"Later mate."
"Bye." Edward hung up the phone and I snapped my cell shut, trying to absorb this new and frankly quite interesting piece of information. Confidence training? What in the hell brought that on? I realised that Bella was still staring at me, so I gave her a grin and shoved the phone into my pocket. "Looks like you've got a date..." I wiggled my eyebrows and she giggled.
Then she stopped dead. "You're not coming with us?"
"I really wouldn't want to get in the way of all the sex..." Her cheeks burned furiously and I sighed. "I don't think I should intrude Bella. This could be a potential date, and my presence will make it an outing of friends. So I think I'll pass..." Bella looked as if she was about to burst into tears.
"I need you there! What if I mess up? You've always kept me on the straight and narrow, stopping me from saying something idiotic. Please Chloe. I don't want to ruin my first date with the guy I've loved since I traded my gingerbread man for his juice box..." she trailed off and I was suddenly doubled over with laughter.
"That sounds..." I had to stop to snort and giggle again, before I could choke out the rest of the sentence. "Like some hideous innuendo..." My giggles stopped when she glared at me. Right then, serious face it is. I cleared my throat. "Sorry."
"Isn't there any way you could come with us, without you know, being there?" she looked at me with such pleading and fear, that I clearly had no choice. My shoulders slumped and I groaned.
"Why do I do this to myself?" I asked no-one in particular. "Fine. I'll be invisible."
She threw her arms around me and crushed me in a tight hug. My left lung felt like it was forcing it's way up my throat, so I wheezed at her to let me go. She released me, still smiling. "I have a date... with Edward Cullen."
"Go on then." She beamed at me. "Go find the sexist thing you own, put it on and meet him at the movies at eight. Go," I pushed her in the opposite direction and she began to jog away, waving at me until she was out of sight.
"Why do I do this to myself?" I wondered aloud once more. I'm seriously glutton for punishment. If this continues, I'll be the one hiding under the table at their wedding reception, telling them what to say...
-----------------
I strolled along the Cullen's driveway, after an annoyingly long walk through the woods. I really don't think anyone knew this bloody mansion was here... I rang the doorbell after bounding up the marble steps, and waited patiently for Edward to move his ass. When the door swung open, I was surprised to find Emmett, Edwards brother, standing there instead. His grin worried me.
"Wha-" before I could finish the word, he had grabbed me and swung me over his shoulder. I don't think the fact that I was pounding on his back even registered.
"Little Chloe!" he boomed and I groaned.
"Big tankish Emmett..." He had carried me into the living room and set me down, well, I say set me down... After he'd thrown me onto the couch, he collapsed next to me and pulled me into a bear hug. "It's nice to see you too," I said, my voice muffled against his chest.
"It's been six months!" he was squeezing me tightly, and I asked him to let me go. I shook my head to clear it and looked at him.
"I thought you were in good old California with Rosalie?" His fiance' and full time carer was a blonde bombshell. Emmett had met her at a strip club one night and had heroically resuced her from the manager, who was constantly trying to cop a feel. I'd only met her once, and although she seemed nice enough, I didn't think I should get on her bad side.
"I came home to give the folks the news."
"News?"
"Rose is pregnant! Due in December... This year..." he stated the obvious and I chuckled.
"Really? This year?" He punched my arm gently. He'd learnt before that I bruise like a peach. He'd also learned that I punch like a boxer when I'd clocked him on the nose for almost breaking my damn arm. "It must be nice for Carlisle and Esme to have you back. It probably been lonely for them since Alice and Jasper moved out..."
Now there, were two of the nicest people on the planet. The first time I'd layed eyes on Alice, she promptly hugged me, and pulled me off to the shops. Five hours and a thousand dollars later, Alice had finished, and we'd gone back to the Cullen's house to watch Pretty Woman and practically lick the screen whenever Richard Gere came on.
I'd met Jasper a few times. He wasn't the most sociable person, but when he got going he could be a riot. He was quite the comedian and his dry sense of humor had suited me just fine. I'd missed them since they had gone backpacking in Budapest. Every few weeks we would get a phonecall or a letter to let us know what had been going on.
"They have Eddie though..." Emmett interrupted my thoughts, but I shrugged at him. I don't think Edward was really classed as company, and I'd told him this on several occasions. He was either too shy to talk, or had his nose shoved firmly into a book.
"Edward? The hermit?" I joked and Emmett chuckled loudly. "Did you hear about his date tonight?" Now that shocked him.
"Eddie has a date? It's about time he used that Volvo for something..." he smirked and I slapped his chest.
"Bella Swann is not going to be a fumble in his backseat..."
Emmett raised an eyebrow at me and I grinned. "The Bella Swann. The one he's pined after like a little puppy for God knows how long?" he looked at me for the answer.
"The very one."
"Chloe?" Edward called out from upstairs and I winked at Emmett. "Is that you? Tell Emmett to stop distracting you. I need your opinion on this shirt!" Emmett glowered at me.
"Are turning my brother gay?"
"Screw off Emmett, I'm the one who got him the freakin' date." I slapped hands with him before setting off up the winding staircase that took up the left of the Cullen's living room. I arrived at Edward's bedroom and knocked on the door, before swinging it open. Edward didn't even ask, he just opened his arms and looked down, unsure of himself. I didn't answer, opting to put my head in my hands instead.
"What?" he asked.
"Take it off and let me see your wardrobe." He knew better than to disobey and stripped himself of the hideous shirt, throwing it to the floor. I bent and picked it up, tossing it out of the open window.
"Hey! I liked that shirt!" he whined, crossing his arms and glaring at me. I glared right back.
"Just be thankful I didn't burn it, okay? Now, wardrobe." He led me across the room and pulled the sliding door open. I immediatly went to work, sorting through the various piles of crap that had accumulated in there. Thank you so much Alice. Had it not been for her, I would have sent him out looking like a demented Superhero. I was still muttering to myself ten minutes later, my head still stuck in the dark box that was called his wardrobe.
"Okay, I'm decent..." Edward alerted me and I turned. My jaw hit the floor that fast, that I knew it would bruise. "I-Is it bad?" he asked, plucking at the black tee I had tossed at him. I could only shake my head. I finally regained the power of speech after a few minutes of staring.
"Why in holy hell have you been wearing baggy jeans and shirts for so long? If you'd have worn these, the entire female population would have jumped you. Including your blushing Bella..." He couldn't help but smile a little at my joke, but I then became serious. "Okay, you have the perfect outfit...Which you should never take off by the way." I added.
He smiled softly and shrugged.
"Now, you're meeting Bella at eight okay? I've booked you into some random movie that she'll hopefully like..." I trailed off at his panicked look. "What?"
"You're not coming with us?"
"Knock knock, this is Deja Vu here, I believe you ordered a large helping of 'What Now?' followed by fried 'It's Happening Again Ma...' " Edward looked confused. This was beginning to get scary. I remember a similar conversation, and it ended with me agreeing to sneak around behind certain backs and imagining a future under certain tables, passing certain notes. "No."
"Why the hell not? You can't leave me alone with Bella! I'll completely mess it up. Like I mess everything up! I'll say something to make her uncomfortable, or to make her think I'm a freak!" his panicky demeanor made me sigh. "Please come with us."
This was torture. He was using the patented puppy look, and he even had the gall to cock his head to one side and pout.
"Should I be invisible?" I relented.
"Thank you Chloe. You really are a great friend," Edward smiled at me as he sat on the edge of his bed. Inwardly I groaned. This night was supposed to go perfectly, and apparantly it was all up to me. Goody. Should I do my gleeful dance now, or save it until I'm crouched underneath their seats, pinching the back of their legs to get them to change the subject?
A/N: I would absolutely love you guys to review some more. The next chapter will indeed be the date from Bella's, Edward's and Chloe's POV. I hope you're all enjoying!