AN: Hi All! So i just typed up this chapter with the intent of posting it next week but i just couldn't deny you guys! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for the reviews thus far! xoxox

Chapter 2

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. Brian Tracy

Bella's POV

A few days past before I saw Edward again, even though I was staying at his family's home. We decided to both tell his family that we would be living with each other and they were thrilled at the idea. Edward failed to tell them that he would be picking up the tab for now and I was too embarrassed to tell the rest of the Cullen's that I was borderline broke.

Edward stayed at Emmett's place until the day we were informed we could move into the apartment. Since Alice was off running errands around town I decided to meet Edward at the apartment so we could start to get settled. I loaded all my belongings into my car. I'd been leasing a BMW since I started university and majority of my funds went to making sure the payments were received on time. I probably could have done with a broken-down twenty year old vehicle but I liked how I looked in the BMW plus an ancient car doesn't exude professionalism. I drove quickly to my place to discover Edward leaning against his Cadillac. Swanky.

"You didn't have to wait for me…" I said as I stepped out of the car and shut the door.

"I wanted to" he said with a shrug. It was insane for me to be feeling so attracted to him. You'd think that after knowing him for practically twenty years of my life I'd be comfortable around him but I wasn't. I stared at him wondering how I had ended up so lucky. He suddenly threw something to me over the car. I caught it easily and noticed they were my keys to the apartment. He had attached them to a key chain that also had two crystal letters as charms: a B and an S for my initials. I clipped my car keys onto the chain and thanked him. After shooting me another one of his dazzling smiles he stepped towards my car quickly and grabbed my boxes from the back seat.

"I can unload all this stuff Edward. You should deal with all your belongings" I said as I grabbed some boxes from the backseat myself.

"My stuff's already in there" he explained before slamming the car door shut with his foot. "Is this all you have?" he asked while eying the few boxes we held.

"Uh yeah" I said while looking down at the ground. I really didn't bring much back with me from California. I sold all my furniture along with many other things before I headed back to Seattle. I made sure I saved that money for new things for the apartment.

"Come on Bells, lets go check the place out" he announced while entering our building. We rode the elevator up in silence. I prayed this wouldn't always be the case. I couldn't live in constant awkward silence. When we reached the door to the apartment Edward gestured for me to give him the boxes I held. I unlocked the door for us. I threw the door open and turned back to Edward to grab my boxes from him but he stepped back.

"Look inside" he practically whispered to me. A smile appeared on his face. I spun around and stepped into our place. It was fully furnished, something I wasn't expecting just yet. The walls had been repainted, the floor looked like it had just been polished, and all new lighting had been installed. It was obvious the place had been professionally decorated. I gasped as Edward walked past me and placed my boxes on the ground.

"What do you think? It's not too masculine is it?" he asked but the words barely registered in my head. I didn't respond…I was still in complete shock.

"Bella?" he asked while waving one of his hands in front of my face. I blinked and then refocused my eyes.

"No, it's not too masculine…" I whispered as I approached the huge black leather couches that sat in the living room. My fingers traced the creases of the material as I stared at the artwork that hung on the walls. This was all too much. Everything looked so expensive.

"Edward you shouldn't have done this. I feel like I'm mooching off of you! This isn't right" I explained while I walked back towards him.

"Do you not like it?" he asked as he stuck his hands into his jean pockets and looked at the ground. "I can get it redone again…"

"Don't be ridiculous Cullen. It's the definition of perfect. It's just not fair that you pick up the tab for everything. I thought we'd discuss options before anything was done. I won't be able to pay you for half of the furniture for awhile…" I said with a sigh.

"You don't need to pay me a cent. I didn't even pay for this. I convinced my employer to cover the cost of furnishing the place since I was relocated. They agreed. I probably sucked them dry actually. I doubt they'll ever agree to something like this again…" he chuckled. Relief surged through my body but I still wondered if Edward was playing me.

"You're telling me the truth right Edward? If you did pay for all this stuff and I find out you might be a dead man walking…" I joked.

"I'd never lie to you Bella" he said quite bluntly. I smiled at him.

"You should go see your room. I hope you like it. I gave you the master bedroom" he explained before walking around me and entering the kitchen.

"Oh Edward why!" I shouted after him. I couldn't believe that after he had already done so much for me that he was giving me the master bedroom. He turned away from the fridge, a water bottle in his hand, and looked at me with wide eyes. I think he was startled by my yelling. He didn't speak.

"Why didn't you take the master?" I questioned as I leaned across the island that separated us.

"I don't need that much space" he said with a shrug. That wasn't good enough for me.

"Where's all your stuff? Which room is yours?" I asked while jetting off towards the hall where all three bedrooms were. He ran after me but I had already found his room.

"What are you doing?" he asked as I threw open his chest of drawers, finding all his clothes.

"I am moving you into the master bedroom because that's what fair!" I said with a huff. His hands instantly formed shackles around my wrists as he pulled me away from the furniture.

"No you're not Bella" he said calmly. I struggled to break free of his grasp but it was useless. I stuck my tongue out at him instead. He laughed.

"I can't sleep in a purple bedroom anyways…" he whispered before letting my hands go. They fell limp to my side.

"It's purple?" I asked getting excited. Purple was my favourite colour and I'd always wanted a purple room. How did he know that?

"Very purple" he laughed. "Alice said it was your favourite colour". Of course Alice had told him. "Go check it out" he said before turning me around and pushing me out of the room.

He was right. The bedroom was very purple. A big screen TV had been attached to the wall that faced the large canopy bed. Dark wood furniture had been spread out throughout the room and area rugs sat on either side of the bed. The attached bathroom had been painted a light purple as well. It was decorated with a seashore theme and the tub looked so inviting. I reminded myself to but some bubble bath immediately.

"Alice also said you loved baths" Edward shouted from behind me. I turned to see him lying down on my bed, his elbow propping him up. I fought off every inappropriate mental picture of him in my bed that had just popped up in my head.

"Did Alice disclose every aspect of my life to you?" I joked before walking back towards him.

"Just the tidbits about the colour purple and the baths" he answered.

"Thank you for all of this Edward. It was very unnecessary…" I began

"It was very necessary" he countered while sitting up on the bed, "this is your home now".

After unpacking my few belongings I slumped onto the couch next to Edward, who was watching a football game.

"I ordered a pizza for us" he said without obverting his eyes from the TV set.

"I could have cooked for us" I replied

"I know you could have but tonight is your night off. It's been awhile since you've cooked for me though. I hope you haven't lost your touch" he chuckled. I had to laugh too. The last time I cooked for Edward was when I was maybe 14 and I'm pretty sure it was a grilled cheese sandwich. Suddenly the doorbell rang and I jumped off the couch before Edward even had a chance to stand. I rushed the door, grabbing my wallet from the counter on the way to pay the pizza boy. There was no way Edward was paying for this meal.

After closing the door and grabbing some plates from the cupboard and two beers from the fridge I plopped the pizza onto the coffee table. Edward eyed me. I knew he didn't like the fact that I paid.

"Just eat" I said while I nudged his shoulder. His mood lightened and we talked about several random topics including school, our careers, and other things that had happened in our lives over the past few years. Once we hit another brick wall with an awkward silence I cleaned up our dishes and came back to sit on the couch.

"I think we should discuss some ground rules in regards to living together" I suggested as I curled myself up into a ball and leaned against the arm rest of the couch. Edward turned himself on the couch to face me.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Well we should probably split the chores up or something. I can clean one week and you can clean the other. That is if you haven't hired a cleaning lady to do it for us already" I laughed.

"No I haven't hired anyone. I can live with doing my own house cleaning" he chuckled.

"And we should discuss food. I don't mind cooking for us when we're both here. We should maybe split the grocery bill though" I said

"Sounds like a plan to me" he quipped. "What about house guests?"

"Oh. Well I usually go the three day rule. Any longer you get the boot. Unless you're family of course. But that's totally up to you for now…this is your place" I said with a mushed up face. He sighed before speaking.

"Three day rule is fine but I wish you would consider this your place too Bella…."

"I will…try" I said with a weary laugh. Edward stared me down for a bit and I shifted in my spot.

"What about intimacy?" he asked. I felt my blush creeping into my cheeks.

"Pardon?" I asked with a slight cough, like I had just choked. Smooth. Real smooth.

"I mean if we bring someone home. What do we do?"

"Oh! Well uh…that's tough. How about some advance notice and then the other person can leave the apartment for awhile…" I suggested

"Fair enough" he said as he twiddled his thumbs. I felt the awkward silence about to resurface when all of a sudden Edward jumped up off the sofa.

"What's wrong?" I asked, startled.

"It's seven" he said as he rushed past me towards the bedrooms.

"And?" I shouted back after him, not understanding where he was going with this.

"I have a date! I didn't know it was this late already" he yelled before I heard his closet door slam. My heart immediately sunk. Edward had a "someone" to bring home. I shouldn't have felt crushed but I did. I didn't have time to ponder my possible emotional downfall seeing as Edward had returned to the living room wearing a new pair of jeans and a tight dark blue graphic t-shirt. I threw him his wallet and his keys that sat on the kitchen counter. He placed his wallet in his back pocket and dangled the keys in his hand.

"Have fun!" I said with a fake smile as he walked towards the door.

"Will do. Don't wait up" he said with a wink before closing the door behind him.