WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
Disclaimer:
Twilight is the property of SM.
Authors Note:
WOW I was totally blown away by the response to chapter 1. I woke up hoping for a few hits and a review or two and was flabbergasted to see over 200 hits, multiple author/story alerts and reviews! You guys totally inspired me to write and update ASAP.
So this is a little bit shorter than the first chapter and is in Edward's point of view. Hope you guys like it!
The bottom AN has a bit of a clarification!
Unbeta'd, all mistakes are my own.
CHAPTER 2 – VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE
EPOV
"We need to talk"
Who the hell ever wants to hear those words?
Edward still couldn't completely comprehend the fact that his ex-girlfriend was here in his apartment and that they had reconnected multiple times and in multiple ways throughout the night and early morning.
It had been like a kick in the gut, a fist squeezing his heart, when he had glanced out his window that day and saw her. He had been setting up his bedroom and innocently looked out the window only to be greeted by a vision straight out of his fantasies or possibly a nightmare.
Bella Swan had stood there scantily clad and oblivious. Just the mere sight of her had sent him into a total mind fuck. The storm of emotions inside him – anger, resentment, longing, desire – had paralyzed him. And he couldn't help the bitter thought that crossed his mind as his eyes raked over her slowly.
Four years certainly hadn't done her any harm.
***FOUR YEARS AGO***
"Bella! Hey, sorry I'm late" Edward gasped out and collapsed on to the bench beside her.
He'd been running late – again. Ever since Breaking Dawn's popularity had begun to rise, Edward's life had been a mass of chaos – always running off to this interview or that show as well as squeezing in recording sessions and rehearsals – and within this whirlwind was his anchor, his Bella.
Honestly, Edward wondered if he'd be able to handle everything happening if it weren't for Bella. Whenever things got to overwhelming and he couldn't tell what was up or down, she was there for him. They'd been dating for four years now – since tenth grade – and been friends nearly all their lives. Bella had always been a part of his life, a part of him. She was his twin sister Alice's best friend and like another daughter to his parents, and one day he was going to make her an official Cullen – she just didn't know that part...yet.
Bella had always been his biggest supporter and was the one who encouraged him to meet Jasper Whitlock and Emmett McCarty – his new band mates. I can't believe that its only been a year since my life changed.
Carlisle, his father, had been invited to attend a medical conference in LA last summer and Alice had decided to turn it into a family event so that they and Bella could "check out UCLA's campus". One night, Bella had managed to get him on stage for an open mic night at cafe near their hotel. It was pure luck that Aro Volturi had been desperate for a muffin and stumbled into said cafe as Edward was performing.
After that night, his life had done a one eighty.
Aro was a talent scout for Eclipse Records, one of the biggest names in the music industry. They'd talked business and music and Aro promised to keep him in mind for any future projects – promising that if none came up, he'd make sure to create one for Edward.
A week after returning to Fork's, Aro had called. He told Edward that Eclipse was in the process of developing some new acts and meeting Edward had solidified one of the ideas being tossed around the board room. Aro had two other male musicians around Edward's age and wanted to see if the three guys would mesh together and form a band. A meeting was set up in Seattle for the following week.
Bella had badgered him daily – prepping and convincing him to meet the two guys. She convinced him that his fears of being a "cookie-cutter boy band" were unfounded and that simply meeting the other guys didn't mean he had to sign a contract.
So Edward went, met, and meshed with Jasper Whitlock and Emmett McCarty. Breaking Dawn was born.
The guys relocated to LA, signed contracts, and started making music.
Luckily for Edward, Bella and Alice both had chosen to attend UCLA – to study business and fashion design respectively. Edward was actually supposed to have joined them but his plans had clearly changed.
Now a year later, Breaking Dawn's first single was at the top of the charts.
"Edward..." Bella began softly as she stared intensely at her clasped hands. "It's 4:30...we were supposed to meet over an hour ago."
"Bella...I know I'm sorry but we were practising and we lost track of – "
"No, Edward I'm sorry but....I just can't anymore okay?"
"Bella what are – "
"Edward" she said, cutting him off. "I...we...this...isn't working."
Edward felt his heart squeeze and his body freeze in shock. A cold dread quickly spread through his body as he heard those words leave her lips. "B...Bella...what are you saying are ..."
"We just aren't working anymore Edward!" her voice hardened and her posture stiffened. "This hasn't been working for ages now. You're never on time, if you bother showing up at all. We're not together anymore, not really anyways. We always have to sneak around...lie...you go out with all these other girls and ..."
"Bella! You know none of that is real! It's just what I have to do right now. Heidi just wants to make sure I have a certain public image" Edward tried to desperately explain. The band's manager Heidi had hardly been ecstatic when she heard that Edward was taken, so they'd come to a compromise. Bella and Edward just needed to stay out of the public eye and Edward just needed to seem available...a few spotting with certain other up and comers and all that. Sure it wasn't ideal but Edward had always thought Bella and him were stronger than that – strong enough to wait it out and make it, now he wasn't too sure.
"I'm sorry Edward...I just can't anymore. This is your life, your scene. This whole living in the public eye thing, it's not me. I don't fit in and I can't do this anymore"
"Bella please, we can talk to Heidi and – "
"No, Edward I'm done. I..." she took a deep breath "I don't want you anymore, I don't want this anymore. Good bye Edward". Bella stood up turned to look him in the eyes, her big brown eyes glossy with tears and swirling with emotion. "You're going to be huge Edward, I know you will. Good Luck" and she walked away.
And that was the last time Edward Cullen had seen Bella Swan in person.
She had completely disappeared after that day. He found out that Bella had left LA that day without a word to anyone. Alice had been devastated, only being left a short email saying goodbye and to not contact her anymore. Carlisle and Esme didn't know what to do and, though Jasper and Emmett hadn't known her very well, they two were left saddened and confused by her abrupt leave.
Ha! "Living in the public eye isn't for me" she had said. Yet, three years later Bella had published a novel "Shattered Perfection" and was being hailed as 'an up and coming author taking the literary world by storm'. Yeah, she sure didn't want to be seen in the public eye. What happened to her studying business and making it big in the corporate world or whatever it was she had planned to do with a degree in business.
Now here he was, four years after having his heart shattered, with Bella Swan in his shirt on his couch and freshly fucked.
What the hell had he gotten himself into now?
Authors Note:
So what did you guys think? A little insight into what happened in the past and what Edward's thinking. I realise there was a bit of confusion over when B&E had broken up so I hope this cleared it up a bit.
BUT I don't mind reiterating it but they've been broken up for FOUR years and the window teasing is the first time they've seen each other since the break up.
NEXT CHAPTER: the Talk and a peek into Bella's brain. I wonder what's swirling around in there.
So review and tell me what you think =D
