Thanks to EVERYONE WHO HAS READ AND FAVOURITED, ALERTED AND REVIEWED! You guys are the best! I´d personally name you, but I´m writing this in class and there´s no internet connection… :(
Enjoooooooy….
The first thing that passed through my mind was to call Alice and cancel our arrangements. As she was absent during the day, I had totally forgotten about her. She said it was fine and that she´d ring me Sunday to hang out. I replied with a soft "yeah, that be great." I replayed the talk in my mind and she did sound a little sad, though not really shocked. I shook my head, just another weird Cullen quirk…
The drive to Seattle was… quick. A little too quick, but what could I expect when I tore up the high way?
We had met up in only what could be called a fancy restaurant, the type that even when you looked at it, your purse or wallet seemed to cry in protest. Even though money was no problem for me, I was relieved that he, whoever he was, was paying. My feet dragged my quietly to the front door of the place and I stepped inside. Suddenly, a deep voice could be heard behind me. "I´m guessing I am to owe my pleasure to you, Bella? Is it not?" I turned around slowly, my eyes burning slowly. He took my hand in his and pressed his lips to it. His hair was a shaken mess of blonde, gelled back slightly to look tamed. He had deep blue eyes, slightly dilated in the low lit entrance and I hit of lust as he took me in. He was tall and lean, twenty years of age, I´d say, maybe twenty-five; dressed in a tuxedo, a rose playing in his hand. "For you" I gently placed my hand around it and nodded in a thank you. I´d be as mysterious as possible until further date. He smiled and placed one of his hands at the small of my back, leading me further into the building. Once seated in a private booth, he spoke once more. "So, beautiful, are you going to speak?"
I leaned forward, over the table, lightly resting my chest against the cloth. In a soft whisper I replied. "It all depends, stranger, on what you have for me…" I sat back down and stared intently at him. He grinned with amusement.
"Babe, we order and then I´ll give you what you want. Promise" He winked at me and I replied with another small smile. When the waiter came, he almost completely ignored the man in front of me, concentrating on me and I supposed the exposed creamy white skin of my thigh as I crossed my legs.
"Eyes up here, hunny." I stated before telling him my order. He flushed a red I couldn´t even reach to and nodded quickly. He was caught and I flashed a winning smile at the guy across from me. Once the waiter left, we finally began to speak normally. "Sugar, that was amusing."
"He shouldn´t let his eyes drift then, I respect my body and won´t give it to just anyone." He nodded like he understood before he told me about himself. It turned out he was called Damon and he was twenty-nine and three quarters exactly. He grew up in Chicago, but moved to Seattle with his father when he was only fourteen, cause of a split between his parents. He somehow just fell into the business of setting up races and it all left off from there. He did race, but only as a hobby and in his spare time, he preferred winning money from the races than actually competing, even though winning earned you just as much or more cash. He loved to play the guitar and to compose his own songs. He was single and happy with his way of life, though was thinking of setting down in the near future. To top it all off, he was a friend of uncle Dom´s, family friend and was someone I could trust and count on here in main land. I then told him a small part about myself, knowing that if Dom trusted him, then he knew our predicament already. Then a fun game of twenty questions commenced.
"I am a virgin! Honest!" I cried out loud, smacking my hands over my mouth as I heard people stirring from the booth next to us. "Shit…"
"I just can´t believe it, look at you. I mean… you´re gorgeous, Bell. Really. And have quite an attitude with it. I have to admit, you can defiantly turn a guy on, so you being still single and a virgin seems… slightly unbelievable." He answered truthfully with a smirk.
"Damen, Damen, Damen, Damen… my family have me tightly protected, I guy looks at me and my dad and Dom look like they want to kill the dude. It´s hard and living on the island made it impossible for a relationship. And… I value my body, it´d not some toy for a guy. When I lose it, it won´t be with a stranger or a dude I just met" I smiled and bit down on my lip. How the hell did we get onto this subject? I couldn´t remember.
He shifted around the table to sit almost next to me as his voice lowered. "You can trust me. I won´t try to feel you up or anything. I treasure my life too much and I respect you. If you ever need any help though, just call, you have my number. I´d like to have you as a friend. You seem real enough and genuine. Besides, I´ve heard that your driving skills are brilliant. Here you go" He kissed my cheek, dropped some bills on the table and handed me an envelope. He helped me to my feet and walked me to my car, his hand always at the small of my back, in a sort of…protective way. His eyes glanced around as we walked and I wondered if he knew something was out there. "Go straight home, no night partying. The night´s not safe in these parts. I´ll be keeping an eye out for you. Hopefully we can meet up before the race though in day time, maybe. Stay safe." I understood his warning clearly enough, I just didn´t get why. I could handle myself.
"Alright… you do the same. Ring me tomorrow, then?" It came out more like a question; however, he smiled all the same and nodded his head.
"Sounds great." His face edged closer and kissed my cheek and then he stood back and let me get in my car, stealing secret glances around as I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway. What was his problem? I´d find out sooner or later…
Beep…beep…beep my alarm clock screamed out and I soon sent it flying across the room. It hit the wall and stopped ringing out, even though it was still okay. I had to buy a super…strong alarm clock. I had a tendency to smash or throw it, like I just had done.
"Why the fuck is that thing even on?" I cried out into my pillow. That's when I realized my bedroom window was slightly open. I cocked an eyebrow, but otherwise shook it off, slamming it shut and heading over to my desk. The envelope was set out on the table, open and spread out. The race´s rules were not sure until the night and a grand had already been given to Damon by Dom to let me compete. There were to be another four drivers. The race was also to be held next Saturday night, dear prom night, when the police unusually were less likely to be around. The streets of Port Angeles were to be the route. The rest of the information was unimportant; all I wanted to know was when and where.
Grandpa Charlie had already gone to work, leaving me alone in the house to wait for Damon´s call. I decided to try and help a little, be a good granddaughter instead of one that eat his food, used his stuff and gave nothing in return. After ironing; putting more washing on and hanging it out; washing and drying up and then vacuuming the place, my phone rang. "Bella here, who is this?" I should look at caller dial more.
"Ang, I was wondering if you wanted to come to Port Angeles with Jessica and me for prom dresses?" I caught on my breath. I didn´t even planning on going to this All American tradition, although my family thought it would be a "fun" way to try out my new life. Fun? I didn´t see the idea of guys trying to grind against you on a dance floor were people barley danced and bad music blasted out of speakers next to a probable spiked punch waiting line fun.
"Sure, I´d like to get out of the house." I smiled and agreed that I was only doing this to look around where the race was being held, nothing more.
Ten minutes later a honk was heard outside and I dashed out, dressed in a skin tight black vest top and a slightly baggier white ripped vest top over. It looked like a wolf had clawed a bit at it, even though it´s how it was bought. I for one loved it; finishing off with black ripped skinny´s, a fake leather jacket and high heeled military type boots. My hair was pulled into a messy bun, my bangs flowing around as I walked and the few hair strands I left down. I guessed I looked different as to what they were expecting as I closed in on the car. The roof of the ford convertible was done and Angela was in the driver´s seat. Let´s see how well she drove.
"OMG, you look…WOW, is that you Bella?" I laughed at Jessica´s words and nodded.
"The one and only." I should have been blending in, being the nerdy teenager, but I had a wild spirit and I was going out of the town, not to school. After a few more words that were exchanged, Angela put the car into gear and moved us out of over-green town. She went at a slow pace for me, but all in all, she did drive rather well. Though she took the corners a little too carefully and soon along with a few small details, I was proud to have met somebody that could drive a vehicle well in Forks. "Can you drive?" Jessica inquired as Ang sped up slightly at the higher speed limit.
"I do drive to school every day in the truck, Jess" I laughed at her lack of eye sight at school. "But I like to think I drive well. The truck doesn´t really give me a lot to work with" I sighed at the thought of the slow beast and pushed myself back on the seat.
"Well… in the future if you work you´ll get some money for something better. That or beg your parents, they´ll soon find the money" She grinned and I thanked her for her "advice". I had more than enough cars at the moment.
The drive was relatively quick, even though I did slightly bore over-excessively. Once there, she parked along the road, waited for us to hop out before Jessica took lead and hauled us over to the small mall. In all truths…It was a small crappy thing, but it was better than nothing. The dress shops were either cheap as hell or for posh snobs, there was little in between. "Come on! The boutique awaits us!" Jess all but screamed. Jeesh, that girl needed an automatic zipper placed on her mouth.
We were pulled and pushed through the door to the boutique. Now there prices were over-excessive. Angela´s eyes almost bugged out once she had seen a few price tags, causing a small shiver to crawl up her spine and a shaking of her head. "Even if you can´t buy, at least try some on, it´ll be fun, come on… later we´ll find a better priced shop, not all of us have parents that slash the cash at their kids…" She nodded weakly, but otherwise agreed and began picking up a few dresses her and there for herself. I had a small plan working in my mind as she disappeared into the changing rooms. "Aren´t you going to buy anything? Or at least try something on? I mean… I know it may be out of your price range but-" I shook my head.
"I´m not going to the winter prom. Family business…" She eyed me like I had grown another head, but otherwise kept her opinions to herself for the moment, shrugging her shoulders and following after Ang. I walked up to the shop assistant that looked rather…over helpful.
"Hey there, I have to go somewhere and I need you to do me a favor. My friend, Angela… the taller girl with slightly darker skin and longer hair, oh…and she carries a pair of glasses with her- I´d like you to ask her which of the dresses is her favorite and fits her best and then let her buy it. Use this" I flashed a few hundred bills in front of her face. "Keep the change as a tip for helping me. Do not rip me off here, I´m trying to treat a friend and you get something out of it, okay? Oh, don´t let the other girl now about it, I don´t want a girl fight on my hands." She nodded automatically and followed me into the changing rooms.
"Girls, I´m going to look for… a bookshop, yeah I read up there was one here and I need a few more titles on my wall, so call me once you´re done. Ang? You found a nice one?" Jess complied with a: "yeah whatever keep safe!" before going back to her dresses and Ang came out to see me goodbye.
"This one, it´s… gorgeous and fits me great. The price is a little….over the top" She whispered the last bit as the shop assistant edged closer.
"Yes well… that one" The women nodded before looking at the size and disappearing.
Angela looked taken aback. "What the…" I shook my head and motioned her to silence and change. She followed me out to the counter, leaving the unwanted dresses back in there spots before joining me. "I´ll leave you alone, whatever you do, just accept, Angela" I sighed, knowing what she was like. Her eyebrows pulled up into a frown as she wondered what the hell I was talking about, but I gave her no room to speak as I headed out to look at my race route.
A few steps out of the store and towards the street, the door swung open and Angela ran towards me, pulling me into a death hug. "Thank-you! But, I can´t accept this… I mean look at the price!..." Her voice babbled on in her won world until I shushed her.
"No matter what Jessica says, I have some money saved up for this sort of stuff, even though I don´t like buying prom dresses. Think of it as a present from me for being my first and best friend here and being so welcome and kind, kay? I don´t want to hear another word on this, Ang. Just enjoy the gift, not accepting it will insult me. Just don´t tell Jessica, tell her you bribed your mum or something, I don´t want her to start and moan about why I didn´t buy her a few hundred dollars dress." She bit her lip and nodded, pulling me in for another hug.
"Thank-you, really!" I had a feeling she had never been treat like this from a friend as small happy tears welled up in her eyes.
"I have to go, see you both later!" I waved her off as she then trotted back into the shop and I headed my own way smiling. It was nice to have made her so happy. I did have more money than I knew what to do with, and spending it on prom wasn´t my idea of spending it. Granted, I wore dresses, just for Race after parties, they could at least be worn over and over again.
I spent a good couple of hours searching around the area, staining the place into my photogenic memory. The curves would be hard to take with the nitro, but taken with a steady hand in full speed and then letting rip one of my nitro can´s on the long stretch, would more or less do it. I wandered aimlessly around streets until I realized it was suddenly dark and I was slightly lost; at that exact moment, my mobile rung. I expected it to be Angela and Jessica, hence my reply: "I´m finished here, but I´m lost girls. Tell me where to meet up and I´ll find my way…" I trailed off as Damon´s voice ran through the speaker.
"Hey, sweetheart. Who were you talking to?" A small laugh threatened to slip from his mouth; I could virtually hear him holding it in.
"Aw, baby, sorry wasn´t waiting to hear from you. But now that you´ve rung, tell me…what you want?" His soft footsteps could be heard heating up as he walked wherever he was.
"I said I was going to ring… where are you? What did you say about being lost?" His voice was urgent as his voice got lower with a slight heaving sound. He was running. Now? While he was talking to me?
"Port Angeles, and I don´t know where I am. Some back street, I´ll get out, why? Scared I might fall into a hole and end up in wonderland?" My voice was mocking and I heard him speed up until coming to an abrupt stop.
"Get out of those streets now, it´s not safe! Just run, listen to the sound of the town and run towards it!" I muttered a ´whatever´ before hanging up on him. He seriously needed a chill pill, but as I circled around wherever I was, I decided to go with him and… run. Especially when I heard voices behind me. "Is it..? Yeah, it is! It´s her." I didn´t know who "her" was, but I sure didn´t want to find out. I turned around for a quick glance to find two well dressed drunk guys speeding up their pace. I rounded a corner and tripped down a tight alley way, opening up to a deserted car park. I strained my ears and widened my eyes to realize I was a street away from help. One street. I could make it. I took one quick last look before splitting into a full on sprint. The men were quick through their intoxication, quickening their pace until breaking out into a run. The best part? They were bloody quick.
"Little lady, stop, we just want to help you!" They sing-sang as their breath came in quick.
"Fuck off!" I flipped them off, realizing they were closer than I thought.
"Aw, come on! Our boss really wants to see yoooo-u, a-and… we could always have a little fun before hand, what do you say, sweetheart?" I was closing in on the exit; I could clearly see one or two people walking past the dark garbage filled street.
I pushed on further, passing a few wooden boxes and cardboard, jumping over the crap on the floor. Then I realized that the people walking past suddenly turned and ran towards me, blocking me on both sides. "You foun´ us sum fun eeh?" I cringed at their voices and pushed myself against the wall, edging towards my exit. Just as they were slowing down to a slow sloppy walk, my phone rang. Their eyes gleamed in the low street lamp light. I whipped it out, and answered before they could catch me. If I was dying, at least I was letting somebody know how, why and where. "Bell? Where the FUCK are you?"
"Don´t know, see light of street, almost there but surrounded. Four drunken bastards in suits. Look rich with good job. Can´t get out."
"Argh! Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!" Just them my arm was caught, pulling it against the wall and I dropped my phone. A clunk was heard followed by my dirty mouth. "You fucking bastards! Let the fuck go or it will be the last fucking thing your shit-faced asses do!" I spat into the face of my captor. He had light blue eyes and gelled smooth hair. His jaw was strong and his nose straight, perfect. Too bad about that, I thought and slung my free fist into his face. With an audible a sickening crack, his grip on me weakened and he stumbled back. "You little bitch!" He swore to the sky and back at me. His friends closed in and just as I was getting ready to kick the closest to me in the groin, a car swung round the corner, speeding towards us. I was sure he would hit us all when he stopped, millimeters from the furthest dickhead. Out of the car in hurry was a man, his face glowing with rage and his eyes (I´m sure, maybe I was going mad, don´t know) were completely black. It was a bloody miracle. It was Edward.
"Get in the car!" He said, his voice strained. I picked up my phone and ran past the stunned men and into the passenger seat. "Damon, I´m… fine, I´ll explain later, go to my house for ten. I´m sure Dom has given you the address, bye!" I hung up and waited for Edward to get back in and put the car into drive. I couldn´t see much for the black out windows and the low lit street, but I could hear mumbled voices and scrabbling off feet. Without warning he was back in the car and reversing out of there. "Thank fuck! Really, thank you, you just saved…my life. I owe you." I turned towards him and smiled slightly. He met my gaze, his eyes now half normal, golden yet slightly dark. His jaw suddenly unclenched and he smiled slightly. Before I said a word, he parked up perfectly and turned the engine off. I was lost in him, only realizing we were there when he un-clicked my seatbelt. "Tell me… you like Italian right?" I nodded half there half not, and suddenly brought myself back. What was wrong with me? Since when did I turn into blob for a guy? Never, get your head on!
"Yeah" I followed him outside just as Angela sent me a text. Reading it, I sighed and shook my head. They had eaten and were waiting for me next to the car. "I have to go… Angela and Jessica are waiting for me…" I sighed like saying the words were against my nature. He took my phone in his hand and was calling before I realized what had happened.
"Yes…it´s Edward, from class. Sorry I kept her for so long, we just sort of bumped into each over and lost track of time… yes, but I´d be more than happy to take her home… yes, we´re going in now. Goodbye Angela, keep safe." He handed back the phone, grinning and pulled me into the restaurant. I blanked out and only focused in on everything when my meal was in front on me and two cokes. He had nothing. "Aren´t you going to eat?" I inquired, he shook his head. "Thirsty?" I moved a coke over to him and he stuck his hand out, pushing it back to me, a smirk playing with his delicate lips.
"Nope. Not for coke anyway…" He whispered the last part to himself, so low I was sure I had imagined it and at that lingering thought another collided with my entire mind.
"How did you know? In Port Angeles… an optional location. But where I was exactly?" He stared back into my eyes before lying to me. He was a great liar, but I always caught them out.
"Just a guess- aren´t you going to eat that?" He pointed at my food and I shook my head adamantly.
"No, now we all have secrets. I just want to know how you knew where I was. Explain" He shook his head. "Then I´m leaving." His eyes bulged out as I stood up and he sighed. I took that as a good enough reason to sit back down.
"You´re not going to believe me… you shouldn´t even know…" All his weird quirks plucked into my head. His speed I thought I witnessed; his hearing when I told Mike to get lost slightly harshly and I could see a small smile on his face; his cold skin when we brushed hands in biology; when he skipped the classes for blood typing; his golden eyes, him.
"You´re a vampire." I stated proud. Okay, I was actually scared shitless that I was wrong, that he´d laugh and pick up and leave. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open. "It´s true!" I stated before giggling. How the hell I managed to work that out with those stupid clues was slightly mind-boggling to me. That´s what you get when you spend your time reading fantasy novels, mainly vampire´s. "I´m not scared or going to run away. You can trust me. I owe ou big time for saving me there, though I could probably have saved myself after a nasty fight, you spend things up. Thanks, again… a lot." He didn´t say anything while I ate my food and drank the two coke´s. I stood up and waited for him. His hand slammed too gently to the table with a few bills and then he followed me out of there and towards his car. "Now I´ll explain, Eddy, (Emmett´s fav nickname for him) how I figured it out…" I smiled wickedly and slid into the car. He put it into drive and soon sped away.
Within a small two minuets, he pulled off of the road and into a slight ditch. "Right, well I have just worked it out, like now. But I´m prone to look at even the smallest of details. I over analyze situations, most of the time to find the right path; however, it is generally just how I am." My voice trailed on to explain all the slight quirks I had noticed about his family this past week. I had to admit, he did look impressed, with a dash of curiosity and a smidge of worry. "What´s wrong?"
"Humans… aren´t aloud to know about us, it´s against our rules. We can´t tell a human what we are"
"Ah, a small little flick of a problem there. You didn´t tell me, I guessed."
"You´re different… I mean to say, from school to now, your personality has seemed to flick…" His fingers grazed softly against my left cheek, sending shots of an electric current from his soft touch.
"Everybody has their secrets…" I whispered; my breath seemingly to be on a tight leave-way.
Specks of black shone in his golden eyes and with a knowing nod of his head, he pulled back onto the road and towards Forks. I had a probably pissed yet relieved Damon at my door.
"Tomorrow your sister is going to ring. Can you tell me everything then? I don´t have much time now, but I really want to talk to you about this. And stop fretting, I promised I wouldn´t run away screaming and I don´t intend on doing so. And I am no promise breaker either. I´ll… see you then." He pulled outside of my house, a black BMW in the drive way next to the cruiser empty space and a Damon sat on the stairs, his face deathly pale and worried. Edward noticed him and his eyes narrowed slightly. Was this guy, dude, vampire, jealous over me? I smirked widely. "Bye…" I moved in and closed my farewell with a gentle kiss on his cheek. He was ice cold yet soft as silk. He stiffed at my closeness, his eyes turning a darker color.
"Goodbye and stay safe…" I flashed him my best smile, before opening and hopping out of the door. Leaning back in slightly, my breath turning to damp smoke in the air.
"I always do."
Turning on my heel, I walked over to an anxious Damon. "Hey, baby-doll." I pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek.
"Hey, gorgeous." He took a deep breath before continuing. "You have had me GOING CRAZY!"
"Come inside and I´ll explain what I can, honey." Unlocking the door, I let him in and looked a last time over my shoulder to see a speeding Volvo dashing around the corner.
After explaining more or less what had happened, excluding the whole vampire part and that Edward really had no idea where I was. "So… I knew he was in the town and called him. He came, saved me in away, took me for something to eat and then straight back here for beddy-byes." He rolled his eyes yet snuffled deeper under a blanket on the sofa.
"I told you to be careful and not to go off alone. I see you don´t listen."
"You should know I can kick ass well enough, being surrounded didn´t help the situation, but I´ve been shown enough to survive a few drunks." I piled in a heap of noodles, breathing heavily as they slightly burnt my tongue.
"I promised your uncle that I would keep you safe. He´s one of my best friend´s and won´t let him down. Those guys are dangerous. I tell you to keep hidden because the fed´s are sniffing around. You need to stay safe or they will try and take you and then use you to get your parents, uncle and aunt back here to take them down."I dropped my fork, a clank hanging in the air. "Exactly. Stay safe, when I say I´m looking out for you, I literally am. I was in Port Angeles, but then you went off and I lost you. If you want to go out of the town, tell me and I´ll come with or take you to places you need to go. When you are in school I´ll be staking out in the forest. I´m not just a race planner or whatever. I worked with your dad. We are also great friends, I didn´t want you to find out because we thought you would be easier around somebody with an easier going job. I helped your dad back in the day and I´m kicking more towards thirty-six than thirty. When he left I followed suit, keeping all of your guys back. I also did start with the racers. What I told you wasn´t a lie, I just didn´t mention a few things. I don´t wish you to hate me, but at the time we thought it was best…" Taking it all in, I continued sucking up noodles before offering some on a fork in front of his mouth. As he took them, I finally spoke.
"Well… that changes things. Not I hate you type of change, I don´t think I could hate you. I still need a friend around here that gets what is happening and I still have a feeling we will be good friends. So… we´ll speak later on this shit, Grandpa Charlie is out at Billy´s so we have the house to ourselves. I heard Hangover´s on, so… you wanna watch?"
"I love that film, baby, so I´m game if you are."
"I´m more than ready, lover boy." I leaned in closer and closer, our breath bouncing off of each other face´s. I looked deep into his eyes before slapping myself back on the sofa laughing my head off. "I´m sorry, but the whole lover boy reminds me of Dirty Dancing. I think Kitty say´s it… I have a feeling, we´re gonna be those friends that constantly flirts with each other with nothing behind it. Besides, you´re not my type." I grinned widely, a picture of that bloody vampire hopping into my mind.
"I think somebody is right and has a crush. You get the popcorn, I´ll find the film and then I´ll get whoever it is out of you." Chucking a pillow into his face, I swore loud enough for him to hear and then went for the toffee covered popcorn, marshmallows, chocolate and coca cola.
The film ended, the packets from the food spread out wherever they fell and Damon snoring lightly on the sofa. I was drifting off, yet awake enough to turn the T.V off and make sure the door was locked tight. (Strong security on the house). Grandpa Charlie still hadn´t arrived home, but I shrugged it off as an all nighter watching baseball. He was an adult and capable of staying wherever he wanted. After checking everything was in order, I tucked Damon in with more covers and made my way up stairs, falling onto my bed and immediately dunking myself into dreamland. Tomorrow I would worry about all the problems and about the dear vampire coven. Tomorrow I would think over my small… feelings towards Edward even though I was sure it was just a small dint of a crush. Tomorrow I would find out all I could, but for tonight… tonight I was just a normal teenage girl without a problem in the world, falling into a deep sleep.
Hope y´all enjoyed! This chapter has been longer as I´ve wrote really small crappy chaps lately and thought you guys deserved it. Next chapter Bells visit´s the Cullen´s. I´m really liking Damon as a character and will probably be rather present and strong throughout the story.
Hope you enjoyed, (again) and thanks for reading!
Please review…