blind daughter all of the sudden could walk to the door herself and was left alone in the house." She told me and I couldn´t help to smile a little. She wasn´t angry at me, the opposite it seemed.
"Are you trying to invite me inside Miss Swan?" I asked her allowing my voice to fall back to the way I had been thought to speak when I was human. It was amazing how my human memories seemed to come alive when I was around Bella, they became clearer.
"Maybe I am Mr. Cullen." She told me and I was not going to let her change her mind, or open the door herself. So I moved quickly around the car and opened it for her, offering my arm for support. She once again placed her hand on my arm and I felt an extremely small pressure when she got out of the car, steadying herself a little. Then I guided her to the front door. She started to fumble with the backpack she had held in her hand when we reached it and got a key up which she put in the lock making it click. Before I had time to open the door for her she already had her hand on the handle, causing my hand to rest upon her own. Carefully I added a little pressure and the door opened.
When the door opened Bella let go of my arm and walked inside, took of her shoes and began to disappear into the house. No invitation?
"Are you just going to stand there or what?" She called over her shoulder and I was laughing at myself for thinking she would have acted any other way.
I had followed Bella into a small kitchen where she had been filling a glass of water. After that she had given me a small tour of the house, not really acting as if she cared very much and I understood her. She couldn´t see the house herself could she? As she gave me the tour I once again noticed how well she seemed to be able to pick up her surroundings. She didn´t once walk into something and she even stepped over the newspaper and remote that laid on the floor in the living room.
But there was also something else which had drawn my attention when we were in that room. On a shelf there had been standing photos in a long row. When I had looked at them closer they had all been of a younger Bella. There was a picture of her as a baby, sleeping in her mother's arms in the hospital. There was also a very young Chief Swan in that picture. In the next picture Bella had to be three or four years old and that picture made me stare. I saw a sunburned young girl with brown eyes! Her face was slightly turned to the left where an even younger boy stood laughing. Her blind eyes stared straight forward, but I could see that if she had been able to see they probably would have been turned to the boy.
The contrast between the young Bella and the Bella I saw now was extreme. The brown eyes looked dead and they seemed dreggy. Her sunburned skin was nowhere near the pale skin color she had today and she seemed less… perfect in some way. She looks human I realized. The girl in the pictures looked human and not like the goddess standing behind me. It was not that she wasn´t beautiful when she was younger. As my eyes followed the pictures on the shelf I could see that Bella had been very beautiful already before whatever that had made her change. Then I saw something.
"Bella, Can I ask you something?" I said looking back and forth between two pictures of Bella where she looked to be eight years old.
"Of course" She said and walked over to me, her presence making me want to hold her closer.
"Do you know when these pictures were taken?" I asked pointing at the two photographs.
"Uhm… I think the first one was taken the Christmas when I was eight and the next the summer that followed. Now come on." She sounded happy and I followed her up the stairs, but now I knew. My angel had lost her deep brown eyes sometime during the Christmas and the summer when she was eight years old.
Bella had showed me her room next, it was very simple with not really anything showed her character, but then again she didn´t really know what her room looked like. When we had walked in Bella had sat down at the bead and I had sat down in the old rocking chair standing in the room, looking at her. Then we had just started talking and everything became so easy. Bella listened to what I had to say, she asked questions and I found out that I had no problem talking to her. In return she seemed to be open with me as well and she told me about her growing up.
We were so lost in our conversation that I didn´t notice it had gone hours when Bella´s phone rang. A song I didn´t recognize began playing and Bella looked confused for a moment as well before she answered.
"It is Bella." She said slowly.
"Bella! It´s Jake, where are you? I was going to pick you up remember?" I heard in the other end. Stupid dog that has her number.
"I am at home; we were allowed to go earlier since our teacher was sick." Well she was telling the truth, in a way.
"Did Charlie manage to get off from work and drive you home?"
"Not really a guy in my class offered to drive me home and I accepted. I had planned to call you but I forgot."
"Okay, I guess that´s alright. Who was it by the way?"
"Edward Cullen." Bella said and I heard how it became silent on the other end. I couldn´t help to feel a little proud that Bella chose me over the dog, when he had called her a dark feeling had spread in my chest knowing he had her number. Strange feeling.
"Jake?" Bella tried.
"WHY DID YOU NOT CALL ME BELLA? I never would have approved of this! He is a danger to you! I am coming over." The dog was really angry, no doubt about that.
"Don´t you dare Jacob Ephraim Black" Bella hissed and her voice was just as venomous as a vampires, it didn´t surprise me if the dog was cringing away from the phone. "I am more than two years older than you; I think I can decide for myself what to do. And why would Edward be a danger to me?"
"Ask the leech himself!" The thing screamed on the other end but Bella just shut the phone. Still his last words hung over me. He was right even though I didn´t want to admit it. Every single second I spent with Bella I put her life on the line and I could never live with myself if I hurt her in any way.
"I´m sorry for what he said." Her soft voice reached through my thoughts and I looked at her. She seemed worried, she wouldn´t have to be.
"I think it´s time for me to go." I said to her deciding that I would let her go, I could not hurt her or make her find out what I was. It would hunt her forever and she would become afraid of me, something I couldn´t handle that. I wanted her to like me for what I was, but I knew that was impossible. I wasn´t even human, I was a monster. I could go to Alaska again. Tanya would be happy to see me…
I was interrupted in my planning when I felt a warm hand grabbing a hold of my own and I stooped the moment I felt it. My mind was telling my body to move, but I couldn´t. A much bigger force kept me in place and deep inside I didn´t want to fight it, I wanted it to keep me here with my angel.
"You know if you hadn´t tried to run away I wouldn't have asked you but now I will. Why does Jake consider you as a danger to me?" Bella said and I had no idea how to answer that. I could lie to her, but I knew that if the dog found out he would tell her the truth and I would lose her trust. This was the time to be honest. Still I feared her reaction. I knew what it would be. She would scream and become terrified of me before she demanded me to leave.
"Please tell me. I want to be with you, but then I have to know." I felt how the last of my determination crumbled to dust when I heard her voice.
"What do you know about me and my family Bella?" I asked her wanting to know how much she already had figured out since it was no secret she knew something. It had been a big topic in our family since we meet her.
"You moved here two years ago and…" She began but that was not what I wanted to know. Not the things she needed to know.
"No what do you really know about my family?" I asked feeling very scared of what she knew. Maybe she didn´t know anything and this was a mistake.
"I know that your skin is hard as stone and cold, but still soft so it resembles to a humans skin. I know that you have no heartbeat and that none of your other organs work. You don´t have to breath, have increased hearing and sight as well I think. Alice can somehow see things before they happen and you all can move faster than any humans. You are flawless from what I can tell when it comes to looks and your voices are more the most beautiful symphonies."
I didn´t really know what to say. She had figured out nearly everything about is in a very small amount of time and she was blind. The closet a human had come before was wondering if we ever ate and why Alice sometimes stared out in space. But Bella had found out nearly everything that showed we were vampires.
"You know all that?" I just had to get it confirmed.
"Yes, and there are a few more things I have been thinking about." When she said this I turned around trying to read her face. She looked completely honest and nearly excited that she would find out what we were. But I saw no fear in her face.
"What if I told you I wasn´t human?" The words fell out before I could stop them. Smooth Edward. My mind mocked me, but Bella didn't seem bothered. Instead her white eyes turned to look into my own as she answered the question.
"I would not be surprised; there are no humans that can be like you are and I that I have figured out that you therefore cannot be human." I couldn´t stand her burning gaze, because if I kept looking into her eyes I would soon do something I would regret. So I leaned down and put my mouth close to her ear. Breathing in her sent.
"What if I told you that I am a bigger danger to you than anything else on this earth?" I couldn´t help but to be anxious to her response.
"I wouldn´t care, since I can´t let you go and since you are always on my mind. Only when I am with you it feels better." Her words would have made my unbeating heart to skip a beat if I had been human. But there was still the worst secret to tell.
"And if I told I am a vampire?" I noticed how Bella´s body stiffened and I felt how sorrow spread in me, starting to drag me down. Of course she could not be able to handle this. Of course she would be afraid or think I´m mad. How stupid could I you get. Then she relaxed once more and her next words chocked me to no end.
"That it doesn't surprise me and that I´m still not afraid of you." She couldn´t mean that, could she? I had just opened my mouth to ask if she was serious but she kept on talking. "If you had wanted to kill or hurt me you and your family have had many golden possibilities, but you haven´t. Instead you have tried your hardest not to put me in danger. Somehow you have control over your bloodlust; otherwise you never could have been so close to me as you are now." I was still leaning down with my mouth close to her neck and I drew back not wanting to make her think I was going to bite her. I looked into her eyes and I saw that she looked happy and not scared at all. Who was this girl who didn´t react like a normal human would?
"So you are not afraid of me?" I had to hear it one more time.
"No I am not." She nearly sounded a little proud of herself and her face turned into a breathtaking warm smile. I didn´t know what I felt, it was something to big to be put into words.
"I´m glad to hear that, but I still should return to my family. It´s late and Chief Swan will be home any minute. I don´t think you would like to explain what I´m doing in your room considering how protective he is." Glad, that was an understatement. Overjoyed would have been better. Bella groaned at the last and her face turned irritated.
"You are right, but you owe me answers! I can´t hang around a group of vampires without knowing anything about them." I could tell that she was completely serious about what she said, but it was a little weird hearing how easily she used the word vampire. As if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"You really don´t have any problem with the fact that I could kill you in a few seconds and that vampires all over the world causes other humans to live in terror?" I asked her as I followed her down the stairs. Feeling adoration towards my Bella.
"No I am not since you obviously is not like them." She told me and I felt how something warm left go of my hand. I looked down and saw that Bella´s hand was retreating to her side. We had been holding onto each other not noticing. It felt so right. I decided not to say anything so I put my jacket on. I didn´t need it but it was a part if the show me and family always played. I heard Bella taking a deep breath and I was remained that she had the same good sense of smell that we had. Had she breathed in my sent?
"I guess I should go then." I didn´t want to leave her all alone despite the knowledge of that Chief Swan would be home in a few minutes. It felt wrong to leave her.
"Uhm… yeah I guess you should." She said looking down at her feet. The awkwardness was heavy in the small hall and I was about to open the door when I turned around.
"Bella…" My voice trailed off when I heard her beating heart and saw her slightly flushed cheeks. The awkwardness was gone and now it felt like the air was pulsing.
"Yes."
"Uhm… Would you like me to pick you up and drive you to school tomorrow? You know since Chief Swan begins work early and all…" I was rambling, nervously. Then I felt a finger being placed over my mouth and I stopped abruptly, focusing on the girl in front of me who made me act like a teenager.
"I would love you to pick me up tomorrow and you can stop calling Charlie "Chief Swan", it´s to formal when he isn´t around don't you think." When she said that my instincts took over and I kissed her finger resting on my lips, then I took a hold of her hand and kissed the top of it. She shivered and for a moment I thought it was because of the cold.
"Then I shall eagerly await tomorrow when I can see you again. Good evening Bella." I said before I walked out of the door. I could hear her racing heartbeat a long time after I had started to drive away from the house. I felt excited knowing that her heart only reacted to me and not anyone else.
So what did you think? Am I moving too fast to/to slow? To much information? I also have a question for you this time. Do you want me to write the events that happen when Edward get home to his family and Charlie gets home to Bella? It´s all up to you and you give me your opinion by writing a review.
The next chapter might unfortunaly take some time because I am traveling up to "Dalarna" on Friday and I am going to stay there until Monday, so I won´t have any internet since I don´t own a laptop. Yep it sucks. Anyway for you who are interested "Dalarna" is a province in Sweden and it lies in the middle of the country to the west. (Next to the border of Norway) It is a big province in Sweden and it is from here "Dalahästen" comes. If you are curious what it looks like there will be a picture in my profile. ;)
You can also now give anonyms reviews to this story.
/Love Lysistrate