A/N: Sorry, I missed the memo. I thought everyone loves cliffies *shrugs*. I'll make note of that next time. Haha!
Hope you're enjoying everything so far. And please, don't hesitate to give me a shout! I always respond to my reviewers =)
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight related. This is getting so repetitive... gah.
Time to find out who's behind door number one!
EPOV
"Bella! Where have you been?"
My attention immediately focused on the voice from the door. There, standing in the hallway, was a man dressed in a full-blown suit holding a briefcase. He was tall, had short blonde hair, and he was pretty good looking for a guy.
"Alec? What are you doing here?" Bella asked him.
I quietly groaned.
Great. She has a boyfriend.
So much for my luck.
"I emailed you last week, and I've been trying to call you." This so-called Alec explained to her, breathlessly as if he had ran here. "You never got back in touch with me. So I had no choice but to fly down here myself."
God, this guy sounds like such a creeper.
I had noticed Bella's changing expressions throughout Alec's explanation. First there was surprise, then she was apologetic, and now it was set on concern. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on between them. I just really hoped that my thoughts weren't right, and this creep wasn't Bella's boyfriend.
"I'm sorry, Alec. I haven't been myself lately." She said to him with sad eyes. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"
"No." Alec frowned and shook his head. He then glanced over to us, then settling back to Bella. "But I'd prefer we talk it over in private?"
With that, Bella nodded and led him past us to the stairs.
I wasn't sure what was going on, but I didn't like it.
BPOV
I couldn't even hear my own thoughts over my frenzied heart beats. Alec wouldn't have come all the way to New York from Seattle if it wasn't extremely important.
As I walked to my room leading Alec, I wasn't exactly sure what would happen next. Terrible thoughts were going through my head, and I had to push them out immediately. I needed to keep my mind open to process what Alec was going to tell me.
I walked into my room, and signaled Alec to follow. I closed the door behind him, took a deep breath and then turned to face him.
"Nice place you've got here Bella." He said monotonously, looking around my room.
"Yeah, it's alright." I shrugged. I wasn't enjoying the distraction from what we really had to talk about, but at the same time I was too scared to hear it.
"I need you to sit down Bella." Alec turned to tell me, and I eyed him curiously. "Please?"
I nodded my head, and sat down on my bed. Bracing myself for the worst.
"Bella," he began. "I know that you're going to be upset after I tell you this. But I need you to stay calm, alright?"
I looked down and nodded again. I felt this need to keep myself busy somehow, so I began to fidget with the hem of my dress.
I heard Alec sigh, and felt his hesitation before he told me what would cause me so much pain.
"Bella. Jacob got parole. He's getting out tomorrow."
I froze, completely numb following those few words. I couldn't think. I could barely breathe. I lost all reality around me, and I felt so… alone. I felt so paralyzed, I didn't even realize that I was being shaken. Alec had placed his hand on my shoulder, shaking me to try to wake me up from the daze I was in. I only began to hear him calling me now.
"Bella. Bella! Are you alright Bella? Should I call your friends?" He asked me frantically.
"No." I answered him immediately. I didn't want the girls to know yet, and I didn't want the guys to find something out either. Mostly, I didn't want to ruin their dinner. "No. It's alright."
I was still looking down as I answered him. I didn't have the energy to look up.
"Bella," Alec continued. "I know that this is a bad time, but there's more that you need to know."
I wasn't ready to hear it all yet. I took a few deep breaths before I nodded my head. I was as prepared as I would ever be.
"Jacob managed to get parole somehow. I'm still shocked at that stupid judge's ruling." Alec growled, and only then did I realize how furious he was. "He claims to be sorry for everything that he's done. He's had his license taken away as well. I took it upon myself to process a restraining order for you from him. I just need a signature, if you agree."
I sighed. "Good idea Alec. I'll sign the papers." I began to compose myself to stand, when Alec stopped me.
"There's something else." Alec said to me tenderly. "He wrote you a letter."
My head shot up, and I felt my face growing hotter. It wasn't from blushing this time. This time, it was from rage.
"I know, I know." He grumbled. "Please, forgive me Bella. But as your lawyer, I had to bring it to you."
With that, he reached into his briefcase and took out a small envelope. I didn't take it from him. I just stared at the small piece of paper in his hand that was white, yet it looked so dirty to me.
"You don't have to read it. I just have to give it to you. Judge's rules." He explained to me, which really didn't' make anything better either. "Just know that you're safe from him. He has no idea where you are, and this restraining order will be a backup as well."
All this information was too much for me to handle. It took everything for me not to break down right then and there. I breathed in deeply, and slowly stood up from my bed.
"Thanks Alec." I managed to sputter out. "Sorry I made you come all the way down here."
Alec smiled at me sympathetically. "Anytime Bella. I'll be on my way then. My flight back's in the morning."
Before we made our way out, Alec took out the restraining order papers for me to sign. I had just noticed that he left Jacob's note on my dresser. Thank God, I thought. I didn't even want to touch the thing.
After we'd finished, we made our way back down the stairs. Everyone was seated in the lounge, drinking and conversing. However, they stopped as I came into view. I didn't look at any of them directly, because I was scared of what they'd see. If they could see what I was going through. How extremely difficult it was for me to even take a simple breath right now. Most of all, I couldn't bear to look into Edward's eyes. We made it to the door, and I opened it for Alec.
"Thanks again, Alec." I whispered loudly. I couldn't manage anything louder.
"Anytime Bella." Alec replied, giving me a small smile. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call me."
I couldn't manage to give him a smile back, so I just nodded my head. It was beginning to be the only motion I could make my body do. With that, Alec turned and walked down the hallway.
I closed the door and took a deep breath before I would face my fate.
EPOV
I couldn't believe she had a boyfriend.
Idiot, you don't even know that yet.
True. I didn't. I was just jumping to conclusions. I was still hoping that I was wrong.
After Bella had left to go upstairs with Alec, Rosalie went in to the kitchen to make us some more drinks. I guess she wanted to kill the awkwardness that resulted from Alec's unexpected entrance.
Alice led us to the lounge, and we began to talk about our lives. I told them of my dreams, and so did Emmett and Jasper. Alice told us that she wanted to get into fashion, and Rosalie was a model. I had to nudge Emmett so he'd close his mouth after Rosalie told him that.
A short while later, I heard footsteps from upstairs. I glanced up and saw Bella, with Alec trailing behind her. She looked… Well, I couldn't really place an emotion to how she looked. It reminded me of the night we had first met. When she walked out on me. She had looked just the same then too.
Oh no.
Something was going on. Something bad. Whatever Alec came to tell her wasn't good news at all. I was starting to get pissed at the guy.
She came down the stairs, not looking at any of us. She walked to the door and said bye to Alec. After she closed the door, she just stood there for a few seconds. Like, she was putting herself together. I didn't want her to. I wanted her to be herself, even with what she had going on right now. She wasn't happy, but I wanted to make her happy. I wanted to be the person she would turn to. But even though I wanted all of this, I had to wait. I would give her all the time she needed, but I would always be there for her through the way.
Finally, Bella turned and made her way to the lounge after grabbing a drink from the counter. She grabbed a chair from the kitchen and set it across from me. Our conversations continued, and became a little more lively. Bella said tidbits here and there, but that was it. She would react to jokes and such, but wouldn't give her own. And even though she sat right across from me, she wouldn't look at me. She looked at everyone else, but not me. I didn't know what to think at that moment. I wasn't sure what the reason was behind it, but I wouldn't push to find out just now.
After a few more drinks, Alice spoke up.
"Wow! I didn't realize what time it was! Sorry boys, us ladies do need our beauty sleeps!"
"Come on. The three of you don't need a minute of beauty sleep. You've already got all the beauty in the world." Jasper said sweetly, resulting in awes from Rosalie and Alice.
"You're too sweet Jasper," Rosalie added and smirked. "You should give some pointers to your big brother here."
Rosalie winked at Emmett, and for the first time in my life I saw Emmett blush. Emmett Cullen, blushing. And I wasn't going to let this go ever.
Even though we were joking, the three of us stood up and the girls followed. We brought out glasses to the kitchen where Alice quickly threw them in the dishwasher and turned it on. We said our goodbyes and gave hugs to each of the girls. I hugged Alice, and then Rosalie. Lastly, I turned to Bella, who was fidgeting with her dress and looking off into somewhere in the distance.
"Bella?"
"Hmm?" She replied, still not looking at me.
I held her hand and led her to the kitchen. I needed to talk to her somehow, and didn't want an audience.
"I'm sorry." I said. I didn't know what else to say.
Her head slowly went up to look at me, and I saw tears filling up here eyes. I was about to ask her what was wrong, but she put her hand up to stop me. I guess she knew already what I was thinking.
"Don't apologize. None of this is your fault, nothing." She said softly. Her big brown eyes were so beautiful, I completely fell into them. "I have a lot going on right now, and I'm really sorry for giving you all of these mixed feelings."
I opened my mouth to disagree with her, but she put her hand up again.
"I am. I know I am." She continued. "I don't know what's going on between us, and I don't know what will happen either. But I need you to understand that I'm not whole. Edward, I'm broken."
Her voice cracked on that last bit, and my heart broke. There was nothing that would make me think of her like that.
"Bella," I started to say to her delicately. "I can tell that you have a lot going on right now, and I want you to know that I'm here for you. As a friend. Whatever comes of our relationship, know that I will always be your friend. I know that we barely know each other, but I want you to know that you can trust me. And also, that you're not broken. You are the most amazing person I've ever met."
Her tears began to fall, and I lifted my hand to wipe them off of her face. I still couldn't take my eyes away from hers, but I had to compose myself before things would get out of hand. I could barely control myself around her. She was just so… dazzling. Her soothing voice broke me out of my thoughts.
"Do you have your phone on you?" She asked me. I nodded, and took my phone out of my pocket. I put it in her hand, and she started pushing buttons. When she was done, she closed it. "Will you call me? In the morning, when you wake up?"
She placed my phone back in my hand, and I put my arms around her. She wrapped hers around my waist, and I leaned into her soft hair. "Of course. I'll call you around 11, okay?" I said into her hair, and she nodded. I held her tightly and then, as much as I didn't want to, I let her go.
"Goodbye Edward."
I gave her a small smile. "Never say goodbye Bella. I'll be seeing you soon."
And with that, I made my way out of her loft, priding in how one small dinner had started a new beginning for Bella and I.
Oh no... right? Tell me about it... No, seriously, tell me. ;)
