I am so proud that I got this done in time! I am also over the moon with how many people love this story. I feel very motivated to write this story more and more because of how many people review to tell me what they love about this story.
The main thing I hear is how Bella is still Bella with just a twist. All I did was give a bit more confidence. To me Bella is a strong character that S.M. created, but she doesn't show it much because of her self-esteem issues. Edward is a bit of an ass, but if you live for 108 years alone in the world with a heap load of self-loathing issues, then I would be an ass myself, especially if I just met the first woman I love and only woman I have dated.
Thank you guys for reading this story and being patient with this story's updates.
Chapter 6: My Soul Knows What You Are
We left the restaurant in silence after I was done eating. Edward opened the car door for me before making his way to the driver's side. He quickly started the car and pulled out of the lot to whizz down the road.
A few minutes later I asked him to pull over on the side of the road because I didn't want him to slam on the breaks once I mentioned what I had to say.
Edward was extremely tense once we were pulled over and I fiddled with my fingers. "What do you want to talk about?" he was pinching the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated with the situation. I sighed, not looking forward on how this will go.
"I know that you are a vampire," I barely whispered, but clearly he heard me as his head whipped around to stare at me, most likely not expecting me to say that. I understood on why he was shocked since I just called him out on his secret.
"How…" he couldn't speak the words even as his mouth was moving. I closed my eyes, "I knew since day one actually, but I wanted you to come out and tell me." That much was true and I was hoping he would tell me sooner instead of playing hot and cold with me. I always lived by the rule on ripping off a Band-Aid quickly instead of slowly pulling at it. It hurt less and the glue comes off and to me it applied to life too.
If I just quickly let what I know out, then the shock of the knowledge could be quickly dealt with and I don't have a sticky mess to wade through either.
Edward was silent beside me and I didn't want to look at his face to see what he was doing either.
"It doesn't really matter to me, you know," I could barely speak louder than a whisper in this oppressed atmosphere.
"It doesn't matter?" his tone clearly questioned my sanity. I shook my head, "No, not really, but I do have questions." He rolled his eyes at that, but kept his mouth shut. His soul told me he was fuming inside for putting his family in danger with a human knowing. The deeper part of his soul that was linked with the true part of his heart was relieved that I was taking the news so well.
"The reason it doesn't matter is because I have my own secret that is pretty shocking too. I'll tell you that tomorrow, if I you answer one of my questions tonight," I threw out my bargain, hoping he would accept it.
He looked at my in disbelief.
"Can all vampires read minds?" I wanted to know this just in case his other family members could read my mind. I also wanted to distract him on what my secret might be.
"No, only I can, but some of us have gifts. Mine is reading minds," Edward was still clearly upset at me knowing what he was. I nodded my head, a bit thoughtful on what he said.
He started the car again as we drove to my house. Edward stopped in the drive, but I sat there for a moment longer.
"I'll tell you my secret tomorrow, but I'm not afraid of you Edward. You are one of the lease scariest people I have met. Thank you for taking me to dinner and driving me home," I leaned over the console to kiss his cheek, near the corner of his mouth. He froze like he always does when I make some kind of contact with him, but I always knew he was insanely pleased because his soul always told me.
I smiled at him as I hopped out of the car and made my way to the house. Charlie looked up from a game that he was watching to look at me.
"Have fun kiddo?" he asked turning his eyes back to the TV. I walked over and kissed his cheek in greeting. "Yeah dad I had fun. I'm going to go to bed now since I'm all wiped out."
I was half-way up the stairs when I heard Charlie yell goodnight.
I hopped in the shower to quickly wash before bed. I let the hot water soothe my nerves on what is to come tomorrow. I had to admit, I was scared on what might happen, but I do trust Edward. I got out of the shower once the water turned cold. I dried and dressed and headed to bed then.
Sleep seemed to evade me like most nights, even though my body was practically screaming for the sandman to bless it with sleep.
I silently sighed as I rolled onto my side, closing my eyes to at least attempt to go to sleep. The soft creaking of my window suddenly reached my ears and I froze slightly as I heard the boards of my window rubbing together.
I relaxed once again once I heard the whispering of a familiar soul.
"I can't believe I'm doing this again. I have been doing this for a month now and it is so wrong to sneak into a woman's room without permission." I glanced over at the window to see the shadowy figure of Edward half-way into the room. Once he was completely in the room I decided to play with him a bit.
"Edward," I breathed, making my voice sound sleepy, which wasn't that hard. I peeked out of the bottom of my eye to see his body freeze in surprise. "Dear god, did she wake up? No she couldn't have, she still looks to be asleep. Is she sleep talking again? I remember that she did talked before when I came here, but I always quickly left after that in fear she woke up. She said my name! I think I truly do love this girl. No Edward, you can't have her. She's human!" his soul's basic thoughts were rambling and I couldn't help the smile taking over my face at his realization that he loves me. I almost squealed.
I lay there, whispering his name occasionally, making his soul elated at the thought I was dreaming about him. I felt the bed dip down and cool lips brushing against my temple. I couldn't stop the wide smile on my face from spreading and a love filled whisper of his name passing my lips. The essential part of his soul, the part that made up him, had the strong urge to take me as his and never let me go.
Once morning came around I could tell he didn't want to leave, but he would come right back here with his car. He was going to take me to school. I whispered his name one last time before he slipped out of the window.
I immediately sat up, my body still feeling the overwhelming tiredness, but I felt lighter knowing that both his mind and soul were on the same page of loving me.
I quickly did my morning routine and started eating breakfast by the time Charlie left. I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, making sure to lock it. I looked out in my drive to see Edward leaning against the hood of his car, crooked smile in place and an unsure look in his eyes. I smiled at him.
He opened my car door and was in his seat the next second. I refrained from jumping at the suddenness of his actions. I raised my eyebrow at him and he laughed. "Super speed comes with being a vampire, Bella," he said. I could tell he was still uncomfortable talking about him being a vampire. His voice was tight, his body slightly stiff, and his eyes didn't quite meet mine. I took his hand gently in mine and kissed the back of his hand in reassurance.
"Bella, are you going to tell me about your secret now?" he asked eagerly. It seems that I would have to torture him a bit longer because I wanted people around while I told him. "Not until lunch. I just need to sort through it a bit more since this will be the first time I'm telling someone this," I replied, leaning back in the seat and refraining myself from sighing. My secret alone took a toll on me, but I wondered how others would take it. Telling someone might be a giant relief to me, but how will it affect other people to know I could look into their souls, literally.
"Just, don't run screaming from the room or hating me once I tell you," I whispered mostly to myself, hoping he wouldn't hear, but I could tell he heard by the strange look he shot me. I could tell he didn't believe my secret was as bad as his and in a way I could say that it wasn't, but in another way it was just as bad since I could have access to any one's personal life. That's the main reason I never told anyone.
I didn't want to be forced to join some government project or worse, become a government weapon just because I had the ability to tell someone everything that happened in their life just by staring at their soul for an hour.
We pulled up into the school lot. I took a deep breath, already knowing I would get strange looks from being with Edward.
I was right.
As soon as I got out of the Volvo, every head in the parking lot swiveled to stare at me.
I walked into the cafeteria once it came time for lunch. I looked around for Edward, only to spot him at an empty table in the back next to his family's table. He waved me over and I made a beeline to his table. I lost my appetite at the thought of telling him my secret. I sat down across from him and he pushed an apple and a water bottle my way. I took the apple in my hand, twisting it back and forth, wondering on where I was going to start my tale.
We sat there for a moment, neither of us speaking. Edward broke that silence, "Bella, it's time you tell me your secret."
I nodded my head, took a deep breath, and lifted my head to stare into his golden eyes. "Edward, have you ever heard of the sixth sense that humans may possess. Some examples would be on seeing ghosts or seeing the future." He nodded his head, his eyes briefly flickering over to Alice, before going back to mine a half second later. His soul was coming up with a conclusion that I might be a physic and in a way it was true, but I could see the past instead of the future.
"Can you see the future then?" he asked. I shook my head. I vaguely heard his family souls listening in to our conversation.
"It's a lot more complicated than that. I do have a sixth sense, but I can't see the future. I can see a person's whole past life though, but that is just an addition to what my secret really is," I replied, my gaze never wavering from his. His eyebrows drew down in confusion. I just decided to come clean now.
"Edward, I can see a person's soul." I sat up straight and squared my shoulders to show him I wasn't lying. I could see clear disbelief on his face and I became slightly annoyed at him. How could he doubt what I said when he, himself, is a walking impossibility? I narrowed my eyes at him.
I glance up at his soul to quickly get his full name. "Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, don't you dare accuse me for lying when you, yourself, is a walking impossibility," I hissed at him, making sure no one heard me, but him. I could tell his family heard though by the shocked souls floating above them. Looks like someone didn't tell them a human knew their secret.
Edward's eyes widen so much that I thought they would pop out. I held back a snicker. His eyes narrowed, disbelief still coloring his soul's basic thoughts. "How can I believe something like that?" he hissed back at him. I crossed my arms over my chest in a defiant manner. "Fine, choose someone in this room and I can tell you all their dirty secrets," I leaned back in the plastic lunch chair.
A slim, white finger pointed to a candy apple red haired boy. I glanced up at the boy's soul and winced when I started to get his information. The boy's soul was named Darrin Jones and his soul had light brown hair instead of the candy red apple hair he has now. His soul has numerous scarring along it, showing that he came from a bad home and he still was in it. His father beat him constantly along with his neglecting mother. Darrin seems to always smile despite his bad life though and his goal is to report everything once he becomes 18 and in college to become a doctor or therapist for kids in bad homes. Looking farther into the soul I found that this has been happening to him since the age of 9 when his father lost his job. His father started beating his mother, but then Darrin stepped in to stop it. His mother took care of his wounds, but kept her distance from him otherwise.
I ripped my eyes away from his soul and took deep, shuddering breaths to calm all the anger and anguish I felt for Darrin. I hugged myself tight as I saw each beating he had received in his life. I closed my eyes only to snap them open again as the images of his life became more vivid behind closed eyes.
A pale hand reached out to touch my arm lightly and I snapped my head up to stare into worried gold eyes. I smiled tightly at him, suppressing the grimace that threatened to overtake my face as the images once again played in my head.
"His name is David Jones," I whispered, feeling sick at what was going on in his life and his refusal to tell anyone till he was 18. Thankfully that was only a month away for him and I wished him the best of luck. Edward nodded his head, most likely knowing that already.
"His father has been beating his mother and him since he was nine years old. He plays on the excuse that he is clumsy every time he gets a new bruise or a broken limb. He refuses to tell anyone till he is 18 and off to college. His real hair color is brown and he is a very strong person for being able to push through everything he has been through," I told Edward. I leaned my head on the table, feeling the twinges of pain his soul was going through and also feeling sick to my stomach on having to look at that soul. Sometimes when I look at a soul that has a pretty crappy life like Darrin's, I also feel the same pain as if it was being transferred to me.
Edward's eyes became startled as he stared at me. "Bella, are you alright?!" he exclaimed. His soul was worried about what I saw and he felt guilty for making me see it. I sucked in a deep breath, slowly feeling better. "Yeah, I'm fine. This happens when I look at a particular soul that has had a bad life. I feel what they have felt. It goes away after a bit though. Are you satisfied or do you want me to dredge up some embarrassing moments in your past as well," I gave him a teasing smile as his soul blushed.
His soul knew I could see him, so it tried to hide every embarrassing moment, but it eventually smiled at me in reluctance. It knew that it would tell me everything since it loved me and it also didn't have anyone to talk to. I giggled as it bowed low to me and told me about a little Edward with a stuffed rabbit his mother made him.
"You know, I actually like seeing the green eyes you had, but it's even more interesting since it is mixed with gold," I replied, still staring at his soul telling me about how much he loved his parents.
"Bella?" I head Edward ask. "Hmm?" I looked back at Edward and I could tell he was a bit uncomfortable. "What are you doing? You look like you were staring at nothing with a blank look on your face and how did you know I had green eyes?" he asked me sternly.
I looked at him square in the eyes and said, "I know because I can see your soul, Edward."
He completely froze at that. I glanced over at his family to see them froze too. I had no clue why what I just said affected them so much. I looked around the cafeteria to see that the mass of people had become increasingly small. I stood up from my seat, grabbing my bag. "Come on Edward, we need to head to biology before we are late."
He still didn't move out of his frozen state but he did speak to me. "I'm skipping today."
I shrugged my shoulders. He probably needed more time to work this through his brain and I didn't blame him. If someone told me they could see my soul and everything I did in the past, I would be freaking out too.
Mr. Banner walked into the class with a big box in his hands. The next words out of his mouth made me freeze. "Alright class, we are going to be blood typing today." He sat down the box on the front desk.
I paled as his words fell on deaf ears as he started to demonstrate on how to use the lance on Mike. As soon as the blood hit the air, my stomach churned. I laid my head down on the cool surface of the desk, wishing I was anywhere but here.
"Bella, are you alright?" I heard Mr. Banner close by my head. "No sir, may I be excused? I already know my blood type," I groaned with my eyes closed.
"I can take her to the nurse's office," I almost groaned again when I heart Mike offer his services. I could hear his soul do a little victory chant when Mr. Banner agree. I turned my head slightly to glare at him as he approached and grabbed my arm to help me up. Curse my weakness to blood.
Mike had to almost drag me out of the classroom because I was so nauseated from the blood. Once we got outside and I knew we were half way to the nurse's office, I let my full weight go.
Mike stumbled under the sudden weight and he promptly let me slip to the floor. I sighed in relief for the welcome coldness of the concrete and the simple joy of being out of Mike's arms.
I felt warm fingers wrapping around my wrist before my shoulder was jerked upwards by the grip around my wrist. I turned my head on the concrete to look at my offender only to see Mike with a slightly annoyed look on his face.
"Come on Bella, we are almost to the nurse's office," he said impatiently, his soul was completely ticked off for my blatant display of not wanting to be in his arms or happy for this gracious offer he has made me.
Oh, I'm so sorry Princess Mike. I didn't mean to offend you by showing my preference for the cold ground than the warm body.
A new set of feet approached from behind me and I almost let out an audible sigh of relief as I heard the familiar voice and soul. "Bella? What did you do to her?" Edward questioned as I felt his icy cold hand on my forehead. I moved my head towards his hand, enjoying his frigid touch.
"I didn't do anything! She got sick in Biology and I was taking her to the nurse," I heard Mike's indianite squawk. I closed my eyes to tune them out before I shot my eyes open as I felt my body being lifted from my previous resting place.
Icy bands wrapped around my knees and under my torso as I was cradled into a firm chest. "You can go back to class Mike. I can take her from here," and with that I was mobile again. I watched as Edward's smooth face was determined as he took long strides to the nurse's office. I threw my arms around his neck and nuzzled my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his honey and apples scent.
"So why was Mike taking you to the nurse's office?" Edward asked in a light tone. I groaned when I remembered the blood, but then a sudden realization came to me. "You knew! You knew we were blood typing in biology and you didn't think to warn me?" I cried. I pulled back away from to see his curious look.
"Yes, I knew they were blood typing, but why would I warn you about it?" he answered slowly. I smacked his shoulder lightly so I wouldn't hurt myself. "I get nauseas at the smell of blood," I mumbled, refusing to look at him. I didn't like my aversion to blood, it just added more to my weird factor.
"Bella, humans cant smell blood," Edward chuckled as we neared the nurse's office. "Well I can and it smells like copper and salt," I shivered just thinking of the horrid smell. "So, what are you doing out here?" I decided a change of conversation was best for my stomach.
"I was in my car listening to my music when I saw Mike and you. I thought he was dragging your dead body into the woods," His response was completely normal and his soul was justifying too. I also didn't miss the little tease he threw in at the end.
I chuckled.
"Aww, don't worry, I'm still alive and kicking, so don't worry your pretty little soul about little old me," I joked, pulling back to stare at his eyes. He raised his eyebrow at me then, "Old? Bella, I'm sure I'm way older than you."
I opened my mouth to respond to him, but we reached the nurse's office. He set me down so I could walk on my own, but he held onto my elbow just in case. Edward opened the door for me and I stumbled inside, my stomach still not forgetting on why I was there.
The nurse looked up then and was momentarily dazzled by the Greek God by my side. Edward smiled kindly at her, but I could tell his soul was repulsed by her, so I dare not look at what was going on in her soul.
"We were blood typing today and Bella got sick," he said lightly, leading me over to a chair so I could sit. That snapped Day Dreamer Debbi out of her perverse thoughts. Trust me, what her soul was thinking is a little to PG-13 for even me to see. I took a glance at her body and shuddered, knowing that what was going on in her mind was certainly not what her body could do.
"Well there is always one," she smiled at me and gave me some pills for my stomach. I grimaced at the thought of taking pills. For some reason, pills always made me feel crazier than I already am.
I smiled tightly and swallowed them down without water. Edward tensed and quickly ushered me up out of my seat just before the door opened again for Mike and another boy from biology.
My stomach turned as I caught a small whiff of rust and I quickly stopped breathing. Edward grabbed my hand and quickly pulled us out of there. Edward leaned down towards my ear and whispered, "Act sick."
I looked at him a bit confused before I saw him going up to Mrs. Cope. I quickly dredged up the memory of just a few minutes ago where blood was introduced to my nose. I wrapped my arms around my stomach as I fought the on-coming nausea.
I glanced at Edward to see him talking with Mrs. Cope before they both glanced my way. Mrs. Cope quickly nodded and handed him a pass. Edward walked back over to me and gently took my elbow and leading me out to the parking lot.
I took a deep breath of the clean Forks air, feeling the sick ebb away quickly. "So, I guess I have to say that I owe you one for getting me out of school?" I asked, turning to face him with a smile on my lips.
He flashed a crooked grin at me that had me shivering a bit. "I guess, but I want to ask more questions and I also want to know how this whole soul seeing thing works," he told me seriously, all playfulness gone from his face and tone. I sighed. I hated getting into more detail about what I could see. It made me feel even more like a freak than what I was.
"Deal, but you have to answer every one of my questions about being a vampire. That includes no skipping questions, no lying, and no trying to hold anything back because if you do, so help me God Edward, I will dig into your soul so deep that your own soul will feel violated by how far I will look. Also I will find out every bit about vampires from looking into your soul and your family's soul." I know I was being harsh and I hated doing what I just said, but what I hated even more was being lied to at my own face.
Edward looked scared and horrified by what I implied and his soul was a bit offended too, but his soul understood where I was coming from. His soul hated being lied to too, especially if it was to his face.
Edward took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are no ordinary woman, you know?" he asked rhetorically. I laughed a bit at what he said. "You just now figured this out," I teased. I started to head to my truck, wanting to get home so I could try to take a nap. Not even two steps into my trek to my truck, a stony hand wrapped around my wrist.
"Let me drive you home and I do agree to your terms," he smiled that crooked smile at me again and I felt my knees go weak. Damn my body for revealing how I really feel.
I nodded shyly at him and followed him to his car, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. He opened the passenger door for me. I slipped in and a second later he was on his side and starting the car.
Edward swiftly drove out of the parking lot and headed to my home. I sat there thinking about what all I could tell him about the soul seeing and then I thought about the things I never wanted him to find out. My hand slowly went over to my side, clutching the material there as the memories started to flow. I quickly clapped down those memories so I wouldn't turn into a blubbering mess.
A sudden thought came to mind and I just had to ask this question. "Edward, will you tell your family about me?" I turned to look at him, being careful to not look at the speedometer. "Yes, they have to know because you know our secret now." I nodded my head thoughtfully as I turned back to face the passing scenery.
"I think it is time you introduce me to your family," I blurted out. Edward quickly turned to face me with a question in his look.
"Face the road!" I almost shouted at him. He chuckled, but he listened to me and faced the road again. My empty driveway was approaching and he pulled in to park the car.
"Bella, why do you think it is time to meet my family?" he asked. I heard his soul thinking I was suicidal to want to meet a family of vampires. I chuckled, thinking his soul was a bit more honest than he was.
"Well, if I have to explain everything about what I can do or see for that matter, then I would rather explain it just one time instead of explaining it multiple times." I leaned back in the seat, watching for he reaction.
He chuckled at me, nodding his head, his soul agreeing with my decision. He leaned over to brush a feather soft kiss against my cheek. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, knowing my face must rival a ripe strawberry. His finger came up then, smoothing its way across my cheek and following the destination of my cheek bone until it reached my chin. He tilted my chin up so I could stare into his molten gold eyes. "Beautiful," he whispered, making me blush even more.
He gently kissed my forehead then before pulling away. My forehead burned where his lips just touch and I had an urge to place my fingers over the mark. "I will pick you up on Saturday then and this time I really will pick you up," he smiled as I gave him a sour look for saying he was going to pick me up. I was still a bit miffed at him ditching me last time he said he was going to pick me up.
I sighed; nodding my head as I quickly kissed his own cheek before racing out of his car and into my house.
I couldn't stop the wide smile that stretched itself across my face. The smile was almost painful as my teeth poked through my lips to grace the world with their presence. I glanced at the mirror to see my face was rosy with a blush and excitement, my brown eyes sparkled, almost looking like melted chocolate instead of their normal muddy color. For once in my life, I actually looked happy to me and in my mind I was almost beautiful too.
I let a mad giggled slip past my wide lips as I headed up the stairs to root through my closet to find a nice outfit to meet his family in.
This was the first time that I was actually glad to be meeting someone for the first time and I was also not afraid to talk about what I could see.
Edward Cullen, you are definitely doing something to me that I do not understand.
Thank you for reading. Please leave a review with any questions you have, opinions about this story or my writing style, or just simple comments and thoughts.