I know, I suck. Roll with it


EPOV

Bella and I sat on my back porch, while I waited desperately for her to say something about the party last night. Had I embarrassed her? Did she regret asking me to attend with her? It must have been glaringly obvious to her that I wasn't good enough to be seen with her. And all the young men! I ground my teeth. I had only ever worried about the insipid boys at that blasted high school. What a serious oversight on my part. The Clarke's home had been filled to bursting with eligible young men seeking her attention. And they were not still in school. They were established young men from the highest circles of society. Surely she must see how they desired her. And they were at liberty to pursue her. I wondered again why she was even bothering with my company now. Maybe my sweet Bella was trying to let me down easy. But I craved her company, and if it took a little bit of jealousy for me to realize my feelings then it was worth it.

She had been exceedingly quiet since the drive home last night, I could tell something was on her mind; she could no more concentrate on her book than I could. When I heard her close the novel with an exasperated huff I looked up at her.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'm incredibly foolish?"

Foolish? Isabella Swan was many, many things. Foolish was not one of them.

"Foolish? No, Bella I don't think you are foolish. I think you are incredibly intelligent, incredibly witty. But foolish? No, not even a little. What kind of question is that?"

"Well the party last night got me thinking."

"Oh Bella, how I wish I knew what was going on in that mind of yours."

"Well I have all these dreams, all these plans, and to justify them I tell myself that times are changing, that it is the 20th century after all, that a girl like me can do anything that anyone else can…"

She trailed off leaving me wonder at her ever elusive mind.

"Of course you can. What are you getting at Bella?"

She flushed. "Well I think all these things and then I go to that party at the Clarke's and it all seems so….old fashioned I suppose. Is that still what the world is like? I always thought of Grandmother Higginbotham as outdated and uptight. I can't relate to any of the girls at school. I suppose I always thought they were the problem. But maybe I'm the problem."

The problem? What problem? She was so very different from those twittering idiots and stuffed shirts, and she somehow thought she was the problem!

"I don't know that my opinion counts for much, but if I had to call anyone foolish it would be the Clarke's."

Why couldn't I just come out and say it. "I adore you Bella, nothing you do is foolish. Not to me." What was it, just a few words really? But I didn't know how Bella felt, and I was a coward.

"I think I should go see if Ruth needs any help with dinner."

And before I could respond she was down the steps and across the yard.


BPOV

We were just finishing dinner when Charlie cleared his throat and said the words I was beginning to dread.

"Bells, I've been thinking."

I was instantly wary. For not being much on words, Charles Swan surely knew the ones that would stop me in my tracks.

"About?"

"Well I may have mentioned that I have to go to Springfield next week. They are having a meeting for the chiefs of police in different precincts."

"You mentioned it."

"Well I really do have to go, I had committed to it before you came out here this summer. But all the same I would hate to leave you here all alone."

What was he thinking? Did he really think that I should tag along to Springfield so that he could watch over me?

First he springs those dreadful invitations on me and now this.

He cleared his throat and continued, "Well, it had come up in conversation when I was talking to Ed. Elizabeth thinks that you should stay there for a few days while I'm gone." He eyed me carefully.

Not only could I avoid going to Springfield but I could stay with Edward's family? This was a plan I could go along with. He must have seen my facial features relax into acceptance.

"Well if you are ok with that then maybe you should let Elizabeth know."


BPOV

I ran to the Masen's in a way that no way reflected the young lady I was supposed to be. When I let myself in the front door as usual I could hear the haunting strains of a piano from inside the house. Even as my feet pulled me forward, even as I knew it displayed poor manners to just wander around the Masen's house, the melody had captured me and I couldn't stop. I made my way to the doorway of the front parlor to see Edward with his wonderful mess of coppery colored hair, seated at the piano.

In that moment I caught a glimpse of the passionate man that Edward truly was. Normally, even with me, he was reserved: always polite, always a gentleman, always thinking his actions and words through in an almost clinical manner. I also knew that he spent more time with me than any other person, save his family, and he still displayed that level of reservation. But now, playing the piano, when he thought he was alone in the room! He was so absorbed, so focused, but more than that I could feel his emotion, his passion for the music like it was a physical force blanketing me. I couldn't bear to interrupt him, and so I stood there-transfixed, as he was lost in the music tumbling from his graceful fingers. I lost track of time listening to him play, though I did not recognize the song he played.

"Grrughh!"

I was shocked back into the present when he abruptly stopped and slammed his hands on the keys with a combination between a grunt and growl.

"You're very menacing."

I giggled as he jumped about 3 feet in the air. "I've never been stealthy enough to startle anyone before." I once again giggled a very un-Bellaish giggle.

"B-Bella!" he stuttered out as he stood and tugged on his hair. "How long have you been there?" Why on earth did he look embarrassed? I was quite sure if I could play piano that well, or do anything that well, I would be tempted to brag all around town.

"Long enough to hear how amazing you are. Why did you never tell me you could play the piano like that?"

"Well that's not…mean I've always played…I just…"

There was definitely something strange going on. Normally he would tease me about ungraceful I was or how I should enjoy my moment because I wouldn't be able to startle him like that again. I didn't intend to look smug but I couldn't help cocking my eyebrow at him. "Why are you nervous?"

That was all it took for him to immediately remove his hand from worrying his hair and reoccupy his place on the piano bench with an air of confidence. "I'm not nervous, you just startled me." The poised, yet reserved Edward was back. "But don't expect that to happen again," he teased.

I couldn't help but smile at him as I approached the piano bench. "What were you playing? I didn't recognize it."

"I was just playing what I felt, nothing special." He answered so glibly that if I wasn't so observant I might have missed the look in his eye. It was the look an animal had when cornered. I sat next to him so that I could look into his face more clearly.

He was saved by his mother appearing in the doorway. "Why did you stop playing darling?"

Before he could answer her eyes found me, sitting next to him on the piano bench. "Oh, hello Bella!" She greeted me looking as pleased as ever to see me in her home. "What can we help you with?"

"I had just spoken with my father, and we wanted to see if the offer for me to stay while he is out of town still stands?"

"Of course it does child."

"Well, in that case I would be pleased to accept if it's no trouble to you."

"Of course we're always glad to have you. Well," and suddenly her manner turned sly, "now that I can see what was distracting Edward from the piano, I will leave you two." And with that she was again out of the doorway.

Edward began absentmindedly playing a tune while he turned his head to me. He had a smirk on his lovely face that reminded me so much of his mother in that moment. "What was that all about?"

I was caught off guard again. "You don't know?"

His hands stilled on the keys. "Bella," with an air of seriousness that was only contradicted by the twinkling humor in his eyes, "if I knew, why would I ask?"

"To annoy me."

He threw his head back and laughed at that. "Despite how it may appear, I don't exist simply to annoy you."

I had to giggle for the third time in less than an hour. What was happening to me? At least I managed to answer with a relative coolness to my voice.

"In a few days Ch- or I mean, my father is going out of town, and your mother invited me to stay here."

His head once again shot up and his eyes locked with mine. They were no longer twinkling with laughter, but rather burning with an emotion I couldn't name.

"Is that so?"