A/N: Hm, so I'm trying to get ahead of my chapters so I can update quicker. Okay random comment…. I'm listening to "Austin" by Blake Shelton and I'm about to cry. I know it's an older song but I love it just the same.
BTW…. I'll try explaining some stuff to make it clearer. Don't hate me too much. Think of it this way….
Beauty left the beast…. But she came back!
Chapter 2
It was my first time in a city as big as New York City. My eyes grew wide with amazement as I took in all the city lights and honking taxis. Crowds of people scuttled along on the gray pavement and the smog pushed hard all around us. I grabbed Riley's hand and drug my suitcase along with me as we pushed toward the street to hail a taxi.
Riley looked like an expert as he raised his fist and a taxi pulled over for us. I couldn't help the smile that found my face. The trunk popped open and Riley took my suitcase as I slid in.
"Hello young whippersnapper." The elderly cab driver greeted me. "Where's a pretty young thing like you going?" I couldn't help but notice his country twang.
"Um," I turned to Riley as he slid in closing the door.
"The Holiday Inn." He stated grabbing my hand once again.
The cab driver smiled politely and pulled out into the incessant stream of traffic. I found myself clutching onto Riley's arm as the cabbie made short frequent stops throughout our journey. We passed by old buildings, new buildings, and then some in between. Riley pointed out various points and I found it weird that he knew so much about the city.
"I use to live here." He answered my unasked question. "I was a little younger, my parents moved around a lot." He explained.
I nodded. "I didn't know that."
He shrugged. "I guess you learn something new everyday."
I leaned into Riley and he silently played with my fingers. I tried to focus on the scenery but found it couldn't distract me from my thinking. It had been two years since I'd last talked to Edward. Alice had avoided mention of him for as long as I could remember and neither Conley nor Jake mentioned him when coming to my graduation last summer. I had only heard from Emmett that he was doing well and that he supposedly had a song that the producers were looking at as his hit single to start off his career.
I pulled my mind back out of its daze and a sweet melody filled the car. I scrunched my eyes together and leaned up to talk to the cabbie. "Hey, can you turn the radio up?" I asked politely wondering where I had heard the melody before.
"Sure doll." He said turning up the music loud enough for us to hear in the back. I settled back in Riley's arms then froze completely.
Hey Isabella
It's so bright in New York City
I'm a thousand miles away
But girl, tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true
Hey Isabella
Don't you worry about the distance
I'm right there if you get lonely
Give this song another listen
Close your eyes
Listen to my voice, it's my disguise
I'm by your side
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me
Hey Isabella
I know times are getting hard
But just believe me, girl
Someday I'll pay the bills with Julliard
We'll have it good
We'll have the life we knew we would
My word is good
Hey Isabella
I've got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away
I'd write it all
Even more in love with me you'd fall
We'd have it all
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
A thousand miles seems pretty far
But they've got planes and trains and cars
I'd walk to you if I had no other way
Our friends would all make fun of us
and we'll just laugh along because we know
That none of them have felt this way
Isabella I promise you
That by the time we get through
The world will never ever be the same
And you're to blame
Hey Isabella
You be good and don't you miss me
Four more years and we'll be done with school
And I'll be making history like I do
You'll know it's all because of you
We can do whatever we want to
Hey Isabella here's to you
This one's for you
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me.
My breathing hitched and I felt Riley stiffen next to me. "Can you turn it off?" He asked the cabbie holding him tightly to his chest.
"No." I breathed out as the realization ripped at my chest. "Keep it on."
I willed my breathing to steady itself and pulled up the façade I hadn't used in almost a year. I leaned into Riley, assuring him I was fine, and then concentrated on what was to come next. A woman's voice came over the radio.
"Yes, that was the song that has made handsome, young Edward Cullen an upcoming idol in pop culture today." She paused. "Now, I have a special treat today. Edward has graciously offered to come into the studio for an interview so we can see the man behind the voice. Thank you for joining us today Edward."
His musical voice filled the small car sending waves of emotion through my body. "Thank you for inviting me here Helen. It's an honor to be on my favorite radio station. I can't tell you how long I've dreamed for this day."
"Awe, don't make me blush." She said in a rather unprofessional way. Well at least it seemed that way for me.
Edward chuckled again. "So, what do you want to know? My life is an open book." He was always the one to get straight to the point.
Helen hesitated and I could hear the flipping of what I assumed was flash cards. "Well, tell us about your life before this song of yours."
This time he hesitated. "Well, I have two siblings and two loving parents. They've all been wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better family." He answered thoughtfully.
"Hm," Helen took in his answer. "Now what about this Isabella girl in your song. Was there really a girl behind the song, or is that just a name you picked? I know you are currently dating upcoming singer and school teacher Rachel Turner, but how does this Isabella fit into the equation?"
He definitely hesitated this time. "Well, yes there is an Isabella." He stated. "She was my high school sweetheart I guess you could say. We were together most of college and I was completely in love with her. I wrote this song for her the summer after my senior year of high school. I had the melody I just couldn't think of any words. Then she took a scholarship at Stanford while I went to Julliard. We kind of drifted apart. We both had two different goals; two different things were important to us."
"Wow." Helen answered. I felt the tears well in my eyes threatening to spill over. I glanced up at Riley and saw that his face was tense while his lips were pressed in a hard line. I knew he hated Edward for making me feel this way, yet I don't think he could totally hate him. He had said once before that if we hadn't of broke up then I wouldn't be with him.
"And what's the story behind this Rachel girl?" Helen prompted.
Edward sighed. "Well, Rachel is a girl I've been dating for about a year. She was a close friend when I went to school in North Carolina." He explained. "I can honestly say I'm in love with her. She's always been there for me."
"Uh oh." Helen exaggerated. "Do I see a ring sometime in the future?" She asked prying further into Edward's life.
"Maybe." He answered a little too quickly.
I closed my eyes tightly and a few trader tears slipped from my eyes. The car came to a stop in front of the circle drop off at the hotel. Riley pulled silently at the sleeve of my shirt. He handed the cabbie some money and then walked to get our bags out of the trunk as I waited on the sidewalk.
I turned around and saw the lavish hotel in front of me. There was a huge revolving door in the front and windows extended up for many stories. Riley led the way up the carpeted front entrance and in through the revolving doors. I followed quickly behind him almost scared to think of the trouble I could get into in a city this huge. I shuddered at the thought and plopped down on the palatial couch in the lobby area.
Riley finally turned back to me his face lively with excitement. "Okay, stay here with the luggage and I'll go check us in." He answered pointing toward the front desk. He slipped his backpack off his back and handed it to me. "Don't leave this bag unattended," He whispered, "it has both our laptops in it." He explained. Then kissing me softly he walked toward the front desk shuffling through the crowd.
I contemplated calling Alley or Alice to tell them we had gotten here. Then I figured I should probably call the school. I definitely didn't see myself working at a high school a few years ago, but then again a lot had changed. Then I was young and somewhat naive. I only had my future in sight and my future was Edward. Now I was working in the guidance center at the school with the girls and boys who went through the same stuff I had gone through. I was glad my experience could help someone.
I sat with my arms firmly around the book bag when I heard a voice from the past. "This way Edward." She called. "The check-in is this way."
I looked up toward the revolving doors and for the first time in two years I laid my eyes on the beautiful man climbing out of a shiny silver Volvo.
A/N: Hm, so tell me what you think. Be truthful. I got the radio interview stuck in my head a long time ago and I hope you like it as much as I did. Well hopefully you liked it!
REVIEW!
Kayla