Chapter 31

"So, you're sure you're not going to the prom next weekend?" Charlie asked, trying to sound casual, but he wasn't fooling anyone. I didn't need to be a psychic to know that he'd been given firm instructions by Renee about making me go to the prom. Mom had always been adamant about me attending social events, something I'd never been keen on. So it was a relief to be living with Charlie now since I knew he at least wouldn't be forcing me to go to the prom even though I was sure he'd be bringing it up a couple more times before he gave up. I was sure mom had badgered him for prom photos. That was another thing that was never going to happen.

"Yes, I'm quite set on it". I didn't even want to discuss this.

"And the Cullen kids aren't going either?"

Yes, the Cullen kids. Rosalie had asked me if I was thinking of going to prom and I'd told her no way. She didn't seem quite as resentful towards the prom as I was, but she didn't bring up the subject again. Edward and I seemed to be doing good considering what had happened a couple of weeks ago. I'd been afraid that the whole friendship thing would go sour, but nothing had changed between us. He was acting as if nothing had ever happened and at times I'd even catch him being the shy Edward Cullen I'd first gotten to know. When we'd talked about it right after it had happened he'd said that he'd like for us to do it again, but he hadn't approached me on the subject since. Edward being the shy guy he was probably wasn't going to approach me about it either. Which was a bit of a shame really seeing as the sex had been beyond good. But it would probably be a hard thing to keep up anyway since I figured his parents wouldn't be leaving the house every other weekend and Charlie probably wasn't about to let Edward stay the night anytime soon. And I wasn't about to start hooking up in the backseat of a car.

The sex part had been easy with Dan seeing as his parents were away for work a lot and then later on he had his college room. We'd never had to worry about getting interrupted or walked in on. And Renee was pretty chill about these things too and she'd let Dan stay over in my room when he came home from college to visit. But somehow I figured Charlie wouldn't be as open minded about these things. So no, Edward Cullen would have to be forbidden territory for now I supposed.

"Nope, I don't think so" I concluded bluntly.

"It just seems a shame to me to miss out on all your high school experiences like this" he started off, but then he didn't say anything more.

"You know I'm just like you dad. Crowds are not my thing".

Charlie just nodded in understanding and then he kept digging into his dinner.

Suddenly I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I'd gotten a message.

Are you home?

It was Edward Cullen. Well, I'll be damned.

Yes. U?

"So what are you doing tonight? Are you meeting up with the Cullen kids?" Having me hang out with the Cullen kids was most definitely Charlie's goal in life. I figured he was afraid I spent too much time alone since he worked a lot, but I really didn't mind. Not that I minded spending time with the Cullen's either.

"No, I'm just gonna stay in tonight I think. It's a school night after all and I can't be hanging around at the Cullen's all the time. They need time to do their homework too you know. I'll probably just give mom a call later and check up on her. She worries a lot."

"Don't I know it", Charlie said and started clearing the table.

After we'd cleaned up in the kitchen Charlie turned on one of his games and sank down into the couch. I figured he wouldn't move for the remainder of the evening. I headed upstairs and proceeded to call my mom.

"Well hi honey" she responded happily. I didn't call her often enough and even less often since I'd started hanging out with Edward and his siblings. "How are you?"

"I'm great actually. Forks is great." Wow, I wasn't even lying. Forks was pretty great. Sure, there wasn't too much to do around here, but the company was great. "How are you and Phil doing?"

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear it!" Renee always sounded like she'd sent me off to concentration camp when she'd sent me to Forks. I supposed she had a lot of bad memories from her time living here. She'd always been more of a big city person. I missed the Phoenix weather but that was pretty much it right now. And Dan of course. Always Dan.

"Have you been hanging out with the friends you told me about last time?"

Like she didn't know? I knew very well that Charlie was giving her weekly updates on who I was hanging out with and what I was up to.

"Yes, quite a lot actually. We've been up to all kinds of stuff. They make Forks seem a bit less dull".

Oops, big mistake.

"Dull? Oh honey, you know you can always come home. I know I've told you a thousand times by now but if you ever want to come home to Phoenix I'll be on the next plane back there. You know that."

"Mom, I'm doing fine here. Really. You know as well as I do that Forks isn't party capital of the country, but I like it here. It's nice here. Sure, there isn't a lot to do around here, but Port Angeles is close and I've made really good friends. Really."

I didn't want mom to get one of her ideas and come dragging me away from Forks. There was no way I was going back to Phoenix at this point. And I was in fact starting to like it here. And it was only for 1, 5 years more, then I'd be off to college. Forks was just fine for now.

"Sweetie, I'm glad. Speaking of friends, I don't know if I should be bringing this up but…"

"Then don't" I interrupted her. Whenever she started off a sentence like that I knew we'd end up talking about Dan and I wasn't going to spend any more time thinking about him. I'd been doing really good lately distancing myself from him.

"I just wanted to say that I bumped into him when I was back in Phoenix a couple of days ago and he said he'd been trying to contact you. I imagine he wanted to say he was sorry."

The words burned in my chest. I'd blocked Dan's email a couple of weeks ago when I'd gotten another crappy mail, which I never read anyhow. But just knowing that he was still trying to reach out to me hurt. A lot.

"I just don't want to talk to him. Or about him for that matter. I know you're just trying to do the best you can in this situation, but the best you can do here is to not bring it up again. I know you like Dan, but I have to forget about him right now. And I'm doing well here."

"Of course, honey. I won't talk about him again. I promise", she said sounding sad. Mom had a soft spot for Dan big time and I was convinced she was still hoping for us to get back together once I went off to college to. She didn't seem to have understood that Dan wasn't even in love with me anymore. After we'd been done with the Dan talk we managed to have a pleasant enough talk. She seemed to be having a good time travelling around with Phil and I was happy about it. I knew it had been hard on them being apart in the beginning when mom stayed in Phoenix with me and I wasn't about to mess this up for them. After a good 20 minutes we said good night and I went on to browse some clothing sites on my computer. It wasn't likely to find anything wearable in the shops in Forks so I figured online shopping was my best bet so as to not lose my fashion sense entirely.

Suddenly I heard a sound. It sounded like someone was throwing pebbles at my window. But who would be throwing rocks at my window? But I wasn't going to miss it if someone was in fact throwing pebbles at my window so I went over there to see what was going on. Sure enough, there was someone throwing pebbles at my window. It was Edward Cullen. What in the world…

I opened my window and stuck my head out.

"WHAT are you doing here?" I asked incredulously. I was so surprised by Edward standing outside my window I began laughing.

He smiled at me.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out. If you're not busy". He had a sly look about him as he spoke the words. And it struck me. This wasn't the coy Edward Cullen I'd been hanging out with these last couple of weeks. This was the Edward Cullen I'd encountered in the Cullen living room. And I was intrigued by it.

"Why not use the door then?" I asked smoothly.

"Well, I didn't want Charlie thinking we were up to no good. Being alone in your room and all."

This guy had some guts. How was it that he barely dared to look me in the eye one day and then suddenly he showed up outside my window without any warning asking to come up to my room and have his way with me? But the contrasts in Edward Cullen intrigued me.

"So how are you planning on getting up here?" I was going to make him work for it.

"Like this". And all of a sudden he was climbing up the trunk of the willow tree that was growing next to my window. And like it was nothing to him he was suddenly up by my window.

"So can I come in now?" he asked with a smug smile and I could tell that he was pleased with himself for managing to amaze me with his climbing skills.

"Yes, you may."