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Thanks for the reviews. I still don't know how to portray inner conflicts and angst in the future chapters though but I'll try. Capturing emotions is such a hard task for me.
Chapter 2: Meeting By Collision and Nervous Dating
EPOV
My hand shot out and slams on the clock before it had time for the alarm to go off. I open my eyes and look at it. It's five o'clock, time for a run in the city. I got up and open the curtain that's covering the huge glass door leading to the balcony of the penthouse I live. Cloudy but no rain...typical. What else was I expecting? This is Seattle after all.
I pulled on my sweats and large shirt before going outside. The women that are early birds are as usual looking at me like I'm a moving piece of meat as I run. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. This is every single morning. Why can't these women go out during the middle of the day when I'm not running?
I heard a cat call. Was that an old lady?! I shudder. What is wrong with women these days? Can't they understand the word no? I'm not most people out there. I keep love and lust in the same company although I never felt in love before. I'm hoping to meet the lady of my dreams after I have a stable life established and hope to the heavens she'll accept everything about me. Emmett is right, I do sound like a girl…oh well.
It probably won't happen. No sane woman will ever accept me. I mean who would want a slightly whack job psycho assassin for a significant other? I can act normal around people on a regular basis but at night when memories or nightmares bombard and plague me, that's a whole different matter. What woman will ever put up with that? An insane one like me, that's who.
Ok stop thinking depressing thoughts, think of something else…like school…yeah…
School is starting next week and I have to wake up earlier than usual if I want to continue my one hour morning run. I should probably call Emm and Jazz too before then. Maybe we can get together before all of us become swamped with students. Even if it's a cover story, I really do enjoy working as a teacher. I just have to put up with hormonal teen girls making googly eyes at me and the guys sending me death glares. It's definitely more fulfilling than killing.
It's very satisfying when I see students succeeding and applying the knowledge I have shared with them on-
Next thing I know I slammed into something hard and I fell backwards from the force. What the hell? Did they put a post or a building in the middle of a sidewalk corner?
As I look up to see who was the one that made me fell on my ass, I came face to face with the most heavenly being on earth. Her skin is pale almost as white as ivory. She has luscious brown hair, heart shape face, rosy full lips, her cheekbones are much defined, and she has bright red eyes like rubies. They're like a gate to her soul…so beautiful and gorgeous.
I never felt like this before. I feel so drawn to her, like something is pulling me towards her. Is that arousal? No…I shouldn't be feeling this way. I can't. I promise I won't seek romantic relationship with anyone until after I quit my horrid lifestyle. Oh, why couldn't I meet you till then beautiful angel?
She inhaled then stiffened and her eyes darkened a bit. She frowns and narrowed her eyes at me. It looks like she's concentrating very hard on something and she looks pissed too.
No, no, no, I made the angel angry for some reason. Of course she's angry; she probably knows how you want to have your way with her. I should say something…anything. C'mon brain work now.
"I'm uh sor..sorry; I was…wasn't uh paying att…attention to uh where I was going."
That was terrible! Since when have I had trouble with words aside when I'm drunk? Apparently this ethereal beauty can reduce me to a blubbering idiot. I notice my heart is beating erratically. Oh what is this angel doing to me? It feels wonderful and terrifying at the same time. Like a good terrifying…does that even makes sense?
"Oh no, I should be the one apologizing. You were in your element and I was just strolling about. I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings." I swear I heard tinkering bells and cherubic angels singing. Her voice is that amazing.
She apologized to me. That…isn't right. I can't respond. The sound of her voice killed my voice box I think. I must look stupid by gaping and staring so openly at her because she giggled. Heavenly…I could listen to that forever.
"Are you going to stay down there all day? C'mon get up; people are starting to gawk at both of us."
What? Oh, she's offering me her hand to help me stand up. I've been sitting here for awhile, I never noticed. I accept her hand and damn, it is cold. She should wear gloves if she feels cold, she'll get sick if she doesn't. She also has one hell of a grip, any tighter and she'll leave hand print bruises. Why the thought of getting injured by her don't bother me?
More importantly, why am I having random thoughts? She's making me feel like I'm floating on a cloud or having just finished lighting up a ridiculously amount of cigs.
"Thank you and I'm sorry again." I said uncertainly
"I don't think we'll ever agree who needs to be apologizing so I accept your apology." she smiled. So beautiful…quick think of something to say…uh name…I don't know her name yet.
"Well I guess I have no choice but to accept your apology too then Ms…" was that line ok? Maybe I should have paid better attention when Emm was giving me "lectures".
"Cull…Swan, Isabella Swan but please call me Bella. And you are?" her name fits her, beautiful in Italian and she is definitely beautiful… Was she going to say something else at the beginning? It must be my imagination. The world can blow up right now and I won't even notice.
"Edward Masen pleased to meet you."
"It's a pleasure to be of your acquaintance Mr. Masen." she speaks like she's not from this century even her body language suggest high etiquette
"If you want me to call you Bella then please call me Edward." I said in slight teasing. Oh great now I feel comfortable enough for teasing. What is wrong with me and my rollercoaster emotions?
"Alright, fair enough Edward." I love how she says my name. I shouldn't really be doing this…but I want her to stay. I look directly into her eyes and I almost lost my thought process.
"You have lovely eyes. They remind me of rubies, it suits you." I blurted out. Idiot, that compliment was too simple.
"Oh? Thank you. Do you say that to every lady you meet? Flattery might get you everywhere with anyone else but it will get you nowhere with me dear sir." she put her hand to her chest in mock haughtiness then continues "I'm wearing red contacts and they are an unnatural color, you know."
I look closely at her eyes and can't see any evidence that she is wearing any contacts. But she's right, red is unnatural so it must be contacts…really good ones if I can't make them out.
"Well I'm just saying they look stunning on you and I don't think I have complimented a woman before. I'm not exactly good with women." argh! Why did I say that? I have no word filter at all. I should have stopped at the word stunning. What does she think of me now?
She's giggling. Great she thinks I'm funny or maybe pathetic. At least she's not running away from me.
"Hmm I doubt that." she looks at my chest then said "You should get inside and warm up or you'll get sick. A shirt is hardly protection from the fall season and we have been out here for quite awhile. I apologize I'm keeping your time. I should get going."
But she doesn't make a move to indicate she's leaving. Maybe…just maybe she wants to stay too. I can only hope. Screw timeline, I might not get another chance with her if I wait till I sort out my "employment" status.
"Oh no, don't worry your not keeping me from anything. I'm actually free for the whole week and I haven't done this before but umm…so if you're not uh busy maybe uh we can umm you know uh go…" she interrupted my incessant chatter and saved me from further embarrassment…actually I'm very much embarrassed
"Are you asking me out on a date Mr. Masen?"
"Yes" I look hopefully at her. She looks like she's fighting an inner battle between herself. Her eyes are very expressive.
"I accept Edward. Here's my number." she took out a pen and paper then wrote what I'm assuming her number on it. She handed me the paper and I'm surprised at what I found there. She gave me complete set contact info, her cell, fax, and home phone numbers are on it. She even added her email address and home address there too.
"Can I call you today? I just need to get home and clean up." was that too sudden…too eager? I'm hopeless. I added "If your not, its ok. I don't want to waste your time and…"
"Call me when you're done. I'm free anytime." she said that as if it's some kind of joke but oh well. "I will be seeing you later Edward." she said doing a curtsy then turned and crossed the street.
I didn't turn around till she was out of my sight. I'm outrageously happy right now. I ran all the way to my penthouse willing to speed through on shower and breakfast. For the first time ever, Edward Masen has a date. What to do? What do I do? Oh god help me, I'm freaking out.
BPOV
I shouldn't have done that. What's wrong with me? Edward's blood sang to me…he is my singer and I agree on having a date with him. That meeting at the street corner would have been disastrous if I don't have control that can rival Carlisle.
Carlisle is my father for all intents and purposes. He is a very compassionate man and believes human life is precious. He found an alternative from consuming human blood by drinking animal blood instead.
At first I resented him for curbing my appetite. I rebelled against his practice of drinking animal blood. I am considered powerful in the vampire race since I have two gifts, three if you subcategorize one of them. I can read everyone's minds, well I thought I can until today when I met Edward's silent mind. My second gift is shielding, both physical and mental. Perhaps Edward would be a mental shield if he ever became a vampire.
Stop!
Am I actually considering changing him? No, it's not right. No matter how much I want a significant other as a companion, it's not right to turn him into a monster. I suppose that's another reason as to why I separated myself from my family after the first time I left.
I sigh. I admit it, I'm alone and lonely.
My family all have their mates to turn to, to comfort them, to love them like a sibling or parent could not offer. Carlisle has Esme, my sweet, charming and loving mother. He met her when she was sixteen but they couldn't be together. He met her again or rather found her in the morgue years later after I came back from my rebel years. She jumped off a cliff after she lost her child. Carlisle heard her heart still beating and changed her. I became the third wheel.
Then Emmett came along, he was being mauled by a bear. Carlisle found him during hunting and changed him. He immediately took a liking to this life. He is very carefree and optimistic. It took me a few years since Carlisle is an expert at guarding his thoughts around me but I found out he meant for Emmett to be with me. Not soon after, Emmett came home carrying a dying beautiful blond named Rosalie. She was raped and beaten to near death. Emm asked Carlisle to change her since he was afraid he'd kill her if he tries. I'm amazed he even got her to the house since her blood called to him so strongly. I became the fifth wheel then.
A few decades after, Alice and Jasper came to us. Alice has a gift of precognition that is how she found us. She can't remember her human life at all but she saw us in a vision right after her transformation so she followed our diet immediately. Jasper is an empath; he can feel and project emotions. He was a Major during the Civil War then fought in the southern newborn wars after he was changed. Due to his gift, it became to overwhelming for him to feed from humans any longer. Alice found him and showed him a different path. I became the seventh wheel.
I have no one.
During my first time away from home, I hunted the vilest mind I could find and feed from them. I came back home a few years later reclaiming and upholding Carlisle's vision. After coming back home from my first rebellious period, I left again years later after Alice and Jasper joined us. I couldn't stand being the lonesome one in the house any longer. I reverted back to drinking from humans. My conscious be damned. I'm already a soulless monster anyway so what's the point of trying to be "good".
I come home from time to time. Of course I have to respect my family's lifestyle when I stay with them. Switching diets back and forth is not a problem to me at all. And that puzzle Jasper greatly. He's amaze by my self control and by the fact I have this self restraint, I continue to hunt humans when I'm away from them. I heard his control greatly improved the last time I was with them.
I wonder where they are now. They're probably in some Podunk town as usual. I miss them. I asked Alice to stop looking for me whenever I'm living separately from them. She was put out by that but she understands. I don't want her to see me when I'm hunting. I love my family despite my lifestyle. I call during the holidays they celebrate to appease my mother's worrying.
I sigh. I am seriously…how do the humans say it….fucked up. I shouldn't have said yes to Edward. But I couldn't ignore the pull I get towards him and it isn't just about his blood. I have this nagging feeling of need to protect, cherish, and make him happy.
I'm sure this couldn't end well. I enrolled myself to a high school just because I have nothing better to do during the days. He'll find out later on that I'm a "minor" and he'll leave. Or maybe he won't, I'm an investor after all. I'll just tell him that. But can I lie to him constantly? I don't think I can. One look into his emerald eyes and I'm gone. I should stick close to the truth; answer his questions without divulging crucial details.
Ugh! What's the age of consent in Washington anyway? I took out my cell phone and Google it. 16, alright then I qualify. I have "just turned" 16 a few weeks ago. Technically that wasn't my real birth date; it was the day of my creation.
My phone rang and I answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hi Bella, its Edward." he sounds nervous and unsure before. It's…endearing.
"Hello Edward, what do you have planned for us for today?"
"Well how about we go out for brunch or a movie. Umm this is actually umm my uh first date ever so I'm uh not sure…" I couldn't help the giggle that escaped from my lips. Oh the things that this man can do to me. I don't know how he affects me so.
"It's fine Edward. I haven't been on a date before too so anything is fine." In case we go to a restaurant, I need to bring a purse just so I can discreetly throw my food in there under the table.
"What? I'm sorry that's a little hard to believe but alright. We can get brunch then a movie or we can go to the park or something." he still sound unsure
"Alright then, I'll meet you at the lobby of my penthouse in exactly one hour." I can get ready in five minutes but I need to act normal.
"Ok, I'll be there. See you soon." I hang up. I heard the excitement from his voice and I'm happy I made him like that. Is this how my siblings and parents feel towards their significant others? Why am I feeling like this so strongly, it's too soon isn't it?
Time to fish out the expensive purses at the back of my closet. I never had the need for them since I only need an identification of some sort and my black card. Now, they have a purpose to be my food dump.
End Chapter 2…TBC
Thanks for reading, please give me some feedback. Constructive criticism are welcome. :)
