Recap (last sentence from each POV):
Bella POV: "You are a monster." I whispered, which left Edward looking as though someone had just punched him in the stomach.
Edward POV: I couldn't control my face, so I had no idea what she saw there, but judging on the way I felt, I could only imagine the broken expression that must've resided there.
Chapter 3:
Bella POV:
"Bella, you have every right to think that what I did was monstrous, but please,"—he got down on his knees and took my hands in his—"I would never, ever purposely hurt you by falsely stating I love you if I didn't. How can I make you understand that I couldn't go away again if I tried? These passed few months have been a torment for me; I never once stopped thinking of you. That's why I'm here now, on my knees, begging you to…" he trailed off, suddenly looking alarmed. "Will you forgive me; I mean, can you still love me after all that has happened?"
I slowly kneeled down to his level. He looked immensely panicked, and I realized that this idea must really scare him. His glorious angel's face was inches from mine, trying to sustain an unconcerned face, but I saw the mass of fear behind his pretenses, and sighed. "Edward, even though I thought you didn't want me anymore, never once did I stop loving you. And I always knew that I would never move on, because there will never be anyone I want more than you."
If Edward could cry, he would've been in tears by now. "I truly do not deserve such kindness." He said happily, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace.
"But can you forgive me?" he whispered into my ear.
For a moment I could not answer. Could I? Could I really move forward and pretend that Edward hadn't broken my heart and left me for six months? Was it right to accept his apology so easily and forget the past? But the biggest question was: Was I strong enough to say no?
Edward waited patiently for my reply, sighing with joy every now and then, and then I remembered his words: "I truly do not deserve such kindness." That gave me an idea.
"You're absolutely right, Edward," I said, pulling away from his grasp to sit back down on the couch, but taking his hand instead and pulling him with me.
"Right about what?" he asked suspiciously.
"That you don't deserve such kindness. I should be making this a lot harder for you."
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning you shouldn't be able to get off so easily. I should have to test you, to see if you truly mean what you say.
Edward rolled his eyes. "When will you learn that I do mean what I say?"
"When you pass my tests." I replied, a wicked smile spreading across my face at the possibilities of the things I could get him to do to prove his love to me.
"And what would these tests compose of?" he asked, overtaken by his curiosity no doubt.
"Hmmm…" I thought. What would I have him do? Different ideas went through my mind, until I decided that he shouldn't have to do anything too gaudy.
"I'm waiting." He teased. Yes, his curiosity was definitely getting the better of him.
"Okay," I said, finally making up my mind, "Edward, you have three tasks to complete, and in order to win me over, you must accomplish them all in the next three days. Here's what you have to do.
"Firstly, you must spend a quality afternoon with Charlie, explaining to him exactly why you have returned, while stating, of course, how much you love me." I smiled sweetly. Edward immediately stiffened when I mentioned Charlie's name. This was probably going to be a difficult task for him, but I knew he would do it for me, because deep down, I already knew that Edward still loved me, I just wanted proof that he really would do anything for me. Not to mention this was much more fun. These were the times when I loved how he couldn't read my mind.
"Secondly," I continued, "you must declare your love for me in two public places. And thirdly…" I started to blush at what I was about to say. Surely he must have known that this request would come back to haunt him.
"Thirdly…" Edward compelled, an amused expression playing on the corners of his lips.
"You have to change me into a vampire." I finished, taking a deep breath and looking into his eyes to gauge his reaction. A sly smile danced across my face, daring him to object to the third one.
Edward's eyes were tight and his face remained emotionless as he assessed his tasks mentally. Finally, he smiled gently.
"Alright then," he said, "if this is what I must do to get you back, then I will start as soon as possible."
His calmness toward all three missions was very suspicious.
"You don't have any problems with any of them?" I asked warily.
"Well, I'm certainly not looking forward to my afternoon with Charlie, but for you, I'd do anything." He answered, flashing his perfect crooked smile and scattering my thoughts.
"Alright then," I managed to say as I put my mind back together, "You're first task is tomorrow."
And with that, we got up and I walked him to the door.
Before leaving, he kissed my forehead.
"I love you Bella, and you'll find out just how much," he whispered into my skin. "Once and for all."
And he was gone.
Edward POV:
I fell to my knees and grasped her hands in mine. I felt absolutely no shame whatsoever in begging; she just had to comprehend the frivolity of her words.
"Bella, you have every right to think that what I did to you was monstrous, but please, I would never, ever purposely hurt you by falsely stating I love you if I didn't. How can I make you understand that I couldn't go away again if I tried? These passed few months have been a torment for me; I never once stopped thinking of you. That's why I'm here now, on my knees, begging you to…" A new thought suddenly occurred to me, forcing me to leave my sentence trailing. "Will you forgive me; I mean, can you still love me after all that has happened?" I asked in alarm.
For a moment, she looked taken aback. Slowly, she kneeled down to my level and stared into my eyes. I tried to keep a relatively calm disposition, but the idea of Bella not being able to love me anymore terrified me. I think she saw through my pointless pretenses. "Edward," she said seriously, "even though I thought you didn't want me anymore, never once did I stop loving you. And I always knew that I would never move on, because there will never be anyone I want more than you."
I had seen people cry in countless plays and movies with joy, and I never really understood why such a thing would occur. Usually, when someone was crying, it was because they were extremely sad, and it never made sense for anybody to shed a tear from being happy.
But the feeling of true joy and bliss that coursed through my veins was so staggering that I thought that if I actually had the ability to cry, I would've at this particular moment. I had never felt more human before, and it made me feel even closer to Bella.
"I truly do not deserve such kindness." I managed to say through my invisible tears, wrapping my arms around her once more in a tight embrace. "But can you forgive me?" I whispered into her ear, the other part of my question now hanging out in the open.
Bella took a long time answering. I could almost hear the gears in her head turning, but for once I did not grow impatient with her human slowness; I just stayed kneeled down in our hug, enjoying her warm skin and delectable freesia scent.
"You're absolutely right, Edward," she finally said, taking my hand and pulling me to sit with her on the couch.
"Right about what?" I asked suspiciously.
"That you don't deserve such kindness. I should be making this a lot harder for you."
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning you shouldn't be able to get off so easily. I should have to test you, to see if you truly mean what you say."
I resisted the urge to laugh, and settled for simply rolling my eyes. "When will you learn that I do mean what I say?"
"When you pass my tests." she clarified, a wicked smile flashing across her exquisite face. Now I really wondered what was going on in her head.
"And what would these tests compose of?" I asked, my curiosity leaking out by the gallons.
"Hmmm…" she thought, scrunching up her nose like she did when she was deep in thought. Although I loved that cute little expression, my interest in what she would decide was just itching for her to press on.
"I'm waiting." I teased, smiling when I broke her "perfect" focus.
"Okay Edward," she began, "you have three tasks to complete, and in order to win me over, you must accomplish them all in the next three days."
Ha. What could be easier? I thought excitedly to myself.
"Firstly, you must spend a quality afternoon with Charlie, explaining to him exactly why you have returned, while stating, of course, how much you love me."
I stiffened at the mention of Charlie's name. It was ridiculous of me to react in such a way; after all, I was a vampire, why should I be afraid of my love's father? Nevertheless, I was sure that this was going to be the most difficult task to accomplish, seeing as how Charlie didn't really fancy me much before I left. I shuddered at the thought of what he must think of me now. It worried me that these were the kinds of tasks she had thought of. Maybe I was wrong; maybe they wouldn't be so easy…
"Secondly, you must declare your love for me in two public places."
I relaxed as my mind automatically began weeding out different possibilities; a restaurant, a park, a shopping mall? All good suggestions, but not quite flamboyant enough for my tastes.
"And thirdly…" she continued, pulling me from my thoughts. She caught my attention by starting to blush.
"Thirdly…" I compelled, chuckling at whatever it was that had her blushing.
"You have to change me into a vampire." She finished, looking at me mischievously.
Ah, so that's what she's getting at, I thought to myself.
Well, I certainly was not about to turn her into a vampire just to win her love back. But, knowing me and my uncanny ability to sway Bella's emotions with a single stare, I would hopefully be able to weave my way out of that one, at least temporarily. My main concern at the moment was what I was going to say to Charlie. I knew she was waiting for me to object to her third request, but I decided that now was not the appropriate time to argue with my loved one.
"Alright then," I said, "if this is what I must do to get you back, then I will start as soon as possible."
Bella did a double-take. Obviously, what she had been planning to say, or rather, retort, to my protests against her becoming a vampire, no longer applied.
"You don't have any problems with any of them?" she asked suspiciously.
I knew perfectly well which task she was referring to, but I decided to have fun with her while the opportunity was in reach.
"Well, I'm certainly not looking forward to my afternoon with Charlie, but for you, I'd do anything." I answered simply, flashing a smile.
"Alright then; you're first task is tomorrow." She concluded.
I took those words as a parting command, and when I got up to leave, she followed me to the door.
Before leaving, I quickly kissed her forehead.
"I love you Bella, and you'll find out just how much," I whispered softly into her skin. "Once and for all."
And then, in one of those quick vampire moves that no human could possibly catch, I made my way back home to plan for the coming days.
Chapter 4 will be entitled: The First Task
A/N: Come on guys! I love writing new chapters, and reviews are what persuade me to post them. Tell me what you think!
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