Chapter 3
It had been a couple of months since I first moved to Seattle. I had grown quit close with the Cullen's, mostly Bella and Edward. We just had this connection that I didn't have with anyone else. Yet, my relationship with my father didn't seem all that great. He went off to work all day and I would be alone. We only said a couple of words to each other a day and we both seemed fine with that. Which is slightly odd. I pulled into the parking lot of the high school pulling the key out of the ignition. I grabbed my bag and turned to open my door. But before I could I noticed Edward had already opened it for me. I laughed stepping out.
"Morning." He smiled at me.
"Hi Eddie." I said. Edward hated the nickname but I still refused to give it up. "Where's Bella and the rest of the gang?" I asked.
"They are coming later." He said. I felt a drop of water on my arm and looked up to the dark sky to see water droplets falling over us. Edward put his arm around my shoulder and guided me inside. There was swarms of students at lockers and walking to their classrooms.
"Do you want me to escort you?" Edward asked sweetly. He gave me his famous crooked grin.
"I would love that." I smiled back.
"How was your night?" He asked as we pushed our way through the crowds.
"It was fine," I said remembering how my father and I got into a fight.
"What was it over?" Edward asked.
"Huh?"
"The fight." He said. "With you father." Wait did I say that out loud?
"I just figured that you did since your being so quiet today." He said.
"Oh, yeah, well, it was just a minor one over something stupid." I said. Edward remained silent as we approached my class room.
"Are we hanging out tonight?" I asked him. He shrugged.
"I'll have to confirm it with Bella and if she has anything going on." I nodded my head.
"See you later Eddie." I said and then walked into the class room.
The day went very much like I had expected, boring. I walked into biology and took my seat noticing Bella wasn't here. I waited until the bell rang to see her in the doorway. She smiled at the teacher earning one in return and then quickly, yet still gracefully, walked over to our lab table. As the teacher began the lesson Bella turned to me.
"Where were you?" I asked before she had a chance to say anything.
"I was here the whole time." She said.
"Not this morning." I argued back.
"That's because I woke up late." She smirked at me. Right, except for the fact that you are always early to things, so sleeping in late is not a Bella thing.
"Sure." I mumbled and turned to focus on what the teacher, Mr. Barlet, was saying.
"Are you mad at me?" Bella asked. She put her finger under my chin and forced me to look into her eyes.
"No." I muttered and pulled my head back and turned back to the teacher.
"I'm not stupid Ness, you can tell me if you are." She said soothingly. I sighed and looked at her.
"You never tell me anything, or what you tell me isn't the truth." Bella cocked her head to the side.
"What do you mean." She asked.
"Well for instance, when your family just doesn't come to school when it is a nice day out." I told her. I saw her biting on her lip. "Or when you don't allow me to come over because you are having a family dinner, but Bella every dinner you have is a family dinner." I said. "So why are some I'm not allowed to." Bella remained silent. I waited for her to respond.
"Vanessa, it's just better if you go along with what I tell you, please." She pleaded. The bell rang and I stood up but turned to face her completely.
"Well I'm going to find out the truth, so be ready." I argued back. Then I grabbed my stuff and walked out of the room. I didn't see any of the Cullen's for the rest of the day. But I was fine with it, I wasn't too happy with them at the moment.
"Vanessa!" I heard Tom call. I turned around to see him walking over to me with a huge smile on his face.
"You interested in coming to a party tonight?" He asked.
"What kind of party?" I asked.
"A fun one." Tom said winking at me.
"Ness say no." I heard Bella's musical voice say as she approached us.
"This has nothing to do with you." I said frowning at her. "Bud out." Bella took a step back like it was a slap in the face.
"I don't want you going to this." She told me.
"Who are you my mother?" I asked. Bella took a step forward.
"Actually-" She was about to say but she was cut off by Edward.
"We just don't thing this is the kind of party you want to go to Ness." Edward velvet voice said softly. Bella turned to glare at him. What the hell was her problem. I turned back to Tom.
"I'll be there." I said and then turned walking to my car without saying another word.
I was in my room applying some makeup when my bedroom door opened.
"Please Ness," Bella pleaded. "Don't go." Her voice was begging me. Her eyes were so sad.
"Why do you care Bella?" I asked harshly. "It's not like you tell me things." I said.
"Because I care about you Ness," She said. "I care about you so deeply that I don't want you to be hurt."
"Does that go for the party or why you keep things from me?" I asked sitting down on my bed. Bella sat down next to me. She put her hand on my arm.
"Both Ness, both." She said. I grabbed her hands and held them in mine.
"Please tell me the truth, Bella." I said. Bella sighed and looked away from me.
"I can't Ness." She said sadly.
"Why the hell not?" I asked getting frustrated. Bella opened her mouth to say something and then quickly shut it. "Please?" I pleaded. Bella closed her eyes.
"Don't go to that party tonight, come to my house instead and we will have a talk." She told me. I felt a smile creeping onto my face and I nodded my head quickly.
"I can do that." I said. Bella stood up and walked towards my door.
"Be at my house at eight." She told me before she left. I quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. I let my long ringlets hang down my back. I heard the door downstairs open and I knew that my dad was home.
"Hey dad." I said coming down the stairs meeting him in the living room. He sat down on the couch turning on the T.V. with a beer in his hand.
"Hi." He said taking a sip.
"I'm going over my friends house." I said. I never told him who I would hang out with, just because I didn't know if he would approve. I remember Bella said she used to be close with him and now she just wasn't. Something must have happened. Dad just remained silent watching the T.V. I sighed and walked towards the door.
"Just be safe." He told me. Then I left.
I walked up the stairs to the Cullen's giant house. I rang the doorbell to see Esme open the door. Like always she had a smile on her face.
"Vanessa." She breathed. "It's so nice to see you." She pulled me into a hug. I shivered at her coldness. She ushered me into the house and I noticed that the whole family was talking in their living room. Edward and Bella were on the couch. Jasper was standing in the corner talking silently to Alice. Rose was sitting on Emmett's lap on the love seat and Carlisle was standing by the fireplace that they never use. They all turned and looked at me.
"Uh hey guys." I said confused. Bella patted the spot next to her and quickly I took my seat.
"So you want some answers." Emmett said eyeing me. My eye twitched as they all stared at me.
"Uh yeah, that would be nice." I said softly. Carlisle came and walked over to me. He bent down so that he was eye level with me. He placed his ice cold hand on my knee.
"Vanessa, are you sure you want this?" He asked. I bit my lip and nodded my head. I looked to Bella who leaned into Edward's touch.
"Vanessa we are not like you." Carlisle said. I looked to him confused.
"How?" I asked.
"How old do I look to you?" Bella asked suddenly right next to me. I stared into her gold eyes.
"Eighteen." I said without hesitation. Bella looked at me for a long time not saying anything.
"You're not?" I asked. She shook her head.
"No Vanessa, none of us are the age that we look." Rose said. I turned to look at each of them.
"Well how old are you guys?" I asked. Carlisle spoke up.
"I'm over a hundred years old." I gasped.
"But how?" I asked. My heart started beating faster.
"We are immortal." Bella's voice whispered.
"Your immortal?" I asked confused.
"Oh just tell her already." Emmett said. I heard Rose slap him, but my eyes remained on Bella.
"We are vampires." Edward said. I felt all the blood drain from my face.
"W-what." I asked. "Holy shit." I said jumping up. I thought about running towards the door but Bella grabbed my arm. "No don't eat me!" I yelled. Bella smiled and pulled me into her arms.
"Were not going to hurt you Ness." She told me soothingly. "We drink animal blood." Carlisle told me trying to calm me down. I took in a deep breath.
"Do you guys turn to dust in the sun?" I asked. They all burst into laughter.
"No." Bella said. I pulled out of her arms and sat down next to her. "We just sparkle." She told me.
"So that's why you don't go to school when it is nice out." I said my eyes going huge.
"Exactly." Edward smiled at me.
"That's why you are so cold." Bella nodded. Bella took my hand and placed it over her heat. But I didn't feel a beat.
"Your dead." I said look up to her eyes. She nodded.
"We have venom running through our veins." I sat back taking it all in. I realized the question I was waiting to ask.
"So why is this dangerous for you to tell me?" I asked. I knew I had many more questions but this was the one that I needed to ask. Carlisle looked to Bella. Bella nodded.
"Vanessa, there are vampires in this world that are not like us at all." She started. "They do drink human blood; they are not vegetarians like us." I nodded. "Well there is a group called the Volturi who are the vampire rulers of our world I guess you could say." Bella stopped and Edward spoke up.
"They don't want humans knowing about ."
"I won't tell." I said quickly. Bella laughed.
"They have ways of finding out." She told me. Bella looked to Edward. Edward nodded to her silently.
"Well what happens if they find out that I know?" I asked. Every single Cullen remained silent.
"You guys can tell me, I'm not scared." I said. Bella sighed.
"They will kill you, or turn you into one of us." Bella said.
"You sound like you know from experience." I said softly. Bella bit her lip.
"Go on love." Edward said.
"Vanessa." She said touching my cheek. "I was a human sixteen years ago." She told me. "I met Edward and fell madly in love with him. I found out what he was but it never changed my feelings for him, but when he left me-" I cut her off.
"You left her?" I screeched at him. I could never see Bella and Edward apart they were so perfect for each other.
"Ssh." Bella soothed touching my cheek. "Everything is okay now," I sat back down and silently listened to her.
"Well I went to go find Edward and the Volturi found out about me." She told me. "After Edward and I got married I got pregnant, we didn't even know that it happened." She told me. After I had my baby I knew I couldn't keep her, because the Volturi would find out about her. I wanted her to have the most normal life she could." Bella said.
"I'm so sorry." I said softly. "What was her name?" I asked.
"Renesmee." Bella said. Edward wraps his arms around her waist and she fell back into his chest.
"Renesmee." I breathed. The name sounded so familiar.
"It is familiar." Edward said. What the hell? How did he know that? I thought. "I can read minds," Edward said. Bella gripped my face in her hands.
"Do I look familiar to you at all?" She asked. I looked long and hard. Then something in me clicked.
"No." I said standing up feeling the tears fall down my face.
"Ness." Bella said reaching for me. I pointed to myself.
"I-I'm her." I said. I'm Renesmee. Bella and Edward are my parents.
"You're my Renesmee." Bella said.
"Momma?" I asked. Bella nodded.
"Come here baby." She whispered and I fell into her arms sobbing.
"Wh-why." I sobbed.
"We wanted to protect you." Bella cooed.
"I would rather be with you." I said. I remembered when Bella would sing me to sleep or when Edward would try to feed me." All the memories I had came back to me as I hugged Bella to me. I felt my eyes drooping.
"Go to sleep baby girl." Bella whispered as she placed me in the couch. I still had many more questions but I knew those could wait till tomorrow. I closed my eyes feeling that void in my heart disperse.