Hi! I'm so sorry about the time it's taken to update. RL just isn't being very nice to me lately.

kellyprovence is my awesome beta! Thanks for everything!

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I own this.

"What do you mean exactly?"

I sighed and closed my eyes. I had been trying to leave the restaurant for the last twenty minutes, but Charlotte wouldn't let this go.

"It means the same thing it did the last ten times you asked me," I responded, completely past the stage where I felt sorry for doing this to her.

"Well, damn Edward, you bring me out to dinner and then break up with me. The least you can do is talk to me about it," She whispered sharply, while a fresh wave of tears made their way down her cheeks.

Okay, so maybe I still felt bad.

I wanted to ask her why she was whispering, but I figured that would probably just piss her off further and she would whisper more and maybe louder.

I leaned forward on the table.

"Listen Charlotte, I'm sorry if this seemed sudden to you, and I feel bad if you thought this was just a regular dinner date, but you had to feel the difference after L.A."

She shook her head and leaned on the table as well.

"Edward, I don't understand, we were so happy. What changed on the trip?"

I didn't know if I should answer that with the full truth and nothing but. I mean, I didn't really think, 'well if you must know, I realized, in full force, how much Bella means to me and I want to be with her. A lot. More than you,' would go over well. At least not in a public setting.

I looked away. I didn't want to lie to her. She deserved the truth but I didn't really know how to tell Charlotte and not feel awful for not telling Bella first.

It wouldn't matter much if I did tell Bella; she was with Marcus. Seriously, what was so great about a college guy? Um, how about the fact that he hasn't been afraid to show her how he feels about her? Yeah, well, who asked you? You did. Go away.

I didn't want to be that guy who waits until it's too, late and then hear Bella say it's too late. I almost backed out of breaking up with Charlotte because of Bella being with someone else. I couldn't do that to her though, and honestly I didn't want to do that to Bella either. She didn't like Charlotte and I didn't want there to be any more distance between us.

"I just realized that maybe we were moving too fast and that I'm not ready for such a serious relationship with you."

I figured that answered all her questions, was truthful, and would possibly be a ticket out of here.

I was wrong.

It created more questions, it was only half the truth, and it most definitely did not get me out of here.

"Wait, with me? So with someone else you would have been fine?" Charlotte asked, completely forgetting about her self-induced whisper rule.

"That's not necessarily what I meant, no."

"It's Bella isn't it? You're breaking up with me for a girl who doesn't even like you like that! Edward, she has a boyfriend. A really great boyfriend who cares about her and isn't afraid to show it. Over and over from what I hear."

Surely she wasn't already having sex with Marcus… I knew she wasn't a virgin but they hadn't been dating for all that long.

"That's none of your business. Bella's life and what she does with it is off limits to you," I said seriously.

"Oh please, I know more about Bella's life, right now, than you do."

I didn't want that to be true. I didn't want this girl who couldn't stand Bella, and in turn Bella couldn't stand, to know more about my best friend than I did. I didn't believe her, until she started listing off what it was she knew.

"Let's see, did you know she went to the doctor the other day?"

I nodded because I did know that.

"Did Bella tell you what she went to the doctor for? Don't worry, she's not sick. No, it was much more recreational than that. I believe Bella got a prescription for birth control." Charlotte's mood had shifted when she saw I was lost.

Why would Bella need birth control? Oh…right. The thought of Bella having sex with Marcus made my stomach turn.

"What's your point, Charlotte?" I asked, not masking my growing annoyance.

"You don't even know her anymore. Do you really think she's going to dump her hot, sweet, college aged boyfriend for her best friend who hasn't had the balls to tell her that he's had this pathetic little crush on her… the whole time he's known her?"

The words stung because Charlotte was probably right, Bella wasn't going to see me like she sees Marcus. Her words also helped me make up my mind; I was going to tell Bella how I felt. Tonight.

"I'm sorry if you're hurt, but you should really leave Bella out of this. I'm going to pay the bill and leave enough money with the server for your cab fare home. Night, Charlotte."

I felt bad the whole way out of the restaurant until right before I opened the door to leave, Charlotte opened her damn mouth again.

"Bella was telling Alice about how much she loved him yesterday. She said she was going to tell him tonight because she didn't want it to be too late. Looks like you are the only person who's too late, Edward."

As I exited the restaurant, I silently wished I hadn't given the server the cab fare.

-AtH-

"Dude, you just left her there?"

I sighed.

"Yea, I know it sounds like a douchy thing to do, but I left her cab fare."

Emmett laughed and shook his head.

"So, are you going to tell Bella now or what?" Jasper asked, sitting down next to me.

I nodded.

"Yeah, I just sent her a text asking her to come over."

Just then my phone beeped with a response.

Alright, I'll be over in about an hour. Gotta do something first.

I took a deep breath. That something was probably telling Marcus she loved him. I wonder how she was going to do it. Would she say all these sweet things or would she just say it with no lead up?

"Well, good luck I guess, man. I'm sure no matter what, Bella will be cool." Jasper's words did little to make me feel better.

-AtH-

"Hey, what's going on?"

I looked up from my phone when I heard Bella's voice. She didn't look extremely happy like I thought she would after just telling her boyfriend she loved him.

"Hey, nothing just checking Facebook. What's up with you? What's wrong," I asked, patting the spot next to me on the bed.

She crawled in next to me and sighed.

"I broke up with Marcus."

I think I stopped breathing. I couldn't even look at her. She broke up with him?

"Edward, are you alright?"

I shook my head to clear it.

"What's wrong?"

She mistook my head clearing shake for a 'no I'm not alright' shake.

"No, I'm fine. Umm, are you okay?"

She shrugged.

"I guess. I feel like a horrible person though. It caught him so off guard."

If she broke up with him then why did she tell Alice she was going to tell him she loved him? Maybe they were going to pick it up again later? Why were girls so damn confusing? Can't they just say what they feel? Ok…shutting up now…

"Helloooo. Earth to Edward," Bella asked in an amused voice.

"Sorry. Zoned out," I answered, finally looking at her.

"I'm so glad my heartbreak isn't interrupting your selfish time."

Her tone was a bit snippy, but I suppose I earned that. Wait, heartbreak? So she was really upset about the break up? Why did she do it then? I'm going to drive myself insane…

"Hey, if I need to come back then just let me know. I'm not sitting here if you're just going have an inner monologue."

Yeah, she was kind of pissed at me.

"No, I'm sorry. Stay. Why did you break up with him? It does seem kind of sudden," I asked with genuine curiosity.

She leaned her head back against the head board of my bed and closed her eyes.

"It just seemed unfair to him to keep pretending I wanted to be with him. I mean I like him, a lot, but when there's someone else that you love, it seems kind of wrong to be with someone you only like a lot."

Her voice got really quiet toward the end and I found myself trying not to breathe so that I could hear her.

She loves someone else? Where the hell have I been? Why can't she love me?

"You're doing it again, Edward," She said without even opening her eyes.

"What are you thinking about anyway, it seems kind of important," she asked, her eyes finding mine.

This was it, I was just going to come out and say it. What did I have to lose? Your dignity, self-respect, your best friend… Shut up.

I turned so I was facing her. I wanted to be able to see the surprise, shock, and/or panic in her face. So I was a masochist, sue me.

"Listen, Bella, this may not be the best time to tell you this, but in my defense, I had planned on telling you this before I knew you broke up with Marcus."

She nodded so I continued.

"We've been friends forever, and you know how much I care about you, right?"

"Yes," she said hesitantly.

"Ok, good. Look, I…what I mean is…I know this could mess things up but…I like you, Bella."

You know when you always wish for time to stop because something great is happening and you never want to let it go? Yeah, well time stopped and nothing great was happening. Bella didn't say anything didn't blink, hell, I don't even think she was breathing. She just kept looking at me.

"Like me?"

I nodded.

"Like me how?" She asked, wringing her hands together.

"I like, like you, Bella," I answered.

Again, she didn't say anything. I wanted to take it back, but I didn't see that helping my case any. I just sat there and waited. I waited almost five minutes before she said anything. You've heard of seven minutes in Heaven? Yeah, well I just had five minutes in Hell.

"Oh my God," she said quietly.

That's what I waited five minutes for. Then she just left; she just walked out on me. I wanted to hear the words, "I like you too" tonight but all I heard was the click of my door as she closed it.

I wanted to just sit there and think about how I could have done it better. I should have said something different, but I didn't just sit there. I wasn't going to just let her run away without something other than 'Oh my God'. She was going to talk to me and tell me who it was she loved.

It might have been a messed up way of thinking, but if I was going to have a broken heart, Bella was the one that was going to give it me.

So, not the longest chapter but I just didn't feel like it needed to go on any further.

As of right now, I have one more regular chapter planned for AtH & then the epi.

I want to thank all the reviewers & readers for sticking it out with me. The next chapter most def will be up before two more months go by.

=)

If I don't update before Saturday, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Twitter me: hayboo05

-rach.