Ch. 2 What's in the Attic?

BPOV

I sighed. It was bliss.

It was a breezy summer's night, the stars shining brightly and a full moon glistening outside my window, with my love lying beside me. Edward sighed, too.

I closed my eyes, trying to savor the moment. But I couldn't concentrate on sleeping- I could feel Edward's eyes boring into my face.

Peeking at him, I blushed, self-conscious, "What?"

"You look beautiful in the moonlight," He murmured against my skin. "Your hair… your skin…"

A chill ran through me as he stroked my arm lightly.

I chuckled, "You are so biased."

He grimaced at the idea, "Not at all. You are beautiful."

I sat up, still smirking, "Sure I am." I rolled my eyes.

A question popped into my head, one that I had been thinking of but hadn't ever gotten to asking it. What the heck?

"Hey, Edward?" I asked, feeling brave.

"Yes?" He sat up, a playful look in his eyes.

"Have you ever had a girlfriend before… you know, me?" I asked, my dumb blush creeping to my cheeks, although I wasn't embarrassed or anything. Pride washed through me. Maybe I was brave… maybe I wasn't clumsy…

Just then, as I walked over to my desk, I tripped over my feet. Graceful me! Note sarcasm…

The floor came rushing toward me and I let out a shriek.

Just before the tip of my nose could touch me, I felt cold, marble arms grip my waist gently but firmly, and they held me up.

Still shocked and dazed from the incident, I gasped, "Thanks."

"Anything for you," Edward said, flashing perfect teeth as he grinned.

I stopped breathing at the sight of his smile. Then I shook my head, trying to remember what I was saying before, and he chuckled at my human reactions.

"So, can you answer my question?" I said again, getting impatient for an answer. "Did you ever have a girlfriend?"

"I already told you, Bella, you're the first and only person I've ever loved, ever will love," He said softly, the sound of his voice making my heart leap.

"Yes, but I mean a girlfriend?" I pressed.

He paused, rummaging for an answer. Then he spoke after a moment, a contemplative look deep in his eyes. "I don't know. Not since my new… birth, I haven't associated with any human girls, and the only females of our kind I've ever really talked to are Esme, Rosalie, and Alice."

I furrowed my brows. "How about during your human years?" I was really curious.

He shrugged, "I don't remember, Bella."

When I was silent, he added softly, "But don't worry, love. What I do know is that I love you. The speed of light couldn't keep up with my love for you."

My heart melted with his words.

We stared at each other, his gold eyes penetrating mine, love filling every particle of his expression. And when he broke his gaze, he glanced at my clock and back at me.

"It's getting late, Bella," he said, and laid me on the bed.

Once we were comfortable, and once one of his icy arms was around me, I breathed deeply. Heaven…

I was almost sleeping when he spoke, "I've never noticed that before."

I forced my eyes open. "What?" It sounded like a moan.

"You have a door on your ceiling…leading to the attic I assume?" He asked.

"I do?" I mused.

My energy had returned and I bolted up, excited and curious.

And on the left of my bed, on the ceiling was, indeed, a door. There was string that dangled from it to open it.

"Huh," I bit my lip.

"Want to go on a little adventure?" Edward asked suddenly beside me. I just noticed that I was standing and walking toward the area where the door was situated.

"Okay," I replied, seeing how lit up his eyes were, full of anxiety.

He was happy, so I was happy.

He tugged gently on the string and a dusty stairwell was pulled down from the ceiling. I wove my hand in the air, swiping away the dust that flew around.

He eyed me, worried. "Should I go?"

"No, no," I coughed. "I'm okay. Really, I am."

He was still dubious. "If you're sure…"

I nodded.

So, we climbed the five stairs and we were in a freezing, wooden frame of an attic. I couldn't really see anything, except for looming shadows that were all different shapes.

Light covered my vision for a moment as Edward turned on a flashlight.

"I'm sorry," He apologized, his eyes being stronger than mine.

"It's alright," I said, peering around the now illuminated room. "There are so many boxes…"

"Yes," Edward said from behind me.

I looked around at him and he was examining a box labeled, "Old photo albums."

"What's this?" He asked me, holding up a beaten-up binder.

"Don't really know," I whispered as he handed it to me. "I didn't even know it existed."

"You didn't even know this place existed," He chuckled.

I joined his quiet laughter. "Yeah, it was right under my nose too!"

"Actually," He said, being all analytical. "It was right in front of your nose."

I glared at him, "Mr. Perfect Vampire."

He smirked.

We gathered a bunch of albums and went back to my room. He pushed the extra stairwell back up into the ceiling and we sat down on my bed.

The first album I did recognize. But I didn't want to show him this one. He'd get mad. Or jealous. Or both.

"Let's go to the next one," I suggested nervously, taking it from him and shoving it aside.

"Why?" He asked, amused.

"Please, can we?" I pleaded.

He gave me an imploring look. My heart raced and my breathing stopped for a moment.

"Alright, fine," I gave in, handing the album back to him.

He opened the book, and there was a picture of me… with another guy's arms around me.

"Who's this?" He demanded, his voice strangled.

"Nathan," I mumbled, wanting to just die or sink into the ground.

"Why is he hugging you?!" He shouted.

Thank God Charlie was over at a convention tonight. We were free to talk as loud as we wanted, and Edward was free to scream.

"He was my boyfriend in ninth grade," I said, barely a whisper. Oh, but he heard it. His gold eyes were an inferno. "But I didn't like him! I just felt bad so I said yes to him when he asked me out! He was just a friend!" I explained.

He calmed down almost immediately, the fire shrinking in his eyes. But he was still stiff. "Okay. Let's go to the next album."

"Thank you!" I choked out.

We went to the next one, and we flipped through it. They were pictures that were in black and white, really old and washed out. We could barely make out the buildings in the photos. But what did lead us to understand them were the memos written in flourishes on the side of each page.

It was labeled, "Chicago, 1918."