Awaken.pdf

Chapter – 1

Dawn was breaking.

I could sense the world waking up all around me. The quiet sounds of the night were becoming even

more muted, as small creatures stirred in the warmth of the awakening sun.

Sitting alone in the early hours of the day, I listened intently to the different sounds as night gave way

to light. The crickets stopped their chirping. The birds began their songs. The night owl ceased his

hooting, while many small winged creatures took to flight in the gathering light.

They all began another busy, productive day in their useful lives.

With a deep sigh, I stood up. It was time, once again, to start my day. Another empty meaningless day

just like yesterday. Going through the motions, smiling when I should, answering the same mundane

questions when asked, and wishing for the whole fucking thing to be done so I could, once again, be

alone.

Alone.

So I didn't have to pretend. I could just be.

I was tired of pretending.

I was just fucking tired.

Chapter – 2

"Remind me again, just why the fuck am I doing this?" I groaned as I listened to the incessant chatter

coming from the other room.

"Because it's for a cause near and dear to your heart, you ass," came the prompt reply from Carlisle as

he straightened the shoulders of my jacket, dusting off what I assumed was some lint at the same

time.

"My heart. Yeah, I don't have one of those," I shot back. Even I could see the sadness on his face as he

replied.

"Well my friend, you used to."

Unable to think of an adequate reply, I shrugged off his ministrations and turned away. As I was

stepping further out of his reach, the door opened and Emmett stepped in.

"Ok, everything is all set, just as we talked about Edward. The area has been cleared and your path is

set. Keep to it and everything will be good."

"Right. Fucking brilliant. Carlisle, go over this one more time please? How many questions? Have they

been screened? Please tell me they have been fucking screened." I turned to my manager and friend,

hoping he would at least confirm that fact.

Hearing his chuckle, I already knew the answer. "No, Edward. Charity, remember? Five winners, each

get to ask the question of their choice . They were, of course, given parameters. Nothing about your

personal life. What they have come up with outside of that, we'll all find out soon enough. Please, for

the love of God behave yourself. Act charming. Remember charming?"

I shook my head and heard him sigh. Stepping forward he placed a hand on my shoulder, then spoke

in his low voice, no doubt meant to soothe me.

"Edward, it's one event. One afternoon. A few questions from some fans. You know the signal if

you're uncomfortable. I'll pull the whole thing if I have to, but I really don't want to. Please.

Tomorrow will be a few interviews, and the gala. Both you and Sebastian will perform individually,

and then do your duet and it's done. We go back home to Vancouver. We talked about this, right?"

I drew in a deep breath and nodded. He was right. I had agreed to do this for charity. And to help a

friend. What had started off as working on a piece with a fellow musician I admired, had led to a

friendship and a shared desire to give something back. Sebastian LeRoux and I had written and

performed a composition together with the plans to release it and have proceeds go to charity. But

then Sebastian had asked me to aid him with this event and I couldn't find it in me to refuse. A small

amount of my time would help raise a huge amount of cash to help fund research for eye disease. It

included a thousand dollar a plate dinner tomorrow night. Lots of rich people to rub elbows with,

talk to, and listen to as they fawned all over me. And today, a meet and greet with some fans. More

fawning and no doubt stupid, poorly thought out inane questions I would have to smile through and

answer. Without cursing or telling them off.

For charity, I reminded myself again.

Fuck. I hated this.

Chapter – 3

Jesus. It was worse than I thought.

I had only been in the room here for about 15 minutes and my head was already pounding. There

had to be at least a hundred people in the room.

Too many. And mostly all women. Talking. Laughing. Loudly.

I could smell the various colognes and hair products as they drifted my way all combining and making

me nauseous.

Leaning over I asked Emmett for water. He immediately handed me a bottle and I took a long swallow

trying to clear the tightening in my throat.

"You ok?" he murmured close to my ear.

"Fuck, get me to the dais so we can get this over with please. Enough mingling already," I growled back

which really was a joke. I wasn't really mingling as much as shuffling forward and trying not to walk

into anyone or God forbid have them walk into me. I responded politely to whoever greeted me from

various sides, but otherwise had not said anything else. I was saving myself for the questions.

The brilliant bloody question time I had stupidly agreed to. Next time, I was thinking, I'll just write a

huge mother of a cheque and be done with it.

With a sigh of relief, I sat down at the table Emmett and Carlisle escorted me to.

One obstacle done.

I sat with a fake smile plastered on my face, as I listened to the head of the committee drone on about

the pleasure of having me there and rattling off a list of my accomplishments, blah, blah blah. She

spoke of the radio contest they ran, announced that the five winners were here today and they would

all get to sit with me, and ask their question. Then after I had answered, there would be a photo op

for them. Internally I groaned. Had Carlisle mentioned the photo? I couldn't remember that being

discussed, so he probably had chosen not to mention it in order to save himself my displeasure. I

turned my head to where he was seated opposite me and I know he felt the heat of the glare I shot

him. We would be discussing it later.

The first winner, Mandy Johnson, was announced and she came up, was introduced and sat down

beside me. Far too close for my liking. I leaned back in my chair in a seemingly relaxed way, but really

just to get as far away from her as possible. The overpowering scent of her perfume hit me like a ton

of bricks and I wanted to gag.

"So Edward," she began in what I was sure she felt was a sultry voice. "Boxers or briefs?"

Seriously? That was the best she could come up with? This was gonna be a long fucking afternoon.

I felt Carlisle nudge against my leg in warning. "Depends on the day, Mandy," I murmured into the

microphone that was in front of me.

Cue laughter.

The next one was just as bad. My favourite instrument… pause… to play with?

Can they really not come up with something semi-intelligent? Or without innuendo ? I was beginning to wish I

had drunk something stronger than water before arriving.

Next came the generic question of "If you were stuck on a desert island what is the one thing you

would bring with you?" My reply of, "A lot of booze" was again met with laughter.

The fourth woman smelled of cigarettes. This time I made a ploy of taking a drink from the water

bottle as I waited for her question and smoothly sliding my chair over as I leaned forward to reach for

the bottle that was placed to my right side as always. I moved as far away from her as I could without

being obvious.

Thank Christ this was almost over.My patience was wearing thin .

"If you could do collaboration with one of these amazing artists, who would you choose, Lady Gaga or

Justin Beiber?" was the million dollar question thrown my way in a high pitched grating voice.

Fuck.Me.

NEITHER.

How long had she pondered over that jewel?

The question was stupid and the stench of stale cigarette smoke was overwhelming. I wrinkled my

nose against both and immediately felt the jarring pain of Carlisle kicking me under the table.

Apparently my distaste was too obvious. I shifted, moving my shins out of range and trying not to

inhale too deeply as I pretended to ponder the thought. Actually, I wanted to laugh at the sheer

ludicrousness of the query. A classical composer with either of them?

Amazing a rtists ?

Inside I was snorting.

"I, uh, am not really certain our styles could mesh properly for any kind of collaboration," I answered

calmly. "They are both, unique , in their own way," I finished off ending any chance of further

discussion.

After the picture I was ready to be done. Carlisle leaned forward and offered a word of support in my

ear.

"Just one more, Edward, so behave or I'll kick you again, I swear. Concentrate on the goal here."

I nodded, sat back and waited for the last one with a sigh.

I felt the chair beside me pull out and away from me, to the left. I turned to be introduced to the last

winner and was able to determine she was much smaller than the others, and to my delight smelt of

soft summer rain and fresh air. I had no desire to gag or move away. When I heard her name was

Bella Swan, I put out my hand politely to shake hers, expecting the same reaction I had from the

others. A far too tight, clinging grasp. What I got was a brief, soft grip and then her hand was quickly

pulled back. Another unexpected move.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," I greeted her as expected.

Then she spoke.

Soft, lilting and gentle. Her voice was like a cooling soft breeze that appeared out of nowhere on a hot

summer day. It instantly soothed my fractured nerves and I found myself smiling at the source of the

sound.

"Thank you, it is truly lovely to meet you. And thank you so much for doing this. I'm sure there are

lots of other ways you would rather spend your time here in Toronto," was her surprising response.

I couldn't stop the genuine chuckle that escaped me .She was right about that.

"You have a question for me, I think?"

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