People were buzzing around, trying to get a last look in the mirror, warming up or wishing each other good luck. All but one. One person was standing alone in a corner and looked like she was about to faint. People wondered why she was there but didn´t think more of it. After all, it was just Bella Swan. Everyone knew she was a little weird. Always reading a book or tripping over nothing. If it wasn't because her best friend was the famous Edward Cullen, no one would know her name. What they didn´t know was that Bella had been hopelessly in love with Edward since the eighth grade, she was just too afraid to say it to him. In her head someone as perfect as him would never be with someone as plain as her. So she settled with just being his friend so she could spend time with him.
Their senior year was coming to an end, so Bella had decided she would tell him before they left for college. Bella knew Edward was going to Harvard to read medicine. Everyone believed Bella was going to Stanford but she had also been accepted at Harvard and had yet to decide where to go. It all depended on what was going to happen that night.
It was the annual spring talent show at Forks high school. No one knew Bella was performing. She moved from the corner over to the curtain where she sneaked a peak out to the audience. Her eyes found Edward in no time. She could find him in at room full of people with her eyes closed. He seemed to be looking around with a frustrated look on his face. Tanya, his girlfriend, placed her hand on his thigh but he quickly removed it. Bella wondered why.
They had been dating for a couple of months and in Bella's opinion she was no good for him. It had been a while since Bella had last seen his dazzling smile. She used to say it could light up the whole town as lightning in a thunderstorm. Bella is certain Tanya is only with Edward because it was what everyone believes off him. The school´s jock and head cheerleader.
Edward chose that moment to look directly at where Bella was standing and even though she was sure he couldn´t see her, she takes a step to the side, where she can neither see or be seen. Her heart beats faster at the thought of almost being caught. She barely had the courage to do it as it was. She was about to turn around and head for the backdoor when she heard Mr. Banners voice through the speakers:
"I know according to the program the wonderful 'Gus and the steppers' were supposed to be the last performance BUT there is a last minute entry. And I have to say it was one of the last persons I ever thought would stand on this scene in front of all you people and perform. However, here she is. Give a big hand for Miss Isabella Swan!"
A few people were applauding but most people were just sitting there, looking confused at each other. Slowly Bella walked toward the middle of the stage. Slowly she walked to the grand piano in the middle of the scene. She sat down and took a deep breath before she started her song.
She can't see the way your eyes will light up when you smile
She never noticed how you stop and stare whenever she walks by
And you can't see me wanting you the way you want her
But you are everything to me
And I just want to show you, she don't even know you
She's never gonna love you like I want to
And you just see right through me but if you only knew me
We could be a beautiful miracle, unbelievable
Instead of just invisible, yeah
There's a fire inside of you that can't help but shine through
But she's never gonna see the light, no matter what you do
And all I think about is how to make you think of me
And everything that we could be
And I just want show you, she don't even know you
She's never gonna love you like I want to
And you just see right through me but if you only knew me
We could be a beautiful miracle, unbelievable
Instead of just invisible
Like shadows in the faded light, oh, we're invisible
I just wanna open your eyes and make you realize
She can't see the way your eyes will light up when you smile
At the last sentence Bella looked directly into Edwards eyes. The silence in the theatre was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Alice was the first one to recover and erupted in loud clapping and who-ing, which was quickly followed up by the loudest applaud of the evening. Bella broke the eye contact with Edward and quickly walked of the stage. Before she could get to the backdoor Mr. Banner got a hold of her and pulled her back to the stage, while saying the audience loved her. Mr. Banner all but dragged Bella back to the stage whereas Bella was blushing a deep red. When she finally looked back up at the crowd the first thing she noticed was the empty seat beside a pissed looking Tanya.
The judges all agreed that Bella was the best performer in the show. Bella tried the best she could to smile and look happy but she kept looking after the familiar face of Edward. She felt overwhelmed by all the people who tried to talk to her at the same time. Finally after what felt like hours to Bella, Alice came over to her and hauled her away.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do this? I thought we were friends. You are supposed to tell me every stupid idea you get! I always knew you had a killer voice. I've heard it in the shower you know. God you looked great on that stage but imagine how you would have looked if I had been allowed to dress you for it? I always tell you …" While Alice was babbling Bella had leaned back at the wall and slid down it.
"It doesn't matter anyway. He walked away. I ruined everything. He's never going to talk to me again." Bella interrupted Alice's rant and hid her face in her arms. Alice swiftly sat down beside her and pulled her into a hug. While Bella quietly sobbed Alice just held her and rested her own head on top of Bella's. Alice was the only person who knows about Bella's feelings for Edward. She had always encouraged Bella to just tell him. That she was sure Edward secretly loved her as well. But this time she was wrong, Bella was sure. Alice was her best friend, besides Edward, but right now Bella just wanted to be alone.
"I need to be alone," Bella whispered and walked out the door. Alice wondered if she should follow her, but decided against it and instead went to find Jasper. She knows Bella means it when she says something like this and she would call her when she was ready to talk.
As Bella walked to her car she looked down in her purse to find her keys and was therefore halfway to the car before she looked up and stopped in her tracks. Edward was leaning against the hood of her old Chevy truck while pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. He always did that when he was nervous. Bella found she was unable to move.
Bella was unable to say how much time passed before Edward looked up directly in her eyes. For a while the world around them disappeared. The moment ended abruptly when a loud voice called for Bella.
"Bella! There you are! I've been looking all over for you. That voice of yours is not half bad. It's really nice of you to write a song for me. Of course I always knew you loved me but was too afraid to admit it!" The voice make Bella look away from Edward and she could not help to groan inwardly. It belonged to Mike, who was always following Bella around like a lost puppy. Bella was sure he was only doing it because he wanted to be Edward. When Edward joined the basket team, one hour later, so did Mike. The same happened with the yearbook club. The only problem was that Mike didn´t know how to be friends with girls, so instead he is flirting relentlessly with Bella.
Bella always tried to be nice to him, but tonight she had no patience for him. She just wanted to talk to Edward alone.
"I'm sorry Mike that song was not for you. I do not love you. And will you please go away, so I can speak to Edward alone?"
"Edward? Edward's not here sugar-pie, but I will be more than happy staying up with you all night to talk." Mike was saying this while wiggling his eyebrows. Bella stopped listening after he said that Edward was gone. How could he just disappear like that? Franticly she looked around the parking lot but there was no trace of him. With Mike long forgotten she ran to her car, fresh tears ran down her cheeks.
Arriving home she ran straight to her room. Thankfully Charlie was on the night shift and would not be home until next morning. Normally on nights like this Edward would sleep over. Thinking about this only made her sadder. It´s not like she´s afraid of being home alone but Charlie doesn´t like to leave Bella alone so much, so he started to ask Edward to stay over. In the beginning Bella was irritated that Charlie did not trust her, but soon she had to admit that she did feel safer when Edward was there.
Bella had stopped noticing the tears running down her cheeks. She stood before her wall with all the pictures and memories of her time with Edward. In the middle, the first of many notes Edward wrote to her in biology. Welcome to the greenest and wettest place on earth! It was merely after that Bella really felt like she could be happy in Forks.
Surrounding the note was pictures upon pictures, tickets from concerts they had been to and some dried flowers. The whole wall was covered in memoirs of theirs friendship.
Not able to look at the wall anymore she turned her back to it and sat on the bed. However, there she came face to face with a picture of no others than her and Edward. It was her favorite picture. It was taken at Edward's house in the summer. They were sitting on the bench in the garden, looking at each other while laughing. Alice had taken it without they knew, and had managed to capture them in a true moment of happiness.
A sudden rush of rage surged through Bella. She picked up the frame and with a cry threw it at her door. The only problem was that the door was not closed anymore. There in the door stood Edward. The picture was flying right in the direction of Edward's head, but fortunately with his awesome reflexes, he dogged in time to avoid it.
"You know I gave you that frame and picture for your last birthday. It's not very nice of you to fling it at me." Edward said with a chuckle. Bella wondered how he was able to stand there and look like nothing had happened.
"What would you care?" She was able to say through her rage. Never had her voice sounded so menacing before. Immediately Edward's smile disappeared.
"What makes you think I don't care?"
"Maybe the fact that you left me on the parking lot with Mike? Mike, of all people! You know how I can't stand him!" Bella sounded almost hysterical.
"I just thought you wanted to be alone with the guy you wrote the song for. I know you always said you didn't like him, but then you sang that song. And then Mike said it was for him, and I lost my senses and drove away." His voice sounded so small. All the rage left Bella. He really thought the song was for Mike? Then why on earth was she looking at Edward the whole time she was singing?
"God, sometimes Edward, you are not as smart as everyone thinks. How could you think the song was for Mike? I looked at YOU the whole time I sang. I love you, Edward! There, I said it and I don't regret it. Even if this will be the last time I see you." Bella could not bear to look at Edward anymore. She was sure he was going to walk out the door any minute. So she was not surprised when she heard his footsteps. She was however, surprised when she heard them become louder instead of fainter. She got goose bumps when he started to talk, standing right behind her.
"How I wanted that song to be to me. But then Mike came and I got so scared, and I ran away. I was almost home when I got my senses back. I drove here as fast as I could. How I could even think you would write a song for Mike, I don´t know. I feel very possessive of you, Bella. I always has been, but it's not until recently I understand why. I love you, Bella." Bella could not believe she really heard Edward say that. He loved her, he really loved her. Her ears heard it, but her mind refused to accept it.
"What about Tanya?"
"I started dating her before I realized my true feelings for you. It's over now. I broke up with her when I understood just how much you mean to me. Tanya is refusing to accept it." None of them said anything for a little while. When Bella could comprehend that Edward had just admitted to love her, she turned around. They stood there face to face until Edward broke the silence.
"I would have told you sooner, but I was too afraid you didn't feel the same way." Bella could not help to giggle at that. Edward raised her eyebrows in an asking way.
"That was my reason for not telling you!" They both laughed out loud at that. After that all the tension disappeared and they were just Bella and Edward again.
The next morning Bella and Edward was eating breakfast when Edward suddenly went very silent.
"What now?" he asked Bella. They had not talked more about their new feelings, just enjoyed the feeling of being together as more than friends.
"What now, what?" Bella knew that he meant what they were going to do with the future. She knew Edward was worried about them going to different universities, so she wanted to play a little with him before she told him about Harvard.
"You know what I mean. What about the future? After the summer you go to Stanford and I go to Harvard. I don't know if I can be that far away from you." Bella could not help but smile, which confused Edward.
"Maybe I'll just drop Stanford and come live with you at Harvard?"
"What! You can't just drop your education for me."
"Who needs an education? That is so overrated. I'm gonna be a doctor's wife" At this point Edward's mouth hang open. Bella had been talking about university since she was a little girl.
"Who are you and what happened to my Bella?"
"What are you talking about? You don't want to take care of me?" Bella pouted. Edward had a very confused look on his face. Bella was unable to hold her laughter in anymore, and started laughing uncontrolled.
Still laughing she went to find her acceptance letter from Harvard, and gave it to Edward. A big smile spread on his face.
"This is real? You got into Harvard! Why didn't you tell me?"
"Well, I didn't know what would happen after yesterday, so you know... You are actual the first one I tell this to." Edward stood from his chair and pulled Bella into a hug, swirling her around.
"This is perfect! Harvard, here we come!"