I was restless that night, tossing and turning unable to find a comfortable position because my brain was working too hard. My thoughts were filled with Aro mostly, the odd side thought about his weird nephews but I couldn't seem to drive the image of his handsome face and beautiful voice from my mind.
Bella was downstairs making breakfast, she'd made me a bowl of cereal and I sat down quietly. "Are you alright Cel? You look a bit distant," she says.
I was distant, Bella had gone from catatonic to normal in a matter of hours and now I was the distant one. "Yeah, I didn't sleep well is all," I say and mush my cereal in with the milk.
"Aro got you home alright then?" she says and stares at me curiously over the top of her orange juice.
"Yes," I say softly and a silence falls between us. "He has a nice car," I add to break the tension.
"Um yeah I guess he does," she agrees.
"Is Edward driving you in today?" I ask.
"Yep, you can take the truck," she smiles and starts to clear away her finished bowl.
The drive to school was lonely, I had gotten used to ferrying around suicidal Bella as I didn't trust her to drive without putting herself in danger, or me for that matter. With the Cullen's return there was lots of gossip, I tried to avoid every question I could with "I don't know" as everyone seemed to hit a dead end with Bella and try and ask me why Edward and the others had returned.
Edward had attempted to speak to me this morning but he willing backed down after I gave him another one of my best glares. I would have to work on them if I was going to continue hating his guts.
I tried to concentrate but again my mind couldn't focus long enough to pay attention. Aro was going to call me some time in the next four days and I was terrified and elated all at the same time, but I couldn't decide if I should be or not.
Aro had to be between twenty five and thirty, Charlie would never agree to let me go out with him I was certain of it. And what would come from our short encounter, Carlisle said that they were only staying for a set amount of time, I didn't want to be used or left bitterly heartbroken when he suddenly packed up and left. I also wasn't keen on how long his hair was. It sounded silly, nothing was really flawed with him at all, it was like he had been constructed for the pure purpose of aesthetic appeal but I would prefer it if he maybe tied his hair back so his face wasn't hidden by its shadow.
In the end I had agreed to go out with him so it would be rude not to stick to my word, if I chickened out nearer to Friday I could pretend to feel ill again, although no one believed that was true last night.
At lunch I declined Alice's polite invitation to sit with them, Mike and Jessica seemed thoroughly shocked when I headed over to them. "So Cullen is back," Mike says bitterly.
"Obviously," I sigh and pick up a carrot stick, inspecting it but not going as far to eat it.
"When did this happen?" he asks.
"Saturday night, Carlisle decided they prefer Forks or something," I drawl and drop the carrot back into the small plastic clip Tupperware box.
"Well Bella seems happier now," Jessica adds enthusiastically and I crack a smile.
"Yes she certainly does."
English flew by after lunch and then I met up with Bella in the changing room for gym. "How's Edward today then?" I ask and she jumps in surprise.
"Celestine I didn't hear you come in," she says. "Yeah, Edward's fine," she smiles goofily.
"I don't think he's good for you," I say and hang my bag up. "You're far too attracted to him and he's...there's something not right with him."
Bella smiles stiffly. "I don't want to argue with you Cel, but I understand what you mean...and hopefully you will understand what I mean soon." She ends her sentence with a frown.
"Understand what you mean?"
"It's complicated...I heard Aro invited you to dinner?" she quirks her eyebrows and looks at me.
"Hey don't change this onto me," I warn her I pull on my gym kit.
"Did you say yes?" she asks.
"I didn't really have a choice," I say and bend down to fasten my trainers.
"He didn't hurt you did he?" she asks nervously.
"What, no," I say and jump up. "He...I...he's very persuasive, and I made a deal to keep a comment secret," I shrug.
"What did you say?" she asks.
"If I told you I would have made a pointless deal with him wouldn't I," I smile.
"Have you asked Charlie if you can go?"
"Of course I haven't," I whisper as I see Lauren eyeing us with her beady little bitchy eyes. "He's like twenty five; dad would kill me and then probably shoot Aro in the leg for good measure."
"Yeah you're right, do you want to be my partner?" Bella asks and I roll my eyes.
"Why not I feel like I need to do some exercise," I stretch up and tug her out of the changing room.
We were continuing with badminton and Bella took a safe stance at the back of the court and I covered everything else. Surprisingly I managed to win all four games which earned me and Bella a small plastic trophy and a one dollar off fruit in the canteen.
Edward was waiting for Bella outside, leaning casually against the wall with an effortless smile. He moved with such grace I was shocked all over again, I'd forgotten how weirdly elegant he was.
"Hello Celestine," Edward smiles.
"Bella I'll see you at home," I say and ignore Edward.
"I think she's giving me the silent treatment," I overhear Edward say to Bella.
Damn straight, I grumble internally and head to Bella's truck, I followed Edward's Volvo out of the carpark but he quickly lost me, the boy drove like a maniac.
When I got home Bella and Edward were already there, sat at the kitchen table. I grabbed a drink and then went upstairs taking the phone with me. It was a painful waiting game, knowing that he would call at some point, I could change my mind and tell him I didn't want to go, Edward was already positive I didn't like him so what would be the harm in the rest of the Cullen's knowing I didn't like them, they probably already knew too.
I did some homework and then did some reading, Edward left and Bella called me down for dinner when dad came home.
"Celestine, I had a visitor today," he says as he hangs up his gun belt and chucks his keys on the side. Dad very rarely used my full name; it was reserved for punishments and formal events. He had never been a fan of it since mum had settled on something extravagant to go alongside Isabella.
"A visit from who?" I ask nervously, trying to stop myself from chewing on my lip.
"A man," he says and my mouth dries. "He asked me for permission to take you to dinner Friday night."
"Oh yeah, I was going to ask you myself about that," I mumble.
"He's old," he frowns. "But he made a good case; you have to be back by eleven though."
I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my lips. "Thanks dad," I grin and hug him taking him by surprise for a few seconds.
"No worries Ce," he says and hugs me back.
Dinner was lovely; all three of us back together again, Bella to her normal self and dad surprisingly happy considering he'd just agreed to let me out alone with an older man. I ate quickly, keen to run back upstairs and wait by the phone again.
I showered first, a quick one I didn't bother to condition my hair and rapidly brushed my teeth and changed into my pyjamas before scrambling up the short ladder to my room. Charlie had had the roof adapted to make room for me and Bella to both have rooms, when we'd been younger we'd shared a room but I was very grateful dad had gotten another room built, I couldn't imagine how awkward it would be when Edward snuck in to see Bella and I was there too.
The clock seemed to be moving far too fast, every minute that went by I got more and more annoyed, why hadn't he phoned yet?
Just as I was about to give up and crawl into bed the phone rang. I launched myself across my bed and answered immediately.
"Hello?" I ask and I'm met with a joyful laugh. Hearing his voice again reassured me that I hadn't just imagined it.
"You answered very quickly, eager are we?" he asks and I fall back onto my bed with a sigh.
"You asked my dad?" I say avoiding his question.
"I could tell you were concerned, having your father's approval made me confident I would get your approval too," he says.
"Confident much?" I smile.
"Incredibly," he purrs and I'm stunned for words. "Does four o'clock work for you? It's a little early but Seattle is a little bit of a drive away."
"You're taking me to Seattle?"
"Don't expect me to take you to a restaurant in Forks," he says.
"What's wrong with food in Forks?" I challenge.
"I am a man who prides myself on perfection, so I am taking you to a restaurant worthy of you," he answers and I'm lost for words.
Prides himself on perfection? I stared up at the ceiling my eyes wide. I couldn't quite believe his words, if he was telling the truth why on earth was he taking me to dinner?
"Celestine?" Aro's voice rang down the phone. "Celestine?"
"Sorry, I was just...you've confused me," I tell him.
"How?" he asks.
"Pride yourself on perfection? I am far from perfect so why are you bothering to take me to dinner?"
He laughs again and I swallow deeply, maybe I would have to cancel on him or else I'd keel over if he laughed in front of me in person, his laughter down the phone was driving me crazy.
"I will tell you now and then I will reiterate my point on Friday as well. Celestine you are a very beautiful young girl and I am so honoured to take you to dinner and spoil you the way you deserve to be spoilt," he says.
"I think you might need glasses," I mumble.
"I can assure you my eyesight is high resolution," he says. "We can argue about this for hours but it won't change my opinion on how beautiful I think you are."
"I'm not trying to sound rude but we've only just met," I say slowly.
I hear his sigh before he replies, "I know, and it seems silly to me as well, I never thought I would be affected in such a way," he breathes deeply again. "But I am pleasantly surprised."
"I'm glad," I whisper.
"I'm glad you are glad as well, it would have made me feel terribly embarrassed if you'd said you were disgusted," he says.
"I don't think anyone could be disgusted by you."
"You would be surprised," he chuckles.
"You laugh a lot," I point out.
"You make me laugh," he says.
"Are you laughing at me?" I feign hurt to gage his response.
"No of course not, what you say and how you say it, it humours me."
"You have an odd sense of humour," I frown.
He chuckles once more which makes me smile. "Indeed I do."
"Can I ask what you do for a living? Or shall we leave that kind of conversation for Friday?"
"So I assume you are agreeing to let me take you out on Friday?" he asks.
"You assume correctly," I smirk.
"Excellent!" I could tell he was smiling again, the tone of his voice lifted joyously when he smiled. "What do you think I do for a living?"
I quickly conjure a picture of him in my mind – it wasn't hard – his face was etched into my memory for life. "You seem quite serious, rich obviously as everything needs to be perfect so it pays well, you have your hair long so you must be self-employed or be near the top of a company or something to the likes of that..."
"My hair dictates my job?" he asks.
"No, not necessarily, I'm being stereotypical," I explain.
"Alright, continue," he says.
"Your nephews...they're quite intimidating and were dressed almost as fancy as you...a family organisation, rich, powerful, I've got it," I tell him.
"What is your conclusion?"
"The Mafia," I say and he pauses, he doesn't laugh. "Crap you aren't really part of the mafia are you?" I ask after ten seconds of complete silence.
"Yes but you can't tell anyone, just our little secret," he says and I hear the light-heartedness in his voice and I sigh in relief.
"I'll keep your secret as long as you agree to my terms," I repeat his words from last night.
"And what terms would they be?" he asks.
"To let me have at least one glass of wine on Friday," I bite my lip. Older than me or not I wasn't sure he'd be supportive of getting me drunk.
"In my country, eighteen is the legal limit," he says.
"I'm not eighteen," I smirk but then my stomach tightens at my own words, I wasn't eighteen I was younger and thinking of Aro made me feel so young, young and immature and definitely not someone who was perfect.
As if he can sense my concern he speaks. "You're allowed to have a drink with a meal if you are with a responsible adult," he says but even that makes me feel like the age gap between us is huge, if Aro is the adult then I am the child.
"Are you from Europe? You look slightly European." My voice was slightly pitchy as I change the subject, desperate to distract my thoughts.
"Italy," he says.
"You're so lucky, I've always wanted to go to Europe, and Italy is such a pretty place," I smile.
"You keep my occupation secret and I'll take you there some day," he says and I suddenly feel like I've jumped into things a bit quickly.
"Ugh, sure, let's get Friday out the way first though, I might change my mind about you, I'm not into organised crime so we might not click," I say.
"They do say opposites attract," he chuckles.
"They aren't always right," I add.
"The voice of reason...I must go now, I'm sorry to cut our conversation short," he says sadly.
"Oh," I breathe and sit up defeated, I wanted to listen to him talk all night and all tomorrow morning too. "That's okay...I'll see you Friday, four o'clock."
"I'll be there at three fifty nine," he chuckles.
"Bye then," I say.
"Good night Celestine, sweet dreams," he says.
"Night," I whisper and the phone is silent for a few long seconds before he replies.
"Buonanotte amore mia," he says and then the line disconnects.