Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

The Things We Do For Love

Chapter Ten: Doubts And Fear

Edward's POV

Everything just seemed to be terrible at the moment. There was a ripple through the friendship between Jasper, Emmett and myself. We were all hurt with the girls' decision to stay away from us and we ended up taking it out on each other. Emmett was getting the brunt of it really as he spilt the beans.

I wasn't angry with him, just angry with myself for not being honest with Bella to begin with. Jasper was angry with Emmett though so they usually didn't come round together often. If anything Jasper came round to mine more as Emmett always felt like he had screwed up my life.

With Bella I tried very hard to get her to speak to me. For a while when I dropped Jake off in the lobby I tried to push my luck and get Bella to talk to me but she just took his lead and left. Due to the hostility between me and her it had an effect on Jake.

He was a lot more moody now. Jake would come in after I collected him from the lobby at night and would sulk on the couch. After which I would feed him then he would strop about the apartment. On several occasions he pissed in my shoes, tore my cushions on the couch apart and didn't like me one bit.

My idea to get a puppy so Bella would talk to me not only backfired but left me with a vengeful dog who detested me.

"Hey."Jasper greeted, walking into the work lounge.

"Hi." I finished off my lunch and threw the trash in the bin. "What's up with you?" I asked, noticing how he flinched when he sat down.

"Well since Alice practically wants me dead I was assigned a new personal shopper. This woman is at least seventy years old, thinks I'm a cutie and likes to rough me up a bit." I chuckled and shook my head.

"Rough you up?"

"Yeah, she treats me all nice one minute and tries to flirt then the next minute she practically beats me up. I have bruising on my ribs from when she shoved me into the dressing room." He rubbed his eyes and sighed. "I miss her Edward and I just don't know how to get her back."

"Sorry man, I can't help you." I said shaking my head. To be perfectly honest I didn't even know how to help myself.

"Hey guys." Emmett said walking in, rubbing his hands together.

"I better be going." Jasper said, getting up quickly, despite the pain he was in, and left. Emmett sighed and there was a pained expression across his face.

"Does he know I'm sorry?"

"Yeah Em, he does. I think he just needs some time." He nodded and headed over to the fridge to get his lunch.

"Guess what I saw?"

"What?"

"Rose at the university."

"What's unusual about that, you practically stalk her there." I joked, earning me a glare.

"She was with another guy. He was good looking, not as big as me but still. Rose was smiling and laughing with him, he was making her happy like I should be." I sighed and walked over patting him on the back.

"If the girls don't talk to us we have to move on. I think it's time you do that Em." I was definitely a hypocrite since I couldn't do the same with Bella.

"Thanks man." He nodded then grabbed his food and sat at the table to eat. "I'll try."

My week continued much of the same. Mundane and boring. I wanted to call Bella every chance I could but knew that she wouldn't answer the phone or if she did she would hang up on me when I spoke.

Many of my nights were spent moping with Jake. Even though he didn't like me we had one bonding session. I would sit down at my piano every night and just play what I felt. After the first few nights of doing this Jake hopped up onto the piano stool with me and joined in with his howls.

We were a pathetic pair, brooding over the one we loved.

During the work days there was nothing different so when Alice, Rose and Bella came in with a big cardboard box Emmett, Jasper and I were very confused. They didn't say anything, just dumped the boxes and left. There was one addressed to each of us so we opened them up and sadly saw what we didn't want to.

In the box with my name across it were all the gifts I had sent to Bella minus the chocolates. She didn't want anything to do with me therefore gave them all back. I didn't think that she would like me buying things for her but never expected her to return them.

From the looks on the other guys' faces their boxes were filled with the gifts they bought for Alice and Rose. Emmett looked most hurt and his expression was one like a kicked puppy. If only Rose could have seen his face then, I'm sure she would have forgiven him completely.

Jasper just huffed and stropped off to his office leaving us both in the reception. I closed the box and asked the receptionist to hold it behind the desk until later. Emmett followed my lead then we headed back to my office.

"You alright buddy?" He just sighed and nodded.

"I just miss her badly and want Rose back."

"Same here but we know that isn't going to happen anytime soon." I took a seat and watched as Emmett opened and closed his mouth as though to say something.

"What did I do to Jazz?" He questioned.

"Look Em he's just hurting at the moment. If I had been the one to let things spill then he'd be annoyed at me. Just give it some time, alright?"

"Yeah I just, you don't blame me right?"

"Of course not. It's my own fault. I should have been honest with Bella since the beginning." He nodded but was glum. "Things will improve; we just need to give them time." I said as I left though I didn't have full confidence in my own words.

I doubted things would ever improve.

Bella's POV

Rose was driving me crazy. I love her and all but at times like this I just want to hit her for being so irritating. Alice was close to breaking and calling Jazz and I wanted to meet up with Edward to talk things out. Rose didn't want us to get caught up with the 'lying gits' which usually meant we wouldn't contact them at all.

She was an amazing friend but at times like this I needed Rose to step back and understand others opinions, not just her own.

On another note Rose was seeing a new guy. Alice and I figured she was only dating him because she couldn't or wouldn't date Emmett. The guy was pretty decent but we didn't really know him that well, Rose and him just spent their time in her bedroom and I'm pretty sure you can work out what they were doing.

He kinda gave me the creeps at times. I think his name was James but I couldn't be sure. I try and keep my distance and I tell Alice to do the say. Whenever we try and tell Rose that he's a bit creepy she jumps the gun and thinks we're trying to get her to go back to Emmett when really we just want her away from James.

Rose and him had been out and when they came in they headed straight to her bedroom. Alice and I didn't think much of it and just went about things like usual. During the night I woke up around two in the morning and went to get a drink of water from the kitchen.

The place was pitch black and so I didn't disturb the others I kept the lights out and made as little noise as possible. The only light guiding me was from the street lights outside. While I was fetching the glass out the cupboard I saw James standing by Rose's door, watching me.

He didn't move or say anything, just kept watching. My heart rate was all over the place and I was terrified but just kept going about like nothing was wrong. I got my water, drank it and put the glass in the sink. Slowly, and very anxiously, I headed back towards my bedroom door, which was about five feet from where he was standing.

The hairs on the back of my neck were standing, I could hear my pulse pumping in my ears, my senses were heighted due to the fear and I was so scared. But I walked forward and headed towards my door, watching him the entire time.

When I got close he cocked his head to the side and smiled before checking me out. That was when I pegged it into my room, shut the door and locked it. I practically broke down on the other side of the door.

I never heard him return to Rose's room and I never heard him take one step. He was silent and that thought scared me even more. I turned on my lights and sat on the bed, just listening for any noise that could have been him before eventually falling asleep.

The next morning I looked like hell but just said I had a restless night, the girls bought it but James sat smirking at me when I grabbed my coffee to go. Since then I told Alice to lock her doors at night when he was round and tried to warn Rose off of him, unfortunately to no luck.

It was at times like that where I wished I could call up Edward and go over and stay with him or ask to borrow Jake and keep him in the hall for protection. Edward would have understood but now, due to everything that had happened there was no possible way for me to do that.

With every day that passed I missed him more and more and knew one of these days I was going to have to accept the fact that I needed to talk to him. But I don't know what was stopping me. I mean I wanted to talk to him but every time I thought about calling him I would freak out and change my mind.

It was like I was scared of why he lied to me, like when he told the truth he would also tell me he lied about his feelings for me and that all he wanted was a quick lay on the side. Yet a part of me knew Edward would never do that.

I was so confused.

A.N.

Short chapter but I needed to get some of that out the way. Kind of a filler. Next one should be better.