"Where are we going?" Bella asked while she smoothed her skirt.

"Well, I had planned a quiet dinner at Port Angeles, but considering your father's request, I think it would be a better choice the coffee shop on Maple street."

Bella giggled. "Starlooks?"

Yeah, I also found it humorous that we lived in a town so small we couldn't afford the have the biggest franchises, so we had to improvise. Not even a Target or a Walmart. But Starlooks had certain character and warmth that those big franchises wished they had.

"Yeah, it's that or the bar on the outskirts of Forks. But it would be too noisy to keep a conversation."

Bella agreed.

Starlooks wasn't so bad, it had a few tables, three couches and a big bar with stools for those who came alone. I led Bella to one of the two booths at the back, I was sure it would give us the chance to talk.

I went for our coffees and looked around for familiar faces. Fortunately, there were only a few teens on one of the couches.

"Here." I put Bella's coffee in front of her.

"Thanks. So..."

"So?"

Bella seemed as nervous as I was. So I decided to ask her about what I felt was the demise of our friendship, apart of the Michaelgate.

"Why you didn't come back the first year?"

"Why did you avoided me when I came back?"

We asked at the same time.

Bella huffed. "It's a sad story related to my family. What about you?"

"At that time, I wasn't avoiding you."

"So you admit you avoided me later?"

"Hey! You did it too. So why you didn't come back?"

"Well, the thing is... did Rose ever talked to you about her parents?"

I shook my head. "No, she only mentioned she didn't have the best relationship with them."

"Well, where should I start? When they married, they worked to set an import-export business. It took them ten years to get it giving a decent profit but it was time-consuming and they didn't have the time for Rose. Luckily, my parents lived nearby so Rose spent most of her time with us. When they offered the job to Charlie here in Forks Rose's mom put a bit of a fight but my mother convinced her that having Rose with us was for the best and it would only be a year before she parted to college, so her mother agreed."

I nodded.

"The problem started the summer we graduated. Rose's mom found out that her husband had been stealing from the company because he needed the money to support the family he had on the side and he obviously didn't want her to find about or get caught."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so it turned in a messy divorce with a fraud and embezzlement investigation. Long story short, her mother won the company and kicked Rose's father ass to the curve. The downfall was that she became depressed and when we were about to start college she tried to commit suicide."

"Poor Rose!"

"Exactly poor Rose. So when she finally left the hospital we decided it was better to move with her to keep her company since we were already in Phoenix. So that year, thanksgiving and any vacation period was spent with her. We came here for Christmas because Charlie couldn't get the time to visit us, but for at least ten months we were dedicated to helping her."

"So that's the reason why Rose hadn't come back."

"Yeah. She's pretty embarrassed because for a while it was like Jerry Springer's tv show. The other woman came and threatened Rose, the other kids were awful and rude. She made me promise to not let anyone know."

"But you're telling me."

She nodded. "She gave me permission because she still considers you one of her best friends. Anyway, that first Christmas, you weren't here."

"We went to visit aunt Esme's family."

"Well, when I came here everybody told me you had changed. Jasper said that since you became the campus most popular man, it went over your head and that you fought."

I nodded. "Yeah, and I have to admit it was entirely my fault. Do you remember James Hunter?"

"Blond guy, a couple of years older than us? Yeah, I'd seen him a couple of times."

"Well, James was the golden boy from Forks. The best part, he was genuine. He was the one who encouraged me to train for the track team. I was really close to him until he left for Cornell."

"So you went to college with him?"

"Yeah. Remember that I left early? Well, I went to stay with him until I could get into my dorm. Then my roommate turned out to be a pig so I spent most of my time with James at his apartment. Well, he was very popular at the campus, so he introduced me to his friends and we went to the best parties. And I took it as the chance to reinvent myself. I was having self-esteem issues."

"Because of me?"

"Yeah." I nodded and blushed. "So I went to parties and the girls flocked around me. They never knew I had a limp or that I was an orphan living with my uncles."

Bella gasped. "But I never made you feel like that! It wasn't even on my radar. You know we all care for you for being Edward, we don't care..."

"Oh Bella, I know but at the time I was having a few issues. James was over with the frat boy partying stage, he was pretty involved with his studies, but he said I needed to live a little. It was awful Bella, I can't remember most of those nights."

Bella took my hand in hers and traced lazy circles on my palm.

"What happened to made you fight with Emmett and Jasper?"

"After a too heavy Halloween party, I got sick with the flu. I spent three days locked inside Jame's apartment. The third day I awoke to a chorus of female voices arguing with James. Three girls were looking out for me. They said I had promised to take each of them out. It was a lie because the days they said I invited them were the ones I spent sick. James asked them why they wanted me when it was obvious I never asked them out. They answered that I cleaned up nicely and was a good lay, one of them said that the fact that I have money helped too. That was so embarrassing. I was a whore for those girls, and they were right because to this day I can't remember who was the girl who took my virginity or how it was. Add that my grades were falling and I was going to fail every subject with those girls comments and I really hit rock bottom after that.

By then James had met his girlfriend Vicky, and both of them helped me to quit partying and to get on the right track. When I came back for Thanksgiving I was suffering from withdrawal and was too stressed for the work I had upon me at college. I was a mess and was very rude to everybody. I never left my house and when Jasper and Emmett came to look out for me I may have fought with them because I didn't want to deal with them."

Bella was still soothing me. It was incredible how once we started talking everything went out easily. We still had that connection.

"Carlisle said that James is living in Long Beach, and he offered to help us if we were interested."

"Really? Are you still keeping his friendship?"

"Bella, it wasn't his fault that I got out of control. He only wanted me to enjoy a little and I am sure he knew I was hearing those girls. He let me make the decision to straighten up my act. He always had supported me."

"Ok, if you say so. Now tell me why did you avoid me all those years?"

"Well, you became too serious and, well, I really didn't want to find out you moved on. Once your mother mentioned you were dating a guy and I felt like someone kicked my gut. So I thought it was best if we weren't that close. Ignorance is bliss and all that jazz."

Bella laughed. "Oh, that was a story I made up. When I returned here, Jacob Black started to hound me, he's very creepy. I invented that to keep him away. Of course it would come to bite me in the ass."

I took both of her hands in mine. Jacob's name shouldn't taint our first date.

"So you didn't have a boyfriend in four years? I can't believe that; you're the most beautiful woman I had ever met. Boys in Phoenix must be blind and stupid."

Bella blushed. "Rose pushed me to date, but it always went wrong. I never felt that spark... "

We were looking intently at each other eyes; heads aligned to share finally that first kiss we should have had four years ago.

At that moment, Emmett appeared from behind my back and sat at my side.

"Well hello, my dear friends. Are you enjoying the delicacies this establishment offers?" He said in a loud voice and to make matters worst, he took my coffee which I left unattended when I talked with Bella.

Bella sighed. The spell was broken, the moment was gone.

Well, it was a big possibility to find one of our friends. Forks don't have a lot of places to mingle.

Emmett elbowed me and made a sign look to my right. Sure enough Angela Webber and her friends were ordering to the barista, she was glaring daggers to Bella.

I mouthed a sarcastic thank you to Emmett. Who cares if Angela saw me kissing Bella?

"We were just catching up," Bella answered to Emmett's question, completely unaware of Angela's glare.

"I feel neglected Bella. You don't know of my lasts adventures in Florida. I saw a crocodile this big!" Emmett happily opened his arms wide to show us the dimensions of the crocodile, but Bella kept looking at him with her arms crossed at her chest.

"Well, I may had seen it while I was on a friend's car, but it was scary. You know how I feel about reptiles." Emmett huffed, annoyed because he didn't impress us.

Emmett's loud voice dragged the attention of Lauren and Tyler and soon enough we were surrounded by our friends. So much for our first date!

We left a few minutes later when Emmett had our friends enthralled with one of his stories. Nobody noticed.

xxx

The next day looked much better. I remembered how on the way back to her house, we talked more about us and decided to try and see where this week would take us. I certainly hoped this five days will prove to her how right we are to each other. When I left her at her house, I thought I finally was going to get that toe-curling first kiss, but the chief was waiting for us with Bella's and her guest's suitcases. He pushed Bella inside and helped me to get them in the trunk of my car. He told me he would take them to our meeting point early in the morning and waved me goodbye. But for the first time in four years, I was hopeful.

When I arrived at the gas station, Emmett, Jasper, and Seth were already there.

"Uh, shotgun!" Jasper yelled and run to the passenger side of my car.

"Nope. Not today Jasper."

"Why? I'm the best copilot. I can read maps and let you know in advance when you have to turn."

I ran my hands through my hair.

"I already have my car full. Today your driving with Emmett."

Jasper looked horrified. "Who's driving with you?"

"Irina called me earlier and asked to come. She's hiding from her family."

"You're not interested in her, you know how annoying she gets on the road. Who else is coming?"

"Hmm, Bella is going ride with me, and she's bringing a guest."

Emmett and Seth were laughing.

"Dude! He's trading you for a girl." Emmett guffawed.

"Not any girl. We know Eddie here had the hots for miss Bella for so long." Seth was also laughing.

Jasper grumbled his disgust, but it didn't matter because the chief's cruiser arrived. From it descended Bella and a blond girl. It couldn't be!

"Hi, guys! Do you remember my cousin Rosalie?"

I ran to hug Rose, I still thought of her as one of my best friends. But the best reactions were from Emmett and Jasper. They were speechless with their mouths open. They always had a crush for her and got a bit competitive to get her attentions, but then she left.

Fifteen minutes later, the rest of our friends arrived and I asked the girls to climb on my car. Jasper was still grumbling how I traded him for a few girls and how it was unfair.

The trip to Long Beach went fast, at least in my car where the girls were chatting happily and Bella let me hold her hand the whole way. Finally after three and a half hours we got to Long Beach.

I led them to the road to the house and Irina commented on how lonely was over here. She was right because we were surrounded by trees at least for the last seventy miles.

I parked the car at the foot of the dirt road that led to the lighthouse. You could see it from there.

"Guys, look to the end of the road. This is the infamous Long Beach old lighthouse."