A/N: I know, I'm a horrible author. I wanted to start writing but I look at my old chapters that I wrote nearly 2 years ago and I just am unmotivated. BUT I made a goal. I want to finish this FF before September. And I swear I will do it. Here's a VERY long over due chapter. I'm working on the next one. PLEASE leave reviews. I feel so bless to have 48 people "following" this story and at least another 18 "favorite" this. It means so much that you've all stuck with me. Enjoy the chapter.
Minor Inconvenience
Chapter Five
"Ugh, stop it," I mumbled. What felt like a spotlight was shining down on my eyes; in an attempted to avoid the pesky ray, I began turning.
The next thing I knew, I was on the floor.
"Hmpf," groaning, I faced the ceiling. "Damn you Jasper."
I pressed my ear to the floor. I was rewarded with soft murmurings, but who was speaking and the nature of what they were talking about simply eluded me.
Rising onto my elbows, I took in the room. It was simple and seemed as though no one has lived in for many years. Looking at the nightstand, the digital clock was blinking the time at me: 5:24pm. My stomach growled in response. Tilting my head to look out the window, I noted the vast expanse of forest. So much for neighbors, I thought, as I slumped back down. I heard the door creak open.
"Oh, dear! Are you alright Isabella? Here, let me help you," I heard Esme set down the tray and make her way towards me. Trying my best not to flinch or crawl under the bed, I let her help me sit on the bed. Her hands were icy, immediately waking me from the depts. of dreamland.
"Oh, God," I murmured, closing my eyes. Opening them five seconds later, I elevated my heat and gazed into Esme's sorrowful eyes. "It wasn't a dream."
"I'm afraid so, hon. Please, eat. There will be a meeting downstairs once you're done."
Refusing to eat anything they prepared for me, I rose to my feet. "Actually, I'm not hungry. If you don't mind, I'd like to get downstairs, now."
Flashing me a half-smile, Esme replied, "Of course. But you must be sure to eat later! I'm cooking spaghetti for lunch." Concomitantly, I shrugged my shoulders. "Come now, Isabella."
As she reached for my hand, I moved it out of her range and a slight frown graced her face.
"Perhaps later," she spoke in a whisper, "If you would follow me."
Being led by Esme, I was able to take in the vastness of the house. It was easily twice the size of Charlie's entire house and consisted of numerous hallways with countless doors. More places for me to hide in, I thought. And even more opportunities for me to find some way to escape—who knows what these rooms might hold that could help me get out of here. Retaining as much of the layout of the house as possible, I hurried after Esme, who seemed to not be the slightest bit winded.
Once again, I found myself in the living room, or at least, what appeared to be one. The T.V. that was there yesterday miraculously disappeared.
"Please, sit, Isabella. No need to be a stranger," motioned Esme as she sat down and patted the seat next to her.
"I'm fine standing," I said and continued before she was able to interrupt, "How long until I get my answers?"
"Once the others come," she answered, "which should be in a minute or two, but until then, I encourage you to relax."
Taking one last glance at the room, I considered where I would feel the safest and ultimately opted for the comfy-looking chair in front of French doors leading to a patio area. The seat lived up to my expectations and I let out an immediate sigh.
"There, you see. Better already," knowingly smiled Esme.
Nervously, I began to writhe my hands, anxiously waiting. Above my breathing, I heard shuffling above us, followed by footsteps. They seemed to be coming from the stairs. The others were coming. I would finally get some answers. With this prospect, I sat straighter and my head snapped up.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Isabella, but I had to tie up a few loose ends," greeted Dr. Cullen.
Clearing my throat, I persisted, "We need to talk. I want answers."
"Yes, of course. I cannot really blame you, but I was hoping to postpone this a bit longer," he smoothly agreed. While doing so, the room seemed to meet its maximum capacity as his children came in, silently, I might add.
"Let me make this clear to you, Miss Swan. As far as the general public knows, you died in the explosion alongside your fellow classmates."
I paled. "An explosion! You're kidding?" I exclaimed, "It was a massacre!"
"I'm afraid I'm not. I signed the death certificate myself," elaborated Carlisle, "A funeral is set for this Friday."
"What!" I shouted, "That's not possible! I'm breathing—I'm alive."
"Obviously," snorted Rosalie, who was gently nudged by Emmett.
"At the moment, we are trying to maintain a neutral and … inconspicuous, if not unsuspicious, appearance to the public to avoid unwanted attention, as well as an investigation," continued Carlisle.
"What do you intend to do … with me," I gulped, raising my eyes to meet his golden ones.
"Nothing. You will remain with us for the time being until some sort of arrangement or compromise can be met."
"That's it?" I questioned, making both hands into fists and creating crescent indents into my palms. "You expect me to live with you, as if nothing has happened? Like an extended stay in a hotel with seven strangers?"
"I am sorry Miss Swan, but this is the best solution-"
"Who the fuck are you people? Not, better yet: what the fuck are you people? I saw an entire room of people killed in less than a minute at lightning speed. I want answers," I demanded.
"I'll tell her Carlisle."
Turning my head, I noted Gollum himself—Edward Cullen—only he was better dressed than the Lord of the Rings mutant…who am I kidding, he's gorgeous. A killer—definitely—but none-the-less a handsome man…or whatever he was.
"Oh! Go ahead, try. I dare you," I mocked him, "Let's see if we can have a discussion without you going on a psycho rampage."
For a second, he seemed to go off into a memory, but it quickly returned into a hardened stare, until it softened slightly as he glanced at me.
"I apologize Isabella. I fully accept responsibility for my actions and I can only hope that one day you will understand … and hopefully, forgive me one day."
"Don't count on it."
Ignoring my interruption, Edward continued, "I'm a vampire, Isabella"
I froze. Did he say vampire? "You're a what?"
"A vampire. You know," he mimed having fangs.
Suddenly, I began laughing. Comic relief, if you would, to relieve the stress of taking this news in. Vampires? Seriously? Damn, Cullen must be taking some serious shit if he thought he was a vampire.
"It's not funny," pressed Edward.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I glanced at him, "Of course it is! It's so absurd. Now, seriously. Tell me what you people are. Some secret U.S. government experiment that went wrong and was released into the general population? Or better yet, do you have a weakness to kryptonite? Hmm. Maybe I should check for spider bites."
Before I could continue spouting random thought tangents to him, he—Edward fucking Cullen—grabbed my shoulders firmly.
Releasing a small squeak, I met his eyes, burning with sincerity.
"I am a vampire, Isabella," he reaffirmed his statement once more, "We are vampires—a coven."
"Oh my God," I repeated, "OH my God!"
"Let go of me," I pushed my palms against his chest. He's a mythological creature, Bella, a monster. All of them, the entire 'coven.' They don't exist. They can't exist. It's not possible, not probable.
I murmured continuously under my breath, thinking they couldn't hear me – I was wrong.
"Please, stop! This isn't funny! Stop it!" I continued, but Edward was immoveable.
"C'mon, Isabella. It explains everything," offered Emmett.
"The speed."
"No, no, no." I repeated, still trying to get out of his grip, but with little success.
"The strength."
"NO!" Finally, he released me. I moved towards the front door.
Noticing Edward step towards me, I grabbed the closest object to me – a sky blue vase – and hurled it at him. But, he caught it! The bastard caught it! On the verge of hyperventilating, a blur of movement caught my eyes. Oh shit! Only, it wasn't Edward.
Jasper now had his arms securely wrapped around my torso, effectively trapping my arms and pinning me to his body.
"Isabella, think about it. You know we aren't lying. The sooner you accept this reality, the easier life will be and the sooner you can start living," he whispered in my ear.
I stared into Edward's liquid gold eyes, hoping it was just some sick job he was playing—trying to make the hostage crazy so they could dump in some mental hospital—but, he looked 100% committed in what he had said. I looked at Dr. Cullen, praying for him to disagree, but he just nodded his head, as if to confirm Edward's confession. Returning to Edward's eyes, I closed my own.
Softly swearing, I said, "Okay," and Jasper stepped away from me, leaning on a nearby wall. "What does that mean? Will you suck me dry in here or on the hardwood floors so I don't stain your carpets?"
It wasn't Edward or Dr. Cullen that answered, it was Alice.
"Oh Bella! Don't be silly. We don't drink human blood! Don't get me wrong, you smell really good, but we've 'kicked the habit,'" she explained.
Blushing at her reference to my scent, "Um, thanks? But, I'm confused. So, what do you eat?"
"Drink would be more like it," offered Carlisle, "We are 'vegetarians;' we rely solely on animal blood for sustenance."
My mouth formed an 'O' as I processed all this new information.
"So, if you don't want to drink my blood, what do you intend to do with me?"
Shifting, Edward answered, "We will be leaving Forks once the semester is over. Carlisle will be taking another job at a hospital and we will be moving."
"When you say we, who exactly do you mean," my eyes narrowed.
"Myself, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle, Esme, and you, will be leaving," answered Edward.
"H-hold up there. Me? You expect me to leave Forks—my father, my mother, my entire life by letting you take me to God knows where?"
Slumping his shoulders, Edward looked to Carlisle and nodded at him.
Approaching me, Carlisle gently put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry Isabella. We mean you no harm. Like Jasper mentioned yesterday and my earlier comments, this is the best possible solution for all parties."
Numbly, I clear my throat and say, "It's a lot to process. Please, I need to go think."
"Of course. Alice–"
"Let's go Isabella," smiled Alice, as she linked arms with me and took me back to the attic bedroom.
We didn't talk on the way to the room. They may want me to think of it as my room, but it'll never be mine. My room is at Charlie's or even Renée's house.
Sitting on the bed, I watch Alice leave the room. Glancing out the window, I hear a hollow ping emitted from the doorknob. I'm locked in. Pulling my knees to my chest, rest on my side. Once again, I find myself on the verge of tears. Pressing my face into the bed's sole pillow, I released a sob. God give me strength. I hope I can get out of here. No. I will get out of here. I will escape.
-3rd Person-
Once the brunette teen was upstairs, carefully contained in her temporary bedroom, the Cullen family met once more to discuss their current predicament.
"Well, that could've gone better," huffed Carlisle.
"Now what?" questioned Esme.
"We wait," replied Jasper.
"Wait?" remarked Rosalie, "We just wait?"
"What else do you suggest? She needs to have time to think. All she knows is that she's scared and watched a room full of people die. And now, she's expected to brush it off. C'mon, she's a teenage girl, not an apathetic zombie," stated Jasper.
"Exactly," agreed Carlisle, "We need to be vigilant for changes that might appear in her behavior because of this emotional strain on her."
"What exactly do you mean, Carlisle?" asked Esme.
"I get what he's saying," interjected Rosalie, "It might 'accidently' harm itself."
"She, Rosalie. Let's refer to Isabella as a person," requested Carlisle.
"Of course, we wouldn't want to break any laws against the dignity of being a person – at least, not anymore than what she has already experienced… Right, Edward?" Rosalie sneered.
Not answering her question, the bronze teen continued to stare out the window, wondering what was to come following the confession of their vampirism.