Opposites Attract – Chapter 9 – Christmas
EPOV
Thanksgiving came and went pretty quickly mom and dad flew us all up there while Bella flew to Phoenix to see her mom and step dad.
It had been 3 months since school started and I was into my usual routine. Monday through Friday was school and lab time and studying at home. Saturday I usually hung out with Jasper, Emmett and a couple of our friends or a party at night and Sunday was study watch tv, hang out and play video games with Emmett and then dinner with everyone. And then the girl of the week would stop by so I could release some of my tension and gear up for my week to start all over again Monday morning. I was nice to Bella and even tried to help her cook dinner when it was our turn. I don't why we got paired up together maybe it was because everyone else was trapped in a god awful relationship stuck in monogamy. The tall blonde Tiffany from Towson sat down to talk to Bella they must have known each other from school and that freaked me out a bit but I let it go because I had needs that needed tending to and it was too late to get someone else though I'm sure Jess would have come over last minute.
Well it was now time for Christmas break and instead of going home Mom and Dad were coming here because it just made more sense instead of all of us flying there when the 2 of them could just fly here. We cleaned up the house and I made sure to not make any plans that week. And now we were sitting down to Christmas dinner that mom had spent all day cooking.
Dinner:
"So where is Bella Alice?" my mom asked looking around the table at Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and myself.
"She flew home to see Charlie and she is going to drive her Truck back to school she got sick of catching the bus between all the different stores and she didn't want to keep depending on Jasper and Emmett for rides." Alice said through a mouth full of pie.
"Oh that reminds me Edward we were wondering if you wanted us to get your Volvo to you so that you could get around easier and help Emmett and Jasper bus the girls around."
"Yeah thanks dad that would definitely help out a lot thanks."
We opened gifts after that I don't know why my mom insisted until after dinner for us to open presents. We all opened our gifts and settled into the living room to relax a bit and watch a Christmas story. I hated that movie but it was a family tradition.
"Oh yeah here you guys these are the presents from Bella she asked me to pass them out since she couldn't be here." Alice said while she passed out the neatly wrapped presents. I wasn't expecting anything I mean I didn't get her anything.
"Aw that was sweet of her Alice, how is she adjusting to school and work here?" My mother always the worrier.
"She is adjusting pretty well, she works a lot even though she doesn't need to she hates depending on her mom and dad for help I think she is saving up for a new car because that truck isn't going to last much longer. She is swamped with school work and study groups and working at the books stores."
"Oh Alice you should take her out or something she needs to have a social life and experience the rest of the joys college has to offer."
"I know mom but she is kind of stubborn and set in her ways. She isn't taking as many classes next semester I think she realized that was just too much, we decided to do MWF classes and have T and TH off to keep ourselves sane."
"Does she have a boyfriend or go out on dates?" what was my mom doing interrogating poor Alice about her roommate? I mean I was sitting on the edge of my seat listening to every word because I wanted to know what miss goody two shoes did with her time other than taunt me every Sunday with her little work outfit and little hips swaying while she bopped around the house. AHHHHHHHH that girl needs to get laid to knock some sense into her.
"No she doesn't have a boyfriend but she texts her best friend Jacob a lot and that guy Mike from the fraternity around the corner they talk a lot online and on the phone but they never really hang out cause she is so busy. Though she did tell me once that he asked her at told her that he had feelings for her."
"Well don't keep me in suspense Mary Alice what did she do?" geese my mother and my sister were sitting here gossiping and giggling about Bella's love life or lack thereof. And I looked around and noticed I was the only one left in the room with them. Crap I hope they didn't think I was sitting here listening to them on purpose. So I turned towards the tv and started to act like I was paying attention to the stupid kid with the BB gun.
"Oh calm down mom I'm getting to it geese, She told him that she was really busy with everything and that she didn't think she had time for a boyfriend or dating right now. But she told me that he was more like a brother or friend although she thought he was cute and really nice there was just no chemistry there."
I stopped listening to them after that and went up to bed I didn't really care to hear anything else as long as I knew she was ok. Wait what ok I didn't care if she was ok I mean I didn't want her to get hurt or anything but I didn't want her to for myself.
My parents asked me to hook up Alice and Bella's Christmas present which was a large 32 Plasma tv and a DVD player and a VCR and a surround system for their dorm. Alice let me in and then went off to hang out with some girl down the hall they were going to bake cookies in the kitchen or something.
It didn't' take long to hook everything up I set it all on their dressers and hung the tv on the wall next to the window and then I sat on Alice's bed to look around. You could definitely tell who had which side of the room. Alice's side was a bit messy and clothes all over the place while Bella's was neat and tidy and everything seemed to have a place. I saw some pictures on her wall next to her bed so I scooted over to take a look.
There was a picture collage of her and some Indian guy who looked about 22 he was real tall and built almost as big as Emmett. In all the pictures of them together she was in his arms somehow and they were hugging or he was kissing her on her cheek while she made a funny face. I noticed that in some of the pictures that the way he was gazing at her it looked like longing and she just looked happy. I moved along to the other pictures there were some of what I assumed was her mom and stepdad and her and then just her and her dad. There were a few group shots of her with a bunch of teenagers must be from high school and there was her prom picture she had on a strapless purple dress and you could see her collarbone and shoulders and the top of her breasts mounds. She was adorable her silky hair was hanging down in little ringlet curls. And she had that adorable blush on her cheeks she looked so innocent and sweet.
Then there was a tap on my shoulder as I was leaning on Bella's bed and I turned around quickly to find a fuming Bella staring down at me looking very pissed off. Shit I didn't even hear her come in.
"May I help you with something Edward?"
"No I'm quite alright thank you Bella I was just here hooking up your and Alice's Christmas present from my parents." I said as I pointed to the new tv on the dressers.
"Oh well where is Alice?" she asked while her face calmed down and she started to blush.
"She's baking cookies with some girl down the hall. Tell her I said I'll see her Sunday." And then I took the empty boxes and trash and left the room. I needed to escape her before I said something stupid.
And then Sunday came and it was just Alice and no Bella. Alice said that Bella was going to stay late at work and she was sorry that she couldn't make it. Yeah right I thought she was just avoiding me. And then next Sunday again no Bella. What she got her truck and didn't need a ride anymore so she just stopped coming around. And then the next Sunday it our turn to cook and if she wasn't here I was gonna order a pizza and give her a nasty call for ditching me and making me do the dinner alone. But she was there of course in her work clothes and looking a bit tired. She made that delicious spaghetti again and I helped chop the salad and roll the meat into meatballs.
We sat down to eat dinner in our usual spots. And everyone just acted like nothing was wrong and that it was ok for her to miss the last couple of dinners. I just ignored her I had Victoria coming over later and I think she was going to let me do it doggie style or at least she said she would. After dinner I heard Rosalie and Bella in the hallway upstairs while I was in my room so I decided to take a listen.
"Why haven't you been to dinner lately we've missed you? You know that you can't take on too much or you are going to get burnt out."
"I know and I wanted to be here but there were extra shifts at work and to be honest Rose I just feel a bit uncomfortable every week when the parade of women take the "Walk of Shame" up to Edward's room."
"Aw sweetie you don't have to worry about him. It's just what he does. Does he try hit on you is that it?"
"No it's not that at all I just know that he is better than that. I see how happy you and Emmett and Jasper and Alice are and I just don't understand why he doesn't find one person to do all that with."
" I often wonder the same things myself but it's just how Edward deals with the stress of college and all the pressure he is under with med school and trying to live up to his grandfather's expectations. He is a good guy deep down you're right about that he just needs to get this out of his system. Don't let it bother you ok the rest of us are here and you can always leave after dinner you don't have to wait around and hang out so long you can come earlier to hang out before the girls come a knocking."
It sounded like they were hugging now and I could hear Bella saying "Thanks Rose I appreciate it I'll try to make it here more often ok."
"And besides Bella I know he likes you the last couple of weeks he has been asking where you were and was worried that he was going to have to cook dinner by himself. I see the way he looks at you and he cares about you and wants to protect you from guys like him you and Alice. So just try and see past the arrogant ass he puts off ok."
"OK thanks Rose." And I heard them hug and walk back downstairs.
See I told you she was avoiding me. I didn't know that it made her uncomfortable I just thought she was judging me all the time. I felt kind of bad about listening in on their talk but I'm glad I did. I would try and make Bella feel more comfortable. I heard the front door open and close and Alice direct someone to my room just great right after Bella tells Rose about feeling uncomfortable Victoria shows up. Perfect now it's just going to make her stay away again.
A/N : Please please please review and let me know if there is anything you want or don't want to happen. The more reviews the faster the chapters will come.
Thanks, Dobrodey
