Chapter 7
The noise of the bonfire reached the road. And with every meter less to reach the place, my heart beats went faster. The jean skirt and blue shirt Edward helped me chose was making me feel cold. But there was something exciting about this night… and well, maybe I did know the reason.
"We are almost there," Edward reassured me as we walked through a sand-dune. Well, he walked; I stumbled every five seconds with my own feet. His arms were over my shoulders as he restrained me every time my feet threatened to let me fall. And his contagious laughter was with us in every movement. I just restrained myself to glare at him and concentrate on my walk.
The sky was filled with shiny stars, making the night look as an immense night club with wind blowing. We were almost there now, and the place looked amazing. A big, seriously big bonfire at the middle, some huge logs where people could sit at, a luxurious big truck near the bonfire with music to the max, and the people, people, and more people. Teenagers to be more specific. I knew them all, but I was sure they all didn't know me. Most of them were seniors as me, and then there were older and younger's ones.
And in one corner, illuminated by the light of the fire, there was him. Jasper's blond hair was a bit messed up by the wind. And I could see his white teeth and his smile from my spot. I gulped. My heart pounced with force and my hands started to sweat. The hell I was nervous. I was going to have a heart attack.
"Relax," I heard Edward whispered in my ear. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it lightly. But I'd need a big bucket of cold water to get out of my panic attack.
"Seriously Bell, you are shaking," He whispered one more time. I took some air and nodded. Why was I behaving like this? It was just a guy, nothing more. And besides I didn't like him, I was just nervous… just that… right?
"I'm calmed, I'm calmed," I kept repeating to myself till we were there. And it helped a bit. Edward's arm around my shoulders did its thing too.
Everyone stared at us when we arrived. Well, maybe they were staring at Edward. Every girl was with an awe face as they looked at him from the bottom to the top, and every boy with a respectful look. I understood them, Edward was pretty amazing. Understanding, funny, sensitive for being a boy, with good taste, good student, good swimmer. He had it all, but well, he was just Edward to me. The only person I was sure I'd never, ever forget. Not matter how far we'd be, I'd always think of him. Because he'd just earned that, he was awesome. And well, the best thing – he thought that about me too.
Edward saluted with his eyes and his smile, and with that, all the eyes posed on me. Not with the same expression than they were in Edward's, but with skepticism. Almost all of them knew we were really close, but they tried to deny it anyway. Because someone like him, how could get along with someone like me?
As I'd thought of, Angela wasn't here. She must be with Ben, her kind boyfriend. They had been together for almost a year now, and she was radiant. Angela was my best girlfriend, unlike Edward – Angela was pretty similar to me. We both liked to read, and the quiet, and yes – we both dreamed of Romeo. The only difference was, that she'd found him and I hadn't.
Edward's arm was sure in my back, and I knew he was trying to give me confidence by the act. Suddenly something shook his arm off my back. And there it was her. Jessica. His stunning girlfriend. According to him, they were just hanging out. According to her, he loved her more than anything in this world. And according to me, she was just a really superficial b*tch. But his life – his 'loves'.
"Hey baby," Jessica shrieked in his year and put her arms on his neck. She was a bit drunk; the smell of the alcohol gave her away. Good thing Edward wasn't on those things – he cared about himself too much to harm himself. And besides, swimming was his life; he wouldn't screw it up for some teenage acceptance.
"Hey Jess," Edward mumbled back, restraining her arms a bit that were truly determined to get as much as Edward's neck as possible.
She didn't even look at me, but kept attached to Edward. I saw him gesturing at me with his eyes, trying to tell her I was at his side. Psst, as if she hadn't noticed it. She hated me - that was obvious. Edward would always tell me she didn't but it was too glaring to deny it. I didn't blame her; she knew what her position was and what was mine. She knew she could be one more in Edward's life and I couldn't. And that just pissed her off.
She then glared at me. "Oh, hi Isabella." And kissed him hard on his lips. His eyes widened with the unexpected action, but he was too much of a gentleman to pull her away. I mumbled a 'hi' and made some steps to a side.
I knew this would happen. I just knew it. Why did I let him convince me and I didn't listen to my own instincts? I knew I would end up alone and bored and with all the jerks looking at me as if I were a monkey, totally in another place---
Two hands in my bare shoulders made me lose the trace of my pathetic thought. And his familiar cologne filled the air. "I told you I wasn't going to leave you alone," Edward whispered in my ear and smiled my crook smile – my favorite one.
Stupid me. He was awesome, of course he would keep his promise. "And Jessica?" I arched an eyebrow.
He shrugged. "Somewhere around, I guess. She's showing herself off in some way," Edward rolled his green eyes.
I couldn't help but make a face. "I thought she'd already done that with the short skirt and the big cleavage."
He chuckled and messed his hair up. "Yeah, well, I guess she's still not done." We ended the walk and sat on a log near the bonfire. I guess my goose bump skin made Edward realize I was cold. I put my face to the sky and watched the stars, as I'd always loved to do.
"Why is it that you love the stars so much?" Edward asked mimicking my action.
I sighed. "I don't know, I guess I like to think there is so much more things out there. Maybe there are so many different ways of lives and beings we don't even think of… I guess I like to look at it and think they are staring back…"
He smiled. "That's a good explanation, I've never thought about it in that way."
"Yeah, I'm a bit weird, aren't I?" I laughed. But it was true.
He shook his head and placed it on my shoulder. "You are just unique, and in the good way."
Hello red, welcome to my face again! "You are making me blush, you jerk."
He faked an arrogant look. "Yeah, I tend to produce that to the chicks,"
I messed his hair myself. "You are crazy,"
"You are too," He grinned and then placed his eyes in the middle of the bonfire. "Oh, and by the way, don't freak out, but Hale is staring at you."
