So i know I said I would try to get this up on Thursday, and I really did.  I went to a reality with my small group at church and we got back a lot later than I thought we would.  Instead of like 8 we got back around 11.  It was crazy.  Plus, I had to work all weekend and my family and I celebrated my Grandma's birthday Sunday at the boathouse and we were there forever just getting food because their service was bad.  Oh well we still had fun ;)  I am sorry I keep telling you I'm going to update and I don't :(  I am doing the best I can with my busy schedule, I promise I am!!  I love you guys thanks for reading my story!!!

Thank you to all who have reveiwed!!!!  Especially EdwardCullenlover18 for reviewing on every single chapter :)  Please read chapter 6 and review!! It's extra long for all the extra waiting you've had to do. 

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters.  I don't own the Dark Knight either. 

Mike and Jessica sauntered off out of the restaurant looking disgruntled. I stared at the door for a long moment, and then looked around the restaurant, not meeting any of my friends' gazes.

"I'll explain later. I promise I will tell you. Just not here, not now." They all nodded as we walked outside towards the movie theater. I was very quiet as we walked, and I kept my head down, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Are you okay?" Edward's voice was soft, gentle.

"Yes. I'm just thinking. Em is the only person who knows what really happened." My voice cracked on that last word. Edward was surprisingly comforting.

"Sh, Bella. It's going to be okay. I promise. I'll always be here for you." That actually made me feel loads better. I smiled at him and said, "I haven't even seen The Dark Knight yet."

"None of us have, silly!" Alice almost screamed in satisfaction at my obvious mood change.

"I have. It's quite good. It's awesome actually! All the action and the joker are just amazing! And-" Jasper was cut-off when Alice put her hand over his mouth.

"Don't say anymore," excitement was flooding through her veins, "You'll ruin it for us." Jasper looked back at me and smiled. I smiled back, knowing he was worried about me. I didn't want him to know what had happened between Lauren, Jessica, and I because he would worry that the same thing could happen to him. Possibly. Well most likely not, but I didn't like it when people worried about me. Jessica and Lauren were evil creatures. Although, they were still having issues if Mike came with Jessica. She liked him; everyone besides Mike knew it. He was so oblivious. He was most likely dragged there tonight. But if she liked Mike so much, why was she trying to get with Edward? It made no sense to me, especially because Edward and I were just friends. I thought about all of this as we walked, but I was interrupted by Alice's bubbly voice.

"We're here," Alice screamed, breaking into my reverie. We bought our tickets, and Alice made sure for some odd reason, that I was next to Edward and Jasper was next to her. Our order of the seats was Jasper, Alice, me, then Edward. I guess Alice wanted to sit by me, too.

"Bella might get freaked out," Jasper teased.

"It's Batman, Jasper! How bad could it be," I hissed. He chuckled to himself, looking very amused. I was quite beside myself. If I got scared in a Batman movie, I would never live it down. Even though I did get scared easily. The movie started, and I was apprehensive. During the movie, I did close my eyes a little, but Jasper had assured me that it didn't show anything that I couldn't handle. There was one part when the Joker did a "trick" with a pencil, and I jumped. Luckily, the movie didn't have too much blood in it. Edward had never put his armrest down, and when the Joker had a knife in a guy's mouth, I cringed into him, but the movie didn't show anything. I stayed curled into him like that for the rest of the movie, and I was grateful that he didn't push me away. Actually, he put his arm around my shoulders, holding me against him. Thankfully it really wasn't scary, just dark, riveting, and exciting. The ending surprised me, but it was one of the best movies that I had ever seen. When the movie was over, I was quite devastated. We had to get up and leave, but I was so content and happy where I was in Edward's arms. I sighed, got up, and saw that Edward had the same look on his face that reflected how I felt. Like he wanted to stay there with me, too. I smiled at that and walked beside Alice out of the theater.

"You and Edward seem to be getting along!" Alice was enthusiastic, but quiet enough so the boys wouldn't hear her. She a very odd, mischievous look on her face. She eyed my basketball shorts with scrutiny.

"We need to take you shopping." WE? I hoped she didn't mean Rosalie. We didn't exactly seem to see eye to eye on things. I rolled my eyes and said, "Why? I happen to like my clothes. They are very comfortable." She looked at me sadly. "Well…Edward seems to like you, regardless." I blushed violently and said, "I doubt that." She glared at me.

"You shouldn't be so down on yourself." I didn't have anything to say to that, so I shrugged and we walked back to Alice's car in silence.

"Hey Bells! We're going home now right?"

"I think so, Jazz," I replied, smiling at our nicknames for each other. Well, his was cooler than mine, but it still made me smile and think of all the times when we were kids. We were unusually close for teenage siblings. Our family was very tight-knit. We kept no secrets from one another. It just wasn't what we thought families should do.

"Actually, we should go back to my house. It's only eight forty since we got here so early. It'll be fun, Bella!" She gave me an excited, pleading look.

"Okay, I guess," I smiled to myself. This meant I got to spend more time with Edward. Goodness! Why was I so attracted to him after only one day of knowing him? I wasn't making any sense to myself. I always smiled when I thought about it, though.

"Happy, are we?"

"Shut up, Alice." I was still smiling. Suddenly, I felt someone behind me put a hand on my shoulder.

"You're coming to my house?" Would I ever get used to the sheer beauty of his voice? I doubted it.

"Yes I am, Edward. So is Jasper." He looked like maybe he was trying to hide something- maybe a smile- but it looked more like he was trying to suppress a laugh. He opened the back door of the car for me and we both got in the car, sitting as close to the middle as possible. I was still exhausted, even after that large soda I had, so I eventually lay down again, and Edward put my head in his lap again. It was so nice, I ended up falling asleep to Alice and Jasper talking quietly in the front of the car. Something always seemed to happen to Jasper when he was with her, and I couldn't help but notice.

Suddenly, I was standing the middle of a crowd, and Edward was there, staring at me. Everyone was laughing at me, saying things like, "You think he'd go out with you?" And there was even more laughter and scoffs. Edward came forward as I backed away and he whispered, "Bella, you can wake up, now." I felt pressure on my forehead, and my eyes flew open. Alice and Jasper were laughing softly in the front of the car.

"What's so funny?" I was defensive, and they laughed harder.

"Ask Edward! He could hear you easier than we did!" Jasper was howling with laughter, and I wanted to slap him. A realization hit me.

"What did I say in my sleep?" My face turned bright red, but Edward just smiled with a troubled look on his face.

"You were afraid, it seemed. You said my name," a sparkle gleamed in his eyes, "But then you said 'No, not again.'" I moaned quietly. Edward wouldn't do that to me. Would he? I trusted him-for the most part. I still didn't know that much about him, even if it did seem like I had known him for a lifetime rather than a day. How ridiculous of me. It just felt like Edward and I were connected in a way that I couldn't even understand. Everything just felt…right with him.

"We're heeere!" Alice sang the words as "7 Things" by Miley Cyrus came on the radio, but she turned off the car. Their house was gigantic, and breathtakingly beautiful. It was a remarkable mansion when you stepped inside. The foyer was huge, and two staircases led upstairs-one on each side of you as you walked in. It was splendid, colored in white, with glass windows and walls covering the back of the house. It was the most wonderful home I had ever been in.

"So, Bella, do you like it?" I closed my eyes, wishing to stay in this moment with him forever.

"It's so perfect! Spectacular! It's…it's gorgeous." Edward chuckled, taking in mine and Jasper's awed expressions. We sat down in the vast living room, on the long white couch. Alice pulled me up, and sat me in a reclining chair across from them. I didn't want them staring at me as I told the story.

"Alice! Do I have to sit here?"

"Yes, we all want to see you as you tell us what happened in Port Angeles three years ago." I looked around the room apprehensively. All I could see was encouragement on their faces. I sighed, looked down at the floor, and began my story.

"It all started in about second grade. Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley were really nice to me, and we became good friends very quickly. I was also friends with a girl named Angela Weber, but she moved away before third grade. I was very sad when she left. I was actually closer to her than Lauren and Jessica. Jessica and Lauren were my only friends, and we always saw each other at school, and we hung out at each other's houses almost every night. They did so more than I did, but I didn't mind. When we got into middle school, I began to truly see who they really were. They manipulated kids, mostly guys, to get their way and they were mean to everyone. Except me. For some reason, they decided to be nice to me. Now, I stopped hanging around them as much, not really able to make other friends, but not wanting to be part of their lives anymore either. We drifted apart, and by the end of seventh grade, we barely spoke to each other anymore. I spent that summer getting to know Em and Jazz a lot better, and I'm glad I did. At the beginning of eighth grade-about two weeks into it- there was a "welcome back" banquet at "La Bella Italia." The principle thought it would be a good idea for all the eighth graders to get to know each other before the year started. I thought it was bogus, and I wasn't going to go. About a week before the banquet, Lauren and Jessica came up to me in the school hallway saying that they wanted to apologize for what happened between us, and they had something special planned that night. I was skeptical, but I said that I would come.

"So, the night of the banquet, I dressed up and Emmett drove me to the restaurant, waiting outside in the car for me so that I could leave when I wanted, which was right after Lauren and Jessica's surprise. When I walked in the door, there was a boy named James who took my hand and asked me to dance. He knew exactly who I was, but I had never seen him before. I learned that he was a student at the high school, and began flirting with me. I thought he really liked me, and I clung to him as we danced around. I didn't see anyone else in the room because it was pitch black, so I figured that everyone else was dancing, too. He asked me out, and I was quiet for a moment. It didn't seem right to me. Out of nowhere, Jessica and Lauren jumped out and screamed, "GOTCA!" And everyone laughed at me. I found out that James had known Lauren from their childhood, as they were neighbors. I could instantly see that they liked each other. They had set me up for humiliation. James-the only boy who had ever shown any kind of interest in me- had just purposely hurt me, along two of my so called friends. Mike was there, too, among the laughter, right alongside Jessica. He's just an annoying weirdo now, but Jessica, Lauren, and I never spoke together again. They stayed friends…well, until today I guess. The next week, there was an assembly to welcome us back, and they showed a video of the events at the banquet. The video they showed was the prank that Lauren and Jessica pulled. The whole school burst into laughter and James showed up in front of the bleachers next to Lauren and shouted, "You actually thought that I would date you?" And everyone busted out into more laughter. I wanted Angela to be there with me, because I knew she would have comforted me. But I had nobody. Emmett was in high school and didn't know about the assembly. I learned later that Lauren and Jessica had actually given the video to the principle and convinced to show it. He apologized to me profusely afterwards, but I assured him that I had no ill will toward him. Lauren and Jessica got detention for the rest of the year for what they pulled.

"Every day more people would point at me and laugh and as the days went on the more I cried. I cried every day, and soon became depressed. Every day after the assembly, I hid in the girls' room at lunch, barely eating and crying a lot. Even through my depression, the kids still made snide remarks in the hallways, making everything worse each day. All year I dealt with this, until Emmett heard what was going on from one of his friends at the high school, who had a little sister in seventh grade. Em came up to the school and gave everyone a telling off, and threatened to hurt whoever made me come home crying again. I had been telling him that I was just stressed out from my studies, but I think he used to sneak in when I was sleeping and heard me shouting my nightmares. I barely slept anyways. The kids mostly stopped bothering me after that. Every so often, I would see a couple of students snickering to each other, but I still never made any friends. When I got into high school, Jasper and Emmett were my friends. You guys are the first friends I've had since the traitors. Gosh, I am so stupid. It's just been Jasper, Emmett, and I ever since then."

I continued to stare at the ground as I finished, and I didn't notice who came over to put their arms around me. I just held onto them and cried. I finally stood up, still sobbing, and wrapped my arms around the mystery comforter. I looked up from my bloodshot eyes, and gasped when I saw it was Edward. I blushed violently, but hid my face in his shirt again. He slowly moved us toward the ground, so that I was eventually sitting in his lap, and he held me tighter to him. I didn't object. I felt bad that he had to see me like this, in his house, but the story brought back so much emotion. He kept saying quiet, soothing words. "Shh, Bella, shh. It's going to be okay." He hadn't realized that my dream earlier had been pranking me, and for that I was grateful.

"Alice? Are your parents home?" Jasper sounded uncomfortable.

"Yes, of course! Would you like to meet them?"

"I would love to!" Jasper sounded a lot more relaxed now. I smiled in spite of myself, and quickly wiped my eyes and calmed myself down. I tried to get up from Edward's lap, but he held me there. I didn't mind, so I didn't struggle again. I felt so safe in Edward's arms, like nothing bad could happen as lon as he was wrapped around me. His parents walked in with Alice, and I flushed. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks as they turned to look at us, but they smiled.

"Carlisle, Esme, this is Bella," Alice chirped, pint to me. She then led them toward Jasper and happily introduced him. Their parents greeted us very warmly.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. Nice to meet you."

"Bella, call me Carlisle, and this is Esme." I smiled shyly and nodded.

"Oh, Bella, sweetie? Have you been crying dear?" Esme was very motherly, extremely sweet.

"Don't worry, Esme. I'm fine." I smiled and looked at Edward. He stared intently at his mother with a strange look on his face, trying to convey something to her.

"Is this your girlfriend, Edward?" Carlisle looked gleeful as the room fell silent. I turned pink, and Edward looked away for a moment. I wasn't prepared to say anything to that.

"Well…not really. I've only known her a day, dad." He smiled at Edward, and Carlisle and Esme left the room. I felt flushed and I still couldn't say anything.

"I'm sorry about that, Bella. I know it was awkward." He looked down at me and I was mesmerized by those deep green eyes of his.

"It's alright. I don't mind," was all I managed to say, in awe of his beauty. I was still sitting on his lap, and wondered if he wanted me to get up after that weird conversation with his parents, so I started to get up, and he let me this time. I was disappointed but decided to go sit by Alice. Edward was probably tired of me anyways. It was about ten o' clock right then. I called Emmett as I was sitting on the couch; I hadn't contacted him since we were at the house this afternoon.

"Hey Bells! What's up? You okay?"

"Yeah I'm doing great-now. I'll tell you all about it later."

"Kay. Nothing serious though, right?"

"No, I'm fine."

"You and Edward together yet?" I could not believe him!

"Emmett! Well…no." I couldn't hide the disappointment in my tone. He laughed.

"Alright, kid, see you. Tell Jazz I said hi."

"I will. I'm at the Cullens', so I'll probably see you when you get here."

"Oh! Okay. Well I'll talk to ya later. Luv ya Bells."

"Love you too, Emmett." Right when I said that, as I hung up the phone, Edward looked at me, and for one moment, I wished that he was the one telling me that he loved me. WHOA! Don't even go there Bella.

"Em says 'Hi' Jazz!"

"Kay." He was lost in Alice's eyes. Hmm… I think another crush was coming on, except Alice seemed to like him back. I sighed and stumbled when I stood up. Miraculously, a strong set of arms locked around my waist and kept me from hitting the ground, again. Edward was beautiful as ever, but there was conflict raging deep in his eyes. What could he be thinking about so hard? We both opened our mouths at the same time, but we were interrupted by Alice laughing. Jasper had her pinned, tickling her on the couch. Edward and I laughed quietly along, obviously still thinking about what was still on both of our minds. I wished he and I could be as open as Alice and Jasper. It was hard for me to express my feelings, but I really believed that I could build a life with Edward, and now that he was in it, I couldn't bear to live without him in it. I could only imagine what he could possibly be thinking about. We just stared into each other's eyes for a very long time.

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