Here's the next chapter, it's not as long as some of them but it was the best place to end it without giving anything away.
Enjoy!
APOV
"So my dear best friend, what is it that required me leaving my gorgeous fiancé to time in bed without me?" I called from my position by my car as soon as Bella had stepped out of hers. I pushed away and headed towards her apartment joining her halfway there; I looked up at her and saw she bore a slightly dazed, but thoroughly pleased smile. "Bella, is everything okay, you look kind of weird?" I spoke tentatively and watched as a blush crept up her cheeks.
"Everything is fine Ali promise, but can we wait until we are off the street. After all this is Forks and someone might tell Charlie and Renee anything they overhear." Bella said quietly as she unlocked the outside door to her building. We walked in silence up to her apartment, and I even allowed her time to put her jacket away and kick her shoes off before I spoke again.
"Aren't you supposed to be out with Edward?"
"I was I phoned you when I was on my way home from the date." Bella explained as she wandered into the kitchen. "Do you want a coffee?" She called out and I heard banging and the faucet running as she filled the kettle.
"Please, but are you sure you haven't had enough caffeine today?" I asked, because Bella was doing a good impression of me unable to keep still for more than ten seconds.
"I've only had three cups." She responded as she poked her head out of the doorway with a bright smile.
"So why so chipper?" I queried, but then a thought dawned in my mind. "Oh, he kissed you didn't he?" I squealed. Bella didn't answer so I wandered into the kitchen and noticed her smiling serenely, as she floated about making coffee. How had I not noticed she wasn't moving with her usual lack of grace? Then again I had been focused on trying to keep silent all the way up here. Bella scared me when she suddenly turned and offered me a mug full of coffee; I took it carefully and moved back into the front room. Bella took a seat on the couch and placed her coffee on the table in front of her, I mimicked her before I looked up at her quizzically.
"What?" She asked.
"What? Really you are going there?"
"I didn't realize I was going anywhere, I thought I was sitting here with you?" Bella smirked, before we both burst out laughing.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I said worriedly. I mean don't get me wrong Bella is funny when she wants to be, mainly when she is falling down, but there was just something different. Maybe it's something to do with the floaty walk from earlier, and the pink tinge to her cheeks. Now I really had to know what was going on.
"Yes I'm okay, better than okay." She answered as she flopped back on the couch.
"So did he?"
"Did he what?" Bella responded coyly. I sighed and flopped back in minor frustration at my apparent best friend.
"Did my brother kiss you?" I asked again turning my gaze to her face as the blush deepened and she nodded. I smiled brightly and threw myself at her in a hug; she chuckled as she returned the hug.
"There's more though Ali," Bella whispered suddenly nervous.
"Ahh, it is this and not the kiss which removed me from Jasper's side right?" I asked as I pulled out of the hug and grabbed my mug to take a sip of my coffee.
"Yeah, he asked me out on Friday."
"Okay that's good not bad Bella. What are you doing?" Bella didn't answer until she had taken a sip of her coffee.
"He said he would cook me dinner and we would watch horror movies." Bella answered. I smiled, of course I had known they both loved horror movies and would realise they had that in common eventually. I didn't understand the fascination with watching some maniac run around with a machete or a chainsaw trying to kill innocent people, but hey each to their own right.
"Again I'm not seeing the bad here Bella."
"I'm nervous," she answered staring intently at the coffee table. I turned my gaze onto her and smiled as she fiddled with her fingers.
"It's natural to be nervous Bells, but Edward won't push you further than you want to go he wasn't raised that way." I explained as I placed my hand over hers to stop her picking at her cuticles.
"It's not that I'm nervous about as such."
"Then what are you nervous about because I'm confused." I frowned, removing my hand from Bella's I picked up my coffee and took another mouthful.
"This is so awkward to talk about with you but-" Bella began.
I finished her statement, "-you don't have anyone else." She nodded, I knew she could talk to Renee but Renee would want all the details. She was lovely, funny and a great cook but she was nosier than my mom which was saying something. "So just spill, it'll be fine I promise. I mean didn't I tell you he was sexy?" At the memory we both laughed, which seemed to act like medicine upon Bella because she took another sip of her coffee and answered as she placed it back on the table.
"I'm nervous because of how much I want him." She spoke slowly; I kept quiet sensing she had more to say. She turned her head to meet my gaze and I watched as she smiled a smile I had not seen in years. "I have never felt such an intense attraction to someone before. Ali he touches me and I feel like electricity is coursing through me." I chortled at that explanation, before quickly stopping at the look of dissatisfaction on Bella's face.
"That's normal Bella. I feel that every time Jazzy touches me, you get used to after a time."
"Really? I mean I never felt this way around Jake; it was always comfortable around him." Bella responded.
"You and Jake were friends before anything happened so it was bound to be. Just because something is comfortable doesn't mean it is meant to be. It's the same if something is passionate and intense sometimes it just fizzles out." Bella nodded at my explanation clearly she was returning to the time when she and Jacob had been together trying to find a point of comparison no doubt.
"Did I tell you Jake is coming back and he wants to talk to me?" She spoke suddenly.
"Erm no, how did this not come up at dinner yesterday?" I asked as I ran back over the events of yesterday.
"I think dad knew I wouldn't want it mentioned."
"Are you going to speak to him?" I asked, praying I already knew the answer.
"No, I can't go back there Ali. Jake hurt me, a lot and I am finally actually moving on with my life."
"That's good, and you're welcome!" I pre-empted the thank you I would undoubtedly receive at some point.
"I never said thank you for anything?" Bella said confused.
"Nope but you were going to, if I hadn't set you up with Edward you would have met Jake and you know it!"
"Probably not," Bella smirked; I just raised an eyebrow and looked at her over the rim of my mug as I took a sip. "Alright so I would have done!" she conceded after a moment.
"It's not your fault Bella he always knew how to manipulate you, he was good at it. Look about Friday night we have to go shopping; you need something new to wear and definitely some new underwear." I said to take her mind away from the past.
I didn't hate Jacob, despite what Bella may have thought I really didn't. It's just the way he had treated Bella had hurt her and she had reeled from it all through college, never seriously dating anyone new. I may not have gone to the same college as her, but we had talked everyday and I knew her better than she knew herself. Edward was her cure to the Jacob Black slump and I hoped it really worked out; hell I was planning their wedding in my head. Let's just say it would be beautiful if they ever get down the aisle, there were a lot of factors which could stop that though. Jacob and the scars he had left on Bella was one, the second was Lauren and the devastation she had caused in my brother. Just as Edward was Bella's cure, Bella was Edward's cure to Lauren syndrome.
"Ali I work all day, every day of the week I don't have time to shop." Bella argued, though I detected a note of desperation in her voice.
"I'll pick you up from work on Wednesday and we'll go straight to Seattle. The shops there will be open until eight at least, especially if I'm there!" It was great being a fashion writer; most stores would allow me to shop late if I had to.
"Okay, but I don't want anything too revealing. I need to be comfortable as we will be watching movies."
"Do you trust me Bella?" I asked, she responded with a grimace and a nod in the affirmative. "Then you don't worry your pretty little head, you will look fantastic on that you can be sure. Now how about you come to dinner at mine and you can tell me all about this kiss you and my brother shared which has made you suddenly all coordinated." I smirked as I watched her blush furiously as the memories washed over her.
"Okay, but you or Jazz will have to drive me back I'm not staying over because I have work tomorrow." Bella smiled as she stood and removed our mugs from the table, I stayed in my position and slipped my phone out of my pocket once she had left the room. I sent a quick text to Jasper before Bella reappeared holding her jacket and wearing her shoes.
"Bella grab anything you need for tomorrow, if you stay I'll drop you off and pick you up tomorrow." I gently persuaded and smiled as she sighed but headed to her room. Sometimes it pays to be prepared because you just never know what the future holds do you?
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and look forward to the next one. I'll get it up before Friday so I hope you can wait in anticipation until then!
Shopping, shocks and surprises are to come in the next chapter!
