Enjoy! And thanks to Brokenvoice for providing me with general advice and guidance for this story! Much appreciated (and your story rocks!)
Chapter 54 – Misunderstanding
A POV
You fall in love with a person, Eric. I just happen to have fallen in love with this one…
Bella's words were music to my ears. Each word spoken, floating in the air before reaching out to me in a soft melody. The soft chime, that was for me; only for me. My visions made the element of surprise rare; yet Bella always managed to astonish and delight me.
Those words, how they overjoyed me. She wasn't scared, or embarrassed, or worried, or nervous about us. Telling her father, and now two of her closest friends that we were together….
Angela glanced at her watch.
"I'm going to have to love you, and leave you I'm afraid. I need to return this book to the library"
I watched as Angela stood and flashed a dazzling smile at Bella.
"I really am happy for you both" she repeated, as she turned and flashed a similar smile at me.
Angela, I decided, was better than nice. She was genuine, and kind and the sincerity in her voice would have pulled at my heart strings, if indeed my heart had any.
"Thanks" both Bella and I answered at the same time.
"Now that was freaky" Eric interjected, as he winked at Angela.
He was clearly smitten with her.
As smitten as you are with Bella my mind sang.
Okay, touché.
Angela waved, and walked towards the exit as Rosalie appeared.
I watched as she walked across the room. I also watched as various guys (and one girl) followed her with their gaze.
As smitten as they are with Rosalie my mind reasoned.
Rosalie, totally unaware of the attention she was receiving, walked towards us. Standing behind Eric, she placed both her hands in the pockets of her jacket and waited.
Eric, possibly the only male in the room who was unaware of her presence, took a sip from his drink.
Still Rosalie waited, for what I was unsure. Clearly, Eric would not be leaving us anytime soon. I glanced at Bella, who was obviously thinking the same as she smiled at me with a raised eyebrow.
Finally she spoke.
"Hello"
Eric jumped, as Bella placed a hand over her mouth to muffle a smile.
Eric turned in his seat, "Hell Rosalie, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
Now Rosalie raised her eyebrow as Eric turned back to his drink, adding "Don't do that again"
Bella removed her hand.
"Join us?" she asked, as Eric glanced back up at Rosalie.
He looked… a little fearful, which made me smile.
I watched as Rosalie pondered her response, before sitting down where Angela had previously sat.
Eric opened his bag and retrieved a packet of mints, offering one to Rose.
"No thank you" she replied politely, before glancing at me. I suspected she wanted to talk, possibly about what the boys were doing, but couldn't while Eric remained seated with us.
"Are you sure" he answered, as he placed two in his mouth.
"Quite sure" Rose replied, as Bella reached out and took one.
"So I was thinking, maybe we could double date and go to the cinema?" Eric continued, as he waved his finger in a circular motion to include those sat at the table.
Rose frowned as Eric continued to suck on his mint while talking.
"You know, us four…."
Us four.
I knew who he meant…. But Rosalie, oblivious to the previous conversation, didn't.
I watched as she turned to face Eric.
Oh this was gonna be good…
Bella's hand was back on her mouth as her thought process ended up at the same location as mine.
Eric, sensing Rose's penetrating stare, turned to face her.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, as he swallowed the remainder of his sweet.
Rose was still frowning, as Eric shifted in his seat slightly.
"Double date?" she enquired, her voice low.
Eric nodded, unaware of Rose's misinterpretation of the situation.
"Yeah, you know… when 4 people go on a date together…."
Rose looked…. Almost bewildered.
"I know what a double date is Eric" she replied, as Bella let out a small giggle.
Eric held out his hands, "So what's the problem" he continued, as he glanced at me and then Bella.
Rose snorted.
Bella laughed.
I smiled.
"You're being a little presumptuous aren't you" she continued, as my hand was now across my mouth.
Now Eric looked bewildered.
"Err… I honestly didn't think Alice and Bella would mind going on a double date with us" he answered.
Us….
As in, Eric and Angela, by Eric's meaning.
Us….
As in, Eric and Rosalie, by Rose's misinterpretation.
Rose looked at me, and then back at Eric, who was seemingly waiting for an answer.
Okay, maybe I should step in now and clear the misunderstanding…
What, and spoil the fun? Besides, Bella was smiling… really smiling. Her mind no longer on Reuben…
"I think Emmet would have a problem with your suggestion" Rosalie continued as she folded her arms across her chest.
Okay, now Eric looked really confused.
I watched as Rosalie then shook her golden locks.
Eric shook his head, "Why? Does he… I thought you and he… does he like Angela?" Eric almost squeaked, as Rose's head shot round.
"Angela?"
Bella started to laugh.
Two sets on eyes were immediately on us.
Eric frowned, "I'm confused" he almost muttered, as Rosalie shot a pointed glance my way.
Bella swallowed and cleared her throat.
"I'm sorry" she replied, rubbing at her eyes which were watering slightly.
"For what?" Rose answered, still staring at me.
Eric still looked confused as I lent forward slightly.
"Double date, Rose. As in me and Bella, Eric and Angela"
Rosalie bit at her lip, "Oh" was her only response as Eric turned to look at her.
"Who did you think I was referring to?" he asked, as Rose now shifted slightly in her seat.
"A slight misunderstanding on my part, no harm done" she answered, as she glared at me.
"No harm done? Jeeze Rosalie, if looks could kill I'd be dead on this canteen floor" Eric muttered, before frowning…. And then smiling…
Finally, he'd got it!
"You thought I meat us four, as in, you and me" he answered, still smiling.
Rose shifted again. I'd never seen her look so… uncomfortable.
Eric started to laugh, as Bella joined in.
"Oh, that's tickled me" he continued, as he removed his glasses and started to clean them.
"And what, precisely, is wrong with me?" Rose retorted, now obviously a little put out at Eric finding a double date with her so… humorous.
Rose had more sides to her than a hexagon; but one was always apparent.
Vanity.
"Nothing, nothing" Eric mumbled, adding "I mean, you're just… well… you…"
Rose lent in towards Eric, "Of course I'm me, who else could I possibly be?"
Eric replaced his glasses, "I'm with Angela, and you're with Emmet. Let's just leave it at that" he answered "unless there's something you want to tell me Rosalie?" he continued with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Rose suddenly stood.
"Well perhaps if you had been a little clearer, there wouldn't have been any misunderstanding" she spat, as she turned to face me, "and perhaps if a certain someone had cleared said misunderstanding, well, there wouldn't have been…"
"A misunderstanding?" I interjected as Bella burst out laughing again.
Eric smiled and stood "I think I'll leave you ladies alone"
I watched as Eric walked towards the exit, the same eyes on him that had been on Rose moments earlier. Clearly they were all wondering why Rosalie had engaged him in conversation. And clearly they were envious. Eric, sensing this, waved at them with a cheeky smile as he walked by, adding "We're all going on a double date soon".
Everyone looked a little puzzled.
Eric looked as pleased as punch.
Rosalie, hearing his comment glared.
"Now they all think I'm going to go on a date with him" she hissed, as she sat back down heavily on the chair.
Bella smiled, "Rosalie, at one point you thought you were" she answered sweetly.
I couldn't help myself.
I laughed.
"Okay, I think we can all move on from this now" Rosalie retorted, as Bella lent forward and patted her hand on Rose's arm.
"Sorry Rose, we didn't mean to wind you up" she answered as Rosalie seemed to relax.
A little.
"Have you seen the boys" Bella asked casually, as her hand moved from Rose's arm to take my hand.
Rosalie nodded.
"Emmet met me outside, they couldn't find him, or even sense him. Perhaps he has moved on?" Rose answered.
Perhaps he had moved on.
I hoped, more than anything, that he had… but for some reason I had a niggling doubt that we'd seen the last of Reuben.
"Perhaps" I replied, as I squeezed Bella's hand.
I didn't want to worry Bella with my concerns.
Rose glanced at out entwined hands.
"You've gone public then?" she enquired.
Both Bella and I nodded.
"So…. Cute…." She replied with a smirk.
As we all stood, Bella linked her arm through mine.
"Rosalie and Eric…." She murmured, adding "So cute…."
Which resulted in a "humph" from Rosalie and a smile from me.
