Okay guys! Here's chapter 10! I'm sorry it took so long to post! OMG and thank you to all the amazing people who offered to be my Beta! You guys are amazing but I've already chosen on Edwardjustproposed to be my Beta. And Edwardjustproposed, thank you for doing a great job on this!
Chapter 10: Plans
Liz's POV (hahahahaha!)
I can't believe that stupid Bella-Claire girl! She totally ruined things for Edward and I. Well, I'm glad she left. Good riddance to that stupid human, vampire thing! I feel bad for Edward that he fell in love with such an idiot! I hope Edward gets out of his little depression state soon. She left! We should be celebrating! After all, that brat has done nothing but hurt this family in the past. I thought bitterly as I waited by Bella's door hoping Edward would come out soon. Suddenly I heard a noise and I stood up. Edward burst through the door and ran to another section of the house before I could even say a word. I stood there, hurt. I shrugged, I was used to it. I wandered into that retched girl's room, savoring Edward's lingering scent. I followed it and found that it was the strongest by a letter sitting on her desk.
Dear 'B,'
First off, I'm really sorry about the whole surprise Cullen thing. And although I am quite fearful of the day when you return, I don't regret it. Bella, you needed closure, I couldn't keep letting you live with the feeling of not knowing. As for the Lady Isabella thing well… we were kind of hoping that you wouldn't find out about that. We did it just in the hope that you might like to try living well as royalty. You see your title is quite more than Lady, now Princess, we thought it would get your mind off well, the Cullen's, if you got to run your own country. However now we see that that would have only been a temporary solution to your problems, and what you really needed was go back to them. I know you're going to be very angry when you hear about this, but please keep in mind that we were only thinking of your wellbeing.
We all love you Princess!
Aro
Ew! No wonder that girl was so horrible. She was part of that horrid Volturi. But what's this? Lady Isabella huh? Whatever loser… I thought to myself. I ran off to find Edward. I heard him and Alice discussing something and I silently listened outside the doorway.
"Alice, did you see it?" Edward asked.
"Of course I've seen it! But that isn't the question we should be pondering. The real question is…what are you going to do about it?"
There was a brief silence before Edward said weakly at first before gaining strength, "I-I'm going to go after her. I'm going to get her back."
"That's my big brother, now come on. We have a plane to catch," Alice said and Edward left immediately to go pack. I hid from both of their view before running back to my own room to pack as well. I booked a flight to Volterra, grabbed my bags and left before any of them knew. Edward was going to be mine; I would not let Bella win this time.
EPOV
About three hours after Alice had discovered my plan we were on a flight headed for Italy. It was probably one of the worst flights I've ever had to endure partly because of Alice, who was right beside me and was literally bouncing up and down in her seat the whole way there. But mostly from the anticipation of getting Bella back. I couldn't wait until I could hold her in my arms again. Ah, sweet Bella… I hope she's okay, being with the Volturi. What if-'
'Oh I can't wait to see Bella again!' Alice's thoughts interrupted me. 'I can't believe that Bella is a Lady! She's so lucky! Think of all the shopping and partying she gets to do! I want to be a Lady too now. Oh, I wonder if she got her dress for the ball yet. The one that I saw in my vision was absolutely stunning!'
"What vision Alice," I asked confused.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you didn't I? Oh well I had a vision of this masquerade ball being held by an actual duchess Edward! Anyways, Bella is supposed to be attending as Lady Isabella with Aro and Heidi. I figured it would be the perfect place for you to win her back, don't you think?"
"Oh, yeah Alice that's sounds great. How did you see this though? I thought you couldn't see Bella in your visions?" I asked confused.
"I saw it through a vision of the Volturi," she explained.
I nodded. "Do you know when it is?"
"February 30th. We still have three days to prepare…and shop of course! Oh I can't believe I'm actually going to a real ball! I wonder if Prince Brian will be there… Well of course he is! After all, he's the prince and-,"
"Alice!" I exclaimed, cutting her rambling off. "Let's just sit for a while. It's bad enough I have to listen to your thoughts about the shopping, I don't need to hear it out loud too," I stated bitterly.
"Okay fine," Alice retorted, sinking in her chair.
"Sorry Alice, I guess I'm a little uptight about getting Bella back. I don't even know if she'll take me back after what I did to her…" I doubted, fear seizing me. I've been so busy about thinking of Bella; I never thought that she might not want me anymore. After all she did run away from me. Oh, god she doesn't want me anymore. What am I going to do?
"Edward!" Alice exclaimed, breaking me out of my trance. "Stop worrying, everything's going to be fine."
"But what if it isn't Alice, what if she doesn't want me anymore?"
Suddenly, Alice started giggling. That's right. I'm panicking about the love of my existence not wanting me anymore, and my sister is laughing.
"What is funny about this Alice?" I demanded.
"Edward it's just that-," she said in between giggles. "It's just that, did you see the way she looked at you when she was being Claire? Edward, she's still completely in love with you."
"Really?" I asked amazed. I found that I couldn't help but let the hope fill me.
She smiled and nodded. "Your such a worry wart Edward," she said with a grin plastered on her face.
I gave a quick smile before turning my head to gaze out the window, and let my thoughts of Bella take me somewhere else…
LPOV (Quick summery- I didn't want to write much in Liz's point of view, I feel all icky now, lol)
The first thing I did when I got to Volterra was find the Volturi castle. I was sure that Bella would go back there, crying home to her 'family' about what happened. Pathetic. Anyways, sure enough I saw her in her room, doing absolutely nothing but stare at that ceiling like a retard. I sighed. She obviously was not going anywhere and I couldn't do anything until the morning. So I lied down in the woods, my eyes never leaving her, and staked out the whole night.
The next morning I saw her leaving with others members of that stupid Volturi. I silently followed them. It was incredibly boring, watching them go around from shop to shop. I was looking for dirt against her to use to get Edward to get over her. However my patience was deeply tested. Until that night where she met Brian. The moment he introduced himself I instantly perked up. This could be the thing that destroys her… I followed them into the garden, writing down their conversations and taking secret pictures of them, smiling the whole time. This was perfect, she had moved on. Now all I needed to do was get the one picture that would forever ruin her relationship with Edward and then he would be mine.
The next morning I saw Bella going out to meet Brian and followed. They were both wearing riding britches and it looked like they were going on an actual date. I gave a dark chuckle at this and continued to follow them. My heart soared when I saw that they were going on an outing alone and, as always, I followed them. My heart only continued to soar when I saw that they had stopped for a picnic. Then the most wonderful thing happened. Bella tripped and landed on Brian in a scandalous manner. This was the moment I had been waiting for. I aimed my camera and pressed down on the button that would seal my fate with Edward.
BPOV
The cameras were blinding as I stepped out of the safety of my limo. Luckily, I had my mask on and none of the paparazzi were able to recognize me. I smiled hugely because of this and met Aro and Heidi at the top of the stairs. We smiled, acknowledging each other before heading into the Duchess's small castle. Inside our coats were taken and we had come to another grand staircase leading down to the ballroom. Before I headed down I scanned the room for Brian. I was trying to catch his scent, but there were too many people to distinguish anyone's scent. Shrugging it off, I continued to proceed down the stairs.
APOV
My plan was brilliant!! I was so excited for tonight I could barely contain myself, receiving some very annoyed glares from Edward by the way, but I could care less. I had the most brilliant idea of how to get Bella and Edward back together on the plane ride.
After Bella left, Jasper told me everything that Bella was feeling. He said that she was still so in love with Edward that he could feel it from inside the house, but that that love was equal to the amount of fear she felt. He also felt a variety of other emotions like confusion, shock, desperation and panic but the main emotion was love and fear.
Personally, I had no idea why she was so scared. I mean she was fearless when we could actually kill her but when she's indestructible she's scared out of her wits? Typical Bella… However, I knew that she still loved him and that was one of the only reasons I let and encouraged Edward to go. Don't get me wrong, I would adore seeing them together again, but I didn't want Edward to chase a girl who would just run the other way.
I wanted to be sure that Edward wouldn't get his heart broken again. So, I set out a plan. From what I learned from Bella's last reaction to Edward, I've decided to re-introduce Edward at a masquerade ball, where they wouldn't be able to recognize each other. We were going to take it slow and gain Bella's trust back, but here's the twist. Bella is not going to know Edward is the one she's talking to. He will make up a name and a cover and make Bella fall in love with him again through letters and conversation before showing himself to her. I figures that this way, they wouldn't have that awkward 'You left me,' feeling hanging around them and they can get to really know each other again without pressure. Oh, my plan is so great! And the ball tonight will set it all into action.
EPOV
Alice's plan was insane, I thought to myself starring at the ceiling above my bed. How the heck was I going to make Bella fall for a complete stranger? Much less a jerk like me who left her. Oh this was so confusing! And how am I going to keep my identity secret? She'll recognize my voice, my eyes, and my smell, everything about me except half my face. I mean really, what could one little mask do?
"Edward!" Alice called from across our suite. "Come and meet me in the bathroom! I have to get you ready for tonight!' she thought.
"Alice, I'm perfectly capable of preparing myself for this ball, now can you please leave me alone?"
"Nope! I don't trust you to get ready yourself. Besides, would you take the joy out of your sister by refusing to let her clean you up for your first meeting with Bella as 'Anthony?' I don't think so."
"Alice, I'm not a girl! I don't need nor want you primping me!" I exclaimed.
"Edward, do you know how to dye your hair?" Alice exclaimed.
"What? No! Why am I dying my hair!?" I exclaimed. I really didn't want to change my hair color; after all I've had it for over a decade.
"Well then you're going to need me," Alice said, suddenly leaning against my door, with a bottle of dye in her hands, smiling evilly.
I gulped.
"Oh, come on Edward! It's not permanent! And it's just so that Bella won't recognize you tonight. You can take it off as soon as we get back. But I mean how many people have messy bronze hair like you?" she reasoned, pulling me into the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later with a pair of blue contacts and an unhealthy amount of chemicals in my once bronze hair, I emerged from the bathroom, running to the mirror. It was amazing. Alice made me look like a whole new person. My hair was now a deep chocolate brunette that had a messy yet well-kept look to it. My eyes were a bright, clear blue and because of the golden flakes that I had, they came out to be silver with the contacts. I looked unrecognizable to anyone but myself as Edward Cullen. I was now Anthony Landon. Oh god…this should be interesting.
Liz POV
How will I do this…I could show Edward the picture, and…and what? He would accept it or not, both of those not giving me anything. Who was to say he would crawl back to me even if he did accept it? No, I couldn't just show him the picture; I had to do something to make him fall for me…Wait! I have the perfect plot; all I need is the help of a certain prince…ah. Bella has made this all too easy…
BPOV
I felt so out of place here. I didn't know what to do with myself at this extravagant ball, so I just resolved to sitting on one of the chairs. As I sat, I watched the smiling faces of those who were dancing before me, even watching some romance going on reminding me of my own heartbreak. I even saw this couple that were so in love that they seemed to glow and float on the dance floor. The way the man was looking at her made my heart long for Edward to look at me that way.
"Having fun I see," a voice next to me spoke.
I looked up to see a man. He was dressed in a simple tux and a simple black mask, but there was absolutely nothing simple about him. He had brown hair that looked messy and tousled in one moment, and the next it looked perfectly tame. Then his eyes, they were the most brilliant color blue I've ever seen that seemed like they had silver sparkles in them.
"Y-yeah, not really," I replied nervously with a small smile at the end.
"Oh, why is that?" he asked, looking sincerely interested.
I decided to make a joke instead of telling him the truth, which was that I was a 'pathetic-cowardly-heartbroken-girl-that-had-run-away-form-the-man-she-loved-and-is-now-envious-of-other-people's-love.'
"Oh, I was just watching the dance and wishing I could dance as gracefully as some out there can," I replied, which was actually true.
"You know," the man said while leaning in closer to be, to which I did not object, "the dancing is all in the leading."
"I've heard that once or twice before," I said with a smile. "But how can one lead if their
partner is on their feet the majority of the dance?" I questioned smartly.
"We'll just have to find the answer to that one, won't we?" he said, offering his hand out. "May I have this dance?" he questioned with a bow and a heartbreaking smile.
"You may, although you dance at your own risk," I replied, taking his hand and receiving a laugh from him.
The stranger lead me out to the dance floor and the music began. At first I was very worried about my feet but then I realized that this man was right. It was all in the leading. Soon we were gliding around, effortlessly through the dance. Only then did I dare to talk at the same time.
"So, Mr. It's-all-in-the-leading, do you have a name?"
"Yes, Ms. Dance-at-your-own-risk, it's Anthony Landon. You?"
"Now, now, isn't the point of a masquerade ball to conceal your identity?"
"Well, I suppose but I've already revealed mine to you, so that means that you have to do the same," Anthony remarked.
"Ah, but you were foolish enough to do so," I teased. "But if you really must know, it's Isabella Volturi, but you can call me Isabel if you wish. Most people call me Bella, but I'd rather not be called that anymore for certain reasons, " I explained.
"Isabel…got it," he said with a smile. "Wait, Isabella Volturi, as in Lady Isabella?"
"Yes," I replied, gazing into his eyes for a second.
The song ended and we parted ways, for a short while. Anthony had said something about checking on his younger sister and we promised each other another dance later on in the evening. One that I was definitely looking forward to.
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