Chapter 9

I stayed up near the Denali's for a week. I just sat in the middle of the woods, leaning against a tree. Different members from the Denali coven would come and check on me each day but I hardly said a word to them. I just thought about everything that had happened through all my years but somehow every thought brought me back to Edward. I could not believe how every thought led back to him and would then try to figure out why that was.

On my last day up in Denali Kate came to check on me again. "So Bella, how is it going today?" She asked me and she came to sit next to me. No one had done that, not even her the last time she checked on me.

I was covered in snow so I brushed myself off so I at least looked like myself. "It is going, no animals anywhere near here thanks to me." I said with a sigh.

"I meant how are you doing." She said with a laugh.

"I am alright I guess. I find it hard to actually keep myself here." I said as I put my head in my hands.

"Why is that Bella?" She asked looking at me with a smile like she already knew.

"I don't know, I just want to learn what I can about…" I started.

"About Edward." She said.

"Yes, Edward. I think it is because I can't read his mind so I don't know anything about him. I just want to learn everything I can. Every thought I have leads back to him and he is all that I can picture when I close my eyes." I said and sighed again.

"Bella, I think you should go back to your family. They call us every day to see how you are doing, that is why we come out and check on you. They are all worried about you, heck we are worried about you, Isabella Cullen doesn't run from anything and here you are hiding because of a human. Besides, I know you are missing them too and want to go back home." She said putting her arm around my shoulders and making me look at her.

"You are right, I do miss them greatly and really do want to go back home." I said wanting to look away from her but staying focused.

"Then go, I know that they all want you back." She said standing up and then pulling me up.

"Thank you Kate, what would I do without your help?" I said as I hugged her and then took off to where I left Carlisle's car. I heard Kate laugh at me and take off towards their house.

When I got to the car I quickly cleaned off all the snow and dug out a path so I could get back on the road. I drove as fast as Carlisle's car would take me and when I got home Esme was standing on the front porch with her arms crossed in front of her. I parked in front of the garage and once I stepped out of the car Esme was pulling me into a very tight hug. "Don't you ever leave like that again, without a word to me. Do you know I was worried sick the whole time you were gone." She said after she let me out of her hug, she had her hands on my shoulders at arm's length and was staring at me sternly.

"Yes mom, I am so sorry I put you through that." I said looking down.

"Come on, let's go inside." She said trying to pull me.

"I actually think I should go hunting, I haven't in over three weeks." I said.

Esme looked at my pitch black eyes then said, "I think that is a good idea. Would you like me to join you?"

"No thank you, I can tell you just hunted recently, your eyes a still very bright." I said.

"Jasper and I will go with her, we both need to hunt." Alice said coming out of the front door with Jasper right behind her.

"Ok. I'll see you guys later, don't forget tomorrow is Monday and you have school." Esme said as she walked towards the door.

Alice had given me a hug before Esme got in the house and once she let go of me we took off.

I would have liked it better if we went our separate ways but Jasper insisted that they would stay near me. "Bella we are here to help you, we care about you and want to do anything we can to support you." Jasper said putting his hand on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

"I appreciate it but I don't need you two around while I hunt. I am going to make sure that I am full, you don't have to watch me." I said with a sigh.

"Bella, you aren't going to win this little argument. We are staying right near you. It isn't just to watch you Bella, it is for us as well, we missed you Bella." Alice said.

"Alright, I give up, I don't feel like wasting any more time." I said with a sigh.

After we were all done we ran back to the house. We had half an hour before we had to leave for school so we quickly showered and got dressed. My siblings were all waiting for me already in the Volvo. I slid in and we were off. We were silent the whole way to school but I could tell that they were all watching me. When we got to the school I went to my first class not bothering to say anything to my family. I do not like being the one that is watched intently, they were all over reacting.

I went through my morning classes, though I didn't really pay attention. My thoughts still centered around Edward and I found myself watching him through other people's thoughts. At lunch I sat in between Alice and Emmett where I had a good view of Edward out of the corner of my eye. I was paying attention to everything that he did. He did not talk but I did notice how he kept looking over to our table.

I fully looked at the table, trying to figure out why he didn't talk with his friends. "Bella is staring at you." Mike said to Edward.

I heard Edward cough on his food and then swallow. "Does she looked mad? Don't look at her just glance." Edward said to him.

"No, she looks a little confused but that's about it." Mike answered. "Why would you think that she was mad at you? Did you stab her with your pencil or something in Bio? Jessica told me how angry she looked and how she practically ran out of the room when class was over."

"I didn't do anything to her but I got the feeling from her my first day that she hated me for some unknown reason." Edward said.

"The Cullen's hate everyone besides their family, that's just how it is so don't sweat it dude, it was nothing personal." Mike said as he picked up his tray and then walked to the garbage and then left for class.

As everyone else left to go to their next class we did as well. Alice and Jasper walked out of their way to walk me to my class. "Thanks guys, I'll see you after school. And don't worry, nothing will happen." I said as I walked into the room. They both just smiled at me and said, "See you later." at the same time.

I took my seat and waited. I was going to talk to Edward today to try and make up for the way I acted on his first day here. Edward came in and took his seat, not looking at me. I cleared my throat to try and get his attention. He glanced my way. "Hello, my name is Isabella Swan but I prefer if people call me Bella. You are Edward right?" I said, he looked at me slightly shocked. I heard his heart rate speed up and had to control myself so I didn't laugh in his face.

"Yes, Edward Mason, nice to meet you." He said.

"Nice to meet you too. Sorry about the way I acted last week, I had some personal business going on that upset me greatly." I said trying to make up for my bad behavior and almost loss of control.

"You were gone all week." Edward stated.

"Yes, like I said I had personal business but it is all taken care of now." I said. I ran out of air so I had to take in a breath. He smelt so good, like sunshine and fresh bread. I felt my mouth start to fill with venom and my throat start to burn, I quickly swallowed and focused on the conversation instead of his scent. Mr. Banner came in and started the lecture but we continued to talk in whispers. "So how do you like it here in Forks so far?" I asked trying to get the focus off of me.

"It is way too wet. I haven't seen the sun yet since we moved here. It is worse than where we used to live." He said in a rush.

"Where did you used to live?" I asked truly interested.

"Chicago." He said with a sigh.

"So if you don't like the wet then why did you move here?" I asked.

"My mom wanted to move after my dad died from complications with the swine flu and for some unknown reason she loves it here. My grandparents said I could have stayed with them in Chicago to finish school if I wanted but I didn't want to leave my mom alone after that." He said and then he looked a little shocked, I don't think he intended to tell me all that.

"I am sorry to hear about your father Edward." I said and I really did mean it.

"Thank you, we weren't really close though so his death doesn't really affect me." He said with a slight shrug of his shoulder. "So what about you? I hear you are still relatively new here yourself."

"It is ok here, I don't mind it. We moved here from Alaska but I did live in Chicago for a little bit." I said in a way saying that I really didn't want to continue on with the subject. The bell rang so we both got up and walked out of the room together. I walked with him keeping a little distance but we continued to talk.

"I was wondering, did you get contacts?" He suddenly asked me and then continued to explain why he asked, "I could have sworn that your eyes were black last time I saw you but they are a beautiful gold today."

"I don't have contacts, my eyes just change color for some reason. Some days they are black others they are gold." I said in a clipped tone. I was shocked that he noticed. The more I thought about it he didn't seem to shy away from me either like other humans. "I, uh, have to get to class. I'll see you tomorrow in class." I said as I parted ways with him.

I walked to Spanish as fast as I dared to keep the human act. I walked straight to my seat and waited for class to start and for this day to be over. Emmett came in and with one look at my face he knew something was bothering me. "Bella, what is bothering you?" He asked as he sat down.

"I don't want to talk about it Emmett. Just drop it ok." I said as the teacher came in and started class.

I heard in Emmett's thoughts that he was going to push it more so I wrapped my physical shield around him and squeezed him tightly making him very uncomfortable. He immediately mumbled an ok and sorry so I released him. We sat through class silently and when class was over he got up and left without a look in my direction and I was not really offended like I normally would have been. I walked out as slowly as I could. I was thinking of Edward again, always was since I met him the week before. He seemed to bring out emotions in me that I hadn't felt in such a long time, since I was human.

I got to the car before anyone else and was very tempted to just leave without them but I knew that would really tick Rosalie off, it was bad enough that I always drove and not her. I sat and waited impatiently. Everyone finally arrived and took their seats silently. I was on the road before Alice spoke.

"You're leaving again?" She asked.

"I don't know Alice why don't you tell me what I am going to do." I growled at her.

"Bella you can't, it would kill Esme and there is no way that I am going to tell her again that you left. We would all miss you. Besides it would cause a lot of suspicion at school, last week we were able to lie and say that you were sick but we can't make a good enough excuse for you leaving again." Alice said in one long breath.

"I don't know Alice. It's a thought that I have been toying with." I said with a sigh as I pulled onto our driveway. "Just drop it Alice." I said as we got in the garage. I didn't need Esme to hear as I wasn't certain as to whether or not I was going to leave.

Emmett and Rosalie had been staring at me the whole time. "Bella please don't leave." Emmett said. It was the first time that he was so serious about anything concerning me, well anyone.

"I don't know if I am right now Emmett so don't worry about it ok." I said with another sigh. I couldn't believe I was putting my family through so much pain, sorrow and worry.

"Bella, I… I don't really know what to say. I know we started off on the wrong foot and have slowly worked to be sisters but I can't understand why you are risking our secret with this human." Rosalie said. I knew from her thoughts that she did not approve of me even really talking with Edward.

"Rosalie just drop it." Alice warned her and then Rosalie got out of the car with a huff. Emmett quickly followed his wife.

Alice got out and I was surprised that Jasper was still in the car with me. I got out and Jasper did as well. "Bella just think everything through before you make a decision. I know the emotions that you are feeling are new to you but I know you can do the right thing." Jasper said as he patted my shoulder and then turned to leave.

"Thank you Jasper." I said with a smile.

"Not a problem Bella." He said looking over his shoulder giving me a smile of his own. He quickly ran in the house and I walked in slowly.

Esme was out in her garden weeding and making sure that everything was perfect. I went up to my room and quickly did my homework. I wrote in my journal and then I grabbed a book off of one of my many shelves of books to read. I started to read it though I didn't pay attention to the words that I read.

I heard the soft footsteps of my mother figure come up the stairs and down the hall and stop in front of my door. I heard her shift her weight from one foot to the other, obviously she was hesitant about whatever she wanted to talk to me about. "Come on in Esme." I whispered.

Esme came in slowly and sat down at the end of my couch, I sat up so that she would have more room. "How was school today?" Esme asked me.

"It was alright, pretty boring like usual, there is nothing new to learn." I said trying to figure out what Esme really wanted to talk about without reading her thoughts.

"Alice, Jasper, and Emmett all told me about today. I can even see a bit of a change in you. I just wish I knew what brought it on and what it will be like in the future." She said.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I said still not fully understanding.

"I see actual emotion in your eyes. Obviously something made you leave us last week and I understand if you don't want to tell me what it was. I am happy that you are home and I am very happy that you are feeling real emotions. I just wish I knew what it was making you feel these emotions so I can help you stay like this and not be someone just passing through time." Esme said taking my hand in hers.

"I don't know what has changed, I am still trying to figure it out. The new student, Edward Mason is the reason that I ran. His blood actually affects me Esme, my throat burns and my mouth waters. I haven't had a human affect me since I started drinking from animals. I also can't read his mind which drives me crazy because I find myself wanting to know everything that he is thinking and everything about him. I want to be around him but my very presence could kill him." I said looking down to the floor.

"Well how does he fell about you?" Esme asked.

"I don't know, I can't read his mind, remember I just said that. I do know that he doesn't shy away from me like other humans though which is weird and he is rather observant about me. He noticed my eyes changed colors form last week to this week." I said still with a sigh.

"Well just be careful then dear. Don't let him notice anything else. Do whatever you think is best." She said patting my knee and getting up and walking to my door. "I know you will do the right thing." She said as she left my room.

"Thank you Esme." I said.

I looked at the clock in my room and saw that it was one in the morning. I quickly got up and jumped out my window. Before I knew it I was standing outside of Edward's house. I jumped up into the tree closest to the house and found Edward's room. I slowly opened his window and it squealed so I went even slower in order to not wake him up.

Once I was in his room I sat on his computer chair. I was there for about an hour when I heard him mumble my name. I thought I was caught, I tensed ready to do whatever I had to do. He sighed and said my name again followed by lots garbled words that I didn't understand so I knew he was still asleep. I felt my dead heart swell when he said my name and then I knew what I had to do.

I left his room and closed the window behind me. I ran back home and climbed back into my room. I grabbed clothes for the day and went to take a shower. When I walked back into my room I was met by my pixie of a sister sitting on my couch.

"Why are you going to do this Bella?" She asked me.

"I don't know what you are talking about Alice." I said as I walked to my desk and put my stuff in my bag.

"Why are you going to push him away? You were getting close to him, heck you even went to his room and watched him sleep last night. Look at the visions I had Bella." She said. I opened myself up to her. "I have had these since the day he came." She said showing me visions of Edward and I together, him being a vampire, and us getting married. "Then early this morning I get these." She showed me visions of Edward and I miserable, not speaking, but most importantly he was still human.

"Alice I will not risk his soul, I will not let him be turned into a monster. Leave it alone." I said walking away from her, out my door and down the stairs.

"Bella you are not the only one that would enjoy his presence. We were going to be friends, he would be a great brother for Emmett and Jasper. He would complete our family Bella." Alice said as she followed me.

"Alice I swear to God just drop it. I am not going to risk him. I am going to distance myself from him. I don't care about what could have been, I will stop it from happening." I said with a growl.

"Try as you might but I bet it is going to happen no matter what you do. Sooner or later you are going to break. You love him Bella, what would you do if he died?" She asked me.

"I would follow him. Now drop it, I am done talking about it." I said as I spun on my heals and pushed her against the wall with my mind. I was choking her with how I had her in my grasp.

Alice's eyes widened and she gulped. "Ok, I am done for now. I'll stop." She said. "You wouldn't believe how unsettling and uncomfortable it is not being able to breathe even though we don't need to." I let her go and then dashed out into the car.