I was about to jump and run to my vampire, but Rosalie was in front of me.
"Rosalie—," I started.
She cut me off, "He's coming, Bella." She smiled beautifully, and then she was gone.
I stood there feeling dazed. Then, suddenly, I was wrapped in a cold embrace.
"Bella," a velvety voice breathed in my ear.
I quickly spun around, meeting those warm, golden orbs.
"Edward," I said happily.
He kissed me softly. I was about to respond back with eagerness, but, as always, he pulled back. He chuckled softly.
"How was your day today, love?" he asked, rubbing my back softly.
I frowned. "Horrible. I had bad luck," I mock sniffled.
"Aw, you poor baby," he cooed. "What happened?"
"Well," I began in a fake cheerful voice, "I was late for class! In math, I had to solve a very, very difficult question and I got it wrong, because I wasn't paying attention! You know why?! Because I was missing you so much! In gym, I was partnered up with Mike freaking Newton! And I thought he was over me, but I guess not! He kept giving me flirtatious smiles, which really scared the crap out of me! So I had the most awesome school day ever!" Then I glared at him.
He laughed.
"You're ruining my mood, Edward," I grumbled.
"I—I'm sorry, Bella. You're just...so...so...amusing!" he said finally.
"Wow. Glad to be your source of entertainment," I said sarcastically.
He buried his face in my hair. "I'm sorry you had a very bad day, Bella. What can I do to make you my smiling Bella again?" he teased.
"Stay with me," I whispered.
He smiled softly. "Always."
He carried me towards his comfy bed. He laid down, and positioned ourselves so I was laying down on his chest, with his arms around me.
"So...how was hunting?" I asked conversationally.
"The same," he replied, but I heard a little nervousness in it. "Emmett being an idiot, and Alice and Jasper doing...things."
I blushed.
"I see...," I said nervously.
"Indeed. And I see—well, technically hear—a certain someone's thoughts."
I looked up at him, shocked. "You can read my mind now?!" I blushed hardcore.
He laughed, "No, although I wish I could. I heard Rosalie's thoughts. You two seem to have bonded."
"We're alike." I repeated the words I said earlier.
"Alike yet so different," he murmured in my ear. "In a lot of ways," he added.
I giggled softly.
Then I had a revelation.
"Why are you back so early?" I asked, feeling a little bit suspicious.
I felt him stiffen a little. "There were a lot of animals in the forest, so it wasn't really that difficult to find them."
"But Charlie once told me that the place where you always hunt has—"
He interrupted me quickly, "We tried a different hunting range."
"Where?" I asked.
"Canada."
"You would've been here tomorrow or the day after that."
He started stroking my arm.
"Edward, did you really go hunting?" I demanded.
Silence.
"Well, did you?"
He planted butterfly kisses on my neck. My heart fluttered, but I ignored it.
"Did you...lie to me?" I asked, hurt.
He stopped kissing me. "I didn't go hunting."
"Well, then, where did you go?"
"I...went somewhere."
"Please, Edward," I pleaded.
"We killed your rapist," he said coldly.
I gasped. All of a sudden, tears came pouring down.
"Why?!" I asked. "Why did you do that, Edward?!"
"He deserved to die. His kind, monsters, don't ever deserve to live." His lips curled, and his fists clenched so tight, his knuckles were white.
I quickly sat up, pushing his arms off of me—he took of his arms off of me—and glared at him.
"What the heck, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen?!" I yelled. "You could've been hurt!"
"But I wasn't," he countered.
"But still! You lied to me! You're the one who said, 'Lovers shouldn't keep secrets from each other'!"
He sat up too, and looked down.
"He hurt you, Bella. I couldn't just let that monster roam around the streets. He could've done that to you again!" he cried.
"But I'm here now with you."
"I know."
I hated the space between, so I scooted over to Edward and hugged him.
"Forgive me, Bella. Please," he whispered, heartbroken.
"You don't need to ask, Edward. You're always automatically forgiven," I said gently.
"I'm sorry." He buried his face in my chest.
"I'm the one who should be apologizing. I shouldn't have snapped at you." I stroked his soft, bronze hair.
"I deserved it," he said stubbornly.
"Look, you're safe and forgiven. You're okay."
"He's gone now, Bella. He's gone." He brought up his head and kissed my forehead. He rested his forehead against mine.
"I love you, Edward," I whispered. I felt tears coming down my face.
He wiped my tears away. "I love you, too, Bella. Why are you crying?"
"I'm just glad you're safe. I'm just glad you're here."
"My dear Bella, do I always have to tell you?" he asked. "I will always be with you."
I grinned at him. "Forever."
"Forever," he agreed. He kissed me softly, and, this time, I kissed him back. I put my arms around him and pulled myself closer. He put his arms around my waist and did the same thing. My hands tangled in his hair, and he traced my face. As cheesy as this may sound, we were like...one.
He pulled back.
"Tease," I said.
"Eager," he retorted.
"Blame my hormones."
He chuckled. Then he groaned. "No, Alice, you may not interrupt us."
The door opened, and Alice came dancing towards us.
"Since when do I ever listen to you, dear Edward?" she joked.
"Never," he muttered, irked.
"Hi, Alice. Was there something you wanted?" I asked, leaning against my Edward.
"Hi, Bells! And no, not really. I just wanted to see my best friend." She beamed at me.
"Aw," I said, "how sweet."
"She's lying," Edward informed me. "She wants to tell you what happened when we supposedly went hunting."
"How—?Oh. Right. Mind-reader," I muttered, feeling so idiotic.
"You're so silly!" Alice giggled.
"I'm human! My little, human brain can easily forget things!"
Alice and Edward laughed. Yeah. Laugh at the silly human, I thought sarcastically.
"Are you guys done laughing?" I asked, feeling very annoyed.
They both nodded, wiping imaginary tears from their eyes.
"Okay, now can you tell me?"
"Let me put it this way—we had fun," Alice said.
"How?"
"He was weak," Edward answered. "About two years as a vampire."
"Did he trick you?"
"He tried to, but we found his weakness. His power is so weak," he chuckled.
"What's his weakness?"
"Just don't believe the things he puts in your mind," Alice replied.
"So what kinds of illusions did he put in your minds?"
"So many questions," she sighed.
"I wasn't there! And I'm curious!" I shouted.
"Okay, okay, don't get testy. The illusion he planted in my head was..."—she sniffled—"...that...shopping was illegal!"
"But she knew that it was never, ever possible," Edward said, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah. That was the silliest illusion ever. Shopping could never be illegal. And if it was, I would start a strike. Or maybe dazzle the freak who said shopping was illegal," Alice said. "But if it was a girl, I would've done some...things—illegal things. Carlisle and Esme would never approve, though."
I giggled. "What about you, Edward?"
His eyes turned sad—no, depressed.
"Edward...?" I called softly.
"He—he gave me an illusion of you...dead." His voice broke. "But I persevered when I thought of the countless times of you saying that you did love me." He smiled a little at me, but I wasn't fooled.
"Oh, Edward!" I cried. I quickly wrapped my arms around him so tight, if he was human, he wouldn't be breathing properly.
"I—I'm so, so sorry!" I sobbed. I pulled back. "You lied to me again!"
"How?" he asked, shocked by my sudden change of mood.
"You said that you didn't get hurt, but you did get hurt! How dare you?!"
"I thought you were talking physically, not emotionally!" he said, defensive.
"Edward," I sighed, "I love you."
He chuckled. "I love you, too, you crazy, but in a good way, beautiful angel."
I blushed.
Alice giggled. I forgot she was still here. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." She left.
I jumped a little.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked, quickly feeling concerned.
"Déjà vu," I muttered.
"Oh. I remember," he said, laughing a bit.
"Of course, you do."
He laughed again.
I rested my head against Edward's chest. I imagined his dead, but very pure, heart beating. I bet it sounds lovely. I smiled.
"What are thinking about?" Edward asked. I expected that question.
I laughed softly. "Just thinking of you."
"Oh, really? Well, I was thinking of you."
My smile grew.
"Do you know what's going to happen in the future?" I asked softly.
"I don't know. But I know it's with you," he whispered in my ear. "May I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
He chuckled a little at my response. "Do you ever picturing yourself as..."
"As?" I pressed.
"Never mind," he mumbled.
I looked at his angelic face.
"Come on, Edward, tell me."
"It's not important anymore."
"It sounded important. The way you said was so loving and sincere."
"Just drop it, please, Bella?" He sounded like he really, really didn't want me to know.
"Fine, then. I'll guess," I said stubbornly.
He sighed.
"Do I ever picture myself as...," I murmured to myself, "...as a vampire?"
His eyes turned cold.
"Okay, no," I said meekly. "Do I ever picture myself as...Alice?"
He chuckled a little. "You can never be Alice; you hate shopping, you don't like being all energetic, and you're not a know-it-all."
"I heard that!" Alice's singing voice yelled from somewhere.
I giggled. "Um...do I ever picture myself as...Mike?" Well, that was stupid.
His eyes turned cold yet again. "Don't be absurd. I wouldn't ever ask that question. And you're not perverted."
I grimaced. I didn't know Mike could be perverted. Must be his hormones.
"Do I ever picture myself as...a werewolf?"
He grimaced. "Really, Bella, why are you're suggestions so...ridiculous?"
"Because that's me," I replied lamely. "Fine. I'll be more...mature. Do I ever picture myself as—"
"Mrs. Cullen?" he finished.
My eyes grew really wide, and I'm pretty sure my jaw's hanging right now.
He waited for me to say something. He looked nervous and...embarrassed?
"Wh-what?" I stammered.
"Do you ever picture yourself as Mrs. Cullen?" he repeated shyly. He's so cute when he's shy.
I didn't say anything. This question was...not the best question I could answer. I'm only 18 years old, for crying out loud! Is Edward actually wanting me to be his...wife?
"Say something," Edward pleaded. "Please."
"I don't know what to say," I finally said.
"Just answer the question," he suggested calmly, but I could tell that he really wanted to know.
"I guess...," I replied. Being Edward's wife wasn't really what I wanted. I always thought that being with him forever was enough, but Isabella Marie Cullen sure does sound nice. It makes my name...beautiful—just like the Cullens.
"Okay," he said nonchalantly. Be all nonchalant, Edward, I thought. I can tell that you're screaming with joy in your mind. I feel like such a know-it-all. I've been spending too much time with Alice.
"Was there a reason behind your question?" I asked. "I mean, you can't just pop a question like that."
"I was just wondering," he mumbled.
I hid my smile. Mrs. Cullen—I like it.
"Mrs. Cullen," I suddenly murmured, teasing him. "Doesn't that sound nice?"
"Yes. Very, very nice."
"What would happen if I was to become Mrs. Cullen?" I said my possibly future name with such respect.
He shrugged. "I don't know." Acting so casual and nonchalant, eh?
"Why don't we ask, Alice?"
She arrived right on time. "You rang—or called?"
"Edward and I want to—"
"I can't say anything—it might ruin the future," she said in playfully serious voice. "Bye." Before she was about to leave, I saw her wink at Edward.
"What's with the wink?" I asked.
"You're much too perceptive," Edward muttered.
"It's running through my blood," I joked.
He smiled.
"Mrs. Cullen," I said again.
He looked out the window, but I could see that he was smiling really big.
Mrs. Cullen...
Hmm... I guess this is foreshadowing—or not. I don't know. Whatever. Wouldn't you girls want be a "Mrs Cullen"? I do. The story is almost coming to an end! Sorry!
Thanks to all of those who review! It helps a lot!
And, speak of the word, review!
Monica-san
