Chapter Four: Masquerade

I replayed the scene again (or what my imagination came up with) of Edward saving me from myself in art class. I remembered his firm grasp and cold, cold hands catching me before I could touch the ground. I remembered his voice against my skin.

Mm Edward.

Suddenly, I heard laughter. Laughter I hadn't contrived in my dream. It was Charlie's laughter coupled with another voice. I opened my eyes then, feeling reality and the small pain seep back in. I was blinded by the stark, white lights in the room. Charlie and the school nurse were huddled close, conferencing, but they focused on me now.

"Looks like she's awake," said the nurse in powder blue scrubs, "and it sounds like she remembers the one who saved her."

Charlie snickered at this, and so did another voice that did not belong to the nurse.

Edward was sitting at my side. His eyes were trained intensely on mine, concentrating. The blood rushed up to my face as I realized that I had blurted out loud in my sleep.

"Bella, sweetie, are you okay?" Charlie came towards the bed I was splayed out on.

"Dad, I'm… alright," my throat was dry. Then, a paper cup filled with water appeared at my side. Edward was holding it out to me.

"Thanks," I said, holding his gaze. He didn't say anything, but nodded –a twinkle in his amber eyes. As I took sips of water, I did damage control. My eyes saw my blood-speckled jeans first. A white cloth was wrapped around my left hand. All of it suddenly felt embarrassing. I had passed out in art class because I cut my hand a bit. Nothing serious, nothing fatal. Ugh, only I could pull of a feat like this.

"Geez, what time is it?" I asked I wanted to get out of here fast. It was weird seeing Edward and Charlie existing in the same room.

"2:43. Listen, Bells I'm sorry, but I need to take your truck. Officer Lou dropped me as soon as the nurse contacted me, but it looks like you're fine, kid. Anyway, I need to get back to work. I'll see you at home. I'm sure Jessica can give you a lift," he checked his watch, leaned in to kiss my forehead, and charged towards the door, but before he left he looked back not at me, but at Edward, "Hey, thanks for helping out my daughter. I really appreciate it...Edward."

"It's no trouble at all," Edward's voice was complacent.

When I was certain Charlie was out of the vicinity, I lifted up to my side so that my legs were daggling off from the bed. I shot a glance at my reflection off of the glass window. My hair was disheveled, as usual, and my skin looked worn and translucent. Beside me was Edward looking inhumanly perfect.

We were both silent for a moment.

"Bella…" he chimed in, "would you like me to drive you home?"

I was startled by his proposal, I eyed him suspiciously. I waited for that feeling of anger and paranoia to shoot up, but it never came. I was alone with Edward and I hadn't felt safer in my life.

"Have I said something wrong?" he said when I didn't answer.

"No… not at all," I said, "it's just… I'd like that."

"Alright," his cold voice said, "How about you tell your friend… Jessica you won't be needing a ride, and we'll meet in the parking lot."

"Sounds good, she's probably worried about me."

Before I could hop off the bed, Edward gently took my hand.

"You are alright, Bella?"

"Yes, I've never felt better."

With this he let go of me, although I had to admit I was disappointed by it. The halls were almost empty when I came out. Loose papers and soda cans and all sorts of teenage waste were strewn everywhere. It didn't take me too long to find Jessica. She was sitting on a bench outside, engaged in a magazine.

"Hey, Jess," I called out to her. She looked up then, her eyes enlarged.

"Oh my god, Bella are you alright!? You scared the crap out of me…and everyone. Where would we have had the Halloween party if you died?"

Figures she was only worried about the party. Lately she's been extra concerned about preparation for "my upcoming Halloween soiree." Excitement began to brew amongst the student body once word got out. Now, if the party didn't succeed Jessica was convinced her social standing and chances with Jacob Black were in jeopardy. The realization that Charlie's house was ill-equipped (with only an old piano and a record player for musical entertainment) especially frazzled her. She was pulling hairs trying to get this party in order. I decided to keep myself out of it as best as I can.

"I'm fine, Jess. What are you still doing here?"

"Well, waiting for you, of course! I thought we could go out to Port Angeles now for some party shopping. Look here! I was flipping through this magazine for theme and decoration ideas. See? There's Arabian nights, Medieval Dungeon, black and white, and I love Pretty in Pink… Oh, there's even a Noah's Arch theme! Bella, I'm so excited!" Jessica's eyes were incandescent lights as she pored over the magazine to me. I wanted to get out of there.

"Um, sure Jess I'd love to go, but maybe tomorrow afternoon? I'm kind of… busy right now."

"Busy?" she asked her face serious, "With what?"

"Well, Edward's going to take me home," I said, "I'm a little tired after today."

"Edward? There's only one Edward in this school"

"Edward Cullen," I said looking down at my shoes, "He said he'd give me a ride."

Jessica's face formed into a smirk. An annoying I told you so kind of smirk.

"Edward Cullen!?" Jessica said as she jumped out of her seat, "You mean the Edward Cullen? As in, the Edward Cullen that never speaks to any living girl in the whole town, and possibly the whole universe!? Edward Cullen is going to give you a ride home!?"

I shouldn't have told her.

"It's not a big deal...he's just being nice," I said warily, "Really."

"Ugh, this is too much to think about! Just go, I'll call you tomorrow," Jessica huffed and trudged out of sight.

As I walked towards the school parking lot my nerves heightened with each step. Me knees were giving out, my hands began to perspire, and my throat was as dry as ever. What are we going to talk about? Should I not talk at all unless he asks me something? I haven't been alone with him let alone any other guy since…

But Edward Cullen was different. There was something about him that separated my experience-based perception of the human world. He acted cold and distant, but he wasn't a bad person. He was haunted by something, that's for sure; something darker than any other person couldn't understand. No matter my speculation I was hopeless to try and figure him out.

Even the rainy town of Forks couldn't obscure my image of Edward now leaning against his sleek and slender silver Volvo. I never noticed how well dressed he was – attired in a blue-grey bomber jacket, a polished, button-down collar shirt, and black slacks he didn't even belong in the town of Forks. What was more surreal was that he was standing there, waiting for me.

I straightened out my hair a little with my one good hand. As I approached the car, he smiled at me deviously then popped a car door out for me. He made sure I was inside before he shut it and climbed into the driver's seat.

The interior of the Volvo was just as modern and out of place in Forks as its exterior. I wasn't used to anything fancy even back in Phoenix with Renee and her new husband, Phil. With one swift motion we were backing out of the lot.

A few moments passed. I kept debating with myself whether or not I should say something, anything.

"I hope I haven't disrupted any plans you had tonight," Edward said, "I understand how the adolescents in Forks covet their Friday nights."

I was relieved to hear his voice cut the silence.

"Its no problem at all," I said, "I usually don't go out much anyway."

"Not even with your friends?" Edward inquired calmly as he maneuvered the steering wheel with one hand.

"Only when Jessica drags me out of my house. I usually stay home – read, draw, keep myself away from trouble." I offered and I was surprised with how much I opened up to him.

"Oh, and what do you read?"

"Everything"

He smiled then, and I allowed myself to smile back because he wasn't facing me. It was so cold in his car, but my hands were still damp with heat.

"What do you draw?"

"Portraits, landscapes, things I see." I replied again, at ease this time.

He nodded again, taking in this information.

"You said you try to keep away from trouble? What kind of trouble have you gotten into?" he asked this final question and I wasn't sure how to answer.

"It's a long story," I said after a moment, "I'm not ready to give that up yet."

He looked at me with a knowing expression. His eyes settled with mine. Then his hand reached out towards my neck. He grabbed something behind me and suddenly I felt tightness and click.

"Your seatbelt," he said with a stern countenance, "you should always wear it."

I laughed at this.

"What? After today's incident I don't think you can afford not wearing your seatbelt"

"Uh-huh" But he was right. I hadn't realized how extremely fast he was going. We were in the 80s bordering on 90, "and… what's your story?"

"As you said, it's a long story. Its probably better you didn't know," he said with a sudden fierceness in his voice I didn't know how to respond to. Before I knew it we were outside of Charlie's house.

"How did you know where I live?" I asked.

"Everyone knows. You are the daughter of the town's Chief of police"

"Right… well, thank you"

He looked down at me then reached out with his hand this time directly at me. He took a strand of my hair and placed it away from my face, and then he held my cheek. It lasted mere seconds, but the contact sent shivers up and down my body, but he let go.

"Bella," Edward said, "Take care of yourself"

"I'll try"

With that I stepped out of the car. He waited until I closed the front door to leave.

Jessica's cool fingers hovered over my eyes. All I could see was darkness and tiny specks of light between the gaps of her skinny, ring-clad fingers. I felt constricted in the current ensemble she coerced me into. I thought I knew deprivation, but at this moment my body felt completely drained. Shopping for hours with Jessica Stanley was not what I considered relaxation. At least, that's what Jessica called it when she invited me to a drive up to Port Angeles yesterday.

"I look ridiculous," I said facing myself in the long, vertical mirror. "I look like I've been tangled up in seaweed."

"Hm," Jessica said as she placed her finger to her chin, "Something's not right here." She played around with the ivy tulle wrapped around… well, everywhere.

Today had generally been unsuccessful in terms of progressing in our To-Do-List for the party. It was only a week or so away. We both chipped in for some atmospheric hanging lights and a couple of candles. I did, however, buy some new apparel in the several boutiques we passed on the way to Halloween Mayhem, the store that exchanges its name to coincide with the current holidays and celebrations. Renee had sent me a check urging me go and remake my scanty closet. Along with that, I had gotten my hair trimmed for a more put-together appearance. She always figured a new look could make a new person. I was doubtful, but I felt like I was doing a service to her after these past months.

"I'll be right back," Jessica said and disappeared into a door piled left and right with hangers of costumes. I decided to look around with the little moving room my current ensemble gave me. I had been dreading the party ever since its inception, but the idea of it was slowly growing on me. As much as I enjoyed solitude and peace, sociability and normal-teenage behavior was tolerable for Charlie and Renee's sake.

I combed through rows and rows of masks. The place was unorganized and more like a store where luck had everything to do with finding anything worth buying. I had made my way to a darkly lit section when the glisten of something crystalline caught my eye.

Rifling through the murk of tons of plastic monster faces, I reached down to the source of what had caught my eye. I picked out a beautiful satin, pearl-white masquerade mask: two almond-shaped holes cut open for the eyes with an intricate gold pattern lining the outside. All around the masks border were the softest white feathers matted with sparkling, white glitter. I held it over my eyes as I glanced into a mirror, and I picked up my hair with my other hand. The mask immediately transformed me. Against my skin, the pearly color accentuated my milky, pale complexion making it look pretty rather than unhealthy. My thin, straight nose looked elegant molding well with the shape of the mask. My eyes, especially, were what drew my attention. My chocolate brown eyes were dull, lifeless on any other day, but they now looked bright, radiant between the gilded almond frames. I heard a sound behind me.

"Oh my gosh"

Jessica appeared next to me in the mirror.

"That's gorgeous!"

"Isn't it?" I said with all truth.

"Thank god!" Jessica exclaimed.

"For what?" I asked, confused.

"We know now"

"Huh?"

"Why didn't I think of it sooner? Bella, we're going to have a masquerade party"

I purchased the mask that day; Jessica was fumed we had wasted a whole day in Port Angeles with this Halloween stuff. Tonight she would work on redoing the invites and reworking her whole vision for the party. I sat in my room later that night staring at myself with the mask on. I felt beautiful and that maybe anything could change.