Hello again! Here is chapter 2! I was expecting to upload it earlier but my horse went into labor on Thursday and I was busy with her...but I have a brand new healthy baby boy now :))
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight...I'm just borrowing them.
Off the Beaten Path
Bella POV
Chapter 2: Seligman, Arizona
Friday morning was hectic. Alice threw stuff at me, which I dumped in our bags. Yes, that's how we packed. I was super excited to go on this hike, even if I had to sleep on the dirty floor of the Grand Canyon.
We were all packed up and ready to go at 12, so we figured if we stopped and got lunch, we could be at Seligman by about 5 that night. We decided to take separate cars because Alice said she wants to go visit her aunt and uncle in Surprise. My baby, Red, was a 2011 convertible camaro. My pride and joy. I also have a 1968 camaro, which I was my first car, but that is in my Mom's garage. My 1968 camaro, Ol' Red (Alice's idea, not mine), was my very first car and couldn't let it go. I got way too attached to that old thing. I got Red, because Ol' Red wasn't running very well to be driven every day.
Driving to Seligman, with the top rolled down and music blaring was my ideal way to travel. And driving on Route 66 was even better. Alice and I stopped at almost every gas station on the way to look at all the souvenirs and to take pictures.
We arrived to Seligman at about 6 that night. It was such a cute little town. Old wooden buildings, old cars, old…well, old everything! You felt like you've gone back in time to the early 50's.
We were walking along Main Street and came upon an old pick -up truck in the lawn of a shop. It was all rusty but as you got closer to it, it was actually a tow truck.
"MATER!" Alice screamed.
Alice ran towards it and laughed when she saw big, fake eyes in the windshield.
"Bella, take a picture of me with him!"
Man, I've never seen her this excited about a car before.
Alice got right up beside it and put her head on the hood and spread her arms out, like she was hugging it. I took out my digital camera from my purse and counted to 3 before I took the picture.
"1, 2, -"
"Howdy ya'll! My names Mater. It's like Tuh-Mater, but without the Tuh."
"AHHH!"
Alice screamed and ran behind me while I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes.
I guess Mater had speakers hidden somewhere in him. I looked at the picture on the camera and it was Alice with her mouth open, right in the middle of a scream, and her eyes bugging out of her head, while about a foot in the air from jumping away from Mater. Alice looked over my shoulder and smacked me on the side of the arm. That picture was priceless!
Once I got over my laughing fit, we started walking back to our little motel. It was getting late and we had to get up really early the next morning if we wanted to start the hike by 7.
As we were walking through the hotel, something caught my attention. A head of messy, unruly, unusual bronze hair, sticking up in every direction. I stopped walking and just stared at the back of this guy's head. My eyes traveled down further to his muscular back. He had on a tight, dark blue tee shirt on so I could see the muscles on his back straining as he picked up a duffle bag. As if feeling someone's eyes on him, he turned around and locked eyes with me.
My breath hitched in my throat as I stared into the beautiful man's eyes. Even from this distance, I could tell they were a bright, emerald green. I don't know how long we looked at each other. I could have been minutes, or hours. I finally broke the eye contact to look at his features. He had high, sharp cheekbones and a jaw that any guy would kill for. He had a straight nose which looked slightly crooked, like he had broken it one point in his life. His eyelashes were so long they casted shadows over his cheeks. I blushed when I realized he had been looking at my face too. He was the most gorgeous man I've ever seen.
Alice talking broke me from my trace with the god across the room.
"Bella, what are you looking at?"
"Hum? Oh nothing," I said dreamily.
She followed my eyes but instead of looking at the guy I'd been staring at, she looked at the guy next to him. I think I saw her eyes widen at the sight of him.
Without really seeing where Alice was going, she walked over to the two guys staring at us.
I couldn't hear what they were saying but Alice turned to me and waved me over. I made my way over as graceful as I could, and thankfully I didn't trip.
"Bella, this is Edward Masen and Jasper Whitlock!" Alice said once I was over to where they were standing.
Huh, so Edward was the god's name. It fit him.
"Hi Edward, Jasper. As Alice already said, I'm Bella."
I shook both of their hands but when I shook Edward's, it felt as if an electric shock went up my arm and down my spine. I think I jumped slightly and Edward noticed it too.
"Sorry," He mumbled. His voice sounded velvety.
I smiled at him and he smiled back, flashing his perfect white teeth. I was about to ask them why they are here, but Alice beat me to it.
"So, are you going hiking?"
"Yeah, we are on Fall Break and leaving tomorrow morning to do the Havasupai hike."
I looked over at Alice and she looked as if she were drooling over Jasper's voice.
"Oh cool! Us too! We go to ASU and are on Fall break also. Do you guys go there?" Alice asked back.
"Yeah, we go to ASU. What year are you guys?"
"Seniors. I'm majoring in Design and Bella's majoring in Communications. What are your majors?"
"We're seniors too. I'm majoring in History and Edward is majoring in Music."
I decided to cut in then.
"You play an instrument, Edward?"
"Um, yeah, piano."
Edward said it as if he was embarrassed to tell people he played. His ears were all red, so I wanted to help him out.
"There's no need to be embarrassed, Edward. I think that's amazing! I've always wanted to learn but never really found the time. How long have you been playing for?"
"Since I was about 3 years old. So, your major is communications?" I nodded. "Cool. What do you plan on doing with that degree?"
"Um, I don't really know yet. Maybe journalism but I really want to write a book."
"Well, if you do write a book, I'd be the first in line to get it."
He gave a crooked smile and I felt my knees go weak. I looked into his eyes again and got lost in them. Then, Alice of course had to interrupt us.
"Damn, its late Bella! We have to get up at 4 in the morning. Let's go! Bye boys, maybe we'll see you later!"
"Bye Alice."
Jasper gave her a kiss on the cheek and Alice looked ready to faint.
I turned back to Edward.
"Bye Edward. Nice meeting you."
I turned away in the direction of our room but someone grabbed my hand.
I turned back and saw Edward leaning down to give the back of my palm a light kiss.
"Goodnight Bella."
~0.0~
TADA! Hope ya'll liked it!
See ya'll next week
~Mads