Disclaimer: I own none of this. Well, the plot line, I suppose.
AN: So, here you go. I know I really need up update DwFP, but I'm hit a roadblock. So, this should hold you over for a few days. :)
Chapter 7 song: How to Touch a Girl- JoJo
Why? It kind of sums up what Bella wants right now, basically.
Masque and Masked
Chapter 7: How to Touch a Girl
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We took on this friendship thing pretty fast.
The rest of that morning was spent in Edward's room. We were just talking.
"So," I said, walking over to his piano. "You play?"
He nodded, "Yeah. What? Did you think it was for decoration?"
"Well... no. I guess not." I laughed.
"Yeah. This is just a basic one, though. Not to impressive. I have a bigger one downstairs."
I just stared at him. "You have two pianos?"
He nodded again and pointed to the one in his room, "This is the first one I ever played on. The one I learned to play on when I was, like, five. The one downstairs is much bigger. I'm sure you've seen it."
I nodded, "Yeah. I have. I didn't know it was yours."
He laughed, "Most people don't." That's what he left it at.
I continued looking around his room, and walked to the shelf. "You have so many CDs. It's insane. I have, like, 20."
"Yeah, I've been buying them since I was about eight."
"Wow." I said. "And you still buy them, even though you have an iPod?"
I nodded, "Pretty much. Sometimes I'll buy single songs off the internet or something, but I'll usually actually go to the store to buy a CD."
"That's cool. Too bad CD sales are at the lowest ever."
He laughed, "I know, right."
I looked at the floor, "Soccar?"
He went and picked up the ball. "Yeah. You any good?"
I shrugged, "Never really tried." He just stared at me. "What?"
"Alice said the same thing. So I made her play. She was horrible." He laughed.
"Yeah. Well, Alice isn't exactly... sporty."
He laughed, "That's true."
"I however, am pretty good at softball."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I mean, when your step-dad's in baseball, it's kind of unavoidable."
He laughed again, "That's true as well. So, tell me about him."
"Who?"
"The new New York Yankee. And your mom. And dad. You have any siblings? Wow. I just realized I really don't know anything about you."
I laughed. "I realized the same thing just by walking in here."
We continued talking for a while. I told him about my parents and how, no, I didn't have any siblings. He told me that his dad used to be a lawyer, but he still didn't tell me what he does now, and I didn't ask. I figured that if he wanted me to know, he'd tell me. He told me what it was like growing up without siblings, to suddenly having an over energetic step-sister. We didn't get much farther than that, though, when said sister came knocking on the door.
"What, Alice?" Edward called, sitting up from where he was laying on his bed. I was laying on the bed also, but my head was at the end of the bed, and his was at the front.
She opened the door and stuck her head in. "I'm here for Bella."
I looked at her, "What?"
"Do you wanna do something?"
"Um, actually... me and Edward were going to go to that new cafe." Okay, so that's a lie, but I couldn't help but not want to leave him yet.
Alice seemed surprised. "Oh! Well, can I come? I mean, Jazz wants to try that place too." She was pratically begging.
"Sure. Well, if it's okay with Edward." I looked at him, and he just nodded.
"Okay." Alice said, pulling her phone out, "I'll call him. When are you leaving."
"Um, I don't know."
"We were planning a few minutes, but I guess we'll wait." Edward said.
"Oh," Alice said, "Okay." She shut the door and left.
There was a pause, then, "What was that?"
"What was what?" I asked innocently.
"I didn't know we had plans. What if I already had plans?"
"Well did you?"
He paused. "No."
I got off the bed, to find Alice. "Okay then."
When I got to Alice's room, I changed my clothes.
"So, what did Edward say?" She asked.
"Um, he asked if it really was me, and I said yes."
"And..."
"And... that's it."
"No, that's not it, Bella. You were planning to go out with him."
"But-"
"So, are you two, like, dating now?"
"No. We're just friends."
She looked confused. "Why?"
"Because we realized we know nothing about each other."
She just shrugged, "I guess so."
Then there was a knock on the door house door. Alice went to answer it.
I finished getting ready, then went downstairs. Apparently it was Jasper at the door.
"Bella!" Alice exclaimed. "There you are. We've been waiting for you."
"I was upstairs for all of a minute."
"Well, we're all ready, so let's go." She took Japser's hand and they went outside, Edward and I following.
"I thought'd we just walk, since it's only a few blocks." Edward said.
"But, Edward, it's cold." Alice whined.
"Suck it up."
"No."
"Alice," Jasper said. "It's not that bad out, today. You said you wanted me to take you ice skating when the ice rink is up, and it's gonig to be even colder then."
That seemed to get her, "Fine." She finally said.
"Great." Edward said, and started walking.
I walked next to him, with Alice and Jasper behind us.
In just a few minutes, we found ourselves at the cafe, and we went in.
There weren't many people there, so we found a table pretty quickly. It was one of those round tables, and it had four spots. Perfect.
"So, what do you guys want?" Edward asked.
"Oh, Edward. Jazz and I can get it. What do you want, Bella?"
"Um," I looked up at the menu above the registers, "I'll have a coffee and a blueberry muffin."
"Edward?"
"I'll have a coffe as well."
"That it?" She asked.
He nodded and with that, Jasper and Alice went to get our orders.
"Just a coffee?"
"I already ate, actually."
"Oh. I didn't know."
"Bella," Alice shouted, "Decafe?"
"No!" I shouted back.
"No?" Edward asked.
I shrugged, "It's still morning."
"That is very true."
Alice and Jasper came back not much later, with our food and drinks.
We all talked about random things for a few minutes, until I saw someone walk into the cafe.
"Oh no." I said.
"What?" Alice asked.
"It's Charlie." I said.
Alice looked and saw. She smiled, and shouted, "Hey, Cheif Swan!"
He turned and saw her, then me, then the boys. He finished his order and got his food. Then he walked over to me.
"Hey, Bells."
"Hey, Dad."
"So," He said, "Who are you friends?"
I nodded towards Alice, "Dad, you know Alice."
"Yes. Good to see you again, Alice."
"You too, Cheif Swan."
"Please, call me Charlie."
Alice laughed, "Okay.
"And, who are these two, Bella?"
"That's Jasper Whitlock, Alice's boyfriend. And that's Edward, Alice's step-brother."
"Oh, well. It's good to meet you." He diddn't seem happy about it. "Bella, when will you be home?"
"Um, I don't know. Later?"
"Well, be home before dark, okay?"
"Um, sure."
"Good. I gotta run, Bella. But I'll see you later."
"Bye dad."
When he left, Japer said, "He doesn't like me."
"Me either." Edward said.
"No. It's not you. Just your gender." I said. "He says I'm not allowed to date until I'm thirty. Most parents joke when they say that. Mine's pretty much serious."
"For real?" Edward asked.
"Well, maybe not thirty but he said since I'm on partial scholorship to this school, I can't have any guys distracting me and ruining my grades."
"How is guys different than girls?" Alice asked.
"Apparently you get more attatched to guys." I answered. "According to Charlie, anyways."
"What about you mom?" Edward asked.
"Um, I don't think she really cares. But then again, she's not really responsible for me right now."
"Can your dad really stop you though."
"He's a cop. Of course he course he could."
"Hm. Good point."
-------------------------
So, I was home before dark. I was home before Charlie as well.
I decided that I'd just order us a pizza for dinner tonight.
My dad arrived home before the pizza did.
"Bella?" He called.
"In my room."
"Okay. Any idea for dinner?"
"I ordered a pizza."
He didn't say anything after that.
So, when the pizza came, 10 minutes later, I brought it into the kitchen and put it on the table.
Charlie came and got some pieces before going back to watch some sports game on TV.
"Bella, could I talk to you?" He asked as he grabbed the pizza.
Uh-oh. He never wants to talk unless its important.
"Um, sure dad."
He sat down and I did too.
"What's up, dad?"
"Bella, it's about the boys you were with."
I groaned, "Dad."
"Bella. We've talked about this."
"Dad. I was just hanging out with them. With Alice. You like Alice."
"Yes, I like Alice, but I don't want you getting involved with those boys. I know how high schools boys are, Bella. I've broken up enough parties."
I rolled my eyes. "Dad. Alice has been to those parties before. What? I can't hang out with my best friend anymore."
"Isabella." He said sternly. "We've talked about this. No dating until you graduate."
"Mom thinks it's a good idea!"
"Your mother isn't here and isn't exactly the best example."
"Oh, my god! Dad! I'm not dating anyone!"
"That doesn't mean you won't in the future." I groaned again. "Do you hear me, Bella? You want to get into Harvard, you need this school."
"I know."
"And if you date, I just know your grades will slip."
"Dad, how having a boyfriend going to affect my grades more than just having normal friends?"
"You get more attached to boys, Bella." Ha. See?
"Dad, I see your point, but I don't see why we're having this conversation. I'm not dating anyone right now, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon."
"Well, we'll see about that."
With that, he picked up his plate with his pizza, and a soda, and walked back to the living room.
Review, please :)
So, we're officially in the single digits for days til the movie. At least here in the US.
I've been counting down for over 200 days :) Haha.
