Brown Eyed Girl
Chapter 7: Sort of like you
The first thing I was aware of was the pain. Everywhere. But mostly my private area and my face. The second thing, were the warm arms wrapped around me, holding me together. Then, I started to hear his voice again. Jake.
"Bella? Bella sweetie, please wake up," his sobbing hurt me; he shouldn't be crying. Why was he crying? "Baby, wake up. Please!" I opened my eyes to see him. "Oh thank God, you're awake." He kissed my forehead softly, "Edward," he turned and said, "she's awake."
I looked around slowly, noticing that I was lying across Jake's lap and Edward was sitting next to us, with his head in his hands.
Paul on the other hand was lying – seemingly unconscious – on the floor, with small cuts and bruises on his face. I looked back in time to see Edward turn to me, his eyes filled with tears as he gazed into mine.
"Bella." He whispered. I started to cry, and Jake held me tighter. But as good and safe as it felt, I needed someone else's comfort; my eyes didn't leave Edward's. He extended his arms towards me. "Can I?"
I didn't know who he was asking, but as I reached my hands to him, Jake let me go and gently moved me on to Edward's lap, before saying he was going to make some phone calls.
Edward wrapped his arms tightly around me and we both sighed heavily; I did it because I felt absolute bliss and contentment in his arms; but I didn't understand his.
My face, hidden in the crook of his neck as one of his hands held it there, running his fingers slowly through my hair.
"Edward," I whimpered.
He just whispered to me, "I know Bella. I know. Everything's going to be okay. I'm here. I'm here, and I'm not leaving. I won't leave you. Ever." My hands pulled him closer to me as he kissed my head, and then my shoulder, and then my forehead.
I wanted this to be real, but it felt like a dream. He couldn't be kissing me. It wasn't possible.
So since I figured I was in a dream, I decided to take advantage of it. I began kissing his shoulder softly and then his neck. I continued, because each time I did it, he seemed to pull me even closer to him. I only stopped when he brought both of his hand up, to rest on either side of my face.
"Bella," he breathed. I just continued to gaze into his eyes, as he was doing to mine. As I started to bend towards him, he kept my face at a distance; holding it still. "Bella. I need to tell you something."
I sighed quietly and my eyes closed as my face leaned into his hands. "What?" I whispered.
"I want to kiss you."
My breath hitched as I looked back into his green eyes. I didn't get a chance to think properly before he continued.
"I want to kiss you badly. But I can't."
I mentally chastised myself at how sad that made me. Of course he couldn't. He was with Rose. This wasn't a dream.
I didn't make any move as a couple of tears escaped my eyes and raced each other down my cheeks. I breathed in and out a couple of times before speaking. "I know."
"No. You don't know." He hissed.
I blinked a few times before pulling back a little, suddenly a little afraid. But as soon as he realised this – probably by my expression – his arms were around me again, holding me firmly as he apologised.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Bella. I just. Ugh!" he stammered before he brought one of his hands to rest on my cheek. Sighing, he spoke again, "I broke up with Rosalie today after school." Eyes wide and mouth slightly opened, I just continued to stare at him. "I just – I realised I couldn't do it anymore. Even though I like Rosalie, and even though you have Jake. I can't get over this feeling I have for you. I only realised that after today." He cleared his throat and swallowed hard.
"I sort of liked you ever since I saw you the first time, in the cafeteria. But the, Rosalie showed interest in me and I didn't want to reject her. And then I found out about you having Jacob and how much you 'really cared for him'-" he actually used his fingers for air quote marks, "So I just tried to forget about you. But then – then I saw you and Jake kissing and it annoyed me a whole lot more than it should have. And then I heard you were hurt in Gym and I couldn't do it anymore. Rosalie was getting irritated by how much I cared for your well-being and that just pissed me off. Of course I care if you're hurt, as should anyone." He'd began to stroke my cheek and my hair as he talked; I didn't know if he knew he was doing it or not.
"So, when she asked why I cared so much, I told her. I told her how I felt about you and how, maybe we shouldn't be together anymore. Her reaction was one of shock, but then she kind of seemed happy for some reason and said, 'okay' with a shrug. Of course, this happened right before Jacob walked in, asking for you. When we told him you were at his house he was confused. And then he realised he didn't have his phone. He got this scared-as-shit look on his face before saying that I had to drive him home straight away. I didn't question it, not when he looked like that." He took a deep breath before his eyebrows furrowed and I noticed a tear escape.
I used my finger to wipe it away and then looked to see his eyes on me. "When we got here, I almost fainted at the sight," his breath caught on the last word. "And then I went crazy. I didn't know what I was doing until I felt Jake pulling me up from Paul, who was unconscious and bruised after what I'd done. I couldn't stop myself, I just kept punching and kicking him. I'm so sorry Bella. I'm so sorry what he did to you."
My sobs came back again and I buried my face into his neck as he held me. I didn't know what to say, but I felt extremely tired, so I knew that I would be asleep in a matter of seconds. I needed him to know though, I needed to tell him something before the darkness overtook me again.
"Edward…I sort of like you too…" The last thing I heard and felt were soft, chuckles and a kiss on my cheek.