AN: First of all - THIS IS IMPORTANT- I made a mistake! In the first chapter, it says the Swans moved in December. Then in chapters after that, I wrote that it was spring break and Easter was coming up . That is right. It is the beginning of April, Spring Break. Easter is in a few days. Bella's birthday is the day after Easter, she is turning 18. Edward just turned 21 last month. They are just about 3 years apart.
Also, I know this is late on the weekend. Sorry. Depending on where you live, this might be really late at night for you. But I went back and added some more parts instead of posting earlier.
Reviewers: I love you all. I'm glad you were touched by Edward's story, it was supposed to be heartbreaking. And you all thought that it was good that Bella believed Edward. To everyone who was close to tears- wow. I am ecstatic that Edward's story did it's purpose. And I'm glad you liked the Casablanca reference. :) To all you anonymous reviewers out there- if you can, get an account so i can answer your reviews. Before I had an account I did that too, and it's so much easier to have an account. It's easy and free, plus you might even decide to write a story someday! But thank you for taking the time to leave a review- that goes for everyone. Over 50 this chapter?
You really should listen to the song for each chapter. This goes perfectly- not just with the chapter, but with the whole story.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Song: Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol (the lyrics that are included are from the song for the chapter)
I didn't sleep well that night. My thoughts were full of a certain green-eyed, bronze-haired man who wouldn't leave my mind. I couldn't really wrap my head around the fact that he had asked me out on a date. And that kiss… wow. Just thinking of his lips on mine gave me butterflies inside.
But another reason I couldn't sleep was because of the story he had told me. How does one person survive through all of that? And he stayed here to care for his comatose mother… one more thing I could add to my list of reasons why Edward Masen was beautiful, inside and out.
***
The next morning, I woke early, too excited to sleep late. Yesterday, Edward had shown up at around noon, and that's when we were going to meet again today. It was only 8 in the morning, but I got out of bed anyway.
I bounced down the stairs, tripping on the last step, and nearly skipped into the kitchen. My father was sitting at the breakfast table, reading the newspaper. "What's up, Bells? You're awfully happy this morning."
"It's not raining out." Thankfully, I managed to think of a good excuse to explain my good mood. And although it was true- it looked like it was going to be a rare sunny day in Forks- the weather had nothing to do with my mood at all.
My father chuckled. "True, it's supposed to be nice out today. Got any plans?"
I had already thought of what I was going to tell my parents, so I was prepared for the question. "I think I'm going to ride down to Port Angeles, if that's ok? I need some books, clothes, stuff for school- you know, just go shopping…"
"You going by yourself?"
"Yeah, I'll get everything done faster if I'm alone."
Thankfully, my father accepted my reasoning. "Okay, if you're sure… I'm off from the station today, if you want me to come. Your mother's still sleeping, you could ask her too."
"I'll think about it, thanks a lot, Dad."
He nodded and went back to the paper. I wandered to the front porch, grabbing a book on the way out. Sitting on the front steps, I tried to lose myself in the world of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, but it was impossible to concentrate on the love story happening on the pages. I had my own little romance going on in real life.
At around 9:30, I heard my mom in the kitchen. I decided to head in and take a shower. I tried to pass the kitchen quietly, hoping that my mother had something planned today so she couldn't accompany me on my non-existent shopping trip to Port Angeles. Luck wasn't on my side.
" Bella?"
I turned around and headed into the kitchen. "Yeah, mom?"
"Your dad says you're going down to Port Angeles to shop, why don't I come with you?"
Damn it. "Oh, Mom, I'm happy going by myself, you know how I get in bookstores and stuff… another day, though, okay?"
She sighed. I wished I didn't have to lie to her, but she wouldn't understand. "Okay, Bella, if you're sure. But I want us all to have dinner together tonight, so be home by 5:00, okay? " Damn, that would my time with Edward shorter than I wished.
I escaped to take a quick shower and get ready. Edward had told me to wear a tee shirt and shorts, so that's what I put on. I knew we weren't going to any fancy restaurant. I still wanted to look sort of nice, though, so after applying light makeup, and brushing my hair, it was finally almost noon. I yelled goodbye to my parents and headed off to the park.
When I got there, I headed right for the bench to wait for Edward. I thought he would be there before me, but the bench was empty. The silver Volvo was nowhere in sight. Maybe he was late. He couldn't have forgot, right? I had to stop thinking, and just wait.
My head shot up when I heard a car pull over. It was him. I stood up and walked over to the car. "Hi Edward." After one day of knowing him, I already missed him.
His face lit up as he saw me. "Bella." He breathed my name, as if in relief. A beautiful smile graced his face, and I was in awe, again, of how magnificent looking he was.
He came around the passenger side and opened the door. "I'm taking you somewhere."
***
After a little while of driving, Edward stunned me, again, by showing what a day in his life was like. "I'm sorry I was late… I was visiting my mother at the hospital, and the doctors were talking about pulling the plug. My father would never had suggested that, if there was still any chance of her pulling through."
I sat, shocked, not knowing what to say. He went through more in one day, than most people go through in a lifetime. "What did you say?"
She isn't brain-dead yet, so I refused. But the doctors act like… like I already killed someone, so I should have no qualms about this."
"Oh Edward…"
He glanced at me before returning his eyes to the road. "Don't feel bad for me, Bella. Anyway, I don't want to ruin today, so let's talk about something good… like where we are going."
I smiled. "Where are we going?" I was glad to see that his face had relaxed again, and he looked happy.
"I'm not going to tell you, you have to guess."
Of course, all my guesses were wrong, but he wouldn't tell me anyway. We spent the rest of the drive laughing about stories of him in high school, and all the crazy things he had done with his friends.
He eventually stopped the car on the in a dead end. The forest surrounded us, and a dirt trail disappeared in front of us. We got out, and I wished I had worn sneakers instead of slip-ons. "Are we hiking?"
"Just a little, is that okay?" He met me in front of the car.
"Um, yeah, just don't expect us to get there quickly." I enjoyed nature, I just wasn't the most coordinated person, and I hoped he didn't have to get wherever we were going too soon.
He just laughed and led me, to my dismay, into the woods next to the car, not on the trail. He assured me that there was no time limit and we could take as long as we wanted, and then grabbed my hand in his own. That immediately put all thoughts out of my hand, and my whole body seemed to be tingling at the contact.
'We'll do it all
Everything
On our own'
After maybe a half hour of walking, holding hands the whole time, I started to see the forest lightening up ahead. As we got closer I could see that there was a clearing in the trees. We kept walking together.
What I saw in front of me took my breath away. It was a perfectly round little meadow, covered with wildflowers. Running right through the middle was a clear little stream. Words were lost on me. I stood at the edge of this perfect little paradise, overwhelmed with emotion.
Edward's hand slipped from mine. And before I knew it, he had swept his hand under my knees and the other hand around my back and picked me up. With all the feelings inside me, I felt as though I was going to burst. I looked up at his face, inches from mine, and his green eyes were just as full of emotion as I was feeling. Edward face was the only thing in the world that could rival the beauty of the place we were standing right now. He carried me toward the middle of the meadow, next to the stream. He knelt down, still holding me in his arms, and inclined his face slowly toward mine.
I lifted my head and let my lips meet his. And just like yesterday, my whole body was electrified. His top lip was soft against mine, my bottom lip between his. Slowly, his tongue flicked out across my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth willingly.
The kiss intensified as his tongue caressed mine inside my mouth. Fighting for dominance, they continued their erotic battle inside our joined mouths as Edward's hands came up over my shoulders. There was nowhere I would rather be, than in this man's arms.
The kiss wound down after a few minutes, and we kissed lightly before leaning back. Edward kissed my forehead, then pulled back and looked into my eyes. For the first time since we entered the meadow, he spoke. "I have never shown anyone this before, it's sort of my escape from real life for a little while." He spoke quietly, as if to match the atmosphere of this heavenly spot.
I was quiet too, to not disturb the peace of the meadow."It's beautiful." The corner of Edward's mouth pulled up slightly and his eyes were glowing. He moved his hand down to my shoe and pulled it off, then doing the same to the other.
He smiled at me. "I knew it would be a nice day, and so I thought we could go swimming in our clothes… unless you're afraid you'll ruin them?"
Swimming with him? That sounded amazing… I didn't care about the shorts and tee shirt I was wearing, and I could wash it anyway. "That sounds perfect."
He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it onto the bank of the river. He was now shirtless, and I couldn't help but stare at his perfect body for a few seconds. His hard chest, fit abs, and the trail of hair leading down to the waistband of the cargo shorts he was wearing… damn. I couldn't wait to get in the water. He caught my hand and stepped into the water.
The bank was slanted, so the water gradually deepened with each step we took. After a couple more steps, we were in the middle of the stream. The water was up to my shoulders. I closed my eyes and dunked underneath. The coolness was incredibly refreshing and invigorating. I came up as Edward was coming up also. His hair was dark from the water, and I reached up and ran my hands through it. He smiled and wrapped his arms around me.
Pressed up against his bare chest, I could feel his hard muscles and smooth slick skin. I rested my cheek against his chest and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment. Then I felt Edward's finger under my chin tilting my head up, and his lips on mine again.
'We don't need
Anything
Or anyone'
After a while of embracing and kissing in the stream, we both decided to get out and lay on the grass. My clothes were heavy with water as I climbed out.
"Bella, why don't you put on my shirt? It's dry, and you can change back into yours when it's dry."
"You're sure? That would be great." Not only would I have a dry shirt on, but it would leave Edward without a shirt for longer. I took the dry tee shirt that Edward was handing me and pulled it on over my head, before pulling the wet tee shirt off underneath and laying it out to dry.
Edward watched me change the tee shirts, evidently interested in the way I switched shirts without ever taking my shirt off. " I would have turned around you know… but I am very impressed. Where did you learn to do that?" He said, laughing.
I laughed along with him, enjoying the complete peace we had here together, alone. "All girls know how to do that, Edward."
We laid down on the grass, side-by-side. I loved wearing Edward's shirt, and having him shirtless next to me made that even sweeter. Then Edward turned and leaned over me, looking in my eyes intently. "I know I have only known you for a day, Bella. And that it doesn't seem possible to have such a deep connection with someone after such a short time… but I do. And I have to tell you- I'm falling in love with you."
'I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel'
Then he swept down and captured my lips with his.
I didn't know what to think, what to do. I wasn't the sort of person who thought that I could fall in love in a day. I wasn't fickle- if I loved something, I loved it with all my heart. I wasn't my mother…
And I wouldn't have been able to say it first, and I wouldn't have even thought of it this morning, but now… I knew that the intensity of my feelings toward him had surpassed rational boundaries. There was no question that I felt the same way. So I murmured against his lips, "Me too."
Edward's lips became more demanding on mine. Laying on the green grass of the meadow, soaking wet, this kiss was different than before. This was need, desperation, desire… we kissed as though we would never kiss again.
'If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?'
When we finally broke apart, panting for breath, Edward leaned his forehead against mine and said softly, "Bella, one day, do you think you could come with me to visit my mother?"
"I would love to meet your mother, Edward." I really would, too. I was honored he would want me there. And even if she couldn't actually talk to me, I wanted to meet the woman who raised Edward to be such a good person, and who he cared so much about that he would do anything for her- even if it meant staying in this town.
Smiling sadly, he said softly, "That means a lot to me, Bella, thank you."
I smiled back.
'Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life'
***
On the ride home, Edward brought up a very valid point that I was trying to overlook. "What are you telling your parents? I mean, where do they think you go out to?"
I sighed. "Yesterday, I told them I was out to look around Forks- which was true- until I met you… then today I told them I was going shopping in Port Angeles. My mom wanted to come, but I talked her out of it."
"If we keep seeing each other, what are you going to tell them? I hate that I'm making you lie-"
"Edward, you're not making me lie. I chose to come out today to meet you, and I'm going to continue to choose to see you as long as you let me. We'll think of something for me to tell them." I tried to reassure him, convince him that it would all be okay, but when he looked back at me with his emerald green eyes burning with emotion, I realized it didn't matter- we had each other.
'All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all that I can see.'
After that, we moved on to lighter subjects until we got back to Forks. Because of the "family dinner" my mother was planning, I didn't have time to let Edward take me to dinner. But all my worries were forgotten when he leaned over and kissed my lips before I got out of the car, murmuring "See you tomorrow, Bella, to meet my mother."
'I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How do you like it? Please please review.
Also- When I add lyrics from the chapter song into the chapter, do you like it? Or is it too much like a song-fic? Please give me your opinion.
They said they were falling in love with each other. I know it's early- but it is a 'whirlwind romance' (so says the summary). Their whole relationship is so secret and intense. They have told each other their deepest secrets and hopes- they have a connection. And with the risk they are taking, it's sort of 'all or nothing'. So give me your views on that, please.
Review Review Review. Tell me what you likes and what you didn't like. Guesses for the next chapter? Realistic? Not realistic? Just please, give me something.
Thanks!