So, heres the next chapter. Sorry its taken so long, theres been a block of creative juices lately.


Chapter 8?

"BELLA! Get. Out. Here. NOW!" Alice screeched through the door. Usually, she's my partner in crime. Now, she's the enemy. She wanted me to go shopping. Shudder. I silently slid the window open. We were on the second floor, but you don't see that stopping me.

"No, I don't think I will." I said, and stuck one leg out the window as Alice furiously tried to turn the knob. I put the other leg out, and was suddenly glad there were bushes below me. I closed my eyes, and fell.

The landing was perfect, I didn't get a scratch on me. I did, however, get all kinds of crap in my hair. I sighed, getting up. I heard some musical laughter, and my eyes snapped up. I looked right into Musical Voice Guy's eyes. He was laughing still. I could help but to smile.

"So, I'm glad someone is making use of the bushes." He teased. I blushed, realizing that stunt could've ended badly, and that was actually pretty reckless of me. But I didn't care, I'd take the window over shopping any day.

"Taking a walk?" I asked, climbing out of the bush. I tripped on a root or something, and fell forward, but Musical Voice Guy caught me. I lifted my head to see that his face was incredibly close. I blushed profusely, and pulled away.

"Uh, yeah, if that's what you want to call it." He flashed me a dazzling smile, and I took a sharp intake of breath without noticing. "Would you like to get some lunch?"

"Oh, okay." I said with a smile. I'm sure my smiles are nothing compared to his. Sigh. "Where are we going?"

"How about the Lodge?" He offered. "My treat." That was not an offer.

"I couldn't let you do that, I can pay for myself." I said.

"But I invited you. It's rude to invite someone and expect them to pay their own way." He gave me a crooked smile, and my heart might have stopped beating in that moment. I just nodded, unable to find words. He laughed, and began to lead me to the Lodge. On the way there, I picked all the leaves and crap from my hair. He watched me with curiosity.

"Yes?" I asked, his staring making me very self-conscious.

"Oh, um, nothing." He looked away. Was that a little pink I saw on his cheeks? I think it is. Is he blushing over me? No, he couldn't be. There's nothing to blush about. Well, I caught him staring, but I'd stare too if a person had a gruesome bruise on each cheek.

We went inside, and the waitress looked at both of us. She saw my face, and looked hesitant to speak to Edward. Oh god, she probably thought he's the one who did this. I felt a huge wave of guilt surround me.

"How many?" She asked.

"Two, please." He responded. She grabbed two menu's and lead us to a booth in the corner. I had a seat across from him. The waitress walked away, and Musical Voice guy let out a laugh.

"Care to let me in on the joke?" I asked.

"Oh, you might not find it too funny." He said, his laughter fading but the amusement in his eyes burned strong.

"Go ahead."

"Well, the waitress seem to think I was the one who...hit you. So she avoided flirting with me. Usually when I come here she's all big eyed and eyelash battering." His smiled returned, and I smiled too. "It's different, that's all."

"I see. Glad I could be of service." We were keeping the mood light, which was nice. We ordered when the waitress came back.

"So, you'll be joining us on our ever lasting road trip, huh?" I said, making conversation. He nodded.

"Yeah, we decided before we committed to anything we'd like to enjoy life." He said. I smiled.

"Us too. Kind of." I didn't tell him my reason, which was to get away from Mike. He gave me a smile.

"Kind of?" He asked.

"Uh, I had different...reasons." I told him. He nodded, understanding. We sat in silence until the waitress brought our food. I was having some spaghetti and he was having some pasta stuff.

"Bella, Esme only told Carlisle that you were abused. She never mentioned by who...and I was just wondering if I could ask...who..." He was looking directly at me, and he spoke almost in a whisper. I looked away from his piercing eyes, and shoveled a fork full of food in my mouth. I was stalling. Did I really want to answer that? I mean, it wouldn't hurt for him to know.

"My ex-boyfriend." I whispered after swallowing. I didn't look at him, only my food as I continued to eat it.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." He said. My eyes slowly looked to him. He was looking at his food while he ate. His face was neutral, he was doing a very nice job of keeping his emotions hidden. Me, well, I just locked my emotions in a vault, and made them stay there.

"So, is Jasper your brother?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, Emmett's our adoptive brother, Carlisle our father." He said. I nodded.

"Must be nice, having siblings." I commented. I was an only child. Well, Renee was pregnant, but it was a little too late for me to enjoy sisterhood. I was getting ready to move out of the house. Not to mention I lived with Charlie, not Renee.

"Alice and Rose aren't your sisters?" He asked.

"No, we're just really close friends." I explained. "Esme is like a second mother."

"I see. So, where'd you guys come from?"

"Phoenix, Arizona."

"It must be nice living somewhere with constant sun." He commented. "I've lived in Forks all my life."

"It is nice. I lived with my dad." I said. Renee lived not to far from us, but I still lived with my dad, and didn't see her too often.

"What about your mother?" He asked.

"She left my dad when I was a baby." I said. "But she lives in Phoenix too. She remarried and is pregnant now." I really don't know why I just told him all of that. He didn't seem bored, he seemed interested, his eyes curious.

"Hm. My mother was killed in a car accident when I was a baby, so none of us really knew her." He said. I nodded.

We continued eating in silence until we were finished. The waitress came back with the bill, and Edward paid for it, just like he said he would. We got up from the booth, and left.

"Would you like to go for a walk on the trail?" He asked. I smiled.

"Okay."