"Hello?" I asked as I answered my cell phone.
"Hi sweets, listen I'm already at the coffee shop; I got here a little early. Do you want me to get you the usual, or do you want to wait until you get here?" My best friend Rose replied.
"Nah, I'm literally walking down the street now, I'll be there in two seconds." I smiled and waved as I passed the window and saw Rose sat in a booth in the corner of the shop. She waved back and hung up the phone, and I pocketed mine as I entered the building.
Rose and I had been meeting here for coffee every other day ever since we met four years ago. I moved to San Diego, California from Forks to attend college, leaving behind my family and my high school sweetheart, Edward Cullen. We'd been together since we were 15, however when we were 19 and headed off to college, disagreements led to break-ups, and we haven't spoken to each other since. It still hurts, because I knew I'd always love him in some way, we'd been each other's firsts and best friends since we could walk. Last I heard from my dad, he was studying engineering in LA and was practically engaged. Shaking my head to rid it of the depressing thoughts, I stepped up to the counter and ordered an iced frappuccino. Before I'd moved to California, I'd lived off lattes, however with the California heat it became customary for me to be seen with something cold in my hand.
I thanked the barista and paid for my coffee, before going to sit with Rose in our usual booth.
"Hey, chicka," I smiled as I gave her a quick hug. Rose had been my rock when I first moved here. We'd been college roommates as we both studied interior design, and we now co-shared a company that we named Swale Decorations – a mix of my last name: Swan, and her last name: Hale. I'd definitely needed her shoulder to cry on as I worked through my break-up, and she was the one who introduced me to dating again once I was ready.
"Hey, sweets. How are you today?" I rolled my eyes at her unnecessary concern. Yesterday and the day before I'd been feeling like death with food poisoning, but as I'd told her this morning, I was completely fine now.
"Rosie, I'm perfect. I've told you. Stop worrying about me, okay?" She smiled and took a sip of her black coffee. I shuddered in distaste and took a sip of my deliciously icy heaven in a cup.
"Once you've finished that battery acid, mind telling me where you whored off to on Saturday?"
She laughed loudly at my sarcasm, and while Rose had a beautiful laugh, it sure was loud and could attract the attention of a full room in three seconds. I blushed at the attention which only made her laugh harder. I glared and punched her in the arm, but I couldn't help but let a small chuckle escape my lips. Her laugh was infectious.
"I did not 'whore off' to anywhere," she replied sarcastically once she'd calmed down. "Remember I told you about that guy, Emmett?"
I nodded; he'd been Rose's latest conquest.
"Well, I ran into him at that bar we were at, and he took us back to his place," she winked and I laughed at her.
"Thanks for letting me know you'd gone."
She rolled her eyes at me, "Bella, you were so caught up in that guy you were talking to that you didn't even notice when I tried to tell you."
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped, "I was not caught up in him!"
She snorted in a very unattractive manner, "You so were! Did you end up going home with him?" She asked casually.
I blushed and nodded lightly, "Yeah but trust me when I say it was nothing memorable." She looked at me blankly, waiting for me to expand. "Pinky peen!" I elaborated.
She froze, "Hold up… isn't that him?" She pointed to a man that was walking down the road and my eyes widened again as I ducked in my seat so he wouldn't see us when he walked past the window, and then dragged Rosalie down with me.
"Ouch, bitch! Watch what you're doing!" Rose groaned as she whacked her elbow on the side of the table.
I ignored her as I waited for about 20 seconds, as I figured that that would be enough time for him to have walked past. I tentatively sat up again and looked out the window, thankfully there was nobody there. Rose sat up as well, still grumbling and rubbing her elbow.
"You're so abusive," she muttered, mostly to herself.
"Oh my God, can you imagine what would have happened if he'd seen us? He might have wanted to go out again!" I visibly shuddered at the thought of his sweaty hands and slimy tongue. "Honestly, I swear I'm sure that's what horror movies are made from."
She giggled into her volcanic ash that she called a coffee.
"How can you even drink that?" My nose scrunched as I caught a whiff of it.
"I don't know, I didn't used to like it. But then I had to drink it to keep myself awake when we were in college and now I kind of like it." I grimaced. "Hey, it's better than that sugary shit that you drink!"
I shook my head vehemently as I took another sip.
"Anyway," she laughed. "Have you spoken to Seth yet?"
I sighed, "Rose, just because he's my brother doesn't mean I speak to him all the time."
"Yeah, but he just had a baby…" Rose reasoned and I laughed.
"As a matter of fact, I spoke to him this morning, and Beth is happy and healthy."
"Aaw, you're an aunt, Bella."
I grinned, "I know. Look at this…" I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket and scrolled through the pictures until I found one of Beth that Seth had sent to me.
"Oh my God, how cute is she!" Rose loved babies, and she'd found out recently that she wasn't able to have them. It crushed her, but we talked about her options, and she's now got her heart set on adoption.
"I know, I can't wait to see her. Seth's bringing her up in a few weeks."
"Let me know when, I want to meet her too."
Just as conversation lulled, a small, dark haired girl walked into the shop.
"Why do I recognize that girl?" I asked Rose as I watched her walk to the counter.
"I have no idea; I've never seen her before."
As if she could feel my eyes on her and she looked at me speculatively for a few seconds as if she recognized me as well. I saw in her eyes the moment she knew who I was.
"Bella!" And as soon as I heard her voice, I knew who she was as well.
"Oh my God, Alice!" She grabbed the coffee that was just made and came and sat across from me and Rose.
"Alice, this is Rose, my best friend. Rose, this is Alice, Edward's little sister!"
Rose smiled her perfect smile at Alice, "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Alice grinned back.
"I hardly recognized you, you've changed so much!" I told her as I took her in. Her long black hair was now short and cut into short curls on her head that made her pixie faced look even more beautiful, and her glasses and braces had both disappeared and her bright green eyes were shining in excitement. I could only look at them for so long, as they reminded me of her brother.
"I know, look at how long your hair got!" I smiled. My long brown hair was one of my favourite aspects about myself; it fell way past my shoulder blades and was thick and shiny, and complimented my brown eyes.
I blushed at the compliments I was receiving as Alice and Rosalie got to know each other, and I thought back to how I met Alice.
Edward grinned cheekily as I grumbled. We were walking to his house which was only a few blocks away.
"Why are you so nervous? You've known my family since you were three, they practically think of you as a daughter." He said to me with a secret smile.
"But this is the first time I'm coming over as your girlfriend; this opens a whole new realm of possibilities of teasing from James." James and Edward were twins..
"Bella, I won't let him hurt your feelings. I promise." He told me with a sincere voice and I smiled, leaning up to kiss him.
He grinned when I pulled back and breathlessly said, "I love how we can do that now," causing me to blush.
"That's not the only reason I'm nervous, it's also the first time I'm meeting Alice." Alice was Edward's cousin; and her parents had been involved in a car accident. Sadly, it had killed them both, and the Cullen's took her on as their own.
Edward laughed, "She's already excited as hell, Bella. She's going to love you, because I do." I grinned at him as we entered their house, and I was immediately attacked in a hug by a short girl with long dark hair and bright green eyes. To say they were only cousins, their eyes would have you believe they were siblings.
"Hi, I'm Alice! We're going to be such good friends!"
"What are you doing in California, Alice?"
She bit her lip hesitantly, and I knew this meant bad news.
"I'm actually here to see Edward."
My jaw dropped, "What? He's here? My dad told me that he lived in LA and was nearly engaged!"
She grimaced, "Yeah that was a lie. He's been living in San Diego for about 2 years. And he was never nearly engaged; he dated a girl for like three months but that was it."
"But, why would my dad lie?" I have never been so confused. He was here? Had he seen me? Or was he hiding?
"I don't know, I guess he really believed that that was where he was." Alice shrugged one shoulder and took a sip of her drink.
Rose put her arm around my shoulder and I leaned into her comforting touch, "Are you okay?" I just shrugged.
"Do you want to leave?" I thought about it for a minute, but then shook my head no. I'd be damned if he drove me out of my favourite coffee shop.
I turned to Alice again, who was looking at me with pity. "Did he tell you to meet him here?" I asked curiously, and when she nodded I was even more confused. Why here? Surely that would indicate that he came here often. Why hadn't I seen him?
"When?" She looked at her watch and rolled her eyes. "10 minutes ago, figures he's late as usual."
We all looked towards the door as it opened, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief as it turned out to be an employee.
I didn't like feeling like this, like I was nervous to be in my own space. I shouldn't be afraid of seeing him, we only broke up – people do that every day. But I knew the underlying reason was that I still loved him so much.
Suddenly, the booth in front of us creaked, and due to the seat back being high, we didn't see who was sat in it until he turned round, and then there he was. Copper hair, bright green eyes and a toned body, yet still the same old gangly 15 year old that I fell in love with all those years ago. My breathing hitched, and I felt as though the hole in my heart had been filled just like that, just because I saw him.
He was staring right back at me, and it appeared that Alice had had enough of the tension because she stood up and punched him.
"Have you been sitting there the whole time, you jerk?" He nodded and I blushed, he'd heard everything? I must have been completely out of it when I walked passed him to my booth with Rose.
Rose elbowed me and I grimaced and turned to glare at her.
"What the hell?" She laughed lightly and I groaned. "It's not funny; I think you broke a rib." That just made her giggle and I turned back to Edward with a slight smile on my face, and he was smiling right back at me.
"Hey," I grinned at him.
"Hi," he grinned right back.
I was glad there was no tension between us; that we didn't break up because we hated each other. We were just young and naïve, and too much in love.
Alice coughed uncomfortable and looked to Rose, "Would you mind showing me the bathroom? I'm afraid I don't know where to go."
I rolled my eyes at her blatant attempt to give us privacy, as Rose got up and pointed to the huge sign that said TOILETS, but I was thankful all the same when she followed her.
I looked back to Edward and he was still staring at me, almost like he couldn't believe I was here.
"What are you doing in San Diego?" I asked him to break the tension, and also to stop myself from leaping across the table and mounting him.
"I go to college here, I was originally going to go to LA, but something brought me here." He winked at me and I blushed.
"Have you really been sat there for the whole time?" He looked uncomfortable and a slightly red tinge appeared on his skin.
"Yeah, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I honestly didn't know you were going to be here until you walked past me."
I thought back to the conversation, "Oh God, I'm not a whore. I promise."
He chuckled, though his jaw was tight for a reason I couldn't comprehend. Jealousy?
"I believe you." He stared at me for a moment before his face softened. "You're even more beautiful now. I never thought that was possible."
I blushed about a trillion shades of red, and he laughed. I wanted to hear him do it again.
"Hey, do you want to go out for lunch or something?"
I grinned at him and nodded causing him to tentatively reach over the table and grab my hand. The tingles I always used to feel when he touched me remained, and that made me giddy.
"I'm so glad we found each other again," I whispered.
"Me too. I mean, I wish we'd never broken up… but now I can see that it was best for us to be apart for a while. We needed time to grow independently before we grow together."
And that we did… grow together I mean. We met for lunch the following day… and the next day, and the next day, and the next day.
And we kind of lived happily ever after.
The End.