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Chapter 4:
There was something very satisfying about working on a farm. It was hard work. Very hard work. It left your hands cut and blistered, your back sore, and your skin burned by the sun, but it was worth it. Seeing animals flourish under your care, raising them until they were big and strong, gave you a sense of pride. When tiny buds became large, juicy artichokes, it reminded you that hard work is always rewarded.
They ability to nurture life and make it thrive was not to be taken lightly. Plants and animals were living creatures, part of the earth and the sun, and we manipulate their environment to help them thrive, so that we may thrive in return. We give the earth our hard work, and it gives us sustenance.
By Wednesday, Charlie was feeling well enough to feel the chickens and the pigs, but not well enough to plow the earth. Our artichoke plants were starting to give their last yields, so a new garden was needed. I spent most of each day fighting against the clay-filled earth, trying to convince it to be indulgent. Next, I covered it with compost, gave it one last plow, and the seedbed was now ready for the next generation of artichokes. I would save the seeding until Thursday.
When Thursday evening came around, I was utterly exhausted. My body ached and my hands were heavily blistered. Charlie gave me a look of pity during dinner.
"You know I could—" Charlie started.
"Not a chance." I interrupted him. He saw me limping and my blistered hands and decided that it was too much work for me. I knew he was going to offer taking more of the chores in addition to feeding some of the animals, but I wasn't going to chance his fragile recovery. He was already stretching it by tackling the unsteady terrain and carrying buckets of feed.
"You need a break." He insisted. "Maybe I can't get Mike to come up here. He'll do it for cheap. Besides, there store is slow at the moment. Tourists time is a month away."
Charlie cringed, ready for my refusal. I had been so adamantly against his requests for me 'to take it easy', that he was well conditioned to expect a temper.
When the temper did not come, he stared at me, chewing on his roast.
My mind drifted to the possibilities. Mike would only charge us a couple dimes to run the farm for a day or two, but it was still money, money better spent elsewhere. Usually, I would deny his request, but now I was torn. I had never taken weekends off because there was never a reason to. But now, the image of Alice lingered behind my eyelids every time I shut my eyes. I could not escape the clawing in my chest that begged me to see her again. It wasn't important. I tried to convince myself that Charlie's farm was far more important… but it was only the weekend. Mike would do an okay job.
"Actually." I pondered. "I'm thinking of going into town for the weekend. Would that be oaky?"
His eyes widened. He clearly did not see that coming. He was so used me being a shut-in, that the prospect of me asking to go out was very unusual indeed.
"Of course. Just talk to Mike tomorrow, I'm sure he'd be happy to." He said, startled.
He continued to stare at me through dinner.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "What are your plans?"
"Hmmm. I'll probably see Jacob… and another friend." I couldn't help but blush when Alice and her perfection entered my mind.
Charlie dropped his fork, assuming the worst. "A boy?"
I stared at him, trying to figure out why his face was going purple. "A boy? Jacob's a boy."
"No—" His mouth was open. "I mean a boy you like."
"I like Jacob."
He shook his head vigilantly. "You think of Jacob as a brother, right?"
"Yes."
He sighed, apparently frustrated. Where was he going with this? "Who's this other friend?" He demanded.
"Alice Cullen." I said. "We talked a lot when I was in town last time. We get along well. And she wants me to visit this weekend."
This both surprised and relaxed Charlie. After his face returned back to its normal color, he became lost in thought. "Alice huh?" He said to himself. "Alright."
Friday morning, I visited the Newtons to talk to Mike. He happily agreed.
The weekend couldn't come fast enough. Chores that normally seemed to take minutes, became hours long. And when night finally fell, I stared at my ceiling, wide awake. Tomorrow I would see Alice—if I was lucky. And the prospect of that made my heart flutter nervously in my chest.
I woke Firerain early that morning. I needed the wagon to pick up feed and other supplies while I was there.
"You know where to go." I whispered to Firerain. He stomped his feet reluctantly. He was still angry about being woken up early.
When he got moving, I hopped into the wagon and tightened the wool scarf around my neck. Mornings were getting nippier. As the trees passed overhead, my heart gave a nervous lurch. What was I going to do? Walk to her door and knock? That seemed too informal for a family as noble as the Cullens. If anyone but Alice entered the door, I could imagine what they would think—a mere farmer announcing themselves on their doorstep, it would be social suicide. Maybe I should just stick to Jacob's house…
But as the town grew closer, I yanked on Firerain's reins. He was automatically going to the Blacks, as usual. But this time, I wanted him to go to the Cullens. He peered over his broad fury shoulder, looking impatient.
"Sorry." I muttered to him. "We're going this way instead."
Truthfully, I did not want to see Jacob. The memory of his lips close to my ear made me shiver in repulsion. The memory of Alice on the other hand…
Firerain trotted into the Cullen's garden, eyeing the pristine rose bushes with greedy eyes.
"Don't even think about it." I warned him.
I gulped nervously. My legs seemed to be made of lead as I approached the Cullen's large wooden door. I dressed in my best work clothes—I didn't own anything fancy, but I was still too inadequate. It was the only pair of denim overalls that didn't have holes, but it was still worn and faded. What would I say when—if they answered? What if they scoff at me and laugh? A poor working girl like me, trying to spend time with someone like Alice Cullen? My heart thrummed noisily.
I forced myself to step forward. The prospect of seeing Alice was worth the ridicule. I raised my bandaged hand to the door—
And it creaked open before I touched it. I leaped back in surprise, but unfortunately my feet didn't meet the ground. I tripped and watched the sky as I fell backwards down the steps.
"Oh Bella!" A beautiful chime-like voice panicked. "Bella! Are you hurt?"
I tried to stare at the source of the voice, but my vision was clouded with patches of black.
I groaned.
"Bella!" She sounded worried now. I'm fine. I wanted to say. Anything to relieve the heart-breaking torment in this beautiful voice.
I blinked for several moments. When Alice's face came into view, I was momentarily stunned once more. She was more beautiful than I remembered. Her perfect features, dazzling blue eyes—
"Bella?" She asked.
"Yes?" I replied, still stunned.
"Are you okay?"
Reality snapped back to me. Suddenly aware of where I was, I sat up, blushing furiously. Could I have made a more embarrassing entrance? She placed her hands on my chest. "Woah—take it slow. You might have hit your head." She said.
It was hard to concentrate on her words. I was rendered incoherent as soon as her hands touched me.
"Err…" I stammered.
"Sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to." Her eyes were wide with remorse.
"No. No. I was just surprised to see you." I waved it away. "I'm normally this clumsy." I admitted reluctantly. It's not like I needed to impress her anymore. I couldn't possibly sink any lower. I just tumbled down her front door steps for heaven's sake.
She gave me a wary smile, and it was so beautiful, I forgot to breathe.
"Did you know I was here?"
"Yeah—" Her brow furrowed. She was contemplating something. "I umm… heard you coming." She pointed toward Firerain.
"Oh." I said. Firerain had a very quiet trot, perhaps she had very good hearing.
She stood and held a hand out to me. I eyed it skeptically, laughing internally. Like a little thing like her could pull me up, I thought. Not wanting to waste the gesture, I put my bandaged hand in hers, and pushed myself off the ground.
"Sorry." I said, pulling my hand away. My bandages would be rough against her soft white hand.
"What happened?" She grabbed my hand, inspecting it closely.
"Blisters." I told her. "A hazard of farming."
She frowned.
"It's nothing." I assured her.
She did not look convinced, but at least she continued to move forward, leading me into the Cullen's spacious mansion.
"Are you sure it's okay for me to be in here? I don't want to upset your family."
She turned, the hem of her sundress fanned out from the sudden change in direction. "It's perfectly fine. I told them you would visit me." She winked, leaving a trail of butterflies in my stomach.
She took my hand, lead me up the elegant stairs, and through the hallway.
"We're going to your room?" I asked hesitantly. Not that I minded, it was just a strange place to spend a beautiful day like today.
She slowed. "Do you want to do something else?"
"No!" I said quickly. "Your room is fine."
I was blushing again. Good thing she had her back turned to me as she led me to her bedroom. It also gave me the chance to admire the contours of her back and the skin of her shoulders left exposed by the sundress.
Once in her bedroom, Alice shut the door behind her and spun around to face me. She had a devilish grin on her face, something that implied that I should be worried.
"Well I was thinking…" Her face rearranged into something sweet and irresistible. A face that made me want to give her anything she wanted. "That we could play dress up." She pouted her heartbreaking pout. How could anyone deny her anything?
I gaped at her. Was she serious? Dress up? Maybe she was younger than I thought.
"Err… Sure." I said.
"Fantastic!" She beamed at me, then darted into her closet. "You'll be my subject."
I followed her, wary of the direction things have taken. I had never been much of a clothes person. If it fit and was comfortable, I didn't care what I looked like.
I gasped in shock when the inside of her closet came into view. It was almost as large as her bedroom and filled to the brink of its capacity with gowns, corsets, and silk dresses. It was almost too much femininity to bear. There was even a corner of items that looked suspiciously like lacey lingerie. Everything in there would look absolutely mouthwatering on Alice, but I wouldn't touch anything in there with a ten foot pole. But I was her subject… I gulped.
Alice came out with something sky blue and lacey. She was wearing an excited grin.
I groaned. No, please no. Anything but that girly, frilly dress. It was much too exposing. I wasn't even sure which holes were supposed to accommodate which limbs.
Alice pretended not to hear my protest. "This is too big for me, and too small for Rosalie and Esme, but it looks like it would fit you perfectly." She ran a small hand over the delicate fabric. "Oh and it would look so marvelous on your skin." Her gaze shifted to me, her eyes sparkling in wonder. "I can see it now."
"Come on," she urged, tossing the dress onto the bed. "Let's get you clothes off."
"What?" I started, but Alice didn't wait. She had already stalked forward and begun fighting with my overalls. The horror of the dress was forgotten in light of this new situation. "No, I don't think—" Alice swatted my hand away when I tried to stop her. She had succeeded at undoing my overalls and had started on my button up shirt. "Alice, ummm—" I took a step backwards, but she didn't let off.
"Look Bella." She glowered at me now. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
I was momentarily stunned by her sudden change in mood. The ferocity of her demand sent a chill of ice water into my veins. While shocked into paralysis by this new side of her, Alice took advantage of moment, getting the last of the shirt buttons undone.
Still stunned, I stepped out of my overalls and kicked off my boots. My cheeks felt hot, I was probably as red as a tomato. I felt strangely exposed. I was reluctant to reveal my every imperfection to this beautiful girl I hardly knew. But I was being silly, right? We were both girls? Even if I wasn't as perfect as the little goddess standing in front of me, there was nothing to worry about, I told myself. But it didn't work. My heart was still pounding in overdrive, and the strange feeling of vulnerability didn't leave.
Her eyes lingered over my body, stopping at my breasts, and then again at my face. I could've sworn I saw something in her eyes when our gazes met. It wasn't the usual jolly look she wore, but an intense one. But before I could analyze it any further, her elated smile was back, and she pulled the dress over my head.
She flitted around me, pulling the dress tight and tying the back. I felt like I was being compressed into a tube. I did not dare protest, afraid to awaken the wrath I stirred up earlier. And despite the torture of being forced into something girly, I was enjoying it. Her hands felt remarkable through the thin material of the dress. It was the one thing that made this misery worth it. When she tugged on the lacey net around the neck portion, her warm hands lingered on the base of my neck. And I few times, I swore I felt her breath close to my ear.
"How bad is it?" I asked when she stepped away, admiring her work.
She smiled. It wasn't the same serene smile I saw in her last week. It was mischievous. Her eyes were burning with the same intensity at it had earlier, when she was analyzing my almost-naked body.
"Hmmm…" She pondered.
She let her eyes rake over my body again. I was starting to feel uncomfortably hot under her scrutiny. It made me squeamish. When her eyes met mine, my heart did a back flip. No, I definitely wasn't imagining the intensity in her eyes. It was there, her bright blue eyes boring into mine. And it made my abdomen tighten.
"You look very beautiful Bella." She smiled at me. "But we need to do something about your hair…"
Stay tuned for chapter 5…