~6~
~April 2005~
After the winter carnival, I guess it was safe to say that Edward and I had become a couple. He had brought me home after and we kissed passionately in his care before my father came outside to see why Edward was still idling in the driveway.
The student body though was a little wary of our relationship. Edward would hardly ever talk to any of his friends anymore because they would just insult me. As for the other girls in the school, well, they still attempted to flirt with him class, but he would just ignore them and stare into my eyes. I felt like a princess with Edward.
I still thought it weird for Edward to want to be with me. He was so wealthy and handsome, he could have any woman he wanted, but for some reason, that woman was me. I felt like I wasn't measuring up to his standards, but he didn't appear to feel that way at all.
We spent every day together, or every day that we could. I had gotten a job at a local diner being a waitress. I needed the money. I was going to college in the fall, NYU, and I needed something to help pay my tuition. Edward, on the other hand, had got accepted into Harvard and he didn't have to worry at all about paying bills. His parents had that taken care of.
Edward had come over my house a few times and met my father, although their conversations were hardly long. My father, Charlie, was aware that we were a couple, but he didn't want to know what exactly we were doing. He mumbled a few times that I was too young, but I didn't really care about his opinions. Edward's parents, on the other hand, had no idea Edward had a girlfriend. He told me he would bring me to meet them eventually, but I felt like that day would never come because they would never approve of me for their son.~
~A warm breeze blew through the spring air and the sun beat down lightly onto the earth. I leaned up against Edward's arm as we sat up against a tree in the park. I was trying to concentrate and do my homework, but Edward was making it hard as he kept stroking my face with his soft fingertips.
"What do you say to coming and meeting my parents this Saturday?" he asked me sweetly.
I put my book down and looked up at him, "You mean you want me to meet your parents?"
He smiled, "Of course I want you to meet my parents. You're my girlfriend and you're special to me."
"But will they approve of me?" I asked doubtfully.
"It doesn't matter what they think. I just want them to know that there is someone in my life I care deeply for," he cooed.
I nodded, "Well I want them to know about me, but then, I don't know."
"Listen," he began, "My parents are throwing some kind of a spring party with about 50 of their friends and co-workers. As their son, I'm required to attend and they told me that I could invite someone if I wanted too, and there isn't anyone else I would want to endure this party with but you, so will you come?"
I smiled at him and decided I would come. I wouldn't disappoint him. He meant the world to me and I would do anything for him, even if I meant going to meet his parents. I made him wait a few seconds for my answer, and I as I answered him back, "What should I wear?" I watched the smile spread across his face.~
~I was stuck in a pale pink sundress with a white sweater as we made our way up the front steps to Edward's house. He was dressed in a faded blue button down shirt and blazer. Before he opened the door, I whisper, "Do you think they'll like me?"
"Of course they will. You're beautiful," and before we went in, he leaned down to kiss my lips tenderly.
The whole foyer was decorated with spring flowers and decorations and people were wandering around talking to one another. I followed Edward to a smiling couple who were smiling and standing on the large ornate marble staircase. The way they looked lovingly at their son, told me they were Mr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife, Esme.
"Hello Edward," said Mr. Cullen as we got closer to them, "And who do we owe this pleasure to?" He didn't look old at all compared to my father. He looked to be in his mid-30s and he was the picture of Edward, only with golden blonde hair in place of Edward's brunette.
"Mom, Dad, this is Ms. Isabella Swan," said Edward sweetly, smiling at me out of the corner of his eyes.
"It's lovely to meet you, Isabella," said Mrs. Cullen. She was wearing a bright yellow sundress that accented her slim figure and her brunette hair was swept up into a high bun.
"It's nice to meet you too," I echoed, "Please, call me Bella."
"Very well, Bella," she said kindly.
"Well, we'd like to get to know you now Bella," said Mr. Cullen, "But we must run and say hello to the rest of our guests. Save a spot for us at lunch, son."
"Yes sir," Edward answered and with that they walked away to mingle with the rest of their party guests.
Edward decided to take me on a tour of his house so I could officially see it. The last time I had been there was that horrid night when the incident with Tom occurred. He brought me through all of the rooms, and I admired all of the fancy decorating in each, while the rest of the guests were outside in the pavilions and cabanas on the vast back lawn. In the living room, I found myself studying a picture of a young boy and a young woman. They boy appeared to be a young child, while the girl was merely a teenager. The boy had messy brunette hair and the girl had long golden hair and blue eyes. She was the picture of pure and natural beauty.
"That's me and my sister," Edward said as he caught me studying the picture.
"She's beautiful," I remarked of the pretty blonde.
"Yeah, everyone thought she was. She had a mixture of both of my parents' best features," he said.
I nodded my head, still not able to take my eyes off the picture. "Come on, we should probably go meet my parents for lunch," he said and I reluctantly followed him out of the room, staring at the beautiful picture as I left…
~"So, Bella, tell us about yourself," said Mr. Cullen as we sat at our table for lunch. The table was set with the most beautiful china I had ever seen, that glistened under the sunlight.
"Well, I go to Port Angeles Prep with Edward," I stuttered.
"Oh really?" said Mr. Cullen looking up from his plate, "Now where do you live?"
"I live in Forks," I answered back.
"Oh, and what do your parents do?" asked Mrs. Cullen.
"Well, my father is a police man," I stuttered nervously, looking at Edward for support, but he seemed to be looking down at his plate so I continued solo, "And my mother moved out on us when I was younger."
"Oh, what a shame, but that must mean you have very little money to support yourselves?" Mrs. Cullen said.
"Yes, but my father works as hard as he can and I recently got a job too," I answered back.
"What do you do?" asked Mr. Cullen.
"I'm a waitress at a diner in Forks," I answered. I watched the frowns on both of their faces. Each one mimicking the other's. They seemed to be very unhappy at the prospect of their son going out with a waitress.
"Well how on earth do you afford Port Angeles Prep?" Mrs. Cullen asked.
"I'm on full scholarship. I used to go to Forks High School, but my father wanted a better life for me, so I didn't turn out like my mother, so he moved me over to Port Angeles Prep," I stuttered.
"Interesting," Mrs. Cullen said, giving me a disapproving nasty look. "Will you excuse my husband and son, I need their help with something in the kitchen," she finished.
I nodded my head and watched as they went back inside the house, leaving me all alone. "I'll be right back," Edward whispered before he walked away.
I sat there for ten minutes, glancing around at the other party guests in their designer clothing talking about life as if there wasn't a care in the world. How nice it must be to be rich, I thought. They never had anything to worry about. They had their money and their successful careers that brought them all the happiness in the world, while my dad and me struggled to live day by day. Their life was like a fairy tale, while mine was just a nightmare.
I looked down at my watch and saw that it read 2:00. I had to be in for work at 3:00, so I decided it was time to go get Edward and tell him I had to leave. I pranced across the lawn, hurrying back toward the house, catching the snooty glances from the guests still finishing their lunch. I could just imagine their thoughts. What's that dirty broke girl doing here?
I made it to the porch of the big mansion and went inside. I looked around the hall, but didn't see Edward or his parents anywhere. I heard angry murmurs coming from behind the kitchen doorway, and I tiptoed carefully to listen to what was going on.
I stood outside the white kitchen door that was slightly ajar, my back pressed against the wall, struggling to listen to their angry words.
"You don't know what you're getting yourself into!" I heard Mrs. Cullen shout.
"Oh, and what is that supposed to mean Mom?" retorted a furious Edward.
"It means that you don't know how much this relationship with this girl can ruin things!" she yelled back.
"What things?" he questioned.
I stood confused against the wall. How could I ever ruin Edward's life? But, Mrs. Cullen was quick to put her two sense in. "Well, your career for one thing. You're going to Harvard this fall; you need to study and work hard so you can take over the business for your father. You won't be able to do that with this girl as a distraction!"
"She's not a distraction," said Edward.
"Yes she is," said Mrs. Cullen, articulating every syllable, "She simply does not understand how hard you have to work and the pressure that is on you. She could never possibly understand."
"And how would you know if she understood or not?" he said back sarcastically.
"She's not from our social class, Edward. She lives a completely different life. She comes from a poor, disheveled family. It's a wonder how she even got into Port Angeles Prep. After all, she's not very bright. She would never understand the hard work people like us must do," Mrs. Cullen finished.
I continued to stand frozen, aghast at how his mother could make such assumptions about me. She didn't even know me.
"I'll have you know that she's very bright. She got into Port Angeles Prep on a full scholarship," Edward said back. I felt relieved that he had stuck up for me.
"That may be," started Mrs. Cullen again, "But that doesn't excuse her manners and the way she was brought up. Her father is practically scum and I'm sure he mother was no improvement. God only knows what that mother of her was. She could have been a prostitute or a heroin addict for all that we know!" I felt the tears began to sting my eyes. How could she say that about a family she didn't even know. I thought of my dad and how hard he worked to proved for me. We may not have a close relationship, but he still tried his best for me. I felt the tears come on his behalf. "That girl will just take after her rotten parents. She'll never go anywhere. Edward, why don't you understand, she's just a slut! You need to let her go before she comes anymore involved with you and deprives you of all that you have worked hard for," she finished.
The tears began to fall. I thought of the way she called me a slut and how I wouldn't go anywhere in life. Was I really making Edward's life so miserable? I thought we had a real connection, was it all just a lie? Was I just manipulating him?
"You don't understand," Edward said, hardly above a whisper.
"Edward," his father started. I hadn't even realized he was with them, "I think your mother is just simply upset by the fact that you're risking your life for someone who isn't worth it. You should pick someone with better standards." The tears came even harder. I couldn't think of losing Edward. I didn't want to hear this anymore. I didn't want to face Edward after this conversation and I was ready to just walk out.
"Yes, exactly," his mother chimed in.
"Well, you can both go to hell," he said as the door quickly flung open, revealing a tear-strained me standing behind him.
"Bella," Edward whispered and I saw the hurt in his green eyes.
"Edward, get back here," his mother yelled at him from behind the door.
I turned around and ran for the front door, yanking it open as hard as I could. I didn't want to be in this house, with all the fancy decorations and flowers everywhere, everything that symbolized the power and money the Cullen family had in the world; all the power and money that I was deprived of. The one rift me and Edward's relationship.
"Bella," I heard Edward call behind me as I ran down the marble steps for the long winding driveway. I wanted to escape as fast as possible, but I had barely made it to the gate when Edward caught my arm and whirled me around to face him. "Where are you going?" he asked shocked, as if the recent conversation with his parents had never happened.
"Is it true?" I yelled into his face that was only inches from mine. I locked eyes with him, but mine were hard with anger and his were full of hurt.
"Is what true?" he responded back softly.
"Am I really ruining your life?" I asked angry.
"Of course not, how could you even think such a thing like that," he answered bewildered.
"I heard you and your parents. They think I'm depriving you of everything. They called me scum and a slut. Am I really just that to you?" I asked, but my tone went from anger to hurt and pain as I choked on my words and tears began to fall harder.
"Shh," he cooed to me, gently rubbing his hands over my face to wipe away my tears, "You are everything to me. Don't listen to a word they said. They just don't understand."
My sobbing subsided a little, but I still felt lonely and empty. "I just don't want to hurt you in anyway. I don't want you to lose anything because of me," I choked out.
"It doesn't matter," he said sweetly shaking his head, "You matter much more to me than anything else in this world. I'm so sorry that you had to hear that conversation with my parents. They had no right to be so cruel to you and I promise I will talk to them when this party is over. They are just too difficult and don't understand me, but that doesn't mean I will let them control what I do with my life."
I nodded my head and tried to take a deep breath to get all of my emotions out. He took me in close to his chest, wrapping his arms all the way around me. "I love you Bella, and no matter what people say, I will always be here for you, forever."
I closed my eyes and hugged him close to me. I never wanted to let him go. I wanted to be with him forever, and in that moment, I willingly believed that that could be possible, that we could prove everyone wrong, and live happily together, forever…
