I own nothing Twilight related – this is just for fun. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!
BPOV
Going with Edward to the Notre Dame was an amazing experience. While I knew a lot about the art in the cathedral, Edward had a real knowledge about the history of this place. I knew it was a medieval building but he told me how the original building had been center to Paris during the Middle Ages. He also knew more then he let on in English class about the Hunchback of Notre Dame and imagery from the chapel in the book. I was impressed. The fact he was fluent in French help immensely as he translated a number of questions to the employees of the church.
"I have a question for you," he asked me seating down on one of the benches. "We are all taking French but you. You take Spanish."
"True, but I am from California, it makes no sense to take French," I replied, taking a bag of M&Ms out of backpack, "Spanish is the 2nd most common language spoken in the States."
He nodded his head, "You have a good point there," he said taking some of the chocolate I offered to him, "Say something in Spanish."
"Tengo hambre," I told him, seeing Rose and Em coming up to us.
"What does that mean," Edward asked.
"I am hungry," I said smiling standing up, "C'mon Rose and Em are walking up to us."
"Bella – good you didn't take off to Trent. I just won 20 quid from Alec," Emmett said walking up to us and sweeping me up in a bear hug.
"Em – air," I squeaked.
"Oops, sorry," he said point me down. Motioning Edward, they went off to hostess to get a table for us, leaving Rose and me to our own devices.
"Alice and Alec are coming down in 20 minutes. They have been arguing all afternoon," Rose explained putting her arm through mine.
"Oh," I said feeling bad.
"Don't Bella, you and I know both know what asshole Alec is. Alice unfortunately believes she can change him. I overheard him bragging to Em and Edward about his night with Alice," she said.
"Ick, I can't believe he would do that with her brother, he is seriously jacked up," I told her.
"You aren't going to get an argument from me," Rosalie said, "She is going have to figure out this one herself."
"Shouldn't we tell her about what Alec is saying," I asked, thinking I would want to know myself.
"Bella, did I ever tell you about Royce, he was my boyfriend at my old school," Rose asked.
I shook my head and Rose continued. "Royce was really charming. He would send flowers to my room when we started dating. He would stop by for any little thing, seriously he would find excuses to 'stop by,'" she said usually air quotes, "he told me he loved me after the third date. I was in heaven."
"We were dating for about 6 weeks when he started pressuring me for sex. I didn't want to do it but he said if I loved him I would. We argued about it for a couple of months and I could feel him losing interested so one day I gave in. Turned out he had a bet with a friends about soon he could bang the diplomat's daughter. He turned it into more of a moneymaker by saying he would sleep with me X number of times. He had to bring back proof that he was doing with me. A friend of mine overheard it and informed me but I refused to listen to him. I finally overheard it myself one day when I had to go football field to interview a coach for the school paper. He was standing there with his buddies, showing some pictures of us. He had been taking pictures of me using the date stamp as proof. It was horrible and humiliating. I broke with him on the spot." Rose said, looking wistful and hurt.
I sat there in disbelief that beautiful, ballsy Rose ever had anything like this happened to her. "I know I don't seem like the type do," she said looking at my face, arching an eyebrow, "Anyway I was harassed for awhile, naked pictures of me where plastered all over the school. My father found out ripped the principal a new one so the harassment stopped. However Royce still had this bet in his mind and didn't want to lose the money so he kept stopping by my dorm room to kiss my ass. Finally he got fed up that he wasn't getting anywhere or that I wasn't going to play ball with him so he broke into my dorm and started hitting me. I started screaming and fighting and the RA finally came down and broke it up, Thank God. My dad pulled me out of the school after that."
She looked at me sadly while I gaped at her, "Don't be sad Bella, if this hadn't happen I wouldn't have moved here and met Emmett and all of you. My point Bella is that no one could tell me what a bastard Royce was I had to find out for myself. Alice is only going to find out this out herself."
We looked at each other for a moment, not sure what to say. Edward and Em came back, "Okay Ladies we have a table. Plastering smiles on our faces we followed the guys.
"Are you okay," Edward asked.
"Yeah – just thinking about Alice," I said honestly but didn't want to go any further.
Alec and Alice did join us for dinner later that evening. We were going to take it easy tonight since the last couple of days had been hectic. Dinner was awkward to say the least. No one said anything about what happened that afternoon. Alice and Alec barely said two words to each other or themselves. With Alec this wouldn't have seen so strange as he was a world class sulker but Alice was different. She was a chatterbox by nature. This silence was completely out of character for her. She excused herself to the bathroom. Rose and I looked at each other and followed her.
Once there we cornered her. "Okay Pixie," Rose said, "talk."
"What do want Rose," Alice sighed, "I didn't ask you come with me, I just want to be alone."
"Alice we're your friends," I said quietly.
"Friends, Bella you made me feel horrid earlier and you slapped my boyfriend," Alice snapped at me.
"Alice he said a very nasty thing about me and your brother. I shouldn't have slapped him but you can't say I wasn't provoked," I told her, crossing my arms, "Not to mention, you might feel okay with having sex but you know I am not."
"You're right, I am so sorry" Alice said sobbing, I hugged her looked at Rose, worried, "We spent all afternoon fighting. He is being a real jerk."
"Sweetie, he could just be off," Rose said, her blue eyes shining with concern.
"I thought after we had sex we would get closer like you and Emmett but he is really being a jerk," she said shaking.
"Alice, it takes time," Rosalie told her, "Even with Emmett it took time."
"Yeah Alice, I obviously have no experience in this but he could be just as overwhelmed as you," I said lying through my teeth.
"You really believe that Bella," Alice snickered through her tears, "Alec a shrinking violet?"
"No I don't Alice, but you know what, my experience with Alec isn't stellar," I reminded her dryly.
"I am sorry about earlier," She said quietly.
"You already said that – don't worry," I said, "But I am not comfortable sharing a room with Edward. I promised my dad I wouldn't do anything he wouldn't like and besides you know that isn't me."
She nodded her head. "Let's go back," Rose said taking both our arms.
We moved back to the table and Alec looked properly chastened. He and Alice left soon after to take a walk while the rest of us walked back to the apartment.
"I had a talk with Alec," Edward told me quietly when we got back to the apartment. We were in the kitchen making coffee for everyone. "I told him what he was doing with my sister wasn't cool and Emmett threatened to stuff his dick down his throat if he didn't stop with the lewd remarks."
"I hope they make it work. Alice was pretty upset," I said putting the creamer on the tray.
Edward frowned and grabbed the coffee tray and brought it to the living room for me. Emmett and Rose were there with the radio playing in the background.
Rose, who was never one for the dancing around the subject, got right into it. "Did you guys talk to Alec," she asked.
"Yup – I put the fear of Emmett into him today," Emmett said puffing out this chest. We all laughed.
"Yeah, I had a word with him," Edward, looking upset, "I am furious for him going on about this with my sister."
Emmett started laughing darkly. "What's so funny," Rose asked.
"Nothing, Rose," he told, "it's not worth bringing up."
"Seriously what – Em, you got something on your mind," Edward asked.
"Fine, Alec acts a lot like you and I used too," Emmett said taking a drink, "Arrogant and bragging. Now you and I are both world class gits but we are trying to make ourselves better."
"Don't remind me," Edward said, "Its one thing for karma to bite me in the ass but it's a different for Alice. She is one of the nicest people in the world."
I nodded agreeing. That was the sad thing about all of this, Alice walked around with rose-colored glasses. I was pretty sure that she already planned out her wedding to Alec and how many kids they were going to have. She was the eternal optimist and the kindest person I knew, second to Angela.
"Well hopefully they are can work out any problems and Alec can grow up a little. Look at Edward, if the penny thrower can change there's hope for everyone," I said trying to lighten up the mood.
Rose and Emmett laughed but Edward looked like I had slapped him. Alarmed, I put my hand on his, "Edward – I am sorry that was just a bad joke, I take it back."
His face regained some color, "No worries –I deserved it."
"Edward, you don't, you are a different person and I am going to stop from the bad jokes because you turn in a mute when I make one," I said patting his hand.
"No Bella, keep the jokes, they are fucking brilliant," Em said, howling.
Edward just smirked and threw a napkin at him. "Okay kids, it's getting late," Rose said, fake yawning and pulled Em up who was more then happy to comply.
"See ya later, mate," Emmett said winking at Edward who made a gagging sound.
"You want to watch some TV," Edward asked, shaking his head, "I have a feeling we are going to need some white noise for a couple of hours."
I laughed, remembering he roomed right next to Emmett at Trent. "Sure, can you find something in English?"
"I can do you one better, Rose's aunt has a number of cassettes here," he said point to a drawer in the TV cabinet with a number of videos, "Any preference?"
I got up and took a look, "Hey how about Speed?" I asked picking it out? It was one of my and Jasper's favorite movies.
"Seriously Swan," he asked chuckling, "From a girl who loves 90210?"
"Hey don't dog it," I told, "This happens to be one of my favorite movies. My friend Jasper and I watched it 7 times when I went home last Christmas."
We started to hear faint moaning coming from the background, "Lets get this started," I said blushing a little.
"Bella, are you getting turned on by that," Edward asking, laughing.
"More like I am wondering how I am going to bleach my brain later," I said, blushing deeper and passed him the video, "Enough comments from the peanut gallery."
Still laughing, Edward put the video in the recorder. We settled on the couch and started watching the movie. About 15 minutes into the movie I realized this might be a bad idea. I was starting to get homesick as we watched the California Coast in the movie. Just as Keanu Reeves started to board the bus, I started to cry. Tears starting falling a few minutes later.
"Bella," Edward asked concerned, "What's the matter."
"Nothing," I said, "I am just a little homesick."
He looked at the screen and had a realization. "Oh."
"Yeah."
Very quietly, he put the movie on pause. "We don't have to watch it," he said quietly.
"Don't be silly," I said, sniffling a little. "I don't even live by that area."
"You really miss home, don't you," he said.
I nodded my head. "Yeah, I have always been a little homesick. I think it's because you guys saw your parents yesterday that it just hit me a little harder then usual. Start the damn movie."
"No – tell me something you love about home," he asked.
"It's really a bunch of little things," I said honestly, "I miss the ocean. The breeze picks and blows to my house. I love feeling the breeze in the morning when my dad and I have breakfast. I miss the people, especially Angela. We used to have popsicles on my porch after school."
Edward looked at me smiling, encouraging me. "You know, I found out about my acceptance to Trent on my porch during the summer. Angela and I had just gotten back from camping and my postman delivered the mail. We were going to watch a taping of 90210. I nearly had a heart attack when I opened that envelope," I said wistfully, thinking back to that summer's day 3 years ago. It was literally a whole lifetime ago.
Edward looked me intently for a moment. He reached over and stroked my cheek. I stopped speaking and looked at him for a moment. I really looked at him. He was extremely handsome. Edward had always had an out of this world quality to me but he looked vulnerable at that moment especially in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed me on my forehead and then kissed my nose.
He looked at me again and as if to get my permission. I nodded slightly and tilted my head up a little. He looked me again and leaned again. He kissed my left side and then my right side. Finally he kissed my lips. Very softly at first, more a like peck and then he kissed me more intensely. It was wonderful, feeling his warm lips moved against me. He put his hands on my face and held me in place, stroking my hair at the same time. It felt like a thousand different explosions were taking place through my body. We stayed like that for a few minutes when we finally broke about for air.
"Wow," I said, catching my breath, resting my forehead on his.
"Bella, I knew how you feel. I am not going to pressure you into anything, do you think we could have chance," he asked, looking me at me, his eye impossibly more vulnerable then before the kiss.
"I don't know Edward, I want to, I really do but I am scared," I said honestly, snuggling into his chest. He smelled amazing, "I need some time."
"I understand," he said, "I can wait."
"Thank you," I told him.
We kissed a couple of more times but turned the movie on. I realized how easy it would have been to get lost in the moment. The movie distracted us enough to keep us from getting too caught up and I didn't want to do anything we would regret the next day. Content I curled up on Edward's chest and allowed his heartbeat and breathing relaxing me.
Thanks for reading – until next time!