Winters here in Washington were always two things; Wet or boring and nothing ever in-between. The sound of rain splashing against the window seemed more harmonic than the music going on inside of the classroom. Drama club was having auditions for a musical and ,of course, I was one the belladonnas wanted to impress in order to get the part.
I return the majority of my focus to the piano I was playing only quickly enough to hear the redheaded girl in front of me hit a note in D minor. After a mental note, returned my sights to outside the window. The greens and browns mixed together in a monotone vision and I was thankful piano was like breathing to me and I could focus on many different things at once.
My father, Carlisle, had always dreamt I picked a carrer that would make the world a more preeminent place. It was no secret I was good at music with many awards and achievements under my belt. I was just turning twenty three and as young as I was I was excelling in sucess. I thought nurturing young minds is what I wanted, but the longer I taught music theory at the University of Washington, the more mundane it started to be. Well...That was a lie. Only pieces of my life were mundane. My career lead enough excitement being a mild celebrity. My family was as unique as they came. I had a lot to be thankful for and yet I always felt like I had a missing piece..
My fingers lingered on the last key before I looked up at the red headed girl who was eyeing me impatiently.
"Mr. Cullen?" she shifts her body weight to one leg and waits for me to respond.
"It was very nice. Your tempo is a little quick for the music, but overall I think you'd have fine range-given the proper vocal training." I say already gathering my things. Around this time everyday I found myself rushing out of my classroom.
"Oh…" her facial expressions crumpled a little before he retorted. "My question was in regards to you. We aren't so far in age we couldn't enjoy coffee sometimes. Trade notes?"
I gave her blank stare. "I'm sorry Stacey…" Actually that was another lie. I was not sorry at all. Of course I had girlfriends in past, namely my girlfriend Tanya, whom after a short time I realized I did not like her as much as she liked me. However no woman ever managed to give me a meaningful interaction or purpose. I wonder if I thought myself superior or if most women my age aged seemed mediocore. I found it hard to know if I was just unlucky in love or I was secretly arrogant.
She winces back and corrects me with a sharp tongue "It's Sarah."
"Right Sarah…I'm a very busy man. I'd only be leading you on."
It was no secret how much money I had. I had seen her checking out my wallet trying to guess how much cash I carried on me.
Sarah furrows her brow before storming out the classroom whispering 'asshole' under her breath. I sigh and agreed with her. Most people did remind me how awful of a person I was to have good looks, talent, and money. I was the perfect man….or so I thought.
I smile widely and grabbed my umbrella and suitcase before scurrying out my classroom and locking the door.
The traffic of Port Angeles never slowed and in-between trying to hail a cab or call an Uber I found the most efficient method was to walk. I crossed the street and made note of the how the traffic light's red hue illuminated the rain and the puddles on the ground. I rounded a few corners and was aware of my quicken heartbeat the more I could smell coffee.
Soon I had reached my nightly destination.
"Port Angeles Books"
The sign read. A little shop that served coffee and had free wi-fi was popular amongst the college kids. Sadly the true use, the book section often unused thanks to the growing popularity of smartphones. Expect one lone girl with chocolate eyes and a vendetta against gravity…
I walk in and after wiping off my shoes, started to scan the bookstore for any sight of the woman I come to know as Bella. Upon my first encounter she had no idea who I was.
Pride wounded I slipped her a tip of $100 and told her she would be wise to know danger around her. Joke was on me when she did not hesitate to slap me across my face leaving a rather red mark on my cheek. She refused my tip and told me she could take care of herself just fine.
At the time I had been so angry I just wanted to embarrass the girl, but the next encounter was much softer. She was trying desperately to return a book to the top shelf. Her short stature limited her. I watched her struggle with an amused look and even laughed when she finally gave up to get a step ladder.
I counted the steps.
One
Two
Three
And
….
The fourth step was a slip. Her footing complerely gave way and the metal step ladder folding under her wight. I watched as she fell down and crashed into floor in a lump. I stood up and before I knew it was feverishly checking in on her. She had landed squarely against a table. Blood trickled out of her forearm and her cry was not in pain, but in apologies.
"I messed it up. My boss is going to kill me! He worked so hard stocking that shelf. Oh my God!"
I was floored!
"You could have died if your head was angled a little more to the right. Injury to the temple are fatal."
She looked at me and flinched. "I don't care about me. Josh spent all night doing this display."
She pointed to these overturned and flapped her arms around. "Don't just stand there Dazzle Boy. Help me."
Against my better judgement I did help her. All the while I watched the very painful wound leak blood. I've never seen anything so... Selfless since my father practice his medicine.
My heart fluttered impatiently and I just noticed how unbearably cute this girl was.
"So Miss…." I waited a moment before she looked at me
"Isabella. Bella for short."
"Miss Bella. You told me you could take care of yourself. You clearly have a different idea of care. Are you going to treat that cut."
"This?" She grins at me and I had a weird feeling in my guts. "This is nothing dazzle boy. I've had worst."
"Dazzle boy?"
"You think everyone can get what they want so easily?" Her eyebrows nearly touched the top of her scalp. I gave her a blank stare and this time her brow contorted into a scowl. Her jaw gnarled into an experssion that you could preceive as angry if you did not already know this woman could not hurt a fly. I've never seen a girl more expressive than Bella.
"...You have to be aware that you've dazzled my every female co-worker into giving you free coffee everything you are in here." She says with puffed out cheeks. She gets up and starts stright for the bathroom carefully holding her right arm as to not drip blood across the bookstore. "I'll take my coffee black with two sugars" she mocked my voice loudly, as she walks away. I had to believe she was still mad at me for trying to degrade her with the tip money, but when she returned (arm crudely wrapped in gaze and cotton) she gave me a sincern Thank you for the help with cleaning up the books. She smiled at me warmly as she slide the last book into place. Her eyes look like pools of hot cocoa. It took me a while to realize she was still mocking me, but honestly I was more interesting in the cutesy sound of her voice more than the biting words she was saying about me.
" Do I dazzle you, Bella?" I cared more about this question than I cared to admit at the time
She blushes a lovely shade of red before returning her eyes to the book case. "What kind of question is that?"
"One that I asked."
She pauses carefully biting her lip in thought. "Only when you aren't being a complete ass. I think that deep down you might not be as mean as everyone thinks."
From that point on, I knew my evenings would be anything than mudane. I would visit Bella at her shop and soon our animosity turned into friendship. She was a daughter of cop and although she liked music, even the classical genres, she could not sing a lick. She was witty and quirky at best. I followed her with my eyes as she worked and I found myself more worried about her staying upright more than anything. I could usually read people flawlessly. It was easy for me to understand and enticipate what people thought about.
But Bella was...A new song. A new set of notes and I couldn't hear the beat. God knows I wanted to know. I wish I knew her every thought and she fascinated me to no end. I knew I loved her right away, but I was scared she wouldn't feel the same.
Turns out Bella and I had a history. We shared a high school biology class. I vaugely remembered her presence, but I recalled the girl who fainted when we were scheduled to do expermental blood test. If I had knowned she'd be this woman I would have talked to then. Any time without Bella seemed like such a waste.
I had been coming in just to see Bella for months now and I was still afraid to ask her. During the morning I practice and taught music as though the music was muted and Acapella. But when I played for Bella... When I taught thinking of Bella, Every note seemed to paint this picture of vibrant colors and hues. The world seemed not so monotoned. Music gave me life again because she was my muse.
I needed her. Forever. I could just picture her happy, goofy smile cheering me on. I could imagine her soft smile and gentle eyes and it humbled me. I was apprehensive thought. My life was not the simple life she had grown accousted to living. Would be a fit for my world? Would it even be fair to expect her to learn? As a Cullen appreance was the name of the game. Bella was much to down to earth for all the fuss my life would bring to her. Like caging a bird.
After we started dating I asked her to meet my parents and siblings for Christmas. A task I knew was a full of hurdles, but curiously she had the same effect on me with my family. My doctor ,father, and my ,real estate agent, Mother had approved of her almost instantly. "She must be quite the girl, if she melted your heart sweet heart." Esme had said placing a hand over my chest. "And besides look at that. She gets along with everyone was well!"
She points over the living room where she and Alice was laughing and giggling. The board games had broken out and she found out she could hold up with the best of them. She elbows Emmett and winks at Jasper as they all made secret alliances.
"So Bella." Rosalie had perked up after the laughing stopped.
"I'm sure you know what my parents do for a living. I'm a pediatrician. My husband Emmett is the quarterback for Washington State and is well on his way to going pro. And I'm very very sure you know the national famous fashion model Alice Cullen."
Bella looks at Alice like she has seen the sun. "You model? I mean that makes sense, but I don't really keep up with fashion trends. I had no idea who you were."
"International model actually Rosalie." Alice says with a wink taking a rather a exaggerated bite of the apple she was holding. "And no worries Bella. It very refreshing to mingle with people who don't know who I am. Makes me feel like a person and not...Just a model."
Jasper nods happily. "You should hear her stories about the other models one day Bella. Some of them are dumber than a donkey in heat." His thick country accent clear and focused. Even my brother in Law reserved lieutenant Jasper Hale was no match for Bella's charm. He made it appoint to dress in his suite adorned with all medals and badges for serving our country.
" Ahem... I say that because I was wondering what your plans for life were. You seem... Underwhelming."
Rosalie crosses her arms. Bella's jaw fell slack before she cleared her throat clearly affected by all the eyes on her. I step in to interject and quickly go to stand by and defend the love of my life. I swear my brother married her to have an excuse to have sex with could be such a bitch without meaning to be.
"Bella is working part time at a bookstore until she can afford better housing away from her father's. She is truly remarkable. I bet she'll even be promoted in no time flat." I said taking her hand into mind. She smiles at me and the red in her cheeks flush pink. She mouths thank you before Rosalie sighs.
"Well Bella. You live with your father? The police officer?"
"Yes. I'm here because of my parents divorce. I take care of my dad. Cook meals. Clean the house
That sort of thing."
"So you are a maid?"
"Goddamn it Rosalie." I said in-between my teeth. Emmett laughs and her arms around Rosalie.
"Don't mind her Bella. She is just giving the third degree because she wants what's best for Edward. She'll warm up to you." Emmett assured.
"Rosalie hates me!" Bella grunts as she brown box. I grin and carefully take the box from her arms and sit it down the living room. Two years and six months had passed since that conversation where my brother promised Rosalie would grow to like her. We had survived a rocky breakup, Bella's accident where she crushed the bones in her leg, even another man in her life. But in the end I couldn't live without Bella. And surprisingly she loved me too. I was moving her into my house and life couldn't be any better.
"She doesn't hate you...She just….dislikes you." I struggle with the words and she shoots me a dirty look. My sister in law had always been an obdurate person. It was like that growing up and it took a huge spiral after she was brutally attacked a raped when she was younger. Therapy never could fix all of her problems. I felt bad for her, but even worst for Emmett would told she still had nightmares from time to time. Even the fact her attacker was going to rot in a prison never fully comforted her. Alice, my baby sister subspected Rose had retractable throns though. Able to put up a walls against srangers, but protect the ones she loves.
I smile quickly, but put on a serious mask. "I don't hate you. Shouldn't that be enough?"
"You are all I need actually." She says wrapping her arms around and as she rocks on the balls of feet to touch my lips to hers I find my heart melting into my soul.
We kiss for sometime before I pull back and ask her to give Rosalie time. She had a tough life and doesn't trust many people. She frowned heavily, but otherwise nods and goes to continue to unpack.
Jacob Black was glaring down at Bella and I felt like I wanted to punch holes in everything near by. Jake had decided to take one more ditch effort to make Bella his and as I watched the kiss from the other side of the ballroom. Bella had gotten that promotion after all
In fact she was on her way to publishing her first book. All of this was a way of congratulating Bella and mostly celebrating her birthday considering the last birthday we spent together, I had broken up with in Lieu of following my own career choice. I had the chance to study abroad and after months in France I knew my life with Bella was the most beautiful music in the world. I felt something else besides anger. Regret. Sorrow. Fear.
I had fucked up big time and as I watched the love of my life kiss another. I pictured our first encounter and I knew I couldn't let her go!
I approached them. Fist balled as I shoved my way through the crowd of Alice's fans who all wanted to support Bella. I watched as Bella pulled back and sigh. She runs out in tears and Jake follows quickly behind. I am sprinting now and when we get outside. Bella is sitting next to the water fountain. Blue cocktail dress swaying in the wind, Arms crossed and face smeared with tears. I hear the sound of a motorcycle speed away before I released the air I was holding. I approached her carefully and she looks at me so ashamed.
"I'm sorry. When you left Jake was there for me and I…" she shakes her head and she stands up and walks towards me.
"I should have told you, but I thought we broke it off Jake and I."
"...You aren't leaving me for him?" I ask and to which she laughs out loud.
"Not ever." she blushes and clarifies. " I mean I can't be with Jake no matter if you leave me or not..I love him so much, but I love someone much more." She looks at the pulsing water and she looks radiant. I catch my breath before talking. "I'm madly in love with you Bella. I know I messed up, but never again. You and me Isabella. You have changed me forever. I need you. You are my music." Suddenly I am nervous. The cocoa eyes are pools making me forget everything I practiced for months now. I drop to one knee and in a fluid motion ask her to marry me.
The yes was loud enough that even the fireworks overhead was drowned out by that evening.
Years have passed and Bella has the title of best selling author under her belt. She also has the title of world's best mom as her zebra striped mug proclaimed. She bounced our newborn daughter in her hands as she struggles to make me a plate of decent eggs and bacon. I don't mind if they are slightly overcooked as long as she is the one cooking them." Bella's lullaby" has earned me a place I music world history as the first classical piece of music to win a Grammy I'm many years. My head is arched on my hand as I watch my wife makes a breakfast for me before we both head to work. I will drop Renesme off to daycare, but not before Auntie Rose gives her three month old check up. and after an afternoon with Bella's editor she will take her car to the now family machinic Jacob Black. I will be remain home to work on a piece, but all the while still waiting for the love of my life to return home.
"You still take your coffee black with two sugars,Edward?" She asks bending over to sweep a kiss across my forehead. Even now. I melt. I take our daughter into my arms and cradle her against my chest. I look up Bella and stroke my thumb across her cheek.
"Forever and after." I promise her with a crooked smile