Chapter 8: The Big Reveal
Bella always surprises me, I wouldn't have figured her for much of a hiker, but we were on no kind of trail and she glided along as if she was walking on air. We seemed to walk forever. I was happy to be in her presence, but her silence was the loudest thing I could hear. I was growing more nervous with every tree we passed. After 40 minutes of walking, we were in a very large clearing. Half the field was covered in shade from the over hanging trees and the other half was white with sun light. I assumed we were headed for the sunny edge of the yard and was therefore very surprised when Bella stopped a the edge of the darkness and sat down. Only a few feet behind her, I hurried and cleared the space between us. Bella sat Indian style and I sat behind her with my legs on either side, arms wrapped around her waist. The coolness of her body could be felt through all the layers of clothes between we wore, but there was too much space between us over the last almost 4 days and I took every opportunity to make up for that lost time. I sensed that this was what she wanted to tell me about. I had already made up in my mind that nothing she said mattered. I loved her and I would continue to love her no matter what.
"Edward do you remember that day in the office when I said I was not like the average 17 year old?"
"Of course. I remember everything we talk about."
"I don't know how to tell you this so I guess I will start from the beginning."
"Tell me, whatever it is. I can't stand to see you in pain." Bella pulled herself out of my arms and turned to face me. Her eyes were topaz again.
"On September 13, 1908 a little girl was born to a very wealthy family. She was very privileged and happy. She didn't know what it meant to want or to need. She had both of her parent and a very large house. She was an only child and if you asked her, she would say she would want it no other way. Despite her indulgence lifestyle, she was very humble and appreciative. One day in 1925, the girl was 17 years old, she had come home for the weekend from her all girls' boarding school. She and her parents were coming home late after leaving a dinner party. They didn't suspect their home had been broken into or that the assailants were still in the house. They killed her mother first. Her father tried to protect her at all cost, but the two men were stronger and bigger. They beat the girl to death as well." She paused for a moment. She looked as if she wanted or needed to cry, but couldn't. I patiently waited on her to continue, although honestly, I was afraid.
"When the police got there they assumed everyone was dead and immediately placed them in body bags. The 17 year old girl's heart was beating and she could see the scene that was taking place around her. She couldn't move and she couldn't talk. She watched as they zipped the bag closed over her face. No one realized she was still alive until she got to the morgue and a very kind doctor saved her . . . life. Edward I am that girl and the doctor that saved me was Carlisle Cullen." She said nothing, waiting on me to speak but I couldn't find my voice. I still didn't understand. She must have read that on my face.
"Edward, I am a vampire. Dr. Carlisle Cullen changed me that night at the morgue. He heard my faint heart beat and he save me. He bit me and turned me into a vampire like he and his wife, Esme. I don't expect you to believe me, or to understand, or trust me. I don't blame you if you don't want to be with me anymore. I understand if you want to run away screaming. I am a monster." With that Bella jumped to her feet and went deeper into the shaded area of the field.
"Is that why you ran away from me the day I cut my hand? You wanted my blood?" I was very calm, but I didn't know why. Why do I even believe this could be possible? Shouldn't I be afraid, wanting to run? The thought of running made my heart burn around the half healed wound and it sadden me even more.
"Yes, because I don't want to hurt you, but you smell better to me than any other human I have ever met. I don't want to be this way - a blood thirsty monster. Which is why my family doesn't kill people. We only hunt animals."
"Your family? Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper? All of you are vampires, not foster children. But you all are out in the day time and go to school. Your dad, I mean your . . . he works at a hospital!" The hysterics began, and I sounded angrier that I wanted to or than I actually felt.
Bella stat down again to finish her story, "Because we feed on animals, and not people, we can maintain living with humans; working and going to school. We form true bonds, although I am the first, we know of, to form such a bond with a human. And as far as the sun goes that is just a myth. We just don't look very conspicuous in sun light. I understand if you want to go, but I beg you to keep my secret. Please."
I stood there unable to move. I didn't want to move. We stood in silence for what seemed like forever. I was trying to figure out exactly what I was feelings. I knew I wasn't angry or scared of her. Was I feeling sympathy and pain? I wanted to cry for her during the story. I though back on the three and a half days I went without hearing her voice. I almost lost my mind. Could I do that again? Would I ever get over her if I was to leave? Suddenly the situation changed, she didn't want me to go. She truly did love me and I loved her. That hadn't changed either. Before I knew, knew any of this, I said that no matter what I would stay with her. And that was what I was going to do. Stay.
In just five steps she was back in my arms, where she belonged.
"I am not going anywhere. I will love you forever. Forever as you will have me. You are my life. I would be crazy to walk away from you."
"But I could hurt you. You are in danger every minute you are with me." In a millisecond, Bella was a hundred feet from me. Bella picked up a bolder 10 times her size and threw it across the field. In the blink of an eye, she was standing in front of me again. "I could kill you without even trying. I am not good for you."
I felt the hole in my heart burn again. "Do you . . . want me to leave?" I fought back my tears to no avail.
"See, I am hurting you now!" She brushed away my tears with the back of her hand. "I don't want you to leave me. I don't know how I would continue on without you. I love you Edward Anthony Swan . . . and there is nothing you can do about it."
We smiled and fell into each others arms. I prayed time would pause for us.
"There is one more thing you need to see." Bella began pulling me across the field. It didn't matter if she was stronger than me or not, I would have followed her without questions. At the edge of the shadows Bella let go of my hand and pulled her long sleeve shirt over her head, exposing all the skin not covered by her thin strapped shirt. Bella took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and walked into the sun.
As if it could be any way possible, she was even more beautiful. The sun light bounced off her bare skin, only to reflect rainbows of colors all over the forest floor. I slowly walked to her, showing her I was not afraid. She hung her head as if a shame. I lift her chin with my finger and stared into her eyes. I examined every inch of her face, astounded by her beauty. Slowly touching her shoulders and running my hands down her arm.
"How did I get to be the luckiest man in the world?"
"Wrong. I am the luckiest monster in the world, I don't deserve you."
We took our seats on the grass under the sun. I continued to examine her. She felt the need to tell me everything about her existence as a vampire, but it really didn't matter. I wasn't going to leave her side . . . ever.
As much as I hated the idea, I wanted to hold her in my arms like this for forever, I knew we had to get back to the school. Her family would have been looking for her and I left my car there. We played and laughed the whole way back. I was happier than I ever imagined possible.
Just as we stepped on the black pavement, final bell rang. Her family was already waiting on us, standing around their car. As we got closer Bella took my hand and stared directly at Rosalie. Bella already explained to me that Rosalie was having the hardest time accepting her decision to tell me the family secret.
"Cool! She didn't kill him," Emmett bellowed with great laughter.
"I told you she would be fine!" Alice looked annoyed that anyone would dare question her visions.
"Dude she has better self-control than all of us combined." Jasper was suddenly not as reserved as he first appeared.
Rosalie walked away from the car almost charging towards me. Bella hid her laugh as she immediately let go of my hand and stepped to the side, leaving me to face her fiery sister alone.
"You hurt her human and I will kill you personally. Very slowly. Got it?"
"I will be the last one to hurt her." Confidence flowed from me so much easier now. Bella stepped back to my side and took my hand again.
"Okay Rosalie. Thank you that is enough."
"Wow dude, Rose threaten you . . . you are officially in the family," Emmett joked. I am pretty sure if Rosalie had hit me the way she had just hit Emmett, my arm would have been broken in at least two places.
Bella pulled me away from the others, towards my car.
"I don't want to leave you. I'm afraid you won't come back."
"I promise I am not going anywhere ever again." I leaned down to kiss her, slowly, waiting to see if she would stop me. When our lips met, my heart exploded with joy. We kissed each other passionately. I could have stayed like that forever.
"Would you two like a room?" Emmett, who else?
