Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer

Chapter III
Vanity and Pride

The Cullens' house was stocked with books. It made my time there heaven on earth.

Two days had passed since the night Rosalie became sick, and I found myself becoming close to Esme, Carlisle, and Emmett.

Esme told me that she admired how much I cared for my sister, and that she wished Emmett had a brother for me. I of course blushed and mumbled my thanks.

Carlisle treated me like I had been an invited guest, and a very honoured guest at that. I apologized many times for the state of my clothes, but he waved it off and told me that my presence made up for the trail of mud and water I had left behind me.

And then there was Emmett, who treated me just as well as Carlisle and Esme, but also was constantly worrying about Rosalie. It was obvious that he cared for her, and it made me like him all the more.

So now it was Sunday evening, and I was sitting in the living room, reading a book from Carlisle's library. Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett were all outside, doing yard work before it got too dark. I had tried to offer to help, but Esme made sure I stayed inside. Which left me with my least favourite people. Edward was sitting in a chair in front of a desk, writing something. Jessica and Lauren were discussing the clothes of a certain designer.

A few minutes later, the room was silent. I glanced up from my book and saw that Jessica was staring at Edward thoughtfully.

"What are you doing, Eddy?" She asked in a voice I'm sure she meant to be flirtatious.

"Writing a letter to Alice."

"Why not call your lovely sister?"

"She finds this more fun."

"Tell Alice I want to get together soon."

"I told her that last time."

I smiled to myself. Jessica continued with her embarrassing attempt to gain Edward's attention.

"Why are you always so formal?"

He didn't answer.

"Do you always write such charming long letters?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

"They are always long, but you'd have to ask Alice if she finds them 'charming'," he replied, making quotation marks in the air.

"I don't write letters, but I email sometimes. But they're always short, because they become so confusing when they're long. That's why I use the phone." She was trying to sound intelligent and honest, I could tell, but in actuality she was making herself sound more and more stupid. I started to feel a little sorry for her, and rushed to speak before she could say anything else.

"I'm sure your emails are lots of fun to read."

"Humility is often only carelessness and an indirect boast, Miss Swan," Edward said stonily, still looking at his paper. "Definitely not amusing, as many people tend to think it is."

"Then tell me, who boasts about their problems?" I demanded.

"Do you like telling others of your problems? If a person were not boasting, they would not speak of it."

Silence filled the room. An angry silence, on my part.

Then Jessica stood up and walked toward me. She seemed unaffected by Edward's put-down. I had a feeling she hadn't even understood what we were talking about.

"Why don't we stretch our legs by taking a little walk around the room?" she suggested, holding out a hand.

"Um..." I started. "I don't think--"

She ignored what I was about to say and grabbed my hand, pulling me up off the couch.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward put his pen down and look up.

"Walk with us, Edward," Jessica pleaded.

"No thank you," he declined, avoiding my gaze. "That would defeat the purpose."

"What do you think he means?" Jessica asked me.

"No idea," I said and shrugged.

"Should we ask him?"

"Definitely not," I replied. "The best way to disappoint him is to ignore him."

Jessica ignored me and said to Edward, "What do you mean?" It seemed she couldn't deny him anything.

"You obviously mean for me to admire you as you walk."

I rolled my eyes at his enormous ego.

Jessica faked a gasp. "How should we punish him for that?"

"I don't know, laugh at what he's said?" I wasn't really into this middle school conversation. Jessica's methods of flirtation really were pathetic, and Edward's very presence made me feel annoyed.

"The most accomplished men can instantly become ridiculous by someone whose main concern in life is to laugh," Edward said darkly. He had my attention again.

"Yes, I can't stand when people laugh and ridicule people who are wise and good. But I don't allow myself to be one of those people. I never let myself laugh at the wise and the good. However, I do enjoy to joke and laugh with people from time to time about things that are just plain nonsense. Two things you do not seem able to do."

"Everyone is able to talk nonsense. I just avoid those weaknesses."

"Weaknesses like vanity and pride?" I asked slyly.

"Yes, vanity is certainly a weakness, but pride is a strength," he said, puffing up his chest slightly as he said so.

I hid a smile.

***

At only 9:00 AM the following morning, Lucy announced that "Mrs. Swan and her children," had come to check on Rosalie and I. Edward, Jessica, and I were the only ones up.

Sue followed Lucy in, and Leah and Seth followed her in. I stood up and hugged them all. I was happy to see them, but I was most anxious to see Jasper.

"Why didn't Jasper come?" I asked.

"I did come," he said, stepping into the room. I threw myself into his arms, causing him to laugh. A girl's older brother always made her feel better. I had missed Jasper's presence.

"It's nice to see you two again," Sue said to Jessica and Edward.

They nodded, but Jessica stared critically at my family's clothing.

"Nice to see you too. But Sue..." Jessica paused.

"Yes?" my step-mom asked when Jessica didn't continue.

"You do know those shoes are way out of style...don't you?"

Well, that little priss.

"Are they?" Sue said vaguely. "I don't pay much attention to trends."

An uncomfortable silence fell in the room. Sue was the one to break it.

"Do you like Forks, Edward? It must be a lot different than Chicago."

"Yes, but I prefer city people."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Jasper demanded. Rose had told him about what Edward said to me at the dance, and he had seethed about it for hours.

"I find people all the same in small towns."

"Is that so? Well, yeah, we are a lot more agreeable than all the stuck-up city people."

"I think what Edward means to say," I said hurriedly before things could get ugly, "is that he finds more diversity in city people because of the much larger population."

"Exactly," Edward said. He shot me a grateful glance, causing his eyes to meet mine. It was the first time he had actually looked at me since the dance, and I felt warmth spread through my body. His gaze was just so deep, so piercing.

"Hm," was all Jasper said.

"Why don't I show you to Rose's room?" I asked my family, motioning them forward. They all agreed, eager to escape the living room.

***

"Thank you so much, Esme. And I apologize again for showing up uninvited."

It was Sunday evening, and Rose was feeling well enough to go home. She was back to her normal personality, and I was grateful for it.

"Not at all, Bella. I'm glad we got to know you. I can call you a friend now." I smiled, feeling quite touched that she considered me to be a friend. She was definitely someone I could consider to be a friend.

"Me too." I turned to walk out the door, but then stopped.

"Oh, Esme?" I asked.

"Yes, dear?"

"You have a daughter...Alice? Why isn't she here?"

"She just opened a clothing store in Chicago and she needed--and wanted--to be there for the first month it was open."

I raised my eyebrows. "Wow. That's a pretty big accomplishment. How old is she?"

"She just turned 23, so I suppose she's the same age as you, am I right?"

"Yeah, I'm 23 as well. Is Edward older than her?"

"Yes, by two years."

"He seems a lot older than that." I hadn't realized I had spoken aloud until Esme had started laughing.

"Oh, Esme! I'm so sorry, I--"

"Don't fret about it, dear," she said, still laughing, with a wave of her hand. "He's always been like that. I understand what you mean."

I smiled apologetically, but giggled a little bit, too. We hugged quickly and then I left the house, calling out to Rose (who was still saying her goodbyes to Emmett) that I would be waiting for her in the car.

I closed the front door and skipped down the steps, feeling quite happy. I had made new friends, and Rosalie had a cute and caring guy. It wasn't until I was a few feet away from Rosalie's Toyota that I noticed Edward standing next to the driver's side. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"I assume you are going to be the one driving?" he asked. I nodded.

He opened the door for me in such a simple gesture, and I walked forward to meet him. I thanked him politely, but then made the mistake up looking up into his eyes. I tripped over my own feet and began to fall to the ground.

Edward's hands shot out and caught me and I felt as thought electricity had begun to course through my veins. I stiffened and so did he, which made me think he had felt it too.

"Thanks," I mumbled again as I swiftly sat down in the car and shut the door myself.

Rosalie came out soon after, and I started to drive as soon as she was in the car. My skin tingled where he had touched me the whole ride home.