✓ | Angel With A Shotgun ➢ Edward Cullen. ( COMPLETED )

Ninth. Polaroids

There was one thought in, which would not leave, Edwards mind.

What power force stopped him from interfering and saving Malachi, from the impact of Tyler Crowleys van? How did he step away injury-free? Why was it was as though gravity exert immense pressure to stop him from saving the boy? these were questions he needed to have an answer.

Edward didn't know how he found himself at the house of where Bella and Charlie lived, call it intuitively reacting to his curiosity and wanting to see Malachi, knowing he was to living in appears as a guest bedroom. Expertly scaling the branches of the tree, that created easy access to the window of the spare room, he enters with a silent step.

Careful to not cause the floor to creak, Edward takes the time in distinguish each detail of Malachis 'room'. There was cardboard boxes, needing to be un-pack, brown packing tape concealing the unused clothes labelled 'clothes'.

On the head of his bed, above where he slept, three Polaroid images that were half develop were pinned to a display board.

one of a five year old Bella and Malachi, appear in making a sand castle on the beach front. The second to the right, they are eight and holding hands, beginning their first year of elementary school with an innocence a child their age had, with no comprehend to the horrors that would await them.

The middle Polaroid was the one was the novelty of his curiosity. A man wearing an eight button Burberry suit, dark grey in colour, pictured to attempt removing a young girl, that had brown chestnut hair and the eye colour to match, from his leg. She wore a vexatious smile, and pictured laughing at the man.

Bella was to in the printed image, cake covering her shirt losing the grip of the plastic plate from eating a piece of birthday cake, and a pout was frozen on her mouth. The birthday boy, being Malachi, eyes were crinkled. Happiness shining bright, extinguishing the flames of the 'sixteen' cake candles.

Edward smiles, unconsciously.

His eyes shift to Malachi sleeping, his face soft and reposeful with ease. Shuffling over to where he sleeps, on his stomach and one arm on the pillow, Edward reaches to touch the fallen hair but is uncertain to move closer. 'I shouldn't. This was not a decision I should have made.' Conflict flickers in his eyes, sound of Malachi unfaltering breathing is a comforting reminder he is real. how he wish to stare at those gorgeous features carved from the skies of heaven for longer.

stirring in his slumber, Malachi becomes aware of a change in his room. His eyes flicker a wide, glancing to the open window seal and gnaws on the skin of his inner cheek.

" that was.. strange."

The morning appears quick. Today was a greenhouse trip, in a typical fashion groups were formed and yellow school buses, that transports the students, were ready to leave. student's congregate in the parking area of school, Mr Molina being handed crease pink paper slips with parents signatures on them, to give permission to attend the field trip.

" I have to say, decker, I am surprised your brain was not spread out in pieces on the ground. after having nearly your body being crushed by Tyler's van." Mike pushes Malachi, using a facetious tone and playing. with an eye roll, Kai breathes nosily in a laugh. " I am being truthful when I say, the only part of me which I would have had crush was my ego." he replies, Mike laughs but shows his difficulty to understand what he means.

" there is Bella. Do you think she will say yes, to me.. asking her to prom? As.. as my date?".

Malachi pauses in his steps, Jessica and Bella were conversing inattentive to him turning and his face glowering at Mike. " you are going to ask Bella.. to prom. to be your date? is that what your words are implying?" Mike rearranges the blue strap of his school backpack, staring at the rain drops which fell. his stare was quite the intimidating and unsettling one. " I don't think she will accept. we have a journey planned for that week, to visit Los Angeles. And we will not have the availability or time."

Mike inadvertently cranes his neck to the side, a simple move of submission, touching the hairs behind his earlobe. " I-I mean, can the trip be reschedule? after the week of prom?".

" non-refundable." Malachi makes his answer short, " Jessica is wanting you to ask her. she is making her attraction clear, I am positive you don't want to hurt her feelings, am I wrong or right?." He was not going to have Mike Newton, or any boy in the school, take Bella to prom. He simply refused it. faltering at the feeling of Malachi touching his shoulder, mike expresses a neurotic smile.

" sure, j-Jessica. right. I-I will ask Jess."

At the green house, Mr Molina guides the kids of his class down the long isle of different planted fauna. he has Eric demonstrate in how to easily create 'compost tea', using recycling of carrot tops and egg shell casings. compiled in a disgusting coloured brown.

The smell of each plant in the the garden beds were rich in colour, the stag horn fern making Malachi interested. he falls behind the class, only having Bella falter in her own walking seeing Kai watching the plant. The indirect light of sun reflecting on the vines.

" it's a simple plant. one that has been growing for centuries, it was here before the time of humans. In the cretaceous age, with the mammoths. Ancient." Bella, an intent and spirit of interest to his words, listens. " I don't think, I have been wholly with the truth about what you saw. at the hospital, Belle." he was conscious to how Bella saw, what she witness, when having the blood extraction.

" you don't have to e-explain, Kai." She was right, an explanation was not needed. but could not deny the way her mind wonders and replays what happen. She did have her catechisms, just not wanting to ask. It was made clear that Malachi is epitomised and different from any other teenage boy his age. that much is as Bella could confirm, it did not change the fact he is her best friend. the boy that was her sole protecter in the cruelty of this earth.

" No. I need to tell you, about my identity. Who I am."

" Kai. Edward is coming over. we can talk when we are home. I want us to speak in privacy." To which Malachi nods, Edward comes over allowing Bella to move around him and joining the class. She lingers her stare on the back of his frame moving towards Malachi, then to her best friend. There was something going on with Edward, his behaviour to her was brash with hostility and his fingers are made into fists that are unclench when she is a distance.

'I don't trust Edward. He is audacious and rude. But when he's near Malachi, it changes. Completely.'

There was one thing for certain, that Bella knew. She was going to be cautious when it came to Edward.

He was a dangerous mystery.

-

Sorry for the reverently short, in comparison to my other and previous, chapters. I wonder what is going to be discussed with Bella and Kai. And Bella does not like Edward here, that is a positive. I wanted to add in those little picture cameos, and there will be flashbacks coming in the following chapters. possibly in new moon.

I am happy with the support I am receiving on this book, thank you. Thank you so much, the views are nearing three thousand reads.

Word count in this chapter is One thousand three hundred and eight.

®️Twilight.