Falling For You ~Edward Cullen~
Chapter 20
Bella's P.O.V.
Alice stood straight deceptively motionless. Her style seemed to be stealth rather than an intimidating windup. She held the ball in both hands at her waist, and then, like the strike of a cobra, her right hand flicked out and the ball smacked right into Jasper's hands.
"Was that a strike?" I whispered to Esme.
"If they don't hit it, it's a strike." she told me.
Jasper hurled the ball back to Alice's waiting hand. She permitted herself a brief grin. And then her hand spun out again.
This time the bat somehow made it around in time to smash into the invisible ball. The crack of impact
was shattering, thunderous; it echoed off the mountains — I immediately understood the necessity of the thunderstorm.
The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the surrounding forest.
"Home run," I murmured.
"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I realized Edward was missing.
"Out!" Esme cried in a clear voice. I stared in disbelief as Edward sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide grin visible even to me.
"Emmett hits the hardest," Esme explained, "but Edward runs the fastest."
The inning continued before my incredulous eyes. It was impossible to keep up with the speed at which the ball flew, the rate at which their bodies raced around the field.
I learned the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when Jasper, trying to avoid
Edward's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball toward Carlisle. Carlisle ran into the ball, and then raced Jasper to first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two massive falling boulders. I jumped up in concern, but they were somehow unscathed.
"Safe," Esme called in a calm voice.
Emmett's team was up by one — Rosalie managed to flit around the bases after tagging up on one of
Emmett's long flies — when Edward caught the third out. He sprinted to my side, sparkling with
excitement.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again."
"And it sounds like you did so much of that before," he laughed.
"I am a little disappointed," I teased.
"Why?" he asked, puzzled.
"Well, it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do better than everyone else on the planet."
He flashed his special crooked smile, leaving me breathless.
"I'm up," he said, heading for the plate.
He played intelligently, keeping the ball low, out of the reach of Rosalie's always-ready hand in the
outfield, gaining two bases like lightning before Emmett could get the ball back in play. Carlisle knocked one so far out of the field — with a boom that hurt my ears — that he and Edward both made it in. Alice slapped them dainty high fives.
The score constantly changed as the game continued, and they razzed each other like any street
ballplayers as they took turns with the lead. Occasionally Esme would call them to order. The thunder
rumbled on, but we stayed dry, as Alice had predicted.
The whole time I noticed that Arianna stayed quiet. I wanted to talk to her. To ask her what's wrong, but I knew that she just wanted to be left alone.
I also noticed that Arianna and Edward kept sneaking glances at each other.
I watched Edward the whole time and it seemed like he glances at her when she's not looking every 30 seconds.
Arianna on the other hand just looks stares ahead but I see her eyes flick in Edward's direction everytime he's not looking.
I knew that there's something between them. Even if they don't even know about it. I knew that they have unknown feeling to each other. Well unknown to them, but known to everyone who pays attention to how them move around each other.
I knew that even before Edward and I dated but I ignored it. I wanted to be with him even though I knew that he had unknown feelings for Arianna.
He thinks that he's in love with me and I'm fine with that. For now.
When I started dating him, I felt so bad for Arianna. Everytime we kiss or hug or even touch I see the hurt and pain and anger and jealousy in her eyes.
I understood why she was so rude to me.
I know that she's very nice and polite. She's very friendly and cheerful. I know that because I notice how she acted around people. She makes them feel welcomed and loved. Of course with me as an exception.
I felt hurt but I understood how she felt.
It's a big risk, dating Edward. I knew that from the start, but I just ignored it because the moment I saw him, I immediately fell in love with him, even though I knew that he only thinks he's in love with me.
It' a big risk because I know that I'll just end up brokenhearted in the end.
And it pains me to know that.
Arianna's P.O.V
Carlisle was up to bat, Edward catching, when Alice suddenly gasped. My eyes is on Edward as usual. His head snapped towards her and he was at Bella's side before we could ask Alice what's wrong.
"Alice?" Esme's voice was tense.
"I didn't see - I couldn't tell." she whispered.
We all gathered around Alice by this time.
"What is it Alice?" Carlisle asked with a calm voice of authority.
"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before," she
murmured.
Jasper leaned over her, his posture protective. "What changed?" he asked.
"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she said, contrite, as if she felt responsible for
whatever had frightened her.
Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to Bella's face and away.
"How soon?" Carlisle said, turning toward Edward.
A look of intense concentration crossed his face.
"Less than five minutes. They're running — they want to play." He scowled.
"Can you make it?" Carlisle asked him, his eyes flicking toward Bella again.
"No, not carrying —" He cut short. "Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch her scent and
start hunting."
"How many?" Emmett asked Alice.
"Three," she answered tersely.
"Three!" he scoffed. "Let them come." The steel bands of muscle flexed along his massive arms.
For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle deliberated. Only Emmett seemed unperturbed; we all stared at Carlisle's face with anxious eyes.
"Let's just continue the game," Carlisle finally decided. His voice was cool and level. "Alice said they
were simply curious."
All this was said in a flurry of words that lasted only a few seconds. I was looking at Bella for most of the time and it looks like she had listened carefully and caught most of it, though it seemed that she couldn't hear what Esme now asked Edward with a silent vibration of her lips.
"You catch, Esme," he said. "I'll call it now." And he planted himself in front of Bella.
The others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes. Alice and
Esme seemed to orient themselves around where Bella stood.
"Take your hair down," Edward said in a low, even voice.
Bella obediently slid the rubber band out of her hair and shook it out around her.
Bella stated the obvious. "The others are coming now."
"Yes, stay very still, keep quiet, and don't move from my side, please." He hid the stress in his voice well, but I could hear it. He pulled her long hair forward, around her face.
"That doesn't help. I can smell her from across the field." Rosalie snarled.
"I know." Edward said frustrated.
I sighed. Should I just go now or shouldn't I wait until he says?
As if reading my mind. "Arianna." Edward whispered.
I immediately left my place beside Esme and planted my self beside Edward. Diagonally covering Bella.
"What did Esme ask you?" Bella whispered to Edward.
He hesitated for a second before he answered.
"Whether they were thirsty." he muttered unwillingly.
I'm not surprised that Bella knew about the visitors. Carlisle advised him to tell her about them so that she's prepared.
The seconds ticked by; the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared to hit
harder than a bunt, and Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper hovered in the infield. Now and
again I was aware of Rosalie's eyes on Bella.
Theywere expressionless, but something about the way she held her mouth made me think shewas angry. Ok, I knew she's angry.
Edward paid no attention to the game at all, eyes and mind ranging the forest.
"I'm sorry, Bella," he muttered fiercely. "It was stupid, irresponsible, to expose you like
this. I'm so sorry."
I heard his breath stop, and his eyes zeroed in on right field. He took a half step, angling
himself between Bella and what was coming.
We all turned in the same direction, hearing sounds ofpassage much too faint for Bella's ears.
They emerged one by one from the forest edge, ranging a dozen meters apart.
The firstmale into the clearing fell back immediately, allowing the other male to take the front,orienting himself around the tall, dark-haired man in a manner that clearly displayed wholed the pack.
The third was a woman; from this distance, all I could see of her was thather hair was a startling shade of red.
They closed ranks before they continued cautiously toward my family, exhibiting
the natural respect of a troop of predators as it encounters a larger, unfamiliar group of its
own kind.
As they approached, I could see how different they were from us. Their walk
was catlike, a gait that seemed constantly on the edge of shifting into a crouch. They
dressed in the ordinary gear of backpackers: jeans and casual button-down shirts in
heavy, weatherproof fabrics. The clothes were frayed, though, with wear, and they were
barefoot. Both men had cropped hair, but the woman's brilliant orange hair was filled with leaves and debris.
Their sharp eyes carefully took in the more polished, urbane stance of Carlisle, who,
flanked by Emmett and Jasper, stepped guardedly forward to meet them.
Without anyseeming communication between them, they each straightened into a more casual, erectbearing.
The man in front was easily the most beautiful, his skin olive-toned beneath the typical
pallor, his hair a glossy black. He was of a medium build, hard-muscled, of course, but
nothing next to Emmett's brawn. Actually I think no one has enough hard muscles that can beat Emmett's. He smiled an easy smile, exposing a flash of gleamingwhite teeth.
The woman was wilder, her eyes shifting restlessly between the men facing her, and the
loose grouping around Bella, her chaotic hair quivering in the slight breeze. Her posture
was distinctly feline. The second male hovered unobtrusively behind them, slighter than
the leader, his light brown hair and regular features both nondescript.
His eyes, thoughcompletely still, somehow seemed the most vigilant.
Their eyes were different, too. A deep burgundy colour that is disturbing and sinister.
The dark-haired man, still smiling, stepped toward Carlisle.
"We thought we heard a game," he said in a relaxed voice with the slightest of French
accents. "I'm Laurent, these are Victoria and James." He gestured to the vampires beside
him.
"I'm Carlisle. This is my family, Emmett and Rosalie, Esme and Emmett, Edward
and Arianna, Alice and Bella." He pointed us out in groups, deliberately not calling attention to individuals.
Ifelt Bella stiffened when he said her name. I concentrated to hear her thoughts.
'I'm surprised that he called my name. I guess they really think of me as part of their family.' I could hear the pleasure in her thoughts.
I was shocked too. But for a different reason. I already expected Carlisle to introduce us in pairs but I expected him to introduce Bella and Edward together. Not Edward and me together.
When he mentioned me and Edward together, I felt so flattered. It's weird but yes I was flattered.
"Do you have room for a few more players?" Laurent asked sociably.
Carlisle matched Laurent's friendly tone. "Actually, we were just finishing up. But we'd
certainly be interested another time. Are you planning to stay in the area for long?"
"We're headed North in fact, but we were curious to see who was in the neighborhood. We haven't run into company for quite a long time."
"No, this region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor, like yourselves."
The tensed atmosphere had slowly subsided into a casual conversation; I knew that Jasper is using his peculiar gift.
"What's your hunting range?" Laurent casually inquired.
Carlisle ignored the assumption behind the inquiry. "The Olympic Range here, up and
down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There's
another permanent settlement like ours up near Denali."
Laurent rocked back on his heels slightly."Permanent? How do you manage that?" There was honest curiosity in his voice.
"Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk comfortably?" Carlisle
invited. "It's a rather long story."
James and Victoria exchanged a surprised look at the mention of the word "home," but
Laurent controlled his expression better.
I wanted to say something but I couldn't because I can't risk them paying a lot of attention to Bella. I'm too close to Bella. And what I was gonna say is not so nice.
"That sounds very interesting, and welcome." His smile was genial. "We've been on the
hunt all the way down from Ontario, and we haven't had the chance to clean up in a
while." His eyes moved appreciatively over Carlisle's refined appearance.
"Please don't take offense, but we'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from hunting in this
immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous, you understand." Carlisle explained.
"Of course." Laurent nodded. "We certainly won't encroach on your territory. We just
ate outside of Seattle, anyway," he laughed. A shiver ran up my spine. I still can't believe people actually eat other people. Well vampires don't really count as people but still it's sick.
"We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us - Emmett, Alice and Arianna, you can go
with Edward and Bella to get the Jeep," he casually added.
Three things seemed to happen simultaneously while Carlisle was speaking. Bella's hair
ruffled with the light breeze, Edward stiffened, and the second male, James, suddenly
whipped his head around, scrutinizing her, his nostrils flaring.
A swift rigidity fell on all of them as James lurched one step forward into a crouch.
Edward bared his teeth, crouching in defense, a feral snarl ripping from his throat.
It was nothing like the playful sounds I'd heard from him; it was the single
most menacing thing I had ever heard, and chills ran from the crown of my head to the
back of my heels.
"What's this?" Laurent exclaimed in open surprise.
Neither James nor Edward relaxedtheir aggressive poses. James feinted slightly to the side, and Edward shifted in response.
I snarled. Stepping closer to James. I may be jealous of Edward and Bella's relationship but I guess I kind of like her. She's not like those icky choosy and bitchy girls. And besides I'm always with Edward.
"She's with us." Carlisle's firm rebuff was directed toward James. Laurent seemed to
catch Bella's scent less powerfully than James, but awareness now dawned on his face.
"You brought a snack?" he asked, his expression incredulous as he took an involuntary
step forward.
Edward snarled even more ferociously, harshly, his lip curling high above his
glistening, bared teeth. Laurent stepped back again.
"I said she's with us." Carlisle corrected in a hard voice.
"But she's human," Laurent protested. The words were not at all aggressive, merely
astounded.
I hissed again. The wind became stronger and my hair whipped around.
"Arianna control yourself." Edward whispered.
"Yes." Emmett was very much in evidence at Carlisle's side, his eyes on James. James
slowly straightened out of his crouch, but his eyes never left Bella, his nostrils still wide.
Edward stayed tensed like a lion in beside me. I layed a hand on his shoulder and he relaxed his position a little bit.
When Laurent spoke, his tone was soothing -- trying to defuse the sudden hostility. "It
appears we have a lot to learn about each other."
"Indeed." Carlisle's voice was still cool.
"But we'd like to accept your invitation." His eyes flicked toward me and back to
Carlisle. "And, of course, we will not harm the human girl. We won't hunt in your range,
as I said."
James glanced in disbelief and aggravation at Laurent and exchanged another brief look
with Victoria, whose eyes still flickered edgily from face to face.
Carlisle measured Laurent's open expression for a moment before he spoke. "We'll show you the way. Jasper, Rosalie, Esme?" he called. They gathered together, blocking
Bella from view as they converged.
Alice was instantly at my side, and Emmett fell backslowly, his eyes locked on James as he backed toward us.
"Let's go, Bella." Edward's voice was low and bleak.
This whole time Bella seemed to have been rooted in place, terrified into absolute immobility. Edward hadto grip her elbow and pull sharply to break her trance. Alice and Emmett were closebehind us, hiding her. She stumbled alongside Edward, still stunned with fear.
I getting impatient walking in human speed and once we reached the edge of the woods, Edward flung Bella on his back and we started running towards the jeep.
Once we reached the jeep, Edward got in the driver's seat and started the engine.
Alice, Emmett and Bella got in the back seat and I sat in the passenger seat.
Emmett started to strap Bella in but I stopped him.
"Don't. Just hold her to make sure she doesn't bump forward." I said.
"Where are we going?" Bella asked in a frightened voice.
No one answered her.
Edward's knuckles are white from clutching the steering wheel so tightly. His eyes are filled with rage.
"Edward loosen up you're gonna break the steering wheel." I rubbed his back comfortingly.
If it was someone else who said that to him, that person will most likely feel the wrath of the great Edward Cullen. But he never shouts at me.
He loosed his muscles and grip on the steering wheel, not saying a word.
"Dammit Edward where are you taking me?" Bella screamed.
"We have to get you away from here -- far away -- now." He didn't look back, his eyes
on the road. The speedometer read a hundred and five miles an hour.
"Turn around! You have to take me home!" Bella shouted. She struggled against Emmett's tight hold.
"No! Edward! No, you can't do this."
"I have to, Bella, now please be quiet."
"I won't! You have to take me back -- Charlie will call the FBI! They'll be all over your
family - Carlisle and Esme! They'll have to leave, to hide forever!"
"Calm down, Bella." His voice was cold. "We've been there before."
"Not over me, you don't! You're not ruining everything over me!" she struggled violently,
with total futility.
Alice spoke for the first time. "Edward, pull over."
He flashed her a hard look, and then sped up.
"Edward, let's just talk this through."
"You don't understand," he roared in frustration. I'd never heard his voice so loud; it
was deafening in the confines of the Jeep. The speedometer neared one hundred and
fifteen. "He's a tracker, Alice, did you see that? He's a tracker!"
"Pull over, Edward." Alice's tone was reasonable, but there was a ring of authority in it
I'd never heard before.
The speedometer inched passed one-twenty.
"Do it, Edward."
"Listen to me, Alice. I saw his mind. Tracking is his passion, his obsession -- and he
wants her, Alice -- her, specifically. He begins the hunt tonight."
"He doesn't know where --"
He interrupted her. "How long do you think it will take him to cross her scent in town?
His plan was already set before the words were out of Laurent's mouth."
Bella gasped, knowing where her scent would lead. "Charlie! You can't leave him there! You
can't leave him!" she thrashed against the harness.
"She's right," Alice said.
The car slowed slightly.
"Let's just look at our options for a minute," Alice coaxed.
The car slowed again, more noticeably, and then suddenly we screeched to a stop on the
shoulder of the highway.
"There are no options," Edward hissed.
"I'm not leaving Charlie!" Bella yelled.
He ignored her completely.
"We have to take her back," Emmett finally spoke.
"No." Edward was absolute.
"He's no match for us, Edward. He won't be able to touch her."
"He'll wait."
Emmett smiled. "I can wait, too."
"You didn't see -- you don't understand. Once he commits to a hunt, he's unshakable. We'd have to kill him."
Emmett didn't seem upset by the idea. "That's an option."
"And the female. She's with him. If it turns into a fight, the leader will go with them,
too."
"There are enough of us."
"There's another option," Alice said quietly.
Edward turned on her in fury, his voice a blistering snarl. "There -- is -- no -- other
-- option!"
Emmett and I both stared at him in shock, but Alice seemed unsurprised.
I glared at him. "Edward, Bella has a plan. Listen to her."
"No." he glared back.
I read Bella's mind and her plan is actually pretty good.
"Edward." I said in a warning tone.
"No. Arianna. No." he growled.
"Edward listen to her freaking plan!" I shouted.
He sighed in defeat. "Fine."
He turned to Bella. "What's your plan?"
Bella looked pleased to finally be heard.
She took a deep breath and explained her plan.
@samathat
Thxs
2/7/14