Chapter 2: Headlines

"What Bella? I think you look beautiful."

That I didn't deny. I was definitely more beautiful than I was while I was still a human. But the ironic thing was, I frightened myself. My skin was deathly pale, and my eyes were chillingly red. I looked like a…monster. I had shadows around my eyes, just like Edward. But there was something about me that I despised. I was beautiful, yes. But something about me seemed bloodcurdling.

Edward, I'm a monster! I'm not a perfect vampire like you. I'm a sinister beast. I terrify myself!

"Bella, I am not perfect. You know that. And of course you aren't either! You are a newborn vampire. I will help you learn to resist the human's attractive blood. You aren't in this alone. I'm stubbornly staying by your side for as long as you want me. I'm yours, Isabella Swan."

I turned away from my reflection and looked up into his golden eyes. I melted away under his cool touch as I pressed my head against his chest. He stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. "I love you, Bella. You have no idea how nice it is to hold you without needing to worry about having the urge to kill you." His cool breath felt nice against my scalp.

"You know I love you too, Edward. I just wish I wasn't so different. You know what I just realized?" I looked up into his eyes again and rested my chin against him. "You will never be able to hear me talk in my sleep again."

He frowned. "How will I ever go on? I believe it is time to move on to the next human now." he smiled crookedly, and chuckled as he pulled me closer. "It's okay, love. I know what you're thinking now. Well, at least when you want me to know." I felt him pull his lips back further and I turned my head up to search for them.

He swept me into his arms again and rested his lips against mine. The moment was so sweet; I wished time could stand still. But as always, he pulled away and set me on my feet, leaving me wishing for more.

"Alice is coming up to see you, Bella. She has a lot to share with you and she's excited to see you." only seconds after he said this, the door opened and a very excited Alice came zooming in.

"Bella! I missed you so much!" She pulled me away from Edward and embraced me warmly.

"Yes, I know. Edward told me."

She laughed and then scowled in Edward's direction. "Must you always be in my head? Ah well, I have some important news to tell you. But I suppose he has already told you that too, right?" She laughed heartily and squeezed me tighter. "Come on, everyone else is waiting."

Edward, what Is she talking about?

"You'll see. I don't want to spoil anything." Alice looked up at Edward and frowned at him but she said nothing.

Please? Tell me.

"There has been trouble with this whole incident. Everyone thinks…"

"Enough! Edward, we're all going to tell her! It's too important to be said now!" Her face was fuming.

"I'm sorry, Alice. Will you excuse us? I need to talk to Bella, alone. I promise I will not say anything about what's going on. We'll meet you downstairs." She grimaced at him again, but she obeyed as she turned her head and left us behind.

"What's going on?"

"Bella, I think there's more to that talent of yours. I was perfectly set on not telling you the news for the sake of the others. You commanded me with your mind to tell you what was going on. I couldn't resist. It was like I had no control over myself; no choice. Bella, I think you can manipulate minds." I checked his expression. He looked completely serious. There was no anger in his voice, only alarm.

"But how can you be sure?" I thought misspeaking was enough for a talent."

"Command me to do something."

Kiss me.

"That's not fair, silly." He leaned in to kiss me quickly. "It has to be something I don't want to do."

Tell me what's going on.

"Bella, I…" I could tell he was trying very hard not to oblige. "Everyone thinks your dead. It's in the news. Your parents already attended your funeral. You don't exist anymore." It all came out so quickly, it was hard to understand. Dead? It couldn't be. How could they think such a thing? "Bella, I promised Alice! Tell me to stop!"

I've heard enough. Don't tell me anymore until everyone is ready to talk to me.

He gasped after I let him off the hook and he forcefully grabbed my arm and pulled me to where Alice had disappeared. It wasn't long before I saw all of my new family's faces. All of them were creased with worry lines.

Esme jumped up and charmingly rushed over to my side. She was in my arms before I could react. I was so happy to see all of them, but I could only imagine the look of horror on my face. I had just been told that everyone thought I was dead.

"Carlisle, Bella can do more than just mindspeak. She can manipulate you into doing something for her also. I'm sorry Alice, but she ordered me to tell her what the news was." Alice shot me a dirty look that made me feel regretful.

"I'm sorry Alice! It was all just a test. I had to tell Edward to do something he really didn't want to do, and that's the only thing that I could think of."

"I forgive you Bella. Luckily, Edward didn't give away the whole thing. There's so much more to it than that." She shot a wary look at Carlisle and he nodded at her. "You see, Charlie got really involved in your death. He's investigating it personally. And…" She couldn't finish her thought. She dug her face in her hands.

"Just show it to her, Esme," Jasper said, patting Alice's back and holding her tightly to him.

Esme pulled out a newspaper and flipped it to a certain page. The headline read: "Seventeen year-old Isabella Swan is murdered." I skipped down where I read the words: "still under investigation led by her father, Charlie Swan…the people of Forks, Washington mourn for their loss."

She moved her finger down the page to where a name was bolded. I gasped when I had read it. My suspected murderer…

Edward Cullen.