When I got up for school the next morning, Bella was stuck in her thoughts. She told me Edward had been acting weird and wouldn't tell her what was wrong. Charlie fiddled around and I caught him smiling to himself occasionally. Before Bella and I opened the front door Charlie stopped us.
"Er-Caroline. I have a gift for you," he said, wringing his hands together.
"Okay," I said, perturbed at his odd behavior. He opened the front door and I tried not to scream in joy as a red Supersport Moter Bike sat there in all its glory.
"Ohmygod! A Supersport Moter Bike is a high-speed, high-performance consumer version of a racing motorbike. It has reduced weight, increased power for quick acceleration, and nimble handling. It can reach speeds of 190 mph!" I squealed out, leaping out the front door and jumping on it, running my hands down the side of the sleek thing.
"Thank you, dad!" I practically shrieked in excitement. He rubbed the back of his neck as I collided with him in a hug. "I thought you were against motorcycles?" I asked in an excited frenzy.
"Erm- I still am. But your mother convinced me you needed a ride and your grandmother told me that your boyfriend had one back in Mexico and you rode on it all the time," he admitted sheepishly. I ignored the jab at my dead friend and grabbed my messenger bag with my school books in it before hugging dad and Bella.
"I'll see you at school!" I said excitedly, slipping the full-face covering helmet on and revving the engine. Holy crap, screw getting a boyfriend, I was in love with this thing!
"Now! Don't let me catch you speeding on that thing! I'll-I'll arrest you!" said Charlie, trying to sound threatening. I think I heard Bella mumble 'She'll do it just to spite you,' as she disappeared into the house.
I sped off as the gorgeous motorcycle hummed with power and I turned sharp corners with glee. I made it to school in record-time, parking neatly in a parking spot. I ignored the looks I received as 'the sister to Bella Swan, the girlfriend of Edward Cullen had the latest motorcycle. Probably because I was too invested in gazing at my motorcycle one more time and taking the keys out of the ignition.
Today was going to be the best birthday ever.
"Happy sixteenth birthday Carol!" was what I was expecting from Alice when I arrived at my locker, where she usually met me. But Alice wasn't there. Huh. As my day progressed I noticed the absence of Rosalie, Emmet, Jasper, Alice, and Edward. Maybe they were taking a day off after what happened last night?
I skipped lunch, fully infatuated with the new book Bella had gotten me, 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' I don't know how I had gone this long without reading this book, it was splendid!
When school let out I zoomed off on my motorcycle, getting home earlier than Bella while she talked with her friends. I was climbing the stairs to the floor Bella and my room shared, I heard shuffling from her room.
I knew Charlie was at work, and Bella was not home, or on her way. My natural assumption was a murderer or thief. Being the good daughter I was, I grabbed a pistol from the closet Charlie kept them in, holding it in front of me with the safety off in the way my dad had taught me. I kicked the door open and nearly gave Edward a heart attack, if it was still beating that is.
"OhmygodIthoughtyouwerearobberormudererandIalmostshotyouI'msosorryBellawouldneverforigivemeifIshotheronetruelove-"I rambled, switching the safety on the pistol on and leaning on the doorframe and clutching my fast-beating chest.
He gazed at me mournfully, as if someone had just killed his cat.
"What's wrong?" I asked, starting to pick up on the distressing vibes coming off him. "Edward?" I asked. He didn't respond, just staring at one of the pictures that were taken last night of him and my sister holding hands.
"Edweirdo?" I asked, trying to get a reaction out of him. "You're scaring me," I said, a bit of fear creeping into my voice.
"I- I'm sorry," he said after a moment.
"It's okay. But why are you in Bella's room and not at school. . ." the pieces connected in my head and he looked down at the wood floors.
"You're leaving," I accused. He didn't respond, finding the floor interesting.
"Edward, it's gonna kill her! You may be protecting her physically, but it's going to destroy her mentally!" I yelled.
"It's to protect you, and her," he said, more trying to convince himself than me.
"Bella doesn't want protection! She wants you in her life!" I said angrily. "You can't leave her Edward! I'm telling you, it will kill her!" I repeated. He glanced at me once.
"Alice says happy birthday. She's sorry she won't see you again. Jasper apologizes, Carlisle says you can read any of his books as long as you return them, Esme thought of you as her own," he relays, then is gone in an instant. In his place is a small envelope with a letter inside addressed to me in Carlisle's handwriting. I stare, picking it up before I hear the roar of Bella's truck and my heart clenches at what is about to happen to hers.