A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for all the positive reviews on the last chapter! They made me smile so hard! I'm glad you all seem to be loving A Million Miles as much as I do!
Onto the next chapter, and some Edward/Bella interaction ;)
As always, all characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.
Can you be my Nightingale?
Sing to me,
I know you're there.
You could be my sanity;
Bring me peace
Sing me to sleep.
Say you'll be my Nightingale.
Nightingale - Demi Lovato
Bella didn't notice Edward until he was standing right next to her table. She was lost in the sound of guitars and the words of love lost. But, when she did notice the tall figure looming over the table, she immediately pulled out her headphones "Can I help you?" she asked politely, trying not to get distracted by the beauty that was the man before her.
Pretty boys weren't typically Bella's type. She knew she shouldn't have categorized him before she knew anything about him, but she couldn't help it.
The boy standing in front of Bella seemed to be about her age – maybe a couple years older, putting him at around 22. His face was pale enough and perfect enough that, if he sat without moving for an extended period of time, he could be mistaken for a Greek sculpture. Even his hair reflected the kind of perfection that one usually associated with something worth making art after.
The only things that deviated from the pretty boy spectrum was that he didn't seem as though he spent every waking moment at the gym, considering he was rather lean in stature. And pretty boys usually didn't wear so much black. But Bella couldn't help but think it suited him, considering it made his green eyes stand out in contrast.
Bella also couldn't help but think that she knew him from somewhere. He reminded her of someone, a washed out memory, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
The boy fidgeted under Bella's gaze, causing her brows to wrinkle together and causing him to snap out of his haze. Edward gulped slightly before introducing himself: "Hello. I'm Edward Cullen. I was wondering if you would mind if I sat with you for coffee?"
Bella looked around at the mostly empty coffee shop, not sure why Edward, as he said his name was, would want to sit with her. But, when she looked back at him, she couldn't help but tell him to take a seat, moving her spread items out of his way.
Edward couldn't help but notice the book she was reading, thanking the heavens that he knew the author before commenting on it "Charles Bukowski?" he asked, setting down his cup and taking off his jacket.
Edward wished he knew what the blush that crept up onto the girl's face was for, but she responded before he could ponder on it much "Yeah."
"People don't usually read Bukowski. He's usually a love-to-hate type of writer; people love quoting his poetry, but to sit down and read his poems or novels in length requires a certain amount of, shall we say, patience."
The girl smiled at him "I think, if it requires patience to read, you shouldn't read it. For some reason, Bukowski has always spoken to me. His words feel like they reach somewhere deeper than the initial membrane of my being, it feels like they reach deep into my soul." She blushed deeper "That probably sounds silly."
Edward smiled in a way he hoped came off as reassuring "Not silly at all. If I had to venture a guess, I would have to say that you're a writer of some kind yourself."
"What gave me away?" she asked, hiding the book from his sight, sliding it into the bag hanging off the chair behind her.
"No one reads Bukowski unless they're a writer." Edward responded, eliciting a laugh from the girl. He smiled at the sound as he took a sip of his black coffee, mentally noting that her laugh sounded the way Christmas felt; you may not have done anything to earn the beauty, but it didn't make you any less grateful that it was bestowed upon you.
Bella continued laughing for a moment, brushing her hair away from her face self-consciously when she was done "And what do you do Edward?"
Edward set down his cup, his eyes twinkling "Well, I'm not a writer, but I'm involved in the creative arts as well." He responded, causing Bella to tilt her head to the side in silent question "I mostly do photography," he explained, leaning over to take a professional looking camera out of his bag "which requires some writing, but not much. These days though, I spilt my time between taking photographs and teaching Photography classes at NYU."
"Really?" Bella replied, astonished "You look so young to be a teacher."
Edward shrugged slightly, suddenly looking uncomfortable and fiddling with the strap of the camera "Good genes I suppose."
Bella filled the uncomfortable silence by taking a drink of her tea, internally sighing at the relief to her head it brought. She stared out the window a moment, allowing herself to get lost in the moment, when Edward asked "What do you do exactly?"
Turning back to Edward, Bella smiled "I'm a full time writer. I guess technically my job title is Social News Reporter. Which sounds really exciting, but I mostly cover celebrity scandals." She rolled her eyes "Not exactly the kind of writing job I was looking for when I came into the city, but everyone has to start somewhere I suppose."
Edward laughed, and their conversation continued as such. They bounced conversation between the two of them easily and equally, only having a few moments where the silence became awkward.
It didn't stop them from talking for two hours. Their drinks emptying, but their hearts filling. Bella's with the laughter and smiles she needed and Edward's with the inspiration that he couldn't seem to find anywhere else these days.
Towards the end of their time together, after learning about Bella's current favorite playlist, Edward looked at the time "Shoot. I have class in a half hour. I should probably go…" he led off, not wanting to leave any more than he wanted to get a root canal.
The girl bit her lip, something Edward had noticed her doing when she was nervous or listening intently to what he was saying "Do you think, maybe, we could get together again sometime?" she asked pensively.
Edward smiled widely "I was hoping you'd ask." He told her, causing the girl to let her lip fall out from between her teeth, a small smile quirking her lips upwards instead "I was going to ask you something else as well."
"What's that?"
Edward held up his camera "I was wondering if I could take your picture. It probably sounds strange, but right now you're perfectly depicting what I was going to talk to my class about today."
She blushed, and Edward hoped it would stay there for the picture, and nodded before asking "Do I look alright enough for what you need?" she fiddled with her hair and shirt, straightening wrinkles that didn't need straightened and tucking flyaway hairs behind her ears.
Edward smiled, taking the cover off the lens and pressing the power button "If you didn't look alright I wouldn't have asked for you picture, would I?"
It had the effect Edward was hoping for, the girls blush deepening "I suppose that's true."
Edward messed with the settings on his camera for a moment, balancing the light and bringing out the color before putting the camera to his eye.
He chuckled a bit at her before saying "Stop looking like I'm going to take your picture."
When she sneered at him, the shutter clicked "What am I supposed to look like you're doing? Training an elephant?"
At that, she burst out laughing. And as she put her hand up to her mouth to muffle the sound, the shutter clicked again.
Edward knew that was the picture he'd use in his class: a perfect depiction of the rule of thirds. With her on one third and a lamppost on the other.
"Did you get what you needed?" She asked, her eyes still alight with the bout of laughter.
Edwards lips quirked up, one side slightly higher than the other, before he said "I think I got everything I came for."
A/N: Well, there it is! They finally talked! Yay!
Any guesses as to where the next chapter will lead? Any opinions you want to share? I'd love to hear them! Because, as you know, reviews make me smile (:
All my love,
Angel