The morning sun streamed in gently as Bella Swan stirred under the covers. She'd spent the night tossing and turning with anticipation for today's travel, and the lack of sleep weighed heavily on her eyes. How she wished to spend an eternity here in Edward's room, never leaving the comforts of this eclectic house and the stories it told of a life lived long before her own. One day she'd get her wish. She opened her eyes and blinked, letting them slowly adjust to the bright room.
The Cullen's house could be a museum. Antiques of a life lived long before the 21st Century were dotted in each room, interrupting the more typical furnishings that accompanied a modern mansion. Bella enjoyed wandering the rooms in her spare time, observing the swift change in aesthetics. To walk from the kitchen, where Esme had indulged her love of cooking with equipment worthy of a Michelin restaurant, to Carlisle's study, which was more regally decorated: 19th century Italian oil painting, antique books, and a large armchair behind the Victorian desk in the centre. The house was rife with the dichotomy of old and new.
The grand piano juxtaposed the brutalist coffee tables as much as the antique dining table did the glass bannisters. The house was a unique blend of character and comfort, and Bella loved every second she spent in it.
Edward's room was no exception; his style presented its own charm. The modern CD versions of Debussy to Chopin's preludes were posed next to his antique Century sheet music. An interesting contrast of the original music and its modern realisation.
That was adaptation, she supposed. The life of a vampire meant constantly adjusting to the developments of a modern world.
Edward Cullen's cool gaze caught hers, interrupting her thoughts. He grinned, stroking her brown hair tenderly, feeling the strands mingle in silky waves down her back. He wasn't looking forward to her absence in the coming days, but knew it was a rite of passage to have a girls' trip, and was trying his best at playing supportive boyfriend.
"You'll call me every day." He said. It wasn't a question. This was his compromise for promising not to be too overprotective.
She nodded and smiled, breathing in his scent.
"Every day." She repeated, jumping up to get dressed.
Edward helped her with the final suitcase checks, and then drove her to the airport.
They reached the gate together, Edward having managed to dazzle his way through security, and he planting another kiss on Bella's head, savouring the last few minutes he'd have of her over the coming days.
He could now appreciate the smudges denoting the the lack of sleep under her eyes and frowned slightly, smoothing them over with his thumb as he cast another worried glance at Bella's brown eyes. She pushed his hand away gently, and rolled her eyes.
"I'm fine, Edward. I'll sleep on the plane."
"Bella!" Two voices squealed excitedly behind her, and she glanced back to see Angela and Jessica waiting. Their bags were bulging with clothes and they looked just about ready to come yank her away to board.
"There's your group." Edward chuckled slightly, pulling Bella's face once more towards his.
"Be safe, Bella. Promise me." His eyes bore into hers and her heart fluttered.
"I promise." She said, and rolled her eyes again, brushing a lock of bronze hair away from his forehead, and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
"I'll miss you," she murmured, burying her head into his shoulder.
"I'll miss you too."
hugged her tightly, lifting her small frame off the ground and pressing his lips to hers.
He took in the scent of her, lingering slightly, feeling of her cheeks warm his, and the violent thump of her heart against his chest as it skipped erratically. He planted her back on the ground and fought the grin on his face as Bella fought to regulate her breathing.
"Call me when you land." He said, and with a parting wave watched Bella wander over to join her friends.
On the plane, Bella let her thoughts stray away from Edward.
This had been her first trip without him since the incident with James, and she was determined to be as present as possible. Her confidence had grown in the last few months, and she felt confident that she'd manage a few days away. She'd somewhat neglected Jessica and Angela since they'd been together, so it would be a good opportunity to touch base. She looked up and down the row, smiling to herself as Jessica and Angela gossiped away in hushed excitement about the trip ahead. They had decided on Tijuana, Mexico for a couple of nights, and were now entertaining the beach, the food, and of course, the boys.
A few days later, Bella found herself basking in the warm Mexican sun, enjoying the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and the babble of people at the beach. This was their last full day; they would be flying back to Forks tomorrow.
As she lounged next to Jessica; perusing a fashion magazine, and Angela; reading her book, she couldn't help but feel a mix of disappointment and excitement about their flight home. She was looking forward to seeing Edward again, of course, but the vacation had flown by, and she wasn't enjoying that it would soon come to an end.
She was glad in the very least that she'd been talked into the holiday. Turns out she really had enjoyed girl time. Alice will be thrilled she thought, smiling. She pulled herself back to the present, observing the blue sky void of grey clouds. One more day and then it's all rain, and she planned on making it count.
They had spent the morning exploring a market, sampling street food and buying souvenirs. The plan was to spend the rest of the day on the beach, soaking up the sun, reading and relaxing, but as the day wore on, Bella felt that her pale, forks-accustomed skin was feeling a bit too cooked, and she needed some time away from the blazing sunshine. She pulled on a loose top and some shorts over her bikini, and with a parting "meet you back at the hotel" to the girls, headed for the town.
Hopping off the bus, she wound her way up the streets in search of a café or maybe some more shops to take shelter in. She rounded a corner and spotted a small stall under the shade of an awning where a woman was selling authentic Mexican candy to tourists. She picked up a candy labelled 'pulparindo' and continued en route, pausing under the shade of a palm tree before tearing into the packet. She took a bite of the leathery candy, relishing its flavour. It was sweet and tangy, with a touch of spice. She was surprised at the hunger it brought on.
She chewed hungrily, observing the bustle of people surrounding her; some tourists, some not; all on their own various trajectories. It was nice to be present in the hubbub of activity without feeling any urgency herself. She realised that her previous trips had all been purposeful. Urgent, even. She'd not had a moment to step back and watch the world like this. Her and Edward had been running since the beginning, she thought, remembering James and shuddering.
She was in the midst of deciding in which direction to head next when she overheard some Americans chatting about the café they were headed to. Her knowledge of Spanish was so poor; it seemed like a good option. She turned to join the crowd, taking another bite out of the sticky sweet, but was halted in her movements. She felt a sickening sensation in her mouth. A sucking then a small *pop*.
She paused momentarily, reaching in to remove the sweet cautiously. What came out was disgusting and unnerving all at once. Realisation dawned on her as she saw the unmistakable solid piece of a filling intermingled with the dark candy, its white surface embedded firmly in the leather. An old one, she presumed and sighed. The thought brought her no comfort, and she shoved the disgusting relic back into the packet and into her back pocket.
She took herself to the side of the road, weighing her options. She could wait, she thought. They would get home tomorrow evening, and Edward could attend to it then. That seemed like the sensible conclusion. It wasn't urgent.
She moved her tongue tentatively over the vacated tooth and felt a sickening plunge in her stomach by the pain and tenderness that greeted her. Maybe not. Her choice was a day of pain or muddling her way through here to find a dentist.
What would Edward suggest? She wasn't sure whether to call him. She didn't want to worry him unnecessarily. What advice could he offer her anyway? It wasn't like he was here. No, she thought resolutely. I won't call him. It wasn't an emergency after-all, just a little tooth trouble.
After a quick search on her map for the nearest clinic, she plodded along, feeling some pride at her own independence. She'd always been so reliant on Edward as her saviour, but this time she was the one calling the shots.
It wasn't long before Bella stumbled upon a dingy clinic tucked away in a narrow alley. She felt all confidence ebb away as she was overcome by its appearance. A worn sign labelled 'dent_sta' was plastered to the front. It was missing its 'I.'
Bella felt the nerves pile in as she pulled the map out again to review her options. She could feel the same pang of fear creep over her and was reminded of her former self a couple of months ago when Edward had first taken her to the Cullen's practice. How she wished now that he was with her. Any pretence at confidence had gone, and she was the same scared girl she'd been then, except this time minus the caring boyfriend and comforting clinic.
The map promised no other solutions, and she folded it away, feeling forlorn. The other clinics presented themselves as several miles away, and with the end of the working day nearing, she felt it was this or nothing. She bit her lip anxiously, wondering whether now to tell the girls of her predicament. She was sure they would be relaxing on the beach still and felt the guilt creep back in at disturbing them. Be brave, she begged herself, more plea than command. Apprehensive but decided, she hesitantly pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside.
The door opened onto a small clinic; sparsely furnished and dimly lit. The walls, grey and peeling contrasted some old sun-bleached chairs, a few of which were occupied. Outdated magazines were scattered carelessly, their pages worn and tired.
Bella could see the others waiting their turn, noting that they were mostly tourists like her. A couple of middle-aged holidaymakers sat together, hand in hand; next to them, a sun-kissed man balancing his skateboard and what looked like a small pill. He offered an apologetic grin, and she noticed the large chunk missing from his front tooth, realising he was holding his tooth between two grubby fingers.
She walked past them to the back, where a dishevelled-looking man in a stained lab coat sat behind a computer on the desk. He barely acknowledging her presence as she approached, merely gesturing for her to speak with a wave of his arm impatiently. Bella struggled to explain her problem in broken Spanish, gesturing to her throbbing jaw on the right where she'd felt the hole. She was half tempted to pull out the disgusting remains of her filling from her back pocket but felt even that was too far.
The man gestured to the seats behind her, waving her away as made a note on his keyboard. Bella moved back to the chairs, and chose a seat by the door, fighting the urge to run.
She waited her turn cautiously, watching as the other patients were called in, one by one, feeling the gnawing worry nag her mind. The butterflies were multiplying in her stomach, and she wished she had called Edward, all bravado lost. Keep it together.
She was interrupted from her thoughts by the return of the dishevelled man returning through a door by his desk. He gestured to her to follow him, speaking in quick Spanish Bella couldn't understand, but she obliged, following him. A fresh wave of anxiety flooded her body.
She was pushed into a room on her right, the man planting her in the chair in the middle, before turning to slam the door behind him.
Bella tried to make herself comfortable in the stiff, vinyl-covered chair. It was nothing like the sage room at the Cullen's, with the cosied armchair and peaceful decorations. The air was heavy with the pungent scent of antiseptic, and stale cigarettes, the offensive odour washing over her sourly. She sincerely hoped it wouldn't linger on her clothes but didn't hold much hope. She fidgeted with the phone in her pocket, again wishing she could call Edward.
The dishevelled man was now barking orders somewhere in the corridor, to what she presumed was one of his staff. Her heart pounded with apprehension as the door creaked open and in shuffled a different stout man with black greased hair. His weary eyes darted around the room before settling on Bella with an inscrutable gaze. "Buenos días," he mumbled, his voice gravelly. "What seem to be dee problema?" His accent was thick, but she felt a small sense of relief wash over her. His English would no doubt be better than her Spanish.
Bella hesitated, watching the man fall into the chair beside her, moving to squeeze a dollop of hand sanitiser onto his nicotine-stained fingers. No basin in this clinic, it seemed.
"I-I lost a bit of my tooth earlier." she stammered, feeling her cheeks redden slightly.
"An old filling" she clarified, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.
"I think I need a new one put in."
The dentist nodded absently, taking a needle out from a draw beside him and placing it on the small vinyl-wrapped bench to his right. He also took out the familiar tools she recognised from Edward's clinic, the explorer and dental mirror, and placed them next to the syringe.
Bella was trying not to notice the drills holstered in the bench to her right. Somehow, they seemed more menacing in this dim room, cruder and more untrustworthy. She suppressed the shudder that escaped her, trying to rationalise her own fear. She knew the uncertainty of the situation had heightened her anxiety. Being vulnerable in a different country and under the watch of someone she'd never met was not a feeling she'd banked on experiencing during the trip.
Her head started to tip back, and the ceiling stretched away from her. She could hear the rustle of the plastic underneath her as the chair reclined with her.
She watched from the corner of her eye as the man donned a pair of gloves, pulling the latex over his fingers with a *snap*.
He rolled his chair over to hers, which was now so reclined she felt as though she could trace the indents of the man's chin looming above her.
He began testing the drills in succession now, each one letting out high pitched *whir* in the air before being returned to its respective holder. Bella tried to ignore the sound, her heart pulsing nervously in her chest.
Suddenly he was above her, pulling the stray light over her face, whilst his other hand pulled her jaw down impatiently. Her mouth opened obediently, and the explorer found its way to the back of her mouth instantly. It seemed driven by its own desire and keen to live up to its reputation.
She felt it wandering from tooth to tooth, scratching the contours of each one, a sensation she was keen to ignore. She looked up at the ceiling, noting the missing panels and faint yellowing hue. No doubt from those cigarettes.
The man's moustache bristled slightly as his explorer wandered over to her right. Bella felt a surge of pain, and winced, knowing his tool had discovered the gaping hole in her back molar. He leaned in curiously, tapping and scratching at the exposed tooth. Each movement felt like a dull stab, and Bella tried to focus on something else. She couldn't help but notice the sweat glistening on the man's brow or the faint odour of stale cigarettes wafting from his unmasked mouth. She swallowed hard, fighting her instinct to recoil.
He removed the tools, and a small grunt escaped him. Reaching carelessly for the needle to his right, he plunged it into her jaw with a pinch. Bella winced, feeling the stab in her mouth acutely. Her eyes pricked with tears.
This was certainly not the treatment she'd experienced with Edward. He'd been gentle and kind, letting her know the steps before doing them. This man seemed intent on doing the job, regardless of the person beneath the mouth he was working on.
A heartbeat passed and the man then reached for the left-most drill in his arsenal, switching it on in the air again. He studied it for a moment, checking the motions once more. Did he enjoy this? She thought miserably. Was he relishing her anxiety?
Bella was trying desperately to quell the rising panic in her stomach.
He moved toward her, drill in tow, tugging on Bella's jaw again to open it wider with an annoyed tug. Bella's heart leaped into her throat as she braced herself. He's not waited enough time for the anaesthetic she panicked, still feeling the dull throb in the back of her mouth from his explorer only moments ago.
Pain greeted her as the tool made contact with her enamel, sending shockwaves of pain reverberating through her skull. It felt instant and sharp, and she wondered why the man seemed rushed, his touch impersonal and careless as he drilled.
The shooting sensation rippling through her cheek was awful. Bella deliberated about raising a hand to stop him. She wasn't sure what he was doing to her tooth, wondering how much tooth there could be left to drill. The size of the filling that had fallen out previously had seemed enormous to her.
She wanted to scream, to beg for mercy, to demand that the man stop and give her a moment to catch her breath. But the words were caught in her throat, suffocated by the overwhelming sense of helplessness. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving trails at either side of her face as she clung onto some hope of relief. She tried to imagine Edward in the room, and the soothing presence he would have provided. She reached out for a hand that wasn't there.
The lidocaine would kick in soon, she hoped. She scrunched her eyebrows in pain and lifted her hand up to get the dentist's attention, waving desperately at him, but he took no notice. The sweat was working in rivulets down his forehead, and she wasn't sure whether he didn't notice or simply didn't care. He'd placed one brute hand to grip her chin firmly, as if trying to prevent her mouth from closing, and Bella could feel the pressure building as he carved away at the delicate structure of her enamel. His face was inches from her, the heat of his breath mingling with the acrid scent of burning enamel as the rotating bur drilled away her tooth.
Finally, mercifully, the drilling ceased, leaving Bella trembling and exhausted in the chair. Her mouth only now seemed to numb, and she felt relief as the anaesthetic kicked in. The man removed the drill and reached for a selection of filling material to his right, selecting a different metal tool. Eyes still blurred with tears, Bella watched as he began to fill her cavity, packing in the material with erratic and forceful movements. He was rough and hurried, using a heavy hand and his tool to pack the material. She could feel scrape of the tool against what tooth structure she had left, and sat resignedly, waiting for it to end.
After a few minutes he declared that it was done and motioned for her to leave, pulling out a cigarette from his back pocket and lighting it. Bella heaved herself from the chair on weak legs, and wandered through the smoke, back to the waiting room, feeling the clumsy filling clash against her other teeth. An intruder.
Once she'd paid, she stumbled out onto the streets, feeling the dull throb of her mouth as she tried to remember her bearings. The sun hung low in the sky, and she knew the girls were probably wondering where she'd got to. She pulled out her phone. 3 missed calls. 1 from Jessia, 2 from Edward. She sighed and folded the phone away. Wanting to calm her nerves before calling either of them back.