Short Story

First Date

I looked at myself in the mirror, not sure whether I looked pretty. The blue dress Alice had dressed me in reached just below my knees. My hair was shiny, curly and wavy, quite different from their usual state: long and boring. As for my footwear, Alice had insisted me to wear the high heels she had brought, but there was no way I was wearing them. Heels and Bella … definitely not the right combination. So, I settled on wearing silver-blue pumps.

I had never given much attention to how I looked. Never for once I had cared to fit among the classy, plastic girls at the high school at Phoenix-the time when I had lived there. Nor here-at Forks.

So, what had happened to me know?

I sighed. Edward Cullen, that was exactly what had happened to me.

Never once had I dreamed that he would ask me to prom. He had been involved in the stunningly beautiful Tanya Denali for a few weeks. This was the first time he had ever dated a girl. Otherwise, he had always ignored those kind of girls and their attempts to flirt. However, he had broken up from Tanya a few days ago, causing a new wave of spirit to spread across the female population of forks high. But for some unknown reason, despite their invitations, Edward was still single.

I remembered the harsh comments Lauren Mallory had give after Edward turned her down. How Jessica had thrown a fit when he had refused her. I had watched them and tried to guess who would be the lucky girl to finally be with him.

Never once had the thought crossed my mind that it would be me.

A smile slowly crept across my face as I recalled the day he had asked me.

It had been a hectic day, and I was embarrassed at my poor performance at gym. I was sure I'd get the lowest grade at P.E. I had hit mike twice with basket ball, fell over the girl who was friends with Lauren and nearly tripped on the wooden floor in front of the whole class. I sighed as I walked to the Girls' Changing Rooms to change out of my T-shirt and shorts. I had been ill a few days ago, so it was Charlie who had washed and dry-cleaned all the clothes, resulting in the shrinking of most of my clothes. So, here I was, wearing too-short clothes and wishing they would magically elongate. It was really cold here.

I was just about to enter the room when a velvety voice made me stop dead in my tracks.

"Bella!" he had said.

I turned around slowly to stare at him. This was the first the first time he had really spoken to me outside of our biology class. My eyes took in his form as I waited for him to elaborate. He was wearing a bright green shirt today, which brought out the color of his eyes. His body was perfect, his chest sculpted, hands with piano-fingers, his…

"Bella?" he said again.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him in the face, his eyes, which turned out to be another mistake. I was loosing myself in those shimmering green orbs.

I shook my head to clear it and said, "Yes, Edward?", my voice shaky.

"I was wondering, if you'd like to…" He ran his hand through his unruly and beautiful bronze hair.

"Yes, I'd like to do that with you hair, let me."

Where the hell did that come from?

"… come to prom with me…?" he said hesitantly , his eyes ensure.

I was stunned. This was beyond belief. How could he be interested in me? Me, plain, awkward, shy and boring Bella Swan, when he had options of girls like Tanya Denali, the perfect blonde with blue eyes and tan skin…? I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't answer him immediately. However, I did notice how his eyes raked over my body... I knew for sure that my too-short gym wear would've been revealing much of my skin, much more than I usually preferred. I cleared my throat to regain n his attention. He looked up quickly, embarrassed at being caught,

"It's okay if you have said yes to someone else and…", he said quickly.

No, no. no one has asked me." I lied. In truth, three boys had already asked me but I couldn't say yes to them because dancing was DEFINITLY not my thing. "It's just that…", I watched as his face fell. "I'm not very good at dancing.", I finished.

He smiled his perfect crooked smile and said, with a glint in his eyes, "Well, that's not going to be a problem when you're with me." He leaned closer, raising his eyebrows. "Now?"

"Okay, then", I said, my breathing uneven as I stared into his shimmering green eyes. He looked at me as though he was … interested in me. Something which was hard to understand.

"I'll pick you up at Saturday at 5", he said as he leaned back

I nodded as he smiled once more before walking away.

So here I was dressed in a ridiculously expensive dress Alice, Edward's sister and my friend, had bought me, waiting for him to arrive.

Sound of a car horn ringing snapped me back to reality. I quickly made my way down the stairs to find Charlie opening the door. Edward stepped in, looking more stunning than ever. He was wearing a black tux, his bronze hair slightly more tamed than the usual state of disarray, his green eyes twinkling. His lips turned into a smile when he saw me. He greeted my dad in a polite manner and stepped forward, offering his hand to mine. I took it shyly, not knowing what was comin'.

"Hi", I said, smiling.

"Hello, Bella. You look … perfect. Blue looks really nice with your skin." I blushed and looked down, allowing him to lead me to his car. A silver Volvo I had often seen in the parking lot. I sat in the front seat as he shut the door and walked to the other side. When he finally got in, I looked at him. He smiled at me as he started to drive.

I had no ingle idea what to say to him. Hell. I didn't even know why he had chosen me to come with him in the first place. I was no one special. I wanted to ask him this bit a voice at the back of my head did not permit me to do so.

We stopped in our school's parking lot. Edward walked around the car to open the door for me I got out and took his hand, accepting the bouquet of flowers he gave me. We walked in. everyone stared at us, especially me. I could see Lauren shooting daggers at me through her eye. Tanya was nowhere to be seen. I sighed in relief at that, ignored Lauren and held on to Edward's hand more tightly. He passes me a smile.

We reached the dance floor where several couples were already dancing. I looked at Edward and I was sure he could read the uncertainty and apprehension in my eyes foe he took the lead by pulling my arms around his neck and wrapping his arms around m waist. He pulled me close and then we were whirling too. I couldn't believe I was actually dancing. It felt so easy, so natural to dance with him. I wondered if I could go back to my old-self and tell her that despite my poor performance in the dancing lessons at the ballet studio, I would be finally able to dance with the hottest boy in Forks High, I wouldn't have been able to believe myself then… I laughed at that thought.

"Do I get to hear the joke…?" Edward asked, his face close to mine.

"Nothing", I said, blushing.

"C'mon you have to tell me", he insisted, his emerald eyes burning into mine.

"I, um…", I breathed, "I've never been able to dace without tripping or stumbling. And now, look at me… here I am, with you."

"Oh", he said.

I looked down and thought about the questions I needed to ask him. Needed, but not really wanted.

"What are you thinking' about?", Edward broke the silence.

"Believe me, you really don't want to know.". I said, keeping my eyes safely away from his face, focusing on his eyes… I didn't want to tell him about my complexities, my insecurities… he would know how much shy, awkward and self-conscious I really was…

"I still want to know", he probed…

I sighed and made the mistake of looking like his face… again.

"Why did you break up from Tanya Denali?", I blurted out without thinking.

He was surprised at my sudden and unexpected outburst, but then maintained his composure. "Because she wasn't my type." He said, shrugging.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Who could not be interested Tanya Denali? She was famous, rich, beautiful… everything I was not. Then why?

"I don't understand…", I whispered, looking down.

Edward sighed, "what is it know…?"

"She is much better than me. Infact, she is perfect. Besides, she's the first girl you have ever dated." I said.

"Bella, you don't see yourself very clearly, do you? You are very different from Tanya, yes, but in a good way. I don't want to date a girl who is like Tanya. Someone as selfish and pompous as her. I don't want someone who is interested in how much I have in my bank-account, in my social status. I want someone who is interested in me, not for what I possess but for who I am."

I let out a deep breath which I didn't realize I had been holding for a long time…

But there was one more thing I wanted to ask…

"So, um, what gave you the impression I wouldn't be interested in what you possess rather than what you are?" I asked curiously.

"You're very different from other girls of your age. Despite the fact that you are my sister's best friend, you never tried anything on me. You're not friends with Alice not because she's probably the most well-off girl in school, but because she's the one you enjoy talking with the most. You're very mature, strong and…. You are beautiful, Bella. Not just in appearance, but internally too. You're kind and compassionate." I blushed and looked down, "your blush is beautiful" Edward continued, smiling as my blush deepened. "you would prefer to sit home reading a book rather than going to parties and do the insane things girls like to do, including my sister." He grinned at that, making me grin too. We both knew Alice.

He'd stopped talking and was looking at me through his piercingly beautiful jade green eyes.

As I processed what he'd said, relief spread through me, relaxing each muscle in my body and erasing all the anxiety I'd felt since the beginning. He knew who I really was and that's why he had chosen me. Even though he knew I was shy, self-conscious and timid, he still liked me, he hadn't been backed done by that fact.

"Besides, you were the unattainable kind", he added.

"Me, unattainable?" I laughed, "I thought that Tanya…", I stopped, looking at his face as it darkened slightly. "I'm sorry, but you never really told me why you broke up with her., you know". I said softly, carefully watching him.

Edward sighed, "She cheated on me" he said flatly.

I was shocked. Who on earth could cheat on him? He was everything a girl could ever dream of.

"Why?", I managed to say.

Edward seemed reluctant to answer but he said, "She was bored with me, I guess."

Well, I should have seen that coming. She had dated every boy in her year. She wasn't the type of girl who wanted a stable and steady relationship… she liked to flirt.

"Oh", I said

"I do not want to talk about it. She is my past now. You are my present."

"Really?", I asked, surprised. Did he really want me like that?

Edward gave me his crooked grin and said, "yes, and I can be your future too, if you want me to be" he added.

"Yes….", I said softly, finally, finally, believing that I was having this conservation with Edward Cullen.

We stopped dancing as the song ended. I hadn't realized how much time had passed. We were alone now, the other couples had gone. Night had overtaken the evening. The night was beautiful, especially with the bright lights that decorated the dancing stage we were standing on.

Edward smiled, but his eyes were serious as he kneeled in front of me and said "Isabella Marie Swan, I am officially asking you to be my girlfriend. Will you honor me and my family tomorrow night with your presence? We could go to Port Angeles later that night." he asked, grinning as he saw the shocked expression on my face. I hadn't expected it to be that soon, but I had wanted it to be nevertheless. He offered his hand to me.

And I was stunned. Did he just ask me to go to a date with me?

C'mon Bella, don't be like that. You've always wanted this, you've always wanted him. Yes he did just ask you that and you've got to answer him now. A voice at the back of my head scolded me…

"Yes", I said confidently as I placed my hand in his. He kissed my hand with his full lips and looked at me, smiling, as he whispered "Thank You".

I was glad I hadn't dated anyone before. This would be my date with Edward, and I was sure it would be perfect, my first date…

Author's Note:

This is my first EVER attempt at writing fan fiction, hope you like it