Chapter 4- Surprise
Disclaimer: I plan to forcefully take ownership of Twilight, eat some eggplant… And to sprout wings and fly. Just about everyone knows that Stephenie Meyer owns and always will own the Twilight saga
A/N: I'd like to thank lolafalana, my beta reader.
Approximately a week had passed before my visions gave me any more information concerning where Edward was and when or if he was returning. I was just writing my Biology report, trying to beat my past record of two seconds. I actually only had tried to write my Biology report in lightning speed, so I thought that I would have beaten my score. However, as I was just beginning the last paragraph, the edges of my eyesight blurred, and I was thrust into a vision. I groaned internally, wondering what it was now. I couldn't beat my record now.
To my utter astonishment, I saw Edward racing through the snow, and returning to Forks. His mood seemed a little lighter, based on what I could catch from his expression. I wondered what I had missed. Was it something he found out? Or was it something that Tanya said to him?
As my eyesight cleared, I blinked very deliberately and focused on my report, of which the top half was ripped beyond recognition - I hadn't realized that my elbow was on my report when I had my vision. It didn't matter.
Edward was back! Or he would be, anyway.
I focused on rewriting my paper, trying to beat my record this time. Then my eyesight blurred. Great.
This time the vision was a simple one. Jasper would enter the room in a few seconds; he sensed my excitement. He'd probably sensed enough boredom from me that he felt the difference instantaneously.
As predicted, the door swung open and Jasper flew into the room. "What happened, Alice?"
"It's nothing!" I said, a little too quickly.
Jasper raised one of his eyebrows. That was my favorite expression. It looked so cute on him. As soon as I thought that, Jasper raised the other eyebrow up. Whoops. Jasper must have felt that too.
I was a little embarrassed, but I tried not to let it show. Jasper chuckled. He knew that as well. There was no escaping that fact.
I sighed. "Fine, it's something. You'll find out soon," I sang as I skipped out the door. I knew Jasper was going to stop me, so I didn't run very fast. Sure enough, he appeared in front of me.
"Edward's coming back," I said happily.
At hearing this, Jasper's lips curled up into a grin. "I'm telling the family."
I resumed skipping out the door, my Biology report forgotten for the moment. I'd have to prepare for Edward's homecoming by memorizing a monologue in a foreign language.
Who knows? I had a feeling that I would have to hide something from him again.
About two minutes before Edward arrived, I found out exactly where and when he was coming. I didn't rush out to meet him, like I imagined I would, because I sensed that there was something different about him. I could tell by the look on his face. He had hunted a lot, and his eyes were pure golden. I wondered if he overdid it. He obviously was trying to overcome the obstacle of poor Bella's blood, but perhaps he didn't have to go to such extremes. However, he was in serious pain, so maybe this was necessary.
I grimaced. As much as my mind wanted to throw a homecoming party, my heart told me not to.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't see the vision coming, so it took me by surprise when I opened my eyes to a different scene. Edward was nearing.
"Carlisle, Esme! He's coming soon." I yelled. I'd bet Edward could hear that.
When Edward arrived, Esme hugged himwith great intensity. We continuously told him that we missed him around so much that he probably was extremely irritated by now. I stole a quick glance at Edward and I saw him give me a quick nod before replying to Carlisle's questions.
Without another word, we piled into the car as Edward drove us to school.
"It's going to be okay," I said, trying to hold back a giggle as we walked in the cafeteria for lunch. Emmett looked like a double agent in the middle of hostile territory.
"Of course it is," Edward grumbled. He was as cranky as the old man he should be by now.
Emmett and Jasper weren't much above taking advantage of Edward's distraction by bombarding him with snowballs, and when they received a lack of response, they turned on each other. It was times like these where I wanted to double over with laughter.
Then I turned back to the situation at hand. "She's not here yet, but the way she's going to come in… She won't be downwind if we sit in our regular spot."
"Of course we'll sit in our regular spot. Stop it, Alice. You're getting on my nerves," Edward snapped at me.
I was launched into another vision and when I returned to reality, Jasper was helping me into my seat. I blinked once, surprised, and said "Hmm, I think you're right."
"Of course I am," he muttered. Stupid Edward! Couldn't he see I was just trying to help him?
Jasper and Edward were having a mind conversation. Edward turned in Bella's direction. And then Edward's eyes went slightly unfocused. His eyes grew in concentration, like he was trying to read her mind. His teeth gritted together and the intensity of his stare increased. The thoughts around her must have been absent of what he wanted. Edward had only recently informed us of her mental silence. Still, it didn't stop him from trying to probe her mind.
"Anything new?" Jasper asked.
"Nothing. She… must not have said anything." Edward said reluctantly.
All of us raised an eyebrow at that.
"Maybe you're not as scary as you think you are," Emmett chuckled. "I bet I could have frightened her better than that."
Edward and I rolled our eyes at him.
Anything else they said was lost in my ears as I had another vision.
"She's coming in. Try and look human," I said, getting another vision. Emmett was going to throw a lumpy block of ice at me. This would be the perfect opportunity to show this Bella just how human we all are.
When he hurled it at me, I flicked it away with a casual flutter of my fingers. It was like caressing feathers for all the pain it caused me. The ice flew across the length of the cafeteria, shattering when it crashed headlong into the brick wall. The brick cracked, too. No one even suspected me.
"Very human, Emmett," Rosalie said. "Why don't you punch through the wall while you're at it?"
"It would be much more impressive if you did it, baby."
I groaned in my mind, blocking out further conversation, if there was any. I wasn't going to take any chances. I turned my head slightly to face Edward. Emmett was laughing at the now pained smile on Edward's face.
I had another vision and I elbowed him. She's going to look soon, act human.
Tuning out the banter, I tossed a smaller handful of ice I'd been hiding into Emmett's unsuspecting face. In the corner of my eye I saw my plan working out perfectly. We must seem as normal as a Norman Rockwell painting.
Emmett blinked in surprise. "You asked for it," he grinned.
He shook his ice-encrusted hair at me, but some landed on Rosalie. We recoiled from the deluge.
I laughed, and then showed Edward how I'd orchestrated this moment so that Bella would be watching us laugh and play like actual humans.
I stared at Edward. He smiled at me, and then looked in Bella's direction for a long time. He was listening to Bella and Jessica's conversation while staring at them.
When everyone left the cafeteria, we made no move. We were waiting to see what Edward would do, and he knew it. He knew almost everything. Our minds were as open to him as if he were reading an open book.
Looking towards the future, I tried to focus on what he would do. "I… think it's okay. Your mind is set. I think you'll make it through the hour."
"Why push it, Edward?" Jasper asked. "Go home, take it slow." Though I wasn't charismatic, it was obvious what Jasper was feeling: relief. Relief because our minds were now focused on Edwards lack of self control, and not his.
"What's the big deal? Either he will or won't kill her. Might as well get it over with, either way," Emmett said. Emmett will be Emmett.
"I don't want to move yet," Rosalie whined. "We're almost out of high school, Emmett. Finally."
I could see the gears in Edward's brain churning. Then, my following vision surprised me. "No, Rose, I really think it will be okay," I informed. "I'm ninety-three percent sure that nothing bad will happen if he goes to class." I looked at Edward inquisitively, wondering what made my vision so secure.
"Go to class," Edward said, pushing away from the table. He turned and walked away, without looking back once. I was really worried about that boy. Or old man, as he would say.
When my class was near the end, a vision crept into my mind. It was Edward, his lips red with Bella's blood, surrounded by the classmates and teacher of his that he had murdered. I saw Bella, too, limp and stark white. Her body was completely drained of blood. I couldn't stand it anymore. I stood up and walked briskly out of the classroom. I walked across the grounds and towards the science building.
I made sure that I was out of sight before I began to run. As I ran, it turned out that Bella would be okay. Edward had managed an hour, but barely. I sighed, and my shoulders slumped in relief.
I waited for the bell to ring, and continued to my next class.
A/N: Seriously people, can you pleeeeeeeeeeeease review? Can we please get to fourteen reviews (my lucky number)? Please, please, please! I didn't get much reviews for the past three chapters, so forgive me if this chapter is a little bleak. I just didn't have the motivation. You all know how reviews make you feel, right? Could you please do me a favor and review this and/or spread word about this story around? If you do, tell me, and I'll do the same for you. Thanks!