A/N: Hi guys! Sorry if the last chapter sounded confusing to you. That wasn't intended, but I assure you, I haven't missed posting ANY chapters yet. Enjoy!
Chapter-4
Two days later, Edward found himself taking a detour on his way home to Black's Music Café. He was surprised at his impulsiveness, it had been a while since he broke his routine. So why did he suddenly feel the urge to come here?
They play live music, he told himself. I've always loved music.
However, the moment he stepped through the door and his eyes met those deep chocolate ones, he knew he was kidding himself. It wasn't the music that pulled him there, it was her.
With a smile on her slightly disproportionate yet perfect lips, Isabella walked up to greet him. "Hi. Welcome to Black's Music Café. I'm Isabella and I'll be your server this evening."
Something inside him seemed to twist painfully as he realized she hadn't recognized him. She probably smiles at all her customers, he thought sadly. But then, she smiled and whispered. "Hey, how are you?"
"Yo-you remember me?" He had to ask.
She nodded. "The Fall Fanatic. I recognized your hair. It's ..."
Edward ran a hand through his hair, wishing it's perpetual messiness would give him a break. "It's a mess, I know," he said.
She giggled at his expression of helplessness. "I was going to say it's a beautiful shade of bronze … almost like fall leaves."
Edward felt the tips of his ears get warmer. "So why did you greet me like that if you recognized me?" he asked, trying to divert the conversation.
It worked. Isabella pointed to an octogenarian man sitting in a wheelchair and said, "That's Billy, Jake's dad. He wants us to be formal with our guests."
"Oh!" He smiled then, feeling silly for reading too much into it.
After setting down his ordered drink and double-cheese burger in front of him, Isabella said playfully, "You really shouldn't eat those greasy foods or you'll get a beer-belly like Jake, you know?"
Edward couldn't help but laugh at her remark. "Do you always warn your guests against health hazards of greasy foods?" he asked her.
"Nope," she responded, shaking her head so that her ponytail swished around too. "Just the ones too pretty to grow a beer-belly."
He snorted. "Pretty? I think that's the first time I've been called that."
Isabella gave him an indignant look. "Well you are pretty. No man should have eyelashes that long."
He batted the said eyelashes at her teasingly. "So you're jealous of my eyelashes, Miss …?"
"Swan," she said, rolling her eyes. "And yes, maybe I am."
"You're calling me pretty? Do you know how beautiful you are?" he wanted to tell her, but held his tongue. Instead, he grinned. "You're welcome to borrow my eyelash curlers, if you want."
Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "What's your name?"
"Edward," he answered, taking a bite of his burger.
"Well, Edward ..." she started before stopping and poking her tongue out at him.
One moment.
For one long moment, they stared at each other before breaking into laughters.
That day, Edward realized that he still could laugh and more importantly, it felt good to laugh again.
A/N: Hope you're enjoying this.
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Take care.
Ann