Hello everyone who is reading this! I hope you like this story because I'm really excited for it! I have several chapters already written so the next update shouldn't be too long, but I'm adding stuff so yea.
Summary ~
Edward and Bella have always been best friends. While Bella spends her time sleeping around, Edward searches for a serious relationship. He soon finds it in Tanya. Several events, life altering changes, and serious eye openers make Edward and Bella realize that what they've been looking for is each other.
Edward - I saw them together. They were so close, too close. That should be me with my arm around her. That should be me feeling her love. But I realized that I shouldn't be feeling these things. I could never allow Bella to realize that she broke my heart every time she looked at him with love in her chocolate eyes.
Bella - The way Edward held her made me envious. The fact that she was able to call him hers made me angry. She didn't deserve him, but neither did I. I didn't like her for various reasons, and those various reasons only grew by the second. I know I can never have him, so why should she?
Prologue
There is a thin line between friendship and love. A line I thought I would never cross. Our friendship was strong, too strong. I fell in love without even realizing it, but I was too late to stop it. There was my best friend looking at me with nothing but eyes filled with joy. Who was I to risk what we had? What made me believe that my feelings would be reciprocated in any way? I was a fool, a helplessly in love fool. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't plan on this happening. The love I felt consumed me; it begged me to release it, to let it be known. But that would be wrong; it would be selfish of me. So for now and forever, my love would remain a secret. A secret that would continue to tear my heart and soul apart.
Edward POV
Should I wear a white button down or a blue button down?
I have been standing in my closet for twenty minutes, trying to look for a decent outfit for work, and so far I have come up with shit. Fuck, I don't know about all this style crap.
"Bella!" I screamed from inside my bedroom, looking into my closet with what I assumed was a confused look on my face. My room consisted of just a simple black king-sized bed with a blue comforter, a black and silver desk with my laptop on it, and my own bathroom – complete with a Jacuzzi. The bedroom was spacious and modern yet still contained a homey feel.
"For fuck's sake, what?" Bella said, aggravated as she walked into my bedroom wearing her pajamas. Her slim yet curvy body was rocking Nightmare Before Christmas pajamas with cow slippers. Bella was the only girl I knew who could make cow slippers look sexy. How she did it I never knew.
I had known Bella since kindergarten. We met because I wanted her Oreos. So as soon as I stole them, I bolted, with a little Bella hot on my heels. When she finally caught up with me, she pushed me to the ground and started to beat me up with her tiny fists. Bella stopped hitting me when I started crying while begging for her to stop; she apologized afterwards and lifted me off the ground. She hit me once more when I called her Isabella and threatened to kiss me if I did it again. I believed in cooties at the time, so I took the threat seriously.
We have been best friends ever since. Oreos were also sacred to us; they were our favorite cookie.
We helped each other through the bad times and enjoyed the great times. Over the years we had grown stronger by dealing with relationship problems, stress from school, and dealing with parents – or in my case foster parents. Bella and I shared so many wild times.
Although many think so, Bella and I never had sex together. We had never even kissed. Not that I hadn't thought about it. Because I have. A lot. In fact I have thought about it since high school. But I can't risk our friendship over a silly thing like my hormones. Many have wondered why we haven't dated, and truthfully I don't know. I guess neither of us is willing to risk losing each other.
Bella is a lot to lose; she is my number one girl.
Bella and I had also established some rules over the years.
Rule number one: We would never be mad at each other for more than three days. Rule number two: The other must approve of the others relationship. No approval meant no relationship. Rule number 3: Bella was my number one and I was hers, meaning that no matter what our friendship came first. Rule number four: We could never bring someone home for the night.
We had others, but we were drunk when we made them, so they didn't count.
Bella walked sluggishly to my bed and slowly climbed on top of it.
"I see you made yourself comfortable," I observed, watching her lift the covers and snuggle into my bed.
"Your bed is so much more comfortable than mine." Bella let out a sigh, a small smile formed on her heart-shaped face. Bella and I have been living together for as long as I could remember. We started out with a crappy apartment, but once we got enough money we immediately moved into this luxury condo. But Bella was what made it home; the place would be empty without her.
"I need you to help me pick out my clothes for today." I smirked when I heard her groan. "I'm meeting Tanya after work, so I need to look extra nice." Tanya and I had been dating for a couple of weeks, and although she bugged the hell out of me sometimes, she was a nice girl. Unlike Bella, I got tired of the constant sex with no emotion behind it, which is why I wanted this relationship to last. So I was trying to ignore Tanya's flaws – I seemed to find more and more – and make this relationship last, meaning I also needed Bella's approval. "You're going to Emmy's right?"
"Yup, I'll be there. So I'm meeting Tanya tonight?"
I nodded absentmindedly, still trying to pick a fucking shirt. With a loud huff, Bella hopped out of my bed and disappeared into my walk-in closet. Minutes later, she came out with a green-button down with black slacks.
"Here, fashion retard. You would think having Alice as a sister would have taught you some fashion sense," Bella teased.
I ignored her and looked at the outfit she chose with approval. "Okay, so remember, don't scare away Tanya. I don't want a repeat of last time." I winced at the memories.
"Her hair grew back!" Bella defended.
I was going to retort when I felt arms wrap around my frame. I hummed, feeling the warmth and electric current that always went through us when we touched. I held onto her tightly, smelling her mahogany hair.
She always smells like strawberries.
"But she was a bitch," Bella muttered.
I chuckled and gently placed a kiss on her forehead.
My past girlfriends and her past boyfriends always had a problem with our gentle touches. They just didn't understand; Bella wasn't just an emotional comfort, but a physical one as well. I treated Bella differently, because Bella was so important to me. Bella may have acted tough – and hell, she was – but she was also very sensitive. She needed to be treated with care, but at the same time you couldn't baby her.
"Yes, she was; but be open-minded about this one. I want this relationship to work out. I'm getting older, and unlike you, I want a deeper connection than just sex."
Bella snorted and buried her beautiful face into my chest, my brows furrowed when I felt her tense. She muttered something unintelligible, making me want to question what she had said. After a moment of silence I decided to let it go, passing it off as something unimportant.
She lifted her face from my chest, her deep brown eyes meeting my green ones. I always found myself lost in her chocolate pools, but you definitely would not find me complaining. Bella quirked her eyebrow and asked, "Is she hotter than me?"
I laughed, kissing her forehead again. "Absolutely not," I assured with force. I had yet to find a girl hotter than Bella. I probably never would. I mean, who could possibly compete with her? Bella, with her beautiful long mahogany hair, porcelain skin, full plump lips, eyes that could melt the coldest of hearts, and a voice that could compete with the most beautiful music.
"Good." She let go of me and walked towards the door. Looking back, she said, "Yo, I'm making breakfast. Want some?"
I eagerly told her yes and thanked her, watching as she walked away. With a sigh, I dressed with the hope of a good day and overall ease, but as I was an unlucky bastard, I was doubtful. Looking presentable, I grabbed my briefcase and made my way towards the kitchen.
"It smells delicious, Bella," I announced, walking into the kitchen. My stomach growled, aching for her scrumptious food. I sat down at the island in the middle of the kitchen, and watched Bella as she cooked. "What time are you going to work today?" I asked, waiting impatiently for my food. Bella placed a hot cup of coffee, made the way I like it, in front of me. I took a big whiff of it and practically moaned at its smell. I drank a large gulp, enjoying the burning sensation down my throat and on my tongue, welcoming the heat.
"I'm going in the afternoon. What about you?" Bella asked, preparing my plate.
Bella gave me a plate of her famous French toast, making my mouth immediately water. It was famous for a reason. I dug in with vigor, moaning with every delectable bite. "I'm going as soon as I finish this delicious breakfast," I answered with my mouth full, making Bella grimace at my lack of manners.
I was a doctor at Country View Hospital, and had worked there for years. When I was little, I loved to see my foster dad, Carlisle, come home with an accomplished look on his face and the air of pride that surrounded him. He came home knowing that he saved lives, that he made a difference. I wanted that; I craved the feeling of knowing I made a difference in someone's life. So I followed in Carlisle's footsteps and became a doctor. I must say it was the best decision I had ever made. I could do without the long hours, but overall I loved my job.
While I was in medical school, busting my ass, Bella was doing the same in culinary school, becoming a chef. She's a damn good one too. It had taken two years of saving and paperwork for Bella to have her own restaurant, but she did it. So now she was the owner and head chef at "Swan's". Business started out slow, causing Bella's hope to spiral downwards, but then word started spreading about the amazing food and excellent service. Now patrons had to make reservations months in advance; I couldn't be more proud of her.
"What time are we all meeting at Emmy's?" Bella asked, wiping the counter tops.
Emmy's was a bar owned by a close friend, Emmett McCarty. We met Emmett in our third year of college during a party; we immediately liked him because of his goofy humor and happy mood. It was infectious to all around him. After meeting him, we were introduced to his girlfriend/love of his life, Rosalie Hale. She was quite the fire cracker and occasionally a total bitch, but she was sweet when she wanted to be – which was rare. They got married shortly after college. We were invited to the event, and we attended because Rosalie would have had our asses if we weren't there. I was the best man and Bella was the maid of honor. Alice was the wedding planner, since that was what she did for a living.
Emmett worked hard and invested a lot of money and time into a rundown bar. After a year of refurnishing and completely rebuilding it from the bottom up, "Emmy's" was born. While Emmett ran the bar, Rosalie worked with Alice as her assistant.
My sister – sigh – she was something special. Her endless amount of energy and amazing sense of fashion sense made her the perfect, yet hard to control, wedding planner. She was married to Jasper Whitlock, who worked as a high school counselor. While he kept a cool and level head, my sister held pure excitement and bounce. They were the definition of opposites in love, but their differences only brought them closer together. They married in their first year of college. We all thought it wouldn't last, but they did. In fact, they are more in love now than they ever were.
"We're all meeting there at seven," I stated, putting my dirty dish in the sink. I was going to wash it when Bella's small hand covered mine. I turned, facing her, silently questioning her with my eyes. She smiled and gently squeezed my arm, while her other hand took the plate away from me.
"Don't worry, I'll do it. Now go to work!" She said, with an angelic smile. I pulled her to me and gave her a tight squeeze. Hugging her, I basked in her glorious scent.
Seriously, someone should bottle her scent. They'd make millions.
"See, you can be nice when you want to," I whispered in her ear, knowing the reaction I would get.
She pushed me away and smacked me on the shoulder, "Go to work, ass!"
With a chuckle, I placed a kiss on her cheek and made my way to the front door. "Next time you are washing your own damn dishes!" Bella warned.
I closed the door with a laugh, shaking my head at the comical antics of my best friend.
8~*~8
Bella POV
I looked around the bar, searching for the hottest guy I could find. Then I saw him. "Edward!" I yelled after Edward.
I must admit that my best friend was one hot son of a gun. His beautiful green eyes found mine, a smile immediately gracing his plump lips. He made his way over to me and pulled me into a hug. After we let go, I looked behind him, searching for a girl, only to find an empty space.
"Where the fuck is she? Did she bounce?" I asked impatiently. He told me that she had to take a detour to the restroom. I asked him if it was appropriate to take a dump before meeting me, but he ignored my question.
"Remember, be nice," Edward warned, putting his large hand on my shoulder.
He expects me to be nice? Ha, we'll see about that.
I had to meet the possible hag first.
"Nice isn't really my forte," I answered truthfully.
No sense in giving him false hope.
"Bella, please," he begged, pouting.
Fuck, he knows I can't resist his pout.
With a grunt, I agreed I would do my best. We were talking about our day at work, when all of a sudden a strawberry blonde was hugging me. She held on to me tightly, cutting off my air supply. I was going to knee the bitch when she loosened her hold on me, but kept me at arm's length.
"Hey! You must be Bella; it is so great to finally meet you. I'm Tanya!" Her voice was high, like she had been sucking on helium, while her words went a mile a minute. She kissed my cheek – what the fuck? – before offering to get us drinks. She walked away with a smile and promises of beer.
"So what do you think of her so far?" Edward asked with his hands in his pockets.
How the fuck was I supposed to know about her after that quick little meeting?
"Did you see that lip action? I think she wants me," I said with a smile. Edward laughed and poked me in the side. I poked him back, causing a war to start.
We laughed as we each tried to poke and block simultaneously. "Um, guys?" Strawberry shortcake said, holding three beers. I grabbed one, filled my mouth with beer, and then swallowed it in one large gulp.
I need a good buzz!
"You're Tanya right?" I asked, wanting to make sure, since I didn't clearly hear her name the first time she spoke. She told me she was, and then I asked her to tell me about herself.
Biggest. Mistake. Of. My. Life.
She went on and on about her job as a secretary for some law firm. I was shocked by her enthusiasm. I mean she was a secretary, not a God-damn astronaut. Why was she so excited about being a fucking secretary? I looked to Edward for help, hoping that he could come up with an excuse to get me away from her for a while. But when I looked to my left, the fucker wasn't there. He was off mingling with Jasper and Emmett.
Douche.
"And then –"
"That is so great!" I said, cutting her off. "I'm going to go… not here," I said, getting the fuck out of there, saving my ears from further pain. She was nice I guess, but she talked way too much and way too fast. I walked over to where I saw a blonde head and a black head by the corner: Rosalie and Alice. On my way to them I walked past Edward, and I made sure to sucker punch him hard on his arm.
"What the hell!" he screamed, wincing as he put his left hand on his right arm. Emmett and Jasper laughed at his expense, pointing at his arm. I chuckled, as I walked away with a shit-eating grin on my face.
"What up, ladies?" I said, joining their conversation. They both said hello and immediately asked about Tanya. "She's okay, I guess. But fuck, she talks a lot. Edward has done worse, but he has also done better so I'm not sure whether to give my seal of approval," I explained.
"Well then, why are you talking to us? You need to be over there and finding out more about her!" Rosalie ordered. I rolled my eyes and continued to drink my beer, ignoring her commands to leave. Rosalie was a tough girl who you did not want to mess with. When I first met her I didn't get that, causing us to get in a huge fight. Afterwards we busted out laughing and became what we are now – best friends. Rosalie was also extremely beautiful – bitch knows it too. She had natural blonde hair, blue eyes and a rocking body. I wasn't a lesbian but I could tell when a girl was hot.
"Bella, she's right. I mean, she totally could be pretending to be a sweetheart when in reality she is a total bitch. It wouldn't be the first time," Alice said while drinking from her martini, her eyes far away, possibly recalling Edward's past girlfriends.
Sighing, I agreed, but told them that they were paying for my hearing aid that I definitely would be requiring. Alice was the opposite of Rosalie but just as beautiful. Alice had short black hair, always in spikes, with a tiny body that any fairy would envy. I laughed lightly at that, making Rosalie and Alice look at me funny. I walked away, ignoring the looks of confusion they gave me.
I looked for a strawberry blonde head in the crowd only to see it next to a bronze one. I walked over to them and said hello again. Something passed through Tanya's face, but as soon as it appeared, it was replaced with a smile.
What was that?
"Edward, go away, I'm not done with her yet." Edward rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving a tense and angry Tanya. What's up with her? "Okay, so you know you need my approval right?" She nodded slowly, letting me continue. "So why should I give it to you?"
The smile on her face contradicted the irritation in her eyes. "I will take good care of Edward. We have been dating for a couple of weeks, but he is already special to me. By giving me your approval, you are putting Edward in good hands." She muttered something under her breath, but it was way too low to hear it.
I thought about her words and let them settle into my brain. "Edward!" I screamed over the music, causing everyone to look at me. I ignored their looks and motioned Edward towards us.
"Jesus, Bella, use your inside voice," Edward said, putting his arm around Tanya's shoulders. She smiled and snuggled into his side, then looked at me with a proud smirk. For some reason this bugged me, but whatever.
"Nah, well anyways, I have come to my decision." Tanya stiffened and looked at me with impatient eyes. Please, calm your ass down, princess. "Edward, you can be with Tanya."
Why he would want to, I don't know.
"Thank you so much, Bella!" Edward hugged me and then left hand in hand with Tanya. They walked away, leaving me to rethink my decision. I saw the smile on Edward's face as Tanya giggled. When he closed his eyes while he laughed, Tanya looked behind her shoulder and smirked at me.
I should feel good, right? I gave Edward what he wanted, so why do I feel like I just sold him to the devil?
So what do you think? Please review, so I'll know if I should continue this!
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- Jeskka