New Moon: Chapter 2
I have no idea how Cullens function in this town without thinking that tons of car-crazed guys will be draped over any one of their cars. I was surprised that no one was cooing over Carlisle’s S55 AMG parked outside my house. None of the windows were broken either.
No matter which car though, it would be driven fast. I got into the front seat and automatically bent over as Alice got in.
“You really get sick easily,” Alice said, gunning the engine. Not seeing the passing scenery helped, but the expected nausea was still there.
I closed my eyes and breathed, not trusting myself to speak, for about five minutes as Alice tore through the streets of Forks.
The car quieted suddenly. “It’s over, Bella.”
I looked up at the Cullens’ house. The porch was ablaze with Japanese lanterns, lined up in a row.
“Seriously, Alice?” I muttered, crawling out of the car.
“I think it’s beautiful! I bought these a while ago but didn’t have an occasion to use them. Come on, Bella; you’re not old.”
Eighteen.
Old was old enough. I still remember counting down the days until I was ten. I whimpered at the thought, even as Alice pulled my hand with her own, colder hand. At least senior year was starting. I could leave this place at the end of the year. I already knew where I wanted to go: University of Arizona, UC Davis, UT Austin, UCLA...relentlessly sunny places. The little charm that Forks had had for me was fading fast.
And I was tired of being jittery around Edward Cullen. He had drunken my blood after all. I wasn’t going to forget in a hurry.
Alice flung open the door and the smell of roses bombarded me. I blinked at the little explosion of pink that used to be the white living room of the Cullens. Pink roses, pink candles, and a pink cake sitting on top of a glass plate.
“Jesus, Alice,” I whispered.
“Isn’t it pretty?” she said and she dragged me in and the Cullens were all standing around
“Happy birthday, Bella,” Emmett said, standing up from a chair next to the piano and grinning. “Eighteen! You’re legally an adult. Not that you can do anything fun in the USA at eighteen.” I flushed. “And you still blush like a twelve-year-old.”
“You can never say anything nice to her, can you?” Rosalie muttered. She smiled, a gorgeous smile, as usual-Why did I have to come to a birthday party held by people who could be have models? Was it some cruel joke to make me feel awful? “Happy birthday, Bella.”
Jasper has a small smile on his face. He doesn’t speak, but it’s enough. He had an expression on his face.
Edward was leaning on the piano, his face neutral. Well, he and Jasper could exchange roles. I would laugh relentlessly if Jasper talked and if Edward stayed quiet, I would be happy.
“Look, presents!” Alice said, pointing to a silver mountain of boxes that looked to me as if it should be swaying precariously from side to side.
“Alice, why?” I asked, kneeling beside the mountain of presents.
“It wasn’t my idea. See, that one is from Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie-“
“Why from all three of them?”
“I thought of it,” Rosalie said proudly.
“But she couldn’t tell which one to buy,” Jasper said, a smirk spreading across his face. “Typical blonde.”
“You’re blonde!”
“Yeah, but I defy the stereotype, and you don’t.”
Rosalie’s eyes widened but Alice said, a little too quickly, “Just open it!”
I picked off the large box and unwrapped it carefully, trying to tear along the lines of the wrapping paper. It look like it had been wrapped by a machine...but inside was just a brown cardboard box. I shook it. Nothing. I opened the cardboard box, expecting at least some bubble wrap, but it was completely empty.
“Well, that’s new. I’ve never gotten air before. I appreciate it anyways, Rosalie.”
Rosalie snorted. “It’s a stereo for your truck. Emmett’s going to your house to install it.”
“Rosalie almost bought one that wasn’t for a car,” Jasper snickered.
“How should I know the difference?”
“You could have asked Alice for help, if you didn’t want to ask Emmett or me. She knows about cars-“
“You guys aren’t actually siblings; why do you have to bicker?” Alice moaned. “Open the next one! It’s mine!”
I stared at the present for a second, trying to find a way, in my new OCD-ness, to unwrap it in the most civilized way.
“Back!” Emmett called, sliding on the hardwood floor to a sudden stop before us. I looked up; he grinned. “It was easy to install.”
“Thanks,” I croaked. Then, bending my head, I slid a finger under the fold and winced. Blood rose in a small bubble from the wound. “Oh, damn it. Damn it.”
Edward turned away immediately, making a gagging sound that I knew was suppressed hunger and even Jasper’s fists were clenched. I stood up quickly, the present dropping to my feet and as I did, my hand knocked into the stack of crystal dishes that fell to the floor. My brain slowed everything down, so I saw every fleck of light dance as the dishes broke. They flew towards me, like droplets of water after a ball had been thrown into a pond, slashing my arms-Why had I chosen to wear a tank top? Why?-so that instead of the coolness that I had come to expect when clear small things were falling towards me, namely, rain, warmth-my blood-- was trickling down my arm.
The crystal clinked as they hit the hardwood floor.
The only sound was my harsh breathing.
And then there were snarls and I saw a blur rush towards me-James? No, it was not blond hair. Emmett lunged in front of me and Alice dragged me back, her hands gripping my upper arms, her fingers cold through the mess of blood that was my right arm.
Esme and Carlisle were there, appearing out of thin air, to me at least. Carlisle knelt beside me, almost oblivious to the chaos before us. “That’s quite spectacular, Bella,” he said in a low voice, setting a first-aid kit down beside him.
Edward was staring at me, his teeth bared in a snarl, Jasper and Emmett holding him back. “Get him outside,” Carlisle said. Rosalie opened the door and Jasper and Emmett pushed Edward out. There was a hiss-from Edward?-- and then the door shut behind the four of them.
Carlisle was already disinfecting the tweezers. “We’ve never had to use this; it was an extra from the hospital,” he said, shrugging. “Seemed like a waste to throw it out, and Emmett liked to use it to make fun of me.”
“Bella, I’m so sorry,” Esme said softly. “On your birthday, too.”
“It’s fine,” I found myself saying. “I’m fine. You...all of you...I just hope this doesn’t...well, affect your control-“
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” Carlisle asked.
“If possible, no.”
Carlisle shrugged and started to remove the pieces of glass out of my skin. It stung, every time. “Try to keep still, Bella,” Carlisle muttered.
“Esme’s always had a lot of self-control. And Carlisle is used to it because of the hospital,” Alice rattled off, trying, but failing to grin. She was still kneeling beside my head. “And Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and I all go to high school and think of how many people get paper cuts there every day. Jasper used to flip but he’s gotten way better at it now.”
“Edward must think he failed,” Esme whispered to Carlisle. Carlisle’s lips pressed into, if possible, a thinner white line. “I’m going to help him.” Squeezing my left upper arm, the one not mutilated by glass, she stood and left.
“He’s going to be all right, right?” I muttered, closing my eyes and trying to ignore the stings of pain.
“Yeah.”
Somehow Alice’s voice, normally always filled with conviction, wasn’t this time.
AN: Ooooooo, Edward instead of Jasper. Personally I think this is way more realistic; Edward had drunken her blood and both Jasper and Edward have been around high schoolers all day. They must get cuts. So it makes sense that since Bella's blood sings more to Edward and he's already had some of it, he'd be WAY more tempted. Plus I like Jasper way more than Edward, so if I can avoid placing blame on Jasper, I do. XP
No matter which car though, it would be driven fast. I got into the front seat and automatically bent over as Alice got in.
“You really get sick easily,” Alice said, gunning the engine. Not seeing the passing scenery helped, but the expected nausea was still there.
I closed my eyes and breathed, not trusting myself to speak, for about five minutes as Alice tore through the streets of Forks.
The car quieted suddenly. “It’s over, Bella.”
I looked up at the Cullens’ house. The porch was ablaze with Japanese lanterns, lined up in a row.
“Seriously, Alice?” I muttered, crawling out of the car.
“I think it’s beautiful! I bought these a while ago but didn’t have an occasion to use them. Come on, Bella; you’re not old.”
Eighteen.
Old was old enough. I still remember counting down the days until I was ten. I whimpered at the thought, even as Alice pulled my hand with her own, colder hand. At least senior year was starting. I could leave this place at the end of the year. I already knew where I wanted to go: University of Arizona, UC Davis, UT Austin, UCLA...relentlessly sunny places. The little charm that Forks had had for me was fading fast.
And I was tired of being jittery around Edward Cullen. He had drunken my blood after all. I wasn’t going to forget in a hurry.
Alice flung open the door and the smell of roses bombarded me. I blinked at the little explosion of pink that used to be the white living room of the Cullens. Pink roses, pink candles, and a pink cake sitting on top of a glass plate.
“Jesus, Alice,” I whispered.
“Isn’t it pretty?” she said and she dragged me in and the Cullens were all standing around
“Happy birthday, Bella,” Emmett said, standing up from a chair next to the piano and grinning. “Eighteen! You’re legally an adult. Not that you can do anything fun in the USA at eighteen.” I flushed. “And you still blush like a twelve-year-old.”
“You can never say anything nice to her, can you?” Rosalie muttered. She smiled, a gorgeous smile, as usual-Why did I have to come to a birthday party held by people who could be have models? Was it some cruel joke to make me feel awful? “Happy birthday, Bella.”
Jasper has a small smile on his face. He doesn’t speak, but it’s enough. He had an expression on his face.
Edward was leaning on the piano, his face neutral. Well, he and Jasper could exchange roles. I would laugh relentlessly if Jasper talked and if Edward stayed quiet, I would be happy.
“Look, presents!” Alice said, pointing to a silver mountain of boxes that looked to me as if it should be swaying precariously from side to side.
“Alice, why?” I asked, kneeling beside the mountain of presents.
“It wasn’t my idea. See, that one is from Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie-“
“Why from all three of them?”
“I thought of it,” Rosalie said proudly.
“But she couldn’t tell which one to buy,” Jasper said, a smirk spreading across his face. “Typical blonde.”
“You’re blonde!”
“Yeah, but I defy the stereotype, and you don’t.”
Rosalie’s eyes widened but Alice said, a little too quickly, “Just open it!”
I picked off the large box and unwrapped it carefully, trying to tear along the lines of the wrapping paper. It look like it had been wrapped by a machine...but inside was just a brown cardboard box. I shook it. Nothing. I opened the cardboard box, expecting at least some bubble wrap, but it was completely empty.
“Well, that’s new. I’ve never gotten air before. I appreciate it anyways, Rosalie.”
Rosalie snorted. “It’s a stereo for your truck. Emmett’s going to your house to install it.”
“Rosalie almost bought one that wasn’t for a car,” Jasper snickered.
“How should I know the difference?”
“You could have asked Alice for help, if you didn’t want to ask Emmett or me. She knows about cars-“
“You guys aren’t actually siblings; why do you have to bicker?” Alice moaned. “Open the next one! It’s mine!”
I stared at the present for a second, trying to find a way, in my new OCD-ness, to unwrap it in the most civilized way.
“Back!” Emmett called, sliding on the hardwood floor to a sudden stop before us. I looked up; he grinned. “It was easy to install.”
“Thanks,” I croaked. Then, bending my head, I slid a finger under the fold and winced. Blood rose in a small bubble from the wound. “Oh, damn it. Damn it.”
Edward turned away immediately, making a gagging sound that I knew was suppressed hunger and even Jasper’s fists were clenched. I stood up quickly, the present dropping to my feet and as I did, my hand knocked into the stack of crystal dishes that fell to the floor. My brain slowed everything down, so I saw every fleck of light dance as the dishes broke. They flew towards me, like droplets of water after a ball had been thrown into a pond, slashing my arms-Why had I chosen to wear a tank top? Why?-so that instead of the coolness that I had come to expect when clear small things were falling towards me, namely, rain, warmth-my blood-- was trickling down my arm.
The crystal clinked as they hit the hardwood floor.
The only sound was my harsh breathing.
And then there were snarls and I saw a blur rush towards me-James? No, it was not blond hair. Emmett lunged in front of me and Alice dragged me back, her hands gripping my upper arms, her fingers cold through the mess of blood that was my right arm.
Esme and Carlisle were there, appearing out of thin air, to me at least. Carlisle knelt beside me, almost oblivious to the chaos before us. “That’s quite spectacular, Bella,” he said in a low voice, setting a first-aid kit down beside him.
Edward was staring at me, his teeth bared in a snarl, Jasper and Emmett holding him back. “Get him outside,” Carlisle said. Rosalie opened the door and Jasper and Emmett pushed Edward out. There was a hiss-from Edward?-- and then the door shut behind the four of them.
Carlisle was already disinfecting the tweezers. “We’ve never had to use this; it was an extra from the hospital,” he said, shrugging. “Seemed like a waste to throw it out, and Emmett liked to use it to make fun of me.”
“Bella, I’m so sorry,” Esme said softly. “On your birthday, too.”
“It’s fine,” I found myself saying. “I’m fine. You...all of you...I just hope this doesn’t...well, affect your control-“
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” Carlisle asked.
“If possible, no.”
Carlisle shrugged and started to remove the pieces of glass out of my skin. It stung, every time. “Try to keep still, Bella,” Carlisle muttered.
“Esme’s always had a lot of self-control. And Carlisle is used to it because of the hospital,” Alice rattled off, trying, but failing to grin. She was still kneeling beside my head. “And Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and I all go to high school and think of how many people get paper cuts there every day. Jasper used to flip but he’s gotten way better at it now.”
“Edward must think he failed,” Esme whispered to Carlisle. Carlisle’s lips pressed into, if possible, a thinner white line. “I’m going to help him.” Squeezing my left upper arm, the one not mutilated by glass, she stood and left.
“He’s going to be all right, right?” I muttered, closing my eyes and trying to ignore the stings of pain.
“Yeah.”
Somehow Alice’s voice, normally always filled with conviction, wasn’t this time.
AN: Ooooooo, Edward instead of Jasper. Personally I think this is way more realistic; Edward had drunken her blood and both Jasper and Edward have been around high schoolers all day. They must get cuts. So it makes sense that since Bella's blood sings more to Edward and he's already had some of it, he'd be WAY more tempted. Plus I like Jasper way more than Edward, so if I can avoid placing blame on Jasper, I do. XP