Hi everyone! I can't believe we've reached the end! :O
Sorry it's taken me so long to update this, my laptop broke for one and secondly I really just wanted it to be perfect. Or as perfect as I could make it.
I hope you'll enjoy the final instalment with these two, it's quite sentimental, but I think it needed that; nice to have a balance between raw and passionate sex and comfortable love :)
Anyway, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! You've been awesome to write for! I'm off to Uni in a week or two, so wish me luck =] xxx
Chapter 24: The finale'.
"Well fancy seeing you here".
Bella looked up from her books, placing her almost empty juice drink container on the table, to find her boyfriend standing before her; his bag swung over one shoulder and his auburn hair looking attractively worse for wear. It screamed 'bed head'; which was just the way she liked it.
"Well you know me, like Sunday is God's day, Friday's library day" she smartly declared.
"I hadn't forgotten" he smiled at her fondly, pulling up a chair to sit beside her. He kissed her on the cheek before setting his bag down at his feet. Picking up the plastic drink container he gave it a wiggle; empty, before returning it to its earlier position.
Sinking into silence he sat there watching her, admiring her; his eyes raking her profile, the tiny crease near her brow telling him she was deep in concentration.
Aware of Edward's eyes on her, her head twitched towards him, her eyes however were still on the page. "You just going to sit there watching me?"
"You mind?"
She tore her eyes away from the book with a smile. "Nope, I don't mind being the centre of your attention" she told him, while he ran his fingers through the high ponytail of her hair, giving it a gentle tug as it rest down the length of her back. "But you should know I don't work well under scrutiny, the face turns red after awhile, and beads of sweat start to form on my brow. Just to warn you in advance; it's very unattractive".
He chuckled soundlessly. Finding her adorable. "Well I wouldn't want to put you off your work."
"Already happened unfortunately, it's the affect you have on me. Now I'm more concerned with whether or not I look good, than actually what's on the page" she told him as a matter of fact.
"Well then, if it helps any, you look absolutely radiant today".
"Radiant?" she pulled a face of dread. "Great, that's the sweat kicking in, I told you, it's already starting" she said before smirking, reaching for her bag to pull out her pocket-sized mirror.
"Don't be silly" Edward stole it away from her, "just take my word for it. You've got that whole sexy smart thing going on; especially with that high ponytail. Very sophisticated".
"You like it?" she wiggled her head as a demonstration. "I don't usually wear it back but, I felt like a change".
"I love it, really, it suits you".
"It doesn't look too school girl-ish?" she checked.
"Nah, as long as you avoid a blazer and tie, I don't think you'll run that risk" he answered, and she smiled back coyly, feeling pleased with herself.
"So you feel like taking a break?"
"Sure" she closed the book up; not needing to be asked twice, "what did you have in mind?"
…
"This place is amazing!" gushed Bella, as she lay with her head in Edwards lap, "Like our own little secret hide out" she mused with a smile; gazing up at the cloud-less blue sky above her as Edward raked his fingers through her hair.
"Sounds like we just laid down our territory" Edward surmised, as he leant down to kiss her forehead, but as she shifted her head he found her lips instead.
"Not yet, but were about too" she grinned seductively as she briefly pulled away, pushing herself up she deepened their embrace, a moan of lust catching in the back of her throat as his tongue massaged her own. They were currently sat on the Universities grassy grounds, at the furthest point of the campus. The hustle and bustle of student life seeming like a distant memory to where they were now...
Shuffling herself over Bella sat between his legs, pressing herself into him as they kissed. He cupped her cheek within the palm of his hand, tasting the hint of fruit juice that lingered on her tongue, while he cautiously leant backwards, finding the tree trunk which propped him up; enjoying Bella's power over him.
"Hey hey! Hope we're not interrupting anything!" a voice unexpected, came out from the tree they hid behind, forcing the couple to abort their brewing passion. Turning their heads they saw two of their friends make an appearance. Tanya who looked extremely embarrassed, mortified in fact, for having intruded, Jack on the other hand, looked a little too pleased with himself.
"So much for our secret hideout" Edward muttered through gritted teeth; silently cursing his friends interruption. "Hey guys, so nice to see you." He welcomed them, patting the grass for them to sit on, as Bella moved out of his lap.
"Oh you say that so convincingly Edward" mocked Jack as he took a seat beside his friend. "Just a tip, but try saying it like you mean it next time" he added, giving Edwards arm a playful punch.
"So what are you guys doing here anyway, I mean, apart from the obvious" Jack teased them, while Tanya rolled her eyes.
"We're just taking a break" Edward told him. "I dragged Bella away from the Library. She was two seconds away from becoming a part of the furniture" his eyebrows raised as he eyed his girlfriend.
"Let's not exaggerate" she gave him a long sideways glance. "I just want to be prepared, that's all; it's so easy to fall behind at uni, I don't want that to be me."
"It won't be" Edward told her reassuringly, giving her knee a tender rub.
"Sounds smart if you ask me" Tanya gave a nod, adding her two cents.
"Yeah, that is smart. But you know what they say, opposites do attract" mused Jack.
A close-lipped grin spread across Edward's face. "Yeah, you're right Jack, they do say that. But on a more personal note, how about you guess what my fists saying instead," Edward threatened him playfully; his smug turning from cheek to cheek... Jack grunted in response, his face twisting into a grimace, which earned a light-hearted shove from a delighted Edward.
"Hey so I was thinking" Tanya placed a hand to Bella's arm, gathering her attention. "Did you want to hit the city this weekend? Macy's has a new line out; we could maybe hit the malls and then go for some lunch, what do you say?"
"Oh" Bella paused, plucking at the grass near her feet, "erm, well lunch sounds great, I'm all up for that" she smiled. "But, to be honest with you, I'm kind of not into the whole shopping, fashion thing. Although, I think that's probably pretty obvious" she chuckled, glancing down at the casual clothes she wore, in contrast to Tanya's latest ensemble.
"Don't be silly, you always look great," Tanya smiled, head titling to the side. "Well, that's a shame".
"Yeah" sighed Bella, before something popped into her head. "But, fear not, luckily for both of us, I happen to know someone that would be perfect for you".
…
"Good call setting Alice and Tanya up. I think you saved us both from months of torturous shopping trips".
"Yep, high five me!" they whacked hands. Before Bella's attention wandered back towards her work.
"You're not serious?" a disbelieving Edward stared across at her. "Are you even aware you're starting to get a hunch back?" he told her as he placed his items into a drawer.
"Huh?" answered Bella, who sat at the centre of the bed, crouched over reading a text book; her eyes focused down on the page.
"It's like after 9 in the evening. You shouldn't even be thinking about studying".
"I'm not" she spoke half-heartedly.
"Ok, do you even realise you just said that?" questioned a baffled Edward. And yet she failed to abandon her book.
With an exasperated breath Edward headed for the bed, sitting himself down and shuffling up close behind her.
"Bella?" he removed the hair which clung to her neck, resting it down her back.
"Hmm?" she spoke song-like, but still failed to fully acknowledge him. So when that didn't work, he chose another tactic.
He shuffled closer. "I have to tell you something" his words hummed into her ear; finally shivering her out of her trance. "I'm growing a little concerned" his hand crept down the bare length of her leg, stunning her rigid. Goosebumps prickled her skin in excitement.
"Concerned?" her breath came out swift and jagged. The words on the page now meaningless. Like a sheet of black and white patches.
"Well, anyone would think you cared more about that book you're reading, than me" he taunted her, his hand rubbing her through her night shorts.
She couldn't help the moan that almost clogged the back of her throat. "As if that's even possible" she drawled through her pleasure; his touch massaging her in the most tantalizing way possible. Multi-coloured spots were starting to haze her vision.
"So…? As for the book?" he prompted her.
"What book?" she answered innocently. Pushing it away with the limited strength and mental capacity he'd left her with.
He removed his hand, focusing on the length of her neck with his lips. And as she angled herself towards him, their lips meeting in a heated kiss, he shifted over, lying down on top of her to seal her in.
Edward kissed her passionately. Bella's mind turning a blur. So much so, that as he hooked a hand beneath her thigh, hitching her leg up around his waist, she automatically ground into him, the bulge between his legs poking and probing her teasingly.
He'd caught her attention now, no doubt about it. He'd left her breathless, with the dorkiest smile spread across her face; her glassy eyes now gazing up at the ceiling seeing an expanse of twinkling fairy lights. "So listen" she said dreamily, "I think I'm turning into a bookworm" she admitted as he kissed the area just above and between her breasts.
"Really?" he smiled pulling away to look at her. "I never would've guessed" he humoured her.
She grinned, forcing a pout, "Are you mad at me?"
"Never" he kissed the tip of her nose. "As long as you promise me, you will never, by any means possible, ever love a book more than you love me".
She wrapped both legs around his waist. "I promise" her lips quirking that much more.
"Who'd have thought it ey? I mean, I've always enjoyed a little light reading, but it's like I have a thirst for it now… Boy if my dad could see me now, he'd be so proud" she mused.
Edward's brow twitched comically. "Actually, I think if your dad saw you now, he'd probably ground you for life, and I'd be on the number 1 most wanted list" Edward smirked back, causing Bella to snicker.
"True that. Very true"…
…
"Bella? ... Remember when I used to sneak into your room at 3 in the morning?" Edward spoke out from the silence, as they lay side by side beneath the duvet.
"Yeah" she sighed, her mind drifting back to the memories.
He craned his head towards her in wonder. "Do you ever miss it?"
Bella's head turned to address him. "Do I miss what exactly? The unpredictability of our relationship? The sneaking around? The almost getting busted by our parents?" she relayed, perplexed.
"I don't know" he began, a furrow to his brow, before correcting. "No, not that. More, how I used to surprise you when you least expected it".
She thought silently to herself for a moment, reminiscing about the past. The time they'd spent together had been extraordinarily passionate; he'd spun her head in ways she couldn't even imagine. She grew excited at just the thought of it. But it didn't take much to answer that question. "Truthfully? … No, I don't" she answered simply.
"No?" he questioned in a smirk, surprised by her answer. "It was that bad?"
"No, it was amazing" she told him as she shuffled onto her side. "Like, fireworks in the sky amazing…" her eyes radiated with passion as she unconsciously licked her lips. "But if you're asking me if I miss it, if I was to compare or pick which one I preferred, how we were back then to how we are today, I'd choose today ten times over, every time" she confirmed, analyzing his eyes. "Because nothing means more to me, than how solid we are right now".
"Really?"
She nodded back, eyes turning soft with emotion. "Yeah… Edward, I wish you could feel what I experience every time I wake up with you next to me" she told him. "You have no idea how much it killed me back then, to have you there one minute, and then to close my eyes and have you gone the next…" Tears automatically welled up in her eyes. "I hated waking up everyday knowing you weren't going to be lying beside me. It was almost like, it never even happened".
He nodded back silently, swallowing hard. "I remember" he hushed thoughtfully. "I felt it too… and you know what, I'd never want to go back to that place," he spoke with honesty.
They took a moment then to simply gaze into each others eyes; enjoying the silence whilst revelling in each others presence. They'd come along way, both stronger and wiser as individuals, but as a couple, their commitment, love and support for each other felt as high and as mighty as a rocket ship. Maybe it had taken them awhile to get there, and their methods hadn't exactly been ideal, but it'd made them what they were today, and by no means would they ever want to change that…
"I should get up. Have a shower" Edward lay on the bed naked and motionless beside his girlfriend. "Except… that would involve moving."
A chuckle passed Bella's lips. "Yep, that is the drawback to cleanliness" she noted as she hugged the quilt to her chest.
"Hmm, so is it really worth it, that's the question" he pondered out loud "…so what if I lay here naked, doused in my sweat, not to mention yours" he gave her a sneaky sideways glance, "is anyone really going to care" he chuckled soundlessly. Making the mistake of glancing to his left, where Bella lay; the expression on her face meant he got the message straight away; and apparently unlike Edward, she did care.
"Right, I guess I'll be back in awhile then" he rolled his eyes, reluctantly forcing himself out of bed, he pecked her forehead before he trudged his way towards the shower room. Closing the door behind him he jumped in the shower cubicle...
Bella smiled fondly after him. Love swelling and warming her heart. Now seemed like the perfect time to check in with the parents, which she did, taking ten minutes aside to summarise their week just gone, to a more than proud Charlie and Esme' Swan.
Placing her phone down onto the bedside table, and with Edward still very much shower-bound, she found herself slipping out of bed. She pattered her way across the floor, flipping over her suitcase where she dug her hand into the side-zipped compartment in search of something.
There it was, she smiled as she retrieved the item from the depths of her case. For the first time in days, weeks even, it had barely crossed her mind, but now, sat alone with her thoughts, she felt a deep and meaningful extract coming along.
Grabbing a pen she tiptoed back towards the bed, leaning up with her back against the pillow, legs bent in front of her and the duvet wrapped around her frame, she slit the book open, addressing the following free page.
Dear diary,
It's been awhile I know, I honestly expected to see more of you these past few weeks. I was anticipating further written therapy, possibly in conjunction with anti-depressants. I know it may sound extreme, but there were times when I could've quite easily given up. Charlie was about as receptive as a brick wall and the strain on my relationship with Edward was starting to niggle at me.
I should note that as I'm writing this, I'm smiling, because thankfully that's all a distant memory now. Charlie knows everything. My relationship with Edward is beyond perfect, despite our occasional disagreements, and I'm currently sat on my bed in our student accommodation, a first year University student as of this last week...
Edwards in the bathroom, humming some ridiculous song that he heard off the radio, but I don't mind, it tells me that he's happy, which honestly, fills me up with something a cant even describe, just knowing that I'm a part of that.
I can't tell you how long I've waited for this day, who'd have thought 5 months ago that this would've all worked out so well. I certainly wouldn't have. And I'll tell you what, it was worth the wait.
I know it won't be easy, life is far from that. Like a winding road, who knows which direction you'll go, or which path you'll decide to take, but in the end you aim at one thing, happiness, commitment, family. Ok, so maybe not just one thing.
I'm not naïve, I know that we'll probably argue, say things we don't mean, and at times be unable to stand even the sight of each other, but everyday I remind myself of how far we've come. That through all the lies, the illicit agreements, the sex, the arguments, the almosts and near-misses, we came out on top. We survived… each other, our parents, society, and even ourselves.
So if someone was to ask me if No Strings Attached Sex ever works, I'd say NO straight away, I'd say that deep down you're fooling no one, that you're probably already in love with that person, and are just making up excuses to save face. But who cares, love isn't shameful, it happens when you least expect it, and quite possibly, with someone you least expected it to be. But you can't help who you fall for. That's what happened to me anyway. And if I've learnt anything, it's that love happens only once, and no matter what, if that connection and feeling is so strong, don't give up on it. Because in the end, it's the greatest and proudest gift you'll ever bear… well, at present anyway, in the future who knows, we might be prouder of something else then. A baby Edward comes to mind…I won't mention that to him yet though...
I'm signing out now, maybe forever, maybe until next week, who knows, but thanks for listening.
Bella Swan xxx
She signed her name, feeling pleased with what she'd written and grateful for following her gut instinct all those months ago. Writing a diary had turned into a blessing in disguise. It had created the perfect output of therapy, for a quite complicated and trying time in her life.
"Hey, what are you doing?" her heart jumped a frantic beat, so absorbed in her writing; Edwards presence beside her had become unnoticed.
"Hey" she smiled warmly, placing a hand to her chest. "Oh, I'm just…"
"Writing in your diary?" he added for her.
"Yeah…" she felt her cheeks start to swell with embarrassment. "It's kinda silly I know".
"No it's not" he perched himself beside her. "There are times when I wish I'd written one" admitted Edward.
"Really?"
"Absolutely. A chance to look back in 10 years time and remember everything I went through, the good and the bad. I think it's a great idea. It's your life on paper". He shrugged.
She paused thoughtfully, stroking a hand across its surface as if it was precious. "I want you to read it" she handed it to him, her eyes filled with hope and sentimentality.
"What?" he questioned her, half-smiling, she'd caught him off guard with that one. "No, Bella, I couldn't, it's yours, it's personal".
"But I want you too. I started writing it when we first got together, so it's not all positive, but, it's what I went through. Like you said, it's my life on paper. A small portion of it anyway. But it's important to me, its my life with you".
He looked at her intently.
"Please, just read it" she told him, placing the diary in his lap before she walked away.
The shower triggered a moment later, and it was now Edward left alone with the diary. As asked by Bella, he obeyed her wish, re-living their life over the past 4 months; the up's and the many downs. But this time, it was like he was spending a moment within her mind. All of her fears about their relationship, the times when she'd been determined to stop, to the times when she'd realised she loved him. She'd described it as a roller coaster ride, or a turbulent plane journey, and seeing it on paper, it really was just that.
…
"Edward?" Bella returned from the bathroom to find herself alone. With a moment of brief panic she ventured towards the bed, finding the diary left half-way open, and a tiny note on the pillow beside it.
Back in 10! I love you, E xxx
Picking up the diary she took note of the last written page, expecting to find her latest written passage. But what she found was a different entry. Written in someone else's handwriting. Taking a seat on the bed she began to read…
I've never been a big believer in God, fate, anything really. I just figured what happened in life, just happened. That was until I met Bella.
For the record, 'Bella' means beautiful in Italian, and boy were they right about that. From the second I'd laid eyes on her, even at the tender age of 14, I was smitten. Teasing and toying with her became quite simply, just an excuse to be near her, touch her, to keep her in my life. So I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to you, that I was the one that initiated the No Strings Attached Sex pact.
Yes, I am the genius that started it! And while looking back it may not have been my greatest moment, I don't regret a thing. Because through the sneaking around and constant frenzy, I was a witness to something amazing... Bella. She grew into the most astounding young woman. A woman that can stand her ground, that will fight for what she believes in, and above all do everything she can to protect the one thing she loves most of all, her family life.
So for me, despite all that unfortunate heartache, what happened along the way is now my proudest moment of all. I watched her grow, from a delicate petal into a full blooming flower. And I hope that as she looks into the mirror tomorrow morning, she'll see exactly what I'm talking about.
Bella, you're right in what you said, love is the greatest gift of all. Loving you is like a dream come true, but to have you love me back, means more to me than I can possibly say. Oh and, you should know, I'm also not opposed to a Baby Bella =]
Love always, Edward xxx
Bella sat on the bed, choking back her threatening sobs. She re-read the passage several times, and every time she did, she only loved him more and more. Closing the diary with a warm-hearted smile, a tear trickling down the side of her cheek, she placed it onto the bedside table.
As if on cue, a key scrambled in the lock, the door swinging open a second later.
"Hey gorgeous" he greeted her, now fully changed and accompanied with a bottle of champagne, plastic cups and a box of her favourite chocolates.
"Edward?" she smiled, wiping away her tears, "what is all of this?"
"A long overdue celebration" he told her, shuffling off his shoes before he approached the bed, taking a seat beside her.
"It's just my way of saying … thank you," her brow twitched, unsure of where this was heading. "Your diary brought it all back, as if I could forget, but, this time, it was like seeing it through your eyes" her head dipped sheepishly, before she returned to meet his eyes. "I just needed to tell you, that I love you" he touched her cheek. "And thank you, for not giving up on me, on us… I was an idiot. And I can't believe it took me until almost the last minute to realise how much I loved you. I guess I'm lacking in brain cells or something" he joked with a soft laugh. "...but anyone else would've given up. Even at the worst times, like dealing with your dad, you still held on. I had it easy with my mom, but I can't imagine what you went through with Charlie. I just wanted you to know that I'm proud of you, and that I love you".
The tears pooled in her eyes once more. "I love you more" she sobbed happily. Never having felt an emotion as strong and as warm as this.
"Not a chance," he leant forward kissing her lips, before he gently padded away her shimmering cheek.
"So what do you say, shall we crack this baby open?" he grinned, and she nodded back, laughing as she placed her hands to cover her ears.
"Ready? … Three… two… one…"
*Pop*
THE END! Thanks for reading =] xxx