A/N: Welcome back guys, and whoa, we're nearing 100,000 words! That's insane. I think it's because now when I write, I use more detail instead of dialogue –sentence after sentence- that stuff gets boring and hard to picture in the mind.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters :(
(Edward POV)
It's March second. The weather is absolutely fantastic for it only being March, though the weather has been exceptional over the past week or so. Alice, Bella and I use that to our advantage and spend lots of time outside under the glowing sunshine. It seems to get quite crowded and stuffy inside our place after a while and I'm glad that spring is rapidly approaching. Another great thing about Bella that's adds onto the list of hundreds of great things about her – she loves the outdoors as much as I do. It makes everything a lot easier. Walks in the park, on the beach, potential horseback riding, flying kites bike rides, the list goes on and on, but we do it all.
Alice on the other hand, is still coming around on the whole outdoor adventurous idea. She's a lot like my grandmother who loved the indoors apart from being outside. Who needs cool breezes outside when you have air conditioning to protect you from the scorching heat from that blasted sun? Yeah, that was her motto. She really rubbed off on Alice even though Grams passed five years ago.
Anyways, the weather, yes it's freaking nice. It's setting records. It was over twenty years since the weather has been this nice. I am on my laptop at work, sitting behind the desk inside the jail's office waiting for some action. My jobs pretty easy, watching over the guys in the cells and keeping everything calm. I have a desk with a computer that I'm on most of the time, but I also have pepper spray. That's right watch out. Kidding, kidding. Not much commotion happens here, the occasional threat or scruff when the guys are outside on break, but apart from that, it's straightforward.
The window off to my left is open slightly and a breeze is coming in. It's in the seventies today; you don't even need a jacket to go outside. And yes, I'm positive it's March. I look at the little digital clock in the corner on my computer and see it's one o'clock. Only a little more than an hour to go and then I'm home. Really, I couldn't have asked for a better job – perfect hours, perfect career, making money… And I have a great life at home too (obviously).
All in a matter of a few months I have changed for the better.
I breathe in through my nose, letting the fresh breeze casting inside fill my lungs. It's so refreshing. I move to open my desk drawer and pull out my phone. Time to text Bella, it seems.
Hey dear miss me yet? :P
It's not long until I get a reply.
Always. Beautiful day, eh? (:
I smile at the message and quickly respond.
It is. It is. I was thinking we'd go out & enjoy it later. U know Heidi is having Alice over after school. U want me to pick u up after work still?
A minute passes.
And another.
Please. And yeah sounds great. See u then? Gotta get back to work.
I look back to the clock on my laptop. Five minutes has passed. Oh, now six actually.
Countdown until I'm released to get home starts. Now.
…
"How was your day?" I ask Bella once I'm inside the car. She buckles herself in and I do the same, starting the car again. "Sorry, I'm late too, there was traffic."
"It's fine. Good to actually, Mrs. Thorne left early. Apparently she has a doctor's appointment I heard Mr. Bear say something like that… She usually stays until nearly five in her office. Sometimes I think she actually does something for once." Bella laughs. "As for my day? Good, the weather really helped. I hope it stays this way."
"It should," I reply and drive onto the road, keeping it slow. Lots of kids on bikes are on the sidewalks and crossing the roads. It seems lots of kids live around the school. "I was looking at the weather site on my laptop earlier, it should get a bit cooler next Monday, but the weekend is going to be fantastic."
"Good. I'd hate for the weather to get real shitty. How was your day?" Bella rummages through her purse on her lap. She's wearing beige capris that fall just below her knees and a white blouse to match. Once she puts a pen away into her purse, out of the corner of my eye, I see her let her hair fall down from its bun. She places the elastic around her wrist afterwards.
"Alright, the same. I don't mind though, it's something to do. Speaking of which, what do you want to do?" I question and stop at a stop sign for a moment. After a car passes I drive the last stretch to the end of the road and turn right.
"Where are we going, home is left…" Bella says confusedly so.
"There's just a house…" I stop my sentence short and drive further down the road in concentration. "For sale, I saw online and want to see if it still is." I go down the rest of the street to the house near the end. I pull the car over and stare from the curb at the house. It's a two story family house that's attached to another house on it's right. It's like a huge, huge house cut in half you know? No, it's better than that. It's really nice actually. It's brick and there are plenty of windows. There's a porch with a porch swing on it and from the pictures online, I think there's a huge backyard to go with it that's fenced in.
"Edward." Bella lets out a breath. "We've talked about this."
"I know." I look over to her. "What, you don't like this house?"
"It's beautiful and-"
"And?"
"We can't buy this yet!" Bella smacks her thighs. "We've both recently started work, neither of us have worked a year and I just paid off my schooling. I still owe Ang the last rent payment because she paid it for me!"
"I don't want to just jump forward and buy this house, Bella. Just look." I turn my head back to the house and look at the green grass. "I want a house one day."
I feel her reach across the middle seat and take my hand in hers. "So do I, but right now?"
"I have lots of money saved up." I tell her. "Not much, but a bit... In a few months we can buy if you want..."
…
"Since Heidi is having Alice over until 8:30, I thought it might be a nice time to go out, if you want that is." I tell Bella as we walk down Main Street 'window shopping'.
"We're out right now." She replies and stops in front of a window. Inside there is lots of candy, a chocolate fountain, and more. It seems we've stopped in front of Mrs. Bivs Candy Shop. I lead Bella into the store and tell her to pick out whatever she wants.
She looks like a kid in a candy shop. Literally.
"I know, but I mean a date. Maybe something indoors?" I suggest and choose out some Swedish Berries for myself. Bella grabs a huge lollipop and we go to check out, placing our items on the counter. "Hello Mrs. Bivs, how are you?"
"Oh, Edward." The middle aged woman with a hint of grey in her hair replies happily. She's short and thin with glasses and brown hair. She has a few wrinkles, but looks younger than she actually is. She pushes her glasses closer to her face and tells me how much the candy costs. "I'm well," She adds. "And you two?"
"I'm good," I nudge Bella softly.
"Great. It's lovely outside." She pipes up.
"It is. It is. My granddaughter biked over earlier; she's five. Her father was with her of course." Mrs. Bivs rambles on happily. "Well enjoy your day!"
"You too." I smile and turn to walk out of the store. "Anyways, about tonight?"
"Nothing fancy." Bella opens the lollipop, taking off al the plastic wrapping. It's blue and white and looks sweeter than pie.
"I've got an idea." I tell her as I hold the door open.
"Edward," She sighs and we walk down the street again. "Really though, don't feel obligated to do so. I'm not like… that. You don't have to take me out or buy me extravagant things."
"Who said anything fancy?" I ask her astonished. "I was thinking roller skating at the arena in town. I want to do this too you know. It's best for both of us. I appreciate all the moments we have together; especially the ones alone." I kiss her head. We stop at a bench on a corner of a street and sit down together. I open my package of candy and eat a few before offering Bella one. She grabs two and offers me a lick of her lollipop, which I gladly accept.
"Roller skating? I've never done that." She admits after a while.
"Really? We should go."
"I'm clumsier than ever, Edward. You know that."
I sense her hesitation. "I'll be there. You won't fall, and if you do, I'll be going down with you!"
She finally agrees.
...
Moments like these are completely relaxing. I don't worry about anything; there's nothing to worry about. I just simply relax. Moments with Bella, or moments with Alice. The best are moments with Alice and Bella, there isn't much that can make me happier. Right now though, it's just Bella and I. Well there are lots of strangers skating around us too, but I seem oblivious to the fact that they are there. Bella and I have our hands locked together -fingers intertwined- and we finally got the hang of being on wheels. For it being Bella's first time roller skating and the fact that she's so damn clumsy, she's doing a spectacular job. She only stumbled a few times, but I've never let her fall on the floor.
When she first stepped onto the rink with her skates on, I could see the worried, concerned look cross over her normally bright and happy features, and I kind of regretted making her do this. She held onto my upper arms and I skated backwards, pulling her along with me. Before long, she was lifting her feet with each step instead of being dragged and now she's pretty good. Of course she's not a pro or anything, but she looks like she's done it before.
"Edward," She exclaims happily. "Look I'm doing it!"
"You are." I smile as we skate side by side. There's popular music playing through the speakers throughout the arena and lots of people skate past Bella and I, swiftly and easily. I'm sure that intimidates Bella, but she has nothing to worry about.
Again, I find myself wanting to smack some people across the face. Bella looks happy, pleased, and she's clearly enjoying skating. What pisses me off, is that no one ever bothered to show her the simple things in life, no one bothered to please her. Some people are so selfish. Crowley, the other guy she dated and he threw up on her (whatever his name was), they're both assholes. It's really their loss, if they paid even a little bit more attention to Bella, she'd likely appreciate it enough to stick with them. Then again, maybe it's best that they didn't because now she's mine and I'm sure as hell not letting go of her.
She squeezes my hand as we start to skate around faster, increasing the speed. I make sure I have a good grasp on her the entire time. Maybe one day if she's comfortable enough I can take her out dancing. We've danced before, in the living room, but I'd really like to take her out. Maybe one day I will.
"We've been skating nearly an hour and I'm just getting the hang of it." Bella laughs softly.
"You're doing a great job." I assure her. "I'm sure not as many people get a hang of it as quickly as you. We'll have to come back sometime."
She nods in agreement. "I'm surprised a small town like ours has so much entertainment."
"I'm glad though." I chip in.
"Me too."
...
When we get home, it's nearly seven but Bella and I are both hungry. I grab the phone and order a pizza. "Yes, can you deliver?" I recite our address and the man answers saying it'll be about twenty five minutes. I walk over into the living room and sneak up behind Bella, snaking my arms around her and pulling her back to my chest. I smile into her hair and hum to myself. "We have twenty five minutes."
"Are we on a mission or something?" She asks in reply, jokingly. She rubs her hands over my arms warming me up with the slightest of her touches. I smirk into her hair and start places random kisses all over her.
"You could call it that..." I muse and brush her hair over her shoulder so I can nip at the back of her neck. I feel her tremble in my arms and hook on tighter to me.
"T-twenty five minutes?" She rasps out when my lips move further down her neck. I hum a 'yes' out in response. I bend a little and move my arms to hook around her differently and pick her up bridal style. Her mouth makes a big 'o' in surprise when she's lifted.
"Bedroom?" I ask and she nods, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. As I turn and start to walk down the hallway, I hear a knock on the front door. I groan. "If it's Alice coming home early I swear to God-" There's another knock and I reluctantly set Bella onto her feet. I go to the down not-so-eagerly and swing it open. Maybe it's the pizza man extra early.
I doubt that.
"Dude!" Jasper exclaims and takes his baseball cap off. "It's been forever, what the hell? Is that a grey hair." He points to my head. "A wrinkle?" He chuckles and shakes his head. "Nah, I'm playing with yeah, don't get your undies in a twist. What happened to calling me back? That was like a century ago and I still gotta meet this-"
"Edward, who's here?" Bella walks over to me.
Jasper's mouth makes an 'o' the size of a pothole and his eyes widen just as big. "Whoa." His mouth barely moves to make the sound, which is amazing because saying whoa takes a lot. I wrap an arm around Bella and am ready to use my other hand propped against the front door to smack Jasper out of his day dream.
"Edward?" Bella asks and looks at me. "That's not the pizza guy or Alice..."
"It's-" I start but get cut off.
Jasper holds his baseball cap in his left hand and bows forward. "Jasper Hale ma'am."
"Jasper?" Bella's eyebrows furrow and she looks back to me. Comprehension crosses her face. "Oh Jasper Hale! Edward's friend. Hi... Uh, why are you bowing?"
"You tell them this much?" Jasper asks me and steps inside. He walks over to the fridge and grabs himself a water seeing as there's no beer in it. "Sorry I came at the wrong time."
"Uh..." I lead Bella into the kitchen and Jasper eyes her curiously. "No it's a fine time actually. We're just waiting for a pizza to arrive."
"Hmm." Jasper looks suspicious. He ignores Bella and turns back to me. "Anyways, you still with that girl?"
Did he not see Bella?
I motion towards Bella.
"You said it's a fine time to ask! She shouldn't be offended." Jasper takes a long drink of water.
Bella looks back and forth between Jasper and I. "I'll be right back..." She leaves silently giving Jazz and I time to talk.
"What's your problem?" I ask him.
He shrugs. "She won't care, she knows your taken right? Or you aren't, because you're a guy that's faithful I bet. Damn, I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff. I mean, whoa. Edward you should have told me, we could have had a party. Where'd you get that one? She's quite the looker."
"What are you talking about?"
"That hot chick!" Jasper motions down the hall. "Am I dreaming this?"
"That's her!" I raise my voice. "That's Bella. And you're acting like a damn maniac."
"Dude... no way." Jasper sets backwards. "That's Bella? That girl?"
"Yes." I narrow my eyes.
"Whoa, I didn't think you'd do that good. I mean, dude you never date. I thought she'd be some chick with braces and glasses and have a lisp. I thought she might be a size twenty or a chick with no boobs to go with. But... whoa. Really?"
"Yes really!" I lean across the breakfast bar and smack his shoulder. "What do you think she's doing here?"
"I thought you paid her for some stuff."
"She's not a -"
"I know she looks way too innocent, I wouldn't have believed it either." He admits. "But it's the only logical thing I could come up with."
"Ah," I reply sarcastically.
"I didn't think she was. She wasn't... a show off." He continues.
"She's my girl friend. End of story." I reply.
"Alright, alright. Dude, good freaking job, I mean it, props!" He holds his fisted hand out so I can bump it.
I don't.
"I can't believe you." I say instead. "And you wondered why I didn't want you two to meet?"
"I know rough start." He scratches his light beard. "Where's Alice? She loves me."
"She shouldn't." I mutter under my breath. I look back at Jasper. "At a friend's house."
"Friends? Nice. She's doing good now? No moremuttering? She talks again? She sleeps through the night? And you, dude, you had a smile!" Jasper smiles showing his not-so-gleaming teeth. "It's because of that girl?"
"Yes. And you really..." I tug at my hair. I hear footsteps as Bella walks back into the kitchen and to my side. I take my hand from my hair and wrap it around her waist, pulling her close. I don't even want to know what she thinks of me now after Jasper...
Ugh!
"Oh. OH!" Jasper says loudly. "I really interrupted shit didn't I?" He looks over at Bella who tilts her head to the side like he's some crazed monkey in a cage going bananas.
I blush.
"I did." He shakes his head. "Sorry, sorry!"
I don't reply.
"I'm sorry I'm a cock blocker." He apologizes. "Let me formally introduce myself, Bella. I am Jasper Hale, Edward's buddy, but don't worry he's nothing like me. He's all mature and shit you know?"
Bella holds out her hand across the breakfast bar and Jasper shakes it for a moment too long if you ask me. "I'm Bella."
My Bella. I eye Jasper. "I know that now." He says. "Sorry for earlier, I was kind of lost with this whole situation. You're a very pretty lady if I say so Bella. Very pretty." I look down at her and she blushes slightly. I kiss the crown of her head and she leans into me for support.
"I just wanted to stop by and tell ya I'm going out of town for a month, visit my mom and all. In case you decided to call me back." Jasper chuckles. "And I'm glad I came." He smiles at Bella. "It was nice to meet you, hope to see you again."
"Bye." Bella says as Jasper walks around the breakfast bar and to the front door.
"Bye." I mutter and Jasper leaves. Bella turns to face me.
"Did he think I was a prostitute?"
I chuckle nervously. "I don't know about him, actually." I hang my head in shame. What must she think of me now? She knows my only friend (pretty much) and he thought she was some... I stare at the floor and play with my fingers in my hands. Bella stands in front of me, now talking, not moving. Is she rethinking everything? Will there be boxes her later with all her stuffed in them? What's going through her mind?
She laughs. Loudly. "You have an interesting friend there." She says.
I look up at her and she's smiling. "He thought that because-"
"You're too pretty for me." I end her sentence.
She shakes her head.
I nod.
She shakes her head.
I nod.
"No-"
"Yes-"
"Edward." She sighs and takes the step over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Come here handsome." She jokes and kisses my lips lightly. "We still have," She pauses to look over at the wall clock. "19 minutes."
I smirk and pick her up all the worries down the drain.
A/N: How long should this story be? I mean do you want this long, long or only a few more chapters long? I can stop it short or go further into detail and have more 'scenarios' happen.
Leave a review? :D
