Disclaimer: I don't own twilight :(
A/N: Hey peeps, I got double the reviews I normally get for last chapter, just letting you know I really love to hear of people enjoying my story :) Also some people seemed confused. Edward is a virgin. Thanks! About Phil too, we don't know all that much bout him from Twilight so I've characterized him just how I imagined, so sorry if it doesn't seem accurate to you. Also, I've been spelling Mum the American way of 'Mom' because I figured most readers are US peeps!
Edward and I heard Renee's car pull into the driveway so we reluctantly unwrapped ourselves from our embrace and headed downstairs to greet her and Phil.
"Hey Bell!" Phil exclaimed when he walked through the door, then he rushed forward and pulled me into a hug, lifting my feet off the ground. "I haven't seen you for months!"
"Hey Phil, you looked well," I said, not sure of what else to say. I didn't have a problem with Phil, but he certainly was enthusiastic in comparison to me. "Um, this is my boyfriend, Edward," I said and reached for Edward's arm, pulling him towards me.
"Nice to meet you," Edward said, giving Phil's hand a shake.
"You too Edward, hope you're looking after our Bella here!"
"He's doing more than that," Renee said quietly under her breath, but still loud enough so we all heard. "Sorry, didn't mean to say that." Renee sometimes had a problem with speaking before thinking.
"What's for lunch?" I asked, hurrying to change the subject.
"I just bought some chicken, so we can make chicken sandwiches and I got us some salad," Renee said.
We made our lunch, then the four of us sat down at the dining table to eat. Renee seemed to have forgotten her previously carefree attitude and glared at Edward and I across the table. She held her nose in the air, as if trying to smell sex, but when this achieved nothing she returned to eyeing us suspiciously, most likely wondering what we got up to in her house while we were all alone.
Edward ate his meal in silence and would shift uncomfortably when he noticed Renee staring over at us. I didn't understand why she was suddenly acting so strange. Obviously she was lenient before, but I thought that was because she trusted me. Maybe she was just initially in shock and now the anger was sinking through.
"So where are you off to next?" I asked Phil, to break the silence, fully aware that Phil was always keen to talk about the goings on of his baseball 'career'.
"Actually going to Ontario for a bit," Phil mumbled.
"Ontario, Canada," Renee whinged, sounding like a child. So that was her problem. "I hate Canada."
"When have you ever been to Canada?" I asked Renee.
"It doesn't matter, it's cold and I'm sick of travelling," Renee whinged again.
"I don't think we should be discussing this here and now Renee, we have company," Phil said, gesturing towards Edward who looked down in his lap. Hearing Renee and Phil bicker was definetly not something I wanted. I wanted to know that Renee was happy and in love, just like I was. Her and Phil never fought.
"May we be excused?" I asked no one in particular.
Renee hummed in response and I picked up my plate, Edward his and we proceeded to the kitchen.
"Sorry about that, they never fight," I whispered, turning to Edward. "Phil's a nice guy, I think Renee wasn't angry this morning because she was excited about seeing Phil but now that his being back has brought bad news, she's decided to be mad at everyone."
"It's alright," Edward said then laughed. "Parents fight, even mine do sometimes as hard as that is to believe." He pulled me into his chest and kissed me full on the lips, a kiss I eagerly returned. The plates sat forgotten on the bench as Edward's tongue explored the depths of my mouth.
I heard a man clearing his throat and I pulled away from Edward to find Phil standing under the archway to the kitchen. "Wow she was right, you two are all over eachother!" Phil said then he let out a laugh.
"Sorry about before, she's a bit touchy," Phil said.
"It's alright, we probably deserve a bit of anger from Renee," I said, turning a deep shade of crimson knowing Renee had clearly told Phil of the image she was thrusted with when she opened my door this morning.
"Bella, why don't you go talk to your mother, Edward and I can wash up," Phil said, dismissing me. I nodded my head and left the kitchen, returning to the dining table to find the lone Renee sitting with her head in her hands.
"Hey Mom," I said, taking the seat next to her. "You okay?"
"Oh Bella, I'm sorry for being dramatic. I'm weird sometimes aren't I?" Renee said, then pulled her arms down and took my small hand in her hand, which was of an equal size.
"You're a mother, that's part of the job description," I joked.
"It's true, but you're growing up so fast Bella. I forget that you're seventeen, eighteen in a few months. I still think of you as my little baby and now with this Phil stuff my mind was just going a little mental, you know how I am."
"I'm still your baby, I'm just more mature now."
"You were always mature, but now you're so serious with Edward, you love him," Renee said, then sighed. "Hey, I meant to ask, when'd you get that necklace?" Renee asked, referring the golden chain with the heart that hang from my neck.
"Edward gave it to me for our fir-oh shit!"
"Isabella! Watch your language!" Renee said in a stern and raised voice.
"Sorry, I just realised I haven't got Edward a present for tomorrow!"
"Ooh! We can go shopping then! Lets go now!" Renee exclaimed, jumping up from her seat.
"Phil just got home," I reminded her. "And what about Edward?"
"I see Phil all the time and you see Edward all the time, those two can get to know eachother, they're the only ones here who don't know eachother," Renee said, then jerked me up from the table and pulled me towards the living room where Edward and Phil had migrated and were now watching a game of baseball.
"Boys, Bella and I are going to go into town for a bit to pick up some things, will you two be fine here?" Renee asked.
"Yeah, Ed and I are watching his home team. Go Yankees!" Phil bellowed, while Edward laughed. Phil reminded me a lot of Emmett sometimes.
"Okay then..." I muttered and walked over to Edward. I gave him a soft kiss on the lips, as Renee did to Phil and then we found our bags and walked out towards the driveway.
Renee drove us into the shopping district, stopping in the parking lot of the fashion square. I groaned when I saw the shiny, reflective building. I doubted whether there would actually be anything in the centre I could afford.
"I don't think i'll find anything here," I said to Renee as we got out of the car.
"Nonsense Bella, we will find something!" Renee squealed, then dragged me in through the sliding doors.
"Mom, Edward drives a brand new Volvo or occasionally a Mercedes, has thousands of CD's, DVD'S and Books and he has I don't even want to know how much money. How on earth am I supposed to buy him anything?"
"Hrmm. What about perfume?" Renee suggested.
"No. No way," I said seriously.
"Why?"
"He already smells good, I like his scent," I said quickly, feeling my cheeks burn as I did. Renee gave me a laugh before prattling off a series of other items. Jewelry? No. Clothes? No, I can't afford the type of stuff he's used to wearing. Books? His collection is probably greater than the school library.
"Ohh I know! I read this in a magazine, it's practically free!" Renee said excitedly. We were seated in the food court, having become frustrated quickly with the lack of original gifts on display on the various stores we entered.
"Well I don't want it to be cheap," I said.
"Just buy him a shirt or something then as well, this idea is great. Okay we'll go get a box or something and then you can write out little messages on little bits of paper and then every day he can take one out and read a new message!" Renee said.
"That's actually a good idea," I said, surprised, "but how do we come up with all those different messages?"
"It's easy, just write down little things you notice about him or something. You love him, i'm sure you can think of a lot of random facts, some stuff other people probably wouldn't have noticed."
"Okay well can we get out of this clone mall, it's scaring me," I said.
We didn't leave right away, I decided to at least by Edward a t-shirt like Renee has suggested. Renee and I walked into the Macy's store. So many Polo shirts! I ended up picking a white graphic tee, which had flicks of green the same shade as Edward's eyes.
When we exited the store, I saw the Victoria's Secret banner just in time to steer Renee in the opposite direction. We found a newsagency and I bought different colored paper and pens and a plain black box. I didn't bother with a card, I did however pick up a box of chocolates. Any little extra thing, I knew Edward was sure to outdo me.
When we arrived home, I went up to Renee's room, leaving Edward downstairs with my mother and stepfather. Awkward yes, but I had to piece together his present. I folded up the shirt I'd bought him neatly and placed it inside a bag (bags are way easier than wrapping) along with the box of chocolates and then began to write out messages on the different pieces of paper I'd cut up.
The first message was simple; I love you. Then I decided to write random things that I knew would make him smile. Green is my favourite color, because of your eyes; If they could bottle your scent, it would sell millions; 'Mischief' at Renee's house. I wrote what seemed like hundreds, but I lost count. I would just have to top it up when it started to get low. If Edward still loved me after all those days, that is.
I put the little box with the messages in the bag alongside the rest of the present and then carried the bag to to my, well our, bedroom and hid it under the bed, then I returned downstairs and located Edward.
"What was all that about?" Edward asked in a soft voice after kissing me lightly on the forehead. We were all positioned on the lounges around the television in the living room and a current affairs program was on that Renee and Phil were watching.
"It's a surprise, you'll find out tomorrow," I whispered back and then let my head fall back onto his chest. When the program finished, Renee sent us upstairs to change for dinner, telling us to wear something 'dressy'.
I decided on a white halter neck dress I'd bought with Alice on our trip to Port Angeles, which Edward complimented, while he decided on a dress shirt with a pair of nice jeans that sat very nice on his behind. I definetly approved of them. (Link to Bella's Dress on Profile)
I put on some foundation and coated my lashes with mascara, even though Edward said I didn't need make up, then ran my fingers through my hair with some styling syrum and let it fall down my back in simple waves.
"Bella as beautiful as you look in that dress, you should take a jacket," Edward said. When I'd found a simple light purple cardigan, I pulled it on and Edward and I headed back downstairs, shortly before Renee and Phil did.
We all piled into Phil's station wagon and headed into Scottsdale.
"Where are we going?" I asked Renee.
"We're going to have french food dear, a very lovely restaurant called La Guillotine," Renee said in a soft, but still excited tone.
We arrived at the restaurant and were greeted by the Maître d', a man who appeared to be in his early fifties and spoke with a thick french accent. "Right zis weey," he said, leading us to a table in the far corner of the room. It was quite busy, but not overly so.
Edward sat beside me, while Renee and Phil sat across from us. The young and attractive waitress eyed Edward as she took our orders, but he remained focused on me. We all ordered something different, with Edward choosing Lamb, Phil choosing Veal, Renee duck while I chose chicken.
"You got a good guy here Bella," Phil said, gesturing towards Edward. "Even if he is from Manhattan," Phil added, to which we all, Edward included, laughed at.
"Manhattan's a lot better than Forks, I'm sure," I said.
"Well It doesn't do much for me Bell, I prefer-"
"Scottsdale, Shopping capital of Arizona, maybe the whole United States?" I asked sarcastically, interrupting Phil.
"I guess you've got me there," Phil said, stumped.
Our meals were delicious, just as to be expected and our conversation continued while we ate our meals.
"What did you two get up to while we were out?" Renee asked Edward and Phil.
"Watched some ball, played my Playstation," Phil replied. "Ed beat me, completely knocked my record off the board." More laughs ensued.
"Bella you look lovely, you have so many new clothes!" Renee said.
"I still think I look like a weirdo in a dress," I mumbled. "It's all Alice's doing, she loves playing Bella Barbie."
"You look beautiful in anything," Edward said, then leant in to kiss my cheek before whispering low so that Renee and Phil couldn't hear, "Or in nothing at all." I gave a little giggle, earning a sharp look from Renee, as I wondered about what Edward had in store for tonight.