This chapter is a long one, and as promised there is more Bella and Edward time!
It was official; I would be spending a day in the life of Edward Cullen, a man so perfect, it was scary.
So to say that I was ecstatic would be a severe understatement.
Yet another large part of me was nervous and slightly terrified at the prospect of being around the same man who I had fallen for long before, and not so long ago, I had actually kissed.
It felt like a dream that was too good to be true. Though there was no way I could have imagined it. My lips still tingled slightly from the contact.
But most worrying was the fact that he hadn't mentioned it since.
A part of me was thankful and prayed he would continue to ignore what was probably a moment of insanity on his part.
I couldn't bear the thought of the awkward conversation we would have, when he told me that the kiss meant nothing to him and was merely part of an elaborate scheme to get Mike off my back. Worst of all, if he realised it wasn't just an act for me, then I didn't think I could stomach his sympathy for my totally one-sided affections.
That said, another part of me wanted to confront him, and question his intentions.
Surely, if it had been only a case of discouraging Mike, then there were plenty more rational ways to go about it.
It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the kiss, because trust me, I did, but the more I thought about it, the more overwhelmed I felt.
Despite my intentions to put it to the back of my mind, it had completely thrown me off-balance and I didn't know how I was going to act naturally around him.
However, if I was going to get through the day unscathed, I would need to be strict and put my feelings aside. That would be a lot easier said than done, but I had to at least try.
Instead, I would let him have control. I was to be an observer into his world after all.
Yet as we walked hand in hand through the office doors, I couldn't quite believe what was happening.
Obviously Edward was generating a ridiculous amount of attention, but still he appeared unfazed by it all. He was calm and confident, without being smug, as he offered smiles and the occasional wave to his adoring public.
It didn't feel real, but strangely enough I didn't feel as suffocated as I would have expected.
Normally, I would have been shy and embarrassed to be the centre of attention, and in part, I was, but another part deep within me was excited and thrilled to be walking besides Edward. I wanted the whole office to see us together, if only for today.
The moment we stepped outside, my rational side kicked in. I couldn't possibly expect to have a leisurely stroll along the street of London with one of Hollywood's finest without incident.
Edward, however, remained completely unmoving and gracefully guided me towards the tube station. I couldn't believe my eyes; he couldn't possibly expect to walk around casually like everyone else.
When I stopped, he instantly turned around, his piercing green eyes bearing down on me.
His eyes were sparkling, his hair shining brightly in the sunlight. I don't think he had ever looked more breathtaking, especially with that crooked smile playing on his lips.
"Edward you cant be serious. People will recognize you," I warned.
"Trust me, Bella," he replied, as his hands came to rest on top of my shoulders.
"It will be fine. Most people don't approach me, and if they do, I give them a quick autograph or photo and they are satisfied," he said so casually that I actually laughed.
"Fine," I found myself agreeing.
This should be interesting, I thought, as he took my hand once more and led me into the station.
Surprisingly, when we made it down to the platform, I was completely amazed that his presence wasn't causing a scene. It was slightly irritating that Edward was always right.
Despite the lack of drama, there was no shortage of people staring. I wasn't blind to the young girls and women alike who were fixated on him, but who could blame them. If I wasn't beside him I would have been much worse! Even in his presence, I had the tendency to stare at Edward like a love-struck teenager.
What surprised me the most, was that despite their obvious fixation on him, his fans all kept their distance. It was surreal to see so many people staring, but at the same time carrying on with their day to- day lives.
I was completely baffled; I thought celebrities couldn't go out in public for fear of being mobbed.
Edward must have picked up on my confusion and leaned down to whisper in my ear.
"I told you it would be fine," his smile was slightly smug, but strangely infectious.
"Most fans are too embarrassed to approach me. Either that, or they think I am too scary and intimidating."
"You, intimidating? Hardly!" I sniggered.
Immediately, the hand that was still holding mine tightened and he rounded on me, bringing his full height to lean over me.
I felt slightly cautious when his soft expression became more stern. I hoped I hadn't offended him, and so gasped when he leaned in towards me. He was so close that I could feel his breath across my face and I quivered.
His sharp voice quickly broke my transfixed state.
"I'll have you know that I can be very intimidating if I want to be," he declared, as I stood there paralysed by his fierce expression.
Suddenly his familiar smirk appeared and he laughed heartedly.
His grip also loosened on my hand and he took a step back from me. I found it strangely disappointing, and I wanted him close again almost instantly.
"I wish you could have seen your face; it was a picture," he declared with a wicked grin.
"Shut it Cullen," I sulked.
His response was to drop my hand completely and instead he brought his arm around my shoulders, pulling me tightly against him.
"You're adorable when you're mad," he said, rubbing my shoulder affectionately.
He seemed completely unaffected by everyone else around us, who were now staring like we had gone mad.
And somehow, despite the obscurity of the situation and all my prior worries about today, I felt myself relaxing against him.
A few minutes passed before the tube arrived. Thankfully it wasn't rush hour so we managed to find two seats next to each another.
"Where are we going?" I asked, realising I hadn't a clue where he was taking me.
"I told you, I am taking you to dinner. I need some food before the real work begins," he said with a smile.
My own smile appeared when his hand found mine, lying idle on my lap. I should have felt uncomfortable from the, dare I say it, public display of affection, but there was something strangely comforting about being with Edward and it always put me at ease.
"What is the plan for the rest of the day?" I asked keenly.
He shook his head vigorously, clearly enjoying having the upper hand.
"Impatient, aren't we?" he smirked.
"I like to know what I am letting myself in for," I justified.
"Well you will have to wait and see!"
His eyes captures mine and I was so overwhelmed by his closeness to question him any more.
He seemed to be debating something for a moment, before he abruptly broke eye contact with me and glanced to the side. My gaze followed his and I noticed an elderly lady had got on at the current stop. I was about to offer her my seat when he beat me to it. His hand left mine as he stood and gestured for her to take his place.
My heart ached when I noticed the slight blush that appeared on his cheeks as she thanked him profusely. She also offered me a gentle smile as she glanced between the two of us. I was blushing furiously, but managed to smile back at Edward like a proud fool.
Being exceptionally tall, his valiant act of chivalry resulted in him hitting his head when the tube started moving again. I reached for the hand that was closest to mine and tugged him down to look at me.
"Have my seat; you are practically touching the roof," I suggested.
He looked like I had insulted him, judging by the horrified expression.
"Absolutely not. That is out of the question," he practically barked at me.
I heard a light chuckling beside me and turned to see the old lady smiling at us.
"Let the young man take care of you, dear. There are far too few considerate men around nowadays."
If only she knew the true extent of his generosity.
Several minutes later, I heard another thud and a curse and I bit my lip as I looked up to see Edward trying to cover his discomfort, by discretely rubbing the top of his head.
My stupid, adorable,virtuous man, I thought affectionately, then scolded myself for calling him mine. I had no business in deluding myself further.
I tried to distracted myself by looking around the carriage. It seemed like everybody was too busy in their own worlds to notice a major Hollywood actor in front of them. I was shell-shocked, but nonetheless grateful that we'd managed to avoid a scene.
Moments later, I was pulled from my reflection by a light tapping on my knee.
"This is us," said Edward. I followed his lead and quickly gathered my belongings.
When I stood, I was grateful that his hand immediately found mine, effectively stopping me from going flying when the tube came to an abrupt halt.
We exited the tube station hand in hand and hadn't been walking for long, before Edward guided me towards a elegant- looking restaurant. Predictably he opened the doors for me, and shortly after a waiter greeted us with a wide smile.
"Good afternoon, sir, madam," he spoke, looking between the two of us.
I felt Edward's grip on my hand tightening.
"Table for two, please," he said with clear authority in his tone.
"Certainly sir," the waiter replied, looking me over speculatively.
I looked down at myself self-consciously, wishing I had made more of an effort with my appearance today. Though in my defence, I'd hardly imagined I would be in such a spectacular restaurant when I'd got ready for work!
We were soon led towards a table in the far corner. The waiter was about to pull my chair out for me, but Edward was there in an instant, sending him an icy glare.
"I will take it from here," his tone was harsh; I had never seen him so dismissive.
Though strangely enough after the waiter left, he quickly went back to his charming ways, helping me out of my coat and into my seat.
When I was settled at the table, I did a quick sweep of my surroundings.
The restaurant was undoubtedly elegant and fancy, and I imagined it came at a tidy price, which only made me feel all the more inadequate. I didn't feel worthy, sitting in such an elaborate venue in just my jeans and a T-shirt, opposite an equally stunning man.
Pushing my despondency aside, I looked across the table to find Edward already watching me closely. I narrowed my eyes at him accusingly.
"You could have at least given me some warning," I accused.
Edward on the other hand seemed rather amused, "Warning about what?"
"That you were going to bring me to a fancy restaurant!" I exclaimed.
"I was hardly going to take you to McDonald's now, was I?" he seemed to be back to his playful self, a far contrast to the foul mood he was in when we arrived.
"I know, but a heads up would have been nice. I look like a scruff!" I scalded.
"You look perfect," he said simply.
"Phfft," I scoffed at his flattery.
"I saw the way that waiter looked at me. I stand out in my jeans and T-shirt!"
"Trust me, it wasn't your choice of clothing that he was inspecting," he replied.
I noticed his fists clenched on table, angry Edward was back!
"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked disbelievingly.
"He was checking out a lot more than your clothing!"
"You are quite wrong." I argued. He was obviously mistaken.
"You might be oblivious to it, but I most definitely am not. I'm a guy, I saw the way he looked at you, Bella, the way he is still looking at you," he practically growled, as he glared behind me.
I turned hesitantly to see said waiter looking our way. His smile became more pronounced when he locked eyes on me. I blushed furiously and quickly turned back round.
"I told you so," Edward remarked, though he didn't sound remotely triumphant at his accuracy.
I shifted awkwardly in my seat, when Edward summoned a different waiter across.
"We are ready to order our drinks," he said with a smile, reverting back to the polite guy that he had been most of the time.
"Certainly sir, what can I get for you?" our new waiter asked.
Edward's eyes met mine as he gestured across to me.
"Ladies first," he murmured, his smooth, velvety voice losing its edge.
"I will have a Coke, please."
"Certainly, and for you, sir?"
"I will have the same, please," replied Edward, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I will bring over some menus with your drinks."
"Thank you," we both replied together.
Edward smiled properly for the first time since we arrived, but it was not long before his scowl reappeared when our first waiter returned.
"Would the lady like something to drink?"
With him stood leering over me, I suddenly noticed how creepy he was and was about to tell him where to go when Edward beat me to it.
"We're fine," he said firmly, emphasizing the 'we' part, as he glared at the waiter. The guy may have been sleazy, but there was no need for Edward to cause a scene.
"Was that really necessary?" I spoke when the jerk finally got the message and left.
"Yes," Edward snapped, his satisfied smile turning into a scowl. "I don't like the way he looks at you."
It was clearly the end of the conversation, but thankfully his frustration was long forgotten when we were handed our menus.
I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the prices. The starters alone were more than I spent on my entire weekly shop - okay that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it was certainly extortionate.
"Ignore the prices," Edward said knowingly.
"Have what you want, not what is the cheapest. Don't think I don't know you intended on choosing the cheapest thing on the menu."
I blushed at how spot-on he was. By the time the waiter returned, I had settled on the mushroom ravioli and Edward went for steak.
The man took our order and we fell silent as we waited for our food. It was a lot harder to maintain my cool charade, with Edward sitting directly opposite me.
In light of our earlier kiss and the many peculiar incidents that had happened today, the atmosphere between us suddenly felt strangely charged.
It was almost like we were on a date as we made polite conversation. We were both trying too hard and most of the time, I was too nervous to even meet his eyes.
The few times that I shyly looked across at him, I wished I hadn't bothered. Each time he caught me and I had to look down to hide my blush.
I couldn't explain this sudden awkwardness between the two of us and after several more minutes of dancing around each other with polite chit chat, I finally voiced something that had been nagging at me for most of the morning.
"What are we doing?" I abruptly asked.
Edward's head shot up instantly, "We are having dinner, or is that a trick question?"
"No, I mean what am I doing here with you? Surely you remember that celebrity features aren't my speciality."
"I asked for you to do it," he replied, still refusing to give anything away.
"That's what I don't understand," I responded, still not satisfied.
"What's not to understand?" Edward said, now looking equally confused.
"Why would you ask for me specifically?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.
"Is it so unthinkable for me to like spending time with you, Bella? Besides, I find you rather entertaining," he added with a laugh.
"I'm glad I amuse you," came my sarcastic reply.
He silenced any further retaliation from me by reaching for my hands across table.
His expression turned thoughtful as he threaded his fingers in mine.
"I don't usually like reporters, but you're different. I find myself fascinated by you. You're the most intriguing woman I have ever met. I'm drawn to you, Bella," he said delicately, his eyes locked on mine.
He definitely didn't like me to the extent that I liked him, but if Edward Cullen was drawn to me, I could definitely settle for that.
In light of his admittance, my resolve slipped and my mind wandered back to the kiss we shared earlier and begrudgingly, I had to look away from Edward's intense gaze.
It was only then I noticed that everyone was staring at the two of us. With Edward around, I always managed to forget that the rest of the world existed, but now I couldn't miss the staring, especially the numerous women in the room who were obviously eyeing him up.
"Is it like this everywhere you go?" I asked
"Pretty much," he replied, following my gaze.
"How do you deal with it?" I asked, unable to comprehend how he managed to cope with it on a daily basis and still remain so grounded.
"It's difficult, but it goes with the territory. I'm not going to lie and say I like it, but I knew what I was getting myself into when I became an actor. I accept that it is a part of the job."
"You're probably used to it."
I didn't realize I had spoken aloud until he narrowed his eyes at me.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said with a shy smile.
My denial was irrelevant, and if anything he seemed all the more interested. His intrigued expression begged for me to answer and unsurprisingly, I caved.
"I bet all the girls were chasing after you in high school," I answered truthfully, picturing a perfect teenager with bronze hair and green eyes. I imagined he was a quite the heartbreaker.
Only Edward's musical laughter brought me out of my daydreaming.
"Hardly I was a geek," he said laughing.
"Oh, please! Look at you, I bet all the girls were fighting over you," I accused.
He only laughed harder, looking ridiculously happy and carefree.
"Things were pretty different back then. I was awkward and painfully shy. I couldn't even talk to girls, let alone ask one out," he confessed.
"I find that hard to believe," I said, now more surprised than teasing.
"Trust me, its true." It was Edward's turn to blush but I still wasn't convinced. He was probably just being modest.
"Please, you're Edward Cullen, you could get any girl you want," I said, though it was painful to think about.
"Not back then. Not a lot of girls will look twice at you when you have braces and terrible skin. So, what about you?" he was quick to change direction.
"I don't want to discuss that, it's embarrassing." I was instantly dismissive.
"I bet you were one of the popular girls who had all the boys running around after you?" he accused.
"Why is it that you always seem to turn the questions around on me. Maybe you should consider a career in journalism." I tried to divert the attention away from me, but he wasn't fooled.
"As interesting as your observation may be, you're avoiding the question. I'm on to you," he smirked.
I was yet to say anything, so he continued his prosecution.
"You were, weren't you? You were in with the cool kids," he mocked, giving me the classic Edward Cullen persuasive stare.
"Not likely, the cool kids didn't even know I was alive."
Now it was Edward's turn to look surprised.
"I find that hard to believe," he said gently, causing me to brush furiously.
After the teasing, we both seemed to loosen up. It should have been strange, tense even, to be sitting opposite a superstar, but I felt totally at ease. I was with Edward after all; the kindest, most thoughtful, not to mention exceptionally gorgeous man on the planet.
While we waited for our dinner to arrive, I spent a few moments jotting down some notes about our day thus far. I apologised to Edward for my rudeness, but he simply smiled happily, telling me he liked to see me busy at work, and deep in thought. Regardless of his assurances, I scribbled down as fast as I could, so I could get back to enjoying my time with him.
Once I was done, time stood still as we laughed and joked about stupid and meaningless things. I got butterflies in my chest every time he smiled my favourite crooked smile or paid me a compliment (which he frequently did).
Have you ever felt like you were utterly under someone's spell, like time stands still and when you talk for hours about nothing and everything, all the while, exchanging meaningful glances? Well, that's just how it was for me in that restaurant.
Over dinner, Edward became a little more touchy-feely, though not in a sleazy way. It was more affectionate, with soft, gentle touches here and there.
I was actually rather sad when the time came for us to leave for Edward's next appointment of the day. I think really he liked to keep me guessing, but eventually he revealed that his next port-of-call was attending a photo-shoot.
The prospect of seeing Edward in action completely distracted me and he had to tug on my arm to get my attention.
"Bella, are you good to go?" he asked, gesturing towards the main entrance.
I nodded shyly, trying to focus on Edward, rather than everyone else around us. His presence here had drawn a lot of attention and unfortunately my association with him only resulted in me being on the receiving end of many vicious death stares from the majority of the females in the room.
I frowned at their blatant disapproval of me.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked gently, nudging me lightly.
"Nothing," I shrugged, trying to act indifferent, but his stern look told me he wasn't going to let it drop until I told him.
"I think your girlfriends are getting jealous," I tried to laugh it off, but my laughter was cut short when he surprised me by taking my hand in his.
"Lets give them something to really be jealous of," he announced before lifting my hand and placing a delicate kiss on top.
The next thing I knew, we'd stood up and were heading hand in hand towards the exit. I was too shell-shocked from Edward's tender action to care that those jealous girls were glaring at me on my way out.
I felt like I'd just become the most hated girl in England and I told Edward as much, but he merely gripped my hand tighter as we walked away.
"Yeah thanks for that, now I'm marked for execution," I joked.
"Don't worry, I will look out for you," he said reassuringly.
For a moment, I entertained the obscure fantasy that this heart-achingly beautiful and extraordinary man was actually attracted to me in some way, but in my heart, I knew I was just kidding myself. He was an A-lister constantly around actresses and models. Why would he ever look twice at me? That thought hurt a lot more than I would have liked.
"Why do you do that?" Edward broke my contemplation.
"You look so deep in thought. I wish I knew what was going on in your head. Sometimes you look so sad."
"Do I?" I played dumb.
"You're doing it again," he arched a knowing eyebrow. "You're trying to avoid my question by asking another question."
"You do that a lot, by the way," he added, but thankfully left it at that as we headed to his next appointment.
Next up was the photo-shoot, though it was nothing like I had pictured it to be. It was fascinating to watch from afar as Edward posed for photo after photo. He was extremely photogenic and all equally amazing and beautiful.
During a break, when Edward went off to for a fresh batch of hair and make up and to change, I used the time productively to catch up on the notes that I supposedly should have been making all day.
Though, in my defence, it was easier said than done concentrating on the job at hand when Edward was around. His presence alone was distracting, and so far I had barely wrote anything down. It was a good job my mind seemed capable of storing every minor detail regarding Edward. I would be relying on this later, when it came to describing our day together in my feature.
At the sound of an amused male voice, I looked up, though I was disappointed to find it wasn't him. Instead, I spotted a greasy-looking guy with long blond hair staring at me.
His smile grew ridiculously wide as he moved towards me, stopping right in front of me
"Hello, I am James," he said, with a sly grin.
"Bella," I replied, and being civil, I begrudgingly offered him my hand.
He took it, but instead of shaking it, he covered it with his other hand over mine. I was quick to pull it back though; it just didn't feel right in anyone's besides Edward's.
Despite my obvious disinterest, he didn't seem deterred, if anything, his expression became even more calculating.
"Are you one of the actresses?" he asked.
He was pulling out all the stops, but I wasn't naive enough to fall for it.
I literally laughed in his face at the ludicrous of his suggestion.
"What's so funny about that?" He responded. "You're very attractive, Bella. Maybe I can take your photo?" he pressed, edging closer towards me.
I was too stunned to even voice my reply, and could only shake my head vigorously.
"No?" his smug smile returned, as he edged closer still.
"You've got amazing eyes, by the way," he whispered in what I'm sure was meant to be an enticing way.
I looked down, but could still sense his lingering eyes looking over me.
I shifted uncomfortably and was about to tell this creep where to go, when, like so many times before, Edward appeared out of nowhere.
My breath caught in my throat, and I was rendered not only speechless but motionless too.
He was breathtaking as he stalked towards us. His shirt was undone, exposing his perfectly chiselled body and underneath his clothes, his body was as spectacular as I imagined it to be.
Fully-clothed Edward was stunning, but half naked... it should be illegal to look that good!
I found myself mesmerized by his hard, toned chest, which was clearly visibly through his barely- there shirt. I blushed at the direction my mind was taking and immediately looked down to hide it.
"Everything okay, here?"
I didn't need to look up to know that he was besides me. The unique scent that radiated off his body, a scent so distinctly Edward instantly reassured me.
Finally I looked up to see James and Edward exchanging angry glances. In a flash, James' heated expression shot to me.
"I was just teasing, don't be so sensitive," he said, raising his arm to place his hand on my cheek. Or at least he attempted to, before Edward's hand shot out to stop him.
"Bella is with me, so I suggest you back off," he warned.
Dare I say it, did he actually seem jealous?
James, on the other hand, looked furious for a moment, before he admitted defeat,muttering under his breath as he stalked off in the opposite direction. I heard the door slam as he went.
I turned to Edward to thank him, but he spoke before I got the chance.
"You just cant stay out of trouble, can you?"
I just bit my lip and looked down shyly.
After a gruelling hour of shots, Edward was finally free to move on to his next priority. Which, I later found out, was a fresh round of promotional interviews.
I was glad when we took a taxi to the hotel where the interviews were taking place; there was only so much staring I could take for one day.
Thankfully, the interviews were fairly informal and brief. Edward was funny and polite throughout and he answered every question with equal enthusiasm.
However, I was less than impressed with one particular interviewer who got a little too friendly for my liking. The lady in question had been flirting outrageously with him for the past 10 minutes. My only saving grace was the fact that Edward seemed more embarrassed than interested, but as her attempts became more desperate, he began to get more irritated.
I didn't miss her raised eyebrows and coy smile as she leaned further towards him and the green- eyed monster in me was ready to take the bitch down.
Thankfully, with a tight schedule to stick to, Edward soon moved on to the next interview.
As the interviews continued, I saw first hand how repetitive they were.
"How do you cope with the same old tedious questions?" I asked him in a break.
"It's just a part of the job. The fun part is trying to make each one different," he replied casually.
"I'm sorry, I must have really bored the shit out of you," I said thinking back to the day I interviewed him.
"You were far from boring. I told you I enjoyed our time together and I meant it," he declared.
Suddenly his expression changed, he looked hesitant as he began to pace around the small room that we were waiting in. It was obvious he was apprehensive about something, so I waited impatiently for him to speak.
"Bella, I've been trying to find a way of bringing this up all day," he began sensitively.
Oh no! I internally panicked, knowing full well what he wanted to discuss.
"Earlier ...the kiss," his voice for once was hesitant. I couldn't stand it, so I cut him off before he could go any further.
"No, Edward, it's fine," I started, but he was intent on having it out.
"Bella, please, we need to discuss this," he practically pleaded.
"Edward, it's fine. Honestly, I appreciate what you did, but lets just leave it at that."
I knew I was being rude, but I couldn't stand the thought of him feeling sorry for me. Ultimately his silence was better than his rejection!
"You did me a favour, nothing more, nothing less. We don't need to go over this Edward. It's not necessary. Lets just drop it and pretend like it never happened," I said, hiding or at least attempting to hide my feelings.
"If you're sure," he seemed unconvinced.
"I am," I replied, before I had time to change my mind.
I chanced a look at him and, dare I say it, he looked hurt.
"Okay, Bella, but at least allow me to say one thing."
He sounded dejected so I nodded at his earnestness. He looked at me intensely before he spoke.
"For me, it "
"EDWARD, WE NEED YOU NOW!" Emmett yelled from the other room, causing me to jump a mile. Edward shook his head and muttered something under his breath that I couldn't hear.
I was half-relieved at the interruption, but also half-curious as to what he had been about to say. Now I guessed I would never know.
"Subject officially dropped," he said, looking frustrated and pinching the bridge of his nose, before stalking off towards a curious-looking Emmett.
When the two of them returned a few minutes later, I was expecting things to be awkward between the two of us, but thankfully he acted like nothing had even happened. For a few minutes, I think we were both trying hard to act natural, but despite our pretence, it was still comfortable.
It was even more reassuring to have another friendly face in the form of Emmett.
"Hey, Bells, how's it going?" he asked.
"I'm good, thanks, Emmett. This all takes some adjusting though. Who knew the world of a superstar was so hard?" I grinned at Edward.
"Well, you'd better get used to it," Emmett muttered back.
When the time came for the final interview of the day, I was rather relieved. I had only been an observer, but I was honestly exhausted. I don't know how Edward coped with it all the time.
As we made our way to the exit, there was something playing on my mind from his final interview. He had reacted strangely to a particular question and whilse I was desperate to ask him about it, I couldn't find a way to bring it up.
"Is it more of the same tomorrow?" I asked to fill the silence that had fallen between the two of us.
"I have a few loose ends to tie up, but hopefully I will have the rest of the day to spend with my family," he replied.
He was acting very strangely as he shifted on the spot and kept his eyes downcast.
"You're hiding something," I stated, determined to get to the bottom of his sudden quietness!
"No I am not. There's nothing," he said, finally making eye contact.
"Yes there is. I can see it in your eyes. You had that same look when the last guy asked if you had any new projects in the pipeline," I accused.
"Damn it Bella, I can't hide anything from you, can I?"
"Its a talent of mine," I exclaimed, grinning with delight. "I'm on to you, Cullen. I know you're stalling."
"Okay, so there is something," he surrendered.
"I knew it!" I announced triumphantly.
"You do realize that you look like a kid in a sweet shop," he laughed at my excitement.
"I don't care! Tell me the big secret," I demanded, hoping to replicate his winning stare that always made me cave in.
For a split second, he looked half-tempted, but unfortunately his uncertainty disappeared and instead his determined expression returned. I frowned, knowing I had no chance of persuading him.
"Don't look at me like that, Bella," he begged.
"Like what?" I feigned innocence.
"You look utterly dejected and as much as I would like to tell you, I cant! I'm sworn to secrecy. I cant break that, not even you for you. Besides its early days anyway."
I offered him a small smile in return as his hands found mine, intertwining our fingers.
"Rest assured that when it is all official, you will be the first one to know," he proclaimed, looking me in the eye.
"I'll hold you to that," I responded.
I was miserable when the day drew to a close. Edward kindly offered to ring for a taxi for me, but I refused his request and after his insistence, I settled for him walking me to the tube station instead.
The temperature had dropped sharply since this morning, so much so that I was actually shivering as we walked. Edward's hand came to claim mine and with our fingers intertwined, it was funny how they seemed to fit together perfectly. To others on the street, we would appear to be a young couple, quite possibly in the early stages of dating and eager to impress one another, but if only it were true. I shivered from both the cold and the truth.
"Cold?" Edward asked, his grip tightening.
"Just a little." It came out muffled from my chin being burried in my coat.
I gave Edward a quizzical look when he removed his hand from mine and started pulling his scarf off. He silenced my pleas by wrapping the scarf around me.
"You're freezing; you need to be better wrapped up. I cant have you catching a cold," he said matter-of-factly.
"Thanks," I mumbled shyly when I realised how close he was to me.
"I have to keep you warm," he replied tenderly.
All too soon, we reached the station and I prepared to say goodbye to Edward once more. I was in the process of taking his scarf off when he halted my movement.
"You keep it," he told me, but still I tried in vain to struggle.
"No buts you're keeping it," he announced.
"You cant be serious!" I argued.
"I most certainly am. It's only a cheap thing anyway. Think of it as something to remember me by," he smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes and in response, I nodded in agreement.
An awkward silence seemed to fall upon us as we prepared to say our goodbyes.
Unfortunately, another horrifyingly embarrassing moment was to come. When Edward leaned in to kiss my cheek, I stupidly moved my head up a fraction too high, which resulted in him kissing my nose instead.
In spite of the embarrassment though, we both saw the funny side.
"That was different," Edward joked, while I gazed into his eyes, trying to make the most of every last second with him.
"I'll be seeing you, Bella," he said, as he pulled me into his arms, engulfing me in a warm hug.
I was instantly cold the moment he pulled away, and though it pained me to leave, I reluctantly did so.
"Bye, Edward, and thanks for today," I said, before I walked away from him. Unlike the last time we parted, I did have the courage to turn around. I was surprised though, to see his sad expression.
I desperately hoped that this goodbye was not forever.
That night as sleep refused to take me, I thought only of one man.
A wise girl doesn't get attached to famous Hollywood movie stars, but I am neither wise nor rational. My attempts at repressing my feelings for Edward were futile. Over the course of our two meetings and the painfully difficult time in between, there was no denying that I had fallen in love with him.
It was completely irrational, but there was nothing I could do to change that. I'm not sure that I would even want to anyway.
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