Author's Note: I'm really liking the way this story is going. I've got a general idea where I want this to go, but I haven't worked out all of the details yet. Let me know if you have any suggestions, and I just might consider them. Thanks to my two reviewers and all of you who read the story, but choose to be the strong, silent type. Just so you know, talkers are underrated. Go ahead and review, I won't think any less of you. =)
Disclaimer: Let's do this what Yoda-style. Own twilight, I do not. Make money, I will not.
After we were all finished working out, Jake and Bella left for lunch. They didn't invite me. Although I would have loved to interrupt their date by tagging along as a third wheel, Jake was my best friend, and I wouldn't do that to him. My parents had raised me with manners, whether I wanted them or not.
So, I headed back home. I was greeted at the door by my adoptive father, Carlisle.
"Edward," he said with a nod. "How was the workout?"
I paused to think over my answer. I was always open and honest with my parents, and I figured Carlisle might be able to help me with my problem. "Jake brought the new girl, Bella with him," I answered.
Carlisle raised both his eyebrows in question. "Oh? And what's she like?"
"She's perfect, Carlisle," I said in a sigh. "She's beautiful and so different from any girl I've ever met."
"Sounds like someone has a bit of a crush," Carlisle guessed knowingly.
"Yeah, but that's bad," I said. Carlisle raised his brows in question once more. "She's Jake's."
Carlisle laughed at this. I couldn't imagine why my situation would be comical. I had fallen for my best friend's girl. There was nothing funny about that.
"Edward," Carlisle started. "She's not Jake's." I was about to object, but he raised a finger to indicate he wasn't finished. "Bella is her own person. She does not belong to anyone."
"I know that, Carlisle, but you know what I mean. She's his girl. She's off limits," I clarified.
"Ah, so they're dating, then?" He inquired, and I thought that over.
"Well, I'm not sure exactly if they're dating, but he has dibs."
"Dibs?" he asked, laughing again. "Edward, this is hardly the front seat of a car we're talking about here. This is a relationship with a girl. You can't just call dibs."
"So then should I go for her, if they're not dating?" I asked, confused. "I mean, Jake already told me that he's totally into her and he thinks she might be into him, too. Couldn't that mess up our friendship?"
"Edward, I'm not going to tell you what you should do about this," Carlisle said in his typical cryptic way. "Yes, pursuing Bella may cause trials in our friendship with Jacob, but I've never heard you talk about a girl this way. If you like this girl, it's only fair that she knows that. She can hardly choose you if she doesn't realize you're an option."
"So I should go for her," I concluded.
"Only if you're willing to deal with the problems that could come with pursuing her. Are you sure it's worth it?"
"Carlisle, she's worth everything," I answered firmly. He just smiled at me in response before patting my back and walking toward his study.
As I made my way to my bedroom, I met Esme carrying my dirty laundry hamper.
"Esme, please," I said. "I'm seventeen. I can do my own laundry." I tried to take the hamper from her, but she held her grip and shook her head at me.
"Nonsense," she said with authority. "I don't mind at all, and you'll be needing all of the time and energy you can get to woo this new love interest of yours out of the clutches of the enemy."
I couldn't hold back my laugh at that. "It's not exactly all that dramatic, Esme," I laughed. "But I assume you were eavesdropping and caught my whole conversation with Carlisle then?"
Esme held her hands up defensively. "I wasn't eavesdropping. I was simply walking through," she protested. "I wasn't even in stealth mode. It's not my fault that you weren't aware of my presence. Should I announce my entry next time?"
I laughed at her again. Esme always knew exactly what I needed. I was worrying to much over this, and her comic relief was making me feel much lighter.
"I love you, Mom," I said, and her eyes filled with tears. I rarely called her Mom, and she was understanding of that. I had a real mom once, and she never tried to replace her. But in times like these, when I knew that she was every bit as much of a mother as my biological mother had been, I let it slip out naturally.
"I love you, Edward," she sobbed as she kissed my cheek and continued downstairs to the laundry room. I was smiling now, feeling much better as I finally made it to my now clean bedroom, the few clothes I had laid on the floor having been picked up by Esme.
I plopped down on my queen size bed, effectively messing up the perfectly smooth gold comforter. "What now?" I mumbled to no one in particular.
As I thought over what I should do next in order to pursue Bella, I couldn't help but think about the consequences this new plan of mine would have on my relationship with my best friend. I felt like I was stabbing him in the back. I really didn't want to sneak around him, underhandedly stealing his girl. I'd rather if he knew.
Once I came to the realization that I wanted him to know how I felt and what I planned to do, I knew what had to happen next. I had to call Jake. I had to suck down all of my fears, call my best friend, and tell him that I had every intention of stealing the girl he liked.
Awesome.
So after taking a relaxing hot shower, effectively loosening my tense muscles, and getting dressed into a plain burgundy t-shirt and my favorite Levis, I grabbed my cell phone off my dresser.
Taking in a deep breath, I held down the one key, speed dialing Jake.
"Talk," he answered in his usual way.
"Hey, Jake," I started hesitantly, "It's Edward."
"Yeah, E. I caught that when your name showed up on the caller ID," he replied sarcastically. "What'd you need, man?"
I took another deep breath, figuring I'd better just spill it all out now.
"So, I really like Bella, and I know you like her, too, but I hardly ever like girls, so even though I don't mean anything against you by it, I'm going to take my shot at her," I said quickly, blurring all my words together. "If you aren't already dating, that is." I amended.
I braced myself for his reaction. This would be what determined what happened with our friendship. Surely he wouldn't give up our friendship over something as silly as a girl. Then again, that's exactly what I'm doing. I heard Jake take in a deep breath before he spoke.
"Seriously, man?"
Really, that was all he was going to say? I had been expecting him to lecture me on stealing his girl. I really couldn't get off this easily, could I?
"Seriously."
Then he growled. He actually growled at me through the phone. That was the reaction I was waiting for. I braced myself once more for his reaction, running my fingers through my messy hair.
"You mean to tell me that after seventeen years of not giving any girl that threw themselves at you the time of day, you're going to pick the one girl who actually seems to like me to pursue," Jake began. It was obviously he had only begun. "What the crap kind of jerk-move is that? I mean, yeah, I've liked girls before, but Bella's different. I mean, Edward, I think I love her."
What? Love?
"I know we've only known each other for a few months," Jake continued, sounding more as if he were pleading with me than yelling at me. "But I can see myself with her. I can see a future with her. I can see a little house and kids. Jeez, Edward, really? She's supposed to be my girl."
I cleared my throat. I couldn't figure out what to say to that.
"So," I started, still hesitant, "You're dating then? If that's what's up, I'll back off."
I could hear Jake sigh into the phone.
"No," he said sadly, giving me a hope that made me smile despite the guilt that came with it. "We're not officially dating."
"I'm sorry, man," I said halfheartedly.
"No you're not."
"You're right," I admitted. "I'm not."
"So, what happens now?" Jake asked, sounding just as confused about this situation as I felt. "May the best man win?"
"Aw, Jake, we both know I'm the best man," I teased. "If those are the only standards, it won't be much of a competition at all."
Jake laughed, but he sounded a bit uneasy.
"Are we cool?" he asked. I couldn't be sure. I wanted to say yes, but this new situation obviously presented a problem that wouldn't be going away anytime soon.
"I hope so," I answered honestly.
"You want her number?" Jake offered, surprising me.
"Yeah, man," I answered quickly. "That'd be great."
"I bet it would," he said, and I could hear the victorious smile on his face.
"Punk."
Jake just laughed and hung up the phone. This was definitely going to get interesting.
