A/N: Hi everyone! Sat up til 2am to finish this chapter even though Ive got work tomorrow, so I hope you like it!
I noticed in my traffic that Ive had quite a few visitors to this story, so I'm glad you guys are reading it! I'm just upset at the lack of reviews, not one :( I know Ive asked for you to leave any ideas for where this story could go, and if you do that it'd be great! But, dont feel you have to, a short review to let me know what you think is always welcome and always appreciated!
Hope you like the next chapter... (p.s. I'm starting to enjoy writing these longer chapters... but I hope I'm not just rambling on!)
4
Party
The rest of the week went reasonably quickly.
Wednesday and Thursday at work, Mr Jenks was in his office all day. He didn't come out at all, not even once. James had told anyone who would listen to him that there was important business deals going on, and Mr Jenks had a lot of work on his hands. On Wednesday night, Edward and I had another movie night. This time I insisted on his choosing so we ended up watching Fight Club. I assumed Edward enjoyed it for the storyline, the twists, and the violence. Frankly, I didn't get it and only watched it in consideration of Edward, and after all Brad Pitt was the main character – Tyler Durden – so that helped. A lot.
On Thursday night, Edward went out with his brother Jasper for a few drinks in town. He invited me, but I decided to call a rain check, and stayed in to have a hot bath and an early night. Jasper's work party was tomorrow night, so I took this opportunity to paint my nails and I even used the fancy face cream that Emmett's wife gave me for my birthday – efforts I would never normally go to. I even took longer sitting in front of the dresser mirror to thin out my eyebrows and try different styles with my hair. When it came down to it, I wasn't really sure why I was going to all this effort. No one would even notice me in a room with Rosalie – Emmett's beautiful, blonde bombshell wife. Don't get me wrong, Rose and I got along great and I liked her a lot. She just had the power to make everyone stare at her in a room and leave me feeling totally insignificant.
Friday morning at work, it was happy to see that Mr Jenks hadn't come in. James told us it was due to a sickness bug, and therefore he was in charge. Luckily for everyone who worked in the office, James had no idea how to run the place, so we had a pretty easy, laidback day. At 4.45pm I double checked all of my files to make sure they were properly saved and stored in the right place. Then I shut down my ancient machine and slipped out the door without James noticing – like I done most Fridays.
"You manage to slip away again, Bella?" Angela chortled from behind her reception desk as I practically ran toward the front door.
"As always!" I called over my shoulder as I pushed open the door. "See you Monday!"
I think Angela replied, but the door had shut and I was already halfway across the car park. I slipped the Volvo into first and hastily pulled out of my space before anyone could get the chance to stop me.
When I finally got home, I looked at my watch – 5.25 – damn rush hour traffic. Edward wasn't home, but I knew he was out making sure all the caterers etc were ready for the party. He was a perfectionist; nothing could, or would, go wrong at one of Edward's parties. Jasper was just the same.
Edward was picking me up at 7.30pm, so I had some time to get something to eat and have a sit down before I had to get ready. I wasn't one for fussing over getting ready. I didn't really wear make-up so it was just a case of showering and sorting my hair.
I made a sandwich and flicked through some of the TV channels before settling for re-runs of Lost.
After I'd watched Locke punch in that laborious code for the millionth time, I switched the set off and made my way to the bathroom. I wasn't in the shower long before I realised it was already 7pm. Shit. Crap. I quickly rinsed the rest of the conditioner out of my hair and got out the shower. I quickly dried myself and pulled on some clean pyjamas. I usually just let my hair dry naturally, but I didn't have time, so I pulled out my hairdryer.
In the end, my hair was straighter than normal, but I liked it. It was a change from my usually loose curls. With ten minutes to spare, I slipped into my dress and donned some jewellery that Edward had bought for my previous birthday. I chose a simple necklace with a small pendant and a single silver bracelet. Then I decided to put on a layer of mascara.
Just as I was putting on my shoes, I heard Edward coming through the front door.
"Bella? You ready?" He called from the bottom of the stairs.
I slowly opened my bedroom door and made my way to the top of the staircase. I'm not sure if it was just me, but I'm sure when Edward looked up his eyes widened slightly and his jaw dropped the tiniest degree.
"Bella…You look…wow. You should wear your hair like that more often." He said walking up the stairs and taking my hand.
"Thanks." I blushed and walked with him down the stairs. It kind of felt like my senior prom again, walking down Charlie's staircase in my old house, hand in hand with Edward, wearing a delicate gown. Edward had asked me to go with him, since I hadn't been asked by anyone else. Of course, he had, but he still said there was no one else he would rather go with. I knew Edwards kind gesture at the moment was just to ensure I didn't trip and tear my new, and expensive, dress…but I couldn't help but feel a kind of electricity run through our hands. I wondered for a moment if he felt it too, or if I was just being deluded.
"Ready to go?" he asked when we were safely at the bottom of the stairs.
"Let's go." I smiled and Edward held the door open for me as he obtained his key from his pocket.
Once we arrived at the party, Edward helped me out of the car and I held his arm as we walked inside. There were already a lot of people there, probably because of Edward and Jaspers' popularity, and of course, the fact they had paid for everyone to had a free bar all night.
A small man quickly walked up to Edward. He wore black trousers and a white shirt. His thin hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat and he whispered something frantically in Edwards' ear.
"Damn caterers can't do anything right!" Edward said, turning to me. "I need to go and check on something, are you okay out here alone for a few minutes?" He asked.
"Sure, go." I smiled to him. Of course I wasn't okay, I couldn't see a single person I knew, and I wasn't great at freely socialising with large groups of people, but I could never say no to him.
"I will be back soon, Jasper is over by the bar…The little one is Alice. Go and talk to them." He encouraged, before stepping closer and leaving a chaste kiss on my forehead. I stood and watched him walk away for a moment, feeling the place he had kissed start to tingle. It didn't feel odd for Edward to show such affection. He did it quite often, though it was usually when I was stressed out or sobbing after a particularly sad movie.
I turned around and scanned the bar area looking for Jasper. When I laid eyes on him, he had looked up and caught my eye. He smiled and gestured for me to come over. Thank god, that made socialising easier – if I was actually invited.
Jasper and I were friends. I'd known him as long as I'd known Edward. They were together the first time I met them, playing in the sandbox at the local park, in Forks.
-Flashback-
It was summer and the sun was actually shining in Forks. Charlie decided to take me to the park, and as he read the newspaper I played alone in the sandbox. Even though he would encourage me to talk to some of the other kids, I always just preferred to be on my own, even from the young age of five.
Since it was usually always raining in Forks, the sand was damp. I'd made a little castle and encircled a moat around it - like you would do at the seaside when you were a kid.
Just when I'd finished, the meanest kid I've ever met – Lauren Mallory – ran over and stomped on my little castle. Of course I broke down in tears. Charlie ran over and started to cradle me, telling the little girl that 'that wasn't nice.' Not that she cared.
Then a pair of boys ran over. One had blondish curly hair and was slightly taller than the other who had bronzy-brown hair. The smaller one was the first one to speak, telling Lauren to 'leave her alone' and 'go and find someone else to play with'. Lauren looked more hurt when the boy spoke than when Charlie had told her off. And she did as he told her, she ran away.
The smaller boy walked up to me, now sitting on Charlie's knee watching him through diminishing sobs.
"Don't cry. I will help you build it again. Here…" He dug into his pocket and held out a little chocolate in a green foil wrapper, "don't cry. I'm Edward." He continued. I looked up at the taller boy who had both hands stuffed in his pocket and seemed kind of nervous, though he later told me it was due to my dads Sherriff badge.
"I'm…Bella." I sniffed, as I took the little chocolate from Edward. He instantly grabbed my hand and pulled me playfully back to my trampled castle and helped me rebuild it. During our time rebuilding it, Edward introduced me to Jasper, and I found out he was a year older than him, and that Edward and I were the same age.
-Real Time-
Ever since that day, Jasper and I have been friends. So I walked over to him and the petite little woman at the bar.
"Bella! How are you? You look nice!" He greeted when I was close enough to hear him. I closed the short distance between us before I answered him.
"Hey! Yeah I'm fine thanks Jasper, and yeah, Edward bought me this and made me wear it." I said gesturing to the gown.
"The colour suits you. You look lovely in it…Bella?" The little woman chirped. I could instantly tell she was being genuine and not false to get on Jaspers good graces – though she already was.
"Thanks…Its Alice, right?" I asked her, just to be polite, even though Edward had already told me it was.
"Yeah! Pleased to meet you!" she said chipper. She seemed to be the excitable type. Though on first impressions, I really liked Alice.
"Do you want a drink, Bells?" Jasper asked whilst getting the bar attendants attention.
"Sure. Red wine, please."
"Make that two!" Alice giggled. While Jasper got the drinks, Alice and I walked over to sit at a table. I got to know her a little more, she was originally from Sacramento, California, but moved to Forks for a change of scenery. Drastic change in my opinion.
When Jasper returned, Edward was by his side. They took their place at the table – Edward beside me and Jasper next to Alice. I observed the way that Jasper and Alice looked at each other, often smiling and laughing. I knew they were smitten right away.
"Did you get everything sorted with the caterers?" I asked Edward.
"Yeah, they didn't know so many people would be here, even though I told them when I booked them. Honestly, you can't get good quality in this tiny town! I wish you would just move to Seattle with me, Bella." Edward joked. That's when I wondered why Edward and Jasper held their work party in Forks and not Seattle where they were based.
"Why did you have the party here and not Seattle, Edward? Doesn't most of your staff live there anyway?" I asked him, confused. He leaned in closer to my ear before he spoke.
"Jasper wanted to make sure Alice would definitely come, so he made the venue in Forks so it was close by to her home." He said in a lowered voice. I heard what he said, but I was more concentrated on his warm breath intoxicating me and his low, velvet voice vibrating against my ear.
"Oh…" Was all I managed to blurt out.
An hour or so later we were served a delicious steak meal. What did Edward say about bad quality? Then the music was turned a little louder and the lights dimmed.
Jasper took it upon himself to make sure that Alice and I never had an empty glass in front of us. If I didn't know Jasper was such a gentleman, I would think he was trying to get that poor girl drunk!
When Jasper and Edward were away Alice and I talked about a lot of things including her job, my job, our families. Then she asked about Edward.
"So…How long have you and Edward been together?" She asked, smiling. Why did she think we were a couple? I mean a lot of people did, but that was from years of watching us together all the time.
"Uh…Edward and I…we're not…not together." I made a gesture with my hands, clasping them together instinctively.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I thought you were. Well by the way he looks at you it seemed you were. I'm sorry." She seemed genuinely upset that she may have caused offence. But wait, what did she say about the way he looks at me?"
"It's okay. We are just good friends, we get mistaken for a couple a lot… What did you mean about 'the way he looks at me'?"
"I don't know, he just seems to dote on you. He hangs on your every word, listening intently to whatever you say. And when you're not looking, I caught him a few times watching you…with a sort of amorous look in his eye." She said, in a quieter voice than normal. No way, she must have been seeing things. She just didn't know what me and Edwards's relationship was like. That had to be it right? But what if it wasn't?
"We're just close friends. We always have been." I shrugged her comment off, trying not to seem too flustered by it.
"Well maybe, but I'm usually right about these things…" she chirped, smiling widely at me. Alice had a brilliant smile that complimented her pixie-like features. Her short, raven hair had been styled in a way that it flicked out at the ends. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were a dark blue colour.
Jasper came back at that moment and asked Alice to dance, she hastily accepted and I noticed Edward walking back to the table as they left.
"Care to dance with me, Bella?" he asked, with that crooked smile breaking across his face, dazzling me.
"You know I don't dance, Edward." I said, trying not to cause a scene.
"Come on, please. You can't sit here all night." Edward took my hand and pulled me gently toward the dance floor, against my will. He placed right hand on my lower back, and took my right hand with his left. He started to move, but as soon as I moved, my uncoordinated feet stumbled over each other. Edward stifled a laugh and pulled me closer to him before lifting me to place my feet neatly on top of his.
"Will I have to do this every time we dance, Bella?" he joked, reminding me of the last time we danced like this – our prom night.
"Probably, you know I'll never be able to keep up with you on my own." I said, chortling at the thought of how we must look to all of Edward's business associates. As Edward and I moved in time with the music I took in his scent and allowed my head to rest on his shoulder.
The song soon ended, and a more modern, upbeat song replaced it. Even Edward wouldn't dance to that music. I stepped off his feet and he firmly took my hand as we walked back to the bar where Jasper and Alice were already waiting. It wasn't a big deal for Edward to hold my hand. But I must be going insane, the grip he held on my hand felt different than before, tighter.
I noticed Alice's eyes flit to our intertwined fingers and back at me before beaming a smile in my direction. Thankfully, Edward was leaning over the bar ordering drinks and didn't notice.
When Jasper wasn't looking, I skimmed my eyes between him and Alice and raised my eyebrows a little giving her the 'so-what-do-you-think-of-him?' look. She blushed slightly and smiled causing a smile to break on my face too. I was glad she liked him back.
After we finished our drinks, Edward offered Jasper and Alice a ride home and they both accepted. We dropped Alice off at her home just near the Forks borders. Jasper got out the car to walk her to her door. And though Edward and I tried not to look too obvious, both of us watched to see if he would kiss her.
They stood for a moment talking, then Alice laughed and hugged him. Then it happened. It wasn't much. Just a little chaste kiss on her lips. As he turned to walk back to Edwards Mercedes, Alice beamed at me a little, and I gave her a sly thumbs up when I was sure Jasper wouldn't see.
The next stop was Jaspers. After saying goodnight to him, we made our way home. Once we were in the flat, Edward took his jacket off.
"Urgh. I need to get out of this suit." He moaned as he loosened his tie. I agreed with him, and followed him upstairs. I carefully took off my dress once I was safely in my room and placed it back on the hanger. I replaced the dress with the ever-faithful sweat pants and an old baggy t-shirt of Edwards.
I went back downstairs to meet Edward on the couch, only wearing a pair of shorts. I'd seen Edward topless countless times, but tonight it seemed to stand out to me more. The panes of his chest stood out, his perfect muscles and that sexy V that was caused from his stomach and pelvis muscles. Wait, I just described Edward as sexy?
I walked over to sit on the other side of the couch from him, trying to avert my eyes to anywhere else in the room. I finally rested them on a small ornament on the table next to where I sat. I picked it up and examined it mindlessly. Edward didn't speak until I let out a long yawn.
"Tired already, Bella?" he smiled at me.
"Yeah, I guess I am." I hesitantly spoke without directly looking at him.
"Come here," Edward placed his arm over my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. I had no choice but to rest my head on his shoulder and from this angle I couldn't help but look at his perfect body on display in front of me. I decided to shut my eyes tightly, so I couldn't see.
"You looked beautiful tonight, I told you that right?" he continued. I blushed furiously. Was this another one of my dreams? I didn't know if I wished it was or wasn't.
"Yeah, you said. You have good taste in dresses." I joked, keeping my eyes bound shut.
"It was the woman that made the dress, Bella." He said, as he wrapped his arm tighter round my shoulder, rubbing tiny circles with his finger as I blushed even more furiously – if it was possible.
I couldn't take this anymore, I had to get away from him. These feelings I was having toward him weren't right. I tried to sit up, but as I done to I came face to face with him, which stopped me in my tracks.
Edward gazed into my eyes, and lifted his arm that was around my shoulder to place his hand on my face. He gently rubbed my cheek with his thumb as I felt myself start to lean in closer to him. I could have sworn I saw Edward move in closer too, to close the distance between us. Slowly we got closer inch by inch, never losing eye contact with each other. I could feel his warm breath preside over my face causing me to exhale shakily. I watched as Edward slowly closed his eyes and his lips pursed ever so slightly.
"I've got to…I'm going to bed…night." I said as I pulled myself away from Edwards embrace. I stood up hurriedly and paced out of the room without looking back. I quickly ran up the stairs and made my way into my room. Once the door was shut, I slid down and sat with my back to it, ran my fingers though my hair and let out a long quivering exhale as if I'd been holding my breath.
What the hell just happened?
Okay, so Bella and Edwards relationship is definitely chaning now! I wonder how it will pan out... Will update again ASAP
Please review
Alison
