Metamorphosis
I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.
– Benjamin Franklin
8. Fun
She sees a hint of a smile lingering on his lips as he stares at her. He eyes her hoodie and her black jeans that wrap comfortably around her shapely thighs and calves. He can't stop trailing his eyes across her petite figure before he realizes she's caught him checking her out. He ducks his head down in embarrassment. Bella sees the soft, pink blush rise onto the apples of Edward's cheeks. She finds it amusing.
But she doesn't know that his blush is partially because she's caught him behind the register. That she's caught him with a name tag and uniform on at the local supermarket. She doesn't know that he feels a sense of inadequacy and bashfulness at her being here and seeing him like this. He might not know what Bella does, or who she is, but he knows that this is hardly impressive for a girl to see.
"You work here?" Bella finds herself asking.
"Yeah."
There is a pause. A silence in the air between them.
"Well, I'm here with my grandma so I'll see you around," Bella says.
She turns to leave, walking away and headed towards the sliding doors. She doesn't know what else to do. He'll be having customers lining up, waiting to pay. It would be terrible on her behalf to bother him at his workplace.
"Wait-"
She looks over her shoulder to see Edward jumping over the counter and running to her. It's an incredible sight. The pull of his muscles as he carries his own weight for a moment. He catches up to her. Albeit, a little unsteady.
"I met some guys a few streets away. Jared and Riley. We're going to have a bonfire tonight, do you want to come?"
She thinks for a minute as she assesses his out-of-breath words. She was never terrible at making friends, she just didn't do it often. She spent most of her summers in solitude with Marie. For others, such as Jessica Stanley, it may have been a living nightmare. Bella remembers a summer during her ninth grade where she didn't visit Marie.
Parties, cat-calls, cigarettes and vodka took up most of everyone's interests. She gave it a shot and it was fun initially, but then she realized that it was dangerously addictive. It fueled her rebellion from her parents. But it made her unhealthy. She found herself battling for control and balance. Her attempt at control border-lined to out of control.
She can remember guys kissing her neck and her tirelessly pushing them away. She remembers girls shouting compliments at her. Though it was more aimed at her attire. She remembers the impressed expression on Renee's face. To finally see her child join the others and not mope around at home. Bella wanted to belong, be part of the crowd. Until she realized that her goals and views differed to the many socialites around her.
She looks at Edward. His nervous gaze as he waits for a response. She isn't sure how long she's been staring into the emptiness of the space between them, perhaps looking like she was hypnotized or in an open-eyed, meditative state.
"Sure, why not." Bella replies at last.
"Cool," he smiles, making her skin tingle slightly with his crooked grin. He unclips the ballpoint pen from his breast-pocket of his uniform and scrawls down the address for Bella. Clicking the end of the pen to effectively mark the completion of his writing, he proceeds to hand the slip of paper to Bella. The awareness that both of them have not yet come into physical contact with each other is established when his fingertips suddenly brush against hers. Sending a jolt of surprise and static electricity.
"I think you just zapped me," Edward says, with a musical laugh. She could say the same. "Well, I'll see you later then. Six o'clock."
She nods, watching Edward walk back to the cash register. A young girl of about twelve is stomping her foot as she waits for Edward's return so that he can scan her items for purchase and bagging. Her scrunched up face makes Bella laugh as Edward bends down to profusely apologize to the young girl. As Bella turns to leave, a thought suddenly hits her. This couldn't possibly be a date, could it?
"Don't come home, too late," Marie's voice reminds Bella from upstairs as she slips on her sneakers to walk over to the address that is written on the slip of paper clutched in her hand. She walks out into the cool summer air.
"Bella!"
She looks for the person who just shouted her name. She finds a pair of emerald eyes staring back at her, grinning. He dangles his keys on his forefinger. His hair is now darker than usual, with the setting sun no longer illuminating the golden streaks. She can't help but observe him.
"I've realized how stupid it was of me not to offer you a ride. Or at least walk with you there. After all, we are neighbors." he says, running his hand through his hair.
"No, it's fine. I can walk."
"Please, I insist."
His eyes have now turned into the expressive, puppy-eyed begging. She laughs as she finds herself even more intrigued by Edward. Shrugging, she acquiesces. It earns her a beaming smile. One that is still nonetheless handsome.
He opens the car door for her. A gentleman. Bella waits as he rounds the front and sits in the driver's seat.
"You didn't have to do this, you know," she says.
"I wanted to," he reassures her.
It isn't too far away but Bella has no doubts that the temperature of Forks will plummet by the time they head back home. The roads are silent. Forks is filled with deafening silence of nightfall. They ride in silence. Until her words break the quietness.
"What model is this?" she asks, looking at the interior of the car.
"It's a Pontiac 6000," he mutters. "Clearly it's second-hand."
The car comes to a stop as they are parked outside of a wooden house, with the sky hanging above the house being a disbelievingly grey color.
"Wow, the smoke that these guys have made." He shakes his head, laughing.
"Are they even allowed to have such a big bonfire in their backyard? I mean Forks is filled with trees and woodlands. A bushfire could come from that." Bella says, worriedly.
Edward makes a face and nods at her point, saying nothing as he gets out and opens the door for Bella. They are soon met with introductions. Jared. A twenty-year old who is in college in LA, but visiting home. His dark brown hair and hazel eyes twinkle with kindness as he greets Bella. Then she meets Riley. An eighteen-year old who, like Bella, has also graduated from high school.
"Where do you hail from, Bella?"
"She's from NYC," Edward answers for her, as he puts the opening of a beer bottle between his lips.
Jared and Riley nod in approval as they stare at the brunette opposite them. She does seem different to the other New Yorkers they've met.
"Open up, boys!"
A holler from the front of the house jerks Jared to his feet. "I'm coming, Emily."
Half an hour later, the house is buzzing with life as people clink their bottles together. Bella remembers Edward only saying Jared and Riley being there. She wasn't prepared for a full-blown party to take place. But Edward's hand on her back calms her down.
"Hey, are you okay?"
She meets his worried eyes as she puts on a determined smile. "Yeah, I'm good."
A sudden realization hits her. She doesn't even know Edward's surname. She isn't sure if he knows hers, perhaps Marie's already informed him.
"What did you say your last name was?"
"I didn't. But it's Masen."
Edward Masen. Bella smiles at him.
"Do you have the same last name as your grandmother? Higginbotham?" he inquires.
"No, my surname is Swan," she says. Bella was glad she didn't have to take on the surname, Higginbotham, despite the fact that it was unique and quirky on so many levels. She was just sure that she would have gotten teased at school.
A ringtone disrupts whatever Edward was going to say as he digs out his phone from his back pocket. He frowns. Once again, Bella sees the disappearance of a man she has just spoken to seconds ago. The bright light of the screen illuminates his face. His face now has a mask. Indifference. Distance.
"I have to go," he says, abruptly. "I'm sorry."
He doesn't wait for a response as he strides to the front of the house. Once again, he leaves Bella standing there alone. Nervously, she wrings her fingers together as the sound of music and the burning of firewood cocoons her.
She isn't sure what to think.
I have a new story, Virulent. Both stories will be updated weekly.
Love, perpetually.
