 Episode Twelve: One Perfect DayWhen I went to get my phone, I had several more messages. Most were in the group chat between Seth, Tyler, and myself. They asked about my power, and both of them offered that if I was without I was more than welcome to join them since they still did. They were kind. But, I would rather be alone with Bella in the dark anyway. I had a couple more messages from my sisters. Carmen asked about the storm and Irina sent a video of my niece Ava kind of smiling. I decided to answer my sister later. I also decided to reply to Jasper’s message from before while I was checking the weather. “It may be terrible for my ego. Idgaf. As long as my girlfriend likes me :) :) :) ” “Oh, so she’s your girlfriend now?” He replied back. “Yup.” “Usually they’re your girlfriend first before you shag,” Jasper teased. "I would have asked first, but she was too busy jumping me." “I love how proud you are of yourself like you did anything. You just got lucky.” I laughed at my phone. Bella was in the bathroom, getting freshened up. She looked over at me curiously. I couldn’t help but smile at my answer. "You are oh, so right." “What are you doing right now?” "Trying to check the weather. We've got to get some supplies for this shit, so we're probably going to go out for a few minutes. Bella's getting washed up in the ladies. My shirt is legit a dress on her." “I bet she looks good in it.” Bella came out of the bathroom and walked towards me. There was a slight smile on her face while she ran her fingers lightly over my bare shoulders. I put my phone down and pulled her closer to me so that I could push my face into her stomach. Gently, she began to play with my hair, and I felt as if I was going to purr. "So, the rain will drop off for a few hours, but there is supposed to be another round that's worse coming right after. If we want to go, we should now. I don't think we should be out too late." “Probably,” she agreed. I breathed her scent in deeply. The shirt now smelled of her and I mixed together, our sweat, sex, soap, and Bella’s perfume filling my nose. She brought her palm to my jaw and pulled my face up so she could lean down to kiss me. Unlike at the skydiving place, I could touch her like I wanted. I slid my hands up her back, holding our kiss for as long as she would allow. When she pulled away, Bella kissed my forehead. Now that I was permitted to touch and kiss her, I wasn't ever going to stop. I kissed her hand at every light on the way to the Target that we had gone to earlier in the week. Once inside, I bought our breakfast to snack on while we shopped. Bella seemed to know better what we needed. I simply grabbed more liquor and snacks like I was still in uni and not an adult. I felt even less like one when I honestly had no idea if I had laundry soap. It was another chore I was too lazy to do. As we walked towards another part of the store, Bella had a somewhat worried look on her face. “You look concerned. Everything okay?” “Yeah, just trying to think what I can spend on clothes,” she replied. “Love, get whatever you want,” I told her instantly. “Um, no.” Bella shook her head slightly as she typed into her phone. “That's not how that works.” “I'll buy-” Her hand shot up. “No. You won't,” she stated firmly. Suddenly Bella's eyes got massive, and her tiny hand flew up to her chest as her breathing nearly tripled. “What?” “This can't be right. I had like five hundred in here,” she said as she shook her head. Five hundred? That was it? That’s all she had when she came here? No wonder she didn’t want to buy herself that damn seven dollar dress. It made the money she gave those boys all the more touching. "How much do you have now?" I knew it had to be more, and I knew why. I didn't expect it to be as much as it was, though. "Nearly three thousand!" Bella shouted in shock, tapping the screen over and over again as if it would make it faster somehow. I hadn't looked at how well the video was doing since I had posted it and put a few more of the ones that I had made with her in the queue. I had been too wrapped up in our little drama that I had made in my head. I was too absorbed in Bella. It must have been doing well, though. “Oh, the first video with you uploaded Saturday. One of the food tasting ones,” I tried to explain casually. “That's why.” “That's too much,” she breathed out. The poor woman looked like a deer in headlights. I laughed nervously, “I told you I gave you the standard rate I give all the people in my videos. I don't even look at the money part, honestly. Some program gets it and divides it up. It's only like four percent. And this is for only one video. There is going to be another one today in... a couple of hours? So, you might want to up it from a hundred to five hundred. Or, maybe a thousand. That seems annoying.” I pointed at the screen. I could only hope the rest of the videos did as well. And then Bella started to cry, her hand flying up to her mouth. “Oh, Lord Jesus, first day and I've already made you bawl,” I joked as I hugged her to me, pressing her face to my chest as she did. Bella really had meant it when she told me fifty was a lot of money to her. “It's so much.” “No, it's not.” No. It was just the tip of the iceberg. I was going to give her everything she could ever want in this life. “I'm poor. This changes my life. I can pay next month's bills right now and pay something off six months early. And, I can put money in savings and still buy me my first pair of new shoes in a year. A damn year! And I have like five hundred in my pocket that I can just spend and not worry. Do you know how hard it is to just constantly scrape by?” She gasped out shakily. Oh, no. No, I didn't. Not in the least. My father was a retired VP of an export company, and my mother was a successful criminal lawyer then judge. Both of my grandparents were well off too. There were several Sirs and Lords somewhere in my bloodline fairly recently as well. "No, I don't. I am very privileged, I know. I grew up comfortable, and I've never had to struggle," I admitted. I could feel her trembling under my touch as she finally looked at me. I could see her make the decision in her eyes. She instantly did what she said she was going to do, paying off bills and putting the money away in savings. Bella might have been an easy-going person, but she was nothing if not responsible. “You seriously give your friends this much?” She asked as we finally began to move again. I let her lead the way. I shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, it's no skin off my back. And it makes everyone happy. I've never actually discussed it really in numbers with anyone. Though I give my family more. Just so you know." “No,” she said in a nervous laugh. “Let's not jump that far yet.” “Fair enough,” I agreed with my own chuckle. When we got to the women's clothing, she walked towards the sale's racks first. “All that and you still shop in the clearance section? Honestly, I'm buying it.” Jesus, she wept over a couple of thousands of bucks. Nothing in this store was that expensive. I would give her anything she asked for. “Just because it's clearance doesn't mean it's not cute. Besides, I'm tiny tiny. All the little stuff stays in clearance forever usually,” she told me as she pulled out a cute little shirt with rainbows on it. Rainbows were definitely one of her things. “And, you're not buying shit,” she said evenly without looking at me. “Fine…” I sighed. I would find other things to pay for later. Suddenly, my mouth decided to ask a question. “Can you shop in the girl's section?” I instantly thought I had made an ass of myself and probably offended her. Bella didn’t care in the least. "The shirts. Especially plus-sized girls. Not in pants, though. My ass is too big. I could probably wear plus-sized girl leggings." She looked at a tiny pair of shorts that I hoped she would get and model for me. "Juniors is my sweet spot." “What's your actual height? I've wanted to ask but not be rude. I'm six foot five, by the way.” “I know,” she laughed, finally glancing over at me with a little smirk. “It's hard to miss. I'm five foot even. I used to wear heels always and lie. Say I was five foot four. Which is... just sad. Aiden used to say I made him feel tall. He was only five-six." As soon as she realized what she said her face flushed and I could see her embarrassment, but I didn't understand it. "I'm sorry. This is weird. But, he would have liked you, though." “I think he might have had a problem with how I feel about his wife.” I think he would very much dislike the fact that I was in love with her already. I could imagine myself easily spending the rest of my life with this woman. I thought about the text I sent Jasper when I first saw her and realized it was one hundred percent true. I was going to marry her. “Oh, you'd be surprised.” I didn’t believe her in the least. “He wasn't jealous. He was very generous.” I wondered what that meant exactly. I decided it was time to lighten the conversation a little. "Take my wife, please." I did a Groucho Marx impression, making her smirk. She shrugged and looked away from me with a slight flush on her cheeks. "If he knew I wanted it as well, absolutely. And he would have told me to have a good time and tell him all about it later. We were friends, and he just wanted me to be happy. He would have wanted to be your friend, though. He'd like your taste in food and video games. Liked your house and your book collection. He would have watched your videos. He liked Youtube very early on." She stopped in her thoughts for a moment. "He'd be annoyed that I've waited so long to move on. He used to tell me all the time that I was wasting my youth on being an old woman. It'll be his birthday soon. He'd be forty-four." He was so much older than her. It was less than our age difference, though. It made me a little surprised that she was interested in me. I wondered if I seemed immature to her. I didn't see her as being stuffy or boring, though. She was hardly an elderly lady. She seemed like a free spirit to me. “Why did he say that? You don't seem like an old woman to me.” "I grew up really quick, and it made me hard. Perfect for New York. I was really bitter when I met him. I'm still pretty hard now, I think, but... he made me a more gentle person. He made me softer. Aiden made me better." Bella wiped her hand over her cheek and gave a little sigh. “He sounds like someone I would have liked.” She smiled at me a little before pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. “I'm so sorry. This must be so awkward. I don't know how to deal with this. I've never done it before. I'm going to scare you away with this.” "It doesn't bother me. It's not awkward. You loved someone. That's good. I'm glad you were happy, even if it didn't last as long as you deserved. I'm grateful to him, and I wish I could take away your pain. I don't want to replace him, I couldn't imagine trying. But, I do hope that one day you feel even a small amount of what you did for him for me," I blurted out without thinking, just letting my mouth go. It must have been the right thing because Bella's eyes began to overflow with tears as she gazed up at me almost hopefully. "Dammit," I said with a nervous chuckle, my own tears stinging at my nose "You're going to make me emotional." “I'm not usually a crier.” “I am,” I admitted. She laughed as she pushed her face into my shirt. Bella let me hold for a minute as she took calming breaths. No one was around us to notice our tender moment. It felt like we were in our own little bubble. When she finally pulled away, she said, "I do already, by the way. Feel at least a percentage of what I felt. It's the first day, let us not rush things. But I do like you a lot." My heart swelled up. I could see the love in her eyes that she still had for him. Maybe lesser men would be jealous, but I didn't fault this person for his love for her. I wanted any bit of it she was willing to give me. I was ready to patiently wait for even the smallest amount of her affection. I had a feeling that Bella was as generous a companion as she was a friend and apparently lover, though. "Right. No rushing," I said just before I pressed my lips to hers. She pulled me closer as the building shook with the storm outside. Our little bubble was bursting for the moment, but hopefully, we would continue later when we were alone. "We should probably keep an eye on the time and weather, though." Bella rushed through the clothing after that. Within fifteen minutes, she had tried on several things and thrown them into the cart. Then she moved on to the lingerie section. As cool as I was trying to play it, I felt heat crawl up the back of my neck as I walked behind her. Her swaying ass was tempting enough dressed, but now that I knew what it looked like in the nude? God, it was too much. The image of her on her hands and knees on my bed as she sucked on me just hours before came to mind. I instantly got hard, and Bella didn't notice a damn thing. She just continued to shop, putting things in the cart that I was going to hopefully get the pleasure of peeling off of her. She glanced behind at me, and I could see the instant amusement when she realized my discomfort. “Want to make any suggestions?” She asked seductively, her voice teasing. “Comments? Anything?” “Oh.. oh.. um,” I stuttered for a second. “I mean, you should wear what you want and like. It's not for me.” "Of course, but if you see something you like, I don't mind. No one will see them, but you." My mind shut down for a second. This day was going a million times better than I could have ever imagined. It was almost surreal. With zero thought, I pointed to the pretty hot pink set beside us. Honestly, it didn't matter what she picked. I wanted to see every single one of them on her. "That one, please." She looked me over with evident amusement, her nose wrinkling a little bit in that way she did when she thought I was being cute. After finding the right size, she placed it in the cart with her other things. Then with a swish of her hips, she turned her back to me so she could keep shopping. “Yay.” I clapped like a moron for her entertainment. “Best day ever." She didn't turn around, but I could see the sides of her cheeks lift, and her eyes crinkle with her smile. Thankfully we weren’t in the panties and bras too long. She hurried along to the shoes where she bought even more stuff on sale. Heels and sneakers. I had realized that I hadn’t seen her in anything but gym shoes and her ballet flats the night of the jump. I couldn’t wait to see whatever she decided to wear for me. Perhaps the pink lingerie and the black heels, like out of some teen boys’ fantasy. "I need to get some cosmetic stuff, and we should get some supplies from the pharmacy,” she whispered. “Right. Good idea. Those condoms are probably about to expire anyway. I got them right before I broke up with my ex last year. They're Australian condoms,” I overshared. “Do you put them on counter-clockwise?” She said as she looked into my eyes, her voice dry as could be. “Har har,” I laughed at her stupid joke. “You're a riot, you are. Right full of piss.” Jasper was going to love her. Vicky had been very serious, and he avoided her at all costs. They didn't get along very well at all. Like oil and water. As if in a way of warning her about how much sex I was hoping we were going to have, I threw a giant box of assorted condoms in with the rest of our overflowing cart. I could see her little smirk. “Perhaps we should grab some of that as well,” she pointed at the lube above the condoms. That I didn’t have any of. "What should we get?" I asked. I never knew, and they were continually changing. “Hm, I guess it depends on what you want to do with it,” Bella said, her body pressing into my side. I slid my hand down her back and quickly grabbed her ass. She laughed, her hand reaching up and smoothing over my jaw as she continued to look. “I never know what to get.” Well, at least we had that in common. “We can always get more than one,” I offered. They were cheap. She giggled cutely, “what? Are we going to rank these like those Pringles?” Um, yes, please. I let out a nervous snort as I tried to hold in my laugh. She laughed a little harder, tilting her head back to look at me. “I don’t think we can film that,” I said to her in my own laugh. “I mean, obviously you can. You just shouldn’t show it to anyone. Oh, my god. Can you even imagine how that would go?” She joked. With her bent over my recording table in my office while I fucked her from behind. Sure, I could imagine it all day long. I picked one and tossed it in the cart. “Now, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t let me film anything like that.” “Ha,” she looked up at me again. “You have no idea what I’ll let you do to me.” I threw two more in. She giggled again. “So, Eddie tries lube then?” This time I let out my laugh. She tugged me along behind her. “Oh, do you think it would make a good video?” “Mm, I think it would be hilarious,” she replied. “I can see it perfectly in my mind.” Hilarious wasn’t a word I would use for my thoughts on the matter. “Oh?” “Well, this one is... slippery...” Bella did a rather funny impression of an Australian accent as she stopped to look at the makeup. I saw where she was going and decided to play along happily. “This one is... smells like a cherry lollie for some reason,” I hammed up my accent for her. “Oh, my god! This one burns! Why does it burn?!” She said hilariously with the accent again. I barked out a laugh just as an old lady came rolling by. She looked annoyed at both of us for some reason. Bella was unbothered, though. She picked out a pink tube of something and tossed it over her shoulder and perfectly into our cart of stuff. She purposefully flung it the way that I had done her bra in the morning. Quickly I turned away so as not to snort directly at the old woman. After she selected her assortment of makeup, we made it to the checkout and put everything in the car. There was a sushi place in the same shopping center that appeared to be open, so I suggested we order a real meal from there. She happily agreed. Once we ordered, we sat by the window with her warm little body pressed against mine while we sipped green tea and watched the rain as it pounded against the glass. When she spoke about how she liked to edit in this type of weather, this is what I imagined. My hand rested on the small of her back, her head on my shoulder. When she looked up at me with a small smile, I had the urge to kiss her. I held back for a moment but realized I didn't have to. She didn't want me to. Closing the distance between us, I pressed my lips to hers. She smiled against them, her fingers dragging over my jaw and up into my hair as she returned it lightly. I was grateful for my covered garage as the storm began to rage again when we arrived home. The wind slapped violently at the door as it closed behind us. Bella hurriedly helped me bring all of our bounty inside. She took all of her new things to the guest bedroom and came back with her camera in hand. She placed it down onto the coffee table in front of the couch before she helped me set the entire living room, kitchen, and dining room up with unlit candles. "You should put one in your room and one in the bathroom now," she commented after putting batteries into all the torches for us. I probably went overboard with our supply, but at least we wouldn't be hurting for a romantic atmosphere. I took them back to my room like she had told me to, checking my phone as I did. There were so many messages I was ignoring. Seth and Tyler were still talking through the group chat. I also had a text from Tanya asking about the weather. I sent her the reply that I was just fine, but the power was going in and out. Looking at the weather again on my phone, I realized that it was going to continue on for at least another day. We were supposed to go out the following day to shoot, but there was no way that was going to happen. It was fine, I could reschedule. It made me excited to think about having a day all alone with Bella. I quickly sent the guys a message, letting them know what I had decided. Seth agreed to call all of the places to let them know, and I would set up the new time for later in the weekend, probably. Since I had my phone out, I decided to finally reply to Jasper's text from earlier. "You bet your ass she does, but she's going to look even better in the knickers she let me pick out for her." “Pics or didn’t happen lol.” “Haha, go fuck yourself,” I laughed to myself as I typed it. “I’m trying to. That’s why I asked for pictures.” “You’re disgusting.” “So, I canceled shooting for tomorrow and arranged it for later this weekend. All I have to do tomorrow is a little editing now,” I told Bella as I came back into the living room. My phone beeped in my hand. Jasper replied with, "no shit.'' I shook my head and put my phone away. "The power is out over at Seth's. Tyler's just came back on." Something hit the window, leaves, and limbs clattering against the roof as the wind and the rain increased. The lights flickered off again, making Bella jump in surprise as she leaned against the bar. The lights went out again as the wind slapped rain against the window. “If there is electricity you'll do a little editing,” she answered before she began to actually light our candles. I hurried to help her. And it looked just as romantic as I imagined it would. “What shall we do?” Please say roll around with a nerdy Australian in the nude, my mind joked at me. It was a bit funnier this time. Bella bit her lip for a moment before she looked up at me from underneath her eyelashes. “Have a glass of wine and a joint then eat our sushi by candlelight while listening to music on my phone and watching the rain?” Oh, hell yeah. "Oh, sounds perfect," I spouted before quickly turning on my heels and going to get the joints she had suggested. When I came back, Bella had music playing on her phone already. Placing them down on the side table, I went to get us a bottle of wine to share. While I did, Bella began to take pictures of everything. I knew these pictures were for no one else but her. This was for her personal collection. I smiled to myself as I watched, pouring us each a glass. “You look like the cover of a Harlequin novel,” she joked playfully. I certainly did not. She showed me the picture with a little smirk on her lips. “My shirt would be off for that.” "Later," Bella said funnily just before she ran her fingers over my ticklish stomach. Despite myself, I laughed and jerked uncontrollably backwards. I almost spilled our drinks everywhere. She giggled as she wrinkled her nose a little, taking the glass I had for her. I had always enjoyed cuddling. As a child, I was always laying in the middle of my sisters like a kitten who always had to be the warmest in the pile. They allowed me to crawl all over them until I was far too big. Some of my fondest memories were me, age seven or eight, laying pressed between my oldest sisters on the couch while we watched movies for hours. Sometimes whole weekends. This was better, though. I enjoyed my job as a pillow, and I had never felt so comfortable before. I realized as I sat with her pressed against my side that I hadn’t thought about my mask once all day. The notion almost brought tears to my eyes. I don’t think she realized what she was giving me. Even if it was just for a single perfect day. She scrolled through pictures on her camera, looking at everything she had captured in the past few days. Bella had taken so many. Every one of them seemed so good. She was such a talented artist. I wanted to see the world the way she did. She saw art in things I looked past every single day. I wanted her to teach me how, and I wanted to crawl into her mind and see how it worked for myself. “You're so talented,” I said honestly. She smiled a little before kissing my cheek. “Thank you.” We took turns smoking, both of us silent. It wasn't uncomfortable, though. I wasn't sure we needed to say anything in those moments. It felt as if I had everything I needed for the first time in a long time. Bella put her camera down on the side table before checking her cell. “What would we have done if I had to fly out today? I'd be back home by now,” she asked. That was a good question. I had no idea what I was going to do. Either cry into a bottle or do something overdramatic. "I was going to beg you to stay or fly to New York to follow you if you left before I could. Call and beg on your way to the airport to come back. I don't know. Something like that," I teased though it was probably more accurate than I would have liked. “No,” she laughed. “Mm, yes. Maybe I'd just show up at your door with flowers and beg you to give me a chance. I expected more begging altogether, frankly. I thought after Saturday it would be harder, to be honest,” I told her a bit too truthfully at the end. I didn’t need to be drinking and smoking too much in front of her. I already knew I wasn’t the best at handling it. She seemed confused. “What about Saturday? Why?” “I thought you weren't interested in me, to be honest.” She shook her head quickly. “I thought you were flirting with me like you had with that girl at the party.” Damn, I knew that’s what upset her. I mentally kicked myself for doing it again, but at least it worked out for the best. “I shouldn't have done that. It's... It's an act I have to put on when I'm in public. I admit I probably let it go too far that night. But, I don't feel the need to act for you.” “So, did tonight work out better than you hoped?” She smiled at me warmly as she brought her hand to my face, her fingers dancing against my cheek before she pressed her palm to my skin. I leaned into her touch. "I didn't even want to think about tonight, honestly. If you weren't interested- I just... I just knew I had to tell you how I felt and deal with it, but there was no way I couldn't," I confessed. I had been a fool for keeping it in as long as I did. Bella seemed surprised, clicking her tongue as she flushed slightly. “Couldn't you tell how much I am into you? I feel so obvious. I even kissed you!” She giggled, looking down at her lap in almost embarrassment. "But I asked for it! I wasn't sure. I thought... maybe... but I wasn't sure if I was just projecting my feelings onto you. But I knew the second I watched you get out the car and I saw your face for the first time, though…" That you were my soulmate and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Jasper was right. I was a dramatic bitch, and I was going to scare her off if I didn't chill out. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts away. "You are the most amazing woman." She pulled the smoke from my hand before leaning in to kiss my lips. I could imagine I looked a little dazed when she pulled away. Bella smirked a little to herself, taking a long hit as she settled back against me. Wrapping both of my arms around her, I let my hands rest on her soft stomach. “That's so sweet. I wish I could say something equally so about the first time I saw you,” she said almost wistfully. "That's okay," I answered with a happy little laugh. I was just pleased she was there. She gave me back the joint, so I took a drag. “The first time I saw your face and knew exactly who you were, to be perfectly honest, my roommate and I had watched eight solid hours of your videos and well... I definitely masturbated thinking about you. Does that count?” She deadpanned perfectly. It was so unexpected that I sucked in too hard and began to cough, shooting curls of smoke out of my nose and mouth. She laughed to herself. Oh yes, her and Jasper would get along famously. “Dammit! And you say it so dryly, too! Christ. You did that on purpose.” She didn’t look the least bit repentant. “Yeah, but it's still true.” "Well, I did too, but I wasn't going to tell you that," I laughed as I gulped down my wine. “Well, I already assumed you did. I would assume that even if you weren't interested in me romantically actually. You were definitely staring at my breasts at the tattoo shop.” She was a brilliant and observant woman. "That was so hot," I admitted. "I felt like a whiny cunt, and then you lay there like a goddamn gangster. When you took your shirt off. Bless. Seth almost dropped his camera. It's my favorite part. I had so much fun. Thank God Tyler caught his reaction.” Bella giggled and blushed again. “Well, that was hot for both of us. You weren't too bad. It does hurt.” She kissed my tattoo through the fabric of my shirt. It felt as if my heart was going to thunder out of my chest. “It was your first. You get used to it.” She opened herself up to questions by making a joke, so I decided to go for it. "Did you really... um, play with yourself? I mean, thinking about me? After watching my videos?" “You're so cute,” she teased as she touched my cheek. “I did... And I did after the tattoo shop in bed that night. And... in the morning in the shower afterward. And a few times in between. I literally took pictures of your ass just for me.” Fuck… I remembered how easily she came on my fingers in the morning. I wanted to watch her do that to herself again. It was hard to believe how open she was. Bella certainly wasn’t shy in the least. I quickly drank the rest of my wine as I flushed at her words and my thoughts. “You're so forward.” “Is that bad?” She questioned. “No. You're normally blunt so I shouldn't be surprised. I've never met a woman like you. Your body is too small for your personality, you know that?” "Sounds like something you'd say about a Yorkie," she pouted a little bit, and I couldn't help but giggle. I was unbelievably relaxed and buzzed. The lights went on and off a couple of times before deciding to stay on for just a few minutes. We opted to eat since they were on. They only remained on long enough though for us to warm up our meal. Once again, Bella began to take pictures. It pleased me so much that she was. She wanted to remember this night, just like I did. I decided to take some photos of my own. Then another idea popped into my head. I hadn't made a diary entry since Bella's first day. Most of them lately were filled with my anxiety, loneliness, and depression. For once, I wanted a happy one. Without overthinking it, I began to record. "So, it is... well, it's raining cats and dogs outside, and we, the gorgeous Isabella and I are without any lights," I began in a cheesy voice. "But, fear not. We are prepared. We have candles coming out of our arses. We have torches. And we have a metric fuckton of Japanese food we bought on our way home from picking up storm supplies. Look at all that." I showed the camera the goods before focusing it on Bella. She looked incredible in the soft yellow light. "So, darling, do you want to tell us what we have today?" "Well, first, we have sushi. We have salmon and white tuna nigiri, and we have salmon and tuna maki. And a shrimp tempura roll, which I'm super excited about. We also have chicken, shrimp, and steak mixed plate of teriyaki with extra vegetables because they're my favorite. Steamed and fried rice. Miso soup. Seaweed salads. And steamed dumplings because we're apparently pigs?" She pointed to everything prettily, a big smile on her plush lips “We could have gotten more,” I told her with a smirk, zooming on her sweet face. “Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Besides, didn't you buy a bunch of desserts?” She playfully chided. “Yeah,” I answered with a silly grin before I poured us each more wine. “A toast to stormy weather,” I said before I picked up my glass. Bella did the same. “Prost.” “Salud.” Bella returned my smile before she took a sip. I ended the video just as she pulled the glass away from her lips, her eyes flicking up into mine. She was perfection. “You're a natural,” I told her again. She practically glowed when she was in front of the camera. I could easily see her being a star. “Well, I did take, like, two years of drama in high school or whatever,” Bella replied as she tossed her hair over her shoulder playfully just to make me laugh. I have to admit that I liked how much she was showing out for me too. "And it shows! It's probably just going to be for me, though. My diary. I want to remember every detail of this night."  Episode Eleven: When the Lights Go OutWarning: this episode contains graphic sexual descriptions. Reader discretion is advised. Intended for a mature audience only. (18+)My phone rang just after one. Jasper had just gotten off of work. He knew I wasn’t asleep. “No,” he started right away. “You’re not doing this, Tony.” “I couldn’t do it.” “Why?” “I don’t know!” I nearly shouted. “God, she was so lovely to me, too. All day. She-” I sniffled. I didn’t want to cry again. Especially on the phone with him. “Fuck. I’m so stupid. What am I doing?” “Yeah, good question. So, what the hell happened?” "We went to the zoo, and she was so easy to talk to. And at dinner, she gave this little speech that just…" I trailed off, I didn't know how to explain how it made me feel. “What did she say?” “She said I was going to be a big deal and that I was talented. And tonight before she went to bed she told me that it was marvelous and that she couldn’t wait to tell her grandkids about the week she spent with me,” I said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “Oh, my god! And you just let her walk away?” “Yeah.” "She likes you! You're ridiculous. She's leaving in the morning. So, that's it? You're all mad for this chick, but you're just going to let her go without even trying? You know, you talk a big game, but she must not be worth it if you're not even willing to tell her that you like her." “Hey! She has nothing to do with this! I’m the pussy here. She’s amazing! I don’t deserve her!” "There! There it is! And you're fucking wrong, Tony! You deserve her. You deserve to have everything you want in your life because you're amazing, too! If she is half as awesome as you’re fucking talking her up to be then you need to pull your head out of your ass. If she turns you down at least you tried, but I swear to you, I will not entertain this a moment after she leaves. You know what you need to do. The problem is you. She's giving you every opening. She made the first move! She kissed you! She's already told you that she likes you, she just didn't use the exact words." My heart pounded in my chest at his words, and I knew I was blushing. I swallowed heavily. “Yeah. Okay. You’re right.” “I know I am. About everything,” he said the last part sarcastically. “What if she turns me down?” “Then she’s an idiot,” he said instantly. I scoffed, “she’s not an idiot.” “Then she won’t turn you down.” I spent the rest of the night working on editing. I finished my personal footage for the jump. It was easy to put together. There were so many good shots. I slipped as much of Bella into it as possible. When the sun came up, I took a shower to clear my head. I tried to imagine what that night was going to be like. I already hated it. I tried to imagine a world where the day went well, but I couldn't. Anxiety and dread were filling me, just like it had the Sunday before but in such a different way. I decided a little before eight that I needed to get coffee. When I walked passed Bella's door, I realized that the light was on. Stopping, I stared at it for a long minute. Jasper was right. I knew what the problem was, and it was me. I didn't know what I was going to say precisely. I wanted to simply drop to my knees in front of her and beg her to give me a chance, despite being wildly unworthy of her time. I wanted to tell her that no other woman in the world could ever compare to her in my eyes. Though, of course, no human was perfect, she was perfect for me in every way. I wanted her, and I wanted to be hers, fully and freely. No masks. No acting. Just the real me. Bella unknowingly owned my heart already. I quickly knocked on the door. “Yeah?” I heard her quietly call. I slowly opened the door and looked inside. “I... saw the light. I'm not waking you?” Bella was standing up, dressed, and ready for her flight. She was wearing blue jeans and a purple flannel shirt half open over a white tank top. Even as tired as she looked, she was lovely. “Of course not.” She smiled a little, not looking at me. “What are you doing awake? I didn't expect to see you this morning.” “I've not been asleep, to be honest. I worked on editing all night.” "Me too." She looked up at me finally and took a couple of steps towards me. Thunder rumbled quietly as the storm began to whip up outside. I could only hear my heartbeat in my ears. “So, I know that it's really important to you to remain professional while you're working,” I tried to figure out how to start. I was, after all, the big creep in her bedroom very early in the morning. “It is. But, I'm off the clock right now.” She took another step towards me and smiled. She has already told me she likes me, I reminded myself what Jasper said. I took a deep breath. "Bella, I meant it when I said that I am very fond-" I saw a bolt of lightning behind her head in the window as it crashed into the ground. I could have pissed myself. Both of us jumped towards one another. The loud boom shocked me even more, and I grabbed her forearms automatically, pulling her closer protectively. The lights flickered for a second before dying. Half the cars in the neighborhood were beeping loudly in complaint. Bella’s fingers had twisted into my shirt as she looked back at the rain, her breathing quick. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, though. She turned back slowly to look up at me. “Isabella, I like you,” I nearly shouted. I cleared my throat, lowering my voice, “I am more than just fond of you.” “I like you too, Edward. So much,” she told me quickly, her perfectly mismatched eyes looking up into mine. I could feel her fingers tighten around the fabric of my shirt. “I have such strong feelings for you. I'm kind of overwhelmed by them because honestly, I've not felt like this about a person before and I thought I had-” been in love before, I almost revealed to her. I had never been more grateful for a phone call in my life. Bella quickly released my shirt when her cell began to ring on the bedside table. “That's my boss. I have to take this. I'm so sorry,” she said in embarrassment. “No, go ahead. I understand.” I let go of her arms so she could answer. She snatched up the phone from the table and brought it to her ear. “Hello.” Then she did the most fantastic thing. Bella reached her hand up to me. I smiled and quickly moved towards her so that I could take it. I brought it up to my lips and kissed her knuckles gently. She grinned widely, biting her bottom lip as she watched me. "Hey, Bella- it's Jessica. I've got some bad news. I was just checking my email, and I got one from the airline. It was forwarded to me too since I made your arrangements. Your flight has just been canceled due to the weather. I wanted to make sure you knew as soon as possible. I hope I didn't wake you.” My mind literally began to jump for joy. All I need is more time, I kept thinking. And the minute I tell her, I get it. It was almost funny. It had to be fate. I was not sure what I had done to deserve this great bit of karma. Especially after being a whiny little bitch all week. I didn't think the worst of the storms would hit until well after she left. I never expected them to cancel her flight. “Um. no. You didn’t. Wow, I didn't realize it was that bad,” she said to the loud woman on the other side of the phone. Our eyes never left one another’s, both of us smiling. I felt like my face was going to crack open. “Yeah. There is a good chance that tomorrow's flights will be canceled or at the very least delayed. So, I negotiated with the airline and got you fifteen hundred in credit to get a flight out whenever you want, weather permitting. But, I can't give you any extra cash for a hotel or food. I’m sorry.” The look of pure happiness as she quickly answered made me so excited for the conversation we were about to have. Bella wanted to be there as much I wanted her to be. “No, that's not a problem. I can afford to be a tourist for a couple of days. That's amazing about the credit. It's so much! When do I need to use the credit by?” “It doesn't expire. And, you don't have to use it all at once. It's like a gift card. I sent everything to your email.” I would have to personally send this loud woman flowers. Bless her. “That's great, actually. Thanks. Maybe I can have a little vacation since I'm here. Stay an extra day or two. Give them a few days to catch up from the madness this is sure to cause,” Bella said hopefully. I nodded to her eagerly. Yes. Please, stay. Stay forever. “You are welcome to stay for as long as you want.” I squeezed her hand. She pulled her hand out of mine so she could reach up and brush her fingers over my cheek. They smelled of vanilla, warm, and sweet. “Is he there?” Bella smiled happily. “Yes. He's very sweet.” I placed my hand on top of hers so that I could bring her palm to my lips. Closing my eyes, I breathed her in deeply as I kissed her soft skin. She tasted as good as she smelled. “Oh, really? You'll have to tell me all about it... later. Send me your edits by the end of next week though.” “Not a problem,” she told the woman quickly. “Enjoy your vacation and stay safe from the storm. It's supposed to be really bad. Like a few inches of rain and really strong wind. Flooding, too. Be careful.” “I will,” she replied absently before hanging up the phone. Glancing back at her bed, she tossed the electronic device onto it carefully. Then she turned her warm eyes back to mine. Bella cocked her head slightly to the side before she told me dryly, “oh, darn. My flight was canceled, and I won't be able to reschedule for at least a day. Maybe even two." What a perfect thing to say... “Oh, no,” I could hardly keep my voice as even as hers. I felt like I was about to start jumping up and down in joy literally. “That. Is. Terrible.” She slid both of her hands up my arms until they came to rest on my shoulders. With a surprising amount of ease, Bella jumped up and wrapped both of her arms and legs around me. I quickly caught her, pressing her tightly to me as she began to kiss my mouth. We kissed for several blessedly long moments before she breathed, “I want you.” Her palms rested on my cheeks as she held me in place, her sweet lips moving against mine deliciously. I wanted to taste them fully. I wanted to taste all of her. Desperately, I clung to her. I sort of stumbled into the hall. If we were going to stop, she needed to tell me because otherwise, I wasn't going to. All I could think about was how I wanted her in my bed. “My room?” She nodded quickly before pulling my mouth to hers again. Holy shit. This is going to happen. This is happening. I laid her in the middle of my big bed, and she looked so tiny underneath me. I kissed her throat eagerly. As much as I wanted her, I needed to make sure I didn't push anything. “Is this okay?” I asked as I kissed her soft cheeks and lovely lips. “I don't want to rush you. I wasn't-” Even as I was saying it, I couldn’t stop. “I jumped you. Literally,” she giggled as her fingers pushed underneath my shirt. Bella pulled it over my head and tossed it to the side, her eyes taking me in warmly. I happily kissed her back as she touched my chest, arms, back, and neck with gentle hands. Her legs were so tight around my waist. Bella’s hips ground against mine, and I could feel the rough fabric of the denim through the thin shorts that I usually slept in. I realized then that I wasn't wearing underwear. I normally didn't sleep in any. I hadn't actually expected to talk to her yet. She took a handful of my hair and tugged it back roughly so that she could begin to kiss my neck, sending a perfect shock down my spine. Pleasure tingled at where she pulled, her eager mouth creating new spots of the perfect sensation on my throat. I began pulling off her shirt, finally touching her lovely stomach for just a moment. Both of her shirts quickly made it to the floor. Literally, I had been thinking about her breasts in that tight sports bra at the tattoo shop all damn week. I had imagined them in lingerie and in nothing at all, too. But the reality was so much better than I had expected. Bella was wearing a gorgeous purple lace bra, and I could just make out her dark nipples through it. I shoved my face into them automatically like an idiot and moaned, "oh, they're perfect.” I almost expected her to call me out for it. Tell me that I was being childish. Instead, she laughed cheerfully and hugged her thin arms around my neck. With one hand, she lifted up and popped the hooks easily. I joyfully pulled the garment away from her body and tossed it over my head dramatically. I earned the exact sweet giggle and smile that I wanted. Her skin was delightfully soft and supple. Every inch of her tasted good. I could see myself trying to kiss every part of her, spending hours dedicated to doing so. She was sucking in deep breaths, squirming at my attention. Bella’s breasts were quite heavy on her tiny frame, her large nipples a lovely dark rosy shade. Both of them were hard for me. She scratched her nails over my back as I brought them into my mouth, tasting them for the first time. Gasping, she tilted her head back just a little in pleasure. Then she slipped her hands down my back and into my shorts, unexpectedly grabbing my ass. God, this is so much fun. It was my turn to gasp. She actually squeezed tighter, smiling wildly as she did so. I was so turned on. "You cheeky little thing." I bit into the soft fleshy part just below her nipple. Bella made a little noise of surprise before laughing, both hands still on me. "I like your ass so much," she replied with a naughty smile just before I kissed her again. One of her delicate little hands scratched up my spine before the other squeezed one of my cheeks tightly. I thrust my hips forward into her, brushing my erection against the apex of her thighs. “I've honestly never been told that before,” I whispered as I brushed my lips over her ear. “It looked so good in your flight suit,” she whispered back before kissing her way down my sweaty forehead, bringing my ear between her teeth. Damn. I couldn't take her blue jeans off fast enough. She helped me, pushing them down her thick hips and kicking them to the floor. I took her all in for the first time, almost entirely nude. Her light olive skin was slightly slick with sweat. Bella's panties were the exact opposite of what I had been expecting. Instead of matching lace, she was wearing Halloween themed underwear with little vampire bats on them. “Love them,” I told her honestly as I slid my hand down her stomach and over her panties. I knew the exact spot she wanted me to touch. Her hips pushed up when my fingers pressed between her thighs. I gently rubbed her clit through the fabric, feeling them quickly soak from her arousal. She hummed in pleasure, so I pressed a little harder until she was panting and arching up off the bed. I took this chance to kiss her chest again. Her fingers dug into my shoulders, her short blunt nails dragging against my skin. Dipping my fingers lower, I realized exactly how wet she was. She was just as turned on as I was. I wasn't sure how it was possible. “Oh, fuck...” Bella breathed as I touched her there, her head falling back as her hips rolled towards my hand. Pushing her panties to the side, I brushed my fingers along her wet clit. With every movement, she swirled her hips with me, pushing up towards my hand. My mouth found the spot I had bitten before, a small bruise already starting to form, and brought it into my mouth to suckle more. I needed to get Bella off. I had to feel her cum. Kissing her lips gently, I breathed, “tell me what to do.” She brought her hand down to my wrist, pushing my fingers inside of her for the first time while lifting her hips up to meet them. Then she brought her own hand to clit to take over what I had just been doing to her. Bella tightened up around them almost instantly, and I honestly almost came in my shorts. “Oh, my god,” I gasped out before attacking her perfect lips. We kissed, my fingers playing within her. She moaned against my mouth, her bottom lip brushing against mine as she orgasmed around my fingers. “Yes, please. Oh, my god.” "Don't stop," she begged loudly as if I would. Her legs twitched, and her feet kicked at the mattress as she came over and over again. I knew a second before she reached her limit, the squeezing becoming intense. Bella pushed herself away forcefully, her body shaking a little. She wasn’t away from me very long, rolling herself into my chest and nuzzling her face against my neck. I happily held her, kissing her forehead lightly. “Is that normal for you? Getting off more than once?” I asked before I could stop myself, pulling back a little to look at her. Bella seemed a little embarrassed, but she was still smiling at me. "I'm really easy. I've always been. I'm pretty good at getting myself off." "I can see that. And I am very impressed. It's a skill I've mastered as well,” I joked joyfully. I expected her to laugh at me, but instead, she gave me a sexy little smirk. "I bet you have. I'd like to see your skills in action." She tugged at my shorts so that they slid down my hips a little. Then she gently brought my earlobe between her teeth. "Do you have condoms?" “Yes!” It was more a declaration of happiness that I did, in fact, have condoms and that I was going to use them with her than an actual answer to her question. I flung myself off the bed, going to the drawer beside it. Inside was an unopened box of condoms that I had gotten the week before I was going to move to America with Victoria. I figured it would be a good idea to be prepared. I was, of course, an idiot. I almost threw them away when we broke up. I was so glad that I hadn’t. I was shaking as I picked up the box. This was happening. I was about to have sex with this amazing person. And she wanted to have sex with me too. I watched as she pulled her panties down with her thumbs and then crawled on her hands and knees over to me. She sat back on her heels, taking the condom that I just successfully ripped from the bunch. Bella put it in the bed beside her and then tugged down my shorts with both hands. Her eyes got a little wide for a second when she took me in, and I was worried about what she saw. Slowly, Bella lowered herself down onto her elbows and brought me into her mouth. My ex loathed blow jobs, which was fine. Everyone has likes and dislikes. I have to admit that I did miss them. She would occasionally give me one if I asked nicely enough, but it was never fun when she was so obviously disgusted by it. Bella was the exact opposite of that. A wild shudder ran down my spine as I hit the back of her throat. She used her tongue to tease my head before sliding back down again. Over and over again, she took me into her perfectly warm and eager mouth. It was, without a single doubt, the best blow job I had ever received. I could barely breathe. The sight of her nice round ass and her bobbing head was too much for me, and I had to close my eyes to keep from cumming down her throat like I very much wanted to. Bella wrapped her fingers around me and licked me one more time before kissing up my chest. She continued to stroke me as she did. “Thank you,” I told her quietly as I pushed my fingers into her curls so that I could bring her mouth into another kiss. “You're so polite,” she giggled lightly, kissing me again. I felt like I was on fire. It was so hard to think with her doing that with her hand. “It's not nice to be... rude to the woman... who is doing good… amazing... uh... things to you,” I panted. "I can see your logic." She lightly kissed along my chin, watching my expression as she wove her fingers into my hair. Bella pulled it roughly, and I twitched in her tight grip. "I don't think that's what you like though. Being polite." Damn. “I think I'll like whatever you want to do to me.” “That's dangerous. What if I'm really, really, really kinky?” She picked up the condom, lifting it up some. I grinned. I certainly hoped she was. “Promises, promises.” She returned my smile wickedly, opening the foil as she did. Her gaze was so piercing. “Just so you know, I'm going to ruin you for other women.” Oh, baby, you have no idea. “Already done.” Her mischievous face was practically glowing. She pushed the condom onto me while her eyes never left mine. Forcefully she pushed me back onto the mattress. Bella was over me less than a second later, kissing me. My hands went to her thighs, running my fingers over her soft skin to her lovely ass. I squeezed large handfuls, and I could feel her smile against my lips as we kissed. Bella leaned back, carefully adjusting herself on top of me. She was so incredibly wet that I could feel her drip as she slid down. When she was fully seated on me for the first time, she leaned her head back as her eyes closed, brushing her own hair out of her face. While still holding her hair, she began to roll her hips on top of me. I moved my hands to them so I could move in time with her. She moved the hand that was in her hair down her body and in between her legs. The instant she touched herself, I could feel the same tightening I had before. It was so much better around my cock, though. She really was good at getting herself off because not long after she began to cum around me. “Edward, oh god… Edward…” She called my name With that, any of my self-control disappear. I forced her down on top of me, and I thrust myself inside of her throbbing body. I went blind for a second when I came. It took me a moment to realize it was because my face was shoved into my pillows. After she pulled herself off of my softening erection, she leaned down and kissed my shoulder, laying her slick hot body against mine. Both of us were panting loudly in the quiet. I didn't want to let her go, ever. Thunder rumbled overhead, shaking the house again. The gray light from the window lit up the electricity-free house. Bella slowly sat up, looking out the window briefly before going to the bathroom. I sat up, watching her go. I couldn't help the smile that spread over my lips as I watched her swaying hips. When I finally forced myself from the bed, I went to throw away the spent condom. Bella wasn't in there for very long, watching me for a minute before we switched places. I had a hickey on my neck, and I was covered with sweat. Quickly I washed up, unable to stop smiling at my reflection. When I came out of the bathroom Bella was already in my bed, the covers up to her breasts. She reached for me, and I rushed towards her excitedly. I slid under the covers and wrapped my arms around her tightly. Her warm body molded to mine. Somehow, I fell almost instantly asleep. I woke up to my phone beeping on the bedside table. It was still dark and raining. And Bella was still in my arms, her legs wedged between mine. Reaching over carefully so not to wake her, I looked at my cell. I had several messages. One from Seth, another from Tyler. My sister Carmen sent me one too, but it was just a picture. The newest text was from Jasper. He must have just gotten to work, it was early in the morning there. It was just before one in the afternoon in LA. “I hope you’re doing okay. We’re actually doing a story on the weather in Los Angeles. It’s supposed to be a whopper of a storm.” I had a million things I wanted to say to him. I couldn’t think of where to even start. Bella hummed in her sleep and rolled over slightly, her hair fanning all over my face. She was smiling in her sleep, her fingers curled against my chest. I lifted up my phone, careful to make sure there wasn’t anything naughty in the frame, and took a picture of us. My stupidly obvious smile was hidden behind her hair, my eyes glowing with joy, with sweet sleeping Isabella on my shoulder. I sent it to him, grinning to myself. “It’s about time. She didn’t leave?” “Her flight was canceled, actually. I told her this morning that I liked her and right after she got a call that her flight was canceled, and she then jumped me. Literally fucking jumped on me.” "She climbed you like a tree, eh? Good for her. I told you she liked you, you dumb cunt. If you had just told her at the party, you could have spent all day yesterday fucking instead of bitching." “Yes, you’re right. You’re always right. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go back to sleep with this super sexy woman who actually literally jumped me.” “This is going to be terrible for your ego,” he replied instantly. I placed my phone down after putting it on silent. Bella hummed again when I shifted, rolling over onto her side while her head was still on my arm. I moved so that my chest was against her back, holding her to me. She wiggled closer, pressing her plush ass against my once again stirring erection. I needed more rest, though, and I quickly slipped back to sleep. When I woke up, I was alone. The bathroom door was open, though. I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I had only been back to sleep an hour or so. I pulled on my shorts, but I couldn't find my shirt. Though, I did find most of Bella's clothing twisted into the sheets and blankets that were at my feet. Slowly, I made my way in the darkness towards her room. The door was open, and it was empty. When I got to the end of the hall, I could see her standing in my shirt by the glass wall that overlooked the pool. She was sipping from a small glass of milk as she watched the rain fall on the blue water. As I watched her, I found myself speechless. I had spent the entire week so confused. But watching her, there were three things I knew for certain. Isabella was, by far, the most beautiful woman I had ever met, inside and out. The sex we just had was the most amazing and intense of my pathetically dull sex life. And, I was very much profoundly, irrationally, in love with her and would be for the rest of eternity. Bella glanced back, catching me. She smiled, placing her glass on the table since she had finished her drink. “Hi.” “Hi there,” she said softly, smiling a little. “So, that was something else.” I walked towards her slowly. “It was,” she replied shyly. “I guess we have things to talk about now.” I wasn’t going to be so stupid to waste another damn minute not telling her what I wanted. I needed to be perfectly clear. That wasn’t just sex. I wasn’t just using her. “I want to date you. I want you to be my girlfriend. I mean, I want to be with you. If you’ll have me.” Bella smiled sadly. “I live on the opposite coast, Eddie.” I couldn’t give less than a fuck where she lived. It didn’t matter. "I already travel a lot for my work. I've gone to New York a few times. I can come to see you, and I can fly you out to see me whenever you want. There are more ways than ever to keep a long-distance relationship working. And I could always move to New York. I could do my work anywhere. Or, maybe one day, I can convince you to move here. There isn't a better city for photographers than LA. Look, this week with you has been one of the best of my life, and I already know that I don't want to miss this chance with you, Bella. If you feel the same way." "Isn't it obvious how I feel about you?" She asked, flushing as she did. I wanted to tell her not to an idiot like me, but she spoke again. "But I can't afford to fly whenever I want, Edward." How could she even think about that? Money was the one thing I had plenty of. It was confidence I lacked. “I'll pay for your tickets.” She shook her head. “That's not fair. I don't want you to feel like I'm using you ever.” "Darling, no. I wouldn't. I'm offering. Honestly though, if I could have my way, you'd just never leave and that would fix that problem," I said quickly. The words came out lightly, but I meant them. Bella looked away from me. "I have to go back to New York, eventually. Probably on Thursday or Friday. You have to work, too. We can't let this keep us from our responsibilities." “Would you consider staying a week at least? I'll take care of everything. Give me a chance to convince you to stay with me forever,” I begged as I walked towards her. Give me time, I thought. I didn’t earn it but let me make up for that mistake now. Those were the words I wanted to say to her. Instead, I said, “please?” "A week?" She looked back at me, and she scrunched up her nose a little bit. I knew exactly what that meant. Bella thought I was being cute, and she liked it. I decided to press my luck. "Or, two?" I asked, and she sighed playfully as if she was disappointed. “A week. It's cheaper to fly out on a Tuesday or a Wednesday anyway. But I don't want to get in the way of your work.” I smiled like a moron. "Last night, I got a week's worth of editing done. I'm way ahead. Besides, you make me feel so inspired. There are about thirty things I want to write down once I get a chance. After I get us some food, of course," I told her a little too honestly. I felt like I could jump over the moon in one go, my energy and excitement were nearly boundless. "We might be stuck with Little Debbies and Pringles. You should check the weather, and if there is a break, we should go to the stores to get supplies for the lights being out. You are very much lacking in that department." She was obviously much better at these sort of things than me. I realized that I didn’t have a single candle or torch in the house. "You're right, but first." I pulled her to me and kissed her smiling lips. "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" “Oh, my god. Are we in high school?” She actually very dramatically rolled her eyes, flipping her long curly black hair over her shoulder as she clicked her tongue playfully. “Gonna, like, take me to prom and stuff?” “Baby, I'll take you wherever you want to go if you'll be mine.” “Man, you're like a cheesy song lyric. Stop. I'll be your girlfriend if stop being such a try-hard,” she teased as she lightly pulled my hair. “But, trying hard is kinda my thing, though.” I pouted stupidly, earning a big smile. She smoothed one of her hands over my cheek lightly as she looked into my eyes. “You don't have to try that hard for me. I'm easy, I promise.” “Just because you're easy doesn't mean you're not worth the extra effort,” I said fiercely. She was very much worth it. How could she not realize? I was in no way worthy of the gorgeous woman that just agreed to be mine. “Aw, that's the nicest way anyone has ever called me a slut before,” she replied in a thick accent as Bella placed her hand over her chest. The word slut was the main thing I heard, and I panicked for a moment, worried that she thought I was calling her easy. Then I saw her batting eyelashes shit-eating grin. My new girlfriend was fucking with me again and enjoying it thoroughly. I laughed loudly in relief and joy. "Oh, GOD! That is not what I meant, and you know it. Besides, I don't think you're that easy at all. I think you are cheeky. And naughty. And stubborn. And challenging. And amazing.”  Episode Ten: Couldn't Help MyselfI was still very drunk when I sat down by my pool with a joint and another beer after the party because fuck it. I was in no mood for a text conversation. I quickly dialed Jasper’s number. I knew he would be awake. He answered on the second ring. It was maybe three in the morning in LA but evening in Sydney. “Well, it either went very well or terribly,” he said instead of hello. “I fucked up again,” I bemoaned, taking a long hit. “I asked her if she wanted a job.” He laughed, “what? Why?” “Because, I fucking panicked and I’m drunk,” I whined, rubbing my forehead. “She said no.” “And, did she give you a reason to why she said no?” He asked quietly. “Because she lives in New York, obviously. Of course. She said she’d say yes otherwise.” “I bet that was an awkward end to the evening,” he mumbled. "Actually, that wasn't the end of the night. We actually danced. A lot." "So, you offered this girl a job drunkenly, she tells you no, but she would if she lived closer, and then you two dance all night? Dumbass, just tell her you like her. What the fuck is wrong with you? She doesn't want you to be her boss. She wants you to be her Daddy.” I ignored him. “She’s right, though. She lives across the goddamn country, Jasper! I’m busy. I have work. She has to work. And she obviously just wants to be friends.” "How is that obvious? From what I'm hearing, it's not. From what I've seen in the footage, it's not." I took another hit. “She said that we were friends now.” “When you offered her a job?” “Yeah.” "Let me repeat that. When you offered her a job that she said would say yes to if she lived in LA. She then told you that you two were friends." “Yeah. She said, ‘well, you have my phone number. We’re friends now’.” He laughed at my terrible southern accent. “Okay. And what did she say this in response to exactly?” “I told her that I didn’t want tomorrow to be the last day that I see her.” “You are a dumbass. That means she wants you to use that phone to call her when all of this is done. So, you know, you can be really good friends.” I could almost see his stupid eyebrow wiggle. I laughed despite myself, leaning my head back against the cushions. “I don’t think so,” I sighed. “I’ve been watching more of the footage from the charity thing. The jump, too. She’s so into you. She’s just... scared. You’re kind of a big deal. I get it. So… just... Grow a pair and seduce her. You’re hot. You’re young. You’re rich. Show her a good time. If you can’t do it, no one can. What do you have planned for tomorrow?” “Nothing. But… She literally doesn’t care about any of those things.” “Then what does she care about?” He questioned me. “Surely you’ve been paying attention.” “Uh, I don’t know. It’s not like we’ve got to talk about that kind of stuff a lot. I mean, she’s really passionate about her friends and her charity stuff,” I concluded, searching my brain for all the conversations we had together. “Okay, but what does she like to do for fun? Have you asked her?” “Actually, I really think taking pictures is what she does for fun. She always looks so happy when she’s doing it. She takes trips with her roommate to take photos together.” “Well,” he cleared his throat a little. “I mean, it’s LA. There have to be a million great places to take some there. What do you think she’d like to do? What kind of pictures would she like to take?” “She… She actually said earlier that she really likes to go to the zoo to take pictures. And, at the beach. Especially at sunset because those are her favorite, even if she has a ton of them and they all look the same,” I grinned to myself as I thought about it. It was like all my stock footage that I had. I took another swig of my beer. “I was kind of thinking that it sounds like the perfect date, actually.” “Yeah, it does,” Jasper agreed quickly. “I mean, throw some food in there, too.” “Oh, yeah. Yeah, for sure,” I laughed quietly. “You know me. I already thought that, too. She’s actually really into food. And, I find it stupidly hot for some reason. I like watching her eat. And, she really likes champagne, too,” I chuckled. “I think we went through four bottles worth tonight.” “So, take her to brunch. It’s Sunday, right? Fill her with mimosas, walk around the zoo, flirt, take her to the beach. Have a romantic stroll on the sand. Be a man and tell her directly how you feel about her. Stop dancing around. Go back to your place and shag. Because Tony, darling, you need it.” I laughed loudly, “is it that easy?” “Is it not?” He questioned. “Look, you’re controlling this show. Make tomorrow perfect for her. Sweep her off her feet.” “Sweep her off her feet?” I took another hit. “Yes. You are Eddie fucking Cullen. You are talented, smart, and charming. You know how to pretend to talk to women, now actually use those skills to talk to the fucking woman you claim to be in love with now. If she’s worth it, you’ll do it.” “She’s worth it,” I whispered. “Then go for it!” He nearly shouted into the phone. “Honestly. Have you never successfully asked a woman out?” "I asked Courtney out, but we were like seventeen, and I literally asked her in a handwritten note. And Vicky and I were set up by our mothers. I mean, I've asked women to dinner, but it never ended up being more than a meal, and it's literally been five years. Victoria and I were together for four years, and I haven't been out with anyone since then." “You’re seriously overthinking this.” “Are you surprised?” “No,” he laughed. "I just don't want to miss this chance with her, and I don't want to screw it up. And what if I come off as some creepy ass Hollywood type? I don't want to come off like Weinstein here." “Well, ask her out while not wearing a robe. Try it fully dressed and let her decide when she wants to touch your penis,” Jasper said sarcastically. “Okay. Yes, obviously.” “You’re such a prude,” he mumbled. “I’m surprised you even danced with her.” "Hey!" I snapped at him. "I even asked her. You'd be proud. Even if it was after two bottles of that champagne that I was telling you about. She is an incredible dancer, by the way. I have never danced like that with a woman before." "This crush is adorable, Tony," he chuckled. “No, seriously. Her hips- The way they… Oh, my god. And, her ass,” I stuttered. “Mm. Her ass. She kept rubbing it on me, and I swear to God… If she asked me to fuck her in the middle of the dance floor, I would have right then." He laughed loudly. “You poor bastard.” “I’ve not wanked this much since I was a teenager,” I told him drunkenly. I snubbed out my joint. I had enough for the night. My beer was empty anyway. "Don't hurt yourself, darling. Remember to use the proper lubricates," Jasper said sarcastically. “That’s what the shower is for,” I replied back equally as sarcastic. “Thanks for the mental image, mate.” “Yup,” I chuckled. “So… Just… Take her to the zoo and the beach?” “Yeah. Sounds downright fucking wholesome, actually. The opposite of Weinstein.” “Yes. Yes, it does,” I agreed quickly. “I’m going to take Isabella to the zoo tomorrow.” "Good. That's my darling," he said teasingly, but I actually knew he meant it. He was always encouraging in his stupid sarcastic way. “Alright. I’m going to go. I’m need to go throw up.” “You’ll feel better. Grab some water and some aspirin for afterward.” “Good idea,” I agreed then hung up on him. I rushed to my bathroom and vomited up all of the liquor I had quickly ingested that night. He was right, though, I did feel much better afterward. After drinking a bottle of water and rinsing my mouth out, I went into the kitchen where I ate a can of Potato skin Pringles along with a few little Debbies. I needed something to soak up the liquor, and I didn't have any leftovers. These were the most appealing of my snack supply. Somehow, I managed to set my alarm for nine thirty. Even more of a miracle, I wasn't nearly as hungover as I thought I would be when I woke up. My shower helped a lot. I swallowed more medicine and another bottle of water before heading into the kitchen again to clean up my mess from the night before. While I was in there, I decided to try my hand at coffee. Just as it was finishing, Bella came padding out of her bedroom in her pajamas. She was wearing a tank top and cotton shorts with obviously no bra. I had to quickly avert my eyes. I busied myself by making her a mug just the way she liked it. I put it on the counter for her. “I hope it's good.” "Thanks," she mumbled as she took a small drink. Bella looked so exhausted. Poor darling. I was too anxious to be tired, though. And I had a plan. "What are we doing today?" Jasper was right. I knew how to act. I could do it. I could be charming. I put on my best casual smile. “Well, Sundays I normally take a day off. I lay around the house. Usually. But I don't want to do that today. I think I want to go out for a while. Want to get some brunch?” "Whatever you want to do. I'm just here for the ride." Her smile was weak, and her voice was quiet. She seemed so… depressed. I didn’t know another word for it. I had to make up for it. “Let's get brunch then. We'll take an Uber so we can have mimosas.” “I need to shower first,” she replied as she finished her coffee. Bella pushed her long curly hair out of her tired eyes. She looked like she needed a nap honestly, but I didn’t want to waste a second of the day with her. “Of course. I'll be editing in my office whenever you're ready. No rush, just let me know,” I told her quickly. I got myself ready to leave, stuffing my wallet and phone into my pocket. It vibrated in my jeans just as I slipped it inside. “I sent you something.” I went into my office and sat down at the desktop. The footage of the jump was already in my editing program. When I brought up my email, there was one waiting for me from Jasper. Inside was a few clips. I quickly downloaded them to watch. The message in the email read: She likes you, darling. The first was the forehead kiss. It was a thirty-second clip. She was so close to me, and the way she looked down at me in it made my stomach twinge with the memory of her lips. The next was a clip of her taking a picture of me while Seth filmed it. She smiled when she saw me, her face lighting up. Another was Bella and I just talking, standing very close to one another. This was the longest. I was sitting on the stool beside her, and she was standing. She was playing with her hair, twirling it between her fingers as she smiled. Bella was rocking a little bit in her spot, obviously anxious about the jump. “Who would think this is a good idea to promote a game?” She asked me a bit sarcastically. She was obviously being teasing. “Whoops. Killed one of our stars.” I smirked at her sassy words. I could tell she was actually really worried about me, though. “Well, you jump out of a plane in the game. A lot. It makes sense. Don’t worry, I’ll be safe.” “You also shoot each other in the game. Something you can do on the ground. Seems safer,” she said dryly. “Can you see me with a gun?” I asked, leaning towards her. Bella leaned towards me, speaking in an even tone as she maintained eye contact, “yes. A Nerf one.” I laughed at her response in the video. “Actually, yeah. I do have a few of those. And, a few water guns. I’m a child, obviously.” “I love Nerf guns so much,” she whispered to me. “I have a few. Aiden and I bought them when we were babysitting his niece when she was, like, five,” she laughed at the memory that came to mind, “and me and my best friend played with them so much more. But, playing with my niece was the best because she’d just happily run to get the darts for us.” “Oh, yeah,” I laughed. It made me miss my nieces a little more. “Isn’t it the best? I love playing with my nieces, too. I’ve bought them so many. Especially when they came out with all the pink stuff.” “I know,” she said excitedly. “I loved it so much. It made me almost as excited as the girl themed Legos. Something else I embarrassingly own.” “No. That’s awesome. I mean, you see how many toys I own.” I waved my hand in front of me in the video. I was imagining my shelf, but I had so much more hidden away in boxes. “I know. I love them. Your shelf is crazy. It makes my geeky heart happy,” she said teasingly, touching her hand to her chest. I stopped the video. It was just a blip of a conversation. It meant nothing. I was confused. It was just some of the mindless chatter we had while I was nervous. “Okay, I get two of the three,” I texted him. “But, the conversation?” He answered quickly. I had no idea why he was awake. “A beautiful, smart hot grown ass woman told you that she likes your toys.” “Okay, so? That just means she’s immature like me.” My phone flashed quickly. “Exactly! You’re into the same things. Food. Video games. Music. Even your childish hobbies. And, look at the way you two are looking at each other.” “You think so?” He sent me a series of emoji faces, most of them annoyed. “Yes!!!!!” “I’m taking her out to the zoo,” I told him quickly in my defense. “Good. Report back later. I’m grossly invested. I hate myself.” “Yeah, yeah. I will. You already know that I will.” Like I had anyone else I would want to tell. “Good luck.” Yes, I certainly needed it. I put the clips on again, watching them each several times in a row. Then I switched to my own footage to edit. Bella was in so much of it that was definitely not going into the video. I felt like a pervert, but I loved knowing I would have it for later. Bella knocked on the door quietly, pushing it open. She was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt and blue jean shorts, her hair pushed back with her sunglasses. She looked much more awake and ready for the day. “Ready when you are,” she said as she leaned up against the doorframe. I might not have been as hungover as I expected to be, but I still wasn't in any condition to drive. Besides, if we were going to loosen up with drinks, I didn't need to be behind the wheel. I was still clinging to the idea that liquor would somehow help. The waitress came by our table at the nice brunch place I reserved. “Can I start you off with something to drink real quick?” “Mimosas, please,” I grinned. “Two.” She quickly scampered away before we could say anything else. Bella looked at me curiously but didn’t say anything. When the waitress came back to the table, she placed them in the center. I pushed one of them towards Bella. “You're off the clock.” “No, I'm not.” She raised one of her eyebrows and pushed it back towards me, shaking her head. She didn’t look pleased. “Okay, well. Just one then. I know you like champagne.” “One,” she agreed as Bella pulled off her sunglasses and put them on the table. She rubbed her fingers over one of her temples. “Can I also have some water?” She asked the waitress when she came back to the table for a second. “Do you need some of this?” She offered as she pulled a bottle of medicine from her camera bag. "No, I'm good." I had taken a handful at home and drank it with half a bottle of pink stomach medicine, just in case. My stomach actually felt okay. I figured carbs and sugar could only help. I settled on french toast while she ordered eggs benedict. Honestly, on another day, I might have ordered the same thing. "So, what else do you want to do, or did you just want to eat?" She asked before Bella brought her camera up, snapping a picture of me as I was taking a drink. I smiled and posed like a moron so she could take another picture. She gave me a small smile, clicking away. “I think I want to go to the zoo today. It's not too far from here.” She seemed surprised, but I couldn't tell if it was good or bad. "Oh..." What if she hated it? What if she didn’t want to do it? What if this was just another mistake? “Is that okay?” She shook her head quickly. “Oh yeah, I'm just surprised.” "Well, you mentioned it yesterday, and it sounded like fun. I haven't done anything like that in ages. It'll be nice to do something wholesome. If you don't want to, it's alright,” I explained to her, swallowing back my nerves. "No, I want to. It sounds great." Bella smiled again, weakly. I wasn't sure if I was making the right choice for the day until we actually arrived at the busy zoo and she excitedly began to take pictures. Her smile was beautiful. I couldn't help but stare as I waited in line for our tickets while she took close up photos of some of the colorful flora. We went to the petting zoo at the beginning. She seemed to really like the goats. She knelt down and giggled as she scratched their chins. I liked them, too, I have to admit that I have always loved animals. Bella didn't seem bothered by them when they tried to nibble on her shirt or at the end of her hair. She just laughed and pulled it away before giving them a little pat. They kept rubbing along her bare legs, leaning into her. I was jealous of the goats. "So, what's your favorite animal?" I asked her curiously. She had been busily taking pictures, and sadly, none of them had her in them. I took her camera from her grip and decided to fix that. Bella instantly began to pose for me playfully. I couldn't hide my smile. "Um, zoo animal?" She thought about it, still posing. She was so good at it. Bella was perhaps a little too short to be a supermodel, but she was still gorgeous. "I'd say otters. Or, maybe capybara. They're supposed to be really friendly. Like a hamster. What about you?" “Oh, hm. I don't know. Foxes are cute. I liked lions as a kid.” I took a few steps back so I could get her full body in the shot. The bright pink background of the flamingos made her really stand out. Her hair was fluttering in the wind. Bella took her camera back with a little playful smirk on her face. “I half expected you to say kangaroo.” “Kangaroos can get fucked,” I spouted out before I could stop myself. I hated the goddamn things with a fiery passion. Bella laughed loudly, putting her hand on her heart as she did. “No, fuck those mean twats. I got kicked by one as a kid in my backyard,” I quickly explained. Bella pursed her plush lips before she giggled, “oh, no! Poor baby!” “I've got a scar,” I began to lift my shirt to show her the mark that I had from the run-in with the evil bastard from when I was a child. I was in the hospital for a day and had twenty stitches, at least. Bella swiftly brought her camera up with the funniest expression and took my picture. “Modesty!” I teased as I quickly lowered my shirt. “I want you to know that I was making an Aussie stereotype joke and you out stereotyped me. Bravo. Got any dingo or koala scars? Wanna show me your Drop bear wounds?” She was teasing me. I liked it. “No,” I playfully pouted. “Dingoes are bloody scary, though.” I'm not sure I had ever had that much fun at a zoo before. Bella was such a good conversation partner. She was patient and funny, always invested in whatever I was saying. As the afternoon went on, I felt some of my nerves melt away. I just loved talking to her so much. The mask slipped away as well, and we were just us. There were so many times that I simply just wanted to stop and profess myself to her. Tell her that I adored her and her encouraging smile and her sharp sense of humor. I loved her and always would. I didn't know how I knew that in a week's time, but I did. Bella was my soulmate. She had to know. I had to tell her about my feelings. But then she would look at me, my breath would catch, and the moment would slip away from me. When we got into the Uber to go to the beach, my anxiety came back stronger. It was getting later in the afternoon already. Why was I letting time slip away like this? “Santa Monica pier? Really?” Bella asked, glancing over at me. I shrugged. “Yeah, I thought we could see the sunset here and get some seafood for dinner.” “You didn't have to do all of this for me,” she nearly whispered the words. Bella seemed as nervous as I felt. “Are you having fun?” I asked before I could stop the words from coming out of my mouth, worried. “Are you?” She looked down at her lap before peeking at me sideways through her thick black eyelashes. “Isn't it obvious?” “I could ask you the same.” She smiled at me before she blushed and quickly looked out the window. Her voice was so airy and soft. “I can't imagine a better last day than this. Thanks.” “I'm glad you're happy.” Those were the best words I could have heard from her pretty lips. It made me feel light and hopeful. I showed out for her, dancing, and lip-syncing to the music playing all around us on the beach. She giggled and happily took pictures. Bella would make a face behind the camera, and I would return it, earning more faces and laughter. She would scrunch up her nose a little when she thought I was being cute. “So, you ready for a little nosh, darling?” I said in a cheesy English accent. It reminded me of my grandfather. My grandfathers were the first accents I copied as a child. It annoyed all of my family. “Mm, sure,” she smiled up at me. “Does seafood sound good to you? There are tons of great fish places around here.” “I love seafood. Honestly, I’ll eat just about anything.” “Me too. Come on. There is a great place not far from here that you’re going to love. It’s delicious.” It was dark by the time we got to the restaurant and the evening was almost over. “Alright. That's it. No more, Bella. You're done for the day. You're going to relax. Get whatever you want and save room for dessert, okay?” I informed her. We needed more time without her pretty face behind the camera. She let me take her things, putting them beside me without a fight. “Fine.” She sat back in her chair and sighed. When the waitress came to the table, I ordered a bottle of wine I knew she liked. We drank it the other night when she cooked that fantastic meal for me. She didn't argue about it as she had with the mimosa. I didn't think she wanted to. She looked tired, and wine sounded good. “You know, I'm surprised no one recognized you today,” she commented offhandedly. I instantly felt uncomfortable. I was thrilled no one had. I didn't mind fans, but I wanted to focus all my attention on her. "Well, I'm mainly a voice actor." She smirked at me. “You have like twenty million followers.” “Spread out around the globe. There are seven billion people on the planet. It's not that many,” I tried to explain to her. Bella actually rolled her eyes at me. “I'm not a big deal out here.” “Yes, you are. You're just not as big a deal as you're going to be... yet. You're going to be a household name one day. It's pretty obvious. You already have an amazing resume, and it's only getting better every day." Wow. I was actually speechless. My heart fluttered in my chest. Did she really see me that way? I wasn’t sure how. I drank my wine to give myself a moment to recover. "God, you do fluff my ego so. I mean, I like it. I don't think that will be true, but it's so sweet that you feel that way." Bella shook her pretty little head, her hair bouncing. She was playing with her glass, smoothing her middle finger over the rim, her other hand in a fist under her chin. "Edward, you are wildly talented. And, smart. And you are what? Twenty four? Look at what you've accomplished so far. And you just started with Disney! You've already won a Grammy! And you've not mentioned that once this entire week. I'd tell everyone and their mothers. I'd start conversations with 'hi, I'm the Bella Swan who won a Grammy.'" “That was just for reading a book.” I shook my head. “It wasn't anything special.” “Well, I listened to it when I realized I was working with you and I understand why it won. I could listen to you speak for hours.” As soon as the words left her lips, her nose turned a rosy pink. "You are so lovely. I started doing all of this to deal with my anxiousness and to help boost my self-confidence when I was having a really hard time. I never imagined I would be doing this six or eight years later. I didn't realize that my entire life had been leading up to this moment. It's better than I ever imagined though," I confessed. Everything in my life had been happening so fast, career-wise. I thought it was actually ruining my love life, but it was just building up to the moment that I met her. It was all leading to Bella. Fear and panic built up in my chest again. “You deserve it. You've worked so hard.” She brought her hand to mine. I turned mine up and squeezed her soft palm with my fingers. It was just a brief warm second. She pulled away when the waiter arrived with our dinner. We were both blushing, I realized. I tried desperately to get back to our comfortable conversations at the zoo. She obliged me happily, always ready with a sweet smile and encouraging words. But when we got into the car, I couldn’t find the will to speak. I didn’t know what to say to her. There was too much in my head. My heart actually ached. I quickly punched my sister Sasha’s birthday into the keypad, letting us in my house. Bella walked in front of me. “What time is your flight tomorrow?” I asked quietly. I was running out of time. There was so little of it left. “Noon. So, I'll need to leave by ten to get to the airport.” I needed more time, desperately so. "I realize you probably need to pack and get to sleep, but would you like to sit by the pool with me for a little while?" “Yeah, let me put my camera away and get cleaned up. I'll meet you down there,” she replied quickly. Bella didn’t even look at me as she rushed off towards her room. I needed to relax some. My heart was threatening to jump out of my throat. I was going to have a panic attack. Quickly, I fetched my joints from my bedroom before going outside to the pool. When I walked past her room, I realized that she was taking a shower, so I had a few minutes. I plopped down on the outdoor loveseat after grabbing a bottle of water and lit the joint. “So, you haven’t called me crying yet. I hope it’s because you’re getting some.” I laughed at Jasper’s message. “No. But it’s not going badly, I think.” He replied to me quickly. “Have you told her?” “No.” Jasper’s response was instant. “Fucking why? What are you waiting for?” “I don’t know,” I told him honestly. I really didn’t have a good answer for him. And telling him I was a little bitch wasn’t a good reason. “What are you doing right now?” He questioned. I glanced back toward the door, hoping to see her, but she wasn't there. “I’m smoking outside. I’m waiting for her. We just got back.” “And you’re going to tell her now, right? I swear if I have to hear about this for the next six months…” Bella opened the back door, slipping outside. She was barefoot and in a lovely black cotton dress that hung onto her shoulders with tiny strings. It fell to her knees, showing off all her fun tattoos on her ankles and feet. I wanted to ask about all of them and learn every story. But, I found I had trouble speaking still. She sat beside me on the loveseat, wedging herself against one arm. I took a hit and offered it to her. She said she smoked at home and she had drunk with me the last couple of nights. She carefully took it from my fingers and brought it to her lips. Her eyes closed as she sucked in a deep hit into her lungs. Bella held it in easily, passing it back to me. It was so smooth. She looked so damn cool. “Thank you,” she said lightly after kissing the smoke into the air. “You're welcome,” I answered as I took a quick hit and gave it back to her. I wanted to see her smoke again. I loved watching her full lips. Bella brought it to her mouth as she drew her feet underneath her body. “Thank you.” She cocked her head to the side slightly, curiously. “For what?” Oh, just being a beautiful angel that has literally given me one of the most exciting weeks of my life... I just shrugged casually, not trusting myself to look at her. “Everything.” “I haven't done anything special.” I saw her head shake from the corner of my eye. "That's not true in the least," I blurted out. I realized this was it. This was my moment, and I was letting it slip away from me. I just needed more time. I lit the joint again, taking a hit. I gave it back to Bella, and she accepted it. We passed it back and forth for a few moments before she declined another pass. It was almost done anyway, getting harsher towards the end of the paper filter. "Will I be able to see all the pictures you've taken?" I asked curiously. I wondered if I would ever get to see those pretty photos of Bella that I took at the zoo. I had luckily taken a bunch with my phone as well in other spots, but those in front of the birds were perfect. She did have a very nice camera, too. “Oh, yeah. The magazine should show you everything.” “No. I mean for your personal collection.” “Oh,” she breathed quietly. Bella hadn’t expected that. “Yeah if you want to. I can give you the link to where I upload them. I forgot to earlier in the week.” I pulled out my phone. Maybe I could at least cultivate a real friendship with her and hopefully get the nerve up to actually ask her out later. I needed to find an excuse to go to New York very soon. Maybe I could just show up at her door with flowers one day. “Why don't you give me all your contact information? Just so I know I have it. I'm sure I have it somewhere but just so it's easy.” Bella took my phone and typed a lot of things into note feature I was always using. She didn’t give it back to me, instead placed it face down on the table. We sat in silence for so long. She looked so beautiful. I found it hard not to stare at her again as she gazed out over the lovely city view. I could see the clouds in the distance with the promise of rain. I hoped it really stormed. Why couldn’t I just tell her? Why was I so scared? My hand was actually shaking. I stubbed out my joint and sipped my water, trying to find my courage. Where did I even begin? What could I say to this woman who was perfect for me? Why was I like this? Fucking anxiety. Then Bella stood, pulling me from my swirling thoughts. “I need to head to bed. I have a long day tomorrow.” “Right. Of course,” I could barely get the words out. Bella wrung her hands nervously for a moment, licking her bottom lip as she considered what to say to me. “If I don't see you before I leave, it was marvelous, and I'll remember this week for the rest of my life. If I ever have grandchildren, I'll get to tell them about the week I spent with Eddie Cullen," she said in a light rush, but her voice got higher as she spoke. Before I could say anything to her, she rushed away. "Goodnight," she breathed out softly when she got to the door, turning back to look at me. And that was the end of our evening, and I was letting her walk away after saying something like that. I was too scared, and I hated myself for it. "Goodnight," I said. She gave me a small smile, and I tried to return it, but I found that I wasn't that good of an actor. I brought another joint from the box up to my lips and lit it. I knew I wasn't going to sleep that night, no matter how tired I was. I picked up my phone off the table to look at the note she had typed out. Her phone number, her address in Queens, and her personal website. I felt tears start to prickle at my nose as I took another hit. Quickly I typed a message to Jasper before tossing the cell onto the cushion. “I’m a stupid fucking coward.”  Episode Nine: DanceI had never been good at dating. I was too anxious. I had been on dozens of first dates in college, but they never went anywhere. Once I got to LA, I thought it would be different. I had broken up with Vicky, and I was away from my mother. I thought I could relax and be myself. I had gone on a single date in the time I had been in America, though. I couldn't even remember her name. I had gotten offers, but none of them interested me. I was out of my mind with nerves. I hadn’t been excited about the party before the morning. But, now that Bella had agreed to go with me, everything was different. I showered and shaved with more attention to detail than I might have had before. I actually tried to fix my hair, though I wasn’t sure what good it did me. When the car arrived, I knocked on her bedroom door to let her know it was time to go. I felt like my heart was in my throat while I waited for her to open it. Now, of course, when I bought her that stupidly cheap little dress, I imagined what it would look like on her. I wanted her to wear it for me, after all. But I was not prepared for how beautiful she looked in it. I was actually speechless. The dark black dress went to her knees, sleeveless to show off her thin arms with a high lace collar around her deliciously slender throat. Her gorgeous curly black hair was wild around her face, framing it beautifully. Her large blue and brown eyes looked up at me in almost surprise, taking me in. “Are you ready?” I asked after finally clearing my throat. She licked her bottom lip lightly before letting out a soft breath. “Yeah, I am.” We walked beside each other silently to the car. I held the door open for her so I could watch her slide inside. I could smell her amazing scent as she moved past me. I had never smelled anything so good in my life. I wasn’t sure how she did it. I wanted to bury my face in her hair and breath her in all night. Bella looked utterly terrified, though, pressed up against the door. Her arms were crossed over her stomach. She pulled out her phone to use as a light, and she tried to swipe her lipstick across her plush lips. Her makeup was very simple and light. She was naturally gorgeous, and it just made her even more beautiful. But she seemed so unsure. "You look really nice. That dress is very pretty, and the colors look really good on you," I blurted out, my mouth taking over before my brain could think of something better to try and reassure her. I cleared my throat quickly, embarrassed with myself. I had to be honest with her, though. "It makes me really happy that you agreed to come. I don't think I would have any fun knowing you weren't." “Thank you...” Bella looked over at me, brushing some of her hair out of her face self consciously. I could see her swallow even in the darkness before she spoke, “it would have been okay, by the way. I'd understand if you wanted to get rid of me for a few hours. I've been in your space for almost a week now.” Is she insane? Of course not. I turned towards her quickly. “No, I don't want to get rid of you at all. I have really enjoyed having you around the past week.” Bella looked so flustered. “You just like my cooking.” Couldn't she see how I felt about her? Did she like me, too? Or, did I just want her to like me? Did she need time away from me? I hated that I couldn't tell. "No. I mean... yeah. Of course, I do... I really like your cooking, but that’s not why." Quiet hung in the air for a long time. She looked so sad for a minute. “You must be ready to have my camera out of your face all the time.” “I don't know if you have noticed, but it's kinda my thing.” The car came to a slow stop at a red light, the golden glow of the street lamp spilling over us. Her eyes were so intently locked on mine. I wanted to grab her up again and kiss her like I had wanted to so many times in the previous week. When the car started moving again, she quickly looked away. We didn't speak again until we reached the club. I had to change this. I had to change her sad mood. I wanted her to laugh and smile again. I wanted our banter back. Bella thought it was funny when I was being dumb. I could do that. I put on my stupidest grin. “So, you're going to have to pretend to be my date to get in.” It worked perfectly, and she laughed sweetly, "oh, do I? Really?" I felt pleased with myself, quickly adjusting my tie to ham it up more. “Oh yes, it's on a list. Edward Cullen and his date. Zafrina said so. Don't worry, it'll be real easy. I'll be a perfect gentleman.” I quickly rushed over to her side of the car before the driver could open her door, taking a quick calming breath. I put my smile back in place before popping it open. “I hope you don't think you're going to get anything else out of me that easily,” she said in a teasing voice, taking my offered hand as she stood. Oh yes, this was better already. “One can dream,” I replied as she took my arm. It was time to slip my mask on for the rest of the evening. I held my chin up some and put on my confident grin as soon as they began to call my name. A million flashes went off at once. Bella never once looked in their direction as they chanted my name and demanded to know who she was. Of course, they would want to know who the pretty little thing on my arm was. I wasn't in the mood to stop for questions, though. I didn’t care about clubs or parties. I had already had my fill of them in my short time in Hollywood. They were all the same to me. The lights, the music, the smell. I focused instead on Bella’s arm wrapped around my own and the way the purple and blue lights fell over her skin. The private area was gaudy with big plush velvet couches, but there was at least champagne waiting for us. Liquor was precisely what we needed to help along the night, I rashly decided. Jasper always said I never relaxed. I wanted to be with her. I didn't want to scare her off. I just wanted us both to have a good time. I decided to ignore the previous evening with the rationale that she just needed a drink too. I quickly poured myself a glass and one for her as well. “You're off the clock.” I passed her the flute. I realized suddenly how close we were to one another. Her face was inches away from mine. I had to distract myself from her lips. “A toast to landing safely.” We clinked glasses. She smirked a little bit before taking a sip. She obviously enjoyed it, even if she still seemed a little nervous and sad for some reason. I stretched my arm out behind her head on the back of the couch, trying to act casually. We kept stealing glances at one another. Why couldn’t I just reach over and kiss her? Why was I so scared? Maybe because she is it and I am only going to get one good shot? I kept downing my flute like an idiot and refilling it. Whenever Bella's emptied, I would fill it for her, but she was drinking much more slowly. I was being a dumbass for not trying to have a conversation with her. I was wasting precious time. “So, do you think you got the pictures you needed?” My mouth decided to ask. “I hope so. I think they're great. Some are really beautiful. I'm proud of them. I've been editing every night before I go to sleep. And, every morning when I get up too.” We had so much in common. Editing was normally how I spent most of my evenings and mornings before she came. “That's great! I knew when I first saw you... you were the perfect one for me. Your work, I mean,” I blurted out. I was either already drunk or not drunk enough. I decided the latter and downed my drink quickly before pouring myself another. Luckily, Daniel chose that second to show up. I was so grateful that I hopped up to my feet. “Daniel, you remember Bella from earlier,” I said quickly, smiling awkwardly. I really needed to work on my acting skills. “You didn't bring your camera!” Daniel said to Bella when he sat back in one of the big red ugly chairs. His eyes were going over her, smiling at her appearance. “No photography allowed,” Bella replied smoothly, flicking one her tiny fingers towards the dancefloor filled with people. All I wanted to do at that moment was to dance with her. I wasn’t sure if I had the courage for it yet. Luckily, there was more champagne already on the table. “Have you ever been to anything like this before?” Daniel asked Bella conversationally. I liked him well enough. He was good at his job and mostly professional. I didn’t know anything about his personal life. He didn’t come with a date. Bella actually scoffed before she laughed, "an after party for a skydive to promote a video game? No. The New York club scene is better, but I haven't been in a while. I've been working." So, she liked going out. That was interesting. Bella had made jokes about drinking in her past. She didn't seem like the hard partier type though. I could believe that she had been working too much to go out, though. She was a hard worker, obviously. “What's better about the New York clubs?” Daniel asked her as he leaned over, his eyes going over her again. I honestly wanted to claw them out of his head. “Oh. Well. They're in New York. Obviously.” She said it was such dry boredom that I actually had to stop myself from laughing out loud. I tried to hide it by turning my face away and scratching my cheek. Daniel was obviously not used to women being so unimpressed with him. Most were falling all over themselves to impress celebrities, even minor ones. She obviously couldn’t care less. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times. Daniel then ordered himself a whiskey. “So, that was one hell of a jump,” he said to me, deciding it was time to ignore Bella. She wasn’t easy prey. “Yeah, it was amazing. The weather was perfect for it,” I replied. "Right." He grinned. "I was checking the weather earlier, and they're really talking up this storm on Monday." I rolled my eyes. "They've done that a few times, but it's not appeared yet. I'll believe it when I see it. Seriously. It'll probably be nothing more than a little rain again. If even that." "I don't know. They're pretty sure." He finished his Jack and ordered another. I poured Bella another glass of champagne and realized she was definitely zoned out of the conversation. She couldn't have cared less if she tried. Her eyes were drifting off somewhere in the distance. When she realized I was pouring her another, she gave me a little smile. I couldn't blame her in the least. I found it boring too. “I hope it rains,” I told him honestly. “I’m in the mood for a good storm.” More and more people that I worked with came trickling in. Bella smiled at them politely, but she seemed a little distracted. All I could think about was dancing with her, even as I tried to hold up conversations with other people. I just kept drinking, trying to hold my mask in the place for just a little while longer. When there was a lull in the conversation around us, I looked back at Bella. She was biting her bottom lip as she swirled her drink her glass absently. I couldn't resist her a second longer, the liquor finally giving me the courage I needed. "Would you like to dance with me?" I leaned into her ear so she could hear me over the deafening music. Bella turned to look at me with wide eyes. They looked into mine before glancing down at my mouth. I wondered if she thought about leaning in and kissing me, just like I wanted to kiss her. Or was I imagining it? "Please?" I wasn't sure what I was asking for. Another kiss or a dance. Bella slowly nodded her head, making her thick beautiful hair bounce. Before I knew what I was doing, I was moving us towards the floor. I was so stupidly drunk at that point. It hit me so hard. Her hand felt like fire in mine. I felt so hot. I didn't know the song that was playing. I didn't even really hear it. Bella pressed herself against me, her hands on my chest as she moved to the beat. I moved with her, putting my hands on her curvy hips. Her eyes were gorgeous, shining up into mine. Her lips were slightly spread as she let out a slow breath. She began to blush and quickly turned so that her back was against my chest. I couldn't stop myself from touching her. Her skin was delicate and soft as was her hair. I brushed it off her shoulder just so I could feel it again. When I brought my hand to her stomach, I pulled her as close as I dared to my body, and she brought her hand to mine. I twisted my fingers into her own, and she didn't pull away. Bella was a fantastic dancer, her hips swirling against me in a way that was nearly indecent in front of people. She looked over her shoulder at me seductively, her eyes glancing at my mouth again. I couldn't help but smile down at her. She returned it slowly. I don’t know how many songs we danced to. Everything felt so intense. My heart was beating wildly in my chest. I was so turned on by her. The way she would raise her arms above her head and swing her hips was beyond erotic. After a long time, Bella brought her hand up to my hair. Slowly, she pulled me down so that she could press her lips against my ear and whisper, “I need some water and air.” Suddenly, I very much needed it, too. “Yeah.” I took her hand and began to lead her back up to the VIP area. My bodyguard for the evening caught up as we walked up the stairs. “Is there a private place where we can get some air?” I asked him in a whisper so that Bella wouldn’t hear me. "Door to the left," he pointed it out to me. I smiled at him gratefully before grabbing up a couple of bottles of water. I pushed us through the crowd to the door, opening it for her so we could walk into the cool, almost fall air. Bella walked ahead of me, the LA skyline glowing all around us. She rubbed her hands over her arms as goosebumps began to form on her skin. I rushed to take off my jacket and wrap it around her. She pulled it close to her as she quickly walked towards a stone bench by the edge of the roof ledge. She sat down and took a drink, looking as drunk as I felt. I sat down beside her, but I couldn't look at her. I knew this was my moment. This was when I was going to get to tell her. She was leaving on Monday. We only had one day together after that night. I was terrified. “You know. I've been thinking... It wouldn't be terrible to hire a professional photographer for the channel.” And I thought to offer her a job was the way to do that. Great. Yes. Exactly what I needed to do. That is exactly how you get the girl, Tony. Good job. Fuck Seth for putting the words in my head and fuck my mouth for spitting them out like a drunken coward. “Yeah?” Well, it’s not like I could stop. “Yeah. You've been super helpful this week. I learned a lot.” “That's good.” I knew she was looking at me. I couldn’t look back. I swallowed heavily. “I don't suppose you'd be interested?” “Eddie, I live across the country.” “Yeah. I know. Well. It was worth a shot.” And there it was. She was absolutely right, of course. We were worlds apart. I wanted to grab her and tell her that it didn't matter. I would do anything for a chance with her. But I was too much of a bitch for that. She was beautiful and talented, and I felt totally unworthy of her. I suddenly wanted to cry. I had definitely drank too much. I was always a drunk crier. What was I thinking? “If I lived here, I'd say yes in a heartbeat.” She tried to let me down gently. I think. I just knew then that I was just projecting my feelings onto her. My heart sank. “I don't want tomorrow to be the last day I see you,” I blurted out. “I've grown rather fond of you, Bella.” "I'm fond of you as well. But... It's not like you don't have my number now. We are friends now, right?" She tried to say gently. Yeah, she was letting me down easy. She was a sweet woman, and she didn't want to hurt my feelings. I would be lucky to just be her friend. I smiled and nodded as I swallowed back my tears. "We are. That is true." I finished my drink quickly. I knew if we were on that roof a second longer, I would do something stupid. Like jump off of it. "Let's go get more to liquor. I need a beer." "Then would you like to dance again?" She asked softly when I stood. Her eyes looked up into mine, and I felt confused all over again. But I didn't want to think about it anymore. I didn't want things to be complicated anymore. I just wanted to dance with her some more. I smiled and offered her my hand to help her stand. Bella took it slowly, smiling at me as her delicate fingers slipping into my palm. “Yes, please.”  Episode Eight: Lucky Ducky"I fucked up," I said as a way of greeting to Jasper. It was one in the morning, and I was smoking outside by the pool again. Of course I was. It was the evening there. He had just gotten off of work. He was just constantly working. “Mm, and how exactly did you do that, darling?” He mumbled distracted as he obviously did something else. I heard his keys clatter into a bowl and then something tear like paper. He was checking his mail. "I got a little tipsy at the charity thing, and I flirted with a girl." “Bella?” He questioned. "No, some random booth girl. I didn't really mean it. She was being flirty, and I was just talking out my ass the way I do. But I did it in front of Bella," I explained to him. “And what happened?” “She got mad. Bella, I mean. I think, anyway.” "How so?" He questioned. I heard the springs of his mattress coils as he plopped down on his bed. I could almost imagine exactly as he laid, playing with that stupid mustache of his. His ankles crossed as he stretched entirely out. "I was talking, and one minute she's there, then she's gone. She went off on her own, and I found her in a dark hall, alone. She said she was just tired and hangry when I apologized." “So, she likes you and is annoyed you were being friendly with another girl.” “Probably fucking not. Especially now.” “Stop being dramatic. She wouldn’t act like that if she didn’t like you, too,” he sighed, a little annoyed with me. He was getting tired of my shit. So was I. I was being a fool. “I don’t know what to do,” I admitted. “I really don’t.” “Be a mature adult and tell her that you like her.” “It’s not that fucking easy,” I snapped. “And why is that?” “She’s leaving in a day. She’s… I’m serious, I think I’m actually in love with her. All jokes aside. Like, I want this woman. Seriously want her. I think I’m losing my goddamn mind. What is wrong with me?” I asked. “I want to just grab her and kiss her and yell that I want her in her face at the top of my lungs.” “I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t mind that.” I could hear the click click click of his lighter as he lit his cigarette. “That’s not how this works,” I informed him. “I’m pretty sure women frown upon being jumped by large men.” “Though, oddly enough, I don’t feel like it would be a problem if she jumped you,” he said with mild amusement. “I fucking wish.” “You are a bloody celebrity, you stupid cunt. I swear. You’re rich, smart, talented, sexy as fuck. Stop it. You’re not some pathetic tubby fifteen-year-old anymore. Fucking man up and ask her out, moron,” he snapped back at me. “I’d love to go in there right now and just shake her awake. Excuse me, Bella. I’m sorry to wake you. I’m madly in love with you. I’ve never met a woman as beautiful or as witty as you. But, then you know, the screaming would start, and then I'd probably have a fun conversation with the police." “Hardly,” Jasper scoffed. “Though, I would suggest waiting until the morning.” "Have you watched any of that footage I sent you?" I asked, slightly changing the subject. "I watched all the stuff from the tattoo shop last night again. Her ass when she bent over with no shirt on, in those blue jeans was just… mmm, chef's kiss," he made a smacking sound. He was trying to lighten the mood in his own unique way. “Fuck, I know,” I half laughed, half moaned. I rubbed the heel of my palm over my eyes. “I keep finding parts of her that I think are hot. Her eyes, her hair, her tits, her ass, her tattoos, her laugh, her thighs, her mouth. Damn, her lips. She’s always biting them and touching her mouth with her tiny little fingers. And... I just-” I stopped myself. “I’ve never been like this before. What the actual fuck is wrong with me?” “It’s a crush, darling,” he tried to say as if it was comforting. “I’ve had crushes. This is different.” “When is the last time you got laid?” I thought about telling him to shut up. Instead, I answered, "Victoria. You know that. About a week before we broke up. Look, I don't just want to fuck this girl. I mean, I want to fuck her, too. But she's just so easy to talk to, and she's so funny and fun. I don't feel like I have to be anyone else with her. It feels like… like I'm with you, honestly." There was a short pause. “She really must be something, Tony.” Sasha had said the same thing earlier in the week. Jasper had told her to piss off when she asked him for information, just like I thought he would. “Yeah.” “Tell her how you feel,” he said more seriously. “I really think she likes you, too. Go for it. She would be lucky to have you. You’re the best person that I know.” I felt my cheeks heat. “Thanks. I mean it. You really are a good friend.” I spent half the night trying to get to sleep. I knew I had to be rested for the jump, but I couldn't get my mind to shut off. All I could do was think about her and Jasper's words. When I finally fell asleep, I got maybe three hours in total. It wasn't pleasant or peaceful either. When my alarm went off, I nearly threw it across the room. I shuffled first into the bathroom, taking a quick shower and shaved. I leaned my head against the cold tile for a long time. It felt so good. When I walked into the living room, the strong scent of coffee hit me right away. It smelled delicious and comforting. I dragged my feet to the bar, placing myself down in a stool with a thud. My eyes hurt a little. I placed my head in my hands and gently rubbed my temples as I tried to prepare myself for how awkward this day was going to be after the night before. Bella stood on the other side of the bar from me. She was wearing tight blue jeans again with simple white sneakers. Her pretty black long sleeved blouse clung tightly to her body, her curly hair pulled back at the base of her neck. She looked lovely as always. “Morning, sunshine. Do you want some breakfast?” She smiled at me sweetly, pleasantly. I looked up at her slowly in confusion and realized that she was offering me some of her coffee. She had already prepared it exactly the way I liked it, too. I instantly took it from her and quickly drank it back gratefully. “No. Just more coffee. I can't eat when I first wake up,” I replied as I pushed the cup towards her for a refill. She did it with a slightly sweet smile, making it up again quickly. It was delicious. I drank the second cup as fast as the first. She made me another wordlessly. She probably should have gotten me the bigger mug and saved herself some trouble. “Thanks.” Bella seemed amused. “Is it good?” “Very. Best coffee I've had since home,” I told her honestly. She then swiftly brought up her camera and took several photos of me tiredly drinking down her fantastic coffee. Her expression was cute and playful, her gorgeous eyes glittering. I realized that her foul mood from the evening before might have been forgotten. Perhaps she really was just hungry and tired. I decided stupidly was the best way to react. I looked up slowly and arched my eyebrow at her. Her smirk grew, and with a little bit of challenge in her eyes, she took a couple more pictures. Since she seemed to like it, I decided to take it further. I touched the tip of my nose with my tongue, something I always did to amuse my nieces. Bella pursed her lips and without missing a beat took three more pictures. "Impressive," she said teasingly, playfully leaning forward as if she was going to touch me. Without thinking about it, I leapt forward to foolishly snap at her fingers. Her reaction was better than I could have imagined. She pulled her hand away with an adorable giggle. I snapped my teeth and growled like an idiot. "Cranky." “I need more coffee to be less bitey,” I told her with a smirk. "Even after having your third? Well, I'll start another pot," she replied, and without having to be asked, she began to prepare more coffee for me. I actually felt a little touched. Bella was so considerate. Seth, Tyler, and Zafrina all arrived at once. The boy always carpooled. My manager only lived a couple of blocks away. “It smells fucking great in here,” Seth said as he put down his bag of equipment on the couch. Bella looked like she fit perfectly in my kitchen, busily working away in it like she already owned it. “I'm making some fresh coffee now.” “Great,” Tyler smiled as he put his stuff down as well. He went into the kitchen to find a mug in the cabinet for his drink. The boys liked her coffee as much as I did. My manager looked at me with questioning eyes. My head was leaned against my hand, still trying to will the pain away from my insomnia and liquor induced headache. I cleared my throat and gave her a smile to show her that I was fine. “Zafrina, this is Bella. She's the photographer. Bella, this Zafrina, my manager. She only shows up when I do really dumb shit where I might die,” I explained to the pretty girl across from me. The two women couldn’t have looked more different, though they were both very attractive. Zafrina brushed her long black hair over the shoulder of her tacky animal print blouse, smiling as she reached over to shake Bella’s tiny hand. “Great to meet you. I'm glad I could talk him into it. It was a battle. Is he behaving for you?” I felt myself flush again. I hid my face in my mug. “Not at all,” Bella laughed, her smile still playful. “He just tried to bite me.” “Yeah, sounds about right. Alright.” Zafrina narrowed her eyes on me for a moment. She was at least pleased that I wasn’t being an asshole to the girl. I was sure I would get questions about it later. But, she was always a business first kind of woman. “We need to head out in the next fifteen minutes so we can make it out to the school by eleven. First, we're going to do a few videos. A few pictures. Then the skydive is at one. After the jump, you're going to head back and do another couple videos and even more pictures. Then there is the after party tonight at Shade. You need to be there at least three hours.” “Yeah. Got it. Let me get more coffee first. It's almost done,” I said, rubbing my forehead as I thought about the party I didn’t really want to go to. I wondered if I could get out of it. The only way I was going to enjoy it is if I was with her. The words slipped out before I could stop them, “Bella, would you like to come with me to the after party?” "No press," Zafrina interjected with the information I already knew. "No Cameras allowed inside. It's private." “Off the clock. As my plus one,” I answered, trying to act as if I wasn’t freaking out inside. I focused on my coffee. I couldn’t look at her, I was so nervous. After a second, I realized she hadn’t said anything. I looked up to see her curious eyes watching me. “Please?” I added politely. She bit her lip for just a moment, her cheeks slightly pink. “Um, sure. Sounds fun.” My manager rolled her eyes at me a little. "Alright, I'll let them know. I'm going to go to the bathroom and head out. Get out the door in fifteen. Nice to meet you," she told Bella before turning to us. "See you boys there." I was too tired to drive. I was terrible at early mornings. Seth took my keys, Tyler calling shotgun like I wasn’t going to sit in the backseat with Bella. I couldn’t stop myself from yawning as I continued to nurse another coffee. My stomach was going to hate me later. “Why am I more nervous than you are about jumping out of a damn plane?” Bella blurted out. In surprise, I turned to look at her so I could answer. She quickly snapped a photo. “I've done it before. Four times, in fact.” “So?” She actually laughed. “You don't even seem excited.” “I am. I'm just not awake yet,” I lied. I wanted to go back to sleep, not jump out of a plane. Or, maybe just spend the day with her. In bed. “Mornings give me a headache,” I told her more truthfully. “He'll perk up when we get there.” Tyler turned back to look at us. “So, Bella, your week in California is almost up. What do you think of it?” “I think it has nice weather. I think it would be fun to take pictures here for a little while.” Bella took Tyler’s picture with a little smile that he was happy to return. He liked her. So did Seth. They all got along so well. “I've met nothing but nice people since being here.” “Too bad you didn't get any free time to do anything fun while you were here. Tourist kind of shit. I don't know if you're into that kind of thing,” Seth chimed in. ”You didn't like the bridge.” “Oh, for sure. I love museums. Zoos. I really want to go to the Los Angeles zoo,” she answered him a bit wistfully. She bit her lip again for a moment before slowly releasing it. "You like zoos?" Seth asked, dimly. She brushed her hair over her shoulder, tilting her head a little to the side as she gave him a thoughtful reply, “I love going to the zoo. I used to get memberships so I could go all the time. It's a great way to waste a Saturday outside in nature. It's good therapy. And I like taking pictures of animals for my collection. It's always different and good practice. I don't know what else I'd want to do. I didn't really research that sort of thing before I came.” “What about going to the beach?” Tyler asked. “That's always popular.” Bella had a nostalgic sort of smile on her face.“I lived in New Jersey for a while, when I was really young and in school. It was cheaper than in New York. Anyway, we lived on the beach. The Atlantic was literally our backyard. So… I've seen a sandy beach. Though it would be nice to watch the sunset on the beach on a different coast. Sunsets are always my favorite. Even if I have a million pictures of them that all look practically the same.” The idea of this gorgeous woman beside me on the beach gave me so many dirty thoughts. I pushed them away quickly. I instead thought of one of my favorite places in the world and how wonderful it would be to take her there. "I should take you to the Gold Coast. It's so beautiful. The sunsets cannot be beaten. I used to go surfing there all the time." "That sounds so braggy," Tyler teased me loudly. "Look at me. I'm good looking, AND I surf." He was right. It did sound a bit boastful, though it wasn’t on purpose. Bella looked amused. She obviously thought he was funny. I decided since stupid went so well at the house I would go for it again. "And, I'm fucking rich, too," I began jokingly in boredom. I looked over at Bella and lowered my sunglasses. I tried to be smooth and wink at her, but my eyes literally didn't want to do what I wanted them to. My right eye stuck for a moment and I just failed miserably. "Nope, too early." Bella scoffed at it but still smiled at me. They continued to talk, but my head hurt too much to try to have a conversation. Instead, I began to daydream about how I wanted to spend the next day with her. We could go to the zoo and to the beach. Perhaps take her out to a nice meal or two. It honestly sounded like the perfect date. It was nothing more than a fantasy, though. I fell asleep somehow, getting a thirty-minute nap. When we got the flight school, I had to put on my actor's mask. I quickly took the jumpsuit that was specially made for me with my name on it and put it on. It fit very tightly, but it wasn't uncomfortable. I tried to convince myself I looked cool when I looked in the mirror. The way Bella looked at me when I walked from the bathroom into the large open hangar actually made me feel warm and a little embarrassed. She quickly took my picture, her bottom lip in her teeth as she concentrated so hard on me. I could have sworn she was blushing too. I wondered if she enjoyed looking at me as much as I enjoyed looking at her. I didn’t see how it was even possible. I didn’t have time to dwell on it because I was pushed outside to read some quick lines for commercials. As time passed, I became more and more anxious. I found it impossible to sit still, even as Bella tried to distract me with random chatting. Poor Tyler and Seth got so annoyed with it that they decided to go outside for some aerial shots for post-production. Bella kept me company though, as we sat in the large room. We were almost alone. “So, who else is jumping?” I stood beside Bella, looking down at her as I kept fidgeting with my outfit and glasses. “Daniel. The guy who is already here. He does the main villain in the game. Johnny Lang. He's a pro player who specialized in the first two games. Really good. And Database.” “The DJ?” “Yeah. He does the soundtrack. They're going all out for this thing,” I answered. Bella brought up her camera and took a picture, surprising me. We were so close. I could smell her vanilla perfume and the coffee we shared still. “Wanna jump with us?” I asked her curiously. She was such a free spirit. I could see her enjoying it. She made an annoyed face, as if I was being stupid. "No. That's some white people nonsense." I laughed in shock, “but you're white, too.” She had said she had a white mother after all. Bella rolled her pretty eyes at me, shaking her head. “I’m half white, at least. I'm white passing. Maybe. I don't know what I am exactly, but someone with melanin and more good sense in my head is telling me you're so safe and white you have to find new and interesting ways to kill yourself. No. I'm good on the ground. Taking the subway is enough of a risk for me.” "How risky is the subway?" I wondered briefly if I offended her, but it didn't seem that way. She was being playful. “Oh, my sweet summer child.” She reached forward and touched my cheek with her soft hands. It felt like fire. “I've seen two stabbings and I still think the worst thing about the trains are the random Mariachi bands,” she teased in a thick accent. “Mariachi bands?” Seth said from behind us as they came from outside. Tyler answered, “oh, my god! They're the worst. Why would anyone bring a trumpet on a subway car? And there always has to be that sarcastic asshole with a guitar.” "You know you have to get a permit to do that?" Bella shook her head dramatically, then looked at him knowingly. "They're allowing us to be tortured. I have a theory; it's a way to make fewer people use public transit." Tyler nodded. “Sounds about right.” He always loved a good stupid conspiracy theory. “So, when I go to New York I need to be vigilant of rogue mariachi bands as well as stabbings on the subway?” I smirked at their silly conversation. "Watch for the monks, too," she deadpanned perfectly. "And, those weird people in costumes in Times Square. Dressed up like Spiderman and Spongebob. They're usually drunk," she said it so seriously that I wasn't sure if she was screwing with me or not. I raised my eyebrow in question, and she just shrugged. "It's fine. Crime is way down since I first got there. New York is super safe now." I couldn’t relax or sit down. I talked to Daniel about the bad weather they were predicting for the following week. Monday there was supposed to be terrible storms in the afternoon. I was rather glad about it. I knew it would match my mood perfectly. I was going to be a sulking asshole. It was probably for the best that I was going to spend Monday alone, editing. Daniel was fine, if not a bit boring. At least not interesting enough to keep me from my anxiety. Between thinking about the actual jump itself and Bella, I was too uneasy to relax. I picked up the basketball first and decided to attempt to shoot hoops in the hopes of keeping myself calm. I had met Johnny Lang before in passing. He was a nice enough guy. Friendly and a little bit cocky. I didn’t realize he was speaking to Bella until I heard my name. “Well, isn't Edward a lucky ducky," he said sarcastically, glancing over at me. Bella looked flustered, shaking her head in response. “I'm sure he's ready to be rid of me.” I’m not sure how she could think that. I was having so much fun being around her. I hoped she didn’t want to be rid of me. "Of a pretty thing like you? Doubt it," he replied. Before I realized what I was doing, I passed him the ball a little bit too hard. He didn't seem to notice, though. He simply caught it and made a shot. I accidentally made him look cooler rather than distract him from flirting with the captivating woman I had feelings for. Annoyed with myself, I gave up on the game and went back over to Bella. If he was going to flirt with her, at least I could see how she reacted to it. Or, maybe protect her if she needed it. "So, I'm not one to be superstition, but what would it take to get a kiss for good luck?" Johnny asked her with a big grin. He glanced over at me for half a second. “You better hope you don't need no damn kisses for luck.” Bella looked totally unimpressed with him. She got up quickly from her stool and began to toy with her camera so she wouldn’t have to look at him. It made me feel slightly better. The idiot leaned his head from one side to the other. He pursed his lips before he answered her in his best charming English tone, “there is no harm in having an extra bit of luck. You never know when you might need it.” She shook her head. “How are kisses lucky, exactly?” “How is a kiss from a gorgeous woman not lucky?” Bella rolled her eyes, but I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. Quickly, she pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek. He seemed just as shocked as I felt. Luckily, he couldn't ask for anything else because he was called away. He actually winked at Bella. She looked unimpressed again. Something in me snapped. “Hey! Wait! That's not fair. I want a kiss for luck!” Bella slowly turned to gaze at me after I spoke. She had a funny little smirk on her face as she was obviously looking me over. She considered something for just a moment. She was equally unimpressed with me. “Ugh, fine.” She took my hand from my lap and playfully kissed it. Bella was grinning wickedly as she did. She was purposefully teasing me. All I wanted to do at that moment was haul off and punch Johnny and then grab her up in my arms and kiss her like I really wanted to. Like she deserved to be kissed. “But, he got one on the cheek!” The words fell from my lips like a whiny child. I had too little sleep to hold it back. "And, he insinuated I was gorgeous. Flattery works for me," Bella said sarcastically. She had taken her hair down and was wearing her hairband on her wrist. She flipped her long black curls over her thin shoulder, acting up for Seth. He was chuckling at her. I felt a little ganged on up, too tired to deal with it. Everything I had been thinking about in the past few days came bubbling up to the surface, and my mouth fully took over. “Ugh, you're being mean to me on purpose. Well! Any fool with eyes can see that you are gorgeous! But, he hasn't been lucky enough to spend this week with you and learned that you are more than just beautiful. You are smart, funny, patient, and kind. You are talented and sharp and generous. If I were lucky enough to receive a kiss from you, even just on the cheek, I would wear it forever like a badge of honor knowing a woman as good as yourself felt I deserved it!” My mouth's monologues were getting more outlandish by the day. It felt like my heart stopped as soon as the words finished coming out. Bella stood in front of me with wide, surprised eyes. Her mouth was opened slightly as she drew in a slow breath. Her cheeks heated a dark pink, even her pretty nose was red. She closed the distance between us, her eyes looking down into mine. "Alright there, cowboy." She placed her tiny hands on either of my shoulders before she slowly leaned down. "That's enough of that." Bella pressed her lips to my forehead, and my heart started again violently. They were soft, and her scent filled my nose completely. I wanted to grab her then and smash my mouth to hers. I willed my hands back into my lap, closing my eyes as I savored the contact. “Thank you.” “You're so dramatic. Don't put that in the video,” she told me playfully as she pointed to me and then to the camera Seth was holding. I was over the goddamn moon. Jumping out of an airplane was going to be the least exciting part of my day. “Okay,” I promised, almost giddy. Whatever she wanted. “Heading out in two,” someone shouted. Database chose that moment to show up. Everyone was, of course, interested in him. They ran off toward him, excitedly. I couldn't have given two fucks. I was too focused on the woman in front of me. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Bella glanced over her shoulder then back at me. Our eyes locked, and I realized she was breathing just as I was, our chests rising and falling at the same time. I wanted to say something to her then. I wanted to tell her that I liked her. I wanted her. I couldn't say anything though, because Bella placed her hands on either one of my shoulders and kissed me on the lips. She tasted of coffee and Bella. The delicious scent that filled my nose was better tasting than I could have ever imagined. She held it for a long second. I wanted to wrap my fingers in her luscious hair and hold her in place against my mouth. I never wanted to let go. Too quickly, she pulled away. “Come back in one piece, white boy,” she whispered. Yes yes yes yes, my brain screamed in joy over and over again. "I will," I promised. No way I wasn't going to land safely if I knew she was waiting for me on the other side. I realized I needed to get up and go, but I found it hard. When I stood, she gazed up into my eyes, her head almost entirely tilted back. We were so close. I found myself touching her arms as we looked at each other. I had to force myself to let go. All I could think about the entire drive to the plane was the kiss. “Hey,” Johnny called to me once we were on board. “Did I step on any toes in there?” “Yes,” I told him honestly in a clipped tone. He nodded his head and smirked a little. “So, I guess I shouldn’t ask for her number once we land then?” He asked. Christ, I hated that question even more than when Seth asked it. "You could, but it makes me think about throwing you out of this plane without your parachute," I replied evenly. He laughed. At least he thought it was funny. "It's not like I have a claim on her, though." “You’d like to, though.” “It’s not like that,” I said quickly. “Mm, it’s a little like that,” he commented then rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry. I won’t. She’s obviously into you, anyway.” “I hope so,” I said quietly. I cleared my throat. Finally, I began to focus on the fact that I was about to jump out of a plane. I wasn’t scared. I knew what to do. And it went perfectly. The wind felt incredible as I plunged to the earth. I couldn't hear myself screaming though I knew I was. It wasn't a fearful cry but one of pure joy. It was turning out to be a fantastic day. And it was only going to get better because I was going to get to spend it with Bella. An evening sans cameras. After she kissed me. The amount of adrenaline rushing through my body was insane. Every part of me was vibrating. I couldn’t stop laughing and talking. Bella watched me with a happy expression. She complained that it scared her and that she was worried for me. If she knew how I was feeling, she wouldn’t be. I practically rushed up to my office after Bella snuck away to her room for a shower. It was morning in Sydney, and I knew Jasper would be awake for work already. There was a message waiting for me. “Did you die?” "No, lol. It went amazingly. Actually went better than amazing. It went perfect. I'll send you the footage later." “That’s great! Glad you’re alive, darling,” he texted back. I smiled to myself. “Bella kissed me.” “Where?” “She kissed my hand, then my forehead, and my lips.” “I didn’t mean where on your body. I meant where did she kiss you as in the location you were in when the kiss happened,” he replied back quickly. “Stupid wanker.” I actually laughed out loud. "Oh. Right lol. At the flight school before the jump. She kissed me for luck, and I have it on film. And tonight she's going to go to the afterparty with me. Without her camera." “See, I told you she liked you.” I grinned widely to myself. Once again, I hoped to God he was right.  Episode Seven: RelaxJasper sent a message when he got off work, asking how my day went. Instead of answering, I called him. I was sitting with my feet in the refreshing pool water, laying back as I smoked. “So, here’s my problem,” I began talking right away. “Bella cooked for me tonight.” “And it was terrible?” “No, it was goddamn perfect is what it was. Best meal I’ve ever had made for me. In my own home. Just because I asked her to.” Jasper sighed, “so, what’s the problem?” "She's always going to view this as a work thing. We shared a bottle of wine, and when I pointed it out, she got flustered. I think I embarrassed her. And I accidentally brought up all this really sad shit." “Like what?” “How her mom died. Oh, darling, it’s the fucking worst. The girl was in the car. Her mother overdosed while driving with her. She’s got a little thin Joker style kind of scar to one side. It’s really faint. A fucking sign went through her face. And she just kind shows me like it’s nothing. And we talked about her late husband. He was a doctor. A professor of goddamn anthropology. Swan is his maiden name, apparently. Her husband’s name was Zucker.” “That means sugar in German,” my friend commented offhandedly. “I know. I bet she does, too. But Anyway, the way she talks about the things she cares about is so passionate. I could listen to her for days! I want her to tell me everything about her life.” “I’ve never heard you talk this way about anyone before.” "I know. This is insanity. I know. I just… Agh…" I moaned. "How do I do this? How do I respect her and her job and still tell her how I feel? Seriously though. My sisters always used to complain about men that hit on girls at work. What if I'm doing that? What if she's just being nice to me? What if this is just normal human interaction, but I'm so bad at it that I have no fucking idea what I'm doing?" “Darling. Breathe.” "Argh," I said again, dryly, then taking a deep breath. “She cooked for you.” “I asked. What if she felt like she couldn’t say no?” “Tony. Please. I know how you worded it. I mean, if you wanna. You don’t have to. It’s totally up to you. Whatever you want. Please walk all over me.” “I would let her walk on me. It would probably feel good. Like one of those weird Japanese massages where they walk on your back,” I continued to deadpan. He snorted. “Barefoot, for sure.” “Oh, god. Yes. No shoes. Just knee socks. And nothing else,” I hummed, taking another hit. He laughed again, the reaction I wanted. “Fuck, I’ve been around you too long. That wasn’t very respectful.” “Yeah, you want to be really respectful,” he drew out respectful in a funny sort of way. It was his fucking-with-you voice, also known as the I-think-I’m-funny voice. "Honestly, I'd worship this girl if she gave me a chance. I feel like everything she's ever had handed to her is so sad, and she's too delicate and sweet for that. I want to give her everything. I want to protect her and just…" I trailed off, babbling. "Aw," he said softly. "Worship is a strong word, though." “It’s the truth.” “So, what you’re saying is that you want to spend a lot of time on your knees in front of this woman,” he teased with a little laugh. “You know what, you think you’re fucking funny-” “I am, bitch.” “Psh,” I bemoaned. “You’re kind of an asshole. I was being sincere.” “So was I. You’re just horny.” “Have you ever known me to be just horny?” I asked seriously. “I haven’t known you to be this single in a while. So… “ “Bah,” I complained. “I’m not blaming you. I just think you need to calm your fucking tits, you overdramatic cunt. You should relax. Tomorrow don’t you have to go to a party?” “I have two parties this week, actually. Yay,” I said deadpanned. “Drink. Mingle. Have fun. Talk to people. You’re very good at pretending like you enjoy talking to other people. Go do that. Yes, Bella is very nice. I like her too just from her videos. But, as you said, she’s leaving soon. So, none of this matters. Flirt. Relax. The worst she can do is say she’s not interested, which, she fucking is, pussy,” he breathed the last word. I grunted in response. “You know I’m right. You need to get out more. This wouldn’t seem so dramatic then.” “No,” I replied. “I get out plenty.” “For work.” “So?” “It’s not the same. We miss you desperately, Tony, but you need to make new friends. You need to get laid. If it’s this Bella, then good. If not, well too bad for her. I’ve seen your dick. It is appropriately proportioned to your body.” It was his turn to be dry and sarcastic. I laughed loudly. “Aw, thanks, mate. Really. I love you, too.” "On that note, go the fuck to bed. I need to eat, and you need to try to sleep." "Yeah, I do. I do miss you, and love you. Even if you're perverted and weird." “It’s because I am, probably.” “No,” I said and then hung up on him with a smirk. He sent a text message. "Btw, I'm not that big of a whore. Stop shaming me to make yourself look better in front of your crush. You're just jealous that I can talk to people. Wanker." I sent him a gif that said ‘boo, whore.' I finished my smoke and went to bed. It took forever to fall asleep. When I did, I dreamed about faceless women in my bed, kissing me and touching me. I wasn’t particularly enjoying it in the dream. It was almost as if I was just observing it. After showering, I went into the living room to find Bella. She smiled when she saw me, putting on the kettle for coffee. This morning she was wearing a pretty black silkie shirt that draped over her shoulders and swooped along her collarbone. Her curly hair was pulled up in a ponytail, showing off the gentle slope of her neck. As I came closer, I realized that she was cooking again. Her computer was on the island, and it was opened to the editing program. Dozens of pictures on the screen were of me. “Would you like some breakfast?” She offered me with a sweet smile on her lips. “Yes, please,” I answered. It was hard to look away from her work. I looked so happy in all of the pictures. I wondered if she saw me this way. They were probably the best pictures I had ever had taken of me. At least the ones I liked the most. "If you want to see more, you can scroll there. Or, you can go to the side here and look at the different days." Bella leaned over the bar, pointing out the different features. “Thanks.” “What would you like to eat?” She asked as she went back to whatever she was doing before I came in. “Whatever you're making,” I replied with a yawn. Slowly scrolling through, I looked at just a few of the thousands of pictures she had already taken. “I'm making myself a vegetarian omelet with sauteed shallots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach. With fried potatoes and toast with butter,” she explained casually. It sounded delicious. All it needed was some meat. “That sounds amazing. Do we have any of that chicken from last night, leftover?” She smiled at me again. “Yup, I can add that if you like.” Her smiles were so easy. I wondered if it was just her or if it was an American thing. Looking at the pictures, I couldn't help but be reminded that this was a job again. But I didn't want to think about that. I wanted to believe that the lovely woman in the kitchen was there because she wanted to be with me. “That sounds so good. Thank you. Do I... do I need to help in some way? Is there something I can do?” “Could you wash that skillet for me in the sink?” She asked. I hadn’t watched her the day before while she had cooked. It was like she was dancing around the room, her movements quick and graceful. Everything she did was perfectly timed. Bella would hum to herself a little as she worked, occasionally asking me questions or to hand her stuff. “Let's eat by the pool,” I said once the food was done since it was such a beautiful day. She instantly agreed. Her breakfasts were as good as her dinners. It was so much more delicious than I expected, and I expected it to be excellent. As much as I enjoyed doing my charity work, I hated going from the wonderfully peaceful morning to the chaos of the gaming event put on for the release of Red Ops 3. I couldn’t let it show, though. I smiled for every picture and talked to anyone who wished to speak to me. I enjoyed talking to the children the most. They were always so eager and excited about everything. And throughout the whole thing, Bella quietly followed behind, taking pictures as I worked through the crowd with my mask firmly in place. Sometimes when she looked at me, it felt as if she was looking right through it. I personally had never heard of the guy who was playing with me for the day in the match. I knew his father, though. He was a legendary actor and director. I didn’t know what his son had accomplished, besides being attractive, in Hollywood. Apparently, he was on some television show that I had never watched. “Scott and I are super excited to compete for our charities today! So, my man, who are you playing for this afternoon?” I started in front of the cameras for the stuff for the channel. Bella was kneeling in front of us, taking pictures the whole time. “Heifers United, which is a fantastic organization that brings animals to impoverished areas to help give people not only a source of food but pride,” he replied in a thickened southern accent that was different from Bella’s. "That is so awesome! And I am playing for the Toys for Tots program, which helps give toys to kids at Christmas which is coming up very soon. Three of my favorite things are kids, toys, and Christmas. Insert a picture of last Christmas with all my adorable nieces here," I chuckled as I remembered the happy memory. "So, whatever I win, I will also match! But fear not, I will donate at a minimum of ten thousand dollars no matter happens!" “Sounds like a great idea. I'll do the same.” “Even if we get that twenty-five thousand dollars first place?” I asked with a big smile. There was no way we were going to win. I was okay, not great, at the game. “I mean, obviously we're going to win. You've been practicing, right?” “Right!” He grinned. I would have been surprised if he had even picked up a controller before. "Then let's go win some cows and toys!" I shouted. "Oi, that sounded better in my head." I heard Bella giggle from her kneeling position on the floor, a smile just hidden behind her camera. I winked at her, returning her smile. “And cut,” I mumbled before shaking Scott’s hand. “Thanks so much. That was perfect. I'm excited to play with you.” “Same.” I had played in these things a few times before. It was always harder to play when there are so many people around you. But I had never played with Bella standing less than a few inches from me. She was so close that her lovely scent overwhelmed my nose. Just like at the recording studio, I wanted to do my best for her. Scott had obviously not played the game very much though. We did fine in the first practice round, but in the second we died very quickly. It was embarrassing as hell. Stupid curses flew my mouth like a pouty child who just lost to their sibling. Half the time, I didn't even realize that I was doing it. When we got a little break before the real match, I watched Bella talk to Seth and Tyler. She was laughing and smiling with them so easily too. I wanted to think that she liked me, but I wasn't sure. Maybe she was just a pleasant woman. Then I remembered Jasper's words from the night before. Relax. Have fun. Once again, Bella was so close I could smell her. The salt of her sweat mixed with the sugary scent of her perfume and shampoo. I could have fun and try to show off at the same time, I figured. I wasn’t sure it was possible for me to relax. My partner was more than useless. He died halfway through the game after drawing attention to us from two different teams. That didn't seem to matter, though, because I was on a roll. I killed a dozen people easily and somehow came in third. I had no idea how, but I did. I don't think Scott was expecting us to do so well. I hoped he kept up his end and donated whatever money he was going to. If not, I would give his part as well. “Well, it was hard. I played not that well. But in the end, it looks like we're going to be able to give away lots of heifers and a whole lot of toys today,” I spouted happily at the camera for Seth as he filmed. “I'll link both charities in the box down below if you want to donate and let's make this world a little better together. Thanks! Buh-bye!” The game was the best part of the event. I always found the after parties so boring. They were all the same. I didn't want to get drunk and chat with people I didn't know. Of course, it was required by contract, and I was going to get paid a lot of money to be there. So, I had to suck it up. Not the drunk part, just the being there part. Drinking is what I felt I needed to get through it. I went to the bar to get myself a drink or two alone just to have a few minutes to myself. I got a quick shot of whiskey, which I threw back before ordering a beer. I also got bottles of water for Seth, Tyler, and Bella. It was so hot in there, and it had been such a long day already. I didn't stop at one beer, though. I had a few, an occasional shot mixed in there as well whenever I would go get another. It was a terrible idea because our breakfast was all gone, and it was making me tipsy. But, I needed something to get through having the same conversations over and over again. Movies, television, scripts, weather. Why yes, I'll take a look at your project. Send it to my manager. I'll consider reading for the part. Oh, I did hear about the rain, but I won't believe it until I see it… All I could think about was Bella. She looked as bored as I felt. The guys knew how I felt about these things. They were bored too, but they were getting paid, so they didn't care. I was starting to think seriously about leaving when a pretty young woman walked up to me. She was very tall, close to my height with her impressive heels. Her long blonde hair went down her back, her blue eyes slightly glazed over from drinking as well. “Hi, I've seen you on YouTube before,” she began in a high pitched voice that I didn’t feel was fitting to her body. I wondered if she was putting it on for me. I can put my mask on for you too, I thought drunkenly. Flirt, relax, have fun. I can do this. “Yes, I've been known to be seen there,” I grinned at her. “I'm Tabby.” She offered me her hand. Gently, I shook it before quickly releasing it. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Tabby. Do you play the game?” “No. But I saw that you came in third! That's really cool. You're, like, really good,” she gushed. I felt myself flush a little bit, far too proud of my achievement. “Thank you, my dear! That is very kind of you to say,” I said in my father’s accent. She giggled, leaning more into me. “And you're jumping out of a plane tomorrow, right? I think that's what the announcer said anyway. That's so sexy! You're into, like, action adventure,” she continued, fluffing my ego further and further. I hated how much I liked it right then. I needed the confidence it gave me. “Yeah, I kind of am... into action... and adventure, I mean,” I joked stupidly, flirting back with her. “Do you have a girlfriend?” Well, that went from zero to one hundred very quickly. "Uh, no. I broke up with my girlfriend a few months ago, right before I moved to the US actually. She didn't want to come with me," I told her honestly with a pout. “That’s a shame. I don’t have a boyfriend either,” she replied. “I’m sure whoever wins your affection will be a very lucky man,” I told her pleasantly. “That could be you,” she whispered in my ear before slipping something into my pocket. I didn’t have to look to know she had given me her phone number. “If you ditch your camera crew, we can have a little adventure of our own right now.” “Ah,” I laughed nervously, backing away from her just a couple of steps. “That’s a very… interesting… offer, but I must decline. I have to work, and I have a good friend staying at my home." When I looked over, I realized that Bella was no longer standing beside Seth and Tyler and instantly began to panic. "Hey, where's Bella?" Seth looked around the room, looking for her. “She went to take pictures, I think. I saw her around here a minute ago.” I could tell by the look on his face he wasn’t having fun here either and was ready to go. Tyler was keeping himself busy with his phone. "Um, can you excuse us, Tabby?" I said, still looking around. Bella being alone made me nervous for some stupid reason. There were so many terrible people in Hollywood. I glanced over at the blonde. "I'm sorry I have to get back to work now." “Call me,” she said, still just as determined as before, winking at me. “You could do so much better,” Tyler mumbled under his breath, not looking up from his phone as he did when she walked away. “I was just being polite,” I whispered so she couldn’t hear it. “Yeah. Right. She shoved her hand in your pocket very politely,” Seth joked. “Shut up,” I muttered. “Oh, shit. Did Bella see her do that?” Seth and Tyler looked at each other. Tyler rolled his eyes and shook his head, Seth grinned at me. "I don't think so," he continued to smirk as he spoke. "Why would it matter, though?" “It… just… Wasn’t very unprofessional. I shouldn’t have let her do that,” I babbled, still eyeing the room. "How professional is it to get hammered?" Tyler teased with a small smirk. The pretty girl wasn't around, so they were going to torture me freely. “I’m not. I’m just… tipsy. Shut up,” I repeated. “Let’s go find Bella so we can go. I’m ready to get out of here.” It took me a few moments to find the sweet photographer. She was standing in front of a large window that overlooked the stadium where we had played. It was completely dark now, but the city was shining beautifully behind it. She clicked several pictures, a small frown on her lovely face. “Hey!” I called to her. “I was worried I had lost you.” “Sorry,” Bella answered dejectedly as she took another shot. “You alright?” “Yes, just tired and hungry. It's been a long day,” she answered as she put away her camera. Her voice was actually emotionless and quiet. I hadn’t heard her like that before. “Yeah, we can head out now. We did our time. I'll text Seth and Tyler. They're looking for you, too,” I told her as I frowned to myself, pulling my phone out to tell my friends where we were. “You could have texted me.” As soon as she said it, I felt stupid. Of course. I could have just texted her like a normal person instead of running around like a nervous chicken with its head cut off. “I guess you're right. I didn't think about it. I'm tired, too,” I admitted. I shook it away. “What kind of dinner would you like?” “Your choice.” “I'm asking you.” I just wanted her to talk to me as she had the day before. Happy and open. She seemed so annoyed and closed off. "You should ask Seth and Tyler," she snapped. Her face turned a little red, and she quickly looked away, her arms wrapped around her chest. “Okay,” I cleared my throat, sad. Bella changed her stance a little, glancing over at me. “So, did she give you her number? She was very pretty. And tall. Christ, so tall.” "She was, and she did," I replied. I took the napkin that the girl had shoved in my pocket, and without looking at what was on it, began to tear it apart. I wanted to show Bella precisely what it meant to me. It was nothing. It was barely a conversation. I threw it into the rubbish bin right where it belonged. She seemed surprised. “Why would you do that?” "Because I'm not really interested in her, but I felt like I needed to be polite and take it. So many girls here in Hollywood are so forward, and they're obviously not in it for a relationship, if you know what I mean. It's kind of disheartening," I answered, hoping to give her some little piece of my real self. I wanted her to know that wasn't me. I wasn't the type of person who just wanted to root around with some random plastic person. I meant what I said the day before. “She could have been a model,” she said as if it mattered in the least. “And you don't know. Maybe it’s not money. She could have been in it just to have sex with a hot celebrity.” “Yeah, no thanks. Pretty isn't worth it,” I told her quietly. I wasn’t looking for pretty. I was looking for breathtaking, like Bella. “Here, let me carry your bag for you. I know that has to be heavy after such a long day.” I took her things from her quickly, putting it over my shoulder. Bella looked surprised, blushing again. The silence between us was horribly awkward. I was so grateful when the guys showed up. “Come on, let's go get food. One of you decide what to eat.” I said, ready to escape the situation. Seth and Tyler bickered like children over which chicken place was the best while we walked to the car. I walked in silent stride with Bella. She was chewing on her thumb, her eyes downcast as she focused on walking. I opened the back door for her. Her eyes caught mine for a moment, and once again, her cheeks flamed red hot. She slipped in, her eyes averted from me the whole time. I kicked myself mentally the entire way home. I tried to pretend that I was fine as we ate, but Bella was noticeably quiet at the table. She quickly ate a little before she breathed out that she was heading to bed. “So,” Tyler drew out as we watched her walk to my guest bedroom. He picked at his fried chicken. “What exactly did you do to piss her off?” “I don’t know,” I lied. I knew what happened and I think he did too. He glanced over at Seth again. “Are you going to talk to her?” Seth asked. “What would I say?” I asked them quietly, feeling so unsure of myself and confused. “I don’t know what drunken thing I did, but I’m sorry for offending you,” he joked. I scoffed, looking away from him. "When I asked if she was alright at the arena, she said she tired." “It was a long day. I imagine it has been a long week for her,” Tyler agreed. He looked wiped, too. “Maybe she is just tired.” “Maybe,” I replied softly. “I’d check on her,” Seth said, stretching his arms above his head before he stood. “She’s a good kid. I like her. I kind of wish she didn’t have to go. Maybe we need a photographer for the channel.” “Maybe,” I said again with a little laugh. It was certainly an idea. A dumb one. The last thing I wanted was a work relationship with her. "I'm going to the bathroom. I'm ready to head out whenever you are," he told Tyler who was still eating a chicken wing. He nodded and took another big bite. It was late, and I knew he wanted to get back home to his girlfriend. It took several minutes and a smoke to get my courage up to go knock on her door. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to say. “Come in,” she called softly from the other side of the door. When I opened it, Bella was standing beside her bed. Her hair was wet, and she was wearing a light gray striped nightgown, her feet and legs bare. Her eyes still looked so sad. It made me hate myself. “I wanted to check on you and make sure you're alright.” “Yea, I'm fine,” she said quietly before a brief forced smile came to her lips. “I was just hangry and sore. Sorry.” “Can I get you anything? Aspirin or something? Water?” Please tell me how to make this better. Let me fix this. Bella shook her head slowly. “No, I've already taken some actually. I'm fine, really. I'm just... homesick now.” There was nothing I could do about that. I didn't want her to be homesick, but I didn't want her to leave either. "Alright, I just wanted to check. Let me know if there is anything I could do at all to make you happy or comfortable. I just... I don't know. I'm sorry, I'm awkward. I have anxiety and sometimes, I think-," I didn't know where my rambling mouth was taking me, but it didn't matter. "You know, nevermind. You're obviously going to bed. I'll let you sleep." "Okay... By the way, good job today," she called to me, these words and smile were a little warmer, but I could see the depression marked on her face. “It’s just a video game,” I replied. Just a stupid silly little video game. I felt so embarrassed, suddenly feeling exactly like I did when I was a teenager. How immature must Bella have thought I was? Everything she had gone through and I was playing video games as if it mattered. "No, it was a lot of cows and toys," she said, even lighter. Bella smiled again, this one unforced. I returned it, wanting her to not be sad, even if it was just a minute of relief. “Yeah. Thanks... Goodnight,” I answered before leaving her room. Leaning against the wall, I took in a deep breath. With a sigh, I headed back out towards the pool. I knew I wasn’t going to sleep that night. |
