I had imagined death a thousand times, but I hadn’t prepared myself for this, to see his beautiful face ravaged with pain as I slipped away, I was not prepared for that pain which overtook the physical and screamed through my body searing me with anguish.
I heard Edward roar my name, Bella, but I slipped away anyway... into a darkness which I recognised as Death.
I had said it out loud. The words came easily, they just slipped out of my open mouth and into the air around me.
“I can’t marry you tomorrow, Edward”
All the reasons why flowed after that first sentence and assaulted my true love like a battering ram, his beautiful forehead furrowed further with each sentence, his serene composure breaking into shards of pain. He had come into the room so excited, almost dancing with each stride. Proud as punch, he had handed me a long velvet box and said cheerfully “Something blue!”.
I had opened the box and stared at the choker long and hard, each sapphire cut to capture the light and encased in platinum, intricately woven into the most romantic swirls and flowers.
My hand snapped the box shut, I looked up at my beloved and I said “I can’t marry you tomorrow Edward”. I shocked even myself with that declaration, suddenly realising that this was so wrong. My soul needed to just take a long breath and a long think. I wanted to be with Edward for all time, that had not changed, but over the last few days, seeing Charlie accept the marriage, making that sacrifice for me, because I threatened to run away, had hurt me more than Edward could have known. I could not reconcile myself with hurting him in the worst way, by dying. The plan could not go ahead, I loved my father too much. Loving Edward would mean that I would become like him, immortal, undead, a vampire. However my love for my father meant that would have to wait a while longer. It was hypocrisy, I knew that, Edward was the one who had wanted to delay my change. He had tried everything to put me off becoming a vampire. I had to admit, it was a combination of lust and my need for proof of his love, that had made me force his hand. I had survived losing Edward once, I would not survive it again and somewhere agreeing to marry him seemed to prevent that possibility. That, I admitted to myself sadly, was also a lot behind my desire to hasten my immortality. If I was no longer vulnerable, he would not feel the guilt that had forced him to leave before. He had agreed to change me, and to consummate our love, only if I would marry him. In his eyes, he wanted to give himself the best possible run in his strange life, and not aggravate any God who may eventually judge him. So I had agreed, terrified that another day would change his mind, the thoughts of losing him creating a fear that over rode any other emotion, even my usually strong sense of right and wrong, and my compassion.
We sat for a long time. Then he lifted his eyes to mine, those perfect pools of honey, and we looked at each others faces for a long time. His eyes flitted about my features, from my eyes to my cheekbones, along the line of my jaw, to my mouth. He leaned in and kissed me, a calm gentle kiss. I heard a whispered moan escape him.
Then he spoke, “Bella”.
With that one word, my name, I knew he said a thousand things. I knew he accepted what I had said. I knew he would not leave me, or scold me. He was my soul mate and so he would take my explanations and make them work for him.
“I want you so much Edward” I gushed, “Its just Charlie, I can’t ruin his life, he doesn’t deserve it”
He nodded slowly.
I continued, “Think about it, the worst possible scenario is losing your child, isn’t it? That is what parents dread the most, and here am I setting Charlie and Renee up to have that happen, not even for real, but I’m letting them think that happened and letting them suffer, all so I can live forever with you...”
He looked up at me, “You don’t want to change?” He seemed hopeful.
“No no,”I brought him back to earth, “I want to be immortal, Edward, I will be immortal, but I have been so selfish, so quick to think about myself, this whole time, but the other night, seeing Charlies face when I threatened to leave unless he agreed to the marriage, it just hurt me so much, he was cornered. I should have said it to you then, but I wanted it so much, its only now I had the... I dunno, the... whatever it is you need to do the right thing.”
“The bravery, the strength” Edward took my hand, his cold porcelain fingers sweeping over my engagement ring, “Bella, this is fine by me, my one love, its what I wanted from the start”
“The Volturi?” I was fearful then, knowing that my days were numbered as far as the Volturi were concerned.
“Don’t worry Bella,” Edward shook his head, “they don’t see time as you do, even as I do, they live in a vampire world, so a day is like a second and time passing means little. They will check on you, but it will not be soon”
“Okay” I believed him.
A sudden ray of sunshine threw itself across the room and Edwards skin glittered. He got down on his knee, as he had before, and looked up at me with such love that my heart felt it would burst, “Bella Swan?” he said dramatically.
“Yes Edward?”
“Will you NOT marry me?”
“I will NOT” I said, and whooped with joy as he flicked me over his shoulder and jumped from the room down into the hallway in less than one second. Just in time to hear a wail from the kitchen as Alices beautiful vision of our perfect wedding, which she had spared no cost to prepare, stuttered and dissolved in her minds eye.
She marched out, “I can’t believe this!” She wagged her finger at Edward and I, “You have to get married tomorrow!”
The rest of the family came into view, Carlisle looked concerned, “You’re calling off the wedding?” He looked at me, “is everything okay Bella?”
“I’m fine” I nodded, “We just feel that we need, well Charlie needs, a bit more time, before I leave. We need authenticity, for his sake, and my mothers sake”
Edward continued, “To lose an only child, Carlisle...”
Esme smiled widely, “Oh I think you are both doing the right thing” She came forward to embrace us, “I had worried for Charlie and Renee, both such kind people, they would be so lost without you Bella”
“We are getting married though” I stressed, “maybe secretly, maybe a way off, but we will marry of course, we just need to do this the right way”
Alice tutted sulkly as she flounced off, with Jasper following her. I detected a hint of an amused smile on his lips and he looked back and winked at Edward. Edward laughed, “I don’t need to know that Jasper!” he called after him. “He likes her when she is angry” he whispered in my ear, and I suppressed a laugh.
Later, after I had eaten and the Cullens had watched me do so, myself and Edward excused ourselves from their company and headed upstairs to his room.
I sat on the floor.
He stood, which was not unusual for Edward, Vampires didn’t need to rest like humans did, and standing was as easy as sitting for them. When he was comfortable, and no humans were around bar me, Edward would relax and therefore stand like a statue. I stretched across the floor and linked my arms around his legs, “Edward” I said gently, “Thank you... you are amazing”
He hunkered down to my level, “No Bella,” He said cupping my face in his hands, “You are. You are the most amazing person in the world, you put everyone before yourself, even at a crucial point when you are to have everything you want, you still think of others.”
I shook the compliment away. He leaned in and kissed me, his familiar marble lips anxious for mine, his hands taking mine and placing them around his neck, his hair falling to caress my cheek like a butterfly. He lifted me to standing, and as if I weighed nothing, Edward began to waltz me around the floor, humming such a beautiful melody into my ear as he did. I relaxed into his arms, placed my head against his shoulder and let his song take me away.
He woke me by a gentle tug of my hair.
“Edwa-a-ard...” I moaned, “I’m sleeping” I turned over so my back was to him.
He shook my shoulder, “Wake up... Bella its important”
I turned around startled, “What? Edward What?”
He smiled sheepishly, “I’m bored”
I moaned theatrically and sat up, “Edward, I am a human, I nee-ee-eed my 8 hours, I can’t be concerned with whether you are bored waiting for me to wake up, you just need to bear it”
He pouted. I laughed and rolled my body into his, snuffling into his chest like an animal, the scent of him highly erotic in the dim light of the dawn.
He sprang to standing on the bed, jumping lightly as he could, which rocked me like a small boat in a Typhoon even so. “Bella!” He shouted, “I’ve been lying here all night thinking how amazing it is that we are NOT getting married, how perfect your decision is, how right you are, how amazing you are”
I reached out my hand to pull him back to me on the bed but with his strength I ended up standing. He didn’t notice in time, and his last jump sent me flying across the room landing sprawled on the ottoman.
His eyes widened and he was with me in a second, “Have I hurt you? I’m such an idiot” he admonished himself.
“No you lunatic” I stood gingerly, then with more confidence, “I’m fine”
I looked at him sternly, his eyes were still wide, and then I burst out laughing, “Oh thank GOD!” I shouted.
“Huh?” He looked confused
“Thank God for You!” I shouted, “Edward you have made everything, even being thrown across a room, wonderful, every moment is just perfect!”
He swept me up into his strong arms and kissed me all over my face. I kissed him back eagerly, the heat in my rising, my cheeks blushing and my heartbeat soaring. I felt his hands change course, moving naturally instead of the usual restraint. He lay me onto his bed again, and leaned over me. I looked at him, with a half smile on his lips like that he’d better mean business. I raised my eyebrows, You keep going like this Mister and it’ll be me biting you...”
“Bite away” He offered his arm, but a mouth full of broken teeth did not appeal so I declined.
“Edward, can we not just...you know...do it...”
He shook his head and stood back, “Bella, We can’t... there is no way it would work out for us, think about it, please logically for a minute, think about the logistics of everything and the workings of things, and how I feel to you.... You know... think about it”
“But we’d be married by now” I said, referring to the broken plans of two days ago.
“True” He acknowledged, “but Bella, I wasn’t planning to make love with you until after the change... until you were more... resistant...”
I dropped my head into my hands and gave a muffled scream.
“This is IMPOSSIBLE” I said, raising my head, “Edward I can’t wait! I am going to die of lust, won’t you even try?”
“Bella, don’t be difficult” He said.
“Difficult?” I was indignant, “How on earth can you call me difficult? I am the opposite of difficult Edward”
The words hung in the air for a minute and then both of us burst out laughing.
“Was that our first fight?” He asked me, his crooked smile playing on his lips.
I blushed and ran to him, “I’m sorry” I said.
“Bella, Bella,” He shushed, “If I was annoyed about you wanting to take things further, then I’d be some odd fellow, it is so hard for me to turn you away, I would rather take on a werewolf than reject you, than hurt you... but I must, for your own protection, I couldn’t trust myself...”
I couldn’t help the tears then, they just came. I smothered myself in his chest, hoping he wouldn’t realise. Staying like that for a minute, I composed myself.
“Okay” I said, “Okay... I’ll wait”
I was sick of being a virgin, knowing I would spend all eternity with Edward seemed no reward for staying that way. I also was afraid that when I changed I wouldn’t feel, my body wouldn’t respond the way it did now. I wanted to experience human passion at its most. With Edward.
But I would give in, for now.
Four months later
When the phone in my pocket began to buzz, I ignored it. I was waiting patiently for Alice to come out of the changing room, doing everything I could to make up for canceling the wedding of the century, and so found myself in Gucci, patiently waiting to tell her how fabulous her tenth outfit was. She didn’t need me here, and we both knew it, Alice never tried anything on, being the perfect size 4 and looking stunning in anything she wore. She was punishing me, we both knew it, and I was happy to be put through my paces. The last week had been a roller-coaster, Charlie couldn’t hide his relief when we announced the wedding off, and Renee may have joked about keeping the receipt for her outfit but she too sounded relieved. We had gone down to see them, both in Charlies, and explained that we had realised it was a mistake to rush, that we were just staying engaged now, until both of us were sure of the direction we were taking and that it was the same one. They both shook Edwards hand and hummed and hawed about being disappointed to have to wait to call him ‘Son’ but we both heard a collective whoop of joy from them as we left.
Finally Alice emerged from the changing room, wearing a pale grey chiffon skirt, that swayed off her tiny hips to the knee, and a wine wrap top which set off her pale skin perfectly, her tiny feet were encased in silver sandals that wrapped around her foot and up her shin like a ballerinas pumps.
“Wow!” I said truthfully, “that is so gorgeous, you look great”
She waved my compliment away, but I saw her smirk. She turned, her pixie eyes glinting mischievously.
“Okay Bella!” She said, “I can't punish you anymore, I miss you too much, I need my girlfriend back!” She cuddled into me with her tiny icy frame. Not used to such tactility I almost patted her on the head, but caught myself in time and touched her shoulder instead.
“Thank you Alice” I said, “I don’t deserve it.”
She smiled.
We drove back in no time, the yellow Porsche passing other cars as if they were all stationary. I had enjoyed the few hours with Alice but I was eager to see Edward, we had planned to go for dinner, ordering small so I could eat his too, and chat about our future and what we could plan to save heart ache for everyone. As we drove, I checked my phone, one voicemail but with the roar of the engine I replaced the phone in my pocket, resolving to listen to it later. It was most likely Angela, I thought.
He was waiting when we got to the drive, standing smiling in the rain, and without a blink he swooped me up to his bedroom and we sat on the long couch by the window, looking out into the green wet forest.
We lay there for a while, and then Edward suggested I get changed for dinner. I thought about doing that right in front of him, momentarily hoping I’d lure him into bed, but then I thought better of it, I didn’t want my first time with him to be something he’d regret even in the smallest way. I could see his point, if the truth be known it had crossed my mind a few times that sleeping with Edward wouldn’t be... easy... in fact it could be down right difficult. His skin was so cold, and had little resistance, but my love for him always won out in that argument. I didn’t care, I wouldn’t care if I was bruised and broken, it would be worth it to show Edward my love. Telling him just didn’t seem enough.
However I also knew that should he hurt me, even a small bit, he would be so tortured I wouldn’t be able to bear it. So I decided for now to go along with his wishes and hold myself together.
I went into the other room, and changed into the new jeans and top I’d procured in town with Alice. Midway, I remembered the voicemail, and quickly dialed the number throwing the phone onto the chair, loudspeaker activated. I had one leg in my jeans and was just placing my foot into the second leg when I heard Jacobs voice. Being me, I promptly started hopping forward in panic and then I fell over. I grabbed the phone and pressed 5 to replay the message.
My heart thudding nearly drowned out his husky voice. I imagined him standing at the telephone machine. Was he disappointed when I didn’t answer?
“Uh.. Bella, its Jake. I’m calling just to... uh... sorry its 4-ish, I don’t have a watch obviously, but I think its 4 or so... uh Bella I’m just calling to say I’m sorry for not making the wedding, hope that all went well and all, and you know... I’m away now, but uh I think I’ll be coming home soon-ish, so I didn’t want to... well I hoped to maybe catch up... you know all the other stuff, well I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear I’m kinda over it... Uh this has been so hard for everyone, I never wanted to put Edward on the line the way I did, he is a good guy, I know I wouldn’t have been so good about... everything...I wasn’t thinking straight and now I can see how silly it all was, a crush... Anyways I just wanted to call you and warn you that you may not have got rid of me so soon, I’m sure we’ll run into each other anyway, I hope we do cos I miss you... Okay well thats all... Bella, okay um... Bye...”
I listened for ages after the message had ended. Working it all out in my head. That was Jacob, he was coming home, my chest rose and fell but I didn’t feel like I was breathing. He seemed fine, in good form even. He hadn’t heard about the wedding, he thought we were married, maybe even that I was a vampire, and yet he still wanted to get in touch. It was all so positive, I felt elated and yet slightly disturbed. All the anguish I had felt for hurting Jacob, for choosing Edward, all that pain seemed slightly for nothing when he seemed so fine, so normal with me. I may have even felt slightly put out, that his love for me was so easily forgotten, with a few weeks away. I had torn myself in two, Jacob had pushed me to my limits of emotion, and now he was “kinda over it”. I was irritated with the dismissive words he used, “Crush” - if I’d known that I would have hit him with a bat instead of my fist. All that trouble, for nothing.
I sorted myself out, clothes wise, and headed to the stairwell where Edward was leaning on the banister, looking perfect as usual in a pair of dark denim jeans and a dark grey jumper that fitted him perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders. I couldn’t resist him, he was divine.
We left and went to the same little place we’d technically had our first date. We ordered two small meals, of which I managed one and half, and discussed our plans.
“We could go abroad to college” I offered, pushing the rest of Edwards meal around the plate,”Tell them we were in Paris or London, and go to some remote cottage in Ireland or somewhere, I could go through everything there, on our own and stay there until I had the self control issue sorted. Then we could actually go to whatever university we had said we were going to, and just live there for a while before hitting Forks again”
“They’ll notice when we don’t age, Bella...”
“We could get in a car crash, and be really badly burnt and get some new technology plastic surgery to explain our continued freshness”
Edward looked impressed, “Could work! I mean Charlie and Renee probably only have another... maybe forty years, we could just bluff that until they....”he trailed off when he saw my face, “Oh sorry Bella, I was forgetting who they are... but its a good idea, we should talk to Carlisle about that”
“We could go abroad, somewhere rainy, Ireland or Scotland, and use video call every now and again, take photos of ourselves and send them home etc, keep in touch while we’re there, while I’m learning, adjusting...”
“Good idea too”
“We could say we were signing up for one of those volunteer programs, you know helping build schools in Africa or somewhere, you can’t get home, or get to technology there, so it wouldn’t be weird when we were not in touch for a couple of months”
Edward took my hand, “It will be fine, no matter what way this happens we won’t let Charlie, and Renee, get hurt, don’t worry about that”
“Thanks Edward,” I smiled at him for a minute, then as casually as I could, “Jacob called today by the way”
I let him listen to the message himself, which he did twice, and then he sat back with a puzzled expression.
“Puppy love!” He said sarcastically, shaking his head, “I gave him more credit than he was due, cheeky pup nearly drove me to madness with his games, and now he just shakes it off like it was a game”
“Yeh” I said, probably more soulfully than I meant to, Edward was curious immediately.
“You’re disappointed Bella?”
“No you moron” I spoke truthfully, “I feel like you do, a whole show for nothing, we could have broken up over his games, no-one knew you would be so generous of heart, least of all me, and he let me risk losing my true love for some silly crush”
“He probably didn’t realise it was a crush” Edward thought out loud, “he is young... I wonder...”
“What?” I pressed
“What has made him realise it was just a crush?”
I sat upright in my chair, “Do you... do you think Jacob... you think he has imprinted?”
“Maybe? Who can tell with that dog?”
I flinched, despite everything I didn’t like when Edward was spiteful, “Edward....”
“Sorry, who can tell with that boy? I hope you’re right though, get him off our backs anyway, silly pup”
I saw him first. Driving my truck into town, and just as I passed the turn of for La Push, I spotted a familiar figure. Jacob.
He was loping down the road, his back to me, hair short and head down. I didn’t honk the horn, or call out through my open window, yet he turned and looked me straight in the eyes. He raised one hand in hello, and then turned to continue his walk.
“Wooaaahh!” I shouted, swinging the truck down the road after him, “Not so fast Buddy”
He stopped walking when he realised I was following, and stood with his arms crossed waiting.
“What the...?” I demanded, jumping out of my truck a bit too quickly and losing a bit of balance only saving myself with the door, “What... Who do you think you are?”
“Huh?”
“You!” I raised my voice, “Coming back to town, all sorry Bella, all lets forget it Bella, all it was nothing Bella... Jeez Jake, you created alot of fuss for something that wasn’t all that serious...”
He wrinkled his nose at me, “See you don’t smell any better”
“Jacob!”
“Aw Bella,” He said, “What do you want me to say? I didn’t lie to you... with all that stuff, but when I went away I got a little perspective, I got over it”
“You got over it...” I put my hands up in defeat, “Well PITY you didn’t try doing that before you caused everyone so much pain, putting Edward in a difficult position, Jeez Jake you practically goaded him, and me? You tore me apart! Everyday you were gone I have felt guilty for hurting you.... and now you come back as if it was a prank? You should be ashamed of yourself!”
He looked me up and down, “Still got spirit anyway Bella, or should I say still got soul?”
“Oh shut up!” I gasped, “I didn’t get married for Charlies sake, but I am getting married, asap! Especially now I don’t give a rats behind what happens to you anymore!”
Jake grinned at me, “Are you.... annoyed? Bella? Are you annoyed that I’m over it?”
I wanted to slap his face, but favoured my hand too much, “You are an idiot” I spat and got back into my truck. My attempt to drive away didn’t gain much ground, and I realised Jacob was holding onto the back of the truck, grinning as I hit the gas sending dust spiralling into the air in vain.
“Let me go!” I roared over the engine.
He shouted back “I’m sorry Bella! I really am sorry! Come back I need to talk...” But I hammered on the accelerator and eventually he let go.
The truck took off at a pretty speed and it took me a second to gain control, “Dangerous pup!” I said quietly, thinking how lucky Jacob was that my boyfriend had not seen that.
Edward was waiting for me when I got home, I had disappeared from Alices visions for a while, and he guessed that I had run into Jacob, “So how was mowgli?” He said, his face somber.
“His usual irritating self” I mumbled, walking past Edward and into the house’ “I’m going to have to get home soon, us not being married and all... back to normal!” I attempted a grin.
“Sure...” Edward said, “I’ll come over later”
That remained without saying. Stating the obvious. I wouldn’t sleep without Edward, memories of everything tended to flit through my head when I was alone at night, and since I knew now that my time with the Volturi was somewhat limited I really hated quiet alone time in the dark.
I left about twenty minutes later, letting myself into Charlies with my key, feeling even after only a couple of weeks that I hadn’t been home in years. Homesickness, Charliesickness, overwhelmed me and tears sprang into my eyes.
“Dad?” I called.
“In here...” came the response and I heard strains of Late Night Football coming from the den.
I practically ran in, throwing myself into the crook of his arm, which made him blush but he tightened his arm around me anyway, “Everything okay?” he whispered into my hair.
“Jakes home.” I said.
“Oh” Charlie took a swig of his beer.
“He is not only home,” I continued, “but infuriating as ever, he seems to have bounced back more than anyone after all the trouble he caused for me and Edward”
“I thought there might’ve been a bit of a triangle there”
“Yeh there was” I wished I could speak freely, but Charlie was in the dark about many of the details concerning my suitors, and it was better that way, “He really pushed it, Dad. He could have ruined everything for me, and now he shrugs it off like it, like I meant nothing much after all”
“Well...” Charlie seemed hesitant, “Billy was saying something...”
“Tell me!” I demanded
“Well Bella, I don’t want to hurt you, honey, but Billy said something about Jacob coming home soon, with... someone”
“I knew it!” I sat up and shook my head from side to side, “I told Jacob to leave me alone, swore to him he would find someone else and he went ahead and caused all the trouble anyway, even though he knew it too, deep down”
Charlie looked slightly confused at my conviction, “Yeh honey but no-one can really tell when or if they’ll fall in love.... I think Jacob thought you were it, you know, the one”
“No no no...” I shook my head, “thats whats so frustrating, he knew I wasn’t, but he went ahead and tried to destroy everything anyway...”
Charlie shrugged, “Oh I don’t get you kids...” He took a swig of his beer and slumped back down in the couch, raising the volume on the game, my cue that the conversation was at its natural end and giving me permission to leave should I wish.
I did wish, knowing my love was upstairs in the dark. “Night Char..Dad” I said, kissing him on the cheek.
“Night Bells”
We were playing baseball, thunder clapped overhead and Edward was midway round a sure home run. I screamed in excitement, he would make it surely, “Go Edward GO!” I could barely see him, a blur of speed as he took fourth base like a gazelle.
Then out of nowhere, Emmett appeared, ball in hand, head down running across the tops of the trees surrounding the meadow. Rosalie squealed in excitement “You got him honey!” as Emmett swung down and landed in Edwards path. They collided like two boulders and the ground shook. I gasped, completey awe struck even after all this time.
Emmet reached out and gently bounced the ball of Edwards forehead, “Out” He grinned.
I jumped up and down, wrapped in Edwards coat, gloves and hat, “That was amazing!” Edward heard me and turned to smile, sending my heart down into my legs for a second and stopping my breath. He was divine. He was mine. Lucky, lucky me.
Carlisle was up to bat then, swinging the bat around his head at huge speed which made a whipping sound that split the heavens. Alice stared him down for a moment, then with her trademark pitch, she threw the ball. I couldn’t even see it, then there was an almighty bang and suddenly Rosalie streaked past like a train, leaping from one foot high into the sky, coming back down to earth with a boom, ball in hand and a smirk on her face, “Way too easy Carlisle!” She winked at me, our relationship improving each day I stayed human, and tossed the ball to her creator who caught it defly in an instant.
The storm seemed to quiet down then, clouds parted and a ray of sunshine lit up the meadow, sending my vampire family into dazzling glory. Edward turned to me, his glittering skin giving me palpatations, “Lets go, love”
We drove into town, and I rang Charlie on the way, “Anything you fancy for dinner?”
“Whatever you like Bells” He replied cheerily, “I’m easy”
“Okay Dad” I replied, “Edward is coming over, is that okay?”
There was a pause, “Sure”
“Okay, but he probably won’t eat with us, I don’t think I can hold him back from getting a burger now, he is famished” Edward grinned at my little lie, “Bye Dad”
Edward leaned across and inhaled my neck, “I am famished actually” He said dramatically.
“Bite me Edward!” I laughed.
We parked at one end of town, enjoying the stroll up through the simple streets and shop windows. It was a walk of constant pauses, Forks being so small, it was impossible to pass by people we knew, so it was a “hello, hello, hello, hello” and the occasional stop to chat. We picked up some pasta and bread for my meal with Charlie, and were just heading home when I decided I was thirsty and coerced Edward into coming to the diner for a soda with me. I would have survived of course, but sometimes I hankered after normality, and at that moment going for a soda with my high school sweetheart seemed the perfect idea.
Squashing into the smallest booth with him was perfect, I sipped my cherry coke slowly, while soft strains of the dukebox swirled about us. Edward buried his face in my hair, and whispered sweet things into my ear, sending the good kind of shivers down my spine. I roared laughing when he emerged with a mouthful of my hair and crossed eyes, and I playfully slapped him encouraging him to hold my hands, asking to be kissed. To anyone observing we would just look like two lovesick teenagers, and for that moment that was perfection to me. No fear, no threat, just wonder and life in the palm of our hand.
Mid kiss, I felt someone sit down beside me and unlocked my lips and eyes from Edward to see Jacob sitting beside us, looking his usual mix of conceit and amusement. Edward rolled his eyes to heaven “She’s nice Jacob” he observed, reading Jacobs thoughts, “Pity you couldn’t have imprinted pre-bella isn’t it? saved us all a lot of trouble”
“Oh shut up leech” Jacob sneered, but I could see he was embarrassed.
“So its true then” I asked, cocking my head.
Jacob looked at his hands for a bit. Edward snorted, pre-hearing Jacobs speech.
“Bella, I’m sorry, again, I have... you know...imprinted and I never really meant to dismiss what I felt for you... but its impossible now to even imagine that I felt anything for anyone else other than...”
Edward interrupted suddenly and a flash of amazement and amusement crossed his face, “Where is this... Bronte?”
Jacob frowned, “At the duke box”
I snapped my eyes across the room and took in the object of Jacobs, my Jacobs, affections.
She stood at the duke box, back to us, long white blonde hair to her waist, a pair of jeans tucked into knee high boots, a long waistcoat covering her diminutive body.
“She’s tiny” I remarked.
Bronte turned around then and I gasped sharply when I saw her face. Pixie like and stunningly beautiful, I knew enough of them to recognise it, “Jacob!” I whispered in shock.
“I know, I know” He nodded, “I know what you’re thinking... It is such a contradiction...”
Bronte walked toward us, smooth as gliding, there was no doubt in my mind and Edwards low rumble in his chest confirmed it. Vampire.
I took Jacob to one side, “Are you out of your mind?”
“Are you?”
“Thats different,” I snapped, “Edward is different, you don’t know this one, she could be... Jeez Jake, have you completley lost your marbles?”
“I can’t choose who I imprint on Bella”
“But how?” I was so confused, “How could your kind love her kind...?”
“Its a long story” Jacob bowed his head, “Have you the time to hear it?”
“Of course!” I nodded, looking over my shoulder, Edward and Bronte were walking behind us, quietly having their conversation, probably along the same lines.
Jacob began, “When I met Bronte, she was human Bella. I imprinted and there was nothing I could do but follow her and guard her. She didn’t seem to like me at first, and I was fine with that, you know, I knew I’d get to her eventually. So I just followed her around, kept my distance, but guarding her safety as much as I could.... Anyway, she lived in Ovington, and I ran the perimeter every night, keeping her safe and in the day I’d phase back and try to make an impression that might stick.
I got a job in the record shop she hung out in, and tried to get a date, but it was tough work. Eventually I did manage to convince her to come out with me, but she was a stubborn little thing, wouldn’t give in to my affections... reminded me of someone actually,” he chuckled, “Anyway... that same night I dropped her off at her house, and just as I was driving away I got that...”his eyes darkened in pain “smell... I raced in to her house, smashed the door off the hinges you know just in time to see one of them bite into her neck. Bella she was so frightened, just looking straight at me, her eyes begging for help, with that thing killing her, I don’t know where the strength came from but I smashed him to pieces there and then. I just picked Bronte up and ran. Her mother had been gotten to first, and she has no other family so I just left with her. She was screaming with the pain, begging me to just kill her, and I knew what she was becoming, but I still couldn’t do it... I couldn’t kill Bronte... even though I knew she might kill me herself when all was done”
“But she didn’t...”
“I kept her in the forest, I built a shelter and tried to help her, the pain was so much I could see into her soul through her eyes as they begged me to end it. I just sat there. Then one the third day, the screaming stopped and the soul was gone. I was devastated until I suddenly realised that although the soul had gone from her eyes, she was still Bronte. I still felt as I had before, and although her awakening from her state... was... difficult to say the least, I was so happy. She was alive.”
“Did she try to kill you?”
“Sort of...” Jacob grinned, “I’d learned alot from hanging with your bloodsucker and the other leeches so it wasn’t difficult to handle, and after a while she kind of came back to herself a bit, and weirdly, Bronte seemed just as stubborn in her new state than she had been in her last, it was like she refused to be a vampire, she refused to be like he who had killed her... She demanded something better for herself. We stole blood from the hospital, which appeased her thirst anyway, and then I knew that I needed to come home, I needed Bronte to meet Edward, and the Cullens, I was hoping...”
“They’d teach her?” Everything suddenly made sense, “You need a favour from the bloodsuckers?” I snorted a laugh.
Jacob shook his head, “It is a hard pill to swallow Bella, but I need his help”
I turned to look at Edward who now had Bronte by the hand, in a brotherly way, and I could see from his face he had heard everything. “No problem” He mouthed, and my heart swelled. He was so unselfish, from everything, even my worst days on earth when he had left me, he did that for me, and when I had kissed Jacob last summer, he put me first again. Now he was putting Jacob first, his rival, to see one of his own make it through.
We all got in my car, and headed for the Cullens, I rang Charlie to tell him something had come up and that he’d need to sort himself out for food. He guessed it was Jacob related and didn’t allow any disappointed register in his voice, though I still knew it was there.
Bronte didn’t speak much, she buried her head in Jacobs huge embrace and I guessed my smell was proving difficult to resist. Edward turned to her and said “You won’t Bronte, stop worrying” and I knew I was right. I did shiver a bit, wondering if Edward and Jacob would be able to stop her if she changed her mind.
Alice was waiting in the driveway for us when we arrived at the Cullens house, with a look of curiousity and excitement on her face.
“Well well Jacob” She said playfully punching him in the arm, and skipping around him as fast as she could, “what have you brought us?”
Bronte got out of the car, looking like a frightened rabbit, and Jacob instinctively picked her up carrying her like a child into the house ahead of us all.
