And I'm finally back from Japan. Gosh, that place is like a fashion paradise. Not to mention how advanced their technology is. Their toilet bowls CLEAN YOUR ASS for you. No kidding, man. Water shoots out.
Okay. Maybe you didn't have to know that. But it's a fabulous place. And just like what I've said, here's another chapter. With Bella and Edward in it. So start smiling already:D
I shall now reply to my precious reviewers. GirlWithoutAName, don't speak too soon, dear. But I'm glad you like him. He's actually quite a likeable person. And Ksangi? Whose strength are you talking about? Our Bella? As for the rest, thank you for the support you have been giving me. It's been my motivation since forever.
My name. Yes, it's just plain ol' Audrey. Sorry nobody could redeem a prize. But that's okay, anyway. Now you know my name and I know how enthusiastic you darlings can be. Keep it up!
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Disclaimer: Twilight or
New Moon or Eclipse NOT MINE.
Chapter 15
bPOV
I laid there in bed, heart still racing from the dream I just woke up from. It was sending me a message, but what? I knew my dreams were always weird and strange, but it was only recently that they seemed to be telling me something. I recounted my dream.
I had forgotten how it started, but somewhere in the middle, I was escaping from something. It was dark and I was running. I jumped from tree to tree and stepped off high buildings unharmed. I was running with fear, but I was running easily. I was worried about being caught, not about stopping. It was never like this before. Previously, running dreams were nightmares when I would eventually run out of breath and the game was over. This time, it was as if I was having fun.
A drop of sweat slid down my face but I ignored it. My chest was heaving slightly under the covers. I turned my head slightly to my side and glanced briefly at the clock. 5.24AM. I struggled to remember what day of the week it was today. Tuesday. Sighing, I pushed myself out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. Maybe going to school early for a change might not be a bad thing.
When I reached the school, it was so early the halls were still empty. It was creepy, seeing the noisy school so void of crowds. I lugged my bandaged ankle around like it was an umbrella, walking on one foot and sliding the other along. Suddenly, I had an urge to talk to Jessica. But she wasn't in school yet. So I went out to the front of the school and sat beneath a tree, thinking once again about my dream. It was funny thinking about how I would've looked to another person-- a lonesome figure sitting under a tree, like I was starring in my own movie and somewhere out there an audience was pitying me.
But that was me and my runaway imagination. If only I could channel that energy into deciphering my dream. Then I wouldn't have to feel so frustrated anymore. It certainly can't be telling me about how I was about to get superhuman powers because stuff like this only happens in movies. I slapped my forehead and messed up my hair in a fit of annoyance. A hand closed around my wrist in a strong grip.
I froze and looked up immediately. Edward Cullen looked down at me with the smallest hint of a smile, "Let's talk." And he pulled me to my feet, dragging me to another secluded corner. I couldn't even scream; what's the use in doing so?
He pushed me against a wall and looked into my horrified eyes. His diamond heart must have seen something in me because he spoke softly, "I'm not going to hurt you."
It didn't help at all, really, because thousands of images were flashing through my mind. I remembered about the nightmare I had of him in a meadow. I remembered what Jacob told me about the Cullens. I remembered how it felt like to be bitten by him. And my vocal cords just acted on impulse while my mouth opened.
The scream wasn't born at all. His cold, disgusting hand clamped down over my mouth and he repeated again, "I'm not going to hurt you." My heart hammered in response. There was this long silence where he did nothing but look into my eyes as his hand remained on my mouth. I lowered my lashes and breathed in tune with my heartbeat. Eventually, I calmed down. Looking back up at him with a steady glare, he gave me a listless smile and removed his hand slowly. When he was sure that I wasn't going to start screaming my head off again, he placed his hands behind his head and did this little spinny thing. I crossed my arms.
"Look, I don't know what you heard about us, or what anybod--"
"You're a vampire. Cut the crap."
He stopped going in circles and looked at my in surprise. I don't blame him, even Iwas looking at myself in surprise. I had no idea where that came from, but I wasn't about to expose myself. I rose an eyebrow at him in a matter-of-fact way.
"No," he said hesitantly. "No, no, no. What are you talking about? I'm not a vampire. Vampires don't exist!" Edward laughed nervously. "Right?"
In a completely disbelieving tone, I replied, "Right." My heart was still hammering away inside my chest, actually. I can't believe how calm I'm appearing to be. I hope he doesn't see through my pretense.
His back was facing me for a relatively long time before it heaved, as though Edward just let off a sigh. But when he swivelled and faced me, his eyes were coal black again. Automatically, my skin crawled and I could no longer keep up with the mask I've pasted across my face. My eyes broke out into fear.
He walked towards me menacingly, but I had nowhere to escape, nowhere to run. I could only press myself further up against the wall. "Why don't I just skip right to the bottomline for you, Isabella Swan? Because it seems to me that we are unable to communicate nor coexist in peace. Now, all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and Charlie will be fine."
And that's when I stopped looking at Edward in fear. My eyes just rolled into a trance and a whisper escaped me, "Charlie." It was a ghost of a sound, so soft I can hardly hear it myself, but Edward caught it. "Yes, Charlie daddy." All of a sudden, he jerked backwards, tunred his back on me and just walked off. I stared after his back, quite unable to digest the fact that Edward Cullen just threatened me with my own dad.
But then he turned around without breaking his stride and gave me an evil smile while putting his index finger to his lips. I felt my feet collapse beneath me as my back slid down the wall. "Charlie."
ePOV
I hoped that my act was convincing enough for her to stay silent on the vampire issue. I never realised how serious it would've become if I didn't see the vision in Alice's mind. Everything was on fast-forward in that vision, but I caught every single horrible scene in it.
Bella telling Mike that I was a vampire, Mike telling Forks that Cullens were vampires and Forks telling the whole world that vampires exist. The Volturi had to finish off Forks in order to keep the secret and continue existing on Earth in peace. The Volturi had to finish off the whole of the Cullen family because of what I did.
I had to catch Alice after she witnessed the death of her own family. Leaning against my chest, she looked at me with a sad smile and told me, "Only you can stop it now, Eddie boy. Go."
And I went. I've never ran faster than the wind before, but it felt like I had finally did it on that day. I didn't experience any form of wind, but all forms of wind experienced me as I raced through the forest in a split second and arriving in front of Bella's house. Standing there, I listened.
I could hear Mike Newton's voice loud and clear, like he was just standing beside me, "..it about?"
Ah, Bella's voice. The voice which had the ability to destroy my family. I reeled my anger in and held it in my palms. My fists were so tightly clenched as I heard her reply. "Well, the bottomline was about Edward and his family being--"
I had rung the doorbell in a desperate bid to interrupt them. I ran off and stood by the edge of the forest, where I had a clear view of Isabella Swan's window... and her. I watched her steadily as her face paled visibly. I would've laughed out loud if I was in a better mood when I saw her blink slowly, but I wasn't. My whole body was so tensed just thinking about how near to death I'd just been. All because of this mere mortal. My eyes burned with hate.
Then, Bella disappeared from my view, most probably having fainted.
As I was walking back home after that, I knew there was more that I should do. Isabella wouldn't stop there. In fact, she would be more determined to reveal the truth to the whole wide world now that I've given her an indirect confirmation of what I really am.
I must say, I was very proud of myself when I managed to come up with a solution that was effective and easy. Without Alice's help, at all! There I was, sitting on my black couch and wondering, "What is the one thing which Bella treasures the most?" The answer was obvious; family. I knew that Bella's only family in Forks was her father, Charlie Swan. So, I snapped my fingers and smiled to myself. "Eureka."
It was actually an added bonus that she decided to go to school so early; less witnesses, the better. I watched her as she walked down the hall and making a huge racket out of it. Thud, sliiiiide, thud, sliiiiide. Fortunately, she seemed to have a change of mind as she turned and made her way out of school. As she sat under a shady tree, I went through the final plan. At the last minute, I've decided that I would try to play Good cop, Bad cop. Good cop first, and if necessary, Bad cop threatens.
I crept up to her slowly, but she surprised me by slapping her own forehead and mussing her hair up. I shrugged and grabbed her wrist, since it was displaying openly before me already. She looked at me with the same fear reflected in her eyes as the evening before. I remembered to be Mister Good Cop, so I gave her a small smile as I informed her about the talk we were about to have. Don't blame me for the dragging. I had to move her forcibly, seeing how she was slightly inconvenienced at that point of time.
Everything did notgo very well. Mister Bad Cop had to show himself and it was, to say the least, nasty. I wasn't really feeling the heat at the point of time, so I had to get my angry black eyes by smelling her delicious scent. It got me going. I had forgotten how good she smelled like and it reminded me of the first time I was hit by her scent-- how I thought of killing her, how I thought of betraying my family, how I was vulnerable because of her.
But, I admit, I was too nice. Something inside me went weird when I saw her reaction to my threat about Charlie. I knew I couldn't keep up with the facade and thought that it might be a good time to leave there and then. So I did. But as I was walking away from her, I was suddenly afraid that it wasn't impactful enough. And thus, I turned around and made this "shh-ing" motion. I really hoped that it worked.
Alice walked up beside me and patted my back. I forced a smile as thanks for her encouragement. But she looked at me with this grim expression and said, "You really know how to break a girl's heart, huh, Edward?"
I watched her back as she walked off, completely dumbfounded. Nothing I did was ever good enough. Nothing.
Actually, no. There was nothing wrong with what I did. Women are just hard to understand. Yeah, they are so hard to understand.
I shrugged and walked off in the opposite direction.
Thanks for all the lovely reviews, people. I think the next chapter will be up considerably soon. But my mother is hounding me to go through what I've learnt in the past school year. Yes, my school year have ended already. This is Singapore I'm staying in, where things are extremely weird and extremely different. Which is also why I will appreciate it if someone volunteers to tell me more about the educational system in American/European countries. And just generally how things work there.
Show me your love, girls:D
xoxo, Audrey.