Ok, so I've decided to continue this story. I thought about it and realize that I'm writing for me and though reviews are awesome 2 get, I can't let them or the lack of them, deter me from telling my story. That being said, thanks to everyone who chose to review. I really appreciate your comments and encouragement. Hopefully I can continue to make this story great for all of us.
I am so sorry this took so long to complete...i've just been so busy with work and by the time i get home, its lights out!!
Oh yes…to "crs"- I know Bella seems a little "manly" in her actions, but I didn't want her to be the typical "OMG!" girl (that's me! ) She's gotta be more reserved, at first…you know…the way Eddie was, lol.
"Fine! You wanna play hardball, let's do it. Forget that question, which is so annoyingly easy to answer, we'll try another. Why don't you tell me how you kept me from being hit by that, excuse me, your car?" I folded my arms and leaned back into the seat. Let her try that on for size.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She ran her fingers through her thick brown locks as she finally brought her eyes to mine. The hardness in them had softened a little as a smile played at the corners of her perfect lips.
"Just as I thought," I smirked, "back to question one. What are you doing in Port Angeles? How did you know I was here?"
"That's question one and two."
"Yeah…and?" I prompted, waiting for an explanation.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She exhaled heavily and looked away.
"Try me." I leaned forward, eager to see if she would let the walls come down if only for a moment. I twirled the fork around in the soft noodles before placing a big bite in my mouth.
She took a deep breath before she began.
"Alright. Let's say, hypothetically of course, that…a person could…know what people are thinking, read minds, you know…well, with one exception."
I froze momentarily, staring into her beautiful eyes. I thought she might have been kidding around again, but there was no humor in her face. I placed the fork on the side of the plate and leaned back in my seat once again, deciding to play along.
"O…k…how does that work? Are there limitations? How would…this person…find someone else at exactly the right time? How would they know I…someone, was in trouble?"
"Hypothetically?" she asked.
"Of course."
"Well, if…that person…"
"Let's call her Brooke, I always liked that name." I joked.
She smiled wryly. "Fine. If Brooke had been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have to be so exact." She shook her head quickly, the smile spreading across her perfect face. "Only you could get into trouble in a town this small. "
"I thought we were speaking of hypotheticals." I grimaced.
"Umm, I'm pretty certain that's not a word." She laughed at me, her eyes were warm.
"You know what I mean."
"Right. We were speaking of "hypotheticals," she laughed again, "shall we call you John?"
"How did you know, Bella?" I asked, unable to curb my annoyance. I was tired of imaginary scenarios. I wanted the truth, even if it was hard to believe. I watched as her smile slowly melted into a hard line. She seemed to be having an internal struggle as her eyes locked with mine; as if she were making the decision right then whether or not to just be honest with me.
"Bella, you know you can trust me." Without thinking, I stretched forward to stroke her folded hands but she slid them out of my reach before I could touch them. Rejected, I pulled my hand back, picked up the fork and played with the now, lukewarm noodles.
"I'm not sure if I have a choice anymore." She whispered, lifting the slender fingers of one hand to lightly trace the bones at the base of her neck. Suddenly, her lips pulled into a shy smile.
"What?"
"I was wrong about you. I used to think you were a magnet for accidents. Now I see that's really not a broad enough classification. You are a magnet for trouble! If there is anything dangerous within a five-mile radius, it will invariably find you."
"Do you put yourself in this category?" I wondered aloud.
Her flawless face turned cold and expressionless. "Unequivocally."
I reached my hand across the table again- ignoring her when she pulled back slightly once more- to touch the back of her hand softly with my fingertips. Her skin was cold and hard, like a stone.
"Thank you," I breathed, my voice full of sincerity and some other emotion I didn't quite understand, "that's twice that you've saved me."
Her face softened. "Let' not try for three, ok?"
I nodded and grinned in agreement. She moved her hand out from under mine and placed them both under the table. But she leaned towards me.
"I followed you to Port Angeles," she finally admitted, her words pouring out quickly as she, "I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed, but then again, that's probably because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes." She paused. I knew it should send up a "stalker" flag that she was following me, but I really didn't care. I would take being stalked by her any day.
"Does this mean I'm extraordinary?" A puzzled look crossed her face as she shook her head. She probably wondered how I could make jokes about such a thing.
"Did you ever think that maybe my number was up the first time…hey wait, if you can read minds…"
"Your number was up the first time I met you." The coldness of her voice sent chills up my spine as she interrupted me. I stared at her, suddenly remembering the violence in her eyes that first day. I knew I should be afraid; more than that, I should probably be running from the table screaming. But the overwhelming since of comfort and awe I felt in her presence stifled it.
"You remember?" She whispered, lifting her eyes to me.
"Yeah."
"Yet here you sit." She chuckled humorlessly as she shook her head in disbelief. I inhaled deeply as the movement sent a gust of her perfumed scent under my nose.
"Yes, here I sit…because of you." I paused. "Because somehow you knew how to find me today…?" I prompted.
Her perfect lips pressed together as she stared at me through narrowed eyes.
"What the hell…" she sighed, resigning herself to the fact that I wasn't going to let it go.
"It's harder than it should be-keeping track of you. Usually, I can find someone fairly easily, once I've heard their mind before." She looked at me anxiously, and I realized I had frozen. I seriously wanted to question her sanity, but that would require me questioning my own so I stuffed another forkful of the cold noodles in my mouth; nodding for her to proceed.
"I was keeping tabs on Anthony, not carefully really, I just wanted to have an idea of what you were up to; make sure you were safe. That's why I didn't know that you'd taken off on your own. When I realized that you weren't with him anymore, I went looking for you at the bookstore I saw in his head. I could tell that you hadn't gone in, and that you'd gone south. I figured you would have to turn around soon so I was just waiting for you; randomly searching through the thoughts of people on the street to see if anyone had noticed you. I didn't have a reason to be worried but strangely, I started to feel a little anxious." She paused, dropping her eyes and fidgeting with her hands as if she'd confessed something I wasn't supposed to hear.
"I started to drive in circles, still…listening. The sun was starting to set, and I was about to look for you on foot and then…" she stopped, suddenly clenching her teeth in fury. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, in an effort to calm her nerves.
"Then what?" I whispered; intrigued by the tale she had spun.
"I heard what they were thinking." She growled, her soft upper lip curling slightly back over her teeth. "I saw your face in his mind." She suddenly leaned forward, one elbow appearing on the table, her delicate hand covering her eyes. The movement was so swift it startled me.
"It was very…hard…to simply…take you away and…leave them…alive." Her voice was slightly muffled by her arm. "I could have let you go with Mike and Anthony, but I was afraid to be alone…afraid that I would go…looking for them." Her voice was a whisper of ice.
I sat quietly, trying to make sense of my incoherent thoughts. I couldn't decide if I should believe her words or if this was just some elaborate story to keep from telling me the truth. At the same time I realized, there were things that she shouldn't have known; things that I hadn't mentioned to her. I watched as she sat unmoved, as if she had been carved from some beautifully rare stone.
Finally she looked up, her eyes seeking mine, full of her own questions.
"Are you ready to go home?" she asked.
"I'm ready to get out of here." I answered, suddenly grateful for the hour-long ride it would take to get back to forks. This was the longest I'd ever been near her, and I was in no hurry for that to end. The waiter suddenly appeared as if he'd been called; or watching.
"How are we doing?" he asked Bella.
"We're ready for the check, thank you." Her voice was soft and fleeting, still reflecting the strain of our conversation. It seemed to muddle him. She looked up, waiting.
"Oh…s-sure," he rambled, "here you go." She pulled a small black folder from the front pocket of his apron and handed it to her.
"Hey wait, what do you…"
"It's fine." She waved her hand dismissively, refusing to let me pay. There was already money in her hands as she took the folder, slipped the bill in and handed it back to him.
"No change." She smiled and stood up, waiting as I scrambled awkwardly to my feet.
"Have a nice evening." Her voice was like satin as her eyes smoldered into mine. She walked close beside me to the door, still careful not to touch me. I sighed heavily as I imagined myself reaching out to grab her cool hands. She must have heard me as she turned, curiosity playing across her face. I kept my eyes on the pavement, happy that she didn't seem to be able to know what I was thinking.
She quickened her pace, pulling slightly ahead of me as we neared the car. I watched her glide effortlessly, her deep brown hair shining faintly in the moonlight. Her swift yet graceful movement amazed me. Maybe I should have been used to it by now, but I had the feeling that Bella wasn't the type of person you could get used to. My brow furrowed in confusion as she came to a fluid stop at the passenger door.
"Ummm…what are you doing?"
"Oh…I'm…opening the door?" I could only shake my head and laugh as I reached her side.
"Let's get one thing straight. I don't mind you sweeping in and saving me from time to time, but I'll be damned if you open the doors too. Give a guy something to do other than have asthma attacks." I joked. The twinkling sound of her giggles filled the air as she walked around to the driver's side. I opened the door, holding it as she stepped in and shutting it softly behind her. Once I was inside the car, she started the engine and turned the heater on high. It had gotten very cold, and I guessed the warm weather, if you could call it such, was at an end. I was warm in the jacket she had given me, though, sneaking a breath of the scent of it when I thought she couldn't see.
Bella pulled out through the traffic, seemingly without a glance, easily turning the car around to head toward the freeway. She really was my kind of girl.
"Now," she breathed lightly, interrupting my thoughts, "it's your turn."
okidasai! hope u guys liked the Port Angeles chappys...again, sorry that they took so long. I will try and update sooner, but i can't make any promises. Please reivew, good or bad, and let me know what you think.
