I don't own Twilight!
"It's just a meeting." I try to convince myself. "Just a meeting." I repeat over and over to myself. I have Mozart blasting in the apartment.
I hope that it isn't too loud for Miss Maggie, but I'm seriously trying to psych myself out. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. How did I let this happen? "It's for Isabella you idiot. You can do it." I say to myself.
I'm not going to let myself get sucked into this game. Especially when it seems like Tanya has all the good cards. With Tanya, she says dinner, but I'm pretty sure that it will be more.
Or she's definitely going to want more. And with her, she could be lying. Although I'm sure she has the money to do it, it seems like an over the top thing to get my attention.
I think about Isabella. "I'm doing this all for her." I repeat as I put my boots. If things go right, she won't lose the school. If I don't blow it, we can still be together. I just wish I could tell someone what's going on right now.
I could get advice from Emmett's dad but it would get back to Emmett, who would more than likely tell someone. Then Tanya would know.
I wish I could ask my father for advice, but then it would look like I'm asking him for a handout. He would probably get in contact with Tanya's father...I keep thinking of solutions but they all lead back to Tanya. I want to drink, but I have to stay focused.
I'm going to go and do my best to convince her into changing her mind. I don't shave like she asked and I don't even dress up. I make as little effort as possible and I get ready to leave.
When the car pulls up in front of my building, I get inside. I expect to have the car ride to figure out what I'm going to say but I don't. Tanya's waiting in the back seat smiling. Her thin lips are covered in red lipstick. They look bright against her pale skin. She's also wearing a blue dress, the same color of her eyes.
I get inside the car and it smells like the vanilla fragrance she always used to wear. She inspects me. "Aw, I wanted you to shave Edward." She says as she touches my face. Her fingers are cold. I grab her hand.
"Calm down"
"You're lucky you can pull off this rugged look too. But I miss your polished look. You were like my very own Ralph Lauren model...now you're like Kurt Cobain." she shakes her head in disgust.
"Are we going to reminisce over the past all night? Or are we gonna discuss this proposition?" I ask angrily.
"In due time Edward. Relax. Let's catch up shall we?" I almost had forgotten how annoying her voice was. "So you enjoy being a fireman? Does it make you feel important? Did you fill that "void" yet?"
"I love it. And yes it has filled that void". I don't look at her but I watch out the window as the car takes us further into the city, taking us uptown. Where was she taking us?
"Oh come on. For something you love, you don't sound that happy about it. I mean I'm a world famous dancer and I can't stop talking about it." I don't answer but I continue to watch outside of the window. There was one time in my life when my whole life was spent riding in the back of cars.
"You should be proud of me, I never gave up on my dream." she adds breaking the silence.
"So you think I gave up on my dream?" I turn and look at her.
"Of course, you quit in your last year. You could have been world famous...instead you're. Well you work for the city. At least your station is in Manhattan."
"Well you live in the city, have you done anything to give back?"
"Give back?" She laughs loudly. "Give back? Why should I?"
"You haven't changed one bit." I smirk. It's amazing; someone so beautiful could be so dead on the inside.
"Oh yeah I've changed. I'm a whole lot richer now. I'm pretty sure my shoes cost more than what you pay for your rent." She laughs again. This will be a long night.
We go to this restaurant. The same type of restaurant where everything is ridiculously priced. The portions are ridiculously small. It's one of those places where people who want to be seen go. I wasn't into it, but I didn't mind. This crowd of people didn't intimidate me.
Tanya is able to convince the maitre d' to let me in without a blazer. They sit us in a quiet table tucked away to ourselves. A few people glance at us. They look at us. I can read their minds easily; they assume we're trust fund babies. Or even celebrities, either way I don't care. I want to get to business and get this done with.
Tanya places our orders and they bring us some wine. I take a sip and she does too. I would've done fine with water. I want to maintain some kind of composure. But the wine will at least keep me calm.
"So about this proposition..." I began.
"Can't you wait for the appetizers?" She huffs.
"No!" I shake my head.
"OK. So have you decided what you're going to do?"
"What if, I just bought the lease from you?"
"Oh that's funny! You can't afford it. Not with how much you make. And don't you think I would charge you extra?"
"Don't worry about if I could afford it or not. Would you sell it to me?" She sips her wine and thinks.
"You'd have to make it worth my wild. You would have to use that...Midas member of yours..." I can feel her foot on my crotch.
"I won't cheat on Isabella. You can throw that idea out the window." I move her foot away.
"So it's not for sale" they bring us appetizers but I honestly have no appetite. To be honest I feel sick. I don't feel right being there with her, and I'm tired of her sexual advances. She carefully eats the food and looks at me.
"Well I'm the one a strict diet. Why aren't you eating? I remember you used to eat like a hippo." She asked.
"I'm not that hungry." I sip on the wine.
"I see you still like to drink. Tell me have you gotten that under control?" She snickers.
"You drank as much as I did, if not more Tanya. I don't drink like that anymore."
"Oh...so much for getting you drunk." She smiles. After the appetizers are moved away, they bring out the entrees.
"Mmm five star meals. Don't you miss this kind of food?" She says as she carefully cuts her food.
"Not really. Isabella is a great chef." I say with a smile.
"Oh please. Isabella this and Isabella that. She's a modern dancer! A modern dancer Edward? You and I were classically trained performers." She gets upset and puts down the fork. "You'd rather her and that Martha Graham foolishness?"
"Yes I do. And it's not foolishness it's quite beautiful. You of all people should see that and respect that." I push the pasta around on my plate.
"I just don't see why you chose her...is it like you have to be so different now? I'm Edward Cullen and I'm going to save New York City. I live in Brooklyn and have a black girlfriend. She's modern and emotional. And and-"
"Everything you aren't. Unlike you she has a heart. She cares. She works hard at what she does and her students look up to her. And she isn't trying to impress anybody or wants to see her name in bright lights or, or even make a ton of money. She's doing what she loves because she's passionate about dance. You were like that once."
"Then I realized that being passionate isn't the only thing that it takes for being the best. It's who you know and who will help you to the top. You don't get the fame and fortune I have just by being passionate. You have to be mean to get what you want. That's the way the world works and that's the way I work." I shake my head.
"And I want you Edward. That's all it takes so your darling Isabella can keep teaching."
"Tanya...let's be adults about this..." I search her blue eyes for some kind of sensibility.
"Do you know how lonely it gets travelling all over the world Edward? Or to not have anyone to share all my success with?" For a moment it looks as if she might cry, but in an instant it's gone. "I need someone handsome and talented by my side. It could be like the old days. You wouldn't have to worry about anything. I'd support you. And...if you weren't satisfied with me...I could find a black girl to join us...that is if you're still into threesomes that is."
"Tanya." She looks at me waiting. "I love Isabella. I love her more than anything...I can't give her up. For anything. You can't put a price on this kind of love." She shakes her head. And she stares at me quietly.
"Love." She sips her wine again. "Real love doesn't exist. I thought I loved you once, but look what it gave me. Nothing! You left me and everything else...because of guilt. Off of some silly little epiphany you came to after so many years. I think if 9/11 never happened we'd still be together." She pours herself more wine. And avoids my eyes. She sips it less daintily then before.
"There's no way to know what could have happened. But it was a wake up call for me. If you were here in the city when it happened instead of in Europe...maybe it would've had the same effect on you." She looks at me and rolls her eyes.
"We'll never know. I tried to reach you, but the phone lines were messed up. Don't make it seem like I didn't care because I did."
"I'm not here to make you feel bad. I'm trying to reason with you."
"Reason? Edward I told you what I want. You could either breakup with her and be with me, or stay with her and the school closes."
"I'm not breaking up with her." I stare directly into her eyes.
"So so so the school closes." She stammered. "You, you think she'd still love you if you were responsible for the school being turned into a parking lot?" She asked softly.
"I don't know...but I have to take that chance." I throw my napkin over my plate. "If we're done with dinner, I'm leaving."
"No...dessert?" I shake my head and get up from the table. I walk back outside. I look at my watch; I have to be at work in a few hours. So I walk to the nearest train station
Thank you for all the new subscribers and those that have recommended me to their friends! i really appreciate it, you have no idea! I hope i didnt upset too many people with my last update :( please guys don't lose faith in me or the story! Keep reading and reviewing!And to all my old followers, thank you guys for the continuing support! I love your ideas, suggestions and questions. Happy Easter/ Passover holiday! Have a great week :D