A/N: OK, to clear things up a bit: Edward and Bella met she was 10 and he was 13. Later they had a bit of a thing. She was hurt. He left. And he is now back. We don't know why.

This chapter is in EPOV. Hope you like it.

Twilight is not mine and I don't have a Beta. Sorry for the mistakes.

EPOV

Jasper had picked the perfect spot for camping. There was a small clearing on the side of the mountain. The view was amazing. All I could see were the rolling mountains that made different layers against the sky. Everything was still. I felt like time had stopped for a while.

Bella was sitting on a blanket outside the tent that she and Alice were sharing. She wasn't the little girl he knew. She had grown up, in every way.

The weirdest thing was - she did not need me. She was cautious and a bit sad around me; but as Alice said, she was 'handling' everything just fine. She was fine if I spoke to her or not. She was fine if I comforted her or not.

I felt like I'd been purged of many sins and relieved of many duties. I could just be for a while. The others wouldn't understand. Bella's torment was visible. Mine, not so much. Besides, I hadn't explained anything to anyone. I didn't know what Bella had told them.

Anyway, I was happy she had moved on.

She was smiling now, watching Jasper and Alice dance. Esme and Carlisle were dancing too.

I would have asked her to dance but I was pretty sure it would wipe that smile right off her face. Yeah Asshole. She is with people who make her happy. You stay away from her.

I remembered the first time I made Bella cry. Not the kind of thing you forgot. It would forever be etched in my memory and be part of out history. Something I could never take back.

Bella was 12 years and going through a hard time at school. She hated everything about it, but above all she hated her personal tormentor Jessica Stanely.

It was lunch period and Bella was walking to our table with a heavy tray. As she was passing what Alice called the Bitchy Bunch Table, I saw Jessica Stanely start to laugh at her.

"Hey Blah! I mean Bella! Too bad you can't convert all that food into boobs." She said really loudly. Bella faltered by tried to walk around the table but she somehow tripped on Jessica's chair and her tray fell. On Jessica.

"You bitch. You did that on purpose," Jessica spat, wiping her hair and jeans. Bella didn't say anything. Jessica just lost it and pushed her. Slipping on the food, Bella fell. She cried out my name.

"No one wants you Swan. That is why your mother left you. That is why no guy looks at you. And that is why you are on the floor being laughed at."

By the time we got past the gathering crowd, Bella had heard enough poison. Emmet helped Bella up and I turned to Jessica. In spite of my rage I did not yell at her.

"If you ever," I glared at her so she knew how serious I was, " If you ever hurt her I'll make sure you are not around."

I took Bella to our place to change. She didn't want to tell Charlie and she had a lot of clothes at our place anyway.

She was silent on the way but she never cried. She hated crying.

"Should I have hit her Edward?" she asked suddenly.

"What? No! No fighting in the school," I said. But she had seen me and Emmet get in to fights at school. " And er girls don't fight."

"I wanted to hit her. Right in the chest. A big hard kick." She looked so cute with her little fists. I laughed and gave her a small hug. Poor Jessica. Emmet had taught Bella how to punch and kick.

Luckily no one was home. Bella was in Alice's room. I went up to check if she was OK and found her wrapped in a towel looking at herself in the huge mirror on Alice's wall.

"Bella?"

"My mother said I look like a drowned rat most of the time." Her voice was flat.

Shit!

"She said it was pointless to buy me anything…girly"

I couldn't stand it. I just pulled her into my arms. She hardly ever spoke of her mother. Jessica must have triggered it. She wound her arms around my neck and reached up. I held her up; she was such a little thing. She did not bring her legs around me like she used to. She just buried her face in my neck.

"Edward"

"Hmm"

"You are a guy."

I chuckled.

"Am I….am I that…?" She couldn'task me but I knew.

I tried to look at her but she gripped me tight, hiding.

"I think you are very pretty Bella. Don't listen to her. She is probably jealous that Newton likes you."

Instead of being excited about Newton as I expected, she pulled back to look at me as if searching for something.

Then she just pressed her lips to mine, her eyes wide, looking into mine.

I gasped and her lips trembled. She was taking in little breaths. She didn'tpull back and gave me little soft pecks as if she was figuring out how to kiss.

Bella was kissing me.

And I was not kissing her back.

This was her first kiss. And shiiiiiiiiiiiit!

"Bella," I stroked her cheek with my thumb. "This is your first kiss. Are you sure you want to…"

She nodded. She was still looking at me. I could feel her heart racing. Hell, I thought my heart would stop.

I was terrified of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing. But she was my best friend. She was hurting. I could do this for her if she needed me to.

I lowered my head and pressed my lips to hers, giving her little pecks like she'd given me. She wound her legs around me. But this time, with her lips on mine, the old habit felt different.

She pulled back a little. Just enough to breathe and wet her lips with her tongue. I saw that up close. Fuck.

I was going to put her down but then but she touched her lips to mine again. They were wet and warm and they molded to me. I opened my mouth and tasted her bottom lip. She moaned. She tasted so good. Like cinnamon and honey.

Her eyes finally fluttered close. She sucked on my top lip, hard, frantic.

"Edward…. Please." Strangely it was her plea that stopped me from going on. I felt like the biggest fucking jerk. She was upset and I was going to…

She took a step back, stricken. Her hand was on her mouth. The towel had slipped and I could see her chest. Bella looked down and gave out a strangled cry, grasping to trying to cover herself.

I got myself out on unsteady legs. What did I do to Bella? How could I think of her like that? Charlie would kill me. And Carlisle and Esme oh God! And Emmet would definitely beat my ass. And I'd let him.

I waited for her downstairs and when she didn'tcome down I went up.

She was fully dressed to go to school but she was lying down on the bed, curled up and crying. I thought of calling Esme but for some reason I didn't.

I just got on the bed and held her to my chest until she fell asleep.

I shook my head to clear the memories of her anguished sobs.

Jasper and Emmet came to stand next to me. They were looking at me funny. And then I saw. Jacob Black. He'd joined the party.

"You guys here for his protection or mine?" I even smiled. If only they knew. I wanted Bella to date the fucker.

"Alice sent me," Emmet said. "She is paying me with especial pancakes."

"And you don't want to know what she is paying me with." Jasper grinned.

I shoved him. Ass.

Alice looked at us worriedly. No, Alice, I'm not beating up Jasper. You can relax and enjoy the party.

Jacob gave her a present which she quickly opened. It was a book. She excitedly hugged him. Fucker would know what books she wanted. I think I snarled.

Jasper was laughing softly. I glared at him.

"He is a good guy Edward."

"I know."

"Oh good then. He is coming over.' Jasper snickered.

Jacob walked over to us.

"Edward"

"Jacob"

There was an uncomfortable silence. Emmet and Jasper left us alone and walked over to Alice. I sighed. There must be a method to this madness.

"Listen I need to talk to you." Jacob looked towards Bella.

I nodded.

He seemed hesitant. " When you left, Bella and I dated."

I knew that.

"But it never felt right," he said looking like her might burst out of his skin or something. " I don't know why I am telling you this. But she was and is my friend. I want her to be happy."

"Just spit it out Jacob," I growled. The old fear was back. Something disastrous was going to happen and I wouldn't be able to control it.

"Bella never kissed me. We dated for more than a year but she wouldn't kiss me."

"Didn't you try?" What the fuck?

"I tried Cullen," he spat. "But she would sit like a statue waiting for me to stop trying. It was her one condition.

"More than an year?" It was unbelievable.

"We did do other things. Most things…."

Bloody fucking hell, stop! I wiped my face with both hands. It was that or punch him.

"Why are you telling me this Black?" I did not want to know this shit.

"Because you broke her.' He glared at me. "You! And I couldn't fix her." He was getting louder. I wondered if there was a small chance of me getting through this evening without hitting him.

The two jokers came back. Were they in bouncer training? Emmet took Jasper away talking about a visit to Billy. Jasper stayed with me.

I saw Jacob nod to Alice. What the fuck?

"What was that?" Jasper asked.

"That was your girlfriend driving me to violence. I am going for a fucking smoke."

I was trembling when I lit the cigarette.

After the disastrous first kiss we never mentioned it. We easily slipped into the role of best friends again and everything was the same until her thirteenth birthday.

Why would Bella not want to kiss? It was her favorite thing, what made her the happiest.

Well, now you know a bit about why Edward is the way he is. I like him. It must have been hard for him with Bella being so young and sensitive. Let me know what you think.