I Thought I Was Your Average Tomboy, That Was Until I Met Him-He Changed EVERYTHING (An Edward Cullen Love Story) Chapter 18

Edward’s POV1

“Can you please tell me what you are thinking?” she asks, pleading. 2

I simply shake my head no. This isn’t the time or place to talk. She sighs, “Okay fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”3

I smile at her and start to walk out the door. Before I leave, I slip a piece of paper with a note I had written earlier on it. I knew she would want to talk, so I told her to leave her room’s window open.4

“Bye Edward.” she says, watching me walk to my car.5

“Goodbye Riley.” I reply opening my car door. 6

I get in my car and start it, driving off. I speed down the road as fast as possible. The sooner I get the car to the house, the sooner I can run back to see Riley. 7

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I jump through Riley’s open bedroom window to see her sitting on her bed, waiting. I walk over to her and sit on her bed. She crawls over to me and I pull her into my lap.9

“Now.” I start, “Where do you want to begin?”10

“First, tell me what people in school have been thinking. And don’t go on about how it’s better I don’t know. I want to know, that’s why I’m asking you.”11

I sigh. “Why is it so hard to go against what she wants” I think.12

“They wonder why I’m with you, why you of all people could be with me. Why I turned down so many and not you. The girls look upon you with furious glances that match their thoughts. They wish it is them I sit with and hold hands with.”13

“That’s all?” she asks. “Well that’s not bad. I don’t know why you don’t think you can tell me stuff like that.”14

“I thought it would bother you.” I tell her truthfully. 15

“Well, to be quite honest, which is very hard not to do round you, I suspected their thoughts to be such things. Their faces reveal to much about them, and one more thing.”16

“And what would that be?” I ask, stroking her long hair.17

“I don’t need protecting, I need truths.”18

She looks up at me, her near black eyes staring into my own. “I can’t promise you that.” I tell her before leaning down and kissing her tenderly. 19

She doesn’t pull away, but kisses back. Our lips seem to fit together perfectly. I feel my self control weakening and I pull away before I hurt her. She looks at me with an empty expression, which soon turns to understanding. 20

“Sorry.” she mutters.21

“You need to stop taking the blame for things that are not your fault.” I tell her.22

“Who is to say they aren’t my fault? I feel like I keep pushing and pushing you into things you don’t want to do, or that stretch your control. I don’t want to do that to you.”23

She leans her head down looking into her lap. I spin her around to face me and lift her head back up with my hand. “It’s not your fault and I refuse to allow you to think so any longer.” I tell her.24

I place my hand on her cheek and she looks at me. “It feels like it is, even if it is not.” she tells me.25

I stay silent, looking at her angelic face, my hand still resting in her cheek, it’s heat warming my own skin. 26

“Edward…” she starts her voice stating my name as a fading question. 27

“Yes?”28

“What was wrong with you earlier, when you wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. Please don’t tell me there wasn’t I know you to well.”29

I slide my hand from her face and look away.30

“Edward, please tell me.” she begs.31

I sigh and look at her once again. “Many things.”32

“Like…” 33

“If I tell you, will you think no less of me?” I ask seriously. 34

“Edward, I don’t think I can change what I think of you no matter what you say or think.”35

I take a deep, unneeded breath.36

“I don’t understand how you can lie so easily like that, and without a second thought. And why you want to lie about us being together. And how you seem so calm about me being a monster.” I tell her, the last word but a mere whisper.37

She looks down ashamed. “You’re not a monster.” she whispers.38

“You honestly believe that?” I ask her.39

She nod and remains silent.40

“I’m sorry.” she says after a few moments of silence.41

I become frustrated with myself. Why does she keep saying sorry!? It’s not her fault, none of this is her fault. 42

My anger and frustration shows in my voice. “Why do you keep apologizing? None of this is your fault! I’m the monster, I’m the one endangering you every second of your life, and for my own desires! Why do you even want to be around me? I do nothing but put you in danger, I do nothing but hurt you!”43

She stops me by placing her hand over my mouth. “Edward stop, no more. This is not your fault, not by a long shot. You are no more endangering me than anything I do normally. If anything, you protect me. You aren’t hurting me one bit, I’m hurting you. I’m sorry for hurting you, I’m sorry for being such a nuisance, I’m sorry for lying. I’m sorry for pushing your control, I’m sorry for everything.” she looks into my eyes, her own begging me to understand. 44

“You are never going to let me take the blame for anything are you?” I ask.45

She shakes her head no. 46

I pull her closer to me, treasuring every second I have with her. Never have I felt so happy, or so confused. Here I am, taking the blame for everything, saying its all my fault and she refuses to let me do so. 47

“Riley.” I whisper, my cheek pressed against the top of her head.48

“Hmm?” she says, her fingers absentmindedly tracing unknown patterns on my hand.49

“I love you.” I tell her for the first time. A million times over I hve thought it, but only now do I tell her. 50

She stops moving her fingers across my hand and becomes tense. She remains silent.51

“What’s wrong?” I ask her.52

“I’m sorry.” she whispers.53

“Riley, damn it stop apologizing. What’s wrong?” 54

“Nothing.” she lies. 55

“Riley do remember I can read your mind, and I know you are lying.”56

She sighs. “Fine, I’ll tell you. I have this weird thing about love.” she tells me.57

“And what thing would that be?” I ask.58

“Well, how do you know what love feels like? And when you feel something how do you know that it is love? Even when nothing in you doubts that it is love, how do you know that you are loving the right person?”59

I think about her words for a brief second before answering, “I know what love feels like because I feel it every time I think about or see you. Nothing in my mind or body doubts that I do love you, and I know deep down in my non beating heart that it is you I am destined to love.”60

“You truly believe that?” she asks.61

“Yes.” 62

She sighs and starts moving her fingers around my hand again. “I feel bad that I can’t say the same to you just yet.”63

I kiss the top of her head. “You don’t have to.” I tell her simply. 64

“Now sleep, my love. You have a big day tomorrow, I will be there for you, front row. I love you.” I tell her laying her down. 65

She keeps her eyes on me. “Stay with me?” she asks.66

“Until you fall asleep.” I promise. 67

She nods and soon drifts into a peaceful slumber. I pry myself away from her, walk over to the window, climb out of it, and shut it, leaving her to dream peacefully. 68

Riley’s POV69

I wake up on my own, and pretty early too. I sit up and look at my clock, I’m an hour early. I sigh and make my way to the bathroom. 70

After a short shower I walk to my room and get dressed. I don’t really bother dressing up for my speech. I simply wear a nice pair of jeans and a Troy Palmalou jersey. I look at my clock and see I still have half and hour before I have to leave. I go to the bathroom and decide to straighten my hair, something I never do. I open one of the draws and get out my straightener, which is practically brand new. I plug it in and wait for it to heat up. Once it’s ready I straighten my hair and unplug it. I look in the mirror. It’s amazing how doing something as simple as straightening my hair makes it looks so different. It shines in the light and my fading natural highlights seem to come out once again. My hair looks a lot longer now too. 71

I walk out of the bathroom and head downstairs. I grab an apple and some strawberries from the fridge. I love fruit and to be quite honest I don’t feel like eating any more cereal. I finish my breakfast and look at the clock. FINNALY time to go. 72

Just as a go upstairs to get my stuff, Tater comes down.73

“Go head and get in the truck Tater, I’ll be there in a second.” I tell him.74

He simply nods and keeps walking. I hear the front door open and close as I walk to my room. 75

I grab my books and my speech and run down the stairs. I get in the truck, start it and drive as always to Tater’s school.76

He remains silent and I can tell something is bugging him. He gets out but there is no Chloe waiting for him.77

“Oh, that’s why.” I say to myself. Sure enough I see Chloe surrounded by bunch of friends, sending glares Tater’s way.78

I laugh to myself and drive off to Forks High School.79

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I step up onto the podium and look out into the crowd. The entire school is sitting there, looking back at me. I gulp and feel butterflies in my stomach. I ignore them, this is important. I look right in front of me and sure enough, true to his word Edward is sitting there, smiling at me. I flash a smile back at him and clear my throat to quiet everyone. 81

Once everyone’s talking subdues I start, “I am here today to talk about many things, but they all revolve around one subject. Woman equality. Yes I’m sure many of you will say ‘Well they can vote, hold office, get jobs, own property, be in the army, what else do they want? Aren’t they equal?’ I’m here to tell you the truth. Women are not equal.”82

I pause and look out into the crowd, they are actually listening. I continue.83

“Yes, women can hold office, own property, have jobs, vote, and many other things they could not before, but they are still not totally equal. If you ask any NFL football player why they play football, their answer will be the same. Because I love the game.”84

I look out into the crowd again, a few people nodding. I turn my gaze to Edward to see him smile and nod at me to continue. 85

“It’s pretty obvious that it takes hard work, determination, and love for the game to make it all the way to the NFL. But What if I told you I wanted to be in the NFL? What if I said that was my dream? I’m sure most will say I would never make it, or that I shouldn’t even try. Why not? Why is it that people think I couldn’t be in the NFL? Because I’m a girl? But I have love for the game of football. I have determination, I would work hard and yet I would have to work and try three times harder because I would not be accepted into that world. Why am I so different? I have love for the game, I have the same dream the players that made it do. So why am I shunned away from that world?”86

I look at the faces of people I know, every face in the room is looking at me with interest and concentration etched in their expressions. 87

“Women have worked and pushed and fought for equality for years, decades, centuries. And yet, we are not equal. Yes we can legally do things men can, yes we are legally equal, but how does that change the way people think? Women can run for presidency, and they have. Then why, I ask you, have we not had a woman president? If a woman was running for presidency, would your first choice be her? Or would you not vote for her, just because of her gender?88

“Many women are expected to do ‘womanly things’, such as cook, clean, take care of children. These things are said to be easier that the jobs men do, but they do not realize that work is proven harder, and more tiring than paying jobs.”89

I take a breath, pausing and letting what I’ve said soak in. 90

“We have to face the truth, woman are not equal. No matter what people tell you, the truth is we are not. Not just because of what government controls, but because of the way people think, because of their own prejudices.91

“Susan B. Anthony, a woman fighting for woman equalization once said this. "There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers. Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to be nominated as Vice President said this, "We've chosen the path to equality, don't let them turn us around." 92

“Let us not turn around, let us push forward on that path. Fight for what is right, change peoples minds. And if you don’t, move on. Try again, attempt the impossible. We have been privileged enough to have a group, right here in this school. Right here in Forks. Anyone can join, male or female, anyone can help do the right thing. Join me, join others, join a right cause, join the Forks Women’s Rights Awareness Group.”93

I look out onto the crowd once again. Suddenly there is a roar of clapping, shouting, cheering. A smile spreads across my face and I step away from the podium. The principle shakes my hand on his way to the podium. 94

He clears his throat in the microphone and the room quiets. “Thank you Miss Young for that wonderful speech.” he says looking at me. I nod politly and he turns back to the crowd.95

“There are pamphlets put together by Miss Laurie Fry at the exits, please grab one on your way to your classes. You are dismissed.”96

There is a roar of chairs being moved and people talking all at once. Many people came up to me to congratulate me. Everything is pretty confusing, being moved from one hug or handshake to another, everything a blur except a stone cold hand entwined in my own. 97