A/N: Okay, so I wasn't planning on updating so soon, but two things that previously occurred convinced me to: 1) I realized that this story already has more reviews than any of my former attempts. And 2) This chapter just came to me, and once I started writing, the words just started coming up like… like… word vomit! : )
Part Seven
Just a Dream
"What was that all about?" Mike prodded, taking his usual seat next to me in the biology lab. "Jake looked pretty fired up about whatever it was."
"I was talking to Edward," I said shamelessly. What was the point in lying to him now, anyway? He was bound to find out sooner or later, whether from Jake or Edward, or just the vicious rumors that were, undoubtedly, already starting to spread like a wildfire.
"Oh," he muttered, trying to hide the apparent disappointment in his expression. "What would you wanna talk to that loser for?"
I wasn't sure why, but Mike's disapproval only made me want to be with Edward more and more. It was as if I was a child, going against every fervent wish of my parents, and yet, strangely, I felt powerful. I wanted Mike to be jealous, evidently, and for that I felt guilty. That must have been why I felt the need to justify myself to him. "We were just talking about homework, Mike," I fibbed. "Don't worry about it."
He nodded half-heartedly, turning his attention to the formula being chalked onto the blackboard. My thoughts, as always, were elsewhere, yet I had no problem keeping up with the rest of the class for the remainder of the period. It was after class that I began to experience a tingling sensation right beneath my core. Edward and I had not finished our conversation, I remembered. This time, the first text message was his:
How about we finish chatting at my house after school, Bella?
My reply, short and sweet, was a blatant answer, but it was the first thing to enter my mind:
Definitely.
TNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEBDTNEB
After about five minute's hesitation, I finally got up the courage to ring the Cullen's shining doorbell. The resounding whoosh of Alice practically flying down the stairs to see who was at the door did not startle me, nor did I even surprise me. Her greeting to me, however, did.
"Bella, get inside. Quickly!" she ordered, pulling the door closed behind me, her hands shaking a bit with each defined motion.
"Alice, what's going on?" I demanded, beginning to shake a bit myself.
She ignored me, of course, calling, instead, to Edward, who was apparently waiting upstairs. "Edward! Bella's here."
"ALICE! I… can't!" he yelled back.
"Edward! NOW!" Never before had I heard such a powerful voice escape such a tiny, petite girl.
Slowly, reluctantly, Edward descended down the staircase, a pale hand covering his right eye. "H-hey, Bella," he almost-whispered, turning away from me straight away. "I'm sorry, but you've got to leave."
"What's going on?" I asked again, this time louder, more frantically. "Edward, what's happened to your eye?"
For what seemed like hours, not one of us said a thing. My unanswered questions hung on the air like dirty laundry, and I suddenly needed answer. But I would not be the first to speak.
Edward's silence stung like a slap in the face, though he'd done nothing particularly offensive. Just the fact that he didn't trust me enough to confide in me was enough to drive me crazy in itself. We stood there, the three of us, just like that, until, slowly but surely, Edward removed the hand from his eye, revealing a purplish-black bruise that looked fresh on his perfect skin.
"Who?" I heard myself say, but I could not feel myself speaking. "Who did this?"
"Bella, don't worry about that right now," he ordered, pointing towards the front door. "Go. We can talk later. They weren't here for me… they were looking for you."
"Then surely they will find me at my own home," I said pointedly, brushing my forefinger across his cheekbone questioningly. "Besides, I'm not going home until I get some answers."
Edward sighed heavily, but I could tell he saw the reason in what I was saying. "Very well then," he agreed, motioning for me to take a seat on the leather sofa. "But it's a long story. And you've got to promise me that you'll leave directly after I tell you, and go somewhere safe for the time being. Not to Charlie's house, of course. Tell him you're going on a trip. You've got to get away from them."
I nodded, grimacing at the last couple of words. "First, tell me everything. Starting with who they are. And I'm warning you Edward: If you leave anything out, I'll march right back over there to Charlie Swan's house, the doors unlocked, and wait for 'them' to find me."
He chuckled quietly, lifting his hands in mock surrender. "Fine. I'll tell you what happened to me. But only if you keep yourself safe. It was kind of like this…"
A/N: I guess you could say I'm evil for cutting it off right there. Or you could just review it right now, and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I'm satisfied with the number of reviews I've got for this chapter. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review this chapter, and I promise I'll post the next one really soon. Chapter title borrowed from Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream". Okay. Back soon. Review. Right now.
Much love and gratitude,
C.J.