AN: I'd like to thank you all for your support and for reading my little story. I'm replying to reviews as much as I can, if anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to ask me, I'm trying my best to reply to all of you.
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Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns twilight. I'm just narrating Heaven and Trouble's story.
Chapter 9: Silence
When Trouble knocks on your door, you should not answer. But sometimes, the temptation is too strong. Sometimes, when you are itching for a fight, when trouble knocks, you answer it with big smile on your face and two guns blazing.
It's been two weeks since my trip to the park with Trouble; it's been two weeks of severed communication and intense glares. It's been two weeks since I slapped Edward, and two weeks since he's been constantly slapping me back in my dreams.
They were the longest two weeks of my life. Some parts were good, very good. Some parts were bad, but I wasn't complaining. I wanted the bad, cheered it on and expected it.
The bad was all Edward's. The good was the family.
In the time that passed, I grew very fond and my pretend family. I grew closer to Alice and Rosalie. I grew more in love with the idea of Esme; the radiant woman with the shimmering hair, the homemaker, the motherly figure, the provider of all things warm and comfortable. In the past two weeks, never once did Esme hesitate in showing her support and affection. She was more motherly than my own mother had ever been, and I appreciated her immensely.
But the person who was growing on me the most was the cuddly, giant, absolutely lovable and sweet big brother I always wished I had. Emmet, he was my supporter and my source of laughter. He was my protector and vindicator. He was the person that made living with Trouble bearable. Ever since he found me in the beautiful meadow I made my haven, he was constantly there; teasing, joking, sustaining and just being Emmet. I loved him already, like a little sister would love her big brother, her protector and hero figure. His affection was more than welcome, expected even. And it was pissing Edward off; a perk really.
The night I slapped Edward, he took his retribution in my dreams. The abuser I saw the first night I spent in his room was back with a vengeance.
When I woke up the next morning, I was more empowered, and not at all broken.
I decided to sever all connection, all meaningless conversation and empty getting-to-know-you-questions. At first he tried to get me to talk to him, saying he needed me to understand that he was a difficult, moody person and that he didn't mean to offend and hurt me. I never replied to any of his words, it was a waist of my time and breath.
I never replied to his good mornings or good nights. I never replied to the slithering words he hissed my way when he'd had it with the "silent treatment". I wasn't being quiet to teach him a lesson, I was being quiet because he didn't matter, and will never matter. He was a moody, broody asshole who wants what he wants when he wants it, and I wanted no part in whatever he was trying to make me partake in.
On the eighth day of my silence, he cornered me in the bedroom, after I was done taking my shower. I got out of the steam filled bathroom, thankfully fully clothed, to find Edward pacing next to the door. He looked like a caged lion, powerful, dangerous and stalking. As soon as I took the first step out of the bathroom, his head shot up and he looked at my evilly, menacingly.
"Bella, this shit has to end now. I won't tolerate your behavior any longer." He hissed.
I looked him up and down, and rolled my eyes. Moving past him, I headed for the bedroom door, wanting to make my escape, revolted by his presence and his daunting demeanor. Just as I reaching for the silver door handle and commenced wrenching the door open, Edwards open palm smacked the door loudly, closing it forcefully.
"You will listen to me little girl, and you will listen to me now." He said, bending down so that we were face to face. I could feel his hot breath fanning across my face, smelling delicious and clean. "I'm done with the childish games of hide and seek. I'm done with the shitty attitude and the silence. We need to talk, and even if I have to glue you to a chair to make you listen to me, I'll fucking do it." He hissed.
"I've been following you around this damned house for eight days now, and you seem to be getting pretty good and slipping away. We need to finish what we started, we need to look a convincing enough couple before we make our grand "entrance" into the public eye, and you need to put some fucking effort into tolerating me." He murmured, still holding on to the door.
"How many times do you want me to fucking apologize? I treated you roughly and I'm sorry. Satisfied now? Or should I grovel and beg for your fogginess? Get the fuck over yourself already!" He exclaimed.
"I don't beg, and I don't grovel. I don't do the "I'm sorry baby please forgive me." I apologized because my ass is on the line here too. I need this to work! I won't have you screwing this up for me." He said.
I was completely done listening to him, every day the same old speech about the same old bullshit. He was only trying to save his own butt, and I had no interest in helping or saving him.
I grabbed to door, forcefully trying to open it, but he was much too strong and he was in no mood to allow me out of his room.
He lessened his grip on the door suddenly, only to slam it shut with his foot. His arms shot out, grabbing me by the waste and pinning me to the door.
I gasped, shocked at his sudden move and my sudden position. He stepped even closer, his body only inches away from mine. Removing his hands from my waste, he positioned them on my shoulders and pushed me back, pinning me further to the white door.
"Not so fast Heaven. I'm not done with you yet." He said sardonically. He knew he was stronger, he knew he had me trapped and I had nowhere to go.
I contemplated yelling at him; I contemplated pushing him back and slapping him again. But that would mean that he was getting to me, and I refused to give him the satisfaction.
I huffed and rolled my eyes yet again; staring straight ahead and acting like his hands on my shoulders weren't sending me into sensory overload.
"You're not going to look at me are you?" He said "You're going to keep ignoring me and acting like I'm a waste of space and air. Well you know what? Fuck you. I'm done with this shit! You're not worth it." He huffed, releasing me abruptly and moving me away from the door. I barely kept myself upright as he wrenched the door open and hurried outside.
I placed my hand over my rapidly beating heart, willing it to calm down and ignore him. His bark was weaker than his bite; he was all empty threats and alternating moods.
He didn't try to talk to me after that, he was rarely home and when he was, he ignored me like the plague. I didn't mind his absence, I didn't mind his late night partying and the smell of alcohol on his clothes and breath every night he came stumbling into the bedroom. I didn't care enough to mind his absence in the nights I blissfully had the room to myself while he was screwing some woman in a trashy hotel or filthy bar. His absence was welcome and celebrated.
It was the nights I woke up startled and breathing heavily that I minded. I woke up sweating, and was convinced that someone was watching me. The room would be cloaked in black, and I would not be able to see farther than my own nose, but I would still feel the prickling feeling in the back of my neck; someone was staring and it was making me uneasy.
My days were spent hanging around the house with Rosalie and Esme while Alice was at her shop, either working or designing clothes. I loved helping Esme in the kitchen or having conversations with Rose, she has so much knowledge about art and paintings.
On Thursday, I was sitting at the kitchen table; watching Esme bake cookies and listening to Rosalie explain the mystery and vagueness surrounding the Mona Lisa, when Alice burst into the kitchen in frenzy.
"Oh my god Bella, I totally forgot!" She exclaimed, scaring the hell out of all of us.
"What?" I asked dumbly.
"What do you mean what?" She huffed. "Tell me my dear, what are you planning on wearing to the ball this Saturday?" She asked crossly.
"I don't know." I replied uninterested.
"Oh ok. It's not like it's a big deal or anything. All eyes will be on you at the ball, but who cares." She said jokingly with a fling of her hand.
I never liked going to parties, I didn't like dressing up and wearing dresses. I absolutely hated being the center of attention; it brought out my clumsy nature. But she was right; I couldn't treat this like any other party I've been to. This was a big deal, with big people and a lot of attention focused on the newly married couple her brother and I were supposed to be.
"Oh crap!" I exclaimed. "What am I going to do? I haven't even thought about it that much. I didn't pack any fancy dresses or anything; it's not like I own fancy dresses anyway." I said, looking at her pleadingly. She was a fashion designer; she had to have something for me to wear. I didn't have money to go buy a dress, and I'll be damned if I was going to ask Edward for funding.
"Don't worry Bella; I have the perfect dress for you to wear. You'll look flawless, trust me." Alice said happily, clapping her hands; enthused. I sighed in relief; I knew Alice had my back.
I was dreading that night; I've been dreading it for two weeks, ever since Carlisle politely informed me that I'll be making my presence known as Mrs. Edward Cullen.
I didn't look good in dresses, I believed it wholeheartedly. I wasn't some glamorous princess that could compete with the models that would no doubt be present.
"I think the dress will be too big for you though, so I brought it with me so I can fix it up for you." Alice continued.
"What size is it?"I asked.
"Size 4, sweets." She replied. She'd taken to calling me sweets, because of the candy red cheeks that appear when I blush, especially around Emmet and his teasing.
"I think that's a size too small Alice, not a size too big." I replied mockingly.
"Ummm, sweets have you looked at yourself lately? You're a size two honey, trust me. I mean, it's my job and all." She teased with an eye roll.
The truth of the matter was that I knew I'd lost some weight; my clothes were fitting pretty loosely around my now thinner frame. I wasn't eating much, I felt apprehensive about eating these peoples food. Edwards's remarks about my body were not helping the matter in no way either. He always had a critical remark about my looks up his sleeve, and as much as I hated letting him into my head, as much as I hated allowing him to mess with me and cause me insecurity, he was slowly but surely destroying every ounce of confidence I once had.
Every time he said "Jeez, there's no food in this house, what are you doing, eating all day long Bella?" or "I just want to walk into the kitchen once, and not find you in here", he cut me a little deeper, made me more aware of the fact that even the food I was eating in this house was not mine, will never be mine, and I was not welcome to it. So I stopped eating, I ate very little and quenched my hunger by drinking water. I had no idea that my weight loss was that exponential, but I had been a size 4 or 6, depending on the dress, before I came to New York.
Esme noticed my shrinking form and my lack of appetite and confronted me about it, but I blamed it all on the stress of having a new life so suddenly.
Alice cut through my inner rambling by ushering me upstairs, telling me to change into the dress she had chosen for me in her room so she could see how it fit and make her adjustments. She handed me the covered up dress and playfully pushed me inside the room, closing the door behind her.
The dress I saw when I opened the garment bag took my breath away. It was absolutely stunning and elegant. The fabric felt so expensive and absolutely soft against my hands. I have never in my life owned something this expensive. It looked like a dress an actress would wear to one of her movie premieres.
I took it out hesitantly and laid it on the bed, stripping swiftly and putting on the dress as carefully as I could manage. It had a zipper on the back that I couldn't reach, so I called to Alice for help and she came barreling into the room, ready to get to work.
"Oh wow!" She exclaimed. "Look at you." She said smiling.
"Can you please zip me up?" I asked.
"Sure." She replied, assessing me carefully.
I realized she was right after she zipped up the dress, it felt too loose on me. Alice yanked and pinned for about half an hour, and even with all the pins and bunched up material, the dress looked absolutely beautiful.
It was a deep burgundy red color, with a heart shaped neckline. It was tight fitted around my waist reaching to mid-thigh. At mid-thigh, a beautiful white ruffled fabric flared out, covered by a sash like layer of the same red fabric of the dress. It had beautiful white intricate designs below the breasts that continued past my ribs, to my right hip and decorated both sides of the open red fabric covering the white ruffles. The white fabric was also studded with beautiful designs complementing the amazing dress. The back was a little plunging; V shaped and showed a lot of skin. The dress actually made me feel a tiny bit beautiful.
Alice assured me that she had the perfect white shoes for the dress, and the perfect accessories. She even had an idea about how to do my hair and makeup. I trusted her eye and sense of fashion; she always looked so beautiful and fashionable.
That had been three days ago; today was Saturday. Today I had to make an appearance as Edward Cullen's wife, and I was slightly week at the knees. I refused to be a nervous wreck though; I refused to embarrass the family that took me in so graciously and unreservedly.
Dressed in the beautiful dress Alice has chosen for me, I touched up my hair and makeup. My hair was pulled back in a sophisticated bun, slightly pushed to the left side. My makeup was dramatic, with smoky eyes and red lipstick, matching the color of the dress. Large ear rings, borrowed from Rosalie, gave my look a little bit of flare, sophistication and elegance.
As I sprayed some perfume I'd borrowed from Alice, Trouble knocked on the door. I smiled, actually smiled, waiting for the undeniable fight we were bound to have. He'd say I looked disgusting, and I'd say nothing in return. He'd huff and grumble about my "childish" attitude and I'd ignore him. I was actually looking forward to it; living with Edward has turned me into a masochist. I was itching for a slice of trouble; this day has been too peaceful and girly for my taste.
My day was spent having my eyebrows plucked, my legs waxed, my hair pulled and yanked and pinned and my face caked with makeup; I needed Trouble to pull me out of the girly haze that surrounded me.
His knock was strong, signaling his temper. He opened the door with a little too much force and walked in, looking my way fleetingly before looking again, and starring. His eyes went wide and his lips slightly parted. I should have steeled myself for the incoming insult, but I was too busy ogling the attractive man in front of me.
He was a very handsome man, and he knew it very well. But dressed in a tux, he was truly magnificent. His tux was a deep black color, his undershirt was white and his tie was burgundy red, matching my dress I presumed. After all, we were a happily married couple.
I had a hard time taking my eyes off of him; he was too beautiful to be real. He looked like a heart breaker.
His subtle cough made my traitorous eyes turn away from his sinful body and focus on his handsome face. He was looking at me in a weird way, like I was an actual human being, like I was a woman who deserved being looked at, stared at and admired.
"Stunning…" I thought I heard him whisper, but I was sure it only my imagination playing ticks on me. He thought of me as revolting; a pretty dress and a little make up weren't going to change his mind.
"Heaven…" He said, looking me up and down, then up and down again. "We need to talk."
Yeah, here we go.
EPOV
I have seen beauty many times before in my life. I was a man who appreciated beauty and wasn't ashamed of looking at something I found worthwhile. Bella… Bella looked heartbreaking in red.
I was intending on stepping inside that room, throwing the things I had to give her on her cough/bed and walking away. But as soon as I saw the goddess waiting for me on the other side of the door, my knees nearly buckled. She almost brought me to my knees.
She was stunning, beautiful, gorgeous and absolutely striking. The color she was wearing complemented her skin in the most sinful ways. And the pouty red lips that were slightly smirking as soon as I walked inside the room, made me want to kiss and claim and never let go.
I saw her looking at me appreciatively, but it didn't register. All I saw was the angel in red, the woman I had to introduce as my wife tonight.
She looked like an angel, but had a devils spirit. She hasn't talked to me in two weeks, she ignored and rolled her eyes at me every chance she got, she made me feel pathetic and small and cheap.
By God, how badly I wanted her to react to me, to scream and yell and hit, anything but the complete and utter silence I've had to deal with for the last fourteen days.
At first, I tried coaxing her into talking to me, but to no avail. I tried provoking her, cornering her, hell I even pinned her to a door and challenged her to talk, but she was so stubborn and her lips remained sealed.
I wanted to push her against the door again, and feel the fiery warmth that drowned me every time I touched her. All the partying and creeping back home I had done for the last six days were for nothing, all the women I'd slept with, trying to fuck her out of my system, seemed like ugly cartoon characters compared to the girl that was currently looking at me questioningly.
I had given her what she wanted; I'd stayed away, I didn't talk to her, I didn't acknowledge her, I even gave up on telling her good morning, but seeing her completely content and carefree in my absence pissed me off to no end.
She smiled for every single person in my family, but never for me. She hung out with every person in the house, but when I walked into a certain room, she ran out hurriedly like her cute little ass was on fire. She wanted nothing to do with me and it fucking hurt. She didn't want me, and that angered me and made me want to break her.
But right now, right now she was a princess and I had to act like her prince charming. Right now she looked like a lady, and I needed to be her gentleman.
"Heaven…" I said with a hoarse voice, God she was beautiful. "We need to talk."
She smirked again, actually smirked; steeling herself for a fight that was not coming, preparing herself for an insult I had no power to fabricate and spew out.
"You look… Decent." Was the best thing I could come up with.
She snorted and raised one of her eyebrows, taunting me.
I smiled at her, her sprit; her fire was the most beautiful thing about her.
"Listen to me Bella, and try to take me seriously if you can. Tonight… Tonight all eyes are going to be on you, on us and we have a part to play. We need to act like a newly married couple, like two people in love. I'm gonna have to hold your hand, touch your waist, smile at you and have you smile back. We have to act like we actually stand each other, we can't blow this." I lectured.
Her little grimace was hilarious; she looked like the mere idea of me touching her was revolting. I never had that reaction before, I never had a woman refuse, let alone be revolted by my touch. But this was Bella; she was unlike any other woman I have ever encountered.
"And you're going to have to talk to me." I raised an eyebrow at her and smirked.
"Yeah, I gathered as much." She said morosely.
"Thank the Heavens, she speaks." I taunted.
She just rolled her beautiful dark eyes at me and shrugged.
"I actually chanced coming in here because I have something to give you." I teased. "A present. Well, presents. Not that you deserve my presents, but I can't have you going to the ball without proper… additions." I said, winking.
"You're right; I don't deserve your presents." She replied sarcastically. "So here's what you can do, take those presents and shove them up your…" I cut her off before she could finish her sentence.
"Okay, okay." I said soothingly. Damn, she was feisty. "I don't want to fight Heaven, I was only joking."
"I don't want anything from you." She said, uncaringly. "So thanks, but no thanks."
"Don't you think it would be a little weird for a newly married woman to have no wedding ring, at a party where people will be waiting anxiously to meet the said "newly married woman"?" I replied smirking as her eyes grew wider. She looked insulted, scared, slightly revolted and surprised all at once.
"You… You want me to wear a ring?"She asked, shocked. "I don't want to wear your ring." She said in a small voice.
"You're going to have to Bella." I replied triumphantly. "You can't go out there with your finger bare." I winked, smiling at the little rhythm.
She let out a slow breath and closed her eyes, tilting her head towards the ceiling. I knew she didn't want my ring; she wanted nothing to do with me. But I felt a little victorious as she held out her hand, waiting for me to deposit the ring into her little out stretched palm.
"Now what kind of husband do you take me for?" I said, my pitch a little lower than intended. "I'm not going to make you put on your own wedding ring, at least not the very first time." I said, as I grabbed her little, incredibly soft hand with my left one, and reached for the ring that was in my pocked with the right.
Her ring was something I actually picked out by myself. It consisted of one solitaire band studded with tiny diamonds that divided into two bands on either side, before reaching the princess cut four carat diamond at the center. It looked simple and feminine, fitting for Bella.
I gently took her hand in mine, nervously trembling a bit as I place the ring on the ring finger of her left hand. "I hope you like it." I said gently, looking into her sorrowful eyes. No woman wanted a marriage like the one Bella got, no woman wanted to wear the ring of a man she could not stand, I understood her sorrow; I didn't blame her for being sad.
"I know this isn't this way it's supposed to be, but that's the hand that's been dealt for us Bella." I said, because she hasn't even uttered a word.
She was looking at the ring, frowning like she was solving a difficult math equation in her head. But then she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and gently extracted her hand from my own.
"It's beautiful, thank you." She said unemotionally, turning away, messing with her hair.
"You're welcome." I said my voice scornful. She couldn't even look at me while thanking me.
"I have one more thing." I said, reaching for the box I'd placed on my bed earlier, and slowly walking towards Bella again. "It was Alice's idea. She thought it would look perfect with your dress." I murmured.
Inside the box was a diamond necklace. It was simple, made up of pure white diamonds. Alice said it was absolutely necessary to fill out Bella's neck…
Turning around slowly, Bella looked at the necklace I was holding out for her, as if presenting her with an offering. Her eyes widened again, and she took a step back, scoffing.
"I can't accept that, that's too much."She said quickly. "I'm sorry, it's beautiful but I can't accept it."
"Bella, it's a gift. You can't refuse a gift."I said, annoyed.
"I can when it's a diamond necklace!" She replied. "It must have cost a fortune. Please just take it back; I don't want to wear a necklace anyway."She bargained.
"Yes you do. And I'm not taking anything back. It's yours." I replied, my tone of voice signaling finality. I will not stand here and fight about a damn necklace.
"Look, I don't…" I cut her off, taking a step closer to her.
Looking into her depthless eyes, and exhaled and spoke as gently as I could.
"Don't fight me." I said. "It's just a necklace."
"I don't want it."She replied."I'm not trying to be rude, I promise. It's just too much, I can't… I will not accept jewelry that costs thousands of dollars. You. Don't. Have. To. Buy. Me. Anything." She said, stressing every word. "Please." She ended.
"Bella…" I almost whined, turning my head slightly."Just wear the damn thing and give it to Alice or Rose or Esme after you're done. Okay?" I tried.
She hesitated a bit before saying "Okay that I can do." She nodded, determined. She looked painfully cute.
After helping her put the necklace around her delicate neck, I smiled as she turned towards me, asking me if I'm ready to leave. She looked nervous and unsure, and I was giddy. I was going to have so much fun tonight. Tonight, I get my payback.
Grapping her by the waist and tucking her into my side, I said a simple "Sure."
Bella stumbled slightly, and pushed me away roughly. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked irritated, an adorable little crease appearing between her eyebrows.
"I'm leading my "wife" to the door." I replied smugly. "You're going to have to endure it Bella, we're going to be doing a lot of touching tonight."
She bit her bottom lip violently and glared, looking up at me between her glorious, curled, thick lashes.
"It's going to be a horrible, torture filled night…" She said dreadfully.
I wondered if she would have minded Emmet having his arm around her, she seemed to love him and his attention, I thought disdainfully.
Still, I just smiled and reached for her again, silently marveling at the excuse to just… touch her.
It was my night of fun, it was my night to show her how truly little and inconsequential she really was.
Even if it killed me, I was going to teach her that Edward Cullen was not a person one can easily refuse. I was going to show that even her precious Emmet wasn't as lovable as I was capable of being.
Tonight, I was going to teach her how badly it hurt to be shunned and avoided.
AN: Up next, the party.
I have a huge favor to ask you guys, since this is my first time writing, I have no idea where to put the pictures that I have for the story. Can anyone help?
I have pictures of the characters, and of Bella's dress and ring, the Mansion and all of that, but I have no idea where to post them. Can anybody help me start a blog or a banner for this story? If you are interested that is.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please don't hesitate to review and tell me what you think.
Thank you all for your continued support. Until next time…