Okay I am not going to beg, complain, threaten, lose my temper, or go psycho-maniac over the lack of reviews I got last chapter but…
DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW INFURIATING IT IS THAT I ONLY GOT A PATHETIC NUMBER OF SIX REVIEWS FOR A CHAPTER THAT I ACTUALLY ENJOYED WRITING AND WAS ACTUALLY PROUD OF? HOW MUCH I WANT TO SHARE MY IDEAS WITH YOU PEOPLE? DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW RARE IT IS THAT I GET PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE PUBLISHED? (Well, actually you probably don't but just forget about that technicality and focus on the rest.)
IT MIGHT BE STUPID TO GET SO TEMPERRATIONAL OVER REVIEWS BUT IT MATTERS TO ME! SO CAN YOU PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW OTHERWISE I WILL TRACK YOU DOWN AND PELT YOUR FACE WITH MY KEYBOARD UNTIL YOU CAN HARDLY PUKE!
There, I think I handled that pretty well. Don't you? Please review. Oh and I own nothing here but the plot and the one or two odd characters that I made up. All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer.
Chapter Two: A Good View?
"Here you go. Room 101." Jasper, our guide and saviour told us as he held the door open for us.
Jasper Whitlock was a tall, leonine guy with honey blonde hair and ice blue eyes. Edward and I had been wandering aimlessly around the entire campus for at least a good two hours, hopelessly lost, before we finally had a breakthrough in the form of our discovery of Jasper.
It had been fun walking with Edward without a clue as to where we were going. At first. Oh don't get me wrong. Edward was as wonderful in personality as he was in looks. He was a true gentleman, not letting me burden myself with more than my reasonably light rucksack whilst he lugged about five of my bags with him despite my protests. He had ignored all my requests to be permitted to relieve him of even one bag and had instead questioned me about my childhood, my family, my likes and dislikes in an amiable and easy-going manner.
It wasn't until the baking hot Californian sun intensified in its heat until the pavement seemed to burn through my shoes and scald my feet, so that it felt like I was walking across the scorching sands of a parched, sweltering hot desert that the adventure didn't seem so appealing anymore. Though Edward's forehead had been beaded with sweat and he must have been suffering more than I had been as he had been carrying some of his own bags along with most of mine, he had trudged on like a warrior with a determined smile whilst narrating to me tales of his experiences in the Sahara deserts.
He had been a good storyteller, making me laugh and smile as he entranced me with his stories and his voice. Mostly his voice. I would've been just as enchanted by his voice if he had been explaining to me all the laws of physics or something just as tedious. But of course Edward could never be boring.
Eventually though even Edward's stories hadn't been enough to brighten our torturous pointless wander around the blisteringly hot campus. My throat had soon started to burn with painful thirst and my head had started to spin with the dehydration. It hadn't been until I had started stumbling every few steps due to my fatigue that Edward had conceded that it was about time we had asked for directions.
It had been at that point that we had been passing by Jasper so of course it had been natural that we had intercepted him and had asked him ever so politely if he knew where room 101 was. Jasper had responded that he did and that he believed his girlfriend lived in that vicinity and was just on his way there and that he would be perfectly happy to escort us there.
Which was how the three of us had ended up here. In room 101. I gazed about me in wonder. At my new room. It appeared that my room mate had already arrived as there was a huge pile of suitcases stacked up in an untidy pile on one of the beds. Though they varied in shape and size they were all a lovely pale baby pink colour. It was apparent even without counting that my new roommate most obviously had more bags than I had. A lot more.
An amused chuckle from behind me told that Edward had deduced the same thing. However, I was still too immersed in my surroundings that for the first time that afternoon my mind was not completely overwhelmed with Edward.
The walls of my new room were a soft sky blue colour that seemed to immediately relax me, there were two single beds aligned together by the far wall; the covers were a lovely blue colour that were just a shade darker than the paint of the walls and had cobalt blue spirals patterned onto the covers, there was a small white wooden desk pushed right back against the corner of the room furthest from the beds, a brand new, high-tech, advanced silver laptop rested on the glass surface of the desk, a light seemed to shine of the top of laptop, winking welcomingly at me as I stared.
There was a dark mahogany door leaning back into the wall not too far away from the beds which I could only assume opened up into a huge closet. But what really held my attention was the high ledge of the immense bay window directly across the door on the other side of the room. Even from where I was standing, which was only a few steps ahead of where Jasper and Edward stood in front of the door I could see that there was a balcony with black painted rails and bars jutting out from the exterior of the building.
I inhaled sharply, trying to contain my excitement. But as I walked across the room towards the large window, despite attempting to hide my joy I think my happiness radiated from me in glowing waves that seemed to add a sprightly bounce to my walk so that I was almost skipping as I drew closer to the bay window in my new room. I looked out the window and saw that I had an exquisite and perfectly clear view of the sea. It sparkled and rippled elegantly under the baking sun which cast golden reflections of its heated light across the shimmering glass surface of the vast expanses of the sea, almost as if it were doing a peaceful and graceful dance just to welcome me into this beautiful paradise called California.
"Great view, huh?" A voice beside me said, making me jump about three miles into the air.
When my heart had finally slowed its accelerated race down enough I turned my head to see Jasper smiling expectantly at me.
"Yeah. It's beautiful." I breathed.
I turned around searchingly, expecting to see that Edward had already left, discarding my bags as soon as he saw that I was settled into my room. The thought sent a sharp, stinging slash of pain across my heart but I soon saw that there was no need to fret as Edward was still standing, unmoved at the door. He had been so quiet since we had turned the corner of the hallway and had arrived in my dorm.
When his eyes met mine Edward flashed his crooked smile that I knew by now would never cease to send my heart into a frenzied race of turmoil.
"Balcony and sea view? Not bad Swan. Not bad at all." He commented pleasantly.
I grinned happily at him as I replied "I know. Back in Forks I had just had a small room with a window that looked out over my driveway and creaked real loud every time I tried to open it. I had always just hoped that eventually I'd get a window that didn't creak but it looks like I got even luckier than I ever thought I would."
His smile widened as he remarked with just a hint of a teasing tone "I guess you must've been born under a lucky star."
I grinned back at him as I agreed "Maybe."
But I failed to mention that I must have been born under a lucky star because there was no other way I could have been lucky enough to stumble upon him as I did not think that that would have been at all sensible to do. After all, I didn't want to scare him and show him just yet how much of a lunatic I was.
"Where shall I leave your bags?" Edward asked me.
"Um…" I said thoughtfully "Just leave them there on that bed. I think it's already clear which bed my new room mate wants."
Edward approached the bed and dumped my bags there. I watched fascinated as the muscles in his back flexed and rippled through the material of his shirt as he removed some of my bags that he had slung over his back. He dumped them there and stood erect to face me. I dropped my eyes to the floor as a light blush coloured my cheeks as shame and embarrassment swept through me as I thought of how I had been gawping at Edward. Edward who I had only just met today less than a couple of hours ago.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around." Edward told me as he turned as though about to leave.
"What? Do you have to go already?"
The words burst through my lips before I could take them back. They sounded disappointed and desperate even to my own ears. Gosh Bella pine after the guy even before he's left, why don't you? I coughed to hide my mortification, conscious that Jasper who was also technically a stranger to me was in the room, here to witness my humiliation.
Edward's smile was gentle as he told me in a self-explanatory voice "Yes I'm afraid so. I really do have to go. There's quite a lot I have to do."
"Oh. Well. Thanks for helping me with my luggage." I told him uncomfortably.
"It was my pleasure. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you today Bella." Edward replied courteously.
"I guess I'll see you around then." I told him hopefully.
"I guess so." Edward agreed doubtfully which confused me. Did he not want to see me again?
He smiled at me before gathering up his bags which he had unceremoniously dumped on the floor then he walked towards the door. Just as he was framed in the doorway I called after him a little sheepishly and bashfully:
"I really am sorry for thwacking you with my luggage earlier."
He had already left but I thought I heard his laugh ghost through the door back to me. I sighed and was about to turn back to the wonderful view outside my window when I saw that Jasper was still here, sitting down on the ledge of the bay window with his back pressed up against the glass. Yeesh. It was kind of unsettling the way Jasper could just blend into his surroundings and suddenly become invisible.
He smiled at me before asking in a helpful and kind voice "Do you need any help Bella? With anything?"
"No I'm fine. I think I'm just going to admire the view for a while. I've never really seen the sea let alone had a balcony that looks out over one." I told him.
He laughed quietly before saying "Okay. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask. I'll see you around."
"Thanks for the help Jasper." I told him, watching as he left.
I turned back to the window. The sun continued to shine over the campus and on the many students who were loitering around. I saw Edward appear out of the building and begin to amble across the campus. I knew it was him even from up here. The sunlight bounced of his bronze hair, making it visible to me as he walked. I watched him, transfixed.
He was so handsome. The way the sunlight shone on the bronze locks of his hair, the way the ends of some disarrayed bronze tresses flopped untidily onto the beautiful white alabaster skin on the back of his neck, the way in which he walked so confidently across the campus with sure even long strides, the broad width of his shoulders sagging slightly under the weight of his bags, flowing sinuously into the field of those rippling muscles in his back…
"Hello!"
I shrieked and started violently as a high-pitched voice squealed a welcome right into my ear. I had been standing relatively close to the window, having unconsciously leaned in closer whilst gawping at Edward. This caused my knees to make painful contact with the high window ledge which caused my knees to buckle under me so that I collapsed against the window, banging my forehead against the window.
"Ow!" I yelped as I fell back on the ledge against the window and remained there.
"Look what you've gone and done, Alice. You scared her and now she's gone and hurt herself." A voice like wind chimes scolded disapprovingly.
"I didn't mean to." A pouting voice mumbled.
Then I suddenly found a pair of grey eyes boring into my own.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?" The person who was so close to me I could see nothing but their eyes asked me.
"Too close." I murmured.
"Oh sorry." The person with the grey eyes said apologetically before skipping backwards.
I looked up to see a small girl, a girl so small that she looked like a little pixie, her hair was in an array of jet black spikes, she had elfin features which seemed to suit her small face and limbs well, and her eyes were an agate grey. Her lips were turned down in a concerned frown and her forehead was puckered with worry as she asked me in a fretful voice:
"You're not hurt too badly are you?"
I thought about that before pressing the tips of my fingers against my temples. It throbbed. Badly. I winced and the girl's eyes widened.
"Oh my god! You are hurt! I'm so sorry. I was just so excited to see that you were finally here. You didn't notice when I came in because you were too busy staring at Mr. Good looking so I just went to you and I didn't think I would scare you so badly that you'd hurt yourself. Should I get an ice pack or something or take you to the nurse's office…"
"Alice! Give her a chance to breathe!" The voice like wind chimes reproached.
I turned to face the other person in the room only to have my jaw drop. I was staring at the most gorgeous girl ever. She had long, flowing blonde hair that fell to her waist in beautiful golden locks, her features were angelic and perfect, her eyes were an ice blue, she was tall and willowy with a figure to die for, and just being in the same room seemed to tear my own self-esteem to shreds.
"Do you need to go to the nurse's office?" She asked me kindly.
I licked my dry and parched lips before answering "No. I'm fine. Really. I've had lots of bruises before in my life."
The two girls stared appraisingly at me before the pixie-like one said "I'm Alice Brandon. It's so nice to meet you."
"Bella. Bella Swan." I told her.
"I'm Rosalie Hale." The blond bombshell informed me.
"It's nice to meet you both." I told them courteously. "But which one of you is my room mate?"
Rosalie smiled at me before telling me "That would be the crazy one over there."
"Hi!" Alice chirped, waving at me enthusiastically.
I laughed. I couldn't help it. Alice was so energetic and enthusiastic that it was hard not to react to the positive energy that seemed to pulse around her in glowing waves that just oozed out of the happy expression and joyous smile on her face.
"I hope you don't mind the deco in here. I was in this room last year and I haven't had a room mate until now. I decorated it and most people do seem to like it but if you don't like it then we could go shopping and re-decorate together-"
I interrupted Alice's worried gush of words that flowed out of her mouth in fretful torrents. "We don't need to go shopping. I love this room just the way it is." I told her sincerely.
"Really! That's great! Because I love it like it is as well and I wouldn't have liked it much if you wanted to change it." Alice told me in a cheerful and relieved voice.
"Just to warn you. She is extremely perky. Even in the mornings." Rosalie told me apologetically.
Alice scowled at Rosalie before turning to me with a sly smile that made her resemble a cat ready to pounce. "So…who was that you were watching from our window?" She asked curiously, cocking her head to the side so that she now resembled a bird.
Fortunately, I was spared from having to answer this awkward question by the entrance of a mountainous guy into our room. He walked into here, seeming to take up almost the whole room. He was extremely tall, with impossibly broad shoulders, he had muscles that bulged threateningly through his jumper, he had dark curly hair, brown eyes that crinkled at the corners as his lips stretched into a wide smile, causing his dimples to pop out noticeably, which made his intimidating appearance look more gentle.
"Hello, girlfriend, Tinkerbelle, and girl whose name I do not know." He boomed loudly.
"Emmet, you could not have made a grander entrance." Rosalie sighed long-sufferingly as though he were a tiring child she had too large a dose of.
"Hi Emmet!" Alice trilled in a sing-song voice. "Meet my new room mate Bella!"
"Hi Bella! I'm Emmet McCarty." He stuck out a beefy hand and I put mine in it only to feel him shake it with such rigorous enthusiasm that I thought he might pull my arm out of its socket.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Emmet." I told him.
"So guys, I mean ladies, anyone hungry? It's almost lunchtime, you know." Emmet said and a loud rumble emphasised his words which made laugh along with everyone else.
"Alright, let's go get some lunch." Rosalie said.
I was feeling kind of hungry as well which was why I made no objection as I followed the others out of the room. A loud crash suddenly sounded from outside. We all looked at each other, perplexed. Then there was another crash followed by an angry shout.
It seemed instantaneous. None of us needed to say a word as we all hurried out of the room to see what all the commotion was about.
The first thing I saw was a scattering of items on the floor, all spread out in a wild explosion of clothes, CDS, headphones etc. A duffle bag lay not too far away from which the items spilled out of but that was not what held my attention.
What held my attention was the angry scene that I had somehow stumbled upon. Or I suppose I should say stumbled into.
And just when I thought I was out of trouble.
Reviews? Anyone? Please? If I get anything less than 10 reviews for this chapter i shall cease updating until I am satisfied.