(w)riteofpassion
Chapter 25.

EPOV

May.

It was fucking May.

May.

I took a deep breath in when my brother dropped Alice and me off at LAX. My nerves were getting worse by the minute, and I focused on getting from A to B, trying to occupy myself with something other than what I'd say to Bella. I desperately needed the diversion, so the fact that I was traveling with Alice was simply marvelous.

"Last check, Edward." She started rolling her suitcase, which was about half her size, to a halt next to the restrooms.

"Tux?"

I nodded.

"A good one? Not a cheap, outdated one?" She narrowed her eyes in skepticism.

"Yes, Alice. I went down to Armani, asked for a tuxedo. They took my measurements, and I paid over a thousand dollars. I think it's safe to say I got a good one." Alice's eyes widened.

"Wait, what? You got an Armani tuxedo and didn't think to mention that to me? I was as nervous as a turkey during the holiday season, thinking you'd go shop a suit at Old Navy, but you fled to a designer store without me?" She acted as I insulted her.

"I'm sorry? I thought going with a brand was the safest, the man in the store said it was a wardrobe staple. So I got the damn thing, some shoes too. Just to be sure." I shrugged.

"Wow, I'm impressed." her smile telling me I had made the right decision.

By the time we boarded the plane, Alice had me laughing and high on sugar, thanks to her addiction to Starbucks' brownies and people-watching.

"You want to go over the plan again?" Alice asked, not even waiting to get an answer from me.

"So, I go up to Bella's room with my luggage since I booked us a room in the same hotel." She started.

"You'll surprise her by telling her you'll be Bella's plus one to the wedding and you'll stay the night in her room." I looked Alice dramatically in the eyes, smiling. "She is under no circumstance to find out that I'm in Phoenix."

"Perfect, darling. This plan will work, trust me." She squeezed my arm gently, a sympathetic smile on her lips. Somehow I trusted her, even though I thought I'd never have a shot at making things right between Bella and me again.

"I'll keep you posted, Edward. Okay?" Alice says. She took her time, freshening up in the bathroom and typing on her phone. I sat down on the enormous bed. Alice got us a pleasant room, although It'd be a waste of her money since I was going to spend the night entirely alone here, anyway.

"Okay, I'm off. She said she just got back to her room. She's going to order some room service and watch movies for the night. I guess that's my cue." Alice smiled at me, fluffing up her short, blunt hair.

I nodded. "Good luck."

Alice pulled me in for a hug.

"I know being in the same building as Bella must be hard for you. But please stick to the plan. Do nothing reckless, okay? Trust me. I'll make it right." Her blue eyes were intense, begging me to not go up to that room. She knew that I wanted to. She had to know. That's why she kept reminding me of how important it was to keep my promise to her. To trust her.

I was tense as hell and resorted to the room's minibar. I never understood why they made the bottles so incredibly tiny, whilst the prices were inhumanly high.

Alice texted me Bella let her in. She was over the moon when she caught her friend knocking on her hotel room's door. I was glad Alice was there so Bella would have some support. I knew her mother didn't always make it easy for her, and tomorrow they had the rehearsal dinner. Surely having Alice there would make Bella feel a little more confident.

I unzipped my backpack, grabbing my iPad, settling down on the opulent bed. Grabbing the little bottle of red wine from the minibar, I tried to unwind. I felt the desire to write, to get it all down on paper before I was too drunk to know what the hell I was feeling today. Somewhere in the back of my mind was that thought Alice put there. That it would be okay in the end, that Bella would forgive me.

I never stopped writing. My blog was still on, and I silently hoped Bella was following it. I put up a big apology post in order to explain myself, and every day I made an entry. Today I was feeling particularly talkative, although I had to admit that it was probably because of all the booze. I swear they make the little bottles extra potent or something.

Twilight shifted into darkness outside, and all I had done so far was watching some bad reality-TV crap, eat my body weight in chicken wings and mess around with my blog. I thought it would do something. I hoped it would distract me, but my mind still wandered to the other room in this hotel right now. The room where Alice was cooped in up with Bella.

I downed another bottle of booze and took a hot, long shower. I felt drowsy and drained and passed out in the middle of the bed, a towel still clinging to my waist.

Come on, Alice. You better pull this off.