Hello again! Thanks for all the reviews! Guess what? I'm one away from 100 reviews! I didn't even know that was possible!?! You guys are the best readers ever! The first person to review this chapter will be my 100th review! I'll send you something cool. And for all of you who reviewed chapter 8, you get a special mention!
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And hey, nobody found the quote: the only one, though I did receive a few nice tries! Thanks for looking guys! It's actually from Eclipse, on page 39 at the bottom of the page. At least, that's how it is on the hardcover version! Just for the record if you find the quote in the future, PM me and tell me what you think it is…of course, you can always just tell me in a review. I'll send everyone a sneak preview even if I think you've copied the answer from the reviews page! (I'm nice…I think?)
Last order of business:
Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer, and I don't own Twilight…though Jasper would be nice…
This is my longest chapter yet! I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Nine
EPOV
Just before I reached the cafeteria doors, Bella's friend Rosalie from my Calculus class stopped me. She asked me whether I would like to date Bella or not. I assumed that Bella wanted to know, because I saw her take Rosalie into a mostly deserted hallway and talk to her. So I answered truthfully, and just said yes.
She was so pleased, but when Alice came by to talk she started prattling on about a Biology project. I took that as my cue to not talk about it; I hoped that I understood her body language. When Bella arrived at lunch, I felt my entire face light up, I'm sure I would have minded more if I wasn't so preoccupied with watching her. Alice then let the bomb drop. I think that Rosalie and Alice were both trying to get us together without realizing that the other was doing the same thing.
Alice was on my side, I'd told her about the beautiful neighbor, but not the beating and definitely not that I'd gone to her house. And I assume that Bella had told Rosalie about me.
Anyway, Alice invited Bella over to our house under the pretense of me wanting to see her 1930s Chevy truck, which actually was pretty cool. I jammed Alice's toe into the floor when she was about to continue, and in retaliation she elbowed me. I didn't think anything of it until I saw Bella's expression. I realized that we were beating each other up in front of her. Not a good idea to freak out the girl that you love by abusing your sister in front of her. Especially if she's being abused by her father. I immediately stopped rubbing my ribs and chastised myself for hurting Alice.
So, every day after that, Bella kept her window shades just a little bit open in the downward direction, so I could see in, just barely, and she could see out, just barely, and Charlie wouldn't notice if he wasn't paying attention. I think that was a breakthrough in our 'relationship'. But she did come over on that Wednesday
When she arrived at my house after school, as all four of us had walked home together, my mother was home. Alice had told her that Bella was coming, and she had gone into overdrive. She had taken the day off from work and hired a maid service to clean up our house. My father did not get sick days, or rather, he didn't take them unless he really was sick. He loved his work too much, and since he spent so much time at the hospital, he didn't ever get sick anymore. I loved him, but he was definitely a workaholic. My mother had prepared an after school snack, something she hadn't done since I was in the 6th grade, and it was more of a meal than a snack! When Bella came in, she smelled the scones and cake baking, along with the tea brewing and immediately went to go help my mother in the kitchen. "It's an odd compulsion," she had explained to us.
I missed the conversation that she had had with my mother, but she came out of the kitchen loaded with goodies to set on the table looking flushed and happy. After our delicious second lunch/early dinner Alice stole Bella away from me to show off her own room. I went outside to look at her car as I had promised. It really was a messed up looking truck, obviously Charlie hadn't cared much what his daughter was driving. I checked the fading red truck for identifying marks, and found it to be around 70-80 years old. I was amazed that it was still running. Alice and Bella found me inside the main cabin of her car, examining the inner workings. Bella laughed. She knocked on the window and laughed. It was the first time that I had seen her laugh. It lit up her entire face. Now that I had seen her smile, let alone laugh, I realized what hurt there was on her face when it was not happy. The smile threw into perspective just how horrible Bella's life was. I mean, if I hadn't seen her smile in the few months that I'd known her, what must she be experiencing to make her so somber? But, of course, I already knew the answer to that question. But I didn't let my sadness show through and just let her smile and laugh fill my mind. She was so happy when she smiled and laughed. What must it take to get her that way? Me, I supposed. I was a crack up.
I smiled and rolled down the window, manually, it was great! She was rummaging in her backpack and came up with a small metal object. It was a key, she tossed it at me. "Here, want it?"
I caught it and laughed. "Thanks Bella. But it's your car."
"But do you want to take it for a ride? As long as you have it back in a few minutes, I'll be fine."
I raised one eyebrow, and answered her question by plugging the key in to the car and twisting it. The car revved to life and sat idling, making an obscene amount of noise. But I had been expecting that, I'd seen Bella drive before. I took her car for a spin around the block. Later Alice told me that Bella has spent the entire time that I was driving, staring after me like I was the next messiah. I took her to my room when I got back, and showed her my music collection, and she looked through my window to her room, she was finally getting the view that I saw every time I looked out this window. I wondered if I'd ever get the favor repaid. We talked for a while with Alice. My mom came in from time to time and talked with us a bit. I promised to teach her how to play piano, she was so entranced my playing! But not long afterward, Alice, who had a knack for these sorts of things, looked out the window at the very same instant that Charlie's police cruiser started down the street.
The blood drained from Bella's face and she ran back to her house without even a goodbye. It saddened me to see her so afraid of her father. Carlisle would never beat anyone. He hated violence of any sort; I mean he's a doctor! But, of course, Charlie is a police officer.
I watched her out of my window and saw her at school every day (except on weekends) for two weeks, until the day of the dance. Then she asked me out.
She walked up to me after school and said, "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?" she had a new bruise above her left eye.
"Why?" I said stupidly.
"I was, um, sort of wonderingifyouwantedtospendthedaywithme."
"What?"
"Do you want to spend the afternoon with me, after school?"
"Yes, definitely!" I was really psyched. If this wasn't like a date, I would have been really surprised. But I was sure, with the way that her eyes lit up, that it was. Not to mention the really big hug that she gave me. She was much shorter than me, so she wrapped her arms around my waist.
