Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(179)

"What happened?" Charlie asked when she opened her door, following her downstairs. "I thought you liked him?"

"I do like him - that's the problem. I can't do this anymore! I can't put down anymore roots here! I don't want to end up trapped in this stupid, boring town like Mom! I'm not going to make the same dumb mistake she did. I hate it - I can't stay here another minute!" Bella yelled in a desperate attempt to convince Charlie to let her go.

She's good, Emmett thought.

She is setting up an escape...clever, but not clever enough. James thought. Things are about to get real interesting, James sneered in his head.

"Bells, you can't leave now. It's nighttime," Charlie whispered to her with pure sadness in his voice. Charlie's shocked thoughts were over powering as each word lashed at him, causing him pain.

Oh yes she can. Come on little girl, come out to play. James snarled with great smugness.

I resisted the temptation to whip around and attack him.

That is not a good idea, Alice thought in hollow tones. Flashes of the future floated into her mind but disintegrated when I decided not to follow through with my plan.

"I'll sleep in the truck if I get tired," Bella responded to Charlie, her voice emotionless.

"Just wait another week," Charlie begged. "Renée will be back by then."

"What?" Bella stuttered.

We need to get her out of there, Alice pushed.

"She called while you were out." Charlie knew he had caught her off guard. "Things aren't going so well in Florida, and if Phil doesn't get signed by the end of the week, they're going back to Arizona. The assistant coach of the Sidewinders said they might have a spot for another shortstop."

Arizona is it? Surely she wouldn't actually go there. Hum... James' thoughts trailed off.

"I have a key," Bella retorted to Charlie's pitiful attempt at keeping her there.

That's right. Just come outside. James was wistful.

If it weren't for our presence James would have already attacked. I was instantly becoming nervous at our plan. Is this plan going to back fire? I wondered gravely. We would shortly be in her very slow truck driving several miles towards my house before she would be in the protective custody of seven vampires.

"Just let me go, Charlie." Bella said softly. "It didn't work out, okay? I really, really hate Forks!"

This is really going to hurt Charlie, Alice thought sadly.

Bella walked out of the house. "I'll call you tomorrow!" she yelled back to Charlie.

She jumped into her truck and the engine roared to life. She backed out and squealed her tires on the asphalt as she sped away. I was running next to her truck and jumped in. She was trembling and tears were leaking out of her eye lashes in massive amounts.

"Pull over," I said softly.

"I can drive," she barely sputtered a sobbing protest.

Now the fun begins! James thought while running behind us.

I'm right behind you, Edward. Don't worry, he won't try anything, Alice reassured me.

I looked at Bella's face and pain knotted my stomach at the thought of her grief in this moment. I wanted to do something but I couldn't think of how to comfort her. She was barely staying in between the lines on the road, probably because her vision was blinded by more tears. I grabbed her waist and put my foot on the gas pedal, moving her warm body over mine until I was the one driving.

"You wouldn't be able to find the house," I tried to explain to her in a way that wouldn't upset her anymore than she already was.

The lights of the Jeep flashed across the truck and she turned to look out of the window, horror displayed in her eyes.

"It's just Alice," I immediately tried to soothe her by cradling her hand in mine. At my touch she sighed and began to relax, though her face showed a great sadness.

"The tracker?" Bella whispered.

...is running behind us. Emmett's a few steps ahead of him, Alice informed me of the situation outside the truck but I was too intent on continued to leak from her eyes as she looked up at me.

"He heard the end of your performance," I said with the deepest of loathing while remembering his thoughts.

"Charlie?" she looked like she was going to choke from the word.

Alice quickly began scanning for Charlie's future - which was solidly there. His future looks bright, she added.

"The tracker followed us. He's running behind us now." I continued to try and calm her nerves.

"Can we outrun him?" she asked anxious and curious.

In that truck? Funny, Emmett mused.

"No," I pressed the gas pedal down to the floor, emphasizing Emmett's thoughts. The truck groaned, sputtered and continued to move at its regular fifty-five.

Nice try, but that truck isn't going any faster. Emmett thought before jumping in the back, highly amused by the whole situation.

A high pitched scream exited Bella's parted lips and I reached up, clamping my hand across her mouth to quiet her.

"It's Emmett," I explained while removing my hand from her face.

Her face was screwed up in anguish and terror so I wound my arm around her waist and brought her into my side. I felt better immediately at her closeness because this was the safest place for her to be.