"What?" Charlie asked. I knew I couldn't stop her so I concentrated on keeping my breathing even.
"Well, I walked into Bella and Edward's room to see what they were doing and I caught them making out in the hot tub."
"What? Wait, why were they sharing a room?" he asked.
"Didn't she tell you?"
"No. no, she didn't." Charlie said as he glared at me and then Edward.
"Shame on you, Bella." She said as she tapped her finger with her other finger.
"Shut up." I snapped.
"Thank you, Jessica. I'll take care of it." Charlie was still glaring at us as Jessica closed the door and ran to the car.
"Dad?"
"Why didn't you tell me that you were sharing a room?" he yelled.
"You wouldn't have let me go. Besides we weren't doing anything wrong." I argued.
"You were going to." He yelled even louder.
"No we weren't." I yelled back.
"I forbid you to see him anymore."
"I'm an adult. You can't tell me what to do."
"I knew he was trouble." He murmured so low, I wasn't sure if I heard him right.
"What?"
"I knew he was no good for you. Why couldn't you just like Jacob? He's never hurt you and he's better for you. I know you like him. Maybe if you'd give him a chance, then you would like him more than Edward. Even Mike would be better for you."
"I don't like mike. And, I don't like Jake enough. Why can't you just be happy that I have someone?"
"Because I don't like him."
"I don't care. There is no one else for me. There never will be. I. Love. Him. Only him. That's not going to change."
"He's not allowed in this house anymore."
"Then I'll move out."
"Bella," Edward said, taking my hand.
"No. he needs to understand that I'm old enough to do what I want. If we wanted to elope, he couldn't tell us that we can't." I said more to Charlie than Edward. "Let's go." I pulled Edward toward the door.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Out." I said as I slammed the door.
"Where are we going?" Edward asked.
"I don't know. I just can't deal with this right now." I said as I climbed in the passenger side of my truck. Edward was already in the driver's seat.
"Where to?" he asked.
"I don't know. Just drive." Edward took my hand as he pulled out of the driveway. The tears started to pour down my face.
"How about the meadow?" he asked.
"Sure." I whispered. I didn't realize how close we already were. It only took a couple of minutes to reach the familiar trail. As soon as the truck was parked, Edward pulled me into his arms. The tears poured more freely down my face and onto his shirt.
"Are you okay?" he asked me.
"No." I said. My voice was muffled by his shirt.
"He probably didn't mean it. I'm sure he'll say sorry when you go home." He said, trying to soothe me. It wasn't working. I had to say what was on my mind.
"No. he's not going to say sorry." I said as I sat up so I could be heard clearly. "He's going to keep treating you horribly and he's never going to stop. He's never going to like you." My voice cracked on the last part.
"That's not true." Had said.
"Yes. Yes, it is. Don't you see? No one likes us together. Well, at least no one that's close to me. Charlie practically hates you. My best friend doesn't want us together because he loves me. And, Jessica, the first friend that I made in Forks, is trying to steel you from me. Renée is the only one who likes you. Everyone probably would have been happier if I was with Jacob and I was miserable." I continued.
"I wouldn't be happier." Edward said as we gazed into each others eyes. This was why I couldn't be with Jacob. He turned everything into a joke or made the situation uncomfortable. Edward knew how to make me feel better by being caring and sensitive. He got out of the truck and walked over to my side. He opened my door and took my hand.
"Wha…" he shushed me by putting his finger to my lips. He led me to the back and helped into the bed of the truck. We lay there, looking at the stars. I was tucked securely under Edward's arm.
"When do you want to go home?" he asked.
"I don't know. Twenty minutes?"
"Sure."
"But you can't leave. I don't want to face him alone." I said, pressing myself closer to him.
"I'm not going to leave." He said as he laughed quietly.
I got up and leaned on one elbow, looking at Edward. He pulled me down onto him. His arms wound around my waist, holding me to him. I leaned down to press my lips to his. He rolled over so that I was under him. I clung to him as I ran my hands trough his tousled hair. He pulled away after a minute and dragged me back to the cab of the truck. It was a very short ride home. I wanted to be home as much as I wanted to talk to Jessica. Charlie was fuming when we walked in the door.
"Where were you?" he yelled.
"We went driving."
"What do you mean driving?" he asked. He was so mad, his face was turning a light shade of blue.
"We were talking." I said as I took Edwards hand and started towards the stairs.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Upstairs." I didn't care what Charlie said anymore.
"Wait, you have a visitor." He said calmly. Just then Mike walked out of the living room.
"Mike, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"What is he doing here?" He asked referring to Edward.
"Answer the question." I demanded.
"Someone told me that you broke up."
"Well we didn't. Who told you that?"
"Why aren't you broken up? How can you still date him? He kissed Jessica."
"She kissed him. She's a backstabber and she's not my friend. Even if we broke up, why would you come here?" he stepped closer and I let go of Edwards hand in case I had to push him out the door.
"It would have been an opportunity. I like you, Bella. I know that you could like me too if you gave me a chance."
"I…" I was cut off by Mike as he kissed me. I tried to push him away but his hands pinned my arms to my sides. Without any warning, Edward removed his arms and pushed him off of me. Mike fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"Nice try." Charlie said to Mike. It all became clear to me.
"It was you. You told him that we broke up. You're unbelievable. How could you do this to your own daughter? I can't take it anymore." I said as I dragged Edward up the stairs.
"Sorry, Bella." Mike said quietly.
"Shut up and if you ever touch her again, it will be more than just a push." Edward said in a fierce tone. His words didn't surprise me.
"Can I stay with you?" I asked Edward.
"Of course. I can't trust Charlie to keep the rest of your admirers away." he said as I grabbed my duffel bag and started putting my things in it. I was so mad that I didn't care what I was packing. Edward took my bag when I was done and we went back downstairs. Mike was sitting on the couch, holding ice on the back of his head.
"Where are you going now?" Charlie asked.
"I need time to think and I can't do that here. I'll be at Edwards." I said.
"You're going to be in his room," he stated as I nodded my head. "With him."
"Yes." I said. I could see that he was trying to stay calm. It was obvious that he wasn't going to say anymore, so I walked out the door. Edward threw my bag into the truck and got into the drivers seat. When we got to the house, Alice was waiting on the porch.
"What happened? I already told everyone that Bella would be staying here. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie went hunting." She said as soon as I was close enough to hear her.
"I'll tell you later." Edward said as we walked past Alice and up the stairs. He threw my bag onto his bed when we were in his room. I leaned against the wall, trying to forget everything that happened. I didn't know what my face looked like but as Edward walked toward me his expression became confused. I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back until I was leaning against the wall again.
I pressed my lips to his with as much force as I could. He kissed me back with enthusiasm. My lips were suddenly urgent against his. I put my arms around his neck, pulling him as close as I could. There was no space between us. He put his hands on my waist, pulling me tight. I jumped up a little so that I could lock my legs around his waist. His arms held me up so that I did not fall. He walked over to the bed, never breaking our kiss. I rolled off of him, pulling him over so that he was hovering me. I unbuttoned his shirt easily. He moved his lips to my throat. As soon as my lips were free, I was gasping wildly for air. I bought his head back up to mine and kissed him.
"Can I come in?" Alice asked. Edward sighed and rolled onto his side.
"Sorry." She said as she realized what we were doing. "Esme wanted to know if Bella was hungry."
"I'm not hungry. Tell Esme thank you anyway." I said. Alice walked out the door with an apologetic look on her face.
"What brought all this on?" Edward asked after a minute.
"I wanted to forget about everything."
"Oh." He said. I heard the hurt in his voice. I moved onto my side so that I was looking at him.
"And I wanted you." I reassured him as I wrapped one arm around his stomach and laid my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tight against his body and kissed my head.
"That was different. "You've never been so spontaneous. You've never attacked me like that."
"I love you." I said with a yawn.
"You're tired." He started to hum my lullaby. I quickly drifted to sleep
In the morning I opened my eyes to find Edward inches away with a confused look on his face.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes." Did you have a nice dream?" he asked. Suddenly I remembered my dream.
"Oh, Edward, it was beautiful. It was our wedding. There were flowers everywhere and everything was perfect. You looked so handsome when you said I do." Tears started to well up in my eyes.
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
"I don't want to wait anymore. I want to go to Vegas and get married."
"No you want to get married?"
"Yes." I whispered. Edward hugged me tight to his stone chest.
"If you're so excited, then why do you want to go to Vegas?"
"Because I want to marry you so badly."
"Why don't wait and tell Charlie first." He suggested. I groaned in frustration.
"Fine. I'll wait, but we have to tell Charlie today so that I can get it over with." I said.
"Okay. We'll go later." He said as he kissed my forehead.
