A/N: Hey guys I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I feel like I uploaded a lot more than eight chapters lmao I guess it's how much wording I've written per chapter. But anyways, enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think :D
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~Nessie
Ch 8 Bonding
Bella's POV
We were on our way to the basement, passing by a cuddled Carlisle and Esme—making me smile at their love. When we walked downstairs the guys were sitting on opposite ends of the rooms in silence, not even looking at each other. Alice and I exchanged confused looks with each other as we reached the bottom of the steps. Did something happen here?
"This looks like a war zone," Alice said, walking over to Jasper who immediately engulfed her in a hug. I stood by the stairs, not knowing where to go and sit. "Did we miss something?"
"No," Edward replied sitting up, removing his legs from the table. "Just bickering, it's whatever." He waved his hand and I pulled on the hem of my shirt. His eyes turned to me and he smiled, patting the spot next to him. Before I could even consider an option my legs walked me over to the sofa and I sat down as far away from him as possible. I invited Emmett and he joyously bounced over to sit between us. Edward frowned but shrugged moving his attention to Jasper and Alice.
Everyone chatted together about the night except for certain parts, specifically Jane and Edward's little rendezvous. "Let's see if Rose will call today," Alice said sadly and Jasper shook his head, looking pained.
"She would've been here if it wasn't for Royce," He grimaced at Royce's name leaving his lips, like a bitter taste in his mouth. "I wish her mom didn't like Royce, Rose wouldn't be dating him."
"You know, she'll realize she doesn't need him," I whispered, looking down at the floor. Jasper stared at me before sighing.
"I'm hoping she does, sooner rather than later preferably."
Edward and I didn't speak to each other, we spoke to everyone but ourselves—like if we didn't exist to one another and it felt odd, but I shrugged it away and laughed the night away with everyone—feeling slightly lifted—until they had to leave.
I hugged Emmett and Jasper as they walked out the door and I smiled, feeling a little tired from the day. Alice turned to me smiling mischievously, swinging my wrists in between her hands. "So…There's a club in the next two weeks and we're going!" She squealed and my nose scrunched up, not knowing how I felt about that.
"Do I have a choice?" She shook her head, her smile never fading from her glowing face. I rolled my eyes and huffed.
"Fine, but then let I'll spend next weekend at my house, okay?" She stopped bouncing but agreed, whining as she did.
"Ugh, okay." I grinned.
"Perfect." Edward strolled straight by us not saying a word making his way up the stairs into his room. Odd, he usually at least says good night before leaving.
Alice dropped me off home Sunday in the afternoon after her little weekend at her house. It was fun, we hung out with Rose and it was a girl's weekend after that dinner. I didn't really see the guys or Edward—he went out the entire time and came back looking somewhat exhausted, satisfied and mad, not even looking in my direction. We didn't cross words to each other and I thought that that was best for us; it would keep my weird reactions to him I've had lately, under control.
I set dinner on the table and called Charlie over to eat. "Coming, Bells." He called from the living room where he was trying to figure out a crossword puzzle he'd started the night before. He came in rubbing his hands together as he saw his meal in front of him. "This looks amazing."
I threw him a smile, thanking him. "Thanks dad." I took a plate of food for myself and sat myself across from him, eating in a comfortable silence.
"How was your weekend with the Cullens?" He asked, taking a forkful of meat into his mouth, chewing hastily.
"It was fun. I went out to get to know Alice's boyfriend and friends." I answered and his eyebrows rose.
"Well I'm glad, you deserve to have fun." He murmured, continuing to dig into his already half empty plate. "Did you have many friends like Alice in Phoenix?" I circled my salad with my fork, mindlessly as he asked the question.
Charlie's chewing slowed as he studied my reaction. "No, I didn't have friends in Phoenix." I confessed truthfully.
"Why not?"
I grabbed my plate, suddenly losing appetite and placing it into the sink. "I was the new comer, a lot of people weren't really friendly," I shrugged at the memory of how kids sneered and turned their heads at my appearance in their high school as a transfer student. "I didn't care much."
He wiped his mouth with a napkin, looking away. "You missed your friends here?"
"I didn't have many, dad. You know that, but yes I missed Alice."
He sighed. "I'm sorry Bella,"
"Don't apologize. You don't have to. Anyways, onto bigger and brighter topics," I said, changing the course of direction our dinner had taken.
He chuckled standing up and placing his plate on top of mine in the sink. "I actually have a gift for you." A surprise? Really? I haven't gotten a surprise in a long time, well besides Alice showing up here when I arrived. He left the kitchen and came back with a little box in his hands. "I know it took me a while but I was savin' up money," He handed me the rectangular box and I slowly opened the lid, gasping at what was inside.
"Dad, this can't be for me…" I choked as I took the white object in my hand and rubbed it against my hands.
"I knew you didn't have a phone, Bells. It took me a while but I was able to get it for you." In my hands was the white iPhone 4S. It was brand new and Charlie had gotten it just for me. My old phone was left in Phoenix with my mom and wasn't one of the top lines, I never really cared much for a top line phone but just the fact that my dad saved up his money to get it for me meant so much more to me than the phone itself did.
"Wow…" I breathed, still amazed as I pressed the home button and it lit up the screen to a light blue preprogrammed background. I looked at Charlie to see him blushing lightly, ducking his face from direct view. I hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "This is amazing dad, thank you so much." He grinned, all traces of pink leaving his face back to normal color.
"You're welcome, my number's preprogrammed in there and so is your mother's." He smiled sadly and I looked at him wondering how he got Renee's number. "When you called her from my phone you left her number registered, and it was the only number without a name." He answered my unspoken question and I nodded—still too excited over my new phone. I had to call Alice when I was done with the dishes! I placed my phone on the counter, turning on the sink to wash the first plate when Charlie's hand shot out and turned off the faucet, shaking his head.
"I'll do this, you cooked—I clean." He negotiated and I nodded smiling, excusing myself to go to my room and call Alice.
I groaned, crap I forgot the last couple of digits for her number, that meant I had to call her house. I hope Edward doesn't answer,I thought, crossing my fingers. At the second ring a lovely kind voice filled the phone.
"Hello?" Esme answered sweetly making me wipe my forehead with relief that it wasn't her son.
"Hi Esme, its Bella." I greeted into the phone.
"Hi, dear, what can I help you with?"
"Well I was wondering if Alice is around."
I heard the door open in the background and I silently hoped that was her. "Actually, sweetheart she just left for a coffee run," She chuckled at her daughter's silliness.
"Hi mom," Edward's voice swept through the phone onto my side and I froze. Well I just jinxed myself.
"Hello, honey." Esme greeted back happily. "How was your outing?"
"Fine," He replied blandly as if he just said that so she wouldn't press questions. "Who are you on the phone with?"
"Bella," Oh don't talk to me, don't talk to me, don't talk to me. There was a small silence and I felt a relief when I thought he might just shrug it off and not pick up—avoiding an awkward conversation.
"I'll take it mom, dad's looking for you." Fuck me.
"Okay. I'm going to leave you with Edward, darling, have a good night." She passed the phone along and I was left speechless.
"Hello?"
"Hi," I whispered meekly.
There was another small silence. "Bella, how are you?"
"I'm fine, how are you yourself?"
There was the sound of steps and a big muffled slam. "All right," He replied and that's when the conversation dried out. What do I say?
"That's good."
"Are you calling for Alice?" He asked suddenly.
"Mhm, I'm calling to tell her I have a cell phone now and I can call her to hers instead of your house phone. I just need her number." I answered back, biting my lip.
I heard his sharp intake of breath clearly when I finished speaking. "You're not going to be calling my house anymore?"
I shook my head, as if he could see me, biting my thumb nail. "Not once I have Alice's number."
"What if I didn't give you Alice's number?" Edward asked with a smile in his voice.
"You'd give it to me though, so I don't have to worry about that,"
He chuckled lightly, tsking at me. "Don't be so sure Ms. Isabella Swan." I laughed at the sound of my formal name in that sentence.
"Oh come on, I know you would."
"Can you be so sure?"
"Yes," I replied almost immediately.
"Try it out," He whispered flirtatiously over the phone and I couldn't help but flirt back with him—it was entertaining, I couldn't lie.
"Give me Alice's number, please."
"Nope," He responded, popping the 'p' by smacking his lips together.
I frowned, what a difficult man. "I guess I'll call back another time then, and ask Esme."
"I'll pick up every time." He countered and I could envision his smirk on his face as he challenged me.
"You're not home twenty four seven, so we'll see how far that gets you along."
"Oh but I'd make an exception," He murmured huskily into the phone.
"Don't test me, Cullen." I threatened and he laughed.
"Fine, fine, I'll give it to you—if you promise to still call once in a blue moon so that I can pick up and laugh a bit." His request took me by surprise as he asked specifically for one thing.
"Maybe," I considered it, not too sure if I wanted to do that.
"Come on," He insisted and my pondering faded, accepting his request.
"Ugh, okay. I'll call once in a blue moon." I emphasized that so he'd understand I wouldn't be talking too much over the phone with him.
"Good, I'll give you her number in a minute, let me get my phone." There was rummaging and rustling of stuff as he looked for his phone. All noise stopped, thank god he found it. "You know, I'm sorry for Jane's behavior and approach to you the other night."
I glared at the duvet at the memory of the encounter the other night, feeling anger and disgust in my stomach again, like that night. "It's whatever to me, I just didn't think she should be insulting everyone because her panties weren't dropped the moment you saw her." I snapped back and I heard his throw his head back laugh, echoing in the room and I gasped at my vulgar response, groaning. Ugh, must I embarrass myself?
"I give you props," He said when he caught his breath. "That was hysterical. But she was going to attack you verbally and I couldn't let her do that—I'd be a horrible person. I'm glad you had a back bone though, you're a true friend for everyone," He said sounding astonished.
"Edward it's whatever, just in the future, deal with your girls somewhere else rather than in public."
"Okay, I could do that!" He agreed and I tried to hide the happiness that was basically radiating off my body.
"So Alice's number?" I reminded him.
"Sheesh, in such a hurry to get off the phone with me, hold up," I shook my head and got the number from Edward, calling Alice.
"I'm so glad you got a cell phone! Now we can text all the time!" She said delighted into the phone. How is she so energetic, I'm literally dropping dead right now and she sounds like she is ready to run a marathon. She needs to rub some of that energy off on me, I could use it.
"Yeah, that's just awesome," I muttered sarcastically.
"Don't be sarcastic with me, Bella." She threatened in a hush tone.
"Shut up, pixie." I heard her getting riled up and ready to curse me out so I decided to cut her off before she could start. "I'm tired so I'm going to bed, night Alice."
"I hate you, night Bella." We hung up and I lied back staring at the lines on my ceiling, smiling to myself. I was in a better mood, I couldn't lie and it was because of my new phone and my little chat with Edward. This whole flirtatious-fighting thing could get you burned, my mind warned and I scowled at the edge of my ceiling where it connected with the wall—floating off of my little wonder land.
I wasn't going to be with a player, that's for sure. I may not want to be with one but flirting isn't too bad, is it? I mean it's just something to distract yourself and it's even unwillingly—it comes natural. This couldn't go wrong, as long as no feelings were attached, then things would be fine. Maybe I should tone it down just a notch—just in case.
"I won't fall for a player and be a name on his list." I vowed to myself in my dark room, hearing my low echo.
Days passed and I spent most of them with Charlie when he came home from work—he would come home exhausted but would will himself to have conversations with me before I sent him off to bed. In some ways, I felt like I was his mother, taking care of him, cooking, sending him to bed—the usual mommy stuff. With the days I was spending with him, I could see Charlie's soft side come out—I could see the side that my mom had fallen in love with many years ago.
He was a kind, honest man. He didn't share or express his feelings like most people but when he did you were overwhelmed and awestruck at his sincerity. He was thoughtful and worried of me and he would call me often like if he still couldn't believe I was with him. Charlie was caring and I could feel the love he felt for my mother still lingered deep in his heart. He still loved her but he knew he let her go and couldn't have her back. She was happy now, in love with someone else while he moved on with his life.
I pictured a young seventeen year old Charlie, worrying over a pregnant seventeen year old version of Renee, calling her constantly to make sure she was all right and had no trouble in the morning. I pictured their happy faces as they pulled through the long months to finally having their child between their arms. Then my mind switched to the fighting and throwing of objects as they screamed hateful words towards each other, their separation and my departure from Forks.
I closed my eyes feeling the wetness in them. I hadn't noticed my mind and thoughts had caused me to cry. It still affects me. Talking about Renee, maybe I should call her to see how she was. I dialed her number and she picked up almost immediately.
"Bella?"
"Hi mom," I answered, smiling. My mom was the strongest woman in my life; I loved her and missed her.
"Hi sweetie, how are you baby?" She gushed into the phone.
"I'm good, how are you?"
"I'm good, Phil says hello,"
"Put him on," I said and the phone shuffled until a deep voice spoke into the phone.
"Hey, bud." He greeted cheery.
"What's up, Phil? How is it over there?" He blew air through his lips sounding like an airplane.
"Eh, hot, ha!" He laughed and I heard Renee laugh from somewhere in the background near the phone.
"Get in the air condition then," I replied, laughing.
"That's why we're home. How's life over there?"
"It's good, I'm having fun."
"That's great. Has there been any problems?" All humor ceased and the conversation turned serious.
"No, nothing, thankfully. How about over there?" I asked, panic striking me.
"No it's been quiet over here." I let out a gust of air from my lungs and allowed my body to relax.
"Perfect. Let's keep it that way. I'll talk to you later; tell mom I'll call soon."
"All right, bud. Talk to you soon."
"Bye." I hung up only to get an immediate phone call from Jacob. "Hello?"
"Come outside, I need to go get something from the supermarket for my dad and I'm not taking no for an answer." Jacob mocked and when I looked outside my window he was parked outside in his Chevy truck.
"I'll be down in a minute," I answered, hanging up and walking down the stairs. When I got into his car he hugged me tightly.
"Hey, Bells."
"Hi Jake," I murmured and he turned up the radio and took off, heading onto the supermarket. "Why'd you call me?" I asked Jacob as he picked through the vegetables with his fingers. He shrugged, picking up a load of tomatoes.
"I had to pass by your house to get to the supermarket and I thought I'd invite you out until Charlie gets home," He explained and I remained quiet, not knowing exactly what to say. "My dad wants lettuce. I don't know what you can even do with lettuce. Its leaves! Who eats leaves?"
I laughed turning my head to look at some potatoes I could get for dinner this week when I saw Rosalie standing by the pantry with her back to me and Royce stuck to her side. She shuffled over slightly, moving away from him only to have him pull her back into his side. I called her name and she turned around looking for the person until she saw me. She smiled widely and waved, enthusiastically. Royce followed her gaze and merely nodded in my direct for acknowledgement. I rolled my eyes and she pursed her lips as in saying 'tell me about it.'
Jacob looked at her and waved as well. "Let's go talk to her," he encouraged, towing me towards her. Her smile grew wider until we got there—she hugged us tightly asking us what we were doing here.
"Jacob needs to buy some veggies for his dad and asked me to come along and since I was bored I agreed," I shrugged and Rosalie laughed.
"Nice job, veggie boy." Jacob glared at her mockingly, but Royce took that into offense, flinging her behind him as he stared Jacob down.
"Don't look at her like that." He threatened and Rose shoved him forward.
"Don't you start, Royce. They're my friends."
"It's time for us to go, pumpkin." He said, never removing his intense stare from Jake. Jacob seemed unfazed but I thought a brawl was about to break out at any moment. Rosalie snatched her arm away with an incredulous look on her face.
"You can go to hell. I'm not going with you. I came here to buy stuff and I'm not leaving without it. You can either stay and behave or go somewhere where I don't see you." She spat at him and my eyes widened at the hostility in her words. He didn't seem affected by them; he simply sighed and relaxed his shoulders.
"Hurry up, would you?" He pressured her.
"Shut up," She snapped before smiling at me. "I'll call you later, Bella. Bye Jacob." She waved us off disappearing to find more groceries.
"Well that was…entertaining." Jacob mumbled and I simply watched after the beautiful, miserable blonde who was secretly searching for a way out of the relationship. "Got it!" Jacob explained with a bag of lettuce in his hand, feeling successful. I rolled my eyes and we went to go pay.
Alice's POV
"So he was being an asshole again?" I asked Rosalie over the phone. Rose, Bella and I were three way calling each other as I lied on the couch, waiting for the guys to come down from Edward's room.
"Basically." She answered, sighing.
"He isn't the loveliest peach in the tree," Bella muttered and I rolled my eyes, obviously Bella—the guy's a complete jerk off.
"So next weekend, man?" Emmett asked as he descended from upstairs with Edward and Jasper behind him. Edward nodded, scrolling through his phone.
"Yes,"
"This is going to be great!"
"What's going to be great?" I asked the guys and they all turned to me.
"A club next week."
"I'm taking Bella to one next week too!" I announced, happily and Edward grimaced.
"If you're going to the only club around here next week than I suggest you and her don't go. It's full of groping men."
I waved my hand. "No one's going to touch her or me for that matter." Jasper growled lowly and I blew him a quick kiss.
"Who are you on the phone with?" Edward asked and I removed the phone away from my ear, covering the mouth piece.
"Bella and Rose."
"Why?" Jasper asked.
"Rose saw Bella and Jacob at the supermarket and she was with Royce. She's telling me how much of an asshole he was." I rolled my eyes as did all of them.
"Tell us something new,"
"Bella was with Jacob?" Edward questioned, his eyes narrowing and I nodded.
"Yeah, he was around Bella's house and invited her out because Charlie was still at work."
"Uh huh," he clicked his tongue but I paid no mind to him.
"Now if you don't mind, I have an important conversation to get back to." I turned my face away from him to start talking to my friends again.
"What was that all about?" Rosalie asked.
"The guys are going to the same club as us next weekend." The line went dead and neither Rose nor Bella said one word. I was starting to think that they hung up on me. "Hello? Guys?"
"Ugh, there go our plans," Rosalie said upset, but I heard nothing from Bella. She was still silent over the phone. "Bella?" I called—worried she'd hung up or something.
She cleared her throat before answering, "I'm here, sorry."
"They won't bother us." I clarified going back to Rosalie's statement.
"Yeah, okay. Jasper's going to be protective of you, Emmett's going to be dancing like a fool and Edward's going to be annoying as usual." She retorted and I pursed my lips. I doubt they'd do that, they're adults and both Em and Edward do their own thing.
"Emmett and Edward are probably going to be doing their own thing. They'll probably find a girl for that night to dance with." I shrugged, fully aware that those two found girls wherever they went. That's usually why they went to clubs or parties in the first place. All the girls were drunk and overly happy at those places. Rosalie made an unladylike sound and Bella went silent again. "Bella, are you there? You seem off."
"No, just listening." I was suspicious of her but brushed it off for now.
"I hope they don't become annoying." Rosalie mumbled into the phone under her breath so low that I barely heard it.
"Are you bringing Royce?"
"No. I don't want to spend every weekend with him, that's crazy."
I chuckled but agreed, changing course of topic—making Bella speak again. She could be really weird at times, she'd go quiet, like if she were thinking of something profusely. She did that when we were younger and that usually meant she was thinking about a situation she didn't like and bothered her.
She was fine until I talked to the guys. She was talking with me and Rose—speaking like a normal person. After I told them about the club with the guys being there, she went quiet and didn't speak much, only when spoken to. Could it be she didn't want them going? Or maybe the fact that Rose said they'd be annoying with us. I doubt it she seemed to have no trouble with Emmett's annoyingness or Edward's seductive character, she was used to them, surely this wouldn't bother her.
Could it be…yes! It's a possibility—a little more believable for her. Maybe the comments of Emmett and Edward getting with other girls that night rubbed her off the wrong way. Watching them seduce women was never a pretty sight, let alone a pretty comment. I usually liked to look away at those times. I had my theory about Bella, I wasn't too sure—but I'd test it out that night when we all went out.
Bella's POV
Charlie decided to come home for lunch to spend some time with me because for the rest of the week he had to work longer shifts—meaning I would be home alone for longer. It was no big deal, I wouldn't mind some alone time since I hadn't had it in over a month.
"So…" Charlie started sipping on his soup. "Bella, did you have any uh…you know…boyfriends?" I slammed my spoon against the plate making me wince slightly. That was the question I expected when we had our emotional talk weeks ago, not now.
"I don't talk about guys, dad. I hope you understand." He looked a little taken aback but nodded, going back to eating his soup. "I don't date." I added quickly so he didn't think anything funky. He looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and relief.
"Why not?"
I shrugged. "I just don't."
"So you don't have a boyfriend now?"
I shook my head, taking a spoonful of soup into my mouth. "Nope,"
His eyebrows shot up. "Not Jake?"
"He's my friend for god's sake! And he's your best friend's son!" I exclaimed at his assumptions about me and Jake—again. He raised his hands in front of him in defense, pushing them towards me.
"Okay, jeez, just asking Bells." He rolled his eyes, before continuing. "How about that other kid at the Cullens house? Carlisle and Esme's son." Oh no, "Alice's brother—Edward."
My jaw dropped open at my father's thought of Edward and me going out or having a thing going on. What would make him think that? I don't ever hang out with the guy unless I am at Alice's. And somehow every time we hang out we always end up bickering over nothing. Either my father is pulling random guy names out of a bunny's hat or he truly believes that I have something with Edward. I'm going with choice one.
"No! I don't even hang out with him unless Alice is there. What would make you think that?" I questioned, hastily.
"I heard you talk to him on the phone before, so I thought maybe you had something going on with him…" He trailed off, adverting, his eyes from my face which probably held the expression of horror. My father probably heard me flirt with Edward and now thinks he's my boyfriend, fabulous. Why am I overreacting to something I can easily dismiss? Am I that nervous about the idea of a boyfriend that my reactions have gone nuts?
"No dad, Edward's just…a friend." I guess I can call him that. His eyes held relief and he let out a gust of air from his chest.
"Thank god, I wasn't ready for the whole 'daughter dates and brings guy home' situation." I shook my head smiling shyly at his comment.
"Don't worry dad, you have a long time before that. I don't date." I repeated and this time he asked no more further questions.
Maybe it's time I did some dorm shopping for when I leave to Seattle. I completely forgot that I had to buy things to make the dorm feel a little more like me. I'd have to go tomorrow though, since I have no way of going out to shop now and I don't want to bother Alice right now. Charlie left back to work and I walked out on the unusual bright sunny day—even in the summer—at Forks with a blanket and a book in my hand.
I spread the blanket on the ground, removing any wrinkles on it with my hands before lying down on my stomach to get comfortable. The warmth made me feel happy inside, it soaked into my skin and bounced off in a gentle glare. I opened the book Wuthering Heights—a gift Renee had gotten me two years ago and I had absolutely loved. Whenever I wanted to read and didn't have something new to pick I would go back and re read Wuthering Heights. The twists and turns of the plot were so unexpected and surprising that it was impossible to put the book down.
After about twenty minutes I put down the book next to me and rolled over on my back, relishing the rays of the sun hitting my body from head to toe. The feeling was so relaxing; I closed my eyes—letting them rest.
