I know it's been a little while since I updated this story. I promise I've been working on it. But I've also got lots of other things going at the same time, some of which you might or might not know about. I might even have a new story to upload soon, so keep your finger crossed.
This chapter is definitely a direct continuation of the one before it, following up all the preparations of the dance with an actual dance where both Edward and Keira enjoy themselves. Honestly, didn't we know this was going to happen eventually? And not less than a few weeks after they met?
So, go on now. Read and enjoy!
Stirrings
November, 1945
Edward
I did everything in my power not to lose control as I sat in the back seat next to Keira while Emmett drove us toward the school. I didn't want to show anyone that my instincts were beginning to take over, but I knew the moment Emmett lifted his eyes to the rear-view mirror that I was failing. After realizing that Keira had not been safe by herself in another place, I searched every moment I'd spent away from her to figure out when I'd missed this. How had I missed the fact that another gifted vampire had been in my midst? Was I no good at protecting my family? Keira? Her family?
Every time I'd read Connor's thoughts, I'd never gotten the impression that he could have an ability nearly as powerful as mine, and he'd played me like an instrument. Once I'd seen the fragmented memories of him following her and scaring her and touching her, I felt more helpless and inferior than I had in all my years as a vampire. I'd never felt so . . . possessive of anyone in my life. And I didn't want to admit to myself that I felt that way.
The school came into view slowly, and it looked normal from the outside. I tried to push all the thoughts and feelings and images as far away as I could, wanting Keira to feel that I was there with her completely when Emmett pulled up into the parking lot where nearly a dozen other cars were currently parked. I forced myself to think that all was right with the world, and the only thing I had to worry about now was the girl I'd asked to the Fall Dance. I didn't want anything to ruin this for Keira, and it was for that reason that I wanted her to enjoy herself tonight.
Emmett parked away from the other cars, and I got out first, turning to help Keira out. She smiled as she stood in front of me, and without waiting for my brother and sister, I started off toward the school with her on my arm.
"You really do look absolutely stunning," I admired softly, watching her blush.
She laughed softly, grasping onto my arm. "You can stop giving me every compliment you happen to know," she pleaded. "You don't have to pretend, you know."
My smile faded slightly, and I glanced over my shoulder at Emmett as he escorted Rosalie behind me. Then I tilted my head closer to Keira. "I want to pretend," I whispered. "When I do that, it's easier for me to focus on what really matters."
She leaned back a little, lifting her eyes to mine. "And that would what exactly?" she inquired.
I lifted my hand to hers as she still held my arm. "You."
Her blush deepened, and she bowed her head, shaking it slightly as we entered the school through the front entrance.
The hallway leading to the gym where the dance was being held was decorated with white and blue polyester banners along with shimmering sashes meant to lead anyone who didn't already know what was going on where the music was coming from. Already, I could hear the live band playing the intro of a song I should've known. I didn't know if I would able to pay attention to the music tonight, but I knew I would try for Keira. She'd never been to a dance like this before, and I wanted the experience to be one she would remember for the rest of her life — and I was swearing to myself that she would live a long and full life, with or without me.
The inside of the gym was decorated so lavishly that I didn't know such a production was possible for a small town. For a moment, I forgot I was inside as the gym floor was lined with small trees sprinkled with red and yellow leaves. While incorporating the school colors of crimson and white, along with blue to make a small dance floor, the room looked smaller than it actually was. But I liked it. There were twelve round tables around the dance floor, and each table had crimson and white table cloths with a centerpiece of leaves, star-shaped candles and gold name plates. I knew the names weren't for food. The dance was just that — a dance. But several businesses in town and in Aberdeen had actually contributed money for the decorations, and it was their names with the plates to show their contribution.
Keira and I stepped through a gold, metal archway, and as the music filled the gym to the ceiling, I lowered my eyes to hers as she took it all in with the innocence I'd come to appreciate in her. There was so much going on, and I was practically a raw nerve of instinct, but she was completely calm. Even her thoughts afforded to me told me she was only worried about one thing in that moment.
"Would you like to dance?" I asked over the music as the band began to play My Dreams are Getting Better all the Time by Doris Day.
She blushed a little deeper, seeing other couples dancing and thinking of the lessons she'd taken with Fisher at her old school. Then she lifted her eyes to mine. "Maybe something a little slower," she suggested.
I nodded, easing through the students already moving toward the dance floor. I spotted Fisher and Abigail, and slowly, we made our way to where they were sitting.
Fisher smiled at the sight of us, rising slightly as I helped Keira sit and then sitting with me. "Finally made it, I see," he teased.
Keira blushed, glancing at me and then Abigail. "At least my date actually fed me," she mused to which she and Abigail laughed.
Still, Fisher smiled. "Making me look bad, are you?"
I shrugged. "It wasn't easy to find a restaurant if that makes you feel any better," I admitted.
He also shrugged. "A little," he quipped.
I smiled, shaking my head. The song changed after a minute, and more students started dancing. I saw Mr. Jennings across the gym, obviously a chaperone to the dance, and I caught a glimpse of Ms. Lockhart standing next to him. In the crowd, I saw several of the students dancing stiffly, afraid to tempt the teachers watching them. It was quite tame, actually.
"What's happened so far?" I asked Fisher over the music.
"Ethan and Jennifer were all over each other," he reported. "Mr. Fillmore and Mr. Jennings had to pry them apart. It was kind of amusing for a little while. No one else wanted to get caught after that."
I laughed softly. "That is rather amusing," I agreed.
"Keira," Abigail said after another minute, "will you come to the ladies' room with me?"
Keira smiled at me, rising with Abigail. "Of course," she laughed.
And just like that, I was left alone at the table with Fisher.
I didn't want it to be awkward. As a technicality, I was at a dance with his little sister. But a strange silence filled the space between us almost as soon as Keira and Abigail were gone. I didn't know how to alleviate it.
"This is sort of convenient," he insisted. "Us sitting here without my sister. I wanted to talk to you about her, if it's not too uncomfortable."
My eyes automatically looked for Emmett and Rosalie as they mingled with other students closer to their age. "Why did you want to talk to me about her?"
He leaned in closer. "Well, you're her friend, aren't you?" he asked in all seriousness.
"Absolutely," I affirmed.
"And you care about her?"
I didn't mean to hesitate. Was I that transparent? Could everyone else see through the mask I'd put up to keep from getting too close to anyone? Thankfully, my hesitation lasted less than a split second, and I answered him immediately. "I do," I assured him.
He grinned. "It's just that she's my little sister," he reminded me. "And even though it's my father's responsibility to make sure she's safe, I sometimes feel like it's mine as well. And you've been helping her with her science project the last couple of months. I just want to make sure she's okay. You know?"
I smiled and nodded. "I do know," I concurred. "And I've enjoyed spending time with her all this time. She's . . . a wonderful friend. I couldn't have asked for a better one. Especially with us all being new. I suppose it was fate, right? Our families moving to this town at nearly the exact same time."
His thoughts kept easing back to the last month or so before they'd moved here, and I could still see a lot of upset where the move was concerned. But now that he seemed to be with Abigail, and Keira and I were becoming better friends, he appreciated this move more than he thought he ever would. At first, I thought he would disagree with me, at least on a basic level. But he surprised me.
"I suppose so," he smiled.
Keira and Abigail returned then, and Fisher rose to meet them, pulling his sister to his side.
"Dance with me, little sister," he requested, offering her no chance of resistance as he pulled her toward the dance floor with a wide grin.
Keira blushed, glancing at me even as she followed his lead. I knew from her own thoughts that it was useless to fight her brother, and I watched with an intrigued smile as they moved through the crowd to the very middle as the band began to play Till the End of Time by Perry Como.
Some of the other students looked at them strangely, but I was amused. Watching them made me think of when Carlisle had found Rosalie, for some reason, and I wondered if Carlisle had known that Rosalie and I would be so at odds with each other ten years after meeting. I knew he'd meant for her to be my mate, especially since I'd been slipping into my rebellious phase right around then. I wondered what he thought of Keira now that she was in my life.
"Do you want to dance?" Abigail asked me, bringing me out of my thoughts and making me realize what I'd just been thinking.
I looked at her wide-eyed. "I'm sorry?"
She laughed softly, moving from her seat to Keira's. "Do you want to dance?" she asked again.
As I had when Fisher had spoken to me, I instinctively looked around for Emmett and Rosalie, but they were gone.
Abigail's smile fell. "It's okay if you don't want to," she insisted quietly.
I realized I'd unconsciously hurt her feelings, and I hadn't meant to at all. I reached for her hand. "Of course I want to dance," I assured her, pulling her to her feet and then on to the dance floor.
Though I hadn't expected to be dancing with her at this precise moment, I wasn't going to deny that I did want to dance. I hadn't really had a chance to be so free with myself. I wanted to enjoy it a little.
I led Abigail to where Fisher and Keira were still dancing together, and they smiled at us before I took Abigail in my arms to dance with her to the song still playing.
"Do you know how to dance?" she asked, and I whirled her around gently.
"Of course I know how to dance," I admonished her with her smile.
She blushed, lifting her hand to my shoulder.
The last chorus of the song began then, and it was quiet for a few short seconds before she spoke again.
"You're a really good friend, Edward," she declared. "And not just with me. With Keira too. I can tell you really care about her."
We moved around fluidly to the music, and I pondered her words along with Fisher's. I really must have been transparent.
"I do care about Keira," I confirmed, much like I had with Fisher. "And I think you're a very good friend to her as well."
She bowed her head, watching our feet as I still moved us around smoothly. "Where did you learn to dance?" she asked with a smirk.
"My mother," I answered honestly, despite not actually ever dancing with Esme.
"Well, then she must be a good dancer as well," she commented as the song ended.
I glanced at Fisher to see him pulling Keira closer, and the moment he was close, I twirled Abigail around to face him. Moonlight Serenade began playing then, and Fisher nudged Keira in my direction.
"Go on," he encouraged, taking Abigail's hand to pull her into his arms.
They moved away from us, and I stepped closer to Keira, reaching for her slowly. "Are you ready?" I asked of us dancing.
She didn't hesitate, laying her hand in mine and allowing me to spin her around before I pulled her into my own arms to begin our dance. She didn't watch my feet the way Abigail did. Her lessons with Fisher served her well, and she moved a little closer to me, closing the space between us easily.
"My mother loves this song," she whispered, thinking of how her parents still played it over their record player after dinner some nights.
"What kinds of music do you like?" I asked offhandedly.
"I like classical music," she revealed, thinking of the night she'd stayed in my house. Beethoven. Mozart. Vivaldi. "My grandmother played Tchaikovsky for me when I was little. I fell in love with it."
"Did you ever want to learn?"
She blushed and bowed her head. "I listen to it," she clarified, lifting her eyes to mine. "I've never really been musically inclined."
"And exactly when was it that you decided you wanted to be a teacher?" I nearly whispered, unaware of how close we were standing together.
"I was nine," she proclaimed. "I used to sit my mother down in the dining room and make her read to me so I could tell her how she was doing it wrong. She would smile and turn the book to me so I could show her how to do it right. She always told me I had a gift for it, even if I was only nine. She nurtured me that way. She always encouraged me to be myself."
I squeezed her a little tighter. "Then for that, I'll have to thank her."
Her blush deepened, and I smiled even more never wanting the night to end.
"Mr. Masen," John whispered next to my ear, abruptly pulling me back to reality as the end of the song came to reveal me and Keira standing closer together than any other couple on the dance floor. He cleared his throat softly, and Keira did as well, stepping away from me.
I glanced over my shoulder at him. "Sorry," I breathed.
He grinned, nodding toward the edge of the crowd, and I took Keira's hand in mine, pulling her back to our table.
"That was embarrassing," she laughed softly.
I squeezed her hand gently, allowing her to sit down before I sat next to her. "I apologize for that," I insisted as quietly as I could. "I didn't realize — "
"No, it's okay," she promised, still holding my hand. "I think if anyone else had seen us, they would've caused a scene. At least Mr. Jennings gave us the chance to compose ourselves. Really, Edward, it's okay."
I noticed for the first time that night how at ease she was being around me after everything I'd discovered at the restaurant. I thought about what Fisher and Abigail had said, and I wondered if they'd said as much to Keira. I surprised myself by admitting I wished for her to feel the same things I felt.
I scooted closer to her, glancing around to make sure no one was really paying attention to us. With her hands still in mine, I spoke more seriously than I had while looking through her fragmented memories earlier that night.
"Keira," I began, "I wonder if I might ask you something. You can say 'no,' but I need to know if the things I'm feeling are — Well, I need to know if you're feeling them as well."
She grinned, lowering her eyes to our hands. "And what is it you're feeling?" she inquired, releasing a shaky breath.
"I feel like I could be more than your friend," I admitted. "I feel more than just merely protective of you. And it's not that I don't want to protect you anymore. I never want to be away from you at all. I think of your laugh and your smile and the light I see in your eyes, and I always want to see those things. I feel your touch, and I only want to keep feeling it. And I'm very certain that John — Mr. Jennings saw all those things also."
She bit her lip, blushing and still grasping onto my hand. Her heart hammered inside her chest, and her breathing increased. I knew in that moment that she did feel what I felt. But her thoughts wandered back to her studies and her parents, and I wanted to reassure her.
"Keira," I said. "I know you're young. Believe me, I never imagined doing anything like this when we first met. But it's different now. Everything's different. I know you feel it too. I can see it in your eyes, and I can feel it in your pulse. It's all right. I've never done this before, but I wonder. Would you like to . . . go on a date with me?"
Her breath caught in her throat, and for half a minute, I thought she might say 'no.' She sat up away from me, and I wanted to take it back.
"It's all right," I rescinded. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I —"
Her fingers on my lips stopped me from speaking, and she laughed again.
"It's okay," she assured me. "And yes, I would like to go on a date with you. But I think you — "
"Need to talk to your father," I finished. "I will."
I looked around, hearing the music and seeing the students dancing, and I was glad we hadn't garnered any attention from anyone else. With Keira's hand still in mine, I stood up and pulled her to her feet.
"It's a bit crowded in here," I announced. "Let's go outside."
She looked around for her brothers, but when she didn't see them, she wrapped her hand around my arm and followed my pull toward the entrance of the gym.
With the darkness now having completed its hold on the town, it was also cooler now that November was half-over, and Keira hugged her shawl over her shoulders. There was a light breeze, and it was quiet. The sound of Keira's swift heartbeat was the most immediate sound I paid attention to, and her lungs pulled in and pushed out air unevenly the moment we were alone. I knew she wasn't worried about being with me, but the prospect of standing out here with no one else around unnerved her.
"Would you like to take a walk?" I asked gently, still holding her hand and gesturing toward the parking lot.
Keira smiled. "Okay," she said with a nod.
I pulled her down the stairs slowly, realizing it was inappropriate for us to be alone like this but unable to stop myself. I could be myself with Keira much easier when we were alone, and I felt like I'd been normal for long enough that night.
"I never thought I would do this," she confessed as we walked across the parking lot leisurely.
I glanced at her. "Do what?"
"This," she said gesturing to the parking lot and then me and then herself. "I never really thought I would want something like this. But I guess I wasn't expecting to meet you now. That seems to have made all the difference."
I smiled as her thoughts focused on the way our hands felt entwined together. "I was beginning to think the exact same thing."
We walked by her brother's car and then Emmett's, continuing on to the sidewalk away from school. It was still cloudy, but the moon peeked through the clouds every now and then, illuminating our path. I didn't want to lead her unnecessarily anywhere unfamiliar, opting to guide her toward her house where I was certain her parents were waiting for her and her brothers to come home.
"My mother will be pleased," she persisted. "She's always liked you."
She laughed, and I did too. "She has," I agreed. "I suppose then it's just about convincing your father."
She squeezed my arm. "He probably will be resistant," she nodded. "I am his youngest child. But in the end, I think he'll accept it. He knows you've been a good friend, and no matter what Kyle says, he knows none of the things that happened at school were completely your fault. And you've been amazing with Abigail. It's not like you've been pursuing me. He knows how I feel about him being unfair to my friends. You're my friend, Edward. And hopefully, one day, you'll be more than that."
I lifted my free hand to hers, and she looked at me. "I completely agree," I said with a smile.
She seemed to know where we were going after a block or two, and she followed my lead without hesitation. The street lamps illuminated the way, along with the moon as it continued to peek through the clouds. The walk took less than fifteen minutes.
The front porch was lit by a single light by the door, and the front windows were also brightened by brilliant, yellow light from within the house. There were no shadows that would indicate someone standing by the windows, and I guided Keira to the front steps to sit down.
"I had fun tonight," she revealed. "For the first time in a very long time."
"Then I'm glad," I chuckled.
She turned to me, folding her hands over my arm. "What about you? Did you have a good time?"
Again, I didn't mean to hesitate. I'd already done several things tonight for the first time, and I admitted that I was a little overwhelmed by how good it felt. Dancing with Abigail and talking to Fisher made me realize exactly how many friends I'd already made, and even though I hadn't really planned on them being in my life now, I couldn't imagine my time here without them. And Keira only added to that feeling.
The smile on her face fell the same way Abigail's had, and she started to take her hands from my arm. I acted as quickly as I could, leaning forward and meaning to show her how much I'd actually enjoyed myself that night not a second before the door opened to reveal her mother there alone.
"Keira!" she exclaimed. "Edward. What are you two doing on the porch? Come inside. It's a little chilly out here, isn't it?"
I turned to Keira, seeing a disappointed expression on her face. I wanted to pull her aside and tell her everything. Tonight hadn't just been about taking her to a dance. If I hadn't been with her, I wouldn't have wanted to go at all. But instead, I pulled her to her feet and then up the steps to follow Annabeth into the house.
"How long have you been out there?" Annabeth asked us, guiding us into the dining room where Keira's father was reading the paper.
"Not long," Keira insisted.
"Well, it's only just now nine. You didn't stay at the dance very long. Was it not any fun?"
Keira glanced at me, her face falling a little more, and she opened her mouth to speak. I spoke instead, in hopes of expressing how much I actually had enjoyed myself.
"It was a lot of fun, as a matter of fact," I declared. "But it was a little crowded. I'm not one for crowds myself, and after a few dances, Keira and I decided to go outside. We started walking and ended up here. I hope it's all right that I walked her home. She looked like she might have needed a break from all the people there like me."
"Oh, no, that's quite all right," Annabeth insisted. "Walter and I were just about to sit down with some coffee. Can you stay?"
"I would love to," I nodded, "but I should probably be getting home. It is nine o'clock, after all."
I turned to Keira, hoping to lighten her mood. "I'll come back tomorrow," I promised.
She smiled again, and while I wanted to do something more to show her I really had liked spending the evening with her, I chose not to. I took her hand in mine and squeezed it gently before I turned slowly to leave.
"Edward," Keira called. I stopped at the door and turned to her.
"I'll see you in the morning," she insisted.
I smiled then, bowing my head as I turned back to the door. I opened the door quietly, glancing back at her and waving slightly. I stepped outside then, breathing in the night air deeply and thinking for the first time that everything was finally beginning to turn around for the better.
It was nearly midnight when Emmett and Rosalie came waltzing through the front door, clung to each other the way they usually were. By then, I was sitting in the front parlor at the piano Carlisle had brought from Rochester. I figured they would probably go up to their room since it was Saturday night and it wasn't like they had school the next morning. But when Emmett sent her upstairs by herself, I was surprised to see his thoughts centered around me and Keira and how we'd skipped out on the dance less than an hour after arriving.
"You really like her, don't you?" he asked, moving into the room smoothly and then sidling up next to me in front of the piano as I played absently.
I smiled unconsciously. "Am I that transparent?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, little brother. You kind of are. You gonna take her on a date now?"
Slowly, I felt myself slip into playing the first notes of Moonlight Serenade, and Emmett 'hmm'd' quietly.
"I know what you're going to do," he assured me. "She's nice, Edward. I like her. She's good for you."
He didn't say anything after that, squeezing my shoulder and then rising to follow Rosalie upstairs.
For the first time in nearly ten years, I found myself able to block out their incessant passion. I'd already had a similar conversation with Carlisle. I understood to be careful where Keira's emotions were concerned. And I knew to handle a talk with her father as delicately as possible. Uncharacteristically, I was praying for him to accept me the way Keira said he would. I didn't just want him to like me. I wanted him to trust me the way his daughter did. I wanted him to know she was safe with me.
By morning, I hadn't moved from my spot in front of the piano. I hadn't played all night, but some time after talking to Emmett, I'd actually begun writing a little music for the first time in years. I couldn't identify what I was writing, but after a few pages of music were in front of me, I found myself playing what I'd written softly. I didn't know what to call it, and I had no way of figuring out where it had come from. But I wrote it down nonetheless, for future reference I suppose.
I was sitting there when the sky began to brighten from the dark gray of early light to a soft pearlescent glow as it was still cloudy from a storm coming in from the southwest. The soft sound of Esme's descent from her room on the second floor signaled that she and Carlisle were emerging from their own night of passion. I didn't realize until now that I hadn't heard anything from the two of them all night. It was a strange, if not welcome feeling.
"You played all night," Esme commented, moving to my side but not sitting down. "You haven't done that in years."
I smiled up at her. "Perhaps I've found a good reason to play again," I insisted.
She didn't have to ask. I could see in her thoughts that she knew what I was talking about. She leaned in and kissed my cheek, proving she was just as happy for me as Emmett apparently was.
"When will she be back?" Esme asked, stepping away from my side to make her way to the dining room and then the kitchen.
"I'm actually going to her house this morning," I called, still playing and listening as Carlisle came downstairs. "But I'm sure she'll be back before we can miss her."
Esme said nothing back, now doing something with the flatware in anticipation of Keira's next visit. Carlisle's determined gait signaled his own entrance into the front parlor, but he didn't move to my side the way Esme or Emmett had. Instead, he watched me from the parlor entrance. He leaned into the door frame, the fabric of his shirt rubbing together as he folded his arms over his chest. His thoughts were simple, centering over the conversation we'd had the night before. He wasn't happy exactly, but he trusted me with Keira's safety. Would he eventually accept my decision to be closer to Keira? His indifference was beginning to wear on me. I knew he didn't disapprove of her, but he worried needlessly.
"I've never heard you play that before," he stated. The monotone edge in his voice unsettled me.
"I just wrote it last night," I informed him.
"You haven't composed anything since just before we — I found Rosalie," he reminded me. I glanced over my shoulder at him, still playing.
"It reminds me of someone," he declared. Strangely, I didn't need him to say her name. It reminded me of her as well.
The metaphor between us became monotonous, and he begrudgingly smiled, moving to my side uneasily.
"You know I'm not concerned for her safety," he pleaded, sitting next to me.
I stopped playing for the first time, unconsciously pursing my lips. "I know."
"And you know I only wish for this to turn out as well as you want," he continued softly.
I turned my head to him, not looking at him as I spoke. "I know," I repeated.
"Does she understand what this means?" he asked of Keira. "Does she know how invested you are in this — how invested you will be for the rest of eternity?"
I lifted my eyes to him. "She will, eventually. This is as new for her as it is for me. We're both working through it together."
He leveled his eyes with mine, his voice more serious than it had been seconds earlier. "And if another vampire comes into the area?" he reasoned. "Or, God forbid, we're discovered as having exposed our existence to a human? You know what that will mean. And you know what will happen if it's discovered that we defied the most basic of our laws."
"I'll be careful," I promised.
"I know," he nodded, lifting his hands to my shoulders to make me face him. "And I want that to be enough."
I didn't want to defy him, but I was more frustrated than I realized, groaning softly and rising from the bench away from him. "I said I would be careful," I bellowed. "I'm sorry if that's not enough for you."
He followed me, stopping me before I could leave. "Edward, please. I trust you," he swore. "I'm simply worried for us all. Especially her. I know you don't want her to be hurt. I don't want that either."
I closed my eyes then, calming myself as swiftly as I could before I spoke again. "Doing this with her — it feels normal," I confessed to him. "When I was human, if I had met her, this is exactly what I would do. And it makes me feel like I'm not alone anymore. I don't want her hurt, and I know how difficult it will be to keep her safe. But if I don't do this — if I don't at least try to make her a deeper part of my life, I'll never be whole. I want to be whole. Isn't that what you want? For me to be complete."
He softened his expression, lifting his hands to my face. "Of course I want that, son," he reassured me. "And I'm sorry I haven't been more supportive. I'll do better. I promise."
Finally, there was sincerity in his words. It wasn't that there hadn't been before, but now, I knew he was at least attempting to listen to me when I talked like this. I hadn't ever been this way, and I could see in his eyes that he didn't want me to lose what I was feeling. I didn't want to lose it either.
"I should go," I said quietly. "They'll be finished with breakfast soon. Humans are almost always more receptive after they've eaten."
He smiled easily then, releasing me without another word.
I found Emmett outside as he stood over the engine of his car, and he looked up as I came out the front door.
"You leavin'?"
I nodded. "But I'll need you to come into town later to, uh, pick me up," I requested.
He smiled. "No problem."
I left him to that, stepping away from the house and glancing back just once. Rosalie stood in a second floor window watching me with a glare in her eyes. I knew she would be the holdout, but at this point, I didn't care anymore. She stepped away from the window then, and I turned around instantly, running off toward the road that would lead me into town.
The morning air was humid but still cold. Winter was only a month away, and the temperature was barely warming into the lower 40s. Wherever I took Keira, I knew it would need to be inside. There were so few places in town other than the restaurants, and I wanted to take Keira somewhere new. I thought about where I could go all the way into town, avoiding the few trucks and cars moving along the road while I was running. Her father wouldn't appreciate it very much if I took her out and then she got sick because we spent the day outside.
Keira's street was just coming to life with people leaving for their church meetings and morning gatherings. Her house was the only one still somewhat quiet, and I paused on the sidewalk, lifting my eyes to the second floor. Her bedroom was in the back, but her two brothers' rooms were situated in front. The curtains in the window to the left slipped open just as I arrived, revealing Kyle there as he looked at me a lot like Rosalie had. I didn't let him stop me, walking up the steps to the front porch and then ringing the doorbell. I wasn't nervous, but I became a little worried. What if her father didn't think it was a good idea for her to be with me?
The front door opened then, revealing Annabeth there with a smile on her face, and she opened the screen door for me.
"Edward," she exclaimed. "Good morning. Please come in."
I followed her into the house, and she called up the stairs. "Keira, darling."
I stepped closer to her. "Actually, is Mr. Jones here?"
She turned to face me with wide eyes. Her thoughts centered around Keira and a conversation she'd had with Keira's father the night before. Apparently, they'd been discussing me and the way I spent time with their daughter. She lifted her eyes to the stairs as Keira stopped at the first landing, gesturing to the front parlor as the door stood closed.
"He's just in here," Annabeth said softly. "Reading the paper."
"Is it all right if I speak with him?"
She looked at Keira again, stepping closer to the doors and gently opening them. "Of course," she grinned.
I looked at Keira myself, nodding slightly and following her mother quietly without saying anything.
Mr. Jones was sitting on the same couch where Keira and I had begun our science project two months earlier, and the moment I stepped into the room, he lowered his paper and gazed up at me with scrutinizing eyes. Annabeth closed the door behind me, and I suddenly felt trapped. Then he spoke.
"Edward," he greeted. "Come sit down. I was hoping you would come by today."
Nervously, I moved to the arm chair adjacent to him. He put the paper away completely, facing me squarely. I'd never done what I was there to do, and I didn't know how to start. Luckily, he spoke again before I could.
"I understand you and Keira have been spending quite a bit of time together," he commented with nod.
I nodded. "Yes, sir."
"And I've heard from her brothers two different stories about your behavior toward her," he informed me, reminding me of Kyle's reaction when I'd defended Keira to Ethan.
I didn't have a quick comeback for that, and he leaned closer.
"You can relax, son," he assured me. "I talked to Keira's mother after you left last night. I'm trying not to be overbearing in this particular situation. Keira's never had a boy be interested in her before now, and this is uncharted territory for me as she's not only my daughter but also my youngest child. Surely your sister would understand since you're so young."
I realized he was speaking of Esme, and I nodded again. "Yes, Mr. Jones, she understands."
"Please, call me Walter," he requested. "And what does your sister think? Have you talked about this with her husband?"
"I have," I acknowledged. "And she said as long as I'm certain of this, she wants me to be happy."
My uncomfortable reaction to his reference of Esme as my sister seemed to show him something I hadn't meant for him to see. I wasn't uncertain about any of my feelings for Keira, and I wanted him to see that.
"It must be difficult," he wondered, changing the subject abruptly. "Not having your mother and father to give you the advice you need. I can't imagine what that's like."
I let my head drop, thinking of all the things my parents had wanted for me. I knew Carlisle and Esme only wanted the same things, but it was different now. "It is difficult," I agreed. "But I've been with Carlisle and Esme so long, it's like they're my parents. And they usually know how to guide me when I'm in need of it. But, sir — Walter, the one thing I'm certain of right now is how much I care for Keira," I insisted. "And something I can swear to you is that I'm not uncertain of what I wish for."
He clasped his hands together, thinking of how his wife thought I was already a good friend to his daughter. "And what do you wish for, Edward?" he asked me directly.
I unconsciously raked my fingers through my hair, chuckling lightly and then lifting my eyes to his. "I'd wanted to do this differently," I promised.
"Well, son, just go ahead and ask me what you came here to ask me. I'll do everything I can to not overreact the way my wife believes I will."
I pulled in as deep a compulsory breath as I could, clasping my own hands together. "Mr. Jones, sir — Walter, I — Keira and I — I haven't had a friend like her in my life before, and these last few weeks with her have begun to show me how much I wish for it to be more. And I wonder if it would be all right with you if I . . . saw her as more than a friend. I know she's young, and I know I am as well, but — And I would never do anything like this unless she wanted it as well. I wanted to do this properly — the way my parents taught me. This is — It feels — "
"Edward, it's all right," he assured me, interrupting my rambling. "I understand. Believe me, I do. I felt the same way when I met Annabeth. In fact, there are many things about you that remind me of myself at your age, and perhaps older. And I know how much Keira admires you as a friend. I might be her father, and she very well may be my little girl, but I'm not blind. I know she's growing up. And I've seen how she behaves when you're around. So who am I to stand in the way of my daughter being happy?"
I couldn't help smiling, but for several seconds, I tried to hide it. "And it's all right with you if we — if Keira and I see each other. Romantically, of course."
His eyes widened slightly. "Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm all right with it. She is fifteen. But like I said, there are things about you that remind me of myself. And Keira does like you. Even her brother Kyle has mentioned it, despite his . . . underhanded way of acknowledging it. As for seeing her romantically, I think the kids these days are calling them 'dates.' And yes, you can. Honestly, I don't think I could stop my daughter from going anywhere with you even if I wanted to lock her in her room."
I let out a long breath, relieved. "Thank you, sir — Walter. And I promise, Keira will be safe with me."
He smirked and then shook his head, amused.
A soft knock flitted through the room, and I absently knew Keira was on the other side of the door. She'd been listening to us talk, and the suspense was killing her — figuratively. I looked at her father, and he nodded, picking up his paper and then sitting back with it in front of him.
I stood up gladly, moving to the door and opening it to see her there. I didn't give her time to look at her father, easing her back into the front foyer where she'd apparently been alone while eavesdropping.
"It's all right," I whispered, holding her hands in mine gently. "Everything is all right. Although I think I might have to begin observing some more of the students in school after learning an interesting fact from your father."
"What was that?" she inquired.
I grinned and moved to the staircase to sit with her. "I apparently remind him of when he was my age, which would make sense since I technically am his age."
She held my arm tightly. "I never thought of it that way," she admitted. "So, when will we go out on our date?" she asked expectantly.
"Isn't your family going anywhere for the holidays?" I inquired, since Thanksgiving was less than a week away.
"Probably not," she shrugged. "Most of our relatives are back east."
I pursed my lips, curious. "Well, all the same, I think it would be a good idea to wait until after Thanksgiving. That would at least give your father and Kyle a little time to get used to the idea."
She blushed and smiled. "Yes, because we both know how ecstatic Fisher will be."
I nodded once. "Yes, we do," I agreed.
We laughed together, something I'd never done with anyone, and she squeezed my arm.
"Edward," she said softly. I lifted my eyes to hers. "Thank you."
I didn't need an explanation, especially since the same feeling of contentment and happiness was also within me. Leaning closer to her, I kissed the side of her face, listening to her heart race. "Thank you," I whispered against her skin, feeling her shiver and knowing I would never get used to it. I was surprised to realize I never wanted to.
Won't say much down here except I hope everyone reading likes how the story is coming along. I'm not getting any proverbial eggs thrown at me, so it must not be horrible.
Next update might be a ways out, but I'm still writing, so it'll definitely be coming.
Anyway, see you next time!