A/N: This is going to be a series of one shots, wherein we see how the story of Twilight was perceived by outsiders. Each chapter will be in the p.o.v. of someone else. Relive the beautiful tale of Bella and Edward's romance through the eyes of others. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Through The Eyes Of Others
Chapter 1: Through The Eyes Of The Shopkeeper
The first time she came into my shop, I immediately knew who she was, even though I'd never seen her before. But since I knew every single face in town, I knew this could only be one person. The girl everyone had been talking about for months now. The daughter of Chief of police, Charlie Swan. Her name – Isabella Swan.
She looked like just another normal teenage girl, yet there was something about her. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though. She scanned the isles and occasionally put food in her basket. Clearly she would be the cook in the house from now on, since the only items Chief Swan ever took with him were frozen meals.
When she looked towards me and saw my eyes upon her, she ducked her head and blushed – clearly she was shy. I simply nodded and gave her a friendly smile before returning to my work.
She became a regular face in the shop from then on out. I'd see her at least twice a week, if not more. She was always friendly and quiet, unlike most teenagers that came in here. It had quickly become clear to me that she was a lot more mature than most kids her age. I sometimes wondered how she came to be that way. She wasn't exactly another typical teenager.
Not long after she'd moved to our humble abode, I'd heard the strangest rumor, provided by the biggest town gossip. Apparently the Chief's daughter was dating the youngest Cullen boy. Which meant that supposedly Isabella Swan was dating Edward Cullen. It was a ridiculous notion if you had any idea of who the Cullens were.
The Cullen family had moved here two years prior; there were 7 of them. Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme were in their early 30's and highly respected around town for their stature in life as well as their wealth, and not to mention their uncanny beauty. They had 5 adopted children. The eldest 3, Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen were in their senior year at the high school. The twins, Jasper and Rosalie were the cousins - or something of the sort -of Mrs. Cullen, who adopted them a few years back after their parents died. The two youngest, Edward and Alice Cullen were in their junior year at the school. Every single one of them was beautiful, more beautiful than you could even imagine. Almost inhuman, some would say. And the thing everyone in town loved to gossip about, was that the adopted siblings were dating each other. Emmett and Rosalie were a couple, as were Alice and Jasper. Edward was the odd man out. In this town these relationships were highly frowned upon by most people. I figured it was none of my business what they did.
But none of that was the reason why I found the notion of Isabella Swan dating Edward Cullen so ridiculous. I found if ridiculous because I knew – as did everyone in town – that the Cullens did not socialize with anyone outside their family. They kept to themselves and held everyone at bay. They were outsiders. So why would they suddenly socialize with the new girl in town? I didn't believe a word of it. At least, not until I saw it with my own eyes.
It was a Saturday morning when she came into my shop again, a few days after I'd first heard the rumor. But this time she wasn't alone. And the person she was with was none other than Edward Cullen. Still, that didn't prove that they were dating. They could've simply been friends. I couldn't help myself as I saw them walk through the shop; I discreetly tailed them, trying to hear what they were saying. I suddenly felt like a naughty little kid eavesdropping on his parents' private conversation.
"I understand why you have to go, but I wish you wouldn't need to. I'll miss you," I heard Isabella say, and saw her hand brush against his. Definitely more than friends then.
"I'll miss you too. You have no idea." The Cullen boy looked at her with such intensity and adoration it made me feel like a pervert to intrude on this private moment. I frowned at myself, had I no dignity anymore? Spying on teenagers – despicable. I left them their privacy and went back to my check out stand. I wasn't going to do that again; I should've known better. But at least now I knew. Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen were a couple. You just had to look at them interacting with each other to know.
When Isabella Swan went missing in the woods, Chief Swan arranged a search party to which the entire town responded. Everyone was there, including myself. I hoped the girl was okay. She was such a sweet girl, I'd hate for anything to happen to her.
I wondered if she wasn't with her boyfriend, Edward Cullen, but then I heard whispers that send a chill through my spine. The Cullens had left town abruptly; she was not with them. For some reason, I knew this was the worst news imaginable for Isabella and that this was the reason she had gone missing.
When one of the native boys, Sam, I think his name was, walked out of the forest with an unresponsive Isabella in his arms I felt relief and sadness. Relief that she had been found unharmed. Sadness, because the look I could see on her face was one of sheer agony. She looked as if she'd lost a piece of her soul. And knowing what I knew about the Cullens, that might've very well been true.
More than a week passed by before I saw Isabella again. Only, she didn't look anything like the girl I'd known before. When she entered the shop, she had her arms fasted around her waste, as if they were the only thing keeping her insides together. Perhaps they were. Her face was paler than I'd ever seen it; she was already so pale before. She had heavy bags under her eyes indicating she was clearly sleep deprived. There was no smile upon her face, nor was there anger of sadness. There was just nothing but a dead look in her eyes. She honestly looked like the bodies of friends I'd seen in the funeral home. Dead inside and out.
"Alright there, Isabella?" I called out to her, wanting badly to comfort her in some way. The sight of her was simply heartbreaking. But she barely looked up and continued to do her shopping as if on autopilot. My old heart ached for the girl I only knew by name and face.
From that day on, every time she came to the shop I'd call out to her, always saying the same as I did that first day, and I'd always get the same response; a slight tilt of the head and nothing else.
I went on like that for more than 4 months. Months wherein Isabella continued to look worse for wear with each passing day, growing thinner with the moment. The day things changed was the same like all the others, yet it was different.
She'd come into the shop as usual, but this time I immediately noticed a change in her. There was something in her eyes, a slight change from the deadened look of the previous months. It wasn't much, but there was life in her after all.
"Alright there, Isabella?" I asked as per usual, expecting nothing different from all the other times I'd asked. But this time she turned to me, nodded and even tried to crack a smile, though it faltered halfway through.
I didn't know what it was, but something had changed inside her. Something was bringing her back from her deadened state and I could only hope it would last. I'd hate to see her revert back or become even worse if that was even possible.
As time went by she seemed to be getting better an better each time she came to the shop. Any idiot could see she was still hurting, but something or someone had brought her back to life and she was holding onto it with everything she had. She was a fighter. I was happy to see her get back to her old self, even if it was a slow process. She deserved to be happy. She didn't deserve to be abandoned in the middle of the forest and have her heart broken. If I ever saw that Cullen boy again I'd give him a piece of my mind, and maybe even my rifle.
When they came into the shop, I could hardly believe my eyes. Off course I knew that they were back. The entire town knew that. But that she'd actually taken him back, after everything he put her through, that I could not believe. Yet it was so. He was back, and they were back together, like nothing ever happened, it seemed.
I felt an irrational anger rise up inside me as I marched over to them, prepared to give him a piece of my mind, just like I vowed I would if he ever came back. Their voices stilled my feet just before I reached them.
"…but marriage, Edward?" I heard Isabella say and my eyes grew as wide as saucers as I heard that. They were discussing marriage? So soon after everything? I wondered if Chief Swan knew. Then again, it wasn't my business to tell him.
"Is it so bad that I want to spend the rest of my life with you and make it official?" I heard the soft velvet voice of Edward Cullen say. I could hear no dishonesty in his tone, no deception, only love. He truly seemed to love her.
Maybe I'd thought wrong about the boy. After all, it wasn't his fault Dr. Cullen chose to accept a job offer out of state. It wasn't his fault they had to leave. Maybe he'd been as hurt as Isabella had been when they'd gone. It really wasn't my place to judge or get involved. I stepped back and left them to it.
I can't say I was surprised when the invitations hit the town. Isabella Swan was marrying Edward Cullen, and apparently the entire town was invited. I'd seen this coming since the day I'd heard them in the store, been waiting for it actually. It seemed theirs was a love that was meant to last after all.
I attended the ceremony out of respect for both families, and it was a beautiful one. I don't think I'd been so moved in a long time. Isabella had been dressed beautifully and the words they shared tugged on my old heart. More than ever I was sure that this was a couple that would last forever. The love they showed for each other was unlike any I'd ever had the privilege of witnessing. It was like something straight out of a fairy tale.
The Cullens, along with Isabella, moved away a few years after the wedding. I never saw Isabella again after that heartwarming ceremony, but I got the feeling she was doing just fine. I though about her every so often. I thought of the girl she was when she came here. I thought of the heartbreak I witnessed her go through. And I thought of the love she shared with Edward. And eventually I was able to look back and think of the love I shared with my wife, may she rest in peace. For so many years I didn't look back, didn't think of her, because the loss of her had hurt so badly, so I shut it out of my heart. And then Isabella came into my life and made me realize it was okay to hurt, it was okay as long as you were able to love. So love I did. I remember my wife and I loved her with all my heart, and I knew we'd be reunited again someday. We'd be together forever. Just like I knew Isabella and Edward would be together forever. It was just that kind of love.