Chapter 22: Laws of attraction
~"The problem with human attraction is not knowing if it will be returned."― Becca Fitzpatrick
Rosalie stormed off as soon as Alice finished sharing the dreadful information. Emmett ran after her with a helpless look on his face.
"I'll come back if I find anything...new," Alice promised reluctantly. No one said anything and she walked out of the room. Heidi stood up too, shooting me a pity filled look.
"Uh, I'll walk you out." Randall got up and led her out.
The door slammed shut behind them and I jumped, a little startled. I glanced at Edward and found him still frozen. His green eyes stared vacantly at the huge grandfather clock, which sat on the floor near the western wall.
The bell chimed loudly, indicating that it was noontime.
"Edward..." I said worriedly.
I did not want Edward to go anywhere, let alone back to his grave. I tried to imagine how my life would be if he was not a part of it anymore. It seemed dull and empty. Now that we were finally together, I couldn't even bear the thought of losing him.
Edward blinked and focused his gaze on me. Wordlessly, he leaned forward and scooped me into his arms.
"Come up to my room," he pleaded.
My eyes widened and I nodded. He took my hand in his large masculine hand and led the way up the stairs. In a casual way, he hooked his elbow through mine and opened his room door. Maybe he forgot that I was not wearing a long gown that trailed behind me.
I wondered what he wanted to talk about. Or did he simply want me to comfort him? I ran through all the possibilities and decided that he needed my company, not my condolences.
After we had sat on the edge of the huge, incredibly soft bed, Edward glanced at me and the look on his face made me want to cry. He looked so anguished and defeated, as if he didn't posses the strength to live anymore.
"Bella, did I tell you how I felt when I first came to know that it wasn't 1918?" Edward asked quietly.
"No," I shook my head and bit my lip anxiously.
"I...I opened my eyes and I stood outside a big compound wall. The sign on it said that it was Eternal cemetery. I knew that place very well since my parents warned me all the time that I would end up there if I went to the war. I did not even understand what I was doing there. Then, everything just flashed to me, all the memories. I even remembered my last memory, when I had died in the battlefield. None of them made sense. I kept wondering...'if I am dead, how am I alive again?' I recognized Forks but the things around me...everything looked different, improvised."
I waited as he swallowed and stared at me with an intensity that made me fell gooey and buttery.
"I decided that maybe I was in hell or...limbo, the place where we are stuck midpoint and are made to revisit certain memories. I walked for a few distance and bumped into you. You...you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, Bella. Then I knew that if this was hell, I would gladly stay here. I spoke to you and you revealed that it was not 1918 anymore but it was in fact, 2012. I was in shock, I couldn't even form a response. Then I met the others and everything finally fell into place."
I gave him a wobbly smile, feeling both flattered and worried. He brushed his hands against my cheek.
"At the beginning, I felt so lost. I was in a state of confusion; I just wanted to die again. I did not know anyone here and sure, the Cullens felt like friends but...I was lonely. I first thought that I yearned for my parents but that was not the case. I did not want to be here anymore. Then we starting talking and...it just happened. I felt like I finally belonged. If Alice had told me this before we became acquainted, I would have been glad. But now...I don't want to go back yet."
"Are you afraid of dying?" I whispered. Edward's fiery green eyes cooled with fear.
"It's not the scare of death, Bella. It's the scare of losing you...leaving you and going someplace where you won't be." He took a deep breath and took hold of my hands in his soft ones.
I remained silent, watching him struggling for the right words with glistening eyes. His story seemed so unbelievable. If I told someone in school about who Edward really was and which century he was from, he/she may die from a fit of laughter.
"Everything seems impossible now," Edward muttered and finally he released my hand from his somewhat desperate grasp.
"Is there no hope?" I whispered, drinking in his face hungrily. I started memorizing every part of his perfect face.
"I don't know...this is so frustrating!"
"Alice mentioned that she hadn't finished the reading the entire content of the book. Maybe there will be something there, like a..." I trailed off.
"Loophole?" Edward offered with a hint of a smile. There was a small mole at the side of his neck. Why hadn't I noticed that before? I decided that since I couldn't even get past his perfect face, I'd missed the mole.
"Exactly." I sat up straighter.
We stayed quiet for some time, thinking about the dark possibilities. Edward's confession made me stronger and I knew that I would be willing to do anything to save him.
"Let's talk about something else," he sighed and stretched, "what are your plans for tonight?"
I smiled at how Edward had casually diverted the subject from him. Tonight was New year but I did not feel the need to celebrate it anymore. The next year without Edward by my side? Forget it.
"You know Mike Newton from our school?" I asked, leaning back against the couch.
Edward was new to school but half the dozen students had introduced themselves to him. They probably knew by then that Edward was going to be the future King of the school.
He nodded and his eyebrows knit together. "What about him?"
"He's throwing a party in his house. My friends are going. So, I will probably tag along with them." I explained with a shrug.
"Sounds fun." Edward smiled wistfully.
"What about you?" I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Esme and Carlisle are returning only tomorrow. I don't think the others will be going anywhere, so I'm planning to stay here too." He shrugged, rubbing his clean-shaven jaw tiredly.
"Come with me," I jumped in eagerly, "to the party."
"Huh?" He blinked in confusion
"If you stay alone, you will think about what Alice told us and that is exactly the kind of thing I don't want you to worry about tonight. It's New year. I want you to spend it with me." I pouted. "Please, Edward?"
Edward stretched again and his shirt rode up, revealing a sliver of skin stretched over perfect hips. I was baffled as to what was happening to my body. A warm, tingly feeling was rushing through me, settling in the center of my legs.
I averted my eyes before he could catch me ogling his, um, pelvis. When I glanced back at him, his handsome face was scrunched up into a tight smirk.
Awww, shit. I was caught in action.
"Like something you see?" Edward's green eyes were serious but his lips twitched.
"Are you coming or not?" I faked an eye roll and laughed. I prayed my laughter didn't sound as strained as I felt.
He moved toward me till we were touching and whispered in my ear. "Convince me."
His cool breath tickled my ear and I shivered. I wanted to have the same effect on him as he had on me. I wanted him to be floored by my touch just as I was by his feather light touches.
"This will be your first time in our world," I traced his jaw with my hand and his eyes closed at my touch. "The Winter formal we attended was supervised by teachers and the principal was present, so there was no mischief. But in Mike's party, everything will be there. I think you should come and see for yourself."
I finished my small inviting speech with a soft kiss on his eyelid. When I moved back, his eyes sprang open. They looked...hungry. The tingling feeling in my lower belly increased drastically and I swallowed.
"At what time shall I come to escort you to this so-called "mischief party"?" Edward asked finally and it didn't escape my notice that his voice shook.
I couldn't stop the giggle from escaping my mouth.
Later that night, I stood in front of my room's huge window. The street was whirling with activity and I saw Heidi's father, Mr Carter, decorating their driveway with colorful lights for the New Year.
Since I had bought and gotten many dresses for Christmas, I decided to cut back and didn't buy anything new for New year. Instead, I prowled through my closet and grabbed the clothes I had worn only once after buying.
"Bella," mom called from downstairs. "We're leaving. Come and lock the door."
I went down the stairs, ushered them out and locked the door behind them. I turned around to face my empty house with an excited smile.
My parents were going out for the night since I already had plans for New Year eve. They didn't disapprove of the party but dad warned that if he smelled any alcohol on me, Mike would be arrested even without a warrant.
Once I was in my room, I got rid of my pajamas and had a nice shower. When I came out of the bathroom, my cell rang.
"Yeah?" I pressed the cell to my ear and flung open my closet. Then I realized that I had placed my clothes on the bean bag near the window.
"Ready to party, my lady?" Edward's smooth velvety voice inquired.
"Yep. Are you ready to freak out at the party?" I smirked in delight.
"We'll see," he murmured, "should I come to pick you up or will you come to my house?"
"I'll come. Uh, would you mind if Heidi rides with us too?" I bit my lip and waited for his answer. Mrs Carter's car was still in the mechanic shop and so Heidi had begged me for a ride.
"I cannot turn down that request. I am always willing to lend help to a damsel in distress." Edward crooned and I could imagine him grinning.
"Thanks," I smiled in relief. "Did you tell your...friends about the party?"
"It seems that Rosalie already knew. Mike Newton himself personally invited her, but I am not sure if they are going," he snickered. "I only know that Randall is going. He wants to make it up to Heidi."
"Shut up," I mock-scolded, "you shouldn't have told about Randall's 'ogling' to Heidi."
"I'm just looking out for your friend." He said sincerely.
There was a pause and I cleared my throat. "I'll get Heidi and come to your house in my car."
"Yeah, yeah," he sounded disgruntled. "Bye."
He hung up before I could reply and I started laughing. Carlisle had just started to teach Edward how to drive his car but that didn't mean that I would allow my mom's car to be driven by Edward, who was just a beginner and didn't have a license.
I walked back to my window where I had placed my outfit and froze. My room faced the front yard of the house and so I got a clear view of the road.
And there was someone standing near our fence.
I didn't know who it was but that someone was definitely a boy. His hood was pulled up over his head and his face was hidden in the shadows. He was very tall and stood so close that if I threw a stone from my window, it would hit him.
A beat passed before he took a step back and vanished into the darkness.
I shut the window in a hurry and switched on the radio in my cell phone to distract myself while I got ready. Unfortunately, there was news going on instead of songs.
There was bad signal because of the wretched weather and the voice of the news reporter kept fading in and out.
"Stalker reported to be sighted in various areas of Forks...peeking inside people's windows...a supposed boy...the stalker may be related to the brutal murder of Jessica Stanley, the girl who was found killed near the forest...locals say weird coincidence..."
I stared at my cell like I had seen a ghost and lunged for it. I fumbled with the buttons and switched off the radio before I could get frightened for no reason at all. But I couldn't stop thinking about the next question.
Was it the boy who stood outside my house the same stalker as the news had reported?
Liked the chapter? Reviews are most welcome! And LadyJoa de Robinson, to answer your question, 'they' refers to the people who came back to life :)
-BEJL
