CrashIntoMe: Chapter20

Bella heard the knock on the back door as she sat the pan of lasagna into the oven. "Hi, so what are we making?" Bella asked wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"It's this Chinese dish. It's really good but I think we might need to go to the store I doubt that even Maria has some of this stuff lying around."

"Let me look at the recipe. I think you might be right," Bella laughed. "I just need to set the timer on the oven and we can go to the store."

"What did you make?" Rosalie asked peeking through the glass in the oven door.

"Lasagna."

"Oh my favorite."

"I know." Bella purposely prepared a dish that she knew would be well received. "I'm glad that you decided to come over. It's been a long time since we had just a girl's night. I have missed this." Bella leaned in to hug her friend.

"How long does the recipe say it's takes to make this dish?" Bella asked as she put the bags from their half hour trip to the market on the counter.

"I think fifteen minutes, but let me check. Yep that's it."

"Are you kidding me? It took twice that time just to find all the stuff we needed.

"I'll set the table while you get started."

"Bells, you and I both know that I am NOT the cook here. How about I set the table and you make this Chinese thing" Rosalie smiled slyly.

"I thought we were going to do this together," Bella laughed.

"You want to be able to eat this dish right?"

"Yes."

"Well then let me suggest again that I set the table and you do the cooking."

"Whatever," Bella shook her head as she grabbed the recipe card from Rose's hand.

Once the preparations for dinner were complete and the table set, Bella and Rosalie sat down to their meal. In the sudden quiet the air was strained at best neither of them knowing what to say to the other.

"You were right," Bella said taking a sip from her glass, "This Chinese dish is excellent. You will have to let me copy the recipe for Maria. She'd love this."

"Yeah, no problem."

"So how are things going with you and Royce?"

Rosalie looked at her friend leery of her question. The last thing she wanted was another one of Bella's lectures on the evils of Royce King and Riley Biers. However, Rose had noticed that lately Bella had had a change of heart regarding Riley. Secretly she hoped that they would be double dating again soon.

"Things are good," she said noncommittal at best.

"I asked him to go to the cast party when the production is over."

"Is he coming?"

"Yes. He said he wouldn't miss it for anything. Then he asked me to go to the prom with him." Rosalie's face radiated with a smile.

"Are you going to go?" Bella asked.

"What do you think?" she joked.

"I would say that you gave him a definite – maybe," Bella chuckled. Rosalie's napkin glided across the table hitting Bella in the face. "I guess you said – yes."

"Of course! We have a really good time when we're together. I know you told me to watch out for him but he's really great. Bella he kisses like a dream." Rosalie continued while Bella thought about Edward and what his kissed were like. They were soft, sweet and never demanding as Riley's had been. Edward was so gentle in every way when it came to her. His gentle way with her was a polar opposite of his life and how he dealt with it – and Bella understood that. Deep down though she was sure that the bad boy image he wanted all to believe wasn't truly the person he was.

"Hey, Bella, are you listening to me?"

"Yes, sorry I was lost in thought for a minute."

"About?" Rosalie questioned.

"Nothing important really." Bella thought better of revealing her thoughts.

"Where have you been keeping yourself lately? I hardly ever see you at school and you're never out on the weekend. What's going on with you? I have seen you hanging out with Riley again. Tell me, are you two back together? Is that where you have been spending all of your time lately?" Rosalie's excitement at the thought was self evident.

"NO!" Bella said feeling like she was back on the same old hamster wheel. "Riley and I aren't back together. We have just been running lines for the play. I am thankful to think that' he's finally gotten it through his head that there isn't a relationship there anymore. It's nice 'cause his obsession with me would only complicate things all the more," she said more for herself than her friend.

Bella's thoughts were drawn to her budding relationship with Edward. She was bursting at the seams to tell someone, anyone about the feelings she was having for Edward Masen. Even though Rosalie Hale was the last person she would entrust with this information, Bella was afraid if she didn't tell someone soon it would all evaporate into a dream like haze.

"So then if it's not Riley, what is it?"

"Nothing special." A smile that Bella couldn't hide crept across her features.

"What gives?" Rose questioned knowing that her friend was never able to keep a secret.

"Nothing."

"Come on, I know better than that. There's most definitely something going on. I can just tell. What is it, a guy, what?"

Bella hesitated. Opening up to Rosalie about Edward was like poking a sleeping lion. The reaction that the name Edward Masen would bring about surely would take the wind out of Bella's sails but she moved forward with the information none the less. "Yeah, you could say that it has something to do with a guy."

"Enough with the games already. What gives?"

"I met the greatest guy. He is gorgeous, the most stunning emerald eyes, this funky bronze tussled hair. He's so good to me, Rose. It's such a change from what I have been used to." Bella rattled off so fast Rosalie was barely able to keep up.

"So when do I get to meet Mr. Wonderful?"

"What do you think I'm crazy or something? If I let him within ten feet of you you'd want him for yourself," Bella laughed.

There was no mistaking the angry look that clouded Rosalie's crystal blue eyes. "Bella Swan, I can't believe you think that little of me!" she raged. "I'm perfectly happy with Royce. I know that you and I have been less than friendly lately but I thought you knew me better than that. What's happening to you?"

"Oh my gosh would you calm down already? I was only teasing for heaven sakes."

"It wasn't very funny.

"I'm sorry….I thought you could at least take a joke."

"So what's this guy's name anyway?" Rosalie continued as though her anger had been turned off with the flip of a switch.

"Edward," Bella said silently praying that Rose wouldn't make the connection.

"Edward? Edward what? There are at least four maybe five Edwards in our class."

"He doesn't go to Forks. He's a junior at Port Angeles." The look on Rosalie's face showed Bella already that her friend disapproved.

"Okay well then, what's his name?" Rosalie asked again.

"I said Edward."

"Edward what?" Rose's patience was wearing thin.

"Masen," Bella finally said sighing heavily preparing for the other shoe to drop.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Rosalie paused for a moment, "wait, Bella, that isn't the same guy you met at that awful place you forced me to go? Oh my god Bella, it is isn't it?" Rosalie's voice dripped with disgust. "He's an addict for god sakes!"

"You seemed pretty into him when we were working on our paper," Bella returned her jaw clenched in anger.

"That was different and you know it. To read about him and hell even talk to him isn't anywhere near the same as being seen in public with him. I can't believe that you have sunk so low."

"Why did I even bother? I know that you would react just like this. I forgot that I was dealing with a pack of rich snobs. I have never once before found anyone that treats me as good as Edward has."

"I doubt Riley would see it that way."

"Need I remind you of the other day when you witnessed firsthand Riley with his hands wrapped around my throat? Or did you conveniently forget about that fact?" Bella started to cry softly.

"Bella, Riley explained about the other day. It really wasn't what it looked like at all. Royce and I just jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"What other conclusion could you have come to?" Bella shouted in total disbelief.

"He said you two were practicing one of the scenes from the play and things got carried away."

"And you believed him? I didn't think that even you were that stupid!"

Rosalie fumed at Bella's words. "You yourself just said how things between the two of you are getting better. So what the hell was I supposed to think? Besides you never told me a damn thing about that day in the park!"

Bella's tears were now rolling down her cheeks. Revealing Edward's true identity had been a mistake from the very beginning. Rosalie's reaction was clear proof of that. "What am I supposed to do let Riley man handle me because he's acceptable?"

"Bella, you are talking about dating some hood…."

"Get out! Rose just leave – leave now! I just wanted to share this. I wanted you to be as happy for me as I am for you. Since it appears that you aren't capable of doing that please just go!"

"Have you forgotten that not so long ago you were less than happy for me? As I recall you did your damnedest to get me to walk away from Royce. So why should I be any different when it comes to Edward?"

"GET OUT!"

"Bella….."

"GO! Just go."

Bella picked up the glass on the table and in anger hurled it into the sink with such force it shattered. Crumpling to the ground she was overcome with so many emotions that there was nothing that could be done to stop the onslaught of tears. She was angry at herself for even making an attempt she had known better of all along but the elation that Edward Masen had brought into her life had given way to a momentarily lapse of reason.

Gingerly she cleared away the broken pieces of glass, cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. Bella made up a plate as promised for Edward. She had every intention of going to him immediately yet seeing her reflection in the mirror she thought better of the idea. She needed to give herself some time until her foul mood had passed.

Bella's hand rested on the speaker as her room was flooded with a driving drum beat and guitar riffs. She hoped that those sounds would drive out her nasty mood. The original intention of the evening played out nothing like the actual event. Somewhere deep within Bella wanted to rebuild her friendship with Rosalie. Maybe she had been naïve in thinking that Rose had the capabilities of being anyone other than who Bella knew her to be.

The pain of knowing she was truly alone in the world brought a stabbing ache radiating in her chest. The emptiness she felt at the moment was overpowering. She was a lost soul out of place.

The hours passed without much thought. She had been lost in her own barren world. It wasn't until she noticed the shades of pink and orange adorning her walls that Bella realized that it was nearly dusk. Pulling a brush through her hair, she set off to see Edward.

"I was beginning to think you were going to let me starve," he joked as Bella made her way through the front door.

"Sorry," she returned with a lifeless voice.

"Baby," Edward said as he drew closer to her, "Hey what's the matter?"

"Nothing." Bella was physically in the room with him but he knew for sure her mind was in some far off place.

"You seem pretty out of it for it to be nothing."

"Fine… I'm not fine okay?" The booming sound of her voice startled Edward. He was typically the one doing the yelling.

"Bella?"

Looking into his confused face, she snapped back to reality. "Oh Edward, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to - it's just my friends well they never cease to amaze me."

"What do you mean?" he asked never acknowledging that Bella had even raised her voice.

"I think I just lost my best friend today. Maybe she was never my friend to begin with."

"What makes you think that?"

"I really don't want to rehash it again okay?"

"Sure," Edward said, "Just remember that I promised to be there for you too," he stroked her cheek.

Bella tried to swallow the golf ball sized lump that sat in her throat. How was she supposed to explain her fight to him? How was she supposed to make him understand that she and Rosalie were nothing alike? She wasn't about to take the chance of his not understanding. She couldn't jeopardize what she had with him. Certainly not for Rosalie's opinion of him.

"I better put your dinner in the microwave."

Bella sat beside Edward as he quietly watched her. He was doing his best to understand what was going on with her. The agony in her eyes was so vivid. He didn't want to push but he couldn't stop wondering if maybe there was more to this than just some girlfriend squabble.

"Bella," he gently took her hands in his, "Babe, please tell me what's really going on," he pleaded.

Looking deep into his eyes the last thing she wanted to do was torment him with Rosalie's warped perception of the world yet both her heart and head were screaming for her to be honest with him. Both their lives were so complicated enough without adding half truths to the mix.

Bella took a deep breath and began her tale of the evening she had spent with her friend. She was careful in choosing the words she used to describe the things that Rosalie had said. As well as all of her counter remarks.

"Is that what you think about me too?" he questioned hoarsely.

"NO!" she cried. "Haven't you heard anything that I just said? What Rose or what anyone thinks for that matter doesn't make a damn bit of difference to me. Edward, I want to be exactly where I am. I want to find out where this is going to take me – take both of us." Bella watched as he turned away in an attempt to clear his thoughts. "Edward," she whispered, "look at me." She forced his eyes to meet hers. "I have never met a person who as treated me better than the way you do. You are too important to me to let you slip through my fingers. Do you understand? I don't care what anyone says or does. I want to be with you and to hell with the rest."

Edward struggled to believe her words. He knew what the masses thought of him. Hell he made sure his attitude most of the time contributed to that perception. But knowing that Bella's friends were forcing her to choose between him and them – the walls that he had allowed her entry through we begin to rise again.

"Edward?"

"I just don't want to make things worse for you," he murmured turning away not wanting her to see the tears that stung his eyes.

"You won't. You aren't. You have done the very opposite."

"I want to believe that."

"Then believe it!" she forced.

"I thought you were going to tell me to get out of your life," he choked on his private thoughts.

"No way!"

"I just can't believe that you want me. That after all you know about me and you still want me in your life." He pulled her in close to his chest. With their lips just inches apart Edward held back in kissing her savoring the intense moment between them. Bella drew in a slow deep breath waiting for what she wanted to come next. On cue Edward placed his hand on her smooth soft cheek the pad of his thumb stroking it gently. Suddenly he brought his mouth down to hers with such force that the experience left Bella breathless.

"You are the best thing that's happened to me in a long time, Bella Swan."

"You too," she returned snuggling against his chest.