Careless Sunrays

The Rebound Girl

I woke up with the sunlight streaming through my window on to my face. I groaned, I had drunk more than I have ever drunk in my life last night. I breathed deeply, trying to stop my head from spinning. I moved to roll over, my body protesting, only to be met with a naked back.

.Fuck! There is someone in my bed! Not only that there is someone NAKED in my bed!

I carefully lifted the covers and confirmed my worst fears. I had had a one-night stand. I buried my face in my pillow to stop from waking the woman next to me and screamed.

This can't be happening; surely I didn't have that much to drink last night! I mean, I would have remembered fucking a girl, wouldn't I? Stop it Cullen. Stop freaking out. You will act calmly and gentlemanly about this. You will kindly tell her that last night meant nothing and that you are sorry if you have hurt her feelings.

As I was arguing with myself, something stirred beside me. The body next to me rolled over to reveal the most gorgeous brown eyes.

"Oh crap." She said before rolling into a sitting position. I stayed silent for a few minutes.

"Um look" I began "I haven't ever done anything like this before so I don't really know what I'm supposed to say but-"I rambled.

"Look, take it from an experienced on-night-stander, most guys don't say anything. If it makes you feel any better, I have no idea who you are either, so we're basically in the same boat here." She smiled. She rose from the bed and quickly grabbed her clothes off the floor. She picked up her dress and held it against herself while looking around.

"Where the hell is my bra?" she murmured. I looked around to find it lying on top of my pants.

"Oh, um...here it is." I said, shyly, tossing it to her.

"Thanks. I'm Bella by the way, Bella Swan."

"Edward Cullen." I replied shaking her outstretched hand. "Look, I feel bad about you just leaving. Why don't I run you home?" I offered instantly feeling bad for using her.

"It's okay, I can get a cab." She said pulling her dress over her head.

"Look, please I don't want you to leave like this". I said pulling my pants up.

"Alright" she said spinning round "You can take me to the diner on the corner and buy me breakfast."

I stared for a few moments, she was unlike any woman I had ever met.

"Sure." I quickly grabbed a clean t-shirt and my wallet while holding the door open for her.

"Thank you" She smiled gliding out the door. I admit I had good taste in one-night-standers, as she called them. She was beautiful; she had long chocolate brown hair that fell down her back in perfect ringlets. She was slim but not skinny, and her skin was like strawberries and cream.

We reached the diner and I once again opened the door for her.
"What a gentleman" She giggled. I smiled at her.

"What do you fancy?" I asked staring at the large chalk covered sign behind the counter.

She bit her lip in the most endearing way as she look at what was on offer.
"Um...pancakes and syrup please and a cup of black coffee" She said to the woman at the cash register.

"Me too, please" I said.

The woman took our order and we went over to one of the booths.

"So Edward, tell me about yourself" she said suddenly after a few moments of awkward silence.

"What do you want to know?" I asked as the waitress came over with two cups of coffee.

"I don't know...like what do you do for a living?"

"I'm surgeon." I said.

She raised her eyebrows and looked up at me over the rim of her mug. I smiled at her and shrugged.

"And you?"

"I'm an interior designer." She replied. "I work at Hathorne Interiors. I'm the managing director"

I nodded, interested in this mystery creature that was before me. Our breakfasts arrived and we ate in silence for a while. I saw Bella eyeing me intensely.

"What?" I smiled through a mouthful of pancake.

"No girlfriend, then?" she asked raising a curious eyebrow. My smile instantly faded.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to speak out of line" She said, a beautiful blush rising in her cheeks.

"No that's okay, it's just we broke up recently." I said, staring down at my pancakes.

"I'm sorry" she said again "how recently?"

I thought about lying to her but then thought better.

"Yesterday" I said just loud enough for her to hear me.

"YESTERDAY!" she said raising her voice, her eyebrows once again shooting up her forehead.

I nodded dumbly.

"So I'm the rebound girl." She said it as a statement rather than a question.

"No, last night I had no intention of meeting anyone. I really wasn't looking for a rebound girl" I replied, begging her with my eyes for her to believe me. I must have succeeded because she gave me a curt nod after a moment and continued with her breakfast.

We continued to talk about anything and everything for at least another hour, until Bella realised that she was going to be late for a meeting.

"So, I guess this is goodbye Bella." I said standing up with her, looking down at my feet. I really did enjoy her company, I would, in a ridiculous way be sad to see her go.

"Yeah, I guess" she stood there for a long minute, and then turned on her heel. "Thank you for the breakfast" she said over her shoulder.

The diner door swung shut as she exited my life. I stood there still for a good five minutes, until I realised I couldn't just let her walk away. I dashed out after her and yelled to her before she turned the corner on the other side of the street. She spun around, her hair billowing in the wind, making her look like some sort of Aphrodite from an ancient painting.

I quickly caught up with her.

"Can I have you're number?" I asked, staring into her eyes. She stared deeply into my eyes and I into her hers. I got lost in those chocolate orbs.

"I guess" She said quietly after a minute, taking my phone out of my hand, her fingertips brushing against my palm sending electric currents up my arms. She must have felt it too because she gave a quiet gasp. She quickly typed in the number and handed it back to me. She smiled and walked away once more.