Hey guys =] Thanks again to those who commented/favourited or added me to their author alert list xD. Keep it up and you'll get what you want … it's fast approaching, don't you worry ;)
Here's an exceptionally long chapter… I kept you guys waiting and I'm really sorry. So I hope this makes up for it :)
Chapter 16:
I breathed in the fresh aired atmosphere as my eyes fell shut. There was nothing quite like a large volume of clean air to fill ones lungs. And the silence of the lake, just the occasional ripple of water on rock, accompanied that feeling of peacefulness.
Of course I was pulled right out of that, eyes opening wide, to the distant yelling of competitive boys.
Alice and I were sat cross-legged, with the lakes edge just ahead of us. Jasper and Edward meanwhile were off gallivanting through the forest, their original plan being to collect firewood, but they'd become easily distracted by their sudden need to climb trees; their productive manly sides quickly being overcome by boyish adventures. And they certainly weren't quiet about it, as they called to each other from tree to tree; challenging each other to see who could climb the highest. It was all very childish if you ask me.
"How's your foot?" Alice's voice sounded exceptionally musical in this environment, but rather fitting as it mimicked that of wind chimes.
"It's fine" I sighed. "You know me".
"Yes Bella, I do know you. In fact I'm surprised you're still in one piece. I expected you to have tripped over by now" she spoke matter-of-factly, and I internally fumed at her lack of faith in me, but I plastered on a fake smile and went on.
"And how'd the tent building go? Manage alright?"
"Yes, I managed just fine actually. In the end I just stood back and let Jasper do it all," she shrugged, rather blasé about it, and I tried my best to stifle my snort of amusement.
"Good thinking" I smirked back, before frowning at the sound of stomping footsteps, as Edward and Jasper made their way back towards us.
"I swear I could've had you on that last one man, if only that bloody branch had held out" insisted Jasper, as he rubbed his muddy hands together.
"Yeah, I don't know about that man, you've got to have an eye for these things, can't just go relying on any old log. The longer and firmer the better".
I almost choked on my saliva at Edwards comment. Picturing an image in my mind of him I'd never before conjured up.
It seemed innocent enough considering our setting, until I noticed that cheeky glint in his eye, suggesting his intentions weren't as innocent as they could've been. I wondered for a moment if that was for my benefit.
Jasper meanwhile just laughed, "You're sick man". And I quickly changed the subject.
"So how goes the hunt for firewood?"
"Oh. Yeah, we got a little distracted. We'll collect some on our way back" Edward brushed it off, seemingly unbothered by it.
"Great. And if there isn't any?" I smartly answered back, a smile on my face.
"It's a woodland Bella" he looked at me stupidly, "that's kind of the point of it," he snickered, placing a hand down onto the ground to sit beside me. I stared at him un-amused, prompting him to nudge me with his side. I nudged him back with a smile, before focusing my attention onto the pebble at my feet, fiddling with it as a distraction method for my blushing cheeks.
"So anyone feel like taking a dip?" asked Jasper, and I turned to see Alice's face scrunch up in displeasure.
"In there?" she signalled to the lake, "are you kidding!? It's probably full of leeches" she whined.
"Ahh, scared they'll 'suck your blood'" Jasper teased her, putting on his best Dracula voice as he leant in towards her, pretending to bite her neck; she squealed pushing him away and clambering to her feet. He chased her then, as she tried her best to stay away from him. I'd never seen this playful side to Jasper before. He'd always been a master of one-liners, but he tended to come off quite reserved. It was nice to see his true personality shine around Alice when School wasn't involved. I couldn't help but smile admiringly.
Lost in my state of awe, I noticed a flash of something whiz past my head from the corner of my eye. That was followed by a far-away plopping sound as I found Edward stood at my side, locating the flatter stones off the ground and flinging them across the lake. They skimmed the surface as they hurtled through the wind, wrinkling the almost deadly-still-water, bouncing once, twice, three times and even a fourth time before disappearing out of eye sight; swallowed whole by the lake.
"Wow. You're good" I noted, rather impressed by his natural abilities.
"Yep. I am a man of many talents".
I was intrigued. "Oh really!?" I smirked.
He stopped himself as he went to toss another, smiling down at me with that crooked grin I loved so much. "You ever tried?"
"Are you kidding? I'd probably end up throwing it in the opposite direction" I rolled my eyes, and I watched as he attempted to stifle his laughter.
"It's not that hard. You just need a good, firm..." he said as tossed the final stone, watching as it sliced through the atmosphere, "throw".
My eyes followed the stone out towards the lakes centre; it left the trace of only one barely visible crease across the plain sheet of undisturbed water.
"You want to give it a go?" he grinned down to me with hopeful eyes.
"Thanks but, I don't think that'd be such a good idea" I politely declined.
"Come on. I'll teach you… I'm a good teacher".
Well I certainly wasn't going to deny that, having witnessed firsthand as he taught his fellow students to play the piano. Of course having spied on him whilst doing it, I couldn't very well come out and agree with him. That would only bust my cover and consequently leave me extremely red faced.
"You should also know that I am very persistent, so if you keep saying no, I'll only keep pressuring you until you say yes" he boast smartly.
"Well I am accustomed to peer pressure" I mused lightly, Alice being the main perpetrator for that. "Alright. You've warn me down" I exclaimed as I rose to my feet, brushing off the dirt from my trouser legs. "But be warned, these arms…" I held them out, "they have a mind of their own. Don't make me say I told you so when I get a stone in your eye".
"I promise!" he smiled back delighted. I waited eagerly for my first set of instructions, determined to be a star pupil and with the hope of not making a total fool out of myself in the process.
"Right, so you want to find a stone that's reasonably flat and round, I'd say about the length of your palm would suffice". We both proceeded to search the ground for a suitable stone and following a minute or two we successfully compared our findings.
"Excellent. Now like I said, the key to this is a good arm action. In fact you kind of want to whip it, so it just skims the surface. Like this," I watched in awe as he tossed it across the water like a true professional. Was there anything this guy couldn't do!?
Swallowing hard I prepared myself. I stood straight, facing my main objective, a glance too and from stone to water, and almost attempted to throw…
"Ok. Your stance is all wrong" he corrected me; I should've guessed I'd cock up even the basics. And before I knew what was happening, he was standing behind me with his hands on my hips, shifting my body to one side. He went on to move my hands and arms into the correct position, his soft fingers brushing tickles across my skin, the verbal instructions he was providing me with, sadly going in one ear and out the other.
It was then that I wished for everyday to be like this; with me as his student, and Edward as my teacher. Talk about a major fantasy gone right!
"Ok? You got all that?" he asked me as he came to my side, his wide eyes looking at me expectantly, and as a potential star pupil, I'd hate to let him down.
"Sure". A tiny white lie would save me from further embarrassment.
"Alright then. Go for it!" he grinned, and I felt a surge of sickness hit my stomach as he watched me. The pressure was on, and I felt like 10,000 Edward Cullen's were just stood there staring at me.
I threw it without thinking, and it whisked over the lake, surprisingly skimming the surface twice before it plopped out of sight. I was gobsmacked by my own ability.
So what if it only bounced twice, that was certainly a job well done for someone like me. "Wow. That was actually, not bad" he offered judgement on my performance. "And here was me all ready to crucify you for being so awful at it" he smirked, giving me a nudge. He seemed to like doing that.
"Oh ye of little faith". I smiled, feeling rather proud of myself. "Although I won't take all the credit for it. You did offer some form of guidance, which, I am grateful for".
"Damn straight, I saved you from humiliation. And you learned a new skill. See, it pays to have me around".
I laughed a little, feeling my cheeks start to warm. "I wouldn't want it any other way," I answered softly without thinking. And he seemed surprised at my unexpected declaration. Not nearly as surprised as me though, and I hurried in turning away, proceeding to search the ground for the next willing participant.
……………………………
"Good thinking bringing the marsh mellows Alice" I commented, as I watched it turn to goo beneath the flames of our camp fire.
She sat there cross legged, a smug smile on her face at my gratitude. "My girl only thinks of the important things" said Jasper, as he swung an arm around his girl friend's shoulders, pecking her on the cheek.
"Well sure. If the world were to end tomorrow, marsh mellows would definitely be the way to go" smirked Edward in amusement, as he took another swig of his beer.
I shook my head a little as I smiled at him. Choosing to glance at him just as his lips parted an inch to caress the rim of the beer bottle. What I would give to be that bottle.
It was growing dark now and eerier by the second; our only source of warmth and light being a flame before us, whilst the dark woodland threatened to overwhelm us completely.
Several hours had passed since we'd left the lakeside; the trek back taking us a good half an hour. Tea had come and gone, we'd opted for sandwiches over cooking, call it cheating if you will, but the thought of living off beans and rice for 2 days didn't amuse. And Alice made it clear she would rather starve herself than eat anything resembling camp grub. So we couldn't really argue with that.
"Do you want to try some?" Enquired Edward as he raised his beer bottle in my direction; I'm guessing he must have caught me watching; clearly I wasn't as subtle as I'd hoped.
"Oh. No, I'm ok thanks" I brushed it off, smiling awkwardly. I brought my knees up to my chin as I spoke. "I'd probably hate it".
"How would you know if you've never tried it?" he asked simply and I found no way of answering back.
"Guys, I hate to sound like I'm a 50 year old, but sleep's calling me", announced Jasper as he lazily rose to his feet, dragging a drowsy Alice along with him as she almost merged like a growth into his left side.
"Yeah, you get some sleep old man," smirked Edward, as he leaned over, whacking a buddy hand against Jaspers; strangely looking like they'd been best friends for some 15 years, not a mere 4 weeks.
We said our goodnights and as always, four became two.
"Come on then. Live a little" Edward pushed the case of beer towards me. Again with the peer pressure. "I promise you, it's not that bad. And if you really don't like it, you don't have to drink it" he shrugged casually. "I mean, it's not like I'm planning on getting you drunk and having my wicked way with you or anything". He snickered to himself, before necking the last quarter of his bottle in one go. "Just saying" his face displayed a cheeky smile.
I managed a meek laugh in return, not entirely sure what to make of his comment. But I reached inside the casing and took a hold of the offered beer he gave me, snapping the cap off the top with the bottle opener and taking a sniff. The smell first and foremost wasn't exactly appetising, but I encompassed the top with my mouth and took a gulp.
I'd only ever drunk wine. Beer was supposedly a man's drink, according to my dad and Emmett anyway, and now having tried it, they could gladly keep their manly drink to themselves. I'd stick to a more sophisticated taste.
"You like?" he asked, but I think my face must have said it all. "Obviously not" he chuckled. And I can't say I appreciated the after taste much.
"I suppose it is an acquired taste" he added, seeming to be delighted by my reaction. And I glared back at him, un-amused as I dug my hand back into the marsh mellow bag to alleviate my taste buds.
The night strung out for an extra 20 minutes after that, before both of us grew tired, sick of small talk and in dire need of some sleep.
..(Later that night)..
I tossed and turned in my sleeping bag. Very aware of the uneven ground which lay beneath me, a muddy stump digging into my hip as I turned to lie on my back. Typical I should choose to plant my tent on unlevel ground. I was certainly in for a rough night ahead.
Discomfort wasn't my only problem though. And I was brought to a sudden halt, freezing in the one position as I felt something drop downwards onto my sleeping bag.
I was rigid, heart thumping in my chest like a drum, breath loud and shaky as I tried not to move.
My face scrunched up, wanting to cry at the possibility that I wasn't alone for the night. Screw Alice and her brilliant plan of camping! This was a dreadful idea!
Shifting a little onto my side, but avoiding jerky movements, I elevated my torso, my eyes frantically searching the space for my phone, but it was virtually pitch black and I was in no way going to start rummaging around for things I couldn't see. After several long seconds of remaining fixed in the same position, I took a chance and crept a hand towards the zip of my sleeping bag. I tugged, yanking it down a few inches before stopping.
I shuffled upwards as the opening grew wider, but at the sound of something falling onto the base of the tent, I flew out of there in lightening speed, scurrying out of my bed linen, frantically searching for the tent zip and pulling it open; no longer wanting to stick around for further encounters.
I stood outside then, wearing only my pyjamas, thankful though, that I'd chosen to wear my ultra fluffy thick socks as I felt the twigs and grass beneath the material of my feet.
The moon light above my head was my only source of light, and as I took in the expanse around me, the black trees looking horrific as they enclosed me in, I shuddered at how very alone I felt.
I tried not to dwell on it though, telling myself that I hadn't just stepped into a horror movie and that my friends were merely a few feet away from me.
With that thought in mind, eyes opened wide, I carefully made it over to Jasper and Alice's tent, being sure to place my feet onto the grassier parts of the land; whilst avoiding anything that could look remotely creature like. Before finally I reached the tent.
"Alice?" I whispered, but I was met with deadly silence. And the harder I looked, the more my eyes ached from the strain. Once again I felt like I was the only person left in the world. "Alice, are you awake?" I gasped, startled by the sound of twigs snapping behind me.
I chanced a wary glance over my shoulder, but darkness was all that met my eyes. My hand automatically rose to cup my mouth, tears pooling at the corners of my eyes in helplessness.
Turning back to face the tent, I called out once again. But the response I received sounded nothing like Alice. And I couldn't have been more relieved.
"Bella?" I felt a presence behind me, and I spun on my heel to face him. "What are you doing?" said Edward as he walked towards me, glancing down at my feet with a frown.
I did the only thing I could think of. I rushed towards him, clinging onto his neck for protection and burying my face into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around my frame then, and no longer did I feel unprotected.
"Hey, it's ok" Edward hushed me, placing his hand to the back of my head, but I only proceeded to cling on harder. "What happened? Where are your shoes?"
I forced myself to pull away, but only slightly, just so I could look at him, and his hand moved to cup my cheek. "They're in my tent, along with everything else. I was trying to sleep, and I felt something. There's something in my tent" I took a wary glance back towards my tent. "A snake or, lizard or something. I didn't know what to do" I felt myself becoming upset; my emotions always heightened at the dead of night.
"Ok. Well you can stay with me tonight" he told me, brushing a finger across my cheek tenderly, and I was quick to agree, now more than ever. Lifting me up like a cradling child, he trekked towards his tent. I was on my feet again in less than 6 seconds, before he'd unzipped his tent and we both shuffled inside.
Edward's tent was a lot bigger than my small girly one, but I sat huddled up, tensed with my knees to my chin.
"You must be freezing" he observed, and I once again found myself thinking back to the previous night. "Here, get under the covers" he urged, pulling the quilt towards me. But I paused, paranoia getting the better of me.
And then a light came on out of nowhere. "Good thinking I brought a torch, huh?" I watched as his eyebrow cocked up to one side. He then examined every inch of the tent, top to bottom, just to ensure we were alone. I relaxed, reassured that we'd avoided unwanted hitchhikers.
"All clear" he smiled. "Are you, sure you're ok?" he asked concerned, placing the still-alit-torch down onto the base of the tent, providing us with a small source of light.
I rubbed my forehead and cheek, feeling the tear stains that lingered on the surface. "Yeah, it just, startled me. That's all".
"Yeah, I can imagine" he sympathised with me, his face offering the cutest lopsided smile. "Well you can sleep a little easier now at least. There's nothing in here that can hurt you. I mean, I may nibble if I get peckish, but, I'll try my best to hold out until the morning" he teased, trying to lighten the mood. I could always count on him to cheer me up.
I laughed softly, "Thanks". And shuffled under the covers to rest my head. He did the same but kept his distance, using his arm as a pillow and a small thin blanket to wrap himself up in.
The light went out. And I frowned at how far away he felt, and no doubt cold, as I myself continued to shiver beneath his covers. Taking a chance, and ready to look rejection straight in the eye, I moved over to him, pulling the quilt and pillow along with me.
He didn't say anything as I practically hugged myself into his side, but I was very aware as he started to slide under the covers to join me. I held my breath in anticipation as his head placed itself beside me on the pillow, and his arm wound around my back, holding me close. I could breathe again as I heard him release a happy sigh. There was no preventing the smile that grew on my face at that, and suddenly the cold night air was no longer a problem. I was gone after that, enjoying the best night sleep I could ever imagine.
Gah! Wouldn't you just love a private lesson with Edward Cullen xD
How'm I doing anyway? Comments? =D