Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: Smeyer owns all of her yummy Cullens. I just write about them.

Bella's Point of View:

It's been a week. I haven't seen Edward since the day he asked me out for coffee. And I was still in the process of figuring out whether that was a blessing or a curse.

Well, either way, it certainly bothers me.

Of course, the obvious question was what had caused his absence. Was I the reason? I was scared to know.

Scared to know, yes, but it doesn't matter, since he's not around to ask anyway.

Maybe he had meant it when he said he wanted to get to know me and I had hurt his feelings.

Maybe he realized I wouldn't fall for his good looks, and he gave up on his game.

Maybe he was totally repulsed by me and couldn't come into work because I was here.

And maybe he's just sick or cashing in vacation days and it has absolutely nothing to do with me! God, Bella, pull yourself together, and shut up!

I agreed with the voice in my head, and I resolved to stop over-analyzing everything.

At least for now, anyway,

I replayed our last conversation in my head for the billionth time, looking for some clue in his words. But all I continued to see was my atrocious behavior.

Yes, he had been arrogant and sarcastic. But once again, I had been a bitch to him.

Maybe I overreacted, I don't know. But I did know that I did not want to make an enemy of a coworker. I loved work, and I didn't want things to escalate to the point where I would dread coming into the office.

I had made up my mind to apologize when he came back.

I climbed the stairs, bypassing the busy elevator as I always did.

Maybe today, he'll be here.

Of course, that's what I had thought for the past week, too.

I walked past the reception desk, and through the hallway leading to the large room in which all the cubicles were.

On my way, I glanced over in the direction of Edward's, expecting to find it empty, per usual.

I nearly continued walking, so sure was I that I'd see an empty desk. I nearly missed what I had been hoping to see for so long.

There he was, hunched over at his desk, like it was no big deal for him to be sitting there after he'd been gone for so long.

Well, maybe it was no big deal, I thought. Maybe he randomly takes off like this all the time.

But as soon as the thought occurred to me, I dismissed it.

Jessica had looked like a lost puppy all week, and I could recall her excited look every time the door opened, only to fall in disappointment in seeing who was walking out. It wasn't difficult to figure out who she had constantly been wanting to see.

And if his girlfriend hadn't even known when he'll be back…this can't be a normal thing for him…

Yes, the lost puppy face. Much to my chagrin, I knew the feeling. I'm sure I had worn the same expectant look all week.

He hadn't looked up and seen me yet, so I took the time to drink him in. His gorgeous auburn hair was in disarray, but still beautiful. Better than I remembered it.

Once again, I just wanted to run my hands through it, and –

Bella, really. That's enough.

I sighed, knowing that encouraging those thoughts would lead to bad things. All I wanted to do was apologize, and hope to keep him as a friendly acquaintance.

You know you want him as more than a friendly acquaintance…

God, my mind was really out of line today.

No, I told the voice in my head, friendly acquaintance.

I rubbed my temples. I was going off the deep end. Now I was talking to myself. No, worse; I was arguing with myself. And it was giving me a headache, goddammit.

Anyway, back to apologizing?

Yeah, how was I supposed to go about doing that, anyway? It would seem rather blunt to go over there and bring up old news. Maybe he had forgotten all about it by now, it had been a week, after all. And it would be bad form to go over there on his first day back and bring it up. Maybe it would be better if I just let it go.

I had resolved myself to do just that, and walk over to my own desk, when he looked up, capturing my brown eyes with his green ones.

Shit. He caught me staring.

He leaned back in his chair, his face a blank.

What should I do? Approach him? Walk away and pretend this didn't just happen?

We continued to stare at each other. I guess there was no point in pretending we hadn't acknowledged each others' presence. I walked over to him, biting the inside of my cheek with nerves. What to say?

I came to a stop in front of him, and his eyes were trained on me, although his features remained expressionless.

The silence was awkward. I had to say something, anything…

"You're back." I said stupidly.

Oh, very smooth, Bella. Way to state the obvious.

The corner of his mouth twitched for a moment, but it was gone before I could see the emotion behind it. Humor? Irritation?

"So it would seem."

He half smiled now. Maybe it had been humor.

I wrung my hands in front of me.

"I, uhh… just wanted to apologize for how I acted last week."

He didn't respond to that, he just kept looking at me, almost expectantly.

What more did he want me to say? What more was there to say?

"Well… I'm going to get to work now, so…"

Still the expectant, patronizing stare.

I backed away, feeling embarrassed and awkward.

I hated this feeling. This "I don't know you well enough to walk away without saying anything" feeling.

But what can you do?

I turned on my heel and started to walk away, when I heard him clear his throat.

"Bella, wait."

I turned around, confused.

"Yes?"

He had stood, and he looked like he had surprised himself by doing so, but surprise quickly turned to determination.

"I accept your apology. I just, uhh…"

He trailed off, looking flustered now.

A couple seconds passed, and I tried prompting him.

"You just…?"

He looked up and met my eyes.

"I'm just confused. I understand that you rejected my offer, that's your right. But why did you react so strongly? And what did you mean by "my type"?

He honestly looked confused, and…hurt?

Huh. Maybe he's been dwelling on our conversation as much as I have.

I thought back to last week, searching for a clue. Had I missed something? Maybe I had jumped to conclusions, I thought, feeling guiltier every passing moment.

"I, uh, thought, but… Jessica?" I stammered out.

The line between his brows deepened, and he looked even more confused than he had previously.

"Jessica? As in, Jessica Stanley? What does she have to do with anything?"

I could feel my face flush in embarrassment. I had obviously made a huge presumption.

"I…I thought that she was your girlfriend."

I spoke down to my feet.

"Girlfr- what on earth gave you that idea?"

He sounded shocked and incredulous.

"My first day here, after my job interview, she was hanging all over you. She seemed so familiar with you, and I just assumed…I'm sorry…I got so angry because I thought you were trying to cheat on her behind her back."

He still looked shocked.

"I can assure you, she is not my girlfriend. She wishes to be, I think. She…pursues me. But I have never been interested, and I never will be!"

His voice had risen during his little rant, and he had only just realized his volume. I hoped no one thought anything of it.

I was sure I looked appropriately horrified and apologetic.

"I'm so sorry I assumed, and snapped at you, and – "

He cut me off, with a half-smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Don't worry about it – it was just a misunderstanding. But we sure know how to keep hitting it off on the wrong foot, huh?"

My face was still very much red, and I nodded. Looking up at him, I gave him a smile that turned out looking more like a grimace. He stepped towards me, laying a tentative hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about it. All's forgiven. And…"

He stopped, looking unsure of himself.

I gave him a smile that I hoped could reassure him.

"Yes?"

He met my eyes.

"And…the offer still stands. You know, now that everything's cleared up."

He sounded so nervous.

My smile widened.

"I'd like that."

A/N: Yay! All the misconceptions have been cleared up! Next chapter is their coffee date, and they can get to know each other a little bit.

Should I write the next chapter from Edward's Point of View or Bella's? Which would you guys prefer? Feel free to tell me in a review!

Also, what do you guys think so far? What do you like, what do you wish would stop? What do you want to see more of? Let me know please!