Disclaimer: I don't own twilight.
Chapter nine
"I am going to kill you, Alice; I can't believe you convinced to do this." I whispered to myself as I was getting ready to go to the store for the grand opening. As of right now, I was pacing up and down, trying to figure out plausible ways to get out of it.
"Come on, Bella, we have to be there ten minutes before everybody!" Leah shouted impatiently from downstairs, "and who are you talking to? Have you finally snapped?"
"Just a second, I am almost ready." I yelled back. When we got out I was surprised to find a red truck waiting for us, I looked at Leah questionably.
"Well, I thought that your royal feet probably can't walk such a long distance." She explained sarcastically, though I could hear the softness and the tenderness in her voice that showed that she really cared. Even though Leah and I had a bad start, we were now close. I learnt that behind that tough exterior of hers is a soft, gentle and caring heart that is just afraid to get hurt. I leaned over and hugged her.
"Thank you." I whispered in her ear.
"It's nothing," she dismissed, pulling back and smiling at me. "Let's go, we are going to be late."
The sound of that truck startled me so much that I jumped and knocked my head on the ceiling. Leah laughed at that for the duration of the drive, and I in turn glared daggers at her. Now's when I really mourned the fact that you can't kill people by glaring at them. The drive to the store took longer than the last time with Edward's car, but we arrived in time, thankfully. I stood in front of the store, my lingerie store. I know it sound unbelievable even to me. I, Bella swan, will sell lingerie? Even thinking of that made me blush a thousand shades of red.
"C'mon, Bella, we have no time to waste!" Leah urged, looking like she wished I would stop staring like a fool. We got the store ready and people started to arrive around seven. The place began to feel really crowded. I couldn't see all the customers or the people who wanted to congratulate me, so Leah offered to help; I thanked her and told her that she's a life saver, but she brushed it off and laughed.
"Congratulations honey." Mrs. Newton squealed as she hugged me, "and a lingerie store, too. You're going to make us all sexy and wild."
"That's because Bella is a wild and a sexy woman, mom." I cringed when I heard this voice. Mike hadn't stopped trying to hit on me no matter what I said, and I refused him politely, rudely, I even asked Leah to beat him up, but nothing worked.
"Thanks." I said flatly, thinking that it would be impolite if I ignored him in front of his mother. She was a nice woman, just nosy and liked to gossip. I smiled at them and went to greet the other guests. The rest of the evening went in a similar fashion: people congratulated me and I stood for a couple of minutes doing small talk and playing the hostess. There were only to different events in the evening, my second encounter with Lauren and Tyler Crowley, and Edward.
I didn't spot the Crowley's until I heard Tyler's voice behind me. I stifled a shriek as I whipped around and tried not to glare at him.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you." He said smiling at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine in a very bad way. I was disgusted by him. He was married to a beautiful young woman who almost looked like his daughter and here he was trying to cheat on her. Disgusting.
"Oh, babe, you found Stella." she said faking a smile, but her eyes seemed to glare a hole through me. I didn't know why did she hated me so much. I didn't mean what I said when I first saw them as an insult, I really had thought that she was his daughter.
"Pleased to see you both have been able to come." I said politely trying to cut the tension between us.
"The feeling is mutual." She growled coldly, still glaring at me. Leah chose the perfect moment to come, she was about to ask me about something, when she noticed that we had company. She narrowed her eyes at Lauren when she saw the way she was glaring at me.
"Okay, what's wrong?" she inquired, looking at Lauren.
"Nothing." I answered quickly.
"Then why is she glaring at you like this?" she spat, anger making its way through her voice.
"This is none of your business." It wasn't me who answered Leah's question this time. Lauren answered her with venom dripping from every letter in her sentence.
"She's my cousin, bitch." Leah snarled, "It seems that the silicone in your butt affected your brain." I didn't catch the rest of their fight. I was so mortified that I ran outside to get some fresh air; it was just so suffocating inside. I heard someone shout cat fight and figured that I made the right decision. The cold air was comforting compared to the unbearable heat inside the store. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh feel of it and how it felt as it made its way to my eager lungs.
"Running from your duties?" An unforgettable velvet voice asked, curious. I smiled inwardly; I had almost thought that he wouldn't come. The thought upset me a lot.
"I'm just taking a break, I was suffocating in there." I explained, taking another deep breath. Silence invaded the space between us, but neither of us felt the need to fight it; it was comfortable and relaxing. "I thought you wouldn't come."
"Well, you know I have a very busy schedule; we are after all living in Forks. Criminals are everywhere." He joked, his eyes dancing with humor as he gazed at me. I giggled and looked at my feet, avoiding his eyes. I'd known him for a week, so why did it feel like I knew him?
"Aren't you going to see who won the fight?" he asked.
"I don't car-" I stopped, looking at him curiously, "how did you know about the fight?"
"Mrs. Newton," he stated matter-of-factly.
"Does she work as your spy or something?" I said, incredulous at the nosy woman.
"No, more like a news reporter." He chuckled, "and not to me only, the entire town." I didn't respond to his words. The silence between us returned, but this time something was different. Edward kept shifting his leg nervously and his hand seemed glued to his hair, running through it in a rhythm.
"Bella, I want to ask you something." He said nervously.
"Go ahead." I encouraged. He stared at me for a few seconds. He opened his mouth but no words came out, so he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Bell-" he was cut off by Leah when she came running to me looking worried.
"Are you alright? I am sor-" she stopped realizing that we were not alone. "Oh, hi, investigator Cullen." I rolled my eyes and ignored her, curious. What did Edward want to say to me? I glared at Leah accusingly; her bad timing was getting on my nerves.
"Hello, Leah," he greeted politely, "I think it's time for me to leave since it looks that you girls need some privacy."
"Edward!" I called after him as he walked to his car. He paused and turned to look at me, cocking an eyebrow.
"Yes?" he asked.
"What did you want to ask me?" I questioned, and he shook his head.
"Oh, it's nothing," he said, "I'll tell you later, have a goodnight, Bella." Leah didn't talk until Edward was in his car and on his way.
"I think he wants to ask you on a date." She guessed confidently, positive of it. I looked at her, incredulous.
"What makes you think that?" I huffed, rolling my eyes.
"It's the way he looks at you, and you look at him the same way, too, you know," she observed thoughtfully, "and don't try to deny it."
"We barely know each other!" I exclaimed.
"What's his favorite color?" she quizzed, and I winced.
"Uh, gold," I responded, knowing where she was going with this.
"Animal?" Cougar. "Family?"Step- Father worked at hospital. Mother stayed at home. "Band?" Debussy. "iThingie?" I shot her a look. "Uh, okay, maybe not, but you get the point." I rolled my eyes and lapsed into silence.
Leah's words silenced me; I knew I have a crush on Edward, like, who wouldn't? I'm only human, but to actually do something like going on a date with him was very dangerous and full of risk. I tried to tell myself that if he asked me to a date –assuming Leah's suspicions are right- I would have enough will power to refuse. But I knew deep down that what I was trying to convince myself was bullshit. It would take just one look into his nervous, hopeful emerald eyes and I would be a lost case.
"What happened in there?" I asked breaking the silence.
"I kicked her silicone ass out from the store." She said, shrugging casually.
"You really shouldn't have done all this, I don't need enemies." I sighed wryly.
"Oh, don't worry," she dismissed, "the whole town knows she's a bitch. They all enjoy seeing her ass kicked once in a while." I snorted, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Did you at least take a picture of her face?" I asked, and she grinned.
"Maybe. Maybe not." she whistled as we went back inside. People were starting to leave. I looked at my wrist watch and noticed how late it was. I apologized to everyone when they were leaving but they mostly brushed it off and told me to have a good night. Leah and I cleaned the store and locked the door. We were very exhausted, and it was a truly tiring night. I was eager to go home and collapse on my bed, and judging by the way Leah was driving she was, too.
It seemed that as soon as we got to the house my brain activated the auto pilot. I rushed up stairs changed into my pajamas, wait for Leah to finish the bathroom, get in after her. And after finishing the bathroom I passed out on my bed. I woke up the next morning early to get ready for work, my eyelids were stubborn and refused to let go of sleeping, but I won the battle in the end after taking a shower.
"Good morning." I greeted tiredly as I entered the kitchen.
"Good morning," she chirped cheerfully, and then paused to look at me wryly, "I take it from your appearance that you still lack rest?"
"I have always known from the first time I saw you that you are the next Albert Einstein," I muttered sarcastically. "And, of course, there's me. The next Queen Elizabeth I. Off with your head!"
"I have taught you well," she grinned, wiping a non-existent tear from her cheek. We both laughed at the evidence that she had really started to rub on me. The ringing of the phone interrupted our teasing.
"I got it!" she called, rushing to answer the phone "Hello?" she smirked as she figured out who the caller was. "It's for you."
"Uh, Hello?" I said hesitantly, half-knowing who it was.
"Hello, Bella," I heard Edward greet me from the other end of the phone, "how are you?"
"I'm good... tired, but good," I said, "and you?"
"I'm fine," he paused. There was silence after that and I really didn't know what to say. I was curious about the reason he was calling me and slightly confuzzled. Why was he calling me? I tried to wait for him to tell me but I got impatient.
"Not that I mind your call, but why are you calling?" I asked, impatient.
He sighed and started to talk, "Look, Bella, I really like you: you're funny, intelligent and absolutely beautiful. I wanted to wait to ask you face to face but I couldn't find it in me. And I..." he trailed off, and I cocked my head, a smile creeping on my face.
"You what, Edward?" I inquired, excited as I figured out that Leah's words were about to come true.
"Um, uh…W-will you go out on a date with me?" he asked nervous and slightly hopeful. My heart melted and a grin broke out on my face. You would think that not looking into his eyes would give me the advantage to say no, but it seemed that not only his eyes that had power on me but his velvety voice. He sounded so hopeful, so nervous and extremely adorable. I already knew the answer to his question; after all I was a lost case when it came to Edward Cullen.