Hi all- thanks for the reviews- here's the next chapter- hope you like it!
intoxicatingly.dazzled
I swallowed hard.
"Hello Edward."
"Still your graceful self, I see." he said, the corners of his mouth pulling up into the crooked smile I loved.
I began to feel dizzy and light headed. The aroma of his breath and just- all of him was way too much for me after being without him for so long.
"Bella?" his voice sounded faint, far in the distance.
I will not faint, I told myself sternly. I am over him. Think of Jacob. Jacob, Jacob Jacob. I sighed with relief. Jacob helped. More than he knew.
"Would you like a ride home?" he asked, politely as ever.
I hesitated. The offer of a ride was tempting, but from Edward? That could just be too awkward. Especially with the long 20 minute ride.
"Alice will be coming," he said, "I was just waiting for her, actually. I suppose this was what she was hiding from me today."
That did it. I couldn't wait to see Alice. I needed some perkiness. You just didn't get that much of it when you lived alone in an apartment in New York.
"OK." I sighed.
Fifteen minutes later, it was still raining, and Alice still wasn't there. Just then, a phone rang, a song I recognized. Claire de Lune. It must have been Edward's phone, no one else would have that, except, of course, for me.
"Hello?" he pulled out his phone. "Hi, Alice. What? Alice... You're going to get it for this-"
He snapped the phone shut with an angry expression on his face.
"What?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"Alice hung up on me," he sighed, then added, "I suppose she saw this, and that's why she can't pick me up."
"Ah," I said. Mentally, I told myself that if I ran into Alice, I would blow up at her, not that it would do much good.
"Well," he sighed, "I think I can get a rental for now. Would you like a ride home?"
"If it's still raining, then yes, please." It was the only compromise I could think of. I was lucky Jasper wasn't here, he would be able to sense how much I wanted to be with Edward again, have him kiss me goodnight-
Stop. I scolded myself, You'll only make matters worse for yourself.
I was startled from my reverie by the sound of Edward snapping the phone shut for a second time. When he caught me looking at him, he explained, "I just called the rental company. A car should be here within thirty minutes."
We waited in silence, Edward looking like he wanted to talk to me, but I stopped him by pullin gout my copy of Pride and Prejudice, wanting to read about Elizabeth's troubles rather than face my own.
"Ahem." I looked up. Edward was holding open the door of a car for me, having paid the driver a considerable amount, enough so that he had walked off into the library or something.
Tears came to my eyes as I realized the car was a silver volvo, bringing back memories that I never wanted to think about again.
"Bella?"
"I think I'd rather walk." I said abruptly, turning away to wipe my eyes.
"But it's still raining out," he said, confused.
"Not as badly," I retorted, walking away.
"Bella." He caught my arm in his hand and twisted me around, forcing me to look into his smoldering eyes. And I knew nothing would help this time. Not this close to him. It was almost like he had never left, and I automatically stretched up toward him, as if to kiss his lips, but I caught myself before I touched my lips to his, standing awkwardly on my toes.
"Please? I don't want you to get wet." His eyes were being unfair now, his velvet voice more persuasive than before. A song came into my head, as we stood there, he holding the door open, and looking into my eyes simultaneously.
Yeah,
I don't think that passenger seat,
Has ever looked this good to me,
"Okay," I sighed, giving up to him, as usual. He smiled my favorite crooked smile, and then motioned for me to get in. he walked around to the driver's side, pulling out from under the cover of the archway of the library.
"So," he said conversationally, "What have you been doing lately? Since-"
Thoughts, memories came flooding back to me. Of that night, that night when-
"No-" I choked out, "Edward, don't."
"Bella, I'm sorry, I didn't realize-"
I snapped.
"No, Edward, of course you don't know. Wanna know why?"
He looked confused, which only made me madder. How could he think, believe that I had been alright after he left? He had shattered me, broken my heart a thousand times over.
"You left me! How can you stand there like that? You killed me, Edward! You didn't leave me behind, you left a ghost of what I was! I wasted a good several years of my life, waiting, thinking you would come back! I never went to Harvard, like a wanted, because I was WAITING FOR YOU TO COME BACK TO FORKS!!" My voice rose, shrilly at the end. "I'm done, okay? You managed to charm me into this because I was caught off-guard, but not anymore. I HOPE I NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!!"
I jumped out. Thankfully, the car wasn't going very fast, and though I did fall, I managed to catch myself with my hand. I ran over to the sidewalk, water streaming down my face, half tears and half rain. I knew Edward could easily catch me if he wanted, but he just sat there, in the car.
I ran back into the library, hoping that it was still open.
I pushed open the door, bumping into someone as I did so.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" I looked up into the person's face, hoping they weren't mad. Their mouth had curved into a smile, thankfully for me. The nose was average, and I could see prominent cheekbones. The eyes made me gasp and take a step back, stumbling over a newspaper stand in the process.
They weren't green, or brown. Not blue or gray either. Not black, or red. I found myself staring into a pair of golden eyes.
Hope you like! Sorry about the cliffie, I couldn't resist. I'll update soon, after I get 15 more reviews!
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Love to you all,
intoxicatingly.dazzled