BPOV
This was one of those times when I couldn't tell if I was making a good decision or a mistake. While there was an increasingly large, painful knot forming in my stomach, I felt this selfish and greedy monster reviving itself in my heart.
"Now, I suppose we should discuss some of the requirements for this project," I distantly heard Peter start. "Miss Swan?"
"Hmm?" I mumbled. I couldn't believe I had agreed to do this.
"For the job," he said, again. "There will be some conditions that I am going to ask of you."
"Oh, of course, what are they?" I asked, twisting my hair nervously around my fingers.
"Well, I hope you will be staying here for the duration of this project. We've plenty of spare bedrooms, so I encourage you to choose one and make yourself at home."
"You want me to move in?" I asked, incredulous.
"Yes, I do. Only for the amount of time it takes to produce a final manuscript."
I knew that could take months, sometimes years. I didn't respond, and he continued to speak.
"Now, I realize you've quit your job at Bennett and Hastings, so I'm assuming you will need some source of income for the duration of your stay. I am willing to pay you $50,000 upfront, and we can discuss royalties when this work is presented to the publishers."
"Uh—" I started, completely overwhelmed.
"Is that too little? I'm perfectly willing to negotiate."
"No, no," I said quickly. "That's very generous of you, really. This is all just a lot to take in."
"I must agree, even I am a little shocked." She fanned her face and chuckled. "But, my dear, I would greatly enjoy some extra company. This house is so large, and much too quiet."
"Right...can I step outside for just few minutes? I need to breathe." I slid back my chair from the table and excused myself from the room, hurrying towards the foyer. My heart pounded uncomfortably against my ribcage.
After pulling open the heavy front door, I sat down on the top step and focused on (my) breathing. I'd refused to even say his name out loud in months, so how could I bring myself to tell a total stranger everything that happened? I could hardly bring myself to comprehend it all, but I was desperate. I couldn't let him go.
"I must be going crazy," I grumbled to myself, raking my fingers through the loose strands of hair that had fallen in my face. My knees shook slightly as I stood to return to the meeting. Squaring my shoulders, I grasped the door handle and walked back into the house, reentering the den and sitting back down.
"Would it be too much to ask you to sign a contract?" Peter asked, almost immediately
"Peter, for God's sake, give the girl a moment to think!" Jane reprimanded him and made an odd gesture with her hands out of irritation.
I shook my head, not sure of what else to say. "I've already put one together," he said, while pushing a paper across the table.
"Wait…should I have a lawyer present?" I asked, suddenly thinking rationally.
"I hardly think that's necessary, but if you feel it to be appropriate to have some legal advisement, I'm sure we can arrange for it," he said, shrugging. His hair was beginning to droop into his eyes and he suddenly looked very tired.
"I guess I could just read over it myself," I surrendered, reaching for the contract. There wasn't anything complicated about the terms involved; nothing was boggled with legal terms. The only items the contract included were exactly what Peter had already mentioned.
"Do you have something I can write with?" I asked, still searching for any hidden clauses. Peter fumbled around for a moment until Jane handed me a black fountain pen.
"He's never organized," she sighed.
My hand shook slightly as I signed my name at the bottom of the paper, but the "Isabella Swan" was legible enough. Sliding the paper back, I placed my hands in my lap and waited for something to happen next.
"Excellent!" Peter exclaimed. "When do you expect you'll be able to move your belongings over? Do you need any assistance?"
"Oh, I hadn't really thought of that," I answered, honestly. "I think I can get everything in one trip."
"Shall we expect to see you for dinner? Or would you prefer to finalize everything tomorrow morning?" He looked at me expectantly. He was incredibly persistent, in a way that was almost endearing.
"Well, it is getting late," I admitted. "Tomorrow morning might be better for the both of us."
He nodded in understanding and reached for his cane. "Well, until tomorrow morning then, Bella. I'm sure it will be a pleasure working with you." Peter smiled widely and hobbled out of the room. Jane did a poor job of masking her excitement.
"Finally! Another woman in the house!" she said, happily. She led me to the door and I hurried into my car just before fat raindrops splattered against my face. It wouldn't take very long for me to pack my things. All I really needed to bring with me was clothes and my hygienic necessities.
I lugged a large suitcase from the garage up to my bedroom and laid it out in the middle of the floor. My method of packing essentially involved me turning my dresser drawers inside out and dumping the contents. After a few drawers, I decided it would be a little more ethical to fold the articles of clothing.
After, I grabbed a smaller toiletry bag and stuffed it with my toothbrush and hair products. I thought about maybe calling Charlie to let him know where I'd be staying and such, but decided against it. If I called him, he'd invariably find out that I'd quit my job. The last thing I wanted was another lecture from him about how I can't let a "stupid break-up" ruin my entire life.
Outside, the wind howled and the tree in my front yard swayed dangerously close to one of the windows in my bedroom. I pulled the curtains shut and settled in my bed. Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well that night. Between the storm outside and anxiety that had built up in my nerves, I tossed and turned all night.
Moving in to Peter's house was painfully awkward. While they expected me to make myself at home, I had extreme difficulty doing so. When I arrived that morning, my suitcase shoved into the trunk of my car, Jane invited me in excitedly and showed me to the second floor. She encouraged me to choose my own room to stay in, as there were at least five empty bedrooms.
"Can I get you some breakfast?" she asked, after I'd settled. It had taken a lot of effort to get my suitcase up the stairs. I'd chosen what I thought was the smallest room, and it still felt too big.
"Oh, I don't usually eat breakfast," I confessed. She pulled her eyebrows together and looked at me in shock.
"Don't eat breakfast! Nonsense. Come with me, dear," she commanded. "No wonder you're so thin."
I looked down at my legs, self conscious, as she led me back downstairs to a giant kitchen. "How do you like your tea?" she asked, while ushering me sit down at bar by the countertop.
"With cream and sugar, I guess," I said, not really sure. I wasn't a tea drinker, but that was how I usually took my coffee. I watched as she bustled around for a few moments and then produced a plate bearing a delicate looking crumpet with some sort of jam on it. These people really were British. Thankfully, she had prepared herself a cup of tea as well, so I wasn't eating alone and feeling completely out of place.
"Good morning, Bella!" came a voice from down the hall. Peter followed the sound seconds later, looking as happy as he usually did. "I hope you've made yourself comfortable here."
"Mhm," I replied, my mouth full of crumpet. He was carrying a manila folder under one arm and a small device in his hand.
"Shall we begin, then?" he asked.
"Peter, for crying out loud, let the girl eat!" Jane cried.
"Pish posh," Peter retorted. "Perhaps we could spend some time talking in the garden? The sun is shining for once."
"That sounds fine," I said, pushing my plate back. I was still taken off guard by Jane's persistence. Nerves fluttered throughout my body and the full force of my decision was dawning on me. Was I really ready to tell a complete stranger the story of my life?
Peter's "garden" consisted more of a large field and a courtyard. Apparently the flowers would arrive sometime in the spring. Until then, the yard would be almost bare. I soon learned that the small device in Peter's hand was a tape recorder.
"Now, start from the beginning," he instructed, sitting back in a plush lawn chair. I was sitting across from him, feeling the warmth of the sun. "Where did you meet him?"
"His parents hired me," I answered, already feeling nostalgic.
"I suppose it would help to know what his name is," Peter mumbled, offhand.
"E-Edward," I managed to get out. As soon as I said his name, the memories began to flood into back into me, like a dam had broken.
"Hello?" I asked into the receiver, having just walked out of a noisy coffee shop.
"Hey Bells!" I heard Charlie say on the other end. I smiled, realizing that he actually sounded happy for once.
"Hey, Dad, how are you?" Even though I'd moved out a long time ago, Charlie and I had managed to stay close. After all, he was all I had.
"Oh, nothing out of the norm," he started. "Just lounging around at the station—it's been a slow day."
"Ah, no armed robberies today?" I joked.
"No, not today," he sighed. "I actually had a favor to ask (of) you."
"Ask away. What is it?" I was expecting him to ask me to make the drive to his house and make him dinner.
"Do you remember the Cullens?" he asked. I searched my memory, trying to come up with something. "Carlisle and Esme?" The names helped clear up a few things muddled memories.
"Oh, yeah. The doctor, right?"
"Yeah, him," Charlie said. "Well, Carlisle's nephew has been struggling in school, and his parents don't know how to help him. So I was hoping maybe you could give them a hand?" I heard the unfailing hopeful glint in his voice.
"You want me to tutor their son?" I asked in disbelief. There was no way.
"Yeah, I think you'd be great with him. You'd really be helping them out, Bella. I already talking with Edward's parents about it and they're really thankful—"
"You already talked to them?" I shrieked. "As in, you told them I'd do it!"
"Now, calm down Bella," Charlie started.
"Charlie, how old is he? Elementary school? Seventh grade? I don't even know what he's struggling with, and I suck at math, so I'm no good there. And where does he even live?" I snapped.
"Well, he's struggling with everything, actually. And he's a junior in high school. They live in Seattle, really close to you."
My stomach jolted at the word 'high school'. There was no way I could sit down with a boy in high school and manage to educate him. No way.
"He's in high school?" I asked, weakly.
"Now, Bella, high school was years ago," he started. "You need to let the past go. He's enrolled at Franklin High."
"I can't believe you," I hissed. "You didn't even ask me first! I don't have time for this!"
"Please, Bells. Do it for me? Carlisle's really worried about him, and I've heard Edward's going through some tough things right now, but he's a good kid at heart. I gave his parents your number, so they should be calling you soon."
"You're unbelievable," I griped. "I have to go." I hung up after a quick goodbye and contemplated changing my phone number. There AT&T store was only a few blocks away…
Before I could finish my thought, my phone buzzed in my hand. I almost dropped my cup of coffee, thinking it would be one of the struggling boy's parents. But when I looked down at the caller ID, I saw that it was just Harry calling me from the office. I sighed and answered, finding out that I needed to rush back to work, despite that fact that I'd already left for the day.
By the time I finally got home, I'd checked my phone at least 1,000 times. It finally rang, registering an unknown number when I was flopped on the couch, eating Chinese takeout from a box. I gulped down the food in my mouth, almost choking(,) and brought the receiver to my ear.
"Hello?" I asked, willing my voice not to shake. I couldn't understand why I was so nervous. It was just a phone call, after all.
"Is this Bella?" A woman asked.
"Yes, this is, may I ask who's calling?"
"This is Elizabeth Cullen," the woman said. "I spoke with your father today about you tutoring my son, Edward."
"Oh, right. Hi," I said, playing innocent.
"Now, Charlie already said you'd be interested in helping us, but I just wanted to make sure you're really okay with this," she said. There was something in her voice, perhaps a hint of desperation, that made me feel as if I had no choice but to do so.
"Of course, I'd love to help," I said, shocking myself.
"Oh, that's wonderful," Elizabeth said, laughing slightly. "Charlie said you graduated high school a while ago…may I ask how old you are?" I hesitated, not sure how my age was relevant. "I just want to know so I can gauge the age difference between you and Edward. It might be easier for him to connect with you and actually listen if you're closer to his age."
"I'm 20," I answered. "My birthday is in a few days, though."
"Oh, that's lovely!" she sighed. "Edward can be a bit…defiant to elders sometimes. He might actually behave himself with someone around his age."
"What does he need help with?" I asked, trying to move the conversation forward.
"He's failing almost all of his classes. It never used to be like this, but lately Edward has been failing his tests and shrugging off his assignments. I don't think he realizes that his entire future is at stake right now. Are you currently in college?" she asked.
"Er, no," I confessed. "I graduated last year."
"Wow, at so young? Where did you go? What did you major in?"
"I went to Northwestern, and I majored in English."
"Oh, that'll be perfect!" she practically cheered. "Edward used to write beautifully…when do you think you'll be able to start tutoring him?"
"Well, I'm available tomorrow," I said. "I can see him after work, around 4:30."
Elizabeth gave me their home address and her contact information, thanking me a few extra times before finally hanging up.
I dressed casually the next morning, pairing jeans and a dark blue cardigan. Even though it was a Thursday, I was hardly ever required to dress professionally for work. It was a television studio, not a law firm. The day passed quickly, and I soon found myself getting lost on the way to meet Edward and his parents.
By the time I'd found the correct address, my jaw dropped. The Cullen's resided in a castle-like home, made almost completely out of carved stones and large glass windows. My hand shook as I reached to ring the doorbell. A few moments later, I heard a lock untwist on the other end of the door, and it swung open to reveal a beautiful woman with black curly hair and startling green eyes.
"You must be Bella," she greeted, holding her hand out. I grasped it and nodded.
"Hi, you must be Elizabeth."
She smiled, flashing brilliantly perfect teeth."Please come in," she gestured, swinging the door open wider. I stepped forward, and my eyes immediately landed on a large chandelier hanging in the entryway.
"Your home is beautiful," I breathed. She chuckled and closed the door behind me.
"Thank you. My husband isn't home right now, but Edward should be upstairs." She called up the stairs to him, asking him to grace us with his presence. I clutched my purse nervously, and nearly stopped breathing when the most beautiful boy I'd ever laid eyes on began to descend the stairs.
"Edward, darling, this is Bella." His eyes flicked over to me, and I instantly felt a knot form in my stomach. Burrowing in those jade-colored eyes of his was a kind of burning hatred I'd never known could exist. I bit my lip and looked down.
"Hello," he said, curtly.
"Hi," I mumbled, blushing furiously.
"Bella's going to be tutoring you," Elizabeth said, kindly.
"Fantastic," he snapped. My eyes were transfixed on his odd, bronze colored hair. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't look away from his face. When his eyes met mine again, Iwinced and looked down, still blushing. This was going to be worse than high school.
Hi everyone :) Sorry the update took me a little longer than I expected - I've got some HUGE testing going on at school and it's taken up a lot of my time lately just trying to get prepared for the exams. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Another one should be coming out soon.