Written for: LunaEclipse17
Beta: DayDreamDreamer
Pre-readers : .London, krida86, maniacalmuse
DISCLAIMER : Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just having fun with them and created my own storyline.
Chapter Five
The next morning, I woke up feeling strangely refreshed for someone who didn't even get six solid hours of sleep. I kept waking during the night, looking over at Edward, my mind drifting to places it shouldn't even go to. What it would be like if I were with him instead of Mike, if he'd be more open and playful or if I would have to learn to live with the fact that Edward wasn't always as easygoing as he was last night. In my head, I was thinking about different scenarios, timelines and life choices. What if I stayed with Mike? What if I tried a little harder again and made the relationship work? I felt like a failure for thinking about breaking up with the person who I thought would be the love of my life. Mike never proposed, and somehow even the thought of him doing that made my skin crawl. If he would propose and I said no, things would be easier. It would be a clean break, over and done with, right then and there.
I sighed deeply as the sun filtered into the room and onto the bed. I felt better when I wasn't with Mike; I felt stronger and more capable. Truth be told, I felt single more often than in a loving relationship. Mike left me alone a lot, and he lied. He betrayed me and I knew for a fact that his night with Jessica wasn't the first and only time he cheated on me. There was a voice inside my head that told me it wasn't a fling either, and there were feelings involved. That was the thing that hurt the most. That was what I was most afraid of: my partner falling in love with another person. It was what I feared was happening to me as well. I thought about everything and deliberated over my choices as I laid there in Edward Cullen's bed. I hadn't cheated on Mike, but I had found solace in the arms of another man. Even though nothing had happened physically between Edward and I, I couldn't ignore the fact that my heart fluttered every time I got a text from him, and I longed to spend time with him. What did that say about me? Mike neglected me, for years now, and now that someone was finally giving me some attention, I craved more.
I sat up, the sleek satin sheets falling down into my lap as I reached for my phone on the floor. I booted it up and sighed deeply as the notifications came through.
Five missed calls from Mike and dozens of texts, my mom telling me to have a nice day off and then Edward, saying he was at work and that he had a nice evening. I should've read Mike's texts and responded to him first, but my head wasn't ready to deal with that yet. So I shot Edward and my mom a reply before I pulled my socks back on and walked over to Edward's kitchen.
My heart warmed when I saw there was a pot of coffee waiting for me with a mug standing next to it. I poured it full, on the brink of spilling over the edges, and let the hot ceramic heat up my palms.
After a gulp of coffee I went outside in nothing but the T-shirt and my underwear. I felt like an absolute train-wreck, standing in the crisp morning air, smoking while my boyfriend was probably worried about where I was. I sighed and walked back in, taking my phone in my hand and contemplating my options until I finally had the balls to call my mother.
"Sweetheart, what a nice surprise." Her cheerful voice was all it took for me to smile.
"Hey mom, are you working today?" I asked her, taking another drink of my coffee.
"I am at work now, yes. Emmett's got work piled up and is up to his elbows in paperwork. We all know how much he hates it, so I volunteered to come in on my day off."
My mother, ever the angel.
"That busy, huh?" I fished.
"It really seems like everyone and their mother is wanting to get their winter's maintenance done this week. Poor Edward has been here since seven thirty. I think he and Garrett will be here for about twelve hours today. It's insane."
"Oh wow, that's horrible⦠I wish I could help you guys out," I mumbled.
I'd been fishing for a desk job at Emmett's garage for as long as I could remember. Ever since I didn't graduate college, I feared I'd never have a decent job that didn't involve scrubbing tables and floors.
"I know, honey. And there might be an open position soon when I go back to working part-time. I talked about it with Sue, and she really wants to pursue our little bed-and-breakfast idea."
"Oh, really?"
"Just be patient, Bella. I'm sure it'll work out. How are you? How are things at home?" she asked dutifully. Mom knew I didn't just call her on a whim. Damn her.
"I wouldn't know," I spat out.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not home, mom."
"Are you okay?" Her voice filled with concern..
"I will be. I'm staying at a friend's house."
"Which friend?"
"I'm not at Kate's, if that's what you were wondering."
"Oh thank God. Her bad influence is the last thing you need right now."
I didn't say anything. Mom never liked my friendship with Kate; it was like my mother had some sort of secret sense that picked out all the bad seeds.
"Where are you, then? I don't need to worry now, do I?" Mom pressed.
The answer I wanted to give her was at the tip of my tongue, and I had a feeling she would be thrilled to know I was okay and safe in Edward Cullen's kitchen, but I just couldn't tell her. Not now, not yet. She knew we were friends and she knew we talked a lot, but to confide in my mother that I had spent the night at her co-workers house, was a bit much.
"No worries, mom. I'm just doing a lot of thinking, anyway. I think I'm going to leave Mike." There was a moment of silence on the other line of the phone, but I could hear Emmett's voice as he shouted something across the workshop.
"I know it's hard, Bella. But it's your life and you need to live it the way you want to. Not because you feel like you have to. Okay? I've been there for far too long and I won't let you do that. Do you want to come stay at my place?"
"No thank you, maybe later. But could you do something for me?"
"Of course."
"Could you cover for me if Mike calls you? Just tell him I'm with you and that I don't want to see him?"
"Naturally, sweetheart. Although I seriously doubt if he would contact me. After that stunt with Jessica, I don't think he ever wants to have a conversation with me again. He knows it wouldn't go anywhere nice."
I smiled into the phone.
"Thanks, mommy."
"Always, Bella. Now, I got to go. The boys keep throwing empty things on my desk to order for them. Talk later, sweetheart. Love you."
"Love you."
