Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer & so on & so forth.
Chapter 8
The next day at school I was practically glowing. I had chosen clothes that somewhat reflected my buoyant mood; a pair of white yoga pants and a vivid oversized red sweater. I even braided my hair in a French braid and made an effort with my makeup. "What is going on with her?" I heard Temira murmur to Jahzara. I hadn't told them that Edward has asked me to the Winter Formal, only that he had apologized to me. I wanted it to be a surprise. "I don't know, but I bet it has something to do with Edward Cullen." Jahzara murmured back knowingly.
I walked into Journalism with my head held high. To my surprise, there was an extra desk added to the end of the front row and Edward was sitting in the one beside it. He gestured to it and smiled. I smiled back shyly and went to sit down. "Buongiorno Isabella." Edward murmured in my ear, his lips ever so lightly grazing the lobe. I shivered violently and was immediately mortified at my out of control reaction.
"Buongiorno." I replied, my cheeks flushing.
"Are you cold?" Edward asked with an odd mixture of concern and amusement in his angelic voice. I shook my head no just as Signore De Luca walked into the classroom, his dark hair disheveled and papers peeking out of the top of his briefcase.
"Buongiorno!" he boomed. The class replied back enthusiastically. Even the more tired and uninterested students couldn't help but be affected by De Luca's infectious enthusiasm. He took roll and wrote our writing prompt on the board. "You have ten minutes." He said in Italian. "Go!"
Pencils and pens began to scrawl across paper and fingers began typing furiously on keyboards. Just as I was beginning to type, Edward leaned over. My breath caught in my throat at his proximity. "So, what colour are you thinking of wearing for Winter Formal?" he asked in a low voice. My mind went blank. I was excited about going to the dance with Edward but I hadn't thought about what I would wear quite yet.
"Uh, I'm not sure yet. Do you have a particular colour in mind?" I asked.
"Well my favourite colour is blue. But as the lady you should decide on the colour we wear. What's your favourite colour?" Edward smiled.
"I don't really have one. It changes."
"Well I think you look beautiful when you wear blue."
I blushed. "Thank you. We can wear blue. What shade?"
We continued to discuss this as the rest of the class worked. I almost jumped out of my seat when Signore De Luca's loud voice boomed from the front of the class. "Edward, please read what you have written. Bella will read after you."
Shit. I thought. I hadn't written down a single thought. Edward's paper was full. What the…?
Edward coughed and gave the teacher a brilliantly confident grin. "Si signore." He said, and then proceeded to read from his paper. I stared at him incredulously. After he had finished reading, Signore De Luca, who looked a bit embarrassed at this point, nodded to me. I flushed.
"Isabella told me she doesn't feel very well today. As the others were writing I was discussing her symptoms with her. It's my fault she's not prepared, Signore. My apologies."
Signore De Luca pursed his lips and then shrugged. He then moved on and began a discussion. I breathed a sigh of relief. Although Edward's had just spouted a very bullshit excuse, I was glad I had not been embarrassed in front of the whole class. "Thanks." I murmured.
"You're welcome." Edward grinned.
At lunch Edward came over to where I was sitting with Temira, Orabella, and Jahzara. "Would you like to sit with me and my family today, Isabella? They have some things they'd like to say to you." He announced. I looked at the girls and they shrugged. I got up and before I could blink Edward has scooped up my tray. I saw my friends share a look. 'Weird'… I thought.
"Isabella, you remember my cousins. You guys remember Isabella of course."
"Oh yes. We remember Isabella." Jane said grimly, giving me a tight lipped smile that gave me goose bumps. I looked away from her. Edward pulled my chair out and I sat down.
"So," Alec began, "How do you like V.A.?" His tone was friendly and the others looked at me expectantly.
"I like it." I said.
"You should invite Bella over to the castle." Alec grinned mischievously. My eyes widened.
"Castle?" I echoed. Edward sighed and smiled at me.
"Yes. Where we live."
My jaw dropped. "Are you kidding?"
Edward chuckled and gazed at me like I was the most endearing creature he'd ever laid eyes on. I felt myself blush. "No I am not. Would you like to come see it today after classes?"
Something about the idea of seeing where Edward and these other beautiful people lived intrigued me, but I also felt strangely apprehensive. It was like something in my brain was warning me to stay away. Edward flashed his teeth at me in a wicked inviting grin and the ends of his subtly sharp canines gleamed in the harsh light of the cafeteria. I shrugged as nonchalantly as possible and said, "Yeah. Why not?"
After Film I told Orabella I was going to the restroom and I'd catch up with her at home in my improving Italian. She nodded and we parted ways. I went to the restroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked a little worse for wear after the long school day so I brushed my long brown hair until it shone under the fancy restroom lights, reapplied body spray and slicked on some lipgloss. "This will have to do." I muttered to myself, smoothing down the front of my red sweater. I then walked through the still crowded halls until I was outside the Arts building. I looked around and felt my pulse speed up when I saw Edward coming toward me with a smile on his face. I felt as if I would never get used to his many brilliant smiles; his hello smile, his mischievous grin, the small smile that seemed to suggest he knew more than he was letting on, and the smile he wore now that screamed excitement. I felt giddy knowing I was the cause of that smile.
"Good afternoon Miss Swan. I trust it has been pleasant?" Edward said in that formal way of speaking he had.
"It has, thanks for asking." I replied with a small smile.
"That's good to hear. Shall we?" He offered his arm to me.
I giggled. "We shall." I said, looping my arm through his. We began walking towards the parking lot and I felt suddenly extremely shy as I felt all the eyes following us. Everybody was strangely quiet as we made our way to Edward's shiny silver Volvo. Edward pressed a button on the small remote on his key chain and opened my door for me. When I was in and buckled he shut it gently and walked around to the driver's side with his knowing grin. Once we were off I asked, "What was that all about back there?"
"I beg your pardon?" he asked, changing the station to a classical one and turning down the volume.
"Back there. I could practically feel a hole burning in the back of my head from people staring."
Edward burst into a spontaneous laugh that took me by surprise. His eyes crinkled at the corners and the sound that came from him was delicious. I couldn't help but smile upon hearing it.
"Come on," I giggled, "What's so funny?"
Edward slowly regained composure and looked over at. "You're beautiful. And I guess they are surprised to see me with someone. I have never taken interest in any of the females at Volterra before."
I blushed. "Oh."
It was then that I noticed Edward was still looking at me and not on the road. I suddenly panicked, looking at the road in front of us. We were on the road, behind a red sports car, going at a fast but smooth speed. I looked back at Edward who had returned his attention back to the road. That secretive smile curled his perfect pink lips. "Everything okay?" he asked with amusement in his voice.
"Yes." I managed.
A few minutes later we pulled up in front of a towering iron gate. "Here we are." Edward announced as the gate creaked open. My jaw dropped as we drove up the stone driveway. A castle as ancient and as beautiful as in a dream or fairytale sprawled across a great expanse of space.
"You live here?" I asked incredulously.
Edward laughed. "Yes. Mi casa es su casa. Welcome." He replied, pulling into a ten door garage where at least four other expensive vehicles were parked.
I shook my head. What the hell have I gotten myself into? I thought.
Please review! Sorry the chapters are short; I usually write my stories in short spurts until I finish. They'll probably get longer as the action gets rolling. Thanks for reading!
- irunwithshapeshifters
