My phone rang annoyingly, and I groaned, turning over to check the clock. It was 7 in the morning, on a Saturday, the first day of Christmas break. Who would be calling me at this time? But when I saw the name on the caller display, my attitude changed completely. The digital letters spelt out 'Edward'. I hurriedly answered it, my stomach full of eagerness.
"Edward." I sighed into the receiver.
"Good Morning, my Bella." He said softly. "Look outside your window." He said. I giggled, made my way sleepily over to the closed curtains, and yawned, throwing them open. The first thing I noticed was the snow, beautiful and white, sparkling and cold, just like Edward. It coated everything in sight, and the trees looked like someone had poured icing sugar on them. Big, thick flakes were falling lightly from the sky, giving the outside world the effect of a Winter Wonderland. Despite the wetness of snow, I had to admit I liked it a bit. I looked down, out of the window, and saw him. My personal angel, standing in the snow wearing a fitted, gray wool sweater and dark jeans, and a black tuque pulled crookedly on top of his bronze tangles. His face was lit up in a huge smile, his brilliant white teeth showing. I smiled back, and moved away from the window, so that he could come in. He appeared in the frame a second later, and stepped agilely inside. I rushed to him, and threw my arms around his chest, hugging him close and resting my head on his thick sweater. It wasn't what I expected, a cold embrace. It was warm, except for a couple of melting snowflakes, the soft fabric under my cheek soothing me.
"Edward, you're warm." I said, snuggling deeper into him.
"It's the sweater." He said, chuckling.
"Well I like this sweater." I said, looking up at him. He moved my hair behind my ear, and kissed me gently, his arms around my waist. I melted, his cool lips pressing against mine. He broke away, and rocked us back and forth for a while. "Why are you here so early?" I asked him, curious.
"Well...I was inspired by this snow...and had an idea." He said suspiciously. I eyed him, still in his arms.
"And what was the idea?" I asked him, enjoying the unusual warmth.
"Well I thought maybe we could go skating in Port Angeles, if you wanted." He said excitedly. My stomach sank, skating. That was something that required coordination.
"Edward...I can't skate." I said, sorry to let him down.
"I can teach you." He said, grinning slightly.
"No Edward, you can't see me like that! It's embarrassing." I told him. He sighed, and looked at me through his thick lashes. It was mesmerizing, and I leaned deeper into him. "Alright!" I said, caving in. He smiled crookedly, twirling us around in circles. He lifted me onto his feet and twirled us again, side to side, dancing. He bent down slightly, and whispered in my ear.
"Merry Christmas sweetheart."
"But Edward it's not Christmas yet." I said. He rolled his eyes, smiling still.
"Almost." He said. I grinned.
An hour later, I was bundled up in a warm, button up jacket, a deep purple tuque, and a matching scarf. I felt in the Christmas spirit as I skipped down the stairs, and hummed a carol, happy that we had no school. Edward had climbed out the window and was going to knock on the door soon, so as to make sure Charlie didn't know he had been in my room. Speaking of Charlie, he was seated at the kitchen table, wearing the slippers I had bought him for father's day in third grade, sipping a steaming coffee.
"Where are you going so early?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Edward is taking me skating." I said happily, sitting across from him.
"Skating huh?" He questioned, and I nodded, rolling my eyes.
"He insisted." I said, smiling. Charlie shrugged, and smiled a small smile back.
"When will he be here?" He asked.
"Any minute." I said, stealing a sip of his coffee. Sure enough, a brisk tapping came from the direction of the door. Charlie stood up immediately, and walked stiffly towards it. I followed behind him, bouncing up and down. Charlie opened the door, and there stood Edward, in his sweater and tuque, fresh flakes in his eyelashes. I smiled at him from behind Charlie's back, and he returned it.
"Good morning Chief Swan!" Said Edward cheerily.
"Good morning Edward." Charlie said, opening the door wider. "Why don't you come in? Bella hasn't eaten yet." He said.
"Of course." Edward said, glaring at me jokingly. "You told me you had eaten." He said, hugging me as if we hadn't seen each other earlier. I smiled sheepishly in his arms, shrugging.
"I guess I'm just too excited to leave." I told him, rolling my eyes as Charlie cleared his throat. I squirmed out of his arms, and grabbed a granola bar from the cupboard, eating it hurriedly as Edward leaned against a counter, and Charlie pretended to read the paper.
"Finished!" I said, grabbing Edward's hand, and pulling him towards the door. Charlie stood up as well, and walked with us. He opened the door for us, and gave me a stern look.
"Back by eight, Bella, understand?" He said, eyeing Edward's hand entwined in mine.
"Yes Dad!" I said, rolling my eyes but giving him a quick squeeze. He smiled.
"Have fun kids!" He called as Edward helped me down the slippery driveway, practically holding me up as I tripped. I waved back at him, and climbed quickly into the warm interior of Edward'sVolvo . Edward got in the driver's seat, and waved to Charlie as he backed out of the drive. I sighed happily, leaning against his arm as he drove steadily on the frozen roads. He chuckled, and turned on a radio station that was playing Christmas songs. He sang along softly, and I smiled up at him.
"Edward, what do you do for Christmas?" I asked him.
"The usual, presents, tree, games, you know." He answered, chuckling.
"Really?" I said. He nodded. I marveled at the ordinary-ness of this news. Well I suppose they didn't really have many other choices.
"It makes us feel like more of a family, we like giving each other things. Esme and Alice get really into it and decorate the whole house." He said, reminiscing. "But I'm more excited about it this year, now that I have you." He said, kissing my head. I thought about this for a while, still tucked against his side.
"Edward...what do you want for Christmas?" I asked him, biting my lip.
"Oh Bella, I don't need anything from you! You've already given me everything I could ask for." He said, being sweet but stubborn.
"Edward..." I said, giving him a look similar to the one Charlie had given me when we left.
"Bella I really don't want anything." He said, sounding sure. I sighed, and decided to use his own trick against him. I looked up at him through my eyelashes, my grip on his arm tightening.
"Please let me buy you a present." I said, and he succumbed.
"Not fair!" He said, grinning despite himself. "It's usually the other way around, me begging you to let me buy you things."
"Yes well, I know you'll find a way around it, so I haven't bothered this time." I said, grumbling.
"That's right." He said, looking proud. I laughed, and thought about what I could buy him. I couldn't think of anything, and was stumped for a while, before I let it go, promising myself to think about it later, and not now.
"How far away from Port Angeles are we?" I asked, like a small child.
"Not very far." He answered, and I looked at the speedometer. We were going much, much, much too fast for my liking, and I screamed.
"Edward! STOP DRIVING SO FAST!" I shrieked, and he chuckled.
"Bella, love. Calm down, I'm being safe." He said, kissing my forehead again.
"But the roads are icy!" I said, trembling.
"And have I ever gotten into an accident?" He asked me, and I admitted that he had not.
Ten minutes later we drove into the heart of Port Angeles, finding a parking space. Edward got out, and came around my side to open the door for me. I used his arm for support on the icy ground, and found my footing. I smiled as he locked the car, and wound his arm around my waist tightly, making sure I didn't slip. We walked happily down the street, and Edward turned into a small, cozy looking cafe to buy us, well me at least, a hot drink. He purchased a hot chocolate, and we sat down at one of the small tables. I sipped my drink, sighing appreciatively.
"Promise you won't let me fall?" I asked him, playing with our entwined hands sitting on the table.
"Promise." He said, honesty ringing in his voice. He leant across the table to kiss me lightly. I smiled against his lips, and he pulled away, our hands still tightly enclosed in each other's.
"Where is the rink?" I asked him, curious.
"It's in the plaza, they've turned the whole thing into a rink. It has live music as well!" He said, obviously excited for me to see. I nodded, smiling. As much as I hated skating and all other things that required some sort of coordinated movements, I had to admit it sounded romantic. I finished my drink, and Edward led us out of the cafe, back out into the brisk air. Instead of being cold, he was warm at my side, wearing that sweater, and I sighed happily.
"Edward, I really think you should wear this sweater more often, you're so cozy." I said, snuggling into his side. He chuckled, and caught a snowflake on his tongue. I laughed uncontrollably at how hilarious he looked.
"I love doing that! It reminds me of being a kid, strangely enough." He said, grinning.
"I never got snow in Phoenix, so I never got to make snowmen or any of that stuff." I said, shrugging.
"My memories are hazy, but I can still remember how it felt." He said sadly. I squeezed him, and he smiled. "Try it Bella." He said.
"What, eating snow? That's gross! It falls from the sky you know." I said, screwing up my face.
"Bella are you telling me you have never tasted snow?" He asked, incredulous, as we continued towards the plaza.
"That's right." I said.
"You haven't lived until you try snow." Edward said, chuckling. "Please?" He begged. I sighed, and stuck out my tongue. A flake fell gently onto it, and melted as soon as it made contact. The drop of cold water rolled down my throat. It tasted like water, but not quite pure, like it had some of nature concealed inside of it. Edward stuck out his, and caught another. He smiled as he swallowed it, chuckling. We did this all the way to the plaza. "Bella we're here!" Edward shouted.
"Wow." I whispered, looking around. The skating rink was full of people, young and old, going round in circles. The air was full of laughter and shouts, and a band played Christmas jazz on the side. People were handing out hot chocolate to little kids, and the snow falling completed the image. It was almost unreal.
"Bella?" Edward shook me gently.
"Sorry...it's just so perfect." I said quietly.
"It is, isn't it? I knew you would like it." He said, looking proud of himself. I leaned into him, and we descended the steps onto the plaza. We sat down on a bench, and Edward pulled two pairs of skates from his bag.
"Who's are those?" I asked, pointing at the ladies one's.
"Esme's, she let me borrow them." He smiled, picking up on of my feet and holding it in his lap. I watched him as he laced my skates tightly, they were beautiful and white, sort of vintage looking, and suited Esme perfectly. He then laced his own up, they were ratty and worn down, made out of brown leather, and I wondered when he had gotten them. He stood up, and offered me his hand. I wobbled, and grabbed his arm tightly. He walked us slowly to the edge of the ice.
"Edward..." I hesitated, staring at the flat expanse of white ice in front of us.
"Bella relax. I won't let go." He said, reassuring me. He stepped onto the ice, and propelled backwards so that he was facing me, still wobbling on the concrete. He offered me his hands, smiling. I breathed in deeply, and grasped them tightly in my own, pulling myself onto the ice. I gasped as my feet slipped and slid, my hands still in Edward's. He pulled me closer, and wrapped his arm around my waist, so that I was securely upright. "See? You're fine." He said, whispering in my ear. I smiled and kissed his cheek softly. He grinned and twirled us unexpectedly, me still glued to his side.
"Edward! We aren't figure skating!" I said, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest.
"Relax, sweetheart." He said, pulling me even closer against his warm woolly side.
"Sorry I yelled." I said, ashamed.
"Don't be sorry, let's have fun!" He said, chuckling. I agreed, nodding my head. He skated slowly so that I wouldn't fall, around the rink again and again. I had to admit I was enjoying myself. It was getting easier to support myself, and I let go of Edward for a moment to snag his tuque. I giggled, revealing his bronze tangles.
"Hey!" He shouted, chuckling. "Bella!" He said, catching me around the waist from behind. I giggled. He grabbed it back, and positioned it crookedly once more on top of his head.
"Edward, I really like this winter style." I said, chuckling. I did. The tuque looked almost unbearably adorable perched on top of his hair, and when I hugged him, and he felt warm, it made my heart melt.
"Well I don't intend on wearing it all year round." He said, smiling. I rolled my eyes.
"You know, this is probably the first time I've ever enjoyed winter weather." I told him, catching another snowflake on my tongue.
"I always loved it when I was younger..." He said, and I tried to imagine Edward as a little boy. Strangely, it wasn't hard. We skated once more around the ring hand in hand in silence, just enjoying each other's company. We skated and skated until my feet were throbbing inside my skates, and my stomach was grumbling. Edward pulled us off the rink, and we went to lunch at "BellaItalia " where we had gone for our first date, if you could call it that. Afterwards, on the drive home, I decided what I was going to buy Edward for Christmas. Lots and lots of warm woolly sweaters, I thought with a chuckle.