The Alchemist

Chapter 9

"Why did you say it like that?" She answered.

"What?" What did I say?

"The human way? What other way would there be?" I thought she knew.

"Duh, the vampire way. What else?" I shrugged taking a sip from my bottle of water and wiping some sweat from my forehead. It was hot but not in the sunny way. 

"That's silly. There's no such thing as a vampire way." Rose rolled her eyes behind Bella. She was probably mentally calling my sister stupid or something.

"Of course there is. Rose just did it." I pointed out.

Bella shook her head. "You're mistaken. She used tools." Ah she still didn't know I know.

"Bella. I know the truth." I told her.

"What truth?" playing dumb? Really?

"Don't play dumb Bella, your sister knew long before you did." Rose interrupted sounding annoyed. She didn't particularly like my sister.

"You did?" She sounded a bit hurt or something.

"Yes. Remember that one weekend that I stayed here after a long run?" I reminded her.

"Yes, and suddenly you got along with Rosalie like nothing happened before. That's when you found out?" She realized.

"Yes." I answered with a nod.

"Why didn't you say so after I did? I was wishing that you knew just to be able to talk to someone." She sounded hurt that I had kept a secret from her.

"Why?" She gave me a look. Ah because of that.

"We'll talk at home then." She nodded and went inside.

"What did she want to talk about?" Rose asked.

"About the rather obvious fact that she is falling for Edward, I think. I mean, have you seen the two? The awkwardness between them is almost suffocating.

"Yes, but did you know that she is his singer?" Singer?

"What's that?" I asked a bit confused.

"The one person in the whole world whose blood is almost singing to us. It is extra hard for us to resist its call. Hence the name singer." Immediately I came up with various creative ways to murder Edward if he were to harm Bella and I hoped he could 'see' them.

"I promise I am trying my hardest not to hurt her. Does she really like me?" He entered the garage.

"I never told you." I wish I really hadn't. He came by every night but now she knows he does. He met Charlie officially as Bella's boyfriend and while I did put in a nice word for him, Charlie didn't like him.

He was like the overprotective fathers in movies, when their daughters bring boys home. Bella had actually asked me for some help in this, the day she learned I knew.

She had come to my room to talk. "So, who is it?" I put the pencils down, as I had been working on a drawing.

"Who is what?" This was a rather random way to start a conversation and kind of out of character for her. I mean that's the kind of question that girly girls ask, right?

"Who is it that you like?" I had no idea what she meant.

"Bella, what are you talking about?" I asked.

"Edward told me that we like hanging around vampires because we feel attracted to them like flies to honey. So is it Emmett?" Ah the talk she had wanted to have a few days ago.

"No." He was like Mark but he is nothing more than a best friend.

"Then Jasper?" No. We play strategy games and talk history together but that was all. Another friend.

"Neither. I don't feel attracted like you do to any of them." I answered.

"Then is it one of the girls? I wouldn't judge." She assured me.

"No. Bella. You are having a genuine crush on Edward. I feel nothing of the sort for any of them." I made sure to be clear.

"Then how come most of them seem to care for you?" Excuse me? Was she jealous?

"Have you talked to them?" I asked.

"Yes but..." No she hadn't. I am pretty sure Edward keeps her away from most. Kind of in a controlling overprotective way if you ask me.

"No. Have you really talked to them. Asked each of them things to get to know them as individuals?" I asked again.

"No. Edward said it was too dangerous to spend time alone with them. Which makes me wonder if you are crazy to do so anyway especially around Jasper." Now she was acting plain dumb. And if she really follows exactly what Edward says, she might stay that way.

"What's the problem with Jasper?" What does she actually know about him?

"He has the least control of them all. He was the last one to get in this diet and he has had most slip ups." She didn't figure that one out yet? 

"Tch. I take it Edward told you that too?" I asked but I think I knew her answer already.

"Yes." I was slowly starting to dislike him more and more. I can understand wanting to protect her but this was a bit much.

"Bella, do you know about Jasper's gift?" I asked her.

"He can feel and manipulate emotions." At least she knows this much.

"Yes. Tell me, is bloodthirst an emotion?" I asked her.

"It is. Yes, why?" Come on Bells. I know you are pretty smart.

"What would happen if one or more vampires felt that in the vicinity of someone with the gift Jasper has?" I asked her.

"He would feel their bloodlust on top of his own. I see." She looked down ashamed she didn't figure it out by herself.

"Have you heard the term singer?" I asked.

"No." She answered expecting me to explain that as well, I think. 

"Ask Edward and really pay attention." I warned. If she knows what it is then he is at least honest with her. If she doesn't he is manipulating her understanding of the supernatural world and that could proof to be dangerous.

"Okay, I will." Let's say Edward wasn't happy with me keeping Bella from becoming a spineless damsel by this. When Bella was using the bathroom, he approached me acting as if he was trying to scare me into obeying his opinions of women, his sense of the superior vampire over the puny human and his wish to keep Bella in the dark so she wouldn't wish to be turned.

"Leona, I have to warn you to stop telling Bella everything." He said getting a bit close for my taste. Rose had just left because Esme had wanted something. I was alone with him but I was sure they could hear him.

"Why should I?" Did he think he could intimidate me?

"Because I say so. I believe that in this case I would know what's best as you are just a girl and human. Whereas I am the superior species, sex and age." Oh he did not pull the I-am-male-therefore-superior-card.

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