Chapter 16: Connection through the cell


The problem with promises is that once you've made one, it's bound to be broken. It's like an unspoken cosmic rule. - Bree Depain


I was in the middle of having a confusing nightmare when my cell blared loudly. I bolted awake and sat up in my bed, my forehead drenched with sweat. My cell was still ringing and I just sat there dumbfounded.

The nightmare truly frightened me to my core. It consisted of Alice and another girl. The girl had thick red curls and wore a dark grey cloak over her long gown. She reminded me very much of Heidi.

They both were standing near a forest and were bickering loudly about something I couldn't catch on. I could not hear what they were talking and I could see only what was happening. An owl hooted nearby and a large raven swooped down, nearly brushing Alice and the Heidi look-alike.

Another girl was running towards them, her porcelain face twisted in panic and horror. She had wavy brown hair, chocolate brown eyes and a slender body.

She looked exactly like me.

As soon as she reached the other two girls, she began gesturing wildly with her hands. She pushed Alice towards the forest. Go, she mouthed.

Suddenly in the distance, lights flickered. The lights kept on appearing everywhere till it surrounded them completely. I tried to get a better view of what they were. When I did find out, my breath stopped and my heart dropped to my stomach.

There were people with the hoods of their cloaks on and were carrying torches and long wooden sticks - or forks? I wasn't sure. Even though I couldn't hear anything, I could sense that they were chanting something continuously.

Alice shook her head and pushed the other two girls towards the forest. They hesitated for few seconds before they hugged Alice and ran into the refuge of the forest. Alice turned to face my direction and I finally got a better look at her face.

She wasn't Alice. She did look like her but she had dark blue eyes and her pale face was very serious with pain flickering in her steel cold eyes.

The people pounced on her. Then as if someone had suddenly lifted the mute button off the movie, the sound reached my ears in a loud screech. The last thing I heard was the people chanting, "Stake the witch," and the ear-piercing scream that the Alice look-alike let out.

My cell rang again, its monotonous tune echoing throughout my room. I shifted towards my night table and flipped it open. Mrs Denali's name flashed across the screen along with a picture of Sasha and her mother. I immediately got alert.

"Hello," My voice sounded husky from sleep.

"Hi, Bella," Sasha chirped and I could almost sense her smiling. "Wanna come with me for shopping?"

"Now?" I asked and eyed my watch which was on the night table. It read 9:30 AM.

"Yeah, are you doing something interesting?"

"No, I just woke up. But are you sure you wanna go now? It is Christmas day after tomorrow and there will be a lot of crowd." I fell back on my bed.

"I have no other way," she whined. "My cell is not working. I am forced to call you from mom's. So we are going for cell phone shopping."

"Seattle mall?"

"Same old, same old." She laughed.

"Pick me at 10."

I got off the phone and went straight to the bathroom to shower. The winter break had just started and it was already a bit boring. I had to admit that nothing exciting or thrilling had happened.

Of course, thrill and excitement were included only if Edward was there.

Since winder dance, we had gone from thick-as-thieves-friends, even daring to break into Alice's house, to the we-were-friends-but-we-don't-talk-anymore stage.

Last week, when we had to go to school for two more days after the dance, we ignored each other like the plague. It was just too awkward for both of us. I almost had an emotional breakdown in front of him and it was very embarrassing.

Rosalie seemed very radiant as she tried to talk to me in between periods. I wondered if the change in her mood was because Edward and I didn't speak to each other anymore, except in History class.

We were forced to do an essay together about our camping trip since we both had shared a tent together. All the partners were supposed to write an essay on how they felt about the trip and submit it to Mr Hale after winter break.

He suggested us to meet during the holidays and write but Edward and I decided quietly that we'll finish the essay on our own and edit it as soon as we come back to school after it reopens.

So much for being friends - ex friends.

I shook my head at the depressing topic and went to my closet. Mom and I had just gone to Seattle yesterday to do some last minute Christmas shopping. So I didn't know if she would allow me to go again.

After an inner fight on what to wear, I settled for the purple checked woman's button down shirt and ultra skinny Gucci leather pants. I combed my slightly wet hair, pulled it into a high ponytail and wore my second favorite purple checked moccasins.

I grabbed my cell phone and bounded down the stairs.

"Mom, Sasha wants me to go to Seattle with her. She broke her cell and has to buy a new one." I explained to mom as I gulped down the juice she had made for me.

"Will you be back soon?" She asked, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"Sure," I nodded. "What's the hurry?"

"Nothing," she shook her head and resumed wiping the kitchen counter. "I just wanted to let you know that the Cullens are hosting a Christmas party and they had invited the entire town. So don't make any plans with your friends on Christmas eve."

"Oh," I lowered my eyes. "Are we going?"

"Obviously, we're three houses away from them." She rolled her eyes. "So...are you bringing Edward as your date?"

"Gotta go. Sasha's here." I brushed past her and bolted out of the house.

It was just my luck that Sasha chose that perfect moment to park the car in front of my house.

"Heyyy." She stuck her blonde head out and waved at me.

I opened the car door and got inside the passenger seat. The car was filled with her strong and sweet Nina Ricci perfume.

"Thank God you came soon," I breathed as she started the car. "Mom asked me about Edward."

She nearly stopped hit the brakes before she corrected herself.

"What happened?" She asked, her wide blue eyes filling with concern.

I released a sigh. "Mom was talking about the Christmas party the Cullens were hosting when she asked if I was going to bring Edward as my date. She still doesn't know that we don't talk anymore."

Truthfully, Sasha was the only person to whom I had told about Edward. Not about him being a last century solider, of course, but about what really happened during the dance. Not the abridged version I gave the rest of the school.

She tried to be supportive but she did frankly tell me that I was being a drama queen.

And the secret about Edward and his siblings were becoming too much of a burden for me to carry it alone. I wanted to share it with someone, but then again, it wasn't my secret to tell.

"Sasha, I want to tell you something..." I began with a loud swallow.

She glanced at me curiously and turned back to the road. I wasn't sure if she would concentrate or slam the car into a tree if I told her the secret while she was driving.

"I'll tell you later." I dismissed it with a wave.

We filled the rest of the ride with girly songs blasting from the car speakers. When we reached the border of Seattle after a few hours, I combed my ponytail again, re-glossed my lips and removed my worn out leather jacket.

The inside of the mall was warm and filled with loads of people doing last minute Christmas shopping. We had to force our way through the huge busy mass to enter the trusted cell phone store where we usually shopped.

A muscular, cute but over-gelled salesperson greeted us from behind the counter.

"What can I get you, ladies?" He asked in thick British accent.

"How about a cell phone that doesn't break in just one fall?" Sasha leaned against the counter, eyeing the display.

"Mmmm," He pretended to tap his forehead. He had the same green eyes as Edward but it wasn't bright with curiosity like Edward's always were.

"Dimitri, come and help me with these customers instead of flirting." A voice called from the opposite side of the room.

"I am helping my customers." Dimitri grinned at us. The man who had spoken appeared next to Dimitri and spoke in a low tone.

"They want all the new styles to be shown, man. Give me a hand." He said.

Sasha and I turned back to see who the trendy customers were. And my eyes met startled emerald eyes.

"Bella!" Esme cried, when she spotted me. She was standing next to Edward.

I had no time to duck since they had already seen me and also, the stupid store did not have any aisles to sneak down or shelves to hide under, just five walls of cell phones and mobile devices.

"Oh," Edward said flatly without a smile. I felt exactly like a deer caught in headlights.

"Who's this?" Esme continued with a warm excited smile as they both reached me. Edward lingered behind.

"Sasha," I tried not to stutter. "She's my best friend."

"Hello, Mrs Cullen." Sasha being smart, quickly understood that Esme was Edward's step-mother before I could introduce.

"Nice to meet you, Sasha." Esme startled Sasha by hugging her.

"We came here to buy Edward a cell phone." She said, pulling Edward forward by the elbow.

My eyebrows shot up but I chose not to comment.

"I saw this antique store nearby which I really want to go through. Thank God, you are here Bella! Can you help Edward choose a cell? This boy is taking an awful lot of time." Esme requested. "I would be really grateful. I don't really know what cell's on the trend now."

Sasha answered before I could. "Even I want to visit that store. Would it alright if I came with you, Mrs Cullen?"

"Of course, Sasha." Esme smiled at her.

"But you didn't buy a cell yet - " I began.

"We have the entire day," Sasha reminded me. "I'll go with Esme and will be back in a jiffy. In the mean time, you can help Edward with the selection."

I side-peeked at Edward. He had his head down and was staring at the floor, his shoulders hunched.

"Fine, if you insist." I shot her a bewildered look.

"Also, keep an eye out on pink cell phones for me." She winked suggestively at Edward and me.

When they walked out of the store, Edward and I stood there for a few seconds in silence.

"We have the styles you wanted to see." Dimitri interrupted us.

Edward walked to the counter and I followed him reluctantly. I admired his sense of dressing style even though he had skipped most of the 20th century and had directly woken up at the 21st one.

He wore a chest-hugging black T-shirt and dark blue full hand shirt unbuttoned on top of it. I had seen the dark washed out jeans he wore on the new Levis add on the television. Navy blue Puma sneakers adorned his feet.

A variety of cell phones were arranged on the counter, along with the respective pamphlets which spoke about its qualities.

"What do you think?" Edward asked, his voice low and unintentionally seductive.

It was the first time he had spoken to me since we had decided that we would do the History essay on our own. I knew that I had been a leetle dramatic during the dance but I wasn't about to admit that to Edward.

But come on, cut me some slack! I was also an insecure girl just like every other girl in the world. It just happened that Zafrina came along and raised some of my insecurities. One of them was: what if Edward thought I was being clingy and always prevented him from doing something with the others in the school?

I could go on, mind you.

"How about...something black and cold, like your heart?" I tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace.

"Not funny," he sighed but his lips twitched as he ran his hand on the smooth brochure.

"When mom took me for cell shopping on my 14th birthday, I personally wanted a Blackberry." I admitted, even though I knew I was breaking my promise, which consisted of not talking to him.

"Did you get it?" He looked at me, his green eyes slightly dull.

"Nope," I shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "The salesman kept on commenting that it was mainly for business people and that men mostly used it. So I got a more feminine one."

Edward turned back to Dimitri who was pretending that he wasn't eavesdropping on our petty conversation.

"Can I see the latest model of Blackberry?" Edward asked, his voice surprisingly crisp and business-like.

"Sure," Dimitri nodded and retreated to the back of the store.

"You don't have to buy that just because I told you I wanted it." I protested in disdain.

"I just want to see the cell which got you mesmerized in such a young age." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Dimitri came back and placed a brand new slinky and slim Blackberry on the counter. He switched it on and the buttons glowed in an enticing way.

"I love it!" I admired the cell.

Edward took it in his hand and turned it around. After asking all the details about it and its advantages, he declared that he wanted the phone.

"Seriously?" I asked him in shock. I was secretly thrilled.

"Yes," he nodded with a trace of a smile.

We stared at each other and I wondered if I should apologize now and just get over it. But unfortunately, my dignity always came first. And so did Esme and Sasha.

"Did you choose?" Esme asked hopefully to Edward, her golden eyes twinkling.

Edward let out a deep chuckle. "I did. Bella helped me."

"Mmmm, she sure did." Sasha said knowingly as she stared at the Blackberry that was being packed by Dimitri.

"Thank you, Bella." Esme said gratefully.

"So did you buy anything?" I changed the topic.

"We did," Esme and Sasha raised the two glossy paper bags that were dangling from their wrists.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you two tomorrow evening at the party in my house." She said to Sasha and me.

"We will be there," Sasha promised, squeezing my elbow.

Esme tugged Edward along with her to the bill counter. I joined Sasha as she tried to find a suitable -unbreakable- cell for her.

"Forgot buying me a cell." Sasha whispered to me. "We should get ourselves a nice little dress to wear to the party. We should make Edward see what he is missing out."

When she caught my confused look, she hissed, "You, duh!"

A peal of laughter distracted both of us. Esme was bent towards Edward, whispering something to him. When she moved back, his cheeks turned red and he ducked his head.

I turned away before they could catch me gawking at them.

"He's staring at you," Sasha giggled in my ear.

"Shhh," I snapped. "I'm pretty sure Mrs Cullen was laughing about what you told me."

"We're standing at the opposite side of the store. There's no way she could have heard me." She reasoned but her face paled.

We pretended to go through the cells but when I heard the bell, hanging on top of the store's door ring, I looked up. Esme smiled at me and mouthed Get him, girl.

Uh-oh, busted!


Hey guys,

I'm so excited about this story! I just don't know why. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

-BEJL