Hullo readers! I don't think I took too terribly long on this update… anyhoo… enjoy.
The bell rang, and everyone jumped up immediately. My class sprinted to the door, Alice and I making it out first thanks to our year of track. Screaming and jumping, we hugged each other so tightly, I thought my back would break. "We made it Bella!" she squealed. "Sixth grade is DONE!"
We were broken apart by Emmett throwing Mike Newton against the wall in his hurry to see us. "Little sixth graders!" he boomed, scooping us up and twirling around in a circle.
"Hey, Emmett," we giggled dizzily as he set us down on the ground.
"We're seventh graders now mister!" Alice announced, putting her hands on her tiny hips. Emmett held his hands up in apology and we laughed.
"Emmy!" Rosalie squealed. She raced forward and enveloped him in a huge hug, followed by a peck on the cheek. Alice and I turned toward each other and made gagging noises. Everyone knows that Rose and Emmett are a couple, it's not like they try to hide it.
Jasper followed behind, his expression mirroring ours. I felt sorry for Jazz. After all, he has to deal with Rosalie and Emmett's relationship almost 24/7 and I only have to deal with it for a few minutes. I felt Alice go limp beside me, and I elbowed her in the ribs to remind her to stay in the present. She has such a huge crush on Jasper, it's hard to be around her, especially when she's off in fantasy land.
She glared at me, but didn't do too much more ogling.
"Where's Edward?" I asked, peering around all of the people rushing toward the doors. We were on different teams, and I was just about dying without having him around to comfort me.
"Don't know, don't care," Emmett grumbled. "Can't we just leave without him?" he complained, even though he knew my answer.
"No."
They all groaned.
"Bella," Emmett complained. "We gotta get to the theater before all off the seats fill up! There's only one showing for High School Musical Three today, and I wanna make it!" he said, stomping his foot for dramatic effect, making him look a lot like an angry Alice.
Edward suddenly appeared behind me. "No need to whine like a two year old, Emmett," Edward said, giving me a quick hug. Blush flooded my cheeks instantly, and my face burned.
"Lez go!" Emmett yelled, making a pathway through the few remaining people. We laughed, and followed him out.
We were making our way to the Cullen's sleek, black Escalade, when someone called my name. I turned around and saw my parents, standing uncomfortably far apart next the police cruiser. "Mom? Dad?" I gasped. "Hi!" I yelled, running toward them, ready for a big hug. The one I got was stiff and awkward. "What're you guys doing here?" I asked, stepping back.
"You can't go to the movie. We have something to talk about at home," Dad said in a flat, robot-like voice.
"O…Kay?" I said. I turned around and waved my friends off. Emmett, Rose, and Jazz piled into the car, but Alice and Edward needed a couple of more waves to get them moving.
I climbed in the backseat, and buckled up. The whole ride home was absolutely silent. Tension filled the car, making it hard to think. All I know is something is wrong.
When we got to our house, I followed Mom and Dad into the living room, Mom and Dad on the couch, me on the chair.
"So…" I said, clapping my hands together.
"Bella, your father and I are getting a divorce." My blood ran cold. This had to be the sickest joke anyone ever played on me. It out did all of those horrible April Fool's jokes anyone had ever pulled on me.
When no one yelled April Fool's or just kidding Bells, I realized that they weren't playing a joke on me. Maybe I was dreaming. Yeah, that was it. I've had nightmares like this before, where Mom and Dad split up, so it shouldn't be too much of a shock when I wake up. That would explain my wonderful year at school and this weird announcement. And the fact that my mother got right to the point without any annoying riddles. I pinched myself. Ow. Definitely awake..........Crap.
"W-what?" I stuttered in a voice barely above a whisper.
Dad looked down, and Mom's eyes filled with tears. She blinked them back quickly, and her face became distant. "You'll be moving to Phoenix, Arizona with me."
"WHAT?" I screamed, instantly on my feet. "Don't I get to choose who I live with? What if I wanna stay here?" I still wasn't sure what was happening, but I knew that I did not want to move to Arizona.
"Bella, it's for the best that you live with your mother. She'll take care of you. You'll make new friends," Dad said. It was the first time he had spoken during this little confrontation.
"I wanna stay with Daddy!" I yelled, pointing my finger at him to help get my point across. "And I won't go to Arizona with you!" I screamed at my mom.
Her face hardened. "Isabella Marie Swan. You will come and live with me in Arizona no matter how much you want to stay here. Do you understand me? I could've had us leave tomorrow, but I decided to give you a month to say goodbye to your friends. After that month, we are leaving. Got it?"
My eyes filled with tears, and a sob broke in my throat. "Fine." I stormed to the door. "I'm going for a walk." As soon as I was out, I ran, tripping and falling the whole way. I had to tell someone, to cry to someone. I hoped that Alice was home, that she hadn't gone to the movie.
"Please be home, please be home," I begged as I rang the doorbell. And there she was.
"Bella?" she gasped in surprise. I sobbed, and ran forward into her waiting arms. She led me upstairs to her room and sat me on the bed. I laid my head in her lap, and she brushed through my hair with her fingers as I cried. I didn't even bother to wonder why she wasn't at the movie.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked softly as she stroked my hair.
"M-m-my mom and d-d-d-dad are g-getting a d-d-d-d-d-" I couldn't even finish the word it was so horrible.
Alice understood.
"Oh no," she moaned, hugging me close to her.
"W-wait," I said. There was more. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what I was about to say. Saying it out loud made it actually feel real, not just like a stupid dream. "I-I have to m-m-move to Ph-Ph-Phoenix!"
Her eyes bugged open, and then she began to cry with me. "You can't move to Arizona!" she cried. But we both knew that there was nothing for us to do about it.
After a good ten minutes of crying, Alice spoke. "We should tell everyone."
"No!" I wailed, grabbing her wrist. "I'm not leaving for a month, and I do not want a pity party. I just…" I paused and searched for the right way to say what I meant. "I want it to be normal."
"Why'd you tell me then?" she asked. "If you want it to be 'normal' than wouldn't it make sense not to tell the person who you hang out with most?"
"Cause I needed to tell someone, and you, being my best friend, would understand best."
"I love you, Bella," she whispered as we hugged again.
"I love you too, Ali," I mumbled.
The next day, I demanded my parents take me to Best Buy in Seattle so I could get a very nice digital camera. If I only had one month left with my friends, I would document every second of it.
My mom didn't come, claiming that she had work to do around the house, so Dad took me. I know that Mom just didn't want to be in the car for three hours with Dad.
The camera I ended up with was small and silver, but it was as good as a professional camera, or so the Geek Squad guy told me. Dad got me three memory cards too, so it'd take me a while to run out of room.
When we finally arrived back in Forks, I sent out invites for a beach party. Everyone in my grade got an invite, even Jake. The only people I didn't send invites to were Lauren, Mike, Tyler, and Eric. I could not stand to hang out with them. I wanted to be able to have good memories of times with my friends, and I wanted to take pictures of all the good times we had in the short time I had left here.
For that month, the camera was attached to my wrist. I took so many pictures, that people would get down on their knees and beg me to stop- literally. The only people who didn't get tired of my constant companion were Alice and Edward. At first I was worried that Alice had told Edward my secret, but he never seemed sad, just confused. I couldn't say the same for Alice.
She was more ruined by this than I was. Alice was always the life of the party, but now she was more of a party pooper. She would only sit in a corner and sulk. She didn't even stare at Jasper anymore.
Finally, the horrible day arrived. The month seemed a lot shorter than it should've, but there was nothing I could do about that. Alice came over at six am to help me pack, even though it was summer. We didn't talk, just folded and packed. In the end, I only had one suitcase and a duffel bag. It would fit easily in my mom's trunk.
Alice hugged me, and then spoke for the first time all morning. "Are we going to my house to say goodbye, or are they coming here?" We had already decided that Alice would be spending the whole day with me, so that I would have a shoulder to cry on if needed.
"We're going there, right before we have to leave for the flight."
She nodded, and changed our topic. "You really should have let me buy you some new clothes," she said, pointing to my little luggage.
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my bags. Leave it to Alice to connect this to fashion. "It's totally fine. Besides, I don't wanna be a charity case."
She huffed angrily, but didn't say anything.
"Isabelllll-ah!" my mom called up the stairs. That was all she would call me now. Isabella. Ew. "We need to get over to the Cullen's to say goodbye!"
My eyes instantly teared up, just at the thought of what was going to happen. Alice grabbed my hand, and squeezed it softly.
We both took a deep breath, and walked slowly down the stairs. I looked all around, trying to take in every detail. I had said goodbye to Dad already, but he was still waiting by the doorway for a final hug.
"I'll miss you, Bells," he murmured, pulling me into his chest.
"Miss you too, Dad," I mumbled, trying to pull away.
"If you ever wanna… you're welcome to come back here. If you want." He let me go then, and I tried to hide my hope. I might be able to come back? It seemed too good to be true! Looking at Mom's face, I realized that it probably was. There was no way she was letting me come back here. But there was always hope.
"Bye, Dad," I mumbled, turning awkwardly away from him. He looked so broken and hurt. Dads weren't supposed to look like that. He had good reason, though. With his life moving away from him, what else could he do? Alice grabbed my suitcase, and I grabbed my duffel bag. We threw them carelessly into the trunk, and then clambered into the backseat of the rental car.
As we pulled out of the driveway, I looked back at my little house. Dad was still standing outside, but his shoulders were slouched. He looked like he was going to break down at any second. I waved, and if he saw me or not, I don't know. I felt better though, with that final little goodbye. It would be the first of many.
We arrived at the Cullen's house moments later. Everything looked quiet, but I was sure there was something exciting going on inside. Sure enough, when we came in, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper were playing tennis on their Wii. Em and Rose were on a team, and Jasper was with himself, but somehow, he was still winning.
Emmett got distracted by our entrance, and Jazz scored, ending the game. Em earned a hard slap from Rosalie. I wondered what they had bet this time. "Aw man!" Emmett groaned, rubbing his head where Rose made contact.
"Whatsup, Bells?" Jazz asked, appearing at my side in an instant. I stared up at his concerned, blue eyes, but I couldn't say anything. Not yet. I needed to talk to Edward first. Alice would tell everyone else while I was telling Edward.
"Where's Edward?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Uhm… I think he's hiding in his room being a hermit," Emmett grumbled.
"He's upstairs," Jasper said, rolling his eyes.
"Thanks," I called over my shoulder as I raced for Edward's room. I managed to sprint up the stairs and down the hallway without falling, something I was grateful for. I don't need Edward freaking out before we start this… conversation.
I knocked gently on his closed door, hearing rock blasting through his speakers. The volume turned down, and I heard him walking slowing toward the door. When he opened it, he looked at me in surprise. "Bella?" he gasped. I didn't blame him for being surprised. Alice and I had been attached to the hip for the past month, leaving Edward shunted to the side. No wonder his was "hiding in his room like a hermit."
"Hi," I said lamely. "Uhm… can I come in?" I asked after a moment of awkward silence. He motioned me inside, and shut the door behind us. I went over and sat on his bed, patting the area next to me. He sauntered over, and plopped down, making the bed bounce. I giggled. Already he was acting more like my Edward. I almost felt like not telling him I was moving. I felt like being a coward and having Alice tell him after I left. Looking into his sparkling eyes, I realized I couldn't do that.
"Listen, Edward," I started, looking down at my hands. I felt him freeze beside. Okay… guess that wasn't the best way to start. I took a deep breath and continued, still staring at my hands. "My mom and dad got… divorced. I… My mom is making me move to Ari… Arizona with her." I closed my eyes, waiting for him to explode.
Instead, he was quiet. "When?" he finally asked.
A single tear slid down my cheek. "Today," I choked. I tensed myself, fearing what was coming next. All I got was silence. Finally, I got the nerve to look up at him from where I sat. His expression was blank; careful. His eyes were distant, showing nothing.
He felt me looking at him, and he stood up, turning toward me. "We'd better get you outside, then," he said in a flat voice.
"O-okay," I stuttered, scrambling off his bed and to my feet. I expected him to take my hand, or hug me or something, but he did nothing. He only walked beside me on my way down. My Edward was gone again. Tears pooled in my eyes. I shouldn't've waited for the last minute to tell him. I should've told him a month ago when I told Alice. Alarm flickered across his face for a moment when he saw me crying, but it was gone before I even realized it was there.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I was surrounded by all of my friends. My tears overflowed then. I felt Edward slip away as I was being mauled. They each gave me a massive hug, Emmett's standing out most since he almost broke my rib. But the hug that I wanted most never came.
"Isabella," my mom called after I had been surrounded for a few minutes. "Come say goodbye to Carlisle and Esme, then we have to leave."
"Okay," I mumbled sadly, shaking off Emmett, who was clinging to my arm.
Esme had tears in her eyes, and even Carlisle looked a little shaken up. "Goodbye darling," Esme murmured, rushing forward. She gave me a bone-cracking hug (now I know where Emmett gets it) and I kiss on the forehead. "You're welcome to visit anytime you want," she promised. I looked over her shoulder at the hopeful faces of my friends. I searched for Edward, trying to see how he felt about this news. He was slumped against the wall by the stairway, glaring at me like I was evil. I shrank away, returning my gaze to Esme's kind brown eyes.
"Thanks, Esme." I got a hug from Carlisle, and then that was it. I climbed into our car, hurt more than I would think possible. As we drove away, everyone but Edward raced outside and waved their final goodbyes. I searched and searched for his face, but he wasn't among the group of people I loved. Instead, I saw his angry gaze glaring at me through his bedroom window. I turned away, fresh tears stinging my eyes. I knew leaving was going to be hard, but I didn't think anyone would be mad at me.
So much had changed in such a short time. I wondered if I'd ever be friends with Edward again. The way he glared at me… I shivered, and moved away from that train of thought. Too dangerous. Crying in front of my mom would only make her mad at me.
As the Cullen's house slipped away, I wondered, where's my happy ending?
Please review you guys! I want to know exactly how all y'all feel. I worked really fast on this chapter, and honestly, I didn't like it very much. :P So please tell me what you thought so I know that you guys still want this story. All I want is five people to review. Just five. I will beg next chapter, and that is not something you wanna see.
And ohmicullen! I got the Twilight Soundtrack and it is freaking awesome! If you haven't gotten it, go and get it now! Paramore, Muse, Linkin Park… everything you could ever want on one CD! Haha.
So please review!