Chapter 19

In third class Alice ran up to Bella, took one look at her face then said "Oh," looking dejected.

"What?" Bella asked.

"You're going to say no."

"Say no about what?" Bella was feeling like she missed something.

"Coming over to my house after school."

"Oh." How did she do that?

Bella wanted to say she would go just so Alice would be wrong for once. She also thought it would be nice to spend time with Edward. That small part of her, telling her Charlie needed some time to cool down won out.

"Maybe tomorrow." Bella Compromised.

"Maybe." Alice didn't look reassured. "You'll let us drive you home though, right?"

"For sure."

At lunchtime Edward persuaded her to sit at their table. Jessica and Angela encouraged the action.

Last class Bella appeased Jesica by giving her the cliffnotes on her date the day before.

After School Angela met Bella at her locker.

"I was thinking after we finished our homework maybe we could make Cookies." Angela said Happily.

Guilt crept up on Bella. "I was going to go straight home."

"Oh, okay, maybe next time."

Bella agreed and made her way out to the car.

When they got to her house Edward asked. "Do you mind if I hang out with you for a little while?"

Bella thought about that. Charlie never said people couldn't come over. Technically she wouldn't be breaking any rules.

She smiled. "Sure."

Edward left before Charlie came home.

Bella didn't tell her father about her guest. Charlie and Bella established a tentative truce. He gave her permission to go to the Cullens only on Wednesdays and Saturdays and as long as one of their parents was home. What Charlie didn't know was that Edward came to their house everyday; she wasn't allowed to go to theirs.

The whole week Edward was the perfect boyfriend.

On Saturday Bella asked Charlie if she could sleep over with Alice. He wasn't comfortable knowing who else lived in that house. He reluctantly gave in after talking to her parents.

After another makeover including mani-pedis. Alice and Bella settled into the small girl's massive bed. They were just drifting off when a horrifying scream came from somewhere in the house.

Without thinking Bella was out of the bed and across the room. She had just pulled the door open when Alice reached her.

"Bella, wait. It's okay, it's just Rosalie." Alice tried to coax her back to bed.

Just Rosalie? What was happening to her? The screaming wouldn't stop.

A large bulk burst past her and stormed into the room across the hall. "Hey baby. It's okay, it's okay. I'm here. I've got you." Emmet soothed.

He had left the door open. She could see him rocking a Sobbing mass of blankets.

She didn't realize she was moving forward until the door slammed shut in front of her. Edward was standing there. When did he arrive?

Bella swallowed. "What happened to her?"

"None of your damn business." Edward sneered. "That's what."

She stared at him in shock.

A throat cleared behind her. "Emmett seems to have things under control." Jasper said. "Perhaps we should all go back to bed."

Edward scowled, but still went up the stairs.

Going back into Alice's room she tried to explain. "Rose has only been with us for a year. She has nightmares."

That looked like more than a nightmare.

Thinking her sudden nosiness destroyed her chances with her potential prince charming Bella forced out. "Edward?"

"Don't mind him. He just gets cranky." Alice dismissed.

Over the next three weeks, Edward went back to being the perfect boyfriend. He would sporadically surprise her with an extravagantly romantic gesture.

The Cullens went away for the weekend to celebrate Emmetts Birthday. Of course Bella was invited, but Charlie said a firm no. So Bella went to Angela's house Saturday while Charlie went to do what he usually did for the day. She still had no idea what that was.

Angela's mother answered the door. "Bella," embracing her in a hug she said. "We've missed you around here."

Guilt swamped Bella. "I've missed you all too." She did.

After calling for Angela, Mrs. Weber said, "So, I hear you got yourself a handsome young man." Bella blushed. "I Just want you to know If you need to talk to someone and you don't want to talk to your parents, you can come to me. I won't judge you and won't tell anyone what you say. It will remain between you and me."

Bella nodded with a smile.

Through the day Angela and Bella Played with the boys, helped with the meals, baked cookies, and sat in Angela's room reading. Bella forgot how much she liked it here. The only thing it was missing was Edward.

Monday morning Bella's new routine that she just started getting used to continued. She would wait until she heard Charlie leave, then she would run down stairs, grab a pastry and wait for Jasper to pick her up. She would ride in the back with Edward. He would hold her hand and share a pleasant conversation with her. When they got to school he would happily walk her to her locker.

Being away from each other all weekend Bella thought there would be alot to talk about. She was apparently mistaken. Edward didn't get out of the car to open her door like usual. He didn't take her hand and he didn't even say hello, never mind have a conversation. He did walk her to her locker. On the way there she tripped and almost fell. He grabbed her arm a little roughly and pulled her back to him.

"Can't you at least try to watch where you are going." He hissed lowly in her ear.

"I'm sorry." She murmured.

Bella did not know what she did wrong, but she didn't ask in fear of angering him further. Maybe it was because she didn't go with him for the weekend. He was sour for the rest of that week. The next week He was back to being the perfect boyfriend.

As the weeks passed she grew further and further away from her friends she had first made when coming to forks. She spent Thanksgiving at the Cullens, Charlie staying just long enough to eat.

Around Christmas she thought she saw crates of holladay decorations in the hall one day before she went out, but nothing ever got put up, and the crates were gone when she got back home. She spent Christmas and New Years with the Cullens too. Charlie didn't join her for those.

The weeks turned into months and before she knew it, summer break had arrived.

One day right after summer break began, Edward had showed up almost as soon as Charlie left for work. Bella wasn't expecting Edward to come over therefore she was not ready for company when he showed up. She had left him to wander around her house while she took a shower.

In the bathroom Bella was getting ready for her shower when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her skin seemed more pale then she could remember it ever being. She caught a dark mark right above her elbow. The dark purplish-blue bruise stuck out against the pallor of her skin. She looked at the one on her shoulder and the one on her wrist. That last one she had worn a thick bracelet over, to hide it from Charlie.

Over the school year things weren't always perfect. Edward would get in one of his moods and she would get under foot. It wasn't like he hit her; he would never do that. He was just a little rough when moving her out of the way. She glanced down at a bruise on her ribs. She had been walking too close, when Edward's elbow came back knocking her down right on to her backside, but he didn't hit her. It was an accident. She knew it was.

Edward never apologized and they would never discuss it. Bella didn't want to. Things always went back to being perfect. Why ruin it? Besides, Bella was in love with him, and he was with her. He did tell her that.

After her shower Bella dressed in the bathroom. She found Edward in her bedroom one of her note books in hand. She hadn't written in those for months. Why did he have it?

"{One rainy night.}" He read out loud. "{She lay awake in her bed listening to the rain; She heard one loud bello of thunder. It sounded as if something mechanical broke through the atmosphere. She joked to herself.

"The aliens just arrived." She laughed as she rolled over and went to sleep.

If only she knew the truth in her statement.-}

What is this crap?" He laughed.

She had written that one of her first nights she was here.

"It was just a hobby. I used to dabble when I was younger." She answered quietly.

Shame coursed through her and she willed herself not to cry.

"Well I didn't think you recently wrote this childish dribble. It's good you gave this up. What a waste of time."

He tossed the book toward the bed and it landed with a flop on the floor. He kicked it across the room when he walked over to the bed to drop himself down on it. He put his hands behind his head smiling up at her carelessly.

Feeling her heart break, she told him. "I'm going to make breakfast." then she quickly left the room.

He didn't know how much his words hurt her. He would never purposely be cruel to her, she told herself.

Bella had decided to stay at home wednesday. She knew Charlie came home late today, so she thought her and Edward would have plenty of time together. She was avoiding Alice. One day last week when they were; as Emmett liked to say: "Playing dress up." Alice started asking questions about her bruises. Bella told her she was clumsy and bruised easily. When Alice tried to examine the marks closer Bella declared she was sick of trying on clothes and refused to do it anymore.

Her phone rang bringing her back to the present. It was her mom. She silenced the phone sending her to voicemail. Her and her mothers conversations were few and far between lately. She knew if she answered it her mother would complain about that, she always did and Bella was not in the mood to hear it.

Edward laughed at something on the show they were watching on his laptop. Bella didn't know what was so funny. She wasn't paying any attention to it. She faked a laugh not wanting to upset Edward.

They weren't prepared when they heard Charlie's cruiser pull up. He wasn't late, in fact he was a whole three hours early. Bella didn't know what to do.

Charlie still didn't know Edward spent time here when he wasn't home. Bella begged Edward to stay in her room while she went to figure out why he was here.

She was half way down the stairs when she heard Charlie speak. "Hey Billy, how is your boy."

She sat on the stairs and listened.

"Good I'm Glad he's doing better. - Yes, I have everything set up. Are you sure about this? - Okay. If this is what he wants. - hmph, Yeah, I agree. - Your right. He needs to go to school. - Alright Billy I will see you this weekend."

Later Bella distracted Charlie while Edward snuck out.

"Hey dad, why were you home so early today? I thought you worked late on Wednesdays." She asked.

"No. I leave work early. I will be getting back to my normal schedule soon." He told her.

"Oh, if you don't work late then why did you always come home late?" She wondered.

"Why are you home? I thought you would be hanging out with your friends." he dodged answering her.

"I felt like staying home, she answered." She looked up to see the door had silently closed behind Edward.

On June twentieth, Edward's sixteenth birthday they spent the day with his family. He seemed so happy playing games, showing off his skills on his piano, and joking around with every one. He had just blown out his candles when his phone rang.

"I'll be right back. It's just a couple of well wishers."

When he came back down his mood was completely different. He was quiet and brooding for the rest of the night.

The moodswings continued through the summer. They could get really bad at times, but then he would be the perfect gentleman again. That's the Edward that Bella lived for. As long as she could have him, she could handle the occasional bad day.

Thank you for reading.