Disclaimer: I don't own anything
"So do you like him?"
"Alice, I've only known him for two weeks."
"Sixteen days actually and you've spent almost every waking hour with him or talking to him on the phone."
"Alice." I whined, I really didn't want to tell her but I knew I'd cave. I always did with Alice. Why did the nosy little pixie always get her way it just wasn't fair.
"Bella." She whined back mockingly.
"Fine." I narrowed my eyes showing her that I wasn't giving the information away freely. But, lucky for her, she knows I can't resist the puppy dog eyes. "I like him…a lot. Are you happy now?!"
"Immensely. Now what to do with your hair."
"I still don't understand why we have to play Bella Barbie? Why can't I go like normal! It's just a - Wait. Alice! You know what we are doing don't you?!" He had been planning this since our fourth official date and I could tell something big was going to happen and Alice knew what it was. How could she not tell me? She better spill. "Well do you?"
"Possibly."
"Alice spill. Now!"
"Never! Now sit still and be quiet I have a lot to do in… less then an hour. Jez, I'm farther behind then I thought.
"Please." I used my most saddened pathetic voice. "You know I hate surprises."
"Well, we all need surprises sometimes don't we." She mumbled. It sounded like it she meant it more to herself then to me. We lapsed back into silence. I was now distracted from the torture that was Bella Barbie. What was wrong with Alice? It wasn't just today; when I'd see her at work she would seem distant. If I asked her she would put on a big fake smile, it would work on anyone else except for me, and then she would say it was nothing.
"Alice, please tell me what's wrong." For the first time she didn't smile, instead she simply said that she would tell me when I got home. That made me feel better, at least she would tell me eventually.
"Done!" Wow that last part seemed to fly by fast. I checked the clock on the wall, I was only going to be five minutes late. I looked in the mirror quickly, looking better then I normally did, not gorgeous like Alice though.
"Thanks, Alice."
"Anytime." I was so excited to see Edward that I practically flew down the stairs. Which considering my stability challenged ways was not such a good idea. I was proud I was making it all the way down the stairs. But unfortunately I fell on the third to last step. So much for being proud of myself. I closed my eyes and held out my arms waiting for the impact with the ground. It never came though because warm, strong arms grabbed me and pulled me close to a warm, strong body. I tried to calm my blush as I turned around in his arm.
"Hi." I muttered. I couldn't look at him. I was still embarrassed from my clumsiness.
"Hello, beautiful. You look positively stunning." That just made me blush harder and I think that was his point because he couldn't hold in his laughs anymore. Jerk.
"You don't look to bad yourself." That was an understatement. He looked positively gorgeous like every other time I saw him. I was still looking down and this must have frustraighted him because he put his finger under my chin and lifted my head so my gaze met his. And just like that I was trapped.
All thoughts that weren't about Edward flew out of my head. He leaned closer and closer till his lips were just a centimeter away from my lips. And I'm sure they would have met if it weren't for some loud coughing.
"Shouldn't you two be going?" Of course my blush came back with a vengeance and Edward looked sheepish. I tried sending her the most angry glare I could muster but she didn't seem fazed.
"Of course." He held out his arm which I immediately took. "Should we go m'lady?" I smiled at his silliness and replied,
"We shall." We walked out of the house laughing at ourselves. He gallantly opened the car door and soon he was driving us to our destination.
"Are you going to tell me where we are going?"
"Not yet."
"Please?" I gave him my best pout. He knew how much I hated surprises.
"Nope."
"Fine, will you at least tell me how long it's going to take to get there?"
"About ten minutes." So with his driving it would take about twenty minutes. He was one of the slowest drivers I'd ever met which surprised me; I assumed he would be one of those people who always sped.
"So what's the point of this whole date? Not that I'm complaining or anything, it just seems like I'm missing something."
"I have something to tell you when we get there." I studied his face; his eyes held something like nervousness, sadness, and fear. Also I noticed his hands clutched the steering wheel a little tighter.
"Edward, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Great more surprises. The curiosity gnawed at me the rest of the ride, while we talked until he stopped the car. I couldn't tell where we were. Edward, like a true gentlemen, opened the door but not before covering my eyes.
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you." We walked for a bit before he stopped. I couldn't take the suspense any longer; I ripped the hands off my face.
We were on a cliff, giving us a spectacular view, and a blanket with almost every picnic food you can think of was laying there. Happy tears started to fill my eyes until I couldn't hold them back. He was such a great guy, what did I do to deserve him? Then a more pessimistic thought drifted to my mind. There had to be some kind of flaw. Maybe he still lived with his parents, or maybe he was gay. That's what he was going to tell me. He was gay. Man, it's true when they say all the best ones are gay! And I was falling for him too, that just made the tears fall harder. Edward mistook my tears as upset ones.
"Bella what's wrong? What did I do? Is it the picnic? We could go out to a restaurant I just thought this would be better!" Desperation was evident in his voice. He was such a great guy; I shouldn't be trying to find things wrong with him.
"No, it's amazing. It's just that no guy has ever done this for me. I'm just really glad I met you." That made him break out into the biggest lopsided grin. The breath in my throat caught. He was so unbelievably gorgeous and he was, dare I say it, mine. He sat down on the blanket and I followed his lead.
"I hope you know I won't even be able to try all this." A faint blush marred his almost perfect face.
"I didn't know what you like, so I just kinda made it all."
"Wait, you made this?" I was shocked that he could cook.
"Yes, now try some." You could tell he was nervous because he kept wringing his hands. He held out a forkful of something that looked like chicken. I was shocked at the explosion of flavor that this small little bite produced. It was positively the best chicken I had ever tasted in my entire life. He gave me a plate with a little bit of everything and we ate while we talked. He seemed to get more and more nervous with each passing second. Finally I just couldn't stand it.
"Edward, stop putting it off. Whatever you're hiding, just tell me now."
"Bella, um, well you know that I'm in the army."
"Yes…?" This is one of the first things we discussed.
"Well, um, it's just that-it seems that…"
"Edward just spit it out already." He turned his beautiful green eyes up to boor into mine.
"I have to leave for Iraq in two week's, for two years." An eerily quite silence filled the air after his confession. At first my mind didn't register, then it did and my world started to crumble around me. I know it was silly considering I had only known him for sixteen days exactly but still I had felt more for him then any guy I had ever met. The tears erupted from my face for a second time that night.
"So, what was this then some kind of fling thing before you left? Something you could tell the guys? How long have you known? And don't you dare lie to me" I couldn't look him in the eye. I was a fool to believe that he could care about someone like me. He was the perfect male specimen while I was plain and boring. Edwards's finger forced mine to his face.
"Bella, how dare you think like that!" His eyes showed anger and hurt. "This isn't just some kind of fling I've felt deeper for you then you could imagine. And I found out a week ago. That's why I wanted to make this special." For a moment I was pulled out of my thoughts. My voice shrunk barely getting the words out "Jaspers going with you isn't he. That's why Alice has been so upset."
"Yes." Oh man, I've been such a terrible friend and this was such a horrible mess. I buried my head into Edwards's chest as I wondered out loud what we were going to do.
"Well we can write to each other. And sometimes I could call you. It won't be easy but we can do it Bella. But if it's too hard on you I would understand if you wanted to -."
"Stop, right there." I said interrupting him "Don't you dare even finish that sentence we can make this work, we can." I didn't know who I was trying to convince more him or me. He whispered sweet nothings in my ear as he subconsciously played with my hair. The rest of the night passed by in a blur. He was the first real guy I had had such a great connection with and now…
I opened my door to find a somber looking Alice. Alice and Jasper were engaged and when he left she might never be able to see him again. She didn't need to say anything we just started cry, we both understood how the other was feeling.
I know this chapter wasn't that good hopefully it will get better. And a biggggg thanks to my beta Smiles93 for working miracles.