Chapter Four: The Story Left Untold

EPOV

Okay.

Okay.

Just breathe, Edward.

I feel exposed. I mean, holy shit, right now Bella Swan is in my bedroom. She's in my space, looking at my things. It's one thing to text her, another to talk to her on the phone, but she's right here. In front of me. Breathing the same air as I am.

It's been a week since I found her crying in that closet at Mike's house, and she looks so different. Undisturbed, really. I haven't asked her about it all week, and she hasn't brought it up either. I suspect she wants to forget it happened at all.

She did tell me that Angela is fine, if a little embarrassed. She's convinced that Angela's sworn off parties for years to come. I wish Bella knew that isn't even the worst one I've been to. They're lucky, really. If Alec had been older, maybe more experienced; he would have used something other than alcohol.

So Bella's here. I took her on a quick tour of the house. She didn't say all that much; just nodded and smiled, her eyes widening at times.

It's a big house. Lots of glass, three levels and, yeah... It's big. I'm not sure how I feel about it, if I'm being honest. My friends love it. There's so much to do. The pool is great. The courts. The game systems. My PlayStation. It's all great.

It's why they visit, isn't it?

I'm sure they'd come around even if I wasn't here.

But Bella's here. In my room. With me.

It's equal parts terrifying and exciting. I feel as if she's just taking it all in, filing it away somewhere to consider later. Like a real therapist, who knows? She's looking around now, her eyes rarely lingering on anything until they just do. She steps towards my pin-up board above my desk, where I have a large map of the world pinned.

"What are these?" she asks, her fingers reaching out to touch one of many a red pin. "Places you want to go?"

"Places I've been," I correct, and her eyes widen. "Swimming kind of takes me places. I like to keep track of all of them. It kind of makes me feel as if I've actually accomplished something."

Her eyes meet mine for a moment, and the ridiculous feeling of sounding stupid disappears. "So, you like traveling?"

"Love it," I say. "I'm headed to Singapore next."

"When?"

"August." I don't mention Irvine, California, because why should I? It's definitely not as glamorous as Singapore.

She lets out a breath. "What's happening in Singapore?"

"The Youth Olympic Games."

She smiles at me. "I didn't even know there was such a thing."

"It's new," I tell her. "The first of its kind."

She nods thoughtfully, her intelligent eyes taking in the other pins. "No South Africa, huh?" she asks, clearly referring to the World Cup that's just begun.

I shake my head. "My father wanted to go, maybe catch a few of the World Cup games, but work." I don't mention how a trip abroad that's not for swimming would just mess with my training schedule. Not many people understand my dedication, and I don't want to scare her away.

She nods her head in understanding, because she does understand, doesn't she? Our fathers are workaholics if I've ever met one.

"Are you as obsessed with following the competition as my brothers are?" she asks.

"Yes, and no," I admit. "I mean, I downloaded the app, so I'm up to speed, but I doubt I'll watch as religiously as Riley."

"It's intense," she says, almost shuddering. "Jake's got an entire chart up in his room. I don't even know how to compete with that."

I ignore everything to do with those words, because Bella is here in my room, and how on earth could it ever be a competition?

"I'm rooting for Spain though," she says.

"Why?"

"Fernando Torres is hot."

I laugh, forcibly stopping myself from going into a ramble about player statistics and how he just 'sucked' after his move from Liverpool to Chelsea. Or, really, after he dyed his hair; as Rose puts it.

Her eyes return to the map. "Quite a few places in Canada," she says.

"I'm half-Canadian," I say, stepping towards her. "Well, I was born in Vancouver. Most of my father's family lives in Toronto."

She looks confused.

"It's a long story."

She checks her watch. "It's the summer, so my curfew's been lifted to midnight. You have like six hours."

I can't help my grin. "I'd rather hear the Bella Swan story first," I counter, and she huffs.

"Fine, but promise I get the Edward Cullen one afterward?"

"I promise."

I'm awarded with a significant glare before she sinks down onto one of the beanbags in front of my television. I like the fact that she doesn't care about how she looks as she does it.

I drop down to the floor, prop myself up against the end of my bed with my legs stretched out in front of me, and give her my undivided attention.

"Where to start..."

"How about the day you were born?" I offer.

She lets out a laugh. "Oh boy." She runs a hand over her face. "So, I was induced labor, right? It was supposed to be smooth sailing but, after a full day of unbearable, soul-crushing pain - her words - I ended up being a C-Section. My mom wasn't very happy. It's a miracle at allshe had more kids after me at all."

I laugh.

"It just makes me wonder if I actually want to push a baby out of my body."

I tilt my head to the side. "You don't want kids?"

"It's not that I don't want them; I just don't want to have to birth them."

I smile. "So, adoption? Surrogacy?"

"All of the above," she answers with a smile, and I realize that maybe she's kidding. She wants kids, however they come. "What about you? Do you want children?"

"I think so," I say. "It's either I want like five of them or none at all."

Her eyes widen. "Five?"

"I want a big, all-inclusive family," I tell her, and her eyebrows shoot up at my choice of words.

Thankfully, Heidi's voice through my bedroom's intercom stops her from questioning me.

"Edward, sweetie, your milkshakes are ready," she says. "I've just started on the popcorn. Why don't you two come on down and pick your flavors?"

I stand immediately, and hold out my hand. She stares at it for a moment, before she takes it, and I pull her to her feet. I'm sorely tempted not to release her, but I do. I have to. This is all so weird.

I have to remind myself that she has a boyfriend.

Sometimes I feel as if I have to remind her as well.

I hear the sound of the popping before we enter the kitchen, and I automatically smile. I love popcorn. With the butter. With everything. Sunday may be my rest day, but I go all out on the junk food on Saturday nights. My coach would probably keel over if he ever knew.

I can tell that Heidi likes Bella, just from the way her face lights up when we enter. She's never really looked at me like that, but it doesn't bother me as much as it should. I'd probably look at Bella like that as well. Wait. How do I look at her?

We spend an obscene amount of time getting our popcorn to taste perfect, and she practically balks at the fact that I pour two packets of M&Ms into my bowl of popcorn.

"Try it," I say, and she does. She'll thank me later.

Once we're ready, I lead the way to our movie theatre, my popcorn in one hand and my milkshake in the other. I've opted for vanilla today, and Bella's gone for bubblegum. I think she was surprised by the array of flavors, though she didn't say anything.

Maybe our house isn't that surprising to her.

We haven't actually decided on a movie, but it doesn't take us long. It's a classic, of course, and I reckon she's surprised that I agree. Maybe she expects me to put up a fight. Maybe Jake would.

She gets settled while I put the movie in and grab the remote.

"Edward?"

I spin on my heel to look at her.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything," I say, as I move to sit down in the seat next to hers. "What's up?"

"If you had the chance to change one thing about yourself, what would it be?"

It's a question that's come out of nowhere, and I worry for a moment before I accept that she'll get to whatever's bothering her in her own time. I'm not going to push.

"Hmm," I sound, visibly thinking. "What are we talking about here? Some physical attribute? An aspect of my personality?"

"Anything."

I blink. What would I change? "I think I'd want to be more," I say before I can stop myself.

She frowns. "More what?"

"Just, more," I say. "Maybe, that way - " I stop.

"Edward?"

"I know it doesn't make sense, Bella, but I reckon I'd just like to be more."

She looks confused, but I'm not ready to explain. How do I even tell her that I'm not enough; that I've never been? She reaches for my hand and squeezes gently. Her fingers are warm in mine, and my heart stutters at the sensation.

"Why are you asking?" I ask casually, as I take my hand back and run it through my hair.

"I've been thinking about it," she says. "We're always trying to fix ourselves based on what other people think and say about us. I don't want to be that person who tries to change to please someone else."

"Who says you have to change?"

She looks away from me. "Do you know why we left Ohio?"

I shake my head. "I didn't even know Ohio was where you came from."

"Ah, right," she says, shaking her head. "We barely got into the Bella Swan story."

"I'm listening," I say, abandoning the remote and turning my body to face her. I absently grab for my popcorn, my eyes never straying from her face.

She giggles softly. "Well, I was born in Columbus, Ohio, on the thirteenth of September in 1994."

I'm younger than the majority of my grade, so I'm relieved that I'm older than her. It seems that she just made the cut. Otherwise, she'd be a sophomore only now. Perhaps they deemed her smart enough to handle it. Little genius.

"I grew up in Columbus, with all my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents," she goes on. "It's one of those boring childhood stories, you know? Happy people, all the love, it's sometimes frightening."

I guess I had half of that.

"Riley is two years younger than me, and Max was born in 2003. Sorry, I don't feel like doing the math right now."

I chuckle.

"My dad's always been a hard worker. He resisted promotion because he knew we'd have to move, and that wasn't really an option. Our entire family is there, and I guess that leaving wasn't really an option for us."

There's something coming; I can feel it.

"Early in 2008, something happened," she says. "I'll tell you about it some time, but it happened, and my dad ended up taking the job. He did it for me." She looks away. "I know they say it was about the job and our family's future and all that, but I know it was for me. I brought our family here, to the rain.

"I mean, we're so far from our family, Edward. We knew nobody when we arrived, and - it just, it hasn't been easy, and I feel responsible. But then, I don't think I could have stayed in Columbus anyway."

I'm a little confused, and I suspect it shows on my face.

"I'm sorry," she says. "You probably have no idea what I'm talking about."

"I don't," I admit; "but I'm trying."

"Thank you."

I smile gently.

"I won't change who I am," she says.

"And I won't ask you to."

"What if you never actually ask? What if it's just implied? What if it's out there in the jokes you make or the words you say, and you don't even recognize it?"

I realize quite quickly that we're not talking about me. We never were.

She sighs heavily before she laughs. "So, that movie, huh?"

I give her a worried look before I reach for the remote. Maybe she needs a moment to compose herself. Even if she doesn't, I still give it to her. I think I need it.

We settle in to watch It Takes Two, and I feel light. Bella's sitting next to me, fully engrossed in the movie, her hands occasionally moving as she drinks her milkshake and eats her popcorn. It's all so normal, but not at the same time. She laughs at all the appropriate times, and gushes over just how cute, and little, the Olsen twins were.

It amazes me that she's actually able to fall asleep, but she does. Her head lolls to one side, her mouth hanging open, and I can't get over how peaceful she looks. She gave me her number that night because she was convinced that she could help me, but I think we're going to be helping each other.

I get up to fetch a light blanket and lay it over her before I settle back down and watch the rest of the movie. She's making me feel as if I have to protect her, but then I also know that she can take care of herself.

It's odd.

When the movie ends, I put another one on but don't press play. Instead, I go looking for Heidi. Bella and I didn't really discuss what we wanted for dinner, but I doubt we can go wrong with pizza. Everybody loves pizza.

"I'll call you to choose your toppings once I've got everything set up," Heidi tells me before I thank her and rush back to the theatre to find that Bella's awake, her fingers rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I thought you left."

I raise my eyebrows. "I kind of live here, Bella."

She laughs. "I mean - never mind."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

I shrug. I'm not about to tell her that she looked so beautiful and peaceful, that I wouldn't dream of interrupting her sleep. There are just things that one cannot say.

"Where's the bathroom?" she asks.

"Forgotten already?"

"You have a big house."

I gesture for her to follow me, and I lead her to the bathroom. "Reckon you can find your way back?"

"Shut up."

I laugh. "See you in a bit."

A bit.

She doesn't come back. I have to go looking, only to find her sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen, chatting easily to Heidi.

"Okay, what happened?" I ask, as I enter the kitchen.

"Don't laugh."

"You got lost," I state. "Was the pizza calling to you?"

"What if I told you I'm lactose intolerant?"

"You're not."

"How do you know?"

"I've eaten at your house, Bella," I inform her. "I've seen you chow down on cheese broccoli as if it's going out of fashion."

"Oh, hush."

I smile. "So, have you decided on your toppings then?"

"Have you?"

"I usually just go for pepperoni," I tell her. "I'm kind of boring."

"Yeah, I noticed that when you had a vanilla milkshake."

"Don't hate," I say; "it's a classic."

"Are you about to make some strange comment about your being a classic then?"

"Wouldn't dream of it."

She smiles at me, and it's the settling kind. I was worried that we'd approached a topic she wasn't comfortable with, but she looks almost sheepish now as we throw words back at each other in easy banter, simultaneously getting our pizzas sorted.

"Are you usually home on a Saturday night?" Bella asks me.

"Are you usually free on a Saturday night?" I counter.

She's quiet, and so am I.

We stare at each other; Heidi temporarily forgotten.

She caves first. "Saturday night is usually my date night with Jake," she says. "But, I guess, since last week, we didn't feel like seeing each other."

"We?"

"Okay, I didn't feel like seeing him," she says. "I'm kind of mad it took him so long to realize I'd left the party."

"How long?" I ask.

She drops her gaze for a moment. "Late Sunday," she says softly. "I imagine that he passed out at some point, and then woke up and went about his day. I imagine someone must have said something to him, and it clicked." She scowls for a moment. "And, of course, it was my fault that I made him worry."

My fists clench automatically.

"Anyway," she says; "why are you home?"

"Emmett's sided with Alec," I tell her. "I'm not sure what bullshit Alec told him, but Emmett's convinced I'm in the wrong and should never have punched the prick." My eyes flick to Heidi, who's wearing a frown at the sound of my swearing. I shoot her an apologetic look before I continue. "It's annoying, I guess, but I didn't plan on going anywhere anyway."

"Your family's gone out?"

This time, I drop my gaze. "Yes," is all I say, and she doesn't question it.

Heidi clears her throat. "Are those pizzas ready?"

I nod as I slide mine towards her.

Bella does the same, and I can't help being relieved that she too, bypassed the pineapple. As much as I love the yellow fruit, it has absolutely no business being on a pizza.

"I put in another movie," I tell her. "Or are you keen to just hang?"

Her eyes dance with mirth. "Hang?"

I nod.

"Who even says that anymore?"

"I do."

She regards me for a moment, a soft smile on her lips. "Let's go watch that movie of yours," she says, and she regrets it almost immediately. Bella, apparently, isn't a horror movie fan, and I'm forced to make it up to her somehow.

Apparently, just the first few minutes of Saw is disturbing and scarring. She's cowering before it even gets gruesome, and I'm forced to press stop.

"Wuss."

"Shut up," she counters.

I regard her for a moment. "You do know it's not real, right?"

"I know."

"But?"

"I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only person in the world who has irrational fears, Edward."

"You're definitely not," I say. "I'm terrified of sharks." I glance over my shoulder out of habit. "When I was little, I never used to be able to swim by myself. I couldn't stop myself from thinking that there was a shark in the deep end of the pool."

She smiles widely. "That's so cute."

I shake my head. "Sometimes I still think it," I admit. "The goggles help though. They help me make sure there's nothing actually in there."

"Is that why you swim so fast?" she asks, amusement lacing her tone. "Scared of the sharks coming for you?"

I grin at her. "Exactly."

We stare at each other for a long moment, and it's borderline unsettling. I suspect that she might ask the question of what we're actually doing here, because I don't know. We're hanging. Whatever that means.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we go back to what we were discussing earlier?"

I take a breath. "You've changed your mind about how many kids you want then?"

She smiles warmly. "Maybe," she says.

I sigh. "Is he asking you to change, Bella?" I ask, and we both know I'm talking about Jacob Black. I don't really know him because we're not in the same year and we also don't go to the same school, but I do know that I don't like him. I came to that opinion long before he and Bella even started dating though. I think it's important to make that distinction.

"I'm only fifteen," she says; "how much changing can I do when I'm still figuring out who I am? I mean, I'm right to feel - " she stops.

"Feel what?"

"I guess I feel a little lost, you know?"

It's amazing what a week can do. I absently wonder what's really been going on, but I won't ask. How can I? "I do know," I tell her. "I feel lost all the time."

Her eyes meet mine. "We're helping each other, aren't we?"

"I know you're helping me," I tell her; "I can only hope I'm doing the same for you."

"You are," she says, "though this choice of movie leaves much to be desired."

I huff. "All right then, Swan; what do you want to watch?"

She pats my forearm before she stands and moves towards the selection of movies. There are so many of them, and I wonder what she'll end up picking. I think it'll be a comedy, until she surprises me by choosing the thriller, Prom Night.

I just watch as she swaps out Saw, and then comes to sit back down, pulling the light blanket over and around her. It isn't exactly cold, but I think it's more for comfort at this point. I wait until she's settled, and then I dim the lights and press play on the remote. I haven't watched this movie before and, oh shit.

Bella finds it hilarious how uncomfortable I am with the suspense.

"It's not funny," I say.

"Now you know how I feel about the horror."

"Was this your plan all along?"

She doesn't answer me; just turns back to the screen. "Ssh," she says; "he's coming."

"Who dies first?" I ask. "And when?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

I sit tensely as the movie goes on, my eyes widening at times. How do people sit through things like this without having a heart attack? It can't be good for a person's health, can it?

It's probably the most suspenseful moment in the movie, and the sound of Heidi at the door makes both Bella and I scream. Like, properly scream. I fumble with the remote, and Bella's nails dig into my forearm. My heart is racing, and Heidi looks so amused. She probably planned it.

"I'm interrupting something?"

I press pause, and clutch at my chest. "Heidi," I say; "you totally did that on purpose, did you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says casually, as she strolls into the room with a tray in her hand. "I just thought you might like your pizzas."

I glare, because I can't help it. It bounces right off of her, as she sets the tray down on the armrests between Bella's chair and mine. The pizzas smell divine, and Heidi's already sliced them and poured us two glasses of Gatorade.

"Thank you," Bella says.

"Sure thing, Sweetie," she says, before she looks at me.

"I could have died," I say.

"You need some spice in your life," she says with a shrug.

"How about some water?"

"Ice?"

"Yes please."

I watch as she leaves, and I can still feel my heart beating in my throat.

"Are you okay?" Bella asks.

"Are you?"

She smiles, her fingers sliding over my wrist. "Your heart is beating so fast."

"Yes, it is."

She giggles. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't laugh, but it's a little funny."

"Eat your pizza."

"Yes, sir."

Heidi comes and drops off my water, and then I start on my own pizza. Bella doesn't prompt me to press play again, and I'm secretly grateful. We eat in silence for a while, and it's always going to be her who breaks it.

"So, Heidi mentioned it's your birthday soon," she says, her eyes on me as we both chew on our respective slices.

I groan. "Of course she did," I mutter.

"Eight days, Edward. Were you even going to tell me?"

"Probably not," I admit.

"Why not?"

I frown slightly, trying to think of what to tell her. The truth would just be depressing, and I don't really want to ruin the evening. "Let's just say I don't really have good memories attached to it," I tell her and, thankfully, she leaves it at that.

"Sweet sixteen is a big deal," she says. "I'd imagine you'd throw a big bash and all that."

"You'd imagine wrong," I say, unsure whether or not I should feel insulted by the assumption. "I'd probably just have a barbecue out by the pool."

"Is that what you're doing?"

"Emmett's coming over anyway, so, yeah," I say with a shrug. "Rose too, I suspect. Nothing's planned. Just my friends, and a cake. It'll be the talk of the town."

"Your parents aren't planning something?"

"Who knows?" Because, really, I don't know. "My father is well aware of my aversion to my birthday, so it's doubtful he'll do anything extravagant." I look away for a moment. How do I tell her? What do I tell her?

"When's your driver's test then?" she asks, switching topics.

"The following Saturday."

She does a little dance in her chair. "That's so exciting. I thought I'd run out of friends to freak out with, but here you are."

"Here I am," I echo, because we're friends. "We're friends."

"Yes ,we are."

I grin, and she returns it.

We're friends.

"Thank God you're finally sixteen," Emmett says, and I'm pretty glad too. He claps my shoulder with his large left hand, and my entire body shakes. I may be lean and muscular, but Emmett is built. His father's been grooming him for football since before I met him. His father had a dream, and now Emmett has to fulfill it.

Tonight, we're going out to celebrate my coming of age.

After I passed my driver's test this morning, Esme took the boys and me out for a celebratory ice-cream. She promised that my father would be home later, but I didn't bother hoping. I just went to training, where my club mates sang a quick 'happy birthday,' before we got down to business.

After training, I got home to find a car parked in the driveway. Seeing as my father is associated exclusively and only with Mercedes Benz, it isn't a surprise that my sixteenth birthday present is a brand new, white, Mercedes Benz C220. It's a rather sporty car without actually being one, and I suspect my father and Esme had to come to a compromise when deciding.

Really, I'm surprised they'll let me drive at all.

It's a car, so I should be over the moon, but it feels flat. Kind of like my father and Esme discussed it, picked it out of a catalog, and that was that. It's nothing like the rainbow-coloured Speedo Bella thought was funny to give me as a birthday present.

I took the car for a spin to appease Esme anyway, and then headed upstairs to shower and change. Emmett arrived half an hour later, and his booming voice filled the massive house as if we lived in a matchbox.

We're in my room now though, and he's playing video games while I finish getting ready. He seems to have got over whatever beef Alec tried to cause, but I'm not so sure we'll ever be the friends we once were. It's not to do with anything that's happened recently, but Bella has me thinking we're both growing in different directions.

My direction is towards something, and his is away from something else.

When Rose arrives, I'm the one to compliment her on how beautiful she looks. Emmett calls her hot. She blushes, but I'm unsure if it's his or my compliment, or both. Whichever, they're both true.

"Ready to go?" Emmett asks me. "Why are you getting all pretty anyway? Which lucky girl are we going to see?"

For a terrifying moment, I think of Bella. Is my subconscious telling me to spend extra time on my appearance because I may or may not see Bella? Sweet Jesus.

"There is, isn't there?" Emmett questions, his eyebrows rising. "No ways. Who is she?"

I notice the way Rose's eyes suddenly focus on me. It makes me feel uneasy. We're all at the age where dating is practically the norm. I mean, so many people in our year are already in relationships, both physical and emotional. I remember Esme once mentioning that trios were interesting. I've seen TV shows. Love triangles are nasty little things, and I'm worried that one or two of those vertices are going to force issues for me.

"She's nobody," I say.

"Oh, Eddie," Emmett practically sings. "You know we're not going to believe that. Is she coming tonight?"

Yes. "No," I say.

Rose raises her eyebrows. "Is she one of your swimmer friends?"

Oh, thank you, Rosalie Hale. "Sort of," I tell her.

Rose just nods, but Emmett looks like he wants to fish for more.

"Is she hot?" Emmett asks.

"Emmett." It's Rose, the warning clear in her tone. She clearly doesn't want to know, and I don't really want to say anything more either. Calling Bella hot feels a little distasteful to me, even though she is.

We take ages to leave. Felix drives us because I'm sure there's going to be drinking. When isn't there? It's Saturday, so I'm not against staying out late, but I have inhibitions to keep and a body to maintain.

Rose is sitting between Emmett and me, and she keeps pointing out my window at things. I have this weird thought that she might have considered using me to make Emmett jealous, but the fact that I may or may not be interested in an actual girl has thrown a spanner in the works. Who knows?

Now, I guess she's just going to ignore Emmett.

There's an all-ages club that we frequent. It's nothing special, not really, but Emmett has an in with one of the bartenders, and it's a great place to just chill, I guess. I didn't put up a fight when Emmett suggested it, and now here we are.

Bella's coming because it's Alice's second last night in Seattle before she goes on vacation to Europe, and the friends wanted to spend it together. With Alice's boyfriend. I know his name is Jasper, and that's about all I know. Jared says he's cool enough, so, yeah.

I think a subconscious part of me agreed to come at all because of Bella.

The place is called The Lizard Room and, understandably, it's packed. It's the summer, school's out and the kids want to party.

Emmett heads straight to the bar, while Rose and I go and find our friends. I spot Leah first, and she's with Jared, lounging on a couch. Alec is sitting in an armchair and, just from the sight of him, I'm hit with a feeling that this evening is going to be shit.

It starts out all right, but I'm on edge as Rose and I claim another couch. Alec keeps giving me funny looks, and Bella hasn't yet replied to my text. I want to know if she's here. I want to be prepared.

In the end, she doesn't have to tell me.

When I spot her, my heart starts to race. Like, big time. She looks different, more than she did the night of Mike's party. Maybe it's because she isn't expecting to see Jake tonight. She looks lighter, even happy.

She looks amazing.

"Is that Bella?" Rose asks, her eyes widening. Of course, she would spot her too, and of course, she would point her out.

I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. "It is, yeah."

"She looks..." she trails off.

"She does, yeah," I say, even though I don't know what Rose was going to say. It doesn't matter because Bella does look... yeah.

Rose squeezes my arm. "Do you think we should call her over?" she asks.

My eyes widen. "I think she's here with - " I start, but stop when I spot Jake, and my heart sinks. I didn't know he was coming.

"Oh," Rose says at the same time. "Never mind then."

I almost laugh. Who am I kidding, really?

"I don't know what she sees in him," she says, almost disgusted. "He's so - "

"So what?" I ask, smiling at her. "You just don't like him because his father sued yours."

"And lost."

"Courtesy of my father."

"I hate this stupid city."

I laugh, keeping my eyes solely on her. There's no use trying to figure out what I'm feeling for Bella, because it's all moot anyway. She has a boyfriend, and I'm just her friend. It's better that way anyway. For everyone. And plus, I definitely don't need the distraction.

"A toast," Emmett says, getting our attention. "To the birthday boy."

We raise our glasses, and Rose leans into me. She's definitely up to something, and it's probably to do with all the attention Tanya's been paying to our mutual best friend, Emmett McCarty. I can't decide if I'm too young or too old for this.

Fifteen minutes later, Rose turns to me, her eyes a little feral.

"If I asked you to kiss me, would you?" she asks.

I just stare at her.

"Would you?"

I blink. "Are you asking?"

"I haven't yet decided."

"Is it about Emmett?" I ask.

"It's about that bitch, Tanya," she says. "I thought you said that everyone knows he's mine."

"She does know."

"Then why is she hanging all over him?"

"Because she's a bitch," I say.

Her face splits into a wide smile, and she leans towards me. "Do you know what I love?"

"Me?"

"Besides that?"

"I don't know," I tell her. "What do you love?"

"I love that my best friend is a guy who isn't even remotely attracted to me," she says. "It means that we can talk, which is why I'm surprised you didn't tell me about this girl."

"What girl?"

"The girl you seem to be crushing on."

My eyes automatically flick Bella's way before I look Rose in the eye. "Are you really mad?"

"I just thought you'd tell me."

"I didn't even know what I felt until Emmett asked," I confess, and it's the truth. I'm still surprised that Bella came to mind at all.

Okay, not that surprised.

"Will you tell me when you know more?" she asks.

"Definitely," I tell her. Believe me, she'll be the first to know if ever I figure out what's going on with me when it comes to Isabella Swan.

She grins at me, and then suddenly stands. "Come on, let's go dance."

Before I can even say no, she's pulling me to my feet and dragging me to the dance floor. She makes some space for us, and then we dance. Okay, she dances, and I kind of just move from foot to foot. It's kind of Hitch style because I'm pants at dancing. Seriously.

Rose isn't.

She dances around me, through me and inside of me. All I can really do is watch and try to keep up.

People look at us. Including Bella. Really, she looks a little transfixed and, when her eyes meet mine, her eyebrows rise.

I shrug because I don't know what's going on either.

Not to be outdone, I guess, Jasper and Alice, and Bella and Jake move towards the dance floor as well. It's really like something out of a bad teen movie. Particularly when Emmett and Tanya join us, and Rose and her kind of compete. Emmett's enjoying it far more than I am, that's for sure.

My eyes aren't even on my own partner anyway. They're on Bella, and hers are on mine, as she looks over Jake's shoulder.

'I want to dance with you,' I mouth to her, and she just silently laughs - though, she could be making a sound and I just can't hear her over the music - finally returning her attention to her dance partner. I do the same, and we see out the song without Rose clawing out Tanya's eyes.

"I need a drink," Rose says, and we head to the bar. "I'm going crazy, aren't I?"

"A little," I confess, and she glares at me. "I'm right, and you know it."

"You are, and I do," she agrees, sitting herself down on a bar stool. "I mean, I was practically manhandling you out there."

I smile. "I shouldn't be complaining."

She sighs. "What's wrong with me?" she asks.

"Nothing," I'm quick to say. "Timing is just as important as feelings. And maybe right now isn't your time."

"So what then?"

"I don't know," I say, moving to stand right in front of her because there's no free stool. She spreads her legs a little, and I step closer, between her knees. "Maybe you should take a page out of his book and see other people," I suggest. "That way, you can try to figure out what you like and what you don't."

She frowns slightly. "Date someone else?"

"Instead of using me to make him jealous."

She grimaces. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

"It's why you're my best friend, Edward. I'd do anything for you, and you'd do the same for me."

"Which is why I'm telling you that you're better than this," I say, my tone serious and unassuming. "You shouldn't have to be somebody you're not to get a boy's attention. If he's interested and the timing is right, he should be standing right here where I am, and he shouldn't take no for an answer."

Her features soften. "It's a shame we don't like each other, huh?" she says softly. "Whoever that girl is doesn't even know how lucky she is."

I stand up straight. No, she doesn't.

Rose downs her drink before she stands again. "Come on, let's go dance." She laughs at my hesitation. "I promise I'll be back to normal this time."

"Oh, Miss Hale; you assume that you were ever normal at all."

She fakes a laugh as she tugs on my hand, and leads us back to the dance floor. Emmett and Tanya are gone, but Bella, Jake, Alice and Jasper are still there. Rose doesn't notice them, and I try not to either.

But I can't help it.

Jake has his hands on Bella, and there's a part of me that's jealous. A big part of me.

Rose and I dance three songs before she complains about her heels and drags me back off the floor. So much for stopping her manhandling.

I feel even more like her little bitch when she sends me to get her another drink. It takes me considerably longer to get it than it would have had she gone to get it herself because, hey, I may be pretty, but she's prettier. I drop it off before I tell her I'm going to get some air. I definitely need some.

I don't expect to find anyone out back, and I'm wholly surprised and also not when Bella is in the back alley, leaning against the wall and just breathing.

She's stunning in the moonlight.

"There he is," she says, her voice barely audible over the music we can both still hear. "I was wondering when I was going to see you."

"Were you waiting for me?"

"I thought you wanted to dance."

I move towards her, and she stands up straight. I can hear the music, but I can't really hear it, so I just place my hands on her waist, and hers slide around my neck. There's something possessive in my grip, but we both manage to ignore it. Her fingers are warm, and it's distracting. This is really happening.

We start to sway.

My breathing slows.

She sighs.

I pull her closer.

Her body relaxes.

My grip tightens.

Her eyes meet mine.

I stop breathing altogether.

She licks her lips.

I stare.

She stares back.

We lean -

The back door swings open, and we immediately release each other. I turn away, and study the wall with such intensity; you'd think it was talking to me.

"I've been looking for you," I hear Jake say, and it's like he doesn't even notice me. Maybe it's the darkness of the spot I'm standing in, or maybe he's too drunk to notice. Who knows?

"Just needed some fresh air," Bella tells him, sounding breathless. She's just as affected as I am, apparently. "It was getting hot in there."

"How could you just leave me with your friends like that?"

My fists clench.

"Can you come inside before Alice talks my ear right off?"

I hear Bella's hesitation, but she eventually goes, and I'm left alone in the alley. Left alone with all my thoughts.

We were dancing.

I'm not an idiot. We were going to kiss. I can only wonder if we would have gone through with it. It would have made things weird. Very weird.

Maybe it's a good thing Jake interrupted us. Stupid things happen in dark alleyways, particularly when there's alcohol and hyped up feelings involved.

I'm sure things will be clearer in the morning.

Update: they're not.

In fact, they're fuzzier, save for one thing.

I like Bella.