The last chapter that I'm sure of.

After this everything is very... cloudy.

I'm quite uncertain of which direction to take.

But as soon as I figure it out, you'll know.

For now, enjoy while you can.

Chapter 5

Doors

I had decided to take history this semester. I had no idea why, if it was a subject besides maths that I hated, it was history. I could easily have taken medicine for Carlisle (the teachers here at Dartmouth had almost sang out in joy when they saw Carlisle's, a bit shorted, resume and hired him in the next breath), but I wanted to have some privacy this year too, not always being under surveillance. I knew I would miss Edward that hour, but the part of my body that liked to suffer told me that it would only sweeten our time together more. My body was not a democracy, but it had freedom of speech, and this time I listened.

I strolled discreetly into the classroom, but even though I was early the seats were already half-full. When I stepped inside and looked around, a whisper went through the room. I felt how my stomach dropped to the floor. The way I had seen the Cullen's that first time in the cafeteria, that was how everybody else saw me now, except I was alone, and not weirdly staring into the wall. I hid a frown, and hurried to a seat in the back, so nobody could be able to stare at me from behind. It was terrifying how similar this class was to my firsts in Forks. Because, even if I sat with my back against the wall, everybody, or mostly the boys, the girls seemed to angry and jealous to want to give me the pleasure of being glanced at, managed to stare at me.

Why had I been so stupid to choose a lesson on my own? If Edward had been here, our obvious relationship would have scared everyone away. I sighed, and banged my head into the table. Stupid, stupid, stupid Bella. Now I had to endure a whole semester with all these people. I didn't even care look at them; I was too depressed.

The teacher showed up, and I had to lift my head the slightest to be able to see him. Sadly enough, he was just the typical history-teacher. White-haired and glasses, huge, dusty old books and a boring, dry voice. He introduced himself, but I didn't catch the name. I would change class as soon as possible. Medicine didn't seem such a bad alternative after all.

Soft footsteps and a sweet scent woke me up abruptly and my head flew up. I started staring at the door, and a couple of seconds later a low knock interrupted the professor.

"Yes?" He said, with the sound of an old door opening. Another whisper blew through the class when the door opened and a young woman stepped over the threshold.

She didn't look up, but I knew right away that she could easily compare with Rosalie in beauty, but if Rosalie was beautiful, this girl was fair. Something between my sister and the Volturi soldier, Jane. She had dark red, wavy hair to her waist and wore a simple black dress. She was far from modern in her looks; she was a girl who could have been queen a hundred years ago. And she was a vampire, I could tell that, not only from her shockingly amazing looks, but also from her pale skin and the sweet scent she brought with her. Why hadn't Alice told us that other vampires were attending Dartmouth this year? But the most scaring and important thing I had to ask myself; was this girl, and her probable family, vegetarians like us? Or was she lethal to every human in this room? Was I going to be the one to fight this small, exquisite creature?

"I'm sorry, I got lost." Her voice was low, not more then a whisper and she didn't lift her head when she spoke. Obviously very shy. The professor looked at his papers.

"Ms Mary-Anne Dawson, is it?" She nodded. "Oh, well, never mind. Take a seat." She walked up to the closest, empty chair, and sat down. I kept staring into her back, making sure I noticed every movement she made, so it took a while before I processed in my head that somebody was calling my name.

"Mrs Isabella Cullen?"

"Hm, what? Right, that's me." A dozen surprised and disappointed eyes turned to my awkwardly waving hand and me.

"Nice of you to join us, mrs Cullen." The professor made a mark in his notes. "In mind, of course." If I hadn't been so focused on Mary-Anne, I would have sunk deep in my chair and not look up for the rest of the hour. The easy and natural ways of the rest of my family hadn't really made it to me yet, or not in embarrassing situations anyhow. But I couldn't take my eyes of the long flow of unnaturally red hair, or it was natural, just the kind of colour that one in a million redheads have.

The professor started the lesson after going through every name, and both Mary-Anne and I sighed, as if we had the same pair of lungs. It seemed she'd been taught in this charade as well. Which meant she'd been here before. Which meant she possibly couldn't be anything else then a vegetarian. I relaxed and leaned back in my chair. I wouldn't have to fight her after all.

The hour dragged worse then I'd experienced ever before. I just wanted to get to my feet, walk up to her and introduce myself. But the professor gave us no pause to talk, and even if he did, the rest of the class seemed so focused that they'd probably be furious even for a whisper. It must have to do with this being their first and only time in collage and the need of sleep. All I had to do was to ask Edward, and write something, and it would be done in a couple of minutes. I had no longer any need of changing class; I was too curios to let this slip out of my hands.

But finally the professor ended the conversation he had with a student about some old happening, and ended the lesson. I had no idea what they'd talked about.

I rose, almost too fast, but I wanted to catch Mary-Anne before she disappeared. But she was even faster, in the time I got to her seat; she had disappeared out the door. When I followed her out, nobody else had had the time to even rise.

I knew I wouldn't catch her even before I stepped out in the corridor. It was empty, and there was no way she'd keep up the charade when there were no people around. And I was right, she was gone, her scent lay strong in the air. All I had to do was to follow it, but I had to get some advice first.

Carlisle would have a class in the great hearing room down the hall and Edward would have architecture in the other end. I was outside the door in two seconds, and lifted my hand to knock.

"Yes?" I opened the door, and peeked in. All the students in the class looked from me to Carlisle, who stood in front of a giant white board, back turned to them too write something. "Bella." He said, smiling. "How nice, if you'll just wait ten minutes until the end of the lesson…" But I interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, but I have to talk to you. Now." He looked surprised, but my tone assured him that I was serious, and he dropped the pen.

"I would like that all of you pair up with your neighbour and start writing down the symptoms for these three diseases." He said to the class, who had started mumbling. Then he turned to me, and stepped out in the corridor.

I told him the whole story of the vampire in my class, and for every word his eyes widened even more.

"Are you sure?" He asked, voice still steady.

"Positive." I breathed.

"Could she be dangerous?" I had already answered to that question in my story, but he asked it anyway.

"I don't know, maybe. I didn't get to see her eyes, so I couldn't tell. What do you want me to do, Carlisle? The scent is still here, I can try to catch her." He shook his head abruptly.

"No, I won't have you do that. Not when we don't know anything about them." He frowned, thinking. "I think we should wait, see what happens. See if Alice sees anything. And if the female, or her family, makes contact with us." He turned to get back to his class, but I put a hand on his shoulder.

"And Edward?" I mumbled. I knew he would go berserk when he'd find out, and he would probably go chase after Mary-Anne. I was sure he'd never let me back into that classroom whatever I said. But Carlisle grinned.

"Go tell him now, I bet he's already heard our conversation." The downsides with super-hearing.

The conversation was over and he turned back to the classroom. "Now then. Mr Stewart, what do…?"

I turned and hurried, in human-speed now since a lot of classes had ended, through the corridor, trying to ignore all the heads that turned after me. As soon as I got to his classroom, the door flung open and I was in his arms.

"Finally." He said and kissed me fiercely and deep. I didn't mind all the stares we got, hopefully this kiss might teach them whom I belonged to.

I threw my arms around his neck, pressing my body against his and kissing him back.

"Don't try to distract me." He chuckled and tried to pull away. But I wasn't up for that. I gripped his hair tighter and bit his lip. He continued chuckling and let his lips slide over my jaw to my ear unwillingly. "You're making everyone blush." He whispered in my ear.

"I don't care." I growled. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, love. And even if I hate to interrupt this, I think there is something you want to tell me." I grimaced.

"As if you don't already know." He leaned back so he could look at me.

"I only know what you told Carlisle."

"And I told Carlisle everything I knew."

"Oh." He frowned for a moment, thinking everything I knew through. Then he smiled my favourite smile. "I'll trust you this time."

"Thank you, that was nice and varied." He shrugged and leaned forward to kiss me again, but I ducked so his lips touched my forehead.

"Are you sure you're not going after her later?" His eyes were big and innocent when he looked at me.

"Of course." I smiled, leaning my head against his chest.

"I trust you this once." He sighed in relief. "But don't think I'm not going to be mad if you sneak out! And don't think I won't find out." He stopped breathing, probably in shock of how I hit the right spot. "Thank you." I said, content with myself.

"Don't you have class?" He breathed, his voice still a bit shaken.

"Yes, we have class." He smiled absentmindedly, starting to walk down the hall with his arms tightly around my shoulders.

"Oh, yeah, we."

"We can ditch if you want to?" I started to worry if I had said something. He stopped suddenly, staring into the distance.

"No, we'll go." He said, smiling at me.

"Oh, okay. If you want to."

"Yes, I do." He turned a corner, and opened a door that looked exactly the same as all the others. It would have taken me ages to find the right one without help.

The room was empty, except from one person.

The only person was Mary-Anne of course. She sat bent over her table, with a pencil in one hand, and holding back her hair with the other. I looked at Edward in the corner of my eye, but all I could see was terror. His mouth had opened, and his eyes were wide in fear. His pale face had become even paler, and my stomach dropped to the floor again. I looked back to Mary-Anne who was staring at Edward, and she had almost the same expression, only her mouth was closed and her eyebrows were lifted in shock. Her eyes were creamy golden. She was about to look at me, but Edward pulled himself together, probably hearing the thought in her head.

"Leave her alone." The fierce growl that followed the words made her terrified and she bent down her head again.

Everything had happened so quickly, and I had no idea of what had triggered these reactions. Edward was still staring, terrified but angrily, at her, holding one arm protectively around me. Mary-Anne almost shivered in fear.

"Edward, what is it?" He calmed down when I put my hands on his face, and turned to me.

"Come, I need to talk to you." He mumbled with the usually smooth velvet rough. His big hands were placed on my back, pushing me out of the room.

When he got far away enough so she wouldn't be able to hear, he pushed me up against the wall and stared with hard eyes at me.

"Edward, what is it?" I put my hands on his face again. He sighed, and closed his eyes under my fingers.

"She knows everything." He said.

"Knows everything? How?" I was confused, what did he mean?

"Her talent is —" He fell silent.

"Yes?" I continued caressing his face so he would keep his reason. I had no idea what could have been so bad that he'd become like this. Only Jane's sadistic powers had made him freak out this much before.

"Her talent is a mix between Aros and mine." His golden eyes shimmered at me, and I gasped, understanding.

"So she hears everything?" I felt how wide my eyes were, but I couldn't regain control over my muscles, I had turned to ice again.

"Yes and no." He mumbled. "If she looks at your face, she sees and hears everything you've been trough, things you don't even remember. And when she turns her face away, she can still hear you inside her head, as if she was you as well, not only herself." Sadness coloured his voice now.

"But that is terrible." I managed to breath. "She must have so much problem with staying sane!" He nodded.

"Yes, it is very hard on her, she has considered taking her life many times." The confusion grew.

"But how could you know all this, and wouldn't she hear us now?" I whispered, as if that would make any difference. He backed away, letting his arms fall to his sides.

"Her mind is an open door, there are so many other minds that is passing through all the time, and she can never really close it. So everything is leaking out, and I'm able to take part of it all, even if I'm in the same room only for a second. But I think there are limitations, a few miles away and the others disappear, I'm not sure." He pressed his hands to his face in agony. "Bella, you have no idea how it was. I know how it is as it is for me, but to have no idea who's thinking what, and what memory is your own, that must be terrifying, utterly terrifying. And reason enough to become insane, and suicidal." I wanted to comfort him, but when he explained it to me like this, I wasn't able to do anything. This was the reason why she hadn't looked up when she got into the classroom earlier.

"Why would she come here? Why doesn't she hide out in the desert or something?" I gasped, quickly thinking through how many people's faces that were available on campus and how easy it would be to run away when you had such a talent.

"She's like me in more then one way. She doesn't want to be a monster. And she do not want to tear her family apart." His hands were still pressed against his face.

"How old is she?"

"Seventeen." He breathed. I winced. One more thing they had common.

"No, I mean, when was she born?" He gasped, and turned his face slowly at me.

"1701." I dropped my chin.

"So she's been around for 307 years, and hearing other peoples minds in hers for 290! Is it possible for a person to be that strong!" He whined low.

"There is no longer a Mary-Anne inside her. Everyone else's memories has overwritten her own. The only reason why she isn't a beast is her sisters."

"Edward." A small voice whispered from my right.

"Yes, Mary-Anne?" He didn't look at her, just glancing at me. I turned to Mary-Anne, who was staring into the floor. I hadn't noticed her following us.

"Hello. I'm Bella." My voice was thin, I was still afraid of this girl.

"I know." She mumbled and winced. "Sorry. Hello, nice to meet you."

"What do you want?" Edward growled.

"Please take me to Carlisle."

My friend almost killed me when she read this through after I gave it to her for Christmas.

You see, she only got these five chapters (that's why Mary-Anne is 307 years old when she should be 308 since it's 2009 now, but I wrote it last year, and I didn't want to change it).

I have to admit, I made this cliff-hanger on purpose.

Now, what to you think?

Tell me, please.

xoxo