HAPPY SUMMER :D
SO, HERE WE GO AGAIN. THIS STORY HAS BEEN RUNNING AROUND IN MY BRAIN FOR SOME TIME AND I DECIDED TO WRITE IT AS A SIDE STORY SINCE MY OTHER STORY IS ON HIATUS. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT AS MUCH AS I LIKED WRITING IT.
SUMMARY: BELLA AND EDWARD ARE BEST FRIENDS, BUT WHEN EDWARD LETS SOMETHING SLIP THAT TURNS INTO A AVALANCHE IT'S UP TO BELLA TO HELP HIM OUT. WILL THEY GET OUT UNSCRATCHED? BAD ASS BELLA IS AT IT AGAIN CAUSING TROUBLE AT EVERY TURN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE SWEET, BUT EDGY EDWARD TO KEEP HER IN CHECK OR AT LEAST TRY TO. JOIN THE GANG ON THIS CHRISTMAS-Y ADVENTURE AND TRY TO KEEP UP.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, THOUGH I WISH I DID.
BPOV- "1983"
RING, RING, RING!
"Who is calling at this ungodly hour in the morning?" I spat into my Blackberry. Four in the morning; it was four am nobody should be woken up this fucking early in the morning on a Saturday.
"Bella, it's me Edward. I'm fucked; meet me at Starbucks in an hour." He sounded on the verge of a full on panic attack.
"Listen, fucker, it's too early to deal with your shit. Call me back in a couple of hours and I'll consider it." I snapped dropping my head back on my pillow.
"No, you listen! I don't care how early it fucking is! Get your ass to motherfucking Starbucks in a fucking hour!" he screamed.
This was the first time Edward had actually yelled at me; which made reconsider and agree to meet him in an hour. Nothing was making sense to my half asleep brain. So, I got my ass groggily out of bed and into the shower.
Why in the world would Edward Cullen be awake at four in the morning on a Saturday? And who the hell did hethink he is to yell at me? I was sleepy and tired and fucking confused and I didn't know or cared, because it was too fucking early. I pulled on a pair of jeans, a white shirt and a pair of dirty white converse; my dark brown hair into a messy bun and slipped on black-trimmed glasses.
He owed me his soul after this, I thought as stepped into the elevator.
EPOV
"Hello, son, it's your mother," Esme said through the phone.
Two in the morning; it was two in the morning and I had just made it through the front door of my apartment. I was definitely not in the mood to talk to my mother. Don't take it the wrong way though, I love my mother I really but, at two in the morning. I'm sorry, but no
"Hello, mom," I said trying to muffle a yawn. "How's it going?" I could feel my eyes drooping and my brain begging for sleep, but I hadn't talked to my mother in a while and been the mom's boy I am, I tried to make conversation for her sake.
"Great, sweetheart, how are you?" She asked. "Have you been eating? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you going your laundry? …"She just kept of shooting of questions, which I stopped hearing opting for answering 'yes' to everything.
Mom was talking about one of her friends from the country club having a lovely daughter my age, hot and what not. She never lost her hope on my settling down, telling me what a great husband I would make and how there are so many wonderful girls out there that would love to give me a chance. But, I wasn't looking to settle down. There wasn't anyone I was interested long enough to even think about pursuing.
All the girls that were interested in me either wanted me because they thought my last name would give them power or my money or both. So, it was really useless to try to date.
"Yes." I said to whatever she just asked me.
"Really?" she sounded surprised. Apparently I made some sound of agreement, because she continued, "Michelle is going to be trilled you're willing to go on a date with her daughter."
That woke me up pretty quickly, "What! No I'm not going on a date with Mrs. Randolph's daughter! Haven't I told you that I'm not interested in dating any of your friends' daughters or sons?"
Yeah, they've gone there. It was apparently the scarce flow on women and you'd think they'd be happy that I'm not a mam-whore. You just never win in my family.
"But, Edward, you are a successful young man. Why won't you date?" she sounded worried again. "And Mrs. Randolph's daughter is quite the looker."
It broke my heart to have to disagree with my mother, but this was the one thing I was adamant about. I was not being set-up. Been there, done that and it did not work out.
"She most likely is, but, mother, I'm not interested. " I said slowly. My brain was fuzzy and I don't think I could think straight anymore.
"Do you have someone, honey?" mom asked hopefully.
"Yeah, I do." I said.
"Well, son, go on. Do I know her?"
"No you don't." I said trying to end the conversation. My bed was calling me and I was eager to answer it.
"Well, don't leave your old mother on the edge of her seat," she said barely containing the excitement in her voice. "Tell me about her."
"She's twenty-six, two years younger than me." I said. Maybe if I gave her the bare minimum she'd back off, until I actually found someone.
"What else, Edward, don't be vague with your mother." She chided
"Ok, well, she's shorted than me, maybe 5,5", she wears glasses and she's has and has a degree in business." I could worry about this later; right now I wanted sleep.
"She sounds perfect for you. When can we meet her?" she asked, but didn't let me answer and continued to sleep, I mean, talk. God, I was losing it. "You can bring her to the annual Cullen Christmas week in Aspen this year. That way we can all meet the girl who has finally captured my little Edward's heart."
"Sure, mom, I got to go. I've just gotten home from the hospital." I said trying to end this conversation before I said something stupid.
"Ok, sweetie, I'll tell everyone the good news and we'll talk later to work out the details. Bye, Edward, love you."
"Love you too, mom." I hung-up and threw myself in bed closing my eyes falling immediately into deep, dreamless sleep.
Sometime during the night, my brain caught up with my fucking mouth making me jump out of bed.
I couldn't believe what I had done, how stupid can a person be? I felt guilty for lying to my mother, and fucking worried that she was going to tell my whole family and I would have to deliver a girlfriend for Christmas, I was in deep shit. Where in the world would I find a girl to take home for Christmas in such short notice? Hell, finding a girl wouldn't be the problem, I knew that much. With my 6,4", green eyes, slightly built lanky frame, odd shade of messy copper hair, and glasses, I could find a girls willing to come with me home. The problem was finding an intelligent girl, who would actually agree to this shit.
Goddammit, why couldn't I have kept my mouth shut?
I jumped quickly in and out of the shower. Getting dressed in whatever I found lying around: a pair of jeans, a worn AC/DC tee-shirt and black converse. I paced around my living room thinking about what to do, coming up blank every time. It was four in the morning and I couldn't take it anymore. I decide it was about time to call Bella.
She was pissed that I'd call so early, but agreed to meet me at Starbucks. Starbucks had become our meeting place over the years since it's the same distance from both our apartments.
I opened the door of the establishment and was engulfed by the wonderful smell of fresh brewed coffee. It was fairly empty with a few commensals spread out, because it was so early.
"Hey," I said to Addie. She was the usual barista here; we had become good friends with her over the years. She was a grad student at New York University and worked here to make ends meet. "I'll have a tall black coffee and a Frappuccino for Bella."
"What you do to get Bella up before eleven on a Saturday?" She asked while filling my order.
"I fucked something up and I need her to help me." I said trying not to remember.
"So, Mr. Harvard Degree messed up and needs my help." I hear Bella said from behind me. "This better be good or I'll have your balls for waking me up so early." She leaned over the counter to kiss Addie on the cheek and took her Frappuccino.
"Someone's in the dog house," Addie teased handing me my coffee. "You didn't get a kiss."
I rolled my eyes and paid, leading Bella towards a small table near the big floor to ceiling windows. "So, how are you?" She asked sipping her fancy coffee.
"I'm good. How are you?" I try to sound nonchalant, leaning back in my chair.
She did the same, propping her legs on my chair and settling her feet on either side of my thighs before she answered, "I'm was fine, until some douche called me at 4 in the freaking morning saying that he had fucked up big time."
"Is that so?" I asked grinning a little at the smirk on her face.
"Yes, care to explain?" She asked clasping her hands on the table.
"So, I was just getting home from the hospital when my mother called..." I continued to explained everything from how I was falling asleep and I didn't pay attention to how I gave my mother a vague list characteristics from the top of my head to how fucked I was now that I had to pull a girlfriend out of my ass to take home for Christmas.
Bella looked at me carefully sipping her coffee, "For a doctor you're really stupid, you know that right?"
I nodded my head like a child being scolded. "Good, thing I have the perfect selection of fake girlfriends from where you can take your pick."
"I knew there was a reason I kept you around." I said drinking some of my now cold coffee.
"Come on, let's go," she stood up. "I have to pull some strings and make some calls."
BPOV
Edward, always the gentleman, put his jacket over my shoulders as we made our way out to the busy streets of NY and into a funny smelling taxi. In the rush to get out of my apartment this morning I had forgotten mine and since it was winter even though the snow hadn't fallen it was still frigid.
I took out my cell and fired off an e-mail:
To: Aro Volturi
From: B Swan
Subject: Models ASAP
Hello Chic,
I'm bringing a friend over. We need your expertise and your baby dolls. Make them brunettes and around 5, 4" to 6, 0".
My friend is 100% straight, BTW, so keep your grubby hands off him. ;)
Remember you owe me big time Mister.
~B
I was taking Edward to my friend, Aro Volturi, the fashion gods' gift to women according to Vogue three years in a row and he owned the title. He was a little fashion diva, designer, model and manager to his own agency. And I hoped he had what Edward needed.
Now Edward, he was the biggest ass wipe in the history of asses. I mean, seriously, how a little white lie can blow up in his face that quickly is a mystery to me. I've never met anyone from Edward's family in the four years I've known him and I pride myself on knowing him in and out. But, they sounded like a great bunch of people: sweet, caring and nosy just like a good family should be. Especially Esme Cullen, that woman was an angel that made awesome homemade apple pie that shit was orgasmic, I swear. She still bought Edward's underwear for god's sake and according to him she buys everyone in his family underwear, too. It's amazing.
Sometimes I wish my mother was a little like Esme, but no. My mother, Renee, is a groupie that follows my step-father, Phil, and his famous rock band around the world on tour; while my father, Charlie, is the feared CEO of Swan International, a Fortune 500 company that has been in the top 3 since the U.S was founded. Yeah, my family un-common and dysfunctional, but I turned out fine. Well, that's what I try tell myself at least.
Edward and I were very different in a lot of aspects; know that I think about it. One of the mayor differences was our families. While the Cullen family was a tight knit group with family picnics and reunions, the Swan family was never at the same place at the same time, growing up I never saw Charlie, since he was always busy or Renee, being always traveling with her boy toy, Phil Dwyer. Nana Becca was the only person who took care of me when I was left in a lonely mansion in the outskirts of Seattle while growing up. And I still visit her once in a while. Another mayor difference is that he's the poster child for perfection: intelligent, good-looking, wealthy, talented, etc. while I was the example that psychologist used to either: scare parents into caring about their children, or making them work on fixing their marriage so that they don't end up like the 'Swan vs. Tribeca Divorce of '87'. God, form what I know it was a media disaster and I was one year old at the time of their divorce.
"Here you are," the taxi driver mumbled, pulling the car to a stop. Throwing some money at the driver Edward and I got out.
Aro's modeling agency was on Third Street.
I grabbed Edward and pulled him into the elevator not bothering to hold the door for the intern holding many Styrofoam cups of coffee and a box of beagles. Aro should really pay them more.
"That was mean," Edward said holding back a chuckle.
I shrugged, "You know what was meaner lying to your mommy."
When he didn't say anything I turned around, he was looking at the floor with a pouty lip and everything. "I'm sorry," I said hugging him by the waist. "You know I was joking, I really didn't mean it."
He hugged me back, "I know," he said and started tickling me, "I was joking too."
I was laughing and squirming trying to get away from his fingers, but it was no use in the small confinement of the elevator it was almost impossible to get far enough for him to stop the tickle attack. "Fuck, Edward." I choked out between laughs. "You're going to make me pee!"
I felt the doors on which I was leaning start to slide open and we both began to fall. I felt Edward's arms wrap around my waist flipping me on top of him to lessen the impact on me. We landed on the floor rolling with laughter, but we tried to compose ourselves when a pair of shiny Italian Manolo Blahnik shoes stopped in front of our withering forms.
"Tisk, tisk, tisk," a feminine voice say. "Is that any way to enter a fashion temple?" We had managed to regain a little composure back and Edward had managed to stand up. I grabbed the leg of Edward's jeans and pulled myself up to a sitting position and he helped me the rest of the way.
"Aro, you have to lay off the bagels," I teased bringing him in for a hug. "You aren't getting any younger and the few extra pounds are starting to show."
Aro laughed and rolled his eyes at me, "You're just jealous, honey bunches, and you know I look as fabulous as ever."
"Aro, this is my friend, Edward Cullen," I said pushing Edward towards Aro. "And Edward, this is Aro Volturi, your savior."
"Pleasure, Mr. Volturi." Edward said, shaking Aro's hand.
Aro turned to me mouthing 'yummy' with a lick of his lips and I mouthed an 'I know' in return.
"Edward, sweet cheeks, do not go all serious on me now," Aro said with a wink. "I saw you groping our dear friend Bella in the elevator."
Surprisingly, Edward blushed adorably and I being Mother Teresa tried to take the attention away from him, "Aro, I think we should go into your office to discuss this matter in private."
Aro nodded and led the way to his office. I let Edward go ahead of me while I take care of the nosy suckers left behind, "Ok, people! Go back to work!" I yelled. "Isn't there some puke to clean up or someone's life to go ruin with last week's gossip?"
Closing the door I sat next to Edward and across from Aro who was sitting behind his big glass desk.
"I should hire you to keep order in this jungle," Aro said taking a portfolio out from one of his drawers. "So, here are my best models. From pretty brunettes to fiery red heads, all ranging from 5,4" to 6,4". Just pick the ones you like and I'll have them come over for final approval."
Edward and I started to discard model upon model, they were either too thin or too tall or too dumb or too ugly. Much sooner than I would have hoped we had gone through three portfolios and had only pick out 3 models that looked like they might fit Edward's description. "Ok, Aro, we have our picks," Edward handed the folders back to him.
"Wow, you guys are way too picky," he said shaking his head in mock disapproval. "These were my best models."
"Yeah, maybe we are," I shrugged. "But, thanks to Dickward over here we have to be."
"Do tell, what happened." Aro asked after shooing his secretary off to call the models that had been chosen.
"We prefer not to," Edward said. I rolled my eyes at him.
"Don't be an ass, Aro" I said. "He's still touchy on the subject."
Aro nodded in understanding. That's the thing I like about Aro, he can be a nosy fucker, but he'll understand when you don't want to approach a subject.
"No, I don't think so." I said to Edward after the first model we interviewed had left the conference room Aro let us borrow.
"Yeah, I don't think she's the best fit either," he said rubbing his hands over his face. It looked like someone was ready for nap time.
Diana was nice, hot and the right height, but she not too bright. Plus, she was wearing a real fur coat. Have you not heard about endangered animals? And the way she was eyeing Edward have him and me the creeps. It seemed she wanted to eat him.
"Next, please," Edward sighed.
Our second pick was Tara, a natural brunette and willing to spend the holidays away from home in Aspen. Sadly, when we mentioned that she was going to act like Edward's girlfriend, she said she much rather be my girlfriend and if I changed my mind or my sexual orientation to give her a call. She would be happy to pop my lesbian 'cherry' for me.
"What do you think about her?" I asked Edward just to tease him.
"I totally approve," He said with a teasing glim in his eyes. "She would make the perfect girlfriend for you."
I rolled my eyes at him and called our last hope to come in the room.
"Aria, a pleasure." he said in a deep voice.
I heard Edward mutter a, 'Fuck, no', but I went on with the standard questions we had been asking all the other models. He was perfect except for the gender and the fact that his hair was a multi colored wig. We told him we'd call him if when we made a choice and he was on his way.
"What did you think?" I asked Edward.
"No, it's not that I have anything against… you know, but my family will think their suspicions on my sexual orientation were true." he shuddered.
I laughed, "They thought you were gay?"
"Shut up," he said. "We still need to find a fake girl for me."
"'We' sounds like a crowd dude," I said checking my phone for messages. "I have to get to the office to close a deal with some people in Japan, but I'm free after three."
"Come on, Love, you need to help me out on this." He pleaded with his big green eyes and his pouty lip.
"Fine, bring take out over to my apartment around three for a late lunch." I relented. "We'll figure something out."
"How does Italian sound?" He asked.
"Yummy," I moaned. "By the way, I'm holding your jacket hostage until this afternoon."
"Is the warrant take-out?" he asked opening the conference room door for me.
"You bet your ass it is."
EPOV
Having Bella on my side made everything easier. I didn't have much influence in the fashion world, but Bella, because of her mother and her step-father did. And that alone gave us the upper hand in finding a girl that filled my stupid ass description. I still couldn't believe how asshole-y I had acted lying to my mother like that.
I was standing in line to get our take out when from out of the corner off my eye I saw and elderly lady fall of her chair. The doctor in me reacted before my brain could and went to help the old lady. As I got to her there was already a crowd that was making it very hard to get near enough to see if she was injured. A girl in her early teens had already started yelling for a doctor and apparently I was the only one in the building.
"Can you get the fuck out of my way," I yelled channeling my inner Bella. "I'm the one with the fucking degree in medicine not you nosy prats."
Finally, I made it to the grandma. Thankfully she was still breathing, but I could see her fading in and out of consciousness. "Has anyone called an ambulance?" I asked, faintly I heard someone said that they were on their way. I saw a purse lying next to the lady's body; looking through her things I noticed an emergency card stating she was a diabetic. Examining her closer she was a bit sweaty. Probably, diabetic shock, god dammit. I needed sugar ASAP.
"Does someone have candy, syrup, juice or anything with a lot of sugar in it?" I asked the crowd that was still surrounding the lady and me.
A girl carrying a little maple syrup packet handed it to me. I quickly took it, removed the rapper and placed it inside the lady's mouth. It took a while but the syrup started to melt and enter her system. Thank god the ambulance arrived then. I helped the paramedic strap the old lady on stretcher and went back to pick her things of the floor and hand them to the EMT's.
While I was going back to the ambulance with the lady's things, one of those nosy fuckers tripped trying to get a better look at the scene and landed on his nose. A tiny voice at the back of my head said 'Leave, the fucker there. He should learn to not get in anyone's business.' But, the Hippocratic Oath and my parent's engrained values made me take the high route and help the kid out. I helped him stand up and lead him to the edge of the ambulance to check his nose while unfortunately getting blood on my shirt in the process. His nose was not broken, but it was seriously crooked and I had to set his nose right so it would be easier for the doctors that would take care of him to bandage it up and because if more than 30 minutes passed the swelling would make it impossible for the shape of the nose to be seen. I felt sorry for the dude as I made a move to fix his nose back in place, if he thought this was pain than he would see God when I moved it. I looked at the paramedics for approval and I saw them nodding at me with smirks on their faces. I guess they had seen why the accident had happened.
I helped the guy blow his nose to get the excess blood out. Then, I placed my fingertips at the top of his nose, and press firmly telling him to exhale. Bringing the bottom of my hands together underneath the nose and I pulled my palms down the side of his nose, adding a bit of pressure and moving in a straight line. I place a finger up each nostril as far as possible, and aligned the nose from the inside. I instructed him to blow his nose while I withdrew my fingers. This helped drain blood and pus from the nose. I packed his nose with clean cotton to help set it and absorb the bleeding. He was crying by now, but he would be thanking me in a few days when his nose didn't look like something on exhibit at the MET. Handing him over to the paramedics, I told them to make sure they gave him ice and some ibuprofen or acetaminophen until they got to the hospital. And then they took off.
I wiped my hands off on some anti-bacterial wipes the EMT's had given me before checking my messages. It was four fifteen pm and I was sure that Bella had already texted me some semi-threatening message. Sneakily, I dodged the reporters that had gathered around the incident scene, making my way to a private corner before opening Bella's text.
From: B Swan
To: E Cullen
Hey Good Doctor,
I saw you saving some grandma on TV. Good job, you good Samaritan you. Sadly, there's a girl name Bella waiting for you to get your ass over here with her take out. So, do your thing and get here as soon as possible.
And don't think the press didn't hear your string of cusses ;)
~B
I smirked at the little Blackberry screen and quickly typed a response. Locking my cell, I sneaked back into the restaurant hoping not to be spotted by any nosy reporters. But, Sadly I had no such luck.
BPOV
From: E Cullen
To: B Swan
Hello Bitchy CEO,
A doctor's duty never stops. How did the Japan meeting go? Did you kick some Asian ass?
I'll get your food soon enough. Just plant your lazy ass on the couch and wait.
~E
Laughing at Edward's response I did as he said and plopped back on the couch, turning the television's volume back up. It was some young reporter, Gina Simons, reporting live from the Pizza-Hut where Edward helped out the elderly lady. I wonder if he would get out of there unnoticed? I knew as a fact that he hated, talking or having to appear on any form of media as much as I did, and that was saying something.
Edward's grimace made me chuckle as he appeared on my flat screen trying to sneak back into the building. His shirt was stained with blood and his hair messier than usual, but I had to admit the guy still looked good. Now that I think about it, Edward always looks good.
Huh, damn you Cullen genes.
"So, Dr..." Gina trailed of hoping Edward would fill in the blank.
"Dr. Cullen." Edward managed to grip out.
"Well, Dr. Cullen, how did you know what was wrong with the elderly woman?" Gina asked trusting her boobs at him.
Edward stepped back from her projectiles, "She was sweating and fading in and out of consciousness. In her purse was a card that said she suffered from diabetes. It was just putting two and two together and preforming a simple procedure."
"What did you do to help the situation?" She asked grabbing Edward's arm and petting it with her claws. That bitch really needs to keep her paws to herself.
"I did what is recommended in case of hypoglycemia or insulin shock. I administered sugar, in this case a packet of syrup."
"That was very resourceful of you," Gina said in 'sexy' voice that was an epic fail.
"Thank you." Edward said.
The screen turned back to studio where the broadcasters commented on Edward's heroic act and then turned to Jimmy, the weather man that never actually got the weather right.
"So, was saving a grandma enough excitement for the day?" I asked Edward after throwing his tee-shirt into the wash and pigging out on pizza. Yeah, Italian for us was a big box of pizza with random toppings; this week it was hamburger bits and pickles. You could go tell all those fancy five star restaurants to fuck it, I've had enough of those growing up and I have and inkling that Edward has also.
"That was enough excitement for a week." He said patting his bare abs. "Hey, is my drawer still the second one on the left? It's getting a little chilly in here."
"Yeah, it's still there." I said before getting up and tinkering with the thermometer. Edward had his own drawer in my room and some of his stuff in the guest room. I also had some of my crap at his apartment. We decide that it was easier to have stuff over at each of our apartments since we spent a lot of time together.
Also, it was easier when we staid over at each other's place. Tinkering with the thermometer in the hall I heard a series of thumps and shattering glass coming from my office. "Edward, get your ass over here!" I yelled tiptoeing down the hall.
Edward came over to me with his shirt half on. "What's with the screaming, love?" he said taking his arm out of the head hole and his head out of the arm hole fixing it so that it was on straight.
"There are some noises coming from my office," I said stepping behind him.
"Come on, seriously, Bella?" He said walking in front of me. "You're scared?"
"Yeah, I'm scared," I huffed. "Now, you be the big, bad man and go inside."
He rolled his eyes at me and pushed the door open. I peered under his arm, flipping the lights on. The room looked the same as the last time I was there.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"Yes, Daddy, fuck me harder!" a voice shrieked from the other side of the wall. "Fuck, FASTER DADDY, FASTER!"
"What in the world?" I asked Edward, who was bending over in fits of laughter.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"It looks like," Edward choked out. "You have a wall bang…"
He continued to laugh as groans and moan were heard through the wall. Fucking shit, I had sex rabbits as neighbors; Jackrabbit sex having rabbits.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"That dude is going to drive that chic through the freaking wall, Edward." I said shaking him to make him stop laughing. "Do something!"
Edward continued to laugh by my side like an asshole, "Don't worry they're almost finish."
CRASH!
It looked like I found out what the crashing sounds were. The fucking nymphos were taking down all the pictures and books that were hanging of my wall. Bastards. Couldn't they find another room where to fuck? I mean, the next door apartment has the same lay out as mine. So, they were getting it on in the office or one of the guest rooms.
A series of groans and moans followed and some more thumping, until finally it stopped. By now, Edward was practically kneeling on the floor laughing. And for that I kicked his leg.
"Get your ass up," I told him. "You're going to help me pick this mess up."
EPOV
We were picking up pieces of glass of Bella's hardwood floor, thanks to the sex bunnies next door that had made all of Bella's pictures, books and diplomas fall down. She had to admit it was pretty funny. I was still chuckling a bit, not having completely recovered from my laughing fit from a few minutes ago.
Bella had gone to throw away the glass we had collected, leaving me in charge of picking up the frames. I was doing my job dutifully when a few diplomas caught my attention: M.B.A International Business, Columbia University; English Literature, Yale University; Masters Violin, Juilliard. Bella was everything that I had described to my mother. She even had brown hair, brown eyes, and had the perfect height. Plus, her rocking body and no shit personality were an awesome bonus.
Though, I still had to run the idea by her, but I'm sure she was willing to help me, right?
"You're not seriously telling me this, right?" Bella said, eyebrow disappearing into her hair line and lips pressed into a thin line.
"No, Bella, I'm completely serious on this," I begged. "You've wanted to meet my family and this would be the perfect time to meet them, it would be an all-expense paid trip to Aspen, and you would have something to do over the holidays. I know that you don't have anything planned yet."
"Fuck no, Edward, listen. I would love to go with you to Aspen, but not as your fake girlfriend. What if I like them, then I wouldn't be able to hang out with them unless it's under some dumb pretense about some kind of relationship with you. Years could go by, they'll want an engagement, marriage, kids the whole shebang. This lie can grow and blow up in your face and mine." She explained grabbing my face between her hands.
I grabbed her hands and kissed her palms, "Please, just think about it. You have until the eighteen to make a decision, since the flight leaves on the nineteenth at noon."
Bella looked at me for a good minute before huffing and crossing her arms across her chest, "Fine, I'll think about it. But, I'm not promising anything, got it?"
I nodded obediently and kissed her cheek, "Thanks, Bells."
"Whatever just put away the sad puppy look and the pout." She rolled her eyes.
BPOV
Monday 17, 2012
"God damn it, stupid stapler, stupid office supplies, stupid office, stupid nine to five job," I muttered. It wasn't even a nine am to five pm job, if it were I would have been out of here a good two freaking hours ago. But, no, I couldn't leave this office until the last report was in. Yeah, I was picking up reports, I know, pathetic. Although, these reports were essential for the company's smooth running, it was still a pain in the back side. All the departments in the company had to submit a report of the department's functioning, management, expenses, and changes they would like to see happen. And like always, everyone waits until the last minute to start the effing report, which made me have to sit in my office waiting for their asses to turn in the report. And just now I had stapled my fucking blouse and blazer to the desk, because I was been dumb and playing with a stapler.
I pressed my intercom with the hand that wasn't stapled to the inanimate object, "Sarah, can you get in here with a staple remover? Thanks."
A few minutes later, Sarah, my secretary brought over a staple remover and helped me extract my sleeve from the wood. She also brought over a two lettuce leaves that were considered a 'salad' and some weird protein shake crap that tastes like, well, crap. I love my secretary, I do, she's the only one that gets me through my bitch fits on days that everything at the office seems to go from bad to worst in seconds and also runs errands when I'm to stumped with work that I can't even pick up my own dry cleaning. But, her weird diets and low fat foods were another thing. I'm more of a fast food and sugar loaded sodas kind of girl, I would prefer a greasy burger than a tofu one, any day.
"Ms. Swan?" Sarah said through the intercom. "I have a call for you on line 1."
I yelled thanks and pick up, "Isabella Swan speaking, with whom do I have the pleasure?"
A deep chuckle told me who it was making me smile, "I'm impressed Ms. Isabella. No one uses 'whom' right anymore."
"I have an English degree from Yale, ass, not just anyone can say that." I said leaning back on my big leather chair. "Hey, what are you doing on the phone anyway? Aren't you supposed to be saving lives or replacing important appendages?"
"No, Bells, I'm taking a lunch break and decided to give my girl a call," Edward said, munching on something. "Are you home yet?"
"I fucking wish, but no," I sighed into the phone and closing my eyes. "The annual department reports are due today and I have to stay until the last report is in. Sadly, I only have the reports of the Marketing Department and the Finance Department. You know the 'over achievers' or the one once who just want to start their vacation early."
"Yeah, probably the 'vacation early' part," he chuckled. "You sound like a teacher. Collecting final essays and letting us out for summer."
"Fuck off, its winter break not summer vacation and I want to get my ass off this fancy office chair, take this stuffy clothes off and throw these twelve inch Louis Vuitton death traps out a window."
"I would love to see you do all those things," he said in a low husky voice. That I'll admit made my insides jiggle a bit.
"In your dreams, mister," I said un-buttoning the top buttons of my blouse. Was it hot in here?
"Toujours, Love, toujours."
Later...
Knock, knock, and more knocks.
What time is it, again? That's right, midnight and I just got to Edward's place a few minutes ago. I know my job is that shitty, and I'm the CEO of the damn company.
I'm not moving. Not moving, for anything in the world.
Whoever it is can come back it's not my fucking problem.
I'm not going to read the text that was just send to my cell phone. If it's important, it can wait until tomorrow.
And I'm definitely not answering the phone that's ringing off the hook.
I'm not doing anything at all, until winter break is fucking over.
"Bella, are you home?" Edward, why does this not surprise me?
Maybe because your laying down on his bed, under his covers, with his shirt on, at his apartment. Moron.
"Bella is not here; please leave a message after the beep. Beep." I said burringing myself deeper into his warm silk sheets and snuggling his big comforter. I heard him walking into the bedroom, moving some things around, opening and closing drawers, lights being turned on and turned back off and then, something trying to invade my sheet cocoon.
"Fudge, Edward, your freezing." I said shivering as I felt his cold arms circle around me. He pulled the covers back in place and we were both laying in the dark, warm comfort of our cover fort, spooning.
"It's freezing outside," He said shivering for effect. "We're definitely having a white Christmas. It's going to snow soon"
"Again with the 'we'," I teased. "Are we getting a bit clingy here?"
He laughed tightening his arms around me, "Maybe a bit."
"You're only wearing underwear, aren't you?" I asked tangling my legs with his, feeling the short hairs of his legs on mine.
"I'm wearing boxers, they're manly underwear." he countered settling his face in the crook of my neck. And with that conversation ended we fell asleep a mess of limbs.
EPOV
I groaned at the sun streaming through the curtains, I really didn't want to move, it was warms and cozy. Now I knew why Bella doesn't like to get up in the morning. It was way too comfortable under the thick silky covers to get up and face the harsh, cold outside world. Especially after yesterday, we had a woman in her mid-twenties come into the E.R, she was complaining about horrible headaches. One of my colleagues prescribed her some strong pain meds and sends her home in a taxi, instructing her to take one tablet every six hours and all the typical warnings and directions. And everyone continued to go on as always not giving the woman with the headaches a second thought, after all headaches in the E.R are common. But, not a few hours later the same woman was admitted back into the E.R, this time on a stretcher, unconscious and coding, barely breathing if not at all. Sadly, no one could do anything for the woman and past a few minutes after arriving at the hospital. As it turns out, the headaches were caused by lack of oxygen in the brain, because of a faulty heart. And since my colleague didn't perform a more thorough examination and dismissed it as severe migraines, we couldn't do anything to save her.
Seeing the young woman die, while my colleague tried to save her was a bit of a wakeup call, surprisingly it was the first time I saw a doctor loose a patient. And the senior doctors said that it will never get any easier losing or seeing a life end because you just can't do anything to help them. After the woman was declared dead, I helped contact family members to notify them of her passing, but all of her family was out of state and the only one close to her was her best friend, who was devastated to hear the news. This made me call Bella during my break, just because I wanted to make sure she was alright. She was a bit of a danger magnet. Considering the crazy hours she works, and her latest stubborn streak: not wanting to drive a car in the city for many different reasons. I was constantly worried about her commuting from work and back alone at all times in the day. To tell you the truth, finding Bella safe and comfortable in my bed took the pressure that had form in my chest from her not being at home when I called earlier that night.
I tried to snuggle closer to Bella, but all I found was an empty space and remains of her warmth on the sheets. Surprised, I looked at the digital clock sitting on my bedside table, twelve-o-five. Fuck, it was already noon and I still had to pack my things for tomorrow, do my laundry, and check my flight. My grumbling stomach reminded me that I still had to make breakfast, oh, and let's not forget to find Bella, who knows where that little minx is hiding. Stretching, moaning and groaning I rolled off my bed on to the floor and then using my arms I got up.
First things first, I had to find Bella, I knew she was still her clothes were still thrown in a little trail from the door to the bed. So, she must be in one of the other rooms. Considering this was a penthouse apartment she could be in her room, the music room, my office, the pool, the gym, the dining room, or maybe the kitch…
"Fucking piece of shit," a yell came from the kitchen.
I guess the kitchen it was, the yelling gave her away that and the wonderful smell coming from there. I walked towards the kitchen leaning against the door frame, watching her move around my kitchen like it was her own, in a sense it was she spent as much time here as she spent at her place. I noticed she was still wearing my shirt, it reached mid-thigh and allowed the world to see her long, creamy, well-toned, legs. The pervert side of my brain wondered if she was wearing underwear, but then the more rational part kick the pervert out and reminded me that there was no panties on the floor were her clothes were. Damn.
"Hey, Bella, are you wearing underwear?" I blurted out.
She laughed throwing her head back, "That depends." She said dropping a blob of pancake batter on to a skillet.
"On what?" I asked making myself useful and setting cups and plates on the island.
"Whether or not you plan to do something if I'm not." Winking she placed pancakes on the plates I had put out and turning around looking for 'something' in the fridge leaving her ass on full display barely covered by the shirt she was wearing. I bent my knees a bit and looked at her ass from where I was kneeling. No, she was wearing underwear, lacy blue boy shorts to be exact.
I slapped her butt softly, "Stop being such a tease," I said reaching around her for some juice. "One day I'm going to take you up on the offer."
We settled down and sat down on opposite stool, Bella reading The New York Times' comic strips and horoscope section while I read the business and finance section. I was half way through an article about the financial crisis when Bella gasped. I looked up so quickly that the blueberry pancake I was chewing almost went down the wrong pipe.
"What's wrong?" I managed to cough out before chugging down a glass of orange juice.
She laughed at me, "Nothing, Eddie, I just remembered something I wanted to show you later today."
Nodding my head, I agreed to whatever she wanted to do later and continued eating my breakfast. Sometimes Bella reminded me of a mixture of Alice and Rosalie. She had Alice's spark, energy, and will to do anything she set her mind to, but she also had Rosalie's no shit attitude, and badass-ness to tone it all down. My family would love her, and if she doesn't agree to be my fake girlfriend, I'll come clean and take her as my friend.
BPOV
"What color would you like it this month?" Joshua asked. Edward and I were at Christo, the best hair salon for curls in NYC. I was about to change the color of the underside of my hair, right now it was maroon, but I wanted a more exciting color.
"I don't know, something exciting." I said flipping through the color pamphlet. "Edward, you pick." I threw the pamphlet towards him.
"Are you sure?" he said, looking at the different colors available. I shrugged and nodded.
"Ok, then, dye it blue and purple." He showed me a deep navy color and a lighter violet. "Like them?"
"Yeah, let's get to it, Josh." I said leaning back in the comfy chair and closing my eyes.
An hour later, I had a new haircut, cool blue-ish tips, and loose curls to die for. I hugged Joshua sent kissed to everyone on our way.
We were walking down Fifth Avenue, Edward was carrying my bags like the gentleman he is. I wasn't big on shopping, but this would be the first time in years I would be going to Aspen. Of course Edward didn't know I was going yet, no, I still hadn't told him, but I would soon enough. He still thought that I would fly somewhere warm and tropical for Christmas like I always do. He hadn't asked, but I knew he wouldn't press the issue so, I had time and he looked like he was having a good enough time running errands with moi.
"Let's go in here for a minute," I told him walking into Louis Vuitton. "I need to see something."
He followed me in and of course all attention was on the really tall, extremely good-looking, guy and the average-looking, rainbow color hair, too normally dress to be in here girl. I rolled my eyes and headed towards the register. I still wasn't use to people openly staring at Edward, but he didn't seem to notice so, I ignored it. I think it's the difference in appearances that draws attention to us. Edward right now is in a dress shirt, tie and jeans with converse adorning his feet, still somehow looking professional and clean-cut; while I was wearing skinny jeans, a white tee and flats, looking hung over as hell. Fuck, I hate does Cullen genes.
"Hey, I'm here to have some luggage delivered to my apartment," I said to the snobby looking lady on the other side of the counter. "I order them a week ago. They should be here."
She looked at me like gum on the sole of her shoe, "I'm sorry, kid, we need an adult to place the order and pay the fee."
Fuck her, bitch, I was not a child. I bet I was even a few years older than her. Edward was trying desperately to not laugh disguising it as a cough, but it wasn't working. I turned around hitting him in the chest, then turn back. The bitch or Susan like it said on her name tag was raising her eyebrow at me, trying to intimidate me?
"You're the 'kid' here. I'm older than you, thank you very much," I said calmly and restated my request, but still said she needed some sort of I.D to make sure I was of age. I'll fucking show her of age.
When she saw me open my mouth to talk again she sighed exasperatedly, "How hard is it to tell your father to come," she pointed at Edward, who was still laughing. "Fill out the paper work for the delivery, little girl."
"Of course you want my 'father' to come," I said making quotes around 'father'. "All over your boobs after you suck him off, bitch."
That got Edward into a new round of laughter and some other clients to giggle while Susan turned eighty shades of red. I raised an eyebrow at her and continued, "Good thing that is not my father, slut, but I won't report you if you hurry up and give me the papers."
"That was not appropriate. And, I repeat again, you need a grown up to sign for this." She said glaring at me.
"Oh, shut up, seriously," I said. I was ready to sock this, chick. "I am an adult."
"I would believe you, if you cut your hair like an adult and dressed like one," she shot back.
Edward, probably sensing I was three minutes away from lunging over the counter and hitting the bitch stepped in, talking in his 'I'm know-it all smarty pants' voice. Oh, yeah, I'm really mature.
Huh, I use the expression 'smarty-pants' and have a degree from Yale, suck that board of admission.
"What seems to be the problem, here?" Edward addressed Susan.
Ms. Bitchy McBitchiness, looked a bit flustered stuttering when she tried to speak, typical, "Well, your daughter is asking for a delivery order to be placed, but we need someone of age to sign the order."
Trying to hind his smirk he said, "Really, that does not sound like Bella at all." He took out his wallet, pulling something out. "Here, this should take care of the order, shouldn't it?" handing her his black Amex with a crooked smile.
I chuckled at Edward; he was such a cocky bastard pulling out his card and his crooked smirky smile, he knew it was a deadly combination for gold-digging bitches like Susan. And one look at Susan's face sent me into a full out laugh, she was practically salivating over Edward. Really who could pass up the chance to make a crude remark, I certainly couldn't.
"Wow, Edward, look at how big her mouth is," I said in fake astonishment. "She could deep-throat your dick, easily."
This made Susan shut her mouth so fast her teeth clicked together and busy herself fixing the delivery order.
"I think, she really did think you were under aged," Edward said, sipping on his wine.
"Do I look like a teen to you?" I asked him flicking a cherry tomato towards his plate.
"No, but the waiter doesn't know your age. For all he knows he could be staring at a minor's boobies." He said throwing a cucumber at me.
"Did you just say 'boobies' inside the L'Atelier de Joël Rubuchon?" I asked in a speculative tone.
"Maybe, but you said 'fuck-off' when the waiter came and tried to take our order." He chuckled.
"He should wait until my ass was seated in the chair before coming to take an order." I justified poking my Crispy Langoustine Papillote, it looked like a two slugs mating and it was grossing me out, although it was delicious.
"You have quite a way with words, Miss Swan. Dr. Cullen a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." a man's voice said behind us.
Fucking press, they didn't have anything better to do than follow me around. Edward always got the better end being 'America's golden boy' and what not, but I got the gossip and trouble having a 'trouble child' record. I mean, you get a couple tattoos, show up at a few galas in jeans or in a dress with on converse, dye your hair and suddenly you're a 'rebel without a cause' according to six different socialite magazines. That's why Edward and I always managed to evade the press and nosy socialite magazines so, they wouldn't relate us together. If a picture came out of the two of us together it would be the fucking apocalypses, and I refuse to be the girl who turned the wonder-child evil. Cue witch crackle. He was already evil when I met him so; I had nothing to do with it. I only helped that wicked sense of humor flourish.
"What do you want, Gavin?" I asked the motherfucker, who ruined my late teens.
Edward had nodded for another chair so, Gavin could sit. He was too nice sometimes.
"Why would I need a reason to meet with and old friend?" Gavin asked sitting down.
"Fuck off, Gavin, the last time you and I saw each other," I snapped gathering my purse and calling for the check. "I was sent to Institut Villa Pierrefeu in Switzerland to freeze my ass off so, yes, you need a fucking reason to follow me around."
Throwing some cash on the table I stormed out with Edward on my heels. Go damn it, couldn't I eat lunch without someone breathing down my neck. Edwards hailed a taxi and ushered me in, telling the driver the direction to my apartment.
"What the fuck was that about?" he asked once we were a good distance away from the Four Seasons.
I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest and slumping down on the worn seat of the cab, "Remember I told you about who I wasn't the best example of a socialite family?" Edward nodded. "Ok, well, Gavin is one of the paparazzi that followed me around the most. It was exasperating. He was the one that took a picture of me under-age drinking, getting my first tattoo, and even buying my first thong."
"Oh, yeah, I remembered it was on the cover of Int. Social, Hamptons and Socialite Life," he chuckled a bit, probably remembering the title, "'Swan's daughter likes it risqué'. God, my brother, Emmett, jacked off with the pictures of you in lingerie for a month. I think he still has the pictures hidden somewhere."
I giggled; it was kind of funny, but still after seeing does pictures Charlie shipped me to fucking Switzerland. "Hey, isn't your brother Emmett, married?"
"Didn't I say, 'Hidden'?"
We both laughed and the uncomfortable episode in the restaurant was forgotten. I hope Gavin, keeps his mouth shut and his ugly face out of my business or heads will roll.
Getting into my apartment I ran towards my bedroom and plopped down on to my bed. I was tried, really tired. But, I knew that now that Gavin has seen me I definitely had to get out of New York at least for a weekend. So, I had one more reason to go with Edward as his fake girlfriend. Although, this one was way more valid than 'I'm going with him out of curiosity' or 'because I want to be a good friend' and I kind of did want to go out of curiosity, since we hardly talked about or families as a rule. Neither of us likes that people like us or dislike us because of whom we are related to. We don't speak about them unless it's the bare minimum like names of siblings or last name. Basically all I know is that he has two siblings and that his father is a doctor like him and his mother is an architect; also that he has a brother and a sister, Emmett and Alice. But, other facts and little details I found out because of magazines, newspapers, or galas were they are mentioned. And he knows the same things about my family, the basics.
I felt the bed sink on the opposite side of where I was lying down. "What's up, Bella tired from your shopping spree?"
I nodded into the fluffy pillow yawning. Edward drew little circles on my back with the pads of his fingertips. "Come on, let's get you undressed and into bed. After that, I'll head home and start packing; I still have a flight to catch tomorrow at noon."
"What gate are we meeting at?" I asked my face still buried in the pillow.
"We?" he asked surprised, flipping me so I was facing him.
"Yes, we as in you and I; I need to get out of the city for a weekend and you need a fake girlfriend. Isn't there a saying, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours?" I said nonchalantly.
"Thanks, Bella; I owe you big time." He said hugging me.
"I'll take a foot massage as a down payment." I wiggled my toes at his face. Edward smiled and took me foot massaging it with his long pianist fingers.
CHAPTER NOTES: REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. IS IT WORTH CONTINUING?
TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT.
KEBS. XOXO