1Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything associated with the series.
"Edward, you seem different tonight." Alice was standing at the stove, stirring something that smelled like beef stew. I was glad I'd agreed to live with her this year, I couldn't cook to save my soul. Something Alice was regularly telling me needed saving. "You've been weird all day."
I shrugged and pulled a glass from the cupboard, filling it with milk and sitting down at the table. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
"I see a change happening in our Edward soon" she said solemnly, reaching around and pulling three plates from the cabinet. She looked at me and tapped her temple knowingly. "I see it. I see you realizing it's time to grow up." Her voice was eerie and slow. I hated when she pretended to be a fortune teller. She closed her eyes, ignoring my disapproving looks. "I see you making life changes." She giggled and I laughed along with her. Alice did this on a relatively regular basis. I was sure she was trying to freak me out.
"Shut up and cook woman" I said with a chuckle, downing my milk and dropping the glass in the sink. She knew I was kidding by my tone. She knew me too well.
"WASH IT!" Her voice was shrill and demanding. She hated dishes being left on the counter for even a millisecond. Reluctantly I pulled the dish detergent out from under the sink and squirted a dollop into the cup.
"It's one freakin' cup" I muttered, running it under the water and swishing it around.
"This house would be a pig stye if it weren't for me" she reminded me. She doled the stew onto plates for the two of us and put them on the table. Emmett wouldn't be back for a while, I was sure. I could approach Alice on the whole Bella Swan thing. She wouldn't say anything, I hoped.
"I know I know, sorry Al. I'll try to be more of a help." She stared at me, for a full ten seconds before replying.
"Fuck Edward, I was kidding about the premonition."
We ate in silence for a few minutes. I expertly picked out the green peppers she always insisted on putting in. Cooked green peppers tasted like rotten garbage, why couldn't she get that through her head?
"So Alice..." I took a deep breath and risked a look in her direction. Her face was relaxed, she was chewing thoughtfully.
"Mmm yeah?" she looked up to meet my eyes, she seemed curious.
"What do you know about that Jessica chick's roommate?"
"Bella?" I nodded. "She's pretty nice." She looked confused. I wasn't sure how to proceed. Luckily, once you got Alice talking it was hard to make her stop. "I don't see her much now, now that we don't have classes together. I had one class with her last semester. We worked together on an assignment. We don't really hang with the same crowd. She doesn't like the frat guys. I know she's a PoliSci major though. She's in her second year, same as me, but I think she's a year older than me. She's smart, like really smart, like way smarter than Jessica Stanley. I don't know why she's friends with her. She was here last night you know. I didn't see her for long though."
Should I tell Alice? Or should I just leave it at that? PoliSci...interesting choice of program. I'd considered it, but decided that Pre-Law was more my style. A lot of the classes were held in the same part of the school, I could probably 'accidentally' bump into her if I wanted to. Creepy, Edward.
"What do you know about her?" I gulped. Was I caught? I imagined my response. Oh nothing Alice. She just gave me the best blow job I've had in forever. I almost choked on my stew.
"Um, I met her briefly last night. Just, you know, didn't know what her deal was." The response sounded lame even to me. Alice furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully.
"I'm not sure Bella exactly has a deal per say. She seems to kind of keep to herself." Alice shrugged. "She and Jessica are like night and day." I nodded.
"That's cool" was my lame response. "Thanks for supper. I think I may go for a drive." I dumped my dishes in the sink, scrubbing them quickly and leaving them in the rack to dry, and headed for the door.
"You're sure you're okay Edward?" Alice called again.
"I'm fine" I shouted back, grabbing my vest off the hook by the back door and snatching my keys from the hook. "I'll be back soon."
I loved the way my car drove. It was practically silent, purring through the streets sleek and shiny, its silver paint glowing in the eerie light of the street lamps. Seattle in the winter was pretty grey and dull, but Seattle at night, no matter what the season, was far more beautiful. And with my silver Volvo in its streets, it was that much more beautiful.
As I neared the water I was forced to slow the Volvo down and creep through the thick fog billowing off of the harbour. The harbour was a good place to think, and clear my head, and think only of lapping water and boats. No Bella Swan, no dirty thoughts about Bella Swan and no images of Jasper Whitlock in a toga. The one thing I'd been thinking about all day to keep from thinking about Bella Swan. I needed to sit by the harbour and think, and then get a good night's sleep. I'd never talk to, or think about Bella Swan again.
Bella's Point of View
I hadn't gotten any work done all day. Jess had left me to the apartment to myself and I'd spent the entire day staring at the articles in front of me, watching the letters dance across the page, and thinking about that damned party I'd needed to go to. At least I didn't need to worry about how it had been months since I'd gotten some anymore. I definitely got some, from the one person I never wanted to even meet. I mentally kicked myself and thought about doing it for real, hoping it would leave a bruise so I could look at it and remind myself what thoughtless sex did to people.
Sitting, staring at my articles, not taking any of it in, didn't seem to be doing any good, and so I decided that a latte from Starbucks seemed like a good idea. A good walk in the cold and a hot coffee always made me feel better.
My poor truck was pretty snowed in and I wondered, for half a second, whether or not I could get over the small bank that had accumulated behind it since the last time I'd driven it. I bought the new truck, but hadn't bothered with four wheel drive, figuring I wouldn't be needing it. The new truck was a black GMC Canyon. I missed my old clunker, but apparently after more than fifty years they do eventually die. I often thought of the movie 'Cars' when I thought of my old truck. The Hudson Hornet was still going fifty years later. He was as good as new. I wanted the old Chevy to be as good as new. I didn't want this new, characterless truck with tinted windows. I climbed in and shifted into reverse, knowing that I'd feel better about my truck and the whole situation once I had a hot latte in my hand and my feet on the board walk.
And so, that's exactly what I did. I ordered my venti, extra hot, extra foam café latte from the perky Barista in the crowded coffee shop and found my way to the board walk. The fog was starting to lift and I hoped it would be sunny the next day. I was sick of all the thick, drippy snow we'd been getting as of late.
I listened to the soft schlup schlup of my boots along the slushy walk way and sipped my coffee thoughtfully. The night before kept replaying itself in my mind. The way he'd told me that he was going to take advantage of me, regardless of my sobriety. The way I'd slapped him. They way I'd given in to his charm. I shook my head quickly and swished the coffee around in my mouth. How stupid could a girl be? He was obviously a user. I refused to even think his name. He probably had a new girl in his bed at this precise moment, while I stood here, leaning against the railing, looking at the grey water, and the eerie white boats, sipping my coffee and hoping I could stop thinking about what had happened so I could go back to my homework and my life destined for cats and essays on feminism.
I sighed and sipped my coffee again, thinking about my mountain of homework and wondering if I should get back to it, but not making myself move. I was going to stand here and freeze a bit longer. I shivered in my peacoat, pulling my scarf closer to my face and scrunching my fingers in the glove that wasn't holding my hot drink. It was bitterly cold.
I let my eyes wander out, focusing on the bright lights of the boat moving slowly across the harbour toward Bainbridge Island. The marina was gorgeous at night, always lit up, but still grey and soft. It was peaceful and very few people came in the winter. I let my hair blow behind me in the frigid breeze, letting it blow away the bad, breathing in the salty air, calming my pounding heart. Everything was fine. I never needed to see Edward Cullen again. I certainly could refrain from thinking about him.
I heard slow, rhythmical steps softly step behind me, but I refused to turn around. I was far too interested in the wind in my face and my coffee on my tongue. No one else mattered. The steps certainly didn't matter...until they stopped. I stood very still, and then they started again, slower and they moved beside me, stopping once more. I didn't look to the side. I closed my eyes and kept my face to the wind, listening to the easy lapping of the waves on the side of the basin. In my peripheral vision I saw an arm resting easily on the railing. The sleeve on the arm was red, the hand that poked from the cuff was long, and quite pale. Apparently the arm had a voice.
"Are you alright?" The voice that obviously must belong to whatever person also owned the red sleeve was smooth, and deep. And I recognized it. I winced. What were the odds? Seriously?
"I'm fine, thank you." I tried to keep my tone light but I knew it must sound terse none the less.
"You look like you're freezing." The body moved closer to me. I wondered if it would be very rude if I moved away. I decided it might be.
"It's January" was my tight reply.
"Maybe I can warm you up." I knew it! I knew that was coming.
"Thank you, but I like being cold." The voice belonging to the person who owned the arm, whose name I was yet again avoiding chuckled.
"I don't."
I didn't say anything. I hoped maybe he'd take the hint and go away. Had he followed me here? No that would be impossible. Wouldn't it?
"Bella? It is Bella isn't it?" He was very close now. Much closer than I wanted him. "What are you doing here? It's really cold."
"I like to think. It's usually peaceful. You know, I moved to Seattle because I liked ferry boats."
He glanced at me, I saw the slight motion. It was a shocked movement. "It's the best place to think" he seemed to agree. "Though, it is a strange reason to choose a city."
I just shrugged. Why wouldn't he leave? I stole a sideways glance in his direction to see him, elbows on the railing, hands folded, staring out into the white capped water, looking more thoughtful than I would have thought possible. More thoughtful and more beautiful, his pale features illuminated in the dull, orange glow of the street lights. His mouth was pressed into a thin, thoughtfully worried line and his eyes were slightly crinkled. He looked much older, much less carefree than he had the night before.
"Are you alright?" I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't not ask. He sighed softly and shrugged his shoulders, now close enough that I felt them rise and fall. The easy swish of nylon the only sound other than the gentle slap of the water.
"I needed to think" he admitted, his fingers on his right hand playing absentmindedly with their twins on his left. "I've had an interesting day."
"Lucky you." I turned so my back was to the railing, one foot hooked into the bars, hoping I wouldn't fall on my face. "Did you go out of your way to find me here?"I couldn't help wondering.
He laughed out loud, turning to face the same direction as me. "Oh Bella, please don't flatter yourself. How was I to know you had a strange attraction to ferries?"
I just shrugged, glaring sideways at him. I was hardly flattering myself. I wanted nothing more than to never see him again, and here he was, leaning against my railing.
"Last night was pretty crazy though." He looked sideways at me, through his very long lashes. His hand darted out and his fingers brushed a wisp of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. "I wouldn't say no to a repeat."
"You know, Edward, I think you're right. It is cold. I need to be heading home." My voice was hard and demeaning. I pulled my foot from the bar and took a step away from him. I shrugged my shoulders in an exaggerated motion and wiggled my fingers in a fluttery wave. "Maybe I'll see you around." His only response was a slightly pained look in his eyes, and a raised hand in dismissal. And for some reason, regardless of the fact that he was Edward Cullen, I couldn't help feeling guilty.