The rest of the day was a blur. I just wanted to become invisible or match the décor, that way people would stop staring. I had to verbally harass Stephanie, the gossip columnist, to leave me alone. She wanted an interview since we did work for the same paper. I outright refused and spent five minutes threatening her with bodily harm if she made up a story. Finally she sniffed and sauntered away.
Alice seemed happier but occupied when I glanced over at her. I guess Maurice would just have to listen to my rant when I got home. I absent mindedly scrolled up and down the web page I had open, not really reading the words when Rose came up to my desk. She looked pissed.
"What's wrong?" I asked feeling fear well in my stomach.
"You were seen with Edward Cullen today! Not to mention Mikhail! AGAIN!! Why didn't you tell me as soon as you got back! Now we're the only paper without a story! This is humiliating as well as infuriating! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!?" Now that Rose's rage was pointed in my direction all eyes moved away. No one wanted to be caught staring at us now.
"Calm down Rose, nothing happened," I tried to explain.
"That's what you said last time and the press is still having a field day! The only way to fix this is to release a statement or something!" My face hardened.
"No, I will not put my personnel life on display for all of Seattle to see! I shouldn't have to change my life just because some rich guy likes me! Free press my ass!" I had stood during my rant staring deep into Rose's eyes. I would not back down on this point. Even if I was fired. She seemed to realize this by the set of my mouth.
"Fine." With that she stomped back to her office and closed the door. I decided that I had worked enough today. I couldn't handle being around people anymore.
I put on my sun glasses before I left the building, but the paparazzi still recognized me. I tried my best to ignore them as I trekked home. The bus was full so none of the photographers wanted to follow me on public transit. I wondered if they knew where I lived, and if I really cared. If I just ignore all people of the opposite sex, barring Charlie and Maurice of course, for the next few days hopefully the attention would die down.
My stoop was empty to my immediate relief when I reached my block. I climbed the stairs and closed my door sliding the dead bolt too. With the lock in place I felt my entire body relax. I was finally alone. My knees were shaking from exhaustion so I flipped onto my bed at the earliest possibility. Maurice slit his eyes at me as he bounced but he didn't hold a grudge. He stretched along my side and fell back asleep. My eye lids fought to stay open, but they lost.
Hours later my eyes creaked open and I looked at the clock. I had to go see Charlie but I didn't want to move. I groaned softly and rolled onto my back. I was stifle from the position I had fallen asleep in so I hurt as I stood. I changed and grabbed the paper before heading out a few minutes later.
My stoop was no longer vacant. There were cameras everywhere when I opened the door. They couldn't follow me to Charlie. I couldn't put this unnecessary pressure on him. I huffed a breath and closed the door. I sat on the stairs and tried to think of an escape. The fire escape! It was along the back of the building so it shouldn't be visible from the front. This was perfect. I ran back up the stairs and to my bedroom window.
Crap. The escape looked sturdy enough, but the floor was made of grate allowing me to see the ground through where my feet would be. A terrible fear of heights constricted my chest as I thought of a fall to the cement below. Charlie needs me. I have to do this. I half convinced myself to the point where I was half in and half out the window. My left sneaker rested on the grate. I shifted my weight slightly and heard it moan horribly. I winced and eased off.
I could hear TVs from other apartments blaring and I tried to concentrate on their voices as I stepped out of the window. The grate groaned again, but I was ready. I reached out and grabbed the rail before I placed down all my weight. The groaning stopped with my movement. Obviously it was strong enough to hold me; I just had to climb down now.
I took a cautious step towards the stairs/ladder. The iron protested again, but I could handle it. My hands and legs were shaking horribly as I climbed down the flight. If this metal death trap didn't kill me, my nerves would. I stopped on the next level when I heard my name. I froze and looked around. There was no one. Then I realized it was coming from a TV. My heart pounded as my ears strained to hear the story.
It must have been one of those celebrity gossip shows because there was no way my kissing a vodka tycoon would be World News Tonight worthy.
"Yesterday evening Mikhail Strauss, one of Russia's most eligible bachelors was caught in the act with the girl next door. A Seattle native, her name is Isabella Swan and she really knows how to pick them. He seemed to be eating out of the palm of her hand again today when his limousine appeared to chauffeur her back to work after a steamy kiss behind tinted windows. But hold on folks, this story gets even spicier. Earlier this afternoon before Mikhail gave Isabella a ride around town, she was seen walking hand-in-hand with none other than Edward Cullen, Seattle's most eligible bachelor. He is a known ladies man who seemed to cool for school. Or has Bella stolen both these hearts? Only time will tell. I'm Jessica Stanley, thank you and good night." I felt my stomach drop. I gripped the metal rail as I retched over the edge of the fire escape. My life will never be the same. I'm the next K Fed…
The fire escape groaned again while my stomach emptied itself. I needed to get off of this thing. I reached down deep and found strength I didn't know I possessed. I used it to make my way to the last level. Now all I had to do was lower the ladder and I was home free. I undid the latch and the metal grated against itself with a horrible sound. I cringed and covered my ears trying to block the reverberation.
The sound stopped abruptly so I grabbed a rung and swung down. Not until I made it to the end did I realize that the ladder had not slid down all the way. I was still about ten feet from the ground. I didn't have the strength to climb back up and I didn't have the courage to jump down. This was not good. Just when I had thought my day couldn't get worse, the bad luck gods felt the need to add the cherry to such a day.
I felt a few tears squeeze through my shut eyes. My finger tips were numb by now, their death grip slowly loosening. I had to do something. My only option was to try and swing and land on something semi-soft or break my ankle in the process. I had broken bones before but I did not enjoy the experience.
Prying my eyes open I surveyed my surroundings. There was a parked car, a grocery cart, and a dumpster within my swinging radius. The parked car not only would cause me injury, but some type of reciprocation for its owner if anything was damaged. Jumping into a grocery cart reminded me to much of Camp Kill Yourself and I did not consider myself cool enough to pull off a cast. Dumpster it was. I couldn't tell if there were bags inside to catch my fall. IT could be full of glass shards for all I know. I pressed my forehead against a metal rung trying to hype myself up for this stupid act.
When I opened my eyes again I thought I saw someone. Nope, must have been my imagination. I'm trying to distract myself from the task at hand. I slowly lowered myself with my arms as low as possible. I still had a good drop below me. I really didn't want to jump into the dumpster so I was playing with the idea of landing like a cat. Brace yourself with the balls of your feet. Let your joints accept the impact. I could do it. I think.
It was too late since I had removed my feet from the rungs my exhausted fingers couldn't hold on any longer. I simply let go.
I had been expecting pain and injury, but instead I had found myself in someone's arms. I hadn't been hallucinating that there was someone in the alley with me.
"I don't understand how someone like you can attract so much danger and destruction." The voice was strained but light. My eyes were glued shut and my finger nails were dug deep into my own palms waiting for impact that had yet to come. "Bella? Are you alright?" Edward asked. I peeked through my eyelashes at him and his face looked concerned. My foot twitched bringing me to the present.
Edward had appeared out of nowhere and caught me. He was still holding me in his arms. And I could kiss him if I wanted to…
"Where did you come from?" I asked. I tried to relax my tense muscles but it wasn't working. Edward saw my difficulty and sat me on the hood of the car. He took my right forearm in his hands and started to massage. My skin felt feverish under his cool touch. Slowly I felt my finger relax and unclench. He repeated the process on the other side, then my legs.
"I was walking down the street when I heard your voice. You were muttering so I wasn't sure. I just remembered Alice saying you lived around here so I figured it was you. When I entered this alley you were just standing on that ladder clutching to it for dear life. I could still hear your voice, but not your words. It was like you were arguing with yourself about something. What were you arguing about?"
"The pros and cons of landing on a parked car, a grocery cart, or a dumpster. As strange as it is to say, yours arms were definitely an upgrade from my choices," I felt myself blush as I complimented him. Dammit don't flirt! He just happened to save you, whatever. He doesn't matter in the long run.
"Well thank you. Why were you climbing down a fire escape in the first place?" I blushed deeper not sure if I should tell him the truth. He seemed honestly curious so I took a chance.
"My father lives in an assisted living community and I go to see him every other day. Today is one of those days and I didn't want to bring the paparazzi into his life. So I had to find an alternative way of exiting this building. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, except for my horrible fear of heights actually. I think a normal person wouldn't have had any problems." I shrugged. Edward nodded.
"So that's where you're going now?"
"Yeah, I'm already a little late, and I lost his paper, but he'll still be happy to see me." I smiled thinking about Charlie's smile. The memory warmed me.
"Can I come?" The request floored me. Why would this bronze god want to accompany me to urine smelling assisted living to visit my speech impaired father?
"Why would you want to?" I was honestly mystified. I had a tingle in the back of my head, warning that this was a tactic to soften girls to his charms and pave the way to their beds.
"Well I don't really have any plans and I think you'll need a boost up to reach that ladder again later." I felt my stomach drop at the thought of climbing that ladder again. I couldn't think of any reason to say no to Edward. He didn't seem like a threat.
"Fine. But you have to know that my father is not loquacious. He had a stroke a while back and he has not fully regained his speech." Edward nodded grabbing my hand. He pulled me out of the alley.
"Which way?" I removed my hand from his grasp and pointed left. He retrieved my hand and set off.