Three: Home Away From Home
It was the Friday of our big weekend and I was beginning to get nervous. Edward had dropped me off after school to get ready for our first date, that's what I was referring to it as. But dating was not my thing. And when I needed Alice the most, of course she wasn't there. So I was officially mad at her.
I threw a couple of pairs of jeans and a nice top and two t-shirts into my small suitcase. My bathroom, I realized, was messy. There were a couple of towels on the floor and my shampoos and conditioners all laid haphazardly on the edge of my bathtub/shower or in the bath itself. I took the only closed bottles of shampoo and conditioner, they weren't the same make which only moderately annoyed me.
"Bella?" I was ready to be excited because Edward was there but it was not his unmistakable voice that met my ears.
"I'm up here, dad." I called down the stairs hoping that yelling would mask my disappointment.
"Oh. Well, I'm going down to La Push. Game's on and Billy invited me over. You can come too, I think that kid of his has a crush on you. Jacob, I think his name is." Charlie was tromping up the stairs.
"I have a boyfriend. And I rather like him, a lot, so I'm rather uninterested in anyone else." I tried to make my point loud and clear. "And speaking of which, we are going to Seattle this weekend. He should be here any minute." If he wasn't there already.
"And you failed to mention that until now? Bella, I'm not sure if I would be responsible to let you go off to Seattle with some boy." He looked fiercely at me though I was sure he was picturing Edward.
"He isn't some boy. He's my boyfriend." How that was supposed to help my argument I wasn't exactly sure. "I mean-"
"No Bella. I know what goes on when teenagers are alone without supervision." Like every night that Edward spends the night and we do nothing? I wanted to scream but held my tongue, "Things get out of hand and you could end up getting hurt. Teenage boys want one thing Bella and Edward is a teenage boy."
This time I did scream. "You don't know! You don't know anything, Edward isn't just a teenage boy. He is incredible and devoted and he cares about me!"
Charlie was yelling now. I don't think a yelling match occurred in this house…ever. Charlie and I were the most shut in, quiet people I knew of. "For now! What about later Bella? What if he gets what he wants from you and you get cast aside? I wont let you do this. I don't want him to hurt you!" His face was reddening from anger. "I cant keep you from seeing him here or at school but you can damn well expect that I will prevent this!"
"He wont hurt me. He would rather be nothing than be without me. He loves me! And I love him, don't you see that? He isn't just my boyfriend, he is my everything." Charlie's face froze, mid decision to scream back or not. "And besides, it wasn't like we were going to do anything. We just wanted to get out of Forks and go somewhere new. Now who knows where we'll go."
I grabbed my shampoo and face wash. I could get a toothbrush and some tooth paste on the road. I stamped into my room throwing extra things into my suitcase. A quick glance out my window told me that Edward had arrived so I hurried for a couple more things and zipped my bag up.
In a soft, apologetic moment, I scribbled a note on a blank piece of printer paper.
Dad- I'm sorry I snapped. I know that you're concerned and you have every right but I know Edward. I do love him and I know that you think it's young, stupid love and it wont last but I also know you're wrong. If you knew Edward like I do, you would know that he isn't like other teenage boys. I love you. Bella
I grabbed the paper and yelled, "I'm leaving." In the direction of Charlie's room.
Edward had obviously heard our conversation because he was standing at his car with a mixed expression.
Before getting in the Volvo, I opened the door of the cruiser and rested the paper in one of the holes on the steering wheel. My door to Edward's car was already open so I slid in and shut it a bit too forcefully, still slightly shaken by my fight with Charlie.
"Bella." Edward's voice was pleading, "I don't want this to affect your relationship with Charlie He is important to you and you are very important to him."
"You're important to me too and if he doesn't accept that, then we have a problem." I crossed my arms across my chest and stared out my window.
"That shouldn't be a factor." He said coolly, "Charlie is your family and you-" I surprised myself by interrupting him.
"I'm sorry but this one little thing, is one little thing you don't have control over. Charlie is my family and you are my boyfriend and if he doesn't understand that you are more than a high school sweetheart, you can't change my feelings on that. Because I do love you" I was out of breath and angry.
"That, my dear, was not the smartest thing to say to him either. He thinks I'm trying to get into your pants and that I am just more cunning than the rest. And how right he is." I could hear the smile in his voice and hiccupped a laugh. "That's better." He whispered.
"You still can't tell me whether I can like my dad or not. It doesn't work like that." His face hardened.
"I suppose you would have to be in his head to understand. Just, if you get a chance, take a second to see it through a father's point of view." Edward's voice was tense and I desperately wanted to change the subject.
"So what do you have planned?"
"Dinner."
"Dinner takes all of two hours. What else do you have planned?"
"I was hoping you could have some say in it." He took my nervously tapping hand in his. "It's your weekend too."
"Well, I'm in desperate need of some new books so can we spend like a morning or afternoon down town?"
"Of course. Anything for you." He whispered, kissing my hand.
We were silent for most of the car ride. Edward slipped multiple CDs into his player. I had two favorites. One was an almost acoustic sounding band with thoughtful lyrics, another had the most absurd songs that I had ever heard. I guess that was the point because every time I laughed out loud at the words, Edward smiled.
The drive was long and by the time we entered the city, the sun was beginning to set.
"Wow, I haven't been here since last spring but that was the middle of the night and Alice was driving so fast it was probably a green blur behind us before it was even recognizable." Those were much more stressful times.
"This will be nothing like that. Besides, I even have to go the speed limit in some places because of those damn traffic cameras. You cannot imagine how stressful it is to try and make a court date when it is sunny outside. One time Emmett tried wearing a trench coat and a hat but he was arrested on suspicious behavior. It was a disaster." He shook his head and I giggled at the thought of Edward's huge brother in a trench coat moving up the steps of a courthouse.
"How'd he get out of that one?"
"He had Rose pick him up."
"And that helps how?"
"Rosalie is intoxicatingly beautiful to human men. She said a couple of words and Emmett was free." Edward shook his head.
"So are they staying in Forks or are Carlisle and Esme?" I had completely forgotten to ask about the decision on that through all of the date preparation and obsession.
"Carlisle and Esme are going to stay in Denali until Alice can convince him to join them and I'm not exactly sure how long they'll be there after that." He turned off of the freeway and began making his way through residential streets.
"Well that must kind of suck for Rosalie and Emmett. They must enjoy being newlyweds traveling around Europe as opposed to hanging around the house all day." He nodded slowly.
"Emmett's psyched. He has been on multiple honeymoons and though he thoroughly enjoys…aspects of the trip, he has taken a strong liking to you and is more than willing to come back and chaperone." Edward rolled his eyes. "I don't know why I can't just be here by myself." As he spoke we came over a huge slope and Lake Union came into view.
The lake was magnificent at sunset. There were still a couple of sailboats drifting lazily around and huge barges full of industrial material chugged steadily across the water. The factories and huge industrial buildings that the huge vessels were carrying the supplies to were out of view because of a bend in the lake. The ripples and waves that the boats caused threw the fiery in all directions.
"Oh my gosh." I breathed, "It's beautiful."
The hill did not dip down again for another quarter of a mile and the lake only got bigger and more impressive.
When the hill began to lower down to a park, Edward turned the Volvo right into what looked like an apartment complex.
"Ok. This is it." He flashed the smile that said that he knew something I didn't.
"Edward, you must have gotten the address wrong. This is an apartment building." I looked up at the building. It was certainly not an eyesore, not so big that other establishments behind it couldn't see but it was still roomy and looked like it had a wonderful view of Lake Union.
He pursed his lips. "Well, we should just check anyway." And not a second later, my door was open and his long, pale fingers were extended toward me. "Shall we?"
"Ok." I eyed the building skeptically, wondering what he had up his sleeve.
The reception room, or lobby or what ever we were to call it was cozy. A tiny fire crackled at the far wall and an elevator with four numbers on it stood at the other, next to it was a huge block of small mailboxes.
I punched at Edward's side but he only smirked and I struggled against the ache in my fingers, "This is an apartment building. Why are we here?"
He didn't speak but beckoned me to the elevator where he pushed the "4" button.
"Come on. Where are you taking me?" I demanded once the elevator doors had closed.
He held my chin in the palm of his hand, his cold fingers resting against my cheek and he spoke softly. "Please keep your mind open and be patient for thirty more seconds." His index finger traced my bottom lip and I melted.
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. A hallway stretched in front of us. Generic off-white paint covered it's walls and a deep blue carpet laid in contrast on the flood. The odd thing though, was that there were only doors on the left side of the hall. And there were only two doors.
Edward walked smoothly to the furthest door and pulled a key out of what seemed to be nowhere. The lock twisted effortlessly and Edward pushed the door open.
"Where'd you get a key?" I asked now more than thoroughly confused.
"The previous owner." He explained as if it were obvious and there was no other explanation. I walked to the open door and peered inside. It was incredible.
The entire back window was glass and looked out on the now dulling lake. It was actually faintly reminiscent of Edward's room. "It's amazing." I didn't want to leave. Even the colors of the room were inviting. The walls were bone white with a sage green trim at the ceiling and on the floor.
He couldn't contain the smile he had been suppressing rather well. "It's yours."
I choked. "Its what?" I could feel my eyes grow to the size of grapefruit. Mine???
"Don't you like it?" He was concerned now.
"I love it. But I mean…wow. Quite a surprise." I looked more intently at the room. It was lightly furnished but not run down or a fixer-upper at all. It was already fixed up.
"But you like it?" He looked relieved.
The shock passed quickly. The apartment was really beautiful. And it even had multiple rooms. I saw two or three doors leading off on either wall. "Of course I do!" I threw myself at him and he caught me with steady arms, they held me close to his cold body. "Thank you. And why the sudden, huge surprise?"
An apartment. We had an apartment. Our apartment.
"Birthday present." He bought me an apartment. "I almost backed out when everything happened but it turned around." Me and Edward…an apartment. "So I know that you still have school and there's no way you aren't going but I was thinking maybe you wouldn't want to spend every weekend in Forks."
"Wait you too, right?" He hadn't actually used the word we yet. I had only assumed but why not?
"Only if you want me to. It's yours, your place, your choice." He looked me directly in the eye but let no betraying emotion slip into his golden eyes.
"I can hardly imagine you letting me spend a whole weekend by myself in Seattle when you spend almost every night watching over me in Forks." He let a smile crack his smooth, guarded composure.
"I never said I wouldn't look after you."
"Well, I must say that is slightly creepy." I giggled when his brow furrowed, "But also very sweet." I stood on my tip-toes and he bent his head so that our lips touched lightly. He pulled me tightly to him, his cold lips set mine on fire but only for a moment. He pulled me gently away laughed at my unhappy expression.
He glanced around. "Maybe we could go furniture shopping, the place is a bit empty." I made a face. Furniture shopping? "Too domestic?" He chuckled.
"No. Its just so…grown up." I would probably end up sitting in the massage chairs at La-Z-Boy, begging Edward for one for each room.
"I'll buy you an ice cream." He flashed that perfect crooked smile and the sad thing was, I nearly accepted.
"Ha ha." I said dryly, "I don't need to be bribed. If we go together, it will be perfect. So since it is the weekend and I have no Charlie to look out for, I was thinking I might try sleeping in."
"Well the maid comes at ten but I don't think you will be able to manage to sleep that long." He twirled a long strand of my hair around his finger. The contrast of the dark to light was beautiful.
"A what?" I couldn't believe he would actually hire a maid.
"A maid, Bella. Would you like me to spell it for you?" I rolled my eyes.
"Why on earth would we need a maid?" I couldn't help but smile when I said 'we'.
"Not really so much to clean as to…make sure everything is as it should be." He took my face in his hands and kissed my nose.
I was confused. "Um. I don't get it, you mean like so that no one stole anything or moved the furniture around?"
"Far worse than burglary, love. There is no way that I would let myself be here with you if someone didn't know we were together. The maid comes every Saturday, Sunday and Monday." I brought my fist up to hit him in the chest but he was too quick and held both of my wrists in his fingers.
"Ugh! I don't even know why I'm mad! God!" I wrestled against his handcuffs but he held strong.
He didn't even bother with being upset, he just laughed. "You know that you will only end up hurting yourself if I let you go right?"
"I…ok." I gave up because he was right and I knew that any further argument would be lost on my part. Still, I thought the maid was overkill.
"Good. Now, I'm sure you're starving." He smiled and motioned at the door.
A/N: I know that's sort of a crappy ending but I want to put this chapter up so that you guys don't think I've completely abandoned the story. I promise more will happen next chapter. Hope u enjoyed, questions? Comments? Concerns? Review!!! Bitten