You guys, I woke up and checked my e-mail and literally freaked out. I mean, I can't even. I blushed and freaked out like a little girl. /facepalm.
Bella stood anxiously at the front door, her eyes glancing back to her car every now and then. She had been standing there for a good few minutes until finally ringing the doorbell. She clutched at the file, her nerves getting the better of her as she shifted from foot to foot. 'Get a grip, Bella. You've been here before, what're you so nervous for?' She felt off. In the pit of her stomach, she didn't feel right but when the front door swung open, she smiled slightly.
"Hi, Esme." She gave her a half-hearted wave.
"Bella!" Esme wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. Bella's arms immediately went around the older woman's waist, squeezing slightly before letting go. "I wasn't expecting you to come. When Carlisle told me, I thought he was just pulling my leg." She ushered Bella inside, and walked with her past the living room, through the kitchen, and into the backyard.
Bella smile sheepishly. "Sorry I haven't been coming around lately. I've just been busy, is all."
"I bet you are. Go on and sit. Enjoy the night. We're still waiting for Edward and Jasper." And with that, Esme was back inside.
Bella's eyes scanned the backyard, noting the flower garden a little to her left and the small man-made pond which, if Carlisle still tended to it, had koi fish. She made her way to the porch swing that was to her right which sat near a lamp. Plopping down, Bella dropped the autopsy report beside her. She sat with one leg bent beneath her, the other firmly on the ground, allowing her to push the swing slightly.
"Are you following me?"
Her eyes snapped to the flower garden. 'No fuckin' way. You're kidding me.'
"Well? Are you?"
She cleared her throat, shaking her head no. Alice began to make her way over, her sketchbook clutched against her chest. Bella eyed her, noticing that she changed out of her button up and skirt. Now, she was simply dressed in jeans and a white blouse. 'Um, why didn't you wear this at the grocery store?' Once she reached the porch swing, Alice tilted her head. "Room for one more?"
Blushing slightly, Bella nodded. "Um, yeah, of course. Totally." Bella grabbed the autopsy report that rested beside her and dropped it onto her thighs.
Alice grinned, dropping herself onto the porch swing, causing it to sway further back. "So, what brings you here?"
"Esme's lasagna." Bella grinned. "That, and Carlisle said he'd go over the report with me."
Alice chuckled. "Yeah, I don't usually turn down a meal that Esme's cooked." She brought both legs up and tucked them beneath her, angling her body to face Bella. She rested her head in the palm of her hand, noting how the glow of the lamp caused Bella's hair look lighter than it did than at the grocery store.
They both sat there in silence, the night sky already dark. Bella tilted her head upwards slightly, noting that it was a full moon. 'Way to go, Swan. Avoiding eye contact and conversation. That'll definitely score you brownie points with her.' She rolled her eyes.
Alice furrowed her brow before lowering her sketch book into her lap. She glanced back at Bella, making sure she was still looking at the moon. Flipping through the pages to find a clean one, Alice's hand quickly slipped the pencil that was perched behind her ear and began to outline Bella's profile. She kept her head bent down, the image of Bella already memorized in her mind. 'Wait. I don't sketch people.' She paused. 'What am I sketching her for?'
Alice stopped then, slapping her sketchbook shut, slightly frustrated but more confused. Bella's eyes snapped towards the sound, eyebrow raised.
"I'm gonna go inside and see if Esme needs help," Alice stated flatly. She stood, causing the porch swing to shift harshly, making her way back inside.
Bella blinked a few times, eyes narrowing slightly. 'Okaaay, that wasn't weird. I hope she didn't think I was ignoring her or anything… I mean, I wasn't. Not on purpose. No way. She looked pretty good in those jeans though. No, not just good. Better than good. Yeah, I definitely need a cold drink for this one. Maybe not if she keeps randomly slapping her book shut and leaving after we had an okay conversation. Uh, however short it was.' She rolled her eyes, directing her attention back to the moon. 'Women.'
"Bella!"
She blew out a breath. 'No peace. Ever.'
"Hi, Edward." She stood slowly, stretching her back.
"Glad you could make it. C'mon. It's time to eat."
They both made their way inside, Bella's thumb rubbing against the edge of the folder. She could hear voices inside, mostly Esme's as she tried to get everyone round up and in the dining room. Spotting a small table off to the side in the dining room, she placed the folder there, before turning to look at the table. 'Well crap. It's like they could've invited half the town.'
Everyone began taking their seats, Bella watching. 'Oh fuck. Where do I sit?'
"Bella. Come on, sit next to me. I won't bite ya'." 'Saved!'
She sat down beside Edward, mentally slapping herself when she realized she was sitting directly across from Alice 'Fuck me sideways. This would happen to me.'
Bella finally noticed the man sitting beside Alice, and a woman on the other side of him. Bella looked down the table, seeing someone else next to Edward. Her attention was brought to the lasagna that sat before her, the garlic bread right beside it.
"Before we start to eat, I think it's best if we introduce our dinner guest," Carlisle suggested. He stood at the end of the table, bottle of wine in hand. He turned to her, eyebrows raised.
"Oh, uh." Bella's cheeks began to suddenly turn pink. "I'm Bella?"
"She works with me." Edward stated. "We're partners. This bear of a man next to me is Emmett and that's his wife, Rosalie." Edward tilted his chin forward. "That's Jasper and the shorty over there is Alice." There was a small thump, causing Edward to grimace. "Did you just kick me?"
"My foot must've slipped," Alice deadpanned, shrugging her shoulders. She bit her lip, trying not to smile. "So, can we eat now?"
Esme huffed from her seat. "Go on. Dig in then."
With those few words, the noise level began to climb with the clinking of forks and spoons, voices trying to be heard over other conversations. She felt a nudge in her side.
"Salad?" Edward offered.
Bella scoffed. "No thanks. That's just gonna fill me up before I get to the best part." She reached for the garlic bread, taking a bite before dropping it onto her plate. Bella reached for the lasagna, cutting herself a piece and placing it on her plate. She began to rip up the garlic bread, letting the pieces land on her plate.
"What are you doing?"
She looked up at twinkling green eyes.
"Ripping my garlic bread, what else?" Alice's eyes widened. "What? I don't like having to put my fork down to pick up the garlic bread."
"Right." Alice shook her head slightly with a small smile. A hand rested on Alice's that was on the table, causing her to look at Jasper. They began to talk about something, Bella's focus on their hands which were now intertwined. There wasn't a ring on her finger and she couldn't see Jasper's. Her eyes snapped up at the sight of something shining. A necklace. With a ring. Bella's eyes shifted over to Jasper, finally noticing his necklace that was tucked into his v-neck. 'Oh for fuck's sake… you're kidding me. Way to go, Swan. You got the hots for a married woman.'
Returning to her plate, Bella began to eat. 'At least the lasagna is great. Oh yeah, so much better than chow mein.' Somehow though, the lasagna just wasn't distracting enough. Her mind kept returning to that damn necklace. 'What the fuck, man. What do I care that she's not single? So what? It's happened before. So why the hell does it bug me so much? Jesus.' Bella's eyes strayed from her plate back up to Alice, who was still wrapped up in her conversation with Jasper. She mentally groaned, eyes going back to her plate. 'If I keep looking at her, she's going to think I have some kinda staring problem. This is going to be a long dinner.'
As everyone sat around in the living room, Bella's eyes darted from the folder to Carlisle. They'd just finished dessert and she was anxious. Edward was with Emmett, playing some video game while Rosalie was helping Esme clean up. Alice and Jasper were on the couch, half talking and half watching Edward and Emmett play against each other. Carlisle, though, sat in a large chair in the corner, a book in his lap.
Throwing her hands up in defeat as subtly as possible, Bella made her way toward Carlisle.
"I was wondering when you'd ask."
She paused. "You're killing me here, Carlisle."
He chuckled. "Come on then. Let's look at the report. I got the okay from Esme way before dinner anyway."
"You just wanted to see me squirm, didn't you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Maybe."
"Carlisle!"
"What? I couldn't help myself. Let me just make a quick phone call, okay? Help yourself and try out the chair."
Bella nodded, watching as Carlisle headed out of the living room and into a hallway. She looked back at the chair, the leather still shining. She glanced over her shoulder, and then dropped herself into the chair. 'I always thought it was awkward sitting on a chair that's already warm.' She shifted a little, feeling awkward.
"Yes!" Emmett stood, arms raised. "I win! I do believe that you owe me 5 bucks and a chocolate milkshake, Eddie."
"Should'a known." Edward stood. "Alright, let me run upstairs and grab my wallet."
"Hey, don't think you're gonna pull a fast one over me. Last time you said that, you locked yourself in your room until I left!" Emmett stood then, following Edward.
Bella realized then that it was just Jasper, Alice, and her. She realized that they had stopped talking. She ducked her head, opening the folder and going over what Carlisle had already told her. 'Something is just… not right with this. Usually, there's some elaborate shit going on but this is just so straightforward. Were they so desperate to just kill her and have it over with?'
"They were in a rush, weren't they?"
"Mm, yeah."
Carlisle set a stool beside the leather chair, a knock at the door preventing him from sitting.
"Ah, hold on."
'What the- who would be coming at…' she glanced at her watch. '10:17?'
She strained her hearing, but Alice and Jasper had started to talk again causing Bella to clench her jaw. She watched as Carlisle made his way with a small box tucked under his arm. He set it on a small table near a window. "Sorry about that. Let's get started." He slid onto the stool, looking at the papers while Bella's mind was still on the small package.