Meeting Bella
Edward and Alice waited in the car for Bella to arrive at the school. They started getting out as soon as she pulled into a parking spot, and I followed them as they walked over to her. She saw them headed her way and quickly ducked her head, staring at the ground and blushing heavily. Her cheeks were red as tomatoes, and I knew Emmett would be having a field day if he could see her now. I was glad Edward was being smart about deciding to have his first meeting with her out in the open air where the breeze could help disperse her scent.
"Hey, Bella!" Alice greeted excitedly. "Edward's finally back and wanted to meet you!"
Bella peeked up at him nervously, running her eyes over his face. She took a deep breath, then relaxed, holding out her hand. "Good morning, Edward."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," he smoothly replied, smiling. Pulling his hand out of his pocket where he'd been holding it against the hand warmer, he shook her hand. As soon as his hand wrapped around hers though, she gasped and instinctively pulled away, her eyes wide. Edward's face instantly fell, feeling rejected, his eyes confused. He couldn't blame her reaction on the coldness of his touch this time, because his hands were currently just as warm as hers.
"S-sorry," she stuttered, blushing bright red and holding her hand out again. "You shocked me. I mean, it must've been static electricity."
Edward's eyes widened almost comically, before he recovered, grinning and reaching for her hand again. "Yes, I felt it too," he admitted, exchanging a speaking glance with Alice.
"Way to be obvious, dipshit," I muttered. "She's watching every move you make. She saw that little look you exchanged with Alice. She won't mention it, but she definitely noticed."
He had the grace to look embarrassed for a moment, which actually put Bella at ease. Seeing him looking as embarrassed as she was feeling helped her feel equal to him. He was still holding her hand, after taking it again once she offered it, and was looking at their grasped hands with interest while she watched his face.
Looking up into her eyes, he smirked and mentioned, "I was eager to meet Alice's new best friend. She hasn't stopped talking about you for the past couple of days."
Bella glared sternly over at Alice, raising her eyebrow. Alice held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "All good, I promise!"
Bella turned her eyes back to Edward, shrugged and confessed, "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."
Edward laughed, squeezing her hand gently. "Well, I look forward to getting to know you better, so I can judge for myself." He smirked and winked at her.
Flustered, she blinked a few times, then smiled back mischievously. "Well, I look forward to getting to know you too. After all, I'm not the only one Alice has been going on and on about over the past few days."
Edward groaned and ducked his head. It was clear he'd be blushing if he could. "What did she tell you? Don't believe a word of it."
It was Bella's turn to laugh. Delighted by his reaction, she teased, "You mean you aren't the best thing since sliced bread?"
Loving her laugh and basking in her happiness, he stepped closer and whispered, "Sure I am. Just don't tell anybody else."
Alice giggled and clapped her hands. I couldn't help grinning and shaking my head. This was a much better first meeting for the two.
Bella laughed loudly, making the other students start whispering about what Edward could be saying that was so amusing. Of course, nearly everyone was watching the interactions between them, most with petty jealousy, wishing to be in the place of one or the other.
"So humble too," Bella prompted sarcastically, her eyes twinkling.
"Indeed," Edward agreed, trying to keep a straight face. "Just one of my many great qualities. I shall have to extol my extensive list of virtues for you later."
Bella giggled, "I'd like that."
The morning bell rang and Edward let go of her hand only to offer his arm like a gentleman. "May I escort you to your first class, Beautiful?"
"Beautiful?" Bella asked, lifting an eyebrow and eyeing him skeptically. She didn't hesitate to place her hand on his arm though and begin walking beside him. "Do I look like the kind of girl to be taken in by flattery?"
He raised both eyebrows in surprise. There was no doubting the sincerity in his reply, "You don't recognize you're beautiful? It may not be the kind of beauty found in modern supermodels and movie stars, but you have a classic beauty of the kind painters have always sought in their subjects, like the Mona Lisa, as well as a loveliness of character that makes you shine like a beacon in the darkest of lives, like a sun at midnight on a moonless night."
Bella's breath caught in her throat, and she stared up at him, eyes shining. She sighed whispered, "That's so beautiful . . . your words . . . incredible."
Edward smiled, placing his other hand on top of hers where it rested on her arm. Seeing they were nearly to her class, he decided to lighten the mood. "Besides," he added. "Bella means beautiful in Italian, so I'd say you were very aptly named."
Recovering slightly, Bella noticed her surroundings and took a deep breath to center herself. Smiling up at him, she added, "Hmmm, I don't know about that. My last name is Swan, but I'm nowhere near as graceful as those beautiful birds."
Looking down, she admitted, "Though, I think the kids in Phoenix may have considered me something of an ugly duckling." She blushed and bit her bottom lip, regretting her revealing statement and hastily explained further, "I was a bit of a loner. Alice is my first real friend."
"Really?" Edward asked, surprised. "Because I can assure you the boys here don't view you that way at all. I'm definitely not the only one who sees how lovely you are, and if the glares I've gotten while walking with you this morning are anything to go by, you've got quite a list of potential suitors gathered already."
"I do?" she asked, looking around in disbelief. "I think you're mistaken."
Smirking, Edward shook his head. "No, I'm definitely not mistaken. You know the saying 'if looks could kill', right? I'd be a dead man walking." He snickered to himself, enjoying his own private joke. Bella narrowed her eyes at him, and I huffed.
"Idiot! Quit it with the stupid private jokes. She noticed that and is filing it away for later," I warned. "She may be utterly blind when it comes to other boys, but she's extremely observant and intuitive when it comes to you."
Startled, his eyes flew to hers, noticing the slight suspicion reflected there before she looked away.
"Uh, I'd better take a seat, and you still have to get to your own class," Bella muttered reluctantly.
"I'll see you soon, beautiful," he murmured. "Um, would you please have lunch with me today?"
She grinned up at him and nodded eagerly. "I'd love to! Thanks, Edward."
"My pleasure," he replied, with a matching grin. Lifting her hand up to his mouth, he pressed a kiss to the back of it. She shivered, and he quickly let her go, backing away. Cradling her hand close to her body, she made her way into the classroom. He watched her for a few moments, then hurried off in the direction of his own class, his face grim, his eyes worried.
"That wasn't a shiver of cold, Edward," I informed him.
He looked at me, reading my expression. "Oh. Oh!" he exclaimed. "Really?'
I rolled my eyes and nodded. Realizing it was a shiver of attraction, he smiled smugly, pleased with himself.
"She felt the mating pull," he offered excitedly. "Even without all the glamour. She felt the charge when we touched, just like I did! I didn't know it was possible for a human to feel it!"
"Yes, she did. Believe it or not, as your mate, she will feel everything just as intensely as you do. She isn't a 'normal' human, Edward. She is a human who has been chosen by God, Fate, or the Forces that Be to be mated to vampire. You are her future - she doesn't have one without you. If you leave her, she will die," I warn. "You'll soon see. She's a danger magnet. Death will haunt her until you change her and if you fight her fate, God's plan for her, it will take an army of vampires and shape shifters to try to keep her safe."
He turned haunted eyes to me. "Are you sure?"
I nodded. "She will never be happy without you, but she will be absolutely ecstatic with you, and so will you. You'll get everything you ever wanted, and so will your family. Just trust me, Edward."
He scowled and sighed, muttering under his breath, "Not everything."
Giving him a mysterious smile, I murmured quietly, "You'd be surprised, Edward. There are miracles in your future I haven't shared with you yet."
He freezes for a moment and stares at me wide-eyed. "Wha. . ."
I shook my head, interrupting him. "It's not time to talk about such things yet."
He frowned and looked like he wanted to protest, so I grinned and teased, "Shoot, you haven't even asked her to be your girlfriend yet. No need to put the cart before the horse, now is there?"
He stared at me, uncertain for a few seconds then smiled and nodded. "Okay, Specter, one step at a time."
"You did a good job this morning," I praised him. "For the most part. It certainly beats the way your first meeting would've gone."
Watching me intently, he nodded, completely serious. "Thank you, Specter. For your words, for caring about my family, for giving me this chance to do things the right way, and for whatever you're going to do for us in the future."
"My pleasure, Edward," I replied, smiling to myself.
