Totally re-inspired to write.
Thanks again to binky911 ...without you this just isn't possible bb!
Chapter 15
~ Bella POV ~
Things couldn't have worked out better. Jessica was going to the University of Oregon and she would drive with me that far. I would bunk with her and her roommate for the night and then head on to Eureka where Edward would meet me. Seven hours driving with Jessica was going to be an ordeal but well worth it. I knew I would have to endure the James lecture for at least a couple of hours but nothing could bring me down right now. I had butterflies in my stomach thinking of seeing Edward again.
Thankfully Eric and I had stayed in touch over the years since graduation and he lived right in the heart of LA with his boyfriend Tyler. In high school we always suspected they were gay but Forks wasn't really the town in which to come out of the closet. After moving to LA he didn't just come out of the closet he kicked down the door, turned on the spotlights and glittered the whole place! They lived in a two bedroom condo and told me the second room was mine for as long as I wanted. Everything was coming together so smoothly.
"Bella, I can't believe you're doing this. You have the guts that I never had to get out of here." Renee hugged me. She had always wanted to get out of Forks but somehow her plans never seemed to work out. I think that was part of what led to her and Charlie's divorce. She always felt he trapped her here but in the end she had trapped herself. I knew she was happy to see me get out and follow my dreams.
I looked over her shoulder. "I love you, Dad." Charlie was kicking around a rock with his toe. He was never one for a lot of words. He gave me a big hug and I felt all the emotion he wanted to convey in the length of that hug. He handed me an envelope.
"Just a little money to get you started off, okay?" I opened the envelope that contained about $1000 cash.
"Thanks Dad but you really didn't have to. I have some money to start me off."
"I know, Bells but please take it. It will make your old Dad feel a little better about letting you go so far away." His voice broke over the last words and he wiped at his eye as he reached for the last of my bags and threw it into the trunk of my car.
I loved my car. The red '89 Celica was my baby and I couldn't wait to get it out on this long road trip. She was older but in amazing condition and I had spent probably a little too much on upgrading her sound system a year or so ago.
"Well, I have to go. I need to pick up Jessica and we have a long drive ahead of us." I gave them both another hug and promised to call each of them whenever I stopped for the night.
Next stop was Jessica's house. She was ready to go with her bags at the door. We squeezed her stuff into the back seat and we were off. I was never so happy to see the sign that said You are now leaving Forks, WA. Jessica pushed the button to open the sunroof and turned on some music. With a very loud "WOO HOO!" we headed for the highway that would take us to start a new life.
Jessica talked continuously for the drive but I can't say I minded. She didn't require too much in terms of entertainment; you just had to nod and say 'uh huh' or 'really' every once in a while and she was good to go. My mind was elsewhere and no one knew about Edward or my plan to meet up with him. It was a plan I didn't want to share. My own private adventure. When I told him I would be driving to LA so that I would have my car when I got there, he said he didn't want me driving all that way alone. So he suggested that he could fly to Eureka and drive the rest of the way to LA with me. I agreed.
The next day couldn't come fast enough for me because I would see him. I sort of coasted through dinner that night, half-heartedly participating in the conversation over a pizza.
"She totally broke his heart. Poor guy." I rolled my eyes. Oh no. Jessica was rehashing the story about my telling James that I was leaving. He didn't take it well, kicking the garbage can at the bottom of my driveway before he left. I did feel bad because I did care about him; just not enough to stay. Not enough to give up this opportunity. He didn't speak to me or come by for almost two weeks but he did leave a Good Luck card for me in my mailbox a couple of nights before I left. It read….
Dearest Bella,
I do wish that you would stay and give 'us' a chance but I understand why you want to leave and I wish you the best of luck. I'll be here waiting for you if you change your mind. By the way, I don't have a problem with a long distance relationship. Wink… Hint…. Don't lose my number. 555-4539
Love, James xoxoxo
I couldn't wait to start my life with Edward so there was no chance for an 'us' with James. I couldn't wait for tomorrow.
~ EDWARD POV ~
Alibi covered. I had told Jacob and my family that I had to meet a wealthy prospective client and that I would be gone for a few days. It was something I had done before and wouldn't seem like an odd thing for me to do but I still felt nervous about the lie.
I had packed my bag and placed it by the door, washed up the dishes in the sink and poured myself a drink. I wasn't sure how I was going to sleep tonight because I had so much running through my head.
It turned out all the plans I had tried to make had been nullified. Bella was very independent and didn't want me to 'help' her. She had arranged somewhere to stay. I wasn't thrilled when I heard she was moving in with two men but when she explained that they were a couple I felt better about the arrangement. She was driving her own car down and again, I worried. I decided to meet her in Eureka and felt better about being there with her driving that old car all the way. I had lined up a few interviews for her but that was all she had really let me do.
Things were falling into place…..so what was I nervous about?
Oh yes I remember. In no uncertain terms had my father told me to stay away from the very woman I was flying out to escort back to LA to live closer to me. Of course they knew she was coming. Aunt Renee had called them and asked them to keep an eye on her. Bella had politely declined the invite to stay with them, claiming she wanted to make a go of it on her own. Rosalie had of course called to tell me that she was coming. I'm not sure if she suspected I already knew but I played the fool. So far I'd avoided another lecture from Dad as he didn't seem aware that I knew of Bella's plans and he certainly didn't volunteer the info. It was better to leave that in the dark.
I wasn't sure how we would make this work. I figured we would take it one day at a time and see what happened. I did feel guilty about asking her to come to me. It seemed like a chauvinistic thing to do but she seemed open to it. We'd just have to see what would happen after she got here.
I know this is a short chapter...but don't worry the next one will be longer...
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