SM owns everything. Mistakes are mine.

Chapter 4

Time went by. Some days were slow, and some running faster than others. I mostly saw Edward every day now. He didn't stay a lot in his office, mostly spotting him near my work space, close but never close enough. But that might also be because of that stupid slut Lauren that kept pulling him by her desk 'to chit chat.'

Please, none of us were blind. If she could have fucked him on that desk, daily, she would. Something tells me that she would even enjoy the audience. I shook my head, disgusted.

For the first time, I might have even been a bit jealous at that skank -not because she seems to be easy, fuck no- but because of Edward. And the one thing that pleased me the most was that even if he was spending his time talking to her, I could see from time to time how his wondering eyes were looking at me. For some reason, even when I wasn't, or I should say trying not to pay attention to him, I could feel his gaze on me. I would start squirming, and when I could no longer take it, I would catch him smiling at me. It was not the polite one he would always give her. It looked softer, and a bit brighter. I could feel my own smile spreading against my face.

After the day at Alice's place, I kind of hoped she would be right and that he would just walk up to me one day and ask me on a date. He never did, of course.

Until one Tuesday, at noon.

He walked up straight toward me, lightly knocking on my cubicle.

"Knock, knock," he said with a small smile.

"Oh. Hi. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. It's lunch time, and so..."

"Already?" I interrupted him, looking at my watch.

Where did the time go today?

He scratched his neck nervously. "Yeah, and I'm tired of the same food I eat day after day, so, I was, umm, thinking if you could show me some good diners around here-that serve decent food- I could actually enjoy. Maybe, pancakes? I haven't eaten them in a while and..."

Babbling much Edward? He was still cute though.

"Actually I haven't as well, and there is this great place I know, just around the co..."

He interrupted me this time. "I would rather you come with me, and maybe show it to me so I don't get lost, plus, I would like some company...you like pancakes right? If not..."

I couldn't not grin at him. "Edward, you had me at pancakes, of course I'll go with you."

The grin he returned was victorious.

Don't know where the boldness came from, but I asked suddenly, "No Lauren today?"

He sighed, relieved. "No, thank God."

I smirked. "You don't like her very much, do you?"

He wasn't the only one.

"She is okay, but she just can't seem to leave me alone. I've never met a person that is so pushy and yet clueless.I can't even go to the bathroom without her following me."

Now, I just had to laugh.

We walked in silence towards my favorite diner. It was one of those that I had discovered when I had my nightly routine instead of sleeping. And I kept coming back, night after night. To be honest, I don't really know if I have ever been there in the daylight.

The reasons for coming back were not just because of the pancakes—that were delicious by the way – but also because of the employes that worked there. It was a family business where I had met Siobhan and her daughter Maggie after my breakdown.

We both took a seat next to the window, and took our menus.

"Well, isn't this a lovely surprise!"

"Hey, Siobhan, nice to see you too. Mag not working today?"

"Nope. And who is this young man you brought today?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

"This is Edward."

"Well, hello there, very nice to meet you."

They shook hands. "You too."

"You better take good care of this girl, you hear, she is a very special lady..."

"Siobhan, we only work together..." I interrupted her quickly, but she just winked at me, not believing my words.

"Sure you are sweetie. Now, what shall it be?"

"I'll have some of your delicious pancakes."

She grinned at me. "Of course, and you, young man?"

"The same please, two portions, one with blueberry syrup, and the second with chocolate."

"You have a big appetite there, don't you Edward?"

Then she got closer to me and whispered: "and I bet it's the same in other things as well." Than winked one more time. Yeah, I caught the innuendo, and blushed.

"I guess." He said a bit confused, but answered Siobhan's question casually only after she quickly ran off.

"So, what was that all about?"

"What do you mean?" I asked while taking a sip from my coffee, trying to avoid his stare.

"She seems nice, but what did she tell you that made you so red in the face?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"Oh really, if it's not, then why don't you look at me while I'm talking to you? Did she say something about me?"

"No, like I said, it was nothing important."

"She did. I know it. What was it? Tell me."

"Just drop it."

Just as I thought he really would, I looked up to see his face. He was giving me that puppy look. Those eyes...crap, I knew I shouldn't have looked up. And as if that was not enough, he had to ask me one last time, with that soft, pleading voice.

"Please."

I sighed.

"Fine. She kind of insinuated that if you have such a big appetite for food, I should imagine how big of an appetite you would have in...you know...other places...or maybe even how big you are...or can be...you know... there...in your male region..."

He grinned, giving me a new kind of smile that I have never seen before. Wide crooked grin, showing his pretty white teeth.

He also looked a bit smug. Edward obviously understood what I was saying, or trying to.

I thought he was going to say something, some smart statement or an innuendo about his stamina, or whatever, but he just kept being quiet, a slight smile never disappearing from his face. His ego was stroked alright.

We didn't say anything else after that, so we just sat there, waiting for our order.

It didn't take long. She served us our pancakes with a smile.

"Here you go kids, anything else?"

"Nope."

"Good. Enjoy."

"Thanks," Edward replied,but before she left he pulled Siobhan by her hand,whispering in her ear, "You were right though," and winked.

Siobhan didn't understand right away, but moments later, she laughed at him knowingly.

"What can I say, I'm a good judge of character."

That or the reason that she still acts like a horny teen sometimes rather than anything else, I thought.

"I like your young man Bella, you should bring him more often."

I just nodded, focusing on my pancakes. Discussing with her on this would not end well. Better save myself of more humiliation while I still could.

She nodded too."Good. You take care of this young one, you hear?"

"I will, don't worry," he responded seriously.

I took my first bite then and moaned. Very loudly. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't really stop myself, they were that good. Opening my eyes, I saw Edward staring at me.

"Sorry," I apologized awkwardly.

He blinked a few times, until he answered with a wide teasing grin.

"Oh, it's not a problem at all, I mean, it's not like I don't hear girls moaning over their lunch every day, especially the pretty brunettes, although, I have to say, those pancakes can beat mine own without a doubt.

Did he just call me pretty?

I didn't say anything but instead asked 'You cook?' while I still chewed with my mouth full, so it must have sounded something like "you fuuk?"

He laughed. "Not really, but I know how to make a few things."

"Like?" I asked.

He smirked. "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

And this is how mostly the week passed by. We went to the diner every day, Siobhan greeted us with a smile and a few jokes, some on my own expense, and some were just plain rude, and full of innuendos. But that was Siobhan, always the entertainer. I started to look forward going to the diner with Edward everyday, just enjoying the food, and cracking jokes. Sometimes, Angela would join us as well, depending on her shift. Soon enough, it became a routine. It was funny how the sides have changed so quickly. Lauren couldn't be more furious that he actually chose to spend his free time with me, rather than her. Those thirty minutes with him made me feel normal again. The kind that I wasn't before, but spending time with him made me forget about everything for a while. I was even feeling more comfortable around him, which I think he noticed, and after weeks of meeting like this, I suspected that maybe it was too late to act on anything between us. Don't get me wrong, I really liked having him as a friend but there was still that attraction between us that both of us seemed to just avoid it. Some days were just filled with tension between us that we didn't know how to make it less tangible. While I liked that we were just friends, who hanged out, taking it slow, the other side of me was kind of getting impatient, even though I was yet not emotionally or physically -or some crap like that- (words that were spoken from my shrink, not me, just so we are clear) ready to be involved in something as a relationship with an opposite gender, or let's just say it like it is;sex.

"So..." he started.

"So..." I continued.

I was spending enough time with Edward that by now I knew some of his nervous moves and ticks. And this was definitely one of them. His ears turned red at the top, while he scratched his neck nervously, trying to sound casual.

"So, my friend has two tickets for this thing and..."

"What thing?"

"Well, opera. He would go every year with his girlfriend, but they broke up, and since he already bought them, but doesn't really want to go anymore, he asked me if I want to and I thought if you maybe like..."

Oh. Is he actually asking me out on a date or something? What the hell do I say? I don't even like freaking opera! But what if I miss my chance?

I guess I should just be honest with him, ha?

"Ummm... thanks for the offer, I appreciate it, but I don't like opera that much, I'm more of a cinema kind of girl."

"We can go catch a movie then, I mean, if you want?"

He was currently slicing his pancakes carefully, concentrating at that particular assignment a bit too much.

I shrugged. "Sure. I haven't been in a while. But I'm not into chick movies that much. It would be awesome if we could check out a comedy or even a drama. Or we could watch some action movie if you are into that stuff?"

He finally took a bite, still trying to look casual, his body less tense.

Oh, Edward, you aren't fooling anyone.

He finally gave a small smile. "Nah, I'm with you on this. Friday?"

I nodded with a smile. "Friday."

The next day, after work, I took a quick shower before getting ready for my yoga class.

After stretching for who knows how much time, all the girls went to the locker room to change out of their sweaty clothes, me included. As usual, I would stay among the last ones, to wait for Rose.

"Hey, B. So...what do you say about our workout today?"

"One word. Freaking exhausting."

She gave a small chuckle. "That's actually two words."

"Whatever."

"So, anything new with you? Or about that guy you've been seeing?"

"It's nothing like that."

"Oh no? Then why are you smiling like that? What happened? Tell me!"

"Well, he sort of asked me out on a date."

She lifted her eyebrow. "Sort of?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. We are going Friday night to see a movie."

"Dinner?"

"I don't know, I'm not hungry."

"Not now you silly, I mean after the movie, with him?"

"Oh. I don't know."

"How so?"

I shrugged once again. "So, how about you, anything new?"

"Well, I'm going on a date too. With some guy named Emmert, or Emmerson, or something like that. And on a blind date, no less." She shook her head. "I can't even believe I'm doing this."

I smiled. "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad. If it gets to be unbearable, you can always call me. You know our little system."

She laughed then. "Yeah, thank God for that. You ready? I gotta lock up."

"Yeah, let's go."

After she walked me over to my parking space, I thanked her once again, and drove off.

Not long after I got into therapy, my shrink decided that I should do some exercises, like yoga or some crap like that. At first I was more than happy to stay in the safety of my small home, but eventually, someone (and by that I mean Alice) forced me to actually try. I never did say this to her, but I'm glad she made me go.

I always thought Rosalie as a person that has not just the looks, and brains, but also a lot of luck. But boy, was I wrong. Not about the look thing, but the luck. Don't know how, but one afternoon I found myself alone in the locker room, crying, letting all of my frustration out. She must have heard some weird noises, and went to check out. She found me on the floor shaking with sobs,trying to ask me some questions but I just kept weeping. Somehow later after her bringing me some coffee from the machine, I got some control back over my body.

She just sat by my side, not asking questions, not even expecting me to give any of them, just keeping me company, not letting me be alone.

It was in a way comforting.

It took a bit more time to open up to her, but I did, in time, and what she told me about her life surprised me.

She was being bullied by her ex boyfriend. It took her months to get away from him, and report him to the police. Like every girl, the first time he hit her, he promised not to do it again, but he did, and time after time she kept making excuses for him. Covering herself with makeup in any way possible so the bruises wouldn't be visible to others. So after months of it, she finally had enough courage to ask for help.

And, yet, after all of that, after all that beating, day after day, there she stood, brave and laughing with me like nothing ever happened. And that's when I realized that looks can be deceiving in a lot of ways. That I could try to be more like her. Live every day fully. Bravely. Of course, easier said than done.

But I could try. There was always that.