Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Ms. Meyer.
N/A: Hey, guys! Thanks for the reviews, favorites and alerts! You are always so supportive and I really can't thank you enough. )
I started exchanging the POVs because the story is getting really complex and just BPOV don't cover all I want. I hope you don't mind.
Happy reading!
Chapter 9
If We Were
"I build you up
I'll be the best
You'd have it all
If we were, if we were
You'd never be
So damn depressed
If we were, if we were
I build you up
You'd never rest
If we were, if we were
We'd be the most beautiful mess
If we were forever..."
Belinda – If We Were
RPOV
I got in Kelly and Julian's house late in the afternoon, exhausted after a long day of photo shoots. I took off my jacked and threw on the first ledge I could find, dying for a hot bath and a big dinner. Hearing anorexic models talking about diets all-day and ingesting at the same proportion Evian and cigarettes makes me hungry!
I took a couple of steps when Kelly's maid, a sour, British woman who looked like she had swallowed a pair of socks, came from the kitchen. Her thin lips were thinner than usual and her uniform seemed immaculately clean and pressed vigorously. Even the thin white stripes of her hair didn't dare to move an inch away from the tight bun.
The simple fact that the honorable Ms.Taylor came to say welcome was a bad sign. She hated me and I hated her. It was just fate. I think we were both meant to be enemies for the rest of our lives, the old hag simply creeped me out with her silent pace and popping up everywhere with her disapproving glance. Maybe it was because she reminds me of a math teacher?
Oh, who cares?
"May I help you Ms.Taylor?" I asked, bored, not stopping my pace to talk to her.
"Miss Hale, there is an delivery for you." She said formally, "It's in the sitting room"
This didn't stop me. I was used to receiving flowers and fruits basket all the time, from photographers, producers and other models.
"Okay, I'll check on it later, but thanks." I said, almost in the room, believing I had dismissed the old hag.
I was wrong.
"Miss Hale."
Breath Rose, breath.
"Yes, Ms.Taylor?" I turned on my heels, resigned. Her lips had disappeared. She looked darker than ever, like a Victorian painting. I knew that look; she wasn't going anywhere until I went to check on the damn flowers. They were just flowers. What's the freaking problem? "Very well, I'll take a look."
I slowly walked to the sitting room and opened the double mahogany doors to a flower sanctuary. Roses. Dozens of them, red, pink, yellow, white. They were on all the available edges. I stared at them, surprised and ran to pick up the little card in a huge red bouquet.
"I wasn't sure about how many flowers would be necessary to say how bad I feel about what happened, so I decided on buying all that I could find!
Emmett."
I slowly sat on an armchair, my heart beating too fast. I felt a huge grin spreading on my lips. That was the sweetest thing I ever seen. That silly teddy bear. Sending gazillions of flowers to me like that was definitely overboard and I… adored it.
I heard, somewhere very far away, Ms Taylor saying something like "Inappropriate" and "Extravagant and scandalous" but I didn't even care. I just quickly grabbed my cell phone on my purse and dialed his number, which Alice insisted on giving me last night. It rang a couple of times, and then I heard a very familiar voice.
"Hello?"
I opened my mouth to reply, and then I remember him, introducing the pretty auburn haired girl.
"Hi, guys. This is Kate, my girlfriend."
I looked at the phone, while he repeated asked hello, with a confused voice. What I was doing? I asked myself, turning off the phone. It was silly, I know. I wasn't forbidden to talk to him, but, somehow, I just couldn't. I was attracted to him and he was taken. This was wrong. Wanting someone like that was out of line. It was misplaced.
I had to find a way to grasp that. Forget it, Rose.
I looked up to the maid, who was still waiting for a response and I gulped.
"Ms. Taylor?"
"Yes, Miss Hale?" she asked, promptly.
"Throw these flowers in the trash, or give them to someone…" I muttered and I felt my lips trembling a bit. I made an effort to control myself. I wouldn't break in front of the old witch, or my name wasn't Rosalie Lillian Hale. "Just take them away." I got up and walked back to my room, feeling terrible, but firm. I entered my room and shut the door behind my back and sat on the wooden floor while the tears dripped.
#
APOV
I took another sip of champagne and scanned the elegant crowd that filled the great saloons of the Metropolitan Museum. It was a benefit party given by the Kings. My family doesn't hang out much with them, but Esme is a good friend of Alicia King and a fan of a good cause. So, here I was, exhausted, but cheering, and escorting Emmett, since Kate couldn't come, since she had been stuck at work.
Not that Emmett looked particularly worried about that.
Edward and Bella decided on taking some quality time to themselves and I'm pretty sure my brother will come up with something nice and romantic. Those two really deserve to burry the past and live in the present, at least for now. Before the storm, they need to grab all the good moments they have and treasure them, because I'm pretty sure it won't take long until Jake Black comes to pick up his ex-fiancée and Lauren is around.
"She hasn't called yet." He announced, for the tenth time that night, taking me out of my trail of thoughts. "Do you think that flowers were too much or too much little?"
"Emmett, for God's Sake, dear, chill out." I begged him, rolling my eyes. I put my glass on a table and grabbed his arm, "Okay, that's enough. Let's dance!"
I dragged Emmett to the dance floor, despite his protests. They didn't scare me. Emmett was just big and a bit scary sometimes, but he would be unable to hurt a butterfly. Trust me, when you know that and you have two brothers, this is pure power. That's why they never win against me. They both, Edward and Emmett love me too much to deny anything.
A good band was playing Jazz and Nora Jones was singing on the stage. I may not like the Kings, but I had to admit, they had class. Emmett, despite his huge size, wasn't a bad dancer. Esme made the three of us take dance classes when we were teenagers. A complete education for the three orphans she took care of since we were kids. Most of the time, I didn't even notice I was actually, adopted. I didn't feel like it.
"I'm sure she liked the flowers," I said, after some time.
"Do you think so?" he asked, hopefully.
"Did you send them to Kate too?" I asked, sheepishly.
"Sure." Something in his tone made me look at him, and then I saw he was starring at someone else.
My mouth fell.
It was Lauren, with Royce King and the Hales.
"Emmett, don't you dare to make a scene here!" I whispered between my clenched teeth, since my brother seemed to want to murder Lauren this very second. We stopped dancing and waited for them. "Smile"
"What the hell is she doing here?" he groaned, under his breath, but he managed to smile a bit. Actually it looked like a grimace. But, whatever. I could see the Hales were walking to us, and dragging the two most unpleasant people in the world with them.
"Hey, guys!" said Rosalie, grinning at us "So…"
Royce abruptly interrupted Rosalie.
"Well, well, well, if this isn't the little Alice Cullen?" he flashed all his expensive teeth treatments in a smile and then he looked at Emmett, raising his blond eyebrows "And Emmett Cullen. What a surprise, man!"
"Hey, Roy!" I said, smiling cheerfully at him, when he bent to give me a little kiss on my cheek, "It's been a long time. How are you doing, dear?"
Royce and I used to date in college; so, I think I can securely say he is a jerk with capital J, but a handsome one. The Kings are the NY royalty and Royce is the main jewel. Tall, athletic, with wavy dark blond hair and light blue eyes, he was just like Ken, Barbie's love partner. The very same smile and tanned skin, remember? The Kings produces boys like that in large scale. They are made to shine.
And this time wasn't different. The tux he was wearing suited perfectly his muscular body. In one hand, a glass of champagne, and in the other, Rosalie Hale. A smile, a flash.
I shot a glance at Jasper, but he just shook hands with Emmett and smiled at me. Rosalie was still smiling, but when I looked at her, she mouthed, "Help".
I wonder what Lauren is doing here.
"Hi, Royce." said Emmett and his voice was a few degrees under zero, "Rosalie."
"Emmett." she replied at the same tone.
"Oh, you know each other?" asked Royce, looking, curiously at them. "Rose, baby, you didn't tell me that. And I want to know everything about you." He added, in a nauseating sweet tone, tighten his grip around her slender waist. A waiter passed with champagne and Rose and I quickly grabbed a glass.
"So, Alice, are you still working at Calvin Klein?"
I worked at CK during college, because I wanted the experience of working with fashion. This owed me a job in a Fashion Magazine. However, all I got was a column and taking Starbucks coffee to Kelly Cole.
"Actually," said an irritating voice and we all looked at Lauren. Jesus, I even forgot she was here, "We work together for Kelly."
"Really?" asked Emmett shooting me a death glare, "I didn't know that."
My smile never faked and I replied, "We work in different sections."
I was screwed and I knew that. There was no way that I would get away from this. Emmett would spill this to Edward so fast; that I wouldn't get a chance to say "I'm sorry".
"Would you like to dance, Alice?" asked Jasper suddenly. His voice was a refreshing contrast with the annoying high tone of Lauren's. I went to his side, fast.
"I would love to."
EmPOV
Royce and I discussed football for a couple of minutes, after Alice left with Jasper. She's screwed and she knows it. So, I'm giving her a few moments of happiness before I start torturing her about Lauren. And I wouldn't be satisfied with just "Oh, Emmett-poo, I didn't even notice she was working there! We never crossed paths! Please, don't be mad at me!"
King is an old friend. We used to play on the same team when we studied together at Dartmouth. I really didn't like Royce much, but we were in a King party so I couldn't just dismiss him as the jackass he is, not under Esme's nose, anyway. Alice dumped him after a couple of months and never told me why. It seems this wasn't the only thing she told me. I wonder what else she keeps under the books.
Forget it. I don't want to know.
Lauren and Rosalie weren't talking much. I think it was something about Lauren's admiration for Rosalie. She kept asking things like.
"Oh, your dress is so fetch! Where did you buy it?" or "I saw your photo on that promo. Where did you find that guy?" and babbling about gossip and trying to get some juicy comment. But all she got were flat replies from Rosalie, until she finally gave up and was, now starring at me.
Nice.
When our discussion came to a pause, Rosalie said.
"Royce, dear, why don't we go dance? I love this music!"
Royce hesitated for a second, and then he smiled and nodded.
"Sure, Rose." He looked at us "Excuse me. Emmett, you have to show up at the club sometime and play again."
"Sure, dude. You bet I'll do that." I grinned at him as he pulled away the girl I wanted. No, wait. Erase that. Rose was a friend. Kate was my girlfriend. Kate, not Rosalie. Rose didn't give a damn for your freaking flowers. You just screwed up your chances with her yesterday, buddy. But you still have the hot auburn with you. So, don't screw up again.
"Aren't you inviting me to dance?"
I looked at her like she was crazy.
"And why the fuck would I do that?"
She wrinkled her ugly nose.
"You don't have to be rude at me, Cullen. Just because Rosalie Hale totally ignored you, you don't have to discount at me."
This girl is insane.
"Fuck you, Lauren." I hissed "And, do me a favor and stay away from me and from my family. I don't need you to replace Rosalie, I don't dance with trash like you."
She opened her mouth to reply, or simply to curse me, but I was already scanning the crowd and found what I wanted. In a second, a sculptural Afro American lady and another one, brunette was just by my side. I glanced at Lauren.
"See? This is Emmett Cullen's standard. Not you." the girls giggled and I left with them to the dance floor, feeling Rosalie's glare on me. Whatever, if she doesn't like me, I don't like her either.
#
APOV
"It seems your brother is having lots of fun." chuckled Jasper. I looked over my shoulder in time to see Emmett shaking his hips in the middle of the dance floor, like a monkey, with the two beauties laughing all the time and mimicking him.
"My brother? I don't know such a gentleman." I said, in my best British accent. Jasper laughed. "So, Jasper, tell me how do you know Royce King."
He studied me with his calm gray eyes and my brain instantly fell on the screensaver. I just let my self-get lots on the storm clouds of his eyes and a shiver got down my spine. He seemed to be amused by that.
"We actually, don't. We met him today because Kelly is playing the matchmaker with him and Rosalie."
We continued dancing but this made me a bit disappointed. I was so certain about Emmett and Rosalie. Maybe I was wrong.
"You seem disappointed." He said, still looking at my face. I smiled at him.
"It's nothing. I just thought that my brother and your sister… maybe…." I raised my eyebrows suggestively and he laughed again.
"I thought he was dating Kate."
"And he is." I shrugged. "It's a sister's thing. Anyway, talking about Denali girls, where is yours?"
I was giving a big shot, but I had to know. Because he and I have been dancing almost three songs and I tried everything: batting eyelashes, circulate his neck with my hands and my smiles at him and nothing. Zero. Nada. The boy never tightens his grip on my waist. Dancing with Rosalie or me doesn't make the least difference.
This is so freaking frustrating! What's wrong with him? Or, worse, what's wrong with me?
"Irina couldn't come because she had some ashitanga yoga class to go or to give." He frowned, "I'm not sure. She just said she would be busy. " He shrugged.
"Excuse me, may I take a chance with the lady?" asked some random guy. I was expecting him to say something like Edward did yesterday, "The girl is taken.", but instead, he just smiled and replied.
"Sure, the lady is all yours." He bent and kissed me lightly, on my forehead. "It was nice to see you again, Alice. Good evening."
And then he left; leaving me with this guy I didn't want to. I shot a glance to Emmett and he looked pitied at me. And I also saw Lauren, smiling, seeming pretty satisfied with my distress, so I managed to look at my newest dance partner and smile, despite his next line.
"Hey, babe. How you doing?"
Ugh.
#
BPOV
"I think they arrived." chuckled Edward in my ear. I groaned when his hands went back to my waist and put us in a more conventional position on the hot tub's steps, on his lap.
We were on the second floor of the Cullen's apartment, which was, by the way, the penthouse. It had two swimming pools. One was bigger, for the summer, and the other was smaller and placed in the winter garden. We were in the second one for two delightful hours.
Edward had picked me up at work. Yes, I got the job on NYCL and had already started working. And I have to thank God for that, because Carmen San Diego-not-the-thief-from-the-cartoon was like a Spanish clone of Alice, but in interior design department. The tiny, devious girl dragged me all over the TriBeCa and I was half blind after starring at so many different patterns of fabric. I almost cried of joy when my phone rang and an unknown voice said.
"Is this Isabella Swan's phone?"
"Yes?" I asked, going to hide behind a mountain of green fabric, while Carmen went to torture the poor attendant.
"Miss Swan, this is Anne Dawson, from NYCL. I would like to know if you are available now for a job interview. I'm sorry if this is a bit rushed."
"Not at all!" I said a bit too fast, "I'll be there in half an hour!"
The interview was pretty simple and the job was the one I already knew. The lab was full of geeks and a few of them got a bit too excited about the newest feminine acquisition. Most seemed harmless, except for one, Mike Newton, who was far too enthusiastic for my comfort, but friendly.
Nothing I couldn't handle. Especially after he saw Edward waiting for me outside and we made out right in front of him. Edward took me to have dinner and a nice place and now, here we were making out in a hot tube.
Well, until his siblings arrived of course.
"I can't wait until we move out." He muttered. I smiled at him, holding his face with both of my hands." I really want more time with you. It never seems to be enough."
"Carmen said until Saturday, everything would be ready."
His eyes shone intensively, sensually. "Bella."
"Hello, people!" said Alice, with Emmett on her feet. He seemed pretty pissed. "Are you dressed?"
"See? That's why we have to move out." He smirked at me "Yes, Alice, we are dressed." He rolled his eyes.
I saw their faces, when they both, in swimming suits like Edward and I, entered in the hot tub.
"What happened?"
They both sighed and started talking on the same time.
"Rosalie didn't even look at me."
"Jasper treated me like his kid sister."
"And she was all over Royce King that jerk. What kind of guy is called Royce, anyway?"
"Then he let me dance with some random guy. What if he was a perv?"
"And there was Lauren, all bitchy and annoying."
Edward and I had been listening without interrupting, and looking at one and the other, like in a tennis match. But the name Lauren, got our attention.
"Hold on. Did you say Lauren, Emmett?" interrupted Edward, sitting very straight. I felt something cold get down in me. The winter garden seemed darker, colder. I stopped breathing.
"Yes, she's King's cousin or something like that," said Emmett sourly and then he looked at Alice, "She's been working with Alice."
"Not with me." Alice said, insulted, "She works on the magazine. So what?"
"She works on the magazine and you never told me, Alice?" asked Edward, furious. I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him, but it didn't work.
"Thank you, Emmett." Said her, glaring at Emmett, "And, yes, she does. I didn't tell you, little brother, because I barely talked to you."
This stopped Edward, but he seemed frustrated. He passed his fingers through his hair. I tried to pull away, to give him some space. But like I did on the day before, he just pulled me closer. I snuggled at him and he calmed down.
"I'm sorry if I didn't say anything. But this would just upset you and you have this restraining order against her. It's not like she can do anything."
"She's right, Edward." I said, caressing his face. "Let's not fight because of that. Lauren is the past. She can't hurt us anymore." He nodded, but his expression was somber.
Emmett quickly changed the subject and we stayed in the pool a bit more, talking and laughing, but, somehow, the idea of Lauren so close to us darkened my mood a bit. She was like a shadow, following us wherever we were. Maybe it was for the best. If we finally resolve our little issue with her, we were able to live in peace with our past.
And I wouldn't let her mess up my relationship with Edward.
Never again.
N/A: Well? Did you like? Did you not like it? Review!