Just friends
Bella slammed her phone down on her night stand and started to pace her room.
"Needy?" She shouted. "I'm too needy!"
What kind of lame excuse is that?
Needy. Bah!
He just couldn't come up with a better excuse for cheating.
"Well good riddens!"
Finding Mike Newton, her boyfriend—or now ex-boyfriend— with Jessica was a relief to say the least.
She'd been sick of him, but hadn't know how to explain how completely hollow and dull their relationship had been. There was always something missing with him.
She picked up her phone again and sent her best friend the disgusting news: Mike had broken up with her.
Mike broke up with her. Hmph!
She hadn't even cared for him that much. He wasn't a total pig, and he was hot, but there was just nothing there between them. Always something not right, off with them.
Plus, the guy was an idiot, a simpleton, and she was sick of him.
Jeez, he couldn't even think to come up with "It's not you, it's me." No! He said, very plainly in fact, that it was all her. She was too needy. Douche.
Bella heard a rapping at her window and ran to it throwing open her curtain and sliding the window up.
"Jeez. I was expecting a 'sorry about the douche ex-boyfriend' text, but I didn't think you'd come over."
She was lying if she said she hadn't wanted him to, though.
And there he was, Edward, her best friend, climbing through her window, in all his beautiful glory.
Her heart fluttered.
Damn. Why couldn't she get over him? Why couldn't she realize that they'd never be more than friends? If he hadn't gone for her by now, he never would.
They'd been best friends since second grade. She'd gotten hit by a rouge soccer ball, that he'd accidentally kicked her way, and he'd run to her side to aide her, to tell her she'd be just fine, she'd live. Well, she'd known she'd be just fine. Those kinds of things happened to her all the time. Heck, they still happened to her now. But, she'd liked attention and always enjoyed a good game of pretend, so she'd played along.
She'd started to fall for him in middle school, and by seventh grade, she was completely gone. He'd started getting hotter and hotter, and sweeter, and kinder, and cooler, and began flirting with her innocently –along with all the other girls, of course.
She hadn't understood the pangs in her heart at first, but as time went on, they only grew stronger for him, and she knew she was gone.
But, if his many girlfriends since then are any indication, he's not interested in her.
She sighed inwardly.
"Why are you staring at me?"
She looked away quickly and suddenly, the poster on her wall became extremely interesting, and tried to calm her skipping heart. "Because you just crawled through my window," she said, nearly slapped herself in the face because of the stupidity of her answer. That answer was almost Mike worthy! He'd been climbing through her window for years. Anytime she'd gotten into a fight with her parents, or he'd needed to get out of his house, or after she'd gotten her dog, Jake, or even just when they wanted to hang out together, he'd walked the block and climbed the tree by her second story bedroom and came through the window to reach her.
Often, she'd let herself believe that it was because he cared about her, but once he told her about his newest girlfriend, she'd been thrown back into reality.
Edward had had his fair share of girlfriends since they'd been friends. She'd been there through all of them: the ones who'd chased him, the ones he'd tired of, and the ones who'd broken his heart. Those were the worse. She hated seeing him so upset. She'd hold him in her arms and comfort him best she could.
Those were the times her heart hurt the worst. He'd always felt so perfect in her arms, his body so warm, his smell, that was his and his alone, so inviting, his breathing so calming, his heart beating in time with hers.
"Yeah, cuz I've never done it be—"
"Yeah, yeah, bad lie. I guess I'm just a little shocked about the breakup." Okay, that was a tad better. This one could work.
"Sorry to hear that…but I thought you hated him"
"I never said—"
"You never called him an infuriating simpleton whose relationship with you bored him to tears?"
"Well, I did hate him."
"Then why are you—"
"Why does he get to break up with me?" I mean, he cheated and everything! Wasn't I supposed to get the satisfaction of breaking it off? I feel gypped."
He laughed a hearty chuckle. Good to know he was entertained by all this. "I knew you weren't genuinely upset about the loss." He continued to laugh through his speaking. "But you couldn't figure out how to break things off. Wasn't this like letting you off the hook?"
"He cheated. That's damn good reasoning to break up with the ass."
He smiled at her, that smile that made her heart leap, that smile that could make everything else disappear, that smile she wished belonged to her.
"Well, what now?" His question brought her out of her reverie.
She flopped down on her bed to direct her attention elsewhere.
"You going back to blind dates?"
Ugh. Blind dates. That's how she met Mike. Her brother, Emmett, had set her up with him. He'll want to destroy Mike's face soon as he finds out about Jessica.
"Because that worked so well the first time? Hell no. I'd rather wallow in my loneliness."
He sat beside her and looked into her eyes.
Bella saw something that looked sad appear in his expression, and he looked like there was something he'd wanted to say, but it was just as soon gone.
His gaze dropped from hers and he patted her leg. "Don't lose hope. You're young," he said, nailing impersonating my aunt. I laughed.
"And smart, and beautiful, and funny, and creative… You've just been dating the wrong guys." His pep talk that started out funny began to get oddly serious. He shook it clear. "You know, the guys you date don't even seem to interest you."
Bella looked away from him. No, she thought to herself, they don't. And that's because she wanted him.
Why couldn't he feel just a piece of what she felt for him? Why did she have to listen to his speech on her perfect man, when she knew he was standing right in front of her?
"Hey," he whispered as he turned her face back to his. "You'll find him."
His eyes, so warm and kind, bore into hers, and she lost it.
She closed her eyes and kissed him. Right on the lips.
She didn't think about shocking him, or making him uncomfortable, or the awkward conversation that was sure to happen after this moment.
No, for now, she just wanted to feel him and pretend he wanted her, as she wanted him.
She'd deal with his awkwardness later, but for now…
Now, she would enjoy the taste of his lips, their softness, the way they moved against hers…
Wait. The way they moved against hers?
Yes, she thought with a start, he was kissing her back, and with the same passion she was expressing.
Her mind would've gone crazy in thoughts of what this could mean, but she wouldn't let it.
She only thought of him and his lips on hers, and his hands cupping her face, and the hand she put on his neck-
Then it was over and he was pushing her away saying no.
"No, no. It can't be this way."
And there they were: the words that broke her hear with each syllable, the words she knew would come if ever she expressed her feelings for him.
"I can't be this for you," he said, his voice pained.
She stood and turned away from him. Tears fell from eye eyes, but she kept quiet, she wouldn't show just how much this hurt her, she would not sniffle.
He stood and began to pace, but continued. "I know it means nothing to you, but to me…"
She turned her head to him quickly, her tears halting in her shock. "What?"
"I can't be your rebound. I—" Then he looked at her. "No, don't cry." His hand rose, as if to go to her, but it fell a moment later in defeat. "I'm sorry. I'm not rejecting you, I promise. I just can't do it because…because you mean so much more to me."
"I –"
"No, I need to finish. I've needed to say this for a long time." Edward exhaled slowly. "I love you."
She gaped at him. No words, no breathing, just mouth dangling open gaping.
He continued. "I mean in love with you." His eyes pierced hers, trying to say what his words couldn't.
She could see it. How she'd missed it, she didn't know, but she could see the love in his eyes, the care for her, and she knew. She knew he spoke only truth.
Bella couldn't move, she couldn't speak, she was in such shock.
He loves me, she thought. He loves me, he loves me, he loves me…
Why wasn't she going to him? Why couldn't she move?
She'd just heard the words that she'd waited so long to hear, words that she'd longed for for years. She wanted to run to him, to be in his arms, to shout she loved him, too, but she had no control over her body.
Defeat covered his face as his gaze dropped from hers. "Well, now you know."
He turned from her and began towards the open window.
Why the hell couldn't she move! He was leaving! Go to him!
"Wait," she finally managed to get out. Really. She'd been around that fool Newton for far too long.
He turned to her again.
"The first night you took me to your roof," she said.
"What?"
"I fell in love with you that night on the roof, when you told me about the thunder and lightning."
Comprehension brightened his face and before she knew it, she was in his arms like she'd wanted to be, and he was kissing her again.
His kiss was unlike any of the other kisses she'd had from other boys. They all seemed empty in comparison.
Her heart sped and the world disappeared, there was only her and Edward. One of his hands went behind her neck and the other on the small of her back. His hands were warm and wonderful. His lips trailed from her lips to her cheeks, leaving a trail of fire, kissing away her tears.
It was as if her lips were fit for his, like his hands were made to hold her close to him, like their hearts were made to beat in time together.
She kissed him with all the passion she'd restrained for all these years, and he did the same. The kiss was fiery and desperate, gentle and passionate, eager and restless. They clung to each other, like they'd be torn apart, like this moment would end and they would be where they started…
When they'd stopped for air, he rested his forehead on hers and asked, "Be my girlfriend?"
She smiled at him. "I've been yours for a long time."
A/N:
Thanks for reading!
And I apologize for any errors. It's hard for me to catch them after writing it. I tend to miss them :/
Please, please, please review. I'm working on a big story and I'd love to have some reviews to work from :)
Thanks! Nik :)