CHAPTER SIX –
Disclaimer: Got Milk? Yes. Got Twilight? No. I own nothing. Oh, except for a Starbucks tumbler my friend got me for my birthday, everyone thank her. I love that tumbler.
I'll stop talking. AN at the bottom. Enjoy!
EPOV
Bella.
Bella was here.
With Ben.
Well fuck me. I grabbed the cold beer from the wooden bar-top and took a long swig.
Performing would be impossible with her here. I'd be too distracted. Too focused on her, too focused on the lucky bastard sitting next to her. I'd be too distracted to think. Too distracted to breathe…
"Cullen! You're up!"
Shit.
I finished up the rest of my beer, chugging down the cold, smooth liquid and stood up. She had yet to notice me sitting here. She was sitting with her back to the stage, her long brown hair cascading in small, smooth waves down her back. I picked up my guitar case and walked over to the small stage. I took my time. Pulling out my guitar slowly, adjusting the mic stand and whatnot. I hesitated the entire time, my mind contemplating.
I was so screwed.
BPOV
Blah-blah-blah.
Ben was ranting, his voice a soft droning hum in my ears. I nodded and smiled when appropriate, feigning attention. Don't get me wrong. I didn't mind hearing him talk about anything; it was just that I was very… distracted. A small quake of uneasiness was dancing in the pit of my stomach and I couldn't pinpoint what caused it.
It was like that feeling where you just knew something was going to happen. Or blow up in your face. I'm slightly spooked, not being able to brush off the feeling like I usually could.
It was my first time in this bar and I loved it already. It wasn't too large, just small enough. It had friendly locals sitting around, listening to good music. A few of the songwriters who'd gone up the stage to perform were pretty good. It wasn't overwhelming.
The crowd was comfortable. It was a rarity as of late.
Ben loved it here too. He wasn't pestered by people, but instead, he welcomed a few hushed whispers and pointed looks thrown in our direction with a small smile and nod at their general direction.
I clapped along with the crowd when the latest performer ended. She took a bow and left the stage with her guitar. A tiny redhead came up to the mic, hushing everyone.
"Our next performer is a regular on Friday nights in this bar. If you're regulars too, you'd know damn well who I'm talking about. Please welcome to the stage, Edward Cullen!"
Edward?
No. This couldn't be the same guy.
No way. My neighbor was a damn doctor with a tousled mess of hair and deep green eyes who was sexily inked.
The crowd applauded and cheered loudly. I clapped along with the crowd as well. Ben dragged his chair over to mine and turned to straddle the chair and faced the stage. I picked up my chair slowly, turning it around. The quake of uneasiness strong again in the pit of my stomach.
I could feel it.
The electricity.
It was familiar and strangely comforting and content. I knew for a fact that I've felt it before. I couldn't pinpoint it--
It was Edward.
No, seriously. It was sexy neighbor Edward.
He sat on the wooden stool of the stage, the hot white light shining on him.
His honeyed, velvety voice echoed through the speakers.
"This one's dedicated to… an Elizabeth Bennett whom I know is in the crowd somewhere. She knows who she is. The song's called 'Under The Covers.'"
That did not just happen.
There couldn't be any other girl he was referring to with that name… is there? I mean, for all I knew, the boy was a player.
A small pang of jealousy quaked in my stomach but was washed away quickly as the girls in the club quickly became flustered, looking around for this 'Elizabeth'. They squealed and their gazes searched frantically.
Ben leaned back on his backward facing chair rested his arm on the back of mine. I leaned back into the seat, my palms together between my crossed legs, my ankles apart. I paid close attention to Edward, watching his eyes flutter closed as he started to strum his guitar.
I'm bottling up your soft, dream-like scent
In my head for the ride home
I've been searching with bruised limbs
For ways to get me going
For ways to get me going
The crowd cheered on. I clapped my hands lightly, too captivated to move my eyes. His lips grazed the mic lightly as he sang, uttering word after word of the song's prose.
To give me confidence to stare
And observe the world
To give me confidence to stare
He opened his eyes, but his gaze stayed pinned at the floor of the stage flickering between that and his guitar. His dark eyelashes grazed his cheek lightly, fluttering in the softest way. I watched, mesmerized as his fingers danced on the guitar. His feet sat at the parallel legs of the stool, moving lightly to the rhythm.
"Do you know him?"
Surprised I answered, "Yeah. He lives in the same building as I do."
Ben gave me a curt nod and moved his gaze back to the stage.
If I could sleep forever
Would you still be in my dreams?
If I could sleep forever
Would you still be in my dreams?
He lifted up his head and his eyes searched around the room shyly. It took a while but our gazes finally connected.
Under the covers
His eyes never left mine. I bit my lower lip down but couldn't resist letting out a soft smile when he finished strumming out the last chords of the song. His eyes crinkled as he smiled back at me. I clapped my hands and cheered loudly while Ben, who I'd forgotten completely about, raised his cold beer and gave Edward a curt nod.
Crap.
I was so screwed.
EPOV
I squinted against the harsh stage light, picking up my guitar, I walked off the stage. I smiled at Arlene when I passed by her. She shushed the crowd once again and welcomed another artist. I high-fived a few people on my way back to the bar. I packed up my guitar and grabbed another cold beer. I passed the case over the bar top to Sam for him to keep safe. He smiled at me and passed me a cold beer.
"It's on the house, Cullen. Great show tonight."
I walked over, cautiously to Bella's table, taking note of Ben's presence.
Lucky bastard.
Bella grinned up at me and clapped. "I didn't know you could sing! Or play the guitar… or sing at open mic nights! You've been holding out on me, Edward."
I grinned at her and laughed, her cheerfulness infectious.
"Ben, right?" I offered up my hand to him as politely as I could manage. He took my hand in his and shook it firmly. He nodded at me. "Edward, right?"
"Yeah."
I looked at Bella again, about to tell her that I was leaving for the night, but she beat me to it.
"Join us, Edward." I shook my head with the smile still lingering and she pouted at me. "Please?" She looked up at me with those soft brown eyes and there was no way I could've refused.
I hesitated again for a second, but agreed anyways.
I bit at the inside of my cheek, "Sure."
I dragged up a chair and sat down, placing my cold beer on the table.
The rest of the night was filled with a repetitive cycle of laughter and comfortable conversation. We clapped and listened to the other performers and talked during the small breaks. We talked about safe subjects. It never got too personal or uncomfortable. The awkward silences were made up for with Bella striking another topic to carry our conversation.
The only time it ever got personal was when Bella asked me if I'd taken up on her offer to read some Austen. I shook my head, my lips pursed. Ben watched awkwardly from the sidelines, his arms crossed across his chest. He took a quick glance at me, not showing any emotion at all and slung an arm over the back of Bella's chair.
I hoped he hadn't noticed, but then I'd be lying. He noticed it. He saw it.
Heck, he probably felt it too.
BPOV
The night soon came to a close. The loud murmur in the bar dissipated and the crowd filtered out around us. Before we even knew it, the sound guys were packing their cables and the bartenders wiped down the counters. It was 1 in the morning, and it didn't feel like it at all.
Ben took a final swig at his no-longer-cold beer and got up from his seat.
"We probably should get going before they kick us out."
I smiled at him and nodded, getting up from my seat also. Edward stood up and walked over to the bar tables, now clean and empty.
Ben's voice was hushed and apologetic when he spoke. "I don't think I can take you back, Bella. It's late and you know I have to be on set early tomorrow. Do you want me to call you a cab… or-"
"Don't worry about it, I'll walk with Bella." Edward was back. He stood behind me, guitar case in hand.
"I'll call a cab, don't worry, Edward." I wasn't going to make this any more awkward than it already was.
"I'll walk you home, it's no problem. I'm walking anyways…"
I nodded finally, agreeing. I pushed my hair out of my face and took Ben's hand. We walked outside the now empty bar, Edward trailing behind me. We stopped in front of his SUV and I gave him a hug goodbye. He awkwardly whispered a goodnight and I did the same.
Edward waved at him and Ben nodded.
We were all well aware of the paparazzi squad lurking in the bushes. I shoved my hands in my coat pockets and started walking on the slick pavement, Edward beside me. We didn't get too far before a few photographers came at us, walking backwards with their huge cameras pointed at us, snapping away. They shouted over each other's voices, trying to ask us questions. The bright flashes hurt my eyes and I ducked my head a little to avoid the glare.
I smiled, keeping quiet; a surefire way to get rid of them the fastest. They said their thank you's and I smiled at them, a silent way of being friendly. The press loves friendly actors' friendly girlfriends. Edward still had his head down after the photographers left, eyes trained on his feet. I chuckled.
"What are you doing?" I looked at him.
He looked at me like I was nuts. "That's what you do? After giving you hell for practically trailing you around everywhere and you smile and say 'thank you'?"
I grinned at him. "Yeah." I answered in a no-duh tone. "Best way to get rid of them."
He laughed. No I mean, he truly laughed. It was young and carefree and happy.
"I don't know how you deal with all this."
I shrugged, "I actually don't deal with it. Did you see how I answered none of their questions? Or how I kept quiet and friendly. I don't yell at them, or carry around a 200 pound bodyguard. The press is so easy to manipulate, Edward. You just have to know your way around it. I let them do their job, and they'll leave me alone to do mine."
Edward simply nodded at me, "I didn't know that."
"Not many people do." I smiled.
We continued walking down the road. Edward took a detour and kept us walking in the main roads, avoiding the alley shortcuts I would've taken. The sidewalks were brightly lit around here, and there were always a few cars around.
I broke the comfortable silence, lifting the somewhat heavy air around us. "You were really good tonight, I'm still reeling over the fact that you are a chivalrous, avid reader, who works insane hours as a doctor and plays at open mic nights."
Edward grinned and turned at me. "You said that already." His voice was teasing, with an underlying tone of playfulness.
We laughed in the comfortable silence. The night was chilly, but comfortable. I moved my fingers around in the pockets of my jacket. The streetlights colored the grey pavement a warm yellow and created circle patterns with rings around the edges, fascinating.
We walked slowly, passing through the small convenience stores and 7-11s. Some of the stores had music blaring from the inside, a low humming of beats heard from where we were.
"Ben… He, he seems nice."
I laughed softly. "Don't worry about it, Edward. You probably won't see him again after tonight. He keeps to himself."
EPOV
We were back in the comfortable elevator again.
Neutral grounds.
The elevator dinged much too quickly for my liking and I held the door open as Bella turned around to face me.
"I had a nice time tonight, Edward."
Smiling, I replied. "You make it sound like we just went out for a date, Bella."
She smiled at me. It was honest and genuine and happy. I wanted to hold the memory of her smile in my brain and keep it there.
"Let me rephrase then, I'm glad I ran into you tonight."
I rested my hand on the edges of the cold elevator door.
"Me too."
She gave me a smile, "goodnight, Edward."
I made no move to reply, but she already turned away.
My mouth opened to speak but the words were late to catch up, "Bella?"
"Yeah?" She turned around to face me again, eyes large in curiosity. "What's wrong?"
"Bella, I… I don't want the night to end. Not yet."
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
"Me neither."
Her eyes flickered to the ground before picking her gaze back up again.
"You wanna come in?"
Saying no wasn't an option. I knew it was a bad idea.
No wasn't an option.
"Sure."
My hand left the door and it slid closed behind me.
AN: This chapter's dedicated to a fine lady, RosAlice22 who has so kindly requested to translate my story into the beautiful language of Spanish! Everyone give her a round of applause, she made my week :D She continues to ego-boost me and I love her for it. Her computer was attacked by a super-evil virus and she lost the translate files. We've promised each other to get back to writing. Thank you so much, Mariela! Mwah!
Further thank you's go to ladies at LL, Twitter and my fine, fine reviewers. Thank you so much for all your support! You guys are the only reason this chapter's here. I cut up the lyrics by the way; I don't exactly like reading song-fics where the lyrics make up half the chapter, so I left parts of it out. Youtube the song, it's worth it.
I know I took a month to update… I apologize, again. Let's hope the next one won't take as long! I hope you liked this chapter!
Leave a review; they're better than squee-ing to Edward's soft, velvety voice.
(insert heart emoticons)