Disclaimer; I don't own Twilight.
Thanks to 'SPOONS Secret Agent Alice' for being my beta.
Sorry it's been nearly a month, but this is an extra long chapter for you, I won't leave it so long before I update next.
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Waiting for us inside were several wheelchairs. Sue was happily sat in one smiling at us like it was one of the best ideas she's ever had. Me and Alice looked at one another in horror, really not wanting to know how she got her hands on this many. I was envisioning some old and/or crippled people lying on the side of a pavement somewhere from when Sue snuck up behind them, tipped them out, and then ran to college with it.
"Isn't this great? I borrowed them from the local hospital." Said a very overly excited Sue.
"Yeah... its erm..." was all I managed to stutter out before Alice started bouncing beside me.
"This is amazing! Are we allowed to go off campus with these? Please Sue I promise we'll be good."
Startled I looked over to Alice to see she was actually excited and not just lying to Sue like I assumed. Am I the only one not happy about this?
"Did you talk to my dad, Doctor Carlisle Cullen? Or my brother Edward?" said Alice.
My head automatically looked up when I heard Edwards name, which awarded me a smirk from Alice. Sue went over all the motions of getting her hands on the wheelchairs while other students filled the room. Once everyone was there Alice and I took our seats at the back while Sue took centre stage.
"I see you all eying up the wheelchairs, as I was explaining to Alice I had to pull a few strings but I think it's going to be a valuable experience for you all. Everyday you all probably overlook simple things like walking up and down stairs, crossing streets and generally getting in and out of places. I hope after today and yesterday's lesson, you can truly appreciate what life is like for those who are disabled and maybe become more consciences of those who are less fortunate than you. Now you will assign one of you to go first..."
I saw Alice leaning over to me at this; oh hell no was she going to get me again. Without realizing the true volume of my voice mixed with the desire to not lose again I inadvertently shouted "NOT IT!" earning Sue to stop her award winning speech and the rest of the class to stare at me like I was special. Immediately I felt the heat spread across my cheeks while I wished for the ground to swallow me up I looked at Alice who was trying her best not to laugh. I kicked her under the table for her efforts which caused a shrill shriek to escape her mouth. I think it was a cross between pain and a cackle, either way it turned the attention off of me and onto her. Grinning at my handiwork I nodded towards Sue to carry on.
"Erm right, well thanks for the little interruption girls, but as I was saying, at half past two I want you to switch partners. I want you all of you back here with your wheelchairs in perfect condition at 4 o'clock. Those of you who are going first please come up here and collect your lift cards; here you go Alice, since you're obviously going first."
Alice jumped up and jogged to the front of the room, taking the card from Sue who gestured to the wheelchair closest to the door. I grabbed mine and Alice's bags and walked over to her while Sue handed out the remaining cards to the rest of the class. Alice looked far too comfortable when I placed her bag in her lap and mine over the handles. I noticed the other girls getting ready to move and raced Alice out of the room so we could use the small lift first.
Thanks to lift access we were on the ground floor and heading off to town, we really do bum around town far too much, oh the life of a student. Alice was nodding her head and waving like the queen to those around us, I think she was enjoying this far too much.
"Is there anything left in town for you to buy?" I asked.
"Oh Bella, there's always something to buy, you'll learn that soon." she said while waving at a group of first year boys who all eagerly waved back, a few tripping over their own feet as they did so.
-
We'd been in town for a while. Me wheeling Alice around while she pointed out which shops she wanted to go into. Of course it being Alice she wanted to go into all the designer shops and since this isn't exactly a big town there were few of them, and the ones that there was were all small with barely any room to breathe never mind wheel an excited Alice around. Thankfully she was on first name terms with most of the sales assistants so they willingly brought her anything she asked for and after all that she was still yet to buy anything, I was somewhat proud of her.
As I was pushing her back up the high street I saw a familiar streak of blonde hair, I decided to get Alice back for the stunt she pulled on the greenery yesterday. I placed Alice in the middle of the high street next to a group of benches.
"What are you doing?" She asked confused.
"I er, I need to pop into the bank to see if my wages have gone in, rent to pay and all."
"Why don't I go with you?" she asked, still confused.
"It'll just be easier otherwise I'll have to wheel you back down the high street, you've got a bunch of fashion magazines in your bag I'm sure you can keep yourself occupied with them while I nip to the bank quickly, I'll be five minutes max." I said hoping she'd take the bait.
"Oh go on then, I'll be timing you so get to it." she said while dismissing me with her hands.
Proud of myself I practically ran down the high street, not quite sure what to actually do since I know I don't get my wages until the end of the week.
Even if my master plan had worked, there's still a chance Alice would be keeping count so after three minutes I made my way back up the high street. Once she came into view I smirked to myself, Jasper was knelt in front of her with her 'injured' foot in his hand, its surprising how quick that seemed to heel. He was affectionately rubbing circles into it with a look of pure adoration on his face. I think it's safe to say this boy has been whipped.
"So Alice," I said once I was close enough "am I in time?"
She stopped watching Jasper's every movement to give me a confused look "What are you talking about?" she asked.
I smirked; it seems Jasper isn't the only one who's smitten. "I was less than five minutes... but I can get lost till it's half two if you like?" I offered.
"Of course not, Jasper wants to help take me shopping, don't you Jazz?" she said, at this Jasper nodded eagerly. Although I was still awing the fact she's gave him a nickname already.
"As tempting as that is, I've got to nip into work, I was going to drag you along with me but since Jasper is here now how about I meet you back here when it's my turn. It's not exactly against Sue's rules, she didn't specifically state we had to stay together..." I trailed off hopefully, I didn't think my 'master plan' through cause now I'll have to play gooseberry.
"Are you sure?" Alice asked guilty.
"Positive, now go have fun you two." and with that I ruffled both Alice and Jasper's hair earning me a glare from both of them.
-
I was now sat in this dreadful wheelchair with a lovesick Jasper and Alice watching over me. I had been for about half an hour, the whole time Jasper and Alice have been making googly eyes at one another and talking about the romantic stroll they went on while I was 'at work'. They'd just left me to go into some shop, we'd gone to so many today I couldn't bring myself to keep note anymore.
I was carelessly running my hands through my hair when I heard my name being shouted; startled I turned around to look for who the voice belonged to. I was met by a horrified looking Edward jogging towards me. He knelt down in front of me and gently took hold of my hands, linking them and placing them in my lap. I was hit with déjà vu of yesterday, except from the picture on my nightstand I remember Edward's face being much happier and care free.
"Erm, hi?" I said confused, he was still staring worriedly at me.
"What happened? Did you fall? Where's Alice doesn't she have a lesson with you now? Where are you hurt? Are you..." I detached one of our entwined hands to put it over his mouth.
"One question at a time please Edward, but before you ask more, I'm fine, no I did not fall and Alice is with Jasper in there." I said while nodding over to the store behind me, while slowly moving my hand from his mouth.
"You're fine?" He asked confused.
"Yeah, remember yesterday I had that blindfold? Well Sue went one up on us this afternoon, you don't even want to know what happened this morning." I said smiling when I thought of Emmett this morning. Although using my free hand to trace the back of my head where I'd been hit this morning, frowning when I felt a bump there.
Edward must have noticed my frown and used his free hand to brush over where I'd just touched, grimacing when he felt the bump I'd just noticed.
"I thought you were fine?" he asked.
"Oh that's nothing, I'm totally fine so don't go causing worry lines on that pretty little face of yours." I said while pinching his cheek like an annoying old lady. I was instantly rewarded with his beautiful smile, which made me forget that I'd just yet again embarrassed myself in front of him by calling him pretty.
"How long are you restricted to this?" he asked.
"Just for another hour, then I'm free. How long are you free? Are you on your break or?..."
"I'm on my lunch break, my lunch breaks are always all over the place, and you just never know when someone's going to get sick." he said with a cute smile.
"That's true, what to you think of the bump on my head, fatal?"
He delicately rubbed a thumb over it and looked thoughtful for a few seconds.
"No, I think your going to live but something has been brought to my attention." he said in a serious tone.
"Oh?" I asked.
"Yeah, you look beautiful with your hair wavy like this." He said while running his fingers through it. I of course went several shades of red at this, I wish I was better at taking compliments, especially from a god like Edward.
"Thanks." I mumbled incoherently into my lap. But Edward chuckled so I assumed he'd heard me.
"Want to go for a spin?" he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively making me laugh.
"I'd love to, you might have to go tell the happy couple though, their still reeling from their romantic getaway earlier."
Edward gave me a quizzical look before telling me to stay put and going into the shop in search for his crazy but loveable sister.
As fate would have it, not long after Edward had disappeared I heard another voice frantically shouting my name. Oh Christ, not again.
"BELLA!" Mike called whilst running up to me. Before he had a chance to say another word I held up my hands to him.
"Sue's crazy senses thing, I'm totally fine, Alice is shopping." I said remembering Edward could come out any second and hoping Mike would skedaddle. Much to my displeasure he took Edward's previous position of kneeling in front of me, luckily he wasn't as bold as Edward and didn't try holding my hands.
"I was talking to Tyler earlier, he told me you had a bit of an accident this morning?" he said sounding concerned.
I decided to ignore the fact he made me sound like a child who wet the bed or something, "Yeah my bad, well Sue's bad for making us wear earplugs and Alice taking a short cut over the football field." I said trying to laugh it off.
But to my horror Mike suddenly decided to grow a pair and reached forward and started to caress my hair, scrunching it up with his fingers.
"Erm, Mike what the hell are you doing?" I said alarmed, trying and failing to back away from him.
"You hurt your head before, I'm just making sure your okay." he said sounding like it was the most normal thing in the world to start stroking my hair without warning.
"She's fine." said a venomous voice from behind me.
Mike immediately dropped his hand and stood up stiffly, I smiled when I felt one of Edward's hands resting on the wheelchair and the other going to my hair making slow circular patterns. Feeling much better than the weird scrunching thing Mike was just doing.
"And you are?" asked Mike in a tone I think was supposed to be menacing, but it was nothing compared to Edward's previous tone.
"Edward, I'm training to become a doctor and I can assure you her head is just fine, especially her face." he said the last part with a smirk and a wink in my direction which made me laugh out loud, it seemed totally out of character of his normal breezy façade. This only made Mike glare at Edward more, especially at his hand that was still making circular motions in my hair.
"Well, I was just... making sure, Bella's one of my good friends, I'll erm... see you later right Bella, at 9, yeah?" Mike stuttered while slowly backing away.
"Of course you will Mike, see you then." I said with a smile, I know he's a bit of a fool 99.9 of the time but there is always that 0.1 where he really is a great guy.
After Edward glared at Mike's retreating form until he was out of site he looked at me with a disapproving look on his face.
"Who was that idiot?" he asked.
"Oh that was Mike, you know the one I told you about last night?" I said sheepishly.
"Yeah I remember, the 'friend'." he said with an edge of annoyance in his voice.
"Yeah he just tries to blur the lines sometimes. I doubt he'll try it again now."
"He won't." Edward said like he was stating a fact, he obviously doesn't realize how persistent Mike is "Anyway I've got permission from Alice to wheel you around wherever I see fit, I am training to become a doctor you know."
"Yeah I think you might have just mentioned that to Mike. I don't think he was as impressed as I am."
"As long as you are, that's all that matters to me." he said while starting to wheel me up a side alley on the high street "But erm..." he trailed off.
I turned to look at him, it wasn't like Edward to be at a loss for words he was always the confident one out of us.
"Yeah," I prodded, eager to know what he was thinking.
"Not that it's my business or anything but... when Mike said see you at 9 wh-"
I cut Edward off by laughing, to which he looked at me annoyed.
"Sorry Edward, but there's honestly nothing to be concerned over. He just gives me a lift home from work so I don't have to get that horrible bus."
"Yeah I remember, you get stuck sitting next to weird people like me." he said sarcastically.
"Hey I'd made a fool out of myself in front of you, I couldn't look at you without feeling like an idiot."
"It certainly made me less angry that my car had broken down anyway." he said with a smile, while continuing to wheel me around.
-
It was now 9 o'clock and I had thankfully just finished my very boring shift at work, the only somewhat entertaining moment was when a 15 year old weedy boy with acne came onto the health and beauty aisle and filled his basket with 10 boxes of durex condoms, extra large ones at that while smiling at me suggestively. Thankfully I didn't see him again. The only thing that really made time fly was thinking about my afternoon with Edward, he hadn't taken me anywhere specific, just around town, but just being around him made it great.
I had just finished telling Angela about Mike meeting Edward when I looked out into the car park and saw a silver Volvo parked in Mike's usually spot.
"Is that him?" Angela asked leaning closer to me.
All I could do was give her a pathetic nod. She gave me a quick hug and told me to 'be cool' which is much easier said than done, and then got in the car with her boyfriend Ben.
I carefully approached Edward's car and shyly leaned down to look through the passenger door window, to which he leaned over and opened the door for me.
"Mind if I give you a lift home tonight?" he asked with eyes full of hope, as if I would say no to him.
"I don't mind at all." I said while sitting in the passenger seat "But I really should tell Mike, he'll be waiting for me." I looked over my shoulder to see it was only us and a few co workers getting into their cars.
"He's not here." he said smiling to himself, which made me worry a little.
"And he's not here because?" I asked.
"Let's just say he had a check up at the hospital and I may have mentioned to him that I was going to pick you up tonight instead."
"You just happened to 'mention' it to him, huh?" I asked smiling regardless, I'd much rather a lift home with Edward than Mike, especially after what happened today.
"Yeah, and I also happened to... 'mention'... that I was going to drop you off at college from now on." he said nonchalantly while driving towards the general direction of my house.
"You what?" I asked. Picking me up from work on a whim was one thing but going out of his way every morning.
"I told him I was going to take you to college in the mornings, it's not too far out of my way and I drop Alice off some mornings anyway, she's the one who suggested it actually."
"When did she even have time to mention it? Wait is that why she was trying to ring you and me last night?"
He nodded sheepishly and I wasn't sure if to thank or yell at the evil little pixie.
We mostly just listened to the radio, Edward would sing along to songs he knew while I danced along. Yeah we looked ridiculous but it felt great, I silently chuckled over Angela telling me to 'be cool', oh if she could see me now. I gave Edward the directions to my house and before we knew it we were parked outside my apartment block.
"So, thanks for the lift home and for the upcoming lifts to college then." I said looking at Edward who was far too busy looking at something behind me. I looked around to see only my apartment block, "So, erm, bye?" I said stupidly, still unsure what he was looking at.
"Can I walk you do your room? It doesn't look very... safe."
I was going to decline and tell him he was an idiot but the pained look on his face told me otherwise.
"If you want. It's honestly not that bad, it's quite nice inside."
He gave me a quizzical look before getting out, I smiled at his unnecessary over protectiveness and turned to open my door, but just as my fingers brushed the handle Edward had opened it for me. Giving him a quick smile and a thanks, I led him to the inside. It was almost comical to see him sizing everything up on the way to my door. Once we got there he looked around a few more times before giving a somewhat approving nod.
"It's actually quite nice in here, the outside doesn't do it much justice."
"Yep well it's totally safe, so you can sleep tonight knowing no psychos are going to break in and kill me." I said with a grin "No one can open the main door unless they have a key or they are buzzed in, the fire doors don't open from the outside and windows on the ground floor are either locked, won't open, or too small for anyone to fit through."
He visibly relaxed at my little speech.
"Do I also get the pleasure of checking if your room is safe?" he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"As tempting as that is, you don't get that sort of luxury until at least the third of fourth date I'm afraid." I said, inside cheering myself at my courageousness.
"Well our coffee date last week, our wheelchair date today and the drive home surely counts as three?"
"Ha nice try, but you can't have two in one day and lifts don't qualify otherwise Me and Mike would be practically married by now. I'll give you the coffee date and our wheelchair antics earlier but that still leaves you on only two." I said playfully.
"Okay lifts don't count, but how about I take you out this weekend? Saturday okay?"
"That sounds alright to me, but don't get your hopes up, I said third or fourth date." I said, putting an emphasis on the 'or'.
"Oh we'll see." he said playfully before much to my surprise leaning down to place a slow lingering kiss on my cheek, "Goodnight Bella, see you tomorrow morning, is half past eight okay?"
I was still in a daze from the kiss so I just nodded, not quite trusting my voice right now.
"Great, sweet dreams." he said while walking down the stairs, all I could do was watch him until he was out of sight.
I hazily opened my apartment door and made sure to bolt lock it once I was inside, wouldn't want Edward worrying now, would I? I looked around the living room to see the exact reason why I hadn't let Edward come in. From my lateness this morning there was pants and socks lying on the floor along with some clothes I was going to wear but didn't have enough time to iron them. I mentally reminded myself to keep it clean and pants free from now on. Even though it was still early I decided to go to bed.
Just as I'd turned the lights off and gotten into bed my mobile vibrated telling me I had a text. I leaned over to look at it.
'I hope you got inside okay.
I've just got home, no axe wielding psychos
lurking around here either.
I'm looking forward to Saturday.
Goodnight xx'
I smiled at the text, not even bothering to wonder how he got hold of my number. I'm going to be having a few words with Alice tomorrow I reckon. I put the phone back on my nightstand, looking at the picture of Edward and me on it being lit up by my phone before turning around and slipping into a slumber filled with images of the perfect bronze haired boy I was seeing this Saturday.
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Please review. The latest chapter of my other story only got one review so at least two will mean I update this one first. But please review even if I'm lucky enough to get two.