Chapter 6

Edward POV

Two weeks came and went and soon Edward was thrust into the hecticness that was his senior year. He hadn't been able to take Bella out on any real dates - they were only able to get lunch together a couple times a week when their classes would allow it. He was seriously missing her but they weren't able to do anything more with how packed their schedules were. He had his work as the editor on the school newspaper and she had hers in the library. Their class load was also pretty heavy and it seemed like one of them had a test to study for every other day. He was going through some serious withdrawal from seeing her beautiful face - the only thing that was keeping him going were their nightly phone calls.

It was getting to the point that Edward didn't think that he would be able to fall asleep without hearing her voice. He was still amazed at how fast she had become such an integral part of his life. They had only been dating for just a little over two weeks now and he, already, couldn't imagine his life without her. He knew some people would doubt him and his feelings but he knew how he felt, all he had to do was tell Bella but he didn't want to scare her away if she didn't feel the same way towards him.

It was another Saturday night and Edward knew that he would have to call his parents or, God forbid, they would call him. He didn't mind talking to his parents but sometimes his mom could talk for hours and he wouldn't be able to get off the phone with her. He knew that she just missed him but she really needed to understand that he was a busy senior and had a lot on his plate.

"Edward, baby?" His mom answered the phone in her high, sweet voice.

"Hi, Mom. How's everything going out there?" He asked her.

"Everything's good, more than good actually. Emmett asked your dad for his blessing for Rose's hand a couple nights ago." He wasn't surprised about that, he could tell when he left home at the end of the summer that the two of them were getting really serious and he couldn't be happier for his sister.

"That's great. Do you know when he is going to pop the question?"

"No, he didn't give us a date but I'm hoping it's soon so we can start planning for maybe a Spring wedding," she told him. He could hear the smile in her voice and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her enthusiasm - he had a feeling that his mother had planned Rose's wedding since she was five.

"Let's hope it's after graduation at the very least, I would hate to miss it because of finals," he told his mom.

"You know we would never let you miss this," she said.

"Mom, you're talking like Rose has already planned this and he hasn't even asked her yet; you need to reign it in," he told her with a laugh.

His mom could be very ecstatic about little things but when it came to her children it went to a whole new level. He hadn't even told her about Bella yet - he was planning to soon - because he knew that she would question him about every little detail and might even demand for Bella's number. He didn't want to take any chance that Esme would scare Bella away.

"You know I can't do that." Esme laughed with him.

"So, how's dad taking all this?" He asked her. He knew that Carlisle had given Emmett the 'talk' when him and Rose began dating and he also knew that his dad had grown to like Emmett almost as much as he would another son - but something like this could make some fathers go crazy, he could only imagine.

"You know, he gave Emmett an intimidating lecture before giving him his blessing but I know that he's happy for her. Now all we need is for you to meet a lovely young girl and both my children will be happy," she said.

"Mom, I am happy," he told her. His mom hadn't appreciated the way that he had behaved for the last couple years when it came to the ladies. She had told him on more than one occasion that she just wanted him to settle down with someone. She didn't seem to care that he was still in college and had a whole life in front of him - at least that was how he thought before he began his relationship with Bella.

"I know, honey, but I just want you to give someone a chance. Maybe you'll eventually want something more than just one night."

"Mom…," he hesitated before going on. He knew that once he told her it would be around his family in less than an hour and he would always be questioned about Bella. He thought of Bella and how sure he was that the two of them had a future together to get himself through the nerves of telling his parents. She was worth any discomfort. "I did meet someone."

"What?!" She screeched. He had to pull the phone away from his ear before he lost his hearing. He would very much like to still be able to hold a conversation with Bella after this phone call. He heard his dad's alarmed voice ask what was going on and then heard his mother reply, "Edward's got a girlfriend!" He just shook his head before laying down on his bed knowing that he was in for a particularly long talk.

"Who is she? What year is she in? What is she majoring in? Where is she from?" She spouted off all these questions without giving him any time to answer so when she finally went quiet it took a couple seconds before he responded.

"Are you done?" He laughed at her and heard her grumble through the phone - he took that to mean yes - and tried to answer all of her questions. "Her name is Isabella Swan - but she goes by Bella - and she's a senior like me. She's majoring in Elementary Education and wants to be a second grade teacher. She's from a small town in Washington called Forks where her parents still live."

"What do her parents do?"

"Her mom is a substitute teacher and her father is the police chief."

"How long have you two been dating?" His father asked. Edward rolled his eyes and smiled through the phone at his mom.

"Did you put me on speaker?"

"Of course I did, now answer your father," she demanded him.

"Wow, okay, we've been together for just over two weeks."

"Two weeks? And you're just now telling us?" His mother's voice went up two octaves and he heard his dad laughing in the background and then a sound that sounded a lot like his mom slapping him on the back of the head.

"I wanted to make sure that it was something serious," he mumbled.

"How serious?" He could hear his mom's smile through the phone.

"I love her," he said in his most sure voice, he didn't want his mom to doubt him at all. This was the first time that he had said those words aloud and he couldn't help the rightness he felt at saying them. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold back much longer from telling Bella - he just had to make sure that she was ready first.

"Edward, I can't believe this. I'm so happy for you," his mom told him. He was about to respond when he heard his phone beep in his ear. He pulled it away to see a text from his sister that said:

You have a girlfriend and didn't tell me?

He put his phone back up to his ear, laughing.

"You couldn't wait till we were done talking before you told Rose?"

"Edward, you've known your mother all your life and you really think she would have waited. You know how impatient she can be," his dad told him. He had to assent at that - it really shouldn't have surprised him.

"Alright, I understand."

"Will she be coming for Thanksgiving?" He could hear the hope in his mom's voice.

"We haven't really talked about that yet but I know that she is really close to her parents so she might be going there. Hopefully we'll spend the holiday together but we'll have to figure it out." He told her. He hated that he didn't have a definitive answer but since it was mid-September right now he thought that he could get a pass for not knowing his plans for the holidays that were still two months away.

"Alright, but make sure that you call when the two of you discuss it. If you come here I want to make sure that I have the guest room cleaned and enough food."

"Mom, you normally make enough food to feed an army," he told her. All he heard on the other end of the phone was a huff that he assumed was from his mother. He looked over to his nightstand and was shocked that thirty minutes had already flown by - he needed to get off the phone with her before he missed his opportunity to talk to Bella before she started to get ready to go to bed.

"Alright, Mom, I have to get off the phone now."

"Really?" He could hear slight disappointment in her voice and felt a pang in his chest. He hated that he was far away from his family but he needed his chance to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. Now that he had Bella he didn't feel so far away from his family - he just hoped that she felt the same way, too.

"Yeah, I normally talk to Bella before I go to bed and I don't want to miss the chance tonight." He had barely gotten out the words before his mom was speaking.

"Okay, well say 'hi' to her for me and don't forget to talk to her about the holidays," she reminded him. He acquiesced before the three of them said their goodbyes and he was finally able to end their conversations. He laughed to himself before scrolling up to Bella's name in his contacts and pressing the message icon. He had a feeling that his chats with his mom just went from weekly to daily...

What are you up to? -Edward

He waited with bated breath for her to respond, he wanted nothing more than to see Bella. She hadn't been able to do anything earlier due to her shift at the library and then she wanted to get some studying in for an exam that she had this week. Call him whipped but he hadn't seen her since the day before and he was already missing her like crazy. He shook his head when he heard his phone ping with a text message - he was turning into a female…

Studying, wbu? -Bella

Just got done talking to my mom which always drains me. -Edward

I'm sure your mom is a lovely person, you're probably just overreacting lol - Bella

Trust me, I'm not. I think she had a mini heart attack when I told her about you. -Edward

Right as Edward sent the message he was worried that she wouldn't have wanted him to tell his parents, maybe she didn't see this as something that important. Before he could overthink it he heard his phone ping again.

You told your mom? -Bella

Yes…? -Edward

It wasn't that intelligent of a response but his brain couldn't process much more.

Well, then, I guess it's time to tell my dad but I need to make sure it's over the phone so he won't be able to show you his gun collection :) -Bella

He couldn't stand not hearing her voice anymore so he pressed the phone icon by her name; it rang about two times before he heard her angelic voice.

"Did I scare you away with that?" She asked him.

"No, but I have to ask...your dad has a gun collection?" He was a little worried over that fact and he knew that if he ever did meet her father that it would be all he would be able to think about.

"Remember, he's the chief of police. And it's only a couple guns, don't worry about that," she told him with a laugh.

"Easier said than done, Bella," he said. "But I did want to ask you something before we started talking about your dad's guns."

"What?"

"Can I take you out tonight?" He asked her. He'd understand if she said that she still had to study but he had to at least try.

"Where to?" He could hear a small smile in her voice and took that to mean good things.

"Maybe dinner down at Pike's Market and then a walk down the pier, does that sound good?"

"That sounds perfect," she said.

"Alright, I'll pick you up in thirty minutes," he told her. When they said goodbye he hung up the phone with a large smile on his face - this girl was going to be his undoing and the funny thing about it was, he didn't mind one little bit.

~LCA~

After the two of them ate their dinner Edward walked with Bella, hand in hand, down the pier of Pike's Market. At dinner the two of them had talked about everything and nothing and there wasn't one awkward moment or lapse in conversation. It almost felt like the two of them had known each other their entire lives.

"So, I wanted to ask you a question but I don't want you to feel pressured to say anything right now." Edward said. Bella crunched her eyebrows together in confusion and nodded for him to continue. "While I was on the phone with my mom she wanted me to invite you to Thanksgiving. Like I said, I don't want you to feel pressured to come. I already told her that you might've had plans with your family but I still wanted to ask you, just in case."

Bella stared at him for a few moments in silence that made Edward feel jittery. He didn't know what to do when she stared at him like she was looking into his very soul - it was very unsettling.

"Do you want me to go?" She asked, hesitantly.

"I do," he told her, quietly. He couldn't lie to her when she was staring at him with those beautiful brown eyes.

"Then, I'll go." She looked sincere but he had to make sure that she wasn't saying yes just for him.

"I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do," he told her.

"I would do anything for you, Edward. Maybe if we do this we could split the time between our parents, I want you to meet my family, too."

"I would love nothing more." He bent down to capture her lips with his knowing that this woman was going to be his future, his forever, and the one person he would always be able to count on. He felt a warmth spread through his chest as that thought hit him, he knew at that moment that he would never be happier with anyone else. He brought his hands up and framed her face and traced her cheeks with his fingers lightly. He looked into her eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to hide his feelings anymore.

"I love you. I never thought that this would ever happen to me and I know that we have only been together for a couple weeks but I do know that I can't see my future without you next to me."

He saw the unshed tears in her eyes and, for a moment, he thought the worst but then the brightest smile he'd ever seen lit up her face and a couple tears fell. He kissed the tears away and laid a gentle kiss on her lips.

"You don't have to say anything back but I couldn't wait another moment without you knowing how I feel about you."

Before he could even finish what he was saying he felt her hands land on his chest and curl around the button down shirt he was wearing.

"Edward, I love you, too."

Edward felt a smile break across his face and knew that he had never been happier than he was at that moment. He would look back on this moment in twenty years and know that he could never find anyone more suited for him than his Bella.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Please REVIEW, I love reading what you guys think about this story. I would also like opinions on whether or not you guys want lemons. I'm still on the fence about it since I've never written one before so I don't know if I need to try writing one or just skipping the scenes all together. Thank you and be safe!