A.N. Twilight etc. belongs to Stephenie Meyer
Thank you so, so much for all the reviews and positive feedback. And for those with the negative feedback, I appreciate it and I'll work on the issues that have been pointed out.
Anyway, up to now, it's basically been exposition, if things go to plan, from here on in everything will be a little juicier.
Oh and some people have been confused about how Bella is resisting/avoiding Alice but then has moments of weakness and smiles etc...well I'm trying to portray Bella as having the skills and knowledge to be a heartless killer, but not the intentions...kind of like Alice. They're both still clinging to their humanity. Just bear that in mind...it might make more sense then.
Enjoy and review please!
Chapter Five
When I made my way downstairs in the morning I found Charlie sat on the sofa, nursing a cup of coffee and watching the morning news. He heard the bottom step creak as I stood on it and turned his head, smiling me a morning greeting.
"Morning Bells, I made fresh coffee." He lifted his mug to prove his point. I shuffled into the kitchen and poured myself a mug, dumping in a few spoonfuls of sugar before joining Charlie on the sofa. I just stared at the black liquid, watching the steam snake its way out of the mug and disappear into the atmosphere. After a few moments of silence I placed my mug on the floor at my feet and turned slightly to face Charlie.
"Charlie can I ask you something?" He gave me a sideways glance before putting the TV on mute.
"Sure Bells, what's up? Is it about the other day?" I shrugged my shoulders at him, I really wasn't good at talking about, well, anything really.
"It's just...well...Charlie do you miss having friends or a life?" He looked shocked, he probably would have looked better if I'd asked him about sex!
"Well...urm...what's brought this up Bella?" He was clearly uncomfortable.
"I just...part of fitting in is blending in. Blending in means spending time with people, means making friends. I've never had a friend before. You always told me to protect myself."
Charlie smiled at me sadly. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Bella, protecting yourself doesn't mean isolating yourself from the world. You can't stay under a rock for the next sixty years. You have to get out there, we've done everything we can to make sure you're not recognisable to any facial recognition software. Just...keep your cards close to your chest but don't fold every hand you're played." I stared at him blankly. What the hell was he talking about? He saw my look of confusion.
"What I mean is, don't be too scared of what might happen to experience what could happen." OK, that made a little more sense.
"Thanks Charlie, that helped a lot."
"Any time Bells."
I gulped down my coffee in one mouthful and headed back upstairs to get dressed. So Charlie wasn't against me having friends. Was he against me having a friend who wasn't human? Well I'd cross that bridge if I came to it. I had a quick shower and tied my hair into the same style plait it had been in yesterday. Back in my room, I pulled on my favourite ripped jeans and rummaged round for a clean t-shirt. I found a plain green t-shirt, it clung to my body in a way that made me slightly self-conscious but I had nothing else to wear. I checked my school timetable and saw that I had a free period at the end of the day. Thank heaven for small mercy's. I saw the note from Alice on the corner of my night stand. What was I going to do about her? Maybe it would be nice to have a friend whose hand I could shake without worrying if I broke their fingers.
I grabbed the note and shoved it into my pocket. I pulled my boots on and grabbed my bag before heading downstairs. Charlie looked at me as he pulled his jacket on.
"School?"
"School." Charlie nodded at me, twirled his keys round his fingers and held the door open for me. I grabbed a combat-style jacket off the hook behind the door and headed out towards the cruiser. I jumped in the passenger side and pulled my seatbelt on. Charlie locked up the front door and got into the drivers side. We were soon on our way to Forks High.
"I'm picking up a truck for you today Bella."
"A truck?" Charlie looked at me quickly before fixing his eyes back on the road.
"Yes a truck, something for you to drive, get around in." I rolled my eyes at him and his version of humour.
"Thanks Charlie, it means a lot. How about I cook dinner tonight. Chilli OK?" I'd really gotten into cooking. There was a certain freedom in making your own meals, a freedom I enjoyed.
"Thanks Bella. I'll be back about 6:30 tonight" We spent the rest of the journey in silence. Charlie pulled up outside the main school building. He asked if I'd be OK getting home and I told him I would. He wrapped an arm around me, giving me a strong hug and kissing me softly on the top of my head. I felt his body tighten and he froze for a moment. I looked around to see what caught his attention and saw the Cullens crowded around a couple of cars near the main entrance. They were all looking over this way. Alice was staring right at me, Rosalie, was giving me an evil sneer, Jasper looked uncomfortable, Emmett looked slightly curious and Edward, well Edward looked furious.
"Be careful Bella. They'd be stupid to try anything in public but don't give them a chance anyway. Try and get some intel if you can." I nodded my understanding. Charlie liked to know his enemy. He kissed my head again and released me. I climbed out of the cruiser and knocked on the door, signally for him to leave. I waved him off as he left the school grounds again. Pulling my backpack onto my shoulders I walked towards the school, I kept my head high, letting the Cullens know they didn't intimidate me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward take a step towards me before Alice blocked his path. They exchanged a few words. Whatever was said left Edward with a look of what can only be described as shame on his face whilst Alice looked beyond angry. I kept walking into the school, catching the eye of Angela as I walked past. She strode over to me and began to walk towards class with me.
"Hey Bella, we missed you yesterday. I hope you're all right." I smiled at her.
"I'm OK. I just had to see my therapist. Last session of grief counselling." I knew that as soon as anyone mentioned a therapist that questions would not be asked. I wasn't disappointed. Angela just nodded her head and kept walking. I waved her off as she headed to her first class of the day. Mine was double art. I made my way through the corridors towards the art studio. I found the studio and pulled the sheet out of my bag that I had to get my teachers to sign. I walked up to the teacher who introduced herself as Miss Kennedy. She smiled broadly at me, she had crazy, red curly hair that was tied up in a bun. Odd strands hung down the back of her neck, making her look like a bowl of curly fries. She told me where all the art supplies were kept, showed me where the aprons were hung and then directed me towards my seat. I thanked her and turned around. Then I froze in my tracks. Sat right in front of me, next to only empty seat in class (why was there ever only one empty seat left?) was Alice Cullen! Great, two hours trapped next to Alice Cullen! I gritted my teeth and chewed the inside of my cheek. I stomped over to her and dropped my bag to the floor a little more angrily than I intended, making the kids around me jump. I sat in my chair and folded my arms across my chest, refusing to look at Alice.
"Bella." Alice greeted me politely.
"Alice." I replied coldly, staring straight ahead of me. I concentrated on Miss Kennedy as she wrote the lesson plan on the board. Life art, specifically hands and faces, the most expressive parts of the human body. As soon as she'd finished explaining the lesson I jumped out of my chair and went to the supplies cupboard. I pulled a few sheets of paper out and grabbed a handful of pencils and some charcoal and made my way through the crowd of other students and back to my desk. Alice hadn't moved. I placed some paper in front of her and positioned the pencils and charcoal in-between us.
"Thank you Bella." I allowed myself to glance at her, she smiled at me and tilted her head slightly.
"You're welcome." I didn't return her smile. Sitting down I picked up a pencil, took a couple of seconds to decide what to draw and decided to focus on eyes for the moment. I moved my pencil across the paper, sketching out the rough outline of the eyes. As I started to add the details I noticed that Alice was watching me. I lifted my pencil away from the paper and faced her.
"What?" She flinched slightly at the tone of my voice.
"Nothing it's just...that's very good." She nodded her head in the direction of my paper. I glanced down at my sketch and then back at her.
"Oh, OK. Urm, thanks. Yours are pretty good too." I nodded at her paper to illustrate her point. We both went back to our work after that.
"Bella," I looked around but Alice wasn't looking at me. Maybe I was hearing things. I shrugged it off.
"Bella, I know you can hear me." It was Alice! She was whispering. Her voice was so quiet that if I was a 'regular' girl I'd never have heard her. I didn't respond to her, I just kept sketching my eyes.
"Look, I just wanted to apologise. I've been pushy and demanding. I'm sorry." Against my better judgement I let myself respond to her.
"Thank you Alice." She lowered her head and continued whispering to me.
"If you can forgive me, I'd like us to try and be friends?" I turned to look at her now. Her beautiful golden eyes stared back into mine. I was memorising her face. I'd never seen anything quite like it. Her face was so perfect. If I'd dreamt Alice up, my subconscious couldn't have done a better job than what nature had.
"I...it's complicated Alice." She began nodding her head slowly, I think she was beginning to understand.
"OK. How about acquaintances then?" Now I was puzzled. I raised an eyebrow, questioning what she meant. She was kind enough to explain her the meaning behind her words to me.
"We act civil to each other, we exchange polite conversation and see what happens from there."
"That's...acceptable." Alice smiled triumphantly and it took my breath away. It was one of those smile that literally reached her eyes. They brightened, widened and became more beautiful. I smiled back., not quite managing to let my smile reach my own eyes.
"So Bella, my name's Alice Cullen, pleased to meet you." I sniggered quietly to myself.
"Pleased to meet you too." She extended her hand under the desk and I shook it quickly.
"So...what hobbies and interests do you have Bella?" I racked my brain for a safe answer.
"Well...I like running, swimming, reading, cooking, watching old movies..." Alice nodded after I listed off each interest.
"Interesting. I'd say you're also a keen artist." She pointed her pencil towards my paper. I shrugged her comment off.
"Not really, just something I've picked up. You're the one who looks like a future Picaso."
"You mean I have an ear missing?" She started patting at the sides of her head in mock-fear and I couldn't contain my giggle. It jumped out of my mouth before I realised what was happening and I had to clamp my mouth over my lips to stop the whole class looking in my direction.
Alice sniggered at her own joke and we carried on with the class in silence. About fifteen minutes before the end Alice passed me a note.
"Want to hang out at lunch?" Her elaborate script would have looked at home in a medieval bible. On the small strip of paper the innocent sentence looked like an intimate message. I quickly scribbled my reply in my own scruffy handwriting.
"I'm not sure. Do acquaintances lunch together?" She slipped the paper out from under my hand just as I finished writing my reply and began jotting down hers.
"I promise we'll just have boring small-talk about the weather and various sports teams and their performances this season." I read the message as she wrote it and repeated her actions. Sliding the paper from under her hand the moment she'd finished writing her message. I kept my reply short and sweet.
"Not today.." If Alice was disappointed she didn't show it. She just smiled and we carried on with the lesson.
-
The days passed and turned into weeks. We repeated the ritual every Double Art Lesson of every Wednesday for over a month. We talked, we joked, we helped each other with our work. And Alice always asked me if I wanted to hang out. One day I couldn't say no any more. When she asked me if I wanted to hang out at lunch I slipped her a note back.
"OK." Alice smiled as she read it and managed to write her reply before the bell began screeching out in the hall-way. She slid the note over to me as she packed her belongings and made her way out of the studio. I turned the note over in my fingers and read her message.
"Great, it's a date. Meet me around the back of the gym." She'd also drawn a small smiley face at the end of her message but for some reason I couldn't take my eyes off the word 'date'. I read that word over and over again, repeating it in my head about seventy times. Why did it capture my attention so effectively, and why was my mouth dry?
-
A hour later after the lunch bell rang I made my way towards the school car-park. Angela passed me in the corridor and invited me along to lunch but I waved her off, apologised and said I'd already made plans. She smiled and said she'd see me later. I made my way outside and towards the gym. As I rounded the corner I saw Alice pacing slowly beside one of the walls. She was walking heel-to-toe along an invisible line. As she turned and saw me she smiled broadly and bounced over.
"Good afternoon my acquaintance. Terrible weather we're having lately." I grinned back at her and went along with her game.
"Oh I don't know, it could be worse. It might be cloudy but at least it isn't raining."
"True, true," Alice nodded her head dramatically in agreement.
"So how about those sports teams hey? They sure are doing well this year!" I giggled at her attempts at small talk. Then I quickly reminded myself of what Charlie had said earlier this morning. I had to be careful.
"So, Alice, what do you want to do?" I tucked my hands in my pockets and racked back and forth on the balls of my feet.
"Well, to be honest Bella, I have an urge to climb trees. Want to join me?" Before I could reply she skipped past me. Her optimism and joy was infectious and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop the small smile from creeping it's way onto my lips. I tucked my hands deeper into my pockets and followed Alice towards the trees. By the time I'd caught up to her, she was already scurrying through the branches. I grabbed hold of a branch above my head and swung myself up. Wrapping my legs around the branch I swung my body round to a sitting position. I clambered up a few branches higher and found a nice, thick limb. I sat on the branch and spread my legs out in front of me, resting my back against the trunk of the tree. I watched as Alice climbed over and under branches. She made it to the very top of the tree. I saw her grab at something and then she started making her way back down to my level. She approached my branch and I folded my legs beneath me, making room for her to either pass me by or join me. She chose to join me. She swung her legs over either side of the branch, swinging them playfully as she sat in front of me.
"I got you a present." She held her hand out and handed me a small twig with a perfect triangle of pine needles at the top.
"What...?"
"It's the very top of the tree! So you can say you touched the sky today." I tilted my head at her, unsure of how to take the gesture.
"Urm, thank you Alice. It was very thoughtful." She nodded politely at me.
"Bella, can I ask you a question?" Here we go again!
"Alice..."
"No, not about that, I promise." I began to frown but nodded.
"Why are you here?" I was taken aback a little.
"You mean in Forks?"
"No I mean here, in this tree, with me. You know what I am. Why aren't you running for your life or gathering villagers and pitchforks?" I just looked at her weirdly as I tried to come up with an answer.
"To be honest, you're not the scariest thing I've ever come across Alice." She looked at me with sadness in her eyes.
"If that's true than I'm sorry."
"What? What are you apologising for?"
"Well, you were chased through a forest by a group of vampires. You were kept in a strange house by the same group of vampires. And to top it all off...you found out that vampires exist. To most people that would be pretty traumatic, to say the least. If you've experienced anything that tops that then I am genuinely sorry for what you've been through." Her voice was dripping with sincerity. I searched her face for any sign of deception or to see if she was mocking me but there was none. She was being genuine.
"You don't need to apologise. I don't need your sympathy Alice."
"I didn't mean to offend you Bella. I just can't imagine anything that could have steeled someone against a revelation like that."
"Stop trying to imagine it Alice, you're never going to find out and if you're waiting for me to tell you then you've got a long and pointless time ahead of you." I felt the anger seeping into my voice. I began breathing deeply, trying to remain calm.
"I'm not interrogating you. I'm not attacking you. I'm just trying to get to know you."
"Why? Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer?"
"You're not my enemy Bella. You couldn't understand my reasons."
"Try me." Alice looked angry now.
"Why the hell should I be honest with you when you won't return the favour with me?" She had a point there. I lowered my gaze and started picking at the bark of the branch in front of me.
"Bella, I'm sorry for snapping. I'm not doing too good at this am I?" I smiled weakly at her.
"It's OK. I'm not really good with other people." She raised her eyebrow at me a the word 'people'.
"You know what I mean." I said rolling my eyes at her. She giggled and we just sat there in silence for a while. I had this over-whelming urge to spill my guts about everything. A voice inside my head was telling me I could trust Alice, that she wouldn't betray me. I pushed it all to the back of my mind with a slight shake of my head.
"Don't move Bella." On instinct I froze, my back straightening involuntarily. Alice started to lean towards me, what was she doing? She was inching closer and closer. Our faces were only centimetres apart now. She slowly lifted her hand to my face and pressed her forefinger gently just below my right eye. Pulling it back I saw that there was an eyelash perched on the tip of her finger. I looked up from the eyelash and saw Alice was looking at me intently.
"Make a wish." She held her finger just in front of my lips. What did she want me to do? I looked at her quizzically.
"Blow the eyelash away and make a wish." I slowly exhaled on the tip of her finger and saw the eyelash flutter away towards the ground. I smiled to myself, my first ever wish! I looked to Alice and saw her eyes were closed and she had a slightly lop-sided grin on her face.
"Alice?" She rocked out of her reverie and looked towards me.
"Did you make a good wish?" I opened my mouth to begin to speak but was quickly silenced by her finger over my lips.
"No, wait, don't tell me or it won't come true!" I nodded my head, my lips moving against her cold finger. Alice's eyes darkened slightly and her hand slowly moved slid along my jaw and cradled my cheek. She began to stroke her thumb just under my eye. It was so soothing, her cool skin against my fiery hot skin. I leant into her hand, unable to control myself.
"You always have such a look of forlorn,hopelessness in your eyes Bella. I wish I could take all the pain away."
"Alice I..." I stopped myself. I was just about to tell her. I was just about to tell her everything! What the fuck? I hastily knocked her hand away from my face. She looked shocked.
"Alice I can't be around you! You get into my head and I can't have that. It's not safe!"
"Bella I can take care of myself. Whatever you're hiding from, I can help, I can protect you. Please just let me help you." She reached out for my face again but I took hold of her wrists and lowered her hands.
"You can't help me Alice. And if you knew, you wouldn't want to."
"Bella, I'm a 110 year old Vampire. I live with, six other vampires. I can handle whatever it is. And in a century of life on this planet, I might have picked up a few things to help."
"Why are you so determined to help me Alice? Am I just your good deed for the day?"
"Bella...it's complicated." She lowered her gaze. I decided to use her own line against her.
"Why should I be honest with you when you won't return the favour with me?" She gave me a lopsided look.
"Well played Bella. Can't we just be honest with each other?" At that moment my phone started to vibrate. I dug it out of my pocket and saw it was a call from Charlie. I narrowed my eyes and lifted the phone to my ear.
"Hello? Charlie?"
"Bella, Hi. Listen I did a bit of digging. There's a local rumour about those Cullens."
"Really?"
"The Quileutes have these old tales about people they call The Cold Ones. I did some checking around, and this isn't the first time the Cullens have been in this area. The last time was almost eighty years ago." I sat there, my mouth slightly open as Charlie explained everything he'd learned. Rumours he'd heard. People he'd spoken too.
"Vampires Bella. I think they're actually vampires." I didn't respond for a moment.
"...Bella?"
"I know Charlie." Now he was silent. It was the kind of silence that was either anger or fear.
"Be careful." Then the phone was dead. From the look on her face I could tell Alice had heard everything.
"This is not good." She looked panicked. Her eyes were wide.
"Alice what's wrong?"
"People aren't supposed to know about us. It's not safe. We'll have to leave again!" She was beginning to ramble. I took hold of her face, forcing her to look at me.
"Alice, Charlie will not say anything! He just wants to keep me safe." She nodded her face in my hands. My eyes drifted down towards her lips. They were so perfectly shaped, a deep red. My heart started to beat faster. I shifted back a bit. Uncomfortable in this new situation. Then it dawned on me. We needed information. Alice wanted information. Charlie and I couldn't spend the foreseeable future looking over our shoulder for two enemies.
"Alice, tonight, I'll bring Charlie over. Both our families have a lot of explaining to do." She looked at me in confusion.
"You mean...?"
"If you still want to know, I'll tell you everything if you do the same."
The rest of the day went by in a bit of a haze. I zombied my way through my remaining classes. Charlie had almost literally exploded when I told him my plan. He wasn't happy when I explained about how I'd snuck out the house and learned about Alice and the Cullens. He especially wasn't happy that I'd kept it from him. When I explained that maybe the Cullens could help us he grudgingly agreed. He refused to come without any weapons though. At 8pm, after we'd eaten and I'd washed everything up. We clambered into my truck. A battered, old, slightly rusted-round-the-edges, Chevy. It had character. I loved it.
Charlie hid a shotgun in the truck cab and made sure to take his handgun and a knife with him. I wasn't sure how much use they would be against the Cullens but if it made him feel better I wouldn't say anything. He also had a back pack filled with files and other assorted evidence to corroborate our story. We drove in silence. I followed the directions Alice had written down for me earlier. And we were soon pulling up outside the beautiful Cullen house.
They were all there to greet us. Alice looked excited, Carlisle and Esme had polite and expectant looks on their faces. Rosalie and Edward did not look happy at all, whilst Jasper looked passive and Emmett had the same amused look on his face that he always seemed to have
We introduced ourselves. Charlie and Carlisle exchanged polite handshakes. I said 'Hi' to all of the Cullens and was surprised with a hug from Alice. Rosalie and Edward both narrowed their eyes at me. I felt uncomfortable and disentangled myself from Alice's arms as quickly as I could. It was all a bit of a blur. My heart was pounding in my ears and I could hear Charlie's heart was beating faster than usual. I took his hand and squeezed it slightly and then followed the Cullens into their house. We were directed towards their dinning room. Their was an elegant Oak table, one of those elongated tables that was built for large families. There were ten high back chairs around the table. Carlisle and Esme sat on one side, Edward sat the head and Rosalie at the bottom. Emmett and Jasper took the empty seats next to Carlisle and Esme whilst Charlie and I sat opposite them. Alice took the empty seat next to myself. She smiled supportively at me.
"Well, welcome to our home Chief Swan, and welcome back Bella." Carlisle smiled at us politely whilst Esme nodded along with his words.
"Thanks for having us I guess." Charlie was being his usual gruff self.
"I understand that explanations are in order." Everyone around the table either murmured or nodded their agreement.
"Well, as a show of faith, allow us to go first." Carlisle shifted his position in his seat so he was now resting his elbows on the table. He began a speech about vampirism, something about venom, vegetarianism, several other V words. I wasn't paying much attention. I was too nervous. Charlie was still squeezing my hand. I was dreading when my turn would come. From the snippets I'd gather, Carlisle and his family didn't eat from humans. They had a strictly animal diet. They wanted to live not just exist...blah...blah...blah. Then it was my turn.
"So, Chief Swan, Bella, now you know everything."
"Thank you for that Dr Cullen." I looked at Charlie. I knew Charlie. When he put a title in front of a last name it meant he either liked or respected the person. So Carlisle had won Charlie over. Charlie looked at me. He wasn't sure if I was ready, he was worried. I nodded at him, I wasn't happy about it, but I was ready.
I looked at all the occupants of the table. The looks from Rosalie and Edward sent shivers down my spine. I shrugged it off. I took a deep breath, and then another and another. I slowed my heart-rate down and stared intently at the table in front of me. Charlie let go of my hand and began to rub my shoulders in support. I clasped my hands together in front of me, closed my eyes and let my mouth open.
"I'm not normal. I'm...I mean I was...I was designed by the government as part of a secret military programme to create a genetically superior super-soldier." There was silence all around me. I couldn't bring myself to look up so I continued talking.
"I don't have parents in the strictest sense. I have genetic donors. Six of them actually. I'm designed to be stronger, faster, smarter and deadlier than is humanly possible. I was raised in a government facility called the Institute. The doctors and soldiers kept us locked up. They trained us, perfect us. Made us deadly. Charlie was my minder. He's the reason I'm here today. He rescued me. He got me out. We've been running ever since." There was silence. Long, torturous minutes of silence.
"I...well Bella that's quite a tale."
"It's not a tale." Charlie began digging around his bag. He pulled out a large file that was very familiar to me. I'd poured over it a thousand times. It was my life. Every day of every month of every year I'd spent in the Institute was documented in that file. Charlie slid it across the table to Carlisle who quickly picked it up and began scanning the pages inside. I could feel Alice's eyes on me. I couldn't look at anyone. I felt so scared, nervous, ashamed. This was my dirty secret. I'd never told anyone before now. To a certain extent I hadn't even admitted it to myself, I'd always tried to hide it, deny it, tried to be normal. There was no hiding it now.
"This is...this is unbelievable! I'd feared humanity would want to travel down this route, I just never expected it to actually be approved." I wasn't sure if Carlisle was talking to anyone in particular or just verbalising his own thoughts.
"Wait, they gave you drugs as well?" Charlie began digging in his bag again. He pulled out a small vial and slide it Carlisle.
"Performance enhancers. All of the children were injected three times a week with that."
"Wait, children? More than just Bella?" Esme sounded concerned.
"There were nine of us." I heard a slight gasp from the female members of the table whilst Jasper and Emmett growled quietly.
"I couldn't get the others. There wasn't time...their minders were so fanatical!" I heard a quiet dripping noise. Charlie had started to cry. The tears were falling down his cheeks in a steady stream.
"You couldn't have done anything more than you did Charlie." I took his hand in mine and put as much love as I could into my voice.
"Bella, do you mind if I look over all of this?" I looked to Carlisle as he tapped the file. I nodded my consent and he smiled warmly at me.
"How on earth could anyone do that to babies?" It was the first time I'd heard Rosalie speak! Even in anger her voice was absolutely beautiful.
"We weren't babies to them. We were experiments, future soldiers. We were weapons that had to be built and maintained."
"It's just not right, it's not human! People think vampires are monsters!" Emmett reached over and took a grip of Rosalie's shoulder.
"Rose, it's OK." She looked at him, rested her head against his arm and smiled. So they were a couple.
"Thank you for sharing this with us Bella. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for you." Esme was looking at me with concern. Then she blinked furiously.
"Oh dear, how could I forget? You two must be hungry or thirsty. Can I get you anything?" She rose from the table and started walking towards the kitchen.
"I'd love some coffee if you've got some." Charlie sat back in his chair. He looked a lot more comfortable now. Everyone rose from the table after that. Carlisle gave me a squeeze on the shoulder and invited Charlie to follow him into the kitchen for his coffee, Rosalie gave me a sad smile before clenching her jaw and being led away by Emmett. Edward and Jasper left the room with a simple nod of their heads. That left just me and Alice.
"Would you like to do something Bella?" I shook my head.
"Would you like a drink?" I shook my head.
"Something to eat?" I shook my head.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" I thought for a moment.
"That sounds nice." We both stood and headed through the kitchen for the back door. Charlie was laughing with Esme and Carlisle. It made me smile to actually see him laugh with someone other than the TV.
The cold night air was a comfort. It blew away all the emotions and washed over me. I followed Alice around the house in silence. She made her way towards an old tyre swing. She held it out for me and I sat on it obediently. We acted like regular people for a while. Alice pushed me, she twisted the rope holding the tyre letting me twirl and spin, making me squeal in delight. It was perfect. It made everything that had just happened seem like a bad dream.
Alice pushed me a little too hard, the tyre tilted and I fell to the ground in hysterical giggles. I lay on the ground, my body shaking with laughter.
"Oh my god! Bella! Are you OK?" Alice rushed over to me, helping me to my feet. I was laughing so hard though that I fell right back down.
"I'm OK Alice, really." I managed to calm myself down, I wiped the tears that were starting to pool in the corner of my eyes away.
"Thank you Alice." She looked confused.
"What for?" She held her hand out again and I took it. She pulled me to my feet and I jumped up and landed right in front of her, I was a little wobbly on my feet so she wrapped her spare hand round my waist and steadied me.
"Thank you for making me feel normal." She smiled sweetly at me, released my waist and stepped back.
"Any time." I smiled back at her. There was still a question that I needed answered.
"Alice, I need to ask you something." Her smile fell slightly but she nodded her head in agreement.
"Why do you care? Why do you want to know me, help me?" She lowered her gaze and I heard her take a small gulp of air.
"Well it's complicated."
"Alice, you're talking to a designer-baby. I'm good with complicated."
"Well, I saw you." Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Saw me? When? At school?"
"No, eighteen months ago." I was really confused now.
"I saw you eighteen months ago for the first time. You were sleeping, you were crying in your sleep and thrashing around in your bed. I've seen you every day since then. Always the same. Always crying in your sleep. You always looked so sad or scared. I just wanted to find you. Help you. Stop the tears."
"Alice, what are you talking about...?"
"I...well I see the future. I saw you coming." Things were getting weird again.
"You, you saw me coming?" She nodded her head. I hadn't realised that I'd started to move closer to her. My heart was pounding. The world was fading away and Alice was become clearer, brighter.
"What else have you seen Alice?"
"I saw who wins the Best Actress Oscar this year. I see the stock market trends. I see the weather.."
"About me Alice. What else have you seen about me?" She lowered her gaze and clamped her mouth shut.
"Tell me please" I was centimetres away from her now. Everything else had disappeared; there was only me and her.
"I've seen...I've seen what I've wanted to do ever since I first saw you crying in your sleep. I've seen what I've been trying so hard not to see. I've seen what I want more than anything I've ever wanted."
My heart was pounding harder now. She wasn't looking at me. She was looking at her feet. I was standing over her. I could see her bottom lip twitching.
"What Alice?" She looked up at me. Her golden eyes locked on mine and stopped my heart. She raised herself onto her tip toes, inching her face closer to mine. Her gaze had shifted to my lips. I couldn't move. Her lips were almost touching mine now.
"I've seen us standing in this exact spot. I've seen you asking me that question. And I've seen me doing this." She closed the distance and gently pressed her lips to mine. All my thoughts were silenced. My eyes closed and I pressed my lips back against hers. She placed her hands on my hips and I moved my hand up to hold her face. Her skin was so firm and smooth. Her lips were cold-jewels. I melted into her. It felt like I was floating. Electricity was running through my lips. I'd never felt anything like it. The kiss didn't last long enough. Barely ten seconds. Then we broke apart. The world started coming back to me. Alice was smiling. I felt the blood rush to my face and I smiled back at her.