Chapter Three "Just BFF"

This chapter is a little bit longer, thanks for all the reviews, and enter Carlisle and Esme. Some of this was inspired by Midnight Sun. And I am still working on A Spark Neglected, so don't you worry.

BELLA

"Are you liking it here in Forks?" Emmett asked me, as we walked down the hall.

"Well," I began, "I like the people a lot. The rain… well I hate it." He laughed, restrainedly.

"Why move to the wettest place I the continental US then?"

"Well my mom got remarried—."

"He must be quite a catch then." I could hear sarcasm oozing in his voice.

"No," I said, "Phil is really nice, it's just that… he's a baseball player and he moves around a lot. Mom wanted to be with him, but she didn't want to leave me alone. So, I moved here."

"That's quite noble of you."

"Not really. I can't stand it when my mom worries. I miss her a lot, but this is better."

"For everyone but you."

"I didn't say that."

"Because you're too self-sacrificing." I paused. Was he right? Did I make this choice for everyone except me? It didn't matter anymore. Nothing could ever convince me to leave, unless Emmett left.

EMMETT

I saw Bella off to PE and then trotted off to Spanish class. From our conversation, it seemed that she did not know herself very well. And I was feeling quite proud of myself for being so observant. Yet, she was so easy to read. Bella Swan was an open book, to anyone who cared to read. It was a bit ironic that even with Jasper's senses and Alice's visions, I was unsure of her feelings. I was ridiculous. But I continued to wait, to draw out the inevitable. Perhaps something noble in the far reaches of my soul did not want to condemn her just yet. But it would happen; there was no question. So, why couldn't I ease her confusion? Maybe I was just a little stubborn and a lot selfish. I wanted to be her friend first. I wanted to be like everyone else. Never more than now, did I wish I were normal. In fact, I almost liked being a vampire. But Bella changed all that.

School was finally out and I met Bella in the parking lot.

"Is it ok if I ride with you?" I asked. "Jasper will pick me up later."

"Sure," she replied. "That would be fine." We climbed into her ancient truck and drove very slowly to her house. I had seen the place many times, and been inside once. But I had to pretend I was unfamiliar with it, or else appear a very creepy stalker.

Inside Bella tossed her bag on the couch and told me to make myself comfortable. I smirked when her back was turned, but sat down anyway. She went into the kitchen to "throw something in the oven," and came back with some kind of human snack food, which I graciously declined.

Then we began our Biology project. It was due at the end of the semester, and we were getting a very early start. We quickly planned our research and had everything mapped out within an hour. That meant we had two more hours till her dad got home and I left. So I decided to continue my interrogation.

"So, what team does Phil play for?" I asked, closing my textbook.

"Oh, he's strictly minor league," Bella replied. "He's not a very good baseball player. He's in Jackson, Florida right now with my mom."

"So, if they stayed there for good… would you go live with them?"

"I… why do you ask?" She did not want to tell me the answer.

"I was just curious if I was going to have to finish this project alone." My tone was joking, but I really hoped the answer was no.

"I don't think I'll be moving away anytime soon."

"You just love the rain too much?"

"Certainly not," she was mildly irritated, "but it would be kind of pointless to move up here and then leave again. Forks is more home than Jackson, anyway."

"I see. I don't suppose you've made any friends here that you'd be loathe to leave."

"Oh, I have a few… two."

"Do tell."

"Hmm, well, Angela is awesome, much nicer than most people in general."

"And?"

"Oh, you have to ask?"

"Jessica?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Oh, I get it, Mike… Tyler? I give up… oh, Lauren!"

"Pu-leez!" She laughed. "Honestly, Emmett, you are the best friend I have here… or anywhere for that matter."

"That's… very sad." She threw a pillow at me. "Hey, you're messing up my hair!"

"Ooh, I'm soo sorry, Jessica!" She threw the bag of chips and little orange flakes exploded across the room as it hit my head.

"This is war!" I growled. She shirked back and feigned contrition. I sighed and replaced the pillow I was going to lob at her. "Sorry," I said, "what I meant was it's very nice of you to consider me your best friend. It is an honor which I shall make every attempt to deserve… though I will fail miserably to be sure."

"Do you always talk like that?" She asked.

"Like what?"

"Like you're a knight or something."

"Yes, I have a flair for the dramatic."

"Indeed." I heard a familiar car a block away.

"Your dad's almost home."

"How do you know?"

"Because there are chips all over the floor, and that is about the time parents choose to arrive."

"Oh, no!"

"Hey, don't worry about it. Do you have a vacuum cleaner?"

"Yeah, it's in the hall closet."

We cleaned up the mess and were just replacing the throw pillows (no pun… well yes that was intended sorry), when Charlie came through the door.

"Hi, Chief Swan," I exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Hi…" he replied hesitantly. "Bella, who's your friend."

"Oh, this is Emmett Cullen," She said, offhandedly. "We were working on our Biology project." Well, sort of.

"He's in your class?" Charlie was incredulous. I knew I looked much older than I was supposed to.

"Yeah," I answered, "I'm a junior."

"Right," Charlie replied.

"Well," I said, "It was nice meeting you. See you later, Bella."

BELLA

Emmett left and Charlie still stood there, staring after him.

"He's seventeen?"

"Yeah… why?"

"He looks at least 20."

"Hmm, weird. You ready for dinner?"

"Sure, something smells good." I was glad to have distracted Charlie from the Emmett question. If he asked me much more, I wasn't sure how much I could conceal about my feelings. I hoped Charlie wouldn't ask.

We ate in silence, and I began to miss Emmett's lighthearted company. He could brighten a room with his presence and if he smiled all hope of being dreary was lost. The thought of him made me smile and Charlie noticed.

"I miss something?" He asked.

"What?" I came out of dreamland.

"What's with the grin?"

"Oh, I uh…" quick think of something! "I was just thinking of what a nice day I've had. It's supposed to be sunny next week right? That's enough to make anyone giddy."

"Uh-huh."

Ok, so Charlie knew I was acting weird, but he didn't know why. Oh, who was I kidding? Of course, he could guess. I was sure anyone could see how over the moon I was… I just hoped Emmett didn't notice.

After dinner, I went off to my room and switched on the radio. I didn't recognize the music, but that was fine. It was only background. I changed into my PJs and curled up with a book. Yet, my complete works of Jane Austen held no interest for me. Not that night.

EMMETT

I left Bella's house, sensing Charlie's suspicion. He was right. Jasper didn't pick me up as I told Bella he would, and I felt guilty for lying to her.

I'll have to tell her tomorrow, I thought, as I ran home. I very shortly arrived to Alice's smile, Jasper's knowing look, Edward's apprehension, and Rosalie's frown.

"I haven't, if that's what you're thinking," I said to my "parents."

"We never thought you would," Carlisle interrupted, coming down the stairs with Esme. "Your parents are just naturally concerned."

"I think it's time we all talked this over," Edward said. About that, he was correct. We all headed for the dinning room. Alice fell in step beside me and squeezed my hand, as if to say, "Everything will be all right." I trusted her and smiled back.

Up to this point, Carlisle and Esme had not offered any comment on my new friendship, but now, I was anxious to hear what they had to say. Carlisle presided over the family meeting, and we all stood around the table… why did we even have chairs?

"So," Carlisle began, "you like this human girl, do you?" I had assumed that much was obvious, but I guess we had to start at the beginning.

"Yes," I replied. Jasper stifled a laugh and Alice nudged him. Did they know something I didn't?

"Emmett, you know she's Chief Swan's only family?" A touch of caution affected Carlisle's voice.

"I know."

"And you don't care," Rosalie interrupted, "you never think about how your actions affect others." Edward put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"We know your intentions, Emmett," he said. "We just… don't want to see you hurt again." I nodded. I knew they were only acting like this because they loved me… even Rosalie, sort of.

"Can I say something," Alice said. We all turned our attention to her. "I have seen many different outcomes over the past three days. Now, it is down to two." We leaned in, riveted. "Either she will die."

No, that wouldn't happen!

"Or… she will become one of us."

Those were my options? Well, I kind of expected that.

"Emmett, please don't kill her."

"What?" kill her? I wasn't planning on it.

"We're going to be best friends. I'm going to love her too."

"Love her too?" Edward, Rosalie, and I chorused. Jasper smirked.

"You've never understood your own feelings, Em," he said. "That's why Edward can never figure them out."

"I love her?" I asked, almost breathless.

"You will," Alice assured. "And she will love all of us… yes, the better alternative is solidifying."

So, she would become a vampire. That meant she wasn't afraid of the truth. She could take it. Now, I just had to work up the courage to tell her.

BELLA

I was two sentences into Mansfield Park when I heard a knock at my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called. Charlie's face appeared in the doorway.

"You going to bed, Bells?" He asked.

"Not yet," I said, holding up my book.

"Oh, you mind if I talk to you?"

"Sure, what's up?" I tried to be as casual as possible; all the while, my stomach was twisting into convoluted patterns. Charlie came and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Well, it's about your friend."

"Which one?" Charlie frowned.

"Bella, you know what I'm talking about."

"Ok, what about it?"

"He seems… nice, I guess, but—."

"Dad, don't worry about it. It's not like that."

"That's not the point. The Cullens are good people and all, but I just want you to be careful. He seems like a heartbreaker."

"Dad, Emmett's not interested in me." I inwardly cursed myself for letting my emotions show, with that last comment.

"Has he said that?"

"Well, no, but—."

"Then how do you know? Bella a guy's not going to be as easy to read as you think. If you don't like him, though… but that's not it. You think he doesn't like you."

"Dad, stop being ridiculous. Emmett is... so out of my league."

"You sell yourself short, Bells. I'd be willing to bet good money that he thinks you're out of his league."

"That's not possible." I was about to cry and I really wanted Charlie to leave, so he wouldn't see. How did he know so much about my feelings? And why did he think he understood Emmett? Maybe it was a guy thing.

"You just need to know, Bella: you're a beautiful girl and any guy anywhere has to take notice. And believe me they do. Please be careful." Charlie was a great dad, but I wished he weren't. He knew too much.

"Thanks, Dad," I whispered. "I will."

EMMETT

I left the house at nine and Jasper followed me. He'd given up resistance experiments for now. We ran to our favorite hunting ground and took turns showing each other up, until we were almost too full. There was still time before I would go into town, so we found a quiet spot and Jasper began the conversation.

"You shouldn't wait too long," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She's waiting for you. She thinks you don't like her and it bothers her more than you could imagine."

"I have to be careful."

"I know, but you could at least show her in some little way that you're interested to relieve her presumed one-sidedness."

"I guess I could do something, but… I don't want to lead her on. I want her to know what she's getting into."

"At this point, she wouldn't care if you were a hairy toad when the moon comes out."

Ok, Jasper uses weird analogies.

"She loves you," he continued, "for who you are. Nothing will change that."

Now, I felt terrible. I wasn't ready to be so close to her, but I didn't want her to suffer either.

"What can I do?" I whispered.

"Thoughtful little gestures that will make her wonder are a good start. Let her know you care. Humans have a different way of falling in love than we do. It's a bit more involved."

"It should be anyway."

"But they're more confused. They don't have the instincts we have. You knew Bella was the one for you and you were ok with it, but she was confused as to why she felt so strongly for you. Is this really that difficult? You were a human more recently than I was."

"Yes, but I'm not empathic."

"Thank goodness. I don't think I would be able to stand you if you were."

"Thanks… well I'm off to make some thoughtful gesture or other."

I ran back in the direction of town, trying to think of a way to show Bella my feelings without getting too far.