Present, Future, But No Past

Chapter 9

Bella's POV

I had a dream that night. One THOSE dreams. The ones that feel all too real.

It started off back at that old house, and I saw Carlisle and Esme pacing almost too fast to be human, along with three others huddled close together and talking too low for me to hear. Carlisle opens his mouth to say something, and I lean forward slightly only to feel that tightening in my chest and I'm moving without moving, fast through a forest before I come to stop at the first familiar place I have seen in these dreams.

My room is dark and I feel a cool breeze blowing in from my open window.

But I specifically remember it being closed when I crawled into bed that night.

My head turns, curious to see if I'm looking at ME in this dream, because surely that would be quite strange.

But there are two people lying in my bed- one I can easily tell is myself.

The other is small, too small to even ponder it to be Charlie.

I take a step closer, feeling the rug under my bare foot, but making no noise.

The figure I see is female, though her hair is short and spiky.

I see myself curled around her and her arms are hesitantly placed around my waist as she lightly brushes my hair with her fingers.

Seeing her do this, I suddenly feel something, like fingers, running through my hair and nails scraping along my scalp.

And it feels SO good that I moan slightly, and it's reflected in the me that pushes tighter into the strange girl.

Her hand, along with her whole body, freezes.

Both mes sigh in almost disappointment, and I then realize that the me standing here is becoming a little too real. I take another step forward and my eyes go wide as the wood creaks under my weight.

The girl's head whips around to face me, searching the spot I'm supposed to be, and I notice those damn GOLDEN eyes.

It's then that I see the obviously pale skin that is almost luminescent in the dark.

She turns back to the sleeping me and brushes her fingers down my cheek, and I feel the cold caress on my own.

I feel my chest tighten, and then I'm being dragged forward and slammed into my body.

I jolt awake, sitting up fast in the bed to look wildly around the room.

No pale people look back at me, and even the window looks untouched, closed, but my body feels strangely hot as if craving a cold touch.

I sigh and flop back against the pillows, wondering if that dream, or out of body experience, or whatever, was even real?

I decide not to go into town today and just hang around the house.

The day is very uneventful and before I know it, I am cooking dinner for Charlie.

Soon I'm ready for bed and staring blankly at the window unsure of what to do.

My dream was just that: a dream. Right?

But then why do I get that sneaking suspicion that someone was with me last night?

Even if someone was in my room, shouldn't I be sprinting to that window and flipping the lock instead of throwing it open right now?

I let out a sigh as I step away from the open window, questioning my own sanity.

"I am such an idiot," I mumble, flopping back onto my bed and curling up into a ball. "A twisted an demented psychopath that would willingly let some stalker into her room as she sleeps, whom I shall add, is not even sure exists because she saw it in a weird ass dream. Great," I sigh. "Now said crazy person is talking to herself... I am such a freak."

I press the heels of my hands hard into my eye sockets before tears can even threaten to fall.

Not only am I living with strangers, however nice Charlie may be, but now I'm having creepy dreams where the people in it turn out to be real. At least some of them.

I don't dream that night or for the next two nights, all of which I had thrown open my window before crawling into bed.

"Hey, can you take me into town today?" I ask Charlie on the third morning of nothingness.

"Sure, where do you want me to drop you off at?" He replies easily over a cup of coffee.

"The grocery store? We're running low on supplies and I want to make dinner tonight."

He pauses and sets both his mug and newspaper down. "You don't have to do that, Bells, I can always go to the store after work."

"Naw, it's fine Charlie; I'm supposed to doing the shopping."

An odd look twists his face, almost angry, and he picks up his coffee to finish the last dregs.

"Sure, but from now on, I'm going to be the one doing it." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash, holding it out to me.

I open my mouth to refuse it, but something in his eyes makes my mouth click shut and take the offered gift.

"Thanks, Charlie." My thankful smile is genuine and he accepts it easily with his own answering one.

"No problem. Maybe I can stop by during my lunch break and we can have something to eat at the Diner."

"Yeah, sure, I'd like that."

"Alright, well let's get going then."

I take his empty cup and rinse it before settling it at the bottom of the sink.

He drops me off outside the store and I wave to him as he pulls away.

I sigh and make my way into the warm store and through the isles with a hand basket thinking about what should I make for dinner. Simple spaghetti would work and it would be enough to last for a few days, I muse.

Turning away from the canned food shelves, I run into what seems like a brick wall.

My basket spills from my hand when my arms sprawl out to catch myself, giving a little gasp of surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The first thing I notice is the tinkling voice. The second is when I look up and am met with those familiar topaz eyes.

I gasp again and quickly look down away from the pretty face.

"S-sorry." I mumble quietly as I start to gather my fallen cooking items.

From the corner of my eye, I see the girl crouch as well to help gather things and swiftly put them into my basket.

I look up to voice my thanks only for my eyes to widen in recognition.

The small frame and spiky hair is all too familiar, even if I've only seen it once in the dark.

My cheeks color as I notice her staring at me with just as much curiosity.

"You're Bella right? Carlisle mentioned that the chief's daughter has come for a visit. I'm Alice, it's nice to meet you."

"Carlisle's daughter," I say nodding as I take her offered hand to help me up.

Her icy skin sends a shiver up my arm and down my spine.

Her head tilts to the side. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"The eyes," I say simple gesturing to them.

She smiles slightly.

"Not many people notice our eyes," she says.

"I don't know how they can't; I've never seen this kind on anybody before. They really are beautiful." I immediately blush at the last comment, not meaning to have voiced that thought.

I quickly look away and start looking for the other things that I'll need, but being quite distracted by the girl following curiously beside me.

"I think you're the first to say that."

I shrug as I pause to look over some spices that I know for certain that Charlie doesn't have.

"You don't talk much do you?" She asks almost amused, and for some reason, I blush again.

"It's because I don't know what to say. I have found that I don't socialize very well."

"I'll have to introduce you to my brother, I'm sure he can loosen you up."

I hum as I throw some noodles into my basket before turning around to find her smiling at me, and I hesitate.

"What?" I ask a little self-conscious.

"Nothing. You're just kind of cute, ya know?"

My cheeks almost hurt with the burn that scorches them.

"W-what?"

Her laugh is like bells, and I'm momentarily stunned. She ignores my embarrassment and links her arm with mine, dragging me to the spaghetti sauce section and picking out a Raggo to put with my other stash.

She then starts pushing me to the checkout line.

Throughout all this, I'm distracted by her oddly cold arm linked with mine, but the cold isn't as uncomfortable as I would have thought. It's actually comforting.

I numbly pay for my items, and soon she's waving bye to me with a grin.

"Bye Bella, it was nice to meet you!"

She calls as she dances the out the door. Only later do I realize that she didn't buy a single thing.

A/N: And, that's the last prewritten chapter that I have from years ago. From here on out, it will be my recent writing.

Review!

~Silver~