Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I just made Bella blind, Edward adorably sweet, Emmett a little overprotective and Carlisle a bit of an asshole.
Chapter 12 – Baby Steps
You're the direction I follow to get home
When I feel like I can't go on, you tell me to go
And it's like I can't feel a thing without you around
And don't mind me if I get weak in the knees
'Cause you have that effect on me, you do
Everything you say
Every time we kiss, I can't think straight
But I'm okay
And I can't think of anybody else
Who I hate to miss as much as I hate missing you
So please, give me your hands
So please, give me a lesson on how to steal, steal a heart
As fast as you stole mine, as you stole mine
- Six Months – Hey Monday
BPOV
Leaning back in the stiff and uncomfortable bar chair, I kept my eyes closed, attempting to block out the rhythmic pounding of the drums that pumped out of the speakers and reverberated around the room, before coming to settle somewhere deep in my chest. Instead I wanted to focus only on the sounds coming from Edward's guitar.
Sucking in a deep breath, I blocked everything else in the room out; the loud yelling of the bar patrons, the putrid scent of smoke that saturated the room like a thick cloud, the sound of beer bottles clanking together or against the solid wood tables, legs of chairs scratching against the hardwood floors as well as the stomping of feet against the floor as the patrons danced along with the beat of the music.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I focused on Edward's playing. The soft guitar riffs echoed throughout the spacious room and I could hear him plucking the strings with a precision that could only be acquired with years of relentless practice. I allowed the background noise to drown out, letting the guitar music wrap around me as I tried to visualize what he looked like up there. I could picture in my head his left hand on the neck of the guitar; see with my mind's eye his slender fingers moving quickly as they provided a strong harmony. His right hand strummed steadily, more quickly than I thought possible. The tempo was quicker but the words were slow, and Edward took his time pronouncing each and every one of them, the meaning behind them clear. The dichotomy between the two showcased the obvious talent the band had, and I'd never felt more proud of him.
I felt Rosalie shift next to me, her breath fanning against my ear as she whispered to me, "He can't keep his eyes off you."
I felt my cheeks grow hot. I had never wished so hard for my sight in the last eighteen years of my life. I wanted nothing more than to see what he looked like up there on stage, in his element, as he poured his heart and soul into the music.
The band's set ended more quickly than I would have liked, but that only meant that Edward would be back with me sooner, so I couldn't really feel that disappointed.
After Edward made his way back to our group, the six of us hung out and chatted for a while. It was nice being out the way we were; joking and laughing like we'd all been friends for years. I was so happy to have finally met Edward's sister, Alice. He spoke about her constantly and it was nice to finally put a voice to a name. She came across as bold and confident, pulling me into a hug the moment she met me. She was tiny in stature, a few inches shorter than me. I welcomed the sudden intrusion of personal space though, surprising myself, and I was sure Edward as well. I wasn't ordinarily comfortable with such close physical contact with someone I hardly knew; but Alice was, for some reason, different. She was welcoming and didn't shy away from my blindness like most people did. She smelt of peaches and sunshine, fitting of her bubbly personality. Alice was very sweet, intelligent and full of energy. She hardly ever stopped talking, but I enjoyed listening to her stories. Especially those she shared about Edward.
It wasn't long before everyone started yawning and we decided to go. I was exhausted, but wanted nothing more than to spend more time with Edward. Alone.
In a sudden bout of boldness, I told my brother that Edward would take me home, feeling confident Edward wouldn't object to this. I could tell by Emmett's tone and the whispering between him and Rosalie that Emmett was not too thrilled about it, but he couldn't stop me from living my life. He couldn't interfere. This was part of our deal.
With parting hugs and promises of getting together again soon, Edward and I made our way to his car. On the way, he asked if I minded going back to his apartment so he could shower. I told him it was fine, despite my anxiety over being completely alone with him. I trusted Edward. I really and truly did. But I couldn't seem to keep the anxiety at bay each time we were alone. Our physical relationship had been heating up, something I thoroughly enjoyed but which also terrified me beyond belief. I was so incredibly inexperienced and I was beyond worried that my lack of experience would scare Edward away. I couldn't help feeling deep down that he wouldn't want to put up with the slow pace at which I set our relationship.
With much trepidation, I knew I was ready to move forward just a little bit more. I just didn't know how to let Edward know that.
Once we arrived at his apartment, he guided me up the stairs and led me to his couch. He put some music on for me before hopping in the shower.
The gentle music floating from the stereo soothed the nerves and anxiety that I felt at being alone in Edward's apartment with him. It was so silly that I was nervous about being alone with him now, when we were alone quite often. This time just felt different. I could feel it.
I settled back into the soft cushions on the couch, sighing with contentment. It wasn't long before my eye-lids became heavy and I shifted onto my back and stretched out. Inhaling deeply, I reveled in the scent of Edward mixed with the faint smell of leather, wrapping around me like a blanket, warming me from the inside out, relaxing my body. I felt myself slowly drift to unconsciousness.
An unidentifiable time later, I felt myself slowly being pulled out of my dreams, sweet lime and cedar filling my nostrils once again as I inhaled and shifted my body. A soft tickling along my neck caused a sigh to escape from my lips. Instinctively, I reached my hands up, touching in the flesh, the man that had filled my dreams just moments before.
Edward was hovering over me, my hands positioned on either side of his face. I loved the combination of the two textures against my hands; softness of skin and roughness of his day old stubble.
His lips brushed against mine gently. He tasted like mint.
"Not tired, huh?" he teased, his lips only far enough away from mine so that he could speak.
"Maybe just a little," I whispered, intertwining my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. Slowly, I dragged my nails along his scalp, just how I knew he liked it as I felt his lips move across my cheek to my ear. His hair was still damp from the shower, the silky strands gliding easily through my fingers.
A rumble moved through his chest and reverberated onto my neck as he kissed his way up to my ear. "I think I know a few ways to wake you up."
"Oh yeah, what might those be?" I whispered back, my heart pounding loudly as it tried to break free from the confined space of my chest cavity. Clearly I was speaking before thinking now.
Where is this boldness coming from, Bella? What are you doing?
Another groan escaped from his mouth, and I was surprised by how much I liked it and how… sexy it was. My body felt hot and butterflies filled my stomach as I wished to do again whatever it was that caused him to utter that sound.
"Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you are," he whispered in my ear, his voice lowering an octave and taking on a more gritty texture. His breath tickled at the tiny hairs on my neck, causing the most fantastic tingling sensation to shoot down my spine. I shook my head back and forth in answer to his question. Me? Sexy? I was just plain. I knew I was. I didn't wear make-up or fancy clothes. My instinct was to be skeptical of his words, but the rawness of his tone was so sincere that I couldn't help but hope to believe him.
His lips pressed to mine and I eagerly invited his tongue into my mouth. Kissing Edward was like nothing else I'd ever experienced. I loved the way his lips brushed against mine, softly and passionately. I loved the way he tasted and his tongue felt as it moved with mine. I felt the hotness of his fingers against the skin at my midriff, as he let his hand drift under the hem of my shirt. When his hand closed around my breast, my heart nearly stopped and I couldn't help the whimpering sound that escaped my throat. It felt so good. I knew right then that if I had to choose only one thing to do for the rest of my existence, it would be kissing Edward like this.
Time ceased to exist as we kissed and he caressed my skin. Entirely too soon, Edward pulled away. ""Bella," he whispered, "I want to make you feel good. Can I do that for you? Make you feel good?"
I don't know how it was possible, but my heart started pounding even harder against my chest and echoing loudly in my ears as the meaning of his words resonated in my brain. This was it; the next step. I took a deep breath, attempting to control my nervousness. I bit down on my lower lip and nodded slowly. I wanted this. God I wanted this. I was ready for this.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, running his fingers through my hair gently. His fingertips against my scalp felt incredible. I wanted to feel his hands all over me. I nodded. "I need you to tell me you trust me."
"I trust you," I answered, my voice barely above a whisper. He leaned down to kiss me again; I could feel his smile against my lips.
The couch shifted as Edward pulled away from me; my body and lips instantly missing the warmth of his body hovering above mine. My hands reached out for him, wanting to know what he was doing and thinking. Before I could find his hands, they were at the waist of my jeans, unbuttoning them. I gasped, so softly he probably didn't even notice, and squeezed my eyes closed tightly, as the sound of him pulling the zipper down seemed to echo throughout the room.
The cushions shifted again and Edward was no longer on the couch. Quickly, he tugged my pants down, exposing the bare skin of my legs to him. This was the most exposed I'd been in front of anyone, other than Rosalie, since I was a child. I couldn't help but be self-conscious. I fought back the urge to reach down and try to cover up my legs and panties with my arms. What did he see when he looked at me? Did I measure up to the other girls he had undoubtedly been with before?
Stop it Bella! Now is no the time to think about Edward with other girls.
Definitely not the time to be thinking about Edward's past relationships or flings or whatever it was he did. I'd been thinking about that a lot more lately, realizing that I was not the only person he'd ever been with. I wasn't stupid. He was twenty-three years old. We hadn't talked about his past relationships yet. I'd hinted at it in the past, and Edward either hadn't picked up on it or he chose to completely ignore it. I think it was actually the latter. I knew we couldn't avoid it forever. I would have to stop being a chicken and just ask him.
I was brought back to the moment when Edward climbed back onto the couch and was hovering above me once again.
"Are you okay?" he asked me gently and I suddenly noticed that I was breathing pretty hard, practically panting. Oh God. I hope I didn't pass out.
"You're so fucking beautiful," he told me, once again doing exactly what I needed him to do, easing my insecurities with just a few simple words. I smiled, practically melting at his sincerity.
"If anything gets to be too much, or you are uncomfortable, please tell me." He was all but begging me. My heart swelled and a foreign emotion rose up in my chest, getting caught in my throat. I nodded, swallowing hard and smiling.
"I'm okay, Edward," I assured him. I hoped my voice didn't sounds as shaky to him as it did to my own ears. I wanted to portray confidence on the outside, even if I was terrified on the inside. I knew he'd stop immediately if he thought I was at all uncomfortable. "I want you, please. I want you to touch me."
With gentle kisses over my face and lips, Edward slowly chased all the butterflies away and I began to relax, just enjoying the feeling of his hands all over my skin. My heart still hammered away in my chest, but I'm not sure there was anything that could be done about that.
Nothing in my life had ever felt as good as Edwards fingers gliding along my heated skin. Nothing!
His touches altered between soft and firm. Before long, my body was practically screaming for him to touch me, to touch me in the most intimate way. I wanted him so badly it almost hurt. By the time he finally touched me in the most private way, I thought I might explode. The flashes of pleasure that shot throughout my body were incredible.
I couldn't control the sounds that escaped my lips. I didn't even have the frame of mind to be embarrassed about them. My body was no longer mine. I was giving it to Edward. He knew my body better than I did. It was impossible to describe and comprehend the intensity of the moment. My brain and body were on sensory overload.
The pleasure building up in my abdomen coiled until it finally snapped and unraveled. My body shuddered and quaked. My breathing was rapid as I began to come down from the most unbelievable high.
My limbs felt like jelly. The most relaxing calm settled over me as Edward shifted our bodies so we were both lying on the couch and cuddled close together. I breathed in his scent, smiling against his chest.
The relaxed feeling fled my body all too quickly when I suddenly became very aware of a little… situation… Edward was in. Did he want me to reciprocate? Could I even reciprocate? I had no clue what to do.
"Edward?" I asked, my voice coming out much quieter than I anticipated. I wasn't even sure he heard me until he muttered quietly.
"Hmm?"
"Do you want me to… ya know… I can… if you want…," I stuttered out. I felt my face grow hot from embarrassment. God, why couldn't I just get the damn question out? Be mature Bella. I attempted to hide my face by turning it even more into his chest, burying my nose into his shirt.
"No."
"No?" I questioned. He didn't want me to touch him? Had he realized I wouldn't know what to do even if he said yes? I felt my heart drop into my stomach.
"I mean yes… yes I do… but not now. Tonight is about you and me showing you how special I think you are," he told me and I immediately felt stupid for thinking he wouldn't want me to touch him. His fingers found their way under my chin so he could tilt my face up to his and kissed my lips sweetly.
-:-:-:-
I, Isabella Swan, had a boyfriend.
It took all the energy I had in my body to control my natural instinct to squeal out loud like a crazy person as that phrase registered in my brain.
I knew that I didn't want anyone else but Edward, and I'd had a pretty good hunch that he felt the same way but it was nice to finally have it confirmed. I couldn't help but smile when I thought about how nervous he seemed to be when he told me he wanted me to be his. It did seem a little possessive and crazy the way he phrased it, but I knew what he meant. I found it rather sweet.
Edward and I had cuddled on the couch for a while, both of us falling asleep briefly before he drove me home. I could tell he really wanted me to stay the night with him, but I wasn't quite ready for that. I didn't know why, but I knew part of it had to do with my brother. I didn't know what he would think about it. I was mad at myself for even considering Emmett in a situation that had nothing to do with him, but he was still my brother and one of the most important people in my life and I didn't want to cause him any unnecessary stress by not coming home. I would have to speak with Rosalie before I started staying the night at Edward's so she could break the news to Emmett. He would need some kind of warning so he could be prepared. I knew he could tell that things between Edward and me had become more serious and that he knew things were happening, but I didn't want to flaunt it in his face.
"Hello, earth to Bella."
I shook my head, Rosalie's voice bringing me out of my Edward induced haze. "Sorry Rose, what did you say?"
"Geesh Bella, you've been kind of a space cadet since last night. You seem awfully relaxed. Did something happen last night?" Her tone was teasing and I let out a gasp.
"Rose!"
"Well, I'm just saying you seem pretty happy and content this morning, sorta how I feel after-,"
"Ew Rose. Stop right there. It is my brother you're dating, remember?" I scrunched up my nose and shook my head. Rosalie's boisterous laugh echoed around our small kitchen.
"I'm just saying…"
"Last night was… amazing," I admitted, smiling and blushing a little at the memory. I didn't really want to go into details with Rosalie. No matter how much I loved her and trusted her, this was something private that I wanted to keep between Edward and me. "We're 'official' now." I had to give her at least something. It sounded rather cheesy, but it was the only way I knew how to describe it.
Rosalie clapped her hands together and let out squeal. I covered my ears with my hands, the sharp intensity of her shriek piercing straight through my ear drums.
"Sorry," she mumbled, momentarily forgetting my oversensitive hearing, "I'm so excited for you Bella. Edward is great. He's so good for you. He really cares about you. Everyone can see it in the way he looks at you."
"I really care about him too," I replied, my smile so wide I thought my face would crack.
"I think Bella is in luuuve," Rosalie sang and I nodded my head, not even attempting to deny it. I was pretty positive she was right. Even though I'd never been in love before, I knew the tidal wave of emotions that had devoured me over the last few weeks could only mean one thing: I was in love with Edward Cullen.
He consumed my thoughts every moment I was away from him. It didn't matter how long we were apart; days, hours, minutes, my body craved and longed for him. It literally hurt to be away from him. I ached for his touch, his kiss, the sound of his voice and to hear the strong vibrato of his laughter. Never in my twenty-two years of life had I ever experienced emotions so strong.
I thought this new revelation would frighten me, but it didn't. Only two things scared me about this. One, telling Edward about the intensity of my feelings for him nearly sent me into a panic attack. Two, I had an irrational fear that he wouldn't feel the same way. I wasn't going to dwell on either of those thoughts at the moment. I wasn't ready to tell him. It was too soon. Our relationship was too young. We needed to take baby steps.
Rosalie squealed again, breaking me from my thoughts, before jumping up from the table and throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back and laughed at her behavior. I loved her exuberance.
"I'm so happy for you, Bella."
"Thank you, Rose. Thank you for being so supportive and helping me out through all of this, you know, with Emmett and everything. I know that it's caused you some problems and I just appreciate you sticking by me."
"Don't sweat it, Bella. You know I can handle whatever your brother throws at me. Despite how often he denies it, that boy is so completely whipped!"
We both laughed because it was completely true.
"Hey Bella, just promise me one thing?" Rosalie's voice was suddenly very serious.
"Sure, Rose, what is it?"
"Promise me you'll be careful. You don't have to tell me all the details about what the two of you are doing, I know there are some things that are meant to be kept private, but just know that I'm always here if you have any questions or need anything. So please don't hesitate to talk to me."
"You know I won't Rose. Thank you."
I wouldn't either. There were already plenty of questions rolling around in my head, but those would have to wait for another day.
"Well, I have to go to work," Rosalie announced before moving around the kitchen. Her dishes from her breakfast clanked against the stainless steal sink as she cleaned up our breakfast mess. "Are you and Alice still hanging out today?"
I nodded. "Yeah, she should be here soon to pick me up. I think we're just going to go get some coffee or something."
Alice had asked me last night if I wanted to hang out with her today. She had the day off and had some running around to do and said she could use some company. I knew she was really just looking for an excuse to hang out with me. I knew she wanted to get to know the girl who was taking up so much of her little brother's time.
Rosalie told me goodbye before she headed out the door, leaving me to my thoughts of Edward.
-:-:-:-
It was a gorgeous day, the weather perfect for walking around downtown Ann Arbor.
The sun felt wonderful on my skin as we walked down the sidewalk, talking and laughing like a couple of old friends. It amazed me how comfortable I was with Alice. She was so easy to get along with. She didn't appear to be fazed by my blindness or embarrassed by the cane that I had tapping in front of us as we walked along. She was very relaxed. It had been my experience that people felt a little uptight when hanging out with a blind person. Alice's attitude was a refreshing change.
He didn't know it, but I could tell when Edward was feeling uncomfortable with me out in public. His whole posture would change and he would tense up. I'm sure he didn't even realize he was doing it. I wasn't offended by the behavior, it was a reaction I had become used to. However, it was completely uplifting to be with Alice. She just linked her arm in mine and chatted away about her parents, Jasper and of course, Edward.
"Oh a Starbucks! Let's get one of those ice frapachino things," Alice said, breaking me from my thoughts and tugging my arm.
The intense scent of coffee beans filled my nostrils before we had even made it through the door. The volume of voices was considerably low, telling me that it wasn't very crowded. We got our drinks quickly before Alice found us a booth to sit in.
We sat in silence for a few moments before Alice finally spoke.
"You make my brother happy," she stated simply, instantly grabbing my attention. I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to say in response. Obviously it made me happy to know that other people could tell that I made him happy, but wasn't sure where she was headed with this conversation.
"My brother has been a little... lost. I think he's starting to find his way with you. The start of college was not good for him. Add in the pressure our father puts on him... and well, he just wasn't that happy. It's so obvious that you've made a change in him already. In fact, he's the happiest I've seen him in years, if I'm being honest."
I smiled widely at Alice's admission. "Thank you," I replied.
Edward's happiness was linked with mine. The fact that she was able to see a difference in him because of me, made me feel positively elated. However, my mind was beginning to brew with curiosity over the information she had just unknowingly imparted to me.
So what had happened to Edward when he first started college?
I was realizing that there was still so much more I needed to learn about him; about his past.
One topic at time Bella. I reminded myself. I had the most information about his father, so I knew that was the most logical place to start.
I bit down on my lower lip, wondering how, or if, I should ask Alice all the questions I had running through my head; questions that I'd been wanting to ask Edward, but was too afraid to, for fear of upsetting him. I decided to jump right in and just ask.
"Alice? What's the deal with that? The relationship between Edward and your father, I mean? There doesn't seem to be the same stressful situation between you and your dad..."
She let out at heavy breath as my voice trailed off and she tapped her nails against the side of her coffee cup.
"You're right. It's not the same. Our father has always been completely supportive in my life and career choices. I know it's hard on Edward to see that, and I'm just so glad he hasn't held it against me and let it strain our relationship. The relationship between Edward and our father has always been... complex. Literally, since he was young...," Alice explained, her voice wavering a bit. I waited for her to continue but she didn't.
"I think you should ask Edward about it," she finally added after a few silent moments.
I nodded. She was right and I told her so. It wasn't appropriate for me to be going behind Edward's back asking his sister about his personal issues. It was completely disrespectful. Sooner rather than later, Edward and I needed to have that conversation.
EPOV
I was in a relationship.
This recent development was both scary and exciting. I hadn't been in a relationship since the Tanya fiasco freshman year.
My body let out an involuntarily shudder just thinking about Tanya. I wasn't going to taint my current happiness with memories of her.
Picking up my guitar, I leaned back on the couch, plucking the stings lazily. My eyes darted towards my cell phone, willing it to ring.
I knew Bella was with my sister, and probably wouldn't be calling me until later this evening. For whatever reason, her hanging out with my sister all day made me incredibly nervous. It shouldn't, but it did. I wanted nothing more than for the two of them to become good friends. Alice was probably the most important person in my life and her opinion of Bella meant the world to me.
Alice had texted me this morning to tell me that she and Bella were going to go get coffee and just hang out. She joked that she wanted to get to know her future sister-in-law. I pretty much had just rolled my eyes at her nonsense. She always got a little bit ahead of herself. Bella and I had just started dating. Who was thinking about marriage? Certainly not me.
Alice told me she'd have Bella call me when they got home. I'd been away from her for not even 24 hours, but I was already aching to see her again; to hold her warm body against me and to hear her sweet voice. I wanted to feel her soft hands against my face.
My cell buzzed, startling me from my musings. Practically throwing my guitar on the floor, I launched myself across the couch, picking the phone up without even bothering to look at the caller id before I answered.
"Hello?" I asked, my voice surprisingly breathy.
"Why does your voice sound all fucking breathy and shit dude?"
I felt my eyebrows pull together as I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at the screen in confusion. Definitely not the voice I'd been expecting.
Jake.
Fucking figures. Definitely hadn't expected it to be him. Then again, it'd been a few weeks since I'd even talked to him.
"Hey, Jake. What's happening?" I asked, leaning back into the couch again and propping my foot up onto the coffee table.
"Oh you know, just making sure you're still alive and shit. It's been fucking weeks since we've talked dude! What gives?"
"I've just been kind of… busy," I answered, shrugging my shoulders like he could see me. I should feel guilty for my lack of involvement with the House, but I didn't. I wouldn't change the last few weeks for anything. Being with Bella was one-hundred and fifty percent better than hanging out with a bunch of immature guys who burped, farted and smelled like an odious mixture of piss and beer.
"What's got you so busy you can't even stop by and chill with your brothers?"
"I don't know, Jake. I've just been busy. My dad's been on my case about MCAT and hospital stuff…," I hedged, not sure if I should tell him about Bella or not. I knew he'd razz on me and just give me a hard time about it and probably call me 'pussy-whipped'.
"Daddy C still being a royal douche?" he asked.
"Like that'll ever change," I snorted in affirmation.
"What else man? You can't only been studying for the MCAT's," he pushed.
I took a deep breath. Might as well be honest. "Well… I kinda sorta… met someone."
"It's about fucking time you got some pussy, man!"
"It's not like that," I growled out at him, mad that he was even insinuating that was why I was with Bella. With her, it was about so much more than the physical aspects of our relationship. Being with Bella was effortless and natural. She was so much better than anyone else out there. She was sweet, innocent, compassionate, and the strongest fucking woman I ever met. "Her name is Bella… and she's just… different. She's actually really fucking incredible."
"Jesus Christ man, don't get your panties in a bunch. Just sayin' I'm glad to hear your self-imposed celibacy has come to a halt. After that whole Tanya debacle…"
"We aren't going to get into that fucked-up shit right now, Jake. I don't want to ever think about that time again. Tanya is a whore and a bitch and I'd be perfectly fine never seeing her again," I snapped, feeling the annoyance and anger rise up in me, which usually happened when I thought about my first semester of college.
"Whatever man, sorry."
"It's fine. Stop referring to Bella that way, like I'm using her for my own selfish sexual needs; because it's not like that. I fucking care about her. She's special, and fucking good. I don't deserve her."
"Wow, Eddie-boy, this chick has really affected you, huh?"
"You have no fucking idea," I told him, letting out a sigh and running my fingers through my hair. I hadn't even fully grasped the effect she had one me. I was only beginning to realize the intensity of my feelings for her.
"So when you going to bring her around? Do I get to meet this incredible girl you've managed to delude into thinking you're actually cool?"
"Har har, Jake. You're hilarious. And I don't know. I don't envision bringing her around the House. I mean Emmett never brought her around-,"
"What does McCarty have to do with this?"
"Bella is Emmett's sister…"
"What? No shit? Emmett has a sister? Damn why didn't he ever tell any of us?"
"Probably because most of the guys can't be trusted with a tube sock, let alone a sister."
"Touché."
"Anyway, Emmett never brought her around… for good reason…," I continued, feeling reluctant to fill Jake in on Bella's blindness and even more frustrated with myself that I was making it a bigger issue than it needed to be. Her blindness didn't definer her. But, I knew Jake could act like a total asshole about things like this, so it was better that he was informed now and not right when he met her, whenever that happened to be.
"What's wrong with her? What is she deformed or some shit?"
I let out a frustrated sigh, "No asshole, she's not deformed. But, she is… blind."
"Are fucking shitting me right now?? You're dating a blind a chick??"
"You're such a fucking asshole," I told him, my temper beginning to flare. "She's more than just a 'blind chick', dick. It doesn't define who she is." My patience was wearing thin with him. I was pretty sure this was why I hadn't even noticed that I hadn't spoken to him in weeks. He could be such an immature asshole.
"Hey Edward, I'm sorry. I'm just in a bit of shock."
"That's why I'm telling you now, so that when you meet her you don't offend her or act like your usual prick self."
"That was smart man."
"Well, we have been friends for almost three years. I think I know you pretty well by now."
He laughed, knowing what I said was completely true. Silence weighed heavily on us for a few moments before Jake cleared his throat and spoke.
"No bullshit though Edward. I really want to meet her. If this girl is as special to you as it sounds, I'd like to meet her! I'm your best fucking friend. I deserve to meet the girl that's got you all pussy-whipped," his tone serious until he got to the end and then he just started to giggle like a fourteen-year-old girl.
"Look, part of the reason I called was that the House is throwing a luau party in a few weeks; a sort of mid-summer shindig for all the people still bumming around campus. You should come. Bring Bella."
"I don't know man…," I responded hesitantly. I didn't think bringing Bella to a fraternity party was such a great idea. There would be so many people there. Most of them douche bags or bitchy sorority sisters. I didn't want to freak her out or even expose her to the insane level of fuckery.
"C'mon, it'll be fine. Not to sound gay or anything, but I totally miss your scrawny ass!"
"Fuck you man. I'm not scrawny! I'm just not a six-foot-five Native American!"
"Yeah, yeah whatever, whitey," he joked.
I did sort of miss Jake and the guys.
"I'll talk to Bella and I'll think about it."
"Alright man, that sounds good. Well, I gotta jet but give me a call within the next week and let me know about the party."
"Yeah I will."
We said our final goodbyes and hung up the phone.
Would Bella even want to go to a party like that? It didn't really seem like her kind of thing.
I bet she'll tell me she won't want to go.
Yeah that seemed like the most plausible thing. Parties weren't Bella's deal. I don't have anything to worry about. She's not going to want to go. I'm getting all bent out of shape over nothing.
-:-:-:-
"How was my sister today? She didn't scare you away from wanting to be with me, did she?" I asked Bella, smiling and bringing our intertwined hands up to my lips to place a gentle kiss on her fingers.
Bella laughed lightly, leaning her head against my shoulder. "She behaved. She might be a little…intense, but she's not nearly as crazy as you made her out to be."
Bella and I were lying on her bed, talking casually about the day.
"Besides, nothing could scare me away," she added, her voice merely a whisper. I smiled widely, turning my body slightly so I was lying on my side. I pressed my lips to her temple.
"You don't know how happy I am to hear that."
She sighed, releasing my hand from hers and turning her body to lie on her side facing me. Bringing her hands up, she rested them against either side of my face, her thumbs running along my jaw until she found my lips. Moving her head up, she pressed her lips softly to mine.
"It's true," Bella assured as she broke our kiss but kept her hands on my face.
"I hope that holds true in a minute…," I stated, trailing off and reaching my arm around her so I could pull her closer to me. Her eyebrows furrowed together in concern. I rubbed my hand up and down her back soothingly.
"It's nothing bad," I told her as I noticed the apprehension in her eyes, bending my head and pressing my lips to hers quickly, "I was actually just wondering if you might like to go to my parent's house with me on Sunday. We usually get together and do family stuff on Sunday's. We usually have brunch or dinner. I think this week my mom is planning this big extravagant dinner. Alice and Jasper will be there…"
"Really? You want me to meet your parents?" she asked, her face lighting up as she ran her fingers softly over my face and lips. Her gentle caresses were distracting me from the topic at hand.
"Yeah, I do. What do you think?" I asked, watching her face carefully.
"I would love to go. I mean, I won't lie, I'm kinda nervous…," she bit down on her lower lip, "I want them to like me."
I ran my hand up her back, causing her to shiver lightly, and brought my hand up to intertwine into her hair. Sighing, the tension in Bella's face began to slowly fade away as I massaged her scalp gently with my fingers.
"They will be completely enamored with you from the first moment you meet them," I assured her, kissing her forehead. How could they not be? My mom would probably fawn all over her from the very first moment onward, which I hoped wouldn't make Bella uncomfortable. I'm going to have to remember to ask Alice to have a talk with our mom beforehand. I definitely didn't want her making Bella uncomfortable.
Although, if I was being completely honest with myself, it wasn't my mother I was worried about; but really my father. When I spoke to Alice earlier about bringing Bella to Sunday dinner, she seemed to think that it would be fine. Yeah, our father could be a bit gruff and harsh, but not with people outside of our family, or really just outside of my personal relationship with him.
Bella nodded, seemingly placated for the moment and humming as I continued to run my fingers through her hair. I kissed her forehead again as she wrapped her arms around my waist and snuggled into my chest.
I just hoped Alice was right.
A/N: Sooooo will Alice be right? ;)
BIG thank you to Bronze for her help with the beginning of this chapter! She's completely awesome and I want to hug her. Usual thanks to BellaMadonna and LittleClareStar who make my words pretty. This story wouldn't be the same without them. Thank you to Silver Sniper for the pre-read.
Silver and I are hosting an anonymous o/s contest! The Men at Work contest! Head over to the contest page and check out the details and write us HOT, DIRTY, SWEATY HARD WORKING MEN! ;) http://www. fanfiction. net/u/2262066/ (just remove the spaces).
Also I was interviewed for the Pittsburgh Examiner in an article about FanFiction. Link is on my profile. Check it out!
My one-shot Face Down was nominated for an Indie Twi Fic Award. LittleClareStar's story 'On My Own' was also nominated. My partner in crime Agoraphobiantic has two stories up for nomination. 'Girl Afraid' and 'Bullet in the Head'. Go check them out and vote! http:// theindietwificawards.
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