Chapter 8- Secret
A/N: Sorry about not posting for such a long period of time… Would you guys believe that it's been crazy for me lately? Anyway, I know I hate reading Author's Notes, so I won't write too much. THANKS lolafalana, for putting up with my first draft!
After school, we all returned home, except for the predictable, disappearing Edward. He was off to spy on Bella. I would have told Jasper, but by the look on his face, he probably knew already.
We were going to wait for him, but it would be rude to make Peter and Charlotte wait. Emmett was so downcast. He had planned for Edward to be on his team. I wanted him to be in a pleasant mood, so I told him that it was a possibility, and he immediately brightened up. He scrawled a few words on a slip of paper and stuck it on the newel post. It was exactly as he did that did I have a vision. That vision, ironically, told me that Edward wasn't going to come.
I sighed. I didn't feel like going anymore, so I stayed behind. Jasper insisted on staying with me, but he had to be polite to the guests, as Esme said, and so Rosalie stayed with me. We worked on the fashion design project, and we had a lot of fun. We did go outside to go shopping. After I had another vision, I concluded that Edward would be better off in an empty house, or rather, a house without Rosalie.
When they came back the next day, we were a little disappointed. Emmett wanted Rosalie to go upstairs to do "something" and Rosalie wanted to continue. In the end, Rosalie gave in and accompanied him upstairs.
Later, Edward returned, coming for his car. Emmett and Rosalie came down at once. They weren't too happy.
Emmett was grumbling under his breath and Rosalie was clenching her teeth. Esme looked worried.
Through my next vision, I found out that he would be going to Port Angeles tonight. Have fun in Port Angeles. Let me know when I'm allowed to talk to Bella. I knew it would be soon, otherwise I wouldn't say I would wait.
Edward sat down at the piano, and all of us started to talk. I was the only one who was paying attention to what he was playing. It was loud and forceful, and it startled Peter and Charlotte. I sent him warnings, but he was too absorbed in his own thoughts to hear me.
As Peter and Charlotte were about to leave, Edward stood up, nodded, and said, "Charlotte, Peter."
"It was nice to see you again, Edward," Charlotte said doubtfully. Peter only nodded in return.
They're going straight east, to Seattle. Nowhere near Port Angeles, I informed him. I showed him the proof in my visions.
He appeared to not have heard me, but I was sure he did.
Stupid Edward…he must have known I just wanted to help! All he did was evade everyone in sight.
When he left for Port Angeles, I had a vision. It was hazy and it scared me. Bella was surrounded by five…shadows.
Suddenly, the figures began to clear. They were men. It reminded me of something. As I thought about it, something cleared the cobwebs in my head. I heard Emmett say something to Rosalie.
That was it! Rosalie and her human life—that was going to happen all over again with Bella if I didn't do something about it…and quickly!
I gasped out loud and, ignoring Jasper's questions, I opened up my cell phone and started to dial Edward's number furiously. It was ringing…he just wouldn't pick up the phone.
I flopped down on the sofa, and put my head in my hands. I couldn't do anything now…it was going to happen too soon, and I couldn't get to Port Angeles fast enough. Where in the world was Edward? Wasn't he sort of like Bella's protector?
I had another vision then. I saw Edward's car and Bella jumping in. I exhaled in relief. Jasper was still worried. "What did you see, Alice?"
"Bella was in danger."
"What do you mean by was? Isn't she still in danger?" Emmett had overheard us talking.
"I mean, Edward was there to save her." I grinned.
Rosalie chose that moment to practically shout a series of particular words I had never dared to say in the presence of anyone. If Esme or Carlisle were here, they would have scolded her. It was lucky that they weren't.
I had pretty much figured out myself why Rosalie hated it when anyone mentioned Edward and Bella in a sentence. She was jealous. Rosalie didn't love Edward, but she was used to being loved by everyone. She was probably mortified by the fact that Edward preferred a human girl over her. Also, the thing Rosalie wanted the most was to be human. Rosalie was easily offended.
Shaking off those thoughts, I focused on when Edward would return. Since he was taking Bella out to dinner, he wouldn't be back that soon.
"Alice?" Someone was shaking my shoulder. Jasper, of course—his scent flooded through me.
I had another vision. "Yes, Jasper, I'll play chess with you," I sighed wearily and accepted the invitation that hadn't even come out of his mouth yet. He looked at me worriedly, but I just shook my head and sat down at one end of the chess board. We played in silence, waiting.
After I had the vision ascertaining that Edward was returning, I sat on the porch and waited for him. What was originally about five minutes became six, then ten, then fourteen. He must not really want to come back. My sight kept clouding up and rearranging different scenes.
He came in about fifteen minutes. Instead of going around and parking in the garage, he pulled to a stop in front of the house. As he opened the door, I had a vision about what he was about to ask.
"Carlisle's in his study," I told Edward automatically, before the question had even formed on his lips.
"Thank you," Edward said, tousling my hair as he passed.
Thank you for returning my call, I thought sarcastically.
"Oh." Edward paused at the front steps, pulled out his phone and flipped it open. He checked his missed calls. "Sorry. I didn't even check to see who it was. I was…busy."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too. By the time I saw what was going to happen, you were on your way."
"It was close," he murmured.
Sorry, I repeated, ashamed of myself.
He hesitated. "Don't be. I know you can't catch everything. No one expects you to be omniscient, Alice," he said with finality. I bet that if he were too late, then he wouldn't have forgiven me so easily. I hid that fact from him, but he was too caught up in his thoughts to try and find out.
"Thanks," I muttered.
"I almost asked you out to dinner tonight—did you catch that before I changed my mind?" Edward teased jokingly.
I grinned. "No, I missed that one too. Wish I'd known. I would have come."
"What were you concentrating on, that you missed so much?"
I replied him in my mind.
"You're shameless," Edward chuckled.
"Yep," I agreed, though reluctantly.
I remembered what I had planned to ask him. During that game of chess with Jasper, I had had another peek of the future.
I stared up at him and pursed my lips. I knew there was a hint of accusation in my eyes. I paid better attention later. Are you going to tell them that she knows?
He sighed, suddenly morose. "Yes. Later," he said.
I won't say anything. Do me a favor and tell Rosalie when I'm not around, okay? I didn't want the purity of my vocabulary to disappear with a few of her well-chosen words. I laughed, silently.
Edward flinched. "Sure…" In his mind, he definitely was refusing.
Bella took it pretty well.
"Too well," he said reluctantly.
I grinned. He really lost his edge. Don't underestimate Bella.
The image of the friendship I would have with Bella floated up to the surface of my mind once again.
He groaned impatiently. "Alice…" I saw, with my special power, what he was about to ask already.
She'll be fine tonight. I'm keeping a better watch now. She sort of needs twenty-four hour supervision, doesn't she?
"At least," Edward said wryly. If this problem we had on our hands wasn't so serious, I would have been laughing out tears (of course I couldn't, realistically) ages ago. And Edward would have clawed my eyes out.
"Anyway, you'll be with her soon." I smiled.
He took a deep breath.
"Go on—get this done with so you can be where you want to be," I told him. He had to tell Carlisle what happened (Edward didn't know that I already told him) and what to do with the rapist that he hated with a burning passion.
Edward nodded, and hurried up to Carlisle's room.
I stared once more at the cold, black night and glided upstairs to my own room, where I knew Jasper was waiting for me.