Chapter 40
The airplane took off smoothly from Seattle International Airport. Unlike my previous two flights, I was not in a private jet but flying coach, as every 18-year-old should. Not too long ago, I had hugged Charlie tightly and told him how much I had enjoyed living with him this past year. I made it clear to him that he was welcome to visit me in California, and who knows, I might surprise him in Forks one of these days.
Charlie, never one for sentimental words or feelings, broke tradition and expressed how happy he was that I had come to live with him, wishing me well in college, or as he so aptly put it, 'kick some butt.' I gave him one final hug and went to my gate, waiting for my boarding call. I was really glad I had decided to move to Forks. I had grown so much during the past year and even made some lifelong friendships. Most importantly, I had gotten to know my dad, which I knew I would be glad I did in the centuries to come.
Yesterday, I had gone over to the Cullens' house to say goodbye as well. At least with them, I knew I would be able to continue our friendship beyond the time when I would become a vampire. I had told them they were welcome to visit me, and I was certain that Alice would, at some point, take me up on my offer.
For the past month, I had been working extensively with the Cullens to ensure my well-being and to make sure I would not have a repeat of that explosive day last month. Each day, I visited them, and we focused on developing my abilities, most specifically me learning to regulate my body, which was essentially a fancy way of saying blowing shit up and learning to control the destructive output. Since that day I went kaboom, I hadn't experienced the restlessness that had led to that fiery outcome.
I had been very curious about the blood samples Carlisle had taken from me, and I had asked him to explain his findings. Carlisle delved into the details, providing what felt like a personalized lesson in advanced biology. He detailed numerous anomalies in my blood results, particularly highlighting significant alterations in my red blood cells. He showed these changes on his computer, demonstrating how they differed from those of a typical human. However, due to the lack of comparable cases like mine, he couldn't definitively interpret their full significance. Nevertheless, he stressed that I should never allow anyone else to analyze my blood, a caution I fully understood.
On a positive note, I had finally convinced Demetri that I was okay. Carlisle informed me that both Demetri and Aro had extensive conversations with him to ensure I had a clean bill of health. I was grateful for the genuine concern that so many had for my well-being.
In terms of my new explosive ability, at this point, I couldn't think of any uses for it other than destruction. Gaining complete control over it was crucial because, while I had a shield to protect me, fire and explosions posed a serious threat to vampires. I hoped that, in the years to come, I might discover a beneficial application for this newfound power. Carlisle and I had lengthy discussions about it and it left us wondering whether it was even a brand new ability or simply a consequence of my existing powers. Nevertheless, it was some serious shit I was now able to wield. If I wasn't already one of the most deadly individuals in the world, this might have pushed me over the top.
I gazed across the aisle, where a mother sat with her small child. The kid was playing with some toy cars and trucks, enthusiastically mimicking engine noises as he pushed them around his lowered food tray. It made me think about my own truck; well, I guess it wasn't my truck anymore. I had decided to sell it as I was not planning on having a car in California, at least for the first year. Even if my desire for a vehicle ever arose, my truck wouldn't have been a suitable fit for a fast-paced city like Los Angeles. Frankly, I was hoping to avoid the need for a car altogether, especially after reading countless horror stories about the traffic in LA.
I had ended up selling the truck to Ben Cheney's little brother, who had just gotten his license. As everyone was settling in for the two and a half-hour flight, I closed my eyes and thought about the funny encounter I had had with Will Cheney.
He had come over last Friday afternoon to pick up the truck. I had been telling him about the truck and some of its peculiarities, which I guess would be the politically correct way of saying the truck had issues. When I was done, he began telling me how much he had loved seeing the truck arrive every morning at school with the flames on its sides and how he always watched out for it.
As I listened to him, I was pretty sure what he really loved watching was me when I got out of the truck each day, based on the googly eyes he had been giving my chest ever since he got here. I couldn't help myself and decided to give him a little thrill. I heaved a noticeable sigh, leaned against the open door, and cast a fond look at the truck. I mused longingly, "You know, I had so many unforgettable memories in this beast. So, so many firsts. I remember this one time when my boyfriend visited, and we… well, we were getting pretty hot and heavy while parked on the cliffs overlooking La Push. To be honest, I'm surprised the windows didn't all shatter; I was screaming so loudly as he worked his magic on me." I turned to him and saw he had a rather dazed expression on his face. "I don't know if you believe in good luck, but I've always regarded this truck as my own good luck charm in the love department. I believe you'll become quite the ladies' man now when you're driving this bad boy. I guess it's your turn now to make some memories of your own in it." I leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, "I think I found all my panties from under the seat, but if I happened to miss a pair, just toss 'em. Okay."
I smiled at him as he slowly nodded. I could see he was standing somewhat awkwardly, probably trying to hide his erection. Yep, my work was done, I thought with a smile. Hopefully, my words will give him some added confidence with the girls of Forks High. I handed over the keys and patted the hood, telling him to treat it well.
I smiled, remembering the look on his face. I was pretty sure I knew what he did as soon as he got home. Breaking out of my reverie, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Demetri that I was on the flight and I'd call him later tonight after settling into my dorm room. I received a text back almost immediately with him wishing me a pleasant trip and that he loved me. I smiled and started daydreaming about our future.
I fell into one of my favorite daydreams. It was far in the future, decades or even centuries from now; the time didn't really matter. I was in the training arena in Volterra, surrounded by thousands of vampires, all chanting my name. I soared in circles above everyone's heads, their cheers echoing in my ears. Finally, I did one of those super hero landings in the center of the arena, ready to face off against a formidable opponent in hand-to-hand combat. Typically, I envisioned Felix as my adversary. The battle was nothing short of ferocious and terrifying, but I always emerged as the victor, standing triumphantly with my foot on top of my defeated opponent as the crowd went wild. A grin crept across my face. I knew that even if it took me an eternity, I would one day make that dream a reality.
I was arriving in LA two weeks early to get settled and acquaint myself with the campus and the surrounding area. After the plane landed, I followed the signs to the baggage pickup, and after collecting my two large suitcases, I went outside to find a cab. The first thing that struck me was the heat. LA was remarkably different from Forks. It brought back memories of Phoenix. The cold in Forks had never bothered me, which I had considered a blessing. I wondered if I wouldn't be bothered by the heat in the same way. I knew that vampires were not affected by either hot or cold temperatures. I could only hope I had just a little of that immunity. I would find out soon enough if I didn't start sweating. I quickly located a taxi, and off I went to my new home.
Ten minutes later, I found myself sitting in the midst of rush hour traffic on the 405 highway. It was bumper to bumper, and I realized my freshman class would most likely already have graduated by the time I reached my destination. I glanced at the cab driver, and his relaxed posture told me that this was not a new occurrence for him. "Is it always like this?" I asked, already anticipating the answer.
As I glanced at the man's face through the rearview mirror, he glanced into it meeting my eyes. "Sorry to say, it is. Well, at least during peak hours. It's not that bad at night." In response, I nodded in resigned defeat, realizing that I would need to adapt and plan ahead if I ever wanted to go somewhere that required a vehicle.
As I waited in the gridlock, I looked over the packet about my new living arrangements. I had felt relieved when I had learned that each dorm room would have its own private bathroom. The thought of sharing a public restroom didn't sit well with me. I didn't mind taking showers alongside other girls, but who would want to handle their personal business with others around constantly? Eww.
I'd be sharing my room with a roommate, though. This would be the first time I had ever shared my room with someone, and I really hoped she'd be cool. The dormitory was co-ed, with men and women alternating on each floor. I had no idea what to expect, living in such a large building full of people my own age. I was sure it would be an eye-opener, which is what I was hoping for, as I wanted the full college experience.
When we finally got off the highway, we started down Sunset Boulevard. I found it peculiar that I had heard of a street in a city I had never been to. Soon, we arrived at my dormitory building, a very sleek, large structure, perhaps 10 stories or so, with its exterior almost entirely covered in glass windows. It looked like it had been recently constructed, and I really liked its appearance. The entire area, in fact, had a modern feel and provided easy access to the campus, which was within a short walking distance. I paid the cabbie, thanking him. After grabbing my bags, which I noted he had a hard time lifting out of his trunk, I went inside to figure out which room was mine.
As I entered the building, I immediately felt the cool breeze of air conditioning, which was quite refreshing after the oppressive midday heat. I took in the front lobby, which was even nicer than I had imagined, and I approached the front desk, where a woman was working.
After providing my name and presenting my ID and packet information, I learned that I would be living on the 6th floor in apartment 627, and my roommate's name was Rebecca. I received the keys and information about rules and other important details and then made my way to the elevator.
Upon reaching my designated floor, I found the door to my room already open and spotted a girl inside, who I assumed must be Rebecca.
As I walked in, I couldn't help but ask, "Rebecca?"
She turned toward me, offering a warm smile. "Hey, yes, are you Isabella?"
Returning her friendly gesture, I replied, "Sure am. It's nice to meet you, but please call me Bella."
Rebecca had a friendly demeanor and stood about two inches shorter than me. Her long, straight blonde hair had subtle red highlights at the ends, and she had a small nose piercing.
As I looked her over, Rebecca did the same to me. After a brief moment, she spoke up, breaking the ice. "I've never had a roommate before. I guess we should figure out who gets which side. Do you have any preferences?"
I scanned the room; it was approximately three times the size of my room in Forks. Each side featured a twin-size bed, accompanied by a work desk and a dresser. On the wall next to the front door, there was a communal desk with a microwave and a small fridge, and probably a closet off to its side. The bathroom was situated on the far left side, and on the other side of the room, three large windows dominated the entire wall. I walked up to them, revealing a breathtaking view of the campus and surrounding area. I peeked into the bathroom and noted it only had a shower, with no bathtub, but that was perfectly fine with me.
I turned back to Rebecca, a smile forming on my lips. "Either side is just fine with me. Take your pick." I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment about the room.
With a decisive nod, Rebecca chose the left side. I made my way to my new bed, lowering myself onto it to gauge its comfort. Admittedly, it didn't hold a candle to the bed I had back in Italy, but who could expect that, really.
As I stretched out on the bed, I cast my gaze around the room, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction with my new living space.
After Rebecca and I had unpacked, we decided to get to know each other better and went out to find some food. We discovered there were choices for just about any type of cuisine one could imagine. Once I mentioned where I had been living and the fact that I hadn't had Chinese food in over a year, she readily agreed. We located a nearby Chinese restaurant, and the food was truly delicious. I also noticed they offered takeout, and it was conveniently close to our dormitory, so I knew I would be a frequent customer.
As we talked and got to know each other better, I discovered that she hailed from San Francisco and, like me, was an only child. Our discussion eventually steered toward our dating experiences.
"So, Bella, you're pretty hot. I bet you had to beat people away with a stick. Did you have a steady boyfriend or girlfriend in Forks?" Rebecca smiled, attempting to stifle her amusement. Upon learning about a town called Forks, she, like most people I knew who didn't live there, found the name quite amusing. She had already made several jokes about it, including one that the town next over must be called Spoons. Shockingly, I had heard that joke many, many times before.
"Well, I do have a boyfriend, but he lives in Italy. We're going to do a long-distance relationship until I graduate, and then I'll most likely move to Italy to be with him." A smile graced my lips as I thought about Demetri. It looked like he would be able to come and visit for an entire week in just a couple of months.
"Italy?" Rebecca gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. "Oh, Bella, you're going to miss out on all the hot college guys and meaningless sex. I hope you know what you're doing. I had a boyfriend during my senior year, but he's in New York now, so we both agreed it was best to end it. I can't wait to start searching for his replacement the first chance I get. I don't have the willpower you seem to think you do."
I retrieved my phone and swiped through my pictures until I found a good one of Demetri and me together, then showed it to her. "This is Demetri. Now, would you give up on him for some likely lackluster college sex with an adolescent boy trying to be a man?" A smile played on my lips as Rebecca's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she took in Demetri's image.
"Holy shit. I see your point. Damn, Bella, you have the hottest boyfriend I've ever seen. How the hell did you hook a guy like that?" Rebecca must have been really hungry for a man, as I even noticed some drool dripping from the corner of her mouth.
Smiling, I reminisced about the memory. "Oh, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Demetri had no idea what to make of me when I stumbled into his life. We started as friends, well, friends with benefits, really, but it soon turned into love." The rest of our conversation was filled with discussions about our interests and families.
I called Demetri around ten that night. I had to be extremely cautious when talking to him now, with Rebecca in the room. Before diving into our daily updates, I informed him that we weren't alone. We chatted for a solid two hours before I felt it was time to call it a night. I was still unfamiliar with Rebecca's sleeping habits, although she didn't strike me as someone who went to bed early.
As I closed my eyes, I reflected on how well my first day in California had gone. I liked Rebecca, which was great. We had even signed up for a full campus tour tomorrow. Neither of us had made up our minds about our majors. For this first year, I intended to explore various courses to discover my preferences. With happy thoughts about what college life might entail, I drifted off to sleep.
The next day, Rebecca and I took the morning campus tour, and we both fell in love with the campus. The campus seemed to stretch endlessly, and the buildings exuded an inviting charm. The atmosphere was relaxed, with plenty of open spaces and greenery, creating a sense of tranquility. I was surprised to discover that there were 12 different libraries on the campus, and I planned to obtain my library card as soon as possible. The tour lasted a good two hours, but we only covered the basics. I knew there would be even more surprises to explore when I ventured into the buildings on my own. Even before classes began, there was so much activity on campus, making it feel like its own enclosed community.
When we returned to the dormitory entrance hall, I noticed a large kiosk with information about various activities in the area. I grabbed a flyer detailing jogging routes near the campus. As I read it, I learned that there were several routes popular among students. My jogging experience would be very different here since there were no forests around the campus for me to unleash my full speed. Nevertheless, I knew the importance of establishing a consistent jogging routine, just as I had in Forks.
Not only was jogging important to me, but I also needed to find a place to practice and train with my abilities. This was even more crucial now, as I felt the need to continually unleash everything I could, which now included controlled explosions. I was determined to never allow whatever kept building up inside me to cause another unplanned 'incident'.
I woke up early the next morning. I reached over to my side table and angled my phone to check the time; it was 6 am. I got up quietly and walked lightly to the closed curtains, peeking out the window. The sun was just beginning to rise, and it felt like a great time to get a morning jog in and explore the area. I turned around and noticed Rebecca was fast asleep in her bed, and I was glad she didn't snore. I put on some shorts, a tank top, and my running sneakers, and after grabbing my keys, ID, and phone, I was all set to hit the road.
I had asked Rebecca the other night if she wanted to join me out of courtesy, but I was glad when she declined. I planned to run a good distance, and I knew a regular person would not be able to keep up with me. As I stepped outside my dormitory, I looked around, feeling happy about the new college experience I was just beginning. The streets were relatively clear of people at this early hour, but it was a lot more lively than Forks ever was. I started jogging to get my bearings, taking in the surroundings. The first jogging trail I followed was around the campus, which the brochure I had said was approximately 4 miles in length.
When I finished my run around the campus, I was eager to continue, so I took a different route through Beverly Hills. This jog turned out to be quite an eye-opener because I had never seen such luxurious houses, or should I say mansions, and the scenery was incredibly beautiful. While jogging, I mainly saw gardeners and other laborers working on the immaculate grounds of these mansions. I even wondered if I might come across the Clampett Estate. The thought made me chuckle.
As I passed by other joggers, I always nodded and smiled at them. The jog through Beverly Hills covered approximately 10 miles, and I realized I enjoyed it much more than the one around the campus. I also noted that, despite the increasing heat, I wasn't sweating, which was a positive sign. When I returned to my room, it was still early in the morning, and I saw Rebecca still sleeping peacefully. I tried not to wake her as I headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.
I was in my bed, engrossed in a book, when Rebecca finally woke up. I observed her sit up and yawn. "Morning, Bella," she greeted me with a stretch. "Do you still plan on going jogging this morning?"
I laughed and let her know I had already gone for my morning jog. She looked surprised and checked her phone, most likely thinking she had slept late. It was apparent that Rebecca had never encountered an early riser before. Later that day, Rebecca and I went shopping, stocking up on everyday essentials we hadn't brought with us, along with items to add a personal touch to our room and make it feel more like home. From the moment I met Rebecca, I discovered that she had a great sense of humor and could really be quite raunchy. It reminded me a lot of talking with my mom. Something I surprisingly missed doing on a daily basis, as when I did live with her back before my life changed, I had found her more colorful moments exasperating.
After we had lunch out, we returned to our room and began arranging the items we had bought. Rebecca seemed delighted with the door sign she had found, which humorously stated, "If you see this sign, don't come a'knocking. I'm doing it." Her lighthearted approach to life made me laugh. It was clear that Rebecca was quite hopeful about finding a boyfriend soon. On the other hand, I wondered if I could use the sign when Demetri and I wanted to have our cyber sexy time.
After we finished setting up our room with our new purchases, I decided I should go for another run. Finding a place to practice with my abilities was crucial. Ever since the 'Incident,' I'd been practicing diligently every day, particularly with my new explosive power, ensuring I never felt out of control again. Two days had already passed without practice, and I realized I needed to address that today, provided I could find a suitable spot. If I couldn't find one, I knew I would have to turn to Demetri for assistance. I knew the Volturi had resources I lacked and could secure a practice location for me if I asked. However, I remained optimistic about my ability to find one on my own during today's search.
I took out my phone and opened Google Maps, searching for any nearby large forests within my jogging range. That's when I spotted Topanga State Park to the north, near Malibu. With approximately five hours of daylight left, I made up my mind to head in that direction and explore it to see if I could find a suitable spot.
I found mention of a jogging trail in the forest about 6 miles from me. I started my jog through Brentwood, which, while nice, was no Beverly Hills.
After running for miles, I eventually located the trail entrance and entered it. Knowing that I needed to practice my abilities far from any human presence, I ventured deeper into the trail for several more miles. After a time, I encountered a very distinctive-looking tree, which I knew would serve as a memorable marker for me to go off trail.
Leaving the main trail behind, I went out another three miles. Eventually, I came upon an area that appeared relatively flat and I thought promising for my purpose. No signs of human activity were evident, and I had little doubt about anyone venturing into an area this remote. To ensure I would be able to return, I marked the GPS coordinates on my phone, fully intending to use this area for my needs.
I looked around and saw that there were a whole lot of trees in the area I wanted to use. I knew that igniting fiery explosions around them wouldn't be wise, as I had read up about the threat of California wildfires. Instead, I decided to dedicate my time today to clearing the area, making it a suitable place for me to practice using all of my abilities.
I began by swiftly slicing down all the trees in a roughly 60-foot diameter. Once all the trees were felled, I continued, slicing the fallen trunks up into manageable sections. Then, using my shield, I lifted and relocated them to the edges of the clearing.
After depositing all the large trees around the edges, I shaped a long, flat shield along the ground, skillfully pushing the smaller debris toward the edges, akin to using a snowplow. It struck me as an intriguing way to use my shield that I had never considered before.
Upon completing this task, I surveyed the area and admired what I had accomplished. The land now looked perfect and ready for what I had in mind. It resembled my very own little training arena.
Moving closer to the clearing's center, I concentrated my power there. After gathering all the energy I could muster, I released it with a powerful push, generating a substantial explosion. I scanned the surroundings and found that my hard work had indeed paid off, and the surrounding forest was undisturbed. To ensure I'd expelled all my pent-up energy, I triggered several more controlled explosions.
Clearing the area had probably taken a couple of hours to accomplish. I really just wanted to relax and have some fun until I had to go back to my dormitory. After the explosions, I decided to enjoy myself and practice creating shields and walking on them. I found great enjoyment in this ability; walking on air was an exhilarating experience. After doing that for a bit, another thought popped into my head, bringing a smile to my face.
Right before I left Forks, Emmett had asked me to watch "The Empire Strikes Back," with him, as I had never seen any of the Star Wars movies before. Emmett encouraged me to pay special attention to the training section with Luke and Yoda because he was convinced that I had the Force. Surprisingly, I had actually enjoyed the movie, and the idea of recreating some of the training exercises Luke had done sounded like a fun and intriguing idea.
I stood on one of my shields, hovering about a foot above the ground. I remembered the handstand Luke had done. Although I had never attempted anything like that before, I decided to give it a shot while standing on my shield. Fittingly, I promptly lost my balance and tumbled off the shield, landing hard on my back. As I lay on the ground, I chuckled but remained undeterred. I got up once more and returned to my shield to make another attempt.
A good hour of practice later, and I was doing it. I had perfected the handstand and even figured out my balance well enough to lift one hand off my shield, supporting myself with just my right hand. I smiled, wishing Emmett could see me now. I recalled the last little bit of the scene and noticed some rocks not too far away from me. Using my shield, I began stacking them carefully. What do you know, maybe I did have the Force.
Eventually, I noticed it was starting to get dark. Before I began the run back to my dorm, I pulled out my phone, hoping there would be some reception. I wanted to call Demetri and share the news about the clearing I'd made. Unfortunately, my phone displayed 'No Service,' which, given the remote location, was no surprise. I started my journey back through the forest at a fast run.
A short while after the sun had fully set, I reached the dorm. The area was surprisingly well-lit even at this early evening hour, and it buzzed with activity, mainly students coming and going. It truly was a great location.
When I arrived at my room, Rebecca was on her bed, engrossed in a movie on her laptop. She raised her head, and her eyes widened. "Oh my god! What happened, Bella? You're a mess!"
I glanced down and noticed that my clothes had become quite dirty during my excursions in the forest. I gave a little shrug. "Oh, I went jogging, exploring some new trails in the forest. I always loved jogging through the woods back in Washington. I guess I brought some of the forest back home with me."
Rebecca nodded. "That must be how you're in such great shape. I'd love to have a body like yours, but I don't think I have the fortitude to stick with it. Hey, I heard that there is going to be a party for the residents down on the 2nd floor. Do you want to head down there with me later?"
"Sure, that sounds great. Our first college party," I said, smiling. "I better go take a shower and change, then. I can't go looking like this."
Let me know your thoughts. I'm currently editing the next chapter. I've decided to break up some of the future chapters into smaller sections so I can update more frequently. The next chapter was going to cover Bella's mom's visit, and then Demetri's visit, but I've since split them up into three chapters. Otherwise, it probably would have taken weeks to edit and polish them to my satisfaction. This way, I should be able to release a chapter a week, maybe even a little faster.
When it comes to Demetri's visit, the first chapter involves their usual sexy fun time. However, the second chapter was one of my favorites to write, where they have a very memorable date night.