Title: Acceptance
Author: CullenBabe86
Rating: T for mild language and adult themes
Category: Romance/Fluff, AH/AU
Disclaimer: All recognized Twilight characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. I just own the plot.
A/N: This story was written for Miztrezboo's birthday on November 25th. Enjoy!
All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all the original author's. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.
Edward Masen
I watched her from around the corner as she took a note off her locker, peeling the tape and holding the letter in front of her. Her eyes darted back and forth across the page, taking in the writing.
A beautiful blush stained her cheeks, causing my face to automatically split into a shy grin. She really was beautiful.
I pressed myself flat against the wall as her head began to turn, searching in each direction for the person who put the letter there.
My heart pounded in my ears and my face felt hot. This was the main reason I couldn't even approach her. My body would give me away.
She had always been nice to me since I moved here last year. She took the time to show me around the school when I was lost my first week, offered me smiles when we passed in the hallways, offered me a hand up when someone had knocked me down, brushing my clothes off and helping me right myself.
She was amazing.
And even better, she was my lab partner in biology. I would watch her as she worked, writing notes or concentrating on the microscope. She would always try to make small talk with me, asking me how my day was or what I did that weekend.
I would stammer out the shortest answer possible, trying not to give away my developing crush on her with drawn-out, stuttered responses.
A locker slamming shut drew me from my thoughts and I peeked around the corner again, watching as Isabella Swan sighed and glanced around dejectedly before she heading towards the parking lot, her long, brown hair swaying as she walked.
I stared after her, wishing I had the nerve to go up and have a normal conversation with her. I was always just watching, never doing. But why should I? She could never possibly want me.
My hand came up to my hair, tugging on the long strands that always seemed to cause me problems. They always fell in my eyes, never really laying flat or staying neat, and the color was very bizarre. Not a normal color, but a mix between brown and red, a bronze shade that made me stand out when all I wanted was to blend in.
My hand then went to my second most hated feature – my glasses. Black, plastic frames, thick lenses… They made me feel like the geek that people labeled me as. The prescription lenses made my eyes appear slightly larger than normal and if they were ever knocked off of me, which had happened before, I would struggle to see two feet in front of me.
I pulled off my glasses, holding them in my hands and staring at them. I couldn't help but resent them and wonder if my life would be any different without them.
Would I have been picked on less in grade school? Or even high school? Would I have had my first girlfriend by now? My first kiss?
Feeling saddened by these thoughts, I tried to think of something different, anything to distract myself. Maybe if I changed my way of thinking or even my appearance, I could be happier.
The idea came to me, hitting me like a freight train. Would my life be any different without my glasses?
Putting said glasses back on, I started to run towards the parking lot, wanting to tell my mom the plan as soon as I jumped in the car.
Walking down the hall, I felt like a new person. My hair was shorter, spiked haphazardly, yet away from my eyes. My eyes were no longer hidden behind those monstrosities called glasses, which were currently in my backpack.
People kept doing double-takes as I went to my classes, confirming that it really was me with this new look. It made me feel good that I actually looked attractive for a change.
Smiling, I turned into the cafeteria, blinking my eyes against the unusual sensation of contacts I was still unaccustomed to.
Stopping in my place, I glanced around at all of the wide-eyed gazes pointed at me, probably trying to figure out who I was.
Locking eyes with Isabella as she sat next to Angela Weber, her mouth had dropped open slightly and her face tinged a beautiful pink. I smiled shyly at her, blushing, too, and turned away before I could make a fool out of myself.
Ignoring the other students as best I could, I walked into the lunch line and grabbed a turkey sandwich, some potato chips, and a lemonade before paying and sitting at my usual table, alone at the back corner of the cafeteria.
After two bites of my sandwich, a shadow came over me, blocking the florescent light that shined on my table. I glanced up from my food to see who it was–Mike Newton.
"What did you do, Masen?" he asked haughtily, scowling down at me. Whatdoes he mean? I haven't done anything to him.
"N-nothing," I stuttered in response. Don't be nervous. You haven't done anything wrong. But then why is he soupset?
"You wanted to look like me didn't you?" his voice changed from sharp to amused. The whole cafeteria had gone silent, watching as Mike taunted me, but doing nothing to help. "You wanted to impress Isabella, is that it?"
My face flushed at that, my body telling him he was right. He smiled widely at me, continuing his tirade, knowing he had hit the jackpot.
"I see the way you look at her. Hell, everyone does. You're always staring at her, watching her like a sick stalker."
I slumped down in my chair at that and squeezed my eyes shut against the tears that were forming.
But he still continued, his voice quieting as if he only meant for me to hear, but it still carried across the soundless room. "You know she would never go for you. It doesn't matter that you changed your appearance. On the inside, you're still the same, nerdy boy who tries to suck up to all the teachers."
That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't sit here and listen as he kept bringing forth all of my insecurities for the entire cafeteria to hear.
I stood up and quickly darted out of the room, leaving behind my backpack and barely eaten lunch, ignoring the never ending stares and the laughter that was beginning to bubble up among a few of the students.
I didn't dare look Isabella in the eye, which would only add to my mortification.
My hand automatically went to my eyes, trying to shield them from the onlookers as they openly watched me, and to catch the stray tears as they leaked over.
I kept running until I escaped to the quiet outdoors, dashing around the corner of the building and squatting down against the brick wall.
Gasping for air, I pressed my palms into my eyes, trying to stem the flow of tears and hold in the sobs that wanted to escape my mouth.
How could he have done that? Why did he have to do it in front of everyone? I took in deep, shuddering breaths as I struggled to calm myself down.
How could I think that this would be a good idea? I did want to impress her, make her like me. I had thought this would have been good, that I would have been able to gain confidence from it.
Instead, I made a fool of myself and now she probably wouldn't even talk to me at all. I took out my contacts, placing them in the little holder and put on my glasses, my depression deepening with the act.
Something touched my shoulder, causing me to momentarily panic as I stood up and whirled around, ready to push Mike away from me.
My eyes met beautiful, chocolate-brown ones, staring at me with concern, tears sparkling in them. Her pale, heart-shaped face marred with lines of worry and her mouth turned down in a frown. It was Isabella.
I stumbled back a few steps, my eyes wide with shock. What was she doing out here?
"What are you doing out here?" I voiced my thoughts, sounding weak and pathetic. I'm sure I looked terrible–my face red and blotchy, my eyes bloodshot. I wiped my nose on my hand and turned away from her, not wanting to see the sting of my words on her face.
My hands came up and scrubbed my face, trying to rid my cheeks of the tear tracks and redness before I buried them in my palms, my shoulders hunched forward.
I heard her set something down and take a few steps. She came towards me, judging by the sound of the grass flattening.
Her hand touched mine, gentle and soft as she grabbed one of my index fingers. I felt her other hand do the same to my other finger before she tugged on them slightly.
I resisted at first, not wanting her to see me like this, but eventually relented as I heard her draw in a shaky breath.
My still bloodshot eyes met hers again and I watched tears leak down her cheeks, her mouth slightly open, still breathing unsteady.
She moved my hands down, intertwining one with hers while the other trailed up my arm. She took a step closer as her hand neared my shoulder, looking up at me, her expression still sad.
I wasn't sure what she was going to do so I just stood still, frozen in place as I squeezed her hand, assuring myself that she was actually touching me.
Her hand came up over my shoulder to grasp the back of my neck, and she slowly began to pull my head down.
My eyes widened as I realized she was going to kiss me, but her eyes had closed as she lifted up and closed the remaining distance between us.
Our lips met firmly, her hand in mine squeezing back, while the hand on my neck tightening its grip, holding our heads together.
I was stunned. She was kissing me. Isabella Swan. Was. Kissing. Me. I stood there, unsure what to do. I had never kissed anybody before.
My eyes slowly slid shut and I kept my hand stiffly at my side, my shyness kicking in full force. My glasses pressed against my cheeks and the bridge of my nose, more than likely pressing against her cheeks as well.
She pulled away slowly and my eyes opened, watching hers flutter before focusing on me, her expression wary as she studied my face.
I looked down at her, elation creeping up on me as I realized she might like me the same way I liked her. A smile made its way onto my face as I gazed at her, still amazed at what had happened.
"I came here for you," she answered simply. That one statement made my heart explode with happiness. She came for me. She came looking for me after I ran out of the cafeteria.
My stiff arm relaxed and came up to cup her cheek, relishing the feeling of actually touching her, as I had dreamed of doing for so long.
My smile grew as I saw her eyes widen and dart down to my lips. I squeezed her hand and brought my other one to her chin, tilting it upward to bring her closer.
Her eyes closed as our lips came together a second time, softer than before, yet I still felt shocked. My eyes slid shut as well, savoring the touch and feel of her.
I knew this was a turning point in my life and would never look at anything the same again. My thoughts halted, my world stopped spinning and everything within me focused on her, wanting to be everything she could possibly ever want.
And for once, I was okay with who I was.
I was just me.
A/N: Happy Birthday, Cassie! I hope you have a wonderful day. :) I had so much fun writing this and definitely would love to do it again. Thanks VivaViva for beta'ing my story. You are amazing and I enjoy every day talking to you.
Please review my story, let me know what you think, whether it's good or bad. Thanks again for reading!