Bella's POV

Standing next to the shopping cart in the frozen food aisle while my dad picks out frozen vegetables, I suddenly remember I need something. The item I need - or will be needing soon - I rather get alone. I don't want to walk down that aisle with my dad beside me. I've had all the embarrassment with him that I can take for one day, and I don't want to add to it.

"Dad," I say, my voice sounding a little shaky.

"Yeah?" He wonders, plopping a bag of frozen peas in the cart and looking at me.

"I just remembered that I need to go get something." I point my thumb in the direction I need to go.

Instead of asking permission to do a little shopping of my own, like I did when I was a kid. I decided to ask in an indirect way - a more grown up way.

He nods his head. "Sure, kid. Get what you need, I'll be around the frozen foods a little while longer. After that I'm heading over to the meat counter. Meet me over there?"

"Okay."

With that I gladly slip away from the shopping cart. Walking out of the chilly frozen food section I let out a sigh of relief. I'm glad to get a little distance from my dad, even if it's just for a few minutes. After all, with what happened at home I feel a bit weird around him now. It's obvious he does too, I think. Though thank goddess he didn't attempt to have a talk with me about what he walked in on. Instead he randomly told me I was doing yoga. That was weird but I just went with it. I think that's his way of not waiting to acknowledge what I was really doing.

Feeling very grateful for that as I pass by a massive display of chips I begin to think back to when I had exited my room. I wasn't exactly sure of what I should expect but I did think that there was going to be a talk of some kind, but nope. There was no such thing. Not in the house and definitely not in the cruiser. In fact, my dad just acted like the whole incident had never happened as I got in the car and he started talking about different things. Eventually he began rattling off about his day at the station. Feeling strange, I sat quietly as I listened about his morning of arresting a senior citizen, who angrily attempted to hit him with her purse after he questioned her about why she tried to walk out of the liquor store with a case of beer that she didn't pay for. His story was a little funny and actually very soothing. That might sound strange but compared to anything else he could have brought up, it was very peaceful.

I'm glad he chose to avoid the embarrassing topic altogether because he is not great with those types of conversations. I should know since I've had to live through a few. For instance, two months before I graduated Elementary school I had to sit through the first talk. Let's just say that it was no walk in the park. That's when he felt the need to give me the puberty talk. It was mortifying and I blocked most of it out. Especially after our first trip to buy training bras.

Of all the places we could have gone, he took me to the mall, to JC Penny. That wouldn't have been a problem if my art teacher hadn't been there, shopping with her husband and their little daughter. And of course, Lauren was there with her mom and Jessica. Unfortunately Lauren and Jessica - who were already wearing real bras at the time - overheard when my dad asked a woman on the staff where the training bras for little girls were. Of course, those two girls giggled like crazy at that as they walked away with Lauren's mom.

After all, my dad clearly had no idea what he was doing or what he was looking for, nor did I. Though I did know that I didn't want any of the bras that Dad was holding up for the whole world to see. The styles were very colorful and too childish for me. Talk about embarrassment. What a disaster that was.

But at least my kind art teacher saved me from my dad's choice of training bras. Which was a bright pink one with smiling Care Bears on the elastic, dancing around with their lollipops and rainbows. Where the other one was ocean blue with SpongeBob and Patrick, a few pink jellyfish in a bunch of bubbles on the front with matching panties! Eck! Yeah, I think at that moment he forgot I wasn't four years old anymore. Thankfully my art teacher stepped in, pointing out the ones that looked stylish for a twelve-year-old.

Shaking that memory out of my head, it's quickly replaced with another equally embarrassing moment from my preteen years. For some reason it's all I can think about as I walk down the aisle that has what I need. With each step I take in the aisle that has greeting cards to my right and medicine and feminine products to my left, the memory takes me back to the summer before I turned thirteen. Back to my room, on a hot summer Saturday morning when I woke up before the sun was even up. That's when it finally happened to me.

That morning my stomach hurt, it had hurt on and off the day before too. I remember I didn't pay that much attention to it. Thinking back on it now, I probably should have since it was a different kind of pain than a normal stomach ache but I was young and didn't know any better.

That was my first sign that my period was coming. Yet, I was in denial.

Even as I got up out of bed I felt a trickle between my legs, I didn't want to acknowledge that I felt anything out of the ordinally. And when I went to the bathroom and saw red, I was still refusing to believe it was happening to me. After all, I wasn't too excited to tell my dad that I started my period. He was still sleeping anyway, so I just decided to handle it on my own. I changed my underwear and tossed the old ones in the laundry basket. In a wadded-up ball, pushing them deep down, under all the dirty clothes so my secret wouldn't be known.

Alone in my room I sat cross legged on my bed with a book in my hands. I sat there wondering if the blood could leak through my panties and pajama shorts and onto the bed, I tried to distract myself by focusing on the book as I opened it and began to read. But it was really no use, my mind kept going back to my problem that felt huge to me.

Eventually I went to the bathroom again. That's when it was obvious that I couldn't stay in denial any longer. My period wasn't going away any time soon, that was a fact. Right then and there I decided I needed to tell Dad.

Tiptoeing down the hall and into his room, my stomach was in knots. His room was dark since the curtains were down and he was loudly snoring. My heart was pounding with each step I took toward his bed and my mind was racing.

"Dad," I whispered, nudging his shoulder.

"Uh?" He opened one eye and looked at me.

I gulped. I knew I had his attention right then. There was no way around it, I had to tell him.

"Dad, I'm bleeding." My voice had been small and shaky as I said this. My hands were sweating and I felt very nervous.

After all, this was something a girl was supposed to tell a woman - a mother. But Renee was traveling cross country that summer. At that moment she was in Bicknell, Indiana, with a group of single ladies from her crafting circle. At least I think that's where she was. All I was sure of was that she didn't have a phone and I had no way to get in contact with her, other than the occasional postcard she would send me from whatever state she happened to be in. She wasn't tied down; she was free to travel the world if she chose to. So Dad was all I had.

"What?" Dad questioned. His voice was thick with sleep, making the word barely audible.

Taking a deep breath as I felt another trickle, I repeated what I had said. This time I spoke a little louder.

"Just get a paper towel, pinch your nose and put your head back. You'll be fine." Dad mumbled, rolling over and falling back to sleep.

The words he spoke sank into my brain. His advice was for a bloody nose, not for a period. It didn't make sense how he could mix up the two.

I nudged his shoulder again. "Dad, my nose is not bleeding." I began to explain, emphasizing each word. "I'm bleeding...down there."

I felt my face grow hot. I was very embarrassed as I stood there next to his bed. I hoped he'd say something more useful this time, but that hope was lost when he once again gave me advice for a bloody nose.

Feeling frustrated and moody for some reason, I decided to try a different approach.

Instead of hesitating any longer I blurted it out. "Dad, I'm bleeding. I'm pretty sure I got my period. I think."

In an instant dad rolled over, but not to look at me. Instead he ended up rolling all the way over on the other side of his bed, falling off and landing on the floor with a loud thump.

"You got what?" Dad sputtered, standing to his feet and staring at me. His hair was messy and his face was red.

Shifting on one foot then the other, I nervously stood there. I was wishing this would all be a bad dream but of course I knew it wasn't.

"My period." I said, feeling my face grow even hotter.

Dad's face softened. "Oh, Bells. You're growing up." He walked around his bed and wrapped me in a hug.

I couldn't explain why, but tears formed in my eyes as I hugged him. Before I could blink them away, the hot tears spilled out of my eyes and ran down my cheeks. I buried my face in my dad's shirt, making a big wet spot on his chest.

"Shh." He patted my back. "This is all part of growing up. Do you have...erm...supplies? Um.. you know...pads?"

I pulled back from our hug at that moment. Through teary eyes I stared up at him. Now where would I have gotten pads from? Did he think I had a job he didn't know about with money I could use to buy things with? And where did he think I was keeping these pads he assumed I had for just in case I needed them? Under the sink in our shared bathroom?

"Right." Dad said rapidly. "Get dressed. We need to...um...get you some…erm...supplies."

I did as he said.

It only took minutes for us to get into the cruiser. We sped out of town with the sirens on, something he never did unless it was a real emergency. I never asked why he did that but I guessed he considered that situation to be a real emergency.

If I ever thought bra shopping with my dad was a nightmare, which I did. Then going with him down the pad aisle at a Walmart in Seattle was a fiasco. Since neither of us knew which product was best, he actually picked one of everything, piling it all into the shopping cart. We literally had one of every feminine hygiene product that the store sold. It really looked ridiculous.

Thank goodness we ended up getting help from a young woman who was buying a box of tampons. Right away she noticed that my dad didn't have the slightest idea what he was doing. That was more than obvious he didn't have a clue what to buy and he was as nervous as could be. She quickly helped us and dad ended up putting everything besides a packet of pads that was in the cart, back on the shelf. It turned out that we wouldn't be needing most of those products, especially the giant pads for bladder leaks. Yeah…that was a real shocker. Not.

After that we went to McDonald's for breakfast. Before we went home, we stopped at a bookstore. He wanted to buy me another book about my changing body and this time, one about the changes boys go through too. That was only an afterthought from when I made a comment when we were eating breakfast, about how boys were lucky since they didn't go through any changes.

Well, the book Dad bought me that day proved me wrong. It was a real eye opener to know that even though boys don't develop breasts and have to go through a period each month, they do go through other things. Like when a boy gets excited about a girl, instead of just getting butterflies in his stomach it makes this odd thing happen to his...boy part - that's what I used to call the penis back then. I found it strangely fascinating that a boy could get an erection.

Actually I still find that fascinating especially since I saw Edward's through his pants today. With that on my mind, I no longer think about the embarrassing memories from when I was a preteen as my eyes darted around the shelf looking for the brand of tampons I like. As I reach on the shelf for the little blue and white box of tampons I need, I hear a voice that makes me freeze.

"Why are you dragging me all over the store?" The velvety voice I've heard many times at school, questions. He sounds annoyed.

"Because," A feminine voice that sounds like wind chimes replies. "I need something down this aisle and you're coming with me. Now come on!" She sounds ratter bossy.

I know the first voice, the second voice, not so much. However, I still freeze up with the box of tampons in my hand as I hear their voices echo in my ears and have the dreaded feeling that they are headed to this very aisle. I really hope they aren't, I don't want them to see me here. I definitely don't want the cute boy I like to see me buying tampons!

"Hey, Bella!" The wind chime voice calls my name in a cheerful way.

At the sound of my name, I turn. Immediately I wish I wouldn't have done that. He's right there with her! Edward Cullen is standing right there with the small girl with short black hair, she also has pasty white skin and golden eyes like his. I know that she's his sister, so I don't think anything about why she's holding his hand. Anyway, she seems to be holding his hand more for him to stay by her side than anything else. After all, the way her hand is clutching his reminds me of an annoyed parent holding the hand of their defiant toddler that keeps running off.

Looking at them I notice that she looks extremely happy and he seems to be shocked. His expression mirrors my own.

"Oh, hey?" I say, sounding unsure as my stomach twists into knots.

"I'm Alice!" She's bouncing up and down as she introduces herself.

"Um. Hi, Alice." I say politely, even though this is a rather strange place to have a conversation.

She smiles at me. "This is my brother Edward," she pulls him forward. "I'm sure you know him from school," She elbows him in the ribs at the same time he turns to her and opens his mouth. Instead of saying anything he inhales deeply, looking slightly hypnotized as his eyes fall back on me. "Come on now, don't be rude, say hi." She insists.

"Hi, Bella." Edward nods his head in my direction. The way he speaks my name is very soft and romantic.

I smile at him. With a crooked grin, he returns my smile.

At the moment Alice drops his hand, pushing him forward to where he's standing right in front of me as she makes her way over to the shelf next to me. My eyes lock with Edward's and everything else seems to disappear. My heart drums against my chest and he stands there looking hypnotized at me. I want to say something to him but I can't think of anything intelligent to say. He doesn't speak either. Does he also not know what to say? Or does he just not want to talk to me?

"Well," Alice says in an excited rush. "Now we all know one another. This is wonderful." She claps hands together, the way an excited little kid would do.

Her voice pulls me out of my trance of staring at Edward. I now notice that she is no longer by the shelf. She's standing beside me, holding a box of the same brand of tampons that I have along with a bag of pads. For some reason I look over at Edward who is standing there staring, his eyes are studying the items his sister holds. He looks at them like he doesn't know what they are for. I really hope he doesn't, that would save me some embarrassment.

"So," I say, speaking without really knowing what else to say.

Edward is silent, his eyes fall on me. Is it possible that he's waiting for me to speak more?

Alice, who isn't standing still, is looking between her brother and I like she's waiting for something to happen. She seems very hyper and for some reason and a bit inpatient. I can't imagine why.

"Bella, my brother likes you." Alice randomly announces, bouncing up and down. "I mean, he really, really likes you. And you like him too, don't you? I can tell. You guys make such a cute couple."

I don't answer her. Though I do feel my face heating up the way it does when I blush as I go over her words in my mind. There's something about her statement that's a little odd. Out of place somehow. She spoke the statement as if Edward and I are already a couple, not that we might be.

"Alice, come on. Stop." Edward says to her, grinding his teeth.

"Oops. Sorry." Alice quickly covers her mouth with her hand, then drops it. "Me and my big mouth…I'm so sorry. Bye!" She doesn't sound sorry at all as she skips down the aisle. Before she's out of sight she turns back and smiles at me. "And Bella, you and I are going to be such good friends."

And with that she's gone. Now it's just Edward, the box of tampons that are in my hand, and I in the aisle. I turn to see him gazing at what I hold in my hand, I quickly hide it behind my back.

"Does she see the future or something?" I say jokingly.

My words are only a joke, though I am feeling like I'm missing something. And maybe I am since a girl I just talked to for the first time, seems to know somehow that she and I are going to be good friends. Along with how she's so sure that her brother and I will be a cute couple.

"No." Edward breathes the word. His sweet breath blows in my face. "She's just...Alice."

He says his sister's name like it's an explanation of some sort. Like that is supposed to explain everything. It doesn't, at least not to me. But for some reason I'm now thinking about a show I sometimes watch on the Disney Channel.

"Hmmm. I thought she might be psychic like the girl in the show That's So Raven." I laugh nervously and so does he.

"No." He shakes his head. With a carefree laugh he moves closer to me.

"I know that's silly." I quickly explain, feeling stupid for even saying that. "I know that's impossible. No one in real life can be a psychic. Unless you can consider those ladies that are on the infomercials at three am, claiming they can see a person's future if you call the number that's on the bottom of the screen, but of course you have to pay for that because nothing is free. And it's not real anyway." I ramble on. I never know exactly what to say in front of him.

"Is that right?" He laughs a little. His tone sounds amused.

"Yeah." I say too quickly.

Feeling really embarrassed and hoping I don't say anything thing else that might be dumb, I look down at the blue, green and while squares on the tile floor. I silently curse myself for saying too much. Why do I always get all weird when I'm around him? It never fails, I either say too much or too little.

"I'm going to go now." I politely excuse myself. I begin to walk away.

"Wait, Bella. Don't go." He's words are a plea.

Immediately I feel his hand reach out and hold mine. I look at him at the exact moment he laces his fingers with my own. My heart beats wildly and the world seems to be spinning, everything seems to be happening so fast. I like this.

"I'm sorry." He mumbles. "I just wanted to talk more."

My breath gets caught in my throat and I can't think of how to form words as I wonder what he's sorry for. As I feel his hand slowly pull away I begin to make the connection. He's apologizing for holding my hand! That's crazy. I grab his hand that is cold, hard and smooth, not giving him a chance to retract his hand from mine. He sucks in a breath as our eyes meet.

"This is okay?" He wonders.

"If it wasn't I would tell you." I clarify with a gin. I try to sound very sure of myself.

He answers with a breathtaking smile. Suddenly a man and a woman walk by us but neither of us are exactly paying attention.

Not wanting this moment to ever end an idea, a question to ask him pops into my brain.

"Can I have your number?" We speak at the very same time. We share a giggle.

I don't know why but I blush while Edward pulls out his phone from his pocket and flips it open. The whole time his beautiful golden eyes never leave mine. I can't imagine why but he looks at me like I'm the most fascinating person on the planet.

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Thanks for reading.

I decided to post Bella's chapter today since it's my birthday and it's close to the character's b-day too. :)

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