Chapter 15: Au revoir
~Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else
Gets me frustrated
Life's like this, You, you fall and you crawl and you break
And you take what you get and you turn it into honesty
You promised me I'm never gonna find you fake it
-Avril Lavigne, Complicated~
"Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh God...we're dead." I kept on repeating as I looked around in panic.
"Will you please stop it?" Edward snapped, his face deadly pale. He closed the door and shifted the notice board, so that it hid the secret door.
"We're dead...I'm dead" I continued, clutching my forehead. I tossed Edward the spell book and he tucked it inside his coat.
"We have to hide." He declared, lacing his fingers through mine and started tugging me.
"Where will you hide here?" I half-sobbed. "Witchy Alice will find us just by sniffing my perfume."
"You wear perfume?" he asked, looking interested suddenly.
"Does that really matter now?" I hissed and dabbed my wet eyes.
We both froze when we heard the front door open with a loud creak. It was followed by Alice's happy chatter and Jasper's crisp voice.
"The closet." Edward snapped and pulled me to her wide walk-in closet.
"No, no," I shook my head. "If I know Alice, she probably came back to get something from her closet."
"Then where..."
I was unable to think straight and properly, so when my eyes paused on her bed, cheesy movie scenes washed over my memory.
"Under her bed." I made my decision immediately.
"I'm sure she won't look underneath that." Edward whispered his agreement.
We didn't have any more time to just stand there and discuss where we were going to hide. We ran to the bed and I first shoved Edward down. He rolled under the bed and I followed him.
It was pitch black under her bed and my head kept bumping with the wooden frame. Edward was also having a very hard time as he was taller than me. I felt the uncontrollable urge to laugh.
However, all the laughter inside me died when the door opened and Alice's high glittery stilettos appeared.
Edward found my elbow and squeezed it tightly
"I hope she doesn't drop something." He whispered in my ear.
I couldn't see his face in the dark but suddenly, something snapped inside me.
"Shit...shit. We didn't switch off the night lamp." I hissed in his ear.
We held each other's hand and waited without breathing. Alice hummed a tuneless song and went inside her closet just like I had predicted. She came back after twenty seconds and paused before the bed. I snapped my eyes shut.
Alice stopped humming. The silence that followed was plain agonizing during which I neither breathed nor opened my eyes.
"Odd," she muttered to herself.
I felt like every moment of my existence had telescoped down to now, to this second, as Alice stood in front of the bed.
She tapped her heels against the floor, as if she was contemplating whether she had left the night lamp switched on or not.
I kept on silently praying to God as Alice continued standing there. Edward was still as a statue and I would have forgotten that he was even there if not for his cool hand which was wrapped around mine.
Then Alice turned on her heels and left the room, shutting the door close behind her. Edward and I didn't move till we heard the front door slam and heard the sound of the car rolling out of the rocky driveway.
Edward helped me out with a relieved smile on his face.
"Oh Christ, I just survived an impending cardiac arrest." He chuckled, bending on his knees.
I shook my head, trying my best to stay in the moment. I really hoped Alice didn't notice any of her things disturbed.
I immediately started shuffling through my coat pocket as I ran to the notice board.
"Help me." I mouthed to him.
He looked confused but obliged to my request. After he had moved the board and opened the small door, I flipped my cell phone out and snapped a picture of what was inside the room.
"What are you doing?" Edward asked stunned.
"Taking a picture of Alice's disgusting work." I answered as I pushed a few buttons and got ready to take another one.
"That's stupid. We should leave before she comes back again." He insisted.
"Are you kidding me?" I rolled my eyes. "This is serious blackmail material. May help in the future."
He didn't say anything and waited till I had snapped three more pictures, each in closer detail.
We crept down the stairs and let ourselves out through the back door. The eerily silent street didn't matter to me anymore as we ran to my car. I began breathing only after I had started the engine and was out of the street.
"That was really close." Edward said, rubbing his eyebrows.
I nodded and slumped against the driver seat. "I'm glad we didn't get caught."
"So...the dance next?"
"Yeah, unless you want to go home." I glanced at him, giving him the choice.
"I think I had enough for today." He said slowly, as if he was choosing his words carefully. "But we can go, if you want."
"Believe me; I don't want to go either. But I kinda promised my friends I'd be there...with you."
"Then the dance, it is." Edward gave me a small smile. I turned on the radio and Edward started asking me questions about it.
We finally reached the school after a ride filled with questions and answers. I dug through my glove compartment and pulled out the silver colored tissue papers with which I had wrapped my designer dark blue high heels.
"Impossible." Edward muttered under his breath..
"You know you love me." I teased as I forced my feet into the heels.
We got out of the car with an awkward silence. I immediately regretted saying it. The parking lot was overflowing with cars but only a person or two was in sight.
"Should I be...nervous?" Edward asked, gulping.
"I don't know. Didn't you mention to me that you and Rosalie attended many social events during your time? It's almost the same here except a few act like they are drunk and dance like crazy." I shrugged.
"They serve alcohol?" he asked with wide green eyes.
"Edward," I faked a sigh of exasperation. "I said act. We don't actually drink."
"Do you...act too?" He glanced at me in disapproval just as we reached the gym.
"Ha, you wish." I shot back with a grin.
The muffled sound of Taylor Swift's "We are never getting back together" seeped through the walls of the gym and flooded the hallway. Laughter and cheering reached our ears as we opened the door and got in.
The entire gym was bombarded with rows of white and blue balloons, and tiny ice sculptures. Glossy fluorescent lights fell upon the room in beautiful slanting rays.
"My friends are there!" I stood on my tiptoes and spotted Sasha's golden head. "Did you find yours?"
He looked around and shook his head. "They probably got cold feet and left."
"Well, guess you're stuck with me." I joked and pulled him to where my friends stood.
"Bella, you made it!" Heidi squealed and hugged me. She looked somewhat modest in her white wide strapped dress. I wondered if Randall was behind it.
"Oh my, Edward, don't you look handsome! You and Bella totally own the limelight tonight." Jane cackled, her brown eyes twinkling.
"When are you going to remove the coat?" Sasha asked, leaning against the table. Her long blue colored dress with the golden borderline nearly brushed the floor.
"Now," I said. I removed my purple colored trench coat and struck a pose. The table exploded with laughter.
My dark blue knee-length dress was strapless. It was clinched at the waist and flared into a wide ruffled train. I had paired it with sapphire earrings and a saphhire pendant which Edward had fastened around my neck during our car ride.
I did not want to lose it in anywhere, especially in Alice's house.
"Ten!" Jane, Sasha and Heidi screamed. We laughed again. It had always been our tradition to rate each other's outfits before the dance started. Guess I was late this time.
I caught Edward staring at me and smiled at him. He gave me thumbs-up and I laughed.
Just as Edward and I took our seats, the others got up and ran to the dance floor.
I rolled my eyes. "You should join them."
"What did I tell you about having enough today?" He mock-scolded me.
I leaned forward. "You still have the spell book?"
He patted his chest and nodded. "It's in there."
We watched everyone dancing on the floor and occasionally commented on some moves and outfits. Edward seemed more interested in the DJ and he wanted to know how to control and play the songs.
Suddenly, a fit of girly giggles surrounded both of us. I looked up and saw a group of popular sophomore girls staring at Edward. Carly Rae Jepsen's "This kiss" burst through the carefully hidden speakers.
"Hi, I'm Zafrina." A pretty curly haired girl stuck out her bony hand to Edward. Her white dress was too tight and her boobs nearly spilled out.
"Edward," He introduced himself and shook her hand. Their hands barely touched.
"So Edward, would you like to dance? But if you are going to dance with Bella, it's okay." She said, shooting me a glance.
I wondered how she knew my name but shrugged at that thought. I was preoccupied with the interesting yet horrorful scene unfolding infront of me.
"If Bella is okay with it, then -" Edward began.
"It's fine. You can dance with him, Zaprina." I interrupted him.
"Zafrina." She corrected me while her friends giggled into their hands.
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and whispered to Edward. "Go dance with her. I feel like I'm always holding you back."
"Are you sure?" he frowned, his eyes searching my face.
"Go!" I hissed and slightly shoved his shoulder.
"Fine," he scowled and stood up. He offered his elbow to whatshername - Zafrina - and they both glided to the dance floor.
I leaned back in my chair, hoping what I had done was the right move. I didn't want Edward to feel like he was always stuck with me. And it was just my extreme bad luck that Alice was walking towards me with a grin.
"Bellaaaa," Alice squealed, tapping me in the shoulder.
"Hey Alice," I tried to sound friendly. I had broken into her house, after all.
"You look great. I just wanted to know if you had seen my date." She chirped.
"Who's your date?" I corrected myself before I could say Mr Hale.
"You don't know?" Her blue eyes widened. "I thought Alec told you."
"Alec?" I sputtered, shock consuming my body. He never told me but I wasn't about to admit that to Alice. "Yeah, right. I forgot. But no, I didn't see him since I came here."
"Mmmm, I hope he's not hiding from me." She pouted at the possibility and walked to the next table where the cheerleaders were sitting with their dates.
I looked at the dance floor and almost laughed. Zafrina was holding Edward's body close to her but he was clearly uncomfortable as he kept trying to move back.
Then she proceeded to wound her arms around his neck. I stood up and walked out as fast as my feet could carry me. It was strangely silent outside and the fresh air relieved me from my headache - or jealous ache.
I was reminded of the first time when I had met Edward near the Eternal cemetery, which was just a street ahead.
A scream froze in my throat when a cold hand grabbed my wrist and whirled me around. A pair of angry green eyes gleamed at me.
"Edward, what the hell are you doing?" I screeched, trying to calm my loud drumming heart.
"Why did you leave?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger.
"Why did you leave? I thought you were happy dancing with Zafrina." My eyes burned and I knew I was seconds way from anger-crying.
"Bella, you let me dance with her. And for your information, I felt uncomfortable with her. I would have rather danced with you."
"Is that why you are friends with me?" I asked irritated. "Because you are comfortable with me? Not actually because you like me? Only because I just came along first and I was easy?"
"Bella, stop talking like that." He snapped, his eyes shooting rays at me. "Have you ever noticed the way you think and talk? You're either complaining or blaming or assuming wrong things. You never speak what you really think. You edit...alot."
"If anyone should be assuming, it should be me." He continued, glaring. "I'll tell you what I am assuming now. You are only friends with me because I am a dead man walking. So that you could use me as your History experiment, not actually because you like me. You are using me."
I took a sharp breath, trying to control my tears. "You make me sound shallow. Is that what your're indirectly trying to tell me? That I am shallow and selfish?"
"All I'm saying is," he sighed, "nothing is good enough for you, Bella."
The hidden sarcasm in his voice was the last straw.
"Well, I promise you something, Edward Masen. I'll never talk to you again and so you will not be obliged to talk to me. The spell book is with you and I hope you find whatever you are looking for. Au revoir."
The dam broke and the tears gushed out as soon as I turned away from him.
"Bella...don't be stupid." He called out behind me, his voice raw with emotion.
I shook my head and continued walking. "The truth is, Edward, nothing is good enough for you."
Au revoir, indeed.
Guess the complicated couple is back! Any thoughts? :D
-BEJL
