Chapter Eight
I knew you, your heartbeat on The High Line, once in twenty lifetimes
By the following morning, I feel like I have recovered from my king of hangovers. I shower and dress, feeling far more human and walk into the kitchen to make coffee. As I take my first sip, Alice walks out of her room.
"Morning" She smiles, heading over to pour herself a cup.
"Morning" I reply, "what time is everyone coming over?"
"At about 11" Alice replies. "Then Jasper is going to take me out for lunch" she smiles, bobbing on her feet slightly.
"That's nice, do you know where you're going?" I ask. Alice and Jasper have been practically inseparable since their trip to Virginia.
"No!" Alice says, smiling brightly. "Apparently, he's planning a whole week of surprises for me, leading up to my birthday!"
"Oh wow!" I laugh lightly. "He must really care about you" I say with a soft smile.
She nods, sipping her coffee. I glance at the clock on the wall and see that it's almost half ten.
"Do you want some breakfast Allie? Before everyone gets here?" I ask, rising to get my own from the pantry.
"Sure, just some cereal for me please," She says, tapping away on her phone. I pour us both a bowl before returning to the table. For the next half an hour we talk quietly about everything and nothing and I have to admit, it's really nice. I've missed my girl. With Alice and Jasper spending so much time together and me dealing with whatever this is with Edward, we haven't had much "us" time.
A couple of minutes before eleven, there's a knock on the door. I stand to answer it. When I open the door I see Jasper and Edward standing in the hall.
"Morning boys" I say, stepping back to let them into the apartment.
"Morning Bells" Jasper says, already making a beeline for the kitchen and for Alice.
"Morning" Edward says quietly, giving me a dark stare followed by a wink.
We make our way into the kitchen. Alice makes the boys a coffee and has just placed them on the table when we hear Rose and Emmett knock on the door.
"Hey guys" Emmett calls jovially as he enters the room, Rose following behind him. We chat amicably for the next few minutes while I fix Em and Rose a coffee, before Alice suggests we move to a more comfortable seat in the living room.
Once we're all seated, she gets down to business.
"So, as you all know, Saturday is my birthday" Alice starts. I should say that Alice is BIG on birthdays.
"We hadn't heard" Rose says sarcastically, causing Allie to stick her tongue out at her.
"Well, to celebrate I thought it might be fun if we all went out for the evening...to a club!" Alice squeaks.
We're all silent for a moment. None of us have been to a club for years, probably not since we graduated.
"I'm in" Emmett finally says. Rose shrugs giving her agreement too.
"Sure, why not" Edward replies from his place by the window. "I'm working on Saturday though so I might not be able to get here until like...9ish?"
"Yay! I'm so excited!" She squeals, clapping her hands together.
"What club did you have in mind?" I ask.
"The High Line" Alice replies. I've heard of The High Line, it's supposed to be one of those more upmarket clubs where you sit in a booth or hire a room. Apparently, it's quite tasteful and not just a room full of eighteen-year-olds all trying to have sex on the dance floor.
"That sounds good" I reply, smiling at Alice.
"Awesome!" Alice says, "Why don't we all meet here and us girls can get ready together?" Alice suggests, her eyes wide. "That way, we can wait for Ed to show up before we head off!"
Rose and I shrug, Emmett and Jasper give Edward the stink eye but agree as long as they can drink beer in the living room while they wait.
"Eek! I'm so excited" Alice squeals. Soon, Jasper leans over to Allie and suggests they make a move if they want to make their lunch date. Emmett and Rose stand, saying they need to head to the grocery store before they go home too.
Edward and Jasper talk for a minute before Alice and he leaves for their lunch date, Edward assuring him he'll get a taxi back to the apartment. Once the others have gone, I turn to look at Edward.
"So...how are you feeling?" I ask, tilting my head to look at him.
"Eh..not as bad as yesterday." He replies, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Me too" I reply with a light laugh.
"I had a good time by the way," he says suddenly, "I didn't really have a chance to tell you before I left".
I look at him for a moment.
"So did I" I reply, "It was fun".
Edward smiles at me, a glint in his eye.
"So what are your plans for today?" Edward asks, putting his hands in his pockets.
I shrug, "Well I need to get Allie a birthday present" I reply, "I guess I should do that today as I won't have much time in the week."
"Do you know what you're getting her?" Edward asks.
"Not sure, maybe something from that bath company she likes" I reply.
We're quiet for a moment, looking at one another.
"Mind if I tag along?" Edward asks quietly.
I shake my head, the butterflies in my stomach taking flight and making my skin tingle.
"No, not at all". He smiles at me.
"Did you want to go now?" I ask, reaching for my bag.
"Sure" Edward replies, "You can help me find something for her too. I don't know what the fuck you girls like" He says, making me laugh.
"I'm told we are a mystery" I reply with a nod.
We make our way out of the apartment, Edward waiting for me while I lock up and then head down in the lift and out to the street. Edward hails a cab, opening the door for me and letting me slide in first.
We head into the city, eventually stopping on the main shopping thoroughfare.
"So where to first?" Edward asks, looking around at the stores.
"Well, that's the place she likes" I say, pointing to a store a little way down the street.
"Okay" Edward says, following me. We enter the store, the smell of bath salts and shampoo hitting our noses. I browse some of the products, picking up a couple to smell them. I hold one out to Edward for him to smell.
"Do you like this?" I ask. Edward leans forward and sniffs.
"Yeah it's nice. What is it?" He asks, taking the bottle to look at the name.
"Moringa Flower" I reply.
"I have no idea what most of this means" He says, reading the label before handing it back to me.
I roll my eyes and continue looking. Eventually, I settle on a Moringa Flower gift box of bath and body products before helping Edward choose a room diffuser for her bedroom.
"Are you sure she'll want this?" Edward asks, holding up the box I've just given him.
"Yeah she loves that scent" I reply.
Edward looks down at the product, shaking his head like I've just told him Alice would like to be set on fire for her birthday.
Boys.
We head to the checkout and pay for our items, the sales assistant asking if we'd like them gift wrapped.
"Bella do you want yours wrapped?" Edward asks me.
"Yes please" I say, looking at the sales assistant who just continues to make eyes at Edward.
She does see that I'm standing right next to him right? I could be his girlfriend for all she knows.
I cough a little, bringing her out of her daydream. She turns bright red when she sees me staring at her, eyebrow raised and scurries away to wrap our packages. I lean on the counter, waiting for her to return when I see movement out of the corner of my eye. I turn to look at Edward and his shoulders are shaking under the strain to withhold his laughter.
"What?!" I chuckle, looking at him like he's grown a third head.
"Wanna pee on my leg too?" He says with a laugh.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and turning my body to face him.
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong but you looked a little bit jealous there" He says, smiling like the cat that got the cream.
I scoff, turning away from him.
"That's ridiculous! I was just surprised she was so brazen when I was standing right next to you! I could've been your wife for all she knows!" I say, throwing my hands in the air in frustration.
Edward laughs harder, making my cheeks burn.
"You're quite right Bella" he says, trying to reign in his laughter once he sees my embarrassment. Suddenly the girl returns with our packages.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" She practically purrs at Edward.
"No thank you" he replies looking her straight in the eye, "my wife and I will be just fine".
I open my mouth in shock, but Edward just grabs my hand and pulls me away, through the store and out onto the street.
"Edward!" I say once we're in the open air again. He laughs, doubling over, his eyes creasing and his smile wide. "What was that about?!" I cry, joining in with his laughter.
"You started it!" He replies, before another round of laughter bubbles out of his chest. "Plus, you should've seen your face!", he slaps his thigh still laughing.
I laugh with him, our outburst eventually subsiding to light giggles as we walk down the street.
"So where to now?" Edward asks, wiping under his eye.
"I don't mind. I have everything I need" I say, turning to face him.
"Lunch?" He asks.
I shrug. "Sure" I reply, with a soft smile.
Edward suggests we head to a sandwich bar nearby as neither of us ate long ago. Then he insists on carrying both of our purchases as we walk to get some food. When we arrive at the sandwich place, we order two chicken sandwiches, Edward takes our bags while I carry the tray and we squeeze into a table by the window.
"So you excited to go clubbing Mr party animal?" I ask after taking a bite of my sandwich.
"Oh yeah, it's definitely right up my street. I'm particularly excited about when we all get to get ready together" he deadpans.
I laugh at him, rolling my eyes, Edward laughing with me.
"She's just excited, you know how Alice gets with her birthday". I say, shaking my head lightly.
Edward hums taking another bite of his sandwich.
"Oh, do you know anything about Jasper's week of surprises by the way?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Yeah he's organized some deliveries and he's got a surprise planned as her birthday present too." He says with a nod.
"What's the present?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"Swear you won't tell?" Edward says, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Of course I won't!" I say, shocked he even had to ask.
"Pinky promise," he says, holding his little finger out to me. I roll my eyes but link pinkies.
"He's a booked a room at one of the nice hotels in town for Saturday night," Edward says around a mouthful of chicken
"Awww" I reply, that's really thoughtful of Jasper, Allie will love that.
"Yeah I think they're gonna finally bang" he adds crassly.
I look at him before rolling my eyes.
"And they say romance is dead…" I say shaking my head at him.
He laughs.
"What?! It's true!" He says shrugging.
I chuckle slightly at him turning away. When we've finished eating, Edward says he better get back to his apartment before Jasper returns. I nod, a little disappointed that our time together is up. Edward hails a cab, opening the door and letting me slide in.
He bends to look at me through the window.
"Remember Bella, a pinky promise is a pinky promise!" He says before waving me off. I look out the window until he fades from view.
The week passes uneventfully, for me anyway. Alice on the other hand is showered with gifts. On Monday a bouquet of lilies is delivered to the apartment, on Tuesday a giant stuffed bear, on Wednesday an enormous bunch of balloons, on Thursday a gift basket of luxury chocolates and on Friday a huge bouquet of red roses. Alice looks like she might burst with excitement and our apartment looks like we could open a florist.
I text Edward on Friday morning with a photo of our kitchen table laden with flowers and the giant stuffed bear in the living room.
Your roommate sure knows how to spoil a girl. - B
He replies shortly after.
I know. I keep telling him it will make the rest of us look bad, bastard. - E
On Saturday morning, I'm awoken abruptly by Alice jumping on my bed.
"It's my birthday!" She squeals.
"Happy birthday Allie." I reply sleepily, burrowing further under the covers. A few moments later, I feel the duvet being lifted and Alice climbing in next to me.
"I'm so excited for tonight...I've already picked out my outfit. Did you see the flowers Jasper sent me yesterday?! It was the biggest bunch I've ever seen! He's so great..." she rambles on.
"Yeah, he's great" I reply, my eyes drooping as I doze. Alice is quiet for a few moments.
"I think he's the one B" She suddenly whispers to me. I open my eyes and lift my head to look at her. She's smiling from ear to ear and her eyes are clear and bright.
"I think he's the one too Allie" I whisper back, chuckling when she covers her eyes and starts kicking her legs with glee.
"Hey, do you want your present now?" I ask, sitting up against the pillows.
"Yeah!" She squeaks, sitting up next to me. I get out of bed and pad over to my closet, picking up the gift. I place it on the bed before sliding back under the covers. Alice squeals as she rips the metallic paper off revealing her present.
"Oh Bells! It's my favourite! This is too much..." She says, picking up the various products, opening the lid to smell them.
"I don't think you can ever say that after Jasper's week of surprises," I say laughing. She joins in, placing the products back in the gift basket.
"I'm gonna use them later" She says, placing the basket on the floor next to the bed and giving me a hug.
Alice and I spend most of the day lounging around the apartment. We have coffee, lying in my bed, while we chat about the night ahead and watch TikTok dances on Allie's phone. Eventually, we get up and decide to get the apartment ready for later.
I check that there's plenty of beer in the fridge as well as a couple of bottles of wine for us girls. Alice and I then string up some fairy lights around the living room to make it look a little festive. By late afternoon, we decide to start getting ourselves ready.
Alice showers first. She's in there for so long I start to wonder if I'll have a chance to shower myself, but eventually, she emerges smelling strongly of moringa flower, before heading into her room to do her hair and pamper herself with her new gift basket.
By the time I've showered and blow-dried my hair, it's coming up for six-thirty. Alice bounds into my room just as I'm pulling some tracksuit bottoms on and a tshirt.
"Have you decided what to wear yet?" Alice says, excitement evident in her voice.
"No, not yet" I say.
"Can I help?!" Alice squeaks.
"Sure Allie" I chuckle.
Like I was going to get out of it anyway.
For the next forty minutes, Alice goes through my wardrobe, suggesting various inappropriate items of clothing. Eventually, we both agree on a short black dress, fitting around the top and waist but slightly floaty in the skirt, and some sparkly gold heeled sandals.
I check the time and see it's coming up to seven-thirty. Half an hour until everyone gets here. I ask Allie if she wants me to order some pizzas for us to have when everyone arrives. She agrees so I quickly phone and order four large pizzas deciding that we can all share.
At five to eight, there's a knock on the door. Rose and Emmett stand in the hallway and smile at me. Emmett looks nice, dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. He's carrying a small holdall which I assume is for Rose. Rose is makeup-free and is wearing tracksuit bottoms and sweater, much like myself. Her dress hanging from her hand.
"Hey guys" I say, smiling, moving to the side so they can walk through the door.
"Hey Bells" Emmett says, "Where can I put Rosie's stuff?" He asks.
"Oh why don't you put it in the kitchen, I'm not sure where Alice wants to get ready yet" I reply. I take Rose's dress from her, hanging it on the coat rack by the door so it doesn't crease. Just as I'm walking into the kitchen, Alice comes running out of her room.
"Hey guys!" She squeals.
"Happy birthday Allie!" They call back, each giving her a hug. Rose hands her a small gift, wrapped in pink paper and a card. Alice squeaks and rips the paper off revealing a small jewelry box with some pretty diamante earrings nestled inside.
"Aw thanks guys!" Alice says "I'm gonna wear them tonight, they'll go perfectly with my outfit!"
I get Emmett a beer, opening a bottle of wine for us girls. Once we all have a drink, we head into the living room which is now glittering from the fairy lights we put up earlier.
We chat easily for a while, discussing the plan for tonight before the buzzer goes.
"Oh that'll be the pizzas!" I say, getting up and running over to the door. I buzz the guy in, opening the door and paying before heading back towards the living room with the food. Just before I turn the corner, I decide to leave one box of pizza in the kitchen for Edward and Jasper when they arrive, otherwise Emmett will scoff it all.
"Thank fuck! I'm starving!" says Emmett, quickly tucking in, proving my point. Rose smacks him on the back of the head, telling him to have some manners. I smirk at their antics. They drive each other crazy but they love each other. I grab a slice of pizza, leaning back on the sofa, feeling content.
About thirty minutes later, I hear a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!" says Alice, skipping off to greet her new beau. A moment later, Alice and Jasper walk around the corner. Jasper looks smart dressed in dark jeans and a pale blue button-down, tucked in. He smiles at us all, pushing his hair from his eyes. I stand, moving to one of the chairs by the window so that Alice can sit next to Jasper.
As Jasper moves to take the seat beside Alice, I see Edward standing behind him. He's dressed in his Levi's and a black button-down shirt. A few top buttons are undone, teasing a glimpse of his collarbone. His hair is still slightly damp at the ends where he must have showered recently. His eyes are downcast but rise as he comes into the room, looking at us all.
He smiles but I notice that it doesn't reach his eyes. He takes the chair next to mine by the window.
"Beer boys?" I ask, after a moment.
"Please" Jasper says. Edward just nods slightly. I stand, making my way to the kitchen, grabbing two beers and the extra pizza box.
"Thought you might want something to eat before we go out." I say, placing the pizza down in front of them. "Don't want you lightweights ruining the party." I tease, looking at Edward, expecting to see that glint in his eye. He just stares at his beer bottle.
"Thanks B" Jasper says, reaching forward for a slice. Emmett goes to take one too but Rose smacks him on the back of the head again.
Once the boys are moving on to their second beer, Alice suggests we start to get ready. I refill our wine glasses and follow her into her bedroom, helping Rose carry her stuff. I then run back into my room to grab my dress and shoes.
We spend the next twenty minutes laughing, drinking and talking while we get ready. I slip into my dress, Rose doing up my zip for me and slide my feet into my gold heels. Alice then lightly curls my hair and does my makeup, brushing powder on my lids, lining my eyes with black, painting my lashes and swiping my lips with deep pink. I look at myself in the mirror as Alice and Rose put the final touches on their outfits.
Not bad.
Alice sprays us all with perfume before we exit the room, Alice and Rose walking ahead of me. As we re-enter the living room Emmett wolf whistles, his eyes flashing to Rose in her red mini dress. Jasper sits, mouth slightly open looking at Alice in her floaty white dress and sky-high sparkly heels.
My eyes find Edward's. He's staring at me, his eyes raking down my body before fixing me with a dark stare.
Cue stomach dropping to butt.
Alice suggests that we start to make our way over to The High Line as it's almost ten. The boys nod and stand, Edward downing the last of his drink on the way. I notice he hasn't eaten any pizza. We exit the apartment, locking up before all squeezing into the lift. We giggle slightly, all feeling slightly buzzed as we head down to the lobby and then out onto the street.
Jasper hails a cab but it quickly becomes apparent that we won't all fit into one car so I suggest the other four go ahead, leaving Edward and I to follow a few minutes later. They all agree, sliding into the cab, Emmett just about getting the door shut with them all in the back. The car speeds off into the dark, leaving Edward and me on the sidewalk.
I turn, glancing at Edward. His head is dipped low, a cigarette hanging from his lips, the cherry end glowing red in the dark.
"You ok?" I ask, walking closer to him. He looks up, staring at me as if he forgot I was there.
"Yeah" he clears his through slightly. "Course". With that he abruptly walks over to the curb, sticking his arm out to hail a cab. A car stops moments later and he opens the door, tilting his head to let me get in first. I slide in while Edward stubs out his cigarette and slips in after me.
Edward is silent on the car ride over to the club, staring out the window. I glance at him periodically and open my mouth a couple of times to say something, but nothing seems to sound right.
Is it me?
Eventually, we pull up outside the club and I can see the others waiting for us outside.
We exit the cab and walk over to the group. Alice steps up to the bouncer and speaks for a couple of minutes. Alice has booked a booth for the evening so that we can all hang out and relax together, rather than be crowding around the bar or have to stand all night in a corner somewhere. A few moments later she gestures with her hand, telling us to follow her.
The bouncer opens the large heavy door and I can hear the music pounding in the distance. I follow Alice into the dark, stepping up the few steps at the entrance before she pulls open a second door, revealing the club.
The music is loud and I can feel the bass pound in my chest as we walk into the large room. On one side there is a large curved bar, already surrounded by patrons shouting their orders over the music. In the centre of the room is a large dance floor, packed full of heaving bodies all moving in time to the music. I follow Alice as she speaks to a man holding a tray and is directed towards the back of the club.
We pass other groups all sat around tables or on low couches, drinking and laughing. Eventually, I see an area full of booths, looking out onto the dance floor. Alice finds our number and slides in on one side, Jasper following and then finally Rose. I slide in on the other, Edward squeezing in behind me, pressing his body against mine so that Emmett can fit in on the end. I'm completely trapped between the side of the booth and Edward's solid body.
I feel my skin prickle from his heat, the rough fabric of his jeans pressing against my bare thigh under the table. I can smell his musky aftershave and the remainder of his cigarettes.
"Isn't this cool?!" Alice squeals over the music. I smile and nod in reply.
A few moments later the same man with the tray comes over and asks for our drink orders. The boys order beers while we girls settle for a few cocktails. I lean back slightly in the seat, pressing myself even closer to Edward. He glances at me out of the corner of his eye and I smile tightly, feeling a bit awkward after the silence of the car. He gives me a smile in return, his eyes softening slightly.
I look out over the dance floor, watching the bodies out there pulse and move in time with the bass. Our drinks arrive, the waiter balancing the tray on the edge of the table and passing our cocktails down the line. I smile at Edward in thanks as he hands me the oversized glass with a pink umbrella. His lips quirk up slightly.
We talk loudly to each other, laughing and drinking, ordering another drink and another. After a while, I notice Edward seems to be drinking more than the rest of us, downing his beers quickly before nodding to the waiter for another. I catch his eyes, giving him a questioning look but he just turns away, staring out at the dance floor.
"Let's do shots!" Alice suddenly squeals, already three sheets to the wind, her tiny body unable to cope with the alcohol she's consumed. Emmett cheers, Rose groans. Alice ignores her, ordering a round of shots and telling the waiter to keep them coming.
I pity her liver.
A few minutes later, the waiter returns with a tray of shots, passing them down to us. I place mine on the table in front of me, still sipping my second cocktail. I can feel a buzzing in my head and my cheeks feel hot from the alcohol.
Alice downs her shot, before raising her arms in the air.
"Wooohooo!" She cries, slamming the glass down on the table. Jasper, Emmett and Rose follow suit, grimacing slightly from the strong flavour. I look over at Edward as he picks up his glass, downing the shot, not even flinching.
Something's wrong...
He's been quiet, almost silent all night, only occasionally joining in when he's directly spoken to.
His eyes meet mine in the dark, glinting from the lights shining overhead.
"What?" He asks, slurring his words and swaying into me.
"Nothing" I reply, looking at my shot.
"Don't you want it?" Edward asks. I can smell the tequila on his breath.
"Yeah, I guess" I reply, before downing my own shot. I wince as it burns down my throat.
Before I know it another tray of shots appears, being handed out amongst us. Again, Edward downs his like it's nothing.
"I wanna dance!" Alice shouts, slurring slightly. "Rose come dance with me!" Alice clambers out of the booth, almost going over Jasper's lap in her haste to get to the dance floor. Rose rolls her eyes but stands.
"Come on Bella, come dance with us!" Alice shouts at me over the noise. Before I can reply, Edward shouts back.
"She doesn't dance!" He slurs, swaying slightly from turning his head too fast.
"Bella get your ass up here! If I have to do this so do you!" Rose shouts back, shoving Emmett up and out of the way. Edward slides out of the booth, stumbling a little, letting me out.
Alice leads us down to the dance floor, dragging Rose and me behind her. She forces her way through the seething mass of flesh before finding a tiny opening near the center of the floor. She lets go of our arms before turning and shaking her ass at us, dancing away to the music.
Rose laughs at her but also starts to dance in time to the beat. I feel a bit awkward. I stand on the dance floor, watching the other two, stepping from side to side.
"Move your body Bella!" Rose shouts at me, pulling me towards her and pressing her back against mine. I try to relax, feeling the pulse of the beat in my stomach. I try to remember what Edward said when we were in the bar the other night.
Just move your hips, Bella. Follow the music.
I sway from side to side slightly, feeling Rose move against my back. Suddenly Alice is pressing her body up against me too and I'm sandwiched between them. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, the alcohol making me feel lightheaded and dreamy.
After a while, I realise I'm moving in time with the music, raising my arms above my head and turning to face Rose. She spins around in front of me, grabbing my hands and twisting me in time with the music. I laugh, spinning in my heels and moving in time with the beat.
Out of the corner of my eye I see movement. I look over to see Jasper standing with Alice, pulling her towards him and dancing with her, whispering in her ear. Then, Emmett also appears, taking Rose by the hips and grinding into her from behind. I slow my dancing, feeling a little awkward now that the others have partners. I'm about to walk back to the booth when I feel two hands grab my hips. I turn slightly, expecting to see Edward but instead I see two brown eyes staring back into me.
"Hey baby" the voice says and starts to push into my ass.
"I'm not your baby" I say, trying to pull away from his grasp.
"Hey now...that's not very polite. Don't play so hard to get" the voice whispers into my ear. I feel a shiver run down my spine and not in a good way.
"I said no!" I reply, pulling away harder. Suddenly the hands let go of my hips and I turn to see Edward standing behind me. Eyes blazing at the stranger who just had his hands on me.
"She said no fucker!" He shouts, moving towards him, his face looking ready to kill somebody, the alcohol making him feel invincible.
"Wow buddy! I didn't know she was yours..." the guy replies, raising his hands, seeming to realise it's best to quit while he's ahead.
"Just back off okay?" Edward spits, fixing the guy with a death glare, swaying slightly on his feet.
"Okay, okay, I'm going" he says, walking away and disappearing into the crowd. Edward stares after him before turning to look at me.
"You ok?" he asks, moving in front of me and bending his head so that I can hear him over the music. His breath smells strongly of tequila.
"Yeah...thanks" I reply, moving my hands to my arms, feeling the alcohol wearing off slightly after that near miss. Edward nods, his eyes scanning the room but not really looking at anything in particular. We stand for a few moments in the centre of the dance floor, unmoving. The song suddenly changes to something slower, more sultry and I open my mouth to suggest we head back to the booth.
"Dance with me" Edward suddenly says, interrupting me and pulling me into his body. I feel his arms snake around my waist as I raise my arms to his shoulders. I glance around to see if the others are watching but Alice and Jasper are too far away to notice and Emmett seems to have preoccupied Rose's attention.
I look back up at Edward to see him staring off into the distance, lost in his thoughts again. His body feels tense under my hands and his shoulders are tight, a small frown playing on his face.
"Hey" I say, drawing his attention to me. "Wanna tell me what's on your mind?" I ask.
His eyes meet mine, our bodies as close as they can be without drawing too many questions. He's silent for a moment.
"Nothing", I nod.
"Well then, I expect to at least have some of your attention while we're dancing" I tease, looking up at him through my lashes. He smiles slightly, one of the first I've seen all night.
"Sorry" he says. We continue to sway to the music, Edward turning us every now and again to avoid another couple or group. Eventually, we end up in the centre of the dance floor and I've lost sight of the others.
Suddenly, I smell smoke and turn to see a machine in the corner over by the DJ pumping smoke onto the dance floor. The crowd cheers in delight, continuing to pulse to the music. Soon we're surrounded by smoke, the only other person I can see in the room being Edward.
Our eyes meet and burn into each other as I slide my hands down to rest on his chest, my fingers playing slightly with his shirt collar. His eyes flick to my mouth and back and I feel his heartbeat increase in tempo under my hands. He dips his head, moving towards me, his mouth only inches away from mine.
"Edward" I say, making him freeze. His eyes glance up to mine. "Someone might see..." I say quietly, for only him to hear.
"We're surrounded by smoke" he says, his voice low and rough "and for once, I want to kiss you in public...even if no one else can see" he continues, before fusing his mouth to mine. I feel his lips against my own and then his tongue peek out and swipe across my lips before pulling back, his eyes glittering.
Moments later the smoke starts to clear and we pull apart slightly.
"Shall we go back to the booth?" I shout as the song changes to something more upbeat, causing the crowd to start jumping up and down around us.
"Yeah" Edward replies. He turns, grabbing my hand in his before navigating us through the pulsing bodies and back to the booth. He drops my hand just as we walk up the steps to the booth area.
I can see the others sitting in the booth, talking and laughing.
"Hey! We lost you in the smoke." Rose says as Emmett stands letting Edward and I slide back into the booth.
"Yeah sorry, we ended up trapped in the middle of the dance floor and decided to wait for the smoke to clear" I say, pushing down the butterflies I can feel surging in my stomach.
Rose nods before saying, "We ordered you another drink" pointing at my cocktail and Edward's beer. We thank her.
"Hey Bells! Guess What?!" Alice squeals, turning to look at me with hazy eyes.
"What?!" I mimic back, earning a small chuckle from Rose.
"Jasper has booked a hotel room for the night!" She cries, her hands going to her cheeks.
"Oh wow!" I cry, feigning surprise.
"I know right?!" She squeals before turning back to Jasper, getting lost in him again.
"Oscar-worthy Swan" I hear Edward say quietly into my ear.
"A pinky promise is a pinky promise" I reply quietly. I look at Edward slightly as he takes a long drag from his bottle, his face turning serious once more.
We continue to talk and drink for another hour or so before Jasper says he wants to run Alice back to the flat to collect some things for their night out.
"Will you be okay?" Jasper asks me, Alice leaning into his side looking a little soberer than before.
"Yeah, I'll get a cab" I reply, "and I'll make sure that one gets home safely too" I add, tilting my head towards Edward who's starting to look a little worse for wear, swaying in his seat.
"Me?!" Edward replies loudly. "I'm as sober as a judge" He replies, slurring his words, proving my point.
"Sure you are" I say. "Come on, let's get you home" I stand, pulling Edward to his feet.
"My home or your home?" Edward sniggers. I ignore him, hoping the others will too.
We tell Alice and Jasper to head off before us, giving them time to grab their stuff, agreeing to work out what they owe at another time. Alice gives me a hug, telling me she loves me and that I look "fucking hot" before staggering off with Jasper who gives us a happy wave.
The rest of us settle our tab before exiting the club into the chilly night air. It's still fairly busy with most people trying to hail taxis or stumbling down the street to the bus stop. Emmett and Rose ask me if I'm sure I'm alright to get home and look after Edward who I've propped against a wall for the time being.
"Yeah I'll be fine." I say, hugging them both goodbye. They call their goodbyes to Edward who gives them a salute in response.
What a dork.
I walk back over to Edward and see his eyes look a little clearer since being out in the fresh air.
"You ok?" I ask him.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah" He replies, dragging his packet of cigarettes from his pocket and lighting one up. I nod before walking to the curb and trying to hail a cab. A few minutes later and after a few failed attempts, a car pulls to a stop.
"Come on Edward, I'm taking you back to mine" I say, pulling him by the arm towards the taxi, taking the cigarette from his lips and stubbing it out under my shoe.
"Ooo, wanna have your way with me?" He sniggers, falling into the cab. I roll my eyes, pushing him over so I can get in behind him. I give the driver my address and lean back in the seat. I look over at Edward and see him looking out the window, his face blank.
Ten minutes later we're back at the apartment. I pay the driver and Edward and I walk into the lobby. Once in the lift, I press the button for my floor, glancing at Edward who is slumped slightly against the side of the elevator, his head hanging low. The lift dings and we exit the lift, Edward stumbling a bit. I reach out my hands to steady him.
We make it to the door unscathed and I find my keys. I unlock the door, letting Edward walk in ahead of me. I flick on the lights and make sure to lock up behind myself.
Edward stands in the centre of the kitchen, his head bowed, his shoulders slumped. I watch him for a moment but he remains completely still, like a statue.
"Edward?" I say quietly, my voice seeming loud in the silent room. He lifts his head but doesn't turn around.
"Edward?" I say, repeating his name as I move closer to him. I touch his arm and he turns his head to look at me.
Suddenly his mouth slams into mine in a burning kiss. I stumble back slightly under his weight, my hands going to his shoulders to steady myself. I gasp slightly, Edward using the opportunity to force his tongue into my mouth. Edward pushes me backward, walking us into my bedroom before shoving me on the bed. I fall backward, my body hitting the mattress and bouncing lightly. I look up at him and his eyes are almost black.
This isn't like Edward...he's too rough, too...brutal
He undoes the buttons of his shirt in record time and pushes it off himself, before yanking the fly of his jeans open. He falls on top of me, his mouth latching onto my neck, leaving sloppy kisses down to my collarbone.
"Edward.." I say, trying to get his attention and maybe slow things down a little.
He's almost manic as he roughly grabs one of my breasts in his hand while the other searches for the zip of my dress.
Ow, that hurts...
"Edward..." I repeat, slightly louder. He ignores me
He realises my zip is on the back of my dress and suddenly I'm being flipped onto my stomach. I gasp, moving up onto my forearms. He practically rips the zip of my dress down, pushing his body into mine. He shoves the fabric of my dress out the way, trapping my arms slightly.
This isn't right...
"Edward! Stop!" I cry. That seems to get his attention. He freezes, completely still, breathing heavily.
"Fuck.." He says, lifting off of me. "Bella I'm so sorry".
I rise to my knees on the bed, forcing Edward to roll to the side. I pull my dress back up slightly to free my arms, before moving to lie next to him. His eyes are closed, a frown between his eyebrows, his mouth open slightly as he breathes heavily.
"Edward what's going on? You've been acting strangely all night." I say. He doesn't reply and all I can hear is our steady breathing.
"I lost a patient today" Edward whispers into the silence after a few minutes.
"Oh my god!" I say, lifting up onto my elbow so that I can see his face clearer. "Edward! Why didn't you say anything?!" I ask.
"Didn't want to ruin the night." He says quietly. "Didn't want to ruin Allie's birthday". His eyes are closed and his mouth is turned down slightly.
"Did you know them well?" I ask after a few moments.
"Yeah. His name was Tommie. He was only nine" He says, his voice barely a whisper. My heart breaks a little. "He loved skateboarding and video games. I bought him a card with a skateboarder on it for his birthday last week" he continues, his eyes tightly closed.
"What happened?" I ask quietly.
"He was in for treatment. He got up to go to the bathroom. Slipped. Hit his head. Had an aneurism." He replies, his voice cracking slightly. "It was a freak accident."
Poor Tommie...
Poor Edward...
"Edward...I'm so sorry" I say, touching his arm lightly. He flinches slightly under my touch but doesn't pull away.
"I can still hear his mother screaming when the surgeon told her." He says, his voice barely loud enough for me to hear. My heart breaks even more.
No wonder Edward seemed off all night, he was trying to have a good time with all this going on.
"I should have done something..." Edward says, trailing off. "I should have been quicker...moved faster...been nearer..."
"Edward don't do that" I say seriously, moving slightly nearer him so I can see his face easier. "You said it yourself, it was a freak accident. A tragic one, yes, but an accident nonetheless."
His eyes open slowly and he looks at me, his eyes sad.
"You are an amazing doctor and you did all you could to help that boy. You gave him happiness and cared about him while he was here and tried to help him as best you could in his final moments. It's the kind of horrific accident that happens once in twenty lifetimes..." I tell him.
"There was nothing more you could have done, Edward" I say gently, squeezing his arm slightly.
I see his eyes turn slightly glassy as he stares at me.
"There was nothing you could have done" I say again, trying to drum it into him.
He looks up, willing the tears that have gathered in his eyes to go away.
"There was nothing you could have done..." I repeat quietly.
He closes his eyes and stays completely still, not even breathing.
"It's okay to get upset Edward. It's just you and me." I whisper, "I promise to keep it under wraps if you're worried about your street cred".
Edward gives a short laugh before his face crumbles, a horse cry leaving his mouth. I pull him into my chest, rolling so that I'm lying on my back with him slightly on top of me. His arms wrap around my waist so tight it almost hurts, pushing his face into my neck. I feel the wetness from his tears and my own eyes start to water, having never seen Edward like this.
I don't think I've ever seen him cry. Not even when his grandmother died when we were at college.
I hold him for a long time, feeling his body heave and shake under my hands before his tears eventually subside. We stay like that for a few minutes, completely still, before I feel his mouth dropping wet kisses on my neck, moving higher to my cheek and then to my lips. I kiss him back for a moment before pulling away.
"Edward...I don't know if this is a good idea." I say quietly, looking into his red eyes and wiping the wetness from his cheeks.
"Bella...please. I'm not trying to use you but I just need to...feel alive...for a moment. I feel like I'm drowning in my head and I can't find my way out" he says, his voice gritty from crying.
I look at him for a moment before he leans in kissing my lips once.
"Please". Twice
"Please Bella". Three times.
I kiss him back, nodding my head slightly in understanding. He kisses me harder and moves on top of me, his fingers running gently up and down my bare back.
This is the Edward I know...
We kiss leisurely for a few moments before he leans up slightly.
"Can I take this off?" Edward asks quietly, fingering the fabric of my dress. I nod, sitting up and pushing the top of my dress down, pulling my arms through the sleeves. I lift my hips as Edward pulls the fabric from under me, gently dropping it to the floor.
I lie back in just my bra and panties while he kneels up and pushes his jeans down his hips, kicking them off completely. He returns to the bed, nestling his body between my legs and capturing my mouth once more.
He kisses me slowly, his hands in my hair and cupping my face. I moan quietly when I feel him reach under my back to undo my bra. When I feel the fabric loosen, I push it off of me, throwing it to one side.
Edward's large hands gently cup my breasts, kissing along the top. I feel the wetness in my panties increase.
"Sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you" he whispers quietly, moving his face back up to mine.
"It's okay. You didn't really" I whisper back, capturing his lips and moving my hands to his hair. He breaks the kiss before moving down the bed, his hands going to my panties and dragging them slowly down my legs. He groans quietly when he sees the wetness there.
He stands quickly, pushing his boxers off before crawling back up the bed and grabbing a condom from the nightstand. Slowly he pushes into me, his mouth meeting mine, our breaths mingling together.
Edward starts a slow pace, his mouth never leaving mine. The only sound in the room is our breathing, our hips meeting and the occasional moan or groan that slips from our mouths. My arms are wrapped around his neck, my legs around his hips. I start to feel my orgasm tingling in the bottom of my belly.
I don't want this to be over yet...
I pull my mouth away from Edward's, his eyes meeting mine in the dark.
"I wanna be on top" I whisper to him, pushing his shoulders slightly. He lifts one of my legs up higher on his hip before rolling us so I'm above him. I gasp slightly at the movement, placing my hands on his chest to steady myself.
I lift my hips up before dropping back down onto him slowly. Edward's eyes close, a breathy groan leaving his lips as he reaches down and links his fingers through mine. I continue to roll my hips above him, my head falls back, my hair hanging long down my back as I bring us both closer to our orgasms.
"Urgh Bella" Edward groans, sitting up to capture my mouth with his. I wrap my arms around his neck, my hands going to his hair. There's no space between our bodies, our chests rising and falling together. I can feel Edward's muscles starting to twitch under me, signaling his impending release. I'm right behind him.
I pull back from him, his eyes meeting mine, glittering in the darkness.
"Find a way out Edward" I whisper. His eyes bore into mine, his mouth dropping open slightly as he pants, teetering on the edge of bliss. "Find your way out and come find me".
Suddenly his eyes close, his arms around my middle, pinning me to him as he shakes beneath me, dragging me over that cliff with him. I whimper as I finally find my release, my hands pulling Edward's mouth to mine.
When we finally come back down to earth, my eyes find Edward's burning into mine with a look I can't identify.
"I need to clean up Bells" Edward whispers, his eyes never leaving mine. I nod, moving off of him so that he can dispose of the condom. I stand and grab a tshirt from my closet, popping it over my head before throwing on some clean panties. I crawl back into the bed, watching as Edward searches for his boxers, pulling them on.
He moves to lie on the bed, turning to face me, our faces inches apart.
"You ok?" I whisper to him, my eyes meeting his.
"Yeah." He replies. "Thank you" He suddenly whispers.
"For what?" I ask, frowning slightly.
"For being here" he shrugs slightly. Suddenly, he rolls onto his back, pulling me into his body, tucking me under his arm.
This is new...
Are we...cuddling?
"Edward" I say, a small smile in my voice. "Are we cuddling?"
I feel Edward chuckle slightly, my head bobbing with the movement.
"Don't tell the others" He says quietly, sounding a bit more like his usual self.
"Pinky promise" I reply, raising my arm up and sticking my finger out. I hear him huff before locking pinkies with me.
We lie like that for a long time, not saying anything, just listening to each other's even breathing. I can hear the steady thump of Edward's heart beneath my ear. His fingers start brushing up and down my arm slowly in a soothing motion. After a few minutes, I realise he's drawing a star pattern on my arm.
"What are you doing?" I ask, giggling slightly at the tickle.
"You have a scar there" He murmurs, running his finger along the slightly rough, shiny skin on my arm.
"Yeah, I got it when I was a kid" I reply, raising my arm slightly to see the scar.
"What happened?" Edward asks.
"I was making an ice cream stick house for my toy bears with my friend Angela" I reply, tilting my head to look into his eyes. He looks down out me, smiling slightly.
"Your toy bears?" He asks with a grin.
"Yeah" I shrug, "but I was like...really into it so we were using an industrial glue gun but Angela accidentally waved her hands while discussing how to best attach the slide we were making and got me right in the arm." I tell him, pointing at the scar.
Edward suddenly laughs, loud and happy. I can't help but laugh with him.
I've missed that sound tonight...
"Only you Bella Swan would get injured with an industrial glue gun while making your toy bears a slide!" He says, chuckling at me.
"Yeah well, it fucking hurt let me tell you," I reply, poking him lightly in the chest. He grabs my hand, placing it over his heart, lying back and closing his eyes. I watch him for a moment, the smile still playing at his lips before tucking my head back down.
"Is it ok if I stay the night?" Edward whispers, his voice sleepy.
"Yeah" I whisper back. I snuggle further into him, pulling the duvet around us, the sound of Edward's heartbeat lulling me to sleep.