Only Fools Fall In Love
Chapter V
I Just Called to Say I Love You
BPOV
"Just call him Bella!" Alice barked shrilly. This was my fifth attempt at calling him today and I suppose if you combined that with the infinite number of pathetic attempts I had made over the past couple of days, I guess I couldn't blame her for feeling pissed with me. She stood up abruptly letting out a little huff and skulked into the kitchen.
I was as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and my stomach felt like a washing machine on a spin cycle. I slowly punched in the numbers and positioned my finger over the call button. I watched as my finger nervously tapped against the icon, lightly at first and then gradually a little harder. It was as if my finger had a mind of its own and the longer I stared at it the more I became hypnotised by it.
Stupid demon digit!
I blew out a breath I hadn't even realised I was holding and then rather too abruptly I slammed the telephone down frightening myself in the process as it clattered into its cradle. From behind me, I heard Alice groan and then the sound of her footsteps on the wooden floor as she made her way back into the living room.
She sat beside me and patted me on the knee sympathetically. "You know, if you don't make this call, you will regret it." She said softly.
"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life." She continued, doing a bad Humphrey Bogart impression.
I turned to looked at her and smiled to acknowledge that I appreciated her gesture. Alice really was a very good friend with a knack of saying just the right thing at the right time, and of course, she was right as usual. I really would regret not calling him.
Really, what did I have to be nervous about? After all, he had given me his number despite my feeble attempts to impress him in the park. I am a strong and independent woman and I can make this call. I will make this call.
I grabbed my notebook and pen from the table beside me. Alice had laughed when I began to take notes during one of the many conversations we'd had about what I should and shouldn't say when I finally got around to making this call.
Balancing the notebook on my knee I reached for the telephone pressed redial and brought the handset up to my ear. At first, the line hissed with static and then on the third ring he answered. "Hello."
Fuck!
I looked down at my notes and to the first line. Say hello, it prompted.
"Hello", I replied.
"Hey, "he crooned back, his voice all golden like honey.
"It's um me Bella." I stammered.
"Yeah, I kind of guessed it was you"
"Um, I was wondering …do you fancy… do you want to meet up? " I eventually spluttered.
"Sure that sounds cool."
What?
He said yes!
Fuck me!
"Well um good." I said, once again referring to my notes. "Meet me tomorrow evening at around six."
Yeah! I really was a strong independent woman and I was definitely on a roll. Alice gave me a cheesy smile and a big thumbs up as way of encouragement.
Feeling more confident, I continued. "We can grab some dinner in Port Angeles, hit a bar maybe? Wear those cute red shoes with the heels, put your hair up and don't act too desperate."
Oh my fucking god!
I had just repeated verbatim from my notebook including what I should wear, how I should fix my hair and how I should act or not act as the case may be. He was not supposed to hear those words. They were just my notes!
I looked at Alice appealing for help with my eyes but she just shrugged her shoulders despondently.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
I jerked my knee and the notebook slipped off and fell with a soft thud on the floor. Stupid traitor notes!
Taking a deep breath, I decided to pretend that I hadn't just fucked up monumentally and that perhaps he hadn't heard me.
"That sounds like a date." He confirmed.
Frigging hell!
He hadn't heard.
Thank you god.
"I hope that didn't come across as sounding too desperate?" He chuckled.
"Um…" Oh way to go Bella. What a genius response!
"I'll wear my hair down but only because you asked me so nicely but if you don't mind I'll give the shoes a miss. My feet are killing me! " I could imagine the crooked smirk across his stupid beautiful face as he was saying it.
Shit!
He'd heard.
Shit!
I couldn't respond. I'd been struck dumb!
"Bella give me your address." He said in between his chuckles.
"What? " I enquired not quite understanding why he had asked that particular question.
"Give me your address so that I can pick you up." He clarified.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure Bella." He said confidently. "Why do you ask? "
"Well, it's just that usually I wouldn't give someone like you a second look."
I heard Alice groan and then just in case I didn't realise what a complete and utter moron I was she elbowed me sharply in the ribs to remind me.
Edward chuckled politely on the other end of the line. "I'm not sure whether that was meant as a compliment or whether I should be offended." He said a little dejectedly.
"Oh it was definitely meant as a compliment! What I meant was that…I'm sorry. It's just…I'll understand if you want to take a rain check." I said uncertainly deciding that it I would only make matters worse if I tried to explain myself given the obvious lack of a lucid connection between my brain and my mouth.
"Bella, its fine and I really want to see you again so if you don't mind I'll pick you up at six tomorrow. What's your address?"
"Um 201 Maple."
"I'll see you tomorrow then? " He crooned.
"Um, okay." I said again a little surprised that he still wanted to and then the line went dead.
"So?" Alice demanded as I handed her the handset.
"He's picking me up at six tomorrow." I whispered.
"Fucking hell Bella!" She screamed shrilly leaping up and down like a chimpanzee.
"I know." I said a little awe struck.
"Right, we've got work to do." She said doing a complete u-turn from shrill and excited Alice to cool and efficient Alice in five seconds flat. She looked me up and down shaking her head from side to side.
"Um, I'm not sure Alice, I think it might be better if I stopped pretending to be something I'm not and just go as myself."
"Nonsense! " She barked. "By the time I've finished with you, he won't know what's hit him."
I groaned a little and Alice smacked me playfully.
"Don't worry Bella. Everything will be fine. Just you wait and see!" She chirped and I could see from the gleam in her eye that nothing I said would make the slightest bit of difference.
