Author's Note: Sorry guys haven't updated in ages! But i've got summer hols so... enjoy this chapter!
By the way, if you like to read Jasper/Alice stories, please read and review 'A Change in a Cullen' by Alice Fashion Cullen. She's just only started it, so it'll mean a lot to her if you tell her what you think.
Now the story...
Bella's POV
Just as I promised to Carlisle, I went over to the Cullen house after school to meet Alice. I was actually really excited to see Alice... and maybe Carlisle? For some reason I had a feeling that he might be back from the hospital a bit early today, but at the same time I might be being silly.
I pulled my truck up in the Cullen house driveway, and as usual Alice was waiting for me- she always does, because of her future seeing ability. Her eyes immediately darted towards my arm. I groaned internally- time to get told off by your best friend. Yay!
"Hey Alice!" I tried to lighten up the mood. She ought to know it wasn't my fault that I'm so clumsy! The last thing I expected from her was what she did; she cracked a smile and greeted me just as enthusiastically as she would normally do.
"Hey Bella! How's your arm now? Me and Rose were so worried-" Alice started her usual length greeting. And as usual I interrupted.
"Alice, calm. My arm's okay. Carlisle did a good job of it" I answered. She gave me a hug and grinned at me.
"You know, nobody's ever complimented Carlisle's glasses before" she said. Obviously my heart rate picked up at the mention of Carlisle, and being a vampire she heard that and raised an eyebrow in question. I tried to breathe normally and calm my racing heart. And then replied to her comment.
"Yeah, they do actually. I was suprised that nobody approved of them ever before" I tried to act all loosey-goosey so that Alice wouldn't think anything of my embarrassing heartbeat.
"I'm just glad that you like them like Carlisle does" she said quietly. Oh no, did she know about my crush on Carlisle? Before I could ask Alice what she meant, Rose came walking towards me gracefully with a smile on her face.
"Hello Bella" she said while giving me a hug. "I see that Carlisle took good care of you" and both her and Alice giggled at that. I was starting to get worried that they really knew about my impossible crush. But I was too scared to ask them. So... I didn't. Instead, I became happy-go-lucky again, and asked them "Carlisle's gonna be back later isn't he?" and in reality I had my fingers crossed behind my back. And I knew what the answer was. But somehow my luck was with me, because the thought I thought was silly was infact the reality.
"Actually no. He was back early today for some reason. Infact, I think he wants to check your arm's healing properly. He's in his office by the way." Rose said, and I could see that they were trying to hold their giggles at my now gawking open mouth. I was definately sure now that they knew something that I didn't want them to know-but that was partly the reason I was so shocked. Carlisle had come home early for me? Maybe not- it might just be a coincidence that I told him that I was going to visit Alice, and he came home early as well.
I think a couple of minutes passed in my thought process. Not wanting to look stupid than I already had, I snapped out of it and replied to Rose
"Okay, I think I'll go and see Doctor Cullen now. He must be waiting for me." I mumbled and quickly dashed upstairs, leaving behind my two very giggly friends.
I still remember where Carlisle's office was, since the day Edward had bought me to visit his family. And now when I entered it, it didn't fail to astonish me. It was like a historical monument itself, with paintings rich in color and saying all they have to about Carlisle's past. I had become to adore those masterpiece. Looks like adore their owner as well, I thought to myself and laughed internally.
"Hello Bella" Carlisle greeted me and rose from his leather chair. Hearing his voice made my racing heart stop completely for a second, and I swear I saw him smirking at that. I had a hunch that he really enjoyed making my heart do weird things. So, I put on my best flirtatious expression to tease him.
"Hey Doctor" I said in a (hopefully) seducive voice and battered my eyelashes at him. The expression on his face told me I had succeeded; his jaw, like mine before, was gaping open and he looked like someone had just slapped him hard. I couldn't hold my laughter any longer, especially hearing Alice laughing herself downstairs. So I laughed so loudly that I even surprised myself. It was just so funny!
"Bella! That was just so... cheeky!" Carlisle exclaimed. Wow, I must have really outdone myself. I tried to compose myself and said, "Sorry Carlisle, but you should have seen your face!" I laughed a bit more.
"Okay, now shall we get back to business?" Carlisle asked me, with a smile playing on his lips (his lips...-delete that) and gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. Oh, I completely forgot about my arm! So I sat in the chair and Carlisle occupied his at the same time. For some reason he looked nervous—about checking an arm, a thing he must have done so many times before? To answer my thought Carlisle began hesitantly.
"Actually, I didn't want you up here to check your arm, but something else" he said, while looking at his hands playing magic while interlacing his fingers. Then what can Carlisle possibly want me for? My heart picked its beat. He must have heard it because he looked up slightly, but didn't question me.
"On your birthday, after all that happened, I wasn't able to give you your birthday present from me so... I thought I'll just give it to you now" he said, while passing me a small, velvet red box with red silk ribbon encasing it.