A/N: Here is chapter 25 (Part 1) - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. Sorry for the wait and enjoy!

Chapter 25 (Part 1)

The rest of the week passed by pretty quickly between arrangements, phone calls to banks and universities, and decisions.

When I called to Dartmouth to arrange everything they told me it was better to go at least one week before everything started so I could adjust better to the place and could meet more people. Charlie was first reluctant to the idea of letting me go and have a week less with me. But after some 'please, dad,'s and those puppy eyes I hated so much, he finally sighed and agreed.

Though now it was everything ready, and I had the money and my father's permission, there was something that felt wrong. There was something that made me wince every time I would think of going away. Of going away in a week.

I hadn't seen Jasper since last Tuesday, but we had kept in touch by text messages. But it wasn't the same. Since last Tuesday my relationship with Jasper had changed abruptly, it wasn't just him – it was also me. Well, it was particularly me. Since that weird date in that weird Tuesday's night… everything inside me had crumbled. My inside was going crazy for some hidden reason I didn't quite understand. But I knew that night something changed inside me…

It was already Sunday, I was stretching in my bed after a long sleep - I hadn't been able to sleep so well in the week with all the things going on in my head. In little time I should be in Central Club to see Edward's swimming competition. I blinked longer than necessary for some reason as I thought of this… And I had to put my hands around my chest to stop the irrational pain that made me gasp. I stayed like that for some minutes, unable to understand why I was feeling this, and then it faded away.

With shaky legs I went to have a shower and get ready, making my best to think about anything but that unbearable pain I felt. As always the warm water would relax my body… but not my heart, or my brain or everything inside me that was hinting that something felt wrong.

I chose my clothes with deliberation, something I didn't do too much. This cloudy day though, made me want me to care about fashion. But Jasper wasn't going today; he was in ceiling with his family. So why did I care so much about my clothes?

"Bella! We are gonna be late!" Charlie called from down stairs. I heard the heavy sigh that would always be there when I delayed longer than necessary. For some seconds I stopped the search of a nice shirt, and smiled… But this smile was not so happy; my mind started telling me how much I would miss Charlie's sighs and his nice way of dealing with a teenager daughter. The words of my mother's letter came to my head instantly; he was always making his best, he always had and always would. And I couldn't be more grateful for that.

"I'm coming dad, sorry!" I shouted back as I put a white shirt in a rush. White shirts would always match with blue jeans, I convinced myself as I flew down the stairs.

The Club was already crowded; people shouting from side to side and searching for a good spot to see the competition. The white and blue place was now decorated with lots of colored dots walking, talking, sitting or just wandering around with lost faces.

I could see JessicASS from my spot, her cheerleading suit shining as if it was all new for today. Her petulant features showing a depth she really didn't have. I scowled unconsciously as I stared at her. And then, Charlie's hand in my arm, made me come back to reality.

"Why that face?" Charlie frowned, next to me. His wrinkled eyes filled with such wisdom that I had to look away. It was as if he was trying to read my soul, or as if he had done it already and was waiting for me to realize something myself.

"Umm, nothing," I replied uncomfortable as my eyes scanned the place searching for something in particular.

The sound of my name made me look to the front. "Bella, here!" Alice cheered from some spots after ours, motioning me to go meet her. Her happy expression was once again in her face and I sighed in relief; at least she was still herself after Alec's incident.

Charlie was talking to Sue Clearwater that was sitting at his side. Since Charlie's friend Harry, died, he had looked after his wife. Though he would never admit me he felt something for her, I knew he did. I could feel it in the way he looked at her, in the way his eyes remained longer than necessary in her thick eyelashes. But I would never push him to do anything; he would have to figure it out for himself. He deserved it, though – I was sure of that.

"Gonna say hi to Alice, dad." Without waiting for a reply I stood up and made my best to dodge everyone and reach the place 100% of harmless.

Alice's family was there too, sitting next to her. I stared in awe for some seconds, just memorizing how perfect they all were, with their flaws and all. Just one person came to my mind that I found flawless, but he wasn't here now.

"Edward is already down there?" I asked Alice after greeting Emmett, Carlisle and Esme.

She nodded with a nervous face. "He is, and my stomach is starting to squeeze!"

I bit my lip. "Don't worry Alice, you know he is the best swimmer of all, he won't have a problem." I tried to convince myself too.

Emmett laughed at Alice's side. "The best swimmer of all? I think you should be in the cheerleading team, Bella. Go, go, go Edward!" He sang with a girly voice.

I wanted to punch him but with Alice between us I couldn't reach his arm. So I just glared at him and made my best to not imagine me in that tiny suit and with that turn crimson red.

"I've missed you at home, Bella!" Alice pouted at my side and put her fragile arms around my own. "Edward told me about Dartmouth…"

The wincing overcame me then, but I made my best to hide it looking to the floor. "He did?" I tried not to choke.

"Yes, he did. And he was kind of… weird."

My eyes turned irrational to meet hers, my heart suddenly beating faster than necessary. "Weird? What do you mean with weird?"

Alice sighed at my side, she seemed to be trying to scrutinize my expression – maybe I wasn't that composed yet. "Well, he looked like he was kind of hurt, you know? It was really weird because every time I would ask him something about it, his expression would be so calm and composed. And then, when I'd look away and peeped at him… well, this strange pain would appear in his eyes, Bella. It was horrible to see." Her tone turned worried toward the end, and so did I.

I was sure there would be after-effects of the frowning I had right now, because I felt as if it was piercing my skin. Before I could even think it better or answer anything to Alice, the competition started.

The six competitors walked to the springboard assigned with uncertainty. The nervousness they felt could be sensed from our places. There was just one face that was even, completely composed. A bright smile flashed instantly through my face as I stared at my best friend's one. But just then, that irrational pain came again.

I put my hands to my chest as I did this morning, making my best to do it as subtle as possible. There was only seconds, seconds that I felt as if something was taking away my soul from me. But then it stopped and I slowly unclenched my tight fingers off my chest.

I looked at the pool again. Edward's eyes were scanning the place, his expression showed anxiety. I thought they were looking for his girlfriend, but when they kept on searching after finding her, I wasn't so sure.

Then his eyes found his family and he smiled. But something appeared in the depths of them for a second, as if something had let him down… Then they found me, and the joy illuminated his face making him look like a human angel.

The same smile that touched his lips in that second- touched mine. For a long that felt yet too short moment, we stared at each other faces' with this same look that seemed to be always in our eyes now. A look that was strange… but so good.

Edward winked at me once and then the sound that announced the start shook the old speakers of the club. The swimmers seemed like rays of light flashing from one side to the other. The speed was so much, that it was difficult to distinct the exact place they were swimming through at each moment.

Everyone was already up their seats, their eyes expectant as they tried to guess who would win. The cheerleaders were making their cheerleading part, encouraging their competitor. I took Alice's hand with mine and squeezed it, my eyes utterly sharpened to try to catch as much of his performance as possible.

There was a complete silence for a second when the time was almost finishing. As if the concentration was too much to make a noise or a movement.

10 seconds
9 seconds
8 seconds
7 seconds
6 seconds
5 seconds
4 seconds
3 seconds
2 seconds
1…

"Edward Cullen reaches first place of this competition, record time since 1999 for a local competitor. Congratulations!" The speakers were announcing the result, but the audience had now turned hectic. The noise was coming from everywhere; the old place was filled with applauses and shouts.

Edward got out of the water with an ear to ear smile. His perfect body shining with the drops of water on it. Irrationally I started walking to the stairs that would lead me to the swimming pool section, making the people that were overpowering my clumsiness to a side. I almost ran through the stairs and to where the competitors were. I almost ran through the corridor to reach him.

My happy face dropped when I saw his hideous girlfriend approaching him. Her provocative walk accentuated as there was an audience watching. Her hands reached his body before even looking into his eyes. And that same revolting feeling overcame my stomach as she kissed him hard in the lips. With all the strength that I could come up with, I did my best to look to anywhere but them.

I was already turning around to the stairs again, my head spinning around with nauseas… when suddenly two warm, wet, strong hands grabbed me by the waist – pulling me closer to him.

"Hey there," my best friend breathed in my ear making me shiver in response. But not because I was cold – not because of that at all.

I gulped in response of my reaction and closed my eyes. My back now wet because he leant me on his body. "Hey," I made my best to open my eyes and stared back at him. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," he chuckled quietly and bit his lip. I couldn't stop myself thinking how good his wet hair went with his features… God, Bella! What's wrong with you?! My brain snapped at me. What was wrong with me? Was something wrong with me?

For a fraction of a second I thought where Jessica could be, because she wasn't bugging around anymore, she wasn't anywhere my eyes could reach either. But I so didn't want to jinx it asking it. The competitors were already going inside the locker room, leaving few people in the corridor.

His hands were still one on each side of my waist, my back still pressed to his chest, his mouth still too close to my ear. And again that strange and yet amazing feeling shook my stomach, but not only my stomach – my whole body too.

"It was all for you," Edward grinned, his perfect white teeth exposed.

And I blushed. "Not for your girlfriend?" I asked without even thinking it. My teeth found my tongue in that same second, biting it so it wouldn't say anything inappropriate again.

His eyes were deep on mine for a second, and then he suddenly looked at the front and shrugged. "Do you want it to be for Jessica?" Curious how he didn't use the word 'girlfriend'.

"I—" I didn't know what to say. I just stared at him with frightened eyes as I saw the answer too clear in my head. No, no, NO. I didn't want him to have anything to do with her. I wanted her hands miles away from Edward's body, the same with her lips. I didn't want to think of everything they could do together, I only wanted to have him far away from her. I only wanted to have him far away from any girl… any girl but me.

This completely insane revelation made me jump off his arms. I was feeling too weird to have his body like that, touching mine… even if the fabric of my shirt was between them two.

"What?" Edward scowled, trying to decipher my previous reaction.

My eyes dropped to the floor, a fire suddenly burning my cheeks. "Umm, I'm… I think… I'm gonna go with Charlie now… He might be looking for me."

"Oh," he breathed. "You really have to? Stay with me just for a bit longer…"

My eyes, irrationally, looked up to his. Just to find out he was staring back with that impossible intensity that gave me goose bumps. I made my best compose myself. "Well, er, what do you want to do?"

He shrugged and took a step closer to me. "I don't know, just— hanging around. I've missed you this week, silly girl." He smiled his crook smile.

And I made my best not to stop breathing. "Yeah… I mean, I've been with Dartmouth's things and all…"

His eyes were for a second with that pain that I was sure was the same Alice was talking about. But then he composed quickly, his eyes were in the space, his hand messing his wet, golden hair up. "How is everything with that?" He muttered, almost unintelligible.

The same unbearable pain found my chest, and I made my best not to put my arms around me and compose. Edward eyes were skeptical on mine nevertheless. As if he had something special that would always tell him when I felt bad, even if I wouldn't say anything. "'You okay?"

"Perfect," I lied, and smiled pathetically. "And with Dartmouth, well…" I needed to say it, even if just saying the words hurt. "I'm leaving next Sunday."

He flinched. His body becoming suddenly too tensed, his nostrils flaring. "W-what?" He almost choked. "What are you saying?"

"Dartmouth people told me it was better if I went before, so I could adjust better and meet more new people. And I didn't think it was such a bad idea, you know? It's better if I could go and settle myself before everything start so I can familiarize…" But I cut off my stupid rambling when his eyes, even though dropped to the floor, irradiated such pain that it made me want to cry and scream.

"Edward?" I breathed, stretching my hand to touch his shoulder.

"Next week, huh?" He laughed sarcastically, his eyes still on the floor.

I came closer to him and put my arms around his back, resting my head on his shoulder. He didn't fight back, but he didn't hug me either. His arms were like dead at his sides. I hugged him strongly, my nose going irrationally to meet the scent I loved the most.

I breathed in his now almost dry neck. Unconsciously I moved my lips closer and kissed the bare skin of it. I heard a low gasped coming from his lips, and then I cringed away. Unable to understand what I had just done.

His eyes were closed when I looked again at him, his body completely stiff. His eyes snapped open then, as if he had been in some kind of trance before. "What's wrong?" Edward said huskily.

I looked around once, as if I was scared that someone had seen my previous action. Luckily there was nobody down here, but the loud noises hinted that many people were still inside the building.

I cleared my throat; I knew my voice wasn't anything nice right now. The shock was too much. "Nothing… I think I have to go," I was already turning around, when he caught me by the wrist.

"What? Don't go," he said almost with desperation. "Just stay with me."

But there was something that was telling me that he wasn't only meaning right now, as if he was asking me to stay here, to not go to Dartmouth or any other place. Maybe I was hallucinating and it was again my whacko system playing dirty.

My arms found irrational his bare chest one more time, and I placed my cheek on his shoulder again. This time his arms held me tightly, I could feel his breathing over my head, going stronger. The same irrational feeling overcame stomach. My heart once again beat faster than necessary, my thorax going up and down faster too.

I closed my eyes and kissed his neck one more time, without think it. I just let this thing I was feeling to flow freely. My lips stayed longer than necessary in the same spot a mole was. A weird and yet amazing electricity filling my body.

He held me closer to him, his arms strong and at the same time gentle around my waist. And I just didn't want to take my lips from where they were. I just wanted to taste it. But I couldn't do that, he was my best friend for God's sake—

But his husky voice in my ear made me loose my trail of thought. "Bella I—"

"Hey guys—" A familiar strong voice called from the door making us both jump in response. "Whoa, was I interrupting something?" Emmett eyes sparkled.

And I suddenly felt this urge to punch him for having come in this moment. I didn't know why but I felt he interrupted something important, really important.

Edward seemed to have the same annoyance in his face; the grinding of his teeth was almost audible from my spot. "No, Emmett. What do you want?" He muttered, giving Emmett a dead look.

Emmett felt uncomfortable for a second, as if he had realized this place was too crowded for three people, too private. "Err, it's just that everyone is looking for you. And Bella, Charlie wants to know if the monster of pools ate you." He laughed childishly.

I sighed heavily; Charlie and his constant preoccupation of my well being, it was almost lunatic. Not that Edward was so far either. "Well, if he ate me I technically can't tell him, can I?" I tried to tease, and make this a little less uncomfortable. Edward chuckled at my side, but the air was still too tense.

Emmett frowned. His eyes were lost for some seconds as if he was thinking of what I had just said. "Umm, I guess." Edward and I laughed at the same time. "Just come when you can, okay?" He said fast and walked outside the place.

Everything was too quiet once again. And we were deliberately avoiding each other's eyes. Though I was dying to know what he was about to say me, I bit my tongue. It was the best. "So, Charlie is waiting for me…"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, go," he said too casually. "See you tomorrow at Angela's."

Our hands found in the air, but I didn't look at his eyes, I was too ashamed. I just looked at the weird touches our hands were having, as if they didn't want to break apart. We released them slowly; the fingertips of our fingers were the last ones to separate.

"H-hate you," I tried to say when I was already turning to the stairs, but it wasn't that what I wanted to say.

He was behind me, completely quiet. But I didn't want to turn around; my stomach was still squeezing with that same feeling. "I don't, I don't hate you at all," he breathed, and his breathing felt in my hair. When I turned to face him, shocked by his strange way of forming the reply and his proximity, he was already gone.