CHAPTER 6
DISCOVERY
"Climbing up the charts...Edward Masen at number 5 with 'I'm yours.'"
"Another top 10 hit!" Alice squealed.
Rosalie rolled her eyes.
"Like you didn't know that would happen."
Alice pushed her in the arm playfully.
Edward smiled at the scene before him as the music played in the background.
Well you done, done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back
Ever since he had met Lana and decided to turn things around. Life had improved in leaps and bounds. His family was whole again, or at least as whole as it could be without Bella. The family never forgot her and ever since he had stopped wallowing in guilt over her, the family had stopped too. Instead of mourning her, they lived life to the fullest, still undercover though of course. They couldn't let themselves get too easily recognized for obvious reasons. Lana could do what she did because of her shape shifting abilities. They were not so well endowed.
Before the cool done run out, I'll be giving it my bestest
And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
In the years since, the family had gone out to do great things. Carlisle went out and got his own practice in Oregon. Esme had become a foster mom. Rosalie had become a popular fashion designer with Alice becoming a stylist to the stars; they were often in either New York or California depending on the demand. Emmett became a video game tester with Jasper helping out on the side. Edward had become a singer/song writer in California, though he never did concerts or the TV promo circut. It was rather sunny in California, and it was best to be on the safe side. He simply wrote songs and sang them.
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
This particular song was written for Bella. Even in death, he was, and would forever be, hers.
So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate, our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
"Earth to Edward," Alice said, waving her hand in front of his face.
Edward shook his head.
"What?"
"I asked you if you wanted to go see a movie," she said annoyed.
He turned down the radio.
"What movie?"
Alice looked to Rosalie.
"She wants us to see the new Romeo and Juliet remake."
Edward internally sighed, Romeo and Juliet was the last movie that he and Bella had seen together right before her fateful birthday party, before he had broken up with her.
When he came out of his thoughts he found that Alice was chewing out Rosalie for her choice.
"I told you-"
Not wanting any strife in the family, Edward spoke up.
"It's fine, I'll go."
Alice stopped mid sentence.
"Are you sure?"
Edward nodded.
Rosalie perked up.
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" she happily grabbed Emmett's hand and pulled him out of the room.
"Guess that's our cue," Alice said, looking at Jasper and Edward. She grabbed Jasper's hand with a wink and followed after Rosalie. Edward was on his own as he too followed after everyone.
"Welcome to today's show everyone!" the TV host was your run of the mill, California girl; fake tan and bottle blonde hair included.
"Today we have as a most special guest, Miss Rebecca Stone!"
The whole audience burst into excited cheers as tall, thin, leggy brunette walked onto the lively set. The woman waved at the crowd as she made her way to a seat next to the host. She had long chocolate colored hair and exotic looking brown eyes. She had sun touched skin and the body of a supermodel.
"You look absolutely amazing!"
The crowd enthusiastically cheered in agreement with the host.
"What's your secret?"
The crowd quieted in anticipation of her answer.
"Oh, a little of this and a little of that, you know, eat healthy and exercise."
She smiled as she spoke, almost as if she were enjoying some private joke.
"So I hear you have a new movie out?" the host asked.
"Yeah, you might all have heard of it" she winked at the crowd causing the crowd to break out in cheers, "I play the little known role of Juliet who is madly in love with another little known character by the name of Romeo" she laughed.
The audience joined in with her.
"Let's watch a clip!" the host shouted.
The crowd cheered, and then quieted as the clip began to play.
"Eyes, look your last.
Arms, take your last embrace.
And lips, O you the doors of breath, The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss..."
Edward watched as Romeo laid himself close to Juliet and gently kissed her lips. The vampire was so engrossed that he looked as if he would scream at any moment that Romeo's love was not dead. But instead he restrained himself, even as Juliet's hand twitched and Romeo didn't notice.
"A dateless bargain to engrossing death."
Romeo pulled out a vial from his pocket and drank from it. Immediately, the poison caused him to convulse and collapse, his head resting on Juliet's lap.
"O true apothecary, thy drugs are quick."
It was at that very moment that Juliet awoke from her slumber.
"Oh Romeo, what's here?"
Edward watched torn as the horror of the situation dawned on poor Juliet. He watched, his heart aching for her as she cradled a gasping Romeo in her arms. He watched as she tried and failed to use the same poison Romeo had taken, to join him in the afterlife.
With sorrow, Juliet kissed Romeo, heart-broken.
"Thy lips are warm."
Though fighting for every breath, Romeo struggled to speak.
"Thus with a kiss I die."
Upon those words, he went still. Juliet began sobbing in earnest.
"Romeo. O' my true love Romeo."
With tears in her eyes, she caught sight of the knife on Romeo's hip.
"O happy dagger!
Hungrily she snatched the knife and pressed it to her chest.
"This is thy sheath."
She then plunged the knife into her chest and with her last breath uttered her last words.
"There rust, and let me die."
Edward couldn't watch any more. From that moment on he was lost in his thoughts. Alice nudged him in concern, but he shook his head and just sat there. He only looked up when the last line was said.
"For never was a story of more woe,
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo"
He was silent as they exited the theater. Alice kept shooting glares at Rosalie who didn't seem to mind; she was too busy whispering to Emmett.
Suddenly Alice halted. Then a smile lit up her face.
"I think that's a wonderful idea Edward!"
Edward smiled at her and nodded, leaving the rest of the family confused as to what had just happened.
One interview down, three more to go; then it was alone time.
She sighed tiredly, the smirked.
She choose this career, who was she to be complaining? Still, all she hoped for was that this day could end as it always did, quiet and alone.
That was the plan at least...
She sure was a hard one to find, even for a celebrity. He had had to charm no less than 10 women and 5 men. Now he was sitting on her front step waiting for her to come home. At least he hoped she would come home. You never did know with big movie stars who had many homes in many places. But whatever it took, he would find her, and meet her. So far he had spent the evening here, and she had yet to show.
Within minutes however, a pair of headlights came into view. He watched, hoping this time they would belong to her car.
He was in luck.
The car pulled into the circular driveway, the headlights momentarily illuminating him, causing her to stop the car right then. She slowly got out of the car.
"How did you get in here?" she asked sternly. "If you don't leave I'll call my security guard and the police!" she shouted.
Edward stood up.
"Wait! I don't mean you any harm!" he said raising his hands.
Slowly she walked up to him, getting a better view of him.
"Edward?" she asked, "Edward Cullen?"
Surprise flashed across his face.
"You...know me?"
"Of course I do, mister misery" she said with a smile, "Still moping around?"
Edward was confused.
"Huh?"
"Did you even try to look into my mind?" she said with her hands on her hips.
As he did so, he mouthed a silent 'oh'. He couldn't hear anything. Putting the facts together he finally understood.
"Lana?" he asked.
"Among other things" she replied, "But yes."
"So, an actress?" he said regaining his composure and confidence.
She smirked.
"Sure looks like it, doesn't it?" she walked over to her car and pulled the keys out, "You seriously did not wait here all day for me did you?"
Edward looked a bit sheepish.
"Not all day."
Lana laughed.
"Some would call you a stalker," she winked, "We can talk inside."
Quietly he followed her into the elegant mansion.
Tall ceilings greeted Edward and sparkling chandeliers hung above him as he stood in the entry way. On both sides of him were grand stair cases and below him were marble floors. The whole house was decorated in shades of white, grey, and blue; cool colors. It was very similar to the house in Forks.
He followed the other vampire into a room with a view of the city scape and two large comfy couches. She sat in one; he sat in the other.
"So what brought you to my doorstep," she started.
He looked as embarrassed as a vampire could be.
"I saw your movie."
"Liked what you saw?" she said, echoing her words from the past.
"You could say that" he replied evasively.
She said nothing, but the look in her eyes said everything.
Edward watched her closely.
"What are you thinking?" he asked curiously.
She smiled.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," she twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "What have you been up to?"
"I sing," he said.
"Oh, anything I would know?" she asked leaning forward.
"Perhaps," he said mysteriously.
She smiled a knowing smile.
"If I didn't know any better, I would say you're flirting with me Mr. Cullen."
If he could blush, he would be doing so overwhelmingly.
"I...uh-"
"No need to explain," she said disarmingly. "I just like everything to be out in the open, no games."
"I'm sorry," he said looking at anything but the woman across from him.
"For what?" she said with s smirk, "Liking me?"
"No, it's not that…" he shook his head, "I shouldn't' even be here, I'll just go."
He stood up to leave.
"Wait!" she called sitting up straight. "Is this is about your ex?"
Edward looked down at her and sighed.
"You must feel bad liking another girl. You must think your being unfaithful by liking me."
Edward shook his head.
"I'm not sure if I'm interested in you that way, but I do seem to be drawn to you for reasons unknown."
She smiled a constrained smile.
"Funny you say that," she replied. "There's something about you that has always bothered me."
Edward looked affronted.
"Oh no, not in a bad way," she explained, "Just in a frustrating 'I don't' know why' kind of way."
"Well then, aren't we just birds of a feather?" Edward said.
She smiled and nodded.
"It would seem that way."
"So, what to do?" Edward asked.
"I say we get to know each other," Lana suggested. "Just until we figure out why the other is so intriguing, then we can do whatever we want; deal?"
Edward thought a bit.
"Deal."
They shook hands on it and leaned back in their respective couches, each content with how things had gone. Little did they know that things were about to get very complicated, very fast.