Hey everyone. This is my second story. I'm more of a reader than a writer but I've been working on this on for a while.
Songs in mind as I wrote this: "Yours to Hold" by Skillet and "If It Kills Me" by Jason Mraz. This is not a songfic though.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to their respectable owners.
Edward and I have been best friends since we were in kindergarten. We were on the same T-ball team that his dad coached. My parents wanted me to try a bunch of activities to make friends. Signing me up for sports was not a great idea because of how accident-prone I am. The only thing that came out of something like T-ball is Edward.
The day we met is still clear as day in my head.
Flashback
Our team was split up into two so some can practice the field and some their batting. I was standing at shortstop, playing with the dirt during practice. I really did not want to play. It was hot out and no one would throw the ball to me because they knew how klutzy I was.
Suddenly, a ground ball came right to me. I knew I had to throw it to Mike Newton, the second baseman, so the player on the other team, whom was on first, could get out. I also knew if I threw the ball it would either go way of course or hit someone smack in the head. Thinking fast I decided to run over to the second base and hand the ball to Mike.
As I was running, my shoe untied and I tripped right onto the other team's player. We both went tumbling to the ground, in the process I tagged him out.
"Oomph. I'm so sorry!" I said looking up at the boy for the first time.
"Oww, it's okay. I'm Edward Cullen, what's your name?" he asked, standing up, and pulling his baseball hat off, revealing his unruly bronze hair. He was tall, towering about a head taller than me.
"I'm Bella Swan." I said shyly as I looked into his emerald green eyes.
"Bella, that's a pretty name. I have a feeling we are going to be best friends, do you want to come over after practice?" Edward asked.
"Sure!" I said.
From that first moment, I knew Edward and I had a connection. We were going to be best friends forever.
And from that first day, we were inseparable. We did everything together.
We would go to each other for anything and everything, even when the other could not relate.
I remember the first time I got my period.
We were thirteen at the time. My dad was away on an overnight business trip. He was always away.
He left me home alone with Edward's parents, Esme and Carlisle, keeping an eye on me. Carlisle was working a late shift at the hospital and Esme was in Seattle helping design a house.
I was doing my homework and was going to meet up with Edward a little later that evening. I stopped to take a bathroom break and that's when I saw blood. I had gotten my period. I freaked out. I couldn't remember what to do. My mom left us when I was eight, so I never got the period talk from her and health class didn't teach much either.
Then I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and called Edward.
"Hello?" Edward answered.
"Edward" I cried.
"Bella? What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked getting nervous.
"Edward can you come over? I need you."
"Shit, what happened?"
"Please, just come over Edward."
"I'll be there in a minute Bella."
I heard the front door unlock and Edward called my name. I sat in the bathroom and called back to him.
Edward came running upstairs and opened the door to the bathroom.
"Bella, why are you crying?" He asked, worry obvious in his voice.
"I have my period, Edward! This wasn't supposed to happen. My mom was supposed to be home to help me. I don't know what to do!"
Edward looked around the bathroom and pulled out a pad from the package they gave us in health class, underneath the vanity.
"Here, put this on your underwear." He said.
I looked at him, wondering how come I didn't think of that, and why in the world he would know that. He must have noticed my confused expression.
"My dad is a doctor, remember? Plus I was taught to be a gentleman and know all about girly things" He said. "Oh and you should talk to Esme about girly things. You know she always says you can come to her with anything."
"Thanks Edward" I said.
After my little episode we went downstairs and watched movies.
Some would think that a relationship like mine and Edward's would be weird. I mean who does talk about periods or even sex? But to us, it just shows how comfortable Edward and I are with each other.
Over the years, I have grown to like Edward as more than a friend. He was gorgeous and such a gentleman. My best friend, Alice, was able to pick up on my feelings.
I was disassembling my trombone after pit rehearsal for the upcoming musical. I looked across the auditorium to Edward.
He was standing near the keyboard, playing a beautiful melody, a love song. He kept looking up at Jessica Stanley as he continued to play. For a split second our eyes. He gave me his signature crooked grin and for a moment, it was as though he was playing for me. But he wasn't. It was for Jessica.
Alice came bouncing over with her pin cushion bracelet and fabrics stacked high in her arms. She was doing the costume designs for the show.
"Bella, come on, just tells him how you feel!" Alice begged me, noticing that I was staring at Edward from across the room.
"I can't Ali. He likes Jessica. He sees me as his best friend. Almost like his sister!"
I knew he did not have mutual feelings for me. I learned to accept it long ago.
The first time Edward and I were apart was when we went to college. I went to Washington State and Edward went to UCLA.
I had met some great friends at Washington State. My roommate and best friend, Tanya Denali, was there for me when I wanted to talk about Edward. She knew how much I loved him. I would show her pictures and tell her stories about him.
Tanya lived in Phoenix, Arizona and went home at every vacation, so she never had a chance to meet Edward.
The summer after our junior year in college, I convinced Tanya to spend a few weeks more in Washington, and to come to Forks, my hometown. She agreed. Edward arrived home a few days after we did.
I introduced Edward to Tanya and they hit it off great. I felt the three of us would be such great friends. Little did I know that I would quickly become the third wheel. Tanya and Edward began a long distance relationship, when she flew home to Phoenix.
It was six months ago, just a year after they met, that Edward and Tanya planned to get married.
It was two weeks before the wedding. I was sitting in the music room at Edward's parents' house. Edward was playing the piano. Some of Esme's favorites and the one he wrote for me when we were ten. Even at a young age, Edward was an amazing musician.
Edward then began to play a piece I had not heard in years. It was the one he wrote for Jessica Stanley. He flowed into another piece I had never heard. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes.
"Edward, that was beautiful." I said, wiping up my tears.
"It was inspired by an amazing, beautiful woman" he replied.
"You should definitely play it for Tanya"
His eyebrows furrowed and his phone went off before he could respond.
It was Tanya with her last minute wedding details.
So here I am, two weeks later, dressed in the ugliest, hot pink bridesmaid dress, watching the man I love, marry the bitch I used to call my best friend. Maybe it's me. I mean I did allow this relationship to take off. Maybe if I never pushed to have my two best friends meet, than I would not have been hurt.
I just want him to be happy, but there is always that part of me that wonders what could have happened if it was us getting married.
The wedding was just about to begin. We were getting ready to line up. Edward nervously called for me from the room he was getting ready in.
"Bella, I can't do this!" he cried.
"Yes you can Edward. You love her!" I said, trying to give him a pep talk.
"No Bella I can't do it. Yes I do love her but more of as a close friend. I love someone else!"
"But the song! The piece you played for me. That was for her. You love her and she loves you! This is not the best time to doubt that."
"I know this is not the best time to be saying this but I LOVE YOU ISABELLA MARIE SWAN! I have loved you all my life. From that first day when you tripped over me at T-ball practice, to all the awkward conversations we have had together. All those love songs I wrote for girls, were not for them. They were all for you. They are all the feelings I have had for you." He blurted out in a long winded breath.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I said, tears of relief, streaming down my face, ruining my makeup.
"I didn't want to feel like an idiot when you laughed in my face and rejected me" he said quietly.
"I love you too Edward. I always have and always will" I said.
We moved in closer until our lips brushed against each other. The kiss was passionate and sweet.
"What are we going to do about the wedding?" I asked Edward. "Tanya is going to be heartbroken."
On cue, there was a knock on the door. Edward opened it and Tanya was standing there.
"Edward, I don't think I can do this. I mean I know you love me and I love you, but I think you have another woman you love. I would rather we just stay friends. I know this is so last minute but I think it is for the best. Do not worry about the ceremony or reception, I will take care of it" Tanya said.
Okay I take back that bitch comment. I was not thinking earlier when I thought that about her.
"Thank you Tanya. I think it is all for the best that way. I am sorry we let it go so far with all the planning and everything. You are right, there is another woman I love, Bella. I just told her and she loves me as well" he replied.
"That is what I hoped for. I hope we can all still be friends. I kind of knew from the beginning that you two were destined to be together. I shouldn't have interfered."
"Without you interfering Tanya, I don't know if Edward and I would have admitted our real feelings. I thank you and if you need anything in the future, please let us know. We owe you big time" I said.
With that she left. Edward and I walked out hand-in-hand. Alice was standing in the lobby with a knowing smile.
"Well, it's about time you two got together!" She said.
We walked out of the hall where the entire was taking place and headed back to Edward's apartment.
We walked over and sat down on the piano bench in Edward's living room. He began to play the song he wrote for me when we were ten, and let piece he did not write for Jessica Stanley and the piece he showed me only two weeks ago, flow together.
"I love you Edward" I said and cuddled into his side as he played.
"I love you too Bella" he said as he kissed my forehead.
This was the way it should be. I know that I will be spending the rest of my life with Edward: My love, my best friend.
