A/N: Here's chapter 3; please enjoy! And thanks to my fantastic new beta, ihatejacob1 for being so helpful!
EPOVThoughts zoomed around in my ahead as I tried to think of a way out of this whole trapped issue. No matter how hard I thought, I came up empty. Sighing, I turned to look at Bella who was frozen with shock. I couldn't blame her.
"Bella," hearing her name seemed to snap her out of her trance and she stared at me, alarmed.
"It's okay, Bella. We'll find a way out of this. We still have the phones on so you'll be able to call your family." She nodded, a tiny ounce of hope building in her eyes.
I strode over to the kitchen for the phone, but it seemed my words had jinxed the
situation; the phone that had just been blinking with messages was no completely off.
Despair settled into my heart as I turned to Bella.
"We'll try the other phone lines. Don't worry," I said, giving her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
Bella nodded, "Who's worrying?" she replied with a shaky laugh. She was a horrible liar.
With that, I ran upstairs and Bella followed suit, checking every phone line, though we both somehow already knew, it was hopeless.
An hour later, after trying everything electrical in the dictionary, I flopped onto the
couch, groaning with a headache raging mercilessly in my head. This had to be one of
the worst situations I'd been in, and I could only imagine how much worse it was for Bella, hell she probably thought I'd done this on purpose.
I closed my eyes, trying to formulate some sort of plan to help get us through with this. I only looked up when I heard pacing and got up.
Bella walked across the hallway, back and forth, worry dominated eyes and expression. "Bella?"
She looked up, and smiled tightly and I could tell that she too had be thinking hard.
"We're stuck, aren't we? Like stuck, stuck?" She asked, quietly.
I quirked an eyebrow at her choice of words but said nothing about it, "Yes, we're stuck…I'm so sorry. Truly, this is not what I intended in the least."
Bella laughed, short and hysterical, "Me either. But don't feel sorry. Instead I should say thank you. I mean, if you hadn't, you know, picked me up and all…" she trailed, off shuddering. Oh dear God I didn't even want to entertain with the idea of what would have happened to her if she ha still been out there.
"Well then, you're welcome." Speaking of which, she was probably hungry and even though this wasn't my house, I was brought up to be a helpful host.
"Would you like something to eat? I don't know when the last time you'd eaten was…"
Bella responded quickly, "Yes, that'd be great. Do you need help cooking? It's the least I could do, anyway." And Bella perked up at the idea of being in the kitchen. She sounded relieved I'd spoken of food.
I was wary about whether she was in well enough condition to be walking around all over, which confused me; I'd never been too protective of anyone but anyone in this situation would feel the same right? Take in a kid who had been out in the snow, a kid who just so happens to look very gorgeous and mature…right? Ah I'm going to hell aren't I?
"Why not?" I smiled, "Anything in particular you'd like to make?" I was sure George's kitchen was stocked, but I wanted to make sure Bella had everything she needed, to
express herself, this was the first time she'd really let her guard down.
Bella paused for a moment before responding, "Something simple, but don't worry, you'll like it." It was the first time I'd seen Bella seem comfortable with something in the time I'd known her, granted a short time, but the sentiment was the same.
I grinned, "I'm sure I will. Sure you don't need help?"
Bella smiled and bit her bottom lip, Daniella used to do that all the time, which I used to
find attractive, now should have been illegal "I'm sure, remember, it's the least I can do."
I waited for a moment before turning on my heel and leaving the kitchen.
I settled back into the guest room I had slept in last night, the one that had so many memories etched into it from my childhood. Though the house was George's right now, it had belonged to his parents and he inherited it when they had passed on, which was only a few years ago.
So many nights had I slept over here, along with Alice, my younger demon of a sister. I
smiled back memories of us as small children, all the way up to our teenage years.
My teen years had been the most life altering for me, like so many others. But they seemed so special, because that's when I had met Daniella. She was perfect in my eyes;
beautiful, smart, funny. And she seemed to fit in so well with my family.
Damn, I had been so blind to her schemes. So blind that I'd been adamant to
marry her at such a young age. When we had announced our engagement to the family, everyone was shocked. We were so young, they said, too young to be making choices as serious as that. Even Alice sensed something wrong with the whole thing. I should have known. Alice is always right.
But I'd been blinded by my love for Daniella, enough to not see the lies and deceit. Her words from yesterday morning struck me and I grimaced at the truth. I hardly was ever at the home my parents had purchases for us as part of the deal, but because of that deal I had to continue with medical school…I guess she got too lonely.
I sighed, sinking back further into the bed, letting my mind drift off and finding a sort of peace, if only for a few moments.
I'd only been asleep for a few moments before the most wonderful smell seeped over me and I shot up in bed.
Confused for only a moment before I remembered Bella had been downstairs, cooking as a way to repay me for picking her up, an action that was shocking to me. I walked
downstairs and into the kitchen where I smelled the scent from earlier, but now more concentrated and delicious.
I stood at the archway of the kitchen door, watching as Bella put the final touches on her breakfast masterpiece.
Carefully balancing the two plates and a pair of glasses in her hands, I thought I would help her and carefully made my way over. She apparently didn't hear me because the plates flew from her hands. Before they could touch the floor however, I kneeled to the floor in time to just barely catch them.
Bella's eyes widened in shock and awe, "Great reflexes," she complimented, smiling, it sent shivers down my spine.
I grinned, "Thank you, and what a lovely breakfast you've made."
She blushed at my praise, "Told you, something simple," she replied shrugging.
I raised an eyebrow at her, "We must have very different definitions of the word simple, because I doubt that if I had cooked we would be eating nothing more than cereal and toast.
Bella blushed again and set down the glasses and the island in the kitchen. I pulled up to stools after setting down the plates. I climbed on to my seat and waited until Bella had taken a bite before scooping up my own forkful. Delicious.
The silence surrounding as we ate grew uncomfortable and I realized that we still knew hardly anything about each other. I had no idea how long we'd be stuck in this house together, but I did know that I wanted Bella to be comfortable while we were here.
I decided to open the floodgate, "Would you please answer me a question?"
Bella swallowed before answering, "Of course."
I struggled with how to phrase it, and came out with, "Why were you there when I found you?"
Bella seemed to freeze on her seat, and her fork dropped, I mentally slapped myself. Too
personal, I shouldn't have been so upfront. Jackass.
"Bella, I'm sorry-" but she shook her head, silencing me.
"No, it's ok, Edward," and as much as I hated to admit it, hearing her say my name thrilled me, "but it's a very long story, and I don't know if you really want to hear it…"she trailed off, unsure of herself again, she fidgeted uncomfortably.
I chuckled lightly, trying desperately to lighten the mood, "Honestly, we have nothing but time right now, Bella. If you aren't comfortable however, you don't have to tell me anything, I promise."
Again, Bella shook her head, "No, it's the opposite actually. That's what I don't get."
"The opposite?" I asked, confused.
Bella blushed slightly before she started, "Edward, think about this whole…situation. We hardly know each other. Our first impressions weren't exactly the best they could have been and now we're stuck in the house of someone I've never met. Not exactly the most normal of situations."
I frowned as I took in what she said, knowing that she had felt so negatively about being around me, but again, who could blame her?
"You're right, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me anything, Bella, honestly." I reached across the table and lightly placed my hand on top of hers, her hand was soft, like silk, I brought my eyes back up to stare into her eyes, trying to tell her 'you can trust me'.
Bella, seemed to be frozen, but in a different way this time, she seemed in a trance. "That's just the thing. This isn't me; I don't tell people I hardly know anything personal about my personal life. But there, see that? I just told you something else personal." She seemed to laugh at herself.
I winced, did I make her do things she didn't want to do? That was a step in the wrong direction. "Is that a good thing?"
Bella laughed, a beautiful sweet laugh, "That's just the thing. I don't know if it's exactly good. But, I know it isn't bad. It's just that, we hardly know each other." Her eyes bored into mine, holding some deep emotion.
Those words and her eyes were soothing, but I still wanted to ease her, make her feel
comfortable around me. To trust me. "Hm. Then why don't we get to know each other?" I meant what I said honestly, but I couldn't, for the life of me, help but think about just how much I wanted to get to know her. I wanted to know her childhood dreams, her favorite foods, music, even…past relationships.
Bella seemed to brighten at that idea, moving forward in a way that pushed her chest up, enhancing her chest and she bit her lip in such a sinful way…
God help me.
A/N: I very much hope you enjoyed. Leave a review? Please and thank you! :))