Parallax

Chapter 10

"It's still hard to believe. Since you claim to be from the future, did that mean you already knew who we were when you arrived?"

Bella looked at the Denali's guiltily and nodded.

"I did. I stayed here during my newborn year and... Kate was my mentor and taught me how to project my shield" at that, Kate stood up straighter and was beaming with pride.

"Hah! That's why you were so sure my gift would not work on you!" she wiggled her fingers towards her.

"I always knew that you would be a part of this family. It's good to know that Edward will finally agree to your changing." Alice confirmed but Bella only winced and took a quick glance towards Edward who had stayed silent and unmoving throughout the whole conversation.

"Ahmm... Edward was not the one who actually changed me... "

"Oh, was it Carlisle?" She shook her head

Upon hearing Bella's confirmation, Edward finally looked up at her and turned towards the direction where Jasper was standing, disbelief showing in his features. Carlisle and Bella had turned towards Jasper at the same time, Carlisle with a resigned look and Bella having that longing expression in her face. Jasper looked at the three of them in confusion.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he held up his hand defensively.

"I knew it! It was Jasper, is it? What, did you just finally realize in the future that you fell in love with the wrong vampire?" Rosalie asked.

Bella did not do anything to deny it and there was a look of hurt in Alice's face that she was trying to mask with a neutral expression.

"Bella?" she asked and Bella could hear the undertone of hurt and confusion.

"Oh Alice... I could never do that to you... and besides..." She smiled at Jasper fondly. "Jasper would never do anything to hurt you. He is your mate and it will always stay that way" She knew that from the bottom of her heart.

"If Rosalie didn't jump to conclusions..." she started to explain. Although she couldn't fault the blonde vampire, Rosalie had always been perceptive. She'd know if something was up and the way she was behaving when Jasper was near, it was her own fault as well. For someone who had been intentionally ignoring her, Rosalie noticed a lot.

"I would have been able to explain that it's more complicated than that." Her eyes wandered to the faces of the others that were staring at her expectantly. Bella took a breath and prepared herself for another bout of questions from her spectators with her next revelation.

"I'm not just from the future, I'm from a different timeline altogether." When nobody was able to comment, Bella went on to explain.

"I am not this Bella's future and this is not my past. I have a totally different story from the Isabella that you know... you can say that I'm from a different reality because where I come from, Jasper and Alice came in to your family as best friends and not as a couple and Alice already had a vision of who they were going to end up with, and it wasn't each other" The two vampires that she mentioned looked at each other, unsure of what to feel about what she just said.

"Bella and I have discussed the similarities and the difference between our world and hers and it seems everything else is exactly how we know it until Bella arrived in our lives and the circumstances with the mates" Carlisle added.

"That's... I'm not sure how I feel about that." Alice almost whispered and Bella understood where her sister was coming from because she felt the same way.

"Alice, remember when I asked you to tell me everything that had happened ever since your family met me?" Bella reminded her and she nodded.

"Oh! I thought there was something wrong when you asked me that question. Was that why?" She nodded.