Chapter #03: He's got a girlfriend now
Now he's got a girlfriend and I have a rock band
'Cause nothing really ever goes the way it's planned
Yeah he's in Ohio and I'm on some back road
Driving to the city and then who knows?
'Cause that's all she wrote
I wish that I could turn this car around
But he's got a girlfriend now ~ BLG
BPOV
Edward stops playing when he senses me tense. "What's wrong?"
"T-that song," I choke out. "What song is that?"
"You mean this?" he asks and starts playing the song again. The familiar haunting melody echoes through the otherwise silent room and...changes into something foreign.
My whole body sags with relief when I realize it's not my lullaby. Maybe that's where the inspiration came from.
Edward stops playing again, though it's clear that the song is nowhere near its end.
I look at him questioningly. "Why did you stop playing?"
"I've only composed it till there. I haven't managed to find any inspiration for it in a while," he admits. He looks so young and boyish that I have an urge to ruffle his bronze hair even if it has been plastered down with pomade. Why did he put that horrible substance on his hair anyway?
"Shall we go?" he asks, standing up and offering me his hand.
"Go? Where?"
"Your surprise," he says, his eyes twinkling.
I take his hand. "Okay."
He gives me a crooked smile as we leave the room. My heart skips a beat as I feel my insides melt. Will I ever cease to be affected this way by him?
"Please tell me you didn't spend any thing on this 'surprise'," I say, mainly to change the subject. I will my heart to stop racing because I'm sure he can feel the speed of my pulse where our hands intertwine.
"It's absolutely free," he replies. "Will it bother you if I did?"
"I don't like people spending money on me," I admit with a small smile.
Edward looks surprised again. This is what - the third time I've surprised him in the span of a day? Am I not acting like people in the 1900s should?
"What's the matter?"
He shakes his head. "You don't react the way most people do. I find it very..."
"Disconcerting? Weird?"
"Unusual."
Okay. At least he doesn't think I'm strange! Besides, being unusual is not necessarily a bad thing...right?
"In a good way or bad?" I ask, almost fearful of his answer.
"I haven't decided yet," he admits.
"Well, tell me when you do," I smile. Undecided is good. For now. "Besides, a certain someone keeps reminding me I'm unlike anyone he's ever known."
An unfathomable expression appears on his face. Not wanting to answer any questions that may come up, I distract him. "So...where's my surprise?"
"Hmm? Oh. Your surprise...is a tour of my house. It's quite big and I don't want you getting lost in it."
"Ha ha," I roll my eyes at him. "Shall we get on with the tour? Or would you rather go on about my lack of directional sense?"
"The latter actually sounds more interesting -" he says teasingly and I whack him across the arm playfully.
"Stop it!" I say, unable to keep the smile off my face.
He rubs his arm. "Ow," he says in protest, looking at me with disbelief as if he can't believe I actually hit him. I admit it's quite refreshing to know that I can really hurt Edward now. Physically, I mean.
"Come on! What's our first destination?"
He takes my hand again and leads me up a set of stairs. He opens the door nearest to the landing and gestures for me to enter first. Edward flips the light switch on and I gasp.
"This is the biggest library in the house," he says as I take in the shelves and shelves of books.
"The biggest? You have more than one library in the house?" I don't even know why I am so surprised - his house is gigantic!
He nods. "Three, actually."
My fingertips brush against the books lightly as I read the titles. Original classics. This is a collector's dream come true.
"I think I've found my favorite place in your house, Mr Masen," I tell him as I walk back to him at the door to the haven of books. He has an amused smile plastered across his face, with one corner of his mouth tilting up just a little higher than the other.
I cock my head to the side. "What's so funny?"
He shakes his head. "It's nothing. Shall we continue with the tour? Or would you rather spend the evening in the library?"
I take his hand once more and we move on to another area of the house. Books are so insignificant compared to spending time with Edward.
How much time do I have left with him before he loses the battle against the Spanish Influenza? What date is it in 1918 anyway? I want to smack myself hard on my head for forgetting to enquire about such an important detail.
"Edward? I know this may sound really weird and you may think I'm crazy or something but...what's the date today?"
He stops walking and turns around to face me.
"Are you sure you're all right? I should call the doctor -"
"What date is it today?" I grab his arm, forcing him to stop.
Out of nowhere Luke appears and wrenches my arm away from Edward's.
"Luke!" Edward admonishes, looking absolutely furious. "What did I tell you about laying your hands on a lady?"
"But Sir -"
"Take your hand off her!" Edward orders. There is a chilling look on his face, and I'm relieved that I am not on the receiving end of his fury. Is it even possible that human Edward is scarier than vampire Edward?
Luke drops my hand and steps away from me. "Sorry, Sir," he tells Edward as he throws me a filthy look.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine," I say through gritted teeth.
He narrows his eyes at me like he doesn't believe that I'm okay. Jeez. Luke didn't even grab me that hard and I only have a minor headache!
One that is getting steadily worse, my subconscious tells me, but I ignore it.
"Don't follow us," he orders Luke coldly.
"But Sir –"
"Don't make me repeat myself," Edward says warningly as he leads me away.
"You never answered my question," I point out once we are clear of the creepy servant.
"It's the 1st of September today," he finally answers my question. His expression changes into one of concern, but I hardly register that.
Horror hits me like a tsunami, rooting my feet to the marble floor. The blood in my veins freeze as a very unpleasant chill trickles down my spine. Edward gets the flu in July, 1918. If it's September now and he's still human...
"Miss Swan? What's wrong?"
I grip his arm as he tries to shake a reaction out of me.
"Edward, what year is it today?"
Please tell me I'm wrong. Please let me be dreaming. Please.
"1917."
"Oh God," I choke. I am a year early. My Edward will have to wait a year before I return. Oh God. My knees grow weak.
"Miss Swan, are you -"
"I'm fine!" I interrupt, clutching at the front of his shirt to steady myself.
"Bullshit! I'll bring you back to your room. Damn, I'm so stupid for thinking you're okay after that fall," he mutters to himself as he takes my hand and drags me along with him.
My head starts to spin as the pounding starts to intensify. I lean heavily on Edward as he continues to pull me along with him.
"The room is spinning," I gasp. I feel disoriented as the walls and furniture keep circling around me.
"Hold on, Miss Swan. It's just a little bit further," he says as he clasps his arms tighter around me.
I try, but the spinning walls are not helping matters and the marble floor looks closer to my face than it is supposed to be.
"Wait. Let me sit down for a while," I tell him when the spinning finally becomes too much for me to handle. I feel like throwing up, and the last thing I want is to vomit all over him.
"Oh fuck this," Edward says and swings me up into his arms. Damn, I've missed these arms, even if they're not pale, hard and cold like the ones I am accustomed to.
My brain conjures up a memory - Edward was carrying me like this on the day we had to do blood typing in Biology.
My vision starts to blur as a darkness that is becoming too familiar for comfort closes in. I raise my hand to brush a strand of his fringe which has successfully defied the pomade away from his eyes. My fingertips trail down his cheek.
"You look exactly the same," I whisper as I fight against the darkness threatening to consume me.
"What?" Edward says, not comprehending.
I try to formulate an answer but I lose the battle against remaining conscious, and even Edward's arms are not enough to keep me from falling...
O.o.O
Cold, clammy hands are prodding my head. They shift to my throat and then to my wrist.
"How is she, doctor?"
It's Edward's voice! Am I back in my own time?
"Her pulse is steady. Didn't I tell you that she needs to rest?" the doctor says somewhat scolding-ly. Wait. The voice is very familiar. Too familiar. I know I've heard this person's voice before.
"It was a poor judgment on my part. She said she was fine, but I should have known better."
"Make sure she gets sufficient rest this time. Oh and give her these if her headache persists. These will help with the pain."
"This is aspirin, right?"
"Yes. Tell her to take them when necessary. If she experiences any more dizziness, she should come down to the hospital immediately."
"I'll make sure of that. Thank you, doctor. I'll ask someone to see you out," Edward tells him.
Footsteps. The door shuts. More footsteps. A chair scrapes against the floor boards. Silence.
I know Edward is sitting beside my bed. I can feel him even in my sub-conscious state. Every nerve in my body screams at me to wake up - to shake him senseless and ask him to tell me this is a horribly realistic dream. Consciousness drifts above me, just out of reach.
Darkness closes in slowly, sucking me into its vortex...
.
Heels click against the wooden floor. Something scrapes against the bedside table. A soft hand swipes at my forehead and my neck. I am awake, but my eyelids feel like they have been sewed shut.
I force my eyes open like one would rip a band-aid off. Light assaults my eyes. Shit! I throw my hand up over my eyes to shield them from the light.
"Miss, are you awake?"
"Yeah," I croak. Jeez, my mouth is parched. I sit up once my eyes adjust to the brightness. "Where's Edward?"
"Mr Masen is at school, Miss. He will return sometime in the afternoon," she says as she hands me a glass of water. I sip it gratefully. Damn, it's the best water I've ever tasted!
"Your breakfast is over here, Miss," Thia gestures to the bedside table, and inside the drawer you can find some aspirin. The doctor said to take it for the pain. Oh and your dresses have been altered. They are in the closet. Will there be anything else?"
I vaguely remember touring the house with Edward and feeling dizzy and...crap!
"Thia? What year is it?"
She eyes me like I'm crazy but she answers anyway. "It's 1917, Miss."
I nod, feeling my hopes being crushed instantly. I'd hoped what Edward told me was a figment of my imagination. Or a hallucination.
"And what date is it today?"
"The third of September. You've been unconscious for just over a day."
I nod again, unable to say anything else. My mouth feels horribly dry again.
"Will there be anything else?"
I shake my head.
Thia looks concerned but she doesn't say anything and exits.
Crap. I am stuck in 1917. How do I go back? After Edward is changed during the Spanish Influenza, how do I return to 2008? Does time freeze in 2008 while I'm here?
Damn it, I have so many questions and there's no one to provide answers! I curse Jake angrily, even though I'm partially at fault.
I clutch my head in my hands. I'm in such deep shit.
O.o.O
There is a knock on my door. Damn it, I can't reach one of the buckles on the back of the dress Mrs Masen has lent me. The person raps thrice on the door again. I throw my hands in the air, officially giving up.
"It's unlocked!" I call to the person behind the door.
I feel him before I see him. My skin starts tingling, not in an unpleasant way.
"Hey," I acknowledge Edward, turning around.
"Glad to see you're awake. But you really shouldn't be out of bed." His eyes rake down my body slowly. I cock my head to the side, waiting for him to finish his assessment. His eyes linger at the neckline of the dress.
"Are you going to be wearing this dress out?" he asks, his eyes still at the neckline.
"I suppose. It's pretty, don't you think?" The dress is white and made of a soft flow-y material. The neckline stops a quarter-way down my chest, showing just a hint of cleavage.
"The neckline is a little too low, but otherwise, yes, it looks nice on you."
I raise an eyebrow at his comment. The neckline is too low? I scoff internally. If only he could see the dresses I wore for homecoming and prom!
"It's a modest enough dress." I walk up to him and turn around.
"Do you mind doing up that last buckle for me? I can't seem to reach it." I shift my hair over one shoulder and turn my head slightly to see his reaction.
He stares at my back for a while before swallowing. "Sure."
His fingers trail lightly down my neck before inching down my back where he takes the strap and attaching it for me.
"Done." His voice is low, sensual and his eyes are dark.
Holy shit.
"Go back to bed. I'll ask someone to bring dinner up for you later."
"I'm fine, Edward. I don't need to stay in bed all day."
"It wasn't a request," he snaps, irritated.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" I retort. Jeez, what's wrong with him?
"Damn it, will you do as you're told?"
"No fucking way!" I shout at him, and wince as my head starts pounding.
He gasps. I'm not sure if it's from my swearing or from my wince.
"Go to bed, Bella Swan! I'm not going to say it again," he says threateningly. His tone scares me. He is definitely scarier than vampire Edward.
Throwing him the most scathing look I can manage, I head back toward the bed.
"Get out."
"What?" he looks shocked. Shocked as hell.
"Get out of the room unless you want to watch me change," I say as evenly as I can and start reaching for the straps on my back.
Two seconds later, I hear the door shut behind me. I drop my hands immediately and plop down on the mattress. This Edward somehow manages to infuriate me every time he speaks. Well, almost, I correct myself, remembering the tour of the house.
I put my head in my hands. I want my Edward back. I don't want to be in 1917 anymore. And I sure as hell don't want to be stuck in this suffocating room for another second.
With a new found determination, I stride purposefully out of the room. Now which way is it to the library? I vaguely remember the route Edward and I took yesterday. I head downstairs, feeling ridiculously like a fugitive. My heels click loudly against the marble floor. Shit.
Once my feet are safely on the ground floor, I look frantically around for any sign of a bronze halo of hair. Relief floods my nerves. No sign of Edward.
Quickly, I retrace our steps from yesterday and within minutes, I find myself outside the library. Taking a deep breath to steady my heart, I push the doors open. Shelves and shelves of classics surround me as I step further into the dim cozy room. I want to cheer and jump up and down like a giddy school girl.
Brushing my fingertips over the thick books, I pick one at random and slide it off the shelf. I raise my eyebrow at the boom. Anne Karenina. Interesting. I've read the plot before back in Phoenix, but I haven't gotten round to reading it yet.
I plop down on the nearest plush chair and crack open the book. It looks and feels almost new. I am about to flip to the first chapter when I hear the dinner bell ring. Sighing, I place the book on the coffee table before leaving the library.
It doesn't take long for Edward to discover I'm not in the room. I hear footsteps behind me and a warm hand grasps mine as I descend the stairs.
"I thought you agreed to stay in bed," he says quietly. Too quietly.
Oh no.
"I didn't agree to anything, Edward," I remind him. From the corner of my eye, I can see him purse his lips.
He drops my hand the moment my two feet are firmly on the ground. Wordlessly, he stalks off toward the dining room. I roll my eyes and follow him. His tendency to overreact and blow things widely out of proportion definitely hasn't changed a bit.
He pulls out my chair for me despite his less than friendly feelings toward me, always the perfect gentleman.
"Thank you," I say murmur. He nods, but doesn't say anything.
"Bella, how are you feeling?" Mr Masen asks once everyone has settled down into their seats.
"I'm feeling okay. As long as I'm not agitated," I incline my head in Edward's direction minutely, "I should be good."
Mrs Masen laughs good-naturedly, correctly interpreting my unspoken comment. "Yes, my son can be a pain up the arse sometimes," she agrees.
"Mom! Your language!" Edward says disapprovingly, though a ghost of a smile appears on his lips.
"Shush, Edward. Bella, will you be well enough to attend a charity gala this weekend? We are hosting it."
A charity gala? Hosted by the Masens? Hmm.
"I'd be happy to," I reply honestly. "Will I need a date?"
"I'll be more than happy to bring you myself, Miss Swan," Edward cuts in.
I gulp. Is he asking me out?
"Why Edward, I'd be -"
"Edward, aren't you taking Sophie Ray to the gala?" Mrs Masen interrupts me.
Sophie Ray? Who in the world is Sophie Ray? Is she Edward's girlfriend? Edward blinks at his mother, astonished.
"Who is Sophie Ray?" I ask, directing the question to no one in particular.
Now, Elizabeth blinks at me. She looks surprised. Or even shocked. "Edward didn't tell you? Sophie is Edward's fiancé."
O.o.O
DUN DUN DUN!
Sorry again for the extremely late update! Hope this chapter makes up for it. I'll be replying to reviews some time this week after my exams.
As ever, let me know what you think.
~ XOXO DILK