Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
~0~
~~Edward~~
I woke to the trill screeching of the digital clock next to my bed and reached over to slam my fist to stop it. I sat upright, taking notice that I was still in my jeans and T-shirt. My shoes and socks were off, and a blanket I didn't recognize was covering my knees.
I clenched my eyes closed.
I remembered getting in Bella's rental car. I remembered leaning into her as we stumbled to my room. Oh God, I think I touched the bare skin of her waist. I could remember how soft and warm she felt. I could remember her floral perfume, her hair smelled faintly of strawberries mixed with the odor of cigarette smoke.
Bella had left a bottle of water for me as well as my wallet and room card on the bedside table. "Ugh," I groaned.
I had grabbed her around the waist. Bella had massaged my scalp and her hands had felt so good, her hands through my hair.
I recalled she had cradled each foot in her hands as she took my socks off, slowly, one by one. The thought sent all the blood in my body rushing to my cock.
Oh fuck, why didn't I stop drinking after my set? If I hadn't accepted that first drink, they probably wouldn't have continued buying me beers. Fuck. I must have passed out on the bed.
And then my mind wandered to what could have happened if I had been sober.
I would have kissed her. Would I have told her that I was in love with her? Shit, I have to get in the shower. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and went to stand, but my head was pounding and my mouth was dry. I grabbed the water she had left for me and guzzled it down, before walking to the bathroom to get into a rather unpleasant cold shower.
What am I going to do? I'm in love with Bella. Alice is going to freak out. I have to call her.
I quickly washed my hair, as all I could smell was the cigarette smoke. God, Bella had sat in that smoky room for hours and I she absolutely hated cigarettes. She did that for me, so I could play the guitar and the piano on stage in front of a real audience, an audience that appreciated music and didn't scream at me.
I hastily got ready; the chauffeured car would be picking me up at 6:30. Once I arrived on location and the make-up artist was done with me, I knew I had about fifteen minutes before they would call me to the set. I just had to call my sister Alice.
I pulled my iPhone out of my front pocket. Alice had tried to call me five times last night; she'd been trying to call me daily for almost two weeks. I knew why and I couldn't avoid her forever.
There were also three missed calls from Emmett. God he's going to wail on me.
I stepped out of the elevator and walked through the lobby. The black car was waiting, and a fuming Emmett McCarty stood scowling at me with clenched teeth. I nodded politely and got into the car. He slammed the door. I was thankful that Emmett never rode in my car; he always followed, so if anything happened to me or the driver, he could respond as quickly as possible.
I could tell he was fucking livid with me for not calling him back to let him know where I was last night. The drive took half an hour. I had half-a-fucking hour of hell. I was nervous about what Emmett was going to say to me, I was anxious about speaking to Alice and I was overcome with pure emotion whenever I thought of Bella, and how fucking amazing it felt to kiss her last night. If I had thought that touching her was out of this world, the static, the buzz, the warmth that came with touching her skin to skin was nothing compared to what it felt like to touch my lips to her cheek.
Fucking hell...I'm so screwed!
Eventually the car pulled in and parked. I waited. Emmett opened the door. He didn't say anything or even look at me, he simply held the door for me as I stepped out and started walking briskly to my trailer.
"Edward!"
Fuck, here we go. I took a deep breath and slowly turned to face him, and was shocked to find that he was grinning at me.
"I didn't think you had it in you Ed. Sneaking off without getting caught. How did she do it? I mean, no one in the hotel saw you. No paps photographed you. How in the fuck...where did she take you?"
He smiled and walked up to me and slapped me on the back with a chuckle. "You thought I was going to chew you out about it, huh?"
I gaped at him. "Well, yeah, I did."
"I was, but fuck, she must really be important to you if you risked being caught in a media frenzy to be alone with her."
"She is, Emmett, she means everything to me. Hey, can we talk later? I have to call my sister."
I turned and hurried into my trailer. I have to tell Alice.
~0~
"Edward! It's about time! I can't believe you've been avoiding me! What name did you check-in under this time? I tried all your usual aliases; you did that deliberately, didn't you!"
"I…I'm on set Alice and I probably can't talk for very long. There's…well, I mean, I need to ask for your advice and I need to discuss something with you."
"Have you met someone? Where were you last night? I felt it Edward, it was…amazing!" Her voice had softened somewhat from her admonishing rant.
God, I was stupid to think I could hide anything from Alice. "Yes, Alice, but before you bombard me with questions, can you hear me out?"
"Where was she born Edward?"
"Alice, please! Can you just listen? As soon as they call for me I'm going to have to go, I want to give you all the information before you go jumping to conclusions. I need you to listen so I can explain everything. Can you do that? Can you listen without interrupting?"
"Okay Edward, but skip the boring parts already and tell me her name!"
"Alice." I warned.
"Okay, I'm listening," she huffed.
"Her name is Bella Swan."
I proceeded to give Alice the shortened version of how I met Bella in the bar when she gave me the lyrics. How I was certain she hadn't known it was me and that she had been mortified when she had realized it, because she said she was a fan, and thought I would think she was a crazy sycophant.
I told Alice about taking Bella to meet Ben and Angela and doing a rough recording of the song. I told her about going that night to see Ben's band play.
I described the daily messages, the nightly meetings in the bar to talk, and then I proceeded to tell her about last night.
"Bella snuck me out of the hotel in a car she had rented. She arranged for me to play a set at this old club. The place was filled with musicians in their sixties. No fans at all Alice, and the youngest female there apart from Bella was sixty-five! She'd been planning it for at least a week. She said she knew that I missed playing to an audience, and that she had to search for the perfect spot, somewhere she knew I wouldn't get mobbed.
"The audience was so encouraging and the feedback they gave me on the song was invaluable. None of them seemed to recognize me; if they did, they didn't mention it, they just wanted to talk to me about my music. They even gave me suggestions on the arrangement. God Alice, it was a really amazing night.
"Except, everyone kept buying me beers, and I got drunk. Bella took me back to the hotel and...I can't remember what I said to her. Fuck, Alice, I passed out.
"I'm in love with her," I blurted. It felt so wonderfully amazing to say that out loud. "She knows me, the real me...not the ideal of me created by the media! I feel the most intense electrical buzz when we touch. I'm so confused."
"Edward, you know what I want to ask you. Can I speak now?"
It was inevitable that once I answered Alice's questions, she would be thoroughly convinced that Bella was the girl that she had dreamt about when we were sixteen. I remember everything she said to me that morning before school. So did she, she would never let me forget, and I knew I would always believe that what Alice had dreamed could be possible, because Alice had met Jasper, and he was the exact guy she had dreamed about when she was fourteen, it had taken her five years to find him. Her soul mate.
"Ask away, Alice," I sighed.
"Where was Bella born, Edward?"
"Bella was born in Washington."
"Oh, well, she's not the one." She sounded deflated. "Just fucking get laid and move on, she can't make you happy. She will be a distraction until your soul mate comes along. I know that sounds cruel, but you know I'm right."
"Alice, can you let me finish? I said she was born in Washington. She was born in Forks, Alice. Her father and mother divorced when she was young, and she left Forks with her mother. They moved to Sydney, Australia."
Silence.
I could almost visualize the cogs turning in Alice's brain. She was speechless, and Alice's description of the dream she had that morning came flooding back:
'Edward, I dreamt of your soul mate! She's beautiful; she's kind and self-sacrificing. She will love you more than you will ever know. She will be searching for you; you are destined to be together. I think it's soon, Edward, I feel like you will meet her very soon. She is creative and humble. She loves music; she will be your muse. She will support you and encourage you; you will be lost without her. Edward, the impression in my dream was extremely distinct. She has beautiful chocolate brown eyes and she has an accent - she's Australian.'
"If her parents hadn't divorced, you would have met her when we moved to Forks." Alice's statement was simple and to the point. "But, then she wouldn't have had an Australian accent. She was meant to go to Australia." Alice's confusion was evident.
"Alice, she was meant to go and live with her father in junior year. It was all arranged, she was going to leave Australia to live with him in Forks, but she fought it. I would have too, if I was her. Could you imagine living with Chief Swan?" I laughed.
"Chief Swan? Charlie Swan is her father?"
"Yes."
"Fuck, Edward, it is her!"
"Alice, calm down."
"It's her, Edward. You know it, if she would have come to Forks High…"
"She didn't, Alice."
"You should have gone with mom and dad to Australia."
"What?"
"You would have met her then, Edward. In Sydney. It's her. Have you forgotten that dad turned down the job to oversee the set up of that new hospital wing in Sydney?"
I had completely forgotten about that. My father, Carlisle, had been headhunted to set up a new wing of The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. He wanted to do it, but it would have meant a minimum of four years in Australia. Alice wouldn't go; she had just met Jasper and would never have left him. She was going to UCLA. I had decided not to go to college; I wanted to continue with my music and try acting, so I moved from Forks to LA as well.
Alice and I encouraged our parents to go to Australia. They even went on a two-week visit to see what Sydney was like, but mom couldn't bear to move to another country and leave us, even though we were quite capable of looking after ourselves. She was torn between supporting dad and his career, and providing parental support for us as well as a family home. Instead, they left Forks to follow us to LA and mom bought a glorious Art Deco mansion and spent all her time renovating it. Our family home – a safe haven from the tornado of my life. Dad always claimed that he would have other chances, and they never talked about it again.
"I told you to go Edward. You would have met Bella four years ago."
"Come on Alice, Sydney is not a hick town of a few hundred. It's a major city; you know as a well as I do that the chances were slim that I would have met her there."
"Well, it seems to me that her parents' divorce was the first decision that has kept you apart. Then her decision not to live with Chief Swan was the second, and you not pushing mom and dad to go to Australia was the third. You were always meant to be together, both your decisions have led you to meet now. Don't fuck it up, Edward. Bella is the one. Does she have brown eyes?" Alice's excitement was endearing, she would have felt my emotions last night; elation, attraction, love…
"Yes Alice, she has brown eyes." I couldn't help but roll mine. I knew what was coming next.
"I want to meet her. I can come to Vancouver in a few weeks."
"Alice, please, I'm not sure Bella feels that way about me. We're just friends; we're just getting to know each other." The last thing I needed was Alice showing up and physically pushing me at Bella and vice versa.
"Bullshit Edward! I guarantee you that she is feeling exactly what you are. Poor girl doesn't have the insight that we do so she's probably thinking you are not into her. I suppose you told her about your stupid rule?"
"What? Well, yes. She wondered if I was dating Rosalie. Of course I told her that I don't get intimately involved with people I work with. I didn't want her to think that I was taken."
"Oh Edward, sometimes you are a real ass."
"What do you mean, Alice?"
"You told her you don't get involved with co-workers…and you're working with her to produce the song. I assume she is in 50/50 on the development of it, right? So, of course she's not going to overtly show any attraction to you. She probably thinks you have no interest in her, you jerk! You can be so oblivious sometimes. Do you think she would have gone to all that trouble to set up that gig for you last night if she didn't have feelings for you? Get your head out of your ass! That is the single most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you. She knows you better than you know yourself and you've only known her for what...less than two weeks?"
My head was scrambling with emotions. The thought that Bella had feelings for me made my heart pound and stomach lurch.
"Have you spoken to Bella this morning?"
"No."
"Well fuck, Edward. Don't you think you should do something about that? She arranged that amazingly wonderful gig for you, in secret, and then she gets you back to the hotel and you pass out on her."
"I don't know what to say to her Alice. I don't deserve her. She doesn't deserve the fucked-up public life that would be hers if we were together. I can't put her through that!"
"Don't you think she should get a say in that, Edward?"
"Alice, we hardly know each other. I'm portrayed as some fucking sex symbol. You know I'm not, I don't even come close. She deserves something more. I'd just be a disappointment."
"Edward, it is inevitable. You just told me you're in love with her! You'll be absolutely fucked if you let her go! She is the one, Edward. She will love you no matter what your experience is, that doesn't even enter into the argument. Stop being a fucking drama queen and admit it, or I'm booking a flight this evening and coming to knock some sense into you."
"No Alice, don't come…yet. I see what you're saying, I'm just…" A loud bang on my trailer door stopped my words instantly.
"Five minutes, Edward," shouted the location manager.
"I have to go, Alice." I wasn't in the mood to try and explain to her how I thought my restrictive and sometimes fake public persona made me feel inadequate for Bella.
"Wait! Promise me you'll call me later," she demanded.
"I will."
"Before you go on set, you have to call her or send her a text or something. You don't have to declare yourself, but you can't just blow her off without acknowledgement of what she did for you last night."
"I know. Okay, I'll do it now. I'll be in LA and then New York this weekend. I'll email you my itinerary so we can catch up in person, okay?"
"Okay, and Edward...I'm so gloriously happy for you, and I can't wait to meet Bella. I understand you want to take it slow. But don't deny your feelings, don't give her mixed signals, she belongs to you. Don't fuck this up, Edward, or you'll regret it forever." Alice didn't mince words
"Thanks, Alice."
"No problem, big brother. I love you."
"I love you too. Bye."
I took a deep breath and typed a message in my phone to Bella:
Good morning Bella. I probably don't have to tell you how hung over I feel. Last night was fantastic. I absolutely love that you did that for me. The only regret I have is not refusing all those beers, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. See you in the bar later? Love, E. x
I looked at the time; it was 8:25am. I wasn't sure if she would even be awake, and I had to leave my phone in my trailer. I waited anxiously. My heart was pounding in my chest. I must have been standing there for a minute, when I realized I had to go.
I placed my phone on the table and walked to the trailer door dejectedly. Just as I opened the door, my phone chimed and it was in my hand after one long stride. I looked at the screen.
Mmm, you were a little wrecked last night! Maybe we should go easy, no alcohol tonight! Love B. x
I was ecstatic and nervous all at the same time. I couldn't wait for the working day to end.
~~Bella~~
I woke from the sound of my phone chiming; someone sent me a text message. Edward? I grabbed my phone and read.
Good morning Bella. I probably don't have to tell you how hung over I feel. Last night was fantastic. I absolutely love that you did that for me. The only regret I have is not refusing all those beers, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. See you in the bar later? Love, E. x
I read the message again. He loved that I did that for him—I assumed he meant arranging for him to play at Laurent's. He regrets drinking too much. That was his only regret. He didn't regret touching me, he didn't regret wrapping his arms around my waist as I dug my fingers into his hair. Did he even remember any of that?
He still wanted to meet me in the bar tonight. He signed the message Love, E with a 'x' kiss. Love, it was a powerful word, but written in a text message as a valediction was a different thing altogether.
I don't know how long I lay in bed reading his text and try to decode each word. Just say yes. We're friends, last night he was pissed; he didn't mean to do any of those things. He was just a red-blooded guy with beer goggles.
I started typing and then deleted the entire text. Yes, I wanted to spend the evening with him, like every other evening. Things hadn't changed, had they? I'll just pretend nothing happened between us. Nothing did happen, really. I'm in love, but he isn't. We're friends. My imagination and wishful thinking just wanted to read more into his every touch and look.
Mmm, you were a little wrecked last night! Maybe we should go easy, no alcohol tonight! Love B. x
I read it and read it again before closing my eyes shut while I tapped 'send'.
I jumped into the shower, desperate to wash the cigarette stench from my porous hair. He just wanted to let me know he appreciated me setting up the gig last night. Alcohol aside, I'm sure we'll go back to our easy friendship.
My mind was a flood of emotions and memories the whole time I was in the shower and getting dressed. I thought about how happy and alive Edward had been last night when he was on the stage. He was so comfortable. His natural musical talent was evident. His voice was seductively sensual, and his eyes sparkled.
I thought about the contentment I sensed when I saw him in that smoky bar. Up until recently, my writing had given me the same contentment. But since the night I'd written the lyrics, my mind had been filled with other thoughts. Thoughts of the mysterious pianist. Thoughts of Edward. I really struggled now to be able to get the words out.
I dried my hair and finished getting dressed. There was only one other thing I could do that gave me the sense of contentment and happiness that was comparable to what I thought Edward was feeling last night on the stage. So I grabbed my handbag and jacket and bounded out of my room and down to the concierge desk.
"Hi Mike."
"Miss Swan, how are you this morning?"
"I'm great, thanks. Please call me Bella, Miss Swan sounds so formal!"
He smiled at me.
"I wanted to thank you; I took my friend to Laurent's last night! Mike, it was the perfect place. Thank you again for suggesting it," I gushed.
"I'm so glad I could help, Bella. Really there's no need to thank me."
"Well, I couldn't have arranged it without you, and I'm hoping I can stretch the friendship again and ask you for directions?"
"Of course, that's what I'm here for."
"I need to buy some blank CD's." I had never narrowed down my Australian band playlist for Edward. I was determined to do it. He could then take the CD's with him when went he went away on the publicity tour on the weekend.
Mike wrote me down the name and directions to a store.
I walked in the glorious sun and went over and over in my mind everything that happened last night. The way Edward looked on the stage, the smile on his lips when he was talking to all the musicians. The look in his eyes when he had touched me, standing unsteadily in the entryway to his suite.
Oh God. My mind started concocting scenario's, fantasies. In my twisted imagination, Edward wasn't drunk last night. He was funny, casual, happy, and when we walked into his suite he grabbed me at my waist, and he kissed me, slowly. I imagined the taste of him, the smell of his cologne. I imagined his hands running up and down my back, caressing my bare skin underneath my top. Then he easily lifted me and carried me into his room, laying me on his huge, enticing bed, peeling my clothes off…slowly.
I imagined touching his stomach, above his jeans as he hovered over me on the bed. I imagined tugging on his belt and looking up into his eyes to see them dark with lust. Oh God, I could imagine him unhooking my bra and touching my bare breasts and sucking on my neck.
"Hey, watch out!"
I stopped, right before I was about to walk into a mother trying to steer a massive stroller, and wrangle a three year old who was squirming to run away from her.
"Sorry," I gushed as I sidestepped and stood out of the way. My heart rate had picked up and I was disoriented and spaced out.
Edward.
Snap out of it Bella, I mentally chanted.
Once I had bought the CD's I started walking back to the hotel. I passed a cute little patisserie on the way and something in the window caught my eye instantly.
When I got back to the hotel. I put my dessert purchase in the little bar fridge, made myself a cup of tea and opened my Mac. There was an email from Irina in my inbox:
From: Stanis, Irina
To: Bella Swan
Subject: Re: Help!
Edward Cullen! THE Edward Cullen! The Hollywood actor! Bella, I seriously thought you were joking, until I received a response from his lawyer and his agent!
I understand now why you asked me to keep all the details to myself. I haven't told anyone, but Bella, if I'd met Edward Cullen and had written lyrics to his song I'd be telling the world about it!
I have to know, is he as good looking in real life? Have you met his girlfriend as well?
Can I tell the girls in the office?
Anyway, his agent seems like a bit of a ball-breaker, but his lawyer seems pretty efficient. I have the contract and terms, and I must say Bella, they are very generous. I'll go through all of it tonight and email you back some key points in layman's terms, but everything looks good.
Bella you do realise that if this song does make it onto the soundtrack for the film, well, you will get a very hefty royalty payment? The initial figure that his lawyer was sprouting kind of nearly made me fall off my chair. Let's just say you could comfortably keep writing for the next two years without the need to find a real job!
I hope your not going to ditch writing your novel to be a full time lyricist? But then again Bella, it kind of shocks me the difference between music publishing and the humble old book. It's definitely opened my eyes.
OK, back to work, but expect an email from me later tonight with a more detailed analysis of the copyright contract.
Love Irina,
xx
I closed the email. My mind couldn't even comprehend thinking of royalty payments. How did I feel about Irina wanting to tell the girls in the office that I had met Edward? Meeting him still feels surreal even to me, let alone trying to wonder what all my friends back in Sydney would think once they find out – especially Jessica. I knew they all would eventually. It was inevitable.
Even Irina believes the media hype about him being in a relationship with Rosalie. But my mind didn't want to think of such things. All I wanted to do was remember last night.
When I closed my eyes, I could remember the way his warm lips lingered on my cheek and I could almost fool myself into believing that the heat from his lips were still there, and my fingers still felt the ghost of the texture of his hair, and the feel of it, all messy and thick, yet soft and full.
Oh God, stop torturing yourself Bella!
I dug the blank CD's out of my bag, opened up iTunes and started scrolling through the music playlist entitled 'Edward'.
I removed a heap of older songs. Now I knew what type of music Edward played, I understood that he had a preference for the soul, and blues inspired ones, and songs that had lyrics with a story to tell.
Once I was happy with the final compilation, I started burning the CD's. Then I typed out a track listing. All the while I was thinking about meeting Edward in the bar tonight. Would he act differently?
And then, even though I was pretty sure my covert visit to Laurent's had gone unnoticed by the paps, there was nothing to guarantee that he wasn't spotted or captured with a mobile phone camera.
As soon as I thought of that I opened a new safari window on my laptop and did a search. After about fifteen minutes, I was confident that we had not been seen by anyone. The last date of a pap pic that I could find was from three days ago when he had been coming back to the hotel—he had stopped to sign some autographs.
I checked my email again and there was a message from Gates Lake Cabin. I had inquired about booking the cabin for a long weekend, but it had been booked solid until after Christmas, and I never got around to looking for an alternative close by. I opened the email. It basically said that the person that had rented it had decided to leave early, and if I still wanted it, I could take it from next Thursday until the following Tuesday. I clicked on the link and looked at the photos again. It was beautiful; a lovely cabin right by the lake. It was a real log cabin, and it was only a couple of hours drive away.
I hit reply to the message saying I wanted it and provided my credit card details and my mobile number. I could drive Thursday morning and come back Tuesday morning. I could devote my time to writing. But when I thought of not seeing Edward for six days, my chest ached and I couldn't bring myself to hit the send button.
What is wrong with me?
The conflict was tearing me up. I could tell him how I feel. The rejection would be painful, crushing even, and I doubt he'd want to spend time with me after that. I'd leave the hotel and never see him again. And then I thought that maybe he did have feelings for me and, if he knew I felt the same, maybe we could be together. Well, that was silly, he would never want me. I was going back to Sydney in January, and he'll be off filming in some other country...It would never work out.
I hit send. I had to stop making decisions based on a gorgeous Hollywood actor that I barely knew that just happened to want to use the lyrics that I wrote in a psychotic daze. Once he had recorded Episode and the song was definitely signed to be on the soundtrack, he would move on to his next project. Blurting out my feelings and scaring him away was not an option. I would rather be his friend than not have any contact with him at all. It will be hard enough when he finishes filming and I'm stuck in this hotel knowing he has gone.
I tried not to mope. I didn't know how to fill my time while waiting for him. I had no clue as to what time he would be back at the hotel. He normally arrived after ten most nights. What could I do with myself in the mean time?
I called the hire car company and told them I wanted to keep the car for another twelve days. I would need it to go away to the cabin, and maybe when I returned from my trip I could take Edward back to Laurent's.
I decided I'd just go up to the bar. It would be hours before Edward arrived, but there was nothing I wanted more than to be sitting in 'our' booth.
I ordered a diet coke from James and reluctantly pulled out my Mac, re-read my last two chapters and then before I registered what had happened, my fingers flew over the keys in a flurry of expression.
The writer's block was gone!
~0~
A/N: So, Edward finally called Alice!
I have submitted an entry to the Texts From Last Night Contest called Exclusively. Voting is open for two more days (June 15, 2010), so I hope you take the time to read the stories and vote for your favourite two:
Story community here:
www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/community/Texts_From_Last_Night_Contest/79665/99/0/1/
Vote Here: www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/u/2276896/BagofEggsBetches
Come and visit the Episode thread on the Twilighted Forum,
http:/www (dot) twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9959 or just leave me a review
