Chapter 4 – The Cullens

Riding in Emmett's big jeep, we sat in silence, and every so often I would notice the surreptitious glances from Edward to the others. Every so often there was a smirk; a masked smile.

Sitting beside me, Edward made no movement or sound except the minor bouncing in his seat from the leaping car ride. Emmett drove at a speed my mind barely grasped, but I eventually became oblivious to it.

Several times my conscience caught my wandering eyes watching motionless Edward staring out into oblivion. I watched those lengthy, curvaceous lashes bat against the dark portion beneath his eyes, shutting those gleaming topaz eyes from sight. The surface of his skin seemed so smooth; it had a shimmering effect to it as though it were polished. My hand was aching to reach out and touch the skin there, imagining what his porcelain skin might feel like. In an abrupt moment, Edward startles me with his eyes staring straight at me – I'm caught staring at him. Instinctively, my eyes shift away pretending it was nothing more than a curious glance. Within the next instant his face is next to mine; eyes burning into my soul. His fragrant, cool breath blows gently into my face as he speaks.

"See something of interest?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, I thought I saw you were examining me." A faded smug plastered on his flawless face.

My eyes moved its focus – starring at my feet. I made no speech in response, feeling mortified. Stupid, stupid Bella, I thought to myself. He looked away, his blank and distant expression returned.

"How long have you lived here?" I asked.

"Hmm," he hummed in a low voice. As he broke away from his deep stream of thoughts, his topaz eyes focused a full glance on me causing me to stealthily gasp for air. There it was again, in his breathtakingly beautiful eyes, a tint of dissatisfaction as though something beneath that cold demeanor was torturing him.

"How long have you lived here?" My voice faltered at the repeat of the trivial question.

"We've been accommodating here for more years than you could possibly imagine; even longer than you have been on this planet. We moved here decades ago even before the wolves started to multiply. We were the ones that started the treaty because we didn't want a war and thought that co-existing was a better idea; not necessarily a utopia nonetheless, a better world for both sides. The number does not impress me nor has it changed anything. Hope doesn't exist here." He smiled at me apologetically.

I smiled politely back understanding that what he was trying to tell me, not feeling shocked at all. I had already come towards acceptance at this stage for the denial had never been much help at all.

"There is more to this existence than that, Edward," Jasper said, looking my way. I looked away, not understanding.

"I wasn't trying to break her spirit; I was just telling her to give up hopes on return," Edward replied curtly.

"What is this treaty that you spoke about?" I asked both hoping to break the ice and actually curious. No one really gave me looks that said are-you-kidding-me? I supposed they were aware I was brand new to all of this.

"The treaty was a truce between vampires and werewolves," Edward started.

"Edward's history class is the best, Bella," Alice remarked with a soft, high-pitched laugh followed by smirks from the others, even Edward who looked sheepishly back at Alice.

I must admit Edward could really conduct a history class of his own. He told gave an account so well from a first-hand narrative. It wasn't just the fact that he had witnessed it, it was his musically tuned voice and his choice of words; it was like listening to a person from a different time. His voice was old with knowledge not with age.

Soon we arrived at a white house by a river. It was bright and beautiful; it looked like one of those houses in Lord of the Rings where the elves lived; like some sort of haven. I could really picture elves living there. The Cullens were in fact, to me somewhat elf-like; they had well built physiques, flawless features, and extremely beautiful.

Despite the lack of an ill-humored atmosphere amidst them, I could feel the sadness that existed. Yet, I could see the gratitude each of them had for one another.

As we went inside, the first thing that caught my eye was a grand piano. I looked around noticing how empty and vacant the house looked. There was a couch, a dining room and other rooms at the far corner of the family room. There were vases of pink azaleas that were probably the only thing that really defined the existence of life there. It was as though everything was a dream; the vampires I saw were nothing more than a dream. It was surreal despite the fact I knew what I was, I still felt normal and unlike them. I was definitely particularly ordinary-looking in comparison to these vampires.

There were two vampires who approached at the bottom of the grand stairs. I was surprised to see the two whom Edward had spoken of earlier: Carlisle and Esme. It was like history coming to life.

Carlisle was blond and like the rest flawlessly good-looking. He smiled a gentle smile; a smile of welcome. The small female who stood next to him – Esme with her heart-shaped face smiled at me like I was her long lost child. I was both surprised and delighted at the warn welcome.

I looked up waiting for another vampire to appear. A gorgeous female with long, lustrous, blond hair met my expectant gaze. I had heard little of her. She seemed strange to me. Despite the fact that we were under similar circumstances – being vampires, there was an invisible barrier between us. She barely glanced my way making me feel extremely out of place in her presence. Her seductive eyes were gazing at Carlisle and Edward. I could see a tint of annoyance in her eyes. I looked at Edward who looked away from Rosalie, paying her no attention.

"This is Rosalie," Esme spoke, her face still holding that fondness quality. "Rosalie, meet Bella. She's new here in town."

Rosalie gave me a quick glance, her eyes swiftly covering me from head to toe. She looked away, feeling satisfied. Perhaps she knew I was not her competition and that I could never be.

"Hello, Bella," Rosalie breathed, and gave me a smile no one could ever refuse.

"Hi, Rosalie," I smiled.

As time passed, we talked more and more, the Cullens and I. They were telling me about how they came to be. Gruesome and painful details were involved but it seemed easily conveyed across. We spoke about our struggles and so forth. It was satisfying to finally find a place I belonged; somewhere I could lay back at let it out – the grief.

"So you're a vegetarian, Bella?" Carlisle asked.

I laughed at term; it did somehow fit what we were – vegetarians. They laughed too understanding the irony behind the term.

Most of us were sitting down except for Carlisle, Edward and Jasper who paced around the room making me slightly nervous. As for Edward, he stood still most of the time, every so often throwing brief glances at Jasper.

"Bella, do you have any powers?" Emmett asked somewhat playful.

"Powers, what powers?"I asked, deeply confused.

"Emmett," Edward warned.

"What? You're not the only ones who can have powers," he replied sheepishly.

"You have powers?" I was clearly new to this. Starring at Edward, we waited for his reply, what seemed to be almost inevitable.

"Yes, we do," Edward sighed. "We don't know why it is or how it works – my ability to read minds and Alice's ability to see the future."

I gasped realizing that all this while Edward was reading my mind. I stared away from Edward feeling self-conscious.

"Jasper has the ability to feel and control other people's emotions and Emmett's tremendous super-strength is his plus. The rest of us don't really have powers and we have no idea why that is."

I looked at Emmett and Jasper feeling somewhat disturbed.

"We think it's our gifts in our human lives that we have carried across but there is no way to really prove that."

"I doubt I have any powers," I said. "Does that mean you were reading my thoughts this whole time?"

Edward laughed a very velvet laugh. He was clearly enjoying the embarrassment that I felt. Suddenly his face became serious, and confused.

"That's the funny thing, Bella. I can't read your thoughts."

Somewhat relieved, I sighed. There were lines between his dark brows that were like dark clouds before a storm. It then came to me that maybe that was my power.

"Perhaps that is your power," he said, as though he could read my mind. "Although, to me it hardly counts as a power; being able to block out mind reading that is."

I noticed the frustration in his eyes as he spoke but he quickly got over it. The lines on his forehead disappeared in a second.

"Why did you come back to Forks, Bella? If you don't mind me asking," Edward asked.

"I had to see Charlie and make sure he was doing well. I know I shouldn't have but I did. I just felt like I couldn't fade forever without the knowledge of his well being." I felt instantly guilty at the memory of what could have happened.

To my surprise, Edward did not laugh or mock me; he was silent and sympathetic.

"What happened?"

"Ah, um," I stuttered. "Well, nothing really except the wolf showed up." I felt distaste at the memory.

"Which wolf was it?

"Jacob Black, my dad's buddy's son."

It was Alice who changed the topic; she asked me where I lived. She was surprised that I had no permanent place to stay and offered me to stay with them. Most of them agreed.

"No, I don't think I can Alice," I replied to the black-haired pixie but she didn't lose hope or give up; she kept pushing me until I said yes.

It was finally decided that I would stay with them, staying in their guest room. I would go to school with them, pretending to be just like one of them. I couldn't bear the thought, besides it was too risky to put my identity at stake here.

"Don't worry, Bella. Jacob wouldn't tell on you," Edward said convincingly. "He has too much to lose."

Somehow I felt safe hearing those words despite the odds. I felt safe with the Cullens in their silent promises. I now understood why they felt like family, they had each other's backs. There were no secrets here.

Clarifications: OK, I understand how good I am at messing up. It's just that it's been awhile since I've updated. I feel like giving up with this story because it really does lack emotion and I am afraid to put too much emotion till it sounds like some overrated fan-girl's diary. Anyway this is the part that Bella meets the Cullens, I know it's kind of bad. Hopefully, I can make up for it in the next chapter. Anyway although romantic love may work for Bella and though she hasn't but will eventually love Edward beyond physical appearances, Edward has not fallen for Bella. So technically speaking, neither party is in love, yet.