DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.
I couldn't believe that I'm saying this but...I've never been this happy in my life. I was happy with my family but there was always something missing for me. Now that Bella was here, I felt... complete.
Bella became part of the family. It didn't matter if she wasn't like us because they saw the effect she had on me and the happiness she brought me. The family was generally supportive, Esme and Carlisle especially. They've always been sad that I've considered myself the odd man out and after being alone for a long time, they could not contain the happiness they felt for me.
Alice was ecstatic knowing that her vision finally came true about us. They were already best buddies except when Alice would start playing dress up and Bella would be throw a fit. Jasper was tolerant and as long as she sees Alice happy, Jasper accepted Bella without question and I didn't have to worry about Jasper's control. Knowing that Alice would be very upset if he hurts Bella, he was more cautious this time.
Emmett was glad to have another person to make fun of. Rosalie on the other hand, was a different story. Carlisle initially turned her in the hopes that we would regard each other the way he regards Esme, but I had never thought of her more than a sister and it angered her that I did not want her, never mind that she didn't want me in a romantic way. She was used to people worshiping her and was furious to know that I finally found someone that I was drawn to. She didn't admit it to anyone, but I could hear it clearly in her thoughts. After confronting her about her hostile reaction to Bella, she toned it down and became civil. That was the least she could do.
Bella became curious about how we came to be what we are now, and we told her about our stories and about the vampire world. Even Rosalie eventually shared how she was made into this life. She knew about the rulers of our kind and the law that was strictly being followed and the consequences of breaking them. Bella made sure that our secret will be safe with her. It wasn't just the vampire world that she was curious about, she was also curious about the places around her.
"So, let me make sure I got this one... We're at the Olympic Peninsula because there's more rain here and dark, cloudy skies where you can freely roam around in daytime compared to... let's say... Oh Arizona... or California... or Nevada?"
"Yep, why, Bella, you know places!" Emmett exclaimed.
"Why shouldn't I? I just lost memories about myself not the world" Bella was raising her eyebrow and Emmett just shrugged and went back to watching television but not after mentally conjuring an image of letters being spelled as "Alien" and making a mental "x" on his mind to cross it out.
She doesn't seem to mind now when talking about her memories, but I couldn't shake that feeling that there was something more to her that we haven't figured out yet. Carlisle has been regularly monitoring Bella's brain to make sure there was no major damage after the accident and to see if there's something else we can find out about her. There was still that mystery about how she survived that fall but we were caught in a dead end. We didn't even have time to go back to the scene where we found her.
Every time I think about her memories, there was that uneasy feeling that I couldn't seem to grasp. Was it because I was afraid that if she gets her memory back, she might change her views about us or she might want to leave... to go back to where ever she came from? I didn't know... Part of me wants her memory back but a selfish part of me wishes that her memories won't return so she can just stay here... with me.
Bella hasn't been able to visit the town even once and wanted me to accompany her to do some groceries.
"I'll pay you back when I can. I didn't want to bother Esme with the groceries and I wanted to see if there's some other food that I'd like to try out" She said when we were driving towards the grocery.
"You don't have to pay us back. I'm surprised you didn't ask Alice to go with you"
"And end up shopping for clothes instead? No thanks. My closet is already full as it is, and I've just been here for weeks" She said annoyingly. I've never seen a girl hate shopping before.
"Do you know how to cook?" I asked innocently when I was maneuvering the car in the grocery's parking lot. Bella faced me with her eyebrow raised then shrugged.
"I guess we'll find out."
"Anyways, since you placed a stove in the kitchen, might as well make use of it" She got out of the car and I followed dutifully.
Oh my... Edward Cullen doing groceries is hot...
The loud thoughts of Jessica Stanley interrupted my own thinking. We had the same classes in Forks High and I've always tuned her out every time she's near because of her wild imaginations of us together. I followed Bella to the meat section pushing the cart with me as we went along, and I could see Stanley's mental eyes following my every move and listen to her suddenly alarming thoughts when she saw Bella place her choices in the cart I was carrying.
No way! This can't be! Who's she?! Is that why he never even looks twice at the girls in school? No... Wait ... she could be family... yes... she looks as pale as them...
Hmmm...This could get interesting.
"I think this should be enough" Bella finally walked towards the cashier and I could hear Stanley's thoughts trying to be brave enough to strike a conversation.
I handed Bella the credit card just as Stanley walked up behind us at the checkout line.
"Oh... umm hi Edward... Cullen... what a surprise to see you here in town... I mean in the grocery -" she was trying to calm herself and I saw Bella turn around in mild interest and caught her moving instinctively closer towards me.
"Miss Stanley" I smiled my endearing smile and saw her cheeks turn red. The site would have caused my throat to ache but after I've known Bella, it didn't affect me as much as before.
"Yes... I do live in Forks" I laughingly pointed it.
"Oh yes... right... um... We're just not used to seeing your family outside of school" She laughed innocently but I could hear the emphasis on the word family and the way her eyes assessed Bella like competition.
Bella was looking at me expectantly for introduction. "Ah... Bella this, is Jessica Stanley. We go to the same school. Jessica, meet Bella... my girlfriend" There. That actually felt good to tell everyone that Bella was with me, but it felt awkward calling her girlfriend. I was thinking of something more than that.
I looked at her and saw her cheeks blush and her eyes where full of wonder.
"Oh hi... nice to meet you Bella..."
"Swan... Bella Swan. It's nice to
meet you Jessica"
I was trying my best to act as normal as I could after hearing Bella say her last name. Was that something she just made up? No... I didn't think so. I saw the hint of surprise and alarm in her eyes when the words came out of her mouth.
"Oh, any relation with our Police Chief? Charlie Swan?"
"Probably not... I was born somewhere far away..." She shrugged, and I saw her deep in thought. Stanley didn't even notice Bella was not paying attention to her reply after that. I tried acting as normal as I could, but I could not stop myself from feeling anxious knowing that I couldn't read her mind.
We excused ourselves after all our items were checked out leaving Jessica alone.
Bella was looking out her window deep in thought while we were on the road.
"You know, times like this when I badly want to hear those thoughts of yours" I told her wistfully.
She looked at me apologetically. "I do too, maybe you can help me sort out my memories"
I smiled at her. "Unfortunately, that's not how my mind reading works"
"I know" She sighed. "It just came to me and I thought my memories would start coming back but it's all just blank again"
"So that's you're real name then?" I looked at her.
"Isabella Marie Swan. But I prefer Bella"
"It's beautiful" I told her honestly. I finally know the name of the woman I love.
"Are you sure you're not from here?"
"I may not remember for now... but I have the strongest feeling that I am not from here."