Letting Down The Walls
by Edwards My Obsession 1971
Rating: M
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance
Characters: Edward & Bella
Summary: Bella is a transfer to U Dub from Phoenix with severe self-esteem issues from a chronic disease. Edward is a med school student seeing patents at his Dad's practice. When they meet, will Bella let Edward in her life or is she too damaged for love?
Bella leaves Phoenix to give her mom and new stepdad a chance at some space. She moves to Seattle to start her junior year at U Dub. Bella is plagued with psoriasis and as a result she has spent the last seven years being somewhat of a recluse. Going to school and reading, that’s her life. She’s hoping that she can start over and have a new life. Who she has for a roommate, though, isn’t what she was expecting.
"HI! I'm Alice! We are going to be roommates and the best of friends! I can see it! What's your name? Where are you from? What's your major? Oh, do you like to shop? I hope so because we need an outfit for the Back to School party next weekend! Do you have a boyfriend? Mine's named Jasper; well Jazz for short and you will meet him later. He lives on the sixth floor. I love your hair! I'm a fashion design major and I'm starting my junior year. I'm from the outskirts of Seattle but my parents thought my brother's and I needed to learn to live independently so this is my first year in the dorms. Oh and you will meet my brothers later too. Well one anyhow. Emmet is here at U Dub and he rooms with Jazz and his girlfriend, Rosalie will be rooming with us but she won't be here till tomorrow. My other brother lives off campus and his name is…" Alice rambled on and on and on without taking a breath.
"Uh, wow." I cut her off before she passed out from not breathing. "I'm Isabella Swan from Arizona but please call me Bella. I'm glad to meet you, Alice. Uh, I'm a literary major," I have been placed with the Energizer Bunny on crack.
"I am sorry to be such a spaz but this is sooo exciting, don't ya think?" Alice said as she grabbed my arm and spun me around in a full circle and shrieked. "I know you, Rose and I will have so much fun together! Which bed do you want?"
Random much? Hello? Oh shut up Bella, be nice. She is just trying to be nice to you. Take a deep breath. Where is my Xanax? I may need one ASAP. Now I'm having an inner monologue. I've officially lost it.
She doesn’t know how to handle people that are nice to her. What she dealt with before were people that didn’t understand what her disease was so they made fun and acted as if they would be able to catch it. Alice, Rose, Jasper and Emmett are they opposite. They are warm, welcoming and they want her to be a part of their group, their family. Bella just can’t believe that these beautiful ‘normal’ people want to be her friend and accept her no matter what. Coincidentally her new doctor is in a practice with Alice and Emmett's dad, Carlisle. Edward is a med student and is shadowing a doctor at Seattle Memorial's Dermatology Institute. He has worked his ass off the last five years, not only taking regular classes but summer courses as well. He wants to help people like his dad does. His first day he is given a list of patients and their files to get acquainted with and Isabella Swan is one of those patients.
"Isabella? My name is Dr. Edward Cullen, but please call me Edward," I said as I stuck out my hand to her.
I looked up to her face and was met with the deepest, chocolate brown eyes I had ever seen. Soulful and intelligent but I could sense pain as well in their depths. Before me sat a beautiful young woman, with soft features and a head full of chestnut hair that curled softly around her heart-shaped face. What I saw was simply a natural beauty with a horrible disease.
"Uh, yeah, but I like to uh, be called Bella," came a voice so quiet that I had to strain my ears to make out all the words as she raised her hand to meet mine and I enclosed her tiny hand in my large one.
When we touched I was immediately hit with a jolt that felt like a lightening strike had gone straight through my body. What the hell was that? I need to remember to make sure to wear my anti-static tennis shoes next time. This tile must have caused the shock. I felt the need to say something in apology since her breathing had gone slightly erratic and she already seemed to be trying to calm herself from the nerves of the visit. I was a little thrown myself so I just went into professional mode.
Instant attraction for both parties is there. Edward can’t get Bella out of his head and not in a doctor way. He wants more with her. Little does he know that Bella wants more from him as well but doesn’t see herself worthy of his appreciation or attention. She believes she is the only one that is attracted but that is soon put to rest when Edward shows up when the group is out at a club. After talking and dancing, Alice asks Edward to take Bella home because Jasper’s truck is cramped. Edward jumps at the chance and he takes a leap of faith.
"Bella. I know you're afraid of letting down your guard. Hell, I am too. But I really do like you. Inside and out. I want to get to know you better and I know that you may not be ready for that step so I am willing to take things as slowly as you want. If friendship is all we can have then so be it."
I watched as the tears began to fall freely down her face as she stared into my eyes. She was silent for what seemed like forever and I was afraid that I had really scared her away with my bluntness. She wiped the tears as much as she could and took a deep breath before she made her reply as she shook her head.
"Edward. I have no idea what is happening here. I mean, I've never had "this" with a guy at all. I wouldn't know what to do! But I feel this draw to you and I haven't been able to get you off my mind since we met. I'm scared of letting someone in. It's taken a lot for me to let Alice and Rose into my life and I've barely been around Jasper and Emmet. So I don't know what to do. My heart says yes but my mind is all over the place."
"Then we will learn this together, Bella."
Bella's breath caught and she shook her head again.
"Why would you want me? I'm not whole. You've seen my skin and you know that it can get worse in just a matter of days. You're obviously gorgeous, successful and you need someone that matches you. I'm never going to be that girl. I'll always be an ugly duckling that will never be a swan."
"Then it will be my mission to show you how wrong you are, Bella. I've seen you, that's true and I want you to know that I don't see the psoriasis at all. I see you for the beautiful, soulful, smart woman that you are," I pleaded.
She never broke her eyes from mine and I knew this was terribly difficult for her. Please, God. Let her say yes!
"Alright. I'll try to do this, Edward. You have to be patient with me and let me go if I hold you back," Bella said as more tears trickled down onto her cheeks.
"I will be whatever you need, Bella. Thank you for saying yes. Now, let's get you home."
Bella and Edward begin a relationship that has its normal ups and downs but you also get to see Bella blossom under Edward’s love and attention. Come check out this wonderful story and see the love that Bella and Edward have for each other help Bella accept who she is and what her disease can’t cover up. Leave the author some love while you're there!
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