Ok this is a short chapter but I am going to update one more time today and TRUST ME the wait will be worth it.

Let me know what you think!!

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I do not own Twilight!!


The next week went by without much incident. Bella stayed with me, at all times when possible. She sat with us at lunch and often stayed the night with Alice or Rose. She was quickly becoming a permanent fixture in my life. I loved it.

Since she started becoming more and more apart of our family I had begun to notice little things about her. She could read minds, very very well. She seemed to be able to protect me in a way no one ever has before, almost as though she was repelling all those who wanted to hurt me. Most noticeable to me, she was in my dreams every night now.

I had the distinct feeling that she was really there, almost as though she was protecting me from my own nightmares. I was grateful, but I needed to know what in the hell was going on and Carlisle had provided me with the perfect opportunity to do so this weekend.

Carlisle had been nominated for an prestigious award and he had to go to Chicago to get it. The whole family was going, aside from me. I was more than capable of spending the weekend alone and had assured Carlisle I would be ok.

"Edward, we will stay here. The award isn't as important to me as you are," he placed his hand on my shoulder as he spoke.

"Carlisle, I will be hurt if you stay here b/c of my hang ups. That would be utterly absurd and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I'll be ok," I replied.

With a short nod of his head, he went and started to plan the trip with the rest of the family.

My birth parents were still alive and they still lived in Chicago. I had no desire to go somewhere I might run into them. They knew who Carlisle was and, if I knew them, they would be at that party asking Carlisle for more money. The amount he had to pay them to give me up in the first place was more than most make in a lifetime.

I hoped Carlisle had the foresight to not give them any fucking money, but I knew him and he was kind. He would see it as some type of hand up instead of the hand out that it was. I loved Carlisle but, as far as I was concerned, those heartless bastards could rot in hell. They didn't even deserve to look at Carlisle.

They had left early this morning, taking Friday off of school. Em and Alice were worried something would happen while they were gone and had made me promise not to go into school. I had assured them I wouldn't but I had every intention of going. I needed to make sure Bella would come.

That was how I came to be sitting in my car, just before lunch, trying to decide just how to ask Bella to stay with me this weekend. I didn't want to offend her. I knew she wasn't just some whore or something and I was afraid that is how she would take it. I had skipped my previous class to sit and rehearse in the mirror.

"Bella," I cleared my throat, "my family is gone for the weekend and I was wondering if you would like to come stay with me."

I rolled my eyes at my own lame ass reflection and cursed. Yep, it was official, I was a dumb ass. I sighed and got out of the Volvo and headed toward the lunch building. I could hear people sniggering at me in their thoughts, but I had become so used to it by now I ignored the dull hum of it.

The air left my lungs as I strode through the doors. Bella was wearing a dark, dusky, blue t-shirt that said San Fransisco across the front of it. It looked like she had worn it in pretty well. It made her pale skin seem to glow and her rose colored lips look that much more kissable. I moved towards her, releasing the breath I'd been holding.

"Hey," she said, a curious look in her eyes, "I have seen any of your family today. Where is everyone?"

"Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about that," I sat done trying to be as cool as fucking possible, "My family is in Chicago for the weekend and I thought maybe you could come stay with me."

Bella seemed angry, I hadn't expected that, and I instantly felt fucking ridiculous.

"Why would they leave you here?" she hissed.

Relieved, I attempted to explain, "I told them to go without me. Bella, I'm from Chicago. My parents still live in Chicago. I really don't ever want to fucking set foot there again."

Understanding crossed her beautiful face.

"Ok," she smiled, "I'll follow you home from school."

I waited for her after school, leaning on the Volvo with my wayfarers on, trying to be cool. Her truck, that monstrosity she loved, was parked next to me as always. She strolled confidently to me and tilted her head to one side and said, "Nice glasses."

"Thanks," I tried to seem uninterested.

Bella's hand slid into my hair as she stood in her toes and leaned into my body. Her lips were gentle, yet forceful at the same time against my own. The heat of her body against mine took me completely off guard and the next thing I knew I had tugged her book bag off her shoulders and slung her legs around my waist.

There we were, leaning against the Volvo, wrapped around each other in the school parking lot playing fucking tonsil hockey as our classmates looked on. I could hear Jessica Stanley's thoughts screaming from inside her car, Oh my fucking god!

Bella must have heard it as well because I could feel her chuckle into my mouth. The fact that she could hear it bonded us more and I took her bottom lip into my mouth and bit down, she gasped and threw her arms around me tighter.

One of us had to pull away or the whole town was going to be talking about how Edward Cullen had take Bella Swan on the hood of his Volvo and I didn't think Charlie Swan would take to that very kindly. So, gasping for air, I pulled away.

"See you at the house," I spoke breathlessly.

She simply nodded and got into her truck.

Maybe I wouldn't get a whole lot of talking done this weekend.

Maybe I didn't give a flying fuck anymore.