This chapter's pointers: 1) I'm writing this as I go and whenever I have time, so I can't promise a set schedule for updates, but I will try to post as frequently as I can. 2) I will never be one of those authors who hold new chapters hostage and demand reviews as ransom, but I will say that any feedback is welcome and appreciated. 3) I can tell by now that this story is gonna develop slowly and turn out pretty long so...hang in there! Thanks!
Previously..
Gorgeous man flashes a gorgeous smile. "Yeah. I'm actually headed there. If you'd like, I can walk with you?" He says that last part in a nervous half-statement, half-question kind of way and then frowns at the floor, running his gorgeous hand through his gorgeous hair again. I know, I'm saying gorgeous a lot, but in his case it could never be overstated.
I smile at him like I just won the fucking lottery. "Yeah. I'd like that."
Chapter 2 – The Walk
He walks towards me and, I fuck you not, it's like he's walking in slow motion. He's so…male. Even now, with his head bent, seemingly not sure whether to look at me or the floor, he looks like something straight out of the cover of GQ magazine.
I blink, and suddenly he's standing right in front of me. Green. Fucking green. Of course gorgeous man would have gorgeous emerald green eyes, God forbid something about him would be merely average and not abso-fucking-lutely gorgeous.
"It's not very far, actually. Just a couple of blocks ahead".
He's speaking. Ok Bella, now all you have to do is answer him. I stare at his face.
Jesus Christ, say something! Move your lips! My mouth opens. I am now staring at him, with my mouth open. Gaping, you might call it.
Make sounds! "Uggghhh…" Well. I guess my brain has left the building. Can't say I'm surprised. Social skills of a rock, remember?
"I promise I'm not a serial-killer or anything, but if you'd rather I just give you directions-" he starts to say.
"No!" Smooth, Bella. "I mean, I'm sure you're fine. Besides, I'd rather not have to make the walk by myself."
"Okay then." He smiles at me and starts walking, motioning for me to join him. He didn't have to ask twice. "So, you're American?" he asks, and for the first time I notice his British accent. Guess I was too busy focusing on the visual aspects, huh.
"Yeah. You're British." And the award for stating the obvious goes to…
"True, but then again you are in London. Meeting British people kind of comes with the territory." He chuckles. Of course he wasn't gonna let that slide.
I laugh. "Yeah, I guess it does." I look up to find him staring at me, and for the life of me I couldn't describe the expression on his face. Confounded? Awe-struck? Constipated? He clears his throat and looks away, but not before I get a peek at the cutest little tinge of red on his cheeks. Do guys blush?
"So, where in the U.S. are you from?" He asks, still not looking at me.
"Originally, this little town in Washington you've probably never heard of. But for the past year or so I've been living in Seattle. What about you? Have you always lived in London?"
"Pretty much, yeah. Born and raised. Besides, it's the best place to be right now given my future plans."
"Future plans?" I ask.
"Well, yeah. I'm an actor. I act." He replies. Ok, that was definitely a blush.
"Oooh, nice. Done anything I might recognize?"
"Not likely. Not yet, at least. Just a few bits here and there. But, you know, you gotta start somewhere." He looks really embarrassed at that point and I feel sorry for the guy. He shouldn't have to justify the development of his career to me.
"Oh, yeah, I totally understand where you're coming from. Besides, maybe it's corny, but I believe that achieving you dreams feels so much better and more fulfilling when you've worked your ass off for it, as opposed to just having it handed to you. You know what I mean?" I look up to find him giving me a half-amused, half-something that makes my heart race smile. "I'm sorry. Am I sounding like a motivational speaker right now? I tend to get really passionate about certain things."
"No, not at all. I actually agree with you completely. It's nice to find a fellow corny motivational speaker." He says that last part with a completely straight face, but his eyes twinkle in a way that tells me he's fucking around with me.
"Don't be an asshole." I say, and poke him in the ribs. He jumps and laughs like a little kid. I smile at him and for a moment we're caught, just staring into each other's eyes. Jesus, we really are fucking corny.
The realization that we're staring like idiots seems to hit us both at the same time and we both look away embarrassed. He clears his throat and runs his hand through his hair. I pretend to see something really interesting on the floor. The moment of awkwardness allows my mind to return to my current situation and I realize we're both walking really slowly, with no Attic in sight, and I only have about half an hour before I need to perform. But despite that, despite me telling myself that the guys will skin me alive if I miss this gig, I can't seem to make myself walk faster. I don't want to. I wanna spend the rest of my fucking night doing exactly what I'm doing right now. Walking beside this gorgeous man who's name I now realize I never learned, talking shit and smiling like I just won the lottery.
Crap. I'm in trouble.
My palms begin to sweat, I can feel my heart speeding up and I start to feel a little dizzy. Logically, I know I'm being stupid. This doesn't have to mean anything. I can just walk away from this guy and never have to see him again. But that idea seems to only make me feel dizzier. I haven't felt this way in a damn long time and it terrifies me more than a little bit.
Breathe, Bella. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly
"Hey, are you okay?" His voice snaps me out of my miniature anxiety attack and I make an effort to look up at him. He looks genuinely concerned and it breaks my heart a little.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Sometimes I just…space out."
Way to make him think you're mentally retarded.
To my great surprise, the man actually laughs. Not in an "I'm laughing at you for being such a fucking loser" kind of way, but this sweet, breezy laugh that makes my knees weak and my anxiety start to rise again. I shake it off.
"I know what you mean, sometimes I get lost in my head too." He smiles and looks at me in a way that makes me feel like he's not just saying that to be nice, that he really gets me. I decide I need to change the subject before I start reading too much into things.
"So, I just realized you never told me your name." I say.
"Well, in my defense you never told me yours either." He replies. Although his tone is light and I can tell he was joking, his observation reminds me just how completely taken I had been with him. It never even occurred to me to introduce myself. He shoves his hands in his pocket and bends his head down, frowning. "Anyways, my name is Edward. Edward Cullen."
I sigh. I really need to stop this internal freak out, before I make this guy feel even worse. He's been nothing but sweet and kind to me. It's not his fault I have issues. "I'm Bella. Bella Swan." I smile tentatively at him, hoping he'll take it as a peace offering.
He smiles back at me. "It's nice to meet you Bella."
We turn a street corner and suddenly find ourselves in a busy street. People are everywhere, cars are lined up looking for a place to park, and just ahead of us, lit up like a big 'Game over' sign, is The Attic.
We don't immediately cross the street towards it. For a while we just stand there on the sidewalk, side by side. Half of me wants to look at him, but the other half is scared of what I'll see. I'm scared to realize that he wants me to leave, and I'm scared to find out that he wants me to stay. Suddenly I feel something brush lightly against my hand, and I know, even without looking, I know it's his hand. I know because the sparks I felt could only come from touching him. And this time I can say I've never felt anything like this before.
Quick P.S.: I always meant to make my Edward British, to make an association with the actor who plays him, but I didn't exactly take into consideration that I know next to nothing about British slang or popular culture. So, bare with me through a fictional world where British people still have those sweet accents but are otherwise very similar to americans?