SMyer, the genius that she is, created these characters. I'm just here to play with them

I'm not that good with maps or geography (I think I failed that class, between you and me) and maybe just to add to that mix, I'm not an American, so for the purpose of this story, all places mentioned are made up except for states, which are rather easy.

Please enjoy and I would love to hear feedback before I upload my next chapter, just so I know I'm on the right track.

xx

James and Edward were sitting at opposite ends of my room, Edward looking relaxed down on the floor, his hands resting lazily on the tops of his bent knees. James on the other hand, was dubiously angry, his mouth set in a permanent frown. It made me blush with fury just looking at them.

I swung back around on my swivel chair and began writing again on my list, entitled Things We Need to Pack, I had already gone through the basic needs, all the practical things pregnant women would need in a car trip. Out of habit I pulled down on my baggy sweater, over an undeveloped but slightly swollen stomach. I was nervous, tonight was the night I would say goodnight for the last time to my parents.

It was James's idea to go during the middle of the night, sweep away to Chicago, out of sight out of mind. Although, the thought of my parents waking up tomorrow morning to find an empty room was chilling, the thought of what they would do to me if they found out I was pregnant felt like a much larger consequence, I was out of their way.

James scowled at Edward who in turn shrugged his shoulders, the burning hatred between them didn't affect Edward or fuel him on the way it did for James. But Edward had insisted to come, he was my best friend, and out of the three people that already knew about my pregnancy, he seemed the most paranoid about it. Sure he had let me push his hand against my stomach to feel the infant kick gently, sure he had smiled at me as I cooed my own belly in the most odd of baby voices but there was still that hint of something, something didn't seem quite right to him. That and he didn't trust James at all; he found it odd that my own boyfriend seemed to care more about the welfare of the baby then of me in general. For James, unless it involved the child, he didn't take any interest.

The third person that knew was my cousin Rose, who had always harboured a love for children but sadly, after many attempts, was told she couldn't have any. She was the first I had called as I crouched on the bathroom floor, pregnancy test in hand, little pink plus sign flashing on the screen. She had offered me a room in her house and even offered to take custody of the child after it was born but on that note I had told her I had to think about it. Her home in Chicago was lovely, a place I would love for a child to grow up, so different from Seattle, where my parents and people I went to school with were, everyone would know I had a child fresh out of high school. It wasn't like anybody already approved of Edward or James, but it was the sort of big talk a small town couldn't take.

James believed that life started the moment of conception. He refused to let me think about abortion, and I had somewhat agreed that I couldn't take away the tiny part of me that would one day be a living, breathing person. It made me feel like a murderer for even considering it as an option, the way he spelled it out to me.
Because of the beliefs of my parents, having a child out of marriage had instilled me with fear that they would find out and shame me from the family. It all drew back into my only option, of getting the hell out of there before I got fat enough for my parents to see and getting a life set up for myself, it was the option that worked for everybody. So here I was on a Saturday night in my room with two people, who hated each other, planning my escape of Seattle.

"Bella, it's time to eat, the baby will be hungry." James said breaking a heavy pause into his constant glower. I tapped the pen nervously against the desk.

"But I'm not hungry" I shot back at him out of impulse; I didn't even bother to look at him as I said it. I had eaten half an hour ago, enough for two people. I heard him get up and leave the room, when I heard the door click behind him I swung around on my chair to look at Edward. His fists were clenched on his knees and he sat up straighter now

"Bella you don't have to eat if you don't feel like it, don't let him bully you" he pushed himself up and knelt in front of me, reaching up to stroke my little bump. Inside me, a heartbeat fluttered and a gentle kick touched where Edwards hand was.

"Well we know he likes you for certain, have you noticed that? Every time you get close he kicks!" I gasped as I felt another gentle nudge. He smiled and said "his just a very social person" I couldn't hold back my grin at the concept of my little one actually being a boy, Edward held strong to the ideal of it being a 'he'

"I hope he has your laugh, Bella, and that his just as smart as you" his hands left my belly and moved up to cup my face. Everything inside of me, said it was wrong to bring a child up in such a hostile and confusing environment. There were quite a few reasons why James never liked Edward, why, other than then caring about the child the only other time he took interest in me, was when he was over stating how I apparently belonged to him, it was because he knew how Edward felt about me, he saw it in the eyes of him as we spoke or the way he looked at me when we were laughing. Edward called my relationship with James abusive; I hadn't gotten to the stages of admitting it though. I didn't want to admit I had made a mistake by trusting him. So I had to go on with my relationship with him, acting as if I wasn't irrevocably in love Edward Masen Cullen.

Our little moment was interrupted by the creak of James on the top step, coming back to my room. Edward moved back so fast, it was like he was never there. James strode back in carrying a plate of cut up fruits and lima beans. He had read somewhere they increased the health of the baby. Setting the plate down beside me, he gave the look that my father used to give me when I was three and wouldn't finish my dinner.

"Bella, eat this now" I pushed the plate away and shook my head, but this seemed to piss him off further. "What are your trying to do? Starve our baby to death!" he hissed at me, mouthing the word baby so my parents didn't hear downstairs. I looked at Edward who, in turn, looked at me with just as much emotional force. Then without a moments delay, he got up and pulled a bean off the plate, I knew what he was trying to do, he was avoiding a crisis. To make a show of it, I got up also, picked up a bean and fed it into my mouth right in front of James, who narrowed his eyes as I made loud deliberate crunching sounds.

"You're a little kid" he snarled at me and went back to his spot on my bed.

I rolled my eyes at him and went back to my list, scribbling down a few more points before looking up to the boys and announcing its completion. James pulled it from my grasp and ran his finger down it, going over every point. After a moment, he looked up and nodded, a sick part of me felt a kind of achievement by making sure he didn't have anything to complain about. Pulling the half packed duffle bag from underneath the bed, James began to add things from the list too it, then without looking up, he addressed Edward.

"We will need the car around 3pm?" to which he was given the only response of a grunt of the throat. I looked up Edward again, who was now staring out the window, his expression pained. At the age of twenty-two, he already lived alone, drove himself to work and had a mortgage. At times I was confused as to why he even stayed around. But here he had been months ago, proclaiming he wouldn't lose me, not now not ever. We were taking his car to Chicago, even after my constant pleas for him to stay here and continue his dead end job; he shook his head and promised to see me off safely.

"Bella, Its time to say good-night to your guests!" my mother shouted up the stairs. In case you are wondering how I got past my mom and dad being 6 months pregnant, other than the fact that I'm barely showing, they never took the time to be particularly interested in me, I hoped this would ease their shock of my absence.

James and Edward moved towards the door, that tense feeling still radiating through the room

"Okay so it's all settled, we are meeting at the end of Bella's street at 3pm, packed and ready?" James clarified once again, we each nodded nervously.

Thank you for reading! Once again, feedback would be awesome

xx