Another milestone for the story…

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The Ring
By Nollie Marie

Chapter Eleven

The Truth

Bella's POV

"Oh Bella, come on spill," Alice said, shaking me back and forth. "Last night was your third date in three weeks! Come on! SPILL!!"

It had been three weeks since Edward had first asked me out and since then we did go out on three dates. I laughed and said between laughter, "I was going to tell you before you went all shaking me."

Alice stopped, smiling.

"You better be glad I love you," I said, smirking at her.

"Oh shut up," Alice said, rolling her eyes. "Now spill."

I just smiled and shook my head at Alice.

"Isabella Marie Swan," Alice said, warningly.

"Okay, okay," I said, laughing.

"God, you are acting like a love sick girl," Alice said, leaning back into the art rest of the loveseat.

I just smiled. "I just might be…well it was really a beautiful date. He took me to that Italian restaurant in Port Angeles…"

- . - . - . - . - Flashback - . - . - . - . -

"I love Italian food," I said as Edward held out my seat.

"I must have been physic," Edward chuckled.

I smiled. "No that's Alice," I said.

"Yeah she does have a weird way of knowing stuff."

"Tell me about it," I said, glaring down at the outfit she put me in. It was a blue babydoll tunic and skinny jeans but the fact she dressed me for my date made me feel more like a baby then a teenager.

"You do look beautiful," Edward said, smiling.

I blushed. Okay maybe it was a good thing that Alice did dress me. I looked up and stared into Edward's green eyes. He smiled and looked down at his menu. I blushed again and looked down at my own menu.

- . - . - . - . - End of Flashback - . - . - . - . -

"And then we ate," I said.

Alice gasped and hit in the knee. "That can't be it!" she said, glaring at me.

I laughed. "No, that isn't it. We ate and talked."

Alice growled at me.

"Alice seriously that was basically what happened. We got to know each other and we had a good time. Edward has great taste in food, I might add."

Alice sighed.

"Okay we want something good?" I said.

Alice perked up.

I leaned forward and whispered. "I think Edward might kiss me soon."

Alice squealed and started clapping. I smiled.

"Well I think he'll kiss you too," Alice said, smiling too.

"Really?" I said, surprised.

"Oh yeah, as a matter of fact, Edward is coming this way," Alice said, pointing at something over my shoulder. "He just might lay one on you now."

I spun around quickly and saw that Edward was walking down the stairs, looking handsome as ever. I swallowed and heard my heart pick up.

"Alice, Bella," Edward said, greeting us.

I frowned slightly at the flat expression on his face.

"Hey Edward," Alice said, smiling still.

"Uh, Bella, can I have a word with you?" Edward asked, looking at me.

I swallowed. "Sure," I said.

"Excuse us Alice," Edward said as I got up. Alice gave me a "good luck" thumbs up before I followed Edward out of the room.

He led us out back, to the backyard. I was nervous at whatever Edward wanted to talk to me about. He stopped just a few feet from the back door and turned to face me.

I tried to smile but it felt week. This didn't feel right, something wasn't right.

"Bella, I've been lying to you," Edward stated before I could ask what he wanted to talk to me about.

I blinked. "Lying about what?" I said, going to fiddle with the chain. I had been wearing it more outside of my shirt because the metal was cold even though my sweaters kept it close to me.

"I've been lying about why I came to Forks," Edward said. He said that in such a straight face that I felt my heart starting to break.

I didn't say anything.

"I came to Forks because I sent a ring by mistake," Edward said. "The ring you have as a matter of fact."

My hand grasped hard on the ring. I felt guilty for having it but why did I feel worse now?

"I don't like Forks," Edward said, looking at the trees. "I miss Chicago." He looked back at me.

"So you aren't staying because of Forks…or me?" I whispered.

I wasn't sure if he heard me or not but Edward just shook his head. "No," he said. "As soon as I get the ring back, I'm going back home to Chicago."

The tears were coming and I could feel my heart just in shambles. My mind refused to let the knowledge settle into my brain. It kept saying that he was lying, that he wanted to be here. But I saw the truth in his eyes, how flat and emotionless they were.

My lower lip trembled as I reached behind my neck and undid the clasp with shaking fingers. I didn't look at the chain or the ring as I held it out for Edward. He just simply held his hand out and I let go of the chain. To me it seemed like the chain fell slowly, but the tears were coming fast.

Edward's hand closed around the chain and ring.

"I'm so sorry Bella," he whispered.

I shook my head.

"Save it Edward," I whispered.

And then I turned quickly and walked as fast as I could wouldn't possibly tripping back into the house. As soon as I closed the back door, I let the tears go and collapsed just as Emmett and Alice caught me. I cried into Alice's shoulder.

- . - . - . - . -

Edward's POV

It felt like my heart was frozen as I watched the door close behind Bella. I saw her fall through the windows of the door and I saw Emmett and Alice rush towards her. My heart wanted to go to her, but I didn't.

I saw Rosalie's face appear into the window of the door. She was positively pissed off. Jasper stood behind her and he didn't appear pleased with me either.

I sighed and turned around, heading towards my car in the garage. I had all my clothes packed and in the back already. The last thing I needed was the ring. I just unlocked my car when I heard my name.

I turned around and saw Alice storming towards me. She looked more pissed off than Rosalie was. I noticed a wet spot on her shirt and my heart squeezed in pain.

"You idiot!" Alice said, hitting me in the stomach. "You complete idiotic, jerk off. How could you do that?!"

I just stood there, letting her hit me. I did deserve some of the pain she was inflicting on me.

"How can you live with yourself when Bella is completely in pieces in there?" she screamed at me, finally stop hitting me.

"I can't," I said, sadly. I hated myself to lie to Bella but I couldn't stay here anymore.

I could almost see the steam coming out of Alice's ears.

"Then why the hell are you leave for?!" she screamed.

"I didn't intend to stay, Alice," I said. "I only came to Forks for this." I held out the chain.

I saw Alice's eyes widen at the ring.

I pushed the ring and chain into my pocket. "I have it now so I'm leaving."

Alice's face turned down in anger.

"Hath no fury like an angel," Alice whispered harshly and spun around on her heel.

I watched her go and wondered idly what she meant by that.

- . - . - . - . -

Thousand miles away…

I was listening to a song, bobbing my head to the tune, when there was a knock on my door. I turned in time to see Donald enter the room.

"Hey Donald Duck, what's up?" I said, in a good mood that I used my childish name for Donald.

"The young Ma'am is on the phone," Donald said, holding out the phone.

"Thanks," I said, taking the phone from him. "Hello?"

"You have an idiot for a friend," hissed a very pissed off voice on the other end.

"What?" I said, sitting up and listened to the story.

I narrowed my eyes at the wall and hund up. "Hath no fury indeed," I said, rolling off my bed and heading straight to my computer. I had things to fix.

Remember this is a milestone. So what do you think? Meanwhile, I am going to go find a good doctor to take a look at me so I can get off these damn crutches!! A shame that Carlisle isn't here to take a look at my leg and figure out what's going on. Anyways, review my pretties!

Huggles,
Nollie

PS— Twilight Challenges is ironing out some things, to hope that goes smoother for the challenge. April (my bff) changed it so that there aren't judges (-cough- I still won't write until 2009) but instead people will vote on them. And instead of posting stories up on our site, I suggested a C2. So you can post your stories up on your own FF and winners will be then linked to TC. Also I mentioned to April that winners should get maybe a banner so if you are creative, we're looking for a banner to give to winners. Check out Twilight Challenges!

PPS—Check out the great songs that Jasper Hale Fan has suggested for this chapter!