Finally! The next chapter is in!

...I was slightly disappointed that I had to be the one to put the last review in, though. I got 7 reviews so easily before, without even asking...then, when I do ask for it, everyone suddenly stops reviewing.

...well, whining doesn't get anyone anywhere. If it did, I would have already complained to everyone I knew about the movie...never mind.

On with the story!

Appeal of the Forbidden

By: Lucas McDrake

Chapter 3-Invitations

"Concentration." Clap-clap-clap. "Sixty-four." Clap-clap-clap. "No repeats." Clap-clap-clap. "Or hesitations." Clap-clap-clap.

"I'll go first," Emmett chuckled.

Clap-clap-clap.

I followed suit. "I'll go second."

Clap-clap-clap.

"Category is," we laughed.

Clap-clap...We both let our arms drop to our sides as I asked, "What should the category be?"

He thought for a moment, then suggested, "Names!"

I smiled. "Yeah! Let's do it!"

I had been a Cullen for about six months. I had fit right in, despite my being-a-totally-different-species. Even Rosalie had excepted me...well, mostly. She still gave me the occasional intimidating glare, but I guess she liked me slightly because Emmett was my best friend, now.

We had moved to Denali the day after I was adopted. Everyone had came on an airplane trip (which was so AWESOME!), including Edward. I had sat in between Edward and Emmett, with Rosalie on Emmett's side opposite me. I had gotten to know the Cullens very well on that ride.

Edward had left us as soon as we arrived at the house, only staying as long as it took to get his room set up. Which barely took anytime, seeing as he barely had anything to speak of.

When I had asked about Edward during the airplane ride, Emmett had just said, "Well, he's very depressed-trying to stay away from Bella, and all. He adores her. I still don't get why he left her. He can't stand being around us anymore."

"Come on, Kieran," he urged impatiently, bringing me back to the present.

I smiled, and set one hand on his hand that was palm-up, and pressed my other hand under his other hand that was palm-down. Our hands were set so that our palms were touching each other.

It had been very late in the afternoon by the time I had decided to play Concentration with Emmett. The sun had already set, but we felt like playing it outside. After all, the Aurora Borealis was very pretty. The stars were much easier to see out here than back in Colorado, too.

This was one of my favorite games to play with my dad while he had still been alive. It wasn't very painful to think about them nowadays, I guess due to the Cullen's entering my life. It was a game called 'Concentration'. It was a game that you had to keep up a rhythm of clapping each others hands, and then clap three times with your own hands. During the time that you slapped each others hands, a person, depending on who's turn it was, had to call out something that fit in the selected category, and you couldn't repeat, or hesitate.

Our selected category was names.

Slap. Slap. Clap-clap-clap. "Jasper," I yelled.

Clap-clap-clap. "Alice," Emmett matched unnecessarily.

Clap-clap-clap. "Edward," I experimented.

Without hesitation, or any emotion flitting across his face, for that matter, he didn't miss a beat. Clap-clap-clap. "Bella," he confirmed my accusations. His happy mood was almost impossible to affect.

I think I was slightly off beat as I continued, but Emmett fixed the beat before I could notice, making me think if I had just imagined the error. Clap-clap-clap. "Rosalie," I tried.

Clap-clap-clap. "Gary," he said casually.

I was so surprised at his response that I almost missed the next clap. Clap-clap-clap. "Kieran?" my voice made it sound like a question.

Clap-clap-clap. "Emmett," he said casually, though he seemed lost in thought as he said his name.

My heart stuttered for some undetectable reason I couldn't find. This time, I did miss the first clap.

Emmett looked at me peculiarly as we continued. Clap-clap. "Juliet," happened to be the name that came out of my mouth. I couldn't believe myself. I was being so absurd.

Clap-clap-clap. He looked very serious as he looked into my eyes. "Romeo."

Clap-clap-clap. Slap. Slap. Clap-clap-clap.

I shook my head as I tried to dismiss this foreign feeling from my being, and joked, "You always distract me! You're too good at everything!"

"Someone has to be," he countered, laughing his already-familiar booming laugh that I already loved to hear.

"NO!" Alice screamed from inside.

We both turned to watch Alice run outside to us. "Bella...," was all she could say, because she was still in her vision.

They had already explained everyone's abilities to me, so I was slightly familiar with Alice's visions, though I had never seen Alice receive a vision firsthand.

Alice stood still, absorbed into her vision. Emmett was looking at Alice peculiarly.

"Bella," she repeated. Her eyes were distant.

Jasper almost appeared out of nowhere. "What's happening to her?" he asked strategically.

"She...she's...no," she seemed to be too absorbed to answer.

"What's happening to her?" Jasper repeated.

Alice closed her eyes as her vision ended. "She's...she jumped off a cliff."

Suddenly, everyone froze. Obviously, this was shocking news.

I gasped. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know," Alice asked.

She grabbed her cellphone from her pocket, and quickly dialed a number.

She waited a few seconds, then said, "Edward. I've had a vision. About Bella."

There was a screeching on the other end of the line, then Alice yelled back, "I know you said not to look into her future. But I was already so attuned to her that there was not a chance of receiving no vision after what she did."

Another pause for Edward's response.

"Well...," she trailed off, reluctant to tell the bad news. "Uh, Bella sorta...jumped off a cliff."

Another yell emitted from Alice's cellphone.

"I'm not lying," Alice proclaimed. "I told you that this would happen. But did you listen? No!" Her free hand had formed a tiny fist that was now shaking violently in irritation.

Edward's response, yet again, took a moment.

"And you haven't broken past promises to her?" she countered.

Total silence.

"Remember?" Alice was on the brink of yelling in fury. "She doesn't like double standards."

"Can I talk to him?" I asked.

Everyone stared at me for a second before Alice muttered, "Sure. I don't want to talk anymore."

She handed the phone to me, and asked Carlisle, "Can I use your car? It's the only one with enough gas to get me to Forks."

"Uh, sure-"

"Why are you going to Forks?" I asked.

"To see if Bella's alright," she stated. She then disappeared, leaving no trace.

I stared off after her until I remembered that Edward was still on the other side of the line.

I put the cellphone up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Uh, hi Keiran," he greeted me.

"Why don't you go to her?" I asked him, getting straight to the point.

There was a long pause-I guessed he was thinking. "I put her in danger just being with her. She's better off without me. She may be delusionized into thinking that she loves me, but I'm not meant for her."

None of that made sense to me. "Why don't you go and apologize to her?" I asked.

"I already did," he replied, the dead tone in his voice very detectable.

I frowned. "'Sometimes," I quoted, "you have to apologize again.' That's what my mom used to say, because, sometimes, one time isn't good enough."

Another pause for Edward to think. "I think she got it the first time."

I thought for a while about that. Then, I changed the subject. "Will you be here for my birthday?"

Everyone was suddenly quiet. Waiting for Edward's response, perhaps. Or just surprised at the unexpected question. I couldn't possibly know.

A few moments later, Edward responded. "Why?"

"I want to try and make you...well, not happy, because I already know that seems impossible for you, but I want you to have some fun," I explained.

Now everyone was staring at me.

"Please?" I pleaded, putting on my sad puppy face, though I knew that he wouldn't see it.

"I wouldn't be much company," he responded.

"I don't care. Just be there," I asked.

Another moment of silence, then he finally sighed. "I guess."

I smiled. "Thank you!" This brightened my whole day!

"Well," Edward brought me back to the predicament. "I'll be there for your birthday. When is it?"

"March nineteenth," I informed him. I had totally forgotten about my upcoming birthday until now. It was only four days away.

"I'll be there," Edward repeated. "I've got to go now."

"Bye, Edward."

"Bye, Kieran," he whispered before hanging up.

I smiled as I flipped the cellphone close. Making things better for him was going to be difficult, but worth it, I hoped.

Well...did you like it, or hate it? Somewhere in between? Tell all in your reviews!

P.S.-Happiness starts with a choice! Just some random advice...

By the way, in your review...tell me if you want me to write a separate story on Emmett's POV.

I'll be waiting for 4 reviews!

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