Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Chapter 11
Change of Heart
Bella pulled away and we stared at each other for a few minutes. I could feel my heart thudding against my rib cage and I wondered if Bella could hear it too. Bella looked so brilliant at that moment that I had to stop and observe. Her long hair was coming loose from the braid she had put it in before she went to sleep last night. Her full lips were slightly swollen from kissing, and her cheeks had a slight flush to them.
I saved her eyes for last. Her deep brown eyes were the warmest brown I had ever seen them. They reminded me of melted milk chocolate. I couldn't quite decipher her expression. It was somewhere between surprised, bashful, confused, and happy. She was the first to speak.
" I'm very sorry. That was awfully forward and bold of me. I don't know what came over me." She blushed and looked down at her fragile hands. I tilted her chin up with my finger and looked her straight in the eyes.
" I'm not sorry that you did. In any case, it takes two people to kiss. I'm just as much a fault as you are." I murmured. She stared into my green eyes for a long moment, then looked back down at her hands as she spoke.
" Edward... I don't understand my feelings for you. Sometimes you infuriate me, but other times I just want to jump up and kiss you. I really have no name for the feelings inside of me. They are just so foreign... In any case, I think that we should discuss our relationship." Bella looked up but carefully avoided my gaze. I picked up her hands from her lap and put them in mine.
" Bella, for the last few days, I have been feeling feelings that are unfamiliar to me too. Ever since you came here to London, I can't stop thinking about you. I dream about you, and I talk about you all the time. Ask Emmett and Jasper. They can't get me to shut up about you!
"I hardly recognize myself anymore! Any my behavior is so different from what I'm used to, that it often shocks me what I do or say! What I'm trying to say is, that I feel a great affection towards you, and I think that we should do something about our feelings." Bella's eyes narrowed as she studied me.
" Edward, are you inquiring that we become a...a couple?" The way Bella said " couple" was the way one would say " horse dung". I instantly became nervous. Did she not want to be my partner? Was she completely opposed to the idea? Did she even feel the same way about me? I chose my next words carefully.
" Yes. But only if you feel the same way about me. I completely understand if you would rather us stay friends. In fact, it was silly of me to even mention the idea. Please excuse me." I began to ramble. With each second I was getting more and more nervous. Finally Bella stopped me. To my great surprise, she stopped me with a chaste kiss on the lips.
" Hush, Edward. You're ruining the moment." She whispered in my ear. The feel of her warm breath on my ear, sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine. She pulled away so that our faces were just inches apart.
" As crazy as it might sound, I actually would like that very much. To become a couple that is. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression just a moment ago. You just surprised me a bit with you confession." Bella whispered. I couldn't take it any longer. I had to kiss her. Our lips met in another sweet kiss.
This time, she placed her hands on either side of my face. When we ran out of breath, we pulled away to stare into each others eyes. Bella leaned forward a tad so that our foreheads were against each other. We simply studied the others features, and grinned at each other. We didn't kiss again, but somehow just our faces beings connected, and sitting next to each other was more romantic.
Bella and I sat together by the blazing fire and stared at the flames lick the stone fireplace. Bella sat snuggled up on my lap, and I had wrapped my arms around her; hugging her to my chest. I don't know how long we stayed like that, but I didn't care. All I cared about was having Bella in my arms. Bella. The name made my heart swell with joy. Bella and I were now a couple. We could hold hands, and kiss, and laugh together without any disruptions.
When the fire finally died out, The room was left dark and cold. Bella shivered in my arms. I stood and picked Bella up with me. I set her down as we entered the main room where our friends stood with expectant expressions. They had obviously noticed how long we had been gone.
" Where on earth were you two?!" Alice demanded. Bella blushed and buried her face in my side. Surprised at her gesture, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Everyone gasped. They had figured it out. Alice and Rosalie squealed with delight.
" Oh, I knew it! I just knew it! Didn't I tell you Rose! I knew that they would fall in love!" Alice chirped. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie all laughed. Bella lifted her head up from my side and looked at them bashfully. This was a first. I could see it in everyones eyes. Where was the fierce independent Bella?
" We were just spending some time in the living room. Talking." Bella said quietly. Emmett nudged me and wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.
" Well it looks like all those fantasies of yours have finally come true. So tell me, was your kiss passionate or simple. Rose and I had a passionate first kiss. But thats only because we like each other so much." Emmett boomed. Rosalie rolled her eyes and smacked Emmett. I scowled at him.
" Its none of your business Emmett." I said testily. He grinned.
" Ha! I made you admit that you did kiss! Well my friends it looks like we have two new lovebirds joining the pack!" He announced loudly. Alice and Rosalie giggled while Jasper and I glared ta him. Would he ever learn? Bella sighed.
" Alright, alright. Enough laughter at our expense. Edward and I are bored so we are going to go out and take a walk. If you would like to join us, then go get your winter weather gear on." Bella stated. She back to normal. She grabbed my hand and lead me out the closet in the hallway. She searched through it for a few moments, then produced my coat, gloves, hat, and boots.
" Here you are. Now if only I could find my own boots..." Bella trailed off as she stuck her head in the closet again. I watched her bend over. I knew that it was wrong, but I snuck a peek down her nightgown, which was in plain view for me to see, and was not disappointed. Bella lifted her head up and caught me red handed. Her eyes widened as she realized what I was doing, and I blushed. She placed her hands on her thin hips and narrowed her eyes.
" Were you peeking down my nightshift?" She asked in a half annoyed half amused tone. I avoided eye contact.
" Well... um, er not really. But ...um, I mean yes?" It all came out sounding like a question. Bella's brow furrowed. I waited anxiously for her to scold me. To my utter surprise, she simply shrugged and bent back over to grab her boots. I stood with my mouth agape.
" But, aren't you going to yell at me for being rude and piggish?" I asked exasperate at this girls moods. Bella stood and shook her head.
" Well of course you were wrong and rude to do such a thing, but now that we are a couple, I guess it doesn't matter. Thats what couples do I guess." Bella stated simply. She then sashayed back into the bedroom to get dressed. I shook my head slowly. This girl was killing me. Emmett and Jasper joined me in the hallway while we waited for our girls to get ready. A few minutes later, Bella, Alice, and Rosalie emerged, and were chatting away easily.
" Oh, Bella I need help tying my scarf. Will you help me?" Alice asked innocently. I felt Jasper squirm next to me, and before Bella could answer, Jasper was at Alice's side.
" I'll help you." Jasper said eagerly. Alice giggled, and held out her scarf for him. Emmett glanced at Rosalie, and she glanced back.
" Emmett, put on my ear muffs for me." Rosalie said simply. Emmett obliged like a puppy to its master. That left just me and Bella standing awkwardly next to each other. Finally Bella sighed.
" Well, then I guess you can help me tie my boots." Bella slid her delicate feet into her boots, and I laced them up. I purposely took the time to stroke her ankles and kissed her hand when I was done. Bella's breathing went a little ragged, and I swear that her eyes glazed over a bit. I took her hand and lead her down the stairs.
" Come now Bella. We wouldn't want you to get left behind now would we?" I whispered into her ear softly. She shivered delicately and goose bumps began to form on her neck. I laughed softly to myself. Rosalie bounded down the stairs and grabbed Bella and Alice's hands as we got outside in the snow.
" Hurry up Alice! You're taking forever! We must find a good spot for snow angels before dark!" Rosalie called back. Alice huffed. Poor little Alice was stepping through the snow carefully lifting up her periwinkle colored dress.
" Rosalie! Have you no feelings for me or my dress?! If you had any common sense, then you would act like a lady and lift your dress so it doesn't get wet." Alice yelled back at Rosalie and Bella. The two laughed and continued to run farther away from Alice. Alice squealed in dismay. Jasper sighed and lifted her in his arms. Alice flushed a little and smiled at him appreciatively.
" Thank you Jasper. You're my knight in shining armor." Alice said to him. Jasper smiled down at her and smiled.
" What can I say? When I see a stunning damsel in distress, I have no choice but to put her out of her misery. Which in this case happens to be the snow." Jasper kissed her forehead. Emmett and I snickered. Jasper and Alice both turned to glare at us. By the time we reached the courtyard where Bella and Rosalie were already on their backs making snow angels. Alice jumped down out of Jasper's arms and hurried to stand above them.
" Some friends you are! Abandoning me back there just so you can sit on your bums and get wet and cold! I ought to knock some common sense into you." Alice huffed angrily. The two girls looked at each other then looked at Alice, who was now bending down to the snow and carefully gather some in her hands. Bella's eyes widened with recognition. Alice stood over them again.
" But I'm not going to do that. Because I have this." Alice lifted the snowball the she had been forming in her hands, and threw it smack into Rosalie's face. Bella and Alice burst into laughter. Rosalie wiped the snow off her face and glared at them.
" Alice. Bella. I challenge you to a snowball battle. Here. Now." Rosalie stood and glowered at the two shorter girls. Alice and Bella smiled.
" Alright. But we get to have teams. Two on each. I choose Edward." Bella said cheerily. I strode to her side and held her hand. It was cold from the snow. Naturally Alice choose Jasper, and Rosalie Emmett.
" On your mark. Get set. GO!" Alice screeched. Bella and I began pelting the two teams with snowballs. Rosalie seemed more fixated on Alice and Bella more than anyone else, and Emmett was stuck on me and Jasper. Bella made a wall of snow for us so that we could duck when being attacked. We even created a system. Bella would make the snowballs, and I would throw them.
We worked well together, and soon we had knocked down Emmett. Rosalie gasped in surprise that anyone could bring him down. Alice took the chance to pelt Rosalie. Rosalie soon fell, and her team was disqualified. That meant in was me and Bella against Alice and Jasper.
Jasper hoisted Alice to his shoulders and handed her snowballs. For such a small person, she could really throw. She got Bella down, and soon after, got me down. Alice and Jasper clapped and cheered at their victory, while me, Bella, Rosalie, and Emmett scowled. You could say that we were sore losers.
Bella and I lay in the snow trying to catch our breath from all the throwing. Bella rested her head on my chest, and I held her to me. It felt so right to have her there. In my arms. Almost as if she was the missing ingredient to the stew of my life. I was complete.
I hope you all like this chapter! I added in extra fluff for you all! You can say its a belated christmas present. I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday! I certainly did. And I hope that you all got some very snazzy gifts. I got lots of things that were high on my wish list. Also, HAPPY 2009!!! Wow. I can't believe that I haven't updated in so long. You all must hate me! I am very sorry about that. I was busy, but I know thats no excuse. If you haven't already, check out my profile for pics! I'm not really sure what happened to my picture of Bella, but I'll fix it somehow.
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xoxo
kenza
