Everyone says that falling in love is an easy thing to do like a walk in the park but the main cobblestone to cross is maintaining one bond. Solidifying it through enduring the thick and thin of the times together and Edward and Bella were getting there.
They both fancied each other and found it pleasurable to have time together but they still were not in love. With all the despair she'd gone through and with Edward's comforting side as a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel really put a strong foundation to this relationship. Fights and arguments were uncommon unlike any ordinary relationship because it was different. The way Edward was and Bella had been. Both were lotuses in the murky water with their different maturity levels and challenging pasts. Bella, being a little empathetic and understanding whereas, Edward had always been 'the nice guy'. The one who cooks for you and even helps you get into your pajamas when you're ill. The one who spends hours with you, leaving everything else lifting you up when you get down and the one who makes your heart grow fonder when you're apart. He was her strength and she was on the way to owning him. His heart, body and soul...
Edward was the non committal type but surprisingly craved this binding of their relationship into marriage.
He was always the relaxed one. Taking everything slow and step by step but Bella always rushed into things. She wasn't impatient or immature but had this tinge of quickness to every single attitude of hers and he liked it for some odd reason. He liked when she got irked up for no reason altogether. He liked it when she danced absent mindedly in a room full of neon lights. He liked it when she would come out of the blue just to woo him in the middle of something important. The way she moved, the way she smiled and those little pecks on the cheek after every date nights.
He liked everthing in her...every inch of her. But liked...not loved. There was still time for love. But then they say that a human's brain requires four minutes to fall in love so how much time did he need? Or was it even gonna happen...ever? But this time, he wanted to rush into this sacred alliance. It drizzled down from the heavens on one of the evenings of February. He wanted to do it but he had to put his stuff together before that. There was so much more he had to take care of than just this. And most importantly, his head had been a mess in regards to her. What was the best thing for them? He still needed time to figure out his feelings for her. He always asked himself...Do I love her? And the answer used to be disappointing.
She felt the proposal coming but then no one can be sure of the forthcomings. Isn't it? That morning, sunshine was refreshing than ever. It felt weirdly euphoric. She was humming a song and working the towel down her brown wet locks roaming around the garden like an angel in a soft pink bath robe and looking up at the far reaching branches of the trees. It was windy today and she felt instantly delighted just peering at the whole scenario and the little flicks of sunshine gleaming through the leaves. It was majestically gorgeous. She had always had a connection with wind. It signified angels around her looking over. She adored it when the trees flickered in the wind as if celebrating something. It always felt so auspicious when she was in nature...something made her feel grand.
Her feet bare on the grass and it was cold but it was different so, she wanted it. She quivered when the wind went cruising around her as if it was Edward grabbing her from the back and the color rose to her cheeks. Her hair was slightly damp at the ends. It was a gorgeous canopy with her in it. She thought of him. She always did because he never left regardless of where she went and what she was preoccupied with. But now he was behind her in white trousers and shirt, unruly beard, messy hair, scruff collars and that sleepy, rumpled look on his clothes as if he just rolled out of bed and came straight looking for her. She sensed that he was there but she didn't turn. He was there and he was coming...she knew it. He advanced towards her enveloping her fully in his arms. Her lips curved into a coy smile seconds before his arms wrapped around her waist and navel. Pushing her back towards him...leaning backwards into him. Wind stormed around their feet.
"Bella..."
She turned around facing him and he stepped back.
"Yeah...?"
Is this where the proposal is coming, she thought.
"Let's go to Stockholm."
"What?"
"Yes."
"And when did you plan that?"
"Just now."
She giggled.
"When is it?"
"Tonight"
"Are you serious?"
He only smiled.
She kept her hands on either sides of her waist and trailed them down to the hem of her bath robe. The hair on her arm went all the way up just like her expectations for the proposal which she was thinking of.
It had to...sooner or later.
"Let's pack up. What are you waiting for?"
She went inside and he followed behind her.
She took off the pale pink thick bathrobe she'd been wearing and quickly got into a pair of faded blue denim, a velvety silk red top and a black blazer on top.
Arms crossed and his body leaned slightly against the wall to the right, he stood at the threshold watching her silently.
She did not meet his gaze because she felt embarassed as she buttoned her blazer into place, a flush of color rose to her cheeks.
She quickly took the towel and hanged it on the cloth hanger trying her best to seem occupied.
"What do you wanna wear?"
After opening the wardrobe, she kept ruffling through the clothes in the cupboard.
"Gosh, you're so gorgeous... I can't."
She turned around with a cheeky smile on her face and he inhaled as if he might bolt towards her any minute though, he was in the exact same position.
"Umm..." Only sound that came out of her mouth.
"It'd be totally unfair."
"What?"
"If someone else gets to marry you." He said
She laughed heartily. She knew it was just around the corner.
"I thought you would save it for Stockholm."
"Save what?"
"The proposal."
"Nah...that was never the plan."
"We're not going?"
"Of course we are."
"So you didn't plan on…um." She felt utterly stupid already.
"Plan?"
"Never mind, I just was probably over thinking or something." She turned around feeling like she wanted to dig her face into the heap of clothes piled up in the cupboard.
"Hey hey hey hey…" He stormed towards her.
"Gosh I am so stupid…I should have been a bit more discreet." She let out an embarrassing laugh.
He kissed her hair from the back feeling bad for her and the guilt that was sort of piled up.
"I'm really sorry, Bel. This was on my own since last year and I was just about to plan something on it."
"And still, since all this time, you didn't…. I thought you had." She let out a sigh.
"I thought you were gonna do anytime sooner." She added
"Hey...I um…didn't really think about marriage so soon. I didn't plan on bringing it about this sooner."
Her mouth went ajar.
"But I thought that we both were on the same page when were having dinner that day."
"When?" Edward seemed confused
"Last weekend, when you seemed so sure of this." She crossed her arms, staring straight at him tensely. "You were also talking about your trip to Manhattan and your other upcoming plans this year."
"Oh how I wish, I could explain it all. Firstly, there is a lot that goes. I just don't have to buy a ring. And there are countless other things that I need to get done before we jump into this. I need you to spare me some time."
"What things?" She eyes him suspiciously
"You know it, Bella. You do. Don't do this to me. I think you also need time to figure things out."
"But I don't have much."
"I think we both need to rethink this."
"Rethink what? Do you not want to marry me or is there someone else?"
"Oh Jesus, I am tired of explaining it to you. I want to marry you and only you."
"So what's the deal with time? We have been going around in circles for almost five years now. Why should I have to wait now? I just cannot deal with our reasons anymore. I have known you for bloody fifteen years."
"You do not understand a single thing. Not a single thing!"
"I have clients coming up and I'd be out of the state for at least next seven months." He added
"How convenient of your excuses to show up whenever you need them to be there. I am just not falling for this… now."
"My answer would still be the same."
She got even more enraged now.
"Well I am not going to be waiting for you, forever and ever."
She went out of the door grabbing her handbag from the coffee table flinging it unsteadily on the shoulder.
"Where you going?"
"Some urgent work."
"What?" He was flustered.
"Yes." She yelled from the other room grabbing her platform heels.
"Why are you doing this? Why?"
She wore the black platform shoes and went out of the entrance getting into her SUV. He was flustered and bewildered and she felt agonized. He came running towards her but she had her sunglasses on along with the mean expressions which she always kept in handy.
Wonder what the use of them was right now...
A smile escaped through those brittle face expressions every time she saw poor Edward running towards her.
He rapped at the glass of the car and her smile widened naturally.
She loved him and even bragged about it that how much she loved him. He never did. He spoke less of it but everything he said was a peek into the treasure. It's always deeper with the one who says less of it not the other way around.
Do I take it for granted? She would ask herself often times and the answer was pretty clear.
"Bella...please. I am coming with you."
"As you wish." She said after ruminating for a bit.
"But at least wear shoes." She added adjusting the goggles on the ridge of her nose.
"I am wearing shoes."
He got in the seat next to driver's seat and she didn't look at him and drove on.
They looked perfect with each other. But the compatibility...it wasn't there or it was there. That was a question. But things were getting interesting for Bella at least.
