A/N: Twilight is mine because I share the same first name as the author. Impeccable logic.
My closet is empty, EMPTY. There are clothes in it, though, which makes it surprising, right? My problem is that no top, skirt or pants look good enough to wear today. Everything seems bland and boring, which rationally isn't true, I know that. I'm not a fashionista by any real standards but I know how to dress. Was something wrong with me today? Oh, right, it could be the teeny tiny coffee appointment I have with Edward Cullen later.
I know, I know, I'm not kidding anyone with my pretend nonchalance. I haven't been able to sleep a wink after that phone call last night. I felt so embarrassed, calling a student at night, it surely couldn't be considered appropriate. Ok that's a lie, partly anyway. I also felt exhilarated and giddy after talking to him. He said he didn't mind me calling, that I didn't bother him. At all. Bella, you're on a slippery slope, girl.
Sighing, I shook my head in disapproval of myself and finally picked up a red sweater I loved and black pants before heading to the shower. I felt confident in that outfit without being outwardly sexy. After dressing quickly and applying light make-up, I dropped a little Allure on my wrist, grabbed my truck keys and went out of the house. Charlie was already gone but left me a note, saying he would see me tonight and that he'd take care of dinner.
I barely had time to get to class in time, with the many copies I had to make. My first two classes went very quickly and suddenly, I was faced with the delicious prospect of seeing Edward soon. My heart started beating very fast and I felt like an immature teenage girl again. Speaking of immature teenage girls, Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley entered the classroom, their usual bored faces and large cleavages in place. They didn't say hello or aknowledge me in any way, charming girls these two.
Boredom disappeared from their faces in a flash, replaced by a shocked expression, tinged with lust. Wondering what could provoke such a change, I followed their eyes and felt my body heat up immediately, as if affected by a sudden fever. Edward. In a white shirt. And jeans, snugly fitting his long legs and …the rest of him. I swallowed and put a mask on my face. I couldn't help a tiny smile in his direction and the hopefully discreet check out of his body though.
At the end of the class, Edward stayed for a few minutes and the most embarrassing sentence I had ever uttered escaped my lips. "You look great today." Stupid, stupid me and my verbal diarrhea in his presence. I even was brave or crazy enough, depending on your point of view, to ask that he called me Bella. When he said it, as if to taste my name in his mouth, I almost fell at his feet and begged him to love me. I pretended I gave a damn about my next class and he went out, after promising to meet me later.
At the end of fourth period, I was a mess of nerves. Trying to appear calm and collected was a challenge let me tell you. Especially when you have to chat with your friend Alice, suspicious of why you don't want to take your break with her, and deflect the advances of your colleague slash stalker who genuinely doesn't understand how you can resist his charm. I wouldn't talk about the project with Alice until it was a little clearer, and until I wouldn't blush like a virgin when Edward was mentioned.
I entered the café and was pleasantly surprised to see it empty. My colleagues were mostly having their lunch in the staff room or at the cafeteria and there were no students as well. The reason was simple: the prices. It's cheaper to eat at Wendy's when you're still at school. I was a fan of this little café, though. Very New York, dark and intimate, but still cozy. The owner, Heidi, had moved out of New York to take care of her mother in Forks but had decided to recreate her city's atmosphere. That's probably the reason why the place was not very popular, except for the rare tourists lost in Forks.
Café Orwell was not totally empty. Sitting at one of the tables close to the entrance, was Edward.
His back was to me and I could only admire his large shoulders and that fucking white shirt. God, he was such a dreamboat. If I was a classmate, I'd tackle him and take him to the nearest closet. To be honest, I'd like to do that right now.
"Ahem, hi Bella!" Heidi called cheerfully. I jumped. I almost had forgotten we were not the only people in the world.
"Hello, Heidi." I smiled. She was a sweet woman and I related to her. Moving to such a small town after living in New York couldn't be easy to her. Yet, she gave up everything, so brave.
"Heidi, this is Edward." I added while Edward was watching us with a soft grin. "He's one of my students and we're going to work on a project together."
"Reeaally?" she asked, her eyebrows waggling like two caterpillars. "Nice to meet you, Edward.", she shook his hand firmly.
"Bella, come to the bar and order what you'd like, honey. It's on me."
She smirked and almost dragged me behind her.
"God, he's a cutie Bella." She whispered while preparing my coffee and sandwich. "How can you resist the hotness?"
"Because he's my student, Heidi, I told you that." I answered nervously.
"Well, that very well may be but…my God, he leaves me breathless!" she fanned herself while laughing.
"How much do I owe you?" I interrupted, worried that Edward would hear her.
"Nothing honey, it's on me, I'm in a generous mood today. Don't get used to it though, I need pesetas! Go "work" with your student…" she smiled deviously.
After thanking her and trying hard not to blush (and failing), I went back to Edward. He was sitting there, looking tense and beautiful as a God. Losing it completely, right Bella?
"Edward, did you have something to eat?", my eyes lingered on his large hand holding a simple cup of coffee.
"No, Miss S…, I mean Bella" I had to remind myself I was in a public place. " I'm not very hungry, I had a big breakfast with my brother this morning."
"Oh, Emmett, right?" I asked politely. I had a tendency to forget that Edward was not an independent adult, living alone.
"Yes, Emmett.", he nodded. "Do you know him?"
"Not personally but Miss Brandon does. She's one of the Maths teachers."
"Yes, he mentioned her. Said that she was very short and…spunky, I think. No disrespect of course!" he hurriedly added.
"Don't worry, Emmett is right about her." I chuckled and was delighted to hear him join me. It was the most wonderful sound, his laughter. I'm sure he could defrost even the coldest woman with that weapon. I was on fire myself.
"I'm sorry for bothering you last night…"Before he could protest, I quickly continued. "I know you said it was no bother but I really hope I didn't interrupt anything."
He laughed again and breathing was becoming a challenge. "Don't worry I was just about to take a shower so the only thing you interrupted was me undressing."
Our eyes met at the same moment and his green orbs reflected a mix of embarrassment for blurting that and a strange …tenderness, maybe?
I really didn't want to know what my eyes showed right now. It felt like my brain had started frying at the exact moment Edward had said "undressing". God, was he half-naked when talking to me last night? I made a strange sound, between a whimper and a sneeze.
"These allergies are a bitch, right Bella?" Heidi called from behind the bar. I threw her a murderous glare. I was grateful to her, however because she made me realize where I was and what I was supposed to do.
"So," I cleared my throat, "let's talk about this project, what do you think?"
Edward's smile faded a little and I felt awful. Cold.
"You're right, let's get to work."
You can see a picture of Café Orwell on my profile…
Thank you to everyone reading my little story. Please review, it's very nice and addictive reading what you think.
