Join my facebook group and you'll get VIP access to jaw-dropping previews of upcoming chapters that will leave you on the edge of your seat! And access to exclusive content that you won't find anywhere else! Just head over to my fanfiction profile and click on the link to be a part of this amazing group. Trust me, you won't want to miss out!
Submission
Chapter One: Changing Behaviour
Bella Swan
The passage of time seemed almost surreal as we found ourselves already a week removed from our return from the enchanting land of Italy. Night after night, I found myself ensnared in the haunting tendrils of a dream, one that transported me back to the fateful encounter with the formidable Volturi. The memory of that day, when our lives teetered on the precipice of oblivion, remained etched in my mind, a testament to the perilous rules that governed their existence. In the vast expanse that separated us, stretching across thousands of miles, the spectre of danger loomed ever present. The weight of it all burdened my thoughts, a relentless force that I yearned to evade. Each day, I resolutely pushed it to the farthest recesses of my mind, refusing to confront the haunting reality.
Yet, as day turned to night and my weary head nestled upon the pillow, the dreams would come, unyielding in their reminder. Their velocity, might, and abundance of resources surpassed the boundaries of our imaginations. One did not require the gift of vampirism to perceive the palpable menace saturating the atmosphere, akin to a fragrant perfume. In the depths of our hearts, we harboured an unspoken certainty that the day of reckoning would eventually arrive. It loomed over us like an ominous shadow. However, amidst the encroaching darkness, Edward clung steadfastly to a dream—a dream that I, too, could continue my mortal journey unscathed. He beseeched me to safeguard my very essence, while all I yearned for was to preserve his very existence.
The Cullen siblings made the decision to once again grace the halls of the local school. Carlisle, the patriarch of the family, resumed his duties at the esteemed hospital, where his expertise was highly regarded. As for Charlie, he occasionally granted me the freedom to venture beyond the confines of our home, without subjecting me to his usual barrage of inquiries regarding rediscovered relationship with Edward. All I yearned for was the restoration of normalcy, a desperate longing to reclaim the life I once knew, a life that existed in the recesses of my memory, a life before the Cullen family departed from Forks.
Their sudden absence plunged me into the depths of a desolate abyss, a place so bleak and foreboding that I was compelled to summon every ounce of strength within me to claw my way out. It felt inherently wrong to divulge the extent of my misfortunes to Edward in his absence. Merely a week ago, he had been under the impression that I had died, leading him to contemplate the unthinkable act of taking his own life.
The notion that he would surrender so readily astounded me. It was inconceivable that a mere day had elapsed before he yearned to accompany me in the next life. Edward had always exuded an aura of strength. However, as the months passed and our hearts intertwined in a web of love, I unwittingly emerged as his Achilles' heel, his greatest vulnerability. I was his weakness, the catalyst that set his heart racing, the precipice from which he teetered on the edge.
The oppressive presence of the Volturi was not the sole impediment to my elusive slumber, for the lingering sensation of the frigid water from the fountain I traversed in my desperate pursuit of reaching Edward in a timely manner still clung to me, haunting my every waking moment. The haunting echo of the clock tower's chimes reverberated through the stillness, causing my heart to skip a beat. The relentless drone would never be forgotten.
In my dreams I am perpetually thwarted in my quest to reach him, forever falling short in my desperate pursuit. Whether it be my legs failing to carry me swiftly enough or the throngs of humanity impeding my progress, the cruel hands of fate conspire to keep us forever apart. Each morning, as the sun's gentle rays filtered through the curtains of room, I would awaken to discover Edward lying beside me. It was as if the events that had transpired, the tumultuous trials we had endured, had been erased from existence, leaving behind only the illusion of an unbroken continuum.
In a valiant quest to maintain my concentration and induce weariness before retiring to bed, I had diligently applied myself to my school work. With unwavering determination, I heeded Charlie's fervent plea for increased dedication to my studies. I devoted ample time to meticulously perusing my lessons, diligently preparing for tests, and eagerly seeking additional assignments to tackle at home. Each triumph became a source of immense gratification, as I revelled in the fruits of my labour.
I found myself seated in the confines of the history classroom, endeavouring to engage with the morning's inaugural lesson. Beneath the shelter of the desk, concealed from prying eyes, Edward's hand embarked on a delicate journey, traversing the length of my thigh with a tantalising touch. My senses were abruptly jolted as his hand delicately embarked forward, initially caressing my knee and gradually ascending with an audacious determination.
My cheeks surely mirrored the vibrant hue of a ripe tomato. In a sudden surge of exhilaration, I found solace in our decision to occupy the rearmost seats that fateful morning. I surreptitiously cast my gaze upon the surrounding class, desperately yearning for their obliviousness to our presence. I stood there, perspiration trickling down my forehead, my body drenched in a sheen of sweat. Unlike the enigmatic Mister Cool who stood beside me, Edward remained unfazed, his lips curled into a perpetual smirk as he maintained his unwavering focus ahead. Not once did his gaze meet mine, yet he exuded an acute awareness of the profound impact he had on my body.
I found myself compelled to discreetly extricate his hand whenever his grasp grew overly fervent, or when his fingers ventured perilously close to the inner confines of my trembling thighs.
After an interminable stretch of suffocating silence, I found myself unable to endure it for even a moment longer. Breaking free from the confines of my desk, I leaned back in my chair and cast a sidelong glance at Edward, desperately hoping to capture his attention.
"What are you doing?"
"Making you sweat"
"...Edward"
With a commanding gesture, he extended his hand to a height surpassing any previous movement, compelling me to lean forward in my seat. My gaze averted, unable to meet his intense gaze, my attention fixated solely on the overwhelming sensation he evoked within me. It was as if a stranger had taken possession of his very being, for this was not the man I knew. His actions, so utterly out of character, defied all expectations. And yet, he effortlessly wove a facade of normalcy, as if this peculiar behaviour was his true nature all along.
Having endured an interminable stretch devoid of his tender caresses, the sheer rapture of his touch upon my skin was beyond articulation. I discreetly slid my hand beneath the desk, delicately intertwining my fingers with his upon my thigh. With a swift motion, he deftly disentangled my hand from his, only to replace it with his own, gently caressing my thigh. His touch, like a skilled artist, sought out every sensitive nerve ending, coaxing them into a state of surrender.
As the teacher's attention shifted towards the blackboard, Edward seized the opportunity to draw near, his lips grazing my ear in a tantalising whisper. In a reflexive act of self-preservation, I instinctively pressed my thighs together, attempting to create a barrier between us.
However, the sensation of his cold breath caressing my earlobe sent an electrifying jolt through my body, causing my eyes to flutter involuntarily. Succumbing to the magnetic pull between us, I slowly turned my head, our lips hovering dangerously close, poised to unite in an illicit moment right then and there.
"Bella" Edward whispered my name
"Kiss me" I said with a gentle plea.
"You're not paying attention to your lesson"
My trembling hand ventured beneath the desk again, seeking his own. To my delight, he reciprocated, clasping my hand in his own. With a tender touch, he turned my hand over, exposing my palm to his gaze. His fingers danced delicately across my perspiring skin.
"You're teasing me"
"I know" Edward agreed to my delight.
Our eyes met at the exact moment the bell sprung to life announcing the end of our lesson.
"Out of time" Edward said.
Join my facebook group and you'll get VIP access to jaw-dropping previews of upcoming chapters that will leave you on the edge of your seat! And access to exclusive content that you won't find anywhere else! Just head over to my fanfiction profile and click on the link to be a part of this amazing group. Trust me, you won't want to miss out!