Keep the Streets Empty for Me.
Prologue.
July 1995
"What is it?" Edward asked as he picked at the two pieces of cord around his wrist.
"It's a friendship bracelet" Bella replied "It means we'll be friends forever"
Edward scrunched his nose up "But what if it breaks?"
"Then I'll just fix it" Bella shrugged "Do you like it?"
"I like it because you made it" he offered "It's a girl thing though"
Bella grabbed his wrist and tightened the cord "That's why I did it in boy colours" she sighed fingering the black and brown strings "Mine is pink and purple"
Edward eyed Bella's bracelet "I should make you one" Bella giggled "What's funny?"
"Edward I have known you forever and you cannot make things"
"I made you that box to put your girl things in"
"You made it out of cardboard and it collapsed when it got wet"
"Still made it though" Edward mumbled. Even at the young age of 6, Edward Cullen resembled a moody teenager "I'll give you something then"
He disappeared into the house and returned a minute later carrying something in his hand. He sat back down in front of Bella and opened his hand, revealing a silver bracelet sitting in the middle of his palm.
"Wear this"
"Edward that's Auntie Esme's"
Edward shrugged yet again "She has loads. She won't know it's gone" Edward grabbed Bella's wrist and clipped the bracelet round her wrist "Now we're friends forever" he announced with a smile.
March 2001
"Just close your eyes and you won't see me coming"
"That's not helping Edward. I still know what you're going to do I just won't be able to see you do it"
Edward sighed and ran his hand through his hair; it was one of his habits when he was either frustrated or nervous.
"How about I just count down from three and then we do it?" he suggested.
"I don't know" Bella whispered.
"I'm not asking you to marry me Bella; it's just a kiss. Emmett does it with Rosalie all the time"
"Emmett is 16 not 12 and besides that's different. Rosalie and Emmett are a couple"
"Oh for the love of" Edward muttered and grabbed Bella's face with his hands and quickly pressed his lips against hers for two seconds before pulling back "See, done, over"
Bella remained still with her lips frozen in a pout. It took Edward clearing his throat for her to relax herself "Hmm"
"Hmm?"
"That wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be" she admitted.
"Told you" Edward smiled smugly "And now I'll have something that nobody else will have"
Bella cocked her hand "Oh yeah; what?"
"Your first kiss" he smirked his crooked smile.
December 2005
Edward stealthily climbed the tree outside Bella's bedroom window and gently tapped on the glass pane. Bella looked to the window and smiled.
"Can I help you?" she asked as she lifted the window.
"Yeah let me in, I'm kind over the whole Tarzan thing" Edward answered. Bella moved out of the way for Edward to climb through the window "Cute pj's" he remarked as he moved past Bella to lay on her bed.
"Thanks. So what do you want?"
"I come bearing gifts" he said quietly as he rummaged in his jeans pocket "Your parents asleep?" he asked.
"After the egg nog that your Dad made; oh yeah they're pretty much dead to the world" she chuckled in response.
"Yeah he tends to be a little too gracious with the liquor" Edward laughed and handed Bella a small velvet bag "Merry Christmas"
Bella smiled and took the bag off of him and tipped the contents into her hand "Edward it's beautiful" she whispered. Lying in her palm was a small silver charm in the shape of a book.
"I saw it and realised I never got you a book charm" The bracelet Edward had given Bella when they were six years old was infact a charm bracelet. His mother, Esme hadn't minded when he gave the bracelet to Bella, but she informed him it was too plain and needed charms. Ever since then whenever Edward walked by an antique store or a jewellery store he always picked out a charm for the bracelet.
"I love it" Bella thanked him and gave him a hug "It's perfect"
"Here lemme put it on" he said taking it out of her hand and attaching it to her bracelet "I might need to get you another bracelet soon, it's getting pretty full" he chuckled "There you go"
Bella toyed with the new charm then remembered "Oh I've got you something too" The Cullens and the Swans always spent the holidays together and they all exchanged their presents but ever since they were kids, Bella and Edward had their own tradition of saving a present for each other to open when it was just the two of them.
Moving over to her desk Bella opened a draw and pulled out a small rectangle box "It's not much but I saw it and thought of you" she handed the box to Edward and sat back down on the bed and tucked her feet underneath her.
As she watched Edward unwrap the paper, Bella smiled to herself. She always loved giving gifts to people; she enjoyed seeing the looks on their faces as they discovered the treasure beneath the wrapping paper.
Edward's face lit up as his gaze fell upon the present "You've got to be kidding me! Are you serious?"
"Do you like it?" Bella asked biting her lip.
"Like it? I love it" he almost shouted and wrapped his arms around Bella, squishing her against his chest "How did you find this?"
"I found it online" Bella answered after Edward had let her breathe "There is a online store where you can get any engraving you want done on it"
Edward smirked and pulled the chain over his hand, letting the dog tags hit against his chest. He picked up one of the tags and read "E. M Cullen. Number: 200689"
"Your birthdate" Bella shrugged.
Before she could object Edward pulled her in for another hug and crushed her against his chest and remained like that for what felt like hours "I don't deserve you" he muttered.
"I'm your best friend Edward, of course you do" she whispered back. He let her go and looked down at his lap "What's the matter?"
"You know you're my best girl right? And that you always have been and always will be?"
Bella nodded "Of course. Edward you're scaring me"
"I've met someone. A girl" he whispered. Not knowing at the time but those five words would change Bella and Edward's lives forever.
This story will be set in present day; 2011. Bella and Edward are both 22. I just wanted the prologue to be flashbacks so you get the jist of their friendship. More info on these two will happen throughout the story.
What did you think? Good; bad? Please let me know.