Hey there, everybody…! This isn't going to be my most exciting chapter ever-it's just a filler, so to speak. It does get a bit dramatic, so don't worry. You won't get completely bored. Well, Enjoy!!
Disclaimer: Alright, it's true. I… lied...! I told you all that I owned no part of the Twilight series, and I lied. There is a small portion of the Twilight series that I own. And… that part is… the part that doesn't even exist…! That's right. I own no existing part of the series, but that doesn't mean that I own my own little imaginary part, right…? …Right…? Well, I can see that I'm getting no response out of you, so I might as well just GO!!!!! *stifles a sniffle* Just go, already!! Read the chapter and leave me to my loneliness…!
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*Bella's POV*
I sat in the center of my bed, holding my knees to my chest, until I heard a soft knock at my door.
"Bella? Are you up yet?" It was Charlie. "I just got a call from Jacob. He's wondering where you are. Bella…?" He cracked my door open and peered in, only to find me hyperventilating in a fetal position. Not exactly a healthy sight in a father's eyes. "Bella…?!" I was staring at the blanket in front of me, but out of the corner of my eye I saw my door swing open. It smacked against the wall as Charlie's heavy footsteps approached from the doorway. He sat down next to me, put his hand on my back, and tried to catch my eye. "Bella, what's wrong?" There was an urgent, worried tone in his voice. I met his gaze and mumbled something that didn't sound like anything remotely close to English. What's wrong with me…? This isn't that big of a deal. It's not that major, right? Get it together and talk to Charlie!!
I tried to clear my throat, but ended up coughing until I could barely breathe. Charlie rubbed and patted my back until I could breathe, the worried expression on his face only intensifying.
"Bella, please, tell me what happened…! Did you have another nightmare? I've never seen you react to a dream this way, though… What's wrong?"
My breaths came in short, staggered gasps. "It… was just… a dream… A very… bad… dream…"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
I just shook my head slowly, my eyes back on the blanket at my feet.
"Alright, well, I'm calling Jacob to tell him you're not coming. I'm not letting you out of the house like this."
"No, dad… I… I have to… go to… Jake's place… today… I promised." It became easier to calm down as I thought about the day ahead of me. My breathing gradually became more normal. I looked up at Charlie and said more clearly, "I promised Jake that go down to La Push today. I can't back out on him because of a stupid nightmare." I was debating on whether or not I would tell Jacob about my nightmare when I saw him.
"Bella… I don't know… I feel like I should be keeping an eye on you. I'm not completely comfortable letting you out when I just walked in here and you looked like you'd just been attacked by a ghost…!"
"Dad, I'll be fine, I promise! I'm just going to hang with Jake for the day. It's not like we're going bungee jumping or anything. Come on…"
"Well… At least let me drive you there, okay? I won't hover; I'll take Billy over to Harry Clearwater's place to watch the game."
I groaned internally. I didn't need an escort, but he was probably right. After what I had just experienced, I most likely shouldn't be driving. "That sounds reasonable enough. Hey, what time is it, anyway?"
"It's almost twelve thirty. Why?"
"Crap…! I told Jake that I'd be there by eleven! Okay, uh, give me five minutes to get ready, and then we can go." I shot out of bed and buzzed to my closet for a pair of jeans.
"Hey, slow down, Kiddo… Jake can survive for another half an hour without you."
"No, you don't get it. I told him that I'd spend the whole day with him. Now, please, get out so I can change."
He rolled his eyes as he stood up. "'Gee, thanks, Dad, for making sure I was okay.' Oh, you're welcome, Bella. That's what I'm here for. 'But, who knows what would have happened if you didn't come in…? I very well could owe you my life…!' No, no, Bella. I'm your father; it's my job…!"
I sighed. "Sorry, Dad. Thanks for snapping me out of it. Although I'm not sure that I owe you my life… Thank you. Happy now?"
He smiled with a sarcastic brand of smugness. "Extremely."
I rolled my eyes and all but shoved him out of my room. As I hunted in my closet for something clean to wear, my thoughts began to wander back to the previous evening. I had known Edward was there; who else would it have been? I knew it was him when I saw the eyes in the eyes in the woods, when somebody came through my room and opened the letter, and I knew it was him when a new note appeared on the back of that very letter. I remembered wishing that he would come and stay with me, but knowing in my heart that he wouldn't. Then why does it feel like he did…?
He didn't want me. He told me that he didn't want me…! Why is he doing this? It doesn't make any sense. He left me, and now he's lying to make me feel better. But, he doesn't love me anymore, if he ever really did… So, why does he care so much about how I feel now…? While I was thinking, I had changed into jeans and a ratty old tee shirt. Hanging out with Jake wasn't exactly glamorous, so there was no need to look great. I returned to my bed and flopped down to think some more.
It smelled like him.
He was here. He did lie next to me in my bed. In my dream, at the end, I really was feeling and hearing him. The things he said sounded so pure and soft, I could easily pick which words were truly his and which words were created by my imagination.
I suddenly realized something. That dream symbolically revealed everything that I had been feeling in the past six months. It truly scared me. I wasn't entirely sure if there was any part of me that ever thought of Edward as a monster, but who knows? I had basically locked away and ignored all of my emotions since he left, so maybe I did feel that way at some point. I couldn't be sure.
Only when I heard Charlie coming up the stairs did I realize that that I had my face buried in my blanket, inhaling the sweet aroma that I knew so well.
There was a knock on my door. "Bella? You just about ready?"
"I'll be out in a minute." I didn't want to tear myself away from the comforting, familiar smell. It seemed like ages since this scent had touched my nose, and I couldn't bring myself to break away from it, for fear that it might fade if I did.
I inhaled deeply over and over again, nearly worshipping the quilt. I stared at my alarm clock as I breathed, and when a minute passed, I took two of the deepest breaths I have ever taken, savoring the fragrance. I stood and made my way to the door, when I noticed the window.
It was closed…
I know I opened it last night… I smiled to myself and opened it again. I looked deeply into the woods, not sure exactly what it was that I was trying to see. I shrugged and turned to go.
"How are you feeling?" I wasn't even halfway down the stairs before Charlie asked.
"I'm better, thanks. Like I said, I just had a bad dream. It just freaked me out a little." I was proud of myself for the blasé tone in my voice.
"Okay…" He looked skeptical, but he let it go. "Well, come on then. You were in a rush to get to Jacob's before. Now you've got me needing to get there so I don't miss the game. Oh, and, uh, Jake called again. He said he'll take you to breakfast at a diner in La Push."
"Okay…?"
"Well, I told him you just woke up from a nightmare and you were kind of shaky, so he wants to make sure you're okay." I sighed heavily. I didn't need, or want, to be handed any special treatment. As far as everybody else knew, I just had a bad dream. No big deal…! I mean, come on. It's not like I hadn't had any nightmares before; especially during these past dreadfully long six months. Unfortunately, there were three people that knew what really happened last night.
Jasper, myself, andhim.
As I mentally said the names of the people who did know, my stomach growled as though it hadn't received nourishment in weeks.
"Don't try arguing," Charlie said over his shoulder as he headed to the door. "I'm sure people in China heard that and are screaming 'EAT! EAT!'" Sheesh, Bella… Have you eaten anything this week?"
"Yes, doctor," I said sarcastically. "I had an apple yesterday. Aren't those supposed to keep you away?"
"Alright, alright. No need for the attitude. I'm your father. It's my job to be concerned."
"Since when are you the anxious parent?"
"Since you almost gave me a heart attack up there. Seriously, Bella. Don't do that to me."
"Sorry, Dad. I just, well, I just kind of freaked, I guess." I gave him a quick hug before I walked out to the truck. I was just about to get in when I heard Charlie from the door.
"Hey, hey, hey…! I told you I was driving up there. That means that you get in on the other side."
"Oh. Sorry, Dad. It's just natural now, I guess." I hadn't had to surrender the driver's seat of my truck over to anybody since he left.
I walked over to the passenger side, quite reluctantly, I might add, and climbed in. The seat was surprisingly cold, even through my jeans. I jumped bit as I sat down.
"You alright there?" Charlie asked as he sat down behind the wheel.
"I'm fine," I answered as I buckled my seatbelt. "The seat was just cold."
"Huh. My seat is fine. Maybe you're just a little nuts up here." He smiled and tapped his temple with two fingers.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is." I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to a squirrel that was sitting on the ground, staring intently into the forest. I followed its gaze and watched a shrub tremble as an invisible movement shook its leaves. I didn't see anything else, so I looked back at the squirrel, only to find that it was gone.
As my truck roared to life and pulled out of the driveway, I shook my head twice quickly, trying to clear my mind of what I had just seen.
We were quiet through most of the ride, up until we were just at the La Push border. "Did you get an air freshener or something…?" Charlie asked me suddenly.
"No… Why…?"
"No reason. The truck just smells different. Good… but different."
"Smells the same to me…"
"Oh well. Maybe I'm going crazy, too…!" He cracked a smile.
"Maybe." Truth be told, I was lying. Well, I technically wasn't lying, I was just telling a half truth, I guess you could call it. The truck did smell the same… as my blanket did this morning. It did smell the same… as it used to after he drove it. I couldn't get in trouble for lying because I never said what the truck smelled the same as.
Half truths rock.
We were silent again until we pulled up to Jacob's house. Naturally, upon hearing my truck, Jake ran outside to greet me.
"Bella! I heard what happened…! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Jake. But, uh… I'm over here."
Jake was so busy being worried about me that he didn't realize that I wasn't driving. He ran to where I usually was-behind the wheel-and was yelling in Charlie's ear.
"Oh, uh… Hey, Charlie. Sorry 'bout that…" He laughed awkwardly.
"Don't worry about it, kid. Where's your dad?"
"He's up in the house. Kitchen, I think." He walked past the front of the truck to the passenger door, and attempted to help me out.
"I'm fine, Jake. I had a bad dream. It's not like I fell down the stairs, or anything."
"No, but knowing you, you might. That's why I'm helping…!" He laughed at his own words.
"I heard Charlie chuckle as he walked into the house. I stuck my tongue out at both of them, acting like a complete juvenile. Jacob only laughed harder when he saw my face.
"C'mon. I'm taking you to breakfast."
I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could get a word out, he casually draped his long arm around my shoulders and said sternly, "And I don't want to hear any complaints from you. I'm taking you to the diner, and you're going to eat." He added this bit under his breath, "Even if I have to shove the food down your throat."
I chuckled and wrapped my arm around his waist. I saluted with my free hand and said "Yes, Sir!"We laughed together at his attempted authority.
The diner was within walking distance-according to Jake-so we started down the road. When we were out of view of the house, he leaned down to rest his cheek on the top of my head. As soon as he made contact, he jumped back four feet.
"Jake…?! What's wrong?"
"You… you smell… just like… like… t-the clearing yesterday…!"