Solstice

Chapter 4: Visitors

I quickly collected my composure, and I didn't dare look towards Edward. I didn't even know if he noticed what she must have been thinking. Surely he would have alerted me somehow that something was going on in her head. Right?

I snatched my pen from the table and quickly scribbled, "What do you mean?" I've had all the time in the world to practice if I wanted to but, my handwriting still sucked compared to Edward's.

I thought someone had jump started my heart cause it should be beating a mile a minute while I was waiting for her answer. I took a chance and looked at Sarah, and she glanced back then pursed her lips together as she started writing again. The last seven seconds of my existence were pure agony. Maybe we needed to move after all.

Sarah passed the note back, with a confused look on her face. "Freshman, sophomore..."

Edward started laughing out loud in the middle of class. He cleverly covered it up as if he was sneezing but not til after he received a dirty look from the teacher. I guess I forgot to put my shield back up and he was able to hear both our minds. Oops.

The bell rang at that moment and all of the students started gathering their books. I saw Renesmee look at Edward puzzled before walking out of the door with her friends.

"Oh we're sophomores." I said matter of factly. I remember Edward trying to convince me of his version of the truth the same way when Tyler's van almost crushed me, but I was too perceptive for him then, I only hoped Sarah wasn't now.

"All of you? Wow! And you all live in the same house? Isn't that illegal?" I could only assume she was talking about me and Edward being together.

"Not at all. I'm not related to anyone at the house. Actually none of us are except for Edward and his twin, Renesmee are related. Our parents adopted us. Shortly after me and Edward met, I was umm, emancipated from my family and the Cullens invited me to stay with them." By now we were entering the hallways as students were crowding around the lockers. Sarah no longer stared at me and for that I was relieved.

"Well I'll see you later Bella, I need to go to my locker before lunch." She whispered when she saw Edward waiting for me. She practically ran through the swarm of students, she was quick for a human.

I stood there stunned for a moment when Edward enveloped me in his arms. No I was mad him, I think. I hissed at him and started to walk away.

"Love, what's wrong?" Could he possibly be that stupid? Ha!

"You sat there and let me believe that she knew are secret. Or at least enough to be suspicious of us?" It really wasn't a big deal, I didn't know why I was so angry. I let my shield down because I couldn't seem to control my anger and didn't want to scream at him on the way to lunch.

Not only did you just sit there, but you also laughed at me. You know could and well that we need to be extra careful in this town and you laugh? You don't know if she has any ties to anyone we once knew and found their old pictures. Swan may have been a big name but Cullen may have been remembered also!

And with that I slammed my shield and stalked off without him. But two seconds later I realized that he wasn't following me. I instantly felt bad because once I said my peace I was calm. I turned to look at him, and noticed something was off.

Everyone, including my Edward looked dumbfounded for some reason. I walked over to him and waved my hand in front of his eyes to bring him back to focus. It was eerie how his eyes found me, like he hadn't seen me in a while.

"Hun, what happened?" I suddenly found myself scared. It's been a century since I felt even remotely scared, which bothered me even more.

"Bel-Bella, did you do that?"

"Do what?" My heart was racing from anticipation. What was he going on about? I could tell by the furrowed look on his brow that he was in thought about something, or he was listening to someone's thoughts, but what he wasn't sharing with me.

"We need to go to the cafeteria, now." He grabbed my arm in a way that if I was human, my arm would have been in danger of being ripped off, but he didn't hold the grip. He slipped his hand into mine and I covered his with my other hand. Whatever he was thinking of, we would face together.

The rest of my family already found a table. If it wasn't for the urgency, I would have chuckled at the fact that they choose the table I first saw them sitting at over 100 years ago. Leave it to the Cullen's to find a way to turn everything into a private joke.

Everyone had a tray of food in front of them already, Alice even had me and Edward's prop for us. It looks like she knew we were about to have a meeting of sorts.

Renesmee was the only one at the table eating. Ugh, though I was glad she was eating human food more, at least it helped with the appearance of us looking human. Edward was about to speak when a two guys came over to the table.

"Errrr, Carlie?" The one with the sandy blonde hair asked. He looked scared just to be in the same area with us. Renesmee sometimes went by her middle name when we went to school so none of looked shocked. She looked at the two boys that were standing in front of her. "We were just, umm, kind of wondering, if well, if you would like to come sit with our table for lunch?" The second kid had an olive complexion and he pointed to a table where I recognized a few of the kids there. Of course they were gawking because they were looking at us. The vampires. I was amused that the first kid couldn't get his words right speaking to Renesmee. It was like he was meeting her parents for their first date. Hmph, he was technically.

Before she could even answer, "Sure, go ahead Carlie," came out of Edward's mouth. My Edward? My overprotective Edward? Something was definitely up, I've spoken to him about being too protective of Renesmee in the past, but he's never been this easy going with her. Even Renesmee looked confused, but decided to not look a gift horse in the mouth and was instantly gone with her new friends.

"Okay, spill. What is going on? Edward you've been acting weird since we left English." I was speaking very low and fast, but being vampires, I knew everyone heard me. "Now what did you mean when you asked me if I did that? What did I supposedly do?" I was furious that I was in the dark about something.

He looked like he didn't know how to answer but quickly found the words, "Well to answer your second question first," he paused for dramatic effect, I think you somehow caused everyone in the hallway to stop thinking. I noticed it because all of a sudden it was silent, in my head. All of a sudden I couldn't hear anyone's thoughts. For all of five seconds, I was alone in my head, and it happened when you slammed your shield at me." I was confused for a bit but generally took the information in.

"What about my first question?"

Alice wanted to answer that one, but she barely spoke above a whisper. Even I had trouble hearing her.

"The Volturi are coming."