Everyone froze. Bella could feel Alice (Cullen) stiffen. No one spoke, until finally Alice (Swan) said nervously, "Mom? Can… can we go?"
Alice (Cullen) had unwrapped her arms in less than a second. She was suddenly standing next to Bella, looking at Alice (Swan) very curiously. "No, don't go," she said, as if it were strange of Alice (Swan) to even suggest it. "It's my fault. I'm sorry. I'm so used to being myself around Bella, even if I haven't seen her in almost twenty years."
"Whoa!" Alice (Swan) interrupted. Then turning to her mother, her eyes were full of confusion and fear. Her face was pale, not like any of the Cullen's, but for her, yes, she was pale. "Mom? What's she talking about? Twenty years? She's only seventeen!"
Now Carlisle stepped in. He was very cautious when he spoke, obviously not wanting to frighten Alice (Swan), but wanting her to understand without thinking it's some kind of joke. "Alice," he began, talking to Bella's terrified daughter. "We're vampires. We're immortal. That's why these five" he gestured to Edward, Emmet, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice (Cullen) "try to stay out of the social loop at school. Twenty years ago, though, a girl moved to the town we were staying in, Forks, and Edward started talking to her. This girl was your mother. The two of them were going out for a long, long time, but we had to leave because, of course, we don't age. If anyone noticed, I don't know what would happen. Bella, though, figured out that we were vampires, with the help of a werewolf. It's your everyday fantasy coming to life." He smiled calmly at Alice (Swan), encouraging her to speak.
"Wait," she said. "You're trying to tell me that you're vampires, and my mom dated Edward." They all nodded. "But you come out during the day! I haven't seen any coffins! You're supposed to drink blood!" she screamed.
"Well," Edward began. Bella practically melted in his calm, musical voice. "We do drink blood. Not human blood, though, and certainly not in public. We go hunting sometimes and drink animal blood. We have to be far away, though, because if we smelled human blood while we were hunting-"
"That's enough Edward," Carlisle said sternly. "We don't want to frighten her."
"This is so freaking weird," Alice (Swan) muttered.
Bella looked at Edward. "Why don't I show you the house," he suggested, and then led her up the stairs. Bella could hear the rest of the Cullens explaining more to her daughter, and didn't know how to feel. Her daughter knew, now she didn't have to be so secretive about her previous life. But on the other hand, her daughter was suddenly being led into a life full of treacherous creatures, which had always put Bella in life-threatening situations. If anything happened to her daughter, Bella didn't know what she'd do. Probably throw herself off a cliff again, like Esme had. "Come on," muttered Edward. His tone said nothing- Bella couldn't tell how he felt about her being there. He held open a door for her and led her into his bedroom. Well, not a bedroom, but more of just a room. There was a nice big, comfortable-looking couch and a huge selection of CD's, then a complex stereo.
He sat down on the couch, and Bella sat next to him, not daring to look at him, because now it was obvious he wasn't happy. "What are you doing here?" he hissed angrily.
"What are you talking about?" asked Bella, feeling on the verge of tears. There had only been one other time in her life when she had felt rejected, and that had been a long time ago. Edward didn't want her, and that was clear.
"You love the big city, and the sun, and the warmth," he reminded her. "What are you doing here?"
"I don't know. I like the small town now! The rain- I got used to it. Excuse me for moving to a place I wanted to live," Bella snapped back. She felt a tear escape and turned her face away. This was not how she had imagined it. She knew she was going to see Edward again, and she knew he wouldn't take her back, but to hate her? To be so angry? She hadn't done anything.
"Why. Are. You. Crying?" Bella was still looking away, but she could feel Edward's harsh, coal-black eyes on the back of her head. This just made her cry more, but she turned her head around and tried to glare coldly at him, but was unsuccessful.
"Why are you so angry? What did I do?" asked Bella through her quiet sobs.
Edward's face went blank, and Bella didn't know what to expect now. Would he apologize? Would he tell her to get out of his life? Would he tell her to stop being so desperate, and just move back to Florida? What came was unexpected. "Bella," he whispered softly, leaning in closer, so that Bella could feel his breath on her face, and smell his sweet scent. "I'm not angry with you. You didn't do anything. If you hadn't come back, I probably would've suffered, because, of course, I haven't forgotten you. I can't believe you remembered me. I thought you wouldn't want me."
Bella was shocked. Amazed. Her not wanting him? "That's… that's insane, Edward. But you're seventeen. You really want me?" He wrapped his cold, marble arms around her and pulled her closer. Bella felt him kiss her hair, and ruffle her hair. She twisted her fingers through his bronze hair, and suddenly felt seventeen again.