Hey guys! :)
Thank you for reviewing; Lizzy, Mrs. M Cullen, Lisa, Xtina316, Rosaa, Thari, Han1212, Sprinter1, Et1141412, Porkkana, WhenDAEbreaks, Twilight4everandever, Zookiel101, Moftan, Gnomegirl13, Jrow1107, Marijne, Heal my bleeding heart, xostaybeautiful, Sara Lautner, LexiLeothegreat909, Mouse555 and Porcelain-Shadow! Thanks for making my day! :D
And also; Thanks for the triple chocolate chip cookies and a copy of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (I don't own it, so thanks! xD), Heal my bleeding heart, and thanks for the cozy blanket, LexiLeothegreat909! xD
To Lizzy: Oh! Sneaky you! :O But sure, you can have a free, digital, Carlisle. :D
To Lisa: Lol, don't we all envy Bella. :p
To Thari: "Poor vacuum cleaner :( Every sign of something better it's deserted, left to suck all on its own :(" Omg, seriously girl, 'left to suck all on its own'? xD I cracked a rib laughing so hard.
To Zookiel101: I honestly have no clue how long the story will be, but I'm guessing at least twenty chapters. You see the thing is, I always make a wild guess, but at the end of the day I'm usually wrong. xD So I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. xD
To Heal my bleeding heart: As Edward mentions when he's cooking dinner; Alice was out buying stuff to decorate the house. She wasn't gone because of Tanya, that's just what Bella assumed. ;)
To Porcelain-Shadow: Sure, you can have your own Edward! :D
Alright, new chapter, have fun! :)
Threat
Waking up usually wasn't such a pleasant event for me. For one thing because my old, small bed wasn't that comfortable, and also because I often woke up with my head on my desk, on top of Lauren's homework…
But this time was different; this bed was soft and unbelievably comfortable. I slowly opened my eyes, and came to the conclusion that I wasn't in the dusty attic that was my room. Instead, I was in a huge bedroom, the interior modern and light… I'd never seen this room before, but my foggy brain soon registered that I was still at the Cullen house, and that this had to be Edward's room…
The light that filtered through the closed curtains was dim, and I wondered how long I had been asleep. I also wondered how I had gotten here, since I remembered being on the couch in the living room before I had dozed off…
I reluctantly sat up and left the comfy, king-size bed. A simple, silver clock on the wall told me that it was already eight pm, and I panicked for a second… I had slept for over three hours, and Regina wouldn't be pleased when I got home late for the second time in a row.
I stumbled out of the room, a little disorientated, and wandered into the hallway. I tiredly rubbed my eyes as I went downstairs in order to look for Edward. I entered the living room, but there was no trace of him.
"Edward?" I called hesitantly.
He called back immediately. "In the kitchen."
I made my way to the kitchen, and to my astonishment he was standing behind the stove. Was he actually trying to cook? He truly had been brainwashed!
"Hey, sleepy head. I'm glad you're awake, I was about to wake you up… I'm making you some dinner." He announced, looking up from the sauce that he was currently stirring and smiling a beautiful, uneven smile at me.
"You? Cooking?" I asked, half shocked, half teasing.
A small blush formed on his cheeks, and I was pretty sure that it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.
"Yeah, well, Alice is out shopping for the day, she wanted to buy some stuff to decorate the office. She probably won't be back before ten, and I figured that you would be hungry." He explained, quickly turning his full attention back to the sauce to hide his flustered face. It was funny to see that the tables were turned for once.
"Wow, you shouldn't have, Edward. I could've made something at home."
"It's no big deal… Let's just pray that it's edible, I've never cooked before in my life." Edward confessed. "But it's pasta, so it can't be that hard. Besides, it says right here on the recipe that it can't go wrong."
"Well no matter what it tastes like, I appreciate your effort." I encouraged him, already proud of him because this was obviously way out of his comfort zone.
He grinned up at me. "Good, because I can't promise you that it won't taste like garbage."
"I'm sure I'll survive… Oh, and I'm sorry, by the way."
He frowned at me. "Sorry for what?"
"Well, you know… Sleeping while I should in fact have been working." I said apologetically, feeling like a worthless employee.
"I don't care about that, humans need to sleep, Bella. I'd rather you get some sleep here, instead of you not getting any sleep at all." He said sternly.
"Thanks for that, I do feel a lot better now… How did I end up sleeping in your bed anyway? Did you seriously carry me all the way up the stairs?" I asked, slightly awed.
"Yes. Not like it's such a big deal, you're not that heavy." Edward said mockingly. "I thought you would be more comfortable, sleeping in a bed."
"You do have a very nice bed." I agreed, giving him a shy smile.
He chuckled. "That's what I thought. Why don't you sit down, dinner will be served in a few minutes, Miss Swan."
I did as he asked, sitting down at the breakfast bar, patiently waiting as he worked on our dinner. Watching Edward had recently become one of my favorite activities, and so I didn't mind the waiting one bit. My thoughts drifted away for a moment, and for the millionth time I mentally asked myself why Edward Cullen was being this nice to me. Why me, of all people? It was hard to understand…
And then there also was this annoying voice in my head, telling me that he might as well be acting. Acting was his job after all, he had to be good at it. But then again, why would he go through the trouble of acting like a kind person, if he didn't even like me? That made no sense whatsoever, seeing as he clearly didn't bother to perform a play when it came to most other people…
"Alright, here goes nothing." He said dramatically, breaking me out of my thoughts.
He placed two plates on the breakfast bar and sat down next to me.
"Thank you. It looks pretty good, and it doesn't smell bad, either." I complimented him.
"You want me to taste it first?" He offered, humor in his voice.
"It can't be that horrible." I said dryly, scooping some pasta onto my fork and bringing it to my mouth.
"Any last wishes?" Edward asked jokingly.
I laughed and shook my head as I took a bite. I had to admit that, even if it had tasted like vomit, I still would've told him that it was delicious. Luckily, it didn't taste bad at all. It tasted very good, actually, and after I had swallowed the first bite, I smiled proudly at him.
"You're a great cook, Edward. There's nothing wrong with this food."
He seemed genuinely surprised. "You're not trying to spare my feelings, are you?"
"No, of course not. You should have a little more faith in yourself." I said as I eagerly attacked the rest of my pasta; I hadn't realized until now that I was starving.
Edward also took a bite, and a satisfied smile formed around his lips. "Wow, this is not bad at all… Perhaps there is a small chance that I will survive on my own when Alice leaves, after all."
"You're a smart guy, Edward, I'm sure you can do anything you want to do, as long as you try." I said seriously.
"You really do have too much faith in me." He said, his smile turning into a grimace.
"No, I don't. You're amazing, and on top of that you're one of the nicest persons I've ever met." I said with newfound confidence, ignoring the blush that crept up my cheeks.
He laughed out loud, almost choking on his pasta.
"What's so funny?" I demanded, surprised by his reaction.
He calmed down, and composed his face when he answered me. "One of the nicest persons you've ever met, huh? That's something I've never heard before…"
"Well it's true… I don't care about the rumors that are going around, and I don't care what other people think. All I know is that no one has ever been this nice to me." I stubbornly waved away his skepticism, not understanding why someone like Edward would have insecurities.
I turned away from my plate to look at him, and he was gazing back at me, his expression unreadable.
"All I know is that you are the kindest, sweetest, smartest girl I've ever met, and that I don't deserve all the credit that you're giving me." He murmured unexpectedly, his green eyes burning with sincerity.
"You do…" I weakly argued one last time.
"I don't, but regardless, I'm glad that you see me that way… I crave your company too much."
"And you still don't know why that is?" I asked.
"No… If I did, I would've told you right away. I promised, remember? When I find out, you'll be the first to know." He said. His tone was lighter than before, but his eyes remained serious.
"I'll hold you to that, I'm still curious why I am the one lucky person who gets to be your friend."
He smiled wistfully, and it didn't quite touch his eyes. Somehow he looked a little sad, but I had no idea why that was.
"Do you need another hug?" I tried.
The sad look left as quickly as it had arrived, and his lips curved up into a smile. Those lips that I wanted to kiss so badly… Oh no, not this again. As if I would ever find out what it felt like to kiss Edward Cullen. In my dreams, perhaps.
"You read me like a book, Isabella Swan. Come here." He said, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture.
I didn't have to think twice about that, and I threw myself into his waiting arms. I locked my arms around his neck and hugged myself close to him. He rested his head on my shoulder, and his hands were softly stroking my back.
I shivered in pleasure when he leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Your hugs are the new highlight of my day, Bella."
xxx
On the drive back home I was singing loudly, and smiling like an idiot. I didn't care that I was late. I didn't care that Regina would yell at me because I hadn't made dinner. I didn't care that Lauren would probably bother me with her homework again… All I cared about at the moment was Edward Cullen, and how it had felt when he had hugged me… How it had felt to fall asleep in his arms, to sleep in his bed… How he had made dinner for the first time in his life, especially for me.
I darted into the house, my head up in the clouds…
That's when I spotted Regina, standing in the middle of the small kitchen. Her arms were crossed, and her eyes were shooting fire as she glowered at me. She was wearing a hideous, bright-yellow outfit that clashed with her bleached hair, and if the situation hadn't been this serious, I would've laughed. She pursed her lips, which were covered in ugly, purple lipstick, at the same time squinting her eyes at me. My good mood vanished abruptly, and my stomach twisted, making me nauseous.
"Isabella! Where the hell have you been?" She snapped at me.
I bit my lip and fumbled with the car keys in my hands.
"Work. I've told you about my new job, right?" I replied in a flat tone.
"Yes, you did, but this job isn't working for me, Isabella." She complained, now waving her manicured hands at me.
"What do you mean? It's just cleaning, and I've still got enough time left to do my homework." I pretended to be oblivious, fully aware that she was talking about the fact that she wanted her personal slave to be around more often.
"You know exactly what I mean! You weren't home to make dinner for us tonight, and the same happened yesterday." She hissed, her Botox-filled face an angry mask.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." I lied, not feeling sorry at all.
"You bet it won't." She exclaimed. "Because if it happens again, I want you to quit that job."
I gaped at her, shocked. "What!? No! I need that job, Regina."
"That's not my problem, so I suggest that you make sure that you're in time to prepare dinner for us tomorrow." Regina said, smiling her fake smile.
"Alright, I'll make dinner tomorrow." I promised exasperatedly.
"Yes, you will, and that's not all… You're spending all your time at that new job of yours, but you are days behind with the laundry here! Not to mention that this place needs some cleaning as well." She ranted, her nasal voice causing goose bumps to raise on my arms.
"Like I said, I'm sorry. I'll make sure that it gets done tomorrow, but I'm not quitting my job." I said in a final tone.
"Oh, don't worry about that. If things don't change around here, I will make sure to quit your job for you." She threatened darkly.
"You wouldn't… You can't…" I said breathlessly.
She merely gave me an evil smirk. "We'll see about that… I have my ways…"
xxx
I was nervously pacing back and forth in my room. It was around eleven pm, and I was deadly tired. I knew that I needed to go to sleep, but I was completely restless. I couldn't lose that job, no matter the cost. Not only because I needed the money, but also because I couldn't stand the thought of not being around Edward anymore.
But how on earth was I going to fit everything into my daily schedule? I barely had time to eat and sleep as it was, but I knew that somehow, I would have to make sure that I didn't give Regina a reason to put her words into action…
I fell down onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. I closed my eyes, hoping that I would drift to sleep, but it was no use. The fact remained that I was wide awake, and too wary to relax and fall asleep. I got up again, walking up to my messy desk and searching it for my cell phone. I hardly ever used the thing, and I only had it for emergencies. I found it behind a stack of papers, and turned it on.
Edward was my friend, right? So it wouldn't be weird if I called him… If only to hear his calming voice. I didn't allow myself a chance to think it through any further, and dialed the number of the Cullen house. Hopefully Edward answered the phone, because it would be embarrassing if Alice picked up and I had to ask for him…
"Hello?" Edward answered after a few rings, sounding sleepy.
My heart sped up at the mere sound of his velvety voice.
"Edward… I woke you up, didn't I? I'm so sorry…" I rambled.
"Bella? Don't worry, that's fine. Are you alright?" He asked, sounding alarmed.
"I'm okay… I just…" I was at a loss for words. What should I say to him? I only called because I needed to hear your voice? That sounded very cheesy…
"You're okay?" Edward repeated my words, his tone skeptical. "Then how is it that you don't sound okay?"
I sighed. "Nothing's wrong… Some issues with my stepmom, nothing to worry about."
"Nothing, huh? Then why are you calling?" He challenged me, seeing right through me.
His hypnotic powers also seemed to work over the phone, and I spilled. "She wants me to quit my job if I continue to spend so much time at your place."
"What, why?"
"Because she wants her servant around twenty-four hours a day! When I'm not here she has to actually make her own dinner and clean up her own mess." I stated dully.
Edward groaned. "That woman is despicable! Who does she think she is! She has no right to treat you like her slave, Bella."
"I know, but there's not much I can do… There's not much anyone can do, I just needed to talk to someone…" I explained.
"And I'm glad you called me, but you have no idea how frustrating it is for me to hear this." Edward said, his voice filled with anxiety.
"What do you mean?" I asked, not really getting why this was so frustrating for him. He hadn't lost his employee yet, and surely he would be able to find someone else to clean his house.
"What do I mean?! Bella, you don't have the faintest idea how powerless I feel! I want to come over there right now and comfort you! I want to give your disgusting stepmother a piece of my mind! But I can't do any of those things without getting you into even more trouble!" He said agitatedly.
I knew that he cared for me, but it was shocking to learn that he cared that much.
"That's very sweet of you." I mumbled, glad that he couldn't see my scarlet face, or hear my misbehaving heart.
He laughed humorlessly. "I'm nowhere near sweet, Bella. According to most people I'm not even tolerable. But you… You are the sweetest girl alive, and I don't get how anyone could ever hurt you, or treat you like crap. That's just not right, you deserve so much better than that."
Tears were stinging behind my eyes. He didn't realize it himself, but he deserved a medal when it came to being a good friend.
"Bella? Are you still there?" He checked when I was silent, speechless because of his touching words.
"Yes… I wish you were here, Edward. I think I'm the one needing a hug, this time." I admitted sheepishly.
He laughed a soft, mesmerizing laugh. "I'm sorry, sweetheart… But we'll see each other tomorrow, so I solemnly swear that you will get your hug, it'll merely be a bit delayed."
"Now there's something to look forward to." I said, instantly feeling better when I thought about seeing him again.
"Yes… But you should go to bed now, Bella. You have to catch up on a lot of sleep." He said, his tone authoritative.
"You're right. I feel calmer now, I'm going to try and sleep." I agreed. "Thanks, Edward."
"Anytime. Sleep well, sweet girl." His soothing voice said.
"Goodnight, Edward." I whispered back.
I hung up the phone and placed it on the nightstand, feeling a lot better after my talk with him. Apparently his voice was enough to keep me sane. I'd only known him for one short week, and already it seemed like I was addicted to him, craving his presence like some sort of junky.
And to think that, two weeks ago, I never would've guessed that I would ever fall in love with anyone, let alone fall in love with some famous actor. I didn't know how to feel about it, my emotions were chaotic and conflicted at the moment. A part of me felt giddy and euphoric, but another part was feeling depressed, because the chances of him liking me in that way weren't good. For the first time in my life I truly liked a guy, and of course it had to be someone who was miles out of my league. But no matter what, fighting it was useless. Love happened, just like that, and there was nothing you could do about it…
That's it for today, new update tomorrow! :)
