Chapter 8: Moment of truth
~Truth isn't always beauty, but the hunger for it is. - Nadine Gordimer~
"Look at what we had found!" I cried, unable to tear my eyes away from the carved writing. "Come on, we should inform Mr Hale about this."
But Edward leaned back, still avoiding my eyes. "I'm not sure if that is a good idea."
"Why not?" I pushed my braid back, bewildered. "We might get extra points on our exam for this,"
"It's just...don't you feel like you're invading this Edward Masen's privacy?"
I took a step back and examined him carefully. He was fiddling with his hoodie's zip, looking defensive and ashamed at the same time.
"Are you...I don't know, related to Edward Masen or something?" I asked, getting more and more confused and intrigued.
"Something like that." He finally met my curious gaze and smiled. "Why are you so eager about this anyway? Aside from getting marks..."
My cheeks felt hot. "Who said I'm eager? I'm not." I stressed the last two words.
"I don't believe you for a second." Edward teased and started walking forward.
"Fine, I am a little curious about this soldier. I mean, don't you think he was very brave? He went to the war at such a young age." I shrugged, waiting for his answer.
"Do you really mean what you said?" His green eyes shone like the glittering lake behind us.
"Of course, why would I lie? Unfortunately, I never got to meet him. I wasn't even born at his time." I kneeled down and plucked a pink flower.
"What if I tell you that you are talking to him right now?"
I looked up startled. Did I hear him correctly? Judging by his reaction, I did.
"You are Edward Cullen, not Edward Masen." I smirked to lighten the moment but his intense eyes were not helping.
He reached forward and stole the flower out of my hand. He stared at it for a second before he let out a sigh.
In a blink of an eye, he leaned close to me and tucked the flower behind my ear.
"You look very pretty," he commented casually.
The shining blue water and the beautiful colorful flowers formed the background for Edward. He fit in. Of course, he belonged in the fairy tale books. Probably as Prince Charming. I wanted to capture it in a picture. I felt stupid for leaving my camera behind in the tent.
However, the magical moment was broken when Cinderella came back to take Prince Charming.
Rosalie's blue eyes were icy when it passed over me, kneeling close to Edward.
"Edward," she said in a clipped tone. "We were wondering where you had disappeared to. I didn't know you spend time with unworthy people."
I stood up immediately. "What the hell are you talking about?"
She didn't spare me a mere glance. Her stony glare was fixed on Edward. "Let's go."
"Don't worry, I'm going anyway." I pulled the flower from my hair and threw it on the ground before I stalked away from them.
"Bonfire time!" Heidi scream-announced.
I looked up from the magazine Sasha was showing me.
Heidi grinned widely at us. "Let's go out."
I got up reluctantly and followed them out. Even though Mr Hale had strictly told that only the two people he had collaborated should stay in the tent, most of them did not obey. For example, me. After the stupid confrontation with Rosalie, I refused to see her and Edward anymore.
Instead of going back to my tent, I called Heidi and we both spent some time together in Sasha's tent. Her tent - roomie Zafrina didn't object.
Wood logs were arranged in a circle around the large fire burning in the middle. I paused suddenly. The order in which my classmates were sitting made me confused but then realization dawned on me. The boys were sitting on the other side while the girls sat opposite to them.
Alec caught my eye and waved. I waved back with a smile. Jane, Sasha, Heidi and I quickly found a place and sat down. The fire made the air warm, so I removed my cardigan after a thought.
"Shall we listen to old scary stories," Mr Hale began with a mysterious smile. "Or sing a merry song?"
"I'd prefer nothing." I muttered under my breath and flicked a leaf, which had fallen on my lap.
Unfortunately, Mr Hale heard me, as he was sitting just three persons away, next to Jane.
"I think Bella has something to say. What is it, anything interesting?" He asked, leaning his chin on his palm.
"Nope," I shook my hand, hiding behind Sasha.
"Come on, Bella. I heard from certain people that you sing very well. You are in the Church choir, if I am right?" He clearly did not want to let it go.
It was official then, the 'L' in my luck had been replaced with a 'F'.
I released a noisy breath and shrugged. I looked up and my eyes met hypnotic dark eyes. Edward's green eyes looked almost black in the night. He was leaning forward in the same position as Mr Hale, totally focused on me.
"Yes, Bella. I would like to hear you sing." I must have been dreaming because it was Edward who spoke.
"Pinch me, Sasha." I whispered through my teeth.
She gave me a sharp pinch after a confused look and I yelped. I was definitely awake.
Girls sitting nearby, turning toward me with envious looks on their faces. Of course, they wanted the same attention Edward was giving me. I was nearly floating in the sky.
"Fine," I finally agreed, staring back at him. "Which song do you wish to hear?"
"Anything," Edward said, grinning crookedly.
"I have my guitar." Alec volunteered, taking his honey colored guitar out.
Edward was not smiling anymore.
"Jane forced me to learn to play 'A thousand years'. Can you sing that?" Alec continued, oblivious to Edward. They both were sitting next to each other.
"Yes." I nodded.
He began the chord and I took a deep breath.
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
One step closer
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
One step closer
One step closer
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Almost all the girls joined me in the chorus and I found myself enjoying it. When the song ended, I was bombarded with loud applause.
"Nice one, Bella." Mr Hale smiled appreciatively.
We stayed for another hour, toasting marshmallows in the hot fire and singing a few more songs. I avoided looking at Edward the entire time.
I really enjoyed the time when Rosalie was asked to join us, since she was not singing. I had a hard time suppressing a cackle when she stuttered and turned pale. She clearly did not listen to any of the latest songs. What a pity.
When my watch read 10:05, I got up and walked for a small distance. I felt uneasy without my regular jogging during the night. Usually Alec joined me, but he was having fun with his friends, so I did not call him.
After my mind was calm and I was relieved of all thoughts, I went back to my tent which I shared with Edward.
He was nowhere to be found, so I assumed he was still with his siblings. I pulled the iPod out of my bag and put on my earphones. I closed my eyes, leaning against tent.
I did not hear anyone come in and my heart jumped to my throat when a hand shook my shoulder. I removed the earphone with a frightened heart.
"Sorry, I did not mean to scare you." Edward apologized, taking a step back.
I took deep breaths; I nearly had tears in my eyes. "What is it?"
"I just..." He stared at my iPod with a mixture of wonder and confusion. "I wanted to know how you use that machine."
"It's not a machine, it's an iPod." I gave him a dubious look. "You act like you have never seen one."
He scratched the back of his neck adorably. "I haven't."
"Wow. It must be hard not knowing the latest technologies." I commented drily. He had to be kidding me. "Come on Edward, stop lying."
"I am not lying."
O-M-G. I didn't even know what to think!
Edward removed his sweater and sat on the other corner of the tent, facing away from me. He seemed ashamed.
I stood up unsteadily, walked a few steps and sat next to him.
"Here," I opened his soft pale hand and placed the iPod on his palm. He looked at me for directions. I held up an ear bud and he put it in his ear. I did the same with the other one and scrolled down my list.
A second passed and the melody of 'Thousand years' by Christina Perri echoed through the ear bud.
"This was the song I sang now, obviously."
We laughed awkwardly. I realized the song selection was wrong because the song was excessively romantic for the mood. Edward and I had just started bonding as friends.
"What is this?" He asked suddenly, pointing at the back of the iPod, which had a small hook.
"We can attach the iPod to our shirt using this. Let me..."
I leaned forward and tried to pin the iPod on his light grey t-shirt. My hand brushed against his solid chest and I blushed. I tried not to look into his eyes, which was a very hard task.
Suddenly, my palm touched something cold and hard. It was metal.
"What's that?" I asked confused.
He tried to move but too late, I had already seen what it was.
It was the World War 2 badge, the same badge that had the war symbol, the same badge that I had seen on Edward's shirt the first time I had met him near the Eternal cemetery.
Eternal cemetery...
I tried to think something logical for this. Maybe he was a war freak. Maybe he wanted to be a solider.
But all the weird things about him just flowed in my mind continuously.
"I..." He focused his gaze back at me then suddenly took a step closer to me. "Are you sure it isn't 1918, Miss?"
The day the Cullens came to my house for dinner.
"Seventeen, you?" I needed answers too from this gorgeous yet creepy boy. I still couldn't help but compare him to the soldier Edward Masen.
He opened his mouth then closed it, looking adorably confused.
"We all are seventeen." Rosalie finished, shooting him a look before she turned to glare at me. "We'd see each other a lot then, in school, unfortunately."
Now I knew the reason why he hadn't replied me. He wasn't seventeen. He was eighteen, eligible enough to get into the war.
The night at the old church...
"We were born," He repeated my words sarcastically. "You don't know when I was really born, Bella. You'd be running by now if you knew."
History class...
Edward shared a look with Randall. "The nurses didn't care much; they smoked in the tents where they kept the wounded soldiers. They just bandaged them and moved on to the next one. Their attitude was the opposite of zeal."
"Few were, not all of them. Trust me; I'm a very reliable source." Edward smiled dazzlingly and I took a sharp breath.
"But how do you say so?"
"We were there, lady." Randall interrupted with an impatient look.
"What?" I whispered, slowly moving my chair away from them.
"Randall, be quiet." Edward snapped, shooting me a concerned glance. "You're scaring her."
"She already knows, mate. But she just doesn't want to believe it." Randall stared at me, his eyes full of mysteries.
The time when I removed my shirt and he claimed that everything was different and he could never get used to it. But it was Randall's last remark that fit everything into place.
"You said the same thing before you accepted to fight in the -" Randall stopped abruptly, looking sober.
They fell silent and a haunting expression appeared on Edward's face.
Edward Cullen was Edward Masen. He was the same soldier whose grave I had seen in the Eternal cemetery.
"No, no, it cannot be." I pushed back, scrambling up.
"Bella, let me explain." Edward held out his hands with an unreadable face.
"Oh My God!" He was dead. He was supposed to be dead. Buried six feet under.
I turned and made for the exit but Edward was fast. And the tent was way too small for me to run away from him.
His cold hands formed a tight grip on my wrists as he pulled me back with him.
"No! Let me go!" I cried, scared out of my wit. When he let go, I pressed myself against the tent canvas, tears running down my cheeks.
Edward turned toward me with a stone hard face, his eyes blank ."Now, where is the spell book?"
Hola guys :D
I'm very happy with the positive reviews! It makes me want to keep on writing, but guys, do you really believe that the Apocalypse is upon us? I'm so scared. I have so many wishes to be fulfilled yet! What about you all?
-BellaEdwardJacobLove
