A/N: So the only reason I haven't updated this weekend was because I was so captivated by New Moon. I thought it was so good. I watched it three times, and I willing gave my thirty buck to it. OMG, don't get me started on Jacob. I don't know, I might be Team Jacob now. I never really liked his character until Breaking Dawn, when we got a glimpse into his mind, but this movie really changed that. Taylor did an amazing job. He gave it his all, and it paid off. Eclipse will blow it out of the water, I believe. I hope at least.
Let me know if you liked New moon, and what your favorite parts were.... yeah!!! Here's chapter Seven.
Chapter Seven
I spun round, gasping as I found myself staring at a half naked Edward Cullen who was only wrapped loosely in a white fluffy towel, water still dripping down his chest. He appeared as an angel as the light from the bathroom made a halo around him.
My face was already red and hot. Throwing my hands up to cover my face, I apologized over and over again as I struggled to remove myself from the room. Blinded by my hands and being so flustered caused me to crash into his dresser, knee first before I fled from his room.
"I'm so sorry," I rushed toward the door that would lead to my ultimate freedom.
"Wait!" I stopped at the command, my hand lingering above the door handle. If only I could pull open this door then I would be free. If only.
"Wait, just give me one moment." Hearing the door close to his bed room, I sighed. I was upset and for two reasons. One; I should have just put the clothes on the couch, I should have never entered my boss's room. Pacing back and forth between the door and the couch I couldn't remember why I had done it in the first place. And two, the one thing that had me more upset; Why was I still here? Forgetting that he had asked me to stay, I should be on my way back to my place to live in shame alone.
But nooo, I droned out mentally, long and sarcastically, I had to listen to him. I had to stay. And now I'd have to hang about and face him even though I had been more embarrassed that he probably was. Because what did he have to be a shamed of? Perfectly sculptor arms, or his smooth chest? Maybe it was the flawless row of abs that lined his stomach. I hauled myself back to the living room like dead weight and seated myself. Currently I could feel my heart beating against the walls of my ribcage pumping blood into my face where the extent of my mortification could be found.
The door swung open then and he stepped out dressed in a white button up shirt, loose at the neck, and khaki slacks. He was also bare foot.
"Oh good, you're still here," I rose to my feet feeling a little light headed.
"I am so sorry. I don't even know what- "Swallowing the lump in my throat as I confessed. I was pacing again, something I always did when I was nervous. "- possessed me to ent… I didn't know you where home?"
"Bella?"
"I mean I called for you but no one answered. It was probably because you were in the showe-" The image of him standing there in his towel that was way too small, actually flashed in my head and I stopped breathing. Then I felt his hands on my shoulders.
"I'm really sorry," I mumbled to myself. I could already see my future where I stood over my desk, packing my things and saying good bye to Angela. I would miss her. Maybe we weren't quite friends yet but we were getting there.
"Bella, it's okay."
I was ready though. I had brought this on myself. In truth I had fired myself. I had gone against my better judgement and entered his room. Frowning, I blinked and focused on his face.
"What did you say?" My thoughts ahd been running wild and I wasn't sure of what I heard. It sounded like he had said that it was okay.
He smiled and released me.
" I said, It's okay," He slipped his hands into his pockets. "Believe it or not but this is not the first time thats happened." I eyed him with an arched eyebrow before he struggled to correct himself.
"I mean it doesn't happen often, of course not. My mom did it once, and my sister-" he cleared his throat and glanced away awkwardly before changing the topic. "The meeting went well this morning." He added optimistically.
"That's great," I stated unsure, but relieved that he had changed the subject. It looked like I still had my job and I knew from now on to leave his dry cleaning on the couch.
"Yeah, we signed the contract." I let my eyes follow him to the kitchen full of stainless steel.
"We'll be doing a lot of work with them in the next couple of weeks." He pulled open his refrigerator and I notice it was virtually empty except for the dozens of bottle waters that filled two shelves. What in god's name did this man eat? It was just then my stomach began to growl and my eyes flickered to Mr. Cullen. I was relieved that he didn't seem to have heard it.
He motioned to a bottled water, and I shook my head. Drinking water would only make the hallow feeling in my stomach hurt more. And just like a pray sent from heaven, his phone rang.
"You should get that, I need to be going anyways." I was already moving towards the entrance. " I'll see you tomorrow," I didn't wait for him to interrupt me, I just closed the door behind me, and sighed against it. If that hadn't been the worst day of my life I didn't know what was. Dialing Alice's number, I slipped into the cab. I told her to meet me at my place, I need her to distract me. She was good at that.
Feeling the heat flooding my body, I watched as my best friend rolled back and forth on the floor of my living room. Alice had fallen to the floor after I had explained to her the horrific terrors of my evening and had begun to tumble around in a fit of laughter as she clenched her stomach.
I had decided to give her some time to get it out of system, but that was ten minutes ago and she could barley get to her feet. Huffing, I stomped into the kitchen, grabed a bottle of beer, popped off the cap and took a long pull of the bitter drink. Seriously, what was so funny because I of all people found nothing comical about it. I glanced at Alice, who was still chuckling to her self as she finally pushed herself off the ground. She brushed a few tears away and glanced up at me. She began to laugh again. This time I threw up my hands and marched into my room, beer still in hand.
"I'm sorry," Alice chuckled as she followed me. "If you only knew-" but she didn't finish her sentence because she had crumpled unto me bed.
I was mad now, and red because I had called Alice over here to distract me, not wallow in my pain. I slammed my bathroom door behind me and sighed.
I wasn't fired, but I certainly had to step up my game. I had already had a few mishaps and now I had to prove to Mr. Cullen that I deserved to be there. Glancing in the mirror, I promised myself that tomorrow was going to be a better day.
I remembered clearly that I had promised myself that today was going to be a better day. And surprisingly that promise was holding up quite well. The day at the office started off smoothly and it was only getting better. It was a busy though, with all the new paperwork that I had to have signed and processed for the new contract with Matheson Enterprise's. Still I was beginning to enjoy the fast pace and the day flew by seamlessly. I was in an even better mood because I wasn't forced to be around Mr. Cullen all day after last night, and I hadn't had to see Jessica nor her imp at all.
I met Mike in the elevator and he beamed when he entered.
"Hey Bella,"
"Hi Mike," I replied.
"How was work?"
"Busy, how about you?" I glanced over at him.
"Busy," he repeated, grinning.
The doors opened then and women stepped in. I moved aside to let her in.
"Hey Mike." She smiled when she turned to him, her back completely to me.
"Hi Lauren." He sounded tired.
Glancing at her, I wondered if this was the Lauren that Angela had been talking about. Then Mike peered around at me.
"This is Bella Swan. Mr. Cullen's secretary," She twisted around and immediately her smiled disappeared. Yep, this was her.
I didn't want to greet her, but I didn't want to be rude either, something she obviously didn't have a problem doing.
"Hi." Without acknowledging me, she turned back toward Mike.
"Hey, the rest of us are going out tonight, you coming?"
"Yeah sure," Mike shrugged and I almost chuckled at his could-care-less attitude.
"You should join us Bella," I looked at Mike who appeared excited then at Lauren who was visibly threatening me with her eyes. And for a moment I wanted to say yes just because it was the answer she didn't want to hear but I remembered I had somewhere to be.
"Sorry Mike, but I have to meet a friend." And just when the sides of her lips were about to pull up I added.
"Maybe next time." I smiled sweetly, making sure not to look at her but I could see her scowl out of the corner of my eye. I was laughing on the inside.
"Definitely." Mike stated as we reaching the ground floor and the doors slid open.
Outside, I hauled a cab and headed to 14th street, just outside of Brooklyn.
I rode the elevator that I had never quite felt safe in up to Jaspers studio and pulled open the elevator gate when I arrived. Alice was already there. She was biting on her bottom lip as she stared thoughtfully at a painting that I hadn't seen yet, . When she heard the elevator she twisted around.
"There you are," She flew to me, grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
"What do you think?" We were stating at the same picture that she had been looking a few moments ago. I could hear Jasper in the back rummaging through the closet where he kept all he supplies.
I focused on the painting, trying to make the connection. It was a beautiful painting, that was obvious but Jasper wasn't just about beauty. He always had an underlining theme as well. It was our job as the viewer to deduce what we saw, to make the connection. I knew what I saw was different to what Alice saw, our even what Jasper himself saw but neither one was right nor wrong.
"I like it." I stated. "A lot,"
"So do I," Alice beamed.
Jasper didn't just paint, he did photography and sculpted too. He used all three to tell a story. In his paintings he depicted his dreams, and in his photos, what he saw in his daily life. Sculpting was a little of both. They were all amazing and I was very excited to see all his pieces come together in his Art showing in the later half of October.
We left Jasper to finish the sculpture he was currently working on, going to Alice's high end apartment on the upper part of town. I sighed into her couch, a glass of wine in hand and waited as she threw together something so we could eat. I had offered my cooking services, Alice wasn't the best cook, in fact she was worst but I always indulged her. Wasn't that what friends did? She came back with nuggets of chicken and fries that were on the verge of burnt. I ate it anyways, wondering how did one burn French's this bad as I bit into the crunchy strip of potato.
It was dark by the time I found myself home. I wasn't tired enough to go straight to bed, so instead I called my mom for the week. I might as well it get out of the way. All in all today had been a good day.
Please review and let me know if you liked New Moon. I know I did!!!!
