Chapter 9:
Edward's Point of View…
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I rubbed my hands together roughly, trying to gain heat from the friction. The bell was going to ring soon and I walked briskly to get out of the cloud of cold gloom that smothered the sky and blocked out all heat.
"Edward!" I turned at the sound of my name, more importantly Bella calling it. Several others had their attention brought to Bella jogging towards me as well but it hardly registered in my mind. I began to smile in welcome but was almost knocked back when she practically jumped into me, her arms around my neck.
It took me a moment to realise she was hugging. Slowly, I wound my arms around her, a smile tugging on the edge of my lips. "Hey, happy to see you too."
Bella laughed and pulled away, my own arms reluctant to follow. "Thank you so much for everything Edward. The weekend went great!"
I had to smile at Bella's obvious pleasure. Her every emotion was infectious.
"How'd it go? Tell me everything."
Bella was practically bouncing as she explained, hardly breathing at all. I think she spent too much time with my sister at dinner…
"Well, at first I was so nervous that I thought I was going to be sick, but then I thought about how brilliant you were and how you thought I'd be fine and you're practically perfect so you must be somewhat right. I sucked it up and just did it, and guess what?" I didn't get a chance to answer. "Renee loved it!" Bella sucked in a huge breath and grinned exuberantly. "All thanks to you. I never would have been able to do something like that if it weren't for you, Edward."
"It was nothing," I shrugged nonchalantly, feeling embarrassed at her flattery. This was her time, not mine.
"It was something to me." Bella reached up and kissed me on the cheek, stunning me. That was twice now… Bella grinned once more, a pink tinge to her cheeks before turning on her heel and almost skipped away to the school building.
My cheek burned where her lips had been…Lips…had been. A dazed smile stretched over my face as I headed to my first class.
--
At the end of Trig Bella was quick to pack up her things, but she didn't leave the class room in any hurry. She travelled the two desks behind her and came to wait for me to get my things together.
A thrill went through me as Bella asked me, shyly in case of rejection- as if- if I wanted to sit with her at lunch today. There wasn't a split second before I agreed with an enthusiastic, "Sure!"
Walking through halls with Bella was so much different than on my own. People actually seemed to look at me now, smile at me though we hadn't ever really talked. It was a nice feeling I must admit, not feeling like a reject that no one cared about.
But it wouldn't really matter as long as I had Bella. Having friendly faces around you was just a bonus. Bella was enough.
Bella and I found an empty table in the lunch room and sat down, every movement followed by curious eyes.
"Aren't you hungry?" I questioned when Bella didn't make any move to get something to eat.
She shook her head, grinning. "I'm feeling a little jittery," Bella explained at my look of speculation. Jittery was right. She was practically bouncing in her seat and there was a brightness in her eyes and skin that radiated.
I let it slide. She obviously wasn't sick, just…happy.
Bella tapped no particular tune on the table top, seeming distracted. She was staring past my shoulder through glazed over eyes, lost in thought. My curiosity was maddening. What had her so worked up today?
"What are you thinking?"
Bella's eyes refocused and looked at me surprised. "Um," she blinked and I wondered if the question was too nosy. "…Nothing in particular."
Her answer was an obvious hedging technique but all it managed to do was put me on the edge of my seat and want to know more.
"And this particular nothing would be…?" Bella focused her attention on her hands that had frozen in their tapping, unwilling to answer. "I won't laugh, I promise."
Bella looked up and rolled her eyes. "I'm not worried you'll laugh."
This was getting confusing.
"Then why won't you tell me?"
"B-because," she stuttered, glancing around the room for an excuse. Reluctantly, after searching to no avail, she met my inquisitive gaze. "It involves you."
Taken aback, I mumbled amazed, "Me?" She nodded awkwardly in reply. "What about me?"
"I was just… You know Jessica, right?" Bella changed tact. "You know that…she kind of likes you, right?" I froze in my seat, not knowing exactly how one was supposed to act to hearing that someone you don't like likes you. That someone actually liked me liked me. That was a first. "And so I was just wondering if-"
"Hello there people," a voice cut in. Speak of the Devil and she shall appear. "Edward," Jessica added, smiling at me in a way I now noticed with new meaning.
If? Wondering if…?
I tried to keep the steel out of my eyes as I greeted Jessica with a tight upturn of the lips.
"Jessica, what's up?" Bella asked, seeming to have the same level of enthusiasm as I did.
"Well," Jessica leaned forward on her elbows, her voice going into gossip mode. "You may have heard that I'm having a small get together on Friday night?" I shook my head, waiting for her to hurry up and get it out. A gossip always drags it out. "Well you are both officially invited. Oh and Edward," Jessica fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously. "Don't…bring anyone, Kay?"
I raised an eyebrow. Not only would I have no one to bring, could you be any more obvious?
"Oh, and Bella, when are you going to take Tyler up on his offer? He's totally pining."
Eyes widening I stared at Bella, waiting for her explanation with Jessica. Her cheeks were changing shade and she held an apologetic expression when she glanced at me. Involuntarily, I spotted Tyler out in the lunch room and zoned in on his back.
"Jess," Bella said with a note of warning, strained patience. "I told you. I'm just not interested, okay?
Jessica pouted, "But-"
"No,"
"But he-"
"Jessica!"
Jessica tsk-ed and took on a sulky look. "Fine, I'll see you two later."
When Jessica was out of ear shot I couldn't help but begin on my bombardment of questions ramming against the inside of my head.
"Why don't you like Tyler?" Blunt, yes. But straight to the point of what I most desperately wanted to know.
Bella gave me an exasperated look, but began to answer anyway. She leaned forward on the table.
"Tyler is nice and all, but I don't like him like that. I thought I already explained that. It's not what I want."
I assessed ever flicker of emotion that crossed Bella's face, trying to understand as best I could. I kept my voice gentle when I asked, "What is it that you want?"
Bella grinned wryly, pink staining her cheeks as she gazed thoughtfully at the table.
"I know it sounds stupid and really cheesy… But I want someone who would do something for me, and not because it would benefit them in anyway. But because they truly cared."
"It's not stupid," I murmured, leaning forward and rest my head in my hand propped up by my elbow. I gazed, mesmerised by the deepness and vulnerability she was entrusting me with.
"Call me a hopeless romantic," Bella rolled her eyes with a grin. "Whether they…dimmed the lights in a mall- or shouted my name in a building so it echoes," she laughed a little and met my eyes. "Or write a piano piece entirely for me."
I smiled, feeling a swell of feeling well up inside me. Playing for her the other day was definitely worth it.
Bella smiled and touched the hand that was resting on the table.
"That's perfect."
--
"So…" Alice began mysteriously, eying me carefully from the corner of her eye. I stared at her waiting, drying off a pot and setting it down on the bench. "Rumour has it that you and Bella are an item."
My breath hitched in my throat but I hid my surprise well. It would only fuel Alice's inquisitive- aka nosy, thoughts.
"Is that so?" I asked casually, while underneath I was burning with curiosity. "And I suppose you were the one that started these rumours?"
Alice was smug when she answered. "I can truthfully say no to that. You and Bells are the talk of the school," Alice sang, dipping her hands into the soapy water and pulling out some cutlery.
I busied my self in drying off a plate, trying not to show how my embarrassment was far greater than any satisfaction in that. "No, we're not."
"Is that a hint of defensiveness I hear?" Alice tsk-ed and shook her head in shame.
I sighed, frustrations rising. "You don't know what you're talking about Alice, so just mind your own business." It was irking how she always seemed to know this stuff, seemed to know more about me than I did. It made me snap at her in a way that I regretted after. "Sorry."
"It's okay. I find your agitation amusing," Alice grinned mischievously. "Oh, and by the way, Bella called earlier."
My fingers froze on the plate and I turned on Alice, newly refreshed annoyance shining on my face.
"Why didn't you tell me when she called?"
"I told her you were in the shower."
I swallowed hard. "But I wasn't in the shower earlier."
"I know," Alice said innocently. "But I think it would be better for your relationship with Bella if you called her."
I threw the towel down onto the bench top and glared at Alice.
"Stop interfering!" With that said, I stomped towards the door to the hall way.
"Jeez, PMS much?"
I stopped and wheeled around to stare at Alice incredulously. "What the hell?"
"You know what I mean."
My nose scrunched up, "But- I don't-" I sighed, giving up and Alice started her tinkling laughter, breaking her carefully serious facade. I continued to glare daggers into her doubled over form.
Alice shooed me off, "Oh, go call your girlfriend already."
Rolling my eyes to hide how much Alice had annoyed me, I walked more casually to get my phone.
I had long ago memorised Bella's number and pressed the keys with expertise.
The phone rang once, twice, a third time and then Bella's gentle voice was greeting me.
"Hey- It's Edward."
"Oh- hi! I called earlier."
"Yeah, Alice told me," I muttered, steel in my voice. I struggled for a lighter tone as I continued, "So, what did you want to talk about?"
"I was just going to ask if you were going to Jessica's party."
Oh…
"Um, I really don't know…Are you?"
Bella sighed on the other end. "I promised Jess I would go since I blew her off last time- which is kind of why I wanted to know if you were going…Could you maybe… come with me…" I didn't answer straight away and Bella started to rush out her explanation. "It's just that it'll be bad enough being dragged around by Jessica and you being there would make it so much more bearable, and I-"
"Sure," I cut her off, trying my best to not laugh at her nervous rambling.
"What?"
"Sure, I'll come with you."
"Oh…Great!" Bella exclaimed, a smile in her voice. It made me grin at her obvious pleasure. "Well then…I'll see you at school tomorrow then?"
"Yep, I'll see you later."
"Bye Edward," she murmured her voice softer.
"Bye Bella."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Bye," I chuckled as she repeated it again.
"Good night Bella."
"Night. And I will really go now. Bye!"
The dial tone rang in my ears as I opened my mouth to say good bye once more. Dejected, but amused I hung up the phone and sat down on the bed.
I hadn't ever been to one of those house parties, only had seen them go wrong on TV and in movies. What exactly would my… date? Slash friend thing with Bella on Friday hold?
--
Oh my gosh, I was looking up piano pieces on You Tube and came across Kiss the Rain by Yiruma and then…I fell in love with it! I myself think it's a nice Bella's lullaby. It's 'unbearably sweet' like Bella said in the book, and it also holds a certain sadness about it, like Bella also mentions in the book. Other people think one of the guys other pieces, River Flows In You, is a perfect Bella's lullaby and it is nice…but I just like the other one better.
ANYWAY!
I am off to read Mid Night Ally by Rachel Caine, and in between do stupid history home work. Australia in the Vietnam war is interesting and all, but…it's home work!
Boys Embarrassing Story:
I Like the Way You Move…
I snuck into a nightclub with my older brother one night, and was having a great time. I was chatting to lots of people, and started dancing with a hot chick. (rolls eyes) She looked down and began giggling. I followed her gaze and noticed that my fly was undone. Not only that, but I was wearing white jocks, which were fluoro due to the crazy lighting inside the club. It broke the ice, but!
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Ahh, that's embarrassing. Hehehehe
Anyway, next chapter is the last… Tear tear….
Until next time…