AN: Thanks to babylopez2008 for pre-reading this one.
And thanks to april666king, team jazper, Solar571, Humble4, babylopez2008, sujari6, and kittycat1980 for reviewing.
Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer.
Enjoy...
P.S- Sorry for the delay, but this website hasn't wanted to post this chapter for days now!
Bella
Stupid Bella, I scold myself. Getting caught messing around on Edward's piano was not on my list of things to do today.
I jump up when he catches my eye and immediately apologise. He shrugs it off and walks over to join me. He takes a seat on the piano bench and tells me to do the same.
I don't think I could possibly refuse him. Besides, he doesn't look annoyed like I expected him to be. Instead, I think he seems to be pretty focused on me.
He tells me to breathe. I hadn't noticed I wasn't, but I instantly feel better when I do.
His eyes look away from my face and down my body.
Is he staring at my chest?
As I'm about to cross my arms over my chest, Edward begins to lean towards me. His movement is quick and almost frightens me. I won't allow myself to be intimidated though.
Who does he think he is?
"Hey, just because you fixed my truck doesn't mean I'm going to let you cop a feel," I tell him, angrily.
He seems to snap out of whatever trance he's in at the sound of my voice. He blinks and looks up at me, putting distance between us at the same time.
He doesn't make any attempt to apologise which just fuels my anger.
I stand up and leave the house as quickly as I can, making sure I don't trip over anything, my feet included. I can't hear him following me. I don't know if I'm happy or annoyed at that.
I spend the drive home trying to calm myself down. I debate about whether or not to tell Alice that she has a pervert for a brother, but decide against it. I can't insult her family when I don't even know them very well… no matter how much a certain someone infuriates me.
Maybe that's too strong of a word, but every time that I've seen Edward he's made me feel something that I don't want to. It's like he's managed to awaken some of my emotions that have long been dormant.
I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.
I use the rest of the day to make my room look more like my own. I start by unpacking some of the boxes I brought with me from Phoenix. I don't remember doing much in the way of packing before I left with Charlie. He must have done it for me.
After emptying the first box which contained all of my books, I start on the next one. I open it up, slicing through the tape keeping it sealed up with my keys. When I do, I look down to see my mom's face staring up at me. These were the pictures that were kept on the mantel piece back home.
I pick up the biggest one. It's of Mom and me visiting some ridiculous snake pit. I think Mom even bought a t-shirt to remember the trip by. I wonder where that could be.
We look happy.
I don't realise I'm crying until the first tear falls on to the frame.
My tears don't stop until I go to sleep later that night.
Saturday is spent cleaning the house. I hadn't realised how filthy it was. I even go as far as washing the outside of the downstairs windows. I don't know why I bothered though, it always seems to rain here.
Charlie takes me grocery shopping on Sunday before spending his afternoon in front of the television. He apologises for not spending a lot of time with me during the car journey home, but I understand that he has to work a lot. It's not like he can replace my mom anyway. I wouldn't want him to try.
I decide to make pizza from scratch for dinner. It's one of Charlie's favourites, I think. It's bound to be healthier for him if I make it myself instead of ordering takeaway.
There's a loud knock on the front door. Charlie goes to answer it when he sees that I'm covered in flour.
Whoever it is, he greets them warmly and invites them in.
"I hope we're not interrupting," I hear Billy say as he enters the kitchen.
I turn around to greet him and notice that he brought Jacob with him.
Great.
"Not at all," Charlie tells him. "Can I get you a beer?"
"Sure, sure."
Charlie collects two beer cans of his favourite Vitamin R from the refrigerator while I get back to work.
"Are you… would you like to stay for dinner?" I hesitantly ask our guests. A part of me wants them to say no so I don't have to spend any time with Jacob.
"We wouldn't want to impose," Billy replies as Jacob says, "Yeah."
"You'll do well to remember your manners, son," Billy tells Jacob sternly.
I turn to look at their exchange of words. At least Jacob looks sheepish enough after being told off by his father.
"Why don't you guys make yourselves comfortable," Charlie says as he indicates to the dining table. "I'll be right back." He leaves the room.
Don't leave me with them!
Billy wheels himself over to the table while Jacob makes room for his wheelchair. He takes a seat next to his father.
"So, Bella," Billy starts, "you made any friends yet?"
I stop making the extra pizza base and turn to answer his question. Jacob is staring at me intently. He's making me feel uncomfortable.
"Uh, a few I guess."
Jacob stands up and walks towards me. He opens the cupboard to my left to retrieve a glass which he then fills up with orange juice from the refrigerator on my right. As he walks past me, I notice that he wrinkles his nose.
Do I smell funny?
I choose to ignore him as I hear Billy's next question.
"Oh, yeah? Anyone I know?"
Jacob takes a seat back down next to his father. They exchange a look as he does so.
"Uh… Angela Weber? She's been really helpful… And, um, most of the Cullen family."
I choose not to add Edward to my list of friends just yet.
Jacob's expression turns into a scowl.
"Oh right," Billy says, "I've heard of them." He doesn't elaborate.
Charlie joins us back in the kitchen and takes a seat opposite Billy.
He's about to speak when my phone starts to ring. I pick it up from the counter top and silence it. I'll just have to call them back later. I mumble an apology to the room.
"Bella was just telling me about her new friends, the Cullen's," Billy tells Charlie, almost spitting out the name.
"Now don't start that again. They're good people," Charlie replies as Jacob snickers. Charlie ignores him. "Five teenagers in one family and I've never had a spot of trouble with them."
Jacob opens his mouth to speak next. But instead of saying something, he abruptly stands up and practically runs to the front door. I can feel the draft from where he's left the door open in his haste to get outside.
"What the hell has gotten into him?" Charlie asks.
"Uh- he'll be back. He's gotten pretty good at sniffing out trouble," Billy replies with a smile on his face. "So, what about those Mariners this season?"
This is weird.
I go back to preparing the food. I'm about to put it all in the oven to cook, when Jacob returns and takes a seat. Billy and Charlie's conversation comes to a stop.
"Sorry," Jacob says, "I had to take care of something," he adds while looking at me.
The men get back to their conversation. I finish putting the food in the oven and head upstairs to change my clothes after I notice just how much flour I managed to get covered in. I take my cell with me so I can return the call I missed earlier.
I wait until I get to my room to see who it was.
Alice.
Of course- she's the only person who actually calls me.
I dial her number. I don't have to wait for very long for her to answer.
"Hello?"
"Alice? What's up?"
"Hey, Bella! Oh, nothing… just wanted to see how your weekend was."
She couldn't wait until tomorrow at school?
"Oh, yeah, fine thanks. I've got company at the moment, so can I talk to you tomorrow?" I ask.
"Of course. Wait- would it be really rude if I asked who was with you?"
How do I answer that?
"Uh- my dad's friends from the reservation."
I decide the that the whole Cullen family are strange.
"Well, have fun! See you tomorrow!"
She hangs up before I can say good bye.
Edward
"Are you happy now?" Alice asks me.
The strange thing is, I am. It's made me very happy to hear that that dog isn't who he insinuated to be.
My day had passed by quite slowly up until this evening. I was returning from a hunt when Alice met me outside of the house panicking. She explained to me that Bella's future had somehow disappeared again ten minutes previously and she wasn't answering her phone.
Instead of asking her why she hadn't gone to check on her, I sprinted off in the direction of her house.
Some part of me needed to know she was okay. I couldn't explain why at the time, but now I think it's because the monster in me believes she's mine- her blood that is… not her body.
When I got to her house, the smell hit me immediately.
Dog.
More precisely, wet dog.
It was coming from the Volkswagen parked in front of the house, but it was getting stronger the closer I got to the front door.
I heard a sudden movement inside, a chair being scrapped across the floor, so I ran to the other side of the road among the trees.
I didn't want to be seen.
I just needed to know if Bella was alright, then I could leave.
I tried to detect her scent, but the smell of dog was overpowering.
A kid from the reservation ran out of Bella's front door and started to head towards me. I assumed he was from La Push because of the rusty colour of his skin and the tribal tattoo on his arm.
The smell was coming from him.
It also looked like he had detected a foul scent from where he was standing.
Could it be…
The Quilete legend speaks of shape shifters, people who can turn in to a wolf form. I haven't met one before, but I wonder…
"Hey, you!" the boy called over to me.
I left my place among the trees and joined him, standing as close to him as I could bear it.
"You're a Cullen, aren't you?" he said angrily.
"And what if I am?"
I heard him growl at my answer.
Filthy leech… disgusting bloodsucker! His thoughts were a jumble of insults.
"Calm down, pup," I teased.
"Don't call me that! What are you doing here?"
"That's none of your business," I answered.
"When it comes to Bella it is."
What does that mean?
"Tell the rest of your family to stay away from her. I suggest you leave," he added before walking back towards the house.
If he is a shape shifter, then he couldn't have started phasing all that long ago. He turned his back to me; you don't turn your back on your enemy.
Great, Bella's bodyguard is an inexperienced, volatile little dog.
I wonder if she knows about the boy.
Why do I care so much?
After returning to my own house, I had to fill my family in on what had happened. Carlisle was fascinated that the legend could be true. His fascination quickly turned to guilt though.
I wouldn't wish that on anyone, he thought.
Back to the present, I realise I still haven't answered Alice.
"Whatever," I reply before walking away to my piano. It feels slightly tainted now though. This bench was where I had my moment of weakness over forty eight hours ago. I can't believe I came so close.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks me softly.
"I'm not used to feeling… so out of control," I sigh. "And you knew it was going to happen. You must have seen it, yet you did nothing about it!"
"I knew you weren't going to hurt her," she defends herself.
"You couldn't possibly have known that! You more than anyone should know that someone's future can change in a second. I could have her death on my conscience right now, and honestly, you would be partly to blame."
"But Edward, nothing happened," Alice tries to placate me.
Bella must have been frightened. I could smell the adrenaline coursing through her system. Vampires aren't exactly pretty when we're in hunting mode. She didn't move away from me though, and insulted me instead. I'm glad she stayed still. If she had moved, my hunting instinct may have taken over completely.
"Yeah," I chuckle humourlessly, "I didn't kill her on Friday, but there's always a chance at school tomorrow. That is if that mutt doesn't kill her first."
If she got too close to him while he was phasing…
I don't want to think about it.
"Please be a little more optimistic," Alice tells me as she hugs me. "Just take each day as it comes."
It might be easier for everyone involved if I left again. I could visit the Denali clan. Then again, I don't think I could deal with Tanya by myself.
Alice leaves me alone with my thoughts, humming some tune in her mind as she heads upstairs to be with Jasper.
Her advice is easier said than done though. I can still see Bella's red eyes in the vision Alice showed me last week. I'll never be rid of that image. It's like she's haunting me.
I head up to my room, deciding to calm myself down by reading. Looking around my room, I see that I've read all of my books at least once.
That leaves me with nothing to do for tonight. It's not like I need to prepare for school tomorrow or catch up on sleep.
I wonder what Bella is doing…
Hey, I've got to cure my blood lust for her somehow.
AN: What will he do?
Until next time...