Chapter 12: Secrets, Lies, and Betrayal

Bella was watching everything very closely as we made our way back to her car. She even drove slower than necessary. Something was definitely wrong; she was such a bad liar her face gave everything away. We pulled up to the house and Connor got out leaving Bella and I alone.

"Bella what's wrong?" I asked her for the second time.

"Nothing now" she said with a sigh of relief. I looked at her saying I wasn't giving up that easy.

"Alright, Alice had a vision but don't worry crisis averted!" Bella explained trying to sound cheerful.

"What was the vision about?" I questioned. Bella turned her head and stared out the window avoiding eye contact, "you and Connor…in a car accident." I stared ahead taking in the information. "Edward are you alright?" Bella asked in a quiet voice.

"No" I replied still trying to process the fact that I was supposed to die today.

"I better go inside" I said. Bella nodded her head slowly and her eyes were filled with sorrow. I took her face in my hands and kissed her lightly. She smiled but her eyes still held the same emotion. I got out and watched her drive away.

Connor wasn't in the living room when I walked in so I headed up to my room. I heard Connor talking quietly on the phone. I crept closer and looked through the space that the practically open door had left for me. Connor was pacing the floor and had his cell phone pressed o his ear.

"I told you I need a little more time," Connor pleaded into the phone. He listened as the person on the other line spoke. His face grew worried by the answer.

"I can't tell you that," Connor whispered. I wanted to know what he was talking about.

"I get it I promise" Connor attempted one more time. Connor nodded as the other person spoke and then he responded, "Ok, thanks." He snapped his phone shut and sighed. I straightened up and opened the door. Connor straightened up and looked at me.

"Hey" I said acting as if nothing had happened.

"Hey," Connor said looking beyond relieved. I sat down at my computer and Connor grabbed his bag off the floor.

"Hey I'm going to stick this in the guest room Ok." "Sure go ahead," I said. Connor was immediately out the door. His phone was sitting on my bed and I glanced at my door. When I was sure Connor was gone I grabbed the phone and checked recent calls. A strange number came up, one that I didn't recognize but I mentally memorized it.

I heard Connor coming back and I threw the phone back on the bed.

"Well, hopefully you can find something to do tomorrow since I have school," I warned. Connor looked at my computer and gave an evil grin, "I can think of something."

"Oh no last time you went on my computer you tried downloading all those different foreign games" I reminded him.

"So, what" Connor said with a shrug.

"So, what? My computer literally blew up!" I exaggerated.

"Fine I will not touch you precious computer" Connor replied with a laugh. I was about to ask him about the phone call but Charlie called our names as soon as I opened my mouth.

Bella's POV

I was thrilled with myself that I had stopped Edward's death. Well more than thrilled words couldn't even describe how I felt. Yet the look on Edward's face when I told him Alice's vision had cut me deeper than anything ever had before. It was a look of fear and possibly doubt. My feelings for Edward were growing stronger and I thought maybe I loved him.

I had never been this attracted to a human before and the thought of losing him made me want to die. It was dark when I got home and Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett were back. They were watching TV when I walked in but I didn't go to join them. Alice gave me a look of apology and I headed to my room. Rosalie followed me in and she sat down in my chair.

"Alice told us what happened" Rosalie said.

"Good for you" I said curtly. "What's your problem?" Rosalie asked offended by my rudeness.

"Nothing" I sighed. Rosalie twirled a strand of her blond hair around her finger, "I can't believe one little human has got you so wound up!"

"Rosalie you really don't understand my feelings at all do you?" "No that's Jasper's job" Rosalie joked.

"Rosalie just go away," I demanded.

"Fine I was just trying to help," she said in a hurt tone.

"Well don't," I said in the same voice. Rosalie waltzed out of the room, probably to tell Emmett how rude I was being. I loved my sister but sometimes her self-centeredness amazed me to no end. She didn't even try to examine a situation from another person's perspective, she just saw what she wanted and that was it. I threw myself on my bed and gave a small scream of frustration into my pillow.

Edward's POV

I lay in my bed reading when I heard a light tap on my window. It was about 10:30, so I guessed that it was Bella. I opened the window and she climbed through. She smiled nervously, "sorry I know it's late but..." I held up my hand to quiet her.

"It's fine," I answered.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright. When I left you didn't seem to good" Bella explained. I returned to my position on the bed, "I'm better." I opened my arms and Bella laid down next to me. Her head was buried in my chest and her hair smelled like strawberries. I breathed in her scent as I felt her cold fingers on my arm.

I ran my fingers up and down her arm in a soothing action. I loved the feeling of holding her in my arms; it made time stand still. I knew that I loved her, and I knew that I would never love anyone other than her.

"Bella," I murmured. She tilted her head upward and kissed my neck. I placed my hand on her cheek and she closed her eyes at my touch, "I love you." Her golden eyes flew open and she gazed up at me.

"I love you too, Edward," she whispered. I pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Her cold lips molded to mine and I wrapped my arm around her waist. She finally pulled away to let me get some air. We laid back down, listening to the silence. I kissed the top of her head and drifted off to sleep.