Alissa Swan

Part 72

We were in Emily's backyard. A picnic table was in the middle of Emily's small,
quaintly landscaped garden. Jacob, Embry, Paul, Sam, Jared, Emily and I were in the midst of a huge breakfast.

"Excellent," Jared said. "If the redhead's after Alissa, we've got bait."

With stunning speed, Jacob grabbed a four-pronged spading fork from some garden tools, and flung it toward Jared's head. Jared easily, and amazingly, caught it.

"She is not bait," Jacob said.

"I should leave town," I said.

"Victoria will follow you and make it harder for us to catch her," Sam deleted my idea from the conversation.

"No one can catch her," I told him. "She can escape anything."

"Ooh," Paul smiled. "She has special powers."

"Some of them do," I replied to him.

They all looked at me. I instantly regretted saying it.

"Like what, Bella?" Jacob asked.

"The mind reader you said you knew," Jared said. "He was a suckhead? Can they all do that?"

"That would blow," Embry smiled.

"No, I - shouldn't have - no." I was nervous. I seriously wished Edward was here.

"She's still protecting them," Paul found out.

"I don't know why," Jared added to Paul's statement. "It's not like they stuck around to protect you."

"Guys," Jacob said to them, "back off." He looked at me apologetically.

I shrunk, stung.

That night, Jacob walked to my door. "Hey, we should do something fun. Like... cliff diving, right?"

"I could use the rush," I replied.

"Soon," Jacob replied. "After we catch her." He offered me a reassuring look before jogging into the woods.

Later, I tentatively approached the large, modern glass Cullen home. I climbed the porch steps, and approached the door. I entered to find it perfectly intact, lived-in, warm, candles glowing... and the Cullen family enjoying the evening: Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper.

I was overwhelmed with joy at seeing them. "You're here."

They ignored me. They wouldn't even look at me. I started toward them, but Edward grabbed me. He yanked me away. He pushed me out the door, and slammed the door.

I ran to the window, and peered in at the family who continued to ignore me as they gathered around Edward.

I awakened, tears on my face. I couldn't take it. I got the hell out of bed, anxious to leave the dream behind. But it stayed with me.