A/N: I bet the title makes you think something bad is going to happen :3
Chapter Eight: The Game
I woke up reluctantly and the sky still wasn't even slightly light. I could hear rain pelting down on the roof and could see it, from the corner of my eye, streaming down my window. There was a flash of light, shining throughout my dim room. Following it was a low and terrifying rumble. I sat up, worried about the sound. I knew it was merely thunder and was probably far away, but the sound was so low and loud it was scary.
Glancing around my room it was empty, bereft of any boy or vampire. My heart sunk. I forced myself out of bed, pulling on lights jeans and a plain white t-shirt, pulling on a blue zip up sweater to keep me warm.
Charlie was downstairs, listening to the weather report. Thunderstorms into the late evening, no chance of it lessening up. I forced myself to eat nearly a whole bowl of cereal before moving to the living room, maybe to talk to Charlie? I wasn't sure. I just wanted Edward; that much I was sure about.
Before I could even sit down next to Charlie I heard a car beeping in the driveway and a knock on the door. I got up slowly, uncertain as to who it could be. I opened the door slowly, cautiously. Standing in front of me was Edward, his hair falling playfully in front of his eyes and soaking wet from the quick sprint up the walkway. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face and I quickly pulled on my sneakers and jacket, yelling to Charlie that I was leaving as Edward pulled me out the door.
I hurried to the car where Edward pushed me into the backseat before climbing in himself. I found myself squashed in between Alice and Edward in the back of Carlisle's car, he and Esme sitting in the front.
"Ready to go, Bella?" Carlisle asked excitedly. I grinned and then something dawned on me.
"It's pouring down rain, how are you supposed to play baseball in this?" They all either grinned or laughed at me.
"It's necessary, you'll see," Edward muttered quickly as we raced down the road. Carlisle's driving wasn't as bad as Edwards, it was bearable to say the least. At least it wasn't suicidal, but it was faster than I would have been happy with.
We drove down a small dirt road that came to an abrupt end. As I was pulled out of the car I became more aware that it was only misty here, no torrential rains as experienced in town. Edward took my hand and pulled me onto his back as I barely caught from the corner of me eye, the other three racing off into the woods.
My stomach lurched painfully. I wasn't sure my digestive system could take another run with him.
"Please don't," I said quietly, thankful that he was able to hear me. He looked at me confused and then a grin erupted onto his beautiful features.
"Come on Bella, nothing's going to happen to you," he gave me the most unforgiving puppy dog eyes in the world that made me whimper from how cute he looked. Then the beautiful smile reappeared and before another word was said he quickly kissed my cheek and scooped me into his arms, running full tilt.
I clutched onto his jacket for dear life. I could hear leaves rustle as we passed and my hair tickled my neck. I thought that surely I must be a bit heavy but Edward didn't seem bothered. I dared myself to open myself, after I had grabbed his neck with both my arms and forced my head into his neck. I forced one tightly shut eye opened, peeking around at the dizzying green that was flying passed and then the light color of Edwards skin, a colour that was hardly moving caught my eye. If I focused on that I wouldn't get motion sickness and I also wouldn't have a headache from forcing my eyes shut.
I searched his neck for any slight imperfection. It was a lost cause, straight from the beginning. He was too perfect. It was almost like he was a perfect sculpture, only one that still had its arms. Then again, maybe he was too perfect to be captured in any form of art.
It was then that I focused on his lips. They were parted slightly as he breathed and were the perfect shade of pink. I remembered how they'd felt when he kissed me and longed to reach up and touch them. I felt my hand slipping from his neck. Once I realized what I was doing my heart skipped a beat, I turned beet red and clamped my arms tighter around his neck, all at once.
The sudden movement made him look down at me, his eyes wide with worry, but when he saw me looking up at him embarrassedly he chuckled and smiled and I felt the rocking motion from his running slow and finally end.
The hypnotizing and sickening grin froze and I was allowed to see shapes, leaves, ferns, even a brown tree trunk that was drowned in green moss. My feet touched the ground hard and I reluctantly let go of Edward's neck. I frowned slightly; hopefully he wouldn't notice my displeasure at not being held by him.
He put a hand under my chin and pulled my face towards his. All I could focus on were his honey eyes, smoldering my own. I was all too aware of how much closer he was getting to me, my heart racing, making me feel like I was about to faint. His cool, soft lips touched mine briefly and I felt my knees buckle slightly. Rather than falling I grabbed his open jacket for support, but I behaved myself, holding back from jumping onto him.
He smiled and took my hand, leading me into the large, dark field that I had been previously oblivious to. It was an enormous field, I couldn't picture any normal person playing a civilized game of baseball here. Then again… the Cullens weren't exactly normal. I could see Carlisle marking the plates, Esme sitting by herself and the others practicing with one another.
It already looked much better than any regular baseball, Alice could probably throw for miles and Emmett seemed like he could catch anything. Edward gave me another strong kiss before he ran off to join his siblings. I managed my way over to Esme, my heart fluttering from loving Edward too much and my amazing nerves at the possibility of playing a sport.
"Hello Bella, dear," Esme said sweetly as I approached.
"Hi Esme," my voice cracked, betraying me. I blushed my true feelings about being here were revealed. Esme merely smiled and patted a seat in the grass next to her.
"You don't have to play honey," I relaxed a great amount at that. "To be honest it would be impossible for you to play."
"Did she think she was playing?" Alice screamed across the field before bursting into laughter. I blushed at my foolishness. Me playing baseball with vampires. Super senses and super speed/agility up against the clumsiest person ever. Ha... haha haha…. Bella… You're so silly. I laughed along with Alice, only not as much.
"Why aren't you playing?" I asked Esme. She grinned as she stared at her husband and children.
"I like making sure they play an honest game." I smiled and turned back to the others, watching as the game started.
To be honest, baseball was probably my least favourite sport. I mean, I could probably have sat through a game if need be, but after watching this, I'd never be able to go back to the boring old major leagues.
Edward made the game enjoyable. I actually had fun cheering for him, Carlisle and Alice. They ran so fast I almost never saw half of it, and I quickly learned why a thunder storm was necessary.
When Emmett hit the ball the first time, starting the game, an ear-splitting crack filled the air, easily overpowering the thunder heard overhead. The people in Forks must be terrified of being struck by lightning.
Edward was so much faster than any of the others, he easily overcame them, making homeruns look like they were boring and catching a ball that a professional had no hope of getting.
Fights broke out often; Esme would rush to the pitchers mound, everyone screaming over everyone else. They'd quiet in awe at me, crumpled over in the grass laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Watching me laugh so hard was almost as amusing to them as playing the actual game.
The time eventually came when, unfortunately, I was to be returned home. The storm had subsided but it was still dark out, signaling the late hour. My eyes felt heavy as Edward drove me home. The others had let him take me back alone.
"Did you enjoy yourself today?" he asked softly. I realized then that we were parked safely in my driveway. I looked up slowly, glancing from the porch light to the car keys and then to his beautiful face. A sleepy smile made its way onto my face and I nodded, sighing heavily.
He gave me a crooked smile and leaned over to push a lock of hair out of my eyes. "I don't think I'll ever find baseball the same again." He laughed softly at me. He seemed tired himself.
"I think Charlie's getting ready to come looking for you," He murmured quietly. It was when I saw the curtains moving in the window that I realized we were leaned towards one another. Charlie's face flashed in the window and then disappeared. I frowned and sat up straighter. Edward grabbed my arm and pulled be down towards him.
My eyes widened and I turned my head to see what he was doing. Just as I turned my head my lips met his in another wonderful kiss, and I couldn't help but smile. He smiled as well and let me going, making that his sign that I should leave. I sighed again and shot him a look, one that I was sure he would read as 'I don't want to leave you, you better be here later.'
I vaguely heard the car pulling away behind me and forced myself up the stairs and into the house. Charlie was in the kitchen, shooting nervous glances at the clock on the microwave. When he saw me enter the room he calmed down and smiled at me. I could see by the clock that it was after ten o'clock. What time had I woken up?
"Bella, I need to talk to you for a second before you go to bed." My hand was already on the railing and I froze, my head dropping in exhaustion. I spun around, facing him.
"What is it, Dad, I'm kind of really tired." I hoped I hadn't sound too snotty or mean.
"Well, um… did you enjoy yourself tonight?" he asked nervously. I guess to him that was a good way of starting out a father-to-daughter talk. I smiled warmly.
"I really did, Dad, thanks." I knew my voice was sincere as I truly meant it from the bottom of my heart. He smiled slightly, his eyes seeming slightly troubled. I stood up a bit more straightly, suddenly becoming more awake.
"I'm very glad you've enjoyed yourself this summer, Bells. It's been a lot different than last summer, hasn't it?" he laughed nervously through his words at the end. I nodded cautiously. "You've made some fairly good friends here in town, especially with the Cullens." I stared at him hard. He better not be forbidding me from seeing them or something. He hadn't seen Edward and I in the car, had he? My stomach sank. To Charlie, Edward wasn't nearly a hundred years old, he was barely fifteen, not yet old enough to even have a permit, and certainly not to be kissing the Chief's daughter.
"Well I just wanted to say that you're mother called and she's gotten a plane ticket for Thursday." My stomach dropped to the floor.
"Next Thursday?" I asked hopefully.
"No, this Thursday."
"Thursday as in; not tomorrow but the day after Thursday?"
Charlie nodded. A large lump was in my throat. Had I had some sort of advanced notice on my date of departure I thought I would've been able to cope with leaving the Cullens for a year. But one day to tell them how much they meant to me, to tell Edward how much I loved him.
I loved him. It was the first time I'd admitted it to myself.
I muttered a thanks and goodnight to Charlie as I climbed up the stairs and into bed, only partially aware of what I pulled on as I climbed in under the covers.
I loved Edward Cullen.
I played those words over in my head again and again, silently mouthing them into the darkness, trying to taste them on my tongue. When Charlie opened the door to check on me I clamped my eyes shut. When it was dark again I resumed my train of thought, pulling my hands out of the warm cocoon of blankets to press them against my heart, trying desperately to slow its beating.
I felt Edwards cool arms wrap around me and I jumped slightly from surprise. He whispered in my ears to be calm and I was, knowing he was there. His strong body pressed against mine, the cologne of his skin overpowering anything else. I prayed that the smell would cling to my sheets so that, in case he left, he could still actually be there.
The rhythmic sound of his breathing brought back my long forgotten fatigue, lulling me back in the direction of sleep.
I was in love with Edward. I knew that love didn't happen everyday. Love was something serious, not just some game you played, stealing peoples hearts and potentially breaking them. Love was for real, being with someone and needing them, feeling complete with them and nowhere near whole without them.
That was exactly what I felt for him.
I was leaving in less than two days, back to the sunny paradise that was Phoenix. Back to a place where he could never follow me. Back to a place where I could never again be whole. Tears streamed down my face, and I felt Edward reaching up to wipe them away.
What sort of game were Charlie and Renee playing with me? I was no longer Bella the daughter, but Bella the game piece. Let's all roll a dice and see where we can dump her next! Alaska?! Indonesia?! Ooh, how about Italy? Great. They were playing a game with me, for sure. Sending me to a place I no longer hated, introducing me to my one and only, and, just when things couldn't get any better, tearing me away.
It was a sick, cruel game, although probably not intentional. I didn't want to admit that to myself just then. The only thing I was aware of was Edwards cool body, the warm tears on my face, and my overpowering love for him. Everything after that was black.
A/N: Op! No one got killed. YET! Haha… no.
So. Is that a plot I smell? I think it is! Bella's leaving! Oh no! Can Edward declare his love for her? Will he ever know how she feels? Will they ever see each other again?! The answers to these questions and more in Chapter 9! … and maybe 10.
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