Finding Where I Belong
Stephenie Meyer still owns the characters.
Chapter 25
"So when were you planning to go see a recruiter Emmett?" Jasper asked
"Next week, I figured that gives me enough time to get settled in at Rose's place." Emmett answered and Jasper just nodded.
Everyone including Ben and Angela was gathered at my and Edward's apartment for Emmett's birthday. He didn't want to do anything big for his birthday this year which shocked me because he's always been the one to want to do big things on his birthdays. Alice of course wanted to throw a huge party for him and tried really hard to get him to change his mind but for once she didn't get her way so here we are just having a small get together with just our family and close friends.
I had cooking duty so I got up from my place next to Edward on the couch and started to head to the kitchen to get started on Emmett's birthday dinner but before I could make it two steps Edward grabbed my wrist and tugged me down onto his lap really clumsily I might add.
"Where do you think your going?" He asked as he put his arm around my waist and his chin on my shoulder.
"I have to get started on dinner if everyone wants to eat at a decent time." I said as I turned my head slightly and kissed his cheek.
"Yeah she has to make me her lasagna since that's all I really wanted today. So let my little sis go." Emmett said in his booming voice and Rose smacked him on the back of the head.
"Ow Rosie I was just playing geez woman." Emmett mumbled as he rubbed his head.
"Come on girls lets leave the men in here to do their thing and we can keep Bella company in the kitchen." Alice said as she got up and Angela and Rose did the same before Edward finally let me go and as soon as I was up Ollie jumped up and took my place in Edward's lap making everyone laugh.
As soon as all of us girls were in the kitchen and I set to getting all of the ingredients I would need set up on the counter I guess Alice decided it was make Bella embarrassed and turn red time.
"So Bella have you worn any of the lingerie sets or nighties that you chose to get with your gift card?" she asked in too innocen of a voice.
"Don't you mean the lingerie sets and nighties that you and Rose forced me to get?" I asked as I started preparing the lasagna and remembering the day that Rose, Alice and I went to the spa to use our gift certificates before we went to the lingerie store so that Alice and I could use our gift cards. We had gone on the same day as the guys went to the Mariners game.
"Oh come on Bella you know that you look good in everything that you got." Alice said bringing me back from the memory of that day. "You probably have everything that you got that day hiding in one of your drawers with the tags still on." She continued and of course she was right so I didn't say anything and just continued with preparing dinner.
"I think your right Alice, her silence says it all." Angela said with a giggle which I decided to ignore because I was trying not to get annoyed with our conversation.
"Have you and Edward gone past kissing yet?" Rose asked and I could just hear the genuine curiousness in her voice so I decided to answer her truthfully without letting my annoyance show through in my voice.
"No the most we have done is kiss and some over the clothes touching but we don't even do that much because we start to lose control quickly and we both know I'm not ready for anything more yet, but I'm thinking I will be ready for a little more soon but he is adamant that we wait to even go just a little further until I'm eighteen." I said with a slight pout.
"See Bella that's all the more reason for you to start wearing those lingerie sets because what are you gonna do if you and Edward decide to go further one of these days and your wearing just ordinary everyday underwear?"
"Well Alice since that's not gonna be happening any time soon I don't really have to worry about it now do I?" I said finally letting my annoyance show through in my voice and in what I was doing as well because I put the lasagna in the oven more forcefully then I should have before slamming the oven door closed after and when I turned around the girls were all looking at me in shock.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to get annoyed so easily but can we please talk about something else now?" I asked but before any of them could respond Edward, Emmett, Ben and Jasper were in the kitchen.
"Is everything OK in here? We heard something slam." Edward said as he looked over at me.
"Oh yeah everything is fine I just accidentally let the oven door slam shut." I said not wanting to reveal to him the real reason.
"Why don't we all go back into the living room I believe that Bella is done in here right?" Angela asked me trying to get the attention onto something else and I smiled at her in thanks before answering.
"Yeah I'm done for now but I have to come back in here in about twenty minutes to put the bread in the oven."
"Oooh we should play truth or dare." Alice exclaimed excitedly making everyone but Emmett groan he of course agreed with Alice and since it was his day we couldn't say no so we all went and sat around the living room before Alice told Emmett to go first.
"OK lets see who should I pick?" Emmett mused before his eyes landed on me which I figured he would do so I wasn't too surprised.
"Truth or dare little sis?"
"Truth" I said quickly knowing that would be better then taking a dare from him.
"Oh come on Bella don't be a wimp I have a good dare for you." I just shot him a glare before he finally said "fine" and he started to think of a question for a moment before he got this evil glint in his eye that made me nervous.
"How old were you when you stopped believing there were monsters in your closet and under your bed and finally stopped sleeping in mom and dad's room?" I turned red at that question and shot Emmett another glare because he already knew the answer and he was just trying to get a rise out of me and embarrass me in front of our friends.
"Ten" I mumbled quietly.
"What was that Bella we couldn't hear you?" Emmett said
"I was ten OK are you happy now?" I asked as I got up and went to the kitchen after mentioning putting the bread in the oven.
"Baby are you OK?" Edward asked from the kitchen doorway and I just nodded as I shut the oven door again before turning to face him.
"I just can't believe he brought that up, especially since it was his fault that I believed for so long that there were monsters in my room and he knows that I'm embarrassed by that."
"It's OK love none of us think any less of you and really it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Now lets get back out there it's your turn."
"Yeah your right lets go." I said as I grabbed his hand and led us back to our spots in the living room.
"Dinner will be ready in about twenty-five minutes now getting back to the game. Ben truth or dare?" I asked.
"Umm truth I guess." Ben answered
"OK how long did you have a crush on Angela before you finally asked her out?"
"My crush on Angela started on the first day of eighth grade well seventh grade for you guys when you both walked into the cafeteria at lunch."
"You've really liked me for that long? I didn't think you ever noticed me until high school." Angela said in shock.
"Trust me I noticed you but I was always so nervous about going up and talking to you that is at least until the day I finally got the nerve to ask you out." Ben said before he kissed her.
"Awww" Alice Rose and I exclaimed at the same time causing their faces to turn red.
"Yeah yeah OK it's my turn." Ben said trying to get the attention off of him and Angela.
"Emmett truth or dare?"
"Dare." Emmett said right away
"Alright I dare you to call Jessica Stanley and profess your love for her. She still has a crush on you you know." Ben said making Angela and I crack up as we both remembered how Jessica would follow him around all of the time but Emmett groaned instead of joining in on our laughter.
"Who is Jessica?" Rose asked
"Oh she's just the skank of Forks high school who had and still does apparently the biggest crush on my brother since middle school." I explained before laughing again along with everyone else except for Emmett who just glowered at us.
"Please tell Ben that you won't allow me to make that call Rosie." Emmett begged but Rose just smirked at him and said "sorry babe but a dare is a dare."
"Fine what's her number?" Emmett asked with a pout as he took his phone out of his pocket.
Angela gave him the number which he quickly dialed before putting his phone on speaker.
"Hello!" A mans voice answered.
"Umm hi may speak with Jessica?" Emmett asked politely
"Sure hang on and I'll get her."
"Hello!" Jessica said a couple minutes later.
"Hi Jessica this is Emmett and I was just calling to tell you that I love you and I have for a long time." Emmett said with a grimace on his face.
"Oh my gosh I knew it I love you to can we like go out sometime?" I had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
"Umm I would but I kind of live in Alaska now so it wouldn't really work out sorry." Emmett said before he hung up on her and that's when everyone lost it including Emmett.
"Jasper truth or dare?" Emmett asked after everyone calmed down some.
"Dare." Jasper answered.
"You really shouldn't have said that Jazz." I said right before Emmett told him his dare.
"I dare you to kiss Eddie on the mouth for ten seconds."
"WHAT?" Edward yelled from beside me while Jasper just looked at Em with wide surprised eyes.
"I told you." I muttered before Emmett told them to get to it.
Jasper slowly got up and came and sat in front of Edward and leaned forward with a grimace and closed eyes and put his lips to Edwards who had the same look on his face and they stayed that way until Emmett called time at which point they both ran to separate bathrooms probably to rinse their mouths out while the rest of us started laughing hysterically.
They both came back a few minutes later and promptly picked Alice and I up and kissed us properly for a good minute or so until people started clearing their throats.
"Wow you and Jazz should kiss more often if this is the result after." I said breathlessly.
"Never again" they both said at the same time making everyone laugh again.
I went to check on dinner a few minutes later after everyone calmed down again.
After I took the bread and lasagna out of the oven and the salad that I made earlier out of the fridge I went back into the living room and told everyone that dinner was ready.
When we were done eating and had everything put away Emmett opened presents then we had cake and ice-cream before Ben and Angela left followed soon after by Alice and jasper. Rose and Emmett stayed for about another hour to help us clean up and make plans for the four of us to go to the orphanage the next day to see Ms. Robinson and get the rest of Emmett's things.
It was close to midnight when they finally left so Edward and I went to get ready for bed and as soon as my head the pillow I was out like a light.
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After getting Emmett's things packed up and into Edward's car Ms. Robinson asked to speak to Em and I alone so we followed her into her office while Edward and Rose went outside to wait for us.
"So I have the deed and the key to your parents house in Forks and now that you are of age Emmett I am obligated to hand this over to you and now you and Isabella can decide what you guys want to do with the house I was also told that your father's friend Billy Black has been looking after the place."
I was in shock I didn't think I would ever step foot in that house again.
"Thank you Ms. Robinson this really means a lot to us." Emmett said as he took the deed and key from her hands.
"Yes thank you." I whispered as I got up and hugged her tightly.
"I'm really gonna miss you two be sure to stop by to visit from time to time."
We both promised that we would before we said our goodbyes and went outside where Edward and Rose were waiting.
"What is that Emmett?" Rose asked as she saw the rolled paper in Emmett's hand.
"It's the deed to our old house in Forks, Bella and I need to discuss what we want to do with it." Emmett explained as he put his arm around me.
"Well we could drive out there today if you want so we can see what kind of shape it's in after we drop Emmett's things off." Edward suggested
"It shouldn't be in too bad of shape because Billy Black an old friend of our dad's has been looking after it but I would love to go see it as soon as possible." I said
"Then lets hurry and get my shit to Rose's so we can get on the road, I really want to see our house to." Emmett exclaimed as he go in the backseat.
"We should probably have someone puppy sit for us since this is gonna be an overnight trip." Edward said after we got the last of Emmett's things in Rose's living room.
"Your right maybe Angela can take Oliver for the night, I'm sure her dog Oreo would love to have a playmate for a while." I said as I took my phone and called her.
As I was making arrangements with Angela I was packing an overnight bag while Oliver was laying on my unused bed watching me.
Three and a half hours later we were pulling into our old driveway which looked exactly the same as the last time I saw it. As everyone was getting out of the car I just sat in my seat frozen thinking about things that happened just in the front yard.
"Love are you ready to do this because if your not we can always come back another day." Edward said in a soft voice almost a whisper.
"No I need to go in there now because if I don't then I never will." I said before I let Edward help me out of the car and grabbing my hand to lead me to the porch where Rose and Emmett were waiting.
A few seconds later Emmett was unlocking the door and pushing it open. I took a deep breath before I followed him inside.
Tears immediately sprang to my eyes once we stepped into the living room and I saw Charlie's old recliner that had a few beer stains on it sitting exactly where it had always been.
"Em I don't think I can go into their room I can barely handle seeing dad's chair." I said in a choked voice.
"It's OK Bells I understand, why don't you show Edward your old room and I'll check out their bedroom." Emmett suggested.
"OK" I said before I led Edward upstairs and into my room that I hadn't been in in over two years.
"Wow I never thought I would see all my things that I had to leave behind again." I said as I picked up my old stuffed German Shepard that Renee gave to me when I was seven since I couldn't have a real one that was still sitting on my old bed right where I left him.
"This is a nice room it seems like it would fit a younger you very well." Edward said bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Thanks this room was my sanctuary when I wanted or needed to be alone. There are so many good memories from this room the whole house actually."
"I'm glad that you can come in here and think of the good times."
We were both quiet for a few minutes before Edward spoke again.
"Do you think we can sleep here tonight or should we go get a hotel room somewhere?"
"I think we can stay here as long as you don't mind sleeping snuggled really close to me on this twin bed."
"Oh I'm more then OK with that." Edward said before he kissed my jaw and down my neck lightly before pulling away again.
Luckily Emmett and Rose were also OK with staying the night at our house as well. After getting everything situated for the night Edward and Rose went to get pizza for dinner while Em and I sat in the living room to talk about what to do with the house.
"I think we should keep the house but rent it out since we're in Seattle now." Emmett said
"Yeah that's probably our best option but we'll have to go through everything to see what we want to keep and what to throw out or give away." I said and Emmett nodded his agreement.
Rose and Edward got back a little while later and we explained to them what we wanted to do with the house while we ate.
"Should we leave all of the furniture where it is and let the tenants us it or put everything into storage?" Emmett asked
"I think we should let whoever wants to rent this place decide if they want to use the furniture or not and if not then we'll put it all in storage." I said after thinking about it for a few minutes.
"Yeah that"s a good idea little sis."
"Do you guys want to start going through things tonight and tomorrow before we go?" Rose asked looking between Emmett and I.
"Yeah the sooner we get started the better." Emmett said while I just nodded in agreement.
"Bella love do you want to start in your old room tonight?" Edward asked after we cleaned up from dinner and I said yes and Em and Rose were gonna work on his room tonight as well so we all headed upstairs.
An hour later there were three piles in my room one was for things I wanted to keep another was a giveaway pile and the last one was for things I wanted to just throw out.
When Edward and I were done in my room we went to Em's old room to see how they were doing and just like in my room they had three different piles and when they said that they were just about done with his room and didn't need our help we all made a plan to pick up boxes and other supplies we would need in the morning before calling it a night and going to bed so we could get up early and get as much done as we could before we had to leave the next evening.