BORN TO DIE
so close, yet so far from the truth
THE REST OF the weekend went by in a blur once Monday soon approached. Bella reluctantly got out of bed before getting ready for school today. It was sunny out today and she decided to skip out on wearing her parka and decided to expose her skin as she wore her black blouse and a light pair of jeans and with her black flats.
After she was done getting ready, she had some time to spare before Beau will come to pick her up. She quickly made herself a bowl of cereal with a cup of orange juice.
Bella heard her Aunt coming down from the stairs.
"Good morning, kiddo! It's nice out today," she greets her niece with a bright smile.
"Yeah, it is," Bella agrees as she took a bite of her cereal. Lena wasn't wearing her usual nurse attire and instead she was wearing a tank top and black yoga pants. She was wearing sunglasses on top of her head and her hair was in a high bun.
"Where are you going?"
"Some of the girls from work are going to a yoga class and invited me. Looks like you're not the only one making friends," she said in a chipper tone as she put a banana in her purse.
"Sounds fun," Bella sarcastically said.
"Don't be jealous since you have to go school," Lena jokingly taunts her as she pecked Bella's temple.
"I'm going to the grocery store afterwards. Text me what you want," she announces as she was putting on her tennis shoes.
"I will."
"Have a good day at school, Bells. Love you," she waves before leaving the house.
Bella was actually really happy for her Aunt that she too was making friends here at Forks. Her Aunt is a really social person and a real peoples person.
After she was done eating, she put the bowl in the sink. She put on her shoes and headed out the door before locking the door from behind her.
Beau and Bella arrived at school earlier than expected. Her eyes immediately drifted to where Edward usually parks at and his car wasn't there. This was the first time where they made it here before the Cullens. Were they absent today? Maybe the sun does affect them since they coincidently aren't here since it's actually sunny outside today.
Bella decided to soak in as much sun as possible as she sat down at an empty picnic bench near the cafeteria. Beau had to go and get something from his locker before class starts, so he didn't sit with her.
Bell didn't mind being by herself since it gave her time to think to herself. She decided to work on some of her Trig homework since she wasn't finished with it. She was going to work on in it in her study hall period, but decided to work on it now.
Minutes has gone by and she didn't even realize she was drawing five dark pair of eyes on her trig homework. She quickly erased it as she tried not to make a hole out of her paper. As she was erasing, an all too familiar scent perked into her nose from a distance. She looked up around the parking lot trying to find the source of smell.
It was Edward's.
Was he here? She couldn't see him anywhere, but it felt like he was near. Just before she can look even further into the woods, she sees Mike walking towards her as he block her view from the woods.
"Bella!" he calls out.
Mike was walking in khaki shorts and a striped Rugby shirt, waving at her.
"Hey, Mike," Bella called, waving back.
He came to sit by her, the tidy spikes of his hair shining golden in the light, his grin stretching across his face. He was so delighted to see Bella, she couldn't help but feel gratified.
"Your hair looks much lighter in the sun," he commented, catching a lock of her hair between his fingers.
Further out in the woods, she faintly heard a spruce tree uprooted as if someone was pulling it up from the ground, harshly. Bella glance up in the direction that it came, Edward's direction, before looking back at Mike, confused by the sudden fierce sound.
"Only in the sun," Bella awkwardly agrees.
"Also, your skin looks really shiny in the sun," he observes.
"Thanks," she says casually.
"Great day, isn't it?"
"The greatest," she agrees again.
"What did you do yesterday?" His tone sounded off. Like, he thought she went on a date or something.
"I mostly worked on my essay."
He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Oh yeah - that's due Thursday, right?"
"Um, Wednesday, I think."
"Wednesday?" He frowned. "That's not good... What are you writing yours on?"
"Whether Shakespeare's treatment of the female characters is misogynistic."
He stared at her like she'd just spoken in pig Latin.
"I guess I'll have to get to work on that tonight," he said, deflated. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go out."
"Oh." Bella was taken off guard.
"Well, we could go to dinner or something... and I could work on it later." He smiled at her hopefully.
Bella sigh feeling guilty about rejecting him, "Mike...I don't think that's a good idea," she starts off.
"Why not?" His face fell from his happy expression. Bella thought about Edward and wondered if he wanted to know too. Her eyes flicker around again to see if he was here, since she could still smell his scent. He was indeed still there, even though she couldn't see him.
"Because, Mike that'll hurt Jess's feelings," Bella hinted.
He was bewildered, obviously not thinking in that direction at all. "Jessica?"
"Cmon, do you need me to spell it out for you?" Bella sarcastically asked.
Mike continue to give her an oblivious expression before his blue eyes slightly widen in realization.
"Oh," his eyes widen in realization.
"Yeah, oh," she smiles as she took this opportunity to leave since the bell was about to ring.
"Cmon, lets get to class," she says as they left the picnic bench. Bella turned around one last time to see if she can find Edward, but unfortunately she couldn't as she saw a bunch of kids walking to class too. She let out a sigh before walking inside the building.
•••
The Cullens never showed up that day and it was now the following day. She was now surely confident that they weren't here due to the sun. This confirmed her theory as they didn't show up the next day on Tuesday which made her disappointed. She actually misses Edward.
Luckily, she was distracted as she tried to not revert her thoughts on Edward as she was thinking about her trip to Port Angeles after school today. Yesterday during Trig, Jessica invited Bella to Port Angles with Angela and Lauren to go dress shopping. Even though she wasn't going, she agreed to go. She wanted to visit the town and see if there were any good stores to roamed around. Unfortunately, Lauren was also going but Bella will just have to ignore her.
After school, Jessica followed Beau and Bella home so the two of them could ride together. Bella quickly said bye to Beau before rushing inside the house so she could ditch her books and bag. She ran upstairs as she freshen up and grabbed a jacket before heading downstairs.
She quickly left a note, reminding her Aunt, that she'll be home a little late and not to wait up. But, she had a feeling she'll be waiting up for her as Bella locked up the door before joining Jessica.
They went to Angela's house and she was already waiting for them. Bella was actually feeling pretty excited as they drove out of Forks.
Port Angeles was a beautiful little tourist trap, much more polished and quaint than Forks. But Jessica and Angela knew it well, so they didn't plan to waste time on the picturesque boardwalk by the bay. Jess drove straight to the one big department store in town.
"So you never had a boyfriend before. Not even gone on a date with a guy?" Jessica asked in disbelief like she couldn't believe that she never dated a guy before.
They were casually talking while they were shopping and apparently the subject of boys came into the conversation.
"Homeschool, remember?" Bella reminded her.
"Why not? I mean, just because you were homeschooling doesn't mean that you couldn't go out to the mall or something and try to hit on some guys," she said still shocked.
"Not sure," Bella mumbles as they were now in the junior section.
"Well, guys asked you out here and you say no," Jessica looked skeptical.
"Well, except for Tyler," Angela mumbles.
"What?" Now it was Bella's turn to be shocked.
"Tyler told everyone that he's taking you to prom," Jessica informs her with suspicion in her eye like Bella should know already.
Bella's eyes widen. How did she not hear about this?! Was she really that distracted about Edward and the Cullens that she missed a rumor going around at school that she's a part of?
"I told you it wasn't true," Angela murmured to Jessica.
"That's why Lauren doesn't like me," Bella says out loud.
"And that's why she canceled last minute, when she found out you were coming," Angela also informs her.
"Yeah, she's been crushing on him since the fifth grade," Jessica giggles.
Jessica was debating over two dresses and she went to the dressing room to try them on leaving Angela and Bella alone.
"Hey, Angela," Bella starts.
"Yeah?"
"Is it...normal for the Cullens to not show up on sunny days?" she curiously asked her.
"Yes, when the weather is good they go backpacking all the time - even the doctor. They're all real outdoorsy," she told her quietly, examining her shoes she was trying on.
"Oh."
They planned to go to dinner at a little Italian restaurant on the boardwalk, but the dress shopping hadn't taken as long as they have expected. Jess and Angela were going to take their clothes back to the car and then walk down to the bay. Bella told them she would meet them at the restaurant in an hour - she wanted to look for a bookstore. They were both willing to come with her, but Bella encouraged them to go have fun.
It wasn't difficult finding a book store as she walk around town. She could see a small lady with grey hair with a long dress on as Bella walked inside. It didn't seemed like your average book store as she saw dream catchers hanging from the ceilings everywhere.
The lady looked up from behind the counter when she heard the bell ring signaling someone has enter. She already had a warm smile on her face before it slowly turned into a frown.
Bella noticed her actions but decided to ignore it as she look around. She walk as she was looking at all the different type of books that she wouldn't see in a normal book store. Bella then noticed the lady's eyes were watching her every move. She looked up and the lady's face looked so shocked as realization absorb her face.
"Hibriede," the lady whispers.
Bella furrow her eyebrows. It sounded like she was speaking some type of language she wasn't familiar with.
"Excuse me?"
The lady ignored her as she rushed to the back of the store catching Bella off guard by her actions. Seconds later, the woman came back with a book in her hands and handed it to Bella.
Hesitantly, Bella grabbed it before slowly looking down at it and her eyes widen as she froze.
The Hybrid Child.
The book was thin, she would barely call it a book but more of a booklet that probably had about a few chapters or so. She could tell it wasn't a published book, it looked really self made.
"What— How—" Bella was lost for words. Was the woman indicating that she knows that Bella was a hybrid?
"One of a kind," the lady vaguely said in a harsh accent as she pointed at the book than at Bella.
"Wait? How do you know—"
The lady didn't say anything else as she quickly went to the back again, but this time not coming back.
"Wait!" Bella shouts, but the lady didn't reply.
Bella felt so overwhelmed and she couldn't think straight to what just happened. She was debating on whether to storm in the back and demand some answers, but of course she didn't revert to that option as she reluctantly left the store. The woman didn't want to speak with her nor knew English even if Bella followed the old woman.
Bella began reading through the booklet as she was walking, not knowing nor caring where she was going. All she could focus on was this small booklet before her.
She open the first page and began reading:
In my small life span of being alive, I have never witnessed something so monumentally life changing that I have witnessed when I was just a mere child. This was something I've always dream about until this day. I swore over my life that I'll never say these words to an average everyday citizen that lives upon this earth. But, if you're reading this—then that means you were chosen by me and you were meant to have this.
This is going to be a small story of the time I've raised a hybrid child that I treated like my own. As if I bared the glorifying moment of baring this child who wasn't my mine, into this world.
My beautiful son, Nahuel.
I haven't seen my son since his biological sister took him and raised him as if he wasn't human. But, as a cold one. A vampire.
Bella was deeply intrigued so far as she was reading. This elderly woman raised a hybrid son and that's how she knew that Bella was a hybrid too. Bella thought she was the only one of her kind, but apparently there was another one out there.
Bella didn't realize that she lost tracked of time as she looked at the clock. She was late meeting Jessica and Angela for dinner. She was so captivated by this book that it was now dark outside. She quickly put the booklet in her purse before turning back around to where she had came from.
A group of four men turned around the corner Bella was heading for, dressed too casually to be heading home from the office, but they were too grimy to be tourists. As they approached her, she realized they weren't too many years older than her. Physically older.
They were joking loudly among themselves, laughing and punching each other's arms.
"Hey, there!" one of them called as they passed, and he had to be talking to her since no one else was around. Bella glanced up automatically. Two of them had paused, the other two were slowing down.
They all seemed drunk as they approached her. Bella didn't respond back.
"Hey, wait!" one of them called after her again, but she kept her head down and rounded the corner.
Bella wasn't scared of them, knowing she can take them on, but she decided to try to outrun them rather than potentially hurt them. They continue to walk behind her and she soon realized that she was being herded as a couple of more guys were now in front of her.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" one of them calls out.
"Stay away from me," she warns them as she tighten her fist. She never fought a single day in her life, but she was supernaturally stronger than them and there's always a first time for everything.
"Don't be like that, beautiful," he chuckles as he tried to grabbed her. Suddenly, she felt a couple of arms grab from behind her, trying to strain her.
Something ignited in Bella as these men were trying to take advantage of her. Rage. Bella was furious that these group of disgusting men would do something so vital and against her will. And she had a feeling this wasn't their first time doing this too.
Bella swiftly jumped out of the man's grasp that was behind her before kicking him so hard in the stomach that he went flying back and he hit his back hard on the nearest brick wall. The man who was in front of her let out a look of disbelief reaction before stalking his way towards Bella.
He didn't get the chance as she harshly twisted his arm from behind his back. She did it so hard that she heard a few bones in his shoulder cracked.
"Ah!" he screams out in pain.
"You bitch! I'll kill you!" he roars out in pain.
"I'm practically already dead," she sneers at him.
Headlights suddenly flew around the corner, the car almost hitting the stocky one, forcing him to jump back toward the sidewalk. Bella dove into the road - this car was going to stop, or have to hit her. But the silver car unexpectedly fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open just a few feet from her.
"Get in," a furious voice commanded.
It was amazing how instantaneously the choking rage vanished, amazing how suddenly the feeling of security washed over her. Bella jumped into the seat, slamming the door shut behind her.
The tires squealed as he spun around to face north, accelerating too quickly, swerving toward the stunned men on the street. Bella caught a glimpse of them diving for the sidewalk as they straightened out and sped toward the harbor.
"Put on your seat belt," he commanded, and Bella realized she was clutching the seat with both hands. She quickly obeyed; the snap as the belt connected was loud in the darkness. He took a sharp left, racing forward, blowing through several stop signs without a pause.
Bella was still pissed, but from the look of it—Edward was ready to murder someone by the looks of his face. He was fuming with rage as his dark eyes were glaring ahead as he looked at the road. His expression was murderously angry.
"Edward...calm down," she slowly said as if she was trying to tame a wild animal.
"No," he growls out. His voice was vivid.
She watched in silence while his blazing eyes stared straight ahead, until the car came to a sudden stop.
"Bella?" his voice was tight.
"Yes?"
"Are you alright?" He didn't look at her, but the pure rage was still there. Her eyes flicker to his hands as they were tightly gripping the steering wheel.
"Yes," she kinda lied.
She wasn't exactly calm and collected, but Edward was more in rage than she was and it's not best if both of them are angry. That's a recipe for disaster.
"Distract me," he ordered.
"About what?"
He exhaled sharply.
"Just prattle about something unimportant until I calm down," he clarified, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
"I'm going to run over Tyler Crowley tomorrow before school?"
He was still squeezing his eyes closed, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
"Why?"
"He's telling everyone that he's taking me to prom - either he's insane or he's still trying to make up for almost killing me last... well, you remember it, and he thinks prom is somehow the correct way to do this," she rambles on trying to distract him.
"I heard about that." He sounded a bit more composed.
"What? You did?" How was she the only one that didn't hear about this?
Edward sighed, and finally opened his eyes.
"Better?"
"Not really."
Bella waited, but he didn't speak again. He leaned his head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car. His face was rigid.
"What's wrong?" Her voice came out in a whisper.
"Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella." He was whispering, too, and as he stared out the window, his eyes narrowed. "But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those..." He didn't finish his sentence, looking away, struggling for a moment to control his anger again. "At least," he continued, "that's what I'm trying to convince myself."
They sat in silence again. Bella glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was past six-thirty.
"Jessica and Angela will be worried," Bella murmured. "I was supposed to meet them."
He started the engine without another word, turning around smoothly and speeding back toward town. He parallel-parked against the curb in a space Bella would have thought was much too small for the Volvo, but he slid in effortlessly in one try. She looked out the window to see the lights of La Bella Italia, and Jess and Angela just leaving, pacing anxiously away from them.
"How did you know where... ?" Bella began, but then she just shook her head. Bella heard the door open and turned to see him getting out.
"What are you doing?" Bella asked.
"I'm taking you to dinner." He smiled slightly, but his eyes were hard.
"Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to track them down, too. I don't think I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again."
The threat in his voice didn't go unnoticed by Bella.
"Jess! Angela!" Bella yelled after them, waving when they turned. They rushed back to her and they both had relief on their faces but then simultaneously changing to surprise as they saw who she was standing next to. They hesitated a few feet from them.
"Where have you been?" Jessica's voice was suspicious.
"I got lost," Bella admitted sheepishly. "And then I ran into Edward."
"Would it be all right if I joined you?" he asked in his silken, irresistible voice. They looked captivated as he casted his spell on them.
"Er... sure," Jessica breathed.
"Um, actually, Bella, we already ate while we were waiting - sorry," Angela confessed.
"That's fine - I'm not hungry." She shrugged.
"I think you should eat something." Edward's voice was low, but full of authority. He looked up at Jessica and spoke slightly louder.
"Do you mind if I drive Bella home tonight? That way you won't have to wait while she eats."
"Uh, no problem, I guess..." She bit her lip.
"Okay." Angela was quicker than Jessica.
"See you tomorrow, Bella... Edward."
As they got in, Jess turned and waved, her face eager with curiosity. Bella waved back, waiting for them to drive away before she turned to face him.
"Honestly, I'm not hungry," Bella insisted, looking up to scrutinize his face. His expression was unreadable.
"Humor me."
He walked to the door of the restaurant and held it open with an obstinate expression. Obviously, there would be no further discussion. Bella walked past him into the restaurant with a resigned sigh.
The restaurant wasn't crowded - it was the off-season in Port Angeles. The host was female, and Bella noticed the look in her eyes as she saw Edward. She welcomed him a little more warmly than necessary.
"A table for two?" His voice was alluring, whether he was aiming for that or not. Bella saw the hostess eyes flicker to her and then away, unsatisfied that Bella wasn't ordinary looking like Edward was.
She led them to a table big enough for four in the center of the most crowded area of the dining floor.
Bella was about to sit, but Edward shook his head at her.
"Perhaps something more private?" he insisted quietly to the host. Bella wasn't sure, but it looked like he smoothly handed her a tip.
"Sure." She sounded surprised. She turned and led them around a partition to a small ring of booths - all of them empty. "How's this?"
"Perfect." He flashed his gleaming smile, dazing her momentarily.
"Um" - she shook her head, blinking - "your server will be right out." She walked away unsteadily.
"You really shouldn't do that to people," Bella criticized. "It's hardly fair."
"Do what?"
"Dazzle them like that - she's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now."
He seemed confused.
"Oh, come on," Bella said dubiously. "You have to know the effect you have on people."
He tilted his head to one side, and his eyes were curious. "I dazzle people?"
"You haven't noticed? Do you think everybody gets their way so easily?"
He ignored her questions. "Do I dazzle you?"
The way he asked her was curiously eager, as if he wanted her to say yes, to his satisfaction.
Bella paused before answering, "More than I can admit."
And then their server arrived, her face expectant. The hostess had definitely dished behind the scenes, and this new girl didn't look disappointed.
"Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" She was speaking only to him.
He looked at Bella.
She could honestly go for some blood right now, but of course that wasn't a choice on the menu.
"Coke, please."
"Two Cokes," he said.
"I'll be right back with that," she assured him with another unnecessary smile. But he didn't see it. He was watching Bella.
"What?" Bella asked when she left.
His eyes stayed fixed on her face. "How are you feeling?"
"I had better days," she mutters.
"You don't feel dizzy, sick, cold... ?"
"Should I?"
He chuckled at her puzzled tone.
"Well, I'm actually waiting for you to go into shock." His face twisted up into that perfect crooked smile.
"I don't think that will happen," She said. "I've always been very good at repressing unpleasant things."
"I'll feel better when you have some sugar and food in you."
Right on cue, the waitress appeared with their drinks and a basket of breadsticks. She stood with her back to Bella as she placed them on the table.
"Are you ready to order?" she asked Edward.
"Bella?" he asked. She turned unwillingly towards her.
"Um... I'll have the mushroom ravioli."
"And you?" She turned back to him with a smile.
"Nothing for me," he said.
"Let me know if you change your mind." The coy smile was still in place, but he wasn't looking at her, and she left dissatisfied.
"Drink," he ordered.
She sipped at her soda obediently, and then drank more deeply, surprised by how thirsty she was. Bella realized she had finished the whole thing when he pushed his glass toward her.
"Thanks," She muttered, still thirsty. The cold from the icy soda was radiating through her chest, and she shivered.
"Are you cold?"
"It's just the Coke," she explained.
"Don't you have a jacket?" His voice was disapproving.
"Yes." Bella looked at the empty bench next to her. "Oh - I left it in Jessica's car."
Edward was shrugging out of his jacket. He was removing his dark blue denim jean jacket.
He handed her his jacket.
"Thanks," Bella said again, sliding her arms into his jacket. It was cold. She inhaled the delicious scent. The sleeves were much too long; She shoved them back so she could free her hands.
"That color blue looks lovely with your skin," he compliments, watching her. Bella was surprised as she felt heat on her cheeks.
He pushed the bread basket toward her.
"Really, I'm not going into shock," Bella protested.
"You should be - a normal person would be. You don't even look shaken." He seemed unsettled. He stared into her eyes, and she saw how light his eyes were.
"Well, I'm not normal," she shrugs. He seem confused by her answer.
Bella picked up a breadstick and began nibbling on the end, noticing his expression.
"Usually you're in a better mood when your eyes are so light," Bella commented out loud, mainly to herself. He had blood in his system vs when his eyes are black is when he hasn't hunted in awhile. At least that is what she theorized.
He stared at her, stunned. "What?"
"You're always crabbier when your eyes are black," she went on.
"You have more theories? I hope you were more creative this time... or are you still stealing from comic books?" His faint smile was mocking; his eyes were still tight.
"Well...actually I didn't get it from a comic book and it's not necessarily a theory," she slowly said as she looked up to see his reaction.
"And?" he prompted.
But then the waitress strode around the partition with her food. Bella realized they were leaning toward each other across the table, as they both straightened up once she approached their table.
"Did you change your mind?" the hostess asked Edward.
"Isn't there anything I can get you?" she continues.
"No, thank you, but some more soda would be nice." He gestured with a long white hand to the empty cups in front of Bella.
"Sure." She removed the empty glasses and walked away.
"You were saying?" he asked.
She didn't want prying ears to over hear their conversation so she decided it was better to tell him when they were alone.
"I'll tell you about it in the car. If..." Bella paused.
"There are conditions?" He raised one eyebrow, his voice ominous.
"I do have a few questions, of course."
"Of course." he repeats.
The waitress was back with two more Cokes. She sat them down without a word this time, and left again.
"Well, go ahead," he pushed, his voice still hard.
"Why are you in Port Angeles?"
He looked down, folding his large hands together slowly on the table. His eyes flickered up at her from under his lashes, the hint of a smirk on his face.
"Next."
"But, that's the easiest one," she objects.
"Next," he repeats.
"Well, that was my only question," she shrugs as she took a bite of her ravioli, which was really delicious.
"I was wrong about you. You're not a magnet for accidents - that's not a broad enough classification. You are a magnet for trouble. If there is anything dangerous within a ten-mile radius, it will invariably find you."
"Thank you." Bella starts off. "That's twice now that you saved my life."
His face softened. "Let's not try for three, agreed?"
"You may not believe me, but I'm more than capable of taking care of myself," she truthfully says.
"The two accidents that you've went through says otherwise," he objected.
Bella tried not to let the annoyance fill in her, but she has to remember that he doesn't know the truth.
He leaned towards her.
"I followed you to Port Angeles," he admitted, speaking in a rush.
"I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that's probably just because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes." He paused as he looked at her.
"And yet here you sit." He continues.
"Yeah, because you always seem to be there when I need saving. Like how you knew where I was today."
He pressed his lips together, staring at her through narrowed eyes, deciding again. His eyes flashed down to her full plate, and then back to her.
"You eat, I'll talk," he bargained.
Bella quickly took another bite.
"It's harder than it should be - keeping track of you. Usually I can find someone very easily, once I've... heard their mind before." He looked at her anxiously, and Bella realized she had frozen.
Heard their minds?
"I was keeping tabs on Jessica, not carefully - like I said, only you could find trouble in Port Angeles - and at first I didn't notice when you took off on your own. Then, when I realized that you weren't with her anymore, I went looking for you at the bookstore I saw in her head. I could tell that you hadn't gone in yet, and that you'd gone south... and I knew you would have to turn around soon. So I was just waiting for you, randomly searching through the thoughts of people on the street - to see if anyone had noticed you so I would know where you were. I had no reason to be worried... but I was strangely anxious..." He was lost in thought, staring past her.
"I started to drive in circles, still... listening. The sun was finally setting, and I was about to get out and follow you on foot. And then -" He stopped, clenching his teeth together in sudden fury. He made an effort to calm himself.
"Then what?" Bella whispered. He continued to stare over her head.
"I heard what they were thinking," he growled with venom, his upper lip curling slightly back over his teeth. "I saw your face in his mind." He suddenly leaned forward, one elbow appearing on the table, his hand covering his eyes. The movement was so swift it kinda startled her.
"It was very... hard - you can't imagine how hard - for me to simply take you away, and leave them... alive." His voice was muffled by his arm. "I could have let you go with Jessica and Angela, but I was afraid if you left me alone, I would go looking for them," he admitted in a whisper.
Bella still sat there dazed. He's a vampire who can read people's thoughts. How the hell was that possible? Finally he looked up, his eyes seeking hers, full of his own questions.
"Are you ready to go home?" he asked.
Bella nodded as she was silently debating with herself. She felt guilty that he was willingly telling her something and she still had her own secret. Was it time for him to finally know the truth?
Once they left the restaurant, he walked so close beside her to the door, that they were almost touching.
He opened the passenger door, holding it for her as Bella stepped in, shutting it softly behind her. She watched as he gracefully walked around the car and got inside. Edward pulled out through the traffic, apparently without a glance, flipping around to head toward the freeway.
"Now," he said significantly, "it's your turn."