Bonjour lecteur ...
I know that i said that the holidays were a great time for me to write,, well i was kind of wrong about that. Sorry for the wait for this chapter.
Again another song by Delta Goodrem. I personally don't really like it but the words fit good.
XO.
Aftershock of A Nightmare
Song: The Analyst, by Delta Goodrem
Previously
"Bella," Jasper called,"Time's slipping away and that shower isn't going to take itself."
Whoops. I had forgotten all about that.
"Oops. Right, sorry Jasper. I'm going now." And I ran towards the shower before anything else could distract me. It's to bad my mind can't seem to distract itself...
~~*~~
At first everything was black, you could look forever and find nothing. My forever came sooner than I expected.
A set of flawless white teeth pieced the skin of a ripe strawberry. Watery-red juice dripped down the teeth onto the chin. The juice grew darker - a sinful red- and the teeth grew larger,longer. The mouth smirked. It was too familiar, I knew this smirk...
I snapped my eyes open before my brain could put the pieces together, but it was too late. I already know where this thought was leading me to. God Bella, you're going insane. It was just a dream. Just a dream. I tried to clean out my head by shaking it. Just a nightmare.
Dream or not, I didn't want my mind to place the pictures together. It frightened me to much.
I was hoping that the warm water from the shower was going to calm me down. No luck there. It was just adding to the atmosphere. My blood was racing through my veins and my heart was pounding to the rhythm. I turned the shower off and wrapped my turquoise/brown towel under my arms. I then pulled my hair down from the bun it was secured in. Lose ringlets tumbled down over my shoulders and down my back.
I stopped in my tracks, then I bit my lip. I forgot to get my clothes off of Alice. I took a deep breath and hitched my towel up higher, then turned towards the door.
Bless her. Alice had hing my outfit on the door knob for me. But the gratitude for her left as quickly as it came when I saw shinny, European tages on them.
I walked over to the expensive looking clothes and ripped the tages off. I didn't want to see the insanely high prices and I knew I wouldn't be able to give them back to her.
With a sigh I slipped the clothes on. Then I raced out the door without glancing even once in the mirror. I knew that Alice would have gotten me something that matched me just right.
Beyond the bathroom, everyone looked ready to go. The wind hit the doors again, which reminded me of the red freesia. My eyes searched the room and found it on my bedside table, sitting in a small plastic pot.
The mess outside had also been cleaned up. Not a thing out of place. No evidence to show that the spill had ever occurred this morning. I have to admit, Rosalie did a pretty good job with everything.
Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rosalie all stood around he door pinning their coats up, ready to leave.
"Thanks guy's," I darted over to my wardrobe and pulled out my beige jacket.
"Have we got everything?" Jasper asked.
"Yes," Emmett answered for us all. Too bad if we forgot something.
hen Emmett pushed us all out the door. We walked down the hall, then something dawned on me. It felt like something was missing ... or someone.
"Where's Edward?" I asked a little to interested.
Alice raised her eyebrows at me and Emmett smirked.
"Anxious?" he asked.
"Curious."
It didn't look like he believed me. Why else would I ask about him?
Jasper shook his head. At me or at his brother, I wasn't sure.
"I told him where we were going this morning, but it was like I hadn't spoken. He was fixated over his piano -getting very frustrated might I add- he couldn't seem to get it right," he said matter-of-factly."As I was walking out the door he muttered 'have fun' there was a real hostility in his voice, but when I looked a him he was right back to obsessing over his music. I swear the poor guy's going crazy."
I slowed down my pace and thought about it.
Edward's music had always flowed from his finger tips- as easy as breathing- it was difficult to believe that he was having trouble, that's just so ... so wrong.
I gasped internally.
It was probably what I said, well what I yelled at him that interfered with his composing. I started feeling a little sorry for him. No! I can't feel sorry for him. I won't! He lied to me. I don't know why he did but he did and I'm not feeling bad for something that he brought on himself. He deserved it. I half-smiled. You might want to think twice before you insult my intelligence.
I hadn't noticed until now that the group was a several meters ahead of me.
"Wait guy's," I called and ran to catch up.
Alice look at me confused,"What just happened?"
I focused my eyes on anything but her face. My head was turned towards the wall.
"Um... I tripped again." She rolled her eyes but said nothing.
We pushed the building doors open and the wind roared past us, triggering my memory. Flickers of pictures ran through my mind. The wind breaking the pot plant. Turning the shower taps on. Then a set of white teeth with glistening crimson blood dripping from them. I shuddered and tried to push the image from my mind.
"Bella!"
"Hey Nessie," I called as I walked into my French classroom,"How are you?"
"Oh same old, same old," she waved it off,"And you?"
"I'm fine." I halfheartedly smiled at her.
She tried to smile back but it was off. Something was on her mind, but before I could ask, Mrs Pichler started talking to the class.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
"Now before you go class, I have something fun for you to do tonight," people looked up from their bags with painful expressions - as if to say 'like any homework you give us could possibly be even remotely fun'.
" I want you to watch Marie Antoinette," everyone groaned so she spoke louder and with more authority,"And I'll know if you do or not because I'm going to give you a quick quiz tomorrow about it."
I slung my book bag over my shoulder and- at my own pace- walked out the door.
"Um, Bella".
I turned to see Nessie catch up to me.
"Yeah."
"Um," she glanced everywhere but never made eye contact. It looked like she was trying to phrase something. "Did ... did you have a fight with Edward Cullen?"
I would have been pretty stupid to think that our argument went unnoticed, but I didn't quite understand where she was bringing it up.
When I didn't answer she started talking very fast.
"Because some of my friends- well not really my friends, people I know- knew that you sat with the Cullen's and seem to be close friends with them, so that usually means you know them, therefore you know Edward."
I stared at her completely confused. She was making no sense.
"God I'm getting know where," she muttered then sighed, Well they asked me to ask you if you, by any chance, happen to have his number, and if you do, if you could give it to me to give it to them."
At first I felt annoyed then a little angry. I smashed my lips together to stop me from hissing. This must be just what Alice was telling me about. Girls just chasing Edward because of his good looks and charm. The mention of Edward's name sent flickers of my nightmare through my mind. I had to blink to rid myself of them.
"Bella?" Nessie was trying to get my attention.
"Which girls?" My jaw was set.
"Um .. Lauren Malory and Jessica Stanley."
Lauren Malroy was in my music class which coincidentally contained Edward as well. But I don't remember hearing Jessica Stanley's name being called in any of my classes.
"Tell them that I am sorry but, no, I don't have his number."
she nodded her head.
"Okay then, I'll see you around."
Nessie turned and disappeared in the sea of students.
All through the entire morning I heard people talking about the Cullen - me included.
In the middle of my science class I overheard some girls whispering.
"Have you seen them yet?"
Four girls were huddled around their desks with the back of their heads facing out. One blonde, two brunettes and a redhead.
"Seen who?" asked the first brunette.
"Don't you know who I'm talking about?" the blonde said.
The first brunette shook her gead. Theblonde flipped her hair and the scent blew in my direction. Now usually that would effect me- invite me forwards- but she smelt really bad. I wanted to gag.
"Behind me," the brunette sneaked a look at me and gasped.
"She's gorgeous," she was dazed a little.
The blonde spoke grudgingly," Yeah I guess, but that's not what I was talking about."
"Then why did you tell me to look at her?"
The blonde was frustrated," She hangs out with this family. The Collins, I think. Now they are beautiful."
"Cullens." The redhead finally spoke up.
"You know them?"
"No, but I have a class with the black haired girl, Alice."
"Have you talked to her?"
"Not really," she admitted,"I overheard her talking to Nessie in my PE class. She said that she was adopted by the Cullen's, they all are."
"Did she say anything about her brother- Edward?"
Well at least she got his name right.
"Yeah, because he is like, so hot." the other brunette stated.
My teeth clenched together and my fingers curled into a fist. My reaction confused me for a second. This is another example of the -let's call it- Edward Cullen Syndrome. God they haven't even talked to him and they are already crushing on him. Imagine them in a conversation, I smiled inwardly.
"Jessica, shut up." She looked down to the table.
Ah, so she was Jessica which must make the awful smelling blonde Lauren.
"Nothing." The redhead said.
"That's to class I saw Nessie and she said that she couldn't get Edward Collin's number."
"Cullen," the redhead corrected her.
"Whatever."
She looked quite disappointed and so did the rest of the girls.
While I was buying a sandwich- which I didn't want to eat, I'd already eaten way too much human food, I felt a little sick- I overheard two guys talking.
"Look, there she is," they stole a quick glance at me.
"I heard she's already taken."
The other groaned,"Really? By who?".
"Edward Cullen." he sneered the name.
"Mate, I don't think so," he shot a look at me again,"I saw them yesterday, she was having a go at him and he just walked off. I don't think they're dating."
When he said the word 'dating' I had a little trouble swallowing. I paid for my lunch and walked away from the counter past the boys.
"Yeah, maybe not," he lowered his head, "Do you think we'd have a chance?"
I cleared my throat quietly- just so thy knew how close I was. As I passed they stiffened a little, then relaxed once I left.
"Na mate, no chance in hell."
On my way to the Cullen's usual table, I thought about what those two boys said. Why didn't they think they had a chance with me? I know that it wouldn't be the best idea in he world, but still. What did they think? That I was too beautiful or something? Since when has beauty got to do with anything?
My more realistic side of me caught up.
Beauty had lots to do with everything lately. That wasn't right.
Only four people were sitting at the table, Edward wasn't there. I placed my plate down next to Alice in my usual spot.
I opened my mouth to speak but she beat me to the punch.
"He called me to say that he started feeling sick and was going to stay in his dorm."
"How did you know what I was going to say?"
She shrugged her shoulders,"I could just tell."
I told them about all the students about us. They weren't all that surprised, obviously they had heard the comments themselves.
"Did you hear that Rosie," Emmett throw his arm across Rosalie's shoulders,"They think I'm hot."
She smiled at him and said,"Oh Emmett I love you," her voice turned menacing," But if those fake-boobed, nose-jobbed bimbos lay a hand on you I will personally tear them to shreds."
"Rose!" Jasper only just managed to whisper.
"What?"
He flashed his eyes around the food court- it looked like he was seeing if anyone heard her. I know how tough Rosalie is and those finger nails could do some damage, but tearing someone to shreds wasn't something easily done- by humans anyway.
By the time my classes had fini8shed, I had overheard another six conversations about me and the Cullen's, four about Edward- which made me quite hostile- and four date invitations.
I would usually take the elevator up to my dorm room, but I wanted the time to think and breathe without any interruptions.
I took one stair at a time, not hurrying, not rushing. The entire day, my nightmare kept resurfacing. It haunted me like it was my stalker and all I could say was 'it wasn't real'. The more the nightmare stalked me, the harder it was to believe those words.
I made it to my room too quickly. I almost went back down to start up the stairs again.
I went to put my key in the lock, to find that it was already open. I lightly knocked, then pushed the door open.
Alice was sitting on her bed with copies of expensive looking magazines. She looked up and smiled, them went straight back to reading.
"Hey Alice." She nodded her head in acknowledgement but didn't release her eyes from the page.
I collapsed onto my bed and sunk into the mattress. All the thinking and analysing I'd done today was surprisingly exhausting.
"Hard day?" Alice had put her magazines aside and sat facing me.
"You could say that."
"I bet I can make it better," she grinned. I sat up warily- praying that she wasn't going to take me shopping.
"How?"
"I bought you a present- well us a present." She got up and pulled a huge plasma TV from our tiny kitchen.
"Ta da." She waved her hands like a game show hostess,"What do you think?"
I stared at her idiotically. Where did she have to do these sorts of things.
"How- how how much did this cost?"
She laughed- it sounded like tinkling fairy bells.
"It was a present from my dad."
"But you said you bought it?"
"He gave me the money for me to buy it."
Okay, sure. That makes more sense.
"I mean the TVs the provide here aren't all that crash hot, and come on look at this." She gestured to the plasma.
Which gave me an idea.
"Hey, I'm supposed to watch Marie Antoinettefor French tomorrow, do you think we could get this set up this afternoon?"
"Sure. I'll call Jasper, he'll get it done in no time. And I'm sure he has that movie."
I raised my eyebrows,"Jasper has Marie Antoinette?"
Alice smiled,"No, I have Marie Antoinette. I put it in his collection of movies. He has a big collection."
"No need," I told her," I went past the video hire before I came here. I'm all set."
"Apart from the TV of course," she corrected.
I smiled and shook my head at her.
In the next second Alice was on the phone, then in- what seemed like two seconds later- he was installing it.
"There you go ladies," Jasper patted the corner of the screen.
"Thanks Jazz," Alice kissed his cheek.
"Yeah, thanks Jasper."
"So Jasper hows Edward doing?" His name caught my attention, but something about her tone of voice told me that she was doing this on purpose.
"Oh yeah, he said he was feeling 'marginally better'." I felt a little relieved- no idea why.
"Did he ever get that song right?" I asked.
Jasper shook his head,"No. he still has his writers bloke."
So he isn't completely better.
"Would you like to stay a while," Alice gazed into his eyes so lovingly- it made me feel a little uncomfortable- I had to look away. I felt like I was intruding.
"Sorry, but chick flicks aren't really my forte." Alice frowned and Jasper kissed her cheek.
"Bye Alice," he murmured. She nodded.
"I'll see you around Bella."
"Bye." I waved.
With one last glance at Alice he was gone.
For five seconds we just stood in the same spot, then a smile flickered across Alice's face.
"Movie time?"
"Finally," I exaggerated. She danced into the kitchen and I heard the cupboards creek as she opened them.
"Popcorn?" she called.
"Of course," I yelled back,"You can't watch a movie without popcorn."
While I was setting up the DVD, I could hear the popcorn popping and cracking as it cooked. The scent filled the room as Alice brought out the bowl.
We rearranged the furniture so we could comfortably watch the movie. We turned my bed 90o so it was pressed up against the back wall and our legs dangled off the end.
"All ready?" A asked.
"Sure am."
I hit play.
"That has to be one of the worst endings I've ever had the misfortune to witness,"Alice said.
"I know," I agreed,"If I didn't already know what had happened, I don't think I would have understood it."
Alice lifted the bowl, "Would you like anymore?"
I glanced into the bowl- my stomach heaved. There was so much still in the bowl, it looked like it hadn't been touched. I don't think Alice went for it once.
"No thankyou."
As Alice went to clean up, I spun my bed back into place and put the DVD in it's case.
Then I finished the rest of my homework- it actually took longer than I thought it would.
Alice had offered to get me some tea- if I had anymore food there's a good chance that I will throw up.
"Are you sure?" she asked for the tenth time,"Do you want me to bring you back anything?"
"No Alice," I had to literately push her out the door,"I'm fine, go get something to eat."
She came back a little over half an hour later. My homework was done, I cleaned up- even though our place was already spotless, Alice's doing- and even watered the freesia.
"Did you have a nice dinner?" I had picked up one of Alice's magazines and was flipping throught the pages.
"Yep," She pattered her stomach,"Completely full."
"Bella, I had dinner over at Jasper's and I picked up The Curious Case of Benjamen Button. Would you like to watch it?"
"Of course,"I put the magazine back in it's pile. "But how did you get the movie?" I only just came out at the cinemas," my brows pulled down. "It's not some cheap copy from Thailand is it?"
Alice laughed, "You don't have to worry Bella. I have my connections, and it is definitely not a cheap copy."
When the credits for Benjamen Button scrolled down the page, one single tear propelled it's way down my cheek, even though I felt like crying Niagara Falls.
I swiftly wiped the moisture away with my thumb, then glanced at Alice. Her eyes glistened as she stared at the screen, but she did not cry.
"Are you alright Alice?" I asked.
It took a moment before she answered turned from the screen and smiled.
"Yeah. I'm one tough chicken."
I grinned back at her.
My mind felt completely drained. Looking on the outside I would appear with no faults, but I really needed to rest my head.
I yawned- putting on a bit of a show-"I'm going to go to bed now."
Alice stretched her arms above her head,"So will I, I think."
After going through the unnecessary human routine, I laid down under my sheets and got comfortable.
"Goodnight Bella." Alice also slid into bed and turn her lamp off.
" 'Night."
Alice grew completely still except for her shoulder which moved up and down as she breathed.
I rolled over and closed my eyes. Maybe because I had nothing to distract me when I closed my eyes or maybe because I was processing my day, my mind- like it always does- came back to Edward.
The frightening picture of Vampire Edward managed to escape from the dark box I had locked it in.
This was just getting ridiculous. There were plenty of reasons why Edward can't be a vampire, but as I thought about it, there were too many possible reasons why he could.
This conclusion shot a shiver down my spine and I rolled onto my stomach with my face submerged into the pillow, so no one could hear me scream.
So what do you think?????
I really enjoyed writing this chapter.
Hope you all like it.
with lovve
xoxo
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