Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or any of the characters involved, they are property of Stephanie Meyer, and always will be. I also do not own the Chapter name (Which comes from the Pendulum's Sounds of Life off the album Hold Your Colour…again. Shoot me.)
Thanks to everyone who read chapter 1. And thank you Meliawn for being the first person to favorite my story! You're awesome =).
I meant to upload this a long time ago, I've just been so busy with real life I haven't had the time. I'll try to have Chapter 3 up by Friday, If not sooner.
Enjoy!
~Kaia
Bella:
I can ask him…anything?
Do you WANT a girlfriend?
No!
What can I say that won't be awkward?
"Umm…is that…Beethoven?" I thought it was the first movement of Moonlight Sonata, but I couldn't be sure.
"Wow. You like classical?" He was a little skeptical, and I couldn't blame him. What sane seventeen year-old was interested in Classical?
"Yeah, my mom used to play piano all the time at our house. She wasn't all that amazing, but she really enjoyed it. I loved hearing the music. It brings back great memories…" I trailed off.
Edward smiled his amazing smile. My heart skipped a beat. "Interesting. Did you ever learn to play?"
Talking with him was so…easy. "No, I quit after two weeks, playing music is out of my range of abilities…and I didn't like it." I giggled. I remembered the tantrum I threw to get out of piano lessons, it wasn't pretty. "Alice told me you liked playing the piano, and that you were really good."
He grinned again. "I guess I'm okay. Piano has such a calming…feel to it. That's how I would describe it, at least. I've been playing forever though."
"How long exactly?" I couldn't tell if he was trying to impress me or was just informing me about his life playing the piano.
"Ten? Twelve? Maybe Thirteen years."
I was blown away. Most people quit their instruments in sixth grade, or dropped them in high school so they could be rock stars. Almost everyone tried that path. "That's insane. Did you not want to ever be a rock star?"
Edward looked confused. "Not really…? Am I missing something?"
I blushed furiously. Wherever he had lived, this wasn't the normal thing to do. Nice Bella. We must be trying to set the world record for stupidity. "Oh…in Arizona, everyone wants to be a rock star in high school."
He laughed. "No, I get the rock star part. I wasn't interested in it. I meant, how is that insane? I don't think I'm insane."
God damnit. Hi guys, say hello to the amazing Tomato girl! She can turn red in an instant! Only 5 dollars! "Oh…"
Edward:
I glanced at Bella. I had a feeling she thought I was insane. I guess I just wasn't good at all with this girl thing.
"Well, maybe I am. I don't know." I said uncertainly. Maybe I could get her on my good side before we got to her house. Shit! Where does she live?
Bella blushed again furiously. "No, no, I'm the one who's insane." I raised my eyebrows. "Seriously! All I do is make situations really awkward."
I disagreed. "No, really. It's fine. I enjoy talking to you." Why don't you just say 'Bella, will you marry me?' It wouldn't have been as stupid as what you just said!
Her eyes betrayed all her emotions. I could tell immediately that what I had said had touched her. "Thanks." She mumbled. "No-one's ever said that before. I like talking to you, too."
She…enjoys…talking…to…me?
What have I done to deserve this?
She blushed furiously again, but said in a stronger voice "Actually, umm…I've never been able to talk to anyone like I have with you. It's just so…easy." I could see that she meant it.
How had this happened? It seemed like in an instant we had gone from being two awkward people in a car to admitting our feelings for each other. Well, not really, but it felt like it to me. I focused as hard as I could on driving, because if I let myself get to carried away, I might crash the car.
"Thank you. I would tell you that you were the first to tell me that too, but every girl I've ever dated has said that to me." I wish she had been the first, though.
She laughed. "You mean half the school?" Well, she wasn't oblivious to my generic looks, then.
I frowned. "No…"
Bella laughed again. "Yes you have, you dirty liar, Alice told me every girl in the school was after you!"
Stupid bitch. Now I hated Alice. Well not really, but I could pretend to. "She's lying." I tried not to frown. It was going to give me away.
Bella was almost in tears from laughter now. "Whatever Edward! I may be insane, but I'm not stupid! Girls would have to be blind not to see how sexy you are!"
Now she had done it. "Oh, you think I'm sexy?" I asked her with an evil grin.
Her face almost made me burst into laughter.
Bella:
Good fucking game. Just admit it and try again next time.
I thought I might die from embarrassment. Edward was having a field day with this one. "Fine, yes. Yes I do." Why, why, why, why, why did I not think about what I said before I admitted to thinking he was hot? Well, because he is!
Edward looked like a five year old on Christmas day. I was pissed. "I'm just stating the obvious here. I'm sure every girl you've met has told you that. Hell, I bet Alice would even agree with me."
"Someone's getting defensive. Do I detect a 'Edward is hot' feeling coming from you?" God, I wanted to punch him in the face, although it was kind of cute.
"Do you think I'm hot?" THAT was the question to ask. If my face had been priceless, then god couldn't even describe Edward's face. I could care less about the answer, because I already knew I wasn't hot at all, and Edward was most definitely not interested.
It took him a minute to answer. "Yes."
I couldn't even press the advantage, if I had even had one in the first place. I wasn't even sure how to respond.
I tried not to be awkward. "Thanks, then."
He laughed. "It's okay, you're insane, so you need to be in a mental hospital anyway." Damn, he was good at making things not weird really quickly!
"Yeah, I guess. Maybe some guy will push me off a bridge someday, and I'll fall to my death." I was smiling at my own predicted death. How ironic.
Edward seemed to be having so much fun. "I'd stop them if they tried."
"Well, aren't you a gentleman then." I cringed, too sarcastic. Hopefully he wouldn't take it too harshly.
He sighed in mock hurt. "That cut me deep, Bella. How do you think that makes me feel?"
I shrugged. "Like the jerk you are?" We both started laughing.
Edward:
How was this happening? I connected with this girl so easily. She connected with me too. We were already friends, and we'd barely known each other a half hour, maybe a little more.
I sighed. She looked at me and said, "What?"
I just sat there for a minute. Eventually, I took a deep breath and said, "It's just so strange, Alice is the only other person I really have ever connected with. My other family and the Hales'…we're just never on the same page."
Bella's answer was just as serious. "Yeah, It's the same way for me too. My old friends and I were the same way. It's so…nice." She smiled.
I hadn't even noticed, but we were at our house. Alice and the rest of them probably wouldn't be home for another fifteen or so minutes, so I still had some time with Bella alone.
"This. Isn't. Your. House." Bella was stunned.
I snorted. "No, I took you to some random house in the middle of nowhere just to piss you off. I don't know where you live, and since Charlie won't be home for a while, I figured you'd like to hang out here. If you don't want to, I can take you home. Besides, Alice and them aren't even close to being done with you."
She looked terrified, and I laughed again. I held the door open for her as she got out. "Would you like to meet my mother, Esme?"
Bella glanced up at me and asked, "Oh, I have a choice in the matter?"
I grinned at her and said, "Nope, I was just being polite."
"What if she doesn't like me?" I rolled my eyes. This girl was the definition of irony.
"Esme loves everyone I introduce her to. Don't worry!" I dragged her through the door and into the house.
She stopped as soon as we got into the entryway. "Wow Edward…this is crazy!" I laughed. We had a lot more money, we just chose not to spend it, so I was glad she didn't know what we could have put in here.
"It's not as bad as it could be." I shrugged. She turned to stare at me I nudged her a little and said "Come on, let's go to the kitchen. Esme's probably in there making cookies or something."
Bella:
Edwards house was unbelievable. The entryway was perfectly situated to provide easy access to the rest of the house. There was a massive crystal chandelier in the center, and a small waterfall tower next to a bench to the left of us. It looked like the lobby of a five star hotel.
Edward pulled me through a massive entryway and into the kitchen. Inside was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She had brown hair that was halfway down her back, and the most perfect heart shaped face I had ever seen. I understood where some of Edward's looks had come from.
"Mom? This is Bella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter. She just moved up from Arizona, and I was trying to help her feel welcome."
Esme smiled at me. "Hello Bella, your father is an amazing man." Wow, her voice is just so…quiet!
I blushed and tried to smile back. "Thank you, your house is wonderful." I managed to stutter out. Here comes awkward Bella crashing down everything, fucking great.
Esme was still smiling. "Thank you, but your beauty far outshines anything in this house."
I blushed. I wasn't used to receiving comments like that. "Thanks." I could hear more classical music playing in the background. This time it was Clair de Lune. I loved this song too.
"You'll stay for dinner, won't you?" Esme pleaded, "I haven't had a chance to pay back your father for helping me so much."
Obviously, I couldn't deny this. But for once, I wanted to stay. "Sure, just let me call Charlie quickly."
She looked like I had made her day. Seeing as how sweet and pure she seemed, I probably had. I felt so happy just making her happy. I pulled out my phone and quickly scrolled through the contact list to Charlie's number.
He answered on the second ring. "Chief Swan."
"Dad!"
"Hey Bells! I'm so sorry I left you there like that. I hope you made some new friends."
"Yeah dad, actually, thanks. I did!" Wow, since when was I so happy? Charlie probably thought I was mentally ill too.
"I won't be able to make it home for dinner either. I'm so sorry, this is taking forever to get resolved." Poor Charlie, he was trying so hard to make me happy to be in Forks.
"It's okay, Dad. I'm at the Cullens' house now. They invited me to stay for dinner, is that alright?" Charlie laughed. Of course he would be okay with it, seeing as how well he seemed to know the Cullens.
"Sure thing, Bella. Have fun!"
"I will Dad, good luck with…everything." I hung up the phone.
"I can stay!" I told them both. Like they didn't know already, I was ten feet from them.
Esme smiled, "That's great! By the way Edward, where are the rest of them?"
Edward:
I shrugged. Nothing else mattered, except that I got to be with the one person I connected with a little longer. "I drove a separate car, they'll probably be home in the next few minutes."
Bella looked a little worried. I walked over to her and whispered in her ear "Don't worry, you'll be fine." I didn't know why I did that, because we'd barely gotten to know one another, and the contact was awfully close.
She reacted indifferently, or so it seemed. "Yeah, I guess." She still looked worried.
I pushed her into our living room. Our 55 inch Sony T.V. was already on MTV.
We both sat down on the couch, although I wasn't a huge fan of what was on, The Real World, I dealt with it. Besides, Bella's expression was all I wanted to watch, especially after she found out that we were going to keep talking with her. It was hilarious.
She sighed at me. "Do we have to keep up the quizzing?"
I laughed. "Well, you can't blame them. People at school tend to avoid us, especially because of…you know…us. If you catch my drift, it's like Christmas for them. And Christmas for me too.
Alice bounded through the door a couple minutes later. "We're home!" she sang, "Where's my sister?" That threw me for a second, and then I realized she was talking about Bella.
Everyone sat down around us. Emmett looked like he was having the time of his life, seeing us sitting close to each other.
"Bella!" Alice was still using her half-annoying sing-song voice, "You have to come see my room. Now!" Bella looked terrified.
"Alice, I don't think she really wants to.." I began…
"Shut up Edward! You got to be in the car with her. It's my turn." It was really cute actually, Alice was acting like a five year old with a new toy.
I sighed. "Fine, take her. You've got thirty seconds."
Alice slapped me. "Yeah right! She's mine for the rest of the night. Let's go Bella!" She yanked her up the stairs. I mouthed 'have fun' to her. She rolled her eyes and mouthed back 'fuck you'. I laughed at her. Poor girl.
Bella:
"Oh my god Bella, you have to tell me everything!" Alice was squealing. I sighed, Rosalie was coming up the stairs too. I guess this was a forced girls' night. I'd had enough of these back in Phoenix, but I'd put up with it for Alice.
"Tell you about what?" I wasn't sure what Alice was asking about.
Alice narrowed her eyes. "You know what about Bella. Now spill! Before I pee my pants with excitement."
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Damn, people need to be more direct when they want something. I felt like I was with some guy who was trying to tell me he was in love with me, without actually saying it.
Rosalie, Rose! She likes rose! Rose finally made it through the door. She smiled and sighed at Alice before answering my question.
"She wants to know what you and Edward were up to." Oh, that was all? Why the excitement then?
"Umm…he drove me home?" This is why I had trouble with girls, I never understood the excitement to be had when someone is just taking you somewhere. It was meaningless babble to me.
"Yes, yes" Alice started impatiently "but what happened?" What, was she expecting the two shy kids in the group to have had sex or something? I wonder though…I've never been good at this but…
"Well, what would you say if we 'tested the waters'?" I asked with a grin and then giggled. Edward was so going to kill me. Or maybe he would play along. Besides, it was kind of fun with Alice and Rose, unlike with the Phoenix girls, although they probably knew me a lot better.
Alice was jumping up and down. "Oh my god! You didn't! Edward didn't! No! No! No!" Well, she believed you, maybe you aren't that socially inept.
Rosalie just shook her head. I let them be silly for a minute, and be happy for Edward, and I guess me, since they knew I had never done anything like that. I got a little annoyed after a minute and then said "Not."
Alice was the face of sadness. "Aww, I'm so sorry! Leave it to Edward to ruin everything." She continued to go on.
Meanwhile, she left me in a state of total confusion. Why would she be sorry her twin brother didn't get any 'action'. Or me for that matter…
"Alice, what are you talking about?" I was a little irritated now, because although Rose was just in the background, she too was babbling on with Alice about why nothing happened.
Alice looked back at me and smiled. "Don't you see it?"
"What is there to see…?"
Understanding seemed to filter into her eyes. "Oh, do you not—" , she froze.
Rose looked at me strangely too. "Do you think we saw something wrong?" She asked Alice.
"No, it was there. Edward probably ruined it." She answered, her eyes narrowing.
"What are you talking about? Edward drove me to your house, he was very polite and I personally thought he was the most welcoming and friendly of all of you!" See? This is why everyone wondered why you were with the popular girls!
Alice's face went from understanding to mock hurt, "I thought you loved me Bella?" Rose mimicked her.
"No, I do, you guys have been amazing for me so far…but there was something about Edward and me. He just…understands." There we go, I finally found the right word to place Edward. He barely knew me, but he knew me.
Alice's face changed again in a flash, once again she understood something that was beyond mine. "Oh! So you guys just don't….you know, know yet?"
"Alice…" I began.
Alice just grabbed my arm and steered me toward her room, I hadn't even realized we had just been at the landing of her room.
"I'll ask you later Bella. It's obvious that you don't know yet. This is more serious than I thought. Let me change really quickly and we'll go hang out with the boys." Her train derailed every other second it seemed.
Alice's room was beautiful. Big, but not too big, with tons of pictures all over the wall and a ton of fancy designer clothes, perfume's, and just about everything else you could think of that had a designer on it.
Rosalie asked me a lot about my friends. I was beginning to understand why things were so awkward for me back in Phoenix. My other friends never asked anything really deep. Just pointless meandering, but I was still really, really quiet. I just didn't like to talk.
"Alright, now we go downstairs, where we will all eat dinner, and since we don't have school tomorrow, we're going to hang out with the boys, and then we will do evil things to them." She cackled. I'm sorry in advance, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett!
[Authors Note] The story is moving a little slow, I know. It will pick up, I promise! This one was a little shorter I think. Oh well, the characters felt much better in this chapter, I was having difficulty expressing the correct Alice! Reviews are always nice and welcome too ;).
~Kaia