I'm SO sorry for taking so long to update! There's just been so much going on. Like with school, i'm unbelievably behind and the semester ends on the 26th. Once that's over and done things will be back to normal, i'll have more free time and everything.
To the few people that actually read this, again I am sorry. I'm working hard here... Or at least trying to.
BPOV
Edward. Me. Love.
HE SAID LOVE.
He said love while referring to me.
Is this something I'm supposed to freak out over? Because I'm really starting to freak out.
In a good way, though. I think.
"Bella? Are you alright?" Alice asked, breaking me from my trance by waving a hand in front of my face. "You've been acting really weird since you got back from your date with Edward."
I could pretty much see the light bulb flick on over her head.
"Something happened with Edward!"
"No. I mean, I don't think so..."
"BELLA!!"
I cringed, and decided to start preparing myself for the barrage of questions that were sure to follow.
"Yes, Alice?"
"Tell. Me. Everything. I can tell this is something big, you're practically glowing! What happened? What did he do? Did he say something? Well, tell me already!"
"I will if you'll let me."
"Oh, of course, I'm so sorry. Pick out any question you'd like to start with."
"Okay, fine. I'll just get it over with... Edward used the word 'love' while referring to me."
It's best to just blurt that out into the open, right?
But as I risked a glance at Alice, I knew straight away that was a big fat mistake.
Her eyes slowly began to widen, as did her mouth. A little "ohp" sound squeaked out -- that was the cue to cover my ears.
"HOLY CROW, BELLA!!!"
I flinched, quickly flinging my hands up to cover my ears.
A little late for that one.
"Easy, Alice! You'll cause an earthquake in Mexico or something."
She opened her mouth to respond, but froze suddenly and lifted a brow questioningly at me.
"Um, I'm just trying to calm you down?" I mumbled softly.
She busted in to a fit of giggles at that, causing me to sigh in relief.
That must mean the worst is over...right?
"Bella," she said through her giggles, clutching a hand to her heart as if trying to relax herself. "You're so absurd sometimes."
I shrugged at that, figuring she was probably right.
"So then, is that all for my interrogation?"
"Are you kidding?!"
Oh God, it's going to be a long day...
"Oh come on, Alice..."
"Did you say it back? Did he say anything else? WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"No, no, and we made out and went about our date," I blushed.
Quick and painless, Bella. Quick and painless.
Alice nodded excitedly.
"Yes, yes, and...?"
"And that's it."
".......That's it?"
"That's it."
Her brows furrowed at that, causing me to hold back a chuckle.
"So then... Why are you looking like you've just found eternal happiness?"
I blushed again, like I always do whenever someone speaks directly to me, and began to twirl a lock of hair between my fingers - but then stopped in mid-twirl, turning a deeper shade of red, realizing how blond I must have looked. Alice rolled her eyes.
"Right, now I see. You have."
"Don't be silly, Alice."
"You're the silly one, Bella."
"And how's that?"
She simply gave me a knowing look, and patted me on the hand. I gave her a look - the one that says 'You're being odd'.
But before I got a chance to voice my thoughts, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Who could that be?" I wondered aloud, looking back and forth from Alice to the direction of the door. "Did you have a date with Jasper?"
"You know I gave him a key," she replied with a smirk.
"Oh, right..."
I'd actually completely forgotten. She'd broken the news last night after my date with Edward, but at the time I was too consumed with thoughts of him to really pay much attention to what she was saying...
"I'll go see who it is."
So I got up from the couch and headed to the door, opening it up a crack and peeking out to see who it was.
There I found Edward in wrinkled scrubs, running a hand through his hair tensely, his eyes swollen and bloodshot.
"Edward?" I squeaked, quickly opening the door the rest of the way. "What's wrong?"
He sighed and looked to the ground, bringing the other hand up to mess with his bronze locks.
"I....." He started, taking a few deep breaths. I took a step closer, my stomach clenching tightly at the sight of his distress. "It's a long story, Bella. I just really wanted to see you right now."
Without another word he closed the distance between us, pulling me in to a bone crunching hug. I wrapped my arms around him immediately, and raised a hand up to gently caress the back of his neck. His hold on me grew tighter, and I could swear I heard a strangled sob escape him.
"Edward," I whispered, placing my forehead in to his chest as he placed his down on my shoulder. "It's alright," I cooed, my maternal instinct kicking in to overdrive. I had suddenly developed the need to tend to him as though he were a child. "Why don't you come inside and sit down." I took hold of one of his hands, rubbing my thumb across it gently, leading him to the living room and on to the couch.
"I'm so sorry, Bella. I wish you wouldn't have to... you know, see me like this," he huffed, wiping the back of his arm over his eyes, making sure there weren't any stray tears.
"I don't care, Edward. And you look fine anyways," I said gently, wiping a stray lock of hair away from his eyes.
He just scoffed at me, turning away and covering his face with his hands. I sighed in frustration.
"Edward, really." He didn't turn back around. "As a matter of fact, you look better than fine. You always do," I muttered, more to myself than to him.
He took my hand again, finally turning back over to face me.
"I really am sorry, Bella," he sighed, using his free and to comb through his messy hair. "I just need to be with someone right now, and you were the first person I thought of."
I took a double take at that.
"Wait, really?"
"Of course, Bella," he said, rolling his eyes and chuckling humorlessly. "Must I remind you every time we're together how much I care for you? It's getting a little ridiculous."
"Well, no. Not every time," I blushed. He chuckled again.
"Not every time..."
I wrapped my shoulders around the back of his neck, resting my head on his shoulder. He sighed, pressing his head against mine.
"Really, Bella... Thank you for being here with me."
"Of course, Edward. Just relax now..."
He nodded, turning slightly to wrap his arms around my waist, pressing us closer together. I tried to ignore the tingling sensation the feel on his hands gave me, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. He hummed in pleasure, closing his eyes as a small smile played against his lips.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Alice standing in the doorway to her bedroom, a mixture of emotions running across her face.
Concern.
Confusion.
Pride?
And God bless her, instead of coming over and asking what was going on, she simply gave me a slight nod and crept into her room, closing the door softly to give us some privacy.
I smiled and nuzzled in closer to Edward, holding him close and waiting as patiently as possibly for him to be ready to tell me what happened.
At what must have been a few hours later, I awoke to a slight rumbling noise in my right ear. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking a few times trying to allow my eyes to adjust to my surroundings.
Hmm...
Warm.
Comfortable.
Soft rumble.
Oddly at peace.
Edward!
I froze, afraid of waking the sleeping figure under me.
Okay. I'm laying on top of Edward on the couch. The sun is setting outside.
How do I not remember this happening?
I must have been out of it.
Or it could be that you're still tired from having just woken up.
Yeah, that's probably it.
Edward then snorked loudly, the volume of it causing his eyes to fly open. He gazed down at me in shock, sleep still in his eyes.
"Bella?" He asked drowsily, a hand reaching up from beside me to run through his hair. It took me a minute to realize that it was my hand. "What time is it?"
"Late, I think. The sun's setting."
He blinked a few times, sitting up slightly and rubbing his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, I was just so exhausted from everything... I guess I just fell asleep."
"Well, so did I," I shrugged, hoping to keep the tone light. I didn't want the vulnerable Edward i'd seen earlier to emerge again.
"Umm... I suppose I should be heading home. You probably have plans for the evening, I didn't mean to interrupt." He made a move to get up, but I simply placed a hand on his chest and pushed him right back.
"I don't think you should leave yet."
He looked up at me with surprise. I blushed at that, removing my hand.
"I don't have plans... Or anything. You don't have to go," I mumbled.
He smiled softly at me, taking hold of the hand i'd pulled away, bringing it up to his lips to place a soft kiss on my wrist.
"That shade of red looks so lovely on you."
I turned a darker shade at those words. His smile grew momentarily, before pain flashed through his features and it quickly faltered.
"As much as I hate to do so, I'm afraid I really do have to leave."
"Oh..." The disappointment was clear in my voice, though it was still thick with sleep.
"I can come back later on. I'm not quite sure when though, i'll have to call. You know, if you'd like."
"Yeah, whenever you're free," I nodded, sliding up to get off of him. He grabbed hold of my other wrist, pulling me gently back.
"Not yet, not yet. One more minute," he sighed, wrapping me into a hug. I placed my head on his shoulder, breathing in the scent from his neck - though trying to be discreet about it.
What he said next, I wasn't expecting.
"Bella, my parents died."
I froze for a second at that, then carefully pulled away to see his face. His eyes were bloodshot, and filled with a pain that I could tell he was trying to restrain.
"What?" I gasped.
I probably could have come up with better, but I was still not fully awake yet.
"It happened early this morning. Car accident. I was told it was a drunk driver..."
"Oh God, Edward, I'm so sorry..."
"Please," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut tight for a minute. By the time he opened them again I was more composed. "I don't think I'm ready to talk about it yet. I know I should have told you when I first came over, but I just couldn't. I wanted to block it away, to see you, and feel you, and hope that it would all just disappear..."
He scoffed at that, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"I don't want to leave, to go home and have to make the arrangements... I just wish I could stay here with you forever."
My heart felt as though it was being squeezed through a juicer. It killed me to see Edward in such pain. I wanted to track down the scum that had done such an unthinkable thing and break their neck with my bare hands. But as I gazed at my bronze locked Adonis, I knew there was only one thing to do about this.
"Well, I'm here for you. Always, no matter what you need. You can come back here anytime things start to feel like too much. I - I could stay at your place, to help you with everything, to help you get through it all..."
Before I could finish getting my thoughts out, I was silenced as Edward placed a sweet, chaste kiss on my lips.
"You're too good for me, love," he mumbled, so quietly I had to wonder if he ever meant for me to hear it.
Side note: I'm kind of having doubts about this story. After spending so many countless nights reading fanfictions here, it's really making me over-criticize all of my work. It doesn't help that I don't have a very big vocabulary... Nothing ever owns up to the work of others. It's quite a pathetic comparison, actually.
Of course I still have plans and ideas for this story. I'm not that mean, I wouldn't just end things like this. I just am not sure if it's good enough...
(And no, this isn't just a plea for more reviews to boost self esteem or anything like that. I don't do that - at least, I try not to. I'm just horribly self conscious, and I give up too easily on everything)