A game of chess
Bella made the first move. King's Pawn marched forward two spaces.
"Today is a good day for chess,"-said Edward, moving the Queen's Rook's Pawn one space forward- "I haven't played a fair game of chess since I was human."
"Hope you're not too out of practice"-Bella says as she moves the Queen's Bishop's Pawn two spaces forward- "I want a challenge."
"Ha ha, yeah,"-Edward moves his King's Knight's Pawn one space forward.
"Guess who I saw yesterday,"-Bella said, as she moves her chess piece.
"Who?"-Edward moves his piece.
"Jessica,"-Bella moves her piece- "She and Mike got back together again."
"Maybe this time,"-Edward moves his piece- "They will last a little longer."
Bella touches her piece, but looks at Edward, and says- "So, no scolding?"
"Huh?"-Edward asks.
"Ha, you've changed, Mister Cullen,"-Bella says as she moves her piece- "I thought you would have scolded me for stepping outside. You know, risking exposing us as vamps?"
Edward touches his piece, contemplating. He says- "Bella… I trust you. Back when you and I were just going out… I was a bit controlling. I admit it,"-Edward moves his piece- "But I can't be like that forever. I need to trust you. And I do."
"And what, pray tell, triggered this change?"-asks Bella as she moves her piece.
"Jacob and I have begun to associate more,"-Edward says, moving his piece- "He's a fine gentleman, unlike myself. I know he'll make a great husband for Renesme."
"Edward, you're a gentleman too,"-Bella says, thinking about her next move.
"Bella, I once dictated who you could associate with and with who you could not,"-says Edward- "I never had the right to do such a thing."
"Edward…"-Bella fiddles with her piece. Finally, as she moves it, she says- "I always trusted you. I knew, deep inside, you cared about me… It's why I overlooked all those things you did."
"Bella…"-Edward thinks hard about what to say- "You deserved better than that. I knew I was a jerk… I just didn't know how to deal with it…"
"Huh?"-Bella asks.
"After I turned into a vampire, I began to hear people's thoughts,"-says Edward- "I heard so many bad things… eventually, I decided to just not get involved with anyone… except my family…"
Bella grabs Edward's hand, as he continues- "I eventually forgot how to interact with people… And when you came by… well…"
"Edward…"-Bella says with much love in her voice.
"So… after I fell in love with you, I found myself lacking experience in relationships"-Edward says, finally moving his piece- "It was like having your first relationship all over again."
Bella picks up her piece, the Queen's Bishop. She says- "I always thought you more experienced than that, Edward."
"No… It's hard… hearing people's selfishness, seeing what was behind those masks they put on everyday,"-he fiddles with his piece- "Back in 1971, I noticed this girl. As a human, maybe I could have been attracted to her. MAYBE. Hey, don't give me that look, this is an example, ok? Ha ha. Anyway, I heard what she really thought… she was a hypocrite, a disgusting, judgmental witch."
"She practiced Wicca?"-Bella said, adding a light giggle. Edward chuckled as well.
"Nice joke,"-he says, moving his King's Rook's Pawn- " No, she was just… someone I would not like to associate with. Very nasty piece of work… Anyway… maybe that is what attracted me to you. I couldn't hear what you thought."
"So…"-Bella says, contemplating her next move- "You like that. A little mystery, huh?"
"More like a chance to do something so many take for granted,"-Edward says- "To have a conversation."
"Wow,"-Bella castles- "I never knew… you must like talking to people, huh?"
"Yeah… kind of,"-Edward considers his next move- "Back when I was human, I had a few friends. We were all going to join the Army… fight in World War 1. Back then, of course, we called it The Big One."
"What happened to them?"-Bella asks- "To your friends?"
"After I became a vampire, I pretty much distanced myself from everyone else. Everyone thought I died from that Spanish flu. My friends…"-Edward touches the King's Knight- "They all died… in the fields of France…"
Bella gasps. Edward moves his Knight.
"So…"-Bella has no idea what to say.
"I like talking to you, Bella,"-Edward says- "It's like being human, all over again."
"Wow, thank you,"-Bella moves her King's Rook- "You're not like the other guys that have tried picking me up."
"Oh?"-Edward says, touching his piece.
"Mike, Tyler… Jacob… you're different from them,"-says Bella.
"How so?'-He asks.
"Let me speak metaphorically,"-she says- "Since I was a little girl, I've built walls around me. Tyler, Mike and Jacob tried to scale these walls. They tried so hard, I got scared of them. I was scared, of these guys trying so hard to pass over my walls. It was like they were invading me."
Edward listened, as Bella continues- "Tyler did it out of guilt. Mike did it out of curiosity, maybe even lust. Jacob, though, I could tell was much more sincere. He actually liked me… but… he tried to climb my walls. You, Edward… you stood outside my walls, waiting for me to let you in. Sure, maybe some of the things you did where a bit creepy… but… you waited for me…"
"I think I understand,"-Edward says- "I felt curious about you… But I dared not do anything. It was not just because I was so inexperienced with love… I also wished to see what you did. I wanted to see who you were. Maybe that is why…"
Bella listens. As Edward moves his Queen, she finishes his sentence- "You used to spy on me while I slept."
Edward nods his head. Bella captures his queen, and asks- "Your friends, what were they like?"
Edward fiddles with his King's Rook, and says- "Joshua was always the life of the party. Edwin was more serious, but you could always count on him. Jonathan dreamt of owning a restaurant, and Ted was the kind of guy who could grow up to be a cop, or something."
Edward Castles his King and Rook. Bella moves her Queen, and says- "They sound like a bunch of nice guys. I'm… sorry for your loss."
"It's ok, Bella,"-he replies- "I mean, they'd be dead already, even if they lived their natural lives."
"Still, you must miss them, right?"-She asks.
Edward moves his piece, and says- "I do. They were a good bunch of chaps."
"I can tell,"-Bella moves her piece, and says- "Know who I been thinking about lately?"
"Who?"-Edward asks, as he moves his piece.
"Leah,"-she replies- "I've been thinking about what happened to her… between her, Sam and Emily."
"What about that?"-he asks.
"The more I think about it,"-she says, as she moves her piece- "The more sympathy I feel for her. She didn't deserve what happened."
"Maybe…"-he moves his piece- "Yeah… now that I think about it, you're right. What happened to her was wrong."
"I kind of wish Jacob hadn't imprinted on Renesme,"-she says- "That way… maybe he and Leah could have had something, you know?'
"It wouldn't have lasted much,"-Edward says- "If it were meant to be, Jacob would have imprinted on her when he first became a werewolf. Or Leah would have imprinted on him when she first transformed… but you're right. That detail aside, they would have made a fine couple."
Bella moves her piece, and says- "I think she deserves a good man. A man that will treat her like she deserves. Oh, and Check."
Edward moves his piece, and says- "Or maybe a good woman. Ha ha ha ha!"
Bella moves her piece, and says- "Oh, you and your fantasies! Check."
"Hey, who's to say?'-Edward moves his piece.
"I bet you'd just love a threesome between the three of us, eh?"-She says while laughing. She moves her piece.
"That would be great!"-he replies, moving his piece. He's joking, obviously.
"Hey buster,"-she says in jest- "If I'm gonna have sex with Leah, I'll be expecting a threesome between you, me and Jacob, understand?"
"Honey, I was just joking!"-he burst out laughing. She joins him in laughter. She moves her piece.
"It's Check, again,"-she says- "In all seriousness, though, I heard threesomes are overrated."
"Yeah, I read about that, too,"-he moves his piece- "And in any case, I'm not interested in Leah that way."
"Sure you're not,"-she says this with a smirk. She moves her piece, and says- "It's Checkmate, mister Cullen."
"Oh man!"-he says, laughing- "I'm way out of practice."
"Nice excuse!"-she says, smiling- "It was a god game, though."
"Yeah,"-he replies- "It was also a nice talk. What would you like to do now?"
"I think the sun is setting,"-she says- "Let's watch the Sunset… the three of us. You, me, and Nessie."
Edward, Bella and Renesme Cullen watch the sunset together. A fine end to a good day.
THE END.