When I woke up the next morning I felt a lot better. I didn't feel like the whole world was pressing down on me and closing in.

Of course, it might have been helped by the box of chocolates that Aaron left by the bedside and a couple of Tylenol

I also woke up with a new determination.

The book said that I was bound to go through much heartache. I assumed that meant I would lose many people I cared about.

I planned on greatly reducing that number. A human heart can only break so many times before it won't mend back together.

I looked in the mirror after I had brushed my hair and gotten dressed. I wasn't overweight but I could definitely be more fit. I should probably grow my hair out slightly so I could pin it back effectively and quickly when a fight came up. Also needed to work on my muscle tone. Air power wasn't everything.

I went down stairs to eat breakfast and told Aaron of my plan.

Of course Aaron took my get fit plan and misunderstood. "You're not fat, Bella."

I sighed. "Aaron, being fit and being fat are two completely different things. You can be skinny without being fit. Believe me, I see it all the time. No, I wanna be more fit. You know, be able to run longer and fight longer and stuff like that. Eat healthier. Not necessarily to lose weight, just be healthier. Be stronger."

"Does this have a purpose as to why?"

I shot him a look. "Why do you think, knucklehead?"

"Bella, you don't need to worry about that so soon."

"How do you know? Aaron in less than three years I've already had run-ins with 4 vampires. Three of which had covens. I already lost Maddie to one of these covens. I'm not gonna lose anymore than I can help. I have to be ready. I don't think bells will always go off in my head when danger is around. I know it sounds weird, but I think that's to help me prepare and learn to recognize danger in the air. Some day, those bells are going to go away and I need to be able to recognize them and when I don't I need to be able to react on moments notice. We need to do this, Aaron. I need to do this. My heart can only break so many times."

Leslie walked in. "She's right, Aaron. As much as we all hate the idea of little Bella going out and having big fights with our kind, she's already proved that they are going to come whether she goes looking or not. She needs to be ready. And yes, Bella you are little."

I smiled. "I wasn't gonna argue that fact."

They both looked at me. "You weren't?"

"Lez, I still feel as if my childhood is being stolen. Not was, is. So yeah, I'm still a little kid. I mean, I'm not even in middle school yet."

"Smart for a little kid."

"Don't forget it."

So we practiced. I'd started going over to his house straightaway instead of doing homework first. It was easier to do homework after training with Aaron and his siblins instead of doing it before.

Our main focus was fire control.

I had nearly mastered air and was fairley good at both earth and water but fire was another story entirely.

I wasn't out of control and I didn't burn the house down when I got freaked out, but I couldn't completely control it at will either.

Half the time I could, the other half I couldn't.

I could light matches easily now and extinguish them just as well, but anything bigger than that was a mess.

We had set up these dummies in the empty field that we always practice in.

Their job was to make sure any fire I made didn't spread; my job was to set the dummies on fire one at a time.

They never stood close to the dummies after I had nearly set Jason on fire. It had been funny-after we had assured that he was okay and not going to burn into ash.

Of course then there was the time I had almost turned him to ash on….well, something between on purpose and on accident.

He had made me mad and the fire had exploded through my veins so he was running around the field with this trail of fire following him. I hadn't meant to, he was Aaron's brother after all, it just kinda happened.

We had learned after that that if it came down to it, just think of something that upset me and I could control it.

Of course, after we figured that out, we tried to not get me mad or upset.

It was a great last resort, but we wanted me to be able to control it without being angry.

It was coming slowly but surely.

We were also doing hand-to-hand training.

Leslie had pointed out while weapons were good, most vampire didn't carry them around. They opted for using hand-to-hand combat and using their hands to cause the damage.

I had shuttered at the image it had made in my head which Alexis promptly hit her on the arm for.

I think they were all in a silent competition for best non-related sibling.

It was kinda funny to watch cause they'd go out of their way to do something for me that would put them above the others. I would just laugh at them silently.

When they did this, Aaron would always catch my eye and wink.

I pulled him aside one day to ask him why he wasn't competing. He played dumb.

"Competing in what, Bella?"

I rolled my eyes. "In the competition of best non related sibling or whatever."

He laughed. "Because they said I couldn't. They said it was obvious that I had already earned and would always keep the title of best because I've already been with you for 2-years and they can't top that. So the competition is just in between them."

He dropped his voice down to a whisper. "so, who's winning?"

I laughed and slapped his arm. "not telling!"

Truth was, I really didn't know.

So we had that on top of training.

We were doing multiple attackers because if we were being realistic, vampires would never fight fair. I'd already seen that enough.

So they took turns attacking me, only Leslie and Aaron were comfortable enough not to hold back though. The others were still hesitant.

Aaron and Leslie would throw me into trees while the others cried out in alarm.

But I liked it like that. I needed to fight a vampire that was ready to kill me.

I was learning to fight better; a lot better. I didn't need as much recovery time when I took a hit. I was learning to work past the pain.

After a while, Jason got comfortable enough to be tough with me too.

I still had a bit of a surprise up my sleeve though.

It was just me and Jason fighting while the others were watching and talking.

He got a lucky grab and threw me into a tree following to make the 'kill.'

But I was faster, I rolled onto my feet into a defesive stance and snarled at him.

He froze in his tracks and his eyes went wide in shock.

I used it to my advantace, springing towards him and then flipping over his head.

While I was I mid flip above his head I reached down and grabed HIS head and pulled him with me slamming him down on the ground.

He went to move, but my foot pushed him down and I put my hands in place for the 'kill.'

"And your dead." I said simply.

I moved back but he didn't get up.

He simply rolled over and looked at me.

"How…did you do that?"

My face scrunched. "Which part?"

"you…snarled. A true vampire snarl, not a human approximation one. How?"

Aaron came up behind me. "Yes, bella. How? And how long have you been able to do that? I mean real-CRAP!"

See, while Aaron was talking, he had forgotten he had a firestick in his hand. Well, it had just slipped and was sailing quite quickly to a group of trees. We'd never make it in time and we wouldn't be able to stop the fire.

I took off into a run anyways. I had to stop. I had to get there, I had to be there, I had to-

And then suddenly, I was there.

I had been clear across the field, but suddenly I was in the exact place so that I could grab the stick.

I grabbed in and landed on slightly shacky legs.

They all ran over to me as I blew the fire out, just in case.

"How did you do that?" Alexis asked as everone stared.

"What is it exactly that I did?"

Aaron frowned. "Are you in one of those moods or-"

"No. I really don't know what I did."

"Well," Jess began. "It's kinda of weird. We watched you take of running and we started to follow. And then Well…how do you explain it?"

Aaron took over. "Do you remember when the elemetals came and you went invisible?"

I nodded.

"Well, it's kind of like that. Except this happened slowly and you didn't want to disappear. I think you dissolved-for lack of better term-through the air. It was like watching sugar dissolve actually. Just a lot faster. You were running across the field, and then parts of your body we just couldn't see. And almost simultaneously you reappear by the firestick. It was wacky."

"I just knew I had to get there. I think I remember wanting to be there. That must have been what did it."

Aaron nodded. "Must have. Now, how did you snarl? And how long have you been able to do that?"

"Ugh, I don't really know how I do it. It's almost natural. Like something I had forgotten how to do. I just do it. As for how long…ugh….do you remember when the male vmapire captured me?"

He nodded. "Well, that was the first time I had snarled."

He shook his head. "You're something else, you know that?"

"Don't forget it."

It was the end of May we were nearing the end of the school year when some official public school guy came to talk to my mom. I wasn't there when he came over but I soon found out what it was about.

"Bella," my mom said as I walked in the door. "Why don't you come sit down?"

I walked slowly over while frantically scanning my head for anything I had done wrong.

Phil noticed my expression and took pity on me.

"It's nothing bad. We think it's great actually."

I nodded and turned my attention to my mom.

"Bella, a school official came by the house today while you were over at Aaron's house meeting his family and such. I'll skip the boring educational stuff and skip straight to the point. Bella, the public school wants you to skip a grade.

Now, I know you said no in the past but think about it Bella. Most people are barley asked once to skip a grade, much less twice and in the same town. I think it would be really great for you."

I opened my mouth to respond with the automatic 'no' as I had in years past but something stopped me.

It wasn't any warning bells, it was just instincts.

I smiled. "Sure, mom. I'd love too."

So I did.

Apparently, there had been four of us chosen to skip a grade. Two that were my age and two that were older. I was sure it was going to be awkward next year and that I wouldn't know the other person who was skipping into 6th grade with me.

So imagine my surprise when my mom and I got to the meeting and spotted Mrs. Webber and Angela.

"Angela!"

She turned surprised and her face lit up when she spotted me and immediately ran over.

"I can't believe you're here!"

"I know! Me either! I'm glad you're here though."

"Haha! Me too!"

We compared schedules and ended up having quite a few classes together.

Life was great.

My class cheered in excitement.

We had won!

We had been doing a huge fundraiser over the entire school and the class who raised the most money got to go on a week overseas fieldtrip in July.

And we had won!

We were super excited.

Who knew they would let a fourth grade class go overseas?

I mean, obviously there would be A LOT of parents, but still.

It didn't matter. We were excited. And We were 10 anyways.

We all quickly quieted down when the teacher came into the classroom the next Monday. Today was the day that we got to find out where we were going for the fieldtrip.

Mrs. Monica laughed. "Well, now why can't you do that all the time? I suppose you want to know where we are going right?"

"YEAH!"

She laughed again. "Now, I sent the permission slips in the mail and through email so you don't accidently lose them or something. Have your parents sign them and bring them back as soon as you can. Now here's where we're going…."

As she moved the board to show us where we were going, the smile dropped from my face and I think my heart stopped for a moment.

Crap.

My mom, unfortunately, quickly signed the permission slip gushing about how we had to go shopping before I left and how much fun I would have.

I smiled as convincingly as I could as I told her I was going over to Aaron's.

His siblings had left about a week earlier.

Now I wish they'd stayed.

I walked into Aaron's house and immediately went into the living room.

Yes, I was comfortable just entering now, but that's not the problem.

He stood up immediately when he saw my expression. "What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath. "Aaron, my class is going on an overseas fieldtrip."

He shrugged. "That's cool. What's got you upset?"

"It's in Veneto, Italy."

He cocked is head at me. "So?"

"Veneto. It's…. um, you might wanna sit down."

He did. "It's what Bella?"

"It's right next to Volterra."

Please review!

So since nobody reviewed and told me what they wanted i've decided to keep up a weekly schedule of posting one chapter every thursday.

Thanks to motherduckatschool, pixie-like vampire, and xoxrockin101xox for reviewing!