Chapter 5: Transformation
Vienna, Austria: December 23rd, 2011
"Angie? Angie..."
Bella was standing inside the dressing room of H&M and looking at herself in a pencil skirt and blouse for the first time in her adult life. She'd never worn clothes so tight and revealing before in her life, but that's all her friend seemed to pick out for her to try on.
"Angela!" Bella called out and the dressing room door opened wide to reveal Angela with at least ten more items of clothing in hand, all for Bella to try on. The sight caused Bella to groan internally.
"Angie, are you sure these clothes aren't too much for going out on a simple date?"
"Bella Swan, this is what everyone is wearing in society, but you. Don't you ever read magazines, sweetie? They all tell you how to dress in order to catch a man—oh, Bells, you have to get that outfit. It looks incredible on you. Do you like it?"
Angie turned away to hang up the other items of clothing she chose inside the dressing room while Bella looked at herself once more in the mirror.
"Yes, I do. I supposed I'm just not used to dressing like this—"
"—Yet. But you will. Once I'm through with you honey, you will be the knock-out at the Christmas party tonight. Come on and change. I have tons more here, and we're finally making a dent in that birthday money you got months ago. So chop chop!"
Angela clapped her hands together extremely excited at the prospect of Bella's new make over, which took months of coaxing and begging. But finally, Bella thought it was time for a change... time to grow up.
This revelation was of course, thanks to her best friend Jake. Who Bella, somewhat recently, developed stronger feelings for... ever since Halloween when he started frequently complimenting her on how stunningly beautiful she was, day in and day out.
"Wow, Bells. Jake is going to drop dead when he sees you in that dress tonight. It's perfect. I think we found your outfit for the party," Angela gaped at her friend, wondering how she possibly could have hidden that body she had underneath all those baggy clothes.
Angela knew if she had been blessed with Bella's hour-glass toned figure, she'd flaunt it to high heaven. Unfortunately, Angie thought, she was tall, flat as a pancake, and thin as a rail. Suddenly, after seeing Bella in decent clothing, Angela realized she looked plain in comparison standing next to her gorgeous friend with long mahogany hair, deep chocolate eyes, and perfect alabaster skin.
"What is it, Angie?" Bella asked looking concerned at her friend's emotional expression.
"Nothing... you're just so pretty, Bella. I hope you realize that. Look at yourself. Come on, look," she turned Bella to face the body length mirror and stood behind her, holding her shoulders, "tell yourself, I'm pretty."
"Ang—" Bella whined languidly and tried to turn away from the mirror but Angela forced her to look back.
"I'm serious, Bells. Look at yourself and see what everyone else sees. Say it, maybe then you'll believe it."
"Are you minoring in physiology, too?" Bella's monotone voice dripped with sarcasm, but Angela's face was like stone, her eyes determined and waiting.
Bella sighed heavily and turned her focus back at the mirror again, but this time more intently. She stared for a long time analyzing her features and her form, touching her stomach covered by the red cocktail dress.
She saw how this outfit complimented her skin tone and her figure. Bella looked again at her face and thought about an Eleanor Roosevelt quote Jake told her the other day,
"No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful."
Suddenly, a light bulb switched on inside Bella's brain, and at that moment Bella realized she didn't look beautiful... she felt beautiful.
"What was that you said?" Angela asked Bella who had unintentionally been muttering out loud to herself.
"I'm... beautiful," Bella whispered in astonishment because for the first time she believed it.
The Cullen Estate: Same day
"So she's beautiful, huh?"
"You'll see when you meet her tonight. Man, she's—she's beyond anything I've ever seen before. Rosie's not like the others. She's like—a real woman, you know?"
Edward put his hand over the receiver and looked up at his brother raising his eyebrows, "And the others were... what? Transvestites?" Edward shook his head grinning to himself, then heard the voice on the telephone line speak and replied back into the receiver.
"No Larry, I'm not going to buy anymore networks."
Emmett stopped pacing and put both of his hands on the desk leaning forward to get Edward's attention, "I'm telling you, Ed, this is serious! She's a doctor and shit. An amazing, sexy, gorgeous pedi—uh—peda— doctor who works with kids," Emmett waved it off and started to pace about the room again.
"Pediatrician—" Edward answered dryly, then spoke back into the phone. "Why not? Because there's never anything good on. Well, I said the other day the offer would close at six and it's already three minutes passed. I'm sorry Larry, the meeting is up. I have a dinner appointment—Alright, goodnight."
Edward hung up the phone and typed on his cell phone while Emmett continued to pace around the front of his desk.
"Dad knows her father, and I think Mom is already trying to plan my wedding. She hasn't even met her yet..." Emmett shivered a little at the thought of marriage, then looked into the gilded mirror over the fireplace to straighten his tie.
"So what's your point, Em?" Edward sighed while putting the papers on his desk back into a filling drawer.
"I'm asking for your help. Just a little bit, you know. Make me look good. I mean, I know I look good," Emmett muttered to himself causing Edward to roll his eyes before he looked back up at his brother.
"Just make me sound good. Tell her how smart I am and mention all my accomplishments... lie, alright? I want this evening to go well... be—creative."
"Who is this woman again? Aside from being a pediatrician... what's her name?" Edward waved his hand to Emmett as he took a seat on the other side of Edward's desk.
"Rosalie Hale."
The minute the name left Emmett's lips, Edward looked up and put both of is hands flat on his desk, sitting up straighter.
"Hale? As in, Hale Electronics?" his voice raised in pitch near the end and waited anxiously for his brother's slow comprehension.
"Yeah... yeah, I think that's what Dad told me her father did. Something to do with Electronics," Emmett shrugged his shoulders disinterestedly and Edward huffed and leaned back all the way in his chair.
"Shit. And her and her parents are coming here tonight? Eleazar Hale is coming here?" Edward spoke slowly and clearly to be sure Emmett understood the magnitude of what this dinner could possibly mean for Edward... for CCC.
"Yeah."
"Shit, Emmett... I love you. Do you have any idea what Hale Electronic has that no other company does? No, of course you don't." Edward muttered to himself, "Never mind, I'll make you look like a saint tonight if you want . Don't you worry."
Emmett gave Edward his mega-watt smile and walked over to give him a brotherly one-handed, manly hug. The followed Edward out of the office on the third floor, just in time for the doorbell to ring downstairs.
"Alright, show time!" Emmett said clapping his brother on the back as they both heard their father greet the guests downstairs.
"El, good to see you! Carmen it's been too long, and Rosalie, too. Your father speaks of nothing else. Come in, come in and meet my family. You remember my beautiful wife, Esme," Carlisle said, and warmly welcomed the Hales and immediately noticed Rosalie's eyes fell upon Emmett's wide grin which made him and Esme smile.
"And I'm sure you already know my sons, either by name or by reputation. Edward my eldest, who's now the CEO of CCC, and my younger son Emmett."
Everyone shook hands, but Edwards eyes never left Eleazar's. He smiled to himself, thinking that his brother couldn't have provided him with a better opportunity than this.
Finally, Emmett has struck gold... and if everything goes as planned, there will be more than one union happening between the Cullens and the Hales, if I have something to say about it.
Vienna, Austria: The Christmas Party
"So when we found out our Bella's concerto piece was chosen for the orchestra concerto concert next semester, all of us went wild! You should be proud of your girl here, Jake. There was some heavy competition this year. But I saw all the of the entries and Bella's was by far the best. Also that Hungarian guy Hans, his was pretty amazing too. A close second."
Bella's face was redder than her scarlet cocktail dress that she purchased earlier this evening.
Once she arrived with her arm firmly on Jake's, she received a round of applause from being the winner of the concerto competition and for her stunning new make over. Bella pointed to Angela, who then curtsied for her brilliant success.
After purchasing a completely new wardrobe and donating all her old clothes to charity, Angela took Bella to the salon and spa to complete the transformation. Bella got her booty length hair cut to just below her shoulders, with long layers, and bangs that perfectly framed her heart-shaped face.
Her nails were done with french tips, and her entire body got waxed and body buffed so her skin felt smooth and hairless. Finally, Angela showed Bella how to apply make up for day time and night-time. Then they both got dressed for the party, waiting for their dates, Eric and Jake, to pick them up.
When Bella answered the door to let Jake inside, she looked like an entirely new person.
"Holy mother of the sun God! Bella? Is that you?"
Bella laughed her usual musical laugh and smiled at both Eric and Jake's bewildered expressions.
"Of course it is. Who else would it be?" she stuck her hip out and placed her hand on her hip looking sassy while holding the door open.
"Well you definitely sound like Bella... but—"
"But, nothing boys. Bella is now as lovely on the outside as she is on the inside. I told you I could do it!" Angela strolled over to the door and gave her boyfriend Eric a peck on the cheek, "Shall we?"
She gestured for them to follow her, to break the boys out of their Bella induced frozen shock.
"After you, lady in Red," Jake bowed and growled teasingly at Bella.
"Behave yourself there, Mr. Wolf... or no treats tonight," Bella winked playfully, leaving Jake looking stunned for a whole different reason.
"Dang woman, have mercy... I have no defense against that tonight," Jake whined and followed Bella grabbing her arm and leading her forward behind Angela and Eric.
It was very low, but Bella could have sworn she heard Eric whisper to Angela, "and he has no cold shower access either," and she watched them both giggle to each other, while Bella's face burned with shyness.
When they arrived, the ballroom was crowded with a hundred or so students and faculty all celebrating holidays before the break. Once her friends spotted them, they couldn't stop gawking and complimented Bella, much to her embarrassment. But she tried to relax and remain poised and confident throughout the entire evening. Her transformation in character as well as personality did not go unnoticed.
Sam was talking non-stop ever since Jake and Bella showed up. Eventually, a swarm of other men gathered around Bella as she sipped her punch and hung onto Jake's arm for support.
"So what prompted this dramatic change all of a sudden, Bella?" Seth asked causing other heads to nod in agreement all wondering the same thing.
"I don't think the change was very sudden at all, actually. I've been feeling different for a while. It just felt like the right time to start dressing how I feel on the inside. I don't feel like a kid anymore... I don't know how else to explain it.
"Angie helped me by finding my new look, but Jake... he helped me find the person I've been searching for on the inside by giving me some books to read. They inspired me and my concerto. So after I won the competition, I knew I was on the right path," Bella explained with everyone listening to her with keen interest. She'd never felt more comfortable talking to a bunch of people before... and it was all thanks to Jacob.
"Well, I hate to tear her away from you, but I would like a dance with my best friend if you all don't mind," Jake announced formally to all their friends and acquaintances, then took Bella's hand and led her to the dance floor.
Bella looked up at Jake as he towered over her small 5' 6 height with this 6' 6 height. She couldn't help giggling at how different it was to dance formally with him rather than dancing in a club where it didn't matter how tall or small your partner may be.
"What may I ask, is so funny, Miss Swan?" Jake grinned wolfishly, knowing exactly what Bella was laughing about.
"Nothing... nothing at all. Have you ever danced the Foxtrot, or are you just winging it?" Bella chuckled looking up at Jake as his eyes furrowed looking more confused.
"The fox what? I've never heard of it. I'm just moving my feet to the beat," Jake twirled Bella out suddenly making her cry out in surprise then swung her back into his arms quickly catching her.
They both laughed from their impromptu dancing skills and Bella chided him, "I thought MT's were supposed to know how to dance!"
"I dance Jazz, Ballet, and Tap. I've never had to dance ballroom in my life... I'm always too tall for the chicks anyway. It always looks like I'm dancing with a munchkin... kinda like right now!" Jake laughed and he received a hard punch from Bella in the shoulder.
"OW! Well you certainly don't hit like a munchkin! That's for sure."
"I was raised by my father, and several other men who taught me self defense since I was five years old. Let's just say someone would be pretty dumb to want to mess with me," Bella said boldly and confidently, but with a semi-mocking elite expression.
"Oooh. "Attack of the Killer Swan." I like it... and I like this new side to you too. It's like you've taken all I've said to you finally to heart," Jake said on a more seriously level, changing the topic back to Bella's new persona.
"I always did... it just took a while to sink in. I really do have you to thank for it... I've never been happier and more comfortable with myself in my entire life. I feel like I could take on the world... thank you," Bella said pulling Jake's collar down toward her face and reached up on her toes to give him a sweet kiss on the cheek.
For the first time since Bella met Jacob... she actually saw his cheeks turn pink the moment she pulled away from him. His reaction made her smile and they continued to dance for two more songs in comfortable silence.
The rest of the party went by smoothly and now Bella and Jake were back at Bella's dorm room waiting for Bella to fish out the keys to her door.
"I had a great time tonight with you, Bells. Thanks for agreeing to be my date," Jake said softly causing Bella to look up from her bag and smile at him.
"Of course, Jake. I wouldn't have wanted to be there with anyone else," she finally found her keys and put her key inside her hand ready to open the door but was stopped by Jake's left hand.
"Jake?" Bella looked up at him and saw a hint of nervousness and uncertainty... then finally determination.
"Bella, I've been meaning to do this for a while and I was too much of a coward to do anything up til now. But... I have to get his off my chest," he talked quickly with his arms clenched firmly on either side of his body.
"What is it?" Bella asks curiously.
"This..." Jake leaned forward and captured Bella's mouth with his and slowly pressed against her body, waiting for her to either slap him, or kiss him back.
Bella was startled, then frozen with uncertainty... wondering how she felt about her best friend kissing her inside her hallway without permission. She felt his warm body move closer to hers and she started to relax instinctively.
She knew his touch, smell, warmth... his good heart. He wasn't doing this to hurt her it seemed, but because he couldn't help himself. Only a few seconds had passed, and finally Bella decided she did enjoy kissing Jacob and chose to open her mouth slightly to capture his upper lip and kiss him back.
The moment Bella moved her mouth, Jacob sighed in relief and satisfaction. He'd wanted to do this since the first night he met Bella, but had started creeping into "the friend zone" and started getting nervous he was past the point of no return.
Soon his hands slide up Bella's waist and almost lifted her off the floor so he had better access to her mouth and Bella responded by placing her arms about his neck and pulling him in tighter. The kiss lasted for a moment longer then he felt her pull away to take a breath and Jacob took that moment to breathe her in and relish that fact that they shared their first kiss right before Christmas.
"Was that alright?" Jake asked breathlessly hoping Bella wasn't going to regret kissing back.
"Of course. Merry Christmas, Jake."
"Merry Christmas, Bells."
Bella pecked Jake once more on the mouth then released his neck and slid back down to the floor. She opened the door with lighting precision then smiled at him right before gently shutting it closed. Jake walked back out into the winter cold with a bounce in his step while Bella stayed leaning against the back of her door staring out into her dorm room, pondering.
I can't believe that just happened. He kissed me, and I kissed him back... and I liked it.
Bella placed her clutch onto the desk then reached behind her back and pulled the zipper down so she could remove her red cocktail dress. She looked up at her cork board with was not packed and crowded with a bunch of pictures from home of her family: Charlotte, Peter, and their newborn baby, Bree; Sue and Charlie; Aro, Ben and Maria... everyone she left back home. Then she saw the postcards and memories she gathered from around the city, new pictures of her friends here at the University...they all circled around one black and white Gap ad which was practically covered expect for part of the face.
Bella stared some more at the eyes, nose and mouth of her childhood crush, then reached inside her desk to retrieve the announcement that she had won the concerto competition. She read the paper one more time, then placed the small paper right on top of the last remaining portion of Emmett she had on her cork board.
She stepped away from the wall and looked at the collage of pictures and memories, and smiled feeling mollified that Emmett Cullen was no longer watching over her.
The Concerto Competition: April 29th 2012
"Alright everyone... please pay attention to measure 103, the strings missed the ritardando and the flutes sped up too quickly on beat three. So watch me!"
Bella was watching Sam in front of the stage speaking to the full orchestra on the final rehearsal before the concerto performance. It was only slightly nerve wrecking before she knew the entire music department was going to be there along with several important names in the music industry to watch the concert. If everyone played to the best of their ability, it would not only show case the musicians, but Bella's music as well which could lead to future jobs and apprentices.
"Okay, once again from measure 102, then moving on the the end," Sam tapped his baton and waited for everyone to watch him, then waved the ictus and the down beat, cuing the french horns and trombones, followed by the strings and woodwinds.
The piece was very romantic, in comparison to everything Bella had written in the beginning of her musical education. It had undertones of sadness and longing, but near the middle of the piece the music swelled with joyfulness and ecstasy, then ended again with wistful sadness, leaving the listeners with a sense of awe, warmth, and uncertainty spreading throughout their bodies.
In short... this music was everything Bella hoped and dreamed love would feel like... but she hadn't experienced it yet.
She'd been with Jacob ever since their first kiss before Christmas, and yes, she was happy. But she wasn't in love. She didn't know how she knew it wasn't love... because she'd never been in love before. She just knew she didn't feel for Jake they way she had felt for Emmett when she was growing up... and she wanted to. Bella wanted to feel that way for Jacob so badly... and she tried. She was still trying... but there were no butterflies, no infatuation, no dire need to be near him...
WHY!? Why didn't she feel that? He was perfect for her. Understood her, wanted her, and it drove Bella to near insanity that she couldn't reciprocate the same love and desire the felt for her. But there was one more alternative... one final resort that she was determined to try before giving up entirely. She wanted it to be a surprised... not planned or thought out. It was supposed to be spontaneous, passionate, caught up in the moment over powering lust and desire.
Bella was obviously attracted to Jake; had been since day one, but there was always something... or someone holding her back. Well that someone probably didn't even remember she existed, or had any idea she waited for him to notice her and take her virginity since she graduated high school. Emmett had never made any attempts to contact her or check up on her to see how she was doing in... well forever. So she knew she was waiting for a ship that had sunk before it even had a chance to sail.
Tonight was the night. After the show... Jacob would be the one.
And Bella was scared shitless!
St. Jude Hospital: Same day
"He needs a higher dosage of Albuterol for his asthma, so I'll write out a new prescription and he needs to start the new inhaler treatments twice a day morning and night. I'd like to keep him here over night to monitor him, then we'll see how he's doing in the morning, but the worst is over..."
In Emmett's mind, there was nothing sexier that listening to his girl talk in medical terms and watching her treat patients. He was leaning over the counter of the front desk, dressed in a tuxedo and holding Rosalie's purse and shawl while waiting for her to finish her emergency patient call. The were supposed to see the opera tonight, but at the last-minute one of Rosalie's patients got called into the ER and she was on call that evening, so they rushed here instead.
Emmett wasn't disappointed in the least. He didn't care much for the opera, but he knew Rosalie did so he was willing to suffer in silence while watching his woman's face marvel at the loud blaring singers on stage.
He looked up to see Rosalie wrapping it up, and filling out the rest of the chart before dropping it off at the front desk and then taking off her white coat.
"I'm so sorry that took so long, baby. I guess we'll have to go out another night—"
"No worries, babe. How about we go to your place instead? I can stop by the store and pick up some things to make you a fantastic omelet, passed down by generations of Cullens who watched the cooking channel."
Rosalie laughed and circled Emmett's waist with both of her hands and gave him a big kiss, humming against his lips, "You are so good to me. I love you."
Emmett didn't even think before he realized what he was saying, "I love you too."
On the outside Emmett looked entirely cool and composed, but on the inside he was freaking out to God almighty wondering where in God's name did that come from?
"Really? You're sure about that?" Rosalie raised her eyebrow sceptically and Emmett thought to himself, we'll if you're going to Hell anyway, you may as well take the front seat.
"Yes... I think you would know that by now," he grinned his cocky smile at her to bring the conversation back to it's playful manner but Rosalie looked beyond serious.
"Prove it," she whispered wherein Emmett's grin started to fade into a more serious expression, very tempted to take on the challenge.
"How?" he leaned forward ready to kiss her senseless to prove to her how much he wanted her, how much he thought she was the sexiest, smartest, most deliciously insufferable woman on the planet... until his heart stopped when she whispered to his lips.
"Marry me."
Vienna, Austria: A week later
Bella was looking into the mirror of her dorm room sweet waiting for Jake to arrive and take her out to dinner. The only word repeating over and over again inside her brain was, 'coward.'
After the concerto competition performance and everyone when out for wine and cocktails at the local pub, Bella was drunk and beyond shit faced. Jacob was too and both of them had been touching and feeling each other all night long under tables and making out in corners until Jacob took Bella home. She was ready for Jacob to come inside and to the deed with him, until she whispered against the name of her neck something she did not expect.
"I think I love you, Bells."
Bella froze. She pulled away from him and looked at his face and all she could see was honesty and fear. Fear that she didn't reciprocate the same feelings for him, and truthfully, if he had asked her directly if she felt the same... she wouldn't have been able to lie to him. But then she would have ended up hurting him... and that was the last thing in the entire world she wanted to do. She couldn't hurt him... she loved him... but she wasn't in love with him. She wanted to be... God, it would have been so much easier if she was so they could move past this barrier between them.
That was when she decided that night wasn't the night to have sex and lose her virginity. She couldn't do that to him... lie and say she felt the same just to see if the feeling would come later.
As Bella, continued to put mascara on her eyelashes, she remembered his understanding expression after he admitted he loved her, and her silences of not knowing what to say... her stomach cringed.
"It's alright, Bella. You don't have to say it back. I'd rather you didn't actually if you don't mean it. I just thought you should know, that's all. You're still my best friend, but you're also so much more than that to me... even if things don't work out between us in the future, I hope we always remain best friends," Jake said without hesitation and Bella's heart cracked wide open and tears started to pour down her cheeks.
"Awe, Bells, I didn't mean to make you cry," Jake said whipping the tears away from her eyes.
"I can't help it. I think you're one of the most genuinely kind and generous people I've ever met. Of course, we'll always be friends Jacob Black. No matter what happens... I'll always want you to be apart of my life!"
Bella hugged him closer to her body and Jake positioned her so she was sitting on top of his lap and she cried until she feel asleep in his arms.
And now, a full week later and Bella still hadn't told Jake whether or not she loved him or was in love with him... because she knew he deserved an answer. But she also didn't want to break up with him.
Graduation was coming up fast, and very soon... she was scheduled to leave Vienna and head back to New York, to see her family again after a year of separation. After that... she didn't have any future plans. Jake was going to be staying to finish his degree in Vienna, which meant another two years after this one.
Honestly, she didn't know what the future had in store for them... but she knew for certain they would talk about it tonight, about where their relationship was heading. Bella couldn't help but feel that things were coming to an end with Jacob... and she didn't like it. Not one bit.
Bella got startled when she heard her phone ringing and buzzing on her desk, breaking her out of her train of thought. She put her mascara wand back inside the container, then picked up the phone and answered it before checking the caller ID.
"Bella speaking,"
"Bells?" a familiar voice answers and Bella's face immediately broke out into a wide grin.
"Hey Sue! How are you? Is everything alright? How's Charlie?" The questions started pouring out of her before she could stop herself. She hadn't actually spoke to Sue in months. They mainly corresponded through email, so this was a rare occasion.
"I'm doing just fine and Charlie is too. This over here have been kind of hectic lately because we've been planning more and more events coming up starting next month, and the summer alone is booked with another three parties."
Sue sounded stressed out, but it was nothing out of the ordinary since Bella knew how Sue operated. Sue lived for planning, organizing, and running parties. Heck, it's why she chose her profession. But running annual parties for the Cullens year round was tedious work for one person to manage. Yet every time she was successful and everyone seemed happy. This time, Sue's voice sounded strained and Bella thought she must have just been through a meeting or else she wouldn't have sounded so tired.
"Well I know Edward and Esme's birthdays are coming up this summer, of course... but what is the other party for?"
There was a long pregnant pause on the line, and for a moment Bella thought that they got disconnected. "Sue?"
"I'm here. Sweetheart, no one else knows this yet. It's classified so you can't tell another soul until I say so. But I wanted to call you first because I thought you had the right to know, and I know you can keep secrets," Sue spoke slowly and clearly so Bella could understand everything she was saying without confusion.
"I understand, Sue. What's the big secret?" She held her phone close to her ear and waited for Sue to drop the bomb.
"Emmett is getting married."
New York, NY: CCC: Same time
I'm getting married... I'm getting married... why the fuck am I getting married? Oh yeah, cause you're a ball-less pig who never backs down from a challenge! Why the fuck did I agree to get married! WHY!
Emmett got off the elevator and briskly walked down the hallway on the 45th floor to his families company where he knew he would find his brother, because that's where you could always find Edward unless he was out of state.
"Mr. Cullen?" Alice looked startled to see Emmett here since he rarely came to the office, "Can I help you?" Alice spoke up politely from behind her secretary desk situated outside of Edward's office.
"I need to speak to Edward, now!" he walked past her before she got the chance to get up out of her chair to stop him.
"Wait wait! He's in a meeting!" But it was too late, Emmett burst through the doors and announced out catching Edward mid-sentence speaking to two gentlemen sitting across from him.
"So the value has increased for their—Emmett? Wha? What's wrong? Has someone died?"
"No, but someone is about to!" Emmett waved his arm dramatically, and plopped himself down behind Edward's desk. Edward looked up at Alice looking rather perturbed and wondering why his meeting was disturbed on a count of a mental breakdown.
"Don't look at me!" Alice said, "As if I could stop him if I wanted to. Look at me!" she pointed to her pixy-like stature at five feet tall the to Emmett who was twice her size in height and weight. Her gesture caused Edward to chuckle and shake his head apologizing with his eyes for silently accusing her.
"Emmett, I'm in the middle of a meeting..." Edward said calmly and rationally while his brother leaned over the desk and intensely looked him in the eye, "When was the last time I came here?"
Edward thought for a moment, then conceded, "You're right." Edward turned back to the business men, "Please forgive us, but there seems be a family crisis. Would you be willing to reschedule with Alice for a later date, then we can pick up where we left off?Thank you so much Vlad, Stefan."
Edward directed them to the door while they gathered their brief cases and followed Alice outside, closing the door behind them. Edward cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, ready for whatever bullshit that was about be laid out on the table so he wouldn't have to kill his brother.
"Now Emmett, you have the floor. What's the big emergency?"
"You know, I thought at first you genuinely wanted to help me. I thought it was all out of brotherly love, when in fact, you've been pushing me into this relationship with Rose just so you can get closer to Hale Electronics! I never thought my own brother would—"
"I did everything you asked me to do, Emmett. Nothing more, nothing less."
"I didn't expect you to go overboard! They expect me to go through with this!"
"'Make me sound good,' you said, 'tell her how smart I am, mention all my accomplishments, be creative... lie,' were those not your exact words?" Edward said walking over the desk and leaned over it to get into Emmett's face.
Instantly, he saw Emmett face morph to looking guilty and stumped... the face of a caged animal. Emmett groaned letting his head fall forward then banged it against the desk top, and hopelessly covered his head with his hands.
He mumbled into the wood of the desk, "I'm not ready for this, Ed! I don't know how to be a husband!"
"There's no better time to learn. By the way, if you didn't want to marry Rose, why did you pop the question?"
"She asked me! She was saving lives and we were all dressed up, ready to go out on the town. Then the next thing I know we're talking about love and proving it... then wedding dates! Jesus! Am I marriage material? Tell me truthfully, Ed?" Emmett pointed to himself incredulously then lets his head fall forward onto the desk once more.
"Em, you've had enough practice with women to last you a lifetime, and now you've found someone who actually wants to marry you, because she, for some miraculous reason, seems to love you," Edward sat down on the visitor side of his desk and leaned back against the chair.
"Yeah," Emmett lifted his head off the desk and pointed to Edward, "wouldn't that say something about her mental state. I mean, why pick a guy like me when she could have any Joe in the state of New York, in the whole world! I mean, she's amazing, don't get me wrong. But why me? I'm an asshole!"
"Yes. But she loves you... and so do I, when you're not being a jerk. But you said it yourself months ago, Rose is the best thing that's ever happened to you, and you would be more than just an asshole if you gave that up. You would be a down right fool, and you'd regret it for the rest of your life. You're right... she is too good for you... but she picked you. And you better count your lucky stars that she doesn't change her mind, so you go back to being the schmuck you were before she came along."
"Geeze, Ed. Sugar coat it why dontcha..." Emmett grumbled tilting his head back against the chair and looking up to the ceiling.
"In all your years, have you ever known me not to tell you something straight and to the point without any bullshit? This is your life, Emmett. Rose is your future. Don't fuck it up."
Emmett looked back to his brother across the table shocked that he actually cursed. He knew Edward saved only those words when he was really agitated or trying to make a serious point.
Edward was always more proper, dignified, and professional than Emmett... and it showed even now when Emmett was sitting behind his brother's office chair of power, and yet still felt like falling apart at the seams, still the inferior and weaker of the two.
Even though, Emmett could match Edward's brains with his strength... that fact made him feel better. He could take his brother in a fight... not that he ever would fight him... but at least he still had that over him.
"You're right," Emmett nodded as he straightened up in the chair, "I need to stop being a schmuck and grow up. Rose is fantastic and I could do a lot worse. Hell, she could do a lot better, but she chose me. Shit, I'm getting married..." Emmett stood up and held out his hand to his brother to shake, "Thanks bro, I can always count on you to get my head on straight."
Edward smiled and shook his brothers hand before bringing him in for a one-armed hug, "Brains over brawns, bro... that's my motto."
"Hey, that rhymed!" Emmett said laughing proudly like he just found Waldo, and it took all Edward had to bite his tongue and refrain from making a comment on Emmett's brains.
Vienna, Austria: Same time
This is it... don't chicken out, now, Bella kept thinking to herself as she walked over to Jake's dorm room after walking in the rain for the past three hours.
She was drenched to the bone and shivering but she was determined to do this. She knew it was the right thing... what she wanted, as long as he agreed to it.
She knocked lightly on Jacob's door, and in less than three seconds the door swung open to a very worried and distraught Jacob.
"Holy shit! I've been so worried!" Jake pulled her wet body into a tight rib crushing hug and spoke into her neck, "I came to your place but you weren't there, then I called and called but you wouldn't pick up! Where were you?! Why are you soaking wet?" he brought her inside his room and looked at her again for the first time and saw that her teeth were chattering.
"Shit, you're freezing. Come here. What were you thinking?"
"H—he's getting married. He's—he's engaged..." Bella said hopelessly falling back into Jacobs embrace and squeezing him tighter.
At first Jacob didn't know who she was referring to. Then he thought back, all the way back to Halloween last year when she mentioned something about being hung up on this guy from her childhood... and Jake's heart sank to the floor.
He no longer needed to hear it confirmed any longer... Bella, didn't love him. It was obvious the way she came apart from hearing the news about his engagement.
She's obviously come here to break up with me... Jacob thought.
"You're shivering, Bells. Lemme get you a shirt and a towel," he said while turning around and going to retrieve something from his closet and he heard the wet material of Bella's shirt slap on the floor. He turned around to see her arms crossed over her body still shaking, and he covered her in a towel while she took her wet jeans off.
Great.. this is just great. I'm getting hard while my almost ex-girlfriend is undressing in my room. Just my luck, Jacob thought angrily to himself. He moved away to hand Bella his shirt, but Bella didn't accept it from him. Instead she sat down on his bed and patted the seat next to him.
Jacob looked at her confused, but sat down next to her, ready to listen to whatever she had to say.
"Jake... remember when you told me... no matter what we would always be friends?"
Here it comes... Jake nodded and waited for Bella to continue.
"I realized today... that I still have feelings for someone else. And I've been waiting to feel those same feelings for you... but they haven't come yet. I want to love you, Jake. But I realized after today and I love you as a friend... and always will."
Jake nodded his head finally hearing the words he always knew in his heart. It was the risk he took for putting himself out there, and some how he didn't feel crushed, just disappointed. "So what now?"
Bella turned toward him and held his hand in both of hers with the towel wrapped around her chest, "I'm going back to New York in a month, and I'm scared to lose you. I selfishly need you in my life , Jake. You've been my rock all these months and it destroys me to even think about hurting you. Which is why I stayed for so long. You mean everything to me, Jake. I trust you with my life and that's why... this is the most selfish thing I've ever done." Bella paused and gathered every last bit of courage she had left, "I want it to be you."
"You want what to be me?"
Bella didn't know how to seduce a man or even how to explain in words what she was trying to say. So instead of telling him... she stood up from the bed and looked him in the eye seriously before dropping the wet towel to the floor so she was only left in her bra and lace thong underwear.
Jake just stared, frozen at the half-naked girl in front of him with his heart beating out of his chest.
"I want it to be you." Bella repeated again softly, grabbing Jake's hand again and placing it onto her cold stomach, "If you still want me..." she whispered nervously.
They both understood now what was happening between them. There was no future for them... but they could share this. She trusted him to take care of her and be gentle... he wanted something to remember her by. Knowing that he was already emotionally detaching himself from her as they spoke... but no more words were needed.
Instead of telling her, he moved closer to his bedside table and took out three packets of condoms and put them on the table. At that moment, Bella smiled and laughed lightheartedly, relieved and overjoyed that he was doing this for her. Because she knew he had every right to refuse her after all that's been said... after all they've been through.
Jake smiled in return and gently leaned forward to pull Bella closer in between his long legs, and he lustfully looked at her through his lashes and brushed his mouth to hers.
Bella began kissing him softly in return. Jacob pulled her body on top of his extra long twin size bed... and they removed the rest of their clothes memorizing each others bodies before coming together, for the first and last time.
Love me or hate me... I know you thought you were getting a love scene, but all good things to those who wait... for love! Dun dun duuuun!
I hope you've liked my version of the story/characters so far. I'd love to hear your thoughts... so share 'em!