We Three Witches (Twilight)

Chapter 23 - Foot in Mouth Syndrome

Edward's POV

March 10th, 2003

I can't wait to see her.

My fingers thrummed against my steering wheel as I swerved through the traffic at the edge of town. I was already late enough without having to wait for all the ninety-year-olds to remember how to drive in this ridiculous town.

I snorted. Three months ago I'd have used this as an excuse not to come to school at all, but now I can't wait to get to class to see her again.

The last three days had been a torture. Every minute I spent without Bella in my arms drove me mad, and there wasn't a second I hadn't contemplated running home to see her anyway. I hadn't even been able to talk to her over the weekend. And that was just as maddening.

After I'd left her to hunt that night, I'd dropped my phone home to charge—it was dead and we'd long since learned that hunting with fragile electronics was not a good idea—and expected to be back in her bed well before sunrise.

But Carlisle had had other plans.

I scowled at the old man crossing the road and wondered if I'd be blamed for running him over. No one would miss him, surely. I drummed my fingers against the steering wheel in an effort to not do that, before speeding away the minute his foot hit the pavement.

Why is everyone trying to keep me from my love? I sped around the corner. Why couldn't he have sent Emmett or Jasper?

When I'd gotten home that night, Carlisle had been waiting for me, only mildly apologetic. Apparently our 'cousins' up north were back from their most recent holiday, and Carlisle wanted me to ask for their help against Victoria. It was a smart move, I just hated that it had to be me.

Because as entertaining as Emmett could be, he and Kate had never gotten over their argument from the 70s, and Jasper was wary as ever around Eleazar—for a reason I'd never figured out. Carlisle would have gone but he had to work, and Esme had been assigned to watch over Charlie when he left the girls' wards.

So it had to be me.

Adding insult to injury, since my phone was dead and I was loath to wake Bella with a quick phone call, I made sure to have Emmett text Bella and let her know the change of plans. I was sure she wouldn't mind when he told her—I was going to secure help in protecting her and her sisters after all.

Though as I'd run north, I'd admitted to myself she might be upset I'd done it without consulting her. But I was sure with everything that had happened between us recently, I was sure she'd forgive me eventually. And if not, I could always blame Carlisle.

Of course, I hadn't given the Denalis many specifics—I hadn't wanted to piss Bella off that much—until they committed to helping us. Particularly as one of their newest members—Kate's mate, Garrett—had an unpleasant past with witches he refused to share, making him hesitant to help the sisters on principle alone.

And that was exactly why, what should have been a short conversation, became a three day 'negotiation'. In the end, the only decision they'd reached was to think on it more and talk later. I hadn't bothered arguing and raced home the second I could.

As such, school had started an hour ago, and I was late. And pissed.

Not only had I spent three days not seeing the love of my life, but I'd come home to find my brothers had destroyed my phone in their idiotic roughhousing. Luckily for them, they were in class before I'd even reached the Forks border, so I couldn't throttle them—or ask Emmett about Bella's reaction.