Soleil

16.5 EDWARD'S POV continued


14. FROGS

"You must possess the intellect of a chicken to believe I would go to Port Angeles to test out more theories. I am not going, period."

Edward bit his tongue as Bella stubbornly refused to listen to rational and logic. And how dare she compare his intellect to that of a chicken? Had he not read Soleil and explained the plot to her in an expedient amount of time? He huffed a breath, failing to release most of his annoyance. But he had to be the reasonable one and remind Bella that the storyline was not on their side.

"After we leave this closet, we have two more chances to talk after you get back from Port Angeles. Other than that, you just refer to seeing me off in the distance in the book. We have to make those next two encounters count," he stated in a low and even tone to not alarm her at how high the stakes were as they progressed more in the plot.

"But we still have now," she insisted, not grasping the reality of it. Edward clenched his jaw, reminding himself to show restraint.

"We are in limbo while we remain here. We can't hide out here forever. We have to push forward. You must be brave to face what comes next. I don't like it either when it comes to submitting to this book's direction of our future," Edward reminded her, his frustration uncontainable.

"Edward, why did you gain freewill after I kissed you?"

Edward's frustration swiftly melted as he considered this unexpected question from Bella. His thoughts fizzled out for a brief moment as an odd look passed on Bella's face. She looked like she was thinking about something she should not.

"I am not sure. I just remember this warmth spreading everywhere in my body, like an awakening so to speak." Edward tuned into her disappointment with his response.

"What if I tried it with others? I could kiss them to wake them up?"

A burning sensation seized Edward's chest. He laughed, uncharacteristically, at the ridiculous suggestion.

"So, you think it will work with just anyone?" he sneered, not sounding like his normal, rational self.

"We will never know unless we try it. I don't mind kissing a few frogs to test this out. Or even, what if taking things a step further between us unlocked more free will? Like me being able to fight more against my scenes with Mike or even you being able to slip into scenes you are not supposed to be a part of? What do we have to lose?"

Edward wasn't sure if it was jealousy or finding logic in Bella's hypothesis, but he impatiently answered "Okay," without considering the consequences of a such a physical action between them. "I think there is something we can try."

A kiss would be harmless he told himself and they would have their answer. Easy as that. Edward concentrated on taking slow, steady breaths as he grabbed Bella's face in his hands. Unlike him, she seemed to stop breathing. He gathered she was nervous due to her unnecessary crush on him. It was best to get it over with quickly. He bent down and pressed his lips against hers, reminding himself to be delicate.

After he counted to two seconds in his head, Edward was prepared to pull away. Until he heard her breath return in a wild, unappealing gasp. He was no longer in control of this kiss as her lips aggressively moved against his mouth. He became still, too still and unsure how to conduct himself. Finding it to be rude if he didn't match the intense movement of her lips, he leaned into this kiss and matched her greedy pacing.

Unleashing himself was oddly freeing. At the start of the kiss, he was locked in this mental cage that told him Bella was weak and fragile. But he wasn't a vampire. He could kiss her fiercely and not be afraid of snapping bones or crushing any body parts of hers. Embracing that understanding, he found himself thoroughly enjoying his kissing with Bella. Possibly at this point it was worth labeling as making out. She was superb at it. Surprisingly. She smelled like vanilla and she tasted like cinnamon. Was that not an odd combination?

Lost in bliss, he was confused and disappointed when Bella was the one to pull away first. He wasn't ready for it to be over. To return to the real shit show of a situation they were in. But the way she gazed into his eyes, it seemed she was ready to be back to business. No lingering on that amazing kissing session. It shocked him so much, his mouth fell slightly open as he began to realize his own feelings for her. No longer dormant and hidden under endless excuses.

"So, do you feel any different?" she asked all business like and it crushed him.

"No. But we won't know until I see if I can merge into a scene where I shouldn't be. I'll stick close to you after we exit here, and we will have to see what happens." It took every ounce of his composure to not sound flustered.

"And if you disappear? Do I proceed with kissing Mike too? I mean what else can I do aside from what I have already done?"

"I want there to be more options, more routes to test," he replied, detached from this moment despite its importance on his future existence.

"Me too. But I think you know as well as I do, we are out of them. Us kissing and me kissing Mike have to be the Hail Mary at this point."

Edward could not help himself when his lips quirked into a smile. Bella referring their situation to a sport was unlike book Bella. "I didn't take you for using a sports reference, Bella."

"Don't judge me by that book, Edward. Thanks to Charlie I know some sports basics, not by choice though." She made a fair point. And he was glad she was her own unique person, by her own choice to define who Bella Swan was in this existence. He needed to at least tell her so.

"I know. You are similar to her, but not the same."

"Of course, I chose you and not Mike."

Ah, yes, her feelings for him were still there. He knew that, even when she broke their kiss. But even if there was a shift in how he felt towards her, letting her know would be in neither of their interests until they got the hell out of this story.

Bella stepped around him and slid her hand on the doorknob. He wanted to stop her and steal more time away from this moment. To kiss her again. Thank her for waking him up. For discovering feelings for him even when their story was re-written.

"If you can't follow me to Port Angeles…I'll talk to you soon," she told him.

Edward wrapped his hand around her own with tender affection before pulling the door open together at a slow pace.

"Yes, if I don't get to come…be careful. I know things will turn out okay. But still. And be on guard if Mike can awaken." He told her what needed to be said, but not what he wanted to say.

He let Bella take the lead in the hallway when they exited closet. As she walked away from him, Edward just knew he wouldn't be seeing her again until she came back from Port Angeles.


15._


16. THE DECISION

Edward was a bundle of nerves when Bella sauntered into class radiating joy. He suspected she must have good news about their future. How they left things last was so fresh for him. It honestly happened a second ago and now he was here sitting in class waiting for the gap in time to be filled in for him.

"Bella." Edward knew his morning greeting sounded off. It was the nerves. Had to be. "How was Port Angeles?" He asked, his words even and soft. She had his future in the palm of his hands, and he didn't want to let her know how blurred the line of wanting that exit and caring about her future more than his own came to be since that kiss. Which for her was yesterday, but to him only minutes ago.

"It was…" He focused on her eyes as she paused. Her brown eyes were shining. And a crushing thought came to Edward. "Great." What after spending time with Mike, she did fall for him? It would make sense. That date in the book was the turning point in their relationship. What if the pieces were falling into place and she now wanted Soleil's ending with Mike? The preposterous thoughts and speculation left him speechless to even ask Bella for more details on her splendid date with Mike.

He heard her call his name while he was focused on staring at his desk. And then –


This time she was bellowing his name an octave too high, "Edward Newton!" in the cafeteria.

After that, his ears were ringing and his mind reeling as he listened to Bella's frantic speech and processed what actually happened in Port Angeles. Bella found a way out. A WAY OUT. Untested but their only option at this point. For him, at least. If it wiped them from existence, well, so be it. The risk was bigger for her because this story was made for her. But she wanted this. To leave with him. To escape this terrible, fake world.

"Will you go with me?" She asked, desperation cracking her voice.

He didn't even have to think on it.

"It's a one-word conversation, Edward," she followed up, her voice hardened with her resolve to leave. With or without him. Good. He liked knowing she would go by herself if he was a dumbass that said no.

"Sure," he answered, an easy-going smile on his lips. Since he provided the answer he knew she wanted, he decided to add, "let's get the fuck out of here, Bella." He grabbed her hand and tugged her forward in his arms. He kissed the top of her head before pulling back and stroking her cheek with his right hand. "Can I kiss you?" He asked, his voice low and husky.

"Why?" Amusement glinted in her eyes. "A mere thanks for saving you, a poor, unfortunate side character?"

Edward chuckled. "Well, that and because I am glad you chose me instead of Mike. From the very beginning." Edard swallowed the lump in his throat as well as the secret he knew he would never tell Bella. "I am honored by your feelings. Truly. And I think-"

Bella cut him off with her lips for a brief kiss before grabbing his hand and steering him on their adventure to find their exit. He could reveal the extent of his feelings for her later when they weren't in an eerily quiet and creepy cafeteria of puppets. She had been patient thus far and could wait a little longer to have her happy ending with Eward.


NOTE: I am unsure why but writing chapter 14 in E's POV stumped me for a LOOOOOONG time. Obviously, or this would have been updated sooner. This feels rushed, i apologize, but it needs to end and I cannot find myself to write it any better at this time. ~pixelephant