Loving Bella
The characters belong to the Stephenie Meyer. I do not own or claim to own them.
A/N: All right, readers. Sorry for the delay. My beta was studying for midterms when I sent her this chapter.
I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 12 — Inspiring Music
I couldn't help but listen to Isabella's Suite again. It was so moving, touching. The first time I'd listened to it was after dinner Christmas night.
What I thought was just going to be piano music wasn't, which surprised me. It was beautiful, though.
Heart-wrenching music drifted from my CD player, greeting me and as the sorrowing melody continued causing tears to form. The cry and wail of violins started low, like a whisper of the wind, growing louder and shriller as if they were overwhelmed with sadness. A piano joined in the melancholy, bringing with it sharp pain. After three or four minutes, the music shifted as the violins and piano softened and, the pain dissipated, though some sadness remained. The violins gradually softened until only the piano remained playing a tune of hope, maybe even, of love.
When the Suite ended, I was left wanting. It sounded like it wasn't complete. Almost like the story being conveyed wasn't over, and this was just the beginning. Who was Edward's muse? I couldn't believe it was me, but why else would he have put my name on the piece. Nevertheless, it was inspiring, and I had to get my thoughts down on paper and fast. I don't know what I would do with the impressions, perhaps a poem or story, as I hit play again and began writing. If nothing else came of them, they were for me. What came flooding out were single words and phrases laced with pain, coldness, love, and warmth wrapped around me, among other adjectives. No other song or composition had ever inspired me as much as this did. I hoped something came of it.
It was a few days before New Year's when I stumbled through the house near campus. I loved my parents, but enough was enough. Mom was forever trying to get me to confess I'd felt something more for Edward than I was acknowledging. Dad was no help. The last time I saw him was Christmas night; since, he'd not been home much. A new police case had him busy. I was scared he'd get hurt, but he was a great detective. When he was home, he asked the same questions Mom had been.
"Bella," Dad sang.
I looked up from my laptop. Alice and I were chatting back and forth on Facebook. Neither of us felt like picking up a phone to talk or even log into Skype to video chat. I was into the chatting, because I could multi-task while waiting for her response.
Oh no, I thought and typed, my dad's in detective mode. There was a mischievous twinkle in Dad's eyes.
"Yes?"
He sat down across from me. I glanced at my laptop screen.
Alice had responded with 'Yikes! What did you do?'
I bit my lip, raising my eyes to meet Dad's. "Did I do something wrong?"
"I can't say you have. I just want to spend time with you."
I swallowed hard and stared at him. Dad and I rarely spend time together these days. When we did, something always came out. The last time we'd been alone together, I blurted out what was going on in my life.
Dad picked up the remote and flipped on the TV, turning on Cry-Baby, which we both loved, but for different reasons. Johnny Depp portrayed the classic bad boy, not that I cared about the character he played; I liked the movie because Johnny was a hottie.
About halfway through the movie, Dad cleared his throat.
"Do you ever see yourself dating Edward?"
What? His question had come out of left field. Sure, he'd asked me what I had seen in James when we'd been dating. I couldn't answer that question, let alone this one.
I stood, grabbing my laptop, and went up to my room without saying a word.
I shook my head from the memory. Dad had meant well and all, but he didn't stop with that question. He had asked about me marrying Edward, having children with Edward, and growing old with Edward. They had been worse than Mom's "is there something between Edward and you in a more than friend's way" type of questions.
After unpacking my car — which took longer due to the ice and snow covering the driveway, walk, and stoop — I'd sat down at the dining room table with my laptop. I'd slipped twice, landing in the snow; I'd have to attempt shoveling at some point, but for now I was content with writing. It was quiet, and I thought I'd try to write something, anything. I put in the CD with my Suite on it and played it on repeat as I began to write. Nothing had come from the first time I sat down to write to this score, but it continued to inspire me. When my phone rang two hours later, I was still jotting down phrases trying to capture what it made me feel.
"Hello."
"Hey, Belle," Emmett said. "Why didn't you call me when you returned?"
Ummm… was I supposed to call him? No, I don't think so. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're back at school, right?"
"Of course."
"And is Alice back? Has Edward moved in?"
"No. She and Edward aren't planning on being back until tomorrow night."
"And?"
"And what, Emmett?" I was getting exasperated. All I wanted to know was why the hell he'd called me.
"Lauren?"
Lauren? How had I forgotten?
"I'm out front with Rosalie, and she just chased Lauren away."
I felt my heart start to race as panic began. Why had Lauren been near? I stopped the CD. "Both of you get in here." I hung up, and my fingers raced across the keypad as I dialed Edward.
"Hi, Bella," Edward greeted. "I didn't —"
"Lauren was just here."
"What? Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm perfectly fine. Rosalie chased her away. And campus," I answered, opening the door. The silence on the other ending was deafening, though I could make out rustling and a door opening.
"Bella," Rosalie said, wrapping me up in a hug. "I don't know why she was here. She'd just gotten out of a car when Emmett drove by."
I didn't care that Rosalie had ignored the fact that I was on the phone. I needed the hug that she gave me.
"Alice," I heard Edward faintly yell through the phone. "I don't care … no … I'm leaving in an hour with or without you."
"Um, Edward," I called.
"I'm coming there now. I'll be there in four hours."
"You don't —"
"I know I don't have to, Bella. I want to."
"Why?" I timidly asked.
He sighed. "Do you know how much I …" He blew out a breath. Even though we were on the phone, chills coursed through me. "I care about you, Bella," he whispered.
The words could have been shouted, and the effect would've been the same; they caressed me as warmth enveloped me like a blanket fresh from the dryer. I knew he cared about me through his actions, but to hear him easily admit it was strange.
"And you shouldn't be there alone. I know you're not now, but Emmett and Rosalie have plans tonight — special plans."
I nodded, even though I knew he couldn't see me. I guess Emmett hadn't given Rosalie what he'd gotten the call about when we were out Christmas shopping. I think it was a ring, but he wouldn't tell me. "Jasper?"
"He won't be back from Texas for three more days." Edward sounded anxious. His voice was weak and timorous.
"I'll be fine. There's no need to rush back." My voice was faint, ending with a murmur, when I spoke. I wasn't very convincing; I hoped Edward didn't notice.
"Say that again, and be a little more persuasive."
"I wish I could." I gave a dry laugh.
"If we're leaving, we best hit the road." I heard Alice yell. She sounded pissed.
"What crawled up Alice's rear?"
"She'll get over it."
"Edward?"
"She and Jasper have a Skype date in five hours."
"You'll be here by then."
"Your the reason for Edward and me coming back tonight better be good, Bella," Alice snapped.
"And what reason could I give, Alice, that would be prefect?" I could careless that she apparently snatched Edward's phone. I looked over at Emmett and Rosalie to find them doing a bad job of hiding their laughter.
"Just tell me why?"
"Lauren was —"
Alice's tone changed. "Good lord. She didn't hurt you, did she?"
"No, Emmett was checking on things like we'd asked. Rosalie chased her away."
"All right, we'll be there in four hours."
I looked at my phone display. It showed the picture of Edward, Alice, and me that Esme had taken in front of the Christmas tree before we ate dinner Christmas night. Alice had hung up on me. I thought about calling her back and telling her off, but … shrug … Edward was probably doing that anyway.
~~ LB ~~
Emmett and Rosalie did a good job of getting my mind off of the Lauren spotting. We popped in How to Be into the DVD player, after Emmett took care of the walk and driveway. He'd even pulled my car into the garage. The movie soon had us rolling as Robert Pattinson's character, Art, tried to find balance in his life.
With half an hour until Edward's and Alice's arrival, Emmett and Rosalie excused themselves. They had a reservation at Mom's restaurant. While Rosalie was in the bathroom, I spoke quietly with Emmett.
"You're asking her, aren't you?"
"Ssshhh." He put a finger to his lips as he nodded.
"You're scared."
"Nah," he whispered. "We've talked about this. I don't think she knows what I've planned."
Emmett couldn't say more. "All right, Belle. Lock the door behind us. Keep the curtains closed. Don't answer the door without looking through the peephole. And if she comes knocking, call the cops." He said this all with a straight and stern face.
"Got it, Dad."
We started laughing.
"I don't want anything to happen to you." He drew me into a tender, brotherly hug.
"I second that," Rosalie added, giving me a hug when Emmett released me.
I did, however, appreciate the concerned reminder of what I needed to do. I threw the deadbolt once the door closed behind their retreating backs.
I sat down at my long-forgotten laptop, I staring at words I'd typed. Two phrases stood out, "without him, I'm drowning in a sea of frightened tears" and "the moment his arms are around me, the trembling, scared girl vanishes and I'm finally home." Those were the last two phrases I wrote before I answered my phone.
I heard the key in the lock and looking over my shoulder, seeing Edward enter. I slammed my laptop closed; remembering I'd just started to think about him and all the questions my parents had asked right as I penned the words.
A/N: What do you think?
