Chapter 2 - Red
A/N
Two chapters in one day, I surprise even myself.
SM owns todo. I own nada.
Enjoy.
Present time – Panama City, Panama
EPOV
5:55 alarm sound and I'm up by 5:56, washing my teeth and a minute later, checking on Bella.
At 6:00 a.m. the phone starts buzzing and I answer on the third ring. Take that, fucker.
"Hello, Mr. Swan."
"Edward." Fucker.
"She's sleeping. The week was uneventful, as always. There is a slight issue I wanted to consult with you."
"Yes?"
"The Finance ball?"
"Yes, what about it?"
"It's here, in Panama."
"Edward, get to the point."
"It clearly states Swan Corps and Stanley Enterprises are the main hosts. You're coming, Sir?"
"I am, Edward."
"Bella's going too, then?"
"She is."
"When were you planning to tell me, Sir?"
"Edward, you report to me, not the other way around. My daughter's whereabouts are not your issue."
"Honestly, Sir? Your daughter's whereabouts are my job. I have to know with anticipation where we're going so I can set up a team-"
"A team won't be necessary. I'm taking my daughter out on a father-daughter date to the annual Finance Ball. She will wear a red dress, hair up, and her father will be at her side. She doesn't need you. She has me." Father- daughter date? Is this guy serious?
He doesn't even speak to her directly, since when is he interested in going out with her? And what the fuck is up with the red dress?
"Okay. Bye, Sir." And I hear his end of the phone turn silent. Fucker can't even be cordial enough to say goodbye.
I knock softly on Bella's door and let her know about the Finance Ball.
"Bella, I need to speak with you."
She opens the door with an exasperated sigh and sits back down on her bed. I remember when she didn't resent me. When this was almost my bed, too.
"What?" She looks at me, expecting me to go on.
"Your father called. He's taking you on a father-daughter date." I cringe as I say the term.
So does Bella.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, Bella."
"Guy doesn't even talk to me, why does he suddenly want me as his date at this big event?"
"I don't know, Bella. And I can't ask. He is my boss, he gives orders and I follow."
"Sheep." She whispers so low I can barely listen.
Did she just call me sheep?
"Excuse me?"
"You're all a bunch of sheep. Following your damn leader like a herd." What the hell is her problem lately?
"Isabella, stop acting like a child throwing a useless tantrum and calling people names. Your father wishes you accompany him to the Ball, so you're going. We'll go get you a dress later. He says to wear red."
"I don't like that color."
"Well you'll be wearing it this weekend so get used to the idea."
"At what time are we going dress shopping?"
"2:00 p.m., after lunch."
"I'll be ready."
I nod and leave her room.
By 2:00 p.m., I'm straightening my tie and getting ready to leave when Bella emerges from her room in blue skinny jeans and a white v neck, clearly contrasting my suit.
"The Ball's tonight?" she raises her brow mockingly. She always makes fun of the fact that her father has us wearing suits everywhere we go, making it very obvious that were part of a security team.
"Very funny. Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
The dress shop is huge and I mean huge. The apartment Charlie bought the team here in Panama is big, compared to what the average family can afford. But this is just… ridiculous.
Dresses of all shapes and sizes, thousands of colors. And looking at the price tags, all above 1k. Who spends a thousand dollars, minimum, on a dress? Jesus…
"Hola, bienvenidos a Glamour Couture" the sales lady comes to us and offers champagne. I decline, knowing I can't drink on the job and Bella accepts the two glasses happily. I smile as I realize she rarely gets to drink, despite being twenty three. Lord knows I loved my drinks at twenty three.
Bella smiles at her politely, not wanting to tell the lady she speaks no Spanish, despite living in a Spanish speaking country.
"Buenas, buscamos un traje largo, rojo. Es para una gala este fin de semana." I tell her we need a red dress for this weekend and she nods and directs Bella to all the dresses in her size section.
Bella picks out all the red, size 2 dresses on display and heads to the changing room with the sales lady while I sit in the typical man chair right outside it.
I'm scanning the latest edition of US Weekly when Bella walks out in the first dress. I have to do a double take because this Bella, the one standing in front of me, is so much older somehow. I know Bella is not a child, she's legal everywhere and girls her age are doing things no child would do, but Bella's always been that small person I met that day. She's always been someone I look out for and take care of, like you would do with a child.
But right now, she looks so… womanly.
The dress is tight, almost like a Mrs. Rabbit type of dress. A slit that goes all the way up to her mid-thigh, tight and strapless. Her cleavage. Jesus, Bella has cleavage? Her body is almost an hour glass shape and I'm honestly taken by surprise.
My face must indicate so.
"I look like a whore." She says, clearly uncomfortable in the dress.
"You don't, Bella. It's just not your style. Try on the next one."
She nods and heads back to the dressing room.
The next dress is like cupcake style. It's hideous. She doesn't even finish walking out when I'm already furiously shaking my head no. Ew.
She laughs and heads back in. The sales lady doesn't laugh.
The third dress is more her. It's still tight, like the first one, which is something I've realized flatters her apparently curvaceous body, but no mid-thigh slit, the straps are thick and the color isn't bright red, it's more burgundy. I like it.
"I like it. Edward, do you like it?"
"I do."
"It's not too tight?"
"I think it looks perfect on you."
"I agree with your husband. It is stunning on your pale skin." Another sales lady commented, one who spoke English. Bella smiled.
We're getting used to the "husband" comments these days. If Bella goes out, I'm right beside her. Like a husband would be. I used to be mistaken for her older brother, maybe her baby sitter, but lately the boyfriend and husband comments have started. I guess im the only one just know noticing she's not a little girl anymore.
"Thank you, I guess dressing up is weird for me. I don't really go out much." Understatement of the century, Bella.
"Oh, me neither. But if I was going out, I'd wear that one."
"Okay, this one it is then. Thank you…" Bella waited to hear the lady's name.
"Alice. I'm Alice."
"Well, thank you Alice. I'm Bella."
"And I'm Edward, the one with the credit card. Where do I pay?"
Alice laughed and led me to the payment sections where she wrote down my number and email to let me know about their promotions. Soon after, Bella walked out, burgundy dress in hand with a plastic wrap for protection around it. The dress had its own Edward, huh?
I'm like a plastic wrap protecting Bella from any stains or rips. From anything that could build her some character or experience.
We got back in the black Toyota Prado and headed home. Bella was quiet the entire way there.
There was a time where I was like a friend to her. She'd ask questions about anything and everything. I guess it was the curiosity that came with being a teenager. She'd ask about my life, my family and friends, my girlfriends, my hobbies, like she was trying to get a taste of what a normal life was like, even if she still didn't quite understand that her life wasn't normal.
I's answer all those questions with a smile on my face. I loved that she still had a spark in her, despite what had happened to her. I loved her curiosity, the fact that she wanted to know of other's experiences, despite the bitterness of not being able to live those things for herself.
I don't know at what moment she lost that, and I hate that I didn't see it coming.
"How are you, Bella?" I try to make meaningful conversation that doesn't involve me scolding her or giving her orders from her father, for once.
"I'm… fine." She sighs. "Edward, I'm sorry for calling you and your team sheep earlier this week I just… I was mad. I'm sorry. I appreciate all you do for me" She looks up at me with sad eyes and I can tell she didn't mean to say those things.
"It's okay, Bella. I'm not mad at you. You know I can't be mad at you." I smile her way to let her know that it's all good.
She smiles back and then out the window.
What is she thinking?
A/N
Still a bit short, but we're getting there.
Reviewers get to twirl around in a red dress with Edward ;)