Gosh, people are really worried about Bella cheating on Edward. Don't worry folk, that will never happen. To be melodramatic—you will have to kill me first! :P
SM owns everything 'Twilight'. I know; I am surprised too!
Chapter-3
What was my wedding night going to be like?
As I said before, Charlie had made sure I never dated, so I had never been close to a boy. Sure I had heard stories from my high school friends, but I wasn't sure how much truth they had, and how much exaggeration. As for the mandatory classes of Sex-Ed as a Senior, I got the basics, but I was sure the practical side would be different. A lot.
Not that I had much of a chance to find out. Most probably Edward and I would spend the night playing Checkers. And he probably slept at ten anyway.
When Jasper had exploded my world with those four words, I had been shocked into speechlessness.
My second reaction had been to look around nervously, just in case someone had heard him. However, nobody seemed to be paying attention to us. And the music was pretty loud too. As for Edward, he was at the drinks table with Emmet, laughing loudly. His laugh was so open and refreshing that I could not help but smile.
As if he had sensed my stare, he turned towards me, eyebrows raised in question. I just shook my head. But he grabbed Emmet's hand and dragged him to where I was standing with Jasper. In his other hand was a can of Diet Coke.
"Bella!" he exclaimed, beaming at us. "This is Emmet—my best friend. Will you dance with him?"
Emmet grinned and shook my hand.
"Congratulations, Bella."
"What are you drinking, Edward?" asked Jasper from behind me.
Edward held out his Diet Coke. He had not opened it yet, and the tiny droplets of condensation on the outside gave it a very advert-like look. I was half-tempted to snatch it from his hand and down at least half of the contents.
"Oh poor Edward," mocked Jasper. "It is your wedding and you are not having even a glass of champagne?"
I glared at him. Why was he making fun of Edward? Suddenly I felt fiercely protective of the little boy trapped in the man's body.
"Mom won't let me drink anything else," pouted Edward. He did not seem to mind Jasper's ribbing. However, I thought I detected the same protectiveness on Emmet's face as I was feeling.
"Do you want me to smuggle you a glass, Eddie?" murmured Jasper in his smooth voice. As a rule I liked his voice. In fact, I thought it was so seductive. At that moment however, it reminded me nothing more than of the serpent offering Eve the forbidden apple.
"Jasper, you can't do that!" I scolded him, but he merely laughed.
"Don't call me Eddie!" That was Edward, of course.
"Why not, Bella? I bet Eddie here will have lots of fun with some bubbly inside him."
"DON'T CALL ME EDDIE! AND I LIKE COKE!"
Edward shook his fist at Jasper furiously and suddenly snapped back the tab. The dark liquid flew out in a cold, sticky shower. He pushed me away, but Jasper caught it full in his face. I regained my balance to see the lapels of his elegant light grey suit darkening.
"Oh, hell! That was a Gucci, you imbecile!"
He marched off fuming.
"Sorry, Jasper!" yelled Edward to his retreating back, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Emmet was in splits, laughing soundlessly and clutching his stomach. It took him a few minutes to calm down.
"So Bella, shall we dance?"
"Sure."
He didn't twirl me around like Jasper, but he wasn't bad either. When there was a lull in the music, I asked him how he had become Edward's 'best friend'.
"We met at college, in Seattle."
My eyebrows shot up.
"I didn't know Edward had gone to college," I admitted. In fact, I didn't know anything about him. It saddened me a bit.
Emmet's smile was sad too.
"He was the smartest student in our year. We had three classes together, and we got along like a house on fire from the very first day. He is a great guy, Bella."
"I wish I had met him before that accident," I said softly. "How did that happen, anyway?"
"We had gone to Florida for our Spring break. I went to meet a cousin of mine one day and then asked Edward to join us for lunch," Emmet informed me. The music began again, but I didn't want to dance any more. We started to walk back to where Edward was standing, happily chatting with Rosalie now. Jasper was nowhere to be seen.
"On the way to the restaurant, his taxi fell into the ocean. The driver died, so we never knew what caused it. Edward was in coma for twelve days. When he came to, he did not remember anything."
"I am really sorry."
"We all are, Bella. But I am happy you care for him enough to marry him. True, he behaves like a twelve-year old, but he still is a smart guy. I believe he can overcome his…problems if someone would just love him and treat him as a grown man. His parents are being overprotective—that does not help him."
I looked at him; my doubts clear on my face. He smiled.
"Just try to be normal with him, okay?"
I wasn't sure what all being normal with Edward entailed, but I nodded anyway. It might not work, but Emmet's intentions were good, that much was clear.
Finally the reception was over, the guests had departed and Edward and I were in his room. He had offered me the bathroom first, like a gentleman, and I had taken full advantage of it. Now he was in there, immersed in a bathtub replete with giant, colourful bubbles. And yes, he had gleefully shown them to me and asked sweetly if I would like to have them in my bath the next day.
I looked around his room curiously. It didn't really look like a typical boy's room. The walls were a glowing eggshell and a subdued orange, and the furniture a traditional cherry wood. It wasn't fanatically neat, but neither was it a mess. Of course, the accident had taken place only two years ago or so, so the walls and furniture would reflect what Edward had liked then. But why had he not tried to redecorate the room in any way?
Other than a couple of music festivals—Coachella and Bumbershoot—posters, the walls were mostly bare. The desk near the large window had a silver laptop and some stationery on its smooth wooden surface. There were also a couple of cupboards full of books of all sorts—fiction, non-fiction and yes, lots of comics. There were also a few books he must have used while studying at college.
My attention was drawn to a group picture on the top of his dresser. It was nicely framed, and when I picked it up and examined it, I could recognise the building of the Forks High School in the background. Of course I did not know any of the dozen people in the photograph, except Edward, though one of the girls seemed familiar. Maybe I had seen her at the diner?
I opened the top drawer of the dresser, thinking perhaps he had his school yearbook there. Instead my eyes met with multiple sets of neatly kept binders. I lifted up one and opened it. There were sheets and sheets filled with sketches, with the dialogues written inside balloons. Where had he got them from? I sat down on the bed and began to read. A few pages showed it was a graphic novel, with an extremely interesting theme. I became so lost in reading it that I never even noticed when Edward came out of the bathroom. I jumped a foot when he touched my shoulder.
"Do you like it, Bella?"
I looked at him, looking good enough to eat in light blue pajamas, hair damp and tousled. Suddenly it occurred to me that I should have waited to ask his permission. I apologised quickly. He shook his head and smiled.
"It doesn't matter. But do you like the story?"
"Oh yes, it is amazing. And the sketching is so…I have never seen anybody draw like that, Edward. Where did you get them?"
He beamed like I had just conferred the Nobel Prize upon him.
"I did them, Bella. I have always liked comic characters, and I like to sketch."
"But this has a story too—a very good one…"
He almost hid his face in my shoulder.
"It is mine."
My mouth opened and shut like a goldfish.
"Really—this whole thing—this is all yours?"
He raised his head and gave me a shy smile, and nodded.
"Edward, this is great! You are—you are a genius! Have you shown it to anybody?"
"Only Emmet. "
Well, of course. Who else could he have shown his work? Nobody took him seriously anyway. Suddenly what Emmet had said made a lot of sense.
"And what did he say?"
"He said we should get them published. But…I don't know…"
I put away the binder and grabbed Edward's hands, tightly.
"Of course we should. Edward, people are going to eat them up! You will be famous!"
He blushed.
"You really think so?"
"Definitely. I had no idea you were so talented!"
I hugged him, hard. I was truly happy for him. He seemed to be startled, but then his arms sneaked around me and he rested his chin on my shoulder. The feel of his hard, warm body against mine was comforting, but also something else. I turned my head and kissed his neck softly. His skin tasted so fresh and clean—I wanted to take a bite right there. But as soon as I nipped it lightly, he gasped sharply and shuddered.
I sprang back as if burnt. What was I doing? Whatever Emmet had said, I was sure he didn't mean me to attack Edward. However attracted I felt to his body, I had to remember that his mind had a lot of catching up to do—if it was possible, that is.
Edward stared at me with wide, innocent eyes.
"Were you tasting me, Bella? Like I tasted your cheek earlier?"
I gladly took the out he had unknowingly offered.
"Yes Edward, and you taste very nice."
"Sweet, or salty?"
"Um, kind of both?"
He nodded as if it made perfect sense.
"Like those monster cookies Mom makes?" He seemed tickled that he tasted like his favourite cookies. I smiled too.
"Well, I have not yet had one of those, but I am sure they taste exactly the same as you."
In the middle of this very romantic conversation, Edward gave a huge yawn. Then he covered his mouth and giggled.
"Sorry."
"It is okay Edward; it's been a long day. Let us go to sleep."
The last time I had stolen in Edward's bed, I was too keyed up to pay attention to it. Now that I did look, I could see it was a king-size bed with a beautifully carved headboard. The mattress was thick and the sheet deliciously soft. No wonder I had slept like the dead, without caring who I was sleeping with!
Edward snuggled up to me immediately, his eyes cautious. I smiled encouragingly and wrapped my arms around him lightly. Within minutes he was asleep.
I had just closed my eyes when there was a light knock on the door. Wondering if Esme wished to give me instructions on how to sleep with her son, I got up very carefully and opened the door.
It was Jasper. Looking sinful in a pair of dark grey sleep pants. My eyes were glued to his bare chest. Then he cleared his throat.
"Like what you see, Bella?" I looked up to find him smirking at me confidently.
Edward gave a soft snore. It broke the spell Jasper's presence had cast upon me.
"What do you want, Jasper?"
"I see Eddie boy is asleep. Did he even give you a goodnight kiss?" His tone was taunting.
"That is none of your business. Now go away and leave me in peace."
He grasped my free hand and began to rub it sensuously.
"But how can you be at peace, Bella? You know he can never love you like a man. Are you going to spend all your life remaining a virgin?"
I gasped at his frankness. He responded by pulling me closer.
"Come to my room, Bella. You may have married the wrong man, but I can at least give you the right honeymoon."
End Note: Phew, this chapter just grew and grew! And that is why it comes a day late.
So, what do you think Bella is going to do? And is Jasper audacious or what?
What kind of posters did you have in your room at twelve?
