MY BLOODY VALENTINE CONTEST
Title: From your Valentine
Summary: People say we can't escape out past, but we should treat it as what it is, the past. Live the present and think about the future. But what if the past comes back to haunt you? What if all it wants is revenge? Should we retreat or confront it?
Pairing: EdwardxBella
Word Count: 5,133
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
From your Valentine
BPOV
Beep. Beep. Beep…
The sound of my alarm clock wakes me up. 8am, right on the dot.
I growl and rub the sleep off my eyes, trying to remember why I had set the alarm clock so early. If I recalled correctly, I didn't have to work today, despite being Monday. Who would need a Psychologist on the 14th of February, anyway?
Wrong question. Many probably would, but I deserved a free day once in a while!
"I don't want to get up," I whine. Why would I? I don't have anything to do that I can remember, and my bed is so warm and comfy.
"Who said you have to?"
I jump up, startled, to stare at the biggest smug grin I'd seen in a while. Then I notice a pair of bright, deep green eyes staring back at me, shining with happiness.
I snort. "Get the hell out of my house and let me sleep!" I growl, raising the covers up to my face, shielding me from the light and those mesmerizing eyes.
"Nah-uh! I didn't come all the way down here for nothing!" He tugs at my blankets until I let them go, and throws them as far away from the bed as he could, then climbs on top of me.
"Babe?" he whispers seductively into my ear, kissing my neck lightly.
I try to stay as still as I can, but the way his lips feel on my neck isn't helping. He works his way over my jaw and neck, his lips never really touching my skin, yet leaving a burning trail behind them. He stills right over my mouth, breathing deeply in and then out. I can feel his hot breath over my face and going through my parted lips.
"Edward," I moan. My will power is almost completely gone, but then he presses his body against mine, all his weight over me, and I lose it. I moan loudly again, snaking my arms around his neck and into his hair. He finally brings his mouth down to mine. His lips move over my own fervently, in a hungry kiss.
He groans into my mouth, pressing more of his body on mine, creating friction where we both want it… need it. While trailing kisses down my jaw and neck to my collarbone– where he kisses and licks thoroughly– Edward pulls at the old t-shirt I was wearing as pajama until he gets rid of it.
His hands run over my naked skin, skimming the side of my breast and going down from my tight the back of my knee, my skin burning where he touches. He hitches my leg over his hip and I feel him, right… there. I am not going to last long if he keeps this up, and he knows it. So I stop him.
I push his chest up with both my hands until he is on his back, and climb on top of him, grinning. He smiles back and moves to pull me on top of him again. I feel his tongue slipping along my bottom lip, and I grant him entrance, shifting my head to deepen the kiss.
Between kisses and gentle strokes we get rid of every and any piece of fabric standing between us. Not late after we are both moaning loudly and breathing hard, our bodies moving rhythmically.
"Bella!" he groans, falling over the edge with me.
I lay beside him for a few minutes, my head resting on his chest, trying to get my breathing and heartbeat back to normal. Edward holds me close to him, stroking the skin of my back tenderly with his hand, whispering I love you's into my ear, and kissing my hair sweetly every once in a while.
When I finally get up to take a shower he whines and pulls me closer, and only after some intense pursuing, and a few kisses later, he lets me go. I take a quick warm shower, fix my hair the best I can and dress in comfortable clothing, before cleaning the mess that was left behind.
When I walk back into the bedroom Edward is still laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and smiling, fully clothed now. "Baby! I missed you!" he says happily, getting up, grinning.
Edward could be so silly sometimes, but that is the reason I love him so much. With a smile, and little giggle, I walk the few steps left to reach him, from the bathroom door to the bed. Putting my arms around his neck, I bring him closer to me. "I missed you too," I whisper against his lips.
He smiles crookedly back at me before pressing his lips against my own in a sweet kiss. Every time we kiss, no matter how sweet or intense, it's like the first time. I feel the same butterflies in my stomach, the same sparks running through my body, like electricity. They wake up every ending nerve in my body just by his proximity. It never lessens, and hopefully it never will.
"Happy Valentine's Day," he moans against my mouth, pulling away just an inch to look into my eyes.
I stare into his deep green eyes for what fells like an eternity, loosing myself in those pools of pure love and passion. "Happy Valentine's Day," I finally reply, leaning in again for another kiss.
"Agh!" he growls when his cell phone interrupts our kissing. "I have to go, baby. You know today is a busy day at the restaurant, but I've already asked for the night free, and guess what?" he asks, excitedly.
"What?" I ask back with wide expectant eyes, just to make it a little more dramatic.
He laughs. "They said yes!" he screams, pulling me to him and spinning me around in circles while we both laugh. "So," he continues, putting me back on my feet, his voice a seductive whisper. "I've arranged for us to have a special night tonight. Meet me at my house around dinner time, and don't forget to wear you-know-what." With one last kiss and a wink he is out of the door and gone.
I stay in the middle of my apartment for a few moments, still staring at the door and smiling at myself like a silly woman. The simple thought of what he might have prepared for us later in the night makes my skin flood with goose bumps.
I don't realize until later why he was so excited about being "free" tonight. Of course, being Valentine's Day, today was one of the busiest days for any restaurant. Considering the lack of options in the city, Edward's restaurant would be full all day long. Which woman doesn't love Italian, after all?
For a moment I worry if his absence can affect the efficiency of the restaurant, but I decide to let it go. If he chooses to come home on the busiest time of the day, it is because he trusted his staff members enough to do so.
Still, with a smile on my face I walk to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast and call Alice, my best friend. I admit I'm not such a good cook, but why would I try to be if my fiancé is the best chef in town, right? At least I can find my way around the kitchen to make breakfast without breaking or burning anything… most of the time.
I dial Alice's number and put the phone on speaker while I pour some coffee into my favorite cup. She picks up right before the second ring, but instead of hearing her usualchipper greetings I hear a very loud, deafening, squeal. And then comes the incoherent rambling.
"Alice, stop!" I scream as loud as I can, hoping she can hear me over her already loud voice.
It works, she stops immediately. "Shit! Is there something wrong?" she asks worriedly.
I laugh. "No, Ali, everything is fine. No, wait. I might be a little deaf now, but who cares, right?" I joke, sipping my coffee while she sighs with relief before giggling. "Now, what were you saying? I didn't get a single word, and this is the last time I'm telling you that you need to speak slowly."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She dismisses my last comment with a nonchalant voice; I can almost picture her waving her hand like it didn't matter. "I said: I'mgettingmarried!" she screams again.
I can hear some background noise and I'm almost sure it's because she's jumping up and down like a kid on Christmas morning. "Great!" I reply, my voice void of any emotion, because honestly I didn't get what she said.
"Why aren't you happy for me?" she scoffs.
"Seriously, Alice."
"Christ! I. Am. Getting. Married!" she says, pointing each words out, like I'm a child that needs drawings to understand her words.
"What?" I ask in surprise.
"Are you shitting me?" She was angry now.
"What? No, I'm sorry. I meant, Oh my God!" I squeal with her. It's about time for Jasper to propose, I tell her that and she agrees with me. Alice and Jasper have been together since out first year of college, which would be around five years ago. Damn right, it is about time!
I ask her how he proposed and she begins telling me the whole story. It's very romantic, and it could only have been described as very… Jasper-like. I mean, it was just like him to put the ring on her finger while she slept (yes, he was sure she would say yes) and then wake her up with the sound of his guitar. He even made a song just for her; he sang and kneeled in front of her and asked her if she wanted to marry him.
"But then I looked at him and said: Where's the ring? I mean, he didn't need to have a big diamond ring or anything, just a ring, you know?" I give her a sign that I am still, in fact, listening to her, and she keeps going. "But he just smiles at me and kisses my finger! And I look down and realize it was already there! Do you wanna know my reaction?" she asks.
"Don't tell me you fainted?" I ask back with fake alarm.
"No! I started crying! Oh, my God, how embarrassing!" she shrieks. "I think I freaked him out then."
"What did you expect, Alice?" I mock.
"Anyway, I said yes between my crying fit, and then I screamed and he kissed me, and we made love for the rest of the night and it was amazing, it was just so–"
"Whoa! Hold it right there, I do not need to hear more." I had to stop her, for both our sakes, or I wouldn't be able to look at her without having unwelcomed mental images for the rest of my life.
"Oh, come on, Bella. It's not like you don't do it with Edward all the time." If I was standing right next to Alice I am sure she would be rolling her eyes at me right now.
"Yeah, but I don't tell you about it," I reply.
She says something like 'I wouldn't mind' laughing loudly, making me purse my nose in distaste. "God! Alice!"
"Why are you so dense, Bella? Chill, please! And tell me what did Eddie boy give you as a Valentine's Day gift?"
With my mood instantly refreshed I tell her about our plans, and how he promised to leave work early so we could have a special dinner date for tonight. A date I couldn't wait for.
"Why does he always do that? Like saying he's free when he doesn't even have a boss? He owns the place, for Christ's sake! He can do whatever he wants!" Alice never understands Edward's jokes, or why he always tries to be another one of his staff members, instead of their boss.
"You know him, Alice. He's just joking."
"That dude is crazy," she laughs.
"I will have to agree, but let me add: that dude shares your DNA, therefore so are you!"
We talk and laugh for a few more minutes, agreeing to meet for lunch so she can show me the infamous ring.
I end up watching T.V. for almost all the rest of the morning until it's time to get ready to meet Alice. We have such a great time during lunch, and she doesn't want to let me go. She tells me everything about what the wedding will be like and how we can get married together. Eventually I leave her to meet with Jasper and go to my office, after receiving a very worrying call from my assistant.
It seems I don't deserve a day off after all, because as soon as I arrive I see the chaos that my office was turned to. My assistant, Kate is pacing in front of her desk, pulling at the strings of her hair. I ask her what's wrong, but she doesn't need to answer when I see Jessica, one of my patients, sitting on a corner crying uncontrollably.
I spend most of my afternoon trying to calm her down and reassuring her. When I'm done, I drive to the mall for a quick shopping session before heading home to get ready for the night with Edward. I spend a few extra minutes with the hair and make-up, because Alice is the one that usually helps me with that.
I am half way to Edward's house when my phone rings.
"Hello?" I answer without looking who it was, I am driving after all, I have to keep my focus on the road.
"Bella? Where are you?" It was Alice, and she sounded worried.
"Alice, is everything okay? I'm on my way to Edward's place," I reply, frowning. She is beginning to worry me, it has been a while since I heard her so worked up.
"Haven't you stopped by your house, yet? I'm…" I can hear her ragged breathing through the phone, it's like she had been running for miles before calling me.
"Alice, you're scaring me. What's wrong? Alice?" Her lack of response is scaring me to death, so I pull to a stop at the side of the road and pick the phone. I call her name a few times but she doesn't respond, all I hear is her breathing, some fumbling and what seems like the clicking of keys.
"Sorry I dropped the phone," she apologizes. "Bella, is Edward home already? I just stopped by your house and I… I found this, um, package?"
"I left my house around an hour ago Alice, there was nothing there; and yes Edward just texted me saying he was waiting for me. Why are you so worked up, anyway? It's just probably a package he left for me, I don't know… Is it really just that?"
"It's just that, it looked like… and I was watching the news earlier and –You know what, you're right, I'm being silly." There is no way she's convincing me everything is okay sounding so worried still, so I press a little further, trying to coax her to tell me what is really wrong. When she laughs and tells me she probably ruined one of her brother's surprises for me I let it go; besides I am already late.
"Okay, have a blast tonight! And… and remember that… that I love you."
I laugh. "Stop being so over dramatic, Alice! It's not like I'm going to die tonight! And I love you, too."
She laughs humorlessly, agreeing with me and saying she's just oversensitive because of the proposal and everything that happened today. She tells me she loves me once more –a little more cheerfully this time –and hangs up. I restart the car and keep driving toward Edward's.
Once there, I look at myself on the side mirror one last time before stepping outside. I can't help but wonder if I'm too dressed up for this dinner date. I have no clue as to what he has planned for us, so I didn't know how to dress. I did add his favorite piece of lingerie, though, I wasn't about to forget that promise. Apart from that, I'm just wearing a basic, knee high, black dress; and my high heel boots. I still needed to figure out what was about high heels that turned men on so much.
I notice the post-it-note attached to his door when I walk the few steps there, it reads: "Come on in, love" in Edward's perfect handwriting, with a little heart to the side. I take it off, smiling and walk inside.
Much to my surprise and utter fascination his living room floor is covered with red roses' petals. The candles, carefully placed all over the room, are lighting it in a way that makes it seem it's glowing. It is so beautiful that I stay there, on the doorway, staring mesmerized at the beauty of it all.
"Edward?" I call, finally escaping the daze I was in and walking into the house.
"Close your eyes." I hear his velvet voice form some place in the house, but there was something off about it. Regardless I close my eyes and call his name again.
"Don't open them," he says, sounding closer. I can feel him approaching me, taking baby steps. He ties something like a scarf over my eyes and hugs me from behind, pressing his chest into my back. I feel his heart beating furiously through his shirt and feel his fast breathing on my neck, and for a moment I worry about him.
When Edward's lips touch the spot behind my ear, I forget the world and moan loudly, pressing myself further against him. He whispers something in my ear, something that sounds like 'run'. Confused I ask him what he said, but he plants another kiss on my neck saying, 'You look amazing' instead.
"Let's go," he says then, taking my hand softly on his and guiding me forward. Edward's hand is strangely cold and sweaty, but I try not to think about it. I try to figure out where he's taking us and I come to the conclusion that –and if I know his house enough –he is taking us to the kitchen, hence the unmistakable smell of delicious food.
And I was right. He lets go of my hand and helps me sit down, asking me not to peek just yet. I giggle, but comply. He laughs with me for a second, but his laugh seems forced, faked. I pay attention to his footsteps walking away – trying not to let worry crawl into me –when I hear a loud thud.
"Edward?" I ask, standing up and moving my hands to untie the scarf around my eyes.
"Don't. Sit," says a voice. A voice that doesn't belong to Edward, a voice I knew, a voice I wish I could forget. My body goes rigid, my blood runs cold.
"You may take it off now," the voice says again. I make an effort to convince myself that it's a dream, a nightmare, that I'm not hearing that voice again while I struggle to untie the knots behind my head. I shut my eyes tightly, not wanting to open them and see if my worst nightmare was becoming true once again.
"Open your eyes," he says sternly, and I obey. In front of me on the table sat the one person I feared the most, the one person I had hoped to never see again in my life. He smiles at me, like it was the most natural thing in the world to be sitting there with me. But he wasn't fooling me, I could see his eyes clearly. There was hate there, remorse, vengeance, death.
My breathing is picking up, as is my heartbeat. My body feels like a giant pool of jello, my eyes start to get blurry with unshed tears, and dread washes over me as Edward's name runs through my mind. Please, please! Let him be okay, I pray.
"J –Jacob? Wha –What are yo –you doing here?" I ask with uneven voice. I fist my hands at both sides of the plate to stop them from shaking.
"Oh, baby! I missed you, too!" he coos, stretching his arms and putting one of his hands over mine. "I know it's been eight years, right? I came so we can celebrate Valentine's Day like we should have, eight years ago."
"Weren't, uh, weren't you… when did you get out… of p-prison?"
His eyes narrow at me, sending a cold shudder down my spine. "I've been released due to good behavior," he snorts. He's lying. "Isn't that great? I've been planning this day for eight years and nothing is going to ruin it now."
"What did you do to Edward?" I scream at him, getting up, not being able to take it anymore. The chair tumbles down behind me with a soft thud.
"If you're a good girl, I'll forgive your ginger friend's life," he smirks, taking a knife from his lap and examining it in the light.
I look around searching for an escape road, but he realizes my intentions and scoffs at me. "Don't even think about it, Isabella." I choose not to listen to him and run towards the living room area. I'm nearing the door when he gets to me, rounding my waist with his arms and pulling me away.
I push at him, kick my legs everywhere, scream, but he is too strong for me. His grip on my waist tightens to the point that it hurts until finally, I stop struggling. His hold loosens a bit then, only enough to make it stop hurting, yet he makes sure I won't get away.
Tears run freely down my cheeks; the only thing I can think about is Edward. Where is he? Is he still alive? What did Jacob do to him? I don't care if I don't make it through as long as Edward leaves this house breathing, alive.
"You've been a bad girl," Jacob whispers in my ear. I shudder, pulling my face away from him in disgust. "Now you'll have to spend some time thinking about what you did, and how this will affect your little friend's life."
"NO! No, leave Edward alone, Jacob! Please, please!" I beg, trying to get rid of his death grip again. "Please! I beg you, Jacob, I'll do anything you want, but please leave him alone!"
"I think you should close that beautiful mouth of yours if you don't want to suffer the consequences," he whispers again, his voice cold, menacing, and yet sweet at the same time. It is like he is speaking to a person he loves very much instead of threatening someone's life. "Now, move!"
Letting go of my waist, he pushes me forward, making me stumble down to the floor and against the wall. My whole body hurts, my head is spinning, my breathing labored; I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, pounding furiously. My mouth feels dry, and my cheeks sticky; my hands are shaking so much I fear I might be having a convulsion. Yet, Jacob keeps kicking my ribs, urging me forward.
Exasperated with my lack of response he crouches down and drags me to my feet by my hair. I scream and cry, and beg him to let me go. Every effort is useless. He guides me to Edward's bedroom, and when he passes the living room door I see it.
I was already sure he had hurt Edward, even if I still hoped he didn't, but passing the door I see what looks like an arm, there, lying on the floor. I am not close enough to see clearly and the candle light isn't really helping me, but I am almost certain it is a stretched arm, Edward's stretched arm.
And then I lose it. The pain in my head reaches its limit; my eyes get blurry before it all goes black.
-:-
I can feel a soft blanket under me; I can smell Edward's scent everywhere. I blink furiously against the bright light, and try to move. I stand up abruptly and a wave of nausea comes over me.
"I was dreaming, it was just a nightmare," I tell myself, getting up slowly this time.
I make my way through Edward's bedroom with my eyes half closed; I didn't need to see to know my way around it. I walk to the bathroom and turn the lights on. I'm frozen in place, staring at the woman, or what's left of her, in the mirror.
Her hair is a disarray of dark brown curls, her lower lip is all swollen and bloody, with a big gash in the middle. Her cheeks are tear-strained, her eyes red and puffy, her make-up a mess. One of her arms is hugging her ribs, while the other holds the torn pieces of fabric that were once a dress.
I stare at her, not wanting to accept that it's me. Not wanting to believe it was all real. I refuse to admit that Jacob was really here, in Edward's house. He couldn't have been released from jail, of course he couldn't! He had been accused of attempted murder. How did he run away?
"No," I whisper, shaking my head. Jacob had tried to kill me eight years ago because I refused his marriage proposal on Valentine's Day. He had threatened to end every one's life if I denied him, and he probably would have if the police hadn't arrived then, stopping him before the worse could happen. I was sent to the hospital for months, not to count the years it took me to recover from the trauma; years of unending therapy sessions.
I look down and stare at my left hand, at the finger where Edward's ring should be on, but it's not there. There's only the mark of what should be there. The ring is gone.
I brace myself on the sink when my legs start to give in, in an attempt to soften the fall. My body shakes with unreleased sobs, until the tears start running down my cheeks again and I let it all out. I curl into a fetal position and cry until my lungs hurt, until my throat burns.
I can see Edward's arm on the floor behind my eyelids, and images of what Jacob must have done to him, because of me, leave me breathing hard, clenching the fabric over my heart tightly.
But I know I have to do something about it, I can't let Jacob ruin my life once again. Even if Edward was already dead, then the least I can do is join him.
I fumble through Edward's drawers, throwing everything out, searching for the gun I knew he kept. Once I find it, I make my way back to the living room as silently as I can, clutching the gun tightly. I take my shoes off and press my back to the wall nearer to the kitchen, where I can hear Jacob breaking things.
"Come and play with me Belly-Bells, I know you're out there!" he calls me is a sing-song voice. When I don't move he spats angrily: "Your friend is dead! DEAD! And it's entirely your fault."
I squeeze my eyes tightly, making the tears fall. My hands are shaking. He didn't. No, he didn't kill Edward!
"Oh, yes I did," he says cheerfully, his voice close to me. "Why don't you give me that gun, Bells?" he asks, putting his hand over the hand that is holding the gun. He pulls lightly, but I'm not letting it go, and before I know it a loud bang rings through the house and Jacob falls to the ground, clutching his stomach.
I stare at him in panic, unable to move. I can see blood tainting his hands and I start screaming.
Edward, Edward, Edward…
His name passes through my head and without thinking and run out of the room to find him. I peek into the room, I can see a pool of liquid running down the grey carpet. When I look again there is a hand stretched out from the pool.
I step inside.
Edward is face down with one of his arms underneath his body, the other is stretched out in front of him. It is quite difficult to see. He is obviously bleeding a lot. His shirt is all red and there is blood matted through his hair.
I turn to him, hoping I'm not too late, yet there is a feeling inside me that argues against it. My eyes feel suddenly dry, with no more tears to shed, they burn. Edward is laying there, motionless. I crawl to him, kneeling to the side of his body. I touch his face, his arms, but he's as cold as ice. I check for pulse but it's so weak I'm not sure I'm imagining it. I scream, call for help, even though there's a good chance no one would hear me.
I hear noise behind me and turn to see. Right then something cold pierces into me in the middle of the stomach, making all the air leave my body. Wide eyed, I look down at the knife stabbed in me and a dead, bloody Jacob lying next to me. I pull it off with the little strength I have left and press the wound to stop the blood from flowing.
My heart is beating too fast, the blood is leaving my body too fast. I can't see clearly anymore, my breathing gets weak, it's like I'm suffocating. I try to focus on Edward's face again, praying to whichever God was out there to save him.
I can't feel my body anymore, I can't stand on my knees, they give up under me and I fall to the ground, almost over Edward. I can hear some noise far away, but I'm not sure if it's really there or is it's just my imagination anymore. My eyes are closing, despite my efforts to keep them open.
A little shiny paper lying over the pool of blood near Edward's hand calls my attention. I don't know why, but I crawl to it and read it. My body is feeling cold, and I'm lightheaded. I start shivering from the cold again. I crawl back to Edward and lay at his side. With one last deep breath I stretch my hand to take the note and fist it in my hand, and then everything's gone.
With love,
From your Valentine.