The Landlord

Day 5

It was Sunday. Mike had dragged his feet around my home all of Saturday, hoping in vain to see Edward come to set up the bell with the missing batteries. Yes, he didn't say it but I knew it. It made me be pissed off at Mike all day. And, just maybe, I didn't want to admit that I had expected Edward to come back too.

I hoped that the stunt of the concert next week was just that--a stunt--and he wouldn't show up. That way, Mike would get down from his cloud.

I had a lot to do that morning.

"Hey Bella, how are you?" asked the friendly clerk of the supermarket. We were in talking terms and I often made small talk with him on solitary evenings, when I dropped by to buy cigarettes.

"Everything is cool."

"That'll be eighty, ninety-nine."

"Charge it here." I passed my debit card. I was waiting for the end of the week; things were getting difficult financially already.

"Are you going to make it home alone? That looks pretty heavy. Do you want someone to drop it at your home later?"

"That's okay." I was hungry and didn't want to wait a couple of hours.

"Alright, if someone else was here, I would help you with that."

"No need. Take care." I put most of the stuff in my backpack and the other bags in my arms. One of them hanged from my elbow.

This way I made it to corner. The day was glorious. The sun was ablaze; I felt it burning my skin as I progressed slowly down the lane.

Then I saw it. It was a shiny, silver Volvo that came fast as lightning in the opposite direction. It flew past me, and then made a screeching sound when it did a one hundred and eighty degrees turn in the deserted street. I stared openmouthed.

The driver then carefully drove right by my side, and I finally noticed that it was none other than my dearest landlord.

"Of course!" I muttered.

He chuckled and turned his head to me. His hair was in disorder and his eyes were protected with dark sunglasses. He gave off that playboy-on-Saturday-afternoon vibe.

"Need a drive to our home, gorgeous?" he asked with a killer smile.

"No thanks. I do this as exercise."

"Let me drop the bags off, and then we can do some real exercise."

I glared at him.

"I mean jogging, Bella. We could do half an hour, if you like. I don't have a jogging partner at the moment. "

I started walking, not dignifying that an answer.

He started the car at one kilometer per hour and tailed me closely.

"What are you doing?" I asked, half indignant.

"Get into the car, Bella."

"No, thanks."

"You are very stubborn, aren't you?"

"You idiot."

"Why do you always end up insulting me? I don't think I have done anything to offend you, have I?"

He was right, and it made me even angrier.

"I just don't like you, Edward." I did not look at him.

"Why would you hate me? You don't know me, do you?"

Bingo again. I was afraid of the next thing he was going to say. I knew what it was, so I remained silent.

"They say that from hate to love, there is only one step."

"Yes, it is called deodorant."

He looked out of wits for a second and then laughed like a maniac, so hard that I thought he would crash the car.

"Bella, I am in love with you."

Now I laughed.

"When did you fall in love with me?' If only.

"Just right now. This very second"

"I am sure your fiancée won't like that."

He smiled his crooked smile and took off his glasses.

"You seem to care a lot about her."

"You seem not care a lot, on the other hand."

"We both have a relationship. It doesn't mean we cannot be friends, does it?" he asked, licking his lips."

"Of course, Edward. I have many friends."

I walked on and on. I was sweating and the slight skirt I was using started to stick to my ass. It bothered me.

"Now stop all this nonsense and give me those bags, Bella."

"Go to hell, friend."

I saw him frown and then he braked. I went on, and I felt that he got out of the car.

My heart beat real fast, and I knew the confrontation was here. I didn't turn back to face him. It would be as if I were afraid of him.

He approached me from behind and tore away a couple of the bags. I kept walking. I knew he was stashing them in his passenger seat.

Edward returned to me, but now I was prepared and I was hugging the other two bags. He couldn't take them.

I was having a hard time containing laughter. I wondered what he would do now.

He walked around me as I almost ran. Then I felt him do the unthinkable. He lifted me off the floor with bags, backpack and miniskirt, and carried me back to his car. I shrieked and kicked like he was gutting me and he just laughed.

"Are you crazy?!"

"You are too hard-headed for your own good." His arms felt strong and muscled. I was very scared he would drop me. Nobody had done this to me before.

"Put me down this instant!!!"

He just threw me into the backseat like a sack of potatoes.

"I will never, ever, ever talk to you again!!!"

He didn't answer but rather started the Volvo up.

"Who do you think you are? You are not my father!"

He turned on the radio.

A group of teenagers who had seen the whole scene from the park in front were whistling and laughing, pointing at the scene.

I was red in embarrassment. I could imagine what they thought.

"I hate you!"

He advanced the eight blocks to our duplex and didn't stop. I turned my head and saw the house disappear in the distance.

What was he doing?

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Notes: Sorry for the long time took to update. I will try to be weekly at least from now on, I was burnout, but now I am back and have plans to take over the world with the wonderful Devonna Ransom, I knew we were soulmates when I read her profile and saw her recommendation of calling your dog "dog". That is exactly the name of Edward's dog in this story.

Anyway, I want to thank again my dear beta Leon McFrenchington, who I admire immensely. He wrote to me worried that I had passed away, by the way. :p I will tease him about this for a long while, as the other joke about his being a vampire is not flying anymore because he does have superpowers, so it is not funny, obviously. (love you Leon, you know that)

Finally, the good stuff will have to wait a little, I am sorry, I know I promised for this chapter. In fact I had it written and then realized it was not the moment yet. So I will keep that chapter for later on, probably chapter six or seven, where it will have its correct impact. Hope you be patient. Good things are there for those who wait.