Title of Story: Mystery Guy
Rating: M
Pairing: Edward/Bella
Genre: Romance
Word Count: 6,569 (wordcounttool dot com)
Story Summary: Bella, a good-girl college student, becomes obsessed with a gorgeous mystery guy who's obviously doing some illegal activities…
Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.
The sun was shining for once in Seattle and I made my way to the great lawn in the middle of campus. I found a nice spot under a tree and sat down. I watched the people playing frisbee and hanging out with friends before I dutifully started to study for my English Lit class.
When I glanced up, my eyes fell upon a mysterious guy sitting on a bench across from the lawn. There was something about him that caught my attention. Not only was he utterly breathtaking, but he also looked out of place among college students. Yet he sat on that bench as if he belonged right there. He wore a black leather vest and dark shades that hid his face. His faded black jeans were ripped in some places. He didn't have a book bag or books with him. He seemed completely free.
As he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his front jacket, he looked around until his eyes fell on me. He kept his gaze in my direction as he placed his cigarette between his lips. I felt myself blush at the sight. I blinked and noticed a smirk play on his face as I swiftly looked down to my book. I had never felt my body react this way and I was completely embarrassed. I forced myself to keep my eyes down and to concentrate on what I was reading. I couldn't stop myself from peeking his way though. And when I left, I noticed him watching me as well.
In the following weeks, more times than not, I would find myself sitting by the lawn, spying on a certain mystery guy. He would always sit on the same bench, not doing anything else than smoke and chat with people who stopped by to say hi for short minutes. My mind kept on floating away, fantasizing about this mysterious guy.
I wasn't completely naïve, I knew there was something else, some transactions being done, and one could easily presume what it was. Having a chief of police as a dad, I was bound to hear many stories about all kinds of illegal activities. But, honestly, in a totally crazy kind of way, I didn't care about that. Because I couldn't have any rational thoughts when it came to him.
-Mystery-Guy-
I fidgeted awkwardly against the wall by myself, wondering how in the world I got here, in this grimy house. They were a lot of people everywhere, all of them relaxed and laughing and surrounded by friends. I was uncomfortable at how obvious it was that I didn't belong here.
My roommate Jessica had taken pity on my lack of socializing and had convinced me to go to a frat party with her and her friend Lauren. Reluctantly, after a lot of begging, I had agreed.
I glanced around, watching people have fun. My interest flared as my eyes fell on the mysterious guy I have been obsessed about. He was walking through the crowd, wearing his leather jacket and ripped jeans. My heart peaked and I couldn't help but follow him with my eyes. He was stunning, tall and lean, with messy hair that begged to have hands running through it.
He looked out of place among all of the drunken college students and yet he seemed so at ease in his skin. He was poised but there was a certain lack of amusement on his face, unlike everybody else at the party.
He was popular and knew almost everybody. People shook his hand or patted his shoulder as he passed by, even though he barely acknowledged them as he tried to reach his destination, carrying two heavy boxes. It looked like he wasn't here to have fun but to work.
As if he felt my gaze, he looked my way and our eyes met briefly. His gaze took my breath away. He didn't have sunglasses on this time and I could see the green of his eyes sparkle with mirth. I felt paralyzed for a nanosecond, my heart stuck in my constraint chest as his piercing glare went through me. He turned away too soon and continued his walk, a smirk adorning his face. Feeling unsettled, I brought my cup to my mouth and took a few big gulps of beer, trying to forget how my body reacted to this stranger.
Later in the evening, I found myself in the kitchen, where the light was brighter and the few people there were quieter. There was a small group smoking and chatting in one corner. My heart skipped a few beats when I realized that mystery guy was there too. He was leaning against the counter, and he looked strikingly cool, as if he owned the whole place. The boxes he had carried in earlier were open on the floor next to him, some buff frat guy emptying the bottles of liquor from the boxes and placing them on the counter. I wanted to run out of the room because of the way he made me feel all flustered and nervous, but I couldn't resist watching him. I stood by the door, and I was glad that I was able to look at him without being seen.
His head was tilted downward as he counted a pack of bills in his hands. His reddish brown hair stood up in every direction, a few locks freely draped over his eyes and I had an urge to brush his hair back so I could examine his face better.
A girl passing through with a tray offered me some jello shots. I took two and tried one. It was sweet and yet I could still taste the bitter alcohol in it. I ate the second one and looked back up to find my mystery guy looking at me with a tantalizing smirk. I forced the jello down, suddenly having difficulty to swallow. He reached in his pocket and took another cigarette out. He licked his lips and kept his gaze on me as he placed it between his lips, making my whole body tremble with desire. As if he knew exactly the power he had on me, a mischievous smile played on his face.
The effect of the alcohol was immediate and I felt dizzy.
Two preppie looking college boys approached him at that moment, effectively breaking our connection. I took a deep breath, feeling somewhat lightheaded by the eye exchanges. I continued to spy on him while he simply nodded at the two guys, his expression stern, and shook hands with them. Few words were spoken and then they swapped something I couldn't see. When the two guys thanked him and left, I took the opportunity to leave as well, feeling too dazzled to even breathe in his presence. I needed space. I joined Jessica and Lauren who were chatting with two boys. A little while later, when the boys went to get us drinks and the girls took this time to talk about their crushes, I scanned the room, bored. My gaze stopped on my mystery man on the other side of the room. He was surrounded by a group of girls.
A tight lump bothered my chest.
I felt Jessica lean close to me. "Mr. hotty pants over there is Tony the drug dealer," she whispered. "He is so damn sexy, and he gets around too. Two of my friends slept with him. In the same week." She continued to explain.
"I fucked him Freshman year," Lauren announced, with a sly smile. "He's amazing."
My insides twisted with disgust. I looked back at my friends. I fought against the urge to rip Lauren apart.
"Really? I've never seen him before." I lied, feigning innocence. "If everybody knows he's a player, why even let him use you?" I asked Lauren.
Lauren glared at me before laughing.
"It was a game for me just as much as it was for him, Bella. We used each other," she stated. "Look at him! He's gorgeous and popular! And this bad boy in bed is fan-fucking-tastic! The best orgasms of my life!"
I felt sick. Her words bothered me deep inside. I glanced back at him, trying not to imagine him pleasuring Lauren. I wanted him to be nice and respectful and caring. He looked up just in time to notice us staring at him. His eyes connected with mine and I felt my cheeks reddened. His eyes seemed to travel down my face and lower to my v-neck shirt. I twitched timidly, feeling tingles spark on my skin. When his eyes came back up to meet mine, I couldn't help but stare back, searching for goodness and kindness in his eyes. I didn't know what he saw in mine, but his expression changed and his smirk vanished. I wondered if it could be sadness that I saw in his eyes. I tore my eyes away with an uncomfortable tugging in my heart.
Only a few minutes later, I looked over to him again. It was as if I couldn't keep my eyes away from him. The groupies had left him but another beautiful, single girl came next to him, her hand instantly going to his chest while she murmured something into his ear. I watched long enough to see him give her a tiny plastic bag after taking money from her. She placed the bag in her cleavage, his eyes following her actions. She leaned further against him, whispering something, and kissed him. He didn't respond to her advances, but his eyes were devouring her. He watched her as she left.
I felt sick to my stomach and something was tearing my chest apart. I was glad when the boys came back with drinks and I drowned myself in it. The girls found more jello shots that we ate while we watched the boys play beer pong in the backyard.
After a while, I weaseled my way through the crowd of people and walked up the stairs to find the bathroom. Once upstairs, I searched around and opened the first door I could find. Instantly realizing this was not the bathroom, I stepped back, away from the tangled bodies making out on the bed. Completely horrified for walking on people having sex, I spun around too fast and shut the door. Suddenly, I felt dizzy, block spots blurring my vision. My head was spinning and I felt sick. I held on to the wall and took a few deep breaths, my stomach churning around until I fell to the ground and blackness took over.
I heard indescribable sound around me but I couldn't see anything. My head was hurting terribly.
"Can you hear me?" A smooth, manly voice asked me.
I nodded, instantly regretting the abrupt movement. I whined and pressed my palm to my forehead, hoping I could force the pain out of my head.
"I'm gonna help you up now, ok?"
"O-kay," I croaked, my voice barely audible.
I felt strong hands on me as he carried me, one of his arms around my back and the other under my legs. My head felt so heavy, it rolled to the side and rested against his chest.
He sat me on a comfy surface. I forced my eyes to open and looked around. The light was blinding but I managed to notice I was in the bedroom from before, sitting on the bed. I peeked to my side, everything still blurry, and saw my mystery guy looking at me with his deep emerald eyes. The whole room started spinning.
I immediately closed my eyes shut, feeling nauseous all over again.
"You fell pretty hard. Is your head hurting?" He asked, his voice so soft. He sounded worried and so caring. Something in my chest tightened.
"I'm fine," I answered, inhaling deeply to help with the dizziness. I opened my eyes slightly and glanced at him. As I took him in, I noticed he was only half dressed.
I quickly lowered my eyes, feeling myself blush, and stared at my feet. It dawned on me then that he had been the one in the room earlier with a girl.
"I didn't mean to interrupt you and your girlfriend," I blurted out.
To my surprise, he laughed. The sound was loud but beautiful. My eyes shot back up and I gaped at him, feeling both confused and totally foolish. His eyes met mine while he calmed down.
"She's not my girlfriend," he affirmed " and I'm not sorry."
He looked amused and it was nice to see him not as sullen as usual. I smiled back and watched him watching me, feeling warm all over. As the pounding in my head slowly went away, the drumming of my heart started beating stronger. The moment was intense and I felt chills run all over my body.
He noticed the shivers and reached for a glass on the counter.
"Here's some water," he offered, his voice gentle.
Thankful for water, I went to grab the water, abruptly freezing my movements, taking a better look at the rest of him. His bare torso was muscular and statuesque. I couldn't help but ogle. An intricate tattoo covered half of his chest, creating an alluring mystery to his beautiful body.
He brought the glass closer. "Here. Drink up, it will help."
I looked up and noticed the way his hair, with striking auburn glints in it, was tousled in a really, really sexy way. My mouth went completely dry.
I nodded at his advice, speechless, and took small gulps and deep breaths trying without success to recompose myself. My eyes kept on peeking at his chest, even though I tried to keep my gaze straight ahead. Seeing him like this was not helping me with the vertigo.
"You shouldn't eat that many jello shots. They're stronger than what they seem."
I glanced his way, and even though his face was stern, his eyes were welcoming. I wanted to reach over and caress his face, wondering if it would be as smooth as his voice.
"I never had alcohol before in my life," I confessed, embarrassed.
His brow furrowed as he thought about something.
I stared at him, wanting to explain how uneasy and nervous he made me feel whenever his gaze met mine from across a room, how his smirk made my whole skin sizzle with a persistent, inexplicable need for something unknown. And that was why I had drunk tonight.
But before I could say anything, a girl walked into the room, interrupting us. She was obviously aggravated.
"Did you see my bra?"
I choked on the water as he reached behind me and found the girl's bra.
"Vicky, I-" He started to say, handing him the undergarment.
"Fuck off, Tony!" She screamed.
"Vicky," he sighed loudly, his voice still calm and soothing.
She stormed to him and slapped him across the face.
"Have fun playing doctor, asshole!" She barked, glaring ferociously at him.
I jumped up, making my way to the door in a hurry. They both looked at me as if they had forgotten I was still in the room.
"I… I should go," I mumbled to the floor as I made my exit.
Once downstairs, I went over to a couch where there was luckily some space for me to sit. I sat down and closed my eyes, my head still throbbing. I tried to regain control over my brain and body, feeling completely overwhelmed by everything. My mind couldn't resist replaying the interaction that had taken place upstairs and obsessing over each word he had uttered. I wondered how he knew I had jello shots. Was he really paying attention to me when his gaze would accidentally find mine? And who was this Vicky girl with whom he was obviously going to sleep? What about the girl who kissed him earlier? And I really, really wanted to know what was the meaning of the tattoo on his glorious chest.
I smiled despite myself at everything that had happened, at the memory of him next to me, at the strong hold when he carried me to the bed, of his eyes glued to mine, of his large, firm chest exposed to me.
Deep inside, I knew I shouldn't be thinking about him this way. There were obvious signs that pointed to the fact that he was trouble. He was a drug dealer for god's sake and my dad was chief of police! And most importantly, he was way out of my league. He was older, gorgeous and had way more experience than I did.
I felt a body sit next to me, scooting too close for comfort. I opened my eyes to find myself nose to nose with a very drunk guy. He winked at me.
"Hey beautiful, how are you doing?" He breathed down my neck.
I leaned away from him, telling him I was fine.
"I've never seen you here before? What's your name?" He continued, ignoring my discomfort. I jerked away when his hand squeezed my thigh.
"I have to go." I declared as I stood up, still a little wobbly.
He pulled me back down by the arm. "Come on beautiful, don't leave."
I tried to get back up but he was holding me firmly.
"I really gotta go," I stated, trying to pull my arm out of his grip.
His hands were all over as he begged me to stay. I tried in vain to get his hands off of me. He was leaning closer now, slurring that I should stay, that he wanted to know me better, that I was the most beautiful girl here.
A dark figure suddenly lurked above us. I looked up and saw Tony glaring down at the boy.
"Let. Her. Go." he snarled in a slow, dangerous hiss.
The boy immediately obeyed, frightened, and ran off without a second glance back.
I looked up at my savior, my heartbeat too fast, my breathing too erratic after the disturbing incident. I wanted to thank him, but no words came out. I stared at him for a while, still shaken by everything that had just happened. He looked furious, and frankly, very intimidating. He pulled at his own hair, brushing it back firmly, as he met my gaze with fierce.
"Are you some kind of danger magnet?" He barked down at me. I recoiled, a sense of guilt taking over me.
After a few minutes, I saw him exhaling a big breath he had been holding in, his tensed posture relaxing a little. His eyes softened as he stared into mine.
"Are you okay?" He asked softly.
I nodded. He pursed his lips, a frown deep on his forehead as he studied me without another word. Then he simply walked away from me.
An urgent rush ran through me as I watched him go, I was afraid that I would never have another chance to talk to him. I felt an inexplicable need to keep him near.
"Tony!" I called after him.
He turned his head back towards me, his gaze slowly meeting mine. His eyes were so expressive and so caring. I bit my lower lip, feeling all kind of flustered with him looking at me this way.
"Thank you," I whispered. "You're a real gentleman."
He stared a long time, his smoldering gaze burning me. Out of a sudden, he frowned and the green of his eyes turned into blackness.
"I'm a lot of things, but I'm definitely no gentleman," he snarled.
His bitterness startled me and I looked down, blushing. After a few erratic heartbeats, I gathered my courage and looked straight up at him.
"Well, you did save me twice tonight. In my book, that's a sign that you are a nice person." He shook his head, anger pronounced on his face, and left.
I searched for Jessica and finally found her dancing with that Mike guy. I waved at her and she ran up to me, a huge grin on her face.
"Where have you been? You will never guess what happened!" She squealed excitedly. "Mike asked me out on a date!" She continued jumping in front of me.
I managed to smile, feeling a pang in my heart. "I'm happy for you." I stated.
"Are you having fun?" She asked, concerned. "I'm sorry I kinda abandoned you."
I shrugged. "Actually, I'm not feeling well. I think I'm gonna go."
"You can't walk home alone, Bella. Wait up. We're leaving soon too. Just one more song, ok?"
I agreed despite the desire to be far away from this place, from him, and decided to get some more water. Once in the kitchen, there was a lot of commotion going on, a whole crowd gathered by the counter and people cheering. I peeked and noticed two guys hovering over girls and chugging a shot of something, and others were clapping.
I went to the sink, found a clean cup and filled it water. The water was cold and refreshing.
"Tony! Come and do a tequila shot with us!" A girl from the crowd hollered, her gaze looking at something behind me. My heart jumped out of my chest at the mention of his name.
Everybody joined in, calling for Tony to join them, looking passed me. I turned and saw him on the other side of the room. He quickly tucked something in his front pocket before facing towards the crowd.
"Fine, fine, let's do this," he sighed, approaching the cheering group.
A beautiful cheerleader-type girl pushed through. "I'll be your body shot girl!" she squealed.
"No need," he responded shortly, grabbing my hand as he walked passed me. I gasped in utter surprise, dropping my cup of water. I rejoiced at the feeling of his hand wrapped around mine. He pulled me towards the crowded counter and everything became blurry as I panicked. When I noticed the jealous glares of the other girls around us, I felt special, like the chosen one, and smiled despite myself.
I gaped, eyes-wide and shocked as he placed me against the counter, with him facing me.
"Ever did body shots?" He asked me, the screams around us just white noise. My own heart was beating so fast. I shook my head, unable to utter a sound. He smirked. "Tequila shots?" I kept my eyes on him as I shook my head no once again.
He took some stuff from the counter, his body getting closer to me as he leaned in to reach for them. He smelled like smoke and something virile.
"You don't have to do anything. You just stand here. I'm gonna put some salt here," he said as he caressed the side of my neck gently. I felt goose bumps erupting all over my skin but I stayed still, listening to his instructions. And you hold the lime in between your lips," he explained as he pushed a sliced lime into my mouth slowly, his eyes glued to my mouth. I felt my blood boiling with wants. When he looked up at me, his eyes were twinkling with mischief.
He turned over to the other guy next to us. I glanced over too, and saw another girl in my position, although she was dancing, her shirt half off. I gulped and looked back at Tony. I felt nervous and thrilled all at once.
He leaned forward and my breathing became labored. He brushed my hair back behind my shoulder, exposing my neck to him. He dipped down and licked my neck, and oh my, his tongue touched my skin and every part of me reacted.
I bit my lip hard to hold in the moan that threatened to escape, a bitter taste instantly spreading into my mouth. I remembered too late that I was still holding the lime in between my lips.
He moved back a little. His eyes were dark as he watched over me. My heart was pounding so loudly against my ribcage, I wondered if I would faint.
He sprinkled some salt on the moist spot on my neck and then grabbed the glass full of tequila. He turned once again toward the other guy, they clanked their shot glasses together and then counted to three.
On three, his tongue was once again lapping my neck and my hands instinctively grabbed hold of his waist, feeling myself weak and trembling. Suddenly, his mouth was on mine, and my heart skipped a few too many beats, and my hands gripped his shirt for dear life, as pure heat took over my body. His whole body was flushed against mine, as his lips stole the lime from my own lips, and I could feel all of him, firm and hot against me.
After what seemed like an eternity, he pulled back, the lime now in his mouth and the crowd cheered. He fist bumped some and smiled with the others as I panted loudly, feeling far away from everybody.
The other guy offered a second glass to Tony, urging him to do another one. He took it and came over to me again. He touched my shoulder and pulled down my sleeve, exposing my left shoulder. I looked at him, feeling dazed by the excitement and the wonderful feeling of his touches. I watched as if it were in slow motion when his head tilted forward, and dipped closer to my cleavage. He tugged my shirt more forcefully and part of my breast got exposed.
Suddenly, the thrill from a second ago vanished as I realized his intentions. My accelerated heartbeat meant something different now. All of this was going too fast, too far. I was suddenly scared. I didn't want to be exposed in front of a crowd. I didn't want him to touch me now, like this, with him drunk and people cheering him, and without asking me if it was okay. I had this sudden feeling of being used.
I pushed hard, shoving his body away from mine. He stepped back immediately, not resisting me, and his unapologetic eyes laid on me. His gaze was cold and distant. I quickly pulled my shirt back up, glaring at him. Another girl shoved me to the side so she could get closer and pulled her shirt off, showing off her plump breasts to Tony. His cold eyes left mine and he immediately plunged his face in her cleavage.
I pushed myself through the crowd and away from them. I could feel the tears coming, and I made my way out as fast as possible. A wrenching ache tore through my limbs. I sat down on the steps leading to the front door, and covered my face in my hands, my tears finally overflowing. I felt like such a fool for allowing him to use me. I liked him despite all the evidences against him. He even tried to tell me himself that he wasn't a gentleman. I was so stupid.
I tried to forget about him but all I could see were green eyes piercing through me and a crooked smirk drawn on thin, masculine lips. I still felt the warmth of his strong hands and his tongue slowly tracing a line of fire on my neck.
I sighed, and got up, intent on going home without Jessica. But suddenly, I saw red lights in the distance, approaching the house quickly.
My heart was in my throat instantly, drumming away, the thud resonating in my ears. I wanted to run to Tony right this minute. I had this undeniable need to protect him. Anxiety took over my senses.
I ran back inside without a second thought. I rushed through the crowd and found myself back in the kitchen in mere minutes. There was still a cluster of people around the counter and Tony was still there too. I halted right in front of them, breathless.
"The cops are coming!" I stated.
Everybody continued talking, my voice not loud enough to carry over the chatter and the loud music. I pushed through and went up to Tony. He looked down at me with confusion. I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling my nerves break. I looked up at him, getting lost in the alluring green of his eyes. He raised one eyebrow as a question.
"The cops," I explained.
The guy next to us heard me. He screamed the news louder and everybody spread the words, people dropping their drinks on the floor and scramming out of the house.
Tony stood still, hovering over me, his glare piercing through me, studying me, while chaos ensued around us. I couldn't move, my whole body hypnotized by him. And in the next second, everything moved fast. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the back door. I followed in a haze, a meld of fear and thrill boiling on the inside.
As we ran, it dawned on me what I was doing. I was helping a criminal, interfering with the police. For someone I didn't know. For someone who had used me and humiliated me.
He stopped by a tree not far from the street. He pushed me against the tree, my back finding the trunk to lean on. I was thankful for the support as my legs were shaking. He dropped to his knees and dug a hole near the roots. He quickly pulled a few bags from the inside pockets of his jacket. He buried them in the hole before straightening up.
He came closer to me, facing me. His breathing was loud from the running and I could feel the warmth of it showering me. He watched me with fascination. I squirmed under his stare, feeling all kinds of tingles. He leaned in, his eyes burning me. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and I shivered.
His brow suddenly crunched together.
"What's your name?" He breathed softly, making my heart skip a beat.
I smiled, realizing how crazy all of this was. We knew nothing of each other and I felt so strongly for him.
"Bella," I purred.
"Bella," he repeated appreciatively, as he caressed my cheek, his eyes devouring me.
"My name's Edward Anthony." He said before closing the gap between us.
I felt his warm lips brushing mine gently and I pushed mine more strongly against his, eager to feel him and taste him. He responded with enthusiasm and kissed me with passion.
Loud sirens in the background brought us back to reality and he pulled back. He looked toward the road where the police car had just passed and his expression changed. I could feel him close down. When he met my eyes again, there was a coldness in his gaze.
"Why did you help me?" He asked in a controlled voice.
I looked deep in his eyes as I answered.
"Because you helped me earlier."
He laughed dryly and I suddenly felt angry. For still foolishly falling for him every time. For his lack of appreciation. For this powerful effect he had on me.
I pushed him away and glared at him.
"Maybe I should've just walked away and let them arrest you," I snarled. "I wonder how many years you would've gotten with all the drugs you carried on you."
He startled and stared at me with a shocked look.
I started walking away when he suddenly grabbed my arm. I halted, but didn't turn back to look at him.
"Wait," he whispered. "I'm sorry for laughing."
His hold on my arm was persistent and yet delicate. I wanted to look back at him but resisted, still too upset by his actions.
"It's just that you keep on thinking that I saved you and that I'm a nice guy. And yet, I treated you horribly, using you as a body shot, undressing you in public without your consent..." He continued, his voice back to being calmer. "I… I'm a jerk and yet, you still want to help me."
My heart was beating extremely fast, a weird energy flowing through my core. I turned to face him.
"Why did you do that to me in the kitchen if you knew it was wrong?"
He let go of my arm and looked away from me, one of his hands running through his hair.
"Because you had the wrong impression of me." He said flatly, a cold, impassive expression on his face. "I'm not good. And I needed to prove it to you."
Something tugged at my heart. I felt a sadness take over me.
"Tony," I cried softly as I approached him.
He glared back at me sternly, his eyes lacking all light.
"I'm serious. You should not be around me."
I shook my head, refusing to believe his words.
"I… I don't understand."
He broke our eye contact and looked back by the house, avoiding my pleading gaze. I suddenly felt cold.
"I'll walk you home. You shouldn't stay near here. The police is still roaming around." He ordered without looking at me.
He started walking toward the road. I pursed my lips, feeling rejected, and followed him, stepping up next to him as we headed back to campus in heavy silence. I wanted to cry. I took big inhales and blinked a few times to erase all evidence of my sorrow.
When we got back to the school, and we made our way to the dorm I lived in, he finally looked at me.
I tore my eyes away, keeping them low so he couldn't see the sadness in my eyes. I couldn't look at him anymore. It hurt too much.
"Bye," he said in a flat tone.
I opened the door and muttered a "good night" before going in, leaving him on the other side, feeling a wrenching tear through my chest.
-Mystery-Guy-
It was a week later, and the weather was warm again. I went to sit by a tree on the great lawn, with a new English lit book. I trained my eyes ahead, not glancing to the side, toward that bench where I had laid my eyes on him for the first time, because just thinking about it made my stomach churn with regret and my heart ache with deception.
I drowned myself in the world of Jane Austen, forgetting about this mystery boy I had crushed on and who had rejected me.
A shadow obstructed the sun and I raised my eyes to see Tony watching me, standing tall in front of me. He looked sullen again and his gaze on me was intense.
I couldn't tear my eyes away. We just stared at each other in silence. I wondered if he could feel the electricity sizzle in the air.
"Can I sit down?" He finally said, his voice not as confident as usual.
I nodded nervously, everything but my heart was screaming for me to get away from him. He sat next to me and my heartbeat became noticeably stronger. I peeked his way, biting my lower lip with apprehension.
His emerald gaze was deep and piercing.
"I forgot to say thank you the other day." He said at last.
I glanced his way and my gaze got caught in his. I was captivated by its splendor.
He licked his lips, about to say something, when a girl approached us on the lawn.
"Hey Tony, can I have a bag?"
His all demeanor changed as he looked up at her.
"I'm not working right now," he explained shortly before dismissing her.
She looked taken by surprise and swiftly turned away.
He peeked my way, his hand weaving through his tangled hair.
"See, I'm not good."
I didn't respond, not sure what I could say to that, and waited for him to talk again. The silence lasted a while, me staring at my hands, him scanning the surrounding, lost in his thoughts.
"My parents died because of me," He said lowly.
My chest twisted painfully. I looked at him with so many questions in my head. I wondered if he could really be that bad to have killed his parents. I didn't make another move as I waited for him to continue.
"I was sixteen and I had sneaked out of the house, taking their car without permission. I had an accident that night but didn't tell them about it later on. I was just relieved that there were no scratches on the car. The next day, when my parents took the car to go to work, something in the car was messed up and they lost control of the car. It derailed and they crashed." He halted there, the last word cutting through the silence.
I grabbed his hand and squeezed firmly, trying to convey my grief and support.
"That's horrible. I'm so sorry."
He pulled his hand from my hold and tug at his hair tensely.
"If I hadn't sneaked the car out, they would still be alive." He hissed, looking at me fiercely. I noticed how his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
My heart squeezed and twisted with sorrow. I hated seeing him like this. I shuffled to my knees and cradled his head in my hands, meeting his gaze.
"You were a teenager, Tony. You sneaked out of the house, like any other teenager does. What happened afterwards is horrible and sad. But it's not your fault, sweetheart. You couldn't know that the car was broken. There was nothing you could do."
A single tear rolled down his cheek and I leaned forward, kissing it away. When I pulled back, he was looking at me with dark eyes.
"You're too pure to care about me," he whispered softly.
"But I really, really care about you," I answered back, my voice just a rasp.
A hint of a smile graced his face, and one of his hands came up to caress my cheek, his thumb brushing my lips, as his eyes looked at me with so much tenderness. I smiled.
"Tony," I started saying but he cut me off, shaking his head.
"Call me Edward, please." He pled. And when I looked at him inquisitively, he explained. "My parents always called me Edward."
My chest swelled. I was surprised with the amount of love I already felt for him.
"Oh Edward," I professed.
Before I could say anything else, his lips crashed against mine so tenderly and yet so strongly. My hands flew to his hair, tugging tightly as I felt sparkles spread throughout my whole body. His taste mingled with mine in the sweetest, most beautiful way possible.
The only truths I knew at this moment were that he was a lot more noble than he gave himself credit, that he had a huge heart underneath it all, and that I was unconditionally and irrevocably falling in love with him.
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