"Why are you afraid how I'll react? What does it matter how I'll take it?" I demanded out loud to him I was determined to finally know and get over all of this none sense. Except my voice was the only thing that filled the silence. I began to wonder if I was the only one here.

I spined around in circles in the same spot searching the darkness.

"Because I'm scared what you'll think of me." His voice came out of no where beside me ear. He sounded worried. I gasped at his sudden presence. Then I made myself strong.

"Why?" I asked point blank. "Why is what I think so important?" I tried suppressing the surprise and breathlessness in my voice. By the time I turned he was gone. There was a short silence, and by every passing soundless moment made me more mad.

"Because I want you to be with me. But I'm scared once you know, you'll run from me, screaming as you go." Suddenly he was in front of my face, just like out of thin air, walking forwards towards me.

"So I'm being selfish by stalling so you spend more time next to me even though it means your being in danger standing here with me." By now he was in front of my face, hardly any space between us.

"I'm trying to be fair by warning you and trying to stay away from you, but you seem to be making it really hard with out even trying." He spoke as he took a strand of my hair and twirled it in his hand.

I was silent for a moment, staring at him as he stared at me waiting for my reaction.

"Well that's not going to happen." I finally decided to say. He stared at me in confusion, not understanding.

I let myself fall and sat right in front of him at his feet. Then I put my head in my hands in a definite position to show him, staring up at him.

"I'm not going anywhere." I let him know, reassuring him.

He stared down at me.

Edward bent down in front of me and leaned in close to my face. My breath turned shallow at his proximity.

"You really need to get some common sense." I felt my face frown in anger. I rolled my eyes.

"I have common sense." I stated, my retort restrained sounding. I leaned back on my hands trying to act casual . "….and its telling me not to be afraid."

…or was that my heart speaking?…

His expression changed, it lightened.

"Your common sense is trying to get you killed." I grimaced at that, but my face only showed a scowl Another clue. Something in my expression must have given away how I really felt because he flinched away from me horror struck. I wonder if that's how I looked the next moment. Then he disappeared.

I tried to be strong. "Fine." I stated out loud to myself.

"If you don't want me to stay, Fine! If your not going to tell me, I'll leave." I spoke to him. I loved a good mystery, but I was pissed when I couldn't figure it out.

I wasn't even sure I wanted to know the truth anymore, fearing I would just get hurt because with every word felt like I was being pushed away more and more.

I stomped my way back to camp, looking for the trail of my footsteps. Time passed. Fear would creep into my thoughts when I wasn't sure if I could see the orange glow of the campfire in the distance. My fear was accompanied by my anger that kept trying to dominate my thoughts. As I got closer to the glow, hoping I wasn't just imagining it, fear began to over take me at the end. As I walked, and mostly stumbled, closer it still didn't seem to get closer.

Noises in the woods were my soundtrack. I kept hearing birds in the trees over my head and faint sounds on the forest floor cracking twigs. I kept walking. I wondered if Edward had already found his way to camp before me. Or maybe he decided to hang around the woods contemplating all of this for a while. Maybe he had and found his way back to camp before me. Was that how slow I could be? How could he know his way out of the woods? Why did he just leave me behind? Well, technically, I was the one who walked away from him. Wow, I can't believe I had walked away from Edward. Great, what was I thinking? I had pretty much given up and now I would never know his secret. Did I really care for his secret? No. I would rather be with him and not know his secret if that was the way it had to be. Sure I was curious, but I guess I would have to deal.

The noises of the woods startled me and awoke me from my train of thought. I began to walk faster. So if he had beaten me out of the woods and was at camp already, had he realized yet I wasn't back yet? Maybe he thought he didn't see me around cause I was still mad and trying to avoid him. Did anyone else notice I was gone? Did they even notice we left? We were seating in the back behind everyone, they could easily have forgotten. I was beginning to panic because the orange light had disappeared. Did someone put it out? Had they gone to bed already? Oh my God! What if they had! Did must not know I was still out here! Maybe if I keep walking straight towards were I remember seeing it….

Another noise came from the woods interrupting my thoughts. Oh dear God. That sounded louder then all of the other sounds. Like something shifting in the leaves. I had stopped in my tracks to listen. I didn't hear anything. So nothing to worry about, right? Wrong. This was worse because I couldn't hear anything, at all. No more birds moving in the trees. No more little critters scurrying of, no nothing. Just complete silence. Isn't that what happened when animals knew a predator was around? They sensed the danger and left or stayed deadly quietly. I stayed really still wishing I was one of the birds sitting quietly high in the safety of trees waiting for the danger to pass and able to fly away if it got bad, that is, anyways, if there were in birds left. They could be long gone by now having sensed the danger that I was to oblivious to have picked up on because I was deep in my thoughts. The thought of bears passed through my mind as I remembered the earlier conversation. I would have been the first to be taken down if we were in a group. Now there was no group, and I would probably still be the first to die. I cursed myself. Why did I have had to end up here? In the woods on this stupid camping trip?

I didn't dare move now. I would rather be like a bird and not let my enemy know I was here. Maybe whatever it was, it would stop hearing me move around and just leave. How long would that take? What could it possibly be? Let's see, what animals hang around in the woods? Bears, wolves, snakes… Okay, this wasn't helping. How do I even know it was there? Maybe the threat had passed and I was standing here like an idiot letting time pass and forgetting which way I had faced to head back to camp. Although I was pretty sure something was there. I could feel it. Humans must have there own intuition, because I could just sense being watched. Okay, what were my options? If I run, there was a good chance I'd slip and fall. And I don't think I could outrun whatever it was. Except a bear, I think I could outrun a bear if my klutziness allowed me. Bears are big and fat, that's got to slow them down, right? Darn it, Bella! Why hadn't you watched more nature shows? Why didn't Mr. Banner teach more about the wildlife out here before? Or maybe he had and I had just been distracted by Edward. I hadn't listened much to the teacher on this trip. Though I blamed Edward for that.

So out running, bad idea. What were my other options? Stay here and wait it out sounded time consuming and I had to find my way back before they noticed I was gone and I got in trouble. Think, Bella. What else? I could climb up a tree. The closest tree was a few feet away. I could run that, hopefully without tripping over its roots. How would I climb it though? Was I strong enough for that? I eyed the tree. I could barely make out its limbs in the dark. Could I climb them fast? I guess it was worth a try.

As soon as I moved so did whatever it was. Panic and fear washed through me. I started climbing and I managed to get up high enough. I felt it trying to reach me, whatever it was. Sounded like a dog, wolf I guess. Maybe a wild hog. Did they have those up here in Washington? I kept my feet out of reach. I reached up trying to climb higher. Something in the tree scurried away from me. I gasped at its closeness. I hadn't thought about what could possibly be hanging around in the trees. What if it had been a snake? Could snakes get on trees? No, I think that was only in the jungle, and this was a forest. Was there a difference?

I looked for something to throw at it. A branch I could break, dirt, leaves, anything. I found some loose branches and started throwing. Maybe if I just waited out here a while it would just disappear. It stopped trying to reach for me. I herd its paws hit the ground with a thump and it was calm. Then it ran off. I just hoped it wouldn't come back with friends. What if it was waiting from a far to see if I would come down. Were animals that smart?

I reluctantly climbed back down again. I didn't let myself slide all the way back down yet, just testing it. I didn't hear or sense it close by so I let my feet touch the ground. I bent down to look for a suitable branch to use for a weapon. I found a broken tree branch. Then I reached up to break a thicker one of the tree and kept both, one in each hand. I looked around at the dark and listened. Nothing. I started running in what I hope was the right direction. Nothing chased me.

As I left the danger zone behind, I realized I could hear animals again. I herd birds flying of as I ran past trees. Now I was the danger to them. I kept running listening to anything behind me. I grew tired and started to slow but I didn't stop till a long time. I finally just stopped trying to run and walked instead. How much farther could I be? Was I even going in the right direction? Hopelessness and dread began to over take me. I wasn't the type to kuss a lot but I was in some deep… "Ahhh!"

I yelled out load turning around to face what ever it was that had come up behind me. I held up my sticks in self defense, aiming at it.

The dark figure let out a booming laugh.

"Do you know how ridiculous you look?" The voice said, filled with humor, the voice I only knew as Edward's.

Fear had over taken me last time but it was anger's turn now.

"What the hell!" I slapped him with the branch. "What's wrong with you?" I screamed. He hadn't stopped laughing. "You scared the crap out of me! It isn't funny!" That last sentence got a hit for every word. Then I kept slapping him and yelling even though I didn't even know what words were coming out of my mouth. I just felt like yelling.

"B-" another laugh. "Bel-" Another longer laugh. "Bella!" He kept trying to catch my attention but I kept hitting him with the branches. "Bella!" He said more firm this time." He stopped trying to defend himself with his hands and just pulled the branches out of mine. He threw them to the ground in my surprise and then he took my arms in his hands. "Bella, stop. Calm down." He had stopped laughing now and I had sudden urge to hug him. I wasn't so hopeless now because I wasn't alone. I pulled my arms free and wrapped them around him instead, burying my face in his chest.

"Thank you." I murmured. I must have taken him by surprise because he had gone still and his arms were still reached out to where I had been standing a moment ago. He didn't speak for a moment.

"For what?"

"Coming back, finding me." I was upset at him but grateful. I held him a little tighter and he hugged me back.

"You were lost," It wasn't a question.

"How did you figure that out?" I asked.

"When you hadn't come back, I figured and I went back to-"

I hugged him tighter, if that was possible, and he stopped talking.

"Are you okay?" He asked unsure.

I let out a peaceful sigh and nodded. One side of my face was still pressed into him.

His good humor came back around and he laughed.

"I'll never forget how ridiculous you looked with those branches," Then he broke out into a deep laugh. "With all the leaves in your hair.." He laughed again. "I think that was the fastest I have ever seen you move."

I pushed him away. "That so isn't…"

"I know, I'm sorry." Then pulled be back into a hug himself. "I'm sorry Bella,"

I didn't say anything for a while. Just stood there with him.

"Did anyone notice I was gone?"

He paused before answering.

"We should get back to camp before they do." He let go and guided me with one arm still around my waist as we moved.

"They had already put out the big fire when I got there. Some kids had already started breaking out into groups and making there own campfires. Some were already going to bed."

If we got back fast, no one would know and we wouldn't be in trouble. We walked quickly as we could. Or as quickly as my clumsy feet would allow.

"You wouldn't believe what I ran into alone back there,"

"I bet I would believe it. I wouldn't be surprised by anything with your luck."

I scuffed a laugh facing forward.

"Let me guess, a bird attacked you?" he asked.

"No,"

"Two birds?"

"No."

"You saw a snake?"

"Nope."

"You saw a bear?"

"No."

"It was three birds?"

"No."

"You ran into some rabid squirrels?"

"No. Will, maybe. I think I stepped on one while I was running. And it wasn't too pleased. It made this little growling hissing sound at me. Could of had rabies."

He laughed.

"I got chased by this thing."

"What was it?"

"I don't know. I thought it was a dog or wolf. But it made these noises that I thought sounded like a hog, too. I don't know what it was but it chased me up a tree."

"You climbed a tree?" he asked taken aback.

"Yes, because it was my only escape from that thing."

"Huh, I can believe you got chased by something, but I can't believe you climbed a tree."

"I'm not completely incapable of anything agility related you know."

"Hmm. How big was this tree?"

"Ugh, the tree doesn't matter! The point is I got attacked by this thing!"

"Then what happened after you climbed this spruce?"

"I- Hey! It was a tree! Anyways, the thing finally ran of."

"Just like that?"

"Well, I threw some branches and leaves at it first. But, yeah. It ran of."

"So this tree, did it have really low branches to climb?"

"Forget the tree, okay? Yes, me, Isabella Marie Swan, climbed a freaking tree. Then afterwards, I climbed back down. I grabbed some branches and ran of fast."

"Ok, wait. First you climbed a tree and then you actually ran, fast?

"Yes,"

"So how many times did you fall?"

"I didn't."

"B.S."

"Okay, I stumbled. But I didn't fall."

"When did you run into the rabid squirrel?"

"When I was running away from the spot,"

"I guess this would explain the leaves in your hair," he let out a short laugh pulling them out.

"This is just a big joke to you , isn't it?"

"No, no! I'm just shocked. Really, really shocked."

"Your shocked? I was the one who got chased by a wolf-like hog thing."

"I believe you. I just keep getting lost at the tree climbing part of the story."

I let out an exasperated sigh, he laughed at my anger and we made it back to camp safely.

Yeah, I know. It's been a while. I'm deeply sorry. I eel disappointed I myself but I'll try updating more often and finish my stories. Please send me reviews if I don't update in a long time because that is what keeps me going and motivates me=) Thanks you guys.

-M