I don't own twilight. What I own is my character's behavior, personality, background, and plot of the story.
A huge thank you to my beta Madmooey18 for putting in the effort and helping me make this story what it is.
Author's Note at the end.
"The dress is looser around the hips than last week, have you been dieting or something?" Alice asks Bella as she fitted her in the dress using clips to hold the extra fabric.
"Darling, I have been losing weight since I gave birth," Bella replies, looking ahead. She doesn't feel comfortable discussing her weight, especially with Alice. It's bad enough that she heard an earful from some designers during the fashion week. She doesn't need Alice adding her thoughts to the hat too.
"I think you look pretty good the way you are now, and you looked pretty good a week ago," Alice tells her and she takes her measurements.
Bella waves her off and tells her, "Oh please. We all know that that is just bullshit. The world collectively decided to celebrate people who aren't thin, so that people can pat themselves on the back and pretend like they fixed a systematic or social issue, but the truth is that everyone secretly is trying to lose weight and thinks that thinner is better."
Getting an offended look on her face, Alice exclaims, "Bella that's a terrible thing to say."
Bella rolls her eyes at her and tells her, "You only have a problem with vocalizing the issue and not hiding it. You don't have a problem with the issue itself."
Alice slaps her arm and tells her sounding extremely offended, "How dare you? Take that back."
What is she going to do next? Clutch her pearls.
"Get off your high horse, Alice. It doesn't suit you. You talk a big talk about exclusivity when in fact you have never styled a woman larger than a size 6 in your entire career," Bella replies, shutting her up. Alice is quiet for the next ten minutes as she helps her out of her dress and gives her a shimmering silver one with feathers at the bottom to try on.
Her silence doesn't last as she jumps to another topic by asking Bella, "So how are things with you and Edward?"
"We're good," Bella answers without giving her any details.
"Just good?" Alice probes trying to dig for more information.
"What do you mean?" Bella asks, playing dumb.
Huffing, Alice tells her, "Good isn't enough. It's mediocre. Are you in love? Do you see this lasting long? Is he the one? Do you have fun in bed?"
Bella slaps her shoulder when she hears the last question then replies in frustration, "What in the actual fuck, Alice? We have known each other for a total of a month. Do you really expect to have any of your questions answered? Good is not as terrible as you make it to be. Good is the right thing for a relationship to be at the beginning."
Bella doesn't give Alice that speech because she wants to defend the honor of good. She gives it because she wants her friend to realize that there is something wrong with her relationship, but of course it flies over Alice's head because ironically all she can think of is herself and why she doesn't know every single detail of Bella's personal life.
"So, neither you nor Edward want to tell me anything. Do you sit together and plan how to give me a slow painful death too?" she exclaims at the end.
Only when the world starts revolving around you.
Bella rolls her eyes again at Alice then says, "Stop being melodramatic, Alice. Not everything is about you. There is such a thing called privacy which means that you need to be kept on a needs to know basis. Live with it."
"Fine," Alice finally gives up, throwing her hands in the air before stepping back and looking Bella over then telling her, "You are done. Go change back into your clothes."
Bella blows her a kiss and then walks to the room to change, only to hear Alice ask her, "So what is this movie premiere you are going to?"
"Edward is attending to support his friend who happens to be the score composer," Bella replies through the door.
"Oh, so it's not one of those things where people go for the sake of going," Alice replies.
"What? You didn't know?" Bella is shocked and questions her, as she swings the door open.
Alice shakes her head which prompts Bella to ask her, "Why? You're not exactly known for your ability to not ask questions."
"Well," Alice tells her as she goes into the kitchen and starts the coffee machine, "Lover boy hasn't been private on only your relationship, he's been keeping his mouth shut on everything."
"Why? Is something wrong?" Bella asks in concern over the sound of the coffee machine. He has been his jovial optimistic self and Alice's description of him is surprising to her. If anything, Edward isn't one to keep secrets. He is the one to share them like they are afternoon treats.
Whoever he dates next will have a field day with him. The man doesn't know how to keep secrets.
Too bad it's not me.
Shut up.
"He has been getting more involved in the family business and getting more late-night calls, so he is pissed at the men in the family including Jasper and by extension me," Alice confides in her.
"Ohh," Bella mutters quietly to herself as she thinks of how this could potentially impact her. Of course, she isn't going to demand that he follow her orders. She has already made a deal so she can't back out now, but that doesn't stop her from thinking of the possibilities.
These thoughts follow her as she gets ready and as she puts on the final touches, she dials Edward's number which he answers after two rings, "Please don't tell me you are canceling on me cause frankly this day is already shot as it is."
She rolls her eyes at his dramatic attitude and tells him, "No, I'm not. Now breathe in through your nose," she pauses waiting for him to follow her orders.
"Breathe out through your mouth," she orders.
After they do that for a couple of times she asks him, "You feel better?"
"Yes, thank you."
The silence lasts for a moment before she interrupts it by saying, "So, I called to see if you could come ten minutes earlier and come up to my apartment."
"Is anything wrong?" he asks immediately, sounding alert.
"Nothing alarming," she quickly replies putting him at ease, before continuing, "I just wanted to chat with you before we go to the premiere."
"Oh, okay," he tells her before they end the call and Bella goes back to touching up her makeup and hair.
Before she knows it, the time has passed and there is a knock on her door. She checks her reflection in the mirror to make sure that nothing is out of place. She's looking great if she says so herself. She is wearing a burnt orange wrap long sleeved satin midi dress with a plunging neckline. Her hair is straightened with the bangs pinned to the side, and her make up is simple except for the eyeshadow that plays with the same shade of her dress.
Another knock on the door snaps her out of her self-appreciation and she hurries to the door and opens it. "Sorry, I got held up in my room looking for my shoes," she tells him, the lie flowing smoothly.
She is met with silence for a moment before Edward snaps out of his trance and tells her, "Wow, you look amazing."
"This?" she asks, pointing at herself, "It's an everyday thing for me," she finishes and then sits on one of the chairs by the kitchen counter.
After she pats the chair opposite hers, Edward sits and waits patiently for her to speak. "I heard something from Alice and I want to ask you about it."
"It's false," he tells her automatically knowing that Alice in her frustration with him has probably said so much crap about him.
"So you aren't more active in the family business?" she inquires.
"Oh that is what she told you?" he asks her and once she nods her head he continues, "Sadly, it's true."
"Should I be worried?" she asks him beating around the bush because she doesn't want to ask him directly if this will touch her as she doesn't want to sound self-centered or selfish.
He gets a confused look on his face as he tells her, "I don't understand."
"You are more active in the family business and as your supposed girlfriend, should I be worried?" she asks him repeating her sentiment again.
It dawns on him what she means and he tells her, "Bella, you aren't new to this. You know that the women of the family are untouchable."
"I know that," she tells him and then pauses to find the right words before saying, "You You aren't doing this because your position in the family is being threatened and you are trying to prove a point?"
It's not a statement. It's a question. For one second, one second only, Edward considers telling her the truth. The truth isn't supposed to harm. It is supposed to set you free, but Edward doesn't want to be free. The moment Bella finds out that there is a threat on her life, she will end them before they even began.
"Of course not Bella," Edward tells her in a reassuring voice.
Bella sighs in relief and then before she can stop herself, she lays her hand gently on his and tells him, "We are a united front, so if anything happens I am a good asset to have on your side if you need me."
Edward is silent for a moment before his eyes settle on their hands which prompts Bella to realize what she did and try to remove her hand before Edward stops her by clasping her hand in his and telling her, "Thank you, Bella."
She smiles at him and tells him, "Don't mention it," and then she places her hands on her knees and asks him, "So, when will we leave?"
"Whenever you're ready," Edward answers her and then stands up. He offers Bella his elbow and leads her to the door. After she locks the door, they head off to the elevator.
"So, I expected to see your kids when I came to your apartment," he tells her as they watch New York turn into a blur from their seat in the car.
Turning away from the window, she tells him, "They're at Phil's. You didn't expect to meet them, did you?"
"What? Don't be so shocked. I like to be prepared by thinking of every possibility," he replies in defense.
"You mean that you like to prepare for every possible problem," she smirks.
"Yes, I do," he tells her shamelessly, nodding his head. He has no problem letting her no that he is practically obsessive when it comes to planning things in advance and being prepared. She just talked him out of having a panic attack. It's not unbelievable for her to know.
She stares at him in silence until she shrugs her shoulders and tells him, "I don't know. I didn't think you would be that person."
Resisting the urge to ask her why, he tells her, "You can't get very far in business by talent alone. You need to be a good strategist."
"And have rich parents," she adds cheekily.
"And that," he adds in agreement.
She looks at him for a second before she jokes, "I just assumed that you would use your charm to talk yourself out of any problem."
He laughs at that before he tells her, "Believe it or not, I am not a naturally charming person. All of this is years of practice, and rehearsal. None of this comes naturally to me."
At the look of disbelief in her eyes, he tells her, "When I would attend family gatherings as a teen, I started noticing that the men of the family are three types, the charmers, the bloodthirsty, and the intimidating. I was a lanky kid. Being intimidating was out of my league. I couldn't stomach watching an animal get slaughtered let alone a human, so the second option was out. I was left with charm. That was something I could learn."
Bella nods her head in understanding. Every time they speak, she realizes how similar they are. Both of them have aspirations for their careers. Her's hasn't come to fruition yet, but she isn't worried. Her's is bound to be fruition too. They are both planners, and both of them have been forced to make the best with what they were given and turn things around. Make a bad situation livable. Both of them had to change in ways they wished they didn't. That scares her.
Despite exiting the same car, Bella and Edward walked the red carpet separately and once they were done, they walked hand in hand to their seats in the theater. While they both want to milk this for PR, both of them recognize the importance of maintaining separate identities. Throughout the two-hour film, she feels Edward's eyes on her but fights the urge to turn to him. The only way for her to keep herself in check is by keeping some distance between them. She is failing miserably if the skip in her heartbeat, especially when he holds her hand, is any indication to go by. She doesn't know how long she can stick around without her heart getting involved.
The truth is that Bella is starving for love. The last time she felt unconditional love was when her mum was alive. That was why she threw herself into James's arms despite all of the warning signs. If that experience taught her anything, it's that her heart can't be set loose, nor can it be trusted. It needs to be in shackles, or it will drive her off a hill.
"So, did you enjoy the movie?" Edward asks her as they exit the theater and enter the lobby.
If I ever watch another person crack a joke within the next 24 hours, they will die.
"It was different than what I'm used to," Bella replies after some thought.
It was terrible. I hated it. Why did you give this bullshit answer to him?
Because you aren't pragmatic and this is his friend's film. He will not like you criticizing it.
"Different good or bad?" Edward inquires as he leads her to the table with some drinks on it.
"Thanks, but no," she tells him declining the wine glass he tries to hand her before she answers, "It was just different. I need some time to figure out what I liked about it and what I didn't."
There, I gave him a semi-honest answer.
"And now you sound like a politician being all pragmatic and giving me a non-answer answer," he tells her, rolling his eyes at her.
She pretends that she didn't hear him speak and hooks her arm in his elbow before whispering, "You didn't tell me what you thought of the movie?"
He turns to look at her and leans till his mouth is near her ear then whispers back, "I hated it."
"No way!" she whisper-yells, looking up at him.
Keeping his voice low, he leads her toward one of the balconies as he explains, "Hate is too strong of a word. I didn't exactly hate it, but I didn't enjoy it either. Comedies aren't my thing."
She nods her head and as she turns to face him and lean her side on the railing she wonders, "Then why did you come?"
"To support my friend of course," he tells her like it's common sense.
"But you knew that you would hate it," she tells him.
"Bella, it's not about loving something. You support people because you know that they will support you when the time comes."
Bella looks at her feet as she tells him, "It's sweet that you are doing this for your friend."
"It's nothing. It's common decency," he tells her dismissively.
She looks up and meets his eyes then tells him, "No, it's not. I would have never done that to anyone because it would have never crossed my mind that someone would do that for me."
He takes her hand in his and tells her, "Now you know someone who would do that for you."
"Thanks," she tells him in a low voice and then drops his hand before placing both arms on the railing and facing the waters. She shouldn't have started this stupid line of talking. Of course friends support each other. What was she thinking making those statements? Now he thinks that she is a shitty friend. She would do that for Seth. She would do anything for Seth, and yet now he thinks that she doesn't know the basics of friendship.
A throat clearing catches her attention and she turns to Edward who tells her, "I am going to get myself some wine. Would you like some, too?"
"I'm not a big fan of drinking," she replies.
"How about lemonade?" he suggests.
She nods her head and waits for him to leave before she turns back to the view and watches it in peace until her peace is disturbed. "I didn't expect to see you here."
She spins around and finds Tim with a champagne glass in his hand looking at her with a look in his eyes she doesn't like. It's like she is a prey he wants to hunt or an equation he wants to solve, and she doesn't know which is worse. She hates people who do that because they will never have access to all of the variables and will definitely end up with the wrong conclusion. That's why she likes Edward. He treats her like a friend. He is getting to know her at her own pace.
"I didn't expect to see you here," she parrots his answer with an emphasis on the word I.
"The director is a friend of mine." Tim tells her as he walks till he is standing right in front of her where Edward was standing.
"I came here with Edward," she tells him, extending him courtesy.
"I know, I saw him leaving," he tells her and she realizes what he isn't saying. He waited until Edward left her alone to step in.
Let him try something. This son of a bitch doesn't know who he is dealing with. He won't know what hit him.
Staring at her eyes, he picks a lighter and a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and lights one. "Want one?" he asks her, extending the open pack of cigarettes to her after taking a drag.
Maintaining eye contact, she tells him, "No, thanks,"
"I'm surprised," he states, pausing to take a drag, and then letting it out, he says almost to himself, "You know smoking helps with weight loss."
"Excuse me," Bella's outburst is loud and aggressive as she takes a step toward him while glaring at him.
With his cigarette between the fingers of his left hand, he raises both hands in peaceful a gesture and tells her, "I didn't mean any offense by it. I just know from my time in the industry that many models smoke because it helps them stay skinny."
"You mean be sick," Bella tells him, going back to maintaining eye contact. Tim doesn't offend her. Not because his words aren't offensive, but because she has dealt with worse. She doesn't only have a thick skin, she has an iron armor covering her. Had she met him when she was 16, it would have been a different case altogether, but she isn't that 16-year-old kid anymore.
"Does it matter, darling? The earth is polluted and the world is dying. We are all going to pack it up anyways," he tells her dismissively.
Oh, so he is one of those pretentious hipsters that package being an asshole as being honest?
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine?" she retorts sarcastically.
He raises an eyebrow then tells her, "I don't see you shooting smiles in everyone's direction."
What in God's name is he saying? Is he on crack?
"I prefer shooting bullets. They are more effective," is Bella's aggressive comeback.
He barks a loud laugh before he tells her, "You are not just a pretty face, you're smart. I like that."
The misogynistic insufferable little piece of shit.
Don't let him know that he is getting to you. Don't let him win.
"I don't think that's a good thing," she replies in a singing voice.
"What's not a good thing?" comes a velvet voice from the doorway. They both turn to find Edward standing in the doorway holding two glasses in his hands.
Well, he doesn't have armor on, but the light of the room is shining on him, so can I call him my knight in shining armor.?
He is not your anything.
Bella throws her arm in Edward's direction and exclaims, "Thank God you came. Your friend is annoying me."
Once he stands beside her she takes the lemonade while beaming at him. Edward asks again, "So what is not a good thing?"
"I don't even remember," Bella tells him dismissively. He gives her a look as if demanding to know what is going on, but the one she gives him in turn makes him drop the topic.
"So, Tim, how are you doing?" Edward asks as he puts his arm around Bella's shoulders.
Tim's eyes tighten as he watches Bella lean into Edward's arms before he replies, "You know me I'm preparing for a project, doing the project, or finishing the project, rinse and repeat. Are you looking into expanding into cinema? Is that why you're here? I might not have my feature debut yet, but I know people. All you need to do is let me know and I will connect you."
"Oh no, I'm not, but thanks for the offer," Edward tells him.
"My answer is the same. I'm just the arm candy. Speaking of, I can't be the arm candy if nobody is seeing me. Bye bye, Tim. I will see you whenever I see you next," she says, then steers Edward into the room.
"What was that?" Edward asks, stopping her once they are out of his hearing distance.
"Right before you came, he told me that I'm not just a pretty face. Had he stayed for two minutes longer, his face would have been rearranged by my pretty fist," she answers failing at hiding her rage.
He is silent for a moment before he tells her, "If that ever happens, can I stand as a council? I might not have personal experience, but I know that the Cullen men are pretty good at rearranging faces."
She throws her head back as she laughs a loud deep laugh before she tells him, "You made me laugh and I didn't want to."
"That would be a crime. Your laugh is too pretty to hide," Edward tells her. Bella looks into his eyes with a joke at the tip of her tongue but the look in his eyes makes her realize that he isn't joking. He is being serious. All of a sudden she finds herself tongue tied and unsure of herself.
She stares at her shoes for a moment trying to think then finally tells Edward, "Let's mingle."
Hello lovely people,
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I loved writing Bella this chapter. I am answering here two questions I received in the review section.
Q- it feels like I am reading this story halfway through.
A- Bella's mum dies at 16 and she moves with her dad. Some shit goes down and five years later when Charlie dies, she is a mum with two kids. She moves to NYC to pursue her career then meets Edward and strikes a deal with him.
I could tell you about the shit that went down in Forks, but where would the fun be in that? If a story tells you the character's entire past in the first chapter, the first chapter feels like an info dump. It feels something like; Previously, in Isabella's life this and that happened, now let's go back to the present.
I write the stories I wish I could read. I love the stories that start with an ambiguous character that it slowly introduces you to. It's sort of like life. When you meet someone, you don't receive a folder of their past, or character. You get to know them, judge them, and love them gradually and slowly.
Q- Why is your other story Left Behind updated more frequently than this one?
A- Many factors. My other story and it's sequel have much shorter chapters.
My other story, unlike this one, doesn't have a beta, so my readers there get to deal with me in all of my unedited, unhinged glory. You guys are lucky. You get the edited version of me and editing takes time.
I am rewriting this story, so unlike my other story and it's sequel, the writing isn't as spontaneous and intuitive. With this story, to a certain extent, I already know how things will be written so they get measured in a way my other stories don't. I do plan both stories in advance. The difference is that I am more self-conscious of what I am about to write as I am familiar with it and the challenge isn't just to write, it's to write something better.
I hope my answer made sense. Please leave a comment in the review section. It could be your favorite part, thoughts, feeling, or even criticism. Any and every comment you leave is read and taken into consideration. Your comments motivate me to update faster, and help me grow as a writer.
Until my next update,
Stay Safe