Black Nebula

Graduation

Before long, two weeks went by like crazy. Though I still dreaded the idea of marriage, I was excited that I wouldn't have to keep up the pretenses that I needed sleep around Charlie. I got out of bed shortly after Edward left my room, grabbed some sweats, and went to take a shower. I met Charlie downstairs in the kitchen, reading the paper.

"Morning dad."

"Hey Bells. Sleep good last night?" He asked. I held my non-existent breath in prayer that he didn't hear me and Edward talking, among other things.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

"No reason. I just figured that you'd might be too excited about graduation to sleep. I mean between graduation, your wedding, and then Dartmouth. You've got a pretty jam-packed summer going on here."

I remember when Edward and I told Charlie we were getting married. I had been worried about so many things with him. His face started to turn purple, so I was afraid of his health. It's not like he eats healthy on a regular basis. Then there was the fact he hadn't even hung up his gun by the time Edward said something to him. I had no idea how to explain to Charlie why Edward wasn't dead, let alone bleeding. Finally, in a fit of laughter, he blurted out that I had the lucky honor of calling Renee. She definitely took it better than I could ever have imagined. She only met him the one time in Phoenix, and yet she could tell we were meant for each other. She even said I was smarter for not making the same mistakes she did when she was younger.

Poor Charlie, he thought he couldn't trust anyone to hold up their parts in this world. If only he knew what parts I had to play now, only my role was saving his life at the moment. I made him some breakfast; eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast. When he asked me why I wasn't eating. I told him "I'm too nervous to eat," and went upstairs to change.

I laughed at Alice as soon as I got into my room. Thinking she was slick she was trying to escape my room, not after leaving a present on my bed.

"Well you might as well stay and watch me open it Alice. I know you want to!" I muttered something else about her spending money on me.

"You know you should get used to it, you're my sister after all. And you're right, I do want to see your face. So hurry up already." She giggled innocently.

I opened the box that was on my bed, and pulled out a long red maxi dress. There was no doubt that the dress was pretty, if I had seen it first I would have given it maybe two or three glances before passing on it. But when I looked at it, it just reminded me of my eyes, they eyes of bloodlust. The eyes of a newborn.

Suddenly, every thought that seemed to have alluded me for the past several months clicked.

"Alice it's the same." In hindsight, I couldn't believe that none of us figured it out.

"Bella you don't have anything like that for crying out loud, you don't even have a dress besides your prom dress."

"No Alice. Listen, since you've know me, when has anything in my life been coincidental?" Alice stared at me confused, but started to think. "It's the same. Carlisle said it himself, that Seattle seemed to be at the whim of one or more newborn vampires. At the rate of the murders and disappearances, there may be a small army of newborns in Seattle. I don't know much about Irina, but there must be a good reason for her wanting to join Victoria." I watched Alice's face as the pieces started falling into place for her.

"What if it's Victoria that is creating the vampires?" I was whispering by now because the thought of Victoria being that evil to try to get to me was repulsive.

"No, Bella. How would she know about my gift. It's not like she was there when I used it." Alice said dismissing all I said.

"No I thought about that. But think about it Alice. Besides the Volturi, there are no other vampires on this earth that no what your family can do, except for Denali. Irina and Laurent were to be mates, I'm sure Laurent had questions about your family. Who knows, your gifts could have been pillow talk for all we know. But it's slightly possible that Irina told Laurent, who in turn told Victoria when she came to ask him of a favor."