Edward Cullen's keen gaze swept across the classroom, his golden eyes catching the subtlest details in his surroundings. He took in the grain of the wood on his bench, and the remnants of chalk on his teacher's fingertips.
As his gaze flitted around the room, his eyes landed on Bella Swan, sat a few desks away from him. Her face was scrunched in pain, her hand unconsciously rubbing at her jaw. It was a minuscule gesture, easily overlooked by most, but not by Edward. A flicker of concern crossed his features as he saw her wince and remove her hand. She threw a quick glance around the room, catching Edward's eyes for a second, before turning back to face the board.
Throughout the day, Bella's discomfort didn't escape his notice. She tried to hide it behind her usual facade of stoicism, but Edward could see through it. He watched her struggle through each class and despite giving her many opportunities to come to him first, he could see she'd rather avoid the problem altogether. It was now in his hands to solve.
The end of the day was nearing. They were in English together, and he threw her one final glance. Enough to see her brows furrowed in pain, head bent over her Hamlet textbook. Her movements were stiff and hesitant; she was clearly fighting an impulse not to touch her cheek. She doesn't want me to notice, he thought. But of course, he was resolute in his decision.
After the final bell rang, Edward approached her desk, his expression determined.
"Bella, can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked softly, his voice carrying a hint of concern.
Bella looked up, surprised by the seriousness in Edward's tone. She nodded, apprehension mingling with the pain etched on her features.
"Are you okay?" Edward asked, his golden eyes searching hers. This was her last opportunity to be honest.
Bella hesitated for a moment, weighing her options. If Edward really didn't know, she might actually pull this off. Could I really have fooled the vampire?
She nodded, offering him a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a headache, that's all. Math doesn't agree with me."
Edward chuckled, and pulled her into a hug, kissing her gently on the forehead. He knew she was lying, of course, and this was her attempt to efface the reason, but she was still adorable. How amusing humans are he thought. Their attempts to hide such trivial things.
He pulled away and took her hand, leading her out of the building and towards the car. He stole glances at her and every few seconds and could see the pain had returned. As had her attempt to disguise it.
Lines of pain and concentration were etched into her features, but her hand trembled slightly as she pushed back a strand of hair.
He knew what she was hiding and despite her reticence to address it, knew that it needed fixing before it got any worse.
"Come on, Bella," Edward said gently, opening the car door for her. "Let's go for a drive."
Bella, whose brows still furrowed in pain and concentration, nodded in what she hoped was a light-hearted, easy going way as she hopped into the passenger seat. Edward shut the door behind her gently.
He rounded the car and took his own seat, starting the ignition. The car jolted into a smooth purr, as he reversed out the lot and onto the roads.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice tinged with poorly disguised uncertainty.
"You'll see," Edward replied cryptically, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
As they drove, Bella's curiosity warred with her apprehension. She had known Edward for years, had shared countless secrets and moments with him, and knew that something too was bothering him. His usually composed demeanour was tinged with urgency, his eyes dark with concern and disappointment. She felt less sure of her acting prowess now.
They pulled into a stretch of forest, and finally parked outside a nondescript building, hidden among the trees. It was modern and modest. Almost like a converted family home, or perhaps even a country escape. A sign above the door read "Cullen Family Dentistry" in large letters.
Bella felt a pitting sensation in her stomach. The jig was up, after all. Her eyes brimmed with tears, as she tried to keep the panic at bay.
"What are we doing here?" she asked, feigning once more for casual, grasping onto any hope. "I didn't know your dad practiced dentistry." She wavered; her voice was tinged with anxiety.
"He doesn't." Edward turned to her with a slight smile. "And we're here to get your tooth checked out." Bella paled.
She reached for the door, but suddenly Edward was on the other side of it, opening it for her and taking his hand once more in hers, as they walked up to the front door.
He had no reason to hide his abilities here in the trees. No watchful eyes, and only the forest to judge.
Edward could hear Bella's heart hammering in her chest and felt a twang of guilt as he fumbled with the keys. What they were here for was necessary, but it wasn't enjoyable to be the breaker of bad news. He was hoping she'd have trusted him with her secret, but now, he was taking matters into his own hands.
The door swung open onto marble floors and panelled walls. Modern and neat. Untouched since they'd bought it.
He steered the shaking Bella through to the first room on the left and gestured to the reclined seat in the middle. The lights flicked on with a *click*, revealing a room of a soothing sage green, with furnished marble tops and a neat armchair at the side.
"Not your usual practice" He smirked.
"I can't," Bella protested weakly, her voice trembling with fear. Her eyes bore into Edward's as she begged him miserably. "I-I don't like the dentist. Please, Edward, let's just go home."
But Edward was firm. He knew Bella was in pain, and he wasn't going to let her suffer any longer. He gently guided her into the chair and began to scrub his hands in the basin at the end.
"It's not going to be so bad, Bella. I promise. You won't feel any pain." He said, casting glances back at her as he prepared the room.
Bella glanced nervously at Edward, then around her. Sure, it was more comforting than any other dentist's office she'd been to, but that didn't stop her stomach churning with anxiety. She had never been a fan of the dentist, and the thought of sitting in this chair, with the bright lights and sharp instruments made her feel sick to her stomach.
Edward had donned a pair of gloves and a mask and began to lower the chair gently.
"Are you ready to get started?" He asked, explorer and mirror in hand. An array of other tools lay on the side, ready. Bella tried not to look at the syringe too closely.
"I've been having some tooth pain," she admitted reluctantly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Edward nodded sympathetically; his eyes still clouded with concern. "I know, and I'd like to take a look. If you'll let me." He spoke calmly and gestured to her to open her mouth.
"Wait, Edward. Are you sure you're qualified to do this? I mean, shouldn't I see a real Dentist?" Bella squeaked, shooting out of the seat, and turning to face Edward. She felt frantic, and a bit embarrassed. She didn't want him to see how afraid she was.
"You know, Bella. I've been to dental school twice." He smirked slightly "We bought the new practice when we moved back."
"It helps to have better eyes, I promise." He added calmly, those golden eyes penetrating through her alarm for a second. Bella's heart skipped a beat, but she nodded, settling her head back down in the chair.
She opened her mouth, and watched Edward position the light just low enough to catch her jaw, but not her eyes. He immediately started to examine the side of her mouth she'd been rubbing all day and found the tooth in question. Examining it carefully, he took his explorer and probed the enamel gently, with practised hands. Bella squirmed uncomfortably in the chair, her anxiety mounting with each passing moment.
"There's a small caries in your back molar, Bella". Edward said finally. "We'll need to drill it, but it will be painless." He added softly.
Bella's heart sank at the thought of the dreaded drill, the sound of which sent shivers down her spine. She glanced nervously at Edward, silently pleading for him to save her from this ordeal.
"We'll take care of it, Bella," Edward said as if he could read her thoughts. Oh, the irony.
Bella nodded weakly; her throat tight with emotion. He pulled his mask down momentarily to plant a soft kiss on her forehead, before turning away to pick up the syringe.
Edward prepared the drill, and turned back towards her, needle in hand. Bella's heart raced as she watched him approach, and she shut her eyes tightly. In a moment, the numbing sensation flooded her mouth, and she opened them to watch Edward doing away with the needle somewhere behind her.
He planted another kiss on her forehead and then asked to tap her tooth. "Can you feel that?" He asked tentatively, reaching for the drill he'd prepared a moment ago. Bella gave a soft shake of the head and opened her mouth a little wider for the tool to enter her mouth.
There was a pause, and only the whirring sound of the drill filled the air. As the drill touched her tooth, she felt the buzzing pulse through her. Somehow, though, it felt different than the other times, and a strange sense of trust washed over her. Edward was not only well-trained, but skilled in ways human couldn't be. He would never do anything to hurt her, she knew. He was a steady anchor amidst the chaos, and his presence was a soothing balm against her fear.
As Edward drilled her tooth with deft movements, Bella took the opportunity to study him. She watched him as he leaned over her, noting the liquid gold in his amber eyes, and the way his hair fell. The fear was ebbing away, replaced by a sense of peace, despite the pressure of the drill and sensations in her mouth.
Finally, after what felt like 10 minutes of drilling, Edward finally began to fill up the tooth. He placed an isolator, etched it, and began filling layers of the composite filling material, with intermissions for blue light to seal it. She was presented with a piece of black plastic to bite on, as a leveller.
"How is it?" Edward's eyes poured into hers.
Bella let out a shaky breath, her entire body trembling with relief. She ran her tongue over the tooth. It was smoother and cleaner than her others, but she somehow felt comforted by the piece of Edward she could cling to when he wasn't there. Finally, she said "it's perfect," and Edward nodded, taking off his gloves and mask.
When he was cleaned up, he pulled her out of the chair and into his arms.
"You did great, Bella," he said softly, his voice filled with pride.
Bella smiled back weakly, albeit a bit lopsided. She felt less heavy, like a weight had been lifted.
As they left the dentist's office and made their way back to the car, Bella felt a sense of renewal wash over her. She had faced her fear, and although she was reluctant to admit it, maybe Edward really had helped her fear of the dentist.