Twilight - Edward Cullen POV

Chapter 4.

Once we were home, we headed straight to the dining room, where Carlisle liked to hold the family meetings. Esme's eyes were full of concern. After everyone was seated, I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to put any of us at risk, and I take full responsibility for my actions."

"What do you mean, 'full responsibility'?" Rose asked.

"Not in the way you think. I'm willing to leave, if that makes anything better."

"No, Edward." Esme murmured.

Emmett continued, "Esme's right. We need you more than ever, to hear what others are thinking."

Rosalie finally exploded, "We can't take any chances! Even if we left, people would still have the stories of us. The girl hit her head today. Everyone goes to sleep with a chance of not waking up. We could clean up after ourselves, and leave no evidence."

"Yes, Rose. We all know what a perfect assassin you are." I growled, angry now.

She hissed, her eyes narrowed.

Carlisle said, "Edward, Rose, please. We can't kill an innocent. The main question, is whether or not we should leave."

"No!" Rosalie snarled. "I don't want to have to start high school again. Plus, I like it here. There's little sun. We almost get to be normal!"

I was listening to Jasper's thoughts. "No. I'm not going to let you." I told him.

"Jasper." Alice's voice interrupted me. "I know you love me," she said with a smile. "But I would really appreciate it if you didn't kill Bella. She's going to be my friend. I saw it. I'm going to be very upset with you if you kill her, Jazz."

I could tell Alice was trying to keep something from me, but a small image shone through.

"No." I gasped. "I'm not going to let that happen."

"I've seen it, Edward. It's going to happen, one way or another."

"What do you see, Alice?" Asked Emmett impatiently.

"It all depends if Edward is strong enough. Either he kills her, or she'll become one of us, someday." She replied.

To please Esme and the others, I stayed in Forks. I'd been listening to everyone's thoughts, but the girl kept her promise. She kept to her story, that I'd been standing with her and pulled her out of the way.

"Hello Edward." She greeted me in biology. I nodded once, then looked straight forward. What is she thinking? Is what I was always wondering these days?

We were at biology, and Mike Newton was going to ask Bella to the dance.

"So," Mike said, looking at the floor, "Jessica asked me to the spring dance."

"That's great!" Bella replied enthusiastically. "You'll have a lot of fun with Jessica."

"Well..." He hesitated. "I told her I had to think about it."

"Why would you do that?" She asked, her tone was one of disapproval.

His face was bright red. "I was wondering if... well, if you might be planning to ask me."

She paused. "Mike, I think you should tell her yes."

"Did you already ask someone?" Mike's eyes flickered in my direction.

"No." She assured him. I'm not going to the dance at all."

"Why not?" Mike demanded.

"I'm going to Seattle that Saturday," She explained.