At College
"What are you doing?" A sharp voice cut through the air.
Carl immediately stiffened, his playful smirk vanishing as he turned to face the source. A girl stood there, arms crossed, her piercing gaze locked onto him.
"N-Nothing!" Carl stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. His usual confidence was nowhere to be found.
Edward chuckled. "Hannah, take it easy on him."
Hannah—Carl's cousin and Edward's best friend—was back from her family trip. She was like a second mother to Edward, always protective and fiercely loyal. With her blonde hair and warm brown eyes, her smile could light up even the gloomiest day.
She ignored Carl and turned to Edward, her expression softening. Hey, Ed. How have you been? She plopped down beside him, completely disregarding Carl's presence.
"I'm good. How was the trip?". Edward asked, genuinely curious.
"It was alright, but I missed you, so I came back early," she admitted, flashing a smile.
Carl cleared his throat, trying to reclaim some attention. "Ahem." No response.
"Ahem." Still nothing.
"Didn't sleep well? You have dark circles under your eyes". Hannah asked, concerned.
Carl groaned dramatically. "You two are acting like I'm invisible."
Still ignored.
"He's just been busy taking care of his wife," Carl finally blurted out, grinning mischievously.
Hannah's eyes widened. "Wife?"
Carl nodded proudly. "Yep! Edward got married. Lisa David, no less!"
Hannah blinked in disbelief before letting out a low whistle. "Wow. Lisa David? That's... unexpected. Congrats, Ed. Guess you really landed a jackpot."
Carl scoffed. "You think he got lucky? You're forgetting who you're talking about."
"I was just kidding!" Hannah raised her hands in surrender before turning back to Edward. "But seriously, how did this happen?"
Edward sighed and began recounting everything that had transpired over the past few days.
---
Evening – At Edward & Lisa's Apartment
"Wow, nice place! The view is amazing". Hannah admired the apartment as she stepped inside.
Edward mumbled a distracted "Yeah." His mind was elsewhere.
She waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? Earth to Edward?"
He blinked. "Huh? What?"
Hannah smirked. "You were zoning out."
"Just thinking about dinner," he replied, brushing it off.
"Whatever you make, I'll eat." Hannah grinned.
Edward chuckled. "I'll make a sandwich for Lisa, too. Maybe this time she'll actually eat it."
---
Lisa's Point of View
Lisa sighed as she stepped out of her car, exhaustion weighing her down.
"He must already be home. I don't want to see him."
A pause.
"No… I do want to see him."
She shook her head. "God, I'm losing my mind."
When she reached the apartment door, she heard voices inside—a girl's voice.
Lisa's body tensed.
She pushed the door open and walked straight to the living room.
There, sitting beside Edward, was a blonde girl. They were talking, laughing. Their shoulders almost touched.
Edward noticed her first. His face lit up. "Hey."
Lisa swallowed the strange feeling rising in her chest. "Hi."
Edward stood up. "This is Hannah, my best friend. We're working on a project together."
Hannah got up as well and offered a polite smile. "Hello there."
Lisa forced a smile and shook her hand. "Hello."
But inside, her mind was screaming.
"Why is she sitting so close to him? Why is he smiling at her like that?"
Without another word, she turned and went to her room.
"I hate her."
"Me too," her inner voice agreed.
"Why is she touching my Edward?"
She froze.
"My Edward?"
Her inner voice chuckled. "Well, you are his wife."
Lisa groaned, rubbing her temples. "No, I don't want him."
"Time will tell."
---
Edward's Point of View
Edward stole a glance toward Lisa's room. He had been waiting for her to yell at him. To demand who Hannah was. But nothing.
No anger. No irritation.
Just… silence.
"Why didn't she get upset?"
Hannah stretched. "Let's go make something. I'm starving."
Edward nodded and led the way to the kitchen. As they stepped inside, he suddenly noticed something—the sandwich he had made for Lisa that morning was still on the counter.
Right in front of Hannah.
His heart sank.
"She didn't eat it."
Panic rose in his chest as Hannah reached for something near the plate.
In an instant, Edward snatched the sandwich and quickly peeked inside the bread. It was untouched.
Sadness settled deep inside him.
"She didn't throw it away at least." He let out a small sigh and placed the plate inside the fridge. A small, almost bitter smile played on his lips.
Hannah raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
Edward shook his head. "Nothing."
Hannah smirked. "Ed, you've gone completely soft after marriage."
Edward let out a chuckle, but deep down, his thoughts were elsewhere.
---
Lisa's Room
Lisa sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her mind was in turmoil.
"Why do I care? It's not like we're in love."
Her chest tightened.
"But seeing them together…"
She clenched her fists.
"He's just being friendly with her."
She closed her eyes, frustration creeping in.
A knock on the door.
Lisa took a deep breath. "Come in."
Edward stepped inside, his expression unreadable. "Are you okay?"
Lisa nodded. "Yeah. Just tired."
Edward hesitated. "You didn't eat the sandwich."
Lisa looked away. "I wasn't hungry."
A silence hung between them.
Edward sighed. "Lisa… if something's bothering you, you can tell me."
Lisa met his gaze. For a brief moment, she thought about voicing her thoughts. About asking why Hannah was so close to him. But the words died in her throat.
Instead, she forced a small smile. "I'm fine, Edward."
He didn't look convinced, but he didn't push. "Alright. Get some rest."
As he left the room, Lisa lay back on the bed, her heart pounding.
"Why do I feel like this?"
Her inner voice whispered.
"Because you're falling for him."
Lisa shut her eyes. "No, I'm not."
But she wasn't sure she believed it anymore.
Maybe she doesn't realize it yet. That she's already falling for him.