So here a nice little chapter....fluff is fun :)
I woke up to find Bella's back pressed against my chest. I nuzzled her hair and my grip around her waist tightened.
"Morning then." She said cheerfully, was it morning already? I lifted my head from her scent and looked over at the clock, quarter to nine. Was I just getting up earlier and earlier these days? She snuggled back against me and I sighed, figuring fifteen more minutes wouldn't be bad. Everything had been thrown out last night, and me and Bella were standing on a strange little edge. I didn't have a clue what it meant, but I just wanted to stay on it for as long as possible. "Breakfast will be ready soon." She whispered. I snuggled further into her back and she giggled.
"Just five more minutes?" I pleaded into her back, trying to shy away from the light that was forcing its way into my eyes. I didn't want to be coherent at this time in the morning I wanted to sleep some more.
"Fine," she sighed, but quickly swivelled round so that she was on her back and I my forehead was pressed into the top of her arm. I groaned and pulled the quilt over my head. She giggled and pulled her head under it too, "what are you doing?" she asked curiously. I half sat up and ran my hands up and down her sides, tickling her,
"What am I doing? What am I doing?" she started screaming and pleading for me to stop, the blanket was kicked off of us from her efforts to get free and I laughed at her, stopping abruptly and jumping out of the bed. I ran my hand through my hair and she sat up on the bed, glaring at me, even though she was extremely breathless. What on earth possessed me to do that? Whatever it was I liked it. It was nice to be impulsive and spontaneous with Bella.
And the atmosphere had changed between us, somehow. The edge was slipping away. We were becoming more than whatever the hell we were before. And quickly, it was like i felt a strange urge just be near her.
"Oh I will get my revenge." She threatened darkly; I just chuckled at her and bowed my body low, bidding my farewell dramatically,
"I look forward to it." I smiled, before ducking out of her door and walking slowly to my own room. I put my shoes on and pulled a jacket off the sofa and went out for my run.
I loved running. It let me think clearly. And get a lot of frustration out. As I passed the first fringe of trees I thought of Bella, but I had been doing that a lot. It was strange, I had known her less than a week and I was aware of her completely.
I remembered last night and my mood darkened. Her bruises, her ex boyfriend, her father. These were people she was supposed to trust, and they abandoned her. And hurt her. She was hurt. Those bruises looked painful and the finger shaped ones just made me feel physically sick. She had told me what happened, trusted me. I wondered how hard that must have been for her. And then I knew, because I had to tell her that I wanted to kill myself. I had to tell her for her to tell me. I shook my head and I heard the leaves above me patter. It must be raining I thought to myself. I took the roundabout route to the little clearing I had found on my first week here.
I was wandering aimlessly and found a little meadow about seven miles from a trail, and the trail wasn't used often either; it was nice, quiet, peaceful. I had spent nearly the whole week there, lapping up the sun, the rain, the cloud. Whatever the sky gave me.
I entered the meadow and I was right. The rain was falling from the sky. It wasn't too heavy but still dampened my shoulders, face and hair, while I stood there. I took a deep breath and Bella entered my mind again. Maybe I could bring her here? One day maybe. Hell I was letting her in I might as well show her the few good things in my life. A few birds flew away from the top of the trees and I looked down at my watch, it was half past nine. Breakfast time. And I was in the middle of the forest.
I was eager to get back, so I practically bolted from my peaceful spot back into the trees, following the all too familiar pathway. That was something else I didn't understand. Why did I want to be close to her? I'd even settle for being in the same room as her. She was sort of addictive.
After a good twenty minutes the house came into full view. I was breathless and looked at my watch, that's a new record for me, I thought, smiling hugely and pulling the front door open. I walked into the kitchen and my eyes fell on Bella instantly, she looked sad. I furrowed my brows, and leant on the counter, Esme handed me a bottle of water of the fridge, smiling at me, and the family's eyes shot up from the table,
"Edward! We thought you'd gone back to your old routine." Emmett chuckled. I took a swig of water and shook my head.
"Nope I'm an early bird now." I smiled hugely and looked over at Bella, she was smiling now. I wondered what was making her upset earlier, fuck it. She's happy enough now.
I stayed over by the counter eating the fresh toast that Esme made for me; everyone else had finished but were sitting around the table laughing with each other. I noticed Bella choose to draw back from the conversation. I don't know why I was watching her, but my eyes would just drift to her form, sitting back in the chair, watching Alice and Emmett talk and just smiling and nodding when they addressed her. I wondered if it was something to do with last night. With her bruises. But she had seemed perfectly comfortable with them yesterday. I couldn't work her out.
Was it because I knew? Did she think I was going to tell someone?
I really wanted to. I needed to know if she was okay, but she seemed alright. Still the urge for her to see a doctor was confusingly strong. But I would respect her wishes. And if she thought she could trust me enough by telling me, then I wouldn't prove her wrong. I would keep the secret. Even if it pissed me off.
So why was she so withdrawn?
Alice and Emmett got up, went to do separate things, I wasn't really paying attention to their conversation, and Esme gave me an affectionate squeeze as she left the kitchen too. But Bella didn't move, she sighed loudly and looked up at me from her chair. I needed to reassure her I suppose, so before she could say anything I went over to sit next to her.
"Im not going to tell anyone Bella, I told you last night I wouldn't."
She smiled shyly, "I know that. But you weren't here this morning I kinda panicked a little, and I just have some trust issues, you know?" she waved her hand dismissively,
Okay that made me angry. Not at her. I don't even think I could be angry at her. But at her father, and her Jacob. He had done this to her, her 'trust issues' were their fault. My water was open and I was squeezing it without realising it. It spilt a little over my hand and she giggled.
I shook the water off my hand and smiled at her, trying my damndest to put her at ease.
"Bella you know you can trust me," I said, screwing the lid on my bottle, watching it instead of Bella, in case my statement was a little inappropriate. It did sound a little too intense, but I couldn't fucking help it. I put my water on the table and chanced a look at her. She was already looking at me, smiling. I sighed in relief and I felt her hand lace her fingers into mine. My head tilted to the side and gazed at her. Her fingers tightened, and I realised I was pretty much limp in her grasp. I curled my fingers around hers and she looked down,
"Do you have any idea how strange that feels?" she stretched her fingers and then squeezed me again, to emphasise her point. Yeah I did. More than she knows. I hadn't been this close to a person, emotionally, in...Well ever. I just nodded solemnly. The room fell silent and we just sat there, looking at our clasped hands. I didn't know what it meant and frankly I didn't care. It was just...nice to be with someone like this. To just talk, or even not say a word. I was calm and sort of blissed out just being with Bella.
"Right I think I have everything already, I just need to set up Bella." Esme's voice came floating into the kitchen; I broke our hands apart and stood up from the table. I knew it would look a little weird to Esme. I grabbed my water and looked down at Bella, confused by Esme's words. She had a look of hurt on her face, which just confused me even more.
Esme walked into the room and Bella composed her face, I turned quickly so she didn't know I was watching her and she laughed a little, "Everything?" she questioned light-heartedly. She brushed past me and Esme started getting out flour and eggs and bowls and sugar.
Baking.
I smiled at the two girls fussing over which kind of things to make and I excused myself. I needed to shower and get dressed.
The whole fucking situation with Bella was strange, too strange. I didn't have a clue why I felt this way towards her, hell I didn't have a clue what I was feeling.
I just let my mind skim through every little thing she had said, every stupid game, and every stupid smile. And her face after I pulled my hand away. Was she feeling as confused as I was, was she feeling the strange feelings I was feeling too? I growled in frustration. It would be so much easier if I could read her mind, or something. Just a little indication as to what was going on her head. Maybe it could help me straighten some things out myself. I turned off the shower a little more forcefully than I should have, and shut the door with the same force, making the glass quiver.
I threw on a random outfit that I had bought yesterday, and walked down the stairs. I heard giggling and knew it was Bella at once; her voice was too easily distinguishable. I walked into the kitchen and Esme was doubled over in silent laughs, clutching a flour covered hand across her stomach, Bella had flour on her hair and over her face and was laughing too. She swivelled in her seat and her eyes clocked mine. I smiled and raised my eyebrows.
"I thought we had too much flour in the bowl, so she..." she gestured to her head. I laughed when she shook it and a white mist surrounded her. I sat on the kitchen table, folding my arms when they stopped laughing, cleaned up and actually got down to the baking. Esme baking was a nice thing. One of the many things I was beginning to realise I liked. She was so content in her work. So happy that she was creating something useful with her hands. And Emmett was always happy there were new confectionary for him to try.
Bella gradually got the hint when Esme took over for her, whisking the mixture twice as fast as what Bella was doing. She raised her hands in surrender and walked towards me. She leant against the table with me and folded her arms.
"Are you guys just going to stand there staring at me?" Esme asked, without taking her eyes off the bowl in front of her. Bella chuckled and apologised, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the kitchen. That girl has some strength. I followed her into the sitting room and she let me go, plonking down on the sofa. She patted the seat next to her and I complied obediently. She smiled and put her hand in mine again. I curled my hand around hers and she sighed. Why the hell did it feel so natural?
"So Edward, what do you want to do today?"
I shrugged and she scoffed. "Do you have any board games?" she said after a few minutes. I rattled through my head. I think the only thing we had close to a board game was chess.
"Chess?" she grimaced and shook her head.
"Cards?" she asked, okay those we had. I pulled my hand from her reluctantly and went over to the shelves by the TV. There were a pack of cards there. I turned back around and Bella was putting two cushions on the floor.
We played card games for hours, both of us ending up on our stomachs, she kept throwing her cards at me when she lost, and even accused me of cheating. Alice came in after the first hour and pretty much left us to it. After the seventh game of 'Black Jack', Bella threw her cards down and pouted at me. I saw that in her hand that all she had was 4's and 8's. I laughed and put my own cards face down, no need to let her see my 2's and Jack's. No such luck, she reached over and flipped them over, scowling at them. And then at me. As if it were my fault, she dealt!
"I don't like this game." she growled playfully, pushing my cards under the rest of the deck.
"Okay what game now?"
She seemed to deliberate, and then smiled widely and shook the cards all over the place. I laughed and raised my eyebrows at her.
"Let's build a house of cards instead?" I laughed and dropped my head. She moved the cards over onto a messy pile and picked up two. I watched her as she bit her lip in concentration, she gradually let go of the two sides when she had placed them together and smiled in triumph when they stayed up. She reached for two more and did the same. Just as she got to the top of the precariously balanced pyramid, it wobbled and she drew her hands back quickly. I couldn't help but laugh.
It toppled over,
"Edward!" she moaned, throwing her arms up in the air.
"Me?!" I laughed even more. "I didn't do that."
"You breathed on it." she moaned, I laughed at her and she pushed herself up.
"What happened?" Alice came walking in; eating what looked like a cupcake.
"I had a really good card house going and Edward breathed on it!" Bella explained.
"I did not."
"You killed her card house?" Alice asked feigning horror.
"I did not, it fell on its own, it was badly built." I got up and folded my arms, defending myself. A cushion whacked into my face and Alice burst into hysterics. "What the...?"
"It was not badly built." Bella squared her shoulders, clearly the one who threw the cushion. My mouth was hanging open and she started laughing, I took my opportunity and threw the cushion back across the room and it hit her arm. Alice laughed even more and walked out of the room, calling Esme.
Bella looked at me shocked and she held the cushion over her head, threatening to throw it.
"You threw a cushion at me?" she asked incredulously,
"You threw it at me first." I pointed out,
"Bella! Edward! Do you want a cupcake?" Esme shouted in, I could hear the humour in her voice. I stood from my knees with my hand held towards Bella, warning her not to throw it at me; she sighed and put her arms down. I smiled smugly at her and walked out of the room.
But the cushion hit the back of my head and I stopped mid stride. Bella walked past me and into the kitchen. She looked back and stuck her tongue out. Esme handed her a cake and she ate it cheerily, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs. I picked one of them up and started eating it smiling hugely to myself, and ignoring the stares from both Esme and Alice.
for-the-record...the game 'Black Jack' they played is not '21'...its really the only card game I personally can play :S...so I put it in there :)
and review me....lets me know how I'm doing.... :)