I'd lie.
I wonder why no one bothered to build a library in this hell-hole called Forks. I mean, I know that kids these days use the internet but seriously, books aren't that antique yet. So, due to the inability of this small town to handle a well stocked library, book-lovers like me had no other option other than to drive a long way just for the sake of buying our favourite books. But I guess book-lovers in this almost deserted town would be few and far between.
I wonder what Charlie is doing…hmm. Probably gone fishing with Billy or spending time with his wife-oh I mean his work. Don't get me wrong, Charlie is a good dad, and after my mom Renee left with us, he had married his faithful job. He was the known as Chief Swan to the good people of Forks.
As I was heading back from Port Angeles in my old beat up red Chevy, I caught sight of a shiny Volvo parked at the shoulder of the road, there was someone standing outside. It looked to be a male figure, tall and from what I could see he had bronze coloured hair in a messy mop atop his head. He was quite lean, but muscular at the same time. He wasn't like those over-muscular weightlifters and nor was he like the unhealthily thin and anorexic guys who look like they'd blow away in a slight breeze. He was just right. He seemed to be running his hand through his hair and gripping it hard as he kicked the car's tire.
Car trouble. Maybe I should help? I pulled up in front of him and killed the engine. I quickly got out of the truck and walked over to see what the matter was.
He turned to look at me and my breath caught. He was taller than I thought he was, probably more than six feet. His hair was a wild bronze mess, He had a strong jaw line with just the perfect amount of stubble and his nose was straight and his physique was something every guy would kill for and every girl swoon over. And then his eyes, oh my god…They were deep pools of green emeralds that were shining in the rare Fork's sunlight. They literally glittered. I think my heart skipped a few beats when he smiled crookedly at me.
Then I remembered, he was in trouble, he needed some help. Snap out of it Bella!
It took a great effort on my part to regain my composure and form a coherent sentence before I spoke.
"That thing giving you trouble?" He grinned again and sighed, "Yep, I need to get back home, my Aunt is having a baby and I need to be there and this stupid piece of metal just had to break down right now." He kicked it again as if to emphasize his point. I laughed at his expense.
"Where are you heading? Maybe I could drop you off?" I asked trying to be a good citizen.
"Forks Hospital, I don't know if you'd know the way, it's a pretty small town." He replied
"Well, you're in luck because I live there, and I was heading there myself. Come on I'll drop you." I smiled at him and my heart flipped when I realized we lived in the same town. He looked surprised when I admitted to him that I lived there.
"That's good, my family and I moved there yesterday from Alaska. I had gone into town to buy some books, and music and other stuff." He replied
"Just hold on a second, I'll call my mechanic and have him pick this junk off the road." He quickly pulled out his phone and called up whomever he was calling while I started walking towards my truck, I watched him from the rear view mirror and saw as he walked back to his car and pulled out his back pack and then jogged over to the passenger side and gracefully sat in. I stared at him for a beat longer than necessary, capturing the image of him sitting in the passenger seat of my truck and storing it in my memory. Then I turned away from him and faced the road before I quickly gunned the engine and started off.
"I never caught your name." I said. His brow furrowed cutely and then he laughed, "Oh yeah, I'm Edward Cullen. And you are…?"
"I'm Isabella Swan, but please call me Bella." I said as I glanced at him swiftly. (A/N: haha Swift.)
I couldn't deny how gorgeous he was. But for a girl like me to ever have a chance with someone like him…was absolutely impossible.
For the rest of the ride back we spoke and got to know each other. His favourite colour was green, he had a twin sister Alice, and he went to high school with me…so that meant Alice too would be with us. He was born on the 17th of June and he wanted to be like his father. He thought that the fifties music was better than the sixties; he disliked the seventies, and said that the eighties were "bearable". He loved classical music; Debussy was one of his favourites and so was mine. We had one major argument over books. For someone who claimed to detest 'Wuthering Heights' he sure knew a lot about it. We bickered for a major part of the ride home about that one particular book which was my favourite and he seemed to think it was not worth even being a good book. Then he scoffed 'Romeo and Juliet' saying that they both were 'absolute nutcases' (his words, not mine!) and that Romeo knowingly fell into fights with Juliet's own family. Well whatever he said, he was good at arguing and whenever he argued there was a fire that burned within him, behind his emerald eyes that seemed to sparkle even more than usual.
Finally my time with this amazing argument-loving Greek god was up. I pulled up in front of the hospital. He didn't make a move to get out. He turned to look at me through his long lashes, and said "I'll meet you tomorrow at school Bella, and thanks a lot for the ride, I don't know what would have happened if it weren't for you. Umm…if you don't mind, can…um…canihaveyournumberplease?"
"What did you say?" I think I heard him ask for my number but I wasn't sure…
"Can I have your number please? That is…if you don't mind." He looked like I was going to throw him out of the truck and run him over or something. I chuckled quietly and handed him my phone while he gave me his and we exchanged our numbers.
He grinned and then walked out of the truck. i stared after him and when I could see him no more I turned the truck around and headed home.
Two month later::::::
"Bella, Wait! You just have to hear this one!" I turned around to the smiling face of Edward who was making his way towards me pushing through the crowds with a carefully balanced lunch tray in his hands. I tried to act annoyed with him for leaving me with Alice for an entire afternoon where she tortured me with her various 'beautifying equipments' even after he told me he wouldn't.
"What do you want Mr. Betrayer." I huffed turning around to glare at him.
He looked at me apologetically and I could feel my steely resolve begin to crumble. He shifted from foot to foot and then looked up at me through his lashes, "umm… are you really that mad with me?" He asked hesitance clear in his voice. Hmmm…maybe I wasn't that bad an actress.
But then again, I couldn't stay mad at him for long. And the way he looked right now, I really felt like going over to him and hugging him tightly and kissing him.
I sighed, "No, I already forgave you long back; I just like messing with you." I smirked. He shook his head at me and then began telling me about his night. "So, as I was telling you, after you left, Alice and I were having this Chess…" I got lost in the sound of his voice not really listening to what he was telling me. I was really busy counting the colours in his eyes. We were outside on the benches having lunch as for once the sun was shining and it gave an almost surreal effect to his already glittering eyes. I stared into the emerald depths of them. He had really pretty green eyes. A thin dark green- almost black rim surrounded the green part of his eyes, his pupil was constricted, I imagine it was because of the sunlight, and there were tiny little gold flecks near the pupil that glittered and added a new depth to them. I've never noticed a person could have so many colours in their eyes. His eyes were just like his father's. His father Carlisle was a surgeon at the Forks Hospital and also worked in the ER. I've already met him on my trips to the ER. He was a good person.
"…and can you believe it? She actually fell for the trick! Emmet is so gonna be teasing her about this. Alice never lost a match before yesterday." I laughed and smiled just to reassure him that I heard what he said. It was really easy to get lost in his voice, or his eyes, or his scent. It wasn't my fault!
Six more months later::::
"Edward, why are you acting so strange all of a sudden? Did Emmet mix up all your music CDs?" I joked.
He sighed and ran his fingers through that beautiful messy hair of his as he spoke quietly, "No Bella, I don't know why Alice and everyone pesters me about love. They know that I'm never going to fall in love with anyone but still. Nowadays all Alice talks about is 'how nice it is to be in love, Edward you should find your sweetheart, oh! I think I know who you're talking to on the phone all the time.' And the list goes on. I'd never fall in love, Bella." His eyes move up to meet mine with the most serious expression that I've ever seen him wear.
I laughed. "Oh god! Edward, love isn't as bad as you make it look. Every man says that he wouldn't fall in love but in the end, you can't control the way you feel. It's like an automated reflex switch that switches on when you meet your match. You can't make it go away." I explain. I laugh because I don't want those words to be ingrained in my mind, I know for a fact that I have fallen for him, but the possibility for him liking were few before and now after he said this, I guess I didn't have a chance.
"Why are you laughing at me?" because I don't want to let you know how much that hurt, how much those words cut me "Because I'm hoping that you're wrong, Edward." I say quietly. All the laughter had vanished as we stared at each other for once without arguing over something.
A week later:::::
"Alice? Where are you?" I was at the Cullen's house. Alice and I were having a sleepover and she said she'd be right back before leaving me in her room, almost twenty minutes ago. Eventually I got worried and started looking for her. I walked across Edward's closed door and heard guitar music playing from the inside. I stopped. It sounded like just some mindless strumming but it was still very soothing.
Was Edward playing the guitar?
It did sound like it was being played live. I don't know for how long I stood there listening to him play but eventually Alice found me leaning against the wall next to his door and smiled at me. "Is Edward playing it?" I whispered so as not to disturb him.
Alice nodded her head, "Yeah, but don't tell him you know. He doesn't like it when people know about his guitar love, he thinks he isn't good enough and would be made fun of. You know right that he plays the Piano?" I nodded my head. Edward's a fantastic pianist. I've heard him play on more than one occasion and If I wasn't already in love with him by then, his playing would have definitely done it for me.
"You like him Bella, don't you?" Alice asked softly.
I felt the panic rise from within me. But I kept a smooth a charade, "Yes Alice, he's a really good friend, and he is a great person. Anyone would be insane not to like him." I replied calmly.
Alice shook her head at me, "No Bella, I meant to say that you are in love with him. I can see it, the way you two act around each other…it's like an old married couple who keep bickering but still love each other and always make up. It's kinda cute"
I laughed softly as we started walking back to her room, "Alice, we're friends, and I'm more than happy being just that. I love him as a friend. Just like I love you." lie, lie, lie, lie, lie. I love him more than I should, but she doesn't need to know that.
Alice just sighed and shook her head before going back to her torture methods of 'beautification' as she put it.
"Alice, Edward's Birthday is next week, let's give him a surprise! We'll decorate the house and stuff and invite his close friends, but NO PARTY as in the high school drunk types. You know he hates them. It'll just be us and the family. What do you say?" Alice squealed and hugged me as if I just told her the cure for cancer.
"Oh Bella! He'll absolutely love it. You know him so well!"
"We can have the theme as one of his favourite bands. And have a cake with 'Romeo and Juliet' on It or some other classic which he hates just to piss him off!" I suggested with a slight laugh. It'd be so funny to see Edward's surprised face at the picture of 'Romeo and Juliet' on his cake.
Alice laughed her voice a bell like sound. "God Bella, you make sure to tease him even on his birthday! But it's a good idea. I'm in!"
A week later:::::
"Bellllllaaaaaaaaa! I really want to sleep in! it's a Saturday!" Edward whined as he turned over snuggling deeper into his pillows.
I'd come up to take Edward out to the park and to get some ice-cream but he was of course putting up an unnecessary fight.
"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! If you don't wake up right this instant than I…I will tickle you!" I threaten in my best 'Mom' voice. There are a few grunts but he doesn't move. I sigh, "You really left me no option." And then without a warning I jump onto the bed and start tickling the hell out of his sides.
Oh god he isn't wearing a shirt!
That small lapse of concentration that I had was enough for him to trap my hands and roll over so that he was hovering above me with both my wrists in one of his hands held above my head while he supported his weight with his other hand. He wasn't exactly touching me but he was close, very close.
I struggled against his fierce grip but to no avail. He was stronger than me. So I grinned, "See now you're up! Now get off me and get dressed, we're leaving in ten minutes." I said.
Edward just laughed and then leaned forward and kissed my cheek before rolling onto the other side of the bed, completely off me and walking into his bathroom. I smiled goofily and inhaled his scent which was lingering on the pillows
After he came back out we quickly grabbed a bite for breakfast and left. We walked around the park laughing and joking around and then I dropped my ice cream on the floor and sulked until Edward dropped his own ice cream and we both sat ice-cream-less laughing at our stupidity.
When it was around four in the evening we decided to return back home. I texted Alice to give her a heads up and asked her if they needed more time. Alice replied telling me that they were done. We walked back and Edward opened the door, he stopped in his tracks. If he was a cartoon I'd be pretty sure that his jaw would be on the floor by now. Then a second too late everyone burst into a chorus of 'Happy Birthday to Edward' Edward recovered and looked around the room at the posters of his favourite bands hanging there with green and white streamers and other decorations strewn across the room making it look really pretty. Alice had outdone herself again.
Edward had a huge grin on his face. He bounded over to Alice and picked her up in a huge brotherly hug, twirling her around, she squealed.
"Thank you Alice, this is really great." He said. I smiled at them. Alice looked really pretty wearing a little red dress and she shook her head quickly and said, "No, no, no Edward, don't thank me, all I did was arrange the thing, The entire idea was Bella's. She did everything!" Alice had a proud little grin on her face but I panicked. What if he figures out what I feel for him. I mean, the way the room was decorated, it pretty much showed him that I have had him memorized for a long time.
Edward turned his shocked and happy eyes to my face and pulled me into a bone crushing hug kissing me cheek. He twirled me around similar to Alice but he held me for a longer time, he didn't set me down, my feet were still dangling in the air. "Happy birthday Edward." I said softly.
His bright smile absolutely rivaled the brightness of the sun. He grinned and said, "This has been the best birthday ever. Thank you a lot Bella, I don't know what I would have done without my best friend." saying that he finally placed my feet on the ground and released my waist from his tight grip.
He was so innocent if he could overlook that huge truth that was staring back at him. But I felt relieved that he hadn't caught onto the fact that I loved him. I was pretty good at covering up my feelings and lying about them I guess.
The night was fun until Edward saw the 'Romeo and Juliet' cake. He scowled, "I believe this was Bella's idea of a joke." Edward said turning to smile at me to let me know he didn't mind.
I laughed, "Well, I know it's your birthday but still, I couldn't give up one opportunity to make you feel like a retard now could i? Your expressions' are too priceless to waste." I snickered. He scoffed at me and then smirked; "Well now at least I can use a knife to cut stupid Romeo into pieces." Everyone laughed at that. I frowned. "No, don't do anything to the poor guy!" too bad you should have thought of that before getting him that cake.
Edward neatly cut out the piece of the cake where Romeo's face was and stuffed it into my mouth. I picked up another piece and fed it to him. He fed the cake to Alice and his parents and then sent the rest of it into the kitchen to get cut and distributed to everyone. We were all sitting in the living room and watching Edward as he was opening his presents. Alice brought him CDs of his favourite band's new albums and a gift-card. Esme and Carlisle had already given him an early present which was a new car. It was a BMW or a Mercedes I think. I don't know much about cars. Emmet and Rosalie got him a few T-shirts and jeans. His aunts and uncles' gave him various other gifts ranging from paintings to new books, music CDs and a lot of other merchandise.
Then it was time for him to open my gift. I was feeling nervous. What if he thought it was stupid, or maybe he had no use for it.
He unwrapped the medium sized rectangular packet and as soon as he saw the cover he froze. His hand smoothed over the top where his name was engraved into the hard cover of the book.
I had gotten him a book for writing his music. It was blank music sheets that I had compiled and had his name engraved on the cover for him.
"Open it…" I whispered, utterly scared of what his reaction would be. There was a note on the first page and I watched his eyes following the letters
Dear Edward,
Happy nineteenth Birthday.
I know how passionate you are about your music and how often emotions flow through your music. I want you to capture those feelings into this book so that you can never forget them. I've already filled some for you.
I hope you like the gift.
Love,
Bella
P.S. I know your tendencies to go into shock but if you like the gift at least give me a smile so that I can stop having a heart attack over here.
That seemed to have gotten to him as he looked up quickly at me and chuckled. Then he flipped through the pages where I had put his song for Esme and Alice in there. I had also put in a tune which I had written for him. He didn't know about me playing the piano so I guess it would come as a shock to him probably.
He froze on the page where he saw his name as a title to the song I had written him. His eyes quickly met mine for a brief second filled with curiosity before he looked back at the page again and then his eyes followed the notes and a serene smile took over his face as he imagined the melody in his head. (A/N: This song is 'River flows in you' by Yiruma.)
Then he looked up at me again and smiled, "Bella, you have no idea how much I appreciate this. But you never told me you could play the piano, and also that you are an awesome composer. And here I thought that I was good." He sighed. Then he turned to the last page when his eyes widened as he looked at the smooth guitar pick. It was black with a little green design on it with and E engraved in it.
He looked up at me, "Bella…How did you…"
"I heard you one night. you were really good. If you practice more you never know…it could be you on the TV a few years later." I said softly hoping that he wouldn't get as mad as Alice told me he would if I knew about it.
I looked at Alice from the corner of my eyes and her jaw was hanging open in a state of shock and surprise. Before I knew it the book was slid to the side as Edward wrapped his strong arms around me and hugged me tightly to his chest squeezing the life out of me. "You are truly the best friend someone could ever ask for. This day is gonna definitely count amongst my top ten days." He breathed into my hair and pulled away and kissed my cheek sweetly. Just then a flash went off and I saw Esme standing there with a camera in her hands and tears in her blue eyes. I blushed as I moved away from him.
That night Edward insisted that I play him that piece that I had written for him. And I couldn't refuse the birthday boy so after a short argument I gave up and played him the melody.
Seven Months later::::::
I was moving out today to go to UCLA. I sniffled as Charlie put my suitcases in the trunk of the car. I and Alice were hugging onto each other, unwilling to let go and Edward's eyes were red and puffy as if he had just been crying too. It was the first time I had seen him close to tears…and probably the last too.
Edward was going to Dartmouth and Alice was going to NYU. It was going to be really tough for our little group to break up.
Charlie looked at me and then at Alice and then excused himself to go outside to check on something. I think he was just giving us privacy to say good bye. Alice left to go to the bathroom and Edward hugged me tightly, "Can't you get a transfer somewhere closer to me and Alice?" He asked trying to keep his voice light.
I pressed myself tighter into him as I tried to control my tears. This was the last chance I had at being this close to him for maybe years now.
Edward seemed to sense this too, "Hey, don't cry Bella, we're just a phone call away and we will meet up on holidays right? We'll always stay in touch?" I chuckled softly against his chest. It smelled so wonderful.
"It's not that black and white Edward, but I'm gonna miss you a lot. Who will I argue with?" I sniffled against him warm and hard chest.
e pressed his nose into my hair and inhaled deeply, "I knew you only kept me around because I love to argue." He said his voice shaking slightly due to the unshed tears. I smacked his chest lightly. "I'm really going to miss you Bella." And then without warning Edward caught my chin and tilted my head upward so that he could stare into my eyes. His eyes were watery and a small tear had slipped down. Tha was when he closed his red puffy eyes and leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine.
It was a soft brush, I could barely feel it, but it left tingles throughout my body. It spread an unknown fire through me right till the tips of my toes. He sighed against my lips and then pulled apart opening his eyes before placing a chaste kiss against my cheek.
Alice chose that exact moment to walk in and pull me away from Edward for a last hug. Then we all walked outside and as soon as I sat in the car, my water dam broke and tear after salty tear spilled from my eyes as if it had collected all the water of Nile and didn't know where to release it from. Charlie rubbed my back trying to sooth me but it wasn't of that much help.
FOUR YEARS LATER::::::::::::
"Bella, we're going on stage in five minutes, are you dressed and ready? I suggest you start your vocal exercises now." Angela Weber my Manager said. She was a great friend and she knew about my love for Edward and how after so many years we had barely spoken mainly due to my busy schedule and him studying Law. Today was my first live performance of my new album, and I was not nervous. After doing this for almost two years, I finally got the hang of it. I glanced at the picture on my dressing table of me and Edward on his birthday. The one Esme had clicked when he was kissing my cheek. I smiled at the old memories as I went on stage to perform the songs.
After a long performance I finally came to my last one.
"okay guys, the lost song, I wrote for someone very special. This is the first time you're gonna be hearing it so…I hope you like it."
Then the Music started and I began, the memories appearing in flash backs to me as I sang:
I don't think that passenger seat
Has ever looked this good to me
He tells me about his night
And I count the colors in his eyes
He'll never fall in love he swears
As he runs his fingers through his hair
I'm laughing cause I hope he's wrong
I don't think it ever crossed his mind
He tells a joke I fake a smile
That I know all his favorite songs
And I could tell you his favorite color's green
He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth
His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes
And if you asked me if I love him,
I'd lie.
He looks around the room.
Innocently overlooks the truth
Shouldn't a light go on?
Doesn't he know that I've had him memorized for so long?
He sees everything black and white
Never let nobody see him cry
I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine
And I could tell you his favorite color's green
He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth
His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes
And if you asked me if I love him,
I'd lie.
He stands there then walks away
My god if I could only say
I'm holding every breath for you...
He'd never tell you but he can play guitar
I think he can see through everything
But my heart
First thought when I wake up is
My god he's beautiful
So I put on my make up
And pray for a miracle
Yes I could tell you his favorite color's green
He loves to argue oh and it kills me
His sisters beautiful he has his father's eyes
And if you asked me if I love him
If you asked me if I love him
I'd lie.
I finished the song and went inside to the dressing rooms. I once again picked up the picture of me and Edward and let a small tear slip as I traced Edward's features with my fingers. I was last in that moment and the way his lips had brushed against mine that one time when I was leaving.
Just then my door burst open with a much panicked looking Angela standing there. "Bella you have to come right now- he's here Bella! They're not letting him in though. Please hurry up before they have to throw him out." I didn't know whom she was speaking about but there was a nagging sensation that told me it had to be him.
And I was right.
He was struggling against my bodyguards Seth and Jared. "Let me in! she knows me! I'm Edward, we've known each other for…" He stopped moving when he saw me standing there and my eyes welled up again as I saw him stare at me. "Bella…" He whispered and then grinned at me.
"Seth, Jared leave him now. I know him and he's here to speak to me." I say without tearing my gaze away from him. They promptly leave him and he walks over to me his Emerald eyes boring into mine. He looks somewhat different. He seems taller than I remembered him to be. His green sparkly eyes had turned slightly dull and hazy and his hair was messier than ever. But he still looked perfect.
"Hi." I said shyly. If only I had known he was coming for my concert.
"Bella…I think we should talk. I mean, we really need to talk." He said, his eyes drifted over to the passage from where I had come and I nod and start leading him inside.
We enter my dressing room and his gaze immediately zeroes in on the picture of us.
He smiles as he picks it up and gently caresses my face in the frame like I had done to his so many times before. Then he sighs and puts it back down and turns around to face me.
"So… I guess, you took your own advice and took some guitar lessons and now look…you're on TV." He chuckled softly. I blushed.
"How come you're here Edward? I thought you were at Chicago." I asked
"Alice told me I had to see this concert of yours. She booked my tickets and even called into my office and asked them for a leave. So here I am…" He was nervous, that much was clear.
This is it Bella, you have to tell him now or never
Yeah, as if the song wasn't glaringly obvious. I thought sarcastically. I took in a deep breath but before I could start Edward began.
"Bella, you don't know what it did to me when I tried to keep my emotions around you in check. It was a frustrating job. I thought that if I moved far away from you then maybe I would forget about you but no…it's like you have your own DVD in my mind that's set on replay and whenever I'm out with a any woman it reminds me of how you two are different and never lets me be with them for a long time. I really should have said this back then, but I was too much of a coward, and I thought it would spoil the amazing friendship we shared but I didn't want to lose you. It killed me to let you go that day.
"I didn't know you had feelings for me. I thought you thought of me as just your best friend. Bella, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on, you've never needed any make up. You are beautiful just the way you are. Both in and out, you're wonderful. And…and I think- no I know that I'm in love with you. You don't have to lie this time you know." He gulped as he waited for my reply but instead the happy tears flowed unstoppably down my cheeks and I hugged him breathing him in to see if he still smells the same.
And I was rewarded. He wrapped his arms around me engulfing my small frame into his larger one. It made me feel safe and protected.
"I love you too Edward, and I always have." I sniffled into his chest. He tilted my chin up and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. His hand pressed into my lower back pulling me closer to him while the other rested on my hip tracing circles against me. My hands travelled up his shoulders and neck and into that soft hair of his knotting into it and keeping him in place against my mouth. He pulled away resting his forehead against mine, staring into my eyes before burying his face into the crook of my neck and kissing my skin over there.
It tingled from pleasure and ached for more of his divine touch but Angela had to open the door and ask me to hurry up for the signings and meeting my fans backstage. I held Edward's hand and insisted he stay with me. He smiled and brushed his lips against the back of my hand, his green eyes coming alive once again and grinning that crooked grin at me before saying, "I'm never letting you go now Bella, you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."
"I love you Edward."
"I love you too my Bella."
THE END
A/N: AS you all probably already guessed, the song I'd lie belongs to Taylor Swift and my story is based on it so I've used it.