Faye Meredith - Becoming Edward

by Faye Meredith

  ‘You are welcome.’ Stefan removed the print outs from the mirror and handed them back to Lewis. As he did, Stefan looked at them briefly then looked at Lewis. ‘I think there is quite a resemblance here,’ Stefan said.

  ‘You’re joking? Really?’

  ‘I never joke. May I be honest?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘If you want to pull off this look, you will need to change those clothes.’

  Stefan’s bluntness was quite refreshing. Lewis glanced down at his sorry-looking T-shirt and shorts.

  ‘Oh, I hadn’t though about that.’

  ‘You must, otherwise this hair will all be for nothing.’

  ‘I wouldn’t know where to start.’

  ‘Then you need to be styled.’ Stefan pulled a card out of his pocket, wrote down a name and gave it to Lewis. ‘You know the big department store by the gardens? Go there and ask for Simon. Tell him I sent you and show him these pictures. Oh, one more thing, those clothes you’re wearing - I’d take them to a charity shop if I were you.’

  Stefan disappeared, leaving Lewis to settle up at the reception desk.

  ‘Wow,’ said the receptionist. ‘You look fabulous.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Lewis. ‘He’s done a brilliant job.’

  ‘He always does.’

  Lewis paid and headed across town to the smart department store. He couldn’t help checking his reflection in the window of every shop he passed. A new energy pulsed through his body. The old Lewis was dead, and a new Lewis was taking shape. This one would be different. He would be smart, reliable, trustworthy and, most importantly, he would be the one for Rachel.

  Lewis pushed open the double doors of the department store and made his way past the slick white counters of the cosmetics department. Shop assistants, with nearly enough make up on to make a clown jealous, fussed over customers while discussing the merits of different products. Lewis found an assistant who was free and asked her where he could find Simon.

  ‘Will he be shopping for you today?’ asked the assistant.

  ‘Shopping?’ Lewis said, looking puzzled.

  ‘Yes, he’s a personal shopper.’

  ‘Oh, yeah, I guess so. But I don’t have an appointment.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll call him and see if he’s free.’

  The assistant made the call and a few seconds later Simon breezed through the cosmetics department, complimenting everyone on how beautiful they looked. The whole department store seemed to become a little bit sunnier in his presence. He wore a sharp well-tailored suit and had a shiny coffee-coloured bald head.

  ‘Hello to you,’ said Simon, shaking Lewis’ hand with both of his. ‘My name’s Simon. How can I help you today?’

  ‘Hi,’ said Lewis. ‘Stefan sent me.’

  ‘I should have guessed judging by that beautiful haircut sitting on your head.’

  ‘I need some clothes, but I’m a bit out of touch with fashion.’

  ‘Okay, do you know what your budget is?’

  Lewis pulled out his platinum credit card. ‘Money’s not a problem.’

  ‘Music to my ears. Let’s get started. Would you like to follow me?’

  Lewis walked after Simon like he was following some sort of guru. They took the stairs down to the vast men’s department.

  ‘Now would you like a tea or coffee before we start?’

  ‘No, I’d rather get straight to it.’

  ‘Wonderful.’

  Lewis pulled the print outs from his pocket and showed them to Simon.

  ‘I want this look,’ said Lewis.

  ‘Oh, yes, this is a good look. It’s so nice to work with someone who knows what they want. I think we need to think style rather than fashion for this one. Let’s start with the foundation - shoes.’

  Simon made Lewis put on a pair of basic dark blue jeans while he pulled out box after box of expensive looking shoes. After trying on about twenty different pairs, they settled on a pair of lace-up brown boots, a plain pair of black sneakers and a smart pair of black shoes with a side buckle.

  ‘Now we’re all set. Get the shoes right and everything else falls into place. I’m guessing you’re a 34 waist and 40 chest. Am I right?’

  ‘Er, dunno.’

  Simon whipped out a tape measure and lassoed Lewis’ waist and then his chest.

  ‘Well, what do you know? 34 waist and 40 chest, I’ve still got it,’ said Simon, laughing smugly. ‘Excellent proportions if I may say so. If you’d like to follow me, once more.’

  Simon led Lewis to the back of the floor, past the regular changing rooms to a large single door. He took a key out of his pocket and unlocked it. Inside was a large spacious room with several full length mirrors so you could check yourself from every angle. There was also a large couch and an array of soft drinks and snacks.

  ‘Take a seat, Lewis. I’ll be back in about five minutes. Help yourself to refreshments.’

  Lewis sat down and broke open a bottle of water. Shopping was thirsty work even with someone to help you. Just as he’d started shovelling pretzels into his mouth, the door burst open and Simon stood there with a mountain of clothes in his arms.

  ‘Right, let’s have some fun,’ said Simon. ‘I’ve picked all these colours to suit your hair colour and skin tone. If you stick to mostly blues, purples, greens and browns you can’t go wrong.’ Simon threw the pile down on the couch and started putting together outfits while Lewis tried them on.

  Lewis thought they all looked good, but Simon was his own harshest critic.

  ‘What were you thinking, Simon?’ he said to himself in disgust. ‘Quick take it off, Lewis. That shirt with those trousers is a crime.’

  Eventually, Simon selected four complete outfits for Lewis, and each garment had been picked so it could be mixed and matched with the others. Lewis was so thrilled with his new clothes he decided to wear some of them straight out of the store.

  ‘What do you want me to do with these?’ asked Simon holding up Lewis’ old clothes.

  ‘Bin them, please.’

  ‘An excellent idea,’ said Simon.

  Just as Lewis was paying for the pile of clothes that lay on the counter, Simon stopped and looked up as if he’d left the oven on at home.

  ‘I am such and idiot,’ he said. ‘Please forgive me, I’ve done you a terrible disservice.’

  ‘What?’ replied Lewis.

  ‘I am so sorry, please give me several more moments of your time.’

  Lewis was confused as he watched Simon zig-zag across the maze of clothes in the store. He stopped momentarily, pulled something off the rack and then returned almost breaking into a run.

  ‘Lewis, I should be shot, I feel so embarrassed. How could I let you walk out of the store without this?’ He flung a beautifully tailored grey woollen military style jacket across the counter. It was double breasted with two rows of smart gun-metal grey buttons down its front. It was an exact replica of the one Edward wore in the movie.

  ‘Oh, wow,’ said Lewis.

  ‘Please try it on.’ Lewis duly obeyed and got that ecstatic feeling which only comes from sliding on an expensive jacket. Even before his arms had reached the end of the sleeves, he knew it would fit him like it had been made to measure. Simon clutched both hands together in a small satisfying clap.

  ‘It’s perfect,’ said Lewis. ‘Add it to the bill.’

  ‘It’s a triumph. My apologies once again for neglecting my duties.’

  ‘Simon, please stop beating yourself up. I couldn’t be happier.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘I’m so sure that I’m going to send my sister to see you. If you think I’ve spent money today, just wait until you see what she can do with a credit card.’

  ‘Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. You’ve made my day.’

  ‘Not at all, you’ve been brilliant. Thanks Simon.’

  ‘Let me see you out. There’s nothing like seeing heads turn as a well-dressed man walks down the street.’
r />   The Lewis who walked out of the department store on that warm afternoon was a different one to the Lewis who had walked in. He was brand new on the outside, but that cosmetic change seemed to be permeating his skin and altering him on the inside. It made him want to think and act differently. He kept catching glimpses of himself and was surprised to see a new character looking back at him. It was as if he’d switched bodies with someone else.

  Though the weather was far too warm for wearing his new wool jacket, he wore it anyway. It made him sweat, but the shape of it felt good against his body and the elegant cut effortlessly followed his athletic frame. His new clothes allowed Lewis’ physique to shine through, unlike his old surf clothes which were baggy and shapeless. It was like he was wearing some sort of exo-skeleton giving him special powers like Iron Man. Lewis felt strong, like he could do anything, including winning Rachel’s heart.

  When Lewis pushed open the front door of his home with his fists full of designer bags, there was a howl of delight from his mother. At first she hadn’t recognised him and was about to scream that there was an intruder in the house, then the slow cogs of recognition aligned in her brain and she realised that it this dapper young man was not some gentleman thief, but her son, minus his usual scruffiness.

  Lewis’ mother had always thought he dressed like a scarecrow and she’d fought a losing battle to smarten him up. His hair was always full of salt from surfing, which made gave it the consistency of a stiff brush. And she was often to be found attacking him with a comb to pull out the tangles and stop them turning into dread locks. Now, standing in front of her, was the image she had always hoped she would see. It brought a small tear to her eye.

  ‘Lewis, Lewis,’ she said in a fragile voice. ‘You look like my son again.’ She hugged and kissed him.

  ‘Steady on, mum. It’s just some new clothes and a haircut,’ he replied through his mum’s relentless grip.

  His father came into the hall to see what was going on. He was just as happy to see that his layabout son had scrubbed up well. Then Olivia joined them to see what all the fuss was about. Her mouth dropped open, not in surprise but more in horror. Her parents didn’t detect the subtle difference. They didn’t know anything about Twilight or that their son had become the perfect clone of Edward Cullen.

  ‘Oh, Lewis,’ she said. ‘You look, er, different.’

  They could all hear the reluctance in her voice.

  ‘Olivia,’ her mum said. ‘Show a bit of enthusiasm. Don’t you think Lewis looks great?’

  ‘Yeah, he looks good.’

  ‘Ah, do I detect a bit of jealousy,’ said her dad. ‘I think Lewis is giving you a run for your money as the best dressed person in the house.’

  Olivia forged a perfectly fake smile. ‘He’s got a lot of catching up to do if he’s going to beat me,’ she said.

  ‘Come on, this calls for a small celebration,’ said her mum.

  Olivia followed her parents and Lewis into the kitchen. Her father pulled out a bottle of champagne and launched the cork into the air, but Olivia didn’t feel like celebrating. She wanted to say something but she knew this wasn’t the time or the place.

  Chapter 13

  *

  The sunshine couldn’t last, it never does in Britain. As September became October, the weather changed like a bad mood. The sun disappeared to be replaced with smudgy dark clouds that erased everyone’s memory of the previous month’s blue skies.

  As the weather got worse so did Olivia’s opinion of Lewis. He rarely set foot outside, choosing instead to stay in and read the Twilight saga like he was on a deadline. And when he wasn’t reading he would watch and re-watch the Twilight movies. He took in every single detail, mostly Edward’s mannerisms from the film. One time, Olivia caught him practicing stares in the mirror and looking at himself in different poses. He had his double-breasted coat on and kept buttoning and unbuttoning it as if he were a model on a photo shoot. He was becoming obsessed and she felt partly to blame.

  Olivia decided to confront him. But the morning she finally plucked up the courage to question his behaviour, he was nowhere to be found. He was not in the lounge reading and he wasn’t in the cinema, so she looked in the home gym where he sometimes worked out, but all the expensive exercise machines lay idle. There was no sign of him in his bedroom either and his van was still parked in the driveway. She went into the kitchen and found her mum who was preparing for a dinner party.

  ‘Mum have you seen Lewis?’

  ‘Last time I saw him he was in the garden,’ she said without looking up from her chopping board.

  ‘The garden? What’s he doing out there?’

  ‘I have no idea.’

  It was a miserable day, and a raw easterly wind was charging off the sea. Olivia slid open the patio doors of the kitchen and felt the icy blast stab at her skin. Her hair kept going in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around herself in a futile attempt to keep warm. The large garden had many hiding places and she looked everywhere but there was no sign of him. Maybe he had gone for a walk along the beach.

  Olivia headed down to the summer house which was now locked up for the winter. She leant over the wall at the end of the garden to see if she could see him, but the beach was deserted apart from the ghostly swirls of sand the wind whipped up.

  As she made her way back towards the house, something snapped in the air above her. A second later a branch fell from one of the tall pine trees in the garden. The wind was cold but it wasn’t strong enough to start blowing bits of tree off. She looked up and saw her brother standing on a branch at the top. He must have been at least thirty feet above the ground.

  ‘Lewis, what the hell are you doing?’ shouted Olivia.

  ‘Go away, I’m fine,’ Lewis replied without looking down.

  It seemed like he was in some sort of trance, as he swayed around on the thin branches at the top of the tree.

  ‘You’ll get yourself killed!’

  ‘Go away.’

  Olivia rushed into the kitchen.

  ‘Mum, Lewis has climbed to the top of the pine tree. I think he’s lost his mind.’

  ‘What!’

  Olivia and her mum ran out into the garden, straight to the bottom of the pine tree.

  ‘Lewis, get down this instant!’ his mum shouted.

  ‘I’m fine, leave me alone,’ Lewis said.

  ‘Please get down now, before you break your neck.’

  ‘I’m all right, honestly.’

  ‘Lewis, get down now or I’m calling the fire brigade.’

  Lewis thought about this for a second. The prospect of being lifted down by a couple of burly fireman was not good for the image he was trying to project.

  ‘Okay, okay, I’m coming down.’ He slowly picked his way down the tree, climbing from branch to branch. When he reached the lowest limb, he swung by his hands like a gymnast and let himself drop the rest of the way. As he stood up his mum and sister stared at him. ‘What?’ said Lewis.

  ‘What?’ echoed his mum. ‘Is that all you can say? You could have fallen and killed yourself. What were you thinking?’

  ‘I just fancied climbing a tree, that’s all.’

  ‘Are you a child or something?’ his mum replied. ‘Get in the house and don’t be so stupid.’

  Lewis went straight up to his room, followed by Olivia.

  ‘What’s going on, Lewis?’ she said.

  He ignored her and started reading Breaking Dawn.

  ‘Lewis, look at me. What’s happening?’

  He slammed the book down on the bed and faced her. ‘Olivia, you know what your problem is? You’re always worried about everyone else, which is lovely, but sometimes you need to mind your own business.’

  ‘I think this is my business.’

  ‘How do you figure that?’

  ‘This new look you’ve got - you’re trying to make yourself look like Edward aren’t you?’

  ‘Maybe. What’s wrong with that?’

  ‘It’s cree
py.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Sorry, that came out the wrong way. I mean, it seems to be taking you over. Like climbing that tree - Edward climbs trees with Bella. Is that why you were doing it?’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

  ‘Well, why were you doing it then?’

  ‘I told you, I just fancied climbing a tree. Anyway, why do you think you’ve got anything to do with this?’

  ‘Because I was the one who told you to start reading Twilight, so you could get closer to Rachel. Now it seems you’ve taken it to the extreme and you actually want to become Edward.’

  Lewis let his breath out slowly through his teeth. ‘Listen, I would do anything for Rachel and if she wants an Edward, that’s what I’ll be.’

  ‘Did she say that to you?’

  ‘Yes she did.’

  ‘Are you sure she didn’t mean, be like Edward in the way you act, rather than the way you look.’

  ‘Yeah, you’re probably right. And I am trying to act differently. Trouble is, people still see the old Lewis; they can’t see I’ve changed, and Rachel still thinks I’m a male tart. I have to change on the outside as well as the inside.’

  ‘But why this look?’

  ‘Why not? It’s who Rachel wants - Edward - so it’s only going to help my cause, don’t you think?’

  ‘Maybe. What does Rachel think of it?’

  ‘I’ll tell you later, as soon as I’ve finished this. I’m going to surprise her after school.’

  ‘Well, good luck. Just don’t start biting anyone, will you.’

  ‘Edward doesn’t bite people remember.’

  ‘Oh yeah.’

  Lewis had given Olivia all the answers she had wanted to hear, but she wasn’t convinced. She knew what her brother was like and once he set his mind on something he would take it as far as he could. In the past this had simply meant chasing girls and going surfing, which were pretty normal for a guy of his age. Olivia was worried his obsession with becoming Edward was far more unhealthy.

  *

  Clive looked at his watch. The hands seemed to be stuck. Time was dragging and giving him too much time to think. This was never a good thing for Clive. He wanted the school bell to ring so he could leap out of his desk and catch Rachel who was in the classroom next door. He tapped his foot irritably like he was sending a message in morse code. The bell rang. Everyone automatically stood up.