"You should let him cook more often"
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the ideas. If I owned Edward, do you think I would share him?! Pfft...
Summary: Basically, a one-shot, kinda fluffy story about Bella teaching Edward to cook after Charlie suggested it after prom (Twilight). Everyone who's a vampire still is, everyone who's a human still is, everyone who loved eggs still do...you get the idea
A/n: I'm not actually sure if Charlie says those exact words - my friend has borrowed my copy of twilight - is it right? Also sorry if it seems slightly OOC in some places, I made Edward a little bit more sarcastic than he would be to Bella...Sorry! x
"Bella!" Jessica called across the hallway "Bella, wait up!"
Bella sighed and turned around.
"Oh, hey Jess. I didn't hear you call me."
"That's okay." Jessica laughed as she caught up with Bella. "So, doing anything special tonight?" Jess asked with nonchalance, although she knew perfectly well that Friday night was the only day of the week Charlie allowedEdward round.(a/n: not sure if this is true but pretend it is please?:D)
"Oh, Edward's gonna come round to Charlie's and...I'm gonna teach him how to cook." Bella replied, not caring as Jessica fished for gossip.
"Aww how sweet!" Jessica's faked enthusiasm to perfection. "Won't Charlie mind though? I heard he didn't like Edward much."
"Well, it was Charlie's suggestion actually. Edward test ran a meal with us a while back, and Charlie loved it so I've been commanded to teach Edward more."
"Well, have a fun! I wonder if Edward's as good in the kitchen as he is at everything else." Jessica replied in an offhand way.
"W-what?" Bella stammered... Had Jessica picked up on the Cullen's surreal perfection?
"'Cause he's like really clever, and they're all like really rich and he's totally gorgeous of course." Of course, Jessica would think the materialistic things were perfection - who wouldn't?
"Ha, yeah. Well we'll see if he can beat my cooking skills." Bella said in a light tone.
Bella would think she was amazing in the kitchen. Pfft, she not even that pretty. I don't know what she sees in herself. Or what Cullen sees in her!
"Well, you'll have to call me and tell me how it goes!" But Bella knew Jess just wanted the latest gossip on her relationship. Thankfully, it didn't bug her that much.
"How what goes?" A deep voice asked from behind the two chattering girls.
They spun around to see Edward walking up behind them, reaching out to take hold of Bella's outstretched hand.
"Your cooking." Bella answered with a smile.
"Oh, that. I'm sure it'll go well." Edward said a little smugly.
"Of course it'll go well, just don't go changing Charlie's opinions about good food. My standards are just right for him at the moment!"
Jessica stood watching the two talk, mostly staring at Edward, before waking up and excusing herself from their discussion.
"Well I gotta head home but you guys have fun with the cooking! Call me Bella?"
"Sure thing Jess. See you!" Bella called as Jessica made her way to her car.
"I, for one, am glad she's gone." Edward muttered as he leaned down to open the car door for Bella.
"Edward! She was only being friendly" Bella smacked his arm to punctuate her statement, certain that she would soon have a bruise there.
"Ha! Friendly. Yeah, sure." Edward replied sarcastically.
"What? She was perfectly nice - she actually spoke a sentence in your presence. I never though I would see the day!" Bella was actually surprised the Jess had managed to form a coherent sentence, even she found herself dazzled by Edward sometimes.
"Yeah well never judge a book by its cover." Edward replied as he sped Bella home.
"What? That makes no sense. If I was judging Jessica by her cover I would never go near her - she's to, I dunno, blonde-y I guess."
"Well maybe you should judge a book by its cover in this case. And blonde-y? I mean I know you're failing English but surely there are better adjectives to describe her?" Edward turned his face to Bella with one perfect eyebrow raised.
"Well you know what I meant. And what did you hear in her mind that you don't want to tell me?"
"It's nothing really, but the way Lauren acts towards you is the way Jess thinks about you."
"What? Surely she's not that bad, I mean I know she's jealous but she's always so sweet to me!"
"You know she's jealous? How perceptive for you." Edward seemed impressed with Bella, but she shot him a disgruntled look.
"Not jealous of me, but of the fact that I have you!" Bella sighed, still surprised at her own luck, "I mean it's obvious that there's history with that relationship."
Edward just snorted at that.
"Relationship? Hardly. And although she won't admit it she is jealous of you, and not because you have me either."
As Edward turned into the parking lot of the grocery store, Bella realised where she was.
"Err, Edward? This isn't my house."
"Oh really Bella? I was under the misconception that Charlie had sold the house and move in amongst the loaves bread."
"Funny Edward."
"We're going to pick up some fresh ingredients since, no offence, but nothing you have in your cupboards seems very exciting.2
Bella sighed. How perfect could he be? He didn't even eat food yet he knew how dismal the ingredients at her house were.
"Okay than that's fine, get a trolley and decide what you want to cook."
Edward's face turned to horror.
"Bella, haven't eaten in almost a century, human food revolts me yet you want me to actually pick what I'm meant to make?"
Bella laughed. "Just get a trolley and I'll do the rest."
They made their way around the store: Bella collecting ingredients and Edward quizzing her about 21st Century food. It seemed like he hadn't paid attention to any of the changes in food in the century that he had been un-dead.
"No you just put it into the microwave."
"Really? That's it? You don't have to do anything else?"
Bella sighed. "No Edward, you just take off the wrapper and put it in the microwave." She couldn't understand what was so unbelievable about ready-meals.
"Oh. Hello." Bella was surprised the Edward had spotted anyone to take interest in. Although all of the Cullen's had perfect manners, Esme and Carlisle seemed to be the only ones that other people talked to. Bella looked round to see who it was, only to wish she hadn't.
"Edward? What are you doing he- oh." Rosalie had obviously spotted Bella behind Edward, which would explain why he was in a grocery store.
"Rose? Can we go now? Food shopping is boring. Hi Bella!" Bella was pleased to see the Emmett had accompanied Rosalie shopping as he seemed to lighten up the bad mood Rosalie often left her in.
"Hi Emmett, hi Rosalie."
"I'm just going to finish up. Meet you at the car Em?" Rosalie left before Emmett could grace her with an answer.
Emmett seemed unfazed by Rosalie's rudeness and continued to talk as if she had never left, or been there at all.
"So, what are you doing here?"
"Shopping, Emmett. It's what people normally do in a store." Edward replied rolling his eyes at his favourite brother.
"You know what I meant."
"Edward is going to cook for me and Charlie." Bella answered.
"Oh really? Good luck with that. I'll know you got food poisoning when you're not at school tomorrow."
"Very funny Emmett."
"Oh yeah I forgot, you would never do anything to hurt Bella." Emmett said with a wink, Bella blushed in reply.
"What are you doing here Emmett?"
"Keeping up pretences. Normally it would be Esme but Rose needed to get some stuff for her nails so we said we'd do it. So are you actually going to let Edward cook? Like in a kitchen?"
"Yes, unless you know anywhere else where people cook."
"Yeah, but Edward? You're going to let Edward cook?"
Edward shot a glare at Emmett. "Shouldn't you be going now?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess so. See you guys later. Have fun cooking." And with that, he was gone.
"Sorry about that."
"Emmett? He was only joking Edward."
"I didn't mean Emmett." Edward reached out and held Bella's hand.
"Oh. That's okay; it's not your fault. I guess I'll have to get used to her not liking me."
"Its nothing personal, you know."
"I know" Bella sighed. "Come on then, we have more shopping to do!"
Half an hour later, Edward was unpacking all the food onto the kitchen table while Bella was rushing around getting the equipment and recipes ready for him.
"Are you sure you can do it? I chose a simple menu- not too may flavours to get mixed up or to overpower or whatever."
"Bella I will be fine. I know how to cook." Bella raised an eyebrow. "Sort of."
She laughed. "I don't doubt that you'll be fine. Just making sure that you know what to do."
"Thank you. You'll stay and watch, just in case?"
"I never thought I would see the day that Edward Cullen needed my help."
"Don't get used to it." He flashed his crooked grin at her, knowing the reaction it would cause.
"O-okay. So I picked out pasta bake. Its pretty simple but you can personalise it."
"You can personalise pasta?"
"Well, different people add different sauces or toppings."
"I see. So first I boil the pasta?"
Bella laughed. "I've never seen you so unsure."
"Well? Do I?"
"Yes, I've already put the oven on to pre-heat so you just have to worry about the cooking part."
Bella sat down on the counter with a book, but she didn't get further than one page in. Seeing Edward work his way round her kitchen was amazing. It was like seeing him in a whole new light. He seemed almost human - apart from the speed he was doing things at. Every so often, he would look up and meet her eyes smile, and carry on with what he was doing. Sometimes it happened so fast Bella wondered if she had imagined it.
"Is it ready for me to pour in now?" Edward had added a tomato sauce, bacon, salami and sausage to the pasta and it was now ready to be baked.
"Yup, just tip it into the dish. That's right; now grate some cheese all over the top so it can melt." Bella was very impressed with what he had done. It looked and smelled delicious.
Edward leaned down to put the dish back in the oven and was by her side in an instant.
"So how long will this take to cook?"
"Err; about 20 minutes should be fine." Edward leaned forward and put his forehead against hers.
"So we have 20 minutes to kill."
"Umm, I guess so." He leaned forward and softly pressed his lips against hers before she had finished speaking.
Bella tried to contain the urge to throw her arms round him, so instead she linked her hands behind his neck. In return, Edward put his arms round her waist but started to kiss behind her ear instead. He slowly started to make a trail of kisses down her jaw line before he pulled away from her.
"You should calm yourself down a bit." He chuckled seating himself at the kitchen table.
"What? Why? I was in control of myself. And you seemed to be in control too!" Bella was more upset that he had let go of her than anything else.
"I know, you were wonderful but Charlie just pulled up outside."
"Oh. Help me clear up then. We should look busy. "Bella climbed down and started washing up just as Charlie walked through the front door.
"Hey kids. How was school?" Charlie hung his jacket and gun up and began to clear up the table with Edward.
"Oh it was fine. You know same old same old." Bella tried to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"Smells good in here guys."
"Edward cooked today, Dad."
"Oh really? Well so far so good Edward."
"Thank you, sir."
"Alright than, who wants to lay the table?" Bella turned around with plates and cutlery, and Edward reached over to take them out of her hands and lay the now clean table, only setting two places.
"You not staying Edward? You're welcome to" Charlie was curious as to why.
"Thank you but no. Esme wants us home tonight; I think she's planned another camping trip."
"Oh right than. Thanks for cooking then. Say hi to your folks from me." Charlie didn't complain that the boy was leaving; he spent enough time with Bella as it is.
"I'll come and see you out." Bella followed Edward outside. Once out of earshot, he pulled her up to meet his lips and whispered: "I'll be back once he's asleep."
"Okay. Say hi to Esme and Carlisle from me, I haven't seen them in a while."
"Sure thing."
As he got in his car and drove away, Bella turned back into the house and sat down to eat with Charlie.
"You know this is pretty good Bells."
"Yeah, you're right."
"It's just as good as your cooking is no offence."
Bella laughed. "None taken."
"I'm not surprised though." Charlie muttered
"What d'you mean?"
"Well, Edward seems to be able to do anything."