Holy shizzle! 71 reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to my amazing reviewers! I am sooooooo happy! *does little happy dance and falls of bed chair.* Anyway to say thanks, I wrote a longer chapter and increased the size of the sneak peek for the almost definite sequel. So enjoy! Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. Lets try for 65 or more this chapter because I know you can do 71 so this should be easy for you.
Thanks to a certain special reviewer who made me stop and think as I wrote this chapter- you know who you are.
And thank as always to Nancy for her amazing betaing!
The song is Meet Me At My Window by Jack's Mannequin.
Meg
Bella Pov:
I showered and changed quickly into an oversized WOGA blue pullover sweatshirt, and a pair of light gray biker shorts. I hurried up to Edward's room as fast as possible, as the note instructed me to.
As I finally reached his room, I used the swipe card that was also in the envelope. The room was dark, lit only by the light of the TV. I smiled when I saw Edward. He was sitting up against his headboard completely dead asleep.
Not wanting to wake him from his nap, and too wired to sleep myself I walked over to the couch in front of the TV and sprawled out.
I was flipping aimlessly through the channels- almost all were covering the Olympics- trying to find something interesting to watch, when something caught my eye.
It was the commercial Edward and I had shot yesterday. Wow, they got it into circulation fast I thought as I watched eager to see how it had turned out.
:Commercial:
"Appearance matters," Edward's voice came on as a picture of him on the starting block faded slowly in.
"Appearance matters," my voice echoed. A picture of me posed before a floor routine, a huge smile on my face replaced the one of Edward.
"In the pool." A clip of one of Edward's races flashed onto the screen. Just as he hit the wall the image changed.
"And in the gym." A clip of my gold winning beam routine flashed in its place.
"That's why I've chosen Speedo, the best swimwear since 1928." Edward pulled himself out of a pool.
"Now with all new state of the line gymnastics wear." I did a double back off a balance beam, sticking the landing.
The commercial cut to a picture of Edward and I standing back-to-back arms crossed over our chests, a gold medal around each of our necks.
"Speedo," I stated.
"It's what all the gold medallists are wearing," Edward finished.
The screen flashed a final time, showing the Speedo logo above the Olympics rings. And just below the Olympic rings was 'It's what all the gold medallists are wearing.'
I could feel my eyelids dropping and didn't fight them. I sighed, content.
BEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBE
Edward Pov:
I must have fallen asleep because I the next thing I knew, the room was darker, and I was disoriented.
In the light of the TV, I saw an angel on my couch.
She looked so delicate in an oversized sweatshirt, that I knew my decision to throw the race was the right one. I stretched and walked over to the couch and laid down next to her, pulling her into my arms. Within seconds I was dozing off again.
BEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEEBEBEEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBBEBEBEBEB
Bella Pov:
I rolled over in my sleep. Thump! I landed on the floor and something heavy landed on top of me. I burst out laughing.
The heavy thing on top of me, also known as Edward, also burst into laughter.
The laughter changed into something a little different as the position we were in dawned on us. His lips descended hungrily on mine and I responded wildly.
It was amazing, but I could tell he was a little distracted. I decided to change that.
I trailed little light butterfly kisses up his neck to his ear and nibbled on his ear, my hands clutching his broad shoulders. He groaned, but pulled away slightly.
I could feel rejection welling up and forming tears in my eyes.
"No, no, no, don't cry." Edward lifted my chin up and kissed one of the tears making its way down my cheek. "I'm just a little distracted."
I looked into his eyes and couldn't doubt the sincerity there. It was hard to fight the feelings of rejection after so many years of guys not being interested in me, but I just held on to the irrefutable fact of his love for me.
"Does this have anything to do with that James guy?" I questioned, suddenly remembering the note in the front pocket of my hoodie.
"How do you know about him?" Edward's eyes were suddenly fierce.
I wriggled and with some difficulty managed to pull the note out of my pocket.
"He stopped me when I was walking home and told me to give this to you." I handed him the note.
His expression, already tense, became stony.
"What?" I queried.
"Nothing."
I sat up angrily. It took some cajoling, ok it took a lot of cajoling, but I finally got him to divulge the details.
"You are…." I struggled for a word that fit. "Such a…. a pigheaded ass!"
He just stared at me in disbelief.
BEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBE
Edward Pov:
I stared at her in disbelief. First of all, Bella, cursing. And second, 'pigheaded ass?'
I was trying to keep her from getting hurt and I was a 'pigheaded ass?'
"You are going to throw your race, throw your record, lose a ton of money, disappoint your fans and disappoint me?" Her question was obviously rhetorical, but I answered it anyway.
"To keep him from hurting you? Bella, I would do anything, and besides you don't know James like I do. He is absolutely lethal; he won't stop until he gets what he wants. He put a man, an Olympic swimmer in a body cast, Bella! What do you think he would do to you?"
"That doesn't matter! I can take care of myself and it is not up to you to protect me! Not at the expense of your dream. Nothing is worth that!"
"Bella you love gymnastics! I've seen the look on your face when you are competing. That is your dream, and that's all it will ever be if I don't do as James says."
"But…."
"No, Bella, I am doing this and you can't stop me!" With that, I stormed to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
BEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBEBE
Bella Pov:
He stormed to the bathroom, and I stormed out the door. Once again I used the stairs and just like the time before, I ran to the one place I could be myself, the gym.
I had to flirt with a security guard to let me into the gym, and it worked surprisingly well. I jacked up the stereo system and started a serious workout beginning with a fifteen-minute cardio scissor run around the dance mat. I pointed my feet and tightened my leg muscles until I felt the slow burn begin in my muscles. When I felt loose and limber I used the spring to catapult myself to the high bar of the uneven bars and began a rep of 50 skin the cats.
Contracting my abdominal muscles, I pulled my legs vertical to my chest and completely turned in a controlled movement until I had flipped my body backward through my arms. I stretched my body until my entire body was pointed spear-like at the ground. I pulled my muscles back into the pike position moving back into my starting position. I started again. After a few reps I could feel a not so pleasant burn start to rip through all of my muscles.
I sang quietly along with the song blaring from the speakers. It fit my mood perfectly.
Meet me at my window
At my window
I could
use a hero right now
You could use someone to save
Someone like
me
Someone who's not brave
Someone who's not free
Meet me at
my window
With the darkness, cometing down
I could use
your, saving now
Meet me at my window
Meet me at my window
I
will wait for you there
I will talk to you, no
When there's no
one, around
Come on, you could change me
You could steal
me
You could turn all the lights on
And show me the real
me
Then maybe, if I'm lucky
You'll offer me protection
You
could even heal me
Just meet me at my window
I began to sing louder. It helped me regulate my breathing and distract me from the pain. By the time I hit 45 reps, I was blaring the words out at the top of my lungs.
Come on, you could change me
You could steal
me
You could turn all the lights on
And show me the real
me
Then maybe, if I'm lucky
You'll offer me protection
You
could even heal me
Just meet me at my window
Another voice singing along caused me to jump. And since I was on the bars, my body bent in half, the jump caused me to fall. Thump! For the second time that night, I landed flat on my back.
The musical voice that had been singing along with me burst into laughter. I glared up at Edward's face as he extended a hand to help me up.
I disregarded the offered hand and bounced to my feet. Continuing my Edward doesn't exist façade; I strode over to the balance beam, crossed my ankles on the beam and began doing push-ups off the mat.
"I'm sorry if it helps." Edward's voice was repentant, soft.
I didn't look up from my push-ups, but I did answer.
"Are you still going to throw your race?"
"You didn't answer my question."
I got to my feet angrily.
"And you didn't answer mine! Are you or are you not going to throw your race?"
"My God! You are impossible!" He threw his hands up in frustration. "And yes! I am going to still throw my race. I can't let you get hurt!"
"And I can't let you lose what you have worked so hard for!"
"So is that it then? Are we just going to keep going in circles? Because there is no way that I am going to change my mind on this."
I opened my mouth to argue back, but paused, speculative.
"Those aren't our only options," I mused quietly, a plan beginning to form in my head.
I quickly filled Edward in, my confidence in my plan growing as I hashed out the details aloud.
"Hell no," Edward stated fervently. "That is way too risky."
I put my hands on my hips and sighed. This was going to be a long night.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sneak peek to sequel- unedited and subjective to change.
18 hours, 45 minutes and 33 seconds. That's how long it's been since Edward and I said goodbye. I counted the seconds as I waited backstage, jetlagged, exhausted, depressed, and underneath all the makeup, looking like the bride of Frankenstein, the bride of Frankenstein on a bad hair day.
18 hours, 45 minutes and 33 seconds since the unbelievable magical two weeks of excitement, elation, heartbreak, and fairytale love, ended. Now I was back to my normal life, I thought with a sigh.
Well not so normal, I amended as a stagehand informed me of my two-minute warning. Since the Olympics there was a whirlwind of activity. TV appearances, photo shoots, excitable crowds, Speedo promotions…. The list went on.
And then I was heading for the rehearsals of the 2012 gymnastics tour of superstars- a huge honor. And the Twisted Pink for a Cure rehearsals were coming up as well.
Ok, so not so normal, but the only problem with all of this is no Edward.
