EPOV:
Erghh! I can't believe this. Calm down. Calm down. Whew. I take in a deep breath and calm myself down. I slowly put my finger back onto the page and carefully feel each puncture. I wasn't really focusing on the story. It was some history thing about Mesopotamia, but I was more focused on trying to master Braille. Braille is really difficult for me.
I don't know why. I've been learning it since seven years ago, when I was ten. I know, it's a little late, but I refused to while going through mild depression. I had been homeschooled for a couple of years, so I wasn't behind or anything. Maybe reading, but. My parents wanted to send me to a normal school, but when I did agree to try it out, when I was eight, a few students picked on me for my flaw. I became so distressed my parents pulled me out after just two years. Braille was hard to feel with speed. It takes me a while to read one sentence. I mean, not nearly as long as it took me when I first started, but still, it takes a while.
I studied for until the bell rang, notifying us about the end of our school day, and shut the book closed. I stood up, grabbed my stick and stretched out my back and neck. I walked the now familiar path to the stone wall next to the garden by the field, and waited for Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Bella. Bella… she confused me.
Why would someone all of a sudden choose to stop talking? The most she communicates with are nods, head shakes, and facial expressions for other people. But because I couldn't see, she would squeeze my hand. It was just a squeeze but I could tell, somehow, by how she squeezed it. Once, I sat down with her and asked her a bunch of questions. She would squeeze my hand once for no, and twice for yes. In return, I'd state things about myself that I had asked from her. Still, why doesn't she just choose to write out things she has to say? Something really severe must have happened to prevent her from communicating other than answering questions. When I asked her why she stopped talking once, she tensed and gave my hand two short, terse squeezes. I've avoided that topic ever since.
I heard Alice's usual cheerful voice talking to the others the whole while walking toward me. I imagine Rosalie was probably ticked off, Emmett was most likely not paying any attention to what she was saying, and Jasper was probably hanging on to every word she said. Jasper was very affectionate of Alice, and he made a point of showing it. I heard them arrive and I made my way toward them. I felt a soft, small hand slip itself into mine and I bring the corners of my mouth up.
"Bella," I say. I feel the hand give me two squeezes. This was routine. We made it a habit for Bella to guide me when we are walking home, or walking anywhere for that matter. It comforted both of us.
"Ah, there it is again. Why don't you guys just admit it already? You two are clearly in love." I feel a surge of annoyance toward Alice. But eh, at least they weren't accusing me of having to depend on her to get around. Truthfully, I could manage fine myself, but I found comfort in having her hand in mine, and as long as they didn't see me incapable, hey, what are the downsides? Apparently, this was one. Admittedly, I don't know what I felt for Bella, it was too confusing.
"Alice," I grumble. Did she always have to do this? I hear her squeal. "Bella is blushing! So it's true isn't it? You love him!" I can hear her shoes jumping up and down on the pavement, and roll my unseeing eyes. She stops jumping suddenly.
"Ooh, that's a pretty rose," Alice says. I hear some rustling, and then a slight snap. "Yay! Thanks Jazzy!" I hear Alice give Jasper a quick hug. I chuckle slightly. "Well, let's get going.
We walk together a couple of blocks, Alice's chatter a constant, and then split off, Rosalie, Alice, and Emmett going one way, Jasper another, and Bella and I the other. As we walk, there is a comfortable silence. I am focused on her hand in mine, savoring the comfort it provides me with. All to soon, we reached Bella's house. I don't know why, but we stay standing in front of her house, side by side, until she sighs.
"Well, we are here." I say. Her hand slips out of mine, and I don't hear her go, and am caught by surprise when she gives me a hug. I hold her, and she grabs my hand again, to give it two squeezes. Her hand disappears again, and I wait until I hear her door close, and make my way to my house another couple blocks away.
BPOV:
I close the door, head up to my room, and take a deep breath. I shake my head to clear the muddled thoughts, and decide to start on homework to distract me. After about an hour and a half, I finish most of my homework and decide to take a break. I go outside and sit on a chair. I sit there and do nothing. My eyes start drifting close and I let sleep claim me.
I am shaken awake by Phil, and groggily make my way up to my room with his guidance, and collapse on the bed. I fall asleep again, but not before I plead for the nightmares to stay at bay. In vain. I wake up again, terrified. The words please don't hurt me, are on the top of my tongue. I look at the clock and it's 11:48. I sigh, and lay back down.
The next morning, I wake to my alarm clock. I hurriedly take a shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed. I am running a little late, so I grab a granola bar and my bag and rush out the door. "Have a good day hon," Mom calls. I walk to Edward's house, where he is just coming out the door, his hair messy as usual. I rush up to him and grab his hand, his lips curving into a perfectly crooked smile. "Good morning, Bella." I give his hand two squeezes. We make our way to the school. Lunchtime comes, and after we finish our lunch, Edward takes my hand in his and announces to everyone else that we are going to be in the field, earning a squeal from Alice. I'm confused, but don't argue and guide him to the field.
He lays down on the grass, and I mimic his position on the side of him. We lay there for a moment, enjoying the rarity that is the sun. "Bella," he says quietly. I turn to look at him and give his hand two squeezes. There is a faint whisper of a smile on his lips.
"Have I ever told you why I became depressed?"
I give his hand two squeezes. The bullies.
"No, I mean even after that."
One squeeze.
"Well, at first it was the bullies, their hurtful words. But afterward, it was pent up frustration and anger at myself. I was angry that I was blind. Angry, that one mistake led me to this." His voice was rising a little.
"It was stupid and foolish," he says in a softer tone.
"You brought me out of it though. And I thank you for that." I could hear the sincerity in his voice. I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "I know your personality Bella, even if I don't know how you think, or what you feel. But I know enough about you, even from your silence. I know that you are great at listening and that you are an incredible person. I may not know a lot about you, but I know enough to know that I love you." I suck in a breath. My heart races.
"I love you Bella Swan." I can't say the words and I despair. But I trace a heart on the back of his hand, and he understands. He smiles that crooked smile I love and my heart swells. If this was love, I was enjoying it so far. We stay in that position, interlocked hands, our bodies facing each other, until the bell rings. I grudgingly get up, but I don't let go of his hand.
EPOV:
I was sure of my feelings. I used to be confused, but the words flew out of my mouth, and once I said it, I knew it was true. I loved her. And she loved me. She loved me. Nothing compares to the way I felt when she traced that heart on my hand. Goosebumps formed where she had drawn the heart, and I wanted to leap and dance with delight. She loved me! When the bell rang, I didn't let go of her hand, even though biology. We sneakily kept our hands interlocked under the table. No one noticed.
When I got home, after I dropped Bella off at her house, I went straight to my room, closed the door, dropped my bag, flung myself onto my bed, and sighed with a smile. I leapt up decided to play piano. Music was my outlet during years before Bella. I let my hands flow over the keys, my fingers remembering exactly where each key was. I used to play for hours on end, and I had memorized the piano. My fingers played on their own, forming their own tune. My mind was locked on one thing the entire time. Bella.
My mom came into the room and listened. When I finished, she said, "I haven't heard that one before, did you just make it?" I grinned and replied, "I guess so." "You're in love," she states. I smile wider. "Indeed."
Author's note: So waddya think? I know it's kinda early for them to be proclaiming their love for one another, but I just felt like I needed it to happen in this chapter. Sorry I haven't updated in a long while. My stupid ipad kept crashing each time I tried, and I don't own a laptop so I'm like, "why you do dis to me?" But hey! It's working now. Hopefully. I've been writing ANs like this a billion times, hoping it'll work. If this doesn't work, "screw you ipad!" Anyway, thanks for reviewing, following, and favoriting! Until the next update (which will hopefully be in a week or two depending on homework load) bye!
Sarah