CHAPTER THIRTEEN – FORBIDDEN
EDWARD POV
"Shit there right behind us!" Bella panicked gripping my side.
I looked in my rear view mirror and sin the blue Sedan in the distance. I should have known better than to drag Bella in to this, this was all my fault.
"What we going to do?"
"I'll think of something" I told her.
"Well you better think of something fast there gaining"
I was already doing the maximum of 95mph and already they were gaining. I couldn't risk Bella getting injured anymore. I made a quick turn around a bend and slowed the bike down till it came to a halt by a traffic sign.
"Go!" I ordered.
"What?"
"Head for the tree line and disappear, I'll try and loose them then I'll come back for you. Stay hidden and don't talk to anybody!"
"But"
"Go!" I growled.
She climbed off and ran in-between the trees. I revved the bike up and done a wheelie as I took off again. The blue sedan came screeching around the corner, I didn't know where the fuck I was going or what the fuck I was doing, I was just making it up in my head as I went along. I didn't have a choice it was either, Bella stayed with me and I could risk her life and try and not crash the bike or leave her alone in the woods. Both sounded as bad as each other but at least this way she was away from the three psychos closing in on me. The sedan was that close now I felt it bash my back wheel. Driving along this main road was getting me nowhere. I had a dirt bike for fuck sake so it was time to take it off the road.
I throttled the bike and drove it off the road and up the cobbled slope. The sedan followed me over the rocky terrain. The car bounced up and down like a seesaw causing the front bumper to rip off. It fell behind as my bike jumped and travelled through the air. I landed back on my wheels and continued upwards. I soon realised that we were on a cliff then my mind went into over drive.
I slowed my speed down and waited for the sedan to catch up to me. When it did I revved my bike back up as the car made a pit manoeuvre on my back wheel. I stalled the bike and slid sideways making the bike topple over then it spun round and out of control, because I had stalled it came to a halt. I slid to the floor and gambolled through the air until I landed flat on my back. The sedan flew straight past me but the driver couldn't stop fast enough. The car flew through the air and over the edge of the cliff.
I heard the sound of a huge splash then I growled clenching my right shoulder as the joint had came out my arm socket. I brought my left arm up and yanked at my right arm. I let out a huge growl as my shoulder popped back into place. I rested for a minute then stood back up then I could feel the blood ooze down the side of face. I walked to the edge and peered down at the sedan that was in the ocean. It was like watching the last bit of the Titanic sink as the back of the car was sticking out of the water. The car filled up sending ripples through the water and bubbles to float to the surface. I heard a smashing sound that echoed up the cliff top. The back window exploded causing the whole car to fill up and sink to the ocean bed. I waited for a while longer until the waters returned to its normal tranquil state then I turned around a walked back to my bike.
I pulled it off the floor and climbed back on. I took off again across the cobbled cliff and back down the slope. I drove slower this time down the slope and took off full speed again as I reached the main road again. I followed the road and around the bend and slowed down as I got back to the sigh post.
"Bella!" I shouted climbing off the bike.
I walked off into the direction that she had run in and continued through the tree line.
"Bella!" I shouted again.
My voice trailed through the air as I continued walking over fallen branches and rocks. Where the fuck was she?
"Bella!" I shouted again more urgent this time.
"Edward!" I heard a faint shout.
"Where are you?"
"Over here!" She shouted.
I scanned through the trees looking at every detail, through ever leaf but I still couldn't see her.
"You need to be a bit more precise" I laughed.
"I'm by a tree stump" She shouted back.
"Again a bit more precise, love" I laughed again.
Wait what the fuck did I just call her?
"My leg is stuck!" She informed me.
All laugher gone I tensed back up.
"Are you hurt?" I hissed.
"No, it's my jeans there caught on something?"
I relax again and pushed out a laugh.
"Alright, keep talking ill follow your voice" I shouted.
"Ok" she shouted then I started walking in the direction of her voice.
"Are you alright?" She shouted.
"Yeah"
"Where are the teachers?"
"I lost them, well you could say that?"
"What do you mean?" she shouted again.
Her voice was becoming more louder as I pasted more trees.
"Well we won't have to worry about then anymore?" I paused then considered the possibility that they might still be alive "Well maybe for a while" I corrected myself.
I came to a halt at a big tree trunk. Bella was half sitting on it facing away from me as she picked at her nails.
"Why what happened?" She shouted not noticing me behind her.
I smirked and carefully crept up the trunk behind her.
"Edward!" She shouted when I didn't answer her.
Still I didn't answer I crept up to her and leaned down to her ear.
"Boo"
She jumped and her screams echoed around the trees.
"Edward" she snapped spinning around gripping her chest.
"Sorry" I smiled.
I couldn't hold my laugh in anymore, the look on her face was priceless.
"Not funny" She pouted slapping my shoulder.
I held my hands up in defence then jumped down off the trunk landing on my feet. I turned back around to see Bella's pant leg snaked around a few sharp twigs and a piece of metal wire. I could tell by the rip in her jeans that she had attempted to untangle it herself. I crouched down to her leg and begun tugging at it.
"You're bleeding" she whispered bending down to me.
"I'll live" I said pulling at the scrambled mess. "What the fuck man"
"What?"
"Only you could walk into a Forrest and get trapped" I smirked.
"Well it's not my fault that everything bad attracts to me" she pouted.
"I will agree with you, take me for example" I smirked.
She paused for a moment then I debated with myself if she actually figured out what I meant by me being attracted to her.
"You're not bad" She whispered looking down.
So she hadn't figured it out yet. I tugged at the stupid wire and groaned.
"Haven't you got any scissors or a knife or anything?"
I looked at her blankly.
"Yeah because I really carry pair of scissors, a survivor kit or a needle and thread around with me in a Forrest" I sarcastically said.
"Not funny" she glared at me.
"You're the one asking stupid questions" I smirked.
I could see that she was tiring to be serious but she failed miserable as a smile tried to escape her lips.
"You could just rip it" she said.
"Or you could just take your jeans off" I smirked.
Did I just say what I think I said?
She blushed bright red then she stood back up.
"Fuck this" I hissed.
I ripped her jeans all the way up to her knee and threw the remaining fabric away that was still attached to the mess. I stood back up and smiled.
"Great" she said looking down at her jeans that were now half pants and half shorts. "I feel like I've stepped right back into the eighties.
"Hey don't dis the eighties" I laughed walking off.
"Well its better than no pants at all" she replied and blushed.
We walked back the way I came I soon discovered that I had to walk side by side with her because she would somehow trip over thin air, as if that was even fucking possible. I scoffed. I caught her before she fell so I ended up wrapping my arm around her waist and guiding her through the trees and back to the main road. I let her go as I got to my bike. I climbed on and waited for Bella to wrap her arms around my waist before I took off back home and back to reality.
It took me a little over an hour to get back to Forks because I proceeded to do 40mph all the way for Bella's sake.
"So what's going to happen now?" Bella asked as I was a few minutes away from school.
"I suppose we could show you're farther the chain and try and get him on our side" I said.
"But what if he already knows then his going to know that we know?"
"Bella, your farther is the key to all this regardless if he knows or not, we haven't got any other choice. If he doesn't understand and doesn't do anything about it then we will have to make him"
She was silent after that probably debating with herself for all I know. I pulled up in the school parking lot then parked up next to Bella's car.
"So when do you want to do it?" Bella asked climbing off.
I couldn't help but smirk when she suddenly froze and blushed bright red.
"Um, whenever you're ready, we could do it right now if you like" I smirked.
We both burst out laughter for a minute then I quickly regained myself. I still hadn't told her what exactly happened to the teachers so it was best that we did whatever we planned to do as soon as possible.
"I don't think this can wait so it is probably best that we tell him as soon as possible" I told her.
"Alright" she said exhaling a deep breath "Let's go"
I nodded and waited for her to climb into her car, we took off a few minutes later and I followed her on my bike.
We arrived at her house after twenty minutes. Her father's car wasn't here, this time I parked my bike in her driveway because there was no need to hide anymore. I walked with her up the porch steps and into her house. The howling from the alarm echoed as we entered then it stopped as she turned it off.
"Drink?" she asked.
"Please"
I followed her into the kitchen and sat down by the island. She began making the coffee as I flipped the same paper over I red yesterday.
"Ill be right back" She said.
I nodded and watched as she went upstairs. I went over to sink and ran the tap. I washed my hands and grabbed a few paper towels and began wiping at the dried blood on my forehead. I winched and hissed when the gash started to sting. The coffee pot clicked so I cleaned up the mess and walked over and poured two cups then though about what could have happened if we weren't interrupted earlier.
I went to kiss her, I wanted to kiss her. I knew I was attracted to her but I didn't think for one second that she was even remotely interested in me but when I sin her lean in to my lips it sent alarm bells ringing and I could have killed the teacher's right then for interrupting. Did she want more than just a friendship as I did? Maybe I misread her reactions, after all she was upset and I was the only person around for comfort. I am ashamed of myself for taking advantage of her like that, I should have known better. Being around Bella was like being fucking stoned or pissed out your head. My mind was clouded, I can't think straight around her and I can't control my words, urges or actions either.
I had put her life at risk today all because of my selfishness and from whatever happened from now on I had to protect her because I had endangered her life. I knew for certain that Mr Harding had killed Eric even before I found his chain and after today's advents I also knew the Conner's and Bryans must be involved as well. If the teachers were planning to kill us before the cliff incident then I would hate to think of what they would do to us if they did survive the incident because that would have only pissed them off more. They wouldn't just be coming for me they would be coming for Bella to. Thinking back to what happened today I had come up with a few more theories about the teachers like how Ms Conner's picked me up like I weighed a fucking feather or how Bryans jumped from a three story building with obtaining a scratch.
"Everything alright?" Bella asked.
I snapped out of my thoughts and spun around to see her clothing had changed. She now wore a baggy shirt with a pair of black sweats. For fuck sake didn't she know how sexy she looked in old crappy clothes? I swallowed hard and pushed my inappropriate thoughts away.
"No" I said taking my cup and returning to the island.
"What's up?"
I tried to think of a way to say what I was thinking without scaring her completely. She had believe me once before about my theories but this theory was so fucking absurd it was unreal for me to even believe it.
"I have another theory" I told her.
"Let's hear it" she said taking the seat opposite me.
"I think there's something more going on with the teachers than we thought"
"You mean the way they live and stuff"
"Yeah" I paused taking a sip of coffee.
"I thought that was odd and how a tiny woman could have that much strength" She said.
"That's exactly what I thought" I told her.
"So what could it be, they could be on drugs I mean drugs can make you strong right?" she asked
She was going the exact opposite way to where I had intended to go so fuck it I was going to get straight to the point.
"I don't think there human" I whispered.
She paused and ferried her eyebrows.
"Ok, I wasn't expecting that" she smiled.
"Think about it, there strong, they don't hurt easily, they don't eat, sleep"
"All that could have a rational explanation" She replied.
"Like how?"
"Well, they could be on steroids and they could have only just be moving into that apartment" she explained.
She had a point but I refused to believe it.
"I suppose you're going to say that Bryans could be Spiderman next" I scoffed.
"Funny" She glared.
"And another thing" I continued. "I noticed something about Ms Conner's. I noticed it on my first day of school but I didn't think anything of it until I sin it again today"
"What?"
"Her eyes" I whispered "They flicker fast like" I paused.
I could explain it, it was like she was quickly reading something or like somebody had hit stop, pause and rewind on a remote.
"She could be epileptic" she replied.
I rubbed my eyes with my palms and groaned inwards.
"I'm not saying that I don't believe you but its one thing that teachers are killing students but for them to be inhuman and killing, well that's a whole different thing altogether" she said.
I huffed and looked back up.
"Your right because they're going to be a lot harder to fucking kill" I spat.
She was a bit taken back by my sudden reaction but I had ever right to act the way I did. If my theory was true then the main question was, was what the fuck were they and if they had survived then they would deffinatly come for me and Bella and if they were not human then what chance would I have to protect the person I...
I tried to find the right word to use to justify my feelings for her. I knew I liked her, I knew I had a connection with her, I knew I felt the need to protect her and I knew that being with her made me happy but I didn't no what it all meant, if you know what I mean. It was all very confusing so for now then I would have to say the person I cared about, because I did care for her.
"I didn't think that they would have to be killed, could you" She paused looking down. "Kill them" she gulped.
"I will if I have to"
"They will be coming for us wont they" Her voice cracked.
I took her hand away from her cup and squeezed it with mine.
"I'm not going anywhere as long as it's for the best. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise"
She looked back up and I gave her a reassuring look. I had promised her now so I had to live up to that promise and believe it myself. Her fingers started to caress around my knuckles and our fingers entwined around each others. I closed my eyes and swallow hard as more urges started to engulf my mind.
"What the hell is this?" I heard a shout.
My eyes snapped open and I snatched my hand away. My gaze shot straight to the hallway and fell upon her farther. I hadn't even herd the front door open. Bella pulled her hand away and stood up instantly like a deer caught in headlight.
"Dad"
"Don't dad me what's going on?" He said stepping into the kitchen.
"Dad this is Edward" she said signalling her hand towards me.
"I know who he is I meant what the fuck is he doing in my house!" he shouted.
I could see that his eyes were full of anger and hatred for me and I could have only guessed that mine were the same now for him because of the way he spoke to her. How fucking dare he speak to her like that? I spat in my head.
"Dad calm down and we will explain"
"Don't tell me to calm down and don't waste your time" he spat "You!" She shouted at me "Out!"
I stood up from the stool but my feet were completely bolted to the ground. I wasn't going anywhere, I wasn't going to leave Bella alone with him until he calmed the fuck down.
"No Edward stay right there!" Bella hissed at me.
She crossed her arms and faced her farther.
"His not going anywhere because you need to hear what we have to say first" she hissed standing her ground.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a growl.
"Bella, I have had a very bad day, I have got more important things to worry about then your fucking choice of boyfriend material right now"
"How can you say that, what things are more important to worry about than your own daughter" she spat
Was I the only one to notice that she didn't correct him when he called me her boyfriend? I almost smiled at that but I didn't.
"Like I have no teaching staff till next week, so now I'm up to my neck in board meetings and paperwork"
Bella and I both looked each other at the same time.
"Why what's happened to the teachers?" Bella perked up.
I made sure to look at him as he answered. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes so I couldn't tell if he was lying or not.
"Nothing there just" he paused for a moment "Sick that's all, the schools going to be closed until next week" he told us.
Well that was a fucking big fat bonus but on the other hand they must have survived because he must have been in contact with them and the other thing was that he didn't say that they were dead, if they were dead and their car had being found already then why didn't he tell us that they had an accident or anything.
"Anyway back to the point, you out!" he glared at me.
"Were not finished" Bella hissed.
"Well I am, get out or ill have you arrested" He threatened me.
"What for?" I spat finally speaking up.
"Trespassing on private property"
"I'm not trespassing and I didn't break in. I was invited in so when Bella's ready for me to leave I will" I spat.
"This is my house, you leave when I tell you to leave and if you don't get out ill throw you out!" he snarled pacing towards me.
I locked my jaw and tensed up. I was going to annihilate this fucker if he put his hands on me.
"Stop!" Bella shouted putting herself in the middle of us. "Dad his my friend and you have no right to throw him out for no reason" she defended me.
I didn't need defending I could take care of myself and I certainly wasn't going to let her stick up for me because of her father's fucking immature behaviour.
"His not you're friend! and I will not have a dangerous gang banger in my house and I certainly will not accept the fact that my daughter is associating with one" he spat at me.
"Fuck you!" I growled.
"You're a useless violent lowlife who is not worthy and doesn't even deserve my daughter. When you found out whom she was you just wormed your way just so you can keep your parole nice and clean. You're not good for her and I can see right through you I'm just disappoint that my daughter cannot! Now get the fuck out of my house and stay away from me, my daughter and my house!"
How dare this smug stereotypical bastard assume that I am even like the rest of them? Just because I look like I'm in a gang, act like I'm in a gang and well in fact, actually is in a gang doesn't mean I agree or even follow their stupid rules, I made that point clear when I took that beating last week. Did he forget that I, me, this voilent lowlife saved his daughter from a rapist this morning? Did he also assume that I would be the sort of person to hurt her, knock her up and leave her as well? I could see the veins popping out of his head, the longer I stayed here the angrier he was going to get and I didn't know how long I could keep my cool for, so the best thing to do was leave.
"Fine" I spat "But I'm not leaving because you told me to, I'm leaving because if you even breathe another word to me then ill smash you're fucking teeth to the back of your bastard skull and I wouldn't want Bella to hate me for it!" I growled.
I stormed out the kitchen to the hallway and pulled the front open. I flew down the steps and began walking to my bike.
"Edward stop!" Bella shouted.
My fists were still in balls, if I was a cartoon character I would have had a red face, my eyesballs popping twenty feet out of my eye sockets and steam coming out my ears. I didn't want her to see me like this I couldn't face her not after that.
"Go back inside Bella" I ordered her.
I flicked the stand up from my bike and began walking it to the tree line. I couldn't and didn't want to go home straight away I needed to cool off first so I needed to go to my hiding place, I needed to escape.
"Edward wait!" Bella shouted coming up behind me.
I ignored her and continued walking through the tree line. I walked in and out the trees and followed the path around.
"Edward please just talk to me" she begged.
I hated seeing and hearing her upset but I just could talk to her right now, I couldn't even look at her after what her farther just said.
"Edward please"
"Bella you're farther was right, I'm not good for you so just go home!" I ordered her again.
She didn't comply instead she followed me all the way to the meadow. I threw my bike to the ground and walked across the grass but stalled halfway. I wrapped my arms around the back of my head and bent down rocking back and forth on the heels of my feet.
"Fuck!" I shouted pulling at my hair.
I felt her hand on the top of my shoulder but I shrugged it away and stood back up. I was still fuming over her father's words. Yeah so I've not had the best upbringing, I've had to learn and fight my way through life to survive, to comfort and protect Jasper when my mother didn't. I went into prison for being a gang leader and selling drugs. I have being violent, had fights even killed people but none of that was what I wanted. I didn't want or choose this life it was just the card I was dealt to play.
Her father had no right to shoot me to the ground and piss all over me. He didn't know me, he only knew what he red or had been told. How dare he say that I was only using her to make my parole look good, I felt connected to Bella even before I knew who she was. I guess that her father was right in a way, I was not good for her. I wasn't worthy and I didn't deserve her. Bella is a beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman who will go far in life. Once high school is over she could do whatever and become whatever she wanted and then there's me, the useless lowlife who has a criminal record the size of his arm holding her back. I would ruin her life, her chance of a normal, happy, safe life and I wouldn't allow my selfishness and greed to take that from her.
"Edward I'm sorry for what my farther said"
"Don't apologize for him" I growled turning around to face her "Never, apologize for him"
She looked down to the floor and made herself look small. I hated myself for what I was about to say but I had to make her understand that being with me even just being a friend that she was in danger.
"Besides your fathers right, I am just a violent lowlife so I suggest you stay away from me"
She looked back up and her eyes began to fill with water. Oh god please don't cry. I whispered in my head.
"You won't hurt me" she whispered.
She was right I wouldn't even dream about hurting her but her being with me put her in more danger than she realised. One way or another she would get hurt either by the teachers, the black hearts, razor heads or even her own farther.
"I won't but others will. I'm not good for you Bella you shouldn't be friends with me"
"I don't care" she whispered walking up to me.
She stopped in front of me and I had to swallow the massive lump that formed in my throat as I watched the tears roll down her face.
"Please don't cry" I said while my voice broke.
I resisted the urge to wipe the tears from her eyes. I couldn't crumble now I had to keep going.
"Bella I, can't be your friend"
"Then don't be"
She wrapped her hands around my neck and before I knew what was happening her lips were on mine. Her lips were so soft she tasted amazing, better than I ever imagined. I snaked my hands around her waist and pulled her close to me. My tongue brushed her bottom lip then her lips parted allowing me entry to her tongue. My heart was racing and the electrical surges running throughout my body to her touch made me feel like I was going too exploded into flames. I had being wanting this since the first day I met her, I wanted this feeling to last forever but I knew that it could not be. I had to try, to try and let her lead a normal life without the violence and the heartache. She deserved a better life and somebody better than myself. I shouldn't have kissed her back but yet again my selfishness and greed took over. I needed this to stop because the more I held her and the more I kissed her, the harder it was for me to let go.
"Stop" I said pulling away from her.
The silence that hung in the humid air was getting unbearible to take.
"Bella we can't do this" I said backing away from her.
"Why?"
I turned away from her and mentally slapped myself. This whole situation was forbidden like Romeo and Juliet but this version was so fucked up that the director couldn't fit it all in a two hour film and the best actors in the world couldn't portray our characters without getting awarded and Emmy for the best shittest acting.
"Because you're not good for me either." I whispered.
I felt Bella's pain shudder through me, the cold, hard, sharp pain of rejection. I wanted to smash my own fucking teeth out for saying it. How I so badly wanted to take it back, to turn around and scoop her up in my arms and tell her I lied just to protect her.
"You promised, you promised that you wouldn't go anywhere" she whispered.
I turned back around and watched as the life and hope drained out of her, did she really feel this strongly for me as I did her?
"As long as it was for the best" I repeated my words from earlier. "And this isn't the best way" I paused.
I didn't know what to say, I was so confused I didn't even know what was right or wrong anymore.
"So what, is that it, you're just going to forget this whole thing never happened? Why did you stick around for so long?"
"Bella"
"Shut up" She interrupted.
Her tears wasn't from sadness any more they were from anger.
"Did you just do this for a joke? To make me feel something for you then take off and leave me to deal with all this shit on my own. What the fuck do you want from me Edward?"
"I just want" I paused.
"Come on, spit it out!"she shouted.
"Alright" I snapped "Do you really want to know what I want"
"Yes"
"I want you away from all the violence, away from this fucking town and away from me" I snapped.
I watched the colour drain from her face as endless tears escaped her eyes. My words slowly breaking her piece by piece.
"You, don't want me" Her voice cracked.
Hearing her words which were basically what I was saying to her rung in my ears, the pain in my chest was agonising. Seeing every tear spill from her eyes peirced another hole into my already dead heart. It was then I suddenly realised something, something I had being tiring to make sense of all this time, something that had been staring at me right in the fucking face.
"This place is my home, this is my fucking life, I didn't choose it but its mine and I have accepted it and I have to live in it, you don't!" I snapped again "I don't want you to have to live your life the way I have I want you to be happy, to live a normal fucking happy safe life, with somebody who deserves you."
"I dont want anybody else" She whispered walking towards me again "I want you"
Just hearing her say this made my heart break in to, she still wanted me inspite of everything ive done, after everything ive said.
"I dont deserve you, you should be with somebody who does. Somebody who will treat you like the princess you are, somebody who will hold you, comfort you and make love to you everynight. Somebody you can live in peace and happiness with. Not somebody who knows nothing but violence. Not somebody who will be looking over his shoulder twenty four seven making sure that you are protected at all times. You're life is too special and valuable to just waste it here and I would rather fucking kill myself then see you get hurt or worse die because of me, because your too damn important to me to risk losing"
"Why do you even care so much about me?" she whispered using one tiny breath.
Using half a breath I whispered the words that finally justified how I felt towards her. I have always known deep down inside but it took me until now, until I nearly lost the one person, the only person I have ever said these words to and meant it, to realised the actual truth.
"Because I love you"