CHAPTER 2
"I knew it. I shouldn't have attended this cursed event," I chanted silently when I found myself sprawled across the lap of a man. How did I get here again? Oh, yes. I was walking across the barn, where the festivities were in full swing when I stumbled and fell onto the lap of a stranger who was sitting on one of the bamboo chairs scattered across the room. A stranger with striking green eyes, tousled bronze hair, and a stunning face.
I was humiliated beyond words. I could not even summon enough nerve to say a quick sorry. As I scampered away, I heard, to my utmost horror, an irritatingly nasal male voice. "Good for you, Edward Cullen! You've just gotten here, and women are already throwing themselves at you!" he said.
Oh no! I'd offended the guest of honor, no less! Mayor Banner would not be happy with me. He had invited Mr. Cullen with hopes that he'd increase his investments in our local businesses. What if I displeased this rich businessman enough to make him want to break his ties with our town?
I hurried to the back of the barn and hid behind the tall crates that were haphazardly stacked on the floor. I tried to plan a quiet exit before I could make things worse. Unfortunately, my two annoying friends (who were also my cousins-in-law) found me before I could put the plan into action.
"Bella! What are you doing?" Rose hissed.
"I'm going home," I announced, taking a step toward the doors.
"No, you're not!" Alice grasped my arm tightly.
"Didn't you see what happened?" I whispered, tugging on my arm.
"You fell on Mr. Cullen, so?" Rose shrugged as if it were a perfectly normal occurrence, which was actually mostly true in my case.
"Come on, Bella. He knows it was an accident and he doesn't seem bothered at all." Alice began to pull me out of my hiding place.
Together, they dragged me towards the long tables, where they tried to cheer me up with cake and wine.
Suddenly, I heard that same whiny voice again from my left. "My, aren't you a pretty little thing!" I looked up and saw a pudgy blond man placing his arm across the shoulder of Jessica Stanley, the biggest flirt in town. In his other hand, he held a slice of ham. It was the same man who had mocked me earlier.
He didn't notice me, so I ignored him and resumed eating and joking with Alice and Rose. Suddenly, he started choking.
Everyone in the vicinity was too shocked to move. When his face turned purple, I sprang into action. I stood behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle. Then, I put my fist below his chest and pushed upward repeatedly until he coughed out a rather large chunk of meat.
When I was sure that he was all right, I returned to my friends' side.
Edward Cullen pushed through the crowd that formed around us. "Mike! Mike, are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
I quickly moved behind my friends. "Please, don't let him see me," I prayed silently.
"Can you tell me who helped my friend here?" He turned to Angela Weber, the girl standing next to him. Unfortunately for me, she was the preacher's daughter, and she never lied. She wordlessly pointed in my direction.
I ducked behind my friends' backs, but the traitors broke apart to reveal me cowering in the corner, like a thief caught in the act.
Recognition flashed in Mr. Cullen's eyes. He stepped toward me and took my hand in his. "Thank you for saving my friend's life, Miss—"
I vaguely knew he was waiting for my reply, but I couldn't seem to find my voice.
"Swan. This is Isabella Swan, Sir. Although, she likes to be called Bella," Alice answered for me before introducing Rose and then herself.
"Bella." Mr. Cullen smiled at me, and I felt my heart race. "Please, join me for dinner."
That's how I got to sit beside the guest of honor for the rest of the night.
After waving away my late apology for the fiasco earlier, he began asking me questions. Where did I live? How old was I? What was my father's name? Mike Newton, who I later found was his business associate, sat on his other side, completely forgotten.
When Mr. Cullen—or Edward, as he wanted me to call him—found out from Alice that I cooked the chicken and mushroom casserole, he tried it at once. In a burst of panic, I asked myself, "Have I added enough salt to it this afternoon?" I must have, seeing his blissful face when he had finished eating it.
Strangely, he never left my side, even when many pretty girls vied for his attention.
When I feigned exhaustion so that I could leave, he offered to walk me home. He was somewhat familiar with the area, as his parents were from here a long time ago.
He insisted that we take the path that led around the park instead of the shortcut through the bushes, which I always used. Why would he do that? Surely not so he could spend more time with me?
I tried to think of reasons why this strange phenomenon was happening. Why would such a rich, attractive, young man waste his time talking to a penniless, homely girl already past marrying age? I had no illusions about my appearance. I will never be called beautiful with my pale face, thin body, unremarkable brown eyes and hair, and lack of endowments.
My mother died when I was very young, and from then on, I was too busy with taking over the housework to really make an effort to enhance my physical attributes. It didn't help either that my father never remarried. I had no stepmother, elder sister, or any other female relative who could advise me in that department. By the time Rose and Alice came into my life, I was too set in my old ways that they couldn't make much of a difference, aside from a new dress they would force on me every now and then.
Although Edward was older than me by a few years, a twenty-year-old woman, like me, was still considered too old to be unmarried by the people in this town.
Was this some joke at my expense? However, as I looked into his beautiful face, I honestly could not believe that. It left me feeling clueless.
To say that Father was surprised when he saw us would be an understatement. His daughter was being escorted home by a man, who was not her blood relation? That was a sight he undoubtedly had not expected to see. When he found out whom this stranger was, his eyes just about bulged out of their sockets.
When Edward said goodnight and left, Father turned to me. "What was that, Bella?"
I shrugged. "I saved his friend's life. He must have felt—grateful."
"Huh, he looked more than grateful to me," he said as he scratched his chin. Then we both retreated to our bedrooms.
I replayed the events in my mind, slowing down to the parts where Edward and I were talking. When I remembered his soft voice and his bright green eyes, I couldn't help but smile. I most likely would not see him again, but I was thankful that I was given the chance to meet a man who was so kind to me.
I went to sleep, dreaming of my bronze-haired angel.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Air kisses to my PTB betas Barkleybear19, Grey Paige, and mod Twimarti. You make my work look prettier than it really is. Thank you! :)
Chapter End Notes:
Yeah, Bella just performed a Heimlich Manoeuvre on Mike Newton. Priceless! ROFL!
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