Poco a Poco, Chapter Six
-Edward-
Lianna groaned and covered her face, but tears still fled down her face in riveting patterns. Only when she started quietly shrieking did I get up and lay down next to her, on top of the blankets, and almost instantly she turned and burrowed into me, and the sobs and quiet cries started to die. Hesitantly, I put an arm around her, and felt my heart swell as all sounds stopped and she started to sleep peacefully. Her bags had rivaled mine today, and judging by Helen's diary, Lianna never slept very well.
I left as late as I could allow. I had to slightly detangle myself from Lianna without waking her up, and she was frowning as I left. I ran deeper into the woods and hunted until I felt almost too full. Then I showered, changed and got to the school early to talk to Ms. Sanyer. "Mr. Cullen, I'm glad to see she didn't leave a bruise." Was Ms. Sanyer's greeting when I knocked on her office door. "I also heard from Lianna's guardian that you two 'made up' yesterday." She raised an eyebrow as I leaned casually in the doorframe, an unnecessary grin crossing my face at the thought.
"She apologized and explained herself with more detail than I expected. We parted as friends, not enemies. Speaking of, we discussed musical education opportunities. I was wondering, with Ms. Camus's permission of course, if I could take Lianna on a little road-trip today, to look at the school I went to, other schools in the area…" Ms. Sanyer's smile was answer enough, and she wished me the best of luck.
-Lianna-
Edward kept to his word, he wasn't there when I got up, but he did leave a note, telling me I should wear my hair up today, he had liked it yesterday. I kept the ponytail on my wrist but left it down. I wasn't going to let him dress me too, it was bad enough he had insisted on staying the night. Trying not to dwell on that slightly perverted fact, I got dressed and went downstairs.
"Morning!" Helen said cheerfully, and forced me to eat a few pancakes. "You sounded much better last night than you have in a while, Lianna." She commented as I took a sip of juice, making me freeze for a moment. She smiled brightly at me before cleaning up the kitchen. After more over-happy goodbyes, I took my bike to school again. I headed right for the orchestra room, where Ms. Sanyer and Edward were waiting for me.
I'm so sorry, Ms. Sanyer, if I scared you yesterday. I signed instantly, feeling bad for loosing my temper. Ms. Sanyer laughed. "Mr. Cullen said that you're comfortable to go on a road trip today, and that's all I care about." I nodded and glanced at Edward. He was nodding simply. "I won't hinder you two any longer, have a good time." She said, and Edward led the way, and held the orchestra room door open for me, and walked me outside the school, then down the block.
"I told you I didn't have a car yesterday, and that's still true, it's in Toronto." He said, and I paled. You're kidding, right? I can't exactly jog the whole way there. "You won't have to. Just close your eyes." He said in an infuriatingly calm manner. I fixed an eagle eye stare on him a minute longer before sighing and closing my eyes. I gasped silently as I felt him scoop me up delicately, and then it felt like he was walking, the motion was smooth, and effortless, yet the wind racing by let me know we were going much faster.
After what seemed like minutes, Edward stopped, and I hesitantly opened my eyes. He was grinning down at me like an idiot. The world had changed around us; we were on a gravel path, with big brown trees on either side. "I told you to wear your hair up today." He said conversationally, not moving or going to put me down. I was comfortable, I wasn't complaining, but I couldn't believe he would take the moment to point that out.
As much as you would love to be my hairstylist, I chose to wear my hair down. I signed, then raised an eyebrow when he still didn't put me down. "Will you please put it up?" He wheedled, his eyes suddenly huge and pleading.
Piss off. I signed, and he roared with laughter, but didn't put me down. Ugh! Fine, you controlling-self-centered-manipulative-asshole! Now put me down. I glared at him after fixing my hair into the ponytail he so desired. Smiling blissfully, he set me down gently, then lightly took my hand. "I always get my way." He said smugly as we walked down the path. That's because you are a controlling-self-centered-manipulative-asshole. It's not like they were going to eat me because my hair was down. I signed pretty well one handed, and he laughed again.
And what is all this about? I signed, then pointed to our clasped hands. I didn't really mind, I was getting used to the coldness of his skin. "I'm here to protect you." He said again, but this time, I knew it had a different meaning, making the back of my neck heat again at the meaning he implied. As we rounded one more corner, I was floored. The house was layered in a unique design, tucked into the woods with a decent sized pond nearby. The house was perfectly white and huge. Edward's other implied meaning faded from my mind at the sight of it.
Edward and I walked up the steps and instead of knocking, Edward just walked right in. The interior of the house was white as well, with walls and carpets the same pristine, almost hospital white. Edward's thumb brushed my swollen knuckle before releasing my hand, and speaking in a normal tone of voice, said, "Would everyone come downstairs, please?" Instantly, clustered around the living room in various sized groups were no less than 6 unfamiliar vampires. Judging by Edward's descriptions, I knew who everyone was, but they were no less intimidating, so needless to say, I flinched.
"Lianna, this is the Cullen Clan." Edward said easily, but behind his calm mask I detected some apprehension, but it was miniscule compared to the trepidation building in me, making me stand perfectly still.
"It's lovely to finally meet you, Lianna." Carlisle said, approaching at a normal human pace, and shot Edward a confused look when I didn't say anything.
"Alice, didn't you tell them?" Edward asked her, sounding slightly angry. Alice was gorgeous, and reminded me of a sprite or a pixie, she just seemed so mysterious yet carefree.
"I figured it wasn't mine to share, Edward." Her voice was beautiful, and when her gaze turned to me, I met it with a slight curiosity that I kept buried, far away from my expression which was carefully blank. Her gaze had an expression I couldn't fathom. I looked away and up at Edward when he put a hand on my shoulder.
"Lianna, do you mind if I tell them?" He asked, and I nodded, and only half listened to the speech I could barely hear anyway, and then the volley of quick questions from his family. When I looked back up, I realized Alice was looking at me with a pitying and almost proud gaze. The man next to her had a stormy expression, and I figured that was Jasper. Emmett (judging by his huge muscles), looked gloomy, and his wife looked furious. Esme's reaction shocked me, she looked ready to cry, while Carlisle looked deep in thought.
"You poor dear," Esme said tearfully, minus the tears. Not quite sure how to respond, I ended up grimacing to the pure white carpet.
"You have all our condolences and sympathy for your losses." Carlisle said calmly. I looked over to Edward. Thank him for me? I really can't summon the energy to punch him, like I did with you. Edward barely held back his snicker, but Jasper gave him a weird look, feeling his amusement.
"She's thankful for that," Edward said, and then after a short silence, "before I bother her to describe the vampires that attacked them, can you look at her knuckle, Carlisle?" Carlisle came over curiously, and I handed him my hand before he could ask for it. He examined it in less than a second with a practiced eye and then looked at me curiously.
"How was this wound inflicted?" He said, his gaze lingering over the bite pattern currently visible on my pressed together fingers. I eased them apart to destroy the image and threw a meaningful look at Edward, who full out laughed this time.
"She got so mad at me that she punched me in the face." He said clearly, and Emmett burst out laughing, while the rest of the family looked at me with incredulous and disbelieving glances. "We have a love-hate relationship." Edward said with a straight face, and I rolled my eyes. More like a pedophile-paranoid relationship. I signed, and he glared at me. Oh, take it easy, Edward. You know that it was creepy, and you won't do it again.
"Is now really the time to discuss this?" he asked stiffly as Carlisle returned with strips of gauze which he carefully yet skillfully bandaged the wound in seconds. Yes, yes it is. I'm not letting that go. He snorted and shook his head, and his family watched in confusion. "Anyway…Edward said one was female and one was male…can you describe them?" Rosalie said suddenly, and her uncaring tone made me want to punch her too. Edward glared at her. I met her gaze stonily, defiant, then sighed, disturbing thoughts starting to push in on my brain.
The male was pretty non-descript: the r-red eyes, the pale skin, he had sandy brown hair and a very…velvety voice you could say. It was very smooth, everything he said was crooned, even when he was…disgusted. Edward's hands were in fists by the time I had finished. Do you know who it is?! I signed in surprise as he glared stonily past me. "No." He said curtly, and then swiftly relayed my message to the family. All of them, after only seconds, shook their heads.
The woman's skin wasn't nearly as pale, but she had the same red eyes. Her hair was dark and curly, and she spoke with a Mexican accent. No sooner had I finished Edward snarled, making me take a cautionary step backward. Edward looked positively livid and pretty frightening. His jaw was clenched, and the tendons were almost leaping out of his skin on the inside of his wrists his fists were clenched so tight. "Did you hear a name?' he snarled through clenched teeth.
The man called her Maria. I took several steps back as Edward snarled again, a long and ferocious sound. "Edward, you're furious, relay the message before Jasper explodes." Alice said coolly from next to her husband. She had a tiny hand on his arm, which was unnaturally stiff. Jasper's face was angry, but it was starting to fade.
"And your sure she spoke with that accent?" Edward growled, growing stiller and angrier with each second. It was definitely Mexican, she rolled her r's. Edward, calm- "NO!" Edward roared so loud, that I cringed and took more hasty steps back from him. "I will not calm down, I will hunt her down!" He roared.