Anyone still out there? I would totally understand if the answer is a big 'ol NO! Lol.

I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for the delay in this chapter. I won't re-tell the excuses that I have because most of you who care...know what they are.

Anyway...I really am SO sorry.

Thanks to my beta ..kellyprovence for getting this back to me super fast! She's awesome.

Disclaimer: Twilight is SM's. This is mine. K? =)

"Everything."

I groaned and pulled a pillow over my head. It had been four days since I lost all coherency and said that Edward made me feel…everything.

I'm still not sure what made me be so honest about something like that. I almost never kept things from Edward, but this, this was different.

I was completely surprised when he gave me the bracelet, I didn't want to seem overly excited, but I was. He had thought about me while in a different city… with his girlfriend. I mean, I didn't think he would just forget that I existed, but I didn't think he'd go out of his way to buy me something either.

The look in his eyes when he asked me what he made me feel was different. I'd never seen him look at me like that. It was intense. I saw anger, confusion, sadness, and hope. I couldn't place a reason for any of these emotions.

To say I was confused was an understatement. I was officially with Marcus, but I wanted Edward more now than I ever had.

I cared about Marcus; he was wonderful. Our date was awesome; we had dinner with my parents and then spent a couple hours by ourselves. I learned so much about him. His parents had been married for twenty-seven years, he had two younger sisters, they were twins and he didn't like fish. My dad almost chocked on his steak when Marcus announced that morsel of information.

He was very open to me and answered basically any question I asked him. In fact, most of the night was centered on getting to know him. I didn't mind that he wasn't really asking me a lot of questions though because when he did, I wasn't as giving.

There was about twenty minutes during the night that he asked about Edward and our friendship. I didn't mind answering most of those questions. It's when he started digging in the 'no one's allowed' file that I had to stop the game.

He wanted to know how strong my feelings for Edward were, and if I was just using him as a way to distract myself from Edward.

I didn't really want to answer either one of those questions.

I think we both knew that I was really hung up on my best friend. I didn't say it out loud, but Marcus knew that I had feelings for Edward before this all started. I'm not saying that it's completely his doing because I knew I shouldn't let him waste his time on me, but I just to be the girl someone wanted. Selfish, right?

The night ended well though. He drove me home and we kissed before I walked into the house. It wasn't long or passionate; it was just a sweet and short one. I didn't feel the spark I wanted, but I figured I had too high of an expectation. Right before I headed into the house, he handed me a CD. It had Bella's Bday Mix written on it.

"Thank you, I love mixes," I said honestly.

"You're welcome. I hope they make you think of me."

He gave me another quick kiss and then left.

-AtH-

Sunday, I turned eighteen.

I woke up around ten in the morning and instantly smelled pancakes and bacon. Mom always made this breakfast on my birthday. What made it extra special was I'd also have it for dinner. Don't judge…

I walked down stairs and into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks. There on our small kitchen table was a huge bouquet of red roses and a single pink Calla Lilly.

"They're beautiful aren't they?" Mom asked, wiping her hands off on her apron.

I could only nod. I had only received flowers once before in my whole life. I had just had my tonsils taken out; Edward sent me daisies. Well, I'm sure it was his mom, but he insisted it was his idea.

"I hope they don't smell like bacon forever," Mom teased.

"I'd be okay with that. You know how I love my bacon," I answered slowly.

"Well, go on then, open the cards. I'm dying over here."

I walked toward the table and picked up the card that was with the roses.

The card read: Dear Bella, I hope your birthday is as wonderful as you are. There are eighteen roses for each year you've made the world a better and more beautiful place. Always yours, Marcus.

The cheese factor was high but the sweet points canceled that out. They were beautiful, after all.

"The roses are from Marcus," I explained to Mom.

"Oh, well they're beautiful, Bella."

I reached for the card with the Calla Lilly, and when I looked closer, I saw eighteen snack size packets of M&M's. I didn't need to read the card to know who this was from.

Bella, I suck for not being there, but I expect you to share your M&M's. I hope you get your birthday wish, best friend. Love, Edward.

"Let me guess," Mom started as she read the card with me, "These are from Edward?"

I laughed because I'm sure she had figured that out before I even came down the stairs.

"Yup."

"Well, the boy certainly knows how to make up for being a butt head."

"Mom, he's fine. I can't expect him to here for every birthday," I reasoned, smelling the Calla Lilly.

"I know that, but still."

I rolled my eyes and started helping Mom finish up breakfast.

The rest of the day was great. Mom and Dad, together, got me a couple DVD's I'd been asking for and a gift card to my favorite restaurant in Port Angeles. Mom gave me Grandma Taylor's diamond earrings and a Coach purse. Dad got me a new camera all charged and ready to go.

After all the birthday stuff, Mom and I took a walk. I hadn't really been able to speak to her about anything as of late. We barely had enough time to say hi on the phone.

She asked me about how things with Marcus were looking. I tried to stay vague but Mom knew my defense tactics, mainly because they were also hers. She knew why I didn't want to give up the info.

"So how are things with your best friend?" She asked stopping to pick a wildflower.

"Same as they always are, Mom."

"Things seem different. You talk about him differently and you were extra upset he wouldn't be here."

I sighed. I didn't wear anything on my sleeve, but Mom had a way of finding the emotion I kept locked away.

"I guess it's just him having that thing for a girlfriend, and we'll be going to school soon. Different schools."

"Well that's true, but it doesn't mean you guys have to stop being friends."

"I know, and that's not the part I'm afraid of, it's just…I want him, Mom, but this isn't the time to tell him. Not this close to graduation."

Mom's arm pulled me close.

"Bella, sweetie, you should let Edward decide if the timing's bad. Relationships, of any kind, are made up of two people."

"I know, but I don't want him to say that he could never care about me like that. Putting your heart on the line is a grand idea until it's stomped to smithereens."

Mom laughed.

"You're so dramatic," she said squeezing me tight.

"I'm scared of losing him," I replied.

"Sometimes you have to risk everything in order to win everything, Bella."

My mom might have been flighty, scatterbrained, and she might hate my truck, but she was my hero.

Marcus called me around dinner time so I couldn't talk to him long. He asked how my day was, and I told him the flowers were beautiful.

I was bummed when I went to bed and hadn't heard from Edward. I was really hoping he would call me or something. I missed him.

When I got the text from him, I couldn't help the huge smile that spread across my face. He hadn't forgotten. The conversation wasn't long or anything but it was just what I needed to sleep peacefully.

Monday brought a boring day at school. I never really appreciated how much of my time Edward took up until he wasn't there to take it. Also, Mom left. I hated saying bye to her but it was easier knowing I'd see her again in just a couple of months.

Marcus called me that night and we arranged for him to come visit. He'd be here Saturday morning and we would go to PA and hang out. We made it official right before I jumped off the line. We were together.

I tried to ignore the fact that I didn't feel as happy about this as I probably should have. These things take time, right?

I didn't have any real reservations about the decision until Edward came home. As soon as I knew he was back in Forks, I had this relentless craving for him.

It wasn't any specific thing I craved, it was just him as a whole. I loved everything about him.

After the failed attempt at sneaking in and him threatening my life with a plunger, things were normal, like we hadn't just spent five days apart.

I told him about the doctor's appointment I had. It was for birth control… I mean didn't plan on jumping Marcus' bones anytime soon but it's always better to be safe than sorry. I did leave the reason for the doctor's appointment out of the conversation, though. I didn't really feel comfortable having that be a topic of discussion right now.

We made plans for me to skip with him the next day, which was great because I didn't want to share him with Charlotte yet.

When I told Edward that Marcus and I were together, I saw something flash in his eyes. It was only there for a minute, and then he reined it in.

Then Edward gave me the most beautiful piece of jewelry I'd ever seen. I wanted to be mad at him for buying me something but what girl in their right mind would be mad about getting a Tiffany's bracelet? Exactly.

After, what I am dubbing 'everything-gate', things were different. Not weird but different. Edward kept me close and I would catch him sneaking glances when he thought I wasn't looking. I wanted to ask what was up, but I decided against it. What if he told me that I made things uncomfortable? I didn't want to know that. I was a coward. Sue me.

Now, I'm laying here trying to figure out what's been happening over the last four days.

Edward has been distant toward…Charlotte. At first, I thought I was imagining it. I mean he was head over heels when they left for LA, but the more I watched, the more I saw the space between them.

He wouldn't hold her hand on his own anymore, he was at my house pretty much every day after school, which meant he wasn't with her and he broke their weekend plans yesterday at lunch.

To say Charlotte was upset would be saying ice is luke warm. She kept glaring at me when no one was looking, but I didn't let it bother me, simply because I had no idea what Edward was doing either.

I glanced at my alarm clock and saw it was five-thirty. Edward would be here in a few minutes. I was going to ask him what was up. I was his best friend, he needed to tell me.

I got a text from him saying he was pulling into the drive way so I replied telling him to just come on up.

I was fixing the pillows on my bed when I heard his footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey," he said in greeting.

"Hi, what's up?"

"Not much," he responded, taking a seat on my bed.

"So, what's goin' on with you and Char?"

He suddenly found my blanket very interesting. I went and nudged him so he'd scoot over.

"Things not so peachy anymore?" I asked.

"She's different once you've spent time with her, she's not who I thought she was."

He said that like she had kicked his cat or something.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Bella. You told me from the beginning this wouldn't end well."

I didn't miss that he had said it would end. Thank God.

"So, what are you going to do?"

He didn't answer for a minute. I started to get up and offer him a drink but he grabbed my hand and kept me on the bed.

"I'm going to break up with her tomorrow night; we're having dinner."

My nose scrunched.

"I thought you canceled your weekend plans with her…"

"I did but I can't put this off anymore. I think I got her hopes up when I told her I wanted to go eat after all."

"I see. Well, I really am sorry you're not happy." I said, while I laid my head on his shoulder.

I felt his cheek press into my hair.

"Trust me, right now, I'm very happy."

I felt myself smile. Charlotte didn't make him happy…I did.

Not the longest chapter but I felt like it should end there. I'm going to try to stay on this writing train...and get the next chapter out asap.

Story length has come to the forefront of my mind & I honestly see this story having about five or six more chapters. That's tentative but I worked on the outline last night & that looks to about cover everything that needs covered.

Thanks again for those of you still reading this. ily!

-rach.