A/N : Ok please don't hate me! I know its been toooooooooo long since I updated! All I can say is work and my 3 kids have been getting in the way a LOT but I'm back now! So enjoy..

Chapter 10

BPOV

It's amazing how when you are feeling times of high emotion there are no words to express it! Such was the case at this moment. I was driving home from work, and the rage bubbling just below the surface was just looking for anything to allow it to explode! Mike, the ass-hole, had called me yesterday telling me how sick he was and how sorry he was that I'd have to work today, knowing I'd had plans. As I found out when Mrs Newton had come in around lunch, that liar had gone to First Beach with his idiot friends!

Since I'd been driving on auto pilot, I was a little surprised to find myself idling in front of the Cullens . Oh well, I must want to bitch about Mike to Alice, I thought.

The front door stood open, so I just walked in. The place seemed deserted. I went to go upstairs to see if Alice was in her room when I heard it. The house had been quiet, as I put my foot on the bottom step, but then I heard someone start playing the piano. I recognised the music, The Music Of The Night, so, I made my way to the music room.

I stood at the open door and listened to Edward playing. He played the song through and then began it again, only this time he sang. I stared at his back opened mouth; this proved there was nothing he couldn't do. I couldn't move, his voice was amazing. As I listened, I felt a sense of calm wash over me, Mike didn't matter and the anger just slipped away. When the song ended, I was turning to leave when he spoke.

"You know it's rude not to knock."

I froze mid step. Shit!

"I'm sorry, Edward. I was looking for Alice, and I heard the playing," I said turning to face him.

"Alice isn't here. It's just me."

"Oh well, I'll go then." I really didn't want to.

"She'll be home soon, you can stay and wait if you'd like," he offered.

"Thanks." I made my way over to the large white sofa to the left of the piano. "No one told me you had such an amazing voice," I added as I sat down.

He laughed, a rich, deep sound. "They don't know, well that's, not exactly true," he grinned and his eyes danced. "They know I can, but they haven't heard me sing since I was twelve, so obliviously my voice has changed a bit."

"Why not?" I asked perplexed.

"We all have our little secrets now don't we." His eyes were dancing again. "I'm sure there is something nobody knows about you."

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Just a hunch."

Okay time to change the subject, I really didn't want to get in to secrets with someone I wasn't sure liked me.

"How's your piece coming?" I asked.

He smiled; I don't think I fooled him. "It's finished."

"Really, can I hear it?" I asked.

"I can't see why not," he replied and began to play.

It was a lullaby, and it was beautiful. The music itself was so sad and filled with longing that it brought tears to my eyes. There was no doubt it was an amazing piece of music.

"That bad?" he asked when he was done.

"What?" Realising I was crying, I wiped my eyes. "It was amazing."

"Thank you," he said simply.

I was so confused. I was talking to Edward, and he seemed to enjoy it. Normally, he tried to get away from me as fast as possible and didn't smile. Now, he had laughed and smiled more in the last few minutes than in the whole time I'd seen since he came home.

My confusion must have shown because he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Um...yeah, it's been a weird day."

"How so?" he seemed honestly interested.

"Well, I had to work today, which messed with the plans I had. I found out that Mike wasn't sick at all, the lying ass. He just wanted to go to the beach with his friends!" The outrage in my own voice startled me.

"Did Mike know you had plans?" Edward asked.

"Yes! I'd told him on Monday, when he asked me on a date, again." I was starting to get angrier.

"Again?" He began to play again, his fingers gliding across the keys.

I sighed. "He asks at least once a week."

Edward grinned; the music he played was tantalising familiar. "That doesn't sound that weird."

"Well, the weird bit is this," I said gesturing to the room in general.

Edward stopped playing and stared at me, his green eyes intent. "What's weird?"

"This..." again a gesture to the room "...you, me. Talking. To be honest, I didn't think you liked me."

"Hum...why do you think that?"

Now you've done it, Bella. "Well from the first time we met, you seemed to hate me," I told the floor.

I heard him sigh. "I did." It was said very quietly.

Looking up, I saw Edward was now staring at a spot on the floor like I had been.

"Why? We had never met! What could I have ever done to you?" I was shocked.

He looked up, a mocking smile on his lips. "You see Bella," his word where almost a whisper and his head was down again. I had to move closer to hear him. "While I was away, I missed everything." He looked up at me his green eyes full of pain. "Not just people and places, I missed birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. The one thing I missed above all this was Alice. She's my twin how could I not?" I could hear a huge amount pain in his voice now.

I found myself kneeling on the floor before him. I wanted to take his hand but resisted.

"Alice and I talked every day the whole time I was gone, sometimes more than once," he continued. "What made it hard for me was, well, my fault. You see, I'm not really a social person, so making friends isn't easy for me. Therefore, it didn't really bother me. But Alice then found you, and you became all Alice spoke about. And as time went on, the rest of my family followed Alice. Emmett, Mom, and even Dad told me how well Alice was doing once she found you."

"You thought I took you sister away?" I was dumbfounded.

He nodded his head. "Not just Alice, but the whole family. I wanted to be here and do all the things you were doing with them. So, I resented you. I'm sorry."

The floor held his full attention once more, his head bowed and his hand clasped resting between his knees. I wasn't mad; I truly felt sorry for him. I placed my hand on his.

"Edward, it's alright, I understand. Can I just say that you have no idea what I have endured these last few years! Edward does this, Edward's amazing, Edward said this, Edward's going to be that. I do believe for everything you heard about me, I heard two more about you!"

He gave me a crocked grin.

"BELLA!" we both jumped as Alice voice rang out from the front yard.

I stood to go meet her, and Edward grabbed my hand with both of his, sending what felt like an electric charge down my spine. I looked at him.

"Please, Bella. Don't tell anyone what I've just told you." His eyes were pleading. "I feel like a jack-ass, and if the rest of my family find out I've been so childish...well, you've met them."

"Tell them what?" I grinned. "You just played me your new piece."

"Thank you, Isabella." He let go of my hand as Alice called me again.

As I made my way to the front door, I began to wonder why I preferred Bella. When Edward said my name, it sounded amazing.

"Oh Bella," Edward called behind me.

Nope it wasn't what name he called me that mattered; it was just that he used one. Weird day!

"For your little secret," he said handing me an envelope and walking away.

I slide it in my back pocket of my jeans and went to meet Alice at the door.

"Hey Al."

"Oh there you are!" she called popping the trunk of her car. "Give us a hand will you."

"Yeah, Alice went shopping," Rose informed me as she came out of the door behind me.

I jumped. "Son of a bitch, Rose!"

Rose laughed as she went to the trunk pulling out shopping bags.

"Bella," Alice was beaming. "I had an idea!"

I groaned as I too began to take bags from the trunk.

"I thought since you couldn't go to the Phantom, we'd bring him to you! I got the DVD with Gerard Butler, as well as some more with him in it. We got a whole heap of snacks too. So we're going it watch them all tonight."

"Wow, Alice that's a great idea!"

"You seem shocked," Rose chuckled.

"Well to be honest, when you said you were going to bring the Phantom to me, I was scared you'd gotten Emmett to dress up!" I laughed.

"Well, it crossed my mind," Alice mused. "But no, anyway Edward would look better in a Phantom costume, he has the right build for it," she added.

That of course resulted in my mind picturing Edward as the Phantom.

"Hello! Earth to Bella!" Rose was waving her hand in front of my face.

"What?"

"You spaced out, with a goofy look on your face," Rose informed me.

"Oh sorry. Let's get inside and start this girls' night," I said cheerfully.

"Oh Bella, I got the stuff for Mani pedis," Alice called after me as I walked to the door.

"Sounds great, Al." I wasn't paying attention. I was still picturing Edward in a Phantom costume.

I did hear Rose though, "Alright, what's gotten in to you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I answered.

Girls' night didn't quite work out. As it turned out, it ended up being a group thing, with ALL the Cullens, Rose, and Jasper. That said, the addition of everyone else saved me from what Alice called 'beauty therapy'.

I woke in my own bed late Sunday morning. The sky was overcast, as always. Once I was dressed, I decided to catch up on some washing, retrieving my clothes from the day before. As I picked up the pile, a thick envelope fell to the floor with a thud. I stared at it for a few seconds, and then I remembered. Edward! Dropping the clothes, I picked up the envelope and opened it.

So do you still hate me ;-) Reviews are much loved PLEASE let me know what you think. I will try answer all on them. Next chapter will be up in a few days! Cross my heart!