Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! - I'm glad u all liked that chapter so much…I tried to make it as interesting as possible and as I said I absolutely loved writing it and truthfully I don't know why! ;)
THIS CHAPTER GOES OUT TO KATIE. I KNOW IT WAS A FEW DAYS AGO NOW, BUT ALL THE SAME I HOPE U FEEL BETTER SOON…AND I HOPE THIS BRIGHTENS UR MOOD. ALSO, REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH AND ALWAYS KEEP ON SMILING. D
Also, the name of this chapter has a double meaning. A cookie to anyone who can tell me both definitions. (They're pretty obvious. read to find out what they are…)
Here's chapter 14…
Chapter 14: This is just the beginning.
RECAP: "Rosalie?" I called after her.
From outside I heard a loud crash and panicked yelling, and then the lights went out.
It just got worse. I thought. What now?
It was pitch black- I couldn't see a thing.
Slowly I took a cautious step forward, spreading my arms out in front of me as I tried to find the way out.
"Rose?" I called quietly. My voice sounded small and scared. I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching me.
Finally I found the exit door and pushed it open but it stopped when it was only six inches off the door frame. Eager to get out of the bathroom as soon as I could I squeezed my body in to the tight crevice and somehow out the other side.
It was just as dark out side the bathroom as it was inside. I could faintly see the outline of tables and chairs but nothing more. Everyone seemed to have fled out of the restaurant in a hurry as the furniture and eating tools were scattered everywhere; chairs upside down and expensive porcelain plates shattered on the dance floor.
As I looked back I saw a pile of upturned tables and chairs in front of the bathroom door, stopping it from opening all the way.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw something move but when I turned it was gone.
It must have been my imagination. I thought. But all the same this is just getting creepier by the second.
"Hello?" I called, but my voice seemed to disappear into the shadows. I shifted my weight and walked forwards to examine a table. On its surface was a carving that looked like someone had dragged their nails down a black board. Also, I noticed a small white hand bag lay on the floor beside the table. It looked… familiar. Warily I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. The purse was black and was made of both leather and velour. In the centre was a big silver buckle and scattered on the edges of the bag were smaller silver clasps finished off with some white stitching. with further examination I realized that this bag was the one Alice had been holding. (A/N picture of the bag in my profile) What's more, I soon realized to my horror that the table with the finger nail marks on them was the one that the Cullen's had been seated at.
"Oh God." I whispered.
Still holding Alice's hand bag I turned around to face the dance floor and I saw something I didn't see there earlier. Another table, but this one was placed upright and was directly in the centre of the dancing area.
I walked towards it and noticed a white piece of folded paper on the top of it. Slowly I picked it up and opened it. Inside was a message. A message that had been written to me.
Bella,
Take this as a warning, for this is just the beginning…
A chill ran down my spine as if someone had run their fingers down my back. Again I began to hyperventilate; now I was really scared.
If I thought I was in danger before, my thoughts just got confirmed.
I took in a deep breath through my nose;"this can't be happening. This isn't happening." I closed my eyes as I muttered quietly to myself.
I swiftly opened my eyes and turned on my heel, rushing towards the exit door.
Breathing hard I pulled at the door and surprisingly it opened with ease- it hadn't been locked.
In a flurry of skirts I ran out of the door but just when I was almost a meter away from the front of the restaurant I felt something catch hold of my dress and i heard a quiet click.
Cautiously I turned, and let out a sigh of relief when I realized that my dress had simply gotten caught in the path of the closing door and was now wedged between the door frame and entrance way.
I pushed the door but it wouldn't budge. I pushed again…nothing, not even a millimeter of movement. In a frenzy I began to pull at the material trying to free myself, when suddenly something occurred to me and I froze in my actions.
The click I heard? That must have been the door being locked. But a door can't lock itself, someone has to lock a door and I most certainly didn't. I wasn't alone…someone had planned for this to happen.
I repressed a frightened sob and gave one last tug at my dress and this time it came loose. Well not exactly, it ripped and I knew when Alice saw it she'd kill me, but right now I had other things to worry about.
I turned around but did so too fast and like the klutz I am, tripped.
I pushed myself into a sitting positions and not being able to fight them back anymore I let my tears fall freely down my cheeks, off my chin and onto my hands which lay clasped in my lap.
I mildly registered a car pull up next the side walk and two familiar, strong arms wrap around me and pull me into the back seat of the silver Volvo.
I barely noticed someone pull me against their strong chest and begin stroking my hair; whispering that everything was going to be ok.
I cried and cried and no matter how much I willed myself to stop I just couldn't find enough strength to do so. It seemed that with each tear that fell down my cheek also fell my sense of security. Each day I seemed to find myself in a worse situation and I knew that someone was after me, and that that someone would not rest until they had me.
Gradually my crying subsided into loud sobs and then into dry hic-cups. My hands were holding onto someone's shirt and when I looked up I saw Edwards's familiar face.
He wasn't looking at me, no. he was staring out the window. He seemed to be thinking about something and I decided not to interrupt but instead gave him some time to think.
My eyes traced over his pale white features: the hard square of his jaw, the softer curve of his full lips, the straight line of his nose and the sharp angle of his cheekbones. His amber hair fell lightly into his left eye and contrasted amazingly with the soft color of his skin. No matter how many times I looked at him his good looks always caught me by surprise.
"I-I've wrecked your shirt." I muttered.
Startled he looked down at me and when he realized what I had said his serious features softened and he smiled softly; "There's plenty more where that came from." He said quietly.
His hand came up to my cheek and with his thumb he softly wiped away any lingering tears. Unexpected, this fingers softly traced the curve of my lips and came to rest under my chin tilting my head up slightly so I could look him in the eye; "Are you ok?" he whispered.
"I thought you had been hurt. When I left the bathroom the restaurant was empty and had been left in a mess…I'm so scared." I whispered the last part, my voice breaking and he gently kissed my forehead before placing my head on his chest and wrapping my arms around me.
I don't know how long we sat there simply cherishing each others company.
"Is it hard for you?" I asked suddenly.
"Is what hard for me?"
"Is it hard for you to spend time with me? For you not to attack me?"
He looked down at me then; "more than you could ever imagine." He answered flatly.
"Then why do you come near me?" I asked trying to pull away from Edward, hoping to make it easier for him, but his strong arms held me in place.
"Because I'm tired of trying to stay away from you Bella." He said looking into my eyes.
Abruptly the car stopped and someone opened the back door…Carlisle. I hadn't even noticed someone else had been in the car, let alone had been driving the vehicle.
"Bella." He sighed; "Are you alright?" he asked in a concerned fatherly voice.
I smiled weakly;" I am now." I said my eyes flicking in Edward's direction.
Carlisle smiled back at me; "That's good to hear." He said offering me his arm to help me out of the car.
"Thank you." I said, closing the car door.
"Your welcome." He said inclining his head.
I took a step forward but stumbled. All the blood had rushed to my head and for a moment I felt I felt woozy. I felt Edwards arm wrap around my waist to steady me.
I looked up at him and he raised his eye brows at me questioningly but I shook my head, dismissing the subject.
As we entered the house I barely had time to look around before a little body came crashing into me with such force that I fell to the floor (not for the first time that night).
"Bella!" Alice squealed; "Oh thank god you're ok!" she paused for a moment; "You are ok? Aren't you?"
I chuckled lightly; "Yes. Tired is all."
I saw her relax slightly; "ok, then you need to rest." She sounded almost breathless; "I've already laid your pajamas out on Edward's bed."
"Ok, thanks." I said shaking my head.
"What?!" she said pouting slightly.
"Nothing." I laughed; "it's just that even in the worst cases you still remain organized."
As I stood up she remained on the floor glaring up at me. I held out my hand for her and she took it as I helped her stand up.
I leaned forward and kissed her cheek lightly; "All the same, thank you."
She crossed her arms over her chest and refused to make eye contact.
One.
Two.
Three. I counted silently in my head.
Her face broke out into a smile and she hugged me; "You're welcome!" She chimed; "Now go and get ready for bed. We have school tomorrow so you need to rest."
"Great." I muttered.
As I walked towards the stairs I looked around me; Rosalie was seated comfortably in Emmett's arms as he whispered something gin her ear which made her smirk in pleasure. Carlisle was seated on a couch beside jasper and they seemed to be talking about something of great importance. Esme was surprisingly no where to be seen and Edward was sitting in an arm chair by himself. He was staring off into space, his eye brow creased slightly. By the looks of it he was thinking about something. He sensed my gaze and looked up at me smiling slightly. Suddenly his eyes darted to Alice who was still standing behind me and before I could turn around I heard Alice screech; "your dress!"
I had completely forgotten about the torn material at the back of my dress and as I turned around to face Alice I saw the look of pure horror on her face.
"Alice I it got caught in the door as I was leaving the restaurant. I tried opening the door but it had been locked so I pulled and it…well, it ripped."
"Thanks miss obvious!" she said in an exasperated voice; "I completely failed to notice the fact that the dress had been torn."
"Look Al I'm sorry." I apologized for no reason; "I know you liked the dress- I did too but there was nothing I could do, I wasn't going to take it off so instead I-"
"-That's not why I'm upset Bella." She interrupted; "It's just what happened back at the restaurant was no accident and it has become obvious that who ever is after you is not human. But what concerns me is that now they have a piece of your clothing…a piece of your clothing that they can track you by."
I took in a sharp breath. You know how when you achieve something great in your life and then it just comes back and hits you in the face? Well, that's what this was like. I felt as though I had climbed a mountain and when I reached the top I was met by the most amazing scenery but then suddenly I fell, and I stumbled down the mountain. I got cut and bruised and when I finally stopped I looked down and I realized I still had a lot of ground to cover before I reached the base of the mountain and that from where I was, things were only going to continue going downhill and I was going to continuously get hurt.
I spoke my thoughts; "Things are only going to get worse aren't they?"
Alice shook her head solemnly: "I don't Bells." She sighed; "You should really get your rest."
I nodded wordlessly and turned walking up the stairs.
I walked into Edwards's room, picked my pajamas up off his bed and walked into the bathroom. I quickly took my clothes off and jumped into the shower letting the hot water wash away my fears and relax my body. I knew come tomorrow I was only going to be scared all over again but it was nice while lasted.
I dried myself and quickly threw on my night clothes. As I re-entered the bedroom I noticed someone sitting on the bed. They turned as I entered and I realized that the person was Esme.
Silently she patted the bed beside her, silently inviting me to join her. I sat on the cushioned surface and crossed my legs underneath me.
For a long moment neither of us said anything but then Esme broke the silence; "He cares for you, you know?
I looked up at her, a confused expression on my face; "Who does?" I asked.
"Edward." For a brief second a small smile crossed her lips but when I looked again it was gone. I had never seen her so serious.
She reached up and in a motherly gesture brushed a strand of hair off my face; "And I know that you care for him too." She breathed.
"Esme I-"
"Just think about it Bella." She said kindly. Then she stood and left the room.
I stayed where I was, just thinking. Soon, off my own accord I turned and crawled under the warm covers.
I fell asleep whilst thought of Edward where whizzing through my mind.
For the first time I dreamt of Edward Cullen, and when I woke the next morning I new exactly how I felt about him and the first thought that came to mind was that; this was only the beginning.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
There you have it, chapter 14. I hope you guys enjoyed it.
I'm aiming for at least 140 reviews for this chapter. Its fine if I don't get them all but I'd really like to…
I have a surprise for u guy's next chapter so hang in there!
Much love,
Krissy.
P.S.
REVIEW PLEASE! NO FIRE…