AN: Thank you to babylopez2008, team jazper, Humble4, sujari6, and TheCryingDevil for reviewing, and babylopez2008, pastiche lethe, and jasperbells for pre-reading/beta-ing. It's thanks to these guys that you have this chapter to read so quickly!
IMPORTANT (for me, anyway)- I've noticed that this fic gets well over 100 people reading each chapter. Imagine how happy you guys could make me by leaving a review after reading. Just to say a little thank you for writing, maybe? Or just to say hi. I don't bite :) and I reply to all of my reviews. You'll even get your name mentioned in the next chapter AN.
Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer
Enjoy...
Bella
Hiking.
I'm not kidding, I'm actually doing it. Well, at least I'm trying to.
I honestly never believed I would, but I just need to be somewhere away from other people. Charlie suggested it, which is pretty ridiculous if you think about it. Charlie might not have realised it yet, but I'm the most uncoordinated person I know. Then again, I don't know a lot of people. The Cullen's sure do put me to shame.
Why am I out here alone again?
Charlie will have to send out a search party if I end up getting lost or injuring myself. He told me not to stray too far from the house, but I don't even remember the way back. Maybe I should have left a trail of bread crumbs like Hansel and Gretel did. My cell doesn't have any signal so I wouldn't be able to contact anyone.
I'm totally alone.
Maybe I should turn around and head back.
No, I came out here for a reason. It can't be that difficult to walk in a straight line back to the house later.
It's been a difficult week, you could say. I guess this is just my way of escaping from it, even if only for a little while.
I woke up on Monday morning and tried to be optimistic for the week ahead. I went about my usual routine of getting ready for school, but it was abruptly interrupted when I noticed something out of place. It's not like I have OCD or anything, but it was the weirdest thing…. My hairbrush, the one that suddenly grew legs of its own and went walkabout, sat on my dresser. It had been placed towards the back of it, almost hidden behind my jewellery box. I have no idea how it got there, and I'm pretty sure I checked everywhere when it first went missing.
So, I now have two hairbrushes.
When it came to dressing after my shower, I couldn't find my favourite blue sweater. It wasn't in my wardrobe, and it wasn't in my washing basket. I asked Charlie if he had done any of the laundry, but he just gave me a blank look. I knew it was a stupid question as I was asking him, but I needed to know.
I turned up at school ten minutes late. I wasted a lot of time looking for my sweater. Luckily, I made it to my first class before my teacher. She was still on sick leave so we had another substitute. Alice was already there and had saved me a seat. That was nice of her.
Nothing unusual happened until lunch time. I joined the Cullen's at their table in the cafeteria, but noticed one extra seat. I didn't think anything of it at the time. A couple of minutes later, the seat became occupied by Edward Cullen.
Since when was he a student?
I was instantly put off my food. You try eating when you have someone staring at you all the time. I made my excuses and left. Alice tried to stop me, pretending that she needed help with her homework. She's smarter than I am though so I don't see how that's possible.
I went back to the music room I found on my first day of school. I guess that was the highlight of my week, spending my lunch hour in that same room without anyone else around me. I didn't know it on Monday, but spending my time playing the piano was going to help me for the rest of the week. It calmed me. I needed that, because my Biology class after lunch now consisted of Edward Cullen.
He was sitting at my table, and in my seat.
Was he doing it on purpose, just to try and frustrate me?
I did the only thing I could do. I had to sit next to him. There was no way I was going to tell him to move.
Luckily, that first lesson sat next to him was a lecture. We didn't have to do any lab work, so there wasn't any opportunity to make conversation with him. Not that I wanted to.
Why do I let him make me feel so nervous?
That's the only way I can describe how I felt. He made me nervous.
When I did cast a glance in his direction, he would do the same. I would immediately blush and turn my attention back to the teacher. I made sure to make detailed notes so I had something else to focus on, but Edward just being there was made that difficult.
On that first day, Edward was out of his seat practically a second before the bell signalled the end of the lesson. He did the same on Tuesday, but by Wednesday, he slowed down his movements. It almost looked like he was trying to leave at the same time as me.
Wednesday's lesson was a practical. We had to do the lab in pairs, which meant working with Edward. We didn't make conversation. It almost looked like he was as nervous as I felt. It was then that I noticed that he sat as far away from me as he possibly could.
Did I smell or something?
I found it difficult to go to Biology on Thursday.
I almost faked an illness on Friday.
I just didn't want to be there.
Edward didn't make any effort with me, so I didn't bother with him, in or out of class.
Thankfully, Biology was the only class I had to share with him.
It's not like I wanted to separate myself from the Cullen's this week, but there's just something about Edward… I can't even seem to describe it. It's like I'm going through some sort of tug of war- I want to be near him yet far away from him all at the same time. Each day that passes by seems to weaken my resolve. I'm trying hard to stay away, but I don't know how much longer that will last.
I notice up ahead of me that there's a tree that's fallen over. I pick up my pace a little. I wonder what could have happened to make it fall. I decide to take advantage of it and use it as a seat. I take my bag off my shoulder and put it by my feet as I sit on the trunk of the tree.
I need the rest. I might have only been walking for less than thirty minutes, but I still need to build up my stamina. It's been too long since I've done much in the way of physical exercise. Pair that with not eating properly, and you will begin to notice just how much you've messed up your body.
I open up my bag and rummage around inside of it until I find my bottle of water. As I drink from the bottle, I take a look around. I'm surrounded by trees. The ground beneath me is still damp from last night's rain.
This place couldn't be any more different than Phoenix.
I choose not to dwell on how much my life has changed and decide to get a move on. I figure that if I keep walking in the same direction for another half an hour I could just turn around and come back again. That will be enough exercise for one day. What else was I going to do with my Saturday anyway? I should probably be back before Charlie is so he doesn't worry.
I keep going, one foot in front of the other, trying to ignore any signs of fatigue that I start to feel. After what feels like ten minutes later, I come to some sort of clearing in the trees. I walk through the remaining trees and notice how much brighter it is out here even though there isn't any sun. I guess the canopy I was walking under was blocking out a lot of light.
I squat down to feel the grass. It's dry. I slide my bag off my shoulder and sit down on the ground. I run my hands through the blades of green that surround me and enjoy the feel of it.
Who knew nature could be so calming?
"Hello, there."
Who was that?
I scan the area but can't see anyone.
Am I going mad?
No, I definitely heard a voice, a feminine voice.
I stand up quickly, pick my bag back up and sling it over my shoulder.
I think it's time I headed back.
"Don't go."
I stop.
"Who's there?" I call out.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see something move in the distance. By the time I turn to look at it properly, it's gone again.
"Can you see me now?" a voice asks from behind me.
I turn in its direction.
Yes, I can see you now.
"Aren't you going to say hi?" she asks.
I try to find the words, but I think I'm a little shocked. Standing in front of me is a woman. She's statuesque and has the brightest red hair, like flames that cascade around her face. She's wearing a novelty t-shirt. I think it says 'Kiss me, I'm Irish' but it's a little too dirty to know for sure. I look down to see that she's not wearing any shoes.
Where did she come from?
I wonder if she's homeless. Something about this doesn't feel right.
"Are you alright?" I hear myself ask.
She begins to laugh. It's almost a musical sound.
"Oh, little girl, maybe you should be asking yourself that question."
She takes a step towards me. My body automatically takes a step back.
"What do you want?" I ask.
"I guess you could say I'm a little… hungry."
"I don't have any food," I reply quickly.
"Oh, but you do little girl."
She's looking at me like I'm something to eat.
Quicker than I can blink, she moves to stand right in front of me.
Did I black out for a second?
She startles me. I run in the opposite direction, doing the only thing I can think of.
"There's no use in running," she says as she appears in front of me, grabs a hold of my arm and brings me closer to her.
"What are you-" I start to say, but I'm cut off by a sound I thought I'd never be so grateful to hear.
"Bella!"
Edward
No, no, no, NO!
I enter the clearing and almost cry out when I see that I'm not too late.
Damn Alice for not watching closely enough!
We knew there was one of our kind in the area. We had hoped they were just passing through though. Jasper caught their scent while out hunting and tried to follow it. Whoever it was is good at hiding though.
Alice should have been paying closer attention.
We all should have been.
"Bella!" I call out to her, hoping to get a response. Her head turns towards the sound and she almost looks relieved.
I pick up my speed, running as fast as I can, faster than Bella will be able to see me. I run directly for the woman. When she sees me, she growls in my direction, and quickly crouches in to a defensive position after letting go of Bella.
She's defending her prey.
No! She's mine!
I crash into the woman, using all of my weight to knock her to the floor.
Bella should be able to see us now.
Please don't be afraid of me.
I kneel over the woman, pinning her arms to the ground so she can't fight back.
I'm too immersed in trying to protect Bella that I can't see what she's doing. If I pay too much attention to her, I'm worried that I'll want to attack her. I can't let that happen. I can't let her scent affect me now.
The woman snarls, baring her teeth to me. She tries to kick me off of her. I lean back on my heels to stop her from doing so. But while I do, one of her arms breaks free from my grasp. She pushes me away, and I fall on to my back.
The woman gets up and runs away, seeing that she's lost this fight.
I let out a pent up growl of frustration in the direction that she ran away in as I get to my feet. I would want nothing more than to run after her but I can't bring myself to leave Bella alone when she's so vulnerable. That monster could come back.
I try to stay as still as possible as I try to calm myself but some of my muscles won't allow it. I want to fight. I want to kill that bitch for scaring Bella.
What must she be thinking?
Now she knows.
She knows that I'm different- that we're different.
I turn to look at her. She's sitting on the ground, her back supported by a tree. Her face is hidden in her hands, blocking out the world around her.
I don't know what to do.
"Bella?" I call to her.
She doesn't reply.
Bella
…
AN: Thoughts?
I've started beta-ing for other fics! I would definitely recommend this one: http : / / www . fanfiction .net / s / 6851420 / 1 / Fragments by Antevorte. Well worth a read :) (just remove all the spaces, or search for it)
Until next time...