Chapter One; Leaving

Bella's POV

It's been nine months since he left me. My heart was broken, weeping for him to come back. I've been refusing to go to school ever since, not speaking a word. I had nightmares every night; waking myself up with a scream. Charlie was used to it though, but after nine months of Bella's moping, he finally spoke up with anger.

"Isabella Marie Swan, could you do something useful?" he asks, not waiting for an answer. "It hurts to see my only daughter mourning around the house over a horrible monster, after nine months!" He spits out the last word, but he has no idea of the truth behind his words. I lay my head down on the pillow, listening to Charlie.

"What do you want to do? Go back to Renée? I can't stand watching you in pain, and someone who said they were your friend called, wanting to see you, so clean up. Try to act like he never came," he encourages, sitting on the end of the couch were a lay, clinging to a pillow. I look at him for a long time, taking his words to heart. Forget him, forget him, forget him, my mind chants. I kiss him on the cheek, standing up.

After cleaning myself up and putting on Alice-picked clothes that weren't sweat pants and a gym shirt for once, I run downstairs. Charlie is just about to open the door, and I want to see who urgently wanted to visit me so late during the night. Standing there are two familiar features I just don't want to see. The bright red eyes, cold pale skin, perfect features; it was too much. I ran upstairs, screaming. I slam the door and lock it, jumping on my bed. I listen intently to the conversation downstairs.

"She's in a rough time right now," Charlie explains. "Anyway, why did you want to come so badly?" he asks suspiciously, sounding a bit rude. "Jane here planned a sleepover with Isabella about ten months ago for today, her birthday, and Jane and I came here to pick her up, if you don't mind," says an angelic deep voice- another thing vampires have. "I don't mind. I'd actually love to see my Bells being more productive," Charlie replies.

I gape. I've never met and befriended a girl named Jane, let alone plan a sleepover with her. Why does my life have to have so many vampires? Then I think about him, tears streaming down. A cold hand touches my shoulder, and I jump. There's a girl who stands a foot away from me, her eyes bright red, and she smiles sympathetically. "Isabella, we have to take you to Volterra. Aro wants to meet you and sent some of the guard for you, and we cannot deny his orders to retrieve you." Her voice is sad and her red eyes look pleading. I just can't say no. This was my chance to get farther away from him. It hurts my heart horribly, but he doesn't love me anymore. He wants to get as far away from me as possible, then I'd do it for him. I didn't want him to hurt.

I choke back tears and whisper, "Let's go."

Jane's POV

I didn't expect her to agree so easily. I am shocked, but delight fills me.

Earlier, when her father opened the door, she stared at us then ran to her room screaming. Alec distracted the father while I entered Isabella's room through the window. I saw her crying and asked- more like pleaded- for her to come to Volterra.

After agreeing, I see the pain in her eyes and I hug her. I remember the small chat me and Aro had before the guard was sent to Forks.

Flashback

"Isabella is special Jane, honestly. Edward cannot read her mind. She knows what he is, yet she still loves him. She is strong, and I take a high interest in her as my daughter," Aro said, smiling. I was astonished. "She is strong, master? What makes this human," she paused in disgust, then spat, "strong?" He looked at me quietly. "There are many reasons, and they are what you must learn for yourselves. You are dismissed," he said, a frown on his face.

End of Flashback

I can tell now, she really is strong. She agreed to going and leaving her home to live with vampires in a foreign place, just to have Edward satisfied. How dare Edward misuse such a lovable girl like her? I'm enraged. No one is going to do that to my sister again! I realize what I'm thinking. I could already feel the tie between us. She and I are sisters.

"Bella, your friends are here to pick you up for the sleepover," Isabella's dad calls. I reach into the closet, pack everything that looked good-which was a lot- into the suitcase, hand it to her with a letter and say softly, "Tell Charlie you are going straight to an Italian college, hand him the letter and say your goodbyes."

I hear her going downstairs, and I jump out the window and back through the front door and say, "Sorry, I just had to put on a sweatshirt." I really did grab the sweatshirt from the van at vampire speed though. Alec looks at me and I nod my head once with a smile. I turn my attention to Bella, who is being embraced by her father. She's crying, and it hurts to watch, so I look away. I can see Alec doing the same. She says seriously, "Take care, Dad. I love you."

When we finally arrive to where a Volturi private jet is waiting, Bella is already asleep, and I see Alec stare at her, confused. "Pick her up and carry her to the jet, dummy!" I say, running as fast as I could into the jet. Alec comes in less than a second, carrying her and setting her gently on a reclined chair. I see Demetri staring at her and he smiles without even knowing it. I laugh. "Is the entire vampire male race in love with this human?" Alec's head snaps up at my comment- uh-oh. "I don't even know her!" he says too defiantly. I just giggle.

With this little human, nothing will be the same again.