Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.

Summary:

From the first time Bella smashed her juice box onto Edward's head at daycare, the two were inseparable as children. Being older, Edward began high school, leaving little Bella in middle school. Here he discovered popularity, the hottest girl in school and sports, abandoning his music dream. When Bella reached high school two years later, she felt left in the dust and befriended few. Upon graduation, Bella moved to Seattle, graduated from college and is looking forward to her new internship at a company. Unfortunately for her, the boy of her childhood unknowingly just moved into her apartment building.

Book Lover: I really hope this is permanent, I would hate to have to read another different version.

I know, it's been stressful. But, I really believe this is for the best. I love this version, and I hope you will, too.

Book Lover: Please Update Soon! I need to know how you're going ot change the other chapters and where you're going with this story!

I know, I haven't been keeping, but I promise I'm trying! My schedule seems to have fallen into place, so there's that!

Book Lover: I thik I like this version better than the other one. Good chapter by the way. Oh, and why is Alice listening to Christmas music in October?

Well, thank you. Alice is… Alice. She's different and quirky, and a lot of people listen to Christmas music in October!

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Read to the end and find out what the title is for my one-shot that Cheshire15 helped to configure!

Thanks again for reading(: Now, on to another chapter!

Chapter 6

I hesitated answering Alice. In my silence, Alice made her way from the kitchen and into the living room. She began to clean up the remains of last night's slumber party. Well, attempting to clean anyways. She had strewn the blankets over the back of the couch, thrown the pillows onto the arm chair, and was in the midst of picking up the food that was atop the coffee table before I asked a much needed question.

"Need some help?" I questioned, making my way to the large radio system that sat beneath the flat-screen television.

Alice nodded. "Please! Just go get changed first. I wouldn't want a soda stain on your nice blouse."

"Mkay," I commented, turning the volume dial so the Christmas music was simply a faded background noise.

As soon as I had departed the room, I heard the music's volume rise once more, causing me to roll my eyes towards the ceiling. After shedding my daily work clothes and tossing them into the hamper, I shrugged into a comfy pair of Harry Potter themed sweat pants and a white tee shirt. Finally comfortable, I made my way back out into the living room, finding Alice on the floor.

"What on Earth are you doing?" I questioned quickly, a dark eyebrow quirked.

She glanced up and smiled at me sheepishly, slightly shifting her weight so I could see a dark red stain on the floor.

"Trying to get this out," she stated, as though it were a rather obvious outcome.

I felt a gasp escape my lips. "Alice, that didn't spill last night, did it?"

She shook her head, black hair bouncing gracefully. "Nope. I accidentally pushed it over the edge when I was cleaning the table."

I pursed my lips. "Hold on a moment."

Turning, I made my way back into the kitchen. When I was before the kitchen sink, I bent, opening the door and grabbing a carpet cleaning solution from beneath. Shifting the bottles aside, I grabbed a neatly folded, although stained, cloth from a basket in the back. I knew I was stalling, and I knew that I only have a short amount of time until Alice hounded me with questions as to why I was blushing. It was a miracle that she had waited this long to ask in the first place.

When I had returned to the living room, Alice was busy shoving wrappers and loose candies and popcorn into the porcelain popcorn bowl. Her grey eyes followed my movements, and I knew she was about to burst at the seam.

Spraying the solution on the carpet, I had just bent to press the cloth into the strands when Alice nearly shouted, causing my body to jump- I swear the windows rattled.

"Well, missy! Why are you blushing? You can't avoid me forever!" she demanded, her voice exasperated.

"Why are you so loud?" I whined, lifting the cloth and folding it to press the other side into the carpet.

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

I felt a sigh escape my lips. "Fine. I ran into Edward again."

Alice was quick to retort, "And he makes you blush every time because…"

I felt my shoulders pull into a shrug as I sat back, balancing upon my feet with my knees in the air. I hesitated for a moment, setting the bottle of solution onto the table and tossing the now soiled cloth beside it.

Finally, I spoke, "I don't know. He brings up a lot of memories. Some I'd like to forget…-"

"-and others you want to hold onto?" Alice questioned, filling in my blank.

I felt my chin pull into a nod. "Yeah. I suppose."

Alice excused herself, and I could hear the candies fall into the trash can. Finally, when the large bowl echoed around the basin of the sink, she returned, another cleaning cloth in hand. I grabbed it from her, spraying more solution into the now pink spot on the white carpet.

"Bells, you have to be honest with him. Does he still think you're a girl named Marie that he has no memory of?" Alice questioned, placing herself in the pile of throw pillows in the arm chair.

I merely nodded. "Yeah. I just… I don't know Alice. Something in me feels horrible, but another part wants me to… I don't know."

I shook my head.

"You want him to remember you. We already went over this," Alice stated gently.

I felt hot tears tickle the corner of my eyes. Quickly shaking my head, I wiped them away with the back of my hand. I refused to let him get to me again. It's been too long for Edward to keep effecting me the way he did when we were younger.

I nodded. "You're right. I need to tell him. Friday will be a great time… considering I agreed to go out with him for coffee."

"YOU WHAT?!"

I heard the front door fall closed, and I immediately knew Rosalie was inside. After she had discarded her belongings, she made her way into the living area of our apartment.

"What did Bella do now?"

I scorned, weaving my arms across my chest. "Why is it always me that does something wrong?"

Rosalie's perfect red lips pulled back into a gentle smile. "Because, somehow, you always seem to get yourself into trouble."

Rose's hair was pulled back into a beautiful, curled ponytail. Her outfit dictated that she had a long day at work, as her button-up blouse was pulled out of her black pencil skirt, and she had already removed her shoes and panty-hose.

"Oh," I mentioned, "how are you always here when I'm having a problem?"

Before Rosalie could answer, Alice piped up, "Yeah, you're here so much you might as well move in."

Rosalie chuckled. "As much as I would love that idea, this place is not big enough for the three of us." She turned to me. "And, another note, I don't know. I just always come here after work, and lately, Bells, you've been in a lot of trouble. Is this about Edward?"

I could feel the hot blood pool in my cheeks.

"You can take that as a 'yes'," Alice commented smugly.

"Shut up, Aly," I taunted, lifting myself back into a standing position.

The stain in the carpet has disappeared almost completely. I silently thanked Grandma Swan's secret stain remover recipe. Thoughts of my grandmother brought me back to Forks, Washington. Which, in turn, of course brought flashes of emerald green irises and locks of bronze hair.

"Bells?"

I lifted my head. "Hmm?"

"Stop getting distracted and answer the question please," Alice taunted, her arms weaved around her chest.

I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, chewing on the edge slightly. "Which was…?"

Rosalie rolled her ice blue irises. "Why on Earth would you accept a date with the guy?"

I felt my face flush. "I didn't accept a date. I told him we could have coffee, and I was adamant about being friends."

Alice quirked a dark eyebrow. "But, were you really?"

I felt my chest heave with a sigh. "Well, I made it clear that I was very busy and-"

"So, you didn't deny the date?" Rosalie demanded, clicking her perfectly manicured nails against the wall she was leaning against.

For such a beautiful person, Rosalie had a rather kind soul. I often forgot how she was treated by her boyfriend Royce in college, and how she longed for a long, lasting relationship.

"I don't know. I'll tell him my name, alright. I'll make sure the "date" won't go to waste," I stated finally in a huff.

"Bells, I know you don't want to, but being honest is best. You don't want him to lead you on like he did when you were kids…," Alice explained gently.

I shook my head. "He didn't lead me on. He didn't even know I liked him. He just… left me when he went to high school. My heart breaks more over our friendship than a possible relationship."

"I know, sweetie," Rosalie consoled, "but it's best to not prod at the poisonous snake with a stick if avoidable."

I made my way to the couch, throwing myself into the pile of blankets Alice had neglected to fold. With my face pressed into the arm of the couch, I let out a muffled, "I know!"

"I've got an idea!" Alice commented, starting Rosalie and I both.

I shifted my head, peeking out from beneath my fallen fortress of blankets. Alice was bouncing upon the balls of her feet, excitement clear in her eyes.

"Care to share with the class?" Rosalie questioned.

"Let's go out!" Alice nearly shouted.

I quickly shook my head, knowing what Alice's version of 'going out' meant.

"No, no, no, no, oh, and don't forget 'no'!" I immediately shot down the idea.

Alice's face dropped. "But…but why…," she began.

"Alice, I have to work tomorrow. I can't screw up this internship," I stated, placing myself into a sitting position. I did not remove the blankets, though, choosing to drape them across my lap instead.

Alice huffed, placing her hands upon her hips. "I didn't say that we had to go clubbing! Just to dinner and maybe some light dancing."

"Alice, are you sure it's a good idea? It's the middle of the week!" Rosalie made her comment.

Alice shrugged. "That just means we'll be able to get a table faster! C'mon, girls, we could all use a break. And, the middle of the week is the perfect time for that."

I sighed, my hot breath blowing my long bangs from my nose. "Fine, but I get to dress myself. Deal?"

"And I get to borrow some clothes," Rosalie concluded. "I'm not going out in my work clothes."

Alice pouted, although she knew that it was not a battle she could win. Finally, after a long moment of debating with herself, she stated, "Fine. Be ready in twenty. And, Rose, you're here so often we have clothes of yours. I think they're in a basket in the laundry room."

I nodded as confirmation. "Check the green basket on the dryer."

"Thanks!" Rosalie stated before making her way down the hallway and into the laundry room.

Lifting myself from the couch, I quickly made my way to my bedroom, closing the door and locking the knob before Alice could come in and "help" me get ready. Shedding the clothes I had wanted to be in for the rest of the night, I tugged on a pair of comfortable blue jeans and a form-fitting tee shirt. Turning to glance at myself in the mirror, I grabbed the clip that was keeping my long locks in a messy bun, allowing the brown curls to fall free over my shoulders. After rubbing a bit of lip gloss over my lips, I grabbed a pair of converse and made my way from the comfort of my small bedroom.

Alice was stood in the kitchen, tapping her food rapidly against the floor. She had dressed down, most likely knowing I would not dress up, in a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose teal blouse that hung over her pale shoulder. Rosalie soon made her way into the kitchen, her hair having been taken from the high pony tail and her lipstick rubbed off. She was adorning a pair of blue skinny jeans and white blouse that emphasized her curves. Both of them had attempted to dress down for my sake, but I still felt completely underdressed, although this happened every time we went out.

"Ready?" Alice questioned.

"Yes, ma'am!" I commented, pulling my taught hand from the corner of my eyebrow in a mock salute.

Alice rolled her eyes. "I've decided on a bar called The Volturi. It's a small, classy bar with good food and a dance floor."

"Bells, do you have any shoes I can borrow? I really don't want to wear my black heels if we're going to a place to dance," Rosalie stated.

"Sure, there's a pair of black flats by the door," I returned.

Rosalie nodded thankfully and Alice began to lead the way from the apartment. Grabbing her thin black coat and purse from beside the door, she opened the door into the long hallway. Rose and I followed suit, hoping to catch up with Alice's tiny, yet quickly moving legs. Soon enough, we were taking the elevator down below the lobby, Alice having pressed the button for the parking garage beneath the building.

"No bus?" I questioned."

"Not when I have a Porsche!" Alice sounded almost offended that I had offered public transportation.

"You're so dramatic sometimes," Rosalie commented, pulling her red coat tightly around her small figure.

Alice feigned a woman falling, "Love the drama dear. It's part of what makes me so great."

I felt a giggle escape my lips. "Yeah, yeah. How far away is this place?"

"Only a few minutes. We're in the city now! Your small town will never measure up to how quickly we can get around here!" Alice stated loudly, her melodic voice echoing around the confined space of the elevator.

I merely shook my head, my body jolting as the elevator came to a halt. Making my way from the small metal box, I followed Alice to a far corner, where her precious yellow Porsche was parked away from other cars. She rubbed her hand over the glossy paint, as she did every time she was near her car. As I lowered myself into the tight, leather back seats, I felt pride for Alice. Her parents had always paid for her way, including her college education. When she had graduated college, Alice got a job for a prestigious designing company here in the city. Her beloved Porsche was the first thing she had purchased on her own. Although it was a bit much for my taste, Alice took rather good care of the small car-

I nearly flew into the right seat as Alice took off, her speed causing gravity to take control of my body. She took rather good care of her care except when she was driving. The car began to ascend the small hill that lead from the parking garage, the setting sun casting hues of orange, red and yellow into the car.

"Holy crow, Alice!" I shouted from the backseat.

Sunglasses now adorned Alice's grey eyes. "Hmm?" she questioned gently, as though she had no clue as to what I was yelling at her for.

"What Bella means is: slow the hell down!" Rosalie intervened, her hands resting tightly around her seat belt.

"I'm not even going fast! Oh, and look, we're here," Alice stated, expertly directing the car into a tight parking spot.

I glanced through the back window at the building behind the small car. It was large for a bar, the walls made of neatly painted white brick and metal trimmings. An elegant neon sign hung over the main doors, cleverly displaying the name The Volturi. I could hear the music that was coming from within, although it didn't seem too loud. With Rosalie's help, I was able to remove myself from the back seat of the Porsche. Alice had already made her way to the entrance of the bar, where a large man in black was stood before the clean, metal doors.

"Hey, Alice! Welcome back," he greeted her.

"Those two are with me," Alice related back to him as she thrusted a thumb over her shoulder in Rose and I's direction.

Rosalie rolled her grey eyes. "How on Earth does Alice know everyone everywhere we go?"

I merely shrugged, following Rose to the door. "She grew up in the city?"

"The city is a big place, Bells," Rosalie commented.

She had to raise her voice, as the inside of the building was ab it louder than outside. I stood back, relishing in the classic scene before us. Although the building resembled a bar upon the inside, it was much brighter than the family bars I was used to, and much more open. An open metal bar stood in the middle of the room, forming a square with a single entrance for servers. Hundreds of liquor bottles of all kinds glistened in the light behind the bar, carefully placed along wooden shelves. Beside the bar was a small dancefloor. Multi-colored lights shown onto the floor, brightening the mood almost immediately. I figured the music was coming from an empty DJ booth ahead of the dance floor, laden into the wall. An expensive looking stereo system was throbbing with the music in the booth. Several metal tables and plush boots lined the walls, a sign welcoming guests inside to seat themselves.

"Wow," was all I could muster.

"I know!" Alice responded, the excitement clear in her tone. "Isn't it great? And the food is a great price, too!"

She made her way to a table, shifting the chair so she could jump into it. A server came and got our drink orders (mine remained a water with lemon no matter how much Alice pushed). We were comfortable when our food arrived about twenty minutes later, conversing about everything from boys to our jobs. I was munching on my noodles when Rosalie mentioned that she was in the field for a new job. Rosalie had always worked for her ex-boyfriend Royce's company, Royals Realty. The family sold million dollar houses around the world. With Rosalie being beautiful and smart, she had been able to keep up with the job easily, irritating Royce to no end, as her numbers always came in higher than his. It was great income for her, and she was good at it. Although, the more I got to know Rosalie, the more I figured out that she was a hands on girl.

"What do you want to do instead?" Alice questioned.

"I want to open a mechanics shop," Rosalie stated confidentially.

Alice nearly spit out her martini. "Mechanic? You want to be a mechanic?"

Rosalie simply nodded. "I like cars. I actually minored in the field in college. I just majored in business management to help me get my realtor license when I met Royce."

"How come we never heard about this?" I demanded, sticking a mozzarella stick into my mouth. I nearly moaned as the hot cheese exploded. The food here was incredible, and incredibly priced!

Rosalie shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I never thought I could make it work. But I met this great guy named Emmett, and get this: he didn't flirt with me! He just asked me how I was and told me about his mechanics garage."

I raised a single eyebrow. "Where did you meet this Emmett?"

"At work," Rosalie mentioned. "He was interested in getting a new home, and I was helping him out when I let it slip that I own a BMW M3. He was so ecstatic, he started to tell me about his garage."

Alice's shoulders pulled into a shrug. "Are you interested in him?"

Rosalie shook her head. "No, I'm off dating for now. But, he was extremely nice, and offered me a business proposition. Which is the reason I came to see you girls today in the first place."

"What was it?" I questioned, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Before she could answer, I felt a light tap on my right shoulder. Oh no. Please don't be Ed-

"Mike?"

"Bella! I knew it was you!" Mike stated, pulling me into an awkward hug, as I was still seated upon the chair.

Mike was definitely not the person I had expected to see. "Yeah… how are you?" I questioned, my tone curious, although my body was awkwardly fidgeting.

Mike was a guy I had met while attending college. He had shared a few select classes, and he often asked me out. But, being the study-hard good-doer that I was, I always turned him down, choosing instead to study and not be involved in the typical drama that ensued in college. He had asked me every year for four years to go to parties at this frat house with him, although I always turned him down. His baby face had thinned out, creating a graceful chin, although his dimples were still rather prominent. His blonde, unruly locks were cut short, and his baby blue eyes were bright. He looked a lot better than he had even in college, having evaded the final stages of acne and awkward college drinking parties.

"I'm great! It's so great to see you! I'm actually in here with some friends as well. Do you remember Eric Yorkie?"

I nodded carefully. Eric had left me alone in college, knowing how awkward Mike had made me feel. I was unsure as to how he knew, but I never complained. "Yeah, I remember him."

"Hey, Bella, now that we're older, do you think I could get that date?"

Oh no. I was hoping that Mike had gotten over my college days rejection, but I hadn't hoped he would keep trying. I turned to glance in Alice and Rosalie's direction, my features pleading.

"Sorry, Mike, but Bella's… taken," Alice quickly dished.

My pleading features fell instantly. How was I ever going to prove that? Damn Alice, and her too quick thinking.

"Yeah," Rosalie began to help out.

Mike's face fell, and I immediately felt guilt welling in the pit of my stomach. Before I could say anything, he began to speak again.

"Well, I'm glad to hear you're happy. What's his name?" he questioned, his tone light.

"Sorry, Mike, there's not a lot of time!" Alice interrupted. "We're just finishing up here! We'll have to catch up with you guys later."

Mike nodded, watching as Alice threw down a few twenties onto the table.

"It was nice to see you, Bella. Maybe we can go out for a friendly cup of coffee sometime?"

Pursing my lips, I contemplated for a moment. "Sure, Mike, that sounds great."

His smile returned, the whiteness of his teeth nearly blinding me. He retreated as Alice stood, placing her jacket over her shoulders.

"Another guy from your past?" Rosalie questioned.

I simply nodded. "This time it was college."

How many more people from Forks were going to pop up into my life?

This one was a bit longer, but I hope you enjoyed it, nonetheless. Bella is getting tangled in quite a few webs. I hope it doesn't come around to bite her in the butt!

As far as Cheshire15's one shot goes, I'm sorry it has taken so long. But, it is up, and you can now check it out! I titled it: Just A Fool.

-Taylor Tonks