Written for the The Air, the Sun drabble contest.
Like a Bird
The sound of the bubbling tomato sauce on the stove mixed with the ticking of the ancient clock on the kitchen wall, as Bella stood motionless in front of the table.
She stared down at the dozens of cards, all colours, every material she could imagine, and yet nothing seemed to stick out, to draw her attention. She was blank inside, her mind and heart both unwilling to make this decision that Alice had urged her into. Invitations have to be send out first, you have to pick them as soon as possible.
Bella wanted to feel so much like a little bird, curious, eager to leave the nest. So hard she tried to show interest in dresses, flowers, menus and locations. But no matter how hard she tried, it all seemed foreign to her, annoying, a burden.
She knew she did not want to spread her wings and fly. What she did not know was how to not let anyone else push her out of the safety of the nest. How would she ever survive the fall?
A pounding on the front door interrupted Bella's thoughts, her forehead wrinkling as she stepped into the hallway. Charlie had keys, and she did not expect anyone today.
Later, Bella would know that the moment she opened the door and let in the chilly air, she saved her life, secured herself within the nest until the right moment had come.
"Bells," Jacob sighed, standing in front of her naked, unwashed, dark shadows underneath his eyes, "You're still alive."
"You're back," Bella retorted bluntly, her eyes flickering up and down her best friend's body, too ashamed to rest on some places, and the hurt too agonizing to focus on others.
Just like she had not answered him, Jacob never answered her. Instead, Bella suddenly felt two warm arms wrap around her, felt her feet stumbling backwards, heard the door falling closed – all before she felt a pair of soft, warm lips on her own.
The memory of his kiss in the mountains had haunted her dreams ever since, and forgetting everything else, the fact that she was engaged, supposed to pick wedding invitations, had plans for the future, was in love with someone else, she could not help but wrap her hands around Jacob's bare waist, aware of the tingling sensation in her stomach as Jacob pushed her gently but urgently up against the wall, his lips never tiring.
She could feel every inch of his warm body pressing against her own, her fingers digging into his back as his lips left hers, his head buried in the crook of her neck instead.
Feeling his tears before she heard his choked breathing, Bella closed her eyes in shame of hurting him so much.
"Please, Bells. All I want is for you to love me back. Because… I love you so damn much. Stay with me."
In this moment, Bella felt something she had never felt before. Beautiful, free, complete.
"I'm not going anywhere."