Chapter 24. Vote

When last we left Edward and Bella they were engaged in a familiar argument about Bella's future. 'To be or not to be a vampire' Normally Bella loses this argument fairly quickly but this time Bella found a way to use her largely useless skill of endangering her own life to an advantage. During their recent Volturi encounter, the Italian vamps had promised to rain down hell if Bella weren't 'turned' when they next met, Bella argues that staying human endangers not only her life but the lives of the rest of the Cullen clan and thus the whole family should have a say in whether or not she gets to vamp out, not just Edward.

Clever Bella. That's some pretty sound logic from a girl who mere pages ago was hallucinating old lovers. A pretty snappy come back from a mental break down wouldn't you say? But seriously, she makes a good point, the Cullen's do deserve a say in this little debate. Bella's faith that the Cullen's will be on her side of the argument is a little surprising. After all, Bella has been nothing but trouble for the vampires since she showed up in Forks. None of the Cullen's had to worry about endangered lives before she came along, if I were a member of the Cullen clan I wouldn't vote vampire or human, I'd vote for Bella's head on a stick.

Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, Edward reluctantly agrees to sneak Bella away to see the Cullen's and put her mortality to a vote, of course when they actually get to the house he says

"I'm just humoring you with this. It doesn't matter in the slightest what they say."

Typical, controlling, 'thinks he knows whats best', 'won't let you make your own decisions', Edward. I'm starting to miss Jacob already.

Obviously the family votes to vamp Bella. Edward and Rosalie's 'Nay's' are outnumbered by 'Yeas' from Alice, Jasper, Emmet, Esme and Carlisie. It was a stupid vote. Giving up humanity isn't so bad, what does Bella have to lose? cheeseburgers? Let's look at the upsides of vampirism a la the Meyerverse, we get: immortality, eternal youth, speed, super strength, not to mention the money she'll save never having to buy body glitter again. And in the con column we have what? Sleep? Overrated. The sun? Nope. Food? She'll still get to chow down on some tasty mountain lion from time to time...some venison perhaps....sounds like a good deal to me. Regardless, the vote swings in Bella's favor and Carlisle agrees to bite her. In response to this, and in a totally unnecessary rage, Edward's stalks out of the room and starts breaking stuff like a spoiled child then returns and starts screaming 'NO!' in Bella's face. Who knew Edward was such a poor loser?

After he stops yelling Edward tries a more reasonable approach to stalling the inevitable and reminds Bella that Charlie probably wouldn't take her sudden disappearance very well. That gem of logic puts Edward back in the game and brings the Bella vs. Edward scoreboard to 1, 1.

It's decided that Bella's vampification will be put off until after graduation when she has moved out of Charlies house, which gives Edward time to come up with more long term stall tactics. Time he obviously doesn't need because before the chapters over he's already figured out how to best Bella in the argument for her humanity. Edward offers a trade, he agrees to vamp Bella himself if she will marry him. In a shocking twist...well it's about as shocking a twist as Stephanie Meyer is capable of maneuvering...Bella says 'no' to Edward's proposal and around the globe millions of preteen girls gasp in horror then cry out in chorus 'Marry me!'

One of the best parts of this chapter is a small section where Bella admits to Edward that he is much scarier than the Volturi because while the worst the Volturi can do is kill her, Edward can leave her. This confession hurts Edward of course and Bella regrets the admission for causing him pain. Personally, I wouldn't feel even a twinge of regret. Awwwww, is poor broody Edward feeling bad for breaking Bella's heart, leaving her all alone to suffer, almost die and torture and tease poor Jacob with false promises of a future together? Well, GOOD! That's what you get for leaving. Edward should suffer a little. Don't get me wrong, I'm overjoyed to have Edward back, but don't you think he deserves a little taste of what he put the rest of us through? Edwardless for almost an entire book! A little retribution isn't undeserved. I think Bella simply telling Edward the truth, that she's more afraid of losing him again than of death, is letting him off easy. Just wait until Jacob gets a chance at him in Eclipse, that's a little more just punishment.

Oh yes, Bella also tells Edward about her hallucinations. I probably would have kept that little tidbit to myself but it triggers Bella's epiphany which is *drumroll* 'Edward loves her' I know, it's pretty poor as far as epiphanies go but then Bella generally is a little on the slow side.

Favorite Quotes and Conversation:

TBA

Chapter 22 sum up in 10 points or less:

• Bella has an epiphany realizing that Edward loves her
• Bella asks the Cullen's to vote on her mortality
• Bella wins the vote for vampirism 5 to 2
• Edward breaks stuff
• Carlisle agrees to bite Bella after graduation
• Edward offers to do Bella in himself if she'll marry him
• Bella says no (and shocks and outrages teenage girls everywhere)
• Charlie is not on Team Edward
  
• Bella tells Charlie to ease up on Edward or she'll move out