Bella POV
Jasper didn't put up much of a fight as I loaded him into the car and strapped him in. I shuddered at the thought of before I'd gotten my license, of how he would've gotten home from all the other parties. Luckily, most people parked on the grass, so pulling out of the driveway was surprisingly easy and there were no drunken fools trying to jump on the back of the car. I'd hastily grabbed an empty grocery bag before we'd exited the party, which I knew Jasper'd be grateful for later in case his excessive alcohol consumption decided to get its pay back on the ride home and be thrust upon the floor in the car.
I turned off the headlights as we pulled into the driveway. Mom and Dad were supposed to be gone all weekend at a pottery convention or something but I didn't want to take any chances with intoxicated Jasper in tow. I'm sure our parents had their suspicions of his drinking habits but any irrefutable proof of it would be compromising for my dad, the sheriff.
As the engine came to a roaring halt then a buzzing stop, I breathed a sigh of relief as mom's car was not in the garage. I got out and unbuckled Jazz. At this time, it was pretty close to one in the morning I suspected so I was careful to not slam the car door and wake the neighbors. While my brother was more pliable in this state, it was still a struggle as he leaned on me and I led him into the house. I deposited his keys on the counter with a TING and began the battle up the stairs to his room. Luckily, Jasper had already relieved his drunkenness on the lawn outside. Well, I guess not so luckily, but better than all over me now. I'd have to clean that up later. As we got to the top of the staircase, I turned the knob to the first door on the left and flicked up the light and was greeted with a teenage boy's room. Well this place isn't as bad as it was last time I dare stumble in here, I thought to myself. I try to take no notice of anything Jasper might have in his inner sanctum and just help him onto his bed. I unlace his pirate boots and take off his eye patch and he mumbles, half aware, "Ali—ce." I think I would've had a heart attack there and then if I was sixty years old. Maybe I was mistaken of what he said, he is drunk after all and half-conscious...
Alice POV
I woke up to the smell of blueberry pancakes, the whole house was graced with the fruit smell. I rolled out of bed, not even looking at the mirror because I knew I'd be even more depressed. The kitchen was filled with stacks of pancakes, and three moving people.
"Morning sunshine," Edward greeted me. I returned his cheery mood with a dirty look, I folded my arms and plopped down on one stool. The other three joined me and eyed me cautiously. With them staring at me, I ate my pancakes in silence. "Delicious? I thought you would like blueberries this morning," Edward elbowed me in the side. I was not in the mood for his jesting attitude.
"I did not expect to have a morning get together," I sneered in Edward's direction. Edward must have called Bella to come over, which is fine with me, I need some girl time, because Rosalie spends most of her time at Emmett's.
"Alice, sweetie, its 3:30 in the afternoon," My mother spoke. I sighed and my brother just smiled.
"Well then I think I'll head up to my room, Bella care to join me?" I grabbed my plate of pancakes, and Bella was right on my heels as we walked up to my room. "My brother!" I slammed my door and we both sat down on my bed. Now I noticed that Bella was holding on to two large tubs of vanilla ice cream. "I'm sorry Bella, I just didn't have a wonderful time at the party."
"I understand," Bella reassured me. She picked up her phone and sent a text to someone. I raised my eyebrows, "It's just Edward."
"Isabella Swan, you just saw him. He is like 100 ft away!" I was shocked. I finished my pancakes and opened up the ice cream, Bella mirrored me. My phone went off, and I quickly grabbed it from my dresser. Alice, want to go out for coffee, sometime? My heart dropped, and stomach flipped.
"Who is it from?" Bella asked. I showed her my phone, "Jazz? Well, what are you going to say?"
I hit reply and started typing, I read Bella the message aloud, "Sure, when?" It was bittersweet, I was very mad at him last night, he had no clue I liked him, but sweet because I have been waiting for this. Bella was enthused but she was checking her phone too, teenagers and their technology. Would tonight work? Was the reply I got from Jasper. Yes, 7? I sent back. "I'm meeting him for coffee tonight." Bella smiled, and then resumed to her texting. I looked at the clock and realized that I only had 3 hours to transform! I jumped up and startled Bella to the point she almost spilled ice cream on my bed.
I was in desperate need of a shower, so I decided that was my first step. After I showered, I ran to my closet and put on my favorite pair of jeans and a cute tank top with a sweater. Bella checked outside and it wasn't raining, a rare occasion in Forks. I sat at my vanity, applying make-up and trying to make something out of my hair. "I'm a mess," I pouted.
"Alice, it's just my brother and coffee," She smiled. I calmed down, and picked up my foundation when I heard a knock on my door. "Who is it?" I shouted.
"Rosalie," She opened the door. "Hey, Bella. Do you mind if I talk to my sister for a bit? Edward is in the study if you want to talk to him."
"Sure, where's the study?" Bella asked and Rosalie pointed her in the correct direction. She smiled and exited, closing the door behind her.
"Did you have fun at the party? I never got to talk to you last night," My sister pulled up a chair and sat next to me, our faces both visible in the mirror. I just shrugged and continued to apply my foundation. "Alice, what are you doing tonight? Want to go shopping?" She asked after I screwed on the top to my foundation. Rose picked up the blush and gently powdered it onto my cheeks. "Remember when we were little and I used to do your make-up," I smiled because I remembered it vividly. Rosalie was the one I always looked up to, ever since I was young.
"I'm going to meet Jasper for coffee tonight," I informed her of my plans. She raised her eyebrows, and picked up the eye shadow.
"Ditching me for Jazz again?" She smirked. "I know that's why you ran off at the party, and I know you left early with Edward because Jasper was hanging all over that girl in the slutty cat costume." The pain I felt suddenly came back, and I turned away from Rose. "Sis, don't worry. He was drunk, and he's a guy nothing you could help. He asked you out for coffee, that's a good sign," She smiled and I couldn't help but smile. She finished my make-up and we headed downstairs for dinner, and hour and a half later.
I was checking my phone every few minutes during dinner. 7 is perfect, The Uptown Java place, see you there. I kept reading his last text over, and over again. Usually I would get in trouble for having my phone at dinner, but my mom let it slide tonight. Bella joined us for dinner, and the conversation could hold up with out my input. Dinner lasted over an hour, and Rosalie offered to do the dishes, even though it was my night to do them.
"Thanks for coming over today, Bella," I gave her a hug as we proceeded into the living room. She smiled in agreement. "Want me to take you home since I'm going out?"
Bella was about to speak, but Edward cut her off, "I'll take her, you just enjoy your time out of the house." He smiled, and I looked at the clock.
"I have to go!" It was 6:56, and it took a little over 5 minutes to get to little downtown Forks, so I decided it was time to leave. I grabbed my keys, and purse, waved goodbye to my two best friends. I was then off to meet Jasper.
I parked, and The Uptown Java, to my surprise, held a large handful of Forks' residents. Jasper waved his hand and it caught my eye. "I'm just going to grab a hot chocolate, and I'll be right back," I said after noticing he had already got his drink. After getting my warm drink, I sat down at the table with Jasper. "So, whats up?"
"Just wanted to talk to you, because we didn't get a chance to at the party," He looked at me, and I was suddenly calm. "Bella, said that you left the party early, I looked for you before I left."
"Yeah, Edward and I just wanted to get home. Our dad is out of town, and we didn't like the idea of our mother being alone," I lied. He bought it and shyly looked down to take a sip of his coffee. I shuffled my feet and looked around wondering why he asked me to meet him.
"Cool, cool," He nodded, and I wished he would get to the point soon. "I'm going to be gone next weekend to visit my real dad, Phil, and my Parents are headed to another convention thing--"
"Another one?" I was shocked Renee seemed to always drag Charlie around to try all her different things. "The city of Forks is going without their Police Chief, again?"
"Yeah, she's into pottery this month, and Charlie's not that excited about it," He chuckled. Jasper would always switch between saying Charlie and Dad they were synonymous to him. "Well I'm not sure if Bella wants to stay home alone, so could she stay at your house?"
"Well, of course!" I smiled, hoping that wasn't all he wanted to tell me. "When are you leaving?"
"Early Saturday morning, I'm only going for one night. Phil is playing the Tacoma Rainiers and whenever he plays them I always spend a night out in the city with him," He shrugged, and didn't look too excited. I bit my lip, and took a drink of my hot chocolate. We sat and talked for a little while longer, about school, our classes, teachers, and some gossip. It was about 8:15pm when I received a text from Edward, Alice, Rosalie is trying to set me up with Emmett's cousin. Help? Jasper was responding to a text he got during our conversation, too. "Bella said that my parents are home, and want me to come home," He informed me.
"Alright, I should be getting home, too," I tipped my cup up to get the last drop. We stood up and put our jackets on, having to say "goodbye" to everyone on the way out; everyone knew us, well mostly they knew our fathers. It wasn't raining, so we walked slowly to our cars.
"Thanks, Alice," Jasper spoke as he twirled his car keys around his finger. I smiled, flipped my short hair, and dusted off my shoulder to indicate it was no big deal. He chuckled and shook his head. We both climbed in our cars, and I departed home first. I was smiling all the way home. I could see that something would happen between us, someday.
Bella POV
The plush carpet felt soft on my socked feet as I trudged my way to Dr. Cullen's study. I am so wishing I hadn't worn my yoga pants and a hoodie over, I thought to myself, as I tugged on my hair that was floundering in a bun, sitting on the top of my head. Well, it's not like Edward thinks of you that way anyways, I quickly dismissed any thought of my appearance. Three. Four. Five. I count silently in my head. The study is, as I remind myself, the fifth door on the right from Alice's. I come to a slow and steady halt. The door was closed. I took a long and deep breath as I reached out and wrapped my fingers around the brass knob and I turned it to the right, fighting against the fluttering and tugging in my chest at the thought of seeing Edward. I kind of got used to the constant tugging and kind of pain when I was around him. I'd also trained myself to remember to learn to breathe around him. After what seems like eternity, I lean forward and put little force on the door as it creaks open and I hesitantly step through the doorway. I shift my eyes towards a bronze peak of hair falling about the back of an armrest on a black leather couch. The couch is parallel with the wall on the right and Edward is lying facing the opposite direction of the door in which I'd just entered. He must have heard me enter though, as he turns his head to the left and two beams of green light greet me and a smile slowly comes to his face.
"Hey, how's Alice doing?" He inquires.
I am still standing by the door way as I answer, "Well, she's doing a whole lot better since Jazz sent her a text asking her to hang out. Which, I had no idea he was doing, by the way." I say in a matter of fact tone as I feel my eyebrows raise and my forehead wrinkles.
Edward is taken somewhat aback by this news and narrows his expression as if in thought.
"Well that should be interesting…" he says grimly.
"Yeah," I agree as I make my way over to the big leather chair across from the couch Edward is lounged upon. I leaned back on the chair as I sat and tucked my right leg under my left and grabbed both my knees. Edward sits up and swings his legs to the left, over the couch, to face me. There is only the glass coffee table between us, which Edward seems to have placed the can of pop he was consuming, on a coaster, of course. I smirked; obviously using a coaster was something that Alice and Rosalie have engraved into his mind.
"So Rosalie wanted to talk to Alice and suggested I come find you in here while they have a little chat," I added.
As the conversation seems to have come to an abrupt stop, I shove my hand in the pocket of my hoodie and grab my cell phone. I nonchalantly pull it out and slide it up and begin pressing my fingers against the keyboard, typing: "Hey, long time, no see!" I open my contacts and select a recipient for my message from the E section. I slide my phone shut and place it in my lap as the message sends. Almost instantaneously, a faint vrrrr sound comes from Edward's jean pocket. He looks surprised as he slips his slender hand into the pocket to retrieve the source of the noise. He flips open his phone and a smile comes to his face as he looks up at me and says, "Seriously, Bella?" I just raise my eyebrows and give the look that says, well aren't you going to answer it? Edward rolls his eyes in defeat and looks intently down at his phone as he begins to type a reply. He sends it with a click and flips shut his phone. My lap vibrates and I read, "Ur a dork : P" I narrow my eyes and force the most pissed off expression I can muster. It's a little game we play, where I pretend to be mad and Edward apologizes, both under fake pretenses. I look up at Edward and give him my death stare. He just laughs and says, "Yeah, Bella. You always try to look mad but it doesn't work. I know you're really not." The crack of his smile has already broken my narrowed expression and I smile and chuckle. Edward reaches his long fingers around his can of Pepsi and raises it to his lips.
After a satisfying gulp, he holds the can in his hand and states, "I would offer you one, but it's like an hour until dinner and mom will be sore if I go into the kitchen for another one now."
I shrug my shoulders and say, "That's okay."
"Well Rose and Alice will probably be a while; their sister to sister talks can go on forever…" Edward says, still holding his can of Pepsi as he takes another sip.
We spent the next chat about school and the weird kid in our math class who always corrects the teacher and says things like, "Ms. Craft, you said the answer is 4.2 and well I got 4.19, is that still ok?" We both agreed that no one likes a suck up like that. We were also both in shock that he also had a girlfriend. We also talked about other things and laughed. I almost cried three times I was laughing so hard. Edward and I always have a good time together. Just as I think my sides can't get anymore sore from laughing, there's a beep and a voice on the intercom, located on Mr. Cullen's desk and we hear Mrs. Cullen's loving voice, "Hey, Rose, Alice, Edward, Bella. Dinner." Edward and I look at each other and he stands and puts out his hand towards me and says, "After you." I graciously grab his hand as I untangle my legs and stand. Feeling Edward's skin against mine is like lightning. I've always wondered if I was the only one who could feel the electricity between us. I quickly dismiss the thought as he holds the door open for me as we exit the study and turn left to go down the hall. The stairs are wide enough for us to descend down them side by side and Edward just scoffs and says, "If you trip and fall, you better not take me down with you," and smiles. I quickly reply, "Yeah well it's not my fault I'm like the clumsiest person on the face of the planet Edward, you know, at least I don't drink chocolate milk boxes at lunch!"
"Hey now! You know my mom packs my lunch for me and I happen to like chocolate milk!" He replies.
"Yeah well, YOU don't always have to take my water bottle, EDWARD," I say sharply.
"It's not my fault you make it so easy to take it from you," He laughs.
"Edward, are you calling me easy? I don't think your mom would be too pleased to hear that." I grin as we enter the dining room as Esme's setting a steaming bowl of something in the middle of the set table.
"Hear him say what?" Esme inquires, looking up at us and wiping her hands on her apron.
"Busted!" I cough under my breath to Edward.
Edward and I kept looking at each other throughout dinner. Then we'd chuckle and turn away, like two year olds. Alice seemed distant, picking at her dinner and always looking down into her lap, at no doubt, texts from my brother. I'd decided I was okay with the whole thing. I mean, if I was okay with her liking my brother, she was sure to be more receptive of me if my feelings for Edward became known to anyone else besides myself. Plus, if Alice and Jazz made each other happy, why shouldn't I want my brother and my best friend to be happy? If that was with one another, then so be it.
Time must've come for Alice to meet Jazz, as she said she'd drive me home but Edward stepped in and offered. There was obviously no objection from me and with that, Alice darted out the door and Edward was just puling on his jacket, to take me home. I mirror his actions and grab my coat and purse. We walk silently into the garage. Edward walks wordlessly to the passenger side door of his silver Volvo and clicks the door handle and holds it open for me as I clumsily climb in and buckle up. He shuts the door with a small slam and gets in on the drivers side. With a turn of his hand, the Volvo roars to life and Edward reaches up on the visor and presses the garage door opener. As it's a clear night, a rare occasion in Forks, Edward slides open the moon roof with the press of another button. He glances at me and smiles as he backs out of the Cullen's four car garage.
Once out of the driveway and onto the road Edward speaks, "I hope your brother knows what he's doing. He'd better not hurt her again."
"He doesn't know how she feels Edward, he wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone and he was might I add, under the influence of a compromising amount of alcohol," I say in defense.
"And you're like ok with your best friend liking your brother?" He inquires.
"Yeah I am. It seems to make her happy and seeing Alice happy, makes me happy," I say.
"You and I have that in common then. You're practically like a sister to her, you know that right? Heck, you're like one to me Bella. You're a good friend," Edward looks over at me.
"Yeah well you guys are like family to me too. And you're wonderful with Alice, not all big brothers show how much they care like you do," I respond.
"Jazz isn't the brotherly type eh?" He asks, still staring at the road in front of him.
"No, no. He has as big of heart as anyone. You just got to fight like hell to get him to let you inside but once you're there, you're there to stay," I say.
"Well, Alice is good at breaking down walls so she's certainly up to the challenge," He glances at me and back to the road.
"I know she is, if anyone could do it, it'd be Alice," I smile.
"I guess we'll just have to see what happens."
"Yeah," I agree and nod to myself as we silently pull into my driveway. I notice a light is on in the living room, which means my parent must be home.
End Notes: We had a hard time with this chapter, so I hope you guys like it! Reviews are always appreciated.
