This is my reworking of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, I always thought the character of Bella was a little on the weak side, so in my reworking, it's more like Edward has met his match and in keeping with the sites tradition he's gay now too, so although Bella will be a pronounced character she will not be our star. mwahaha.
The Twilight Saga: Morning Sun
Chapter 1
Double Take
I saw them as I entered the arrivals terminal, standing there both slightly hunched, I of course had missed my flight so I was late, they looked agitated, yet calm, I couldn't really explain it if I wanted to, I'll start with my name, Bennett Swan, twin brother to Isabella Swan, I'd always been on the popular side, where as my sister was more reserved and a bit of a loaner, which is one reason we'd never gotten along that well, we went to the same school, but never saw each other, I was in regular she was in advanced, however at Forks high school there's no differentiating, everyone is on the same level, who knows how that is going to be... sharing classes with my sister...
"Charlie..." I said as I greeted my father coldly
"Ben." He said just as coldly, my father and I had been more than a little distant, I came out when I was 14 when I was talking to him on the phone, he just hung up, ever since then we hadn't spoken, Bella had set up the move, even bought my plane ticket, I had missed the plane on purpose, but those airport people are so understanding they just booked me on the next flight, just two hours late, big deal
"Bella..." I acknowledged her
"Late much?" She asked and half hugged me
"I was born late..." I said with our signature half smile, I was tall like our father, Bella was above average height for a girl, our similarities were in the face and hair color, I lightened mine though because it made my tan more noticeable, no football team... that was going to hurt... I always had a great tan from the hot Phoenix sun... I would miss Phoenix, I would miss the heat, and my hare brained mother, hell I'd miss the ol' cougars husband too, Phil the minor league baseball player, he taught me a lot... No baseball team either... I've never been big on indoor sports...
Bella and I sat in the back of Charlie's cruiser, once again I was reminded of being a prisoner...
We pulled up to the house, exactly as I remembered it, faded siding, and the shutters that needed a paint job, I'd probably wind up doing all of that out of sheer boredom..
We grabbed our bags from the trunk and headed upstairs, one bedroom... One bathroom, I forgot...
"Ben, I'm working on converting my office into a third bedroom, but that will take a while." Charlie said it, he seemed sincere... and like he wanted to do it, this was one of those older houses, an office used to be referred to as a `den'
"Thanks Charlie..."
He just half smiled, Bella and I looked at each other obviously both noting where we got it from.
She spoke up as we got into our room, with the two twin beds, one purple bed spread and one blue, "If you aren't comfortable sharing I can sleep on the couch..." she said with exasperation in her tone
"You're my twin Hell's Bells of course I loathe the idea of sharing, but I'm not going to sleep on the couch and neither are you, you heard dad, it's only temporary."
"You realize you just referred to Charlie as dad..."
That's where Bella and I differ again, she refers to him as Charlie when we aren't around him, and to his face it's dad, for me it's the opposite, must be a boy thing.
"Well, he's not around, I told you why like a hundred times Belle, it's a matter of principle, the man hung up on me when he found out I'm gay, that's not something a dad should do, even if he wasn't thrilled I wasn't asking for a party I was asking for my dad to still love me." I said getting pissed
"He loves you, come on Benny, you know he does, but he is exactly like you, you two couldn't express your inner truths to save your lives, he was probably just too afraid to say the wrong thing..."
"Maybe, but if that's true, I guess I'll never know."
"Well since you were late, we better get to bed, we start school tomorrow..."
There was a knock at the door, "Come in..." the two said at the same time with a smile at each other, they knew they were getting along better already
"I brought you guys the comforters for your beds, the lady at the store said I should wash them first..."
"Thanks dad." Bella said first
"Yeah, thanks..."
"And guys... I'm really, really glad you're both here... I feel like I have a lot to make up for..." Charlie said with a glance at each of us, then glanced again at me and left the room
"Do you think he heard us?" I asked my sister
"Maybe, if he did though maybe at least one of you has a clue... turn around..." She said indicating she wanted to change, personally I didn't care I was already changing...
"Yeah cause my girl sister is so gonna turn me on..." I joked and she laughed
"You know how self conscious I am..."
"Yeah and I also don't know why, are you decent yet?" She confirmed and I turned to face her, "You are way prettier than you give yourself credit for, you've got a tiny figure, a lot of guys back home were looking..."
"Yeah sure they were..."
"Just pay more attention, I bet you'll be surprised..."
"Why are you so nice all of a sudden, you gonna kill me in my sleep or something?"
"No, but I've always been kinda mean, and we need each other now more than ever..."
The following morning it was like six when there was a loud bang outside and Bella and I sat up straight and looked out the window, we saw a boy with long hair pulling a wheelchair out of the bed of a very old looking truck, "That's a '53 Chevy..." I said amazed to see a classic truck like that running... I slid on a pair of jeans as did Bella
We went outside to greet the two visitors, they seemed oddly familiar Charlie was following us, "must be Billy and his boy..."
"Hey Billy." Charlie greeted, "Jake, always good to see you boy." Charlie said and high fived him, I was instantly a little jealous of the way my father was being with the boy
"Jake you remember Isabella and Bennett, don't you...?" Billy asked
"Yeah..." The boy walked up to us, "Hey guys, remember me, Jacob Black, we used to make mudpies together..." he said to Bella and then turned to me, "And you used to beat me up and throw me into the mud..."
"Yeah sorry about that..." I said, and dad called to us as he hit the truck, "What do you two think?"
"Of what?" I asked
"Your welcome home present..."
"This?!" We both asked at the same time
"Oh yeah, they're twins alright!" Billy exclaimed and Charlie laughed
"This is great!" I exclaimed and we climbed in, Jake got in and started explaining the basics of operating the testy vehicle, personally I don't know how to drive stick, never got to learn, "Great, Bella, looks like you'll be doing all the driving..."
"I told you to ask Phil for lessons, he taught me!" She said she wasn't really a big fan of driving
"Well, if you want... I could give you some lessons, I've been driving for a couple years now, only manual..." Jake said looking at me
"Um. Sure. I don't see why not..."
I'd swear he was gazing as he said that, shake it off Ben... shake it off.
"We've gotta get ready for school, did you want a ride today?" Bella asked Jake
"Oh, I go to school on the reservation..." he said glancing at us, then down to his feet
"Oh... okay... I got dibs on shower!" I yelped and ran into the house, I didn't take long, and left the door open, I went to our room and pulled on some boxer briefs, and then a pair of grey skinny jeans, a tight black v neck with printing on it, and put a rain slicker in my back pack, I bought one since I knew I'd be living in the rainiest cloudiest part of the country, I slipped on some shoes and walked outside
"You're gonna stand out..." Jake said as he packed up his father's wheelchair
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"When you get to school, take a look around... And you'll know." Jake said getting into the truck with a smile and wink and they drove away
Bella came out in a green sweater and flared jeans with converse, her typical attire, we were both dressed like we usually were... we hopped in the truck and fired it up...
"The radio doesn't work... it's all static..."
"I got us covered..." I said and pulled out my FM transmitter and ipod, turned it to the station and hit play,
"Thank god..." Bella said and we laughed and talked in idle chatter for the ten minute car ride
"Well, our car doesn't stick out as much as that silver Volvo does." I said as we parked the beast
"Nice ride." Some jerk said and I just gave him a look as Bella muttered thanks
We went to the office, "Isabella and Bennett Swan, we've been expecting you two, Bernice, Chief Swan's kids are here to pick up their schedules."
Everyone was so painfully nice, we had all the same classes, probably not by a fluke either, we made our way to Biology, "Isabella, I presume..." The teacher said
"Bella..."
"And Bennett..."
"Ben..." I said back
Very well, Bella, have a seat next to Mike over there, and Ben, have a seat next to Edward over there
Separated in our first class... damn... I stepped forward to go sit as I passed the fan Edward stiffened and looked revolted... did I forget deodorant... shit... I get sat next to this gorgeous guy, and I stink... wonderful
As I sit, I subtly check my armpits... nope... fresh... what is this dude's issue... we were having a lecture that day, I glanced over at the boy and he was glaring at me with those dark almost black eyes, I immediately looked straight ahead, did he know I was gay from my clothes and hate me, a homophobe, do I stink, what is going on here, this guy looks really pissed... he stood up and then the bell rang and he was gone fast
By the time lunch rolled around Bella and I had met some cool people, Jake had been right though, I did stick out, nobody was dressed like me, people were staring...
"People are staring at me..." I said
"Oh come on, you can't be serious, you dress like that so people will stare at you!" Bella chided me
"True, but I didn't think it would be the whole school... maybe just a few cute guys..."
"I don't know if they know what gay is here..." We laughed at that and worked our way through the lunch line
We sat down and were soon joined by a few people we'd met throughout the day, Mike Newton, Angela Weber, Jessica Stanley, and Eric Yorkie
"Hey you guys..." Eric said and snapped our picture
"What's with the camera?"
"You two are front page news..." Angela said
"A feature!" Eric said
"No please, don't do a feature, don't do anything..." Bella said
"Well if we don't do this, what should we run..."
"I don't know... eating disorders..." I said
"Speedo stuffing on the swim team..." Bella finished and we laughed
"Good one..." Angela said and wrote it down
"So how was gym Bella?" I asked
"Jerk..." she said and threw a fry at me
"So I've been meaning to ask, what's with your clothes?" Mike asked me
"I beg your pardon?" I asked him
"I mean, why do your jeans look like that..."
"As opposed to what?" I asked him
"Nevermind..." He said
"No you started, it's a style, I realize this town is probably about ten years behind in the fashion industry but this is what's current..."
"Where are you guys from anyway?"
"Phoenix..." Bella said glaring at me for insulting their town
"Shouldn't you be like... really tan? Like your brother..." Jessica asked Bella
"Maybe that's why they kicked me out..." we all laughed and made small talk, everyone forgot about my little outburst
The side door opened and there was a slight rush of wind, as a group of similar looking students walked in, a group that looked much more fashion forward, they were paired off...
"Who are they?" Bella asked
"The Cullens, doctor and Mrs. Cullens adopted kids, they are all like together, like for real together, Dr. Cullen is like some sort of father and match maker..." Jessica explained
"Maybe he can adopt me..." Angela said and we laughed
"The blonde girl, that's Rosalie, she's kinda like the bitch, she's with the big guy Emmett, and the little one that's Alice, she's like really weird, she dances and sometimes just looks dazed, she's with Jasper the blonde one that always looks like he's in pain..."
Then the door opened again and in walked the jerk from before, "Who's that?" Bella asked
"That's Edward Cullen, totally gorgeous of course, but don't waste your time, he never dates, I guess no one around here is good enough for him..."
"Maybe he's not good enough for any of them..." I said under my breath and I'd swear he looked over as I said it, he glared more...
"Ooh... I don't think Cullen likes you too much..." Mike said to me
"Big fuckin' deal."
"Such a pretty face, such ugly language..." Eric said and we all laughed again
It was the end of the day, and we walked through the door to the office, and the person in front of us cringed, "There must be something you can do, anything?"
"I'm sorry everything is full, you'll have to stick with first period Biology... be right with you two..." the person turned around to reveal Edward Cullen
"I suppose I'll have to endure it." He rushed out
"How was your first day?"
"Great..." we both said and turned in the sign off sheet stating we'd made it to each class.
We left school and met up with our dad for a very early dinner at the diner, "how was your first day?" he asked and we made stupid small talk for all of the hour we spent together, and the waitress walked up, "As I live and breathe, Bennett and Isabella, your dad has been so excited for you two to come live up here, how about some cobbler, its your favorite."
We accepted the offer but took the cobbler home with us, Bella and I were sitting up that night talking, trying to reconnect as brother and sister, the connection had been so strained during our time in Phoenix, we were eating our cobbler and talking, I told her about Bio with Edward, "You know now that you mention it he wasn't all that nice to me either, and I was wearing deodorant for sure." She said laughing
"Yeah, I don't know, but if he keeps it up I'm going to confront him, even if it means getting my ass kicked..."
"I'm sure you could take him."
"Something tells me I couldn't even if I wanted to..."
That night I had a dream, I had a dream about Edward and what I would tell him somehow I knew though this dream takes place in a week... why a week, I didn't know...
I awoke the next morning, sure of the things I would say to the jerk, as the days passed I noticed he wasn't in school, maybe it was self-centered of me, but first he wants to change classes, and now he's not at school all together
We were sitting outside it was a beautiful sunny day, I was trying to convince Bella to sunbathe with me that afternoon, I looked around for Edward
"He's not here..."
"I wasn't looking for anyone..."
"Oh dumb me I was assuming you were looking for Edward... well anyway the Cullens parents pull them out for like hiking and camping and stuff when its this nice out, tried that on my parents... they just laughed in my face..."
It wasn't until the following Monday that I saw his face again, It was raining like crazy, that day, but I casually as possible walked in and sat next to him, though he was as far from me as possible he did acknowledge me this time, "Hello, I didn't get a chance to properly introduce myself last week, I'm Edward Cullen, and you're Bennett Swan?"
"Ben, what, suddenly you want to talk to me? What about last week, did something crawl up your ass and die?" there I go with my mouth again..."
"I'm sorry..."
"Did you get contacts or something, because your eyes are a different color..."
"It's the fluorescence... nice weather we're having..."
"You're talking about the weather? Fine... I hate the cold, I hate wetness, anything cold and wet just makes me want to hurl. How's that sound..."
"From the look on his face, normally one would expect a person to be blushing."
"I am sorry I was so rude to you last week, it was not my intention."
"Okay class, we are going to be identifying the stages of mitosis... work with your lab partners, and the winner will get a prize."
"Newest additions first..." Edward said indicating slides and the microscope
"Prophase." I said and wrote it down
"Mind if i..."
"What... check... go ahead..." I really need to be less of a bitch here...
"Prophase..."
"Like I said..."
"Anaphase..."
"Mind if I check it?" I said like a brat
He waved his hand indicating for me to check
"Anaphase..." Damn I was praying he'd be wrong
"Like I said." He said
This went on for roughly five minutes, and we were done first, by far...
"Mr. Cullen, in the future please allow Mr. Swan to do his own part of the work..." I took immediate offense to that... I had done this lab before so I knew how it was done
"Wait a second, are you saying that I'm not smart enough to have done my half?" I asked and my teacher looked very put off by my outburst
"Well... no..."
"Then why would you say that he should let me do my half, because to me that sounds like you are saying he did all the work, but we switched off and I did my half, so I don't understand why you would make the assumption that I didn't pull my own weight here."
"I'm terribly sorry, but..."
"No buts, first impressions may be lasting impressions, but I assure you Mr. Molina that works both ways." I sat back in my chair
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the proverbial bed this morning..." Edward said, as I turned to him and I smiled, he grinned back at me, I felt a pang in my head for a second, I didn't know what was going on...
Edward walked out with me and we were talking I passed right by my sister who Mike was shamelessly flirting with it was pathetic
"So why didn't you stay with you mother?"
"Because girlfriend needs to be alone with her new husband, so she can travel with him and hope he makes the major leagues..."
"I do love baseball." Edward said
"It's okay... not my favorite, that'd be football, but here in this Podunk town we don't have a football team.."
"You know Bennett, I'm having fun here, but I'm thinking, it'd probably be best if we weren't friends..."
"We aren't friends... We go to school together..." I said and walked away from him leaving him by the lockers
The next day I didn't see Edward at all, and Bella was taking an extremely long time so I went to warm up the truck since it had been a pretty icy morning I put my bag on the truck to find the spare key since Bella had the original, I looked over and saw Edward staring at me, all of a sudden I heard tires squealing and as I turn around the back end of a van in coming at me, I have no time to move, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die! I can't move, all of a sudden there's impact, and I open my eyes, there he is... Edward Cullen, I'm blacking out as it happens, but there is a dent where his hand was, on the door to the van, the ambulance is called and I am taken away
My dad arrives, and I hear him yelling at someone, something about suspending a license, he opens the curtain as they are finishing wrapping my wrist, "Son, are you okay, I got the call, and I got here as fast as possible..."
"YOU WILL NEVER DRIVE AGAIN KID!" Dad yelled at to my surprise Tyler, who has a gash on his head
"It was an accident dad, I'm okay, I just hit my head and sprained my wrist, it could have been much worse..."
"I heard the Chief's son was brought in, how do you feel?"
"fine..."
"I think you will be just fine, there's no sign of head trauma."
"I could have died, I might have if it wasn't for Edward..."
"Edward... Your boy doc?"
"Yeah, he got to me so fast, he was nowhere near me, and he knocked me out of the way..."
"Well I'll get those discharge papers..."
As we were walking out, dad told me to call my mom, "Wait, you told mom?!"
"She has a right to know, she's worried..."
"Of course she is... she's probably just freaking out..." I said and pulled out my cell phone while dad went to fill out the paper work
I rounded the corner, I saw the Cullens arguing, the blonde girl... what was her name... whatever, she was reaming Edward... I couldn't make out the conversation, but he said what was I supposed to do let him die... and they looked over in my direction, "Can I talk to you for a second...?" I asked Edward
"What??"
"How did you get over to me so fast?"
"I was standing right next to you Ben."
"You were by your car... don't lie to me..."
"You hit your head and you are confused."
"I know what I saw"
"What exactly was that?"
"You stopped the van, with your hand, you pushed it away like it was nothing."
"Nobody's going to believe you"
"I wasn't gonna tell anyone I just need the truth, for myself..."
"Just thank me and get over it already."
"Thank you"
"You aren't gonna let this go are you?"
"Nope"
"Then I hope you enjoy disappointment"
Edward kind of ignored me the next day, when we went on a school field trip, he stayed away, Jessica walked up to me... "Hey, I was um... I was, I don't know if you wanna go... or if you already have a date... but I was kinda hoping you'd wanna go to the um, the ladies choice formal with me..." I noticed Edward alone but he was smiling... weird...
"Oh... um... that's in two weeks, I'm going up to Seattle that day... But why don't you ask Mike, I know he really wants to go with you..."
"Oh... Okay!" She said all cheery...
I walked by myself through the greenhouse, when I heard a voice, "What's in Seattle...?"
"What, how did you know about that?"
"You didn't answer my question..."
"Well you never answer any of mine..."
He was quiet, "a bookstore..."
"Don't they have bookstores around here..."
"Not the kind I need."
"Let me take you..."
"Why would you want to do that, we aren't friends, remember?"
"Maybe I want to spend time with you, maybe I want to be your friend... but I shouldn't, Ben, we shouldn't be friends"
"You should have figured that out a while ago, and you know...maybe I don't want to be friends or spend time with someone who can't be honest with me, so no, I won't accept your offer, and you know what I wanna know... why didn't you just let the van crush me and save yourself all of this regret."
"You think I regret saving you?"
"I can see that you do, but I don't know why..."
"You don't know... ANYTHING..."
"Hi, will you be riding with us?" A girl I knew was Alice asked me...
"Our bus is full...
The next day at lunch I was making a salad and I got startled by a voice, "Edible art?" I turned to see Edward holding the apple I'd dropped
"You better have caught that and not picked it off the floor."
"You know Bennett when I said it'd be better if we weren't friends that doesn't mean I don't want to be friends..."
"Well could you make up your mind, because your mood swings are really starting to give me whiplash." I said and went to pay for my food
"Let me..." He said and held out a five for my food...
"I could have paid that..."
My friends were waving me over, but Edward requested I sit with him at a table that was also separate from his family
"Don't you want to sit with your own kind?" I asked him and he tensed up a little
"What kind would that be?"
"Your family, what are you retarded?"
"No, I am not disabled..."
"Then just chill out..."
"I find myself intrigued by you Ben."
"Really, I find myself intrigued by the fact that you have a tray full of food and aren't eating it..."
"I'm not hungry."
"Then why waste the money."
"To have a reason to sit with you..."
"Okay, you're beginning to sound a bit like a creeper."
"A what..."
"A creeper, you know, someone that may kill me..."
Edward laughed nervously, "No, I wouldn't do that."
"I would hope not... That was after all a joke."
We talked about nothing in particular all throughout lunch, but then I recalled that my friends wanted me to go to the beach, "Hey a bunch of us are going to the beach after school, you should come..."
"Which beach?" Edward asked with a slight twinkle in his amber eyes
"La Push..." instantly the twinkle was gone...
"I'm not a big fan of that beach, it's too crowded..."
"Alright." I said a bit upset that he didn't want to go
I met up with the group afterwards and we filled up Mike's SUV and drove down to the reservation, to the beach, which to my surprise was deserted
"Hey, Ben, Bella, what are you doing in my neck of the woods?" We heard Jake's voice ask us as the group was suiting up to surf
"Oh hey Jake, everyone this is Jacob Black, he's from the reservation, Jacob these are our friends, Angela, Mike, Jessica, and Eric."
"Hi, this is Quill and Embry."
"Why do you look like you're missing something?" Jessica asked me
"He's just pissed his date didn't show up..."
"Date, what date...?" Eric asked
"Didn't he tell you, he invited Edward..."
"Cullen... well I'm glad he didn't come, Cullen's a freak..."
"The Cullen's don't come here." One of the boys, I believe Embry said in a tone that sounded harsh
"Ben, you wanna take a walk?" Jake asked me
"Sure."
I walked with Jake through the woods and we found a large tree stump, we sat down, "So what did your friend mean by `the Cullen's don't come here'?" I did my best deep voice impression
"So you caught that did you..." I could tell Jake is gay, by the way he'd been looking at me he's at least bi... so I decided to put that to the test
"Just an old scary story they used to tell on the res."
"Tell it to me please..." I said and nestled against his arm, which felt nice and well muscled
"Just dates all the way back many years ago, the Quilleutes are descendants of the wolves, the legend of our tribe, supposedly the Cullens are descended from an enemy clan, they were found hunting on our land, they claimed to be different, so we made a treaty, if they stayed off Quilleute lands, we wouldn't expose what they really were to the pale faces..."
"I thought they just moved here..." I said into Jake's neck
"Or just moved back..." Jake said and pressed his forehead against mine and he pressed his lips to mine.
"Whoa Jake, I think you got the wrong idea..." I said as I pulled away from him
"I thought you wanted me to..."
"Jake, I'll be honest, I am gay, but I am not really looking for a boyfriend right now, I'm so new to the area..."
"It's okay, I shouldn't have done that anyway, how could you be interested in me anyway..."
"Jake, please don't be like that, it's just the timing... its just all wrong... maybe once I'm not so new... please..." I said to him and ran my hand along his face.
"Okay, and I'm sorry again for the kiss."
"Don't be sorry... I'm not..." I said and kissed his cheek and headed back to my friends, who were all packed up and ready to go, we piled in the SUV again and headed back towards home
I texted Bella, "He kissed me."
"Jake?" she texted back
"Yeah... I brushed him off though, I feel so bad."
"You can't be with someone if you don't like them..."
We were all around outside the next day and it was decided we'd go to Port Angeles, to get the girls dresses, "Is it okay if I come along?" I asked
"Um yeah, gay guy equals best shopping partner!" Jessica said
"And you know there is no way that I will go thru this without you..." Bella said
"I still can't believe you asked Tyler..."
"I just did it to be nice, he's been so crazed about almost killing you, now I've gotta get a dress..."
We all drove up in Angela's mom's car, and we were stoked to find some cool places to check out it was a surprisingly well stocked area.
The three of them tried on all sorts of dresses
"Jessica, for the last time, you look fat in that one... try this one!!!" I exclaim trying to get her to see things my way
"There is no way that color will look good on me!"
"Just try it... for me..." I said and did puppy eyes... I know its not fair to sway a girl when you have no intention of being with her, but I had to get to the bookstore, I'd found a copy of a Quilleute legends book, I was going to get to the bottom of this if it kills me...
"Okay I concede.. I love it..."
"Four hours later..." I respond to Jessica
"Thank you!" She said
"I'll meet up with you guys, I'm gonna go check out this bookstore."
"Okay, meet us at the restaurant."
They walked away to find shoes to go with their dresses, and I walked the miles to the bookstore...
I decided to look around and lost track of time, it was dark by the time I left, I've always loved books, even though I'm not much of a student, books I do love...
I was cutting through an alley when I saw two guys coming at me, I turned around cause I heard one of them cat call, I went the other way and I started turning random corners to get away, I was trapped, it was a dead end nothing but a small access road, I didn't know where to go, a bunch of guys appeared, "What do we have here..."
"Mmm mmm mmm, he is very tasty looking..." one of them said and rubbed his crotch
"Come hang out with us baby, we'll show you a good time, fuck that sweet little ass, look at the way those jeans hug that body..." one guy said as he put his hand on my shoulder
"BACK OFF!" I said and kicked him in the balls, that's when they moved in, I heard tires squeal and I saw the silver Volvo...
"Get in the car!" Edward said and I swear I heard him growl, just the look he gave them scared them, and he got back into the car and pressed the gas, causing them to run away, then he flipped the car around and peeled out,
"Are you hurt!?"
"No..."
"I should go back there and rip those guys heads off."
"no you shouldn't"
"You don't know the vile repulsive things they were thinking"
"And you do!?"
"It's not hard to guess..."
When we got back to town we saw my sister and Angela, and Jessica coming out of the restaurant...
"Where were you, I've been worried sick!?" Bella asked me
"We waited for hours, but we got so hungry we just had to eat." Jessica said
"I'm so sorry, Ben and I ran into each other at the bookstore, we got to talking, and we lost track of time..."
"No problem, that stuff happens..." Jessica said,
"You ready to go?" Angela asked
"I think I should make sure Ben gets something to eat, if that's alright with him of course, I'll see to it you make it home..."
"Sure, I should probably eat something..."
The hostess didn't even look at me once, but the girl was falling all over Edward... and here I thought I wasn't too shabby...
After we sat down, "You really shouldn't do that you know..."
"Do what?"
"Make people swoon over you..."
"Do YOU swoon over me?" Edward asked calmly
"No." I said and thought it sounded kind of mean, "I don't swoon over anyone, it's not my style, I think it makes one look pathetic..."
"I couldn't agree more... that's just one of many things about you that interests me." Edward said and a waitress walked up
"What can I get you?" She asked me, not really rude, but just very blunt
"I'll have the mushroom ravioli and a coke with the meal, but could I get a cup of hot tea to start?" I asked as nice as possible
"Sure." She said in short, "And you, what can I get for you?" She asked Edward in a seductive yet sweet voice
"Just a hot tea."
"I'll get those for you right away." She said smiling and not looking at me once
"You see what I mean, you have this way of making all these girls go mad for you, I mean, what am I chopped liver..."
"You care that girls don't pay attention to you?"
"No, I couldn't care less, but still it makes me feel inferior when I don't even get looked at..."
"So you have an inferiority complex?" Edward probed
"No, it's just that back home I had a lot of friends, and I had a boy--- I had someone, that really cared about me, and would look at me the way all of these girls look at you, with total adoration, sometimes I miss feeling special and not to sound like a shallow jerk, but I miss feeling hot."
"You are the most beautiful person in this room." Edward said, and I know I flushed all shades of red, nobody had ever given me a compliment like that...
"Why would you say that, you know it's not true, everyone in here is staring at you, not me."
"That's because they don't see the you that I see, if they did, they wouldn't look at me twice."
I knew I was even redder, "Okay, you've gotta give me some answers."
"Yes, no, to get to the other side... 1.77245..."
"I don't wanna know the square root of pi..."
"You knew that?"
"Yes... But I want to know how you knew how to find me, did you follow me..."
"No... but I did try to keep a safe distance in case you needed me, it was difficult, but then I heard what those low lives were thinking..."
"Wait what do you mean, like you read minds??"
"I can read every mind in this room, except yours, you are a mystery to me, and I find myself drawn to you, and very protective of you, I don't want anything to happen to you... you just have a tendency to walk into danger..."
"Maybe I'm supposed to die, did you think of that?"
"No, if you were supposed to die I would know."
"How..."
"I can't say..."
"Here's your mushroom ravioli..." The waitress said and plopped it and my coke down in front of me and turned to Edward, "Are you sure there isn't ANYTHING I can get you?"
"He's sure, we were talking."
"That'll be all..." Edward said
The girl left, flustered
"That was rude..."
"I have considered radioactive spiders and kryptonite..."
"That's all super hero stuff right?"
"Yeah."
"What if I'm not the hero, what if I'm the bad guy..."
"Well I've always had a thing for the bad guys..." I said and wanted to bite my tongue for being so forward
"You don't know what you're getting yourself into..."
"I think I'm getting ideas..." I said quietly
Edward waved for the check and the girl promptly got it he paid and we left
It was a very cold night, so he turned on the heaters so I could warm up when he heard me shivering, "Thanks." I said
We were quiet, "I think I'm warm enough..." I said and we both reached for the heater, our hands touched and I yanked back, his hand was ice cold...
"Your hand is so cold..."
He ignored me and stepped on the gas... we were driving for a while and I glanced over
"Shouldn't you slow down?!" I asked noting we were going 90
"I drive fast, don't worry you're safe with me, I have great reflexes."
"Aren't you worried about getting pulled over?"
"Nope." He said and drove.
We got to town fast due to his maniacal driving... and I saw my dad's car at the police station, "Wait, pull in, my dad's still here..."
"So is mine..." Edward said
I recognized Dr. Cullen immediately as he was exiting, he told us about an attack at the docks... my dad's best fishing buddy was dead, I knew this was the end of our night, "I'll see you later..." I said and went to find my dad
I found him sitting at his desk... "Dad..." I couldn't bring myself to be mean spirited, not at a time like this...
"Thirty years... thirty years, since we were kids... we were so..." I put my hand on his shoulder and hugged him the first time I'd hugged him in a long time
"I am so sorry dad... I know how close you guys were."
"Do me a favor, carry this, and give one to your sister, it'll give me a piece of mind..." he said handing me pepper spray
"Sure..." I said and he spoke again... this time unexpectedly
"I love you son, that hasn't changed, and it never will no matter what..." I fought back the tears
"I love you too dad, let's go home."
We got into his cruiser and drove home, Bella was already in our room, and she had apparently gone to bed, I pulled out my mac book and my new book, I cross reference everything I knew about Edward from both Jake, and experiences, I used both Google and the book, "The Cold Ones" I read, blood drinking, cold pale skin, extremely fast movements... I was right... oh my god, this can't be real...
I went to bed that night unsure of how to approach this...
In the morning I awoke, I put on my usual attire topped with a jacket, the drive to school felt painfully long, I met up with Edward in the parking lot... "We need to talk... follow me..." his family was eyeing me with suspicion, but I pulled him along with me into the woods
"You're impossibly fast and strong, your skin is pale white and ice cold, your eyes change color, and sometimes you speak like you're from a different time, you don't eat or drink anything, you don't go out in the sunlight, how old are you?"
"Seventeen..."
"And how long have you been seventeen...?"
"A While..."
"I know what you are..."
"Say it... out loud... say it..."
"A vampire..."
"Are you afraid?"
"No..."
"Ask me the most basic question, what do we eat?"
"You won't hurt me..."
"Come on..." Edward said and lifted me with ease, put me on his back and ran up the mountain
"Why are we up here?"
"You need to see what I look like in the sunlight..."
"This is why we don't show ourselves in sunlight, people would know we're different..."
He took off his jacket and shirt, he began to sparkle like diamonds he had an almost yellow glow, "It's like diamonds, you are beautiful..."
"Beautiful... This is the skin of a killer, I am a killer..."
"I don't believe you... "
"You believe the lie I am the perfect predator, you are supposed to be attracted to me, my voice, my face, my smell, everything about me draws you in, as though I'd need that it's not as though you could outrun me..." he yelled and ran up a tree, "as if you could fight me off..." he ripped a branch out of the ground, "I am designed to kill... I've killed people before..."
"I don't really give a fuck what you're designed to do..."
"I wanted to kill you, more than anything I wanted to drink your blood and drain you of your life..."
"I trust you won't..."
"Don't trust me.."
"I am here, and I do trust you..."
"My family is different we have learned to control our thirst, we only drink from animals...but with you... I wanted to... so badly... you... your scent, so beautiful, I am like a drug addict and you are like my own personal brand of heroin."
"Why did you hate me so much when we first met?"
"I did, only for making me want you so badly, but I still don't know if I can control myself..." he sounded vulnerable
"I know you can." I said pulling myself up towards him
"I can't read your mind... you have to tell me what you're thinking..." he said putting his arms on either side of me
"Now I'm afraid..."
"Good..."
"Not of you, I am afraid of losing you, it sounds like you want to disappear or something..."
"You don't know how long I have waited for you..." Edward said... "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..." Edward said and my heart fluttered
"What a stupid lamb..."
"What a sick masochistic lion..."
We went back to the meadow where he'd shown me his skin in the sunlight, we laid in a bed of wildflowers next to one another gazing into one anothers eyes, and he just took one finger, and ever so slightly ran it down my cheek so gently, his icy cool finger made me shiver and the sun hit our bodies as we gazed to each other I brought myself over and laid my head on his stone hard chest.
The day went by we stayed in that meadow, completely ignoring the school day, I didn't care... it's not like I would have been able to focus anyway
I was thinking the next morning when getting ready for school, as Charlie left for work... there were three things about which I was certain, first Edward is a vampire, second there is a part of him and I didn't know how dominant that part may be, that thirsts for my blood, but third I am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him...
I told Bella to head to school without me, and she didn't question, she simply went, the horn honked... I looked out the window and saw Edward standing by his Volvo... waiting
I went out and he opened the door for me..."You ready for this?" he asked
"As ready as I will ever be..." I said and we set off for school
As we pulled up I noticed people were already staring, and once I stepped out of the passenger door that Edward was such a gentleman to open for me, the jaws dropped
"Everyone is staring at us..." I said
"Not that guy... oh wait there he goes..." Edward said with a slight laugh, "whatever I'm going to hell anyway, why not break all the rules.." he said and put his arm around me and we walked together...
He walked me into first period and we sat together like usual, the usual stares...
"You wanna hear something funny?" he asked me
"What's that?"
"More people are jealous of me, than of you..."
"Oh please, you are making that up..."
"Scouts honor, I tell the truth, more people are wishing they had you on their arm."
"I'm still gonna go with lies.. but okay..."
"Jessica wants details after class."
"There's nothing to tell."
Sure enough after class I was cornered by Jessica and she asked me for details, "We just started going out..."
"I guess that explains why he wasn't interested in anyone until you came along..."
After Jessica left Mike came along... "SO, you and Cullen huh?"
"Yes... Me and Edward..."
"I've gotta say I don't like it, it's just, the guy looks at you like you're something to eat..."
"Well depending on how you look at it Michael... I could be..." I said with a seductive undertone and made my way to my next class... this time it was my sister who cornered me
"How could you not tell me! I am your sister, I should have been able to know first..."
"It just happened, yesterday, so you found out the same way everyone else did Bells."
"Still... I deserve special treatment... I am your twin."
That day at lunch, Edward and I were stared at more, and the most piercing staring was from our usual tables, his family was giving me the death glare, and my table was giving him the death glare.
"When will this novelty pass?" I asked
"I wish I knew, all I'll tell you is that this is the first time I have dated anyone, so it may take a bit."
"Great, I just love attention so very much..."
After school that day we were hanging out on the shore, "So how did you become a vampire?"
Edward explained his story about dying of Spanish influenza but Carlisle finding him and turning him into a vampire
"So does a person have to be dying to be made a vampire?"
"No, that's just Carlisle, he'd never do this to someone with another choice, it's not in his nature to do so..."
"Is Carlisle the reason you don't kill people anymore?"
"No, not the only reason, we have this inside joke, that we are vegetarians, its like a human only eating tofu, we are never fully satisfied, so we have to over come our urges... like what would it be like to drink your blood?" Edward said with a stifled laugh
"Was it other vampires that kill Wayland?"
"Yes, we come across others from time to time."
"Can your whole family read minds?"
"No, but Alice can see the future..."
"I bet she saw me coming..."
"Alice's visions are subjective, they can be changed..."
Edward drove me home and we were talking more, we always have something to talk about... He noted a dent on the truck and popped it out,
"I am going to take you to my place tomorrow..."
"As in with your family??"
"Yes..."
"Well what if they don't like me..."
"So you aren't afraid of being in a house full of vampires, but you're afraid they wont approve of you..." He laughed
"I am glad I amuse you..." I said and he perked up... "What is it?"
"A complication... I'll pick you up tomorrow..."
After he left Jake and his dad pulled up, "Come to visit your truck?" I asked
"Looks good, I see you managed to get that big dent out..."
"I'm that good." I said
"We came to visit your flat screen, baseball season, mariners, today... Plus Jacob here has been bugging me to see you again..."
"Thanks dad..." Jake said blushing
"Just keeping it real son... was that one of the Cullens I saw leaving here..."
"Yeah, Edward, we were working on a project together..." I said not wanting to reveal our relationship since I know how Quilleutes feel about the Cullens
"What do you say to a driving lesson?" Jake asked
"Sure... why not..."
We got into the truck and Jake drove us out onto some side streets, we switched spots, and he told me what to do, and I did it, I only killed the engine once...
"You did great today, you are ready to drive us home..." he said
"Really, you think I can..."
"I know it..."
"Alright..." I said and I followed the directions he'd given me and I put the clutch into gear and I drove us back to the house... "I DID IT!!!" I was so proud of myself and Jake pulled me into a hug, it was different from Edward, warm, and nice... Jake tried to move in for a kiss but I pulled back
"I knew it..."
"What...?"
"You and Edward weren't really working on a project, you two are together aren't you...?"
"I won't lie, we did start seeing each other..."
"So what, I just wasn't the one you want, you lied to me, you said you were too new to the area to date, and now you are with him...?"
I knew I was in love with Edward... but I also know I like Jake too, in a different way
"Let's go inside.. we can talk more in there, this truck isn't well insulated..." I said and we went inside, and to my surprise my dad called me into the living room...
"Hey what's up dad?"
"I wanna show you something..." He said and led me through the living room to his office.
"A new door?" I asked him
"Yeah, yeah smart ass... open it..."
I opened the door and when I looked around I saw a fresh painted, fully furnished bedroom, I had a new bigger bed, and book cases for the books my mom had fedexed that were gathering dust in the basement
"Dad... it's great... Thank you..." I think I startled him by hugging him
"You're welcome, go on enjoy, Billy and I are gonna order a pizza and watch the game holler if you need us."
We sat down on my bed, "Jake, I am sorry, I really like you, but I have feelings for Edward..."
Jake kissed me out of the blue, and I lost control, I kissed him back I knew it was wrong but I wanted to, I liked him, I had to explore it, I pushed his head down and he undid my jeans and pulled them off, then pressed his mouth to my bulge, and pulled off my briefs, and my shirt, then I undressed him, he was very muscular I pressed my lips to his nipple and licked, then he kissed me again, I rolled us over so I was on top of him as I undressed him, I didn't care about anything else but getting inside him now, I didn't have condoms or lube... so I'd hope he didn't stop me, I licked his hole, which was clean of hair, and licked and sucked, he was doing well at keeping quiet, I sucked on a finger, and pressed it to his opening, he was obviously not a virgin, so I knew I'd be okay just lubing him with my saliva and penetrating him, I did just that, and he inhaled sharply and gripped my arms as I slid all the way into him...
"Oh my god that feels so good." He said quietly and moved his hips with my thrusting, new bed means so squeaking, I was able to quicken the pace and enjoy the ride, he has such a nice hole, just loose enough to be able to go hard a deep, but tight enough to grip my dick nice and tight, I was gonna bust soon, normally I'd pull out, but I knew Jake wouldn't make me, so I plunged in deep, and I moaned quietly
"I'm gonna cum..." I said quietly
"You can cum in me if you want to..." Jake said
"HELLO YOU STILL WITH ME!?!?" Jake said slapping me...
"Whoa... I'm sorry I must have zoned out... this bed is really comfy..."
"So you're with Cullen, are you guys like boyfriends?"
"Yeah, I am going to meet his family tomorrow..."
"Wow... serious stuff."
"I'm sorry Jake, but I really like him, and I am pretty sure I'm falling in love with him."
"I can't compete with that I guess."
"Jake, I'm so sorry, I didn't expect this, I just feel like I'd rather have my best friend and a boyfriend, but I don't feel like they should be the same person..."
"So I am your best friend?"
"Of course, we used to be really close, and I'd like it to be that way again." I said
"Me too... Best friends hug you know..." Jake said with a white smile
"Of course." I told him and we hugged, we just talked for a long time until we heard Billy hollering that they needed to leave
The next day I was pacing my bedroom as there was a knock on my bedroom door
I opened it and there was Bella with breakfast in hand, "I thought since it's our first morning in separate rooms I should give us a reason to hang out..."
"Bells you know you don't need a reason..."
"I know, but I was beginning to think that you were only being nice to me now because we were being forced to share a room."
I grabbed some toast, "No, I honestly meant it when I said that I was trying to have a better relationship with you, and now I am trying to with dad too, I've even been calling him dad to his face."
"Wayland was a really good friend of his, please be nice, he cried last night..." Bella said
"Are you serious? I have never even seen that man's lip quiver over anything."
"Thirty years is a long time Ben, long enough..."
The sound of a horn made us jump, "Who's here?" Bella asked and went to the window
"IT IS TRUE!" She yelled and punched me in the arm, "You know I had my doubts, even after that whole fiasco at school, but here he is picking you up for a date..."
I pulled on my jeans, shirt, and a green sweater because Edward had told me that same sweater made my eyes luminous, "Bye sis." I said rubbing my arm where she'd punched it for effect
"Took you long enough..." Edward made a joke attempt
"Whatever, you've got eternity." I said back and he chuckled
"That I do..." and we drove to his house that was just out of town
As we pulled up the secluded driveway the house took my breath away it was amazing, so many windows and just the architecture was flawless, "This house is beautiful..."
"Carlisle wanted it to be modern and still have a feeling of old style, somehow, it worked, Esme has always had a flare for architecture and interior design."
"I am so nervous."
"Calm down Ben, your arteries are pulsing much too fast, a rapid beating human heart is like waving a martini in front of an alcoholic."
"Okay, I'm okay."
Edward got out of the car and zoomed around before I could open my own door it was being opened for me, "You know, you don't have to be such a gentleman all the time, it's kinda freaking me out." I said with a smile
"I enjoy treating you the way anyone would treat their significant other."
"It's called a boyfriend, get with the century Edward."
"Boyfriend... how seemingly childish."
"It's just what it's called."
"I get it, I just don't like the sound of that, I am your boyfriend... well I like the sound of being YOUR boyfriend."
I smiled at that... "See, you're learning already."
Edward opened the door and led me into the house, "I'll give you a tour... wait... I told them not to do this..." he said and led me into the kitchen
"Whoa get a whiff of that..."
"Here comes the human..."
We walked in amidst some chatter and everyone's eyes darted to me,
"You must be Bennett.." a beautiful woman of roughly 35 said to me in a expressive and musical voice
"Yes, Bennett this is Esme my mother for all intents and purposes..."
"We're making dinner, I hope your hungry...
"I---"
"He already ate..."
Rosalie smashed the bowl in her hands, "PERFECT!"
"Yeah I just I know you don't eat"
"Of course, that was very considerate of you..."
"Just ignore Rosalie, I do"
"Yeah lets just keep pretending like this isn't dangerous for all of us."
"I would never tell anyone anything"
"She knows that..." Esme said in retort
"Problem is you two have gone public now"
"Emmett..."
"HE should know, the entire family will be implicated if this ends badly..."
"Badly as in like I become the meal?" everyone laughed at that
"HI Bennett... I'm Alice..." Alice pulled me into a hug "OH wow... you do smell good..."
"Alice...What are you..."
"It's okay Bennett and I are going to be great friends..."
"Sorry about Jasper, he's our newest vegetarian" Carlisle interjected as a stiff Jasper looked at me awkwardly
"It's okay Jasper, you won't hurt him
"Pleasure to meet you." Jasper forced out seeming unconfortable
"Well that's enough of that, I'm going to take you on a tour of the rest of the house..."
"Well I'll see you soon..."
"He's so cute..." Esme said
"I know..." Alice said in response
"Clean that up, now." Esme said to Rosalie
After the tour and hearing about a few of his past dealings with other vampires Edward and I went to a door, "So this is my room..." He said like any nervous boy would
"May I?" I asked reaching for the door knob
"Please..."
I opened the door and looked around in amazement, books and music were everywhere, it was like someone took Border's Books and Music and put it in a teenaged boys bedroom, there was a sitting futon looking thing with books splayed all over it
"Let's see what the teenaged vampire listens to..." I said and pressed play and I heard beautiful music began to play, it was classical, Edward shifted uncomfortably
"It's Debussy... I don't know..." He kind of looked down, as though he'd be flushing from embarrassment if he could
"No... Claire De Lune is great... everyone should know it..."
Edward grabbed my hand, and pulled it around his waist, I got uncomfortable for a second, "I'm not a very good dancer, not this kind of dancing anyway..."
"Well I could always make you..."
"I'm not afraid of you..."
"You really shouldn't have said that..." Edward said, growled and lunged at me tackling me, wrapping me in his arms
"How about now..."
"Okay, you are a very scary monster..." I said sarcastically
We talked for the day, and Edward brought me back home that evening in time to go out to dinner with Bella and Dad.
"So Bella, looks like the Newton boy's got a smile for you..." Dad started
"Are we really going to talk about boys...?" I asked
"Speaking of which, Dad, why don't you ask Ben where he spent the day..."
"What are you talking about... Bennett where did you spend the day?"
"At the Cullen house..."
"What were you doing there?"
"I was meeting Edward's family..."
"Why were you doing that?"
"Because Edward and I are dating..."
"I have to meet him you know..."
"What?" I was shocked, my dad wanted to meet my boyfriend...
"Okay, I'll have him over this weekend..."
"Alright then, Billy and I are going hunting and fishing this weekend, so don't even try to maneuver out of it... otherwise maybe I'll just arrest the boy and interrogate him the old fashioned way." I'd never heard my dad like this, so father like, so protective. I have to say I like it
"Alright... I promise to bring him over..." I said hoping I could get away with not but I knew that was a stretch
We went home and all went to our rooms, it was around 10:30 when there was a light tap on my patio door, I looked through the curtain and saw Edward
"How did you know I was awake?"
"I didn't, but I hoped..."
"What are you doing here so late...?"
"There's something I've been wanting to try..." Edward was backing me up to my bed, I sat back and pulled myself back towards my pillows as Edward crawled on top of me
"And what's that...?" I asked
"Don't move..."
"Okay..." I said breathless as Edward inched his face downward aligning our lips, he gently brushed his lips, to my cheek, I became flustered, but still allowed it without even flinching, he kissed the corner of my mouth, and then it happened, he pressed his lips with the touch of a feather to mine, and the electricity I felt was unlike anything I have ever felt before, I pulled him into me by the back of his hair and kissed him harder, adding my tongue and he reciprocated this action, the taste of him was divine, I couldn't bring myself to stop, I pulled back and lifted his tshirt off, he allowed this and did the same to me, and he pulled off my sweat pants, I was a little self-conscious because now he'd know I was going commando
"You, are the most beautiful specimen I have ever seen in my life..." Edward said as he ran his icy hands over my body and began to stroke me to life, I arched my back his touch was so intoxicating it was like a drug, somewhere in the mix he'd taken off his own pants and underwear
"Do you want me?" I asked him
"More than anything..."
"Will you make love to me?" I asked
"I want to... I really do, but I am so afraid to hurt you, I am so strong, and you are so... human..."
I placed my hand on the back of his head, "I trust that you can control yourself... I believe in you Edward..."
"Promise me that if you hurt you will tell me... I won't know, please baby, you have to tell me."
"I promise." I said, at least him not being able to here my thoughts would help
To Be Continued...