Okay, so I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. Keep up the awesome reviews! :D I know I should have updated earlier, but I was caught up in reading other fics, and I barely got time to use the computer. Here are my replies to those who reviewed anonymously:
Aaliyah – I PMed you already, but if you didn't receive it, tell me and I'll post it in the next chapter. And, thank you again!
twilightfan101 – Thanks for the review! Your answer can't work since you don't know which man is which.
Starlight – Chapter 20: Haunted
Bella's POV:
"Alice," I spoke quickly to my phone. "I'm going to your place. Is anyone there?"
"As in right now? I thought you were still following Edward."
"Well, things changed," I muttered. "I'm about ten minutes away from there."
"Okay…Well, Emmett's in his room. I'll try to distract him. Bella, hurry back, I want to know what happened," she said sternly. She paused. "So does Rose."
"'Kay. Thanks." I placed the phone back into my bag, and quickly walked to their place as fast as my feet would allow me.
Few minutes later, I had reached their house. Rosalie saw me and opened the door. We snuck back to Alice's room. Rosalie banged the door hard. "Our signal that you're here already," she explained. I could her Alice's feet tapping as she ran back to her room.
"What happened?" she demanded as soon she had closed the door.
I scowled at the reminder. "Wait- let me remove this disguise first." I went to her bathroom and took off the wig and glasses, and removed the make up, though not thoroughly. I brushed through my wavy hair and let it loose. Finally, I was able to change my clothes. "Where are my clothes?" I called.
"They're in the bottom drawer," Alice yelled.
I had brought some of my clothes over to Alice's room in case I had to remove my disguise and needed some new clothes. It was a good thing I did, since I had to change about three times already.
Three times I had followed Edward, and this was the first time I've had some real progress- if you call finally meeting the girl your boyfriend's cheating with progress.
I opened the drawer and took out my clothes. I frowned when I saw that Alice had replaced my clothes with brand new designer labels. Having no choice, I wore the tight navy halter top and the short jean skirt. I slipped on the chunky wedges Alice had stashed.
I went into Alice's bedroom in a foul mood, my disguise draped over my arm. "Never ever replace my clothes again," I warned.
Alice rolled her eyes and gave me an angelic smile. "Okay, now can you tell us what happened?" she asked, bouncing with excitement.
I took a deep breath and got my phone. I opened the picture I took and handed it to them. They crowded in, and I saw their jaws drop. Literally.
"That's Tanya?" Alice asked incredulously.
"I take it by the tone of your voice that you've never seen her," I concluded.
She gave me an apologetic look. "Nope. Never. If I had seen someone as beautiful as her, I'd surely remember."
"Rose?" I tilted my head towards her.
She looked at me from the picture, an angry expression on her face. "I've never seen her before… But boy, would I want to meet her and introduce her to my fist! How dare that skank hurt you," she hissed angrily.
"You have my full permission to beat her to bloody pulp," I said tonelessly.
Alice scooted over towards me and gave me a hug. "Don't get jealous Bella… Yeah, she's beautiful, but so are you! You are 100% better than her! You're loyal, your faithful, you have a great personality, you're totally sweet and-"
"Totally blind and stupid," I muttered.
Rose frowned at me. "Do you actually think that you're really blind and stupid?"
I scoffed. "Well-"
Alice interrupted me from going into a full blown rant by getting the clothes hanging on my arm. "Give them to me so I can hide them."
I did so, and she hung the clothes one by one, hiding them in the back of her closet. When she hung up my skirt, she gave me a puzzled look. "Bella, where's the scarf? I mean, you did wear it, right?"
"Huh? My scarf? It's not there?" I asked her.
She shook her head.
"How…" I trailed off.
"Think, Bella!" Rosalie urged me.
I thought. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't taken it off while I was changing a while ago… yet I wasn't wearing it. I thought further back. I remembered loosening it in the café while drinking my cappuccino, getting mad… and walking out angrily. I remembered that before I went out the door, I had tossed my hair defiantly… something getting caught in my fingers… and feeling lighter.
I gasped and my hands flew to my mouth. "We're busted," I said. "Edward knows that I've been following him around. When I walked out of the café, I had tossed my hair, and the scarf fell down. It was loose, so it fell down. I had felt lighter when I walked out of there. I thought it was because I finally seen her and all those stuff, but now I know it was because the scarf was gone. When I felt lighter, I felt literally lighter.
"So you think he found the scarf?" Rosalie asked.
"Yeah… and if he did, then he would surely know its mine. It had my initials on it," I said.
"This is bad," Alice groaned.
"Bad doesn't cover it," I muttered. "I've got to get out of here, before Edward arrives and confront me, instead of the other way around."
"But Bella, you may be able to avoid him now, but you won't be able to avoid him forever," Rosalie pointed out. "You're gonna have to talk with him sooner or later."
"I'll talk to him later then," I snapped, standing up and going to the door. "At least I'll have time to think about what I'll say to Edwar- Oh."
"So, Bella, may I ask what you were about to say to me?" Edward asked smoothly, leaning on the door post, a smile lingering on his lips.
I gaped at him.
Behind me, I could hear both Alice and Rosalie groaning and muttering over and over again.
"Ho- How?" That was all I was able to get out.
"How long have you been standing there?" Alice yelled angrily. I winced because one, her tone was really angry, and two, she was right by my ear. Rose placed her hand on my shoulder comfortingly. I was flanked by both of them. However, Edward didn't look a bit intimidated.
"Long enough to hear what I needed to," he answered stonily, all traces of humor gone.
Alice screamed at him. "How dare you!?! You sink to eavesdropping us? Don't you know the word privacy? How low can you get?"
"Oh?" He raised one brow. "You're talking to me about privacy? The last time I checked, stalking is also violating my privacy. Is that how desperate you are?"
"Don't you dare go there," Rosalie hissed, stabbing his chest with one finger. "Do you know what she's been through? And it's all because of you."
He looked annoyed. "Come on, you don't really believe that now, do you?"
"Oh, I know it's true," Alice growled. I bit my lip. I hated seeing them fight with each other.
"Edward, please give us a moment for a while," I said frostily as I dragged Alice and Rosalie inside and slamming the door.
Once inside, I let out a weary sigh. "Guys, I'm so sorry for dragging you into this."
Rosalie looked shocked. "Bella, we're your best friends. You don't have to apologize. That's why we're here, to help each other."
"Yeah Bells!" Alice chimed in.
"Yeah… But Alice, I hate seeing you fight with Edward. You're siblings, and you're fighting with each other all because of me," I said guiltily.
"It's not like we never fight," she said breezily. "It just happens that this is… more of a bigger one."
That didn't help with the guilt. "I appreciate everything that you've done for me, but I need to handle this one by myself."
Rosalie looked at me in concern. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," I said determinedly. "I don't want to get in between you anymore. Alice, please do me a favor."
"Sure!" she answered.
"I'm going to go now, and I don't want to get into a fight, not now, so can you please tell Edward to go to my dorm later, about three in the afternoon. I can't talk to him now."
Alice nodded. "Of course. I'll lead you out so Edward won't annoy you."
"I'll go with you, too," Rosalie said. Giving them a grateful smile, we walked out of there. When I opened the door, Edward gave me an annoyed look.
"Finally! What took you so long?" he complained.
"Edward, not now," Alice warned in a low tone.
"Bu-"
We ignored him and went downstairs. On the way down, we met Emmett, who was holding an ice cream cone. "Hey, what's with the shouting and yelling upstairs?" he asked, taking a lick.
"None of your business," Rosalie snapped. Emmett looked hurt. I became guilty again. Now I was messing with Rosalie and Emmett.
"Emmett, I'll explain it to you some other day, okay?" I said kindly. "But not now. And ignore Rosalie; she's just stressed right now."
"Okay!" He looked happy again and he ruffled my hair. I playfully slapped it away, though I couldn't help smiling. That's one reason why I always have liked Emmett. He always brightened my day by doing something funny. I gave him an unexpected hug.
"Thanks," I whispered.
"Uh… you're welcome, I guess. But what for?" he asked curiously.
"For being you," I answered easily.
He shrugged. "Okay. Now I suggest you release me before ice cream drips onto your hair."
I immediately jumped back. Alice and Rose smirked at my childishness. Sticking my tongue, I opened the door, a million times happier.
"Thanks guys," I said gratefully one last time before I closed the door.
I walked away, my mind whirring. Now, I had to sort out the mess I've gotten myself into. Edward had been extremely angry at me.
Maybe he doesn't love you anymore.
I frowned as the thought entered my head. Lately, he hasn't told me he loved me, not like before. Before, almost every time we'd meet, he'd tell me he loved me. And he'd continue loving me until the end of time. Looks like it's ended.
But then again…
Do I love him?
Yes. The answer is yes. I love him.
But then what's the use of loving him if he hated me? Maybe that was the last straw. Maybe he truly hated me. Maybe he's breaking up with me.
As I continued walking, the thought haunted me.
Okay, now I just feel depressed. I know it's sad and dramatic… I honestly didn't expect this chapter to turn out this way. But then, I suspect the next one's gonna be worse… And one tiny spoiler: No, Edward's not dumping her.
Answer to last chapter's question: You ask any of them which door the other person would choose and then you go through the opposite door. This works because if you happen to ask the person who tells the truth which door the liar would choose he would tell you the door to death. If you ask the liar which door the honest person would choose he would lie and tell you the wrong door. So, whatever door they point to is the door to death. Just pick the opposite door to live. :D Ok, this chapter's question:
What was the highest mountain before Mount Everest was discovered?
Please review! Ice cream for everyone who reviews!
Jen
