Giant thanks to Sherry and Paige for editing this!
"Oh my life, is changing everyday
In every possible way
And oh my dreams, it's never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems
I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more
Because it came from you."
-The Cranberries-
BPOV:
"Do you see something you like?" I ask as I feel his eyes roam over my body.
I know that my body isn't for every man, but I've grown to love every inch of it. I can't believe there are people out there who practically starve themselves just so they can fit into a smaller size. I couldn't care less what society deems as beautiful. When I look in the mirror, I like what I see. I remember when I was a teenager, I found it hard to look at myself naked. I didn't want to see my soft curves and large tits that no one else my age had. I wanted a flat stomach, toned legs, and perky, little tits. Every time I stepped out of the shower, I would keep my head down to avoid looking in the mirror and would wrap myself in a towel so quickly, as if my life depended on it. Now, however, I'll take a few moments to admire my figure. Hell, now I'll walk around my home completely naked and proud.
"So, you're a runaway bride then?" he asks, bashfully changing the subject as he gestures to my wedding dress.
"Oh, this old thing?" I tease, running my hands over the lace fabric of my expensive dress, for a wedding that's never going to happen. "This was just laying around my apartment. It's laundry day," I tease with a wink. He laughs, a sound that manages to send a chill down my spine due to its deep timbre. "All joking aside, if you talked to the groom for more than five minutes you would understand why I left."
"So, you weren't madly in love with him?" he teases me right back.
"No," I say with an unladylike snort. "It was practically an arranged marriage. If anyone was madly in love with Eric, it was my parents. Every time I wanted to end things with him, they'd always convince me to stay with him."
He smiles at my comment as he pulls onto I-10 W. We have a seven hour drive ahead of us and I couldn't be more relieved. I want to get as far away from Willow City as I possibly can. I want to chuck this wedding dress into the garbage and pretend the last few years of my life never happened.
As I stare out the window, saying goodbye to the city I spent most of my life in, the music on the radio lures me from my peace. For some reason Honey Bee is rubbing me the wrong way. I used to love this song, but it's too cute to be something I want to listen to after running away from my own wedding. I desperately need a female vocalist who isn't going to harp about how great her relationship is.
Distracting the man beside me as I reach for the dial to change the station, I ask, "Sorry, I forgot your name."
"I didn't give it," he says, throwing me a crooked smile before his attention returns to the road. "It's Edward. What about you, sweetheart? You didn't give me your name either."
"Well, I definitely haven't heard the name Edward in a while," I tease him. "My name's Bella. I guess it was rude of me to not give you my name before jumping into your truck," I say as I change the radio to a local rock station. Yes, The Cranberries! This is exactly what I need right now.
"Real funny, Miss Bella. The driver gets control of the radio," he says as he turns it back to his country station.
"Well, I'm sorry. I'm tired of listening to country all the time," I say with a pout, crossing my arms over my chest and pushing my tits together in the process. This usually works with men when it comes to getting my way. "Can't we listen to something else for a little bit? What do you have against The Cranberries?"
He doesn't answer my question and merely rolls his emerald eyes and chuckles at me. "Only ten minutes into the drive and you're already complaining. Typical woman."
"Hey! There is nothing 'typical' about me," I say haughtily. "How many women do you find hitchhiking on the road in their wedding dress?"
Edward sits in exaggerated thought for a moment before smiling and sarcastically stating, "Well, I guess I can safely say that I've never picked up some random female in their wedding dress before."
Hearing him say that reminds me I'm still in this suffocating dress. It's beautiful and all, but I sort of stress ate before the wedding and put on five pounds. So it doesn't exactly fit in in the chest area like it used to. I stare out at the signs on the highway, looking for one indicating the nearest gas station. I desperately want to change, even if that means putting on the clothes I purchased for my honeymoon.
"Speaking of my dress, can you pull over at the next gas station so I can change out of this thing? I don't know if I can survive a seven hour car ride wearing this," I complain as I adjust my tits in my dress, hoping it helps ease my discomfort.
"Why? You look beautiful in it," he teases me as he gives me an exaggerated once-over. "What am I supposed to look at the whole way?"
"The road?" Seeing a sign indicating an Exxon ahead, I sit up straight in my seat and point, saying, "There's an Exxon coming up on the next exit. Can you pull off so I can change and pee?"
"You have to 'pee'? That's not a very ladylike thing to say, now is it?" Edward sarcastically asks with a teasing grin.
I roll my eyes and edit my statement. "Edward, can you please pull off so we can go to the gas station? I would really love to change and use the facilities. My eyeballs will begin floating any minute now if you don't pull over."
Edward rolls his eyes at my sarcastic attempt to placate him. "Fine," he groans as if I were asking for the world. "However, you have to be quick about it or I'm just going to leave and head off to El Paso without you."
My eyes widen at the thought, even though I know he's just messing with me. I couldn't imagine being left behind at a gas station of all places. I've had an irrational fear of them after since hearing one too many campfire tales about people getting snatched away from them at night. I'm so paranoid, I won't even get gas at night by myself.
"Don't leave me here, Edward," I plead, just in case he plans on teasing me in any way. "What if I get picked up by a creepy serial killer? Wouldn't you feel bad if you saw my face on the news?"
Edward turns toward me and smirks as he pulls off the interstate and drives toward the gas station. "How do you know you're not already in the car with a creepy serial killer right now?"
"You're way too handsome," I sass with a smirk.
"Well, wasn't Ted Bundy handsome?" Edward jokes as he pulls into the gas station.
"No," I scoff at the idea. "He had crazy eyes. I don't know what women saw in him. I think he looked completely deranged. You on the other hand look harmless."
"Harmless?" Edward asks in feigned shock. "You wound me, Bells."
"Bells?" I ask incredulously. "What? Are we buddies now?"
"Well, we are having a little adventure together. I think that makes us friends."
Friends, I like the sound of that. It'll be nice to have a friend in El Paso besides the cousin I haven't seen since I got my period. Edward parks outside the gas station and jumps out of the truck before jogging over to my side to open the passenger door for me. He helps me with my small suitcase filled with the only clothes I have.
"I'm going inside to pick up a few things for the trip, but I'll also keep an eye out for all those creepy serial killers you're so worried about," he says with a wink as we head inside the gas station.
I walk with my head held high, relishing in all the incredulous looks I'm receiving. It's as if these people haven't seen a girl in her wedding dress before. I try not to giggle too much as I make my way inside and wave at a few people who are staring at me. I head straight to the bathroom and strip out of my wedding dress. Luckily, it's for one person and not a row of those small stalls you can barely move around in. I want to throw the dress directly into the trash, but I know there's probably a woman out there who can't afford a dress for her big day. So instead, I stuff it into my suitcase so I can donate it to charity as soon as I get to El Paso. I go through my suitcase, looking for something that doesn't scream 'beach vacation' and settle on a pair of blue shorts and a top that makes my tits look amazing. I'm a thick girl and I have to show off my curves every chance I get. I spent my whole adolescence hiding them, so now I've got to embrace what I've got. And even if I'm not a man's particular type of woman, it's not like they don't admire a nice rack when they see one.
I run a brush through my hair and quickly touch up my makeup, which was smeared with sweat from walking earlier, before leaving the bathroom with my bags in hand. Jesus, I feel better. My girls can finally breathe again! I look around for my ride, and he's easy to find since his head sticks over the top of the aisle. I make my way over to him, and now that he's out of the truck I can really appreciate his body. He's well over six foot tall and built very nicely. His muscles are ripped, but he's not big in a gross body builder sort of way. He's extremely attractive and considering the way he carries himself, he knows it too.
As I approach him, I have to wonder if he has any girls waiting for him in El Paso. There's no way a guy like Edward is single. And if he is, it's definitely by choice so he can have whatever flavor of the month he pleases. Not that his relationship status matters of course. I know I shouldn't jump right into something new hours after abandoning my own wedding.
Edward smiles as soon as he sees me and holds up a few bags of various chips. "Hey, do you want any snacks or drinks before we get going?"
My stomach grumbles as if on cue and I giggle as I respond, "I guess the whole runaway bride thing can make a girl pretty hungry."
"Well, Bells, get whatever you want. It's on me," he says before disappearing to look at the drink selections.
I grab a Coke, a bag of Bugles, and a Twix candy bar before heading back to Edward. He's picked out an energy drink, beef jerky, two bags of potato chips, and a box of cigarettes. As we head toward the checkout I watch the cashier's mouth drop as she looks at the man beside me. She's a cute older woman, who apparently hasn't seen a hot guy in a while. I try not to laugh as she rings us up.
"Will that be all for you two?" the woman asks with a shaky voice and a bright blush.
"Yes, ma'am," Edward responds with a charming smile. Jesus, I bet he could charm the panties right off of some ladies with a smile like that.
The woman's gaze drops to my suitcase, where my wedding dress is peaking out of the zipper and then to my engagement ring I forgot to remove in my haste to get the hell out of Willow City, and asks, "Are you two going off to get married?"
"No," Edward says with a deep laugh. "I actually just picked her up from one."
I shoot him a glare, not wanting to explain my dilemma to a random, albeit nice, stranger. "Aw, that's my future husband for you. Always joking."
The woman smiles at us and says, "Well, you two make a great couple. Congratulations!"
"Why, thank you so much," Edward says with a bright smile and I can tell he's trying very hard not to laugh. He grabs our bags and we head back to his truck. "It's weird seeing you in normal clothes."
"Thanks," I say with a roll of my eyes. "I think they look much better than my wedding dress, don't you?"
I give him ample time to look me over as I make a big show of climbing into his truck. Stop acting like such a hussy, Bella! You just left your own wedding for goodness sakes! Even as I reprimand myself, I know it's nearly impossible to not act this way around this man. There's such a pull between us and I wonder if he notices it. I don't normally lose my wits around an attractive man, but there's something different about this one.
A/N: I'm so overwhelmed by the response this story has gotten so far! That's so incredible you guys! Thank you! I'm so thrilled all of you are loving it so far. Just a fair warning though, Edward's a cocky bastard in this story. However, Bella's the perfect girl to tame him .
Obviously I don't have Kristen Stewart in mind for this story. I have some pics of what I imagine my Bella to look like in my Facebook group (The Highlander Princess's Clan).
Song- "Dreams" by The Cranberries.