PICTURE PERFECT

Okay so this is my first fanfic. Bella and Edward are slightly OOC and its AH.

DISCLAIMER: No, I dont own Twilight! :( But I wouldn't mind owning Edward!Well, who would? ;)

HAPPY READING!

She wondered as she stood in front of the window, whether any of it had been real. All those stolen kisses, glances, all the times that their hands touched. Her eyes teared up as she thought about all of it.

She didn't know what went wrong. Was it her fault? Or his? She had pretended like she had moved on,turning her affection to another but all the while waiting for the hands that held hers to change, the eyes that stared into hers to lighten. But then, weeks after, she realized, none of that was going to happen. This was her normal now, and she couldn't live in her pretend world any more.

Everyone agreed with her decision of course.

"He was a jerk bella! You should have dumped him earlier!"

"What the hell was he thinking? You deserve better"

She told everyone she was fine. Pretended to be strong. But all she wanted to do was sit down and cry her heart out. But she couldn't, she was "too strong".

She tried making him jealous, tried making him gather her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her, how much he still loves her, but something stopped her every time. She couldn't keep holding onto him. She loved him and had to let him go.

And then came those goddamn holidays. Summer. How she used to love the word.. How she loathed it then. She couldn't wait to go back to school and see his face one more time, and she hated herself for thinking that. She didn't need him to be happy, she had everything. She was pretty, well liked and she tried to be the nicest she could be to people. But she didn't really believe that, what did everything mean when her Edward wasn't there to share it with her?

The longing grew more and more and finally school came around, without change. She saw him. He saw her and both of them looked away. So many events, so many chances to talk to him to become atleast friends but she didn't grab them. "What if he didn't want her to?" , she thought.

Looking at both of them, you wouldn't believe that they knew each other, let alone been best friends for 4 years. When her friends realized how unhappy she was, they tried helping her. They wanted to talk to him and make him see how big a mistake it was. But she refused to let them.

"She wasn't that weak" she kept telling herself, " why should I go begging for him to take me back?"

Her best friend was the only one who knew of her entire condition and she tried telling convincing bella of how much Edward likes her. But Bella didn't dare believe her, she didn't want the little ember of hope in her heart to grow larger.

And then, a day came that had Bella walking on a cloud the whole time. He smiled at her. It was a tentative small smile, but it was still a smile, a smile that made Bella's heart melt. She tried to be friendlier, but when she looked at him, she was so transfixed by those hazel eyes, that she couldn't function. So she broke the gaze every time, and looked away a fierce blush coating her delicate features. She was surprised that no one had noticed, how she became a puddle of goo, when he, even accidentally, looked at her, how she couldn't utter even a word when he was around. And she usually can't stop talking.

She was supposed to be a staunch feminist, but around him all she wanted was to be noticed, to be thought about. But he looked like he had well, moved on with his life.

She waited and waited for something to ghappen and it finally did. She got a message on the greatest of all inventions, the internet. They were just a few words, but it was enough to make her heart flutter. All it said was,

"Hey, long time. Im sorry, it was all my fault. I miss you

Love E"

And then a crash,

"Sorry it was a dare.

Edward."

Ever since they had broken up, their gang had split into couples and Edward had gone off to hang out with the jocks. Needless, to say, he changed. Her Edward would have never done something as immature as hurting as that. But, becoming popular almost overnight is enough to mess anyone up.

That was when she decided, she had had enough of his meddling in her life and with her heart. It was her fault; she shouldn't have over thought every little gesture he had made. She had made it seem like they had so much when in truth, they had had nothing at all.

The next day at school, she put on all the attitude she had. She put in a lot of effort on her looks that day. She looked hot, and she knew it. Her big brown eyes were carefully lined and the mascara opened them up even more. Her hair fell in perfect waves and her skin looked flawless. Her dark skinny jeans and light pink baby doll didn't hurt either. She wanted to make him regret losing the best thing in his life. "Except", she realized wryly to herself, "it was the other way around"

But all of it, the pampering, the attitude was in vain. She saw him on the way to the lockers. She took one look at his eyes and the still wet hair and her gaze was fixed. Thankfully, he hadn't noticed. She knew she had to turn away from him or she was going to do something really stupid such as, well grabbing his collar and making out with him had crossed her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath but that gorgeous face still swam underneath her eyelids. Aware that her face was as red as a parking meter, she tried making herself walk with the attitude she had learned from the master, Rosalie Hale herself.

It was hard but somehow she backed away and then mentally slapping herself for being so silly, she started walking fast towards him, as though she was afraid she would back out any moment, she walked right past him, her chin up and heels clacking. She didn't look at him, not because of the attitude but because she was scared that she would freeze and fall on her face. The whole while, she was berating herself for acting so pathetic and needy just like all the school sluts she and her best friends made fun of. She wasn't that girl anymore, she was stronger. Or so she kept telling herself. For extra effect she flipped her hair as she walked by. He had always loved her hair, he said it smelled like strawberries and felt like velvet. She blushed at the memory, and then winced as she remembered how much she had believed him at that time. She was scared to turn back because she didn't want him seeing her expression then, it was far from the hard disconnected look she had practiced. It was longing and miserable. Her perfectly lined eyes swimming with tears she walked away.

After getting her stuff from the locker, she turned around, unable to resist, to see him leaning against his locker with that... that.. skank hanging off his arms. Tanya, She had been the biggest thorn in the 3 years of high school, Bella had so far gone through. Eternally seeking edward's attention, she had been delighted when Bella and Edward broke up. And she made no little show of her sure opinion that Edward was going to ask her out any time. Except it never happened, Bella had been smug about it, not so much anymore.

She was seething, her jealousy made her stand still and watch Tanya trying to get at Edward's lips and Edward, in his defence, doing everything to avoid it. He set Tanya down and sburied his face into his locker but that bitch wouldn't let him. She kept trying to turn him around and press her chest against his. She did have no other assets after all.

Bella, unable to take it much longer walked up to the pair of them and pulled Tanya away and gave her a death glare. Tanya looked unaffected but annoyed.

"What, bitch? We were in the middle of a conversation", she said.

Bella with a snort folded her arms and said "I don't think so, unless you talk with your chests!"

"So? Atleast I have some, unlike some people I could mention." Tanya said, giving Bella a pointed look.

"Atleast I know when someone doesn't want me, unlike you Tanya", Bella said, pointing a long manicured finger at her.

"Yeah, Im sure you do. You lost him remember?" Tanya said with a smirk.

"You never had him you bitch, now stop pretending like you did and go primp your hair or something!" Bella snarled at her.

"Whatever, you were never good enough for him anyway", she yelled and strutted away, her ips shaking a little too much.

Tanya didn't know it but those words hit home. That was always what Bella had been obsessing over. He deserved so much better, she couldn't understand why he would settle for her. With those looks, he could have anyone he wanted, and yet he chose her.

And that worked out so well, didn't it? The insanely rational voice in Bella's head piped up.

Bella gave Edward a sad look and ran to her favourite part of the school, the 4th floor stairwell. That was how she found herself standing alone at the window thinking about everything that had happened. She knew that nobody came there, only the occasional janitor to sweep it in the mornings. She had discovered it exploring the school while cutting class, during her freshman year. Edward and she had gone there all the time to talk, well among other things.

She suddenly found herself thinking about something that a freshman, Angela had told her. Angela was somone who looked up to Bella, she was one of her many admirers from the lower classes.

It was raining heavily that day and Angela and Bella were sheltering under the protruding roof of the gymnasium and Angela was talking nineteen to the dozen, she paused and suddenly said, "You know, I would love to have your life Bella, It's picture perfect!"

Bella hadn't thought much of it then because, at the time, it seemed like it really was. And Edward was coming in from the rain, wet and Bella was distracted.

Picture Perfect life. But pictures could be destroyed just as easily as anything else.

She was so far gone in her thoughts that she didn't notice anyone walking softly up the stairs. She suddenly felt an arm go around her waist and a voice in her ear whisper,

"Jealous, much?"

Bella swung around and glared at him but her expression softened when she looked into those eyes that change colour with the light. She stepped out of his arms, with a lot of effort and turned away, her throat suddenly tight.

"Im sorry Edward, I shouldn't have done that. I didn't have any right to. If you want, I'll apologize to Tanya", she whispered softly, her heart breaking all over again.

Edward took her hand in his, turned her around and lifted her chin.

"What if I want you to have the right?" he said softly, brushing his fingers across her cheekbones.

Bella looked disbelieving, she stared up at him looking for any sign of a joke or a lie, but all she saw was sincerity, and –dare she say it- love. She still didn't dare believe that the love was for her, so her eyes started watering. But Edward wiped away any tears that looked like they were about to fall, and just said,

"I love you"

Bella couldn't say anything, though she wanted to, because before she could get the words out, his lips were on hers and her nerves were on fire. When they finally pulled apart, they were still in each others' arms and Bella finally said,

"I love you too"

And please, no flames! Constructive criticism always welcome. :)

Hope you liked it though.