CHAPTER FOUR
I crept down the stairs the next morning, hoping I could avoid Edward. I slyly peaked around each corner until I managed to make it to the kitchen. The plan had been to steal a banana and head out the back door toward the lake, but just as the first part of the plan was underway, Alice made me jump a mile in the air, "Whatcha doin?"
"Jesus Alice, you scared the shit out of me." I was clutching my chest. She just laughed. "Well if you are creeping around here because of Edward, you have nothing to worry about. He went out early this morning with Jasper."
"Oh..I wasn't creeping," I defended.
Alice gave me a look, "Sure. Anyway, why don't you bust out some eggs and make us an omelet, I would do it but Jasper doesn't want me being around open flames."
Either she just didn't want to make breakfast or Jasper was a tad bit controlling. From everything I heard of the man, I tended to believe that Alice was just being lazy, but I got started on the omelet like madam had requested mostly because I was really hungry since I hadn't eaten dinner the night before.
Alice perched herself up on the bar stool flipping through an Italian Vogue. "Oh and by the way, about last night, you go gurl!" I looked up, sensing my confusion she continued on, "I have a feeling Edward's got his work cut out with you."
She started giggling.
"Well thanks? But there really isn't any issue with us, he just needs to learn that even though he is almost twice my age, that doesn't give him this authority over my personal life." I confidently stated.
"Bella I have a feeling you and I are going to be best of friends. " She smiled warmly at me and part of me wanted to sincerely believe her but another part of me said she's an actress, she is built to display emotions whether fake or not. Only time would tell. All I could really offer at that moment was a smile and nod.
After breakfast, Alice sat me down in front of the T.V. to watch Italy's Next Top Model. I had never even watched America's Next Top Model, mainly because Tyra Banks was a bit annoying but damn if not two episodes in I was hooked, and the show wasn't even in English. Alice and I talked about superficial things why she held down my foot and gave me a "much-needed pedi" her words not mine. I told her that sometimes a girl has to eat and must forgo the mani/pedi combo. You would have thought I told her that I loved to boil kittens with the look I received. Thinking back on it maybe she would have been happier if I boiled kittens as long as my toes were up to par while I did it.
It was three o'clock when the boys arrived back to the house. Alice immediately jumped up from the couch and skipped over to Jasper earning a kiss. He whispered in her ear, she looked down and shook her head, he said something quietly to her, kissed her forehead and she left. Jasper went to the patio out back and made a phone call, I was trying to not be so nosey but it was hard from where I was sitting. I turned back to the T.V. purposely avoiding Edward who stood near the kitchen drinking a glass of water.
I could feel his eyes on me but I refused to look over. Finally, he came over and sat in the chair opposite me he had a bag in his hand, "Bella I need to talk to you about last night. I'm not your father." He mumbled under his breath "thank god" then added, "But that doesn't mean I don't care about your well-being. I need you to understand that just because I worry about your safety doesn't automatically make me the bad guy. If something happened to you, I would never forgive myself, which is why I got you this." He presented me with a phone. "It will work here in Italy and I've already programmed in some phone numbers just in case." He looked me sternly in the eye. "Bella I know you can be stubborn but please, use it. Call me or Emmett or anyone if something happens never hesitate."
I don't know what this feeling was. I had been fighting for so long to prove that I wasn't my sister that sometimes it came off as close-minded and hard headed. At that moment when he said those words, it was like I could see the desperation in his eyes, there was something else there, what I couldn't make out. But I had been a brat long enough and I needed to accept his offer without giving him shit for it. "Thank you, Edward. I promise to use it. That was very kind of you."
He let a breath out that I think he had been holding. To break up the tension I decided to ask where Alice went. "I wonder where Alice is."
"I think she's up napping, Jasper feels that's its best that she tries to nap for an hour every day."
"Ok…isn't that kinda weird," I replied.
"I think you'd find napping therapeutic, they say that a nap every day allows for better concentration, alertness and overall a healthier disposition." He smiled at me, almost like he knew something and wasn't planning on sharing with the class.
"You know what I find therapeutic? Being on set. It's the greatest feeling in the world."
Edward appraised me for a moment, "You really love filmmaking that much?"
"It's all I have thought about since I was eleven. When I was in college every time I had a bad day I would drive out to Warner Bros and park across the street and it always made me feel better. I would think about my future and no matter what was going wrong in my life; I'd just the hope for a better tomorrow inside that studio and it would give me the strength to go on." I was amazed at myself for confessing something so personal to him.
"What if I made you a deal, you love being on set, but what exactly do you want to learn?"
"Everything! I want to learn every position from makeup and wardrobe to grips and gaffers, I believe if a person can learn the ins and outs of every position then that person can be indispensable. I want to be a valuable commodity." I became a tad bit excited when I talked about the things I love. I just hope I wasn't drooling.
"Alright, here's the deal, next week we begin filming, and I will give you permission to rub elbows with the crew, learn all you can. I am very low-maintenance during filming so you don't need to waste your time dealing with me you can use your time wisely. You can help but not get in the way of any working professional and only if they give you permission and nothing dangerous. Consider yourself a really well-rounded production assistant. What would you give up for that?"
"Anything!" Here is a lesson any person should learn, when dealing with your emotions think before you speak, don't offer yourself up on a platter like a Thanksgiving turkey. "I mean I might be open for a proposition."
Edward smiled out of the side of his mouth. "I think you'll find my offer very fair. For my blessing, all I ask is an hour from you every day, every single day, and the hour of my choosing." He was tap dancing around dying for the shoe to drop. An hour? An hour to do what? I think he could tell my mind was headed in a way different direction then what he wanted. Edward spoke almost immediately to stop the wild thoughts invading my mind. "Bella, get your mind out of the gutter."
"My mind wasn't in a gutter," I said slightly more outraged then necessary. "It just sounds weird, your proposition, are you sure your mind isn't in some gutter."
"Really Bella?" He gave me a knowing look and continued on with his proposition. "I want you to take a nap, once a day for at least an hour. I think you of all people could benefit from it. Maybe then you wouldn't be so …moody."
"A nap!" Such a simple request and yet so so odd. "I don't get it."
"What's there to get?" Edward asked, "you get an hour of rest, thus vastly improving your mood or at the very least if that doesn't work I get an hour of peace knowing you are upstairs in your bed, safe and not roaming the streets picking up random strangers."
"Oh my god! You are never going to let that drop." I smacked him in the arm, normally I wouldn't be so forward but he was laughing like schoolboy. "Whatever, Mr. Creepy I mean Mr. Cullen. Do I have your word, complete total access on set in exchange for one hour of my day counting sheep?"
"Absolutely Miss Stubborn, I mean Miss Swan," He joked.
I felt like I was definitely getting the better end of this deal, but a part of me knew that it couldn't be this easy. There was one thing I was quickly learning from this industry and that was things were not always what they seemed.
After our chat, Edward told me that he was planning on making pizza for dinner. Since we had arrived, Edward had cooked most of the meals surprisingly enough. He was really good at it too, in some ways looking back on it; I think cooking was his therapy.
When he told me he was making pizza, I asked him if it was DiGiorno. I think he was actually offended and then told me that my butt was to be in the kitchen at five so I could watch the master at work.
My hands were currently covered in flour and I was proud that I managed to stay clean. He began to inform me about the dough. "So once we roll this dough out, we toss it." He said picking up the cold goo, he pretended to get ready to throw it in the air and I watch with awe when he picked up some flour with the other hand and tossed it in my face.
I stared at him in shock, "Awe come on man, you just go my shirt and hair all dirty."
"Oh, Bella there was no way you were going to stay clean. The pizza tastes better the messier you get while making it."
"Somehow, I doubt that it's all fun and games till someone's hair ends up in the crust." He started laughing, "I'm serious I could get the board of health down here and give your little restaurant an "F" God only knows what other codes you are currently in violation of."
"Bella! Shut up!" He then flicked some water in my face. That was it; he wasn't the only one who could get a laugh. I grabbed a fistful of flour and threw it at his head. "There now it matches all the other white hairs you've got going on." He immediately charged me and we were wrestling back and forth, "I do not have gray hairs." He managed to get me in a headlock when we heard someone clearing their throat. We looked up to see Emmett, Jasper, and Alice all looking at us in shock. We immediately released each other.
"What?" I asked like what they witnessed was an everyday occurrence.
"Yeah…I think we are going out for dinner tonight, the kitchen's not looking to sanitary at the moment," Alice reprimanded.
They left and we slowly looked around our eyes landing on each other, we busted up laughing. "Come on Snow white, let's finish the job. You should see yourself right now," Edward said.
"Oh, I can't possibly look any worse than you Father Time. I'm pretty lethal with flour," I replied smugly.
We cleaned up as best we could and continued on with the pizza, while it was baking in the oven with both ran up to our rooms to get cleaned up. By 7 pm we sat down in front of the T.V. with our masterpiece. Edward left to go get the wine leaving me in charge of picking out the movie a decision I'm sure he will come to regret. I couldn't contain the smile on my face as I waited for him when he approached he immediately knew a plot was afoot.
Looking down at the pizza he asked, "What did you do?"
"You'll see." I gave him a big smile. He cautiously took a bit of his pizza, waiting for me to spill.
"Oh geez Edward, I didn't poison your pizza, although I'm pretty sure you're going to wish I had when you see what's on the viewing menu this evening." I pressed play on the remote and the music started up.
"NO! No No No, absolutely no we are not watching this!" he was adamant. "Come on Bella make it stop." He pleaded.
"Why Edward? I just happen to love this movie. Besides if you hate it that much why do you have a copy of it?" While rifling through Edwards rather extensive collection, I managed to find this really bad 80's movie in which he starred as a man who was a banker by day and superhero by night. The wardrobe down to the low budget special effects made this movie a classic flop.
Edward popped on the screen right then holding a criminal in his hands looking at the camera he stated, "Don't mess with me, I'm Draco Danger." I busted into a fit of giggles.
Edward sat back down, "If this is what makes you happy, I guess I can suffer through it."
We continued to watch the movie, Edward filing me in with fun facts. It was halfway through when Emmett came in and saw what we were watching.
"Awesome! You found it, start that shit over."
Edward looked at him shocked, "You put that movie here?"
Emmett had a big smile on his face, like he just won Miss America, "About time you found it. Dude, I mean it, start it over."
"Absolutely not, I don't plan on watching this for at least another twenty years. You can take the DVD up to your room when this is finished and watch it there," Edward said.
"Alright, but I can't promise you that my intentions with the DVD will be pure without your supervision," He joked.
"That's so gross Emmett," I said, "My pizza is beginning to make a round trip flight."
Edward and Emmett continued to razz each other, I don't know if it was the wine, but when I left them for the night they were both laughing so hard they were crying. You couldn't even make out what they were saying.
I went up to my room for the night and got ready for bed. I decided that I should email my mother since it had been a couple of days since the last time I wrote to her. I knew I would have to break down and buy a calling card but that could wait.
Dear Mom and Daddy,
Italy is so wonderful; I would love to bring you here someday. I think you would really appreciate the scenery mom (hot half-naked Italian men everywhere.) And don't worry dad I haven't forgotten you either, the food here is delicious and I know you would fall in love with the gelato as I have. Mr. Cullen and Mr. McCarty are treating me well and we are all having such a great time. Jasper and his wife Alice Whitlock arrived recently and they are both really nice as well. I know you both worry about me but I promise I am fine. I am soaking up this experience and I know that it is the first step on my road to success.
Love you lots,
Bella
P.S. We begin filming next week so I might not get to write to you as often, please don't freak out, if anything happens Edward has my in case of emergency information and will contact you.
All I need is my mom not to hear from me and fly all the way over here.
I took out my journal to put some thoughts down. I wasn't really one for writing down what happened day to day, but mostly I used it to write emotions or clever lines. Sometimes I would take those thoughts and try to write music to them. No one really knew this about me, but growing up it was a way to cope from all the pain I experienced. Whether it was from being bullied or having to deal with my sister's death, all these emotions I poured into songwriting.
These journals were my lifeline something I continued with for many years and when I was just turning fifty as a favor for a friend gave one of my most personal journals to be put up for auction, the proceeds to go and benefit a very personal worthy cause.
AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing.
DISCLAIMER: STORY IS MINE. CHARACTERS BELONG TO STEPHENIE MEYER.