A/N: Here's the next chapter, guys!
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. All creative credit goes to Stephanie Meyer for creating this universe I like to meddle in ;D
Chapter 8: Moving Day
BELLA
Six Months Ago
My first stop after pulling into the Peach Tree Apartment complex was the manager's office. Although my mother did most of the legwork when it came to secure the lease, Shelly still needed to meet with me face to face before it was a done deal. Over the phone, during our few conversations, she was a peculiar combination of brusque and warm, calling me 'sugar' and 'sweet pea' one moment, and laying down the law like a schoolmarm the next.
The mental image that I conjured up was of a weathered older woman, yet when I walked into the office and saw Shelly Cope sitting behind a paper strewn mahogany desk featuring a name plate, I was a bit shocked. There sat this woman in her early thirties with a head of short cropped, cotton candy pink hair. Bracketing her friendly smile were two deep dimples, and she had freckles splashed across her nose. The smile reached the edges of her cerulean blue eyes, rippling out to her cheeks.
She stood to greet me, one hand supporting her lower back, and the other smoothing across a baby bump. "Hey, hon! You must be Bella Swan?" she called, rounding the desk.
"In the flesh," I said on a laugh. "Mrs. Cope, right?" I asked, still a bit thrown, shaking her outstretched hand.
"That's me! You can just call me Shelly, though. We don't do that formal thing around here." She waved a dismissive hand, the other still running over her bump. "Since I'm standing, you wanna go ahead and do the tour? I could use a walk right about now."
"Of course," I replied.
Shelly grabbed her phone and a massive key ring, and after locking up and flipping a sign on the door, we headed out. While we walked across the parking lot, she let me know that her husband handled the maintenance, in case I had any issues.
Less than three minutes later, we reached my unit, a four storied building cobbled in red brick. The entire complex was beautiful, made to look like a village. Every unit was a different colored brick, that made it all seem a little whimsical.
When I commented on it, Shelly stated, in an impressively straight voice, that it "made it easy for the drunks to find their way home". I side eyed her, fully buying into it, until she started laughing.
That's when I knew that we'd be good friends.
After a somewhat slow walk up the stairs, and a quick game of 'Which Key is it Anyway?', I finally stepped foot into my studio apartment. The website and e-mailed pictures from my mom had me expecting a cramped efficiency styled space, but every "room" was its own unique space, that made 390 square feet look huge.
I fell in love with the living area first. So many windows! The living area led to the kitchen, where I fell in love even deeper. I loved cooking and was so glad that it didn't feel cramped. All the cabinets were a soft ivory that contributed to the airy feel. The bathroom was heaven. The walls were a warm butterscotch color, and it was spacious enough for me to do yoga in. And there was an actual bathtub. However, the piece de resistance, was the walk-in closet, which would come in handy for storage.
Turning to Shelly, who had been silently shadowing me, I exclaimed, "It's perfect! Where do I sign?"
.
.
.
Less than an hour later, I knew where the pool and laundry room were, and I had a set of shiny new keys and signed lease agreement in hand.
Then came the not fun part; lugging all my crap up the stairs.
I started with the valuable things first, like my TV and Ninja blender, and slowly worked my way up to boxes. On what felt like my twentieth trip up, I was feeling it. My entire body ached, I was drenched in sweat from the damn South Texas humidity, and I was done.
I had just decided to take a break and get some food, when I missed the last step before the landing, sending a heavy box of books flying; and me a split second later.
~~~~{}~~~~
EDWARD
Mary Alice Whitlock was slowly driving me crazy. All day long, she had been jittery and mouthy. Normally, I didn't mind these traits in her, but she was being more obnoxious, for one reason only; Jasper was coming home.
You see, Jasper, my first cousin, was an engineer on the Chevron oil rig, where he worked a three-week rotation schedule. So, he lived in Corpus Christi for three weeks, and in the Gulf of Mexico, marooned for another three weeks. They had been living with this schedule for over two years, and it suited them perfectly. Alice got to be her free-spirited self, without tamping down her natural exuberance, and Jasper got a three-week break from Alice.
However, right around the end of Jasper's 'on' weeks, Alice turned into a pixie on crack. She flitted around from room to room, trying to make everything perfect for her husband's return. At this point, she had already made their studio apartment spotless, gotten her hair trimmed and nails done, stocked the fridge with J's favorite things, and Alice was out of things to occupy her time. All that remained was for her to incessantly bug me for the next day and a half.
Usually, I wouldn't mind her company, but I had a deadline to meet, and Alice was giving my living area the old Feng Shui. So, I sat in my rolling chair, sliding in and out of the way of Hurricane Alice, while sorting out the non-compliant storyline in my head.
The whirling dervish in my apartment spun to a stop, hands on her bony hips with a perplexed look on her dainty face. "Your bookcase is missing something," she said while tilting her head, "I'll go check our storage and see what I can – WHAT IN THE FRESH FUCK WAS THAT!" She screeched, after a loud bang sounded in the breezeway outside my door.
Mildly freaked out on the inside, I pushed Alice behind me, and stated in a calm voice, "I have no idea. Just… stay behind me." Feeling like a sleuth in a horrible black and white movie, I checked the peephole first. There was no sign of life, in the hallway, but the door across the hall was wide open. I pulled the door open a crack, and it flew open the rest of the way, hitting the wall. Both Alice and I jumped back. Filling the doorway was an unconscious girl… surrounded by textbooks.
The first insane thought that cut through the shock was something along the lines of: Did someone drop off a co-ed and a pile of books? It's a little late for that level of abandonment.
Then, Alice thwacked the back of my head and said, "Don't be ridiculous, Edward. We should probably bring her inside. She could be dying!" When I didn't budge, because hello, probably crazy or dead chick on my door step, Alice began pulling her inside by the girl's hands. Figuring that I didn't have much choice in the matter, I picked up her feet, and together we carried the strange girl to my sofa.
Alice pushed me out of the way, immediately going into nurse mode. She checked her head for injury and exhaled a sharp breath through her teeth. "No wonder she's out like a light; poor girl has got quite the bump on that noggin. She might have a concussion." Alice said, while wringing her hands.
While we waffled back and forth on our options, the girl shifted and groaned loudly. We both took another step back. She sat up, looking around wildly for a second between us.
And then I fell headlong into the deepest brown eyes I'd ever seen. Even though they were bewildered, I got the strangest feeling that I could see the whole of universe in them.
~~~~{}~~~~
THE END
I kid, I joke. These kids have got a little while to go before they get that HEA!
So, we got a little Bella, a little Edward. Some Alice and the answer to a question or two.
Also, can I say that even though this Shelly is my brainchild, that I love her?!
We're are now officially in Edward and Bella Land *squeeeee*
For you brilliant folk who guessed that Alice wasn't his gf, y'all made me proud. *wipes fake tear*
Y'all that wanted Alice and Edward together, I apologize. Really.
Any thoughts or reactions you'd like to share with the class? Ha! Good or bad, I'll take 'em ;D
XOXO Anarchy