Bella

September 28th, 2006

"Mike, just ask her out, already! It's been like 2 week she's going to notice when you keep staring at her!" I exclaimed into the phone, Mike had been calling me almost every day and bugging me about this girl he met at UCLA.

"Yeah but then I'll look like a dumbass. I'm a freshman, she's a junior." He said.

"Mike, you'll look like a dumbass if she catches you staring and you start to stutter. Plus, it's not like you had any trouble asking me out and I'm older than you."

"Only by a few months and we were in high school! This is college!"

"Mike, it was only 4 months ago. Ask her out and don't call me until you do!" I said and hung up.

"You went out with Mike?" A voice said behind me and I let out a small scream, I spun around and Alice was standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Jesus Chris, Alice! You can't sneak up on a person like that!" I exclaimed, my hand on my chest as my heart beat like crazy.

"You dated Mike?" She repeated her question.

"Yeah, a small fling before college."

"How could you date, Mike Newton?" She said, her voice full of disgust.

"What did you expect me to wait for Edward, forever? I moved on Alice."

"Mates can't move on mates."

"I call bullshit on this whole mate thing because Carlisle said mates can't leave mates either and Edward's been gone a year and I'm fine."

"What would Carlisle know about mates?" She said under her breathe but I caught.

"What?"

"Nothing. Aren't you supposed to be out partying? I mean you are in college."

"There aren't any parties around here, or I would be." I joked and turned back to the stove, stirring the noodles.

"There's a Halloween party."

"Not until October 31 and how the hell do you know this?" I asked, but regretted it.

"I saw it."

"Of course you did. Not to be rude but that is getting kid of annoying." I said. Her face showed she didn't like what I said but I didn't care.

"When did you become such a smartass?"

"When my 'family' walked out of my life." That shut her up real quick and when I turned back around she was gone. I don't care if I missed her off because she left her 'best friend'.

As I ate my dinner, I worked on my homework and another voice scared me.

"You know, you upset Alice." I almost choked on my food when I turned to see Carlisle standing in the same place Alice had just been a few moments before.

"What is up with you fuckin' vampires scaring me? I mean, if I don't have a heart attack by the time I'm 20, it'll be a miracle." I said turning back to the table. Carlisle walked across the room and sat down in the chair and just stared.

"What?"

"What happened to the shy girl I knew just a year ago?" He asked, a smirk on his face.

"Well, you change when your family leaves." I said.

"I'm-"

"Don't. I don't wanna hear the bullshit excuses." I said, I got up from my chair and put my plate in the sink, when I turned back around Carlisle was right behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my face to his.

Unlike anything I'd ever experienced, Carlisle was so gentle. When I realized who I was kissing I pushed away from him and slapped his right across the face.

"What the fuck, Carlisle!" I exclaimed. "You're married! Or did you suddenly fuckin' forget that?" I shouted at him, trying to ignore the pain in my hand. Got his face was like a fucking brick!

"Give me your hand." He said, when I didn't listen he took my hand and I let out a small whimper. He led me to the bathroom.

"I think it's time we talk." He said, when he was finished wrapping my hand. He led me to the living room and we at on the couch.

He explained everything. How he and Esme were not mates, nor was Edward and I. When he explained my relationship was a game, I grew angry. I knew Edward didn't love me! What really threw me for a shocker was when he said Edward was angry at Carlisle for changing him for years and wanted to get Carlisle back; by taking his mate. Me.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! Just when I thought all this supernatural shit was gone and over with, I'm sucked right back into it! I'll never have normal life will I?" I said, tears ran down my face and Carlisle wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm sorry for everything, you don't know how many times I wanted to just tell you but Edward had the entire family thinking you were hit mate and no one believed him until after we left and Alice said you were a wreck and I couldn't go back until you got better.

"Wait. You saw what I went through!" I yanked away from him and I knew he was regretting even saying anything.

"You saw the pain, I went through for months and didn't do anything?!" When he didn't answer I stood up from the couch and ran to my room, Carlisle followed but I slammed the door in his face and locked it behind me. Though I knew he would still be able to get it.

I cried myself to sleep, the first time in a whole year where I had a nightmare again. My life sucks!

I know in the original third chapter Bella and Carlisle go at it, but I think its bit early and I want this story to go the right way this time! But trust me they will be doing it soon. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and I hope you like this chapter!

-XOXO Ashley K.