A/N: I was late last week, so I thought I'd be early with this chapter. Happy weekend. Or Friday night. We're on school hols in Old Sydney Town. It's a blessing and a curse because while I don't have to do the morning and night school routine, my kids being home all day distracts me from getting anything written. Ah, well.
Thanks to Kim, and happy birthday, woman! And to StarryEyedWriter8.
MWAH.
Hoodwinked
Chapter 20
I wake early the next morning to the unmistakable sound of rubber violently colliding with rubber. A sound that is immediately followed by Edward's barely muffled, breathless grunts.
I open my eyes drowsily and squint against the low-rising morning sun filtering in through his open blinds. It's silhouetting Edward in an aura of golden light as he repeatedly, and with a lot of force, strikes the bag hanging from his ceiling. It sways slightly back and forth, its chain creaking as his fists continue to clash with it.
I watch him for a moment, on my stomach, the warmth of pre-summer's dawn against my exposed back as I allow my eyes to adjust to the light. He's shirtless and wearing only a pair of track pants. A sweat-band is across his forehead, a pair of bright red boxing gloves strapped to his wrists, as water all but pours from him. Every inch of his bared skin is glistening with it, and as his muscles flex and then jolt with each impact, particles of it fly into the air.
I'm still so tired and the sound is so hypnotic it almost lulls me back to sleep. My curiosity gets the better of me, though. And for the next twenty minutes or so, I watch discreetly as he continues without a pause until his breath becomes shorter, and the reflexive, exertive sounds bursting from him grow louder. He's making every effort to hold it in, but it's obvious it's becoming almost impossible for him. That's when he catches the bag as it swings back toward him and glances over his shoulder.
The instant I notice his head turn, I close my eyes. Whether he's caught me or not, I'm not sure, but I hear him snort softly to himself as he continues punching away.
I doze off not long after, and when I wake again it's to the feel of droplets of warm water hitting my bare back before Edward presses his lips briefly to my shoulder. The scent of soap and deodorant instantly follows and then fades away with the sounds of his feet gently thudding against the timber floor.
Groaning softly and stretching out my limbs, I open my eyes; catching the time on his iPod dock. It's just past seven.
"Want a coffee, sleeping beauty?" Edward as from behind me.
Rolling to my back, I sit up, facing him. That's when I realise I'm still topless, and breaking into a cagey grin Edward's gaze immediately zeroes in on my chest. He got my shirt off me last night—with very little persuasion—and I found I'm completely partial to sleeping beside him with the feel of his naked flesh against mine.
"Yeah," I answer, my voice croaky as I deliberately pull his sheet to cover myself. "Want me to make you breakfast?" I offer, breaking into a very different smile in response. I feel almost giddy.
He opens his mouth but pauses for a second. "I'm not going to say no to that."
He disappears into his walk-in, returning a moment later in his work-wear pants and clutching a rolled-up shirt in his hands. He tosses it to me; I catch it and wrangle it over my head. It's not exactly clean, but it smells like him and anything else right now is irrelevant. Besides the one I was wearing last night kind of got a lot dirtier.
After pulling on his licenced work-shirt, he reaches over the bed, grabs my hand and pulls me to him. I practically fall at his feet before he drags me behind him into the kitchen and meals area.
Given Edward's sweet tooth, I make him pancakes. It was pretty much my only option considering there was nothing else in the pantry.
"I don't suppose you have maple syrup?" I wonder out loud, after flipping the fifth round of batter in the frying pan.
"I prefer jam. There's some in the fridge," he answers, loudly stirring the two coffees he just made and flicking the remnants off the spoon at me.
I sigh, pretty patiently all things considered, and before I get the chance to wipe it from the side of my face, he does. Only to slide his other hand beneath my shirt to one of my boobs.
He takes me by surprise, and sucking in my breath, I jump in my skin and almost burn myself. "Edward!" I blurt, struggling to keep my voice hushed.
He laughs, and withdrawing his hand he slides a coffee in front of me. "Milk and two sugars, your highness."
I only sigh. I'm starting to suspect he'll never advance beyond being a caveman, no matter how much he ages.
I make him double the number of pancakes I made myself, and after sitting opposite him at the breakfast table I watch as he smears each one with butter and raspberry jam. I now know why he stays so fit, though.
"So, what are we doing tonight?" he asks me pretty casually after swallowing a humongous mouthful.
"Um...having sex," I state the obvious as he laughs again, smothering it quickly beneath his breath.
"I meant before...or after." He raises his brows in emphasis.
"Oh," I half shrug a shoulder. "I don't mind."
"I'll be home at four. Think about it."
"Do we have to do anything?"
"...It's Friday," he points out as if I'm not already aware of it.
"No kidding."
He arches that brow at me and smirks. "Gonna stay over again?"
"Sure," I say simply.
Pausing, he gauges me for a moment.
"What?" I ask.
He shakes his head, his grin turning inward. "Nothing... Hey?"
"Yeah." I glance up at him.
"If you want to go to a few parties tonight, we will."
"Sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"What if I really don't want to?"
His smile broadens. "Then we'll have our own party."
My grin pulls in tandem to his almost immediately. "I like that idea better."
"Alrighty." After shovelling the last of his breakfast into his mouth, he finishes his coffee and gets to his feet. "Come walk me out."
I wait on the front porch, still only in my knickers and his t-shirt, as he reverses his car from the garage. Then after parking on the driveway, he pushes open the driver's side door, and motions to me.
"What are you gonna do today?" he asks, helping me up to the ledge so I'm eye level with him.
"After I allow my mother to celebrate my womanhood, you mean?" I say lightly.
His brow knots with that confused amusement that everyone who knows my mother understands. "What?"
"She thinks last night was D-Day."
His amusement increases. "You gonna let her believe it?"
"If I can."
He laughs lightly. "So, I'm guessing you're still okay about tonight."
I nod once, breaking my gaze momentarily from his. "I'm still okay."
"You're beginning to shock the hell out of me, snotface."
"Already?" I say wryly, releasing a breath.
"If you knew why I call you it you wouldn't bitch about it so much."
I consider it for a moment, but I'm way too sceptical. "Why do you call me it?"
"Think about it."
"Tell me!"
"You should already know." He imitates my tone and clamps my nose between his fingers. "I gotta go, pain in the neck. Kiss me."
"Kiss me," I counter.
"No." He tugs on my hair. "Five...four..."
"What are you doing?"
"Counting down. You have five seconds to kiss me or I'll grab your tits."
"Oh my god," I mumble. "Fine." Leaning forward I press my lips gently to his. He attempts to grab my tits anyway, and after elbowing him from me, I step down to the driveway. "See you later, shithead."
He winks, and leaning down he flicks my forehead; the physical equivalent of snotface. I don't "bitch" or get screechy, as he normally accuses me of doing, for the main reason that he absolutely has hoodwinked me and I'm suddenly finding every dorky thing he does charming.
My mother would be proud. My father? Not so much.
"Later, brown eyes," he says, and after closing his door, he reverses to the road and pulls away; honking as he does.
I watch until his car is out of sight before I head back inside. Alice is awake, looking annoyed by the hour, her hair more of a mayhem than mine.
"Hey, Al," I greet her, leaning against the island counter beside her. "Jas gone home?"
"Uni 'til one," she explains. "So..." She turns to face me as that crafty expression she shares with her brother monopolises her expression. "How does it feel?"
"How does what feel?" I play dumb.
"Not being a virgin, obviously, you dag."
"I'm still a virgin," I admit, dropping my voice to a teasing whisper.
"Seriously?" Her tone rises in disbelief. "Then what was that—never mind. I don't want to know." She grimaces, hiding it behind her oversized coffee mug. "We gonna hang today?" she asks after swallowing a gulp.
"Of course."
"Let's sunbake. I want to get tanned for tomorrow."
"Let's not. I'll end up a lobster." Alice can tan in five minutes. I blister and get third degree burns in two.
"Wanna go shopping then?" she suggests. "Jas broke my hair dryer."
"How?"
She rolls her eyes. "You know what he's like. He loves his hair more than me."
"Okay," I answer her.
"'Kay, about twelve?"
"Yeah."
"So, Jas and I are going to Rose's party tonight. Everyone's going apparently. You in?"
"No. Edward doesn't want to," I answer her.
"Um—what?" she says cynically, but she's just as equally shocked. "Okay, forget what I said last night, you've completely tamed him."
"Only because he knows I don't want to go," I attempt to explain.
"Still applies."
"Alice..."
"God, I'm in the Twilight Zone."
"We're having our own party," I say, smiling secretively.
"TMI!" she bursts. "Ugh, I gotta get some more sleep," she grumbles. "Jas likes to sleep practically on top of me. I swear I was cooking all night."
"Okay, go crash some more. I'm going to head home and get changed." And shower. And shave—everything.
"Kay..." Turning to me she pulls me momentarily into her arms. "I'm happy for you, Bells. He's my brother and a total Neanderthal sometimes, but he's a good guy."
"I know," I reply, wrapping my arms around her in return. "See you at twelve."
After throwing my shorts and singlet top back on, I grab my overnight bag from Edward's room and attempt to sneak into the house without attracting my mother's attention. I fail, of course. The moment I close the front door quietly behind me she comes rushing at me from the kitchen.
"Sweetie," she gushes, bringing both her hands to my cup my face. "How do you feel?" Her eyes are lit up and she's slightly manic, but I made the decision years ago to give her this moment.
"Fine," I reply.
"How was it?" Her tone rises, her eyes widening in obvious anticipation for details I have no intention of giving her.
"Erm, fine."
"Just fine?" Her voice drops.
"Mum..." I sigh.
"Okay, I know it can be overwhelming, but... Oh, sweetie, let me look at you." She angles my face in every direction as if the lack of purity will somehow show in my complexion. "You're a woman now."
"Yeah," I mumble as the prickle of mortification begins to heat my face.
"Were you safe?" she asks, her scrutiny now on my eyes, and I'm suddenly concerned she'll see my deception in them.
"Yes."
"Was he gentle?"
"Mum, please..."
"Did you cry?"
"Why would I cry?"
"Because it's such a huge moment in a girl's life—did you have an orgasm?"
"Mum!" I protest, all but cringing away from her. "You're crossing boundaries!"
"Oh..." She makes that excited sound again, rising her shoulders with it. "Be right back, sweetie."
I vaguely hear the sound of the bath water running, but since I can also hear Jake running crazy in the family room, I naively assume it's for him. My mother's anal retentive about keeping him clean; which often means more than one bath a day.
She returns roughly half an hour later, just as I'm about to step into the shower, carrying two champagne glasses. It's easier just to humour her, and allowing her to sit me down on my bed I take the glass from her and toast my coming of age.
"Did you bleed?" she ventures after delving into another round of too-personal questions.
"Oh my god."
"It's quite normal."
"I know, but, Mum, this—I don't want to go into details."
"Okay..." She curves her arm around me and squeezes me. "Drink up."
I down it in one mouthful if only to end the torture, when my mother pulls me up from the bed. Then taking my shoulders in each palm she guides me into the hall.
This is when Jake rounds the corner, jumping up and down and clapping as he choruses my name to the beat. "Bel-la, Bel-la, Bel-la!"
"What's he doing?" I ask.
"I told him to congratulate you."
"Mum!" I burst. "He's three!"
"Oh..." She dismisses me outright and leads me into the bathroom. "I ran you a bath." She motions to the body of water with rose petals floating on the surface and god knows what else. It smells like the inside of a hippie, incense shop. "I added some essential oils and salts that are good for inflammation—"
"Um, thanks," I utter, both mortified and impressed by the lengths of her investment.
"I know how irresistible he is, sweetie, but try and wait a few days before you do it again. You need to let your body heal."
I nod, becoming distracted as my mind races to comprehend her meaning. She isn't exactly painting a very warm and fuzzy picture of what's just over the horizon for me. Especially when she ran the same kinds of baths for herself after giving birth to Jake.
What will I need to "heal" from? I wonder. It's not as if I can ask her, though. She'll know I lied to her, and while she can be oppressively invested her heart's always been in the right place.
I feel like I'm reminding myself of that daily.
"I-I really appreciate this, Mum. Thanks," I mumble, staring down at the sickly sweet-scented bath water waiting for me.
"You're welcome." She squeezes me to her again. "Do you want to talk, later?"
I shake my head slowly. "No. Alice and I are going shopping soon."
"Okay. Take your time." She leaves me to it as real panic, for the first time, begins to converge on me.
. . .
"Alice, I want you to be honest—brutally honest," I appeal to her after we order protein shakes and find a seat in the Mall's food court.
"Okay..." she replies, only sounding moderately apprehensive.
"How badly is it going to hurt?"
She hesitates for a moment, looking as if she's deliberating her answer. "It's kinda uncomfortable in the beginning, but then it's...not."
"How long for."
"It depends, I guess." She takes a loud slurp from her straw.
"On what?"
"Whether you're well...lubricated." Her brow cocks in deliberate innuendo.
"You mean..."
"Get him to make you come first." She huffs brashly, her eyes squeezed shut.
"Oh..." I mumble, sipping my drink thoughtfully. "H-how..." I stammer when she interjects.
"Bella—my brother, remember?"
"Well, who else am I going to talk to?"
"I know, but—ugh..."
"What will need to heal?"
"Huh?" Her brow knots in confusion. "What...?"
"My mother seems to think I'll need several days after to heal."
"Geez, Bells, how big is your old man?"
"—Alice! Christ!"
"See what I mean? Cringe-fest, right?" she reiterates her point.
"I know, but..."
"You might be...tender after but that's it. You're worried about nothing."
"Really?" I ask hopefully, but it's not enough to convince me. Yet.
"Really. It's just...something you have to experience yourself."
"But it's not painful painful, is it?"
"Compared to what?" She frowns and tilts her head.
"Breaking your arm?" It's something we both did in fifth grade—three months apart. Alice fell out of the treehouse, and I flipped over the handle bars of my bike.
"God, no." She immediately dismisses me, and it gives me a little more faith. "Bells, you're being silly. It's really not that bad, and kinda...nice the first time." A wistful smile pulls on her lips before she breaks to glance down at her phone, the straw of her shake wedged between her lips. "God, Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley are down here, too."
"Ugh, why...?" I moan after Alice turns her phone to me, showing me the selfie they'd just taken with Santa Claus on the bottom floor.
Naturally we run into them, because whenever they're around the world shrinks to a tenth its size. We're in Target in the small appliances section when we round an aisle and suddenly find ourselves face to face with them. Mike only scowls at me, while Jessica's expression is sly.
Alice nudges me. "Well, you know what they say?" she pipes up, raising her voice for their obvious benefit. "Some people up grade and some people down grade."
It's times like this that I'm reminded again that smart-assery runs in her family's DNA.
"And some people whore around." Is Jessica's snotty come-back.
"And some people can't get over the fact that my brother wouldn't whore around with them," Alice immediately counters. "Everyone has standards. You understand that, right, Jessica?"
Snorting to herself, Jessica switches her attention to me. "What's the matter, Bella? Cat got your tongue?" Her eyebrows raise to emphasise it, and when I fail to answer she smirks smugly. "Just as I thought. Standing behind Alice again."
I can feel my face rapidly burning, and I hate myself for it. Mostly because she's right. I've let Alice fight my battles for me since pre-school.
"You and Edward coming partying tonight, hm?" she asks, and as she flashes that obnoxious grin at me a second time something snaps deep within me.
"No, actually. I'd rather have sex with my boyfriend than watch the two of you attempt to in front of everyone." The words are out of my mouth before I'm fully aware of them, leaving Jessica surprisingly dumbstruck, and if I didn't know any better...disappointed.
"Aww, what's the matter, Jessica?" Alice adds, her wit just as lightning fast as her brother's. "Did you want Edward to autograph one of your ransom notes?"
"I think they were poems," I reply to Alice as Jessica, now red-faced and fuming, turns on her heel and stalks off, dragging Mike behind her.
Alice snickers, loudly, getting in one last jab before they disappear out of sight. "Belllllllls," she drawls, clearly impressed, "whatever Edward's doing to you, I completely approve. That was epic!"
"It felt bloody good, too," I murmur, smiling secretly to myself.
"She actually looked upset Edward's not coming," Alice says laughing as she wraps her arms around my shoulders. "Talk about pathetic."
"I know. In front of Mike, too," I add, shaking it from my thoughts.
"Reckon she's his pity date?"
I open my mouth only to break into an immediate grin. "Wouldn't that be ironic?"
"Epically ironic."
. . .
Edward sends me a text just before four to let me know he's working an hour back, and so keeping up the charade, Alice comes over and we get ready to go partying. My father will overlook sleeping over Alice's once, but a second night might cause complications. And he's been in the force long enough to know after-exam parties are everywhere this time of year. It's a convincing enough excuse.
"What time will you be home?" he asks, clearly unimpressed with all of it, after entering my room while Alice is in the middle of doing my hair.
"Um, probably late," I answer delicately from the floor as Alice sits over me on my bed.
"Edward going?" he demands, his tone stiffening.
"Yeah..."
"Take a cab," he orders, and pulling his wallet from his back pocket he hands me a fifty dollar note.
"Thanks, Dad," I say, smiling up at him warmly. He returns it, albeit awkwardly, and leaves.
"Ouch..." Alice whispers after he closes the door behind him. "He really doesn't trust Edward, does he?"
"Not a lot," I say wryly, flattening my palm to my stomach; it's starting to roll.
"Well good," she decides. "Edward needs to earn his respect."
"He's doing okay," I say with a sigh. "I don't feel well. Am I hot?" I turn to face her.
She places the back of her hand to my brow and smiles knowingly. "Nope. Getting cold feet?"
"No... I mean, how will I know?" I ask.
"What's your body telling you?"
"Huh?" I glance over my shoulder at her again and almost burn my ear on the curling iron she has wrapped around a strand of my hair.
"When you think of him does it say, 'that's right, bitch, we're here and it's time to par-tay'?"
"Um...in not so many words..." I mumble.
"Does everything burn and tingle and you feel the need to cross your legs very tightly?"
"Alice..." My face immediately bursts into flames. "I thought there was a strict TMI policy where Edward and I are concerned?"
"Just as I thought." She snickers. "Nerves, babe. Nothing else."
"How you girls, doing? Need a hand?" My mother offers, sticking her head in my room a minute later.
"We're fine, Mum," I reply as Alice invites her in.
Sitting before me on the carpet, she applies my eyeliner while Alice finishes curling my hair. "Are you staying at Alice's again, sweetie?" she whispers.
"Probably," I reply.
"Definitely," Alice corrects me.
"Okay, I'll take care of your father," she smiles to herself, completely overlooking the fact that I'm descending into a ball of nerves and restlessness. "What time will the boys be here?"
"Six," Alice plays along. She filled them both in on the ruse.
"I feel sick!" I burst, but I'm filling with as much anticipation as I am jitters.
"You're fine," Alice says dryly, as my mother cups her hand to my cheek to peer into my eyes.
"What's wrong, sweetie?"
"I... I mean..." But breaking her gaze I abandon it.
"It's all starting to hit you, isn't it?" she concludes, her voice gentle.
"Yeah," I whisper.
"What has?" Alice pipes up.
"Her losing her virginity last night," my mother fills her in as I'm plunged straight back into Hell.
"Huh?" Alice says blankly when I discreetly elbow her in the shin. "Oh! —Yeah. Don't worry, Mrs Swan, the two of them were practically bouncing off the walls. Kept me awake all nigh—"
"Alice!" I protest, beyond mortified as she descends into giggles.
"She's just teasing you, sweetie," my mother assures me of what I already know. "Do you need a B12 to calm down?"
"Please." And ironically, for the first time in my life, I do.
She gives one to Alice as well, before resuming her place in front of me to finish my makeup. I'm almost fearful to see the result, but it's not nearly as bad as I feared. She's given me smoky eyes that compliment them—albeit making them look a tad too large—and a darker shade of lipstick than I usually wear, but Alice assures me that Edward will like it. I'm inclined to believe her. He likes dark eyes; he's always made that known, and for the first time in my life I'm happy I inherited by father's mahogany brown eyes and not my mother's sky blue.
Alice picks out my outfit; a navy blue, sleeveless dress, buttoned down the front to my knees. Again, because Edward will like it. It's her way of supporting this moment in my life while trying to remain detached from the fact that it involves her brother.
He arrives a couple of minutes early with Jas in tow. The both of them wait for me and Alice in the foyer as my mother fills us in on how "handsome" they look. She's never wrong where Edward is concerned and tonight's no exception. He's wearing a collared shirt that actually looks ironed, his hair is still wet and neatly combed, he's cleanly shaven, and he smells as equally potent as he does alluring.
He's taken the extra effort tonight because I've never seen him look so well-put-together.
It almost doesn't look like him. Until he smiles, that is, when Edward as I know him shines through.
"You look fuck-hot," he murmurs against my ear after grabbing my hand and pulling me beside him.
"You look almost civilised," I tease him.
He laughs lightly, and curling his arm around my waist he squeezes me, only to look up into my father's disapproving gaze.
"Mr Swan," Edward greets him, clearing his throat and extending his hand.
"Edward." He takes it begrudgingly.
"Not working tonight?" Edward ventures, and there's something in his tone that suggests they've become acquainted with each other's presence Friday nights.
"No." My father's tone is almost wry before he does an about-face and disappears behind the double doors that closes the kitchen-family area from the foyer.
"I think he's warming up to me," he jokes covertly against my ear again.
"He better not find out what you're going to do to me tonight, then," I reply in just as much confidence.
"You're really surprising me, snotface," he says after my mother practically ushers all four of us out the door.
"I remember." I look up at him and smile, and he returns it almost immediately.
"...Remember?"
"Why you call me snotface."
A/N: Yes, next chapter will be *that* chapter. Thanks for reading.