Endless Night: Chapter 2 - Daylight

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CHAPTER 2 – DAYLIGHT

When I awoke the next morning, I thought I felt a few rays of sunshine on my face.

I was wrong.

The blinds in our dorm were still closed, only to reveal a gray sky when I got around to opening them. Alice had left a note on my vanity mirror telling me she was running home to her parent's house to grab some things she'd forgotten, and she would be back around four.

That left me with five hours to unpack and try to make myself at home.

I grabbed my toiletries bag and bathrobe and headed towards the showers. The hot water felt great. I couldn't remember how many drinks I'd had at Emmett's. Not enough to get completely smashed, but just enough to get a good buzz going. I was guessing three or four. When I got back to the room, I pulled on a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. I was just running a comb through my tangled hair when there was a knock at the door.

"I'm looking for Alice." My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him. He was by far the most attractive guy I'd ever laid eyes on. He was tall, about 6'0", with unruly, wavy dark auburn hair that was gelled up in a messy style. He had the same golden colored eyes as Alice, only his seemed much more intense, as if they were literally on fire. He had perfectly chiseled, pale white features, and his form fitting black t-shirt showed off his nicely defined torso.

"She … she … she's not here." I choked out. I must have sounded like a head case. The stranger wore an expression that read half amusement, half pity.

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

"Her note said four. You must be … Jasper?" I struggled to remember what Alice said her boyfriend's name was.

"No, no, no. I'm Edward. Edward Cullen. Alice's brother." Edward stuck his hand out and I shook it. His skin felt chilled, but his touch sent a stream of hot electric sparks through my body. "You must be Bella Swan?"

"That's me." I silently kicked myself for not coming up with something better to say.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Alice has told us more about you than I thought possible in a twenty-four hour period." My cheeks burned and I looked down at my feet. He ran a hand through his hair and checked his watch. "Listen, I'm in a hurry at the moment, but can you tell Alice I stopped by? I'll try calling on her later." I watched as he turned and headed back down the hall.

"Nice meeting you!" I called after him. He turned around and trained his eyes on me for a moment before giving me a boyish smile.

"The pleasure was all mine Bella Swan." Just like that he was gone. I shut the door and leaned on it. 

Alice and Emmett were attractive, but Edward put them both to shame. My whole body was buzzing with electricity as I thought about his broad shoulders, his smile, and his deep, scorching eyes. I crossed the room and flopped down on my bed. If Edward could illicit this kind of reaction from me with a simple handshake … I shook my head and sat up. Now was not the time to start fantasizing about my roommate's sex-on-a-stick brother.

I still had three hours before Alice would be here. I flipped open my cell phone and skimmed my contacts. I could call Renee, but truthfully, I had no interest in speaking to her. I could call Charlie, but he was at the station. I decided to call Jessica, my best friend and partner in crime back home.

"Bella? Is that you?" Jessica sounded out of breath and I could hear a lot of voices in the background.

"Hey! Is this a bad time?"

"The Zeta Beta Taus are having a pancake breakfast to raise money for charity. A bunch of us are on the way over there to eat and then go play beach volleyball." Jessica had gone off to USC about a week before I left for Seattle. I didn't quite understand what she was telling me, but I knew that Greek words usually equated to fraternities and sororities, two things that I'd never of thought Jessica would be interested in.

I mustered up some false enthusiasm. "That's awesome! You've made some new friends I take it?"

"Definitely!" Jessica squealed and I heard a guy's voice in the background. "I have to go Bella! I'll call you later, I promise!" The phone clicked off before I had a chance to say goodbye. I sighed and flipped my phone open again. I wonder if Mike Newton would come to Seattle for a booty call?

Mike picked up on the third ring. "Bella! I was beginning to wonder if you were just a figment of my imagination! How's the Emerald City?"

"Really good. I just finished unpacking. The dorm is pretty nice."

"Are you getting along with your roommate? You know, it's not too late to come party down here at USC with me. I'm sure my roommates would be delighted to have a hot chick like you crash here."

"Mike, stop. You sound like my mother." Silence. Oh shit, I thought. Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say. "My roommate is nice. Her name is Alice. I spent some time with her and her brother last night."

While Mike talked about some beach bonfire he'd gone to this past weekend, I let my mind wander. 

Edward's face appeared in my head. Just thinking about his intense golden eyes gave me chills in my spine.

The door to the room flew open and Alice burst in. "Bella, get up! Get ready! We're leaving!"

"Uh, Mike, I need to go. Alice just got back and we're going to the mall." I used the first excuse that came to mind and hung up in the middle of Mike's protest. "Are you in a frenzy for any particular reason?"

Alice was in the process of changing. Her simple denim capris and t-shirt were soon replaced with a plaid skirt and a white collared shirt. "I told Jasper we'd meet him for dinner. And we have to make a stop along the way."

I looked down at my jeans and LAHS sweatshirt. "Am I dressed okay?"

Alice glanced in my direction and rolled her eyes. "We really need to work on your fashion sense. I haven't even been through your closet yet and I can already tell you don't follow the trends." Before I could respond, Alice had thrown a dark red halter dress at me.

"Alice, I can't wear this! There's hardly anything to it, and it's not exactly hot outside."

A black sweater flew across the room and wrapped itself around the side of my head. I sighed and took off for the bathroom. It was one thing to go out feeling half naked in one of Alice's many dresses. It was another to change into said dress in front of her.

When I returned, Alice looked pleased. She handed me a pair of chunky heeled pumps and got to work on my hair. Within twenty minutes I'd gone from Bella Swan, college freshman to Bella Swan, runway model in training.

"Perfect!" Alice stepped back admiring her work. I shifted uncomfortably. "You have amazing features Bella! I don't know why you don't wear makeup more often."

"It's never exactly been my style."

Alice tossed me my purse and grabbed her car keys. "I guess it's good for you that college is all about change then, isn't it?" I followed down the hall, embarrassment washing over me. "The new Bella can subscribe to Vogue, invest in a Chi, and frequent MAC."

"Who said anything about a new Bella, Alice? Maybe I'm happy with my simple existence."

"Nobody is truly happy with a simple existence. Besides, it's just a little makeup and a dress. Nothing the girl world hasn't seen before."

I looked down at the pumps and sighed. Maybe Alice was right. This was college, after all. I'd left L.A. because I was looking for a change. Maybe that meant changing who I was a little bit too.

---

The rundown buildings and overcast sky reminded me of a scene from a scary movie. We were in a part of Seattle I'd never seen before, and the unfamiliarity was nauseating.

"Where are we going?"

"Right here." Alice pulled into a parking lot next to what looked like an abandoned restaurant. The side of the building was painted a vibrant blue color. A dark blue Audi with deeply tinted windows was parked several yards away from us. Alice cut the engine. "You coming?"

I eased the car door open and stepped out carefully. I was well aware of the damage I could cause while wearing heels. I glanced around, automatically expecting the worst. Instead, the driver's door of the Audi opened and Edward stepped out.

"You're late."

"Well, Bella had a fashion emergency that we had to deal with." Edward shook his head and I could tell he was resisting the urge to smile. I could feel his eyes on me, taking in the dress (which hugged all the right curves), the shoes (which screamed, "do me, now, please!"), and my hair. I felt my cheeks redden and I looked down at the pavement shyly.

"Well c'mon Bella, we don't have all night." Edward grabbed my hand and jerked me towards him. 

The sudden motion caused me to lose my footing. I tumbled towards the ground, my arms flailing next to me, squeezing my eyes shut and preparing for the pain. In a flash Edward's arm was around me and I was standing upright.

Alice was at my side in a second. "Are you alright?" She glared at Edward. "Is it really necessary for you to be so impatient all the time?"

"My apologies, Bella. I shouldn't have behaved so carelessly. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" I covered my mouth to stop a string of giggles from escaping.

"Really, it's o-"

"I think buying Bella dinner tonight would be fair." Alice interrupted.

"Well Alice, we're never going to make it to dinner if we don't hurry up and get this over with." 

Edward shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. I glanced back and fourth between him and Alice, completely confused. I was starting to feel anxious and Edward must have noticed.

"I'm sorry Bella, I assumed Alice had told you what we were doing here." He stared over my head at his sister. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and she shook her head in response. He nodded once and looked back at me. "I'm going to take your picture for your fake ID. It's usually not a big event like this, but it was easier to meet here since I was already on my way to Everett. I'll need to drop this off tonight if you want it by Friday."

"Oh, um, well, I didn't exactly bring that much cash with me." Edward placed his hand on the small of my back, balancing me and guiding me towards the blue wall.

"No need to worry about that. Laurent owes me a favor or two." Edward pulled a small camera from his pocket. He stood inches away from me and held it up. "Now, just stand there against the wall and look natural." Flash.

Edward slid the camera back into his pocket and smiled at me. His eyes were on fire again. My palms were sweaty and I was pretty sure my body was visibly trembling. "Perfect! Now you'll be 

fully equipped to enjoy the Seattle nightlife!"

"We better get going. Jasper just texted me and he's at the restaurant with Rose."

"I should be there shortly. We're going to the Red Room, right?" Alice nodded. Edward winked at me before sliding back into the Audi and speeding off. I followed Alice back to the car, my head dizzy with lust. I lit a cigarette and peeled off my sweater. My skin was on fire, alive with the electricity that Edward's touch left behind.

"That habit is far from attractive Bella." Alice scolded me as she pulled the Mercedes into the valet line. I shrugged and tossed out my cigarette.

The Red Room was … well, just that. Red. Everywhere. The walls were a vibrant red color, decorated with mirrors of various shapes and sizes and abstract pieces of art. There were black leather booths scattered throughout the room, and red-topped tables adorned with zebra print chairs. I followed Alice up a staircase next to the bar, which led to the rooftop patio.

"Bella, this is my boyfriend Japer Hale, and this is Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie Hale." They stood and shook my hand. They were both beautiful, of course. Jasper was tall and lean, with hair the same color as Edward's that fell in waves just past his chin. Rosalie was slightly taller than Alice, with long, thick blonde hair and a curvy feminine figure. Both had the same golden eyes as the Cullens and the same pale skin complexion. If I didn't know any better I'd think they were all siblings. Jasper smiled warmly at me, and I immediately felt at ease. Rosalie eyed me carefully, as if she wasn't sure whether to trust me or not.

"Emmett should be here any minute. He got caught up watching Sportscenter – again." Rosalie rolled her eyes and grunted in disgust.

Within a half hour both Edward and Emmett had joined us. The waiter took our order and brought us a fresh round of drinks. The patio overlooked the Puget Sound, and I was busy enjoying the view.

"So Bella, are you from Washington?" It was the first thing Rosalie said to me all night. I balked in surprise and Edward elbowed me in the ribs.

I shifted uncomfortably under Rosalie's intense gaze. "I was born here, but my parents split when I was still a baby. I grew up in Dallas, Phoenix, and L.A." I took a sip of my water. "I spent a few summers up here with my dad, but I never made any real friends so I stopped coming after a while. 

This is the first time in five years that I've been in Washington."

"Interesting." Rosalie was pushing her salad around with her fork. I glanced around the table, noticing that I was the only one who'd eaten my meal. The others had picked off their plates, but nobody had even made a dent in their food. "So your dad lives here in Seattle then?"

"No, he actually lives in a small town called Forks. It's about three hours West of here."

All eyes were on me in an instant. "That's interesting. Our family just moved to forks several weeks ago." I stared at Rosalie in surprise. I could feel Edward's eyes on me even though I wasn't facing him. I felt like I was the only person in the room and soon my cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.

Nobody said much after my exchange with Rosalie. The waiter brought our check and Edward paid for my meal, just like Alice suggested. We were on our way to get the car when Alice grabbed my elbow and stopped me.

"Bella, please don't get mad at me but I'm going to go back to Forks with Jasper tonight. Edward is going back to campus and offered to give you a ride."

"Bella? Are you ready?" Edward was staring intently at me when I turned to look at him. He lifted half of his mouth in a smile and held the door of the Audi open for me. We were soon on the highway.

"It's such a nice night." I looked out the window at the blanket of stars above us.

Edward chuckled. "I figured you'd be cold. What is it, eighty five or ninety in L.A. right now?" My skin feels like it's ninety degrees where you touched it. Does that count?

"Something like that."

Edward turned on the radio, never once taking his eyes off the road. "What kind of music do you like?" The kind where you strip off your clothes and climb on top of me … God, Bella, go jump in a cold shower or something!

"I listen to everything. Classic rock is my favorite. The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, the Eagles … 

I grew up listening to it with my mom."

Edward merged into the passing lane and accelerated. "That's interesting. It's not too often you find people our age who have an appreciation for good music." He turned the radio down a little, focusing his eyes on me. "You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen."

I swallowed, the blush reddening my cheeks. "Thanks." I wrung my hands together and kicked at the floor mat, unsure of what to say. Mike Newton had been my first and only boyfriend. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure I'd call him a boyfriend. It was more of a friends with benefits kind of arrangement. Except he slept on my couch all summer too. And bought me flowers. And a necklace. 

And … Yeah. I was definitely going to keep my mouth shut. Edward was no Mike Newton; he was so much more.

Before I could worry too much, Edward had pulled in to a parking spot in front of the dorm. "I should have your ID by Thursday." He looked at me and smiled. "I assume Alice has big plans for you for the rest of the week?"

I couldn't help but return his smile. "I'm pretty sure she said something about shopping tomorrow. I can only hope she forgets. Malls are like foreign countries to me." I shook my head and laughed at myself.

Edward came around and opened my door. I stepped out on the sidewalk, paying incredibly close attention to my footing. "You should smile more often Bella. It's quite a captivating sight." He took my hand and kissed it before getting back in the car. I watched the Audi's taillights grow smaller and smaller until they disappeared around the corner. As I made my way up to the dorm, I allowed the image of Edward's laughing face to replay itself several times in my mind. This just might be my new happy place.