Disclaimer: I do not own the idea. I do not own the characters. I do however, own the clothes on my back. So please, believe me when I say — I wish I was that clever.

A/N: Loosely based on 'My Best Friend's Wedding' which is the shiz. (: Review if you please. BUT PLEASE, review.

;

Bella.

You cannot find a man in the greater state of Washington who'll pique my interest.

"Chicago?" the excitement clung to my voice like sweet sweet honey.

No, sir. You can't.

"Please? Bella would you?" and the angel's beautiful voice pleaded to me in some sort of beautiful agony. The breath knocked out of me, my knees going weak at the sound. I ran my fingers over my jaw and nodded happily, so happily my eyes shined — So much that I could feel it.

Obviously. They call that tears of joy, yes?

"Bella?" his voice broke out anxiously.

"Yes?" Breathless. "Yes." Again. I agreed, the hugest smile breaking onto my face. And then that laugh, so beautiful I could see it from here. The laugh so enticing, so magnificent, so jovial I could be snapped into hysterics in a second.

"Bella, thank you!"

I foolishly nodded again, fingered the hem of the t-shirt draped over my frame, and glided over to the mirror, starting to brush my hair. "Now, what is it that you need me over for, Cullen?" I grinned. I heard his low laugh.

"Can't a guy see his best friend?" I could hear the pout from the other side of the line, and my heart melted at the thought of that lower lip sticking out, even just a touch.

"Then you fly on over to Seattle, best friend."

"Bella..." I could hear his grin now too. Oh, that grin...

"Okay, then. Chicago it is. Tomorrow? You'll pick me up, won't you?"

"And why on earth would I do that?" I could almost see his tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek. Could almost hear the cap of his pen tapping the mahogany; His feet upon his desk lazily. "The best way to see Chicago is on foot. You'll walk from the airport, it'll do you good." he teased. Then he feigned serious. "That is... If you're confident enough to promise me you won't trip now..."

I rolled my eyes, flushing lightly.

"Believe it or not, Ed, but I've actually established some grace over the years." I sniffed.

"Ah, I suppose you didn't have such grace two years ago when I last dropped by to visit?" he said through a snicker. I scowled.

"Someone's quite overdue, don't you think?" I murmured sourly, uncapping a tube of lipstick. That shut him up for a good minute.

"Bella." his voice then low, and unknowingly seductive. "Bella, forgive me, darling."

"Uh huh." I mumbled, through a bobby pin stuck in my mouth.

"Would it help if I mentioned I have something important to tell you?"

"Maybe." I said slowly... Smoothly, glazing over the sudden excitement.

"Uh huh, well I've got major epic news, Bells. You'll never believe it when I tell you." he said, a smile in his lovely voice.

"You sure? I work in journalism, Cullen. I live breathe and piss realistically. And... Your surprises aren't really... surprising..." I mocked.

"Ha ha, well, excuse me Walter Cronkite. I hate to oppose, but this secret'll knock you into the next dimension."

Uh-oh. I knew that voice, that was his competitive, 'you-better-believe-me' voice, and there was no messing with him when he used that voice. He meant business.

Oh, but my dear friend Ed here, has been wrong before. So so wrong...

"So you've really got something up your sleeve there, eh?" I sighed.

"Yeah... I mean, I guess it's not much of a secret —"

"Does everyone else know?" By everyone else I meant the clan of Cullens.

"Maybe..." his turn to say it slow.

"Really..." I mused, deviously.

"Don't even think about it. They won't even tell you. Better yet, to spare you — She will most definitely not be telling you." And by she, he of course meant the infamous Alice. Who was never one to keep big, juicy, and tender secrets from me.

My, how the tides have changed.

"Wow." Finally I was dumb-founded.

"I know." he laughed.

"Well, I've at least got to know what to wear — What to bring, how long I'll be staying — Where..."

"Lots of warm, cozy clothes, Bella. Few dresses too. Scarves. It's snowing."

Oh wonderful, blessed puffs of ice.

"Lots of socks. And blue."

"Blue?"

"Blue."

"Why?" I laughed. He was so serious.

"You're good in blue I told you that like a million times in high school." he said almost incredulously. I smiled at that. How could I not? Better yet — How could I forget that?

"Could you stay for a week, possibly?"

"I suppose that can be arranged..." I allowed, smirking to myself at the thought of Edward and I for a week...

"And in regards to your living situation... No worries — I've got that all under control." He sounded too sure...

"You've been planning this..." I said, suspiciously. He laughed, the nervousness not as relevant as I'd thought it'd be.

"Yes." he admitted. "Honestly, I was planning on telling you over the phone, but Alice urged me to tell you in person, and I'm seeing why. It wouldn't be as effective over the phone, you see. Because this surprise is so —"

"Huge I'll be knocked silly, right? Okay, fine. I guess it's good if Alice hasn't already called me to warn me or something..." I guessed.

"Yeah..." His smile was loud to my ears, no doubt deaf to his...

It was quiet, subtle and drooping... A tired quiet, begging for rest.

"Bella..." he began softly. "Bella, I'm going to say goodbye now. I miss you." And the sincerity hung and sung so beautifully with that voice, that flawless voice.

"Me too." I murmured, breathless for the umpteenth time. "Bye, Cullen."

"Goodbye, Bella." And the line went dead, my name merely a gentle ring from his lips.

You see, Edward Cullen and I have been best friends since junior year high school. We did everything together, as cliché as it sounds; It's true. And I — And I have been in utter and complete, insane and irrevocable love with the guy since he gave me my first kiss.

;

You see, it was one of our nights. When we'd sit on my curb at nine o'clock. Stare up at the blanket of sky velvety dark above our heads. He'd just broken up with his short-term girlfriend Lauren May Mallory who'd been jealous of me since I first came to little Forks, Washington. He wasn't quite as devastated as I'd thought he'd be; I'd always gathered he liked her a bit.

"What are you thinking?" he murmured softy against the pad of his thumb, huddling in his jacket to get warmer. It was quiet for awhile. A slow quiet, soothing me down to the bone. But his question never scared me before. How had it scared me now, even if I was so calm?

"About you." I whispered. It was the only thing that came to mind at the time. And very quickly, he turned to face me, hands at either side of my face, his nose to mine, our foreheads pressed against each other. His eyes closed, his mouth ajar. I could see the white clouds of heat extract with each shallow breath he exhaled.

My heart fluttered at the sudden extremity of our proximity.

And then he dropped his hands. Slowly dragging his face from mine.

The blood at my temples pounded irregularly. "I'm sorry..." he moaned, burying his head in his arms.

"Oh." I peeped, clutching my sides for breath.

"That was out of line."

"A lot of things about us are out of line." I managed to whisper.

"Well — What?" he was breathing fast.

"I don't know... Yesterday." I shrugged, flushing deeply.

"Yesterday..." he agreed. Oh the day before today...

"I am not going to Mike Newton's house with you." I hissed.

"Yes, you are." he nodded his head playfully. I shook my head in response, eyes slits.

"You wouldn't dare make me go to that pervert's chambers! What if he traps me in his closet when you're not looking? I could get raped —"

"I will NOT let him stuff you anywhere small and dark, Bella." he scowled, obviously angry I'd underestimated his protectiveness over me.

"Hey, keep making that face you'll be able to pull off Scrooge for the Christmas play —"

And then I was pushed onto my bed, him on top of me. I screamed as he tickled my sides, straddling me hips. I shoved his hands away and glared. "I'm not going." I mumbled, stubbornly crossing my arms. And then he lowered his face to mine, surprising me when his hand brushed my cheek softly.

"Yeah..." I said quietly.

"Out of... Line." he said steadily. "She really hated me hanging out with you..." he laughed.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"She thinks you're prettier than her." he rolled his eyes.

"Whoa. She needs to see the optometrist."

"No she doesn't..." he said under his breath, shaking his head.

"Come on, Edward. Get real." I frowned, fumbling with my cuff.

"You don't think boys find you pretty?" he asked in near disbelief. I widened my eyes and turned my head a fraction to him.

"No." I answered bluntly. He laughed openly, his head even tilting back.

"You're on something, Bells. Meds again?" he teased. I socked his arm, eyebrows furrowing.

"Am not." I growled. He clicked his tongue and looked both ways at the street.

Deserted.

"Haven't you ever kissed a boy, Bella?" And then so shocked when I shoved his arm.

He must've thought me retarded or something, because his face grew pink and he was stiff.

So I ducked against my arm, letting my hair shield my eyes. The red swept my cheeks quickly, like red wine to a white shirt.

But he pulled my arm away. "Bella." his voice a gentle lull.

"What?" I mumbled pathetically. "So wha —"

And before I knew anything, he pulled me to him. And pressed his mouth to mine.

;

But we were nothing more than best friends. And after that night, things just seemed to pick up pace...

Because senior year slipped by... And college arrived. Time for Edward to leave and go off to Illinois for a big time University to study God remembers what.

And this time, I was certain... I was going to get him back. I was going to tell him I loved him. And I was going to try and make him love me too.

And here I am. Fresh out of baggage claim. A suitcase rolling behind me. A red scarf flung around my neck, a coat over my arm, and the most ridiculous smile waiting to break out.

Seeing as this is a busy airport, the crowd was thick and sluggish. I pushed through, wandering aimlessly as I held my breath, picturing his face. Replaying his laugh over in my head.

And then in the break — As if God had chosen me to have my five minutes of utter and complete bliss — I saw him. Saw him, and he too was in search for something. Someone. Me.

My breath escaped me. My pulse went mad.

No, sir. You cannot find a man in the greater state of Washington who'll pique my interest, no way.

Because here he is. Gracing Chicago with his presence. Ever since he left me in dreary old Washington...

And as if I yelled his name — His eyes found mine...

It was the strangest feeling... As if the lock on our gazes was audible. And magnetism and my instincts pulled me to him.

And as I slowly walked to him in a trance, shaking even... All patience was thrown out the window. Because his arms opened wide. Along with that smile.

I was done. Everything I held, dropped to a thud on the linoleum of the floor. Just to sprint and fling my arms around his shoulders. He caught me easily — his hands at my waist as he picked me up. I buried my face in his neck, refreshing my memory on that scent I'd been missing out on those two grueling years. "Bella!" he rejoiced.

Finally. The angel spoke in person, ringing clean and clear in my ears. Even a pulse and breath to match it.

"Oh, Edward." I couldn't help but cry out as I stroked his neck. I'd missed him so long and so much that it nearly numbed me. He finally held me at arms length, his hands lingering at my wrists.

"Well, Swan you've actually changed." he said breaking out in my favorite crooked grin.

"Who knew time would do that, huh?" I shrugged as he swept my thick hair over my shoulder. I was still trying to catch my breath as he examined me. And then he threw an arm over my shoulder as we headed back to collect my nearly abandoned belongings. He swiftly kissed my cheek and we headed out of the automatic doors.

"Just guess what car I took to pick you up in." he said in my ear as the snow whirled around us, playing with strands of my hair. I scanned the line of automobiles parked at the curb, expecting to see his shiny Volvo, until my eyes stopped at an even shinier yellow porsche. My eyes went round and I heard Edward's laugh in the background of the highest pitched scream I've ever known in my life.

Mary Alice Cullen had seen me, and was at this very moment, flinging into my arms.

;

A/N: Review, s'il vous plaît. (: