Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does and she is oh so very awesome for letting me play with them. Thank you.
Take a Bow (Bella's Point of View.)
Staying with the Cullen's was not as bad as I had originally thought it would be. Emmett kept me busy with 'having fun' No one slept in the house but me so I had a choice at whatever bed I wanted. I could see Edward every single morning which was well worth waking up to everyday. Alice's visions kept me from rolling out of bed at night, as soon as she would have them Edward was upstairs adjusting me.
I would pretend that I didn't notice he was there just so that I could feel him close to me at times. I missed him no matter how close or far apart we were from each other. At school everything was different I was trying my hardest to remain as nice as possible to Mike, there plenty of time's that I wanted Edward to walk up and just kiss me so that Mike would leave me alone, but he didn't.
I was a social pariah to Edward at school. He didn't talk to me unless we were in theater and then he really only read his lines and kept me from falling all over the place. Alice was more supportive of my need for Edward, she would occasionally trip me so that he would be forced to grab me or let me fall. This always angered Mike to extreme but Edward didn't seem to care much at all. He was emotionally distant from me now.
I just tried to keep myself busy throughout the week. Rosalie made it difficult to concentrate on anything at all. Occasionally I would curse her under my breath for it and then there were occasions where I needed a distraction. Jasper was trying to teach me different fighting techniques such as kick boxing, I over heard Edward telling Jasper once about how clumsy I was and it was not safe to try and teach me these things.
Jasper defended himself by advising Edward it was helping me with my lack of coordination. I let out a small laugh when I heard that comment and the conversation ended with Edward walking away. I was not very good at this form of boxing and I really think that the punching bag did more damage to me than I had done to it. Alice provided her own form of distraction by trying to teach me to dance, that was almost as smart as Jasper trying to teach me kick boxing. I was very clumsy on my feet. Edward seemed to prefer me having dance lessons over kick boxing. I was equally devoted to being hurt by both of them.
It was now Thursday and with Friday just around the corner Rosalie and Alice had to make sure my hair and shoes and make up and dress where all perfect together. They dressed me up many of times, making me feel like a human Barbie doll experiment. I had once envied the perfect figure of that little plastic doll but now I felt sorry for her. It was absolutely horrible having clothes put on and ripped off of you, having your hair fondled and pulled in every direction plus the make up process.
My face should have been bleeding from having so much make up put on and washed off just to be put on again. It was not my fondest experience of staying with the Cullen's. When there final product of me was done they made there own mental notes of everything they used and what I looked like and then we began the process of taking it all off again.
I was some what excited when I put my pajamas on that evening knowing that I would get a break to have some fun. Emmett had some sort of foot ball game planned. I wasn't going to participate but I was going to get to referee. Charlie would be proud to know that I was learning the ends and out's of self defense and sports. I moved downstairs slowly trying to make sure that I didn't fall on my face, it would be nothing new considering the entire family had to catch my fall at least once since my stay here. Emmett only caught my fall once but I had fallen in front of him several times, he almost enjoyed watching me fall as much as he enjoyed beating me in the games we would play.
I watched everyone get ready for the game silently and when everyone was ready to go Alice and Rosalie drove me out to the field in Emmett's jeep. I must have been a big inconvenience for them; everyone else could run to the location faster than the jeep could get us there. When we arrived there were storm clouds over head but no rain. Alice had predicted a pretty loud thunderstorm tonight, but no rain. Supposedly this was needed in order for them to play any outdoor sports.
The teams where matched up Rosalie, Emmett and Carlisle versus Edward, Jasper and Alice. Esme stayed with me to help referee the game, supposedly some of them tried to cheat. I could only assume that with putting the three gifted people together would cause such a problem. Edward was playing quarter back and at one point in time Esme made me call him on a false start. I barely got the words out before Edward was walking over to me and Esme arguing her decision. I let them argue it out knowing that I had no idea what a false start was. They all moved so fast it was hard for me to even gauge what they were doing.
I understood completely why Alice told me they had to play during thunderstorms… whenever someone was tackled it was impossibly loud. I swear that the noise they made scared the loud thunder clouds as opposed to the other way around. Night fall approached us quickly consuming the sky with the exception of lightening here and there. It was warm and I could taste the humidity on my tongue.
The clouds resembled dark cloaks in the sky smooth but ruff around the edges. The stars where barely visible and the trees surrounded us in our own little cave of darkness. I could sense the game coming to an end, the score was currently 162 to 135 Team Carlisle winning and Esme was in the center of the field trying to resolve the latest dispute between Rosalie and Jasper.
I sat down on the soft grass when I was beckoned to stand back up by Carlisle, "We're going to stop here, and you need to get some sleep before school tomorrow." He was a great father and I wondered sometimes if he enjoyed me being around because he got to act as a real father. It must be hard trying to control his 'vampire' kids all the time.
They all seemed more or less like consultants towards each other than a normal household where the parents make the rules and the children have no choice but to listen. I stood up and started to walk back towards the jeep when I tripped over my own left foot. Walking was not supposed to be this difficult of a task. I could hear Emmett's booming laughter coming from the far end of the field as Carlisle bent down to help me up.
"Anything hurt?" He looked me over carefully and then let me stand on my own. "I'm fine, thanks." I gave him a weak attempt at a smile and started again on my journey back to the jeep. I stared at the ground cautiously watching every step I took to make sure that I didn't fall on my face again. It's when I looked up that I noticed Edward was standing next to me.
"Do you need something?" A crooked grin crossed his face and his honey eyes lit up the night sky, "I just wanted to make sure you didn't fall on your face again. You are bound to break something." A slight chuckle escaped his lips and felt my face turn scarlet red. We walked slowly and silently to the jeep, when we arrived I turned to face him placing my back against the passenger door and leaning against the jeep.
Edward had placed his arm above my head on the jeep and was leaning in towards me, his eyes were smoldering and his face was puzzled. I watched as his eye brows formed a crease and I could feel a spark within the tension between us that I had not felt in weeks. I missed that so much, as I was about to give in and kiss him Emmett came up from behind him placing Edward in a chock hold trying to mess up his already messy hair.
He gave me a longing look before running off back towards the house with Emmett. Shortly after Rosalie and Alice appeared from the trees discussing Alice's resent game loss. It surprised me that Team Alice had lost the game, but then again with Rosalie and Emmett calling them cheaters the entire game it kind of put a damper on things, only they knew if they were cheating or not.
Playing sports with 'gifted' vampires was extremely complicated. I hoped into the jeep without hurting myself and we drove home, I didn't much pay attention to the conversation up front, I was tired and wanted some much needed sleep. I pulled a jacket off the floor board and placed it under my head. I closed my eyes and leaned back hoping that the night air would take me right then and there. I opened my eyes up when I felt the jeep come to a stop and slowly tried to climb out.
I was sure that all ears were on me because I typically fell out of the jeep so I slid out and planted my feet firmly on the ground.
When inside I said my good night's to everyone but Edward who was nowhere to be found and made my way into Alice's room where I would be sleeping again tonight. Besides Edwards bed Alice's was the most comfortable. I slipped out of my now dirty pajamas and into a clean t-shirt that draped down to my knees.
I climbed into bed wrapping the blankets around me and closed my eyes. During some point in the night I felt Edwards cool arms wrap around me. I didn't dare move or open my eyes for fear that he would let me go. I felt so safe and secure in his grasp, his breathing was even and I steadied my heart beat to the rise and fall of his chest. Sleep was finally able to overcome me again.
My dreams since I had broken up with Edward had been so vivid, and even though when I was awake I was pursuing a life beyond Edward my dreams where the opposite. I continued to beg him in my sleep to stay with me, and each out come was the same. He would leave and let me grow old without him. I was disappointed every morning until I would see him during one of his routine activities.
There was preciseness about every movement that he made in the morning, at exactly six o'clock A.M. he would spend 5 minutes in his closet pulling clothes out to where before immediately heading to the bathroom to take a shower. After being showered and dressed he would grab his bag and head down stairs to wait for Jasper and Alice to go to school. I rode with Rosalie and Emmett all the time. I was sure that Emmett's jeep was big enough for us all to fit but everyone decided that two cars were better than one.
I could feel the morning approaching and out sheer instinct I reached to grab for Edward, but he was no longer there. Alice's alarm sounded off reminding me that it was Friday and time to wake up. This was going to be a horrible day. I fumbled through my bag of clothes until I found something that I wanted to wear. I grabbed my bag of toiletries and made my way for the spacious bathroom hidden in Alice's room. I undressed and took a cold shower trying to wake myself up.
Once I was done I grabbed a towel from the rack on the wall and patted myself dry before wrapping the towel firmly around my body. I examined myself in the mirror while blowing dry my hair and running through the tangles with a brush. After being dressed and ready to go I went down stairs. Esme had made me a wonderful breakfast, but it was enough to feed an entire army. I'm glad everyone kept me so active or I would have gained 20 lbs just from eating. I thanked Esme and grabbed my book bag before noticing that Alice, Jasper, and Edward had already left. Rosalie was standing outside by the jeep and Emmett was still somewhere in the house. I walked up to Rosalie offering her a good morning smile before climbing into the back seat yet again.
"Where'd everyone else take off to so early?" I wasn't trying to pry, I knew they had other concerns past high school but I was curious.
"Oh Alice wanted to speak to the limo driver about final arrangements and pick ups before school so they took off early." Rosalie brushed it off with the flick of her hand as Emmett hoped into the jeep. I wasn't going to get to see Edward now until school, and even then it probably wouldn't be until the end of the day.
I really wished he wouldn't avoid me, it feels so awkward hanging out with his family when he is not there. Today was not only the day for Prom but it signaled the end of junior year, and the start of Alice's planned summer vacation. Everyone was going except for Edward, Carlisle and Esme. I was very disappointed, I had kind of hoped that he would be going, that was the only reason I agreed to go with her in the first place several months ago.
That was before our 'break up' and I assume that Edward didn't want to spend an awkward summer with me. Charlie was excited that I was going because that meant there was more fishing for him to do. It was a secret as to where we were going from me. Everyone else knew including Charlie. They wanted it to be some surprise for me or something. I wasn't much for surprises which I think made it even more fun to keep it a secret from me for Alice.
We pulled into the school parking lot and after our hellos to the rest of the family we moved on to start the day. Mike would not stop staring at me and trying to discuss Prom, even after the teacher had informed him to turn around in his seat he found little ways to pester me by placing notes on my desk. I was looking forward to the end of the day where I would get to see Edward. We had to act out our play today in front of an auditorium full of seniors.
Per Edwards request we wouldn't be kissing in the play though. He gave the teacher an excuse about being inappropriate when I really knew that he did just not want to kiss me. The bell rang for first class to be over and I grabbed my bag and flew out of the class before Mike could stop me. Alice had already given him the run down on when the limo would be picking him up so there was no need for further conversation with him. I enjoyed the rest of my classes as much as I could and when lunch came around I put on my usual fake smile as I stared at Edward at the other end of the lunch room.
Alice and Rosalie picked up there discussion on Prom this evening and I zoned out. Staring at Edward during lunch was my only happy place during this time. Rosalie had stopped insisting that I drink Protein shakes and eat salads. Esme broke her of that; I typically didn't eat at lunch anymore. I felt sick waiting for theatre class to approach.
I managed to carry myself through the remainder of the day by reminding myself I would get to see and talk to Edward soon. Even if the lines where not exactly what I wanted to say I would at least get to tell him I love him and truly mean it. The bell rang for me to go on to theatre and when I moved out of the class door Alice was waiting on me.
"We should go over some of your lines before the play… oh and we need to hurry to get you into your dress." Alice was not only playing my 'mistress' as she preferred the part to be called but she was also helping the Costume designer with my dress. I couldn't believe the outfits that she had tried to put me and several times I had to remind her to stay in the correct time period. She would give me dirty looks and remind me that she knows more about the 'time period' than I could imagine.
"Alice, I have been thinking about my lines all day… I know them by heart." It was true in a sense. I was thinking about telling Edward how much I loved him everyday, and well it was one of my favorite books, so the other lines where not that hard to remember. We walked together towards the class as soon as we entered the auditorium Edward and Mike were already on stage practicing there scene one last time before the senior class would arrive.
Mike was determined to give his character an exciting ending but Edward was not allowing him to do so. I could see joy in Edward's eyes every time he got to pretend to kill Mike. I rolled my eyes at the both of them on stage now arguing over the scene and its meaning. Alice began to drag me towards a back dressing room so that I could get ready for my part as Juliet.
I felt my stomach drop as I saw the dress Alice had made for me. It was a cream color with lace and jewels running down the front. It was a low squared off cut in the front and a beautiful train that I probably will trip on in the back. The entire dress was gorgeous and of course she made sure to have matching shoes. Alice slipped me into the dress and started tossing my hair around to put it up in a bun with a few lockets of my hair drifting around my neck. I barely recognized the girl that was sitting in the mirror before me. She was beautiful and far from plain.
"Bella, don't move, I'll be right back…I need to get dressed." I had no plans on moving, I might rip the dress, and it was bad enough that I was going to be overly conscious on the stage. I silently prayed to myself for a good show and hoped that I would not embarrass myself in front of the entire crowd of people. Alice came through the door quickly with a dress on that was almost as stunning as the one I was wearing. "So do you like it?" I nodded my head in shock at her beauty.
"You don't look so good Bella, are you ok?" She sat down in the empty chair next to me and grabbed my hand while staring intently at my face.
"Alice, what if I fall in front of the entire senior class?!?" I was beyond nervous and I could almost feel myself shaking.
"Oh, don't worry about that… Edward wont let you fall if he can help it, also they are seniors… they wont even be here next year to point and laugh if you do fall." With that she stood up and gave me a warm smile.
"It's time Bella… let's take out places." I felt like I was going to throw up, my stomach was in a knot and my face was all red. Alice pushed me towards the stage urging me to take character and put one foot in front of the other.
I could hear the voices of the senior class; I couldn't see anyone through the blinding lights that pointed at the stage. I seriously hopped that even though everyone in the crowd would be able to see me I at least would be able to pretend they were not there. Once I was on the stage was a different story though. I could hear Emmett laughing at me from a distance and Rosalie shushing him to be quiet.
It took every ounce of self esteem I had left in me not to run off the stage. Plus, Alice had a good grip on my arm as she pretended to walk me through different parts. She was a good actress and me on the other hand… well I was far from a good actress. The play was coming to a closing and Edward had barely looked at me the entire time unless we had to look at each other.
We were at the final scene… my favorite part, Romeo had just killed himself to be with me in death and I had 'awaken' from my sleep like coma. I bent down close to his ear and whispered I love you before taking the deathly plunge myself. The curtained dropped and I could hear the senior class clapping. I leaned back up noticing that Edward was still laying there next to me I began to shake him slightly.
"You know the play is over, you can get up now." No response came from him. Alice was now standing on stage behind me, "Edward you can get up now." I spoke just a little bit louder with a small amount of force not wanting the crowd behind the curtain to hear me. He jumped up quickly giving me a kiss on the cheek that made me fly backwards off of our neatly made death bed. I was very lucky that Alice caught me from behind.
"Edward that wasn't very nice." Alice gave him a dirty looked as she helped me stand up adjusting my dress.
"It's time to take a bow, you two have to come out last." She moved slowly towards the curtain waiting for them to announce her name and then stepped towards the bright lights to take a bow.
"So you love me huh? I bet you say that to all the boys." Edward had a smirk on his face and was leaning towards me. No one else was present in the back of the theatre, "You already knew that… and what's with the kiss on the cheek?" I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the ground waiting for his reply.
"Your new boyfriend is getting anxious out there." They called his name and he disappeared into the bright lights on the other side of the curtain. I was mad, so mad that tears started to form and rush down my cheeks. They announced my name and I quickly brushed them away before walking on the stage to stand by Edward and take a bow.
Music had started to play while the crowd cleared the auditorium. Alice had a strange musical selection that she thought fit the story well. I really wish being that this was my favorite book she would have given me some sort of opinion in it but of course she didn't. Edward passed by us standing on the side of the theatre watching everyone leave and slightly grazed my hand with his, I turned to face him but he was already gone. Take a Bow by Madonna started to play and almost instantly I felt that familiar burning in my face. I sucked in a huge breath to hold back the tears. What was I thinking?