Hi from the undead world! Yes, I'm a writing dead corpse! LOL I'm simply truly tired… But Happy! Really happy!
I'd like to dedicate this chapter to two AMAZING girls! One is a girl that writes really well! xo-CullenLover, this chapter is for you! And the other is one of my most faithful readers and reviewers, Rosie99! Thank you both! You guys make me want to write more and more! Rosie, the chapter is bigger, I hope you like it!
Chapter 09
We got to Rose's house after the torture called shopping. I knocked the door and a maid came.
"Good afternoon, Miss Bella." Said Mildred.
"Good afternoon, Mildred. Is Rosalie at home?" I asked smiling.
"Yes, she is. Please come inside." She replied, showing us the way to the living room. "She is currently working on a painting, but I'm sure she won't mind stopping for a bit."
"Then please announce our arrival." I said smiling while sitting on the couch. "Mine and my friend Alice Masen's."
"She means her friend and soon to be sister-in-law." Alice giggled.
"Will do." Mildred replied chucking as she went away.
"So, this friend of yours… How long do you know each other?" Alice asked smiling kindly.
"Forever?" I stated like a question. "I mean, our parents were friends for a very long time and we were practically raised together."
My memories were flooding my thoughts. "Good old times…" I said like an old lady.
"I swear, sometimes I can just imagine you in your late fifties, Bella." Said a sophisticated voice.
"Yeah, yeah… Like I've never heard you say this before." I mumbled as I rose from the couch, watching Alice do the same.
"Welcome, Bella!" Rose said pulling me to a tight hug, something I'm sure she has picked up from Emmett. "You too, Miss Masen." She added while releasing me.
"That would be Alice, Miss Rosalie." Alice replied smiling as she shook Rose's hand.
"Just Rose will do." Rose corrected her. "Please sit, I already asked Mildred to prepare some tea for us."
It was amazing to see that even though Rose were wearing an old dress stained with paint, she still looked astonishingly beautiful.
"So, what brings my best friend at my humble home in this pleasant afternoon?" Rose asked.
"We were shopping and Bella wanted to see you, so we came here." Alice explained.
"Bella went shopping?" Rose's mouth hanged open for a small while.
"More like forced to go shopping…" I said helplessly.
"Have you seen her clothes?" Alice asked in a disgusted tone. "She has so little clothes that she can actually wear…"
"I know!" Rose agreed. "I was planning on taking her out to buy clothes in the near future!"
'I knew it!' I yelled in my head. 'These two will join forces to torture me…' I almost cried at the thought.
"One step ahead of you, Rose!" Alice said triumphantly.
"Just because you live with her! I gave her time to adjust to your family's household." Rose stated.
They stared at each other for some time and then started laughing. 'Poor women, so young and already insane… It's the shopping addiction that makes them this way!' I thought to myself, laughing also.
"Next time remember to count me in, Alice." Rose said seriously.
"Of course! I need all the help I can get to make Bella actually do the shopping without complaining at every little thing we buy!" Alice said also seriously.
"I know what you mean." Rose stated sighing.
"Let's not talk about Bella like she wasn't in the room, ok?" I said irritated.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on Rose and Alice planning a new shopping trip for the next week. They got along just as well as I predicted which made me both really happy and scared. I mean, scared of what I'll have to endure next week.
We got home at six o'clock and I hurried to the library, telling Alice she could just dump my purchases in my room or arrange them in my closet, whichever she felt like doing. Of course, I knew it better, she would do the second.
I entered the library thinking of how many more chapters I had to go through before tomorrow morning. I was afraid of not finishing it on time. Not that I couldn't finishing reading it by tomorrow, but taking notes made the whole process a lot slower.
"Bella, dinner's served." Esme called from the door.
"I'm coming." I replied, still having my mind wrapped in thoughts of how Mr. Hobbes was using the Holy Church to explain the legitimacy of the King to be the King, but also saying that the people were the ones who signed a contract giving the King the power to protect their lives.
I ate in silence, really concentrated on my thoughts and replaying all my notes in my head. Everyone must have noticed how deeply I was in my own thoughts, because I don't think anyone really asked me anything.
"Deep in thought, aren't we?" Edward said as we were all rising from our seats.
"Just as I told you yesterday, my teacher gave me a really big homework." I replied, though I wasn't really paying attention.
"Going out with Alice must have cut your time short, right?" He said playfully as we both walked to the library.
"Be sure of that." I replied laughing. "But it was great to spend some time with her."
"Would it bother you if I stayed here reading as you study?" Edward asked in a pleading tone.
"Not at all." I said smiling.
I got back to my task at hand and worked hard on it, trying my best to do it in a faster pace while not losing the quality of the notes taken. I was so into it, that I barely noticed Esme coming and going with a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk. Actually, I just stopped to drink the milk hours later.
'I DID IT!' I yelled in my head as I finished the book. 'ON TIME!' Then chuckled at myself. 'Who would think a girl that hasn't gotten any sleep would be this hyper?'
I rose from the chair and stirred myself. I could start to feel that my muscles were sore from all the shopping and studying. I wanted nothing more than a shower. With that in mind I looked around the room and noticed a sleeping Edward on the loveseat. And that made my mind space out. I couldn't look away. He seemed to be having a peaceful sleep. His relaxed features made me see a child Edward, so cute. His bronze hair was everywhere and his lips were almost forming a smile. His head was placed on small pillow on one edge of the loveseat as his knees were on the opposite arm, his feet almost touching the ground.
I lost myself in the handsomeness that was Edward's sleeping feature only to be brought back to reality by the beautiful and amused pair of emeralds.
"Liking what you see?" Edward asked while smirking.
"I…" I began.
'Don't lie, Bella! He'll know! Change the subject!' I yelled to myself.
"I finished my homework, Teacher." I said the first thing that came to my mind. "So I'm going to take a shower now." I finished, running away.
I ran to my room quickly and locked the door. Knowing that it was four in the morning, I knew I would be taking a cold shower and that was fine by me. In fact I welcomed it. Maybe it would low my heart rate and make my blushing vanish.
I showered and changed only to find out that I was really hungry. I decided to go to the hallway and check in the clock if it was too early for a fast breakfast. As I unlocked and opened the doors of my room, I was surprised to find Edward standing against the wall across from me.
"What are doing here?" I asked, already feeling that my blush was returning.
"I was worried about you." He stated. "You started to run out of the blue."
"Sorry…" I said.
"So you are alright?" He asked.
"Yes, I am." I answered smiling.
"So, may I guess that the reason you ran away from me was that the answer for my question was 'yes'?" He teased, smirking.
I made sure not to look in his eyes and answered. "Aren't you a confident one? The world doesn't always revolve on you." I used the same teasing tone and winked.
His face fell a little, but then the two of us started laughing. Maybe a little too loud, since Carlisle came to check on us.
"Both of you, a little quieter for Alice and Esme's sake." He said, not in a reproachful tone, but in an amused one.
"Good morning, Carlisle." Edward said as if Carlisle hasn't said a thing.
"We are sorry, Carlisle." I said elbowing Edward.
"That's fine, let's go downstairs and have breakfast." Carlisle mused and headed for the stairs.
"Ouch, that may leave a mark." Edward whispered in my ear, making me shiver.
"Great! Now you'll be marked." I played along, I knew there was no way that it would leave a mark.
"Does that mean you've marked me as your property?" He asked almost laughing.
"Maybe." I said, trying my best to still play along. "How do you feel like, now that you were marked as someone's property, Edward?"
He laughed. "I feel like I should give retribution to my owner." He said, making me stop breathing as his face got closer and closer to mine. I could feel my face on fire. "Just kidding!" He said turning around and heading for the stairs.
I stayed there completely paralyzed. My heart was almost jumping out of my chest. I started grasping for air, as I noticed that I've been holding my breath. For a minute I thought he was really going to kiss me. I decided to go back to my room and when I closed the door my knees gave out, as I went to the floor.
'I need to compose myself! Both of us were playing to see who would drop it first. It's not like he would kiss me for real…' I kept repeating to myself.
After long minutes I decided that I couldn't take to hear the grumble my stomach was making, so I headed to the dinning room. There I noticed Carlisle reading some documents and Edward looking at me with a crooked grin that took my breath away one more time.
"Join us, Dear." Esme said coming from the kitchen.
"Sure." I replied curtly as I still had not regained my breath.
"So…" She began. "What was so funny so early in the morning?"
"Bella was." Edward replied laughing.
"So was Edward." I said glaring at him.
"I see…" Esme said, in awe.
"Bella finished her first task, Carlisle." Edward informed, probably just wanting as much as I did to change subject.
"Good job, Bella! Not many people I know would be able to finish that book in a week and you did in four days, while taking notes." Carlisle complimented me smiling.
"It was simply an amazing book." I replied blushing.
"Some couldn't agree more with you, others couldn't disagree more." Carlisle laughed.
"Let's see if you can show us, with your notes, why this book should be called amazing." Edward challenged me.
"Your next book will be a new addition to this library. Behemoth, also by Mr. Hobbes." Carlisle said. "This book is about the Revolution, or like he calls it himself 'The civil wars', so it's a really hard book to find and you are not to talk about it with anyone from outside this house."
I knew a lot of people still considered that period a taboo. "So why I'm going to read it?" I asked a little confused of why he would want me to read it, although I was grateful.
"To broaden your horizons." Carlisle said. "To be able to help Edward, you'll need to have a broad horizon."
I nodded.
"Please, talk about all this political boringness after the breakfast." Alice said entering the dinning room. "This would help me and Esme participating on the conversations."
"Wars and military strategies are also forms of political moves, Dear sister." Edward teased.
"Are you trying to imply something, Dear brother?" Alice said angry, but also blushing slightly.
"Nothing at all." He replied smirking.
"Cut it." I said to Edward noticing Alice's discomfort.
Edward's face fell as Alice's had a triumphant smile on hers. Making Carlisle, Esme and I laugh.
The rest of the breakfast was spent planning a small trip to one of the Cullen's summer houses for the following weekend. Alice already had scheduled with Rose a torture day on Wednesday and now she had the perfect excuse to make me go no matter what.
'Like I would ever be able to escape from her AND Rose.' I thought to myself with heavy sarcasm.
We moved the conversation to the living room and stayed there until lunch. After lunch, Carlisle, Edward and I went to the library. They told me they would listen to my thoughts and debate my ideas. Then Carlisle and Edward would simulate a parliament session, my job would be taking notes of what was debated and ideas that would pop in my head concerning the topic to be later discussed with Edward, getting him ready for a possible second round of debate. During the whole process they would explain to me things that I didn't understand. When we finished, I handled my Leviathan's notes to Carlisle and Edward.
"Tomorrow we'll talk about these notes." Carlisle said. "I'm reading first, and Edward will read it later."
"We won't give you a real grade, but consider it some kind of evaluation." Edward continued.
"Sure." I nodded excitedly.
"Brilliant minds of this house, Esme is calling." Alice announced. "Dinner is ready." She finished and danced to the dinning room.
"I swear, sometimes I wonder if our mother gave her pure sugar instead of milk when she was a newborn." Edward stated and I laughed.
It was an early dinner, because Esme and Carlisle would go to a dance party later. We had dinner and then Carlisle excused himself saying he would read my notes before getting ready for the party. Esme also excused herself, asking Alice to help her dressing up, to which Alice complied happily.
Edward and I were left alone in the living room with free time at hand. I sat on a couch and he sat on a chair across from me. We stayed in silence for a long time. It was a pleasant silence, it made me feel peaceful.
"So…" Edward began after a while. "Liking London so far?"
"Very much." I replied smiling.
"I'm glad to hear it. But I'm sure you must be missing your life before coming here." He said in a concerned tone.
"If you are referring to my life before my parents' death, then I'd say maybe." I said smiling weakly.
"You still miss your parents?" He asked.
"Don't you miss yours?" I asked him back.
"I see…" Was the answer he gave me.
"But in here I can almost remember what it was like to live in a happy family, you're really lucky to have this family." I said honestly.
"That I am, and now so are you." He grinned crookedly.
I stayed in silence. 'Is he saying that he agrees with the whole engagement deal? What about his lover? Does he plan on making me his wife and keeping her as his mistress?' As I thought the last question I felt like someone was stomping on my chest.
"What's wrong, Bella?" Edward asked in a hurt tone, bringing me back from my thoughts.
"Nothing…" I lied poorly.
"Please Bella, tell me what's wrong." He pleaded once again with both his emeralds and his velvet voice.
"I was thinking about our engagement…" I said carefully. "I mean… Do you really want me around?"
"I-" Edward began, but was cut short by a hyper little devil pixie.
"Bellaaaaaaa…" She sang while coming down the stairs.
"Yes, Alice…" I answered a little mad.
"I want you to help me with my new designs." Alice chirped.
"Meaning?" I asked.
"Alice draws clothes and then sews them." Edward chuckled. "She is really good at it."
"Thank you, Kind brother!" Alice sang.
"You haven't done that in a while, Alice. What's the reason for the sudden inspiration?" Edward teased.
"She can't be only your muse, Edward." Alice said in the same teasing tone. "I only had myself and Esme to make clothes to. Now that I have a new sister and a new friend, the first being Bella and the later being Bella's best friend, Rose… I have more people to dress up nicely!" She finished in a business like tone.
I tried to mouth a "Save me", but Edward's words made me think that either I failed or he has knowingly throwing me to the lions. "Have fun, both of you!"
"Thanks!" Alice said pulling me by the left arm.
I turned back one last time to beg for help when I saw a smirk on Edward's face. 'He did on purpose!' I thought angrily. 'This asks for a payback! Be ready, Edward Masen!'
When we got to Alice's room, she immediately began measuring me and then began drawing some dresses.
"Why am I here if you just needed to measure me?" I asked after some time.
"Because I'm a good little sister and saved my brother, preventing something stupid from coming out of his mouth." She answered smiling.
"Should I even think of asking you what are you talking about?" I asked her.
"Not yet." She stated smiling.
"Ok." I resigned.
I left Alice's room a few hours later, when I noticed that she was already sleepy. I wished her a good night of sleep and went to the library, my favorite place in the house. There I noticed Edward reading my notes with full attention. I battled with myself not knowing if I should or not enter. I needed to get my new assigned book, which was currently on the study table inside the library. But I didn't want to disturb Edward's reading, or make him think that I was there to make pressure for a better evaluation.
"Come in, Bella." I heard the velvet voice calling.
"I'm sorry, I just came to get the Behemoth." I said quickly.
"You can read it here, if you want to." He said chuckling.
"I don't want to disturb you." I said honestly.
"You won't, it seems I'm more at ease in here with you around." He said as I blushed. "But you'll need you notebook to make your notes of the next book, won't you?"
"No need." I replied smiling. "I'll write it in a piece of paper and then I'll rewrite it into the notebook later."
"Then let us both get to our tasks at hand." He said playfully.
"Yes, sir!" I replied in the same playfulness.
*****-*****
One more chapter done!
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