Chapter Two: Physical

While I was lost in memories and thoughts, I had somehow managed to stumble into the kitchen and startle Charlie.

“Bella, are you alright?” he asked, concerned.

“Oh yeah, I’m just hungry,” I replied, forcing a smile. Charlie studied me with worried eyes for a minute as he poured his coffee.

Self conscious, I quickly poured myself a bowl of Rice Crispes.

“You look pale,” he told me, taking a sip of his coffee. He was standing awkwardly by the counter, and he really looked as if he didn’t want to be there. Great. I had managed to make my own father hate me.

“I’m always pale,” I pointed out, sitting down in a mismatched chair at the table.

“Right,” Charlie nodded. He took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for some big speech.

I looked up at him curiously, wondering what it was he wanted to say to me.

“Bella, I’ve decided to lift your grounding,” Charlie awkwardly told me, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

I raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to sarcastically reply and failing. “So soon? It’s only been two months.”

Charlie looked guilty, as if I didn’t deserve the punishment at all.

“As long as we’re clear on one thing,” Charlie gained back authority pretty quickly. He placed his hand on his belt that shouldered the little pistol he took to work every day.

“And that is?” I asked, praying that he wouldn’t completely forbid me from seeing Edward.

“You don’t go anywhere, and I mean anywhere, without my knowledge before hand. I want every detail, and I want to know it before you go,” it seemed like a fair enough request, but Charlie’s distrust in me stung deep.

“Okay,” I said softly, staring into my bowl.

To soften the blow, Charlie came over and messed up my hair. “I’ll see you after work.”

“Bye Dad,” I replied, watching him leave. I sighed, not hungry any more. I tried to eat the cereal, but my stomach was twisted into guilty knots.

I had been careful not to promise Charlie anything. I knew that there would come yet another time when I would have to leave suddenly. Only this time, I knew I wouldn’t be back.

As much as I wanted to become a vampire, it really did tear at my heart loosing contact with Charlie and Renee. They were my parents, after all.

I waited around in the kitchen until it was time for me to make my way to school. My truck was parked out in the driveway, the rust on it apparent. I was actually quite fond of my old rusty truck, it got me around.

But it reminded me of Jacob. Jacob had fixed it up and kept it running smoothly. I had secretly grown to resent my truck – it was as if a tiny part of me blamed it for Jacob’s behaviour.

I drove as fast as the old truck would go to get to school. That was another one of it’s flaws – it was slow as molasses. Over the past few months, I had grown to appreciate Edward and Alice’s taste in fast cars.

The parking lot was full by the time I pulled into a spot. I followed the stream of teenagers into the building and sighed dramatically to myself. It was going to be a long day.

XXXX

It didn’t surprise me at all that I had been right. Most of my “friends” ignored me. I had stopped considering them friends ages ago, but more like people I hung out with when Edward and Alice weren’t there.

Angela was really the only one who enjoyed my company now. She was really nice, and always made sure to include me in conversation.

Not only was the company dull compared to Edward and Alice’s company, but the classes seemed long and boring, full of review. Exams were fast approaching, and soon school would be over.

When the bell rang singling the end of period four – and the end of the school day – I made my way out past the huge crowd of teenagers to my car. I noticed gleefully that the sun had disappeared during a huge, thick curtain of clouds and was no longer visible.

Would Edward be waiting at my house for me? I hoped. I missed him, and even though I had just seen him the night before – it felt like forever.

I practically jumped up in down in my trucks cab when I saw his shiny Volvo parked by the curb in front of our house, leaving room for my dinosaur truck and later Charlie’s cruiser. It meant he planned on staying for a while.

“Edward!” I jumped out of the cab and into his arms, kissing every inch of his face to make sure he was really there.

“Bella,” Edward laughed, kissing me back. “I was only gone for 7 hours or so.”

“I know,” I whined. “But those 7 hours felt like eternity without you!”

Edward’s expression became serious as he gazed into my eyes. I noticed his were slightly darker, in a few days time he would need to hunt.

“I wonder what an eternity with me would feel like,” he thought out loud, stroking my face.

It started to rain – a very common thing in Forks – so I motioned for him to come inside.

“How did you know I was ungrounded?” I questioned as I unlocked the front door.

“I read Charlie’s mind this morning before I left. He was trying to find the easiest way to lift the grounding without feeling awkward about it,” Edward replied, his arm still wrapped around my waste.

I nodded, not surprised by his answer at all. “Will you stay for dinner? I’m making pasta.”

Edward gave me a weird look and I smiled at him innocently. I fully knew and understood that eating regular food tasted like dirt to Edward – he could do it but it tasted disgusting.

“I’ll stay, but I won’t eat anything,” Edward told me.

I faked a hurt look. “Well, I guess my cooking’s just that bad.”

Edward pulled me close to him from behind and kissed the top of my head. “Yes it is,” he joked.

“I have a question,” I told him, spinning around so that I was facing him.

“Oh really?” Edward didn’t sound surprised at all – probably because I had bombarded him with a thousand questions since we first met.

“Couldn’t you collect animal blood and keep it in the jar in the refrigerator to save some for later? You know, like a snack?”

Edward laughed at me. “Bella, you really are something special. No, it has to be fresh. It just doesn’t taste the same if it isn’t fresh.”

I hugged him for a moment more and then pulled away so I could start supper.

Edward sat at the table while I worked, watching me and talking to me.

“Have you heard any news on Victoria?” I asked rather tensely. Victoria was the redheaded vampire who was out to kill me – she wanted revenge for the death of her partner, James, who had also tried to kill me. Edward had destroyed him and Victoria’s motto was now ‘a mate for a mate’.

“No,” Edward replied, sulking. I knew he felt completely helpless about the whole situation. Tracking Victoria was proving to be difficult, even with the Protectors on her case she always seemed to slip away at the last possible moment.

“Hmm,” I replied, stirring the sauce around.

“If it’s any consolation, if I was still human that scent would make my mouth water,” Edward told me, abruptly changing the subject.

“What scent makes your mouth water now?” I asked him seductively, placing the wooden spoon down and walking very slowly towards him. I was fully aware of the answer, and he knew that.

“As if I have to reply,” Edward stood up and crushed his lips down on mine. He kissed me as passionately as he would allow himself, and I threw my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss.

Regretfully he pulled away and looked down at me with eyes full of hunger.

“Hmm, what is it that you hunger?” I questioned him, cocking an eyebrow. “My blood?”

“That always hungers me, but this is something different,” Edward confessed. “Perhaps it’s a normal teenage boy response to a beautiful girl,” he whispered huskily in my ear, pressing himself against me.

I could feel the normal teenage boy response right through both of our jeans, and it sent pleasurable chills down my spin.

“Edward…what if we…” I trailed off, tracing my finger down where I knew his treasure trail was.

“We’ve been over this Bella,” Edward sighed, sounding sad. “I would lose control and probably kill you.”

“No you wouldn’t,” I said confidently. “You’ve sucked my blood before, remember? You didn’t lose control then. I’m still alive.”

I truly believed that Edward’s love for me outweighed his desire to kill me.

Edward hesitated, thinking about the situation. To complicate his thoughts, I stroked the bulge of his jeans.

It was rare for Edward to find me that desirable, and I knew it was probably because he had lowered his resistance against it.

“Bella…” Edward warned.

I glanced at the clock. “We have two hours before Charlie gets home,” I told him. Ever since he had grounded me, Charlie had taken on longer hours – probably to avoid me.

I took his hand in mine and turned off the stove so the house wouldn’t burn down while we were upstairs.

“Bella I…” Edward trailed off as I turned to look at him. He wasn’t the only one who could give smouldering gazes.

I lead him up the stairs, practically taking them too at a time. I pulled him into my bedroom and shut the door.

“Edward, I trust you. I trust that you won’t leave, and I trust that you won’t lose control and kill me. You’ve faced harder challenges then sex,” I reminded him, pressing myself against him and taking his face in my hands.

Edward’s topaz eyes stared down on me; I could see the conflict in them as he argued with himself.

I didn’t give him much of a chance to continue the argument; I pulled him towards my bed and then started to undo his pant buckle.

My hands were trembling so much that I could barely get the button unclasped. Edward glanced down at me, concern showing in his eyes.

“Bella, we don’t have to...” he thought I was trembling because I didn’t want to. I laughed weakly.

“Oh Edward, I do want too,” my voice sounded so full of need, desperate even to my own ears. I blushed and lowered my hands, feeling very vulnerable and stupid all of a sudden. “But if you don’t want to –”

Edward growled, gentling pushing me onto my bed. “That’s ridiculous, can’t you see?”

I could see, very well. My heart was beating so loudly in my throat and I was sure Edward could hear it. He had already removed both of our clothes at the speed of light, but for once I didn’t feel awkward while naked.

“I promise I’ll go slow,” Edward replied. We both laughed weakly, knowing just how fast he could go was slightly scary, but I knew that Edward would never do anything to harm me.

He kissed my neck, my cheek, and my lips. This time he was as forceful and passionate about the kiss as I usually was. My stomach twisted with desire for him, and I arched towards him.