"Do you think Bella will mind us being there? She hasn't exactly been so… elated with us lately." Alice asked Emma, again.
"Again, yes! Besides, you're not her guests: you're mine! Anyway, I doubt it's as bad as you say. She wouldn't have used your studio if she couldn't stand you!" Replied Emma in an "aha!" tone.
"Actually," corrected Esme, "A cheque from Atlantic Records came through the mail this morning; I think it was strictly business to her."
Emma truly couldn't understand why they were so nervous. That was a side of the Cullens she has never experienced before, and frankly, it didn't suit them. The Cullens she knew were confident, striking, powerful, the kind of people you thrive to be like; the kind of family that belonged on TV adverts for model families. That characteristic of nervousness did not suit them at all, she was pretty sure they knew it, too, more importantly, they didn't like it either.
Shhhh I'm working!
Her mother had the strangest ways of communicating sometimes. The piece of paper on the door was actually one of her rather normal ways of letting people know she's recording and not to make noise.
Upon seeing Emma slide off her shoes, The Cullens follow suit before, one-by-one, following her into the living. They heard the sound of a guitar being played somewhere upstairs. Bella's home, it looked like. Observed Alice after a soft voice started singing.
"Where would like to start?" Asked Emma, as she turned to face them.
"What do you mean?" Asked Rosalie.
"A tour in the house! Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to start with?"
"No, anywhere would be good."
Emma decided to start "from top to bottom". She took us upstairs. The house was lovely, vintage. The furnishings were something you'd see in Better Homes and Garden magazines. It was elegantly classy yet not so much so that one would feel out of place.
I'm impressed, Esme told her son who merely gave a quick smile in response.
APOV
When we reached the top of the stairs, Emma turned left and went up yet another, smaller staircase. She showed us her room. It was average sized. Pastels colors combined to make a blue and pink haven. It was simple, a bed, a few chests of drawers, built-n wardrobes and a mirror which took up one corner of the room. An acoustic guitar sat alone in the corner of room. This s a really musical home, I thought, remembering the piano I saw downstairs.
One floor down, Aidan's room was simpler. Browns and blues dominated the room. A bed rested in the middle of the room; on either side of it sat bedside tables each with a lamp resting on them. In the corner was a door which I assumed led to a walk-in-wardrobe, the carpet was velvet soft, a luscious cream which engulfed your feet when you step on it. Nice.
To say Bella's room was unexpected might have been the year's biggest understatement. It was truly the last thing I expected from Bella, the seventeen year old girl with the same room she had since birth. That room belonged to a woman. A woman with an eye for colors, one who knew what she liked and wasn't afraid to be bold. Grays dominated the room. The walls, the carpet, bed spread, duvets, grays, grays and more grays.
Everywhere you turn; it was a shade of grey. The whites were thrown in to brighten up the room. It was a testimony for modern art. It worked; it was gorgeous, beautiful and sexy! The attached unsuited complimented the room immensely. It was rustic, country, also grey. Two wash basins sat side by side: his and hers, how cute!
The two rooms were no different. Each was different, had a personality of its own. The bathroom was green, wooden. Good lord, this is a Martha Stewart haven!
The next room was rather surprising: it was empty, like completely free of furniture. No sofa, no chair, nothing. In the room was Bella. She sat on the floor with her legs crossed, a guitar on her lap and a MacBook on the floor in front of her. She was singing. I've never knew she had such a sweet voice.
You wanna love, you wanna
You wanna love but you've forgotten how
You wanna love, you wanna
You wanna love but you don't love me now
And now I know what it feels like
In the corner of your narrow mind
One hundred weeks later I find
He's been replaced with
A soul that knows too much
A heart that's out of touch
Oh, yes, you've hit the right nerve
You wanna love, you wanna
You wanna love but you've forgotten how
You wanna love, you wanna
You wanna love but you don't love me now
Emma pulled us out of the room and leaded us downstairs. I didn't fail to notice how Bella never made eye contact with anyone.
When we get downstairs, I noticed that Aidan was there. He gave a warm but guarded smile before throwing a glance at his sister and turning his attention back to his work.
Once again, that house did not disappoint. Two sofas sat facing each other, beside them were two arm chairs placed side by side, a long table with various accessories was in the middle of them. I didn't see a TV, and apparently I wasn't the only to notice that.
"You don't have a TV?" asked Edward who had been quiet for the entire length of the tour. I hadn't failed to notice how he didn't go into Bella's room.
"We do," said Emma. "It's in the other room. Bella and Mark liked the idea of having two separate rooms: a family room." She gestured to the space around her. "And a TV room." She proceeded to lead us to the said room.
The TV room was all it was said to be: a room with a TV. No accessories, no computers. Simply a large TV and a few sofas.
I don't know why I expected anything less from the Kitchen. Honestly, I really didn't.
"Wow," whispered an awed Esme once Emma finished the tour and we were finally settled in the family room. "Are you renting or is it yours?"
"Ours," replied Emma. "Took years to build – yes, it was built from the ground – but it was totally worth the wait. Shame we mainly live stateside",
At that moment, Bella made her way down the stairs. She was on the phone, talking to a man with a strong voice. The smile on her face suggested that conversation was pleasant. In her other hand, she has an electric guitar.
She didn't bother to throw a glance towards us but she stopped when Emma started making ridiculous gestures in the air.
"Hold on," she murmured into her iPhone before turning to face Emma. "Yes, my love, how can I help you?"
"Well," started Emma although she sounded defeated already. "I was wondering if you would like to hang out for a while?"
"It's Thursday." Replied Bella. Her attention split between Emma and her phone.
So what?
"Yes, I know and you know I wouldn't normally ask but, please?" her face was so hopeful, I doubt Bella was going to say no to her.
"Aww, as much as I'd love to," Emma's shoulders sagged at the rejection. "I have work to do."
"Can't you work another day?" she was basically begging at that point. It was rather heart wrenching.
"I need to have the entire track list for Teenage Dream sent in by tomorrow afternoon, Emma. I'm sorry, maybe another day." She looked truly remorseful, in all fairness.
Emma simply nodded in understanding.
"Sorry, love." Bella said. She offered us a forced smile before returning to her phone call and made her way down to the basement.
Around four pm, Bella finally emerged but only to go straight upstairs. Shortly after, Caroline and Chris came which made the total number of visitors nine.
I don't think Bella will be too ecstatic about this…
"Where's Bella?" asked Caroline after she and Chris have settled. I wondered if she and Chris were a thing.
"In the shower." Replied Emma.
"Is she going somewhere?" asked Chris. He didn't seem to approve.
"Er, yeah, she has some sort of a meeting."
Here merely nodded in response, a deep frown sat on his face.
"How's the album going, do you know? She told me she's quite proud of it. It what will make her mainstream."
What album?
"Er, really good, actually. I think it's all written now all she has to do is record it then send it off!"
What album?!
"Do you know where she's storing the files? I'd love to know hear a bit…"
"Once she's gone, maybe. She doesn't like anyone touching her computer."
We continued to socialize until Bella came down at around half-five wearing a very tight fitting blue dress. She walked to the table in the middle and opened a compartment where she pulled out two large, metal boxes each labeled 'Paramore'. Instead of taking them upstairs like we expected her to, she simply opened them there to reveal a lot of make-up. Mascara, foundation, lip gloss, lip stick, you name it, she had it.
She opted for face power rather than foundation, smart choice. Personally, I see no reason why she was wearing it in the first place, she has lovely skin; immortality suited her well.
"Are you going in a date or a meeting?" asked Caroline skeptically,
A disappointed Bella looked up and sighed at Caroline. "Is it too date-y?"
"Sweetie, you look like you're trying to get something but it sure isn't a contract!"
Defeated, Bella went back upstairs.
"Are you two good friends?" asked Edward.
"The best!" bragged Caroline with a stupid grin on her face. To my left I noticed Jasper raising a questioning eyebrow at me and Aidan looked unhappy. What was that about?
"How about now, is this better?" Bella came back downstairs, that time in a grey tweed ensemble. Trousers, and a matching jacket with a white blouse. She wore a pair of unbelievably high grey, suede stilettos to top it off. She really liked the color grey.
The door bells rang and Bella turned to answer it, "Expecting anyone else?" she asked Emma but Emma didn't have time to reply.
Anyone else. Nice!
Behind the door stood a frantic woman with a wailing baby in her arms.
"Please, you have to help me; I don't know what to do; my husband is out of time, it's the first time I've been alone with her; I don't know what to do, she won't stop crying!"
By the looks of it, she was close to tears, too.
I turned my head to Rose who looked like she'd give anything to be able to help - to be able to hold that baby. "I'm sorry," she said, confirming my suspicions. "I would love to help but, to be honest, I'll do more harm than good; babies don't like."
"Can you try? Please?" the woman's voice broke at the last word. She looked so desperate!
"May I?" asked Bella gesturing to the screaming baby girl in the woman's arms. The burping cloth was already resting on her shoulders.
The woman happily passed the baby to Bella, willing to try anything to get her daughter settled.
"Come in," said Bella turning her back on the woman and walking closer to us before placing the baby on the soft carpet. "Has she eaten?"
The woman nodded in response, her eyes glued to the baby on the floor who, already, seemed to be settling down.
"You're pretty girl!" Cooed Bella. "What's her name?" she asked the mother without turning to face her.
The woman told her.
"Well, Nicole, you're certainly beautiful, aren't you?" She tickled the baby's belly.
Without an obvious cause, Nicole kicked off again, that time, she was louder. It'd make you feel for the kid.
Hush, little baby, don't say a word
Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird
If that mocking bird don't sing
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
If that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass
If that looking glass gets broke
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat
If that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull
If that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover
If that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart
If that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.
Hush, little baby, don't say a word
Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird
If that mocking bird don't sing
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
If that diamond ring turns brass,
It took Bella two rounds of the lullaby for Nicole to quiet down and sleep.
"Um, wow." Whispered the woman in awe. "You're amazing, do you- did you- oh my God! Thank you! Good Lord, thank you so, so much I would never have been able to that!"
After placing her new born in the car seat, the woman – who we later knew to be Kayleigh – thanked Bella numerous times, complimented her house a millions and apologized four possibly ruining her plans, you guessed it, a million times.
Shortly, after a man who introduced himself as Christian, came to pick up Bella. He was dressed in a silver suit, (Armani, I noticed), a black shirt and black shoes. Simple yet sophisticated. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he and Bella synchronized their outfits.
They were gone for two and a half hours and when she came back home, Bella ran straight back upstairs before returning looking more like the Bella I knew: make up free, wearing a pair of old jeans, and oversized tee and slipper-socks.
She goes the only empty eat in the room, next to Alexis.
Suddenly, the room was silent. Bella made a gesture to Caroline, who was sitting opposite to her, by joining her hands, one on top of the other, and making her thumbs do circular movements.
"Awkward turtle" said Chris before the three of them start snickering. Umm, ok?
Slowly but surely, the tension defused; we end up playing a game of Just Dance. Ok, Bella and Chris were cheaters. They claimed not to cheat, but they did. Poor Emmett couldn't understand why he was losing when he was in fact, playing against two players; Bella had somehow managed to link her controller to Chris' so that, somehow, her points went to Chris's character.
Claire, one of the people who came while Bella was gone ended up losing a game to Emma. It was clear that the girl was a sore loser, not to mention neither Bella nor Caroline took a particular liking to her.
Emma voiced her opinions saying there was nothing worse than a sore loser.
Obviously, Claire did not take well to that and slapped Emma across the face for her observation.
At that, Bella momentarily froze before turning to face Claire. "Bitch, you did not just slap my child."
OMG dudes. I'm done. This literally took me all day. Started at around mid-day and just finishing now (23:38) and my fingers are stiff! Snow day for me today, if tomorrow's also one, you might get another chapter!
I'd really appreciate if you'd post a review. I'm sorry for keeping waiting for so long, I just never got to writing this chapter but hopefully it was kinda worth the wait. It's about to get real now.
Please, please review
Song recommendation: Imagine Dragons – Radioactive.