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Chapter 10
It's Not Over.
Daughtry.
"Remember, Charlie and Renee will be here after school." Edward spoke, as if I could forget. We were on our way to school, and Edward seemed to be intent on drilling the day's schedule into my brain.
"I know, I know." I sighed, grinning at him. "I have my phone, it's in my pocket. I have my school stuff, that all is in my bag. I know that Charlie and Renee are coming home, and I know that it's going to be...stressful, to say the least. But it's okay...we're okay. You know why? Because I know, and I'm aware."
"I know you know." He glanced at me, but his green eyes quickly flitted to the road. "I just get nervous when you have to be around them. They aren't exactly the greatest people on the planet."
"I know that...but I think I can handle three nights with them. They're just my grandparents. Do you think Renee would kill me if I called her Grandma?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him, making him laugh. We both knew that Renee would have a hissy if I dared to call her grandma. That was the best part. The fact that I knew, and that I could tell them, was one of my best weapons at that point. I was almost excited to see them again.
"I think...I think that you should just talk...non-stop." He laughed and I nodded. "Show her how she could have had it." He slowly pulled the car into the loop outside of my school. I sighed, sitting back and unbuckling my seat-belt. As the belt slid back into it's place, I turned to face him better, just so I could get one last look at his perfect face. He flashed me his grin, and kept talking. "I'll miss you today. I'm so happy that I have an excuse to stay with you this time."
"I will see you right after school? You'll pull up here, right?" I inquired, remembering the havoc that he caused by being late the time before. He bobbed his head up and down, and half winced at the thought of my broken bones and bruises.
"Of course. I love you."
"I love you too," I said, leaning in to kiss him on the lips. He kissed me back, but began to pull away all too early. "I'll see you in eight hours."
"Until then." He reached over me and pushed my door open for me. I grinned and patted his forearm, before hopping out and closing the door behind me.
I didn't even think of the eyes that followed me into the building, but rather my mind and heart was still with Edward. That was how the majority of my day felt. Hazy, preoccupied, and quick. It wasn't like something I had ever experienced. I had never so easily ignored the psychotic student body that surrounded me. Never as simple as it was.
When I walked into Biology, towards the end of the day, I was in a good enough mood to keep my head up. I should have known better, as that was my class with the psychos. As I walked down the aisle, and to my seat, Lauren kicked her backpack out and into the walkway. My foot caught on it, hurtling me to the cold, hard ground.
"What the hell, Lauren?" I hissed, pushing myself up and onto my knees.
Everyone in the room gasped.
"The freak can talk!" She squealed and I felt my eyes narrow.
"Of course I can talk!" I spat, pulling myself up an to my feet. "And I'm not a freak! Just because I don't walk around giving everyone my thoughtless and rude opinion does not mean that I am a freak! I make good grades, I have an amazing family and boyfriend who loves me, I speak English and Spanish, and for God's sakes...I have all of this without the help of some bleach, tanning oil, and makeup! So, so just leave me the hell alone, Lauren!"
"Whatever!" She scoffed, her face turning bright red. It was nice to see the blush on someone elses face for once. "At least I'm not...like...a slut! You're dating someone who your parents hired to live with you! That's just nasty and pathetic!"
"Oh, please. He was supposed to watch the house while they ran off on me. They aren't even my parents! My real, biological, mother's name is Rosalie and she's married to an officer named Emmett. Learn to ask someone about themselves before you start talking crap!" I was shouting, growing angrier and angrier with each second. "He's my first boyfriend anyway. It's not like I've dated every guy in the school with a name, unlike someone."
"Yeah, let's just make up shit!" She cried, and I smirked at her. She was out of comebacks. She was out of ammo. I, Bella Swan, had won that battle.
"Right. Whatever, Lauren." I muttered, turning to go all the way back to my seat.
As soon as I took my seat, the phone began ringing. Mr. Molena came rushing in to answer it. His brow came together as whover was on the other end began talking to him. Slowly, the color began to drain from his face and I felt butterflies in my stomach. He looked far from comfortable, his eyes glancing towards the door every few seconds. Causing me to jump in my seat, he slammed the phone and ran over to close and lock the door.
"Alright, class," he spoke with a certain nervousness to his voice. He was shaking in his boots. "Nobody needs to panic." He shut the light off that time, and I frowned. "They just noticed some suspicious activity and we need to get out of sight."
"Do they have a gun?" Lauren squeaked as he ran to close the blinds. I slowly stood as he ushered us to find a spot to sit in the corner away from the doors and windows.
"I don't know." Mr. Molena sighed and shook his head. "Just be quiet. Okay?"
I slowly pulled my phone out and saw that I had gotten a text from Edward.
Someone is at your school. I heard on the scanner. Stay safe, don't leave your classroom. XX
I pursed my lips, shaking my head. My mind hadn't considered the fact that it could have been the same people who had followed us that night. My blood ran cold at the thought that whoever was in the building was after me. I scooted my back until it hit the counter behind me and prayed that whoever it was had no idea where to find me. There were only three-hundred kids in the building, after all.
I quickly replied to Edward, telling him that I was in biology and that we were in a corner, in the dark. He didn't seem thrilled, but let it go enough that I could put my phone in my pocket. I let my head rest against the cabinet, and closed my eyes tightly. I thought of Edward and his thoughtful texts. I thought of his eyes, and his hair, and his heart. I had just gotten him. After everything that I had gone through, right through drowning, I didn't want to lose him again. He was everything to me.
About half an hour later, Mr. Molena's phone began to ring. He ran over and answered it, crouched behind his desk as he spoke with what sounded like relief. After hanging up the phone, with less aggression than the first time, he walked over and turned the lights on. It seemed as if a huge amount of pressure had been lifted, and everybody stood with a sigh. We were all happy to be alive, even if we hadn't come close to whatever was happening.
"The principal is giving everyone early release, so that they can check the security devices. School is regular tomorrow. So show up." He announced, collecting his stuff. I smiled to myself as I picked up my back and walked right out of the classroom.
As I exited the building, I was surprised to see Edward's car parked to the side. Standing around it was Rosalie, Emmett, Charlie, and Renee. Nobody looked to be talking, but they all didn't seem to be arguing either. I slowly approached them, not sure what to think or to say. I had no idea if Charlie and Renee knew that I was talking yet.
"Sorry I didn't park where you asked. When I got that call on my scanner, I came straight here." Edward explained and I nodded at him, smiling half-heartedly.
"Yeah, and he called us. Thank God." Emmett smirked and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Do they know who it was yet?" Rosalie asked me, wrapping her arm around my upper arms. I shook my head at her and she glanced at Charlie and Renee. Slowly, she began to nod again.
"Can we stay at Bella's house?" Emmett asked Rosalie, rocking expectantly on his heels. I sniggered at his inner child. That was one of the best parts of Emmett. He was incredibly in touch with his inner childhood.
"Not tonight, Em." Rosalie giggled and shook her head. Her brown eyes finally drifted back to me. I watched as they flickered to Charlie and Renee before catching me again. "You know I would love to, Bells, but I haven't finished unpacking my room. I have a shift later and then Em has to "
I just nodded, understanding. My eyes transferred to Charlie and Renee, who awkwardly stood to the side. They both stood ram-rod straight, their arms crossed securely over their chest. I wondered just how uncomfortable they felt just then. They knew that I knew every single secret that they had ever kept from me. They knew that I had spent a month with Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward alone. They had ran from their problem more than once, and because they had to face it, I knew that they were probably uncomfortable. I stopped nodding, looking back at Edward. They deserved every ounce of awkwardness that they were getting.
Rosalie and Emmett moved in to wrap their arms around me. I hugged them both back, wishing that Rose could stay and help me. I had already asked the couple for so much, I knew better than to pester them when they had work and hardly any alone time. So, I whispered that I loved them, quietly enough that Renee and Charlie wouldn't know, before pulling back and residing beside Edward.
He patted my lower back almost awkwardly, before turning and pulling the pasenger door of his Volvo open. I smiled, nodding at him as he waited for me to buckle my seatbelt before closing the door behind me. My eyes followed him as he made his way back around, to get into his own seat. He started the car lithely, his eyes trained on the parking lot around him as he did so. I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of him. Not even when Charlie and Renee climbed into the backseat, neither of them saying a word. Edward finally got onto the road and turned the radio on, but only as background music.
"You scared me half to death today," he spoke, a slight uneasiness in his voice as he glanced at Renee and Charlie. "When I heard about the incident at your school, I was so sure that someone was there for you. They just assumed that it was a mixup though. You know, some handicap or something running around there. They don't exactly have the highest security ratings."
I shrugged, and then nodded. I was still fighting the urge to reassure him. To explain that I was safe and that nobody found or saw me. Even if the stranger had been after me, I was safely tucked away in Mr. Molena's classroom. I stuck with the fact that I needed to keep my mouth shut for my own sake. I wasn't quite ready to talk to Renee and Charlie, so I simply didn't. I wanted them to be uncomfortable for a while.
When we got home, I followed them all inside. I was happy, when we stepped into the doorway, that Edward had stayed. I didn't know what I would have done if he hadn't stuck around for me. Charlie and Renee would have cornered me, and then they would have pounced. I could practically see how livid they were. They were mad at Rosalie, me, and everything else in their lives. It infuriated me, but also scared me a bit. They had so much power. I tended to forget that they owned my home, were Edward's boss – keeping him off of the streets – and all together seemed much bigger than I was.
I slowly got to the kitchen, and was surprised to see that all of our sticky notes were gone. Panic filled me at first, but my brain suddenly reminded me that Edward had probably moved them. Charlie and Renee had no idea about Edward and I. I had zero intention on filling them in. They could have taken him from me, had him arrested, and fired. I didn't even want to think about how screwed up the entire situation could have ended it if weren't for Edward's preparation.
Slowly, I pulled a SunnyD jug from the fridge and filled two glasses. Edward loved juice and had introduced me to the many different kinds over the time I had spent on bedrest. I had learned that SunnyD orange juice was my absolute favorite. We drank it everyday, after school. After they were both filled evenly, I put the jug up and turned to carefully take them to the living room. I left Charlie and Renee to find their own beverages.
"Thanks." Edward grinned, taking one of them from my hands and quickly taking a sip of it.
"Aren't you going to offer us drinks?" Renee asked, her voice sharp and expectant. It was just like when she lived with me. She was controlling me, but making it sound a bit nicer by putting things in a questioning form. I knew that it really had nothing to do with my manners, but it was actually about the fact that she needed to put me down to make herself feel secure.
"It's your house." I scoffed, shooting my mouth off. I had not planned on speaking then, or at all. So when the words slipped, and in such an angry tone, I realized that I was a gonner. There was no going back from there.
Renee's arm coiled back before slapping me on the cheek. The burn was the first thing I noticed. It took seconds for my mind to process the fact that she had knocked the entire glass of juice from my hands, and onto her perfect, white carpeting. As soon as it all clicked, and my face began to burn all over with a blush, Edward was in between us and shouting.
"What the hell was that for?" He shouted, his stance moving to protection. "You hire me to protect her, and then you hit her?"
"She has absolutely no right to speak to me that way!" Renee stuck her nose up, and I was ready to punch her square in the face.
"Oh, yes, because you had half the right to talk to her the way that you just did?" He laughed mockingly, moving to help me step back.
"I'm her mother!" She cried.
"No, you're not!" I shot back, my jaw hurting with each movement. If Renee had anything, it was an arm.
"Bella, why don't you go and put ice on that?" Edward turned, ignoring Renee's outward fuming behind him. He gently ran his finger over what I'm sure was quickly turning into a bruise. I nodded, my eyes burning with unshed tears as I ran from the room. I made sure to give Renee wide burth, not wanting to go anywhere near her after what she had done.
"So, what, you can just send her from the room? I hired you to watch the house! Make sure nobody broke in!" She barked at him as soon as I was out of what she must have thought was ear-shot. Slowly, I dialed Rosalie's number after picking the phone up, off of the receiver.
"Technically, my position is a bodyguard. To guard her body! You hit her, Renee! That was completely uncalled for and utterly unacceptable!" He argued, not stepping down from where he was. I almost feared that he was being to protective. His word choice was a bit pecuilar, but I didn't have it in me to stop him. I didn't know what to say to Renee.
"Bella?" Rosalie's voice pulled me from my own thoughts. "Bella? Are you there?"
I slowly slid down the back of the island, keeping my back to the noise in the other room. "Mom?"
"What's going on?" Her tone implied that she had immediately caught onto my distress.
"I just...I need a distraction." I muttered, crawling over to the fridge, where I pulled out an ice pack and slowly pressed the stainless-steel door closed. After scooting my way back over to my hiding spot, I pressed the cool square to my tingly cheek.
"From what? Is that shouting?" She sounded perplexed and I swallowed thickly.
"Probably." I whispered.
"She's my kid! I can do what I want!" Renee screamed, probably catching the attention of our entire neighborhood. I was surprised that Rosalie couldn't hear her harping from two houses down.
"Is she freakin' serious?" Rose asked and I sighed.
"She hit me..." I breathed, one hand holding the phone to my face, the other holding an icepack. "She slapped me."
"She hit you? Bella, I'll come over there. To hell with that, I'm on my way." She sounded beyond pissed, I could hear shuffling in the background. I knew that she meant it, and I quickly stopped her.
"Wait. I think we need to fight this out." I whispered, knowing that I was probably right. I needed to have it out with Renee. Show her just how sick she was. "Please. I'll call you if she does something again...I just...I need to do this."
"Where the hell was Edward when this happened?" She asked me and I looked down at my pants, finding where the SunnyD had soaked my left leg. With a sigh, I explained what had happened in better detail. Rosalie offered a few grunts, and I knew that she was probably holding back on me. She didn't want to explode and deny my wishes. After I finished, she sighed heavily and continued talking. "You don't have to sleep over there. You can come over here if they get to crazy. Stay close to Edward...where are you now?"
"I'm in the kitchen." I explained.
"Oh, so you're hiding now?" It wasn't Rosalie that answered me. I looked up to find Renee peering over me, her expression crazed. "She wasn't here! She left you! You're mine!"
"I have to go!" I spoke quickly, hanging up and pushing Rose's phone away from me. I stumbled back as well, following the phone's path towards our fridge. After I got far enough away, I was able to pull myself up, using the countertop as leverage. Renee just stood her, her face giving away her angered thoughts. "You're not my mother! You weren't here for me, and you lied to her!"
"Oh, please. Do you think I wanted another daughter? When Rosalie came home, claiming that she was pregnant, my first plan was to terminate you! At least I was right about something! You're just a bad seed! Just like your disgusting father!" She ranted and I felt my body grow heated. I wasn't embarrassed anymore. I was steaming. I was angry. I was pissed off.
"She wanted me! Otherwise I wouldn't be here, because she would have let you carry through with your twisted, judgemental plans!" I growled at her, my tone growing louder with each word.
"You're just a mistake! You weren't meant to even be in this family! It was all perfect. Rosalie was going to grow up, a great student, and then she was going to graduate, go to law school, and leave us to live in our golden years. The right to brag. Other than that, we were supposed to be finished! And now...look at you! You had to come in and just destroy all of my dreams and plans. You held her back for three years, and then pushed her in the wrong direction all together! The worst part was that she wanted us to keep you! She said that she wouldn't go to college at all unless she knew you were safe! I wanted no part of your disgusting self!" Renee was inchest away from me. I just glowered at her, waiting for her to tell her entire, pitiful story.
"You're the sick one here, not me. All those years...you treated me as if I was disabled. A waste of time. Well, Renee, look at me now! I'm a straight A, happy girl with a real mom who loves her. You were the one who crushed your own dreams...I was merely there to watch you fall!" I ranted, reminding myself of one of those Disney movies. The only difference was that I knew it wasn't over. I knew that Renee and Charlie would forever been the bitter souls that they were. I knew that they would detest me, Rosalie, and anything else related to them.
I simply didn't care.
"I hope you drown in your bitterness." I grumbled, turning on my heel to leave the room. I needed to clean up the mess in the living room. On my way out, I grabbed a roll of paper-towels off of the counter.
When I walked in, I was almost unsurprised to find Charlie seated in his recliner. The sounds of baseball were playing dully in the background. Paying no more mind to him, I turned to find Edward cleaning up the mess on the floor. His face was red and scrunched up uncomfortably. I knew that he had heard everything, but I also knew that he knew how I felt. He understood that I needed to fight my own battle. So, I moved over and got on my knees, ready to help him clean up the mess. As a team.
After we soaked up what we could, we tossed the trash and made our way up the stairs together. Renee had already gone to be with Charlie, in their room, and I finally felt the reality sink in. I had stood up to Renee and Charlie. I told Renee what was wrong with her, and I left the room without feeling less than I had walking into it. My pride swelled as I slipped my jeans off, and pulled on a pair of sweats. Edward walked in a few moments later, stopping to lean against the wall in the doorway.
"How do you feel?" He watched me as I came out of the closet, a fresh t-shirt on.
"Better...lighter..." I tried to explain, but the words weren't really there. I had used them already. Edward just grinned slightly, moving to stand upright in the doorway.
"I have to go to bed. I love you." He lowered his voice, attempting to keep his feelings from Renee and Charlie.
"I love you too." I sighed, wanting nothing more than to relax into his arms. I wanted to kiss him, and go to sleep with him. I wanted to wake up to his beautiful face. After my incredibly emotional day, it was clearly both what I needed and wanted.
"See you in the morning?"
"Yeah...you'll still drive me to school, right?"
"Absolutely." He nodded. "I'm not leaving just because they're here, Bella. I want you to know that even if they fire me, or I move on, that doesn't mean that I've moved on from you. You have my ring. You have my promise. Got it?"
"Got it," I whispered, unthinkingly playing with the ring on my right hand. "Thanks...for everything. You're the best."
"I'm not going to argue about who is the best tonight." He winked. "Just get some shuteye."
After Edward went back to his room, I shut the lights out and picked my cell phone up, off of the table. It didn't take long for me to find Rosalie's number in the short contact list that I had. I knew that she was bound to leave for work soon and that if I was going to call her, that it was the right time to get that done. Right before hitting the call button, I stopped. I knew that she was probably with Emmett and that they were probably trying to have some alone time.
It was hard not to feel like an intruder with the pair. They were so openly in love, and I knew that they hadn't spent much time apart in Chicago. Odds were, they spent their entire days off together and alone. I felt like a burden whenever I took that time away from them. It was already so much that they had moved to Forks just to be with me. I couldn't have asked for more.
And so, just in case Rose was waiting on a call, I decided to shoot her a quick text message.
Hey, it went better than I had hoped. I'll explain tomorrow after school. See you tomorrow. XXOO.
After hitting send, I rolled over, setting the phone off to the side, and decided that it was time for some much needed rest.
"Bella." The cold voice came from behind me, causing me to turn around in a hurry.
"Wh-what do you want?" I stuttered, terrified of the masculine silhouette in the doorway.
"Haven't you noticed? Things can't be this right. Your time is up." He shouted, and that was when I turned around, for reasons unknown. My eyes trailed up what looked like a trail of oil, in the dark, only to find a body at the end of it. Slowly I began to piece together the uniform, the oil as blood, and the face that was staring blankly at the ceiling.
Edward.
"Edward!" I screamed, lurching forward as my dream came to an end and I was tossed back into reality. It was dark, in my room, and I found myself sobbing as I tried to settle the tremors rocking my body.
"Bella!" Edward's voice came into the dark, and my door was slammed open. He came running over, and swiftly pulled me into his arms. "Bella, what's wrong? What happened?" His voice was panicked, rushed as his hand strailed over my body. It was if he were checking to see if I was okay in every way possible. When I was wanting to do the same to him, after the nightmare that I just gotten out of. "Bella, what's going on?"
"It was horrible!" I sobbed, slinging my arms around his shoulders. He held me close, rocking me, although he still had no idea as to what I was so terrorized over.
"Bella, talk about it. Please." He breathed and I sniffled, realizing that I had broken out and into full-blown sobs.
"Someone...he shot you, Edward...you were dead...right there...I just...I couldn't do it. I couldn't. Edward I was so scared. I can't live without you. I love you so much. I love you. I love you." I sobbed, creating a vice grip with my arms, around his neck.
"Shh, I'm right here. We're both fine." He braethed into my hair, moving me so that i was in his lap, more comfortably.
"I just..." I couldn't even explain it. I was just scared sick.
"It's all okay. I'm here, and we're together, okay love? I love you, and we're both so safe...you have nothing to worry about, okay? Got it?" He asked me, his face barely illuminated by the light coming in through the window. I just ducked my head into his chest. That was when the door slammed open.
"Love? Love!" Charlie yelled, sounding completely outraged. "You have been sleeping with her? You two disgust me! You're fired!" He pointed at Edward. I had yet to separate myself with him, frozen stiff with fear. "I can't believe you! Get out! I want you out of my house, immediately!"
"No!" I sobbed, clenching my fingers around his shirt.
"Yes! Or else I'll bring the authorities into this!" He pointed at me, his veins practically popping out of his face. "You're jailbait! That's disgusting!"
"Charlie, can't we handle this in a more appropriate manner?" Edward spoke, his voice flowing through the darkness.
"No! Get the hell out!" Charlie screeched.
"No! Please!" I sobbed.
"I'll be back. Sometime." Edward breathed into my ear, so low that Charlie couldn't hear. He began to pry my fingers from his body, breaking my heart with each tug. I wailed, watching as he stood and brushed past Charlie.
"I hate you!" I screamed at Charlie, who stood in my doorway, fuming. "I hate you so much! You guys can't just stomp on me, crush me...you have to take the one bit of happiness that I ever had and crush that too! I...I hate you so much!"
"Isabella!" Renee came in, her hair a mess and her robe haphazardly wrapped around her body. I just shook my head at her, face scrunching up at the thought of them.
"No!" I fell back onto my bed, the exhaustion hitting me like a tidal wave. "No, no, no..."
"Grow up." Renee hissed as the door closed behind the pair.
A/N: Well, maybe things will straighten out a bit in the next chapter...
OR WILL THEY?
Review if you would ever like to know!
Dun-dun-dunnnnnnnnnnnnn.