Hey everyone!! I AM SOOOOOOO SORRY I HAVN'T UPDATED IN LIKE, A MONTH!! Ugh, I had break and then some guy drama so…I was a little uninspired. Anyways here you guys are and I got a beta reader!! Edwardjustproposed is now The New Cullen's official beta reader. Unfortunately I wasn't able to contact her and I really wanted to post this ASAP because it's been so long but forgive me for the errors!! Sorry edwardjustproposed if your reading this but I tried e-mailing you a week ago and I didn't get any reply. Also some people have been asking me to update so I figured I should just post this. Sorry!!
Chapter 11: Anthony
EPOV
As soon as I left my angel I went in search of Alice. She was coaching me through my little emotional roller coaster of just seeing Bella or Isabel again. She was the whole reason I was able to find my Bella in the first place. Everyone's scent had been jumbled up and I couldn't pin her down exactly. Alice was the one that recognized her dress from her vision and literally shoved me towards her. I listened around the room for Alice's thoughts, with great difficulty though considering the size of the party.
"I hope he likes my dress…"
"I wonder where she went?"
"He doesn't notice me at all…"
"She looks so beautiful tonight…"
"Like, doh my god! That bitch is wearing the same dress as me! How dare her! Now what can I do to ruin it..."
"Where's that dreamy guy with the blue eyes? So what if I'm engaged? He's HOT!"
"Edward! I'm by the grand staircase!" Alice's thought saved me from the incessant and mindless thoughts bothering me and I happily tuned them out. I found Alice waiting for me, exactly where she said she was going to be, marveling at the different dresses the other ladies wore. She herself was in a designer (of course) bright blue ball gown that flowed when she walked, adding nothing but grace o her already effortless appearance. Her hair was up in a bun with curls sticking out from it and a white mask.
"There you are!" she exclaimed, advancing towards me. "You did great!"
"I don't really know Alice, I mean, how can she fall for a jerk like me-,"
"Edward! OMG how many times are we going to have to go over this! You're not a jerk and Bella is going to fall for you. I mean, she can't help it, you two are soul mates, no matter who you each pretend to be."
I simply nodded and looked at the dancers for a moment, remembering my promise to Isabel.
"Go on then," Alice encouraged, giving me another push into the dancers, and hopefully into the presence of my Bella.
BPOV (IPOV) Whatever, this girl has so many multiple personalities! But I guess that's my fault…hehehe opps….
Blue eyes and dark brunette hair. Sigh. Anthony Landon had only talked to me for a bout three minutes and he was already the only thing on my mind.
No! This is wrong! You can't, you love Edward!
But Edward doesn't love you back so what's the point?
You'd be betraying him!
He betrayed you too!
The angel and the devil argued on my shoulders. This was so…wrong. How could I fall for this guy? How could I ever even think about it when I was still uncontrollably in love with Edward? Ugh, I need to get this off my head. Speaking of distractions, where the heck is Brian?
Brian POV
Where on earth was Bella? I thought to myself as I scanned the floor for her. I wanted desperately to see her face again. I'll admit it, I was head over heels in love with her. I was ever since the first moment I saw her in Alaska but I never even dared to get close to her when she had Edward. I never understood why she loved him, after all he did to her. But now, now was different. Edward was out of the picture it was just she and I now. I sighed again, picturing her beautiful sweet face. I was sitting in one of the many decorative chairs surrounding the ballroom, hoping to get a glimpse of her amidst all the people. Endless dancers glided in front of me, their brightly colored dresses twirling around everywhere, distracting me quite a bit. Suddenly, the dancers in front of me moved for a brief moment, and I saw my Bella. But wait…there was a man dancing with her. They seemed to be lost in each other's eyes and I knew immediately that I had competition. I was so lost in my seething and fuming over them that when I received a cold tap on my shoulder, I jumped in surprise. Almost the spitting image of Bella was staring back at me, although this women was definitely lacking Bella's softness…she had an…demanding and powerful look on her face. I couldn't help it and suddenly, I was drawn into her.
"Hello Prince Brian, I have a deal to make with you," she spoke sweetly yet with a hinge of danger to it. Unable to do anything, I nodded and followed her into a dark room.
IPOV (Bella's)
Here I was, still sitting in this chair, once again watching the other couples. I am really starting to get pathetic... I thought with a sigh. I thought of Anthony again and his unusual blue eyes with the silver flecks in them and once again found myself getting lost.
"Still enjoying the party I see," Anthony's voice sounded from behind me, snapping me out of my trance and putting a smile on my face.
"Yes I am," I replied turning back to him. Now that you're here…
Edward, Edward, Edward!!
Anthony, Anthony, Anthony!!
"Care for another dance?" he said, offering his hand to me and flashing a heartbreaking smile.
"Sure," I replied, taking his waiting hand.
We both glided onto the dance floor and I found myself lost in his eyes again.
"So… Are you and Prince Brian, umm, together?" Anthony asked after a while, very hesitantly.
"What?! Oh, god no. He's just a friend," I explained quickly, his face seemed to relax.
"I'm assuming you read the article?"
"No, no I just heard about it in passing," he explained. "I would never read that GossipGirl garbage, but when your name was involved I couldn't help but be curious."
"Why would you be curious?" I asked confused.
He laughed an enchanting laugh and his eyes were dazzling me as he said, "Because it was about you."
I couldn't help but blush and I looked down at my feet, which were for the moment on Anthony's. When I dared to look up, I found his eyes staring at my own when suddenly a drunk couple bumped into us, breaking the trance. After steadying ourselves, Anthony asked, "Do you want to go outside?" With pleading dazzling eyes, how could I refuse? I let him lead me outside to a giant balcony, overlooking the ocean. We were both silent for a moment, staring out at the distant waves before I broke the silence.
"So Anthony, tell me more about you."
"Okay, what would you like to know?"
"Well…I don't really know, anything really…. Like, what brings you to Italy?"
"I'm visiting some friends, and my sister dragged me to this party."
"Oh, little sister?"
"Yeah," he answered.
"I know the feeling," I told him, thinking about Alice and Jane. "I have one at home too who made me come here but she's too young to come, thank god."
He laughed a musical laugh and sent me a crooked smile that sent chills down my spine, reminding me of Edward.
"So, you said you're visiting. Are you planning to stay long?" I asked, curious.
"No, in fact we're leaving after this party. We have a big family back home and it would just be too hard to stay for long. Besides, if I have to spend anymore 'brother, sister alone time' with my sister Mary, I think I'll die," he joked, making it my turn to laugh.
"Oh, that's too bad," I said after, realizing that this would probably be the last time I would ever see this beautiful stranger again.
Suddenly, the orchestra started playing this wonderful waltz, one of my favorites, making me perk up a little and tapping my foot along with the music. Anthony quickly caught and turned to ask me, "Would you care to dance?" his beautiful blue eyes twinkling in the moon.
"Yes, I actually would, I replied taking his hand and we started dancing. We immediately got lost in each other's eyes. Anthony looked so handsome with the moonlight illuminating his perfect face. It seamed like a scene from a fairy tale.
I don't know how long we stayed like that, just looking into each other's eyes and getting lost. Before I knew it, realized his face was getting closer and closer to mine. As if in a trance I started to lean in to when I smelled it. Just the tiniest hint of Edward's smell, broke me out of my trance and had me stumbling backward, out of Anthony's arms. I whirled around, looking for him. But he wasn't here, and I knew it. It was just my mind playing tricks on me. Wait; if I hadn't smelled Edward I would have kissed Anthony! Oh dear, I think it's time to leave before I get another heartbreak…
"What's wrong Isabel?" Anthony asked, with a slight look of pain in his eyes from my obvious rejection.
"N-nothing Anthony it's just well…I don't think I can be anything more than friends with you. I'm not ready for another relationship, and I don't think I will be for a very long time. I'm so sorry."
I watched his face fall and he hung his head before looking back up at me with a halfhearted smile.
"Alright, I understand. But, do you think we could keep in touch and be friends then?" He asked hopefully.
I smiled.
"Absolutely! I'm just not ready for all of this. But here's my number," I said, offering him a little slip of paper with my chicken scratch handwriting on it. In return I received a slip of paper from him with nearly flawless writing with his number on it.
"Thanks Isabel. So…call you?"
"Anytime."
And with that we parted ways.
LPOV
Brian and I quickly left the ball after I told him about my plan. It was perfect. Now all I needed to do was learn how to control the powers that I take, then Edward would be all mine…
A very exhausted Brian lay on the ground panting and wheezing from my practicing.
"Oh, suck it up you big baby. If the plan is going to work, then I need to be able to control Bella's power! You do want this to work right?" I questioned him.
He managed a nod and crawled back on his feet with the help of the wall.
"Okay, I want the plan to work but, pant, pant can't we take a break? We've been doing this for hours now!" he complained.
"Shut up and deal with it. Just think, soon Bella will be all yours. You won't ever have to worry about Edward getting in the way again," I explained to him, using my persuasive vampire skills on him.
He just nodded and braced himself. I concentrated on him. My powers were working on him as he started to crumble in exhaustion. However instead of just letting his power slip away with his strength, I gathered it together and thrust it into myself. The power surged through me, illuminating every part of my body. I allowed it to consume me before opening my eyes again. Brian lay on the floor, to tired to move. But really, who cared? Instead I ran to the nearest mirror and focused on making myself human. To my delight and surprise, when I opened my eyes, the blue eyes and blonde haired human me gazed back at me. I had done it, and now all we had to do was wait.
EPOV
"Just friends?" I thought angrily to myself. "You idiot, you really screwed things up! You must be such a complete jerk for her to reject you like that…twice! You weren't even yourself tonight, and she still doesn't want you! She's way too good for me. I should have never left her. Idiot, idiot idi-
"Edward! Could you please stop banging your head against the chair! The people in front of us are getting kind of angry," Alice's thoughts interrupted mine.
I fell back in my seat, sighing heavily before I resumed the process with my hand.
"Edward!" Alice's voice cried, knocking me out of my trance. " You really have to stop beating yourself up over this! She said she wasn't ready for a relationship, and it's true. I could tell, she really isn't. She wasn't rejecting you its just well…she can't handle this right now."
"But Alice, how could she not reject me, I mean she's so…wonderful. While I'm just so…" I left off with a sigh.
"You know what Edward?! I'm getting really sick of your low self-esteem and your 'emo-ish' habits okay? Can't you just except that she likes you? Why is it so hard to believe?" Alice exclaimed angrily.
"Alice, how could anyone like me after what I did to her? That is what makes it so hard because she is this amazing, beautiful, compassionate creature. And I don't deserve her."
"Edward, Edward, Edward…" Alice started, shaking her head side to side slowly. Then she grabbed my head and forced it to look towards her. I tried to avert my gaze only earning an angry "Look at me Edward," from her.
"This is the last time I am going to say this. She likes you! And you do deserve her. And you are not a horrible person. Okay?"
I could only nod at that and sat quietly in my seat for the rest of the ride home, away from my Bella once again.
BPOV
The rain poured down relentlessly against the soft, green earth outside my window, encouraging me to stay indoors today. I was curled up in one of my favorite places in the castle. The window seat was located in the Volturi Library and overlooked the garden and the distance purple mountains. It was truly a place of peace, which was just what I needed after last night.
"BELLA!!" Jane's voice exclaimed.
Okay, place of peace…until now.
"Bella!" Jane's jubilantly exclaimed as her head popped around the corner, finding me in my hiding place. "I was looking everywhere for you!"
"Well…you found me," I said a little bitterly but still teasingly towards her. She pretend to scowl at me before seating herself next to me, her still golden eyes staring wide eyed at me.
"So, tell me what happened!"
"What?" I asked confused.
"Ugh, Bella! Tell me what happened at the ball!"
"Well… I heard that Miss Stanley was seen flirting with another man who she 'thought' was her fiancé," I said nonchalantly.
"Really?" Jane said laughing. "I'm not really surprised. She is always flirting. But anyways, that's not what I meant. Heidi told me all about you're little romantic moonlit dance."
"Oh, s-she saw that?" I asked.
"Of course! She saw the whole thing, from the minute you met to the minute he left. She said he's quite handsome, is it true?"
I sighed, there was no hope in denying it. Once Jane knows you'll never find peace until you tell her the truth. I was going to have a word with Heidi later…
"Yes, he is."
"Oh, do tell," Jane said excitedly.
"Alright, I couldn't really see with the mask on he had chocolate brown hair and his eyes…oh his eyes were this brilliant blue, with silver specks in them."
"Nice!" Jane cried.
"Yes," I said dreamily.
"So, what happened?"
"Nothing really, we just danced and talked, then went outside to dance because it was so loud in the ballroom."
"And you danced on the balcony in the moonlight, oh how romantic," Jane said dreamily.
"Yeah, I supposed, but he's gone now."
"What?!"
"He has a big family back in America and he and his sister were only visiting so, he left this morning…"
"That sucks…is there anyway you can contact him?"
"Yeah, he gave me his phone number, but I'm not sure if I-"
Before I could finish my sentence, Jane reached over to my phone that was lying comfortably in my lap, and snatched it before furiously pressing keys. I didn't need vampire hearing for my ears to pick up his Debussy ring back. Jane grinned evilly then quickly handed the phone to me. It was too late to hang up now and I scowled at Jane who just stuck her tongue out at me in return.
JPOV
"Hello?" A voice answered.
"Anthony?" Bella asked shyly.
"Yes?"
"Um, hi this is Isabella Volturi," she squeaked.
"Oh hey! I was actually just about to call you," he said with a laugh.
"Oh really? That's funny," she said with a giggle, making me roll my eyes a little.
"So what's up?"
"Nothing much," she replied, walking away from me and starting an aimless path through the library, giving me a warning look to not follow. I chuckled and beam. And so, it begins…
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