Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters. Although I would love to, Stephenie Meyer and her beautiful mind has ownership of Edward etc.

Summary: What do you do when you're in love with your best friend? Edward has quite the predicament with telling Bella about his feelings. Which is only more complicated when Bella expresses interest in an older man. AH

Chapter 1

Edward swept all of his things off his desk in a rage and rested his head in his hands. A deep growl rumbled through his body as he massaged his temples.

A high-pitched cackle, which he knew belonged to his sister Alice echoed from downstairs. He looked towards his door as he heard the tinkling almost music-like laugh that followed. It belonged to Bella of course. Nobody else in that house's laugh would make Edward Cullen's beat both simultaneously skip a beat and speed up.

He thought over the events that had just taken place and how much of an idiot he had made himself look. But then again it was hardly like anybody seemed to notice his over the top reaction or abrupt departure. They were all too wrapped up in each other.

Edward's group of friends were the type of people that everyone longed to be friends with. They were popular, but without trying and the undue bitchiness. They were all attractive but not always in the most conventional of ways. But even so, every guy in school would give their own mother to have a chance with Alice, Bella or Rosalie and most girls in school would sell their right nipple for a night with Emmet, Jasper or Edward. It was in fact that detail that had set off the discussion, which had upset Edward so much.

Nearly the entire group was with someone. Rosalie and Jasper were something of an item. Emmet, being Emmet, currently had both Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory on the go. Alice had her long time boy friend Brandon who sometimes ingratiated himself within their group. Tonight had been one of those nights. Edward, being Alice's twin brother, understandably didn't like the way Brandon was all over her whenever they hung out with her friends. There was touching of thighs, sinful whispers that made her blush. It made Edward want to slam his pretty little head through the wall of his mothers lounge.

But both Edward and Bella were alone. But neither of them seemed to really mind. Life was good without the added drama of relationships. But Brandon seemed to find it impossible to understand that Edward, who could have anyone, wanted no one.

"So, you're telling me that you don't feel in need of a woman like at all?" Brandon's face held an amused look as he looked at Edward in apparent shock. Edward rolled his eyes.

"If you mean when I'm horny," Alice threw a pillow at his head and audibly cringed, "then yeah, I do feel in need of a woman. But unlike some I don't have the control of a thirteen-year-old boy and am quite capable of keeping myself from jumping on any poor unsuspecting girl. I just don't feel the need for a relationship right now."

Brandon sat back and let Alice play with his hair seeming to take in what Edward just said. Rose and Bella were giggling and whispering about something on the beanbags by the couch, more than likely rating boys as they always did, whilst Emmet watched the football intently. Jasper as always was taking in everything that was happening.

Brandon 's face seemed to click as if he had a sudden realisation. He smiled and started chuckling. Something about his sudden reaction made Edward unnerved. Alice smiled uncertainly at her boyfriend.

"What's up with you?" she asked nudging him in the shoulder. He turned to her anc wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Well my dear, I just figured out why Edward fricking Cullen – the guy who could get ANY girl – seems to have a non-existant romantic life." By this point everyone had turned to look at Brandon, intrigued. Brandon looked very pleased as he looked at Edward with a condescending smile and said, "he's gay."

Silence ensued for about ten seconds before the whole room, except Brandon and Edward, burst out laughing. Rose and Bella gripped each other whilst they rocked back and forth laughing. Emmet let out a bark of laughter as Jasper just chuckled under his breath. Edward looked at Brandon with as much venom in his facial expression as was possible.

"I'm not gay you thick shit." Brandon just rolled his eyes. Alice seemed to think it was time to start with the teasing.

"So, Eddie. Got something you've been keeping from your dear old sister? So that's why we can't seem to get you into an actual relationship." She winked at Edward but Edward didn't seem to get the teasing quality to her voice.

"Just because I haven't really had much action lately doesn't mean I'm gay. I mean, Bella isn't seeing anyone, but no-ones calling her a lesbian!" Bella sat up and scrunched her eyebrows at Edward.

"Hey! Who says I'm not seeing anyone? And I most certainly have got some recently so there," she stuck her tongue out at him playfully. With obviously no idea at how her words made Edward's heart sink a little. Alice noticed her brothers look and attempted to tell her boyfriend he wasn't gay.

"He's not gay love. I would know if he was, whether he wanted me to know or not. I've seen the way he reacts to women, he is very obviously a red-blooded heterosexual male." Emmet laughed from the other side of the room not taking his eyes of the television.

"He most definitely is. You guys have no idea! You don't have to sit next to him in English when Bella's wearing a low-cut top. Good God, he's worse than I am." Edward felt his entire body tense as he swung around to glare daggers at Emmet. He was just readying himself to pounce when Rosalie spoke up.

"That's nothing. I was stood in front of him in the cafeteria line before and Bella dipped her finger into his yoghurt and licked it off. Lets just say I could most definitely feel something that told me Edward was very straight."

"Yeah well, at least none of you have to sleep in the room next door to his. I swear some nights he-"

"Alice!" Edward cut her off before she could finish. But the damage had already been done. What was wrong with all of his friends? Why would they all talk about Edward's infatuation with Bella so openly. He prepared himself to turn and see Bella's horrified expression but instead he saw her amused smile as if listening to stories around a campfire. She decided to join in.

"Ahaa, I kind of noticed when he spoke to my breasts all during Biology last month and kept on asking if I was cold or something. Brandon, he's straight. Leave him be doll," she laughed and shook her head as she remembered something.

Edward was shocked. He was shocked and a little hurt. Bella had realised he had feelings for her yet she just found it funny? Were all of his friends talking about Edward and how he humiliated himself over Bella with Bella? Great fricking friends, he thought to himself.

That was when he stormed off to his room and swept everything off.

He sighed and rubbed a hand wearily over his face. He stalked over to his bed and threw himself on it, staring at the ceiling in thought. Most of his friends had the excuse of not knowing the extent of his feelings for Bella.

He was actually very sure that he was in love with Bella. In fact he had been sure of that since he was twelve years old and they had shared their first kiss together. AT the age of seventeen, Edward still counted that as his best kiss ever. He loved everything about Bella, from the freckles which speckled her nose to her totally whack sense of humour. They had been through a lot together, and he truly believed that one day they should end up together.

But he wasn't sure that they actually would.

Bella was the same, yet too different to Edward. Although Edward tried to ignore it and avoid all talk of it, he was very aware that Bella was far from innocent. She had had her fair share of boyfriends but always refused to settle down. She was carefree. But almost too carefree. She was sometimes known as easy by the guys of Fork high. But she didn't seem to mind in the slightest, whereas Edward, Jasper and Emmet took it upon themselves to beat the crap out of anyone who dared to say it around them.

Bella obviously loved Edward, but in a totally platonic way. He was even more sure of it after what happened tonight.

There was knock at his door. Bella's knock.

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair.

"Come in Bells," she took a step in and smirked at him.

"Don't call me Bells jackass. Move up huh?" she threw herself onto the bed and Edward was forced to move a little to give her more room. She rested her head on his chest and hummed contently. Edward couldn't tell whether he was gonna soak through his clothes with sweat or just have a heart attack right there.

"It's okay you know." Her soft voice made him jump.

"What's okay?" She couldn't possibly mean loving her could she?

"To think I'm hot. A lot of guys do. You're just one of them that I don't mind ogling me. You get a freebie." She laughed and dug her elbow into his ribs. Edward felt a tad deflated but deftly managed to hide it. He laughed along with her.

"Score. So I am the only member of the male species that attends Forks high who has unlimited permission to check you when whenever I like." She nodded against his chest. "Could I get that in writing please?"

Bella laughed and sat up. She turned so that she was kneeling over him. She was grinning wildly. The beauty of her smile took in Edward. Surely all that nonsense like war would just be sorted out if they sent Bella over to flash just one of her amazing smiles.

"Edward?" Her huskier than normal voice broke him totally out of his smile-induced stupor. Her voice screamed sex. He gulped when he noticed the look she was giving him. Her eyebrow was quirked provocatively and her grin had diminished into a smirk.

"Yes?" he wheezed at her. She leaned down closer to his ear and whispered.

"I want to try something. But stay very, very still." Edward stopped breathing. He didn't want to ever move again if she said she didn't want him to.

He then felt the softest pair of lips touch his. But other than the feel of the lips there was nothing soft about the kiss. She gently kissed his pouted lips but then took one lip into her mouth and bit down. He groaned loudly and reached up to put his hands in her hair. She caught his wrists though and plunged her tongue into his mouth. Moving over to straddle him. Her kisses were hot and frenzied. Edward felt as though he would spontaneously combust. It was all happening so quick until suddenly she stopped and sat up very quickly. Still straddling him.

Her hair was slightly dishevelled and her lips were redder than usual. She wore a nostalgic smile.

"Brings back memories right?" Edward didn't know whether she was expecting an answer or not but he knew for damn sure he wasn't capable of one. He probably wouldn't be for the next few weeks. She patted his chest and got off of him.

"Well, maybe now you can get over this little crush yeah?" Once again he couldn't answer. "Charlie's outside so I really have to go. I'll see you in the morning though."

And with that she walked out of his room. Edward lay there dumbstruck.

After that, she expected him to get over her? What in the name of hell was wrong with her?!

He groaned loudly and threw a picture on his bedside table at his door.

Cracked glass littered the floor and a rip was present on the picture of Edward and Bella at Disney land a few years ago.

The rip was right between their faces.

A/N: Heey (: so what did you think? Please review, it means a hell of a lot. Good or bad. I need the feedback honestly. I have the next few chapters written already so if I seem to get enough feedback I shall update ASAP.
Happy Reading my dearies ,
x