DISCLAIMER: The story doesn't belong to me; the characters are property of S. Meyer, and the plot belongs to Annalau Thank you so much for letting me share your story in English!

Gracias Laura, por darme esta oportunidad!

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Chapter 12

I give Pat a thumbs up as he comes skidding up right behind me.

I get off the snowmobile in anticipation of Isabella making her appearance. I feel anxious for her, I can't help it. The thought that she might hurt herself causes me distress.

"Do you think something happened to her?"

My son is as anxious as I am as he turns around and prepares to leave in search of her.

"Let's wait a bit."

Not even two minutes have passed since my request and Isabella appears riding the snowmobile at full speed. As a precaution we get out of her way and she sweeps to a stop in front of us splashing snow in large quantities, in a triumphant arrival.

Excited and still in disbelief, she raises her arms in victory.

She jumps off the bike and bumps fists with Pat. She does the same with me.

"Did you see that?" she squeals, "I did it!"

"That was too easy, Bella," my son says. "We only rode a short distance and vertically. No, we'll do it again, but this time there will be curves and it will be through the pines. Come on..." he gets back on the bike. "The last one to arrive will be a slave for the rest of the day."

Isabella turns to me for help.

"Will you let him go?" She questions when she sees him speed off. "Edward, you can't let him go, he... he might get hurt."

I take her shoulders: Isabella lifts her face; her countenance is one of absolute concern.

I smile hoping it's enough to calm her upset nerves, yet in her gaze is still that hint of mortification even though knowing I would never let my son get hurt.

"Calm down..." I rub her forearms making her shiver. "My son knows the area even with his eyes closed."

She babbles; her reaction makes me smile. And before she returns with her questions, I get on the snowmobile ready to follow Pat.

I wave my hand.

"Let's go."

"I think I'll go back to the cabin. I'm very cold and my face hurts."

In fact I notice that her face is reddened to a maximum level while her skin looks stretched.

"Okay, I'll see you later."

"Will you be long? It's just that... no, forget it. Have fun."

The discouragement in her countenance is perceptible. Without saying anything she gets on the bike and starts slowly, turning back between the road.

I inhale.

I go after my son. I pass at full speed around the pine trees, the freezing air numbs the exposed skin of my face, it's the best sensation to forget a certain smile that has haunted my head for days.

I can't and don't want to think about her again.

I shake my head and speed up, turning the landscape into a whitish blur.

"Where is Bella?"

It's Pat's first question when I arrive with him. My favorite teenager looks desperate for an answer, gets off his bike and stands in front of me.

"She didn't want to come. She just went back to the cabin."

Pat makes a disapproving gesture; he scrunches up his face and purses his lips.

"Shall we race?" I try to distract him.

"No, I want to go back to the cabin. I'll go see why Bella didn't want to come."

"Pat..." I stop his arm. "We don't need Isabella to have fun."

"I know we don't. I want to go with her, though."

I let him go.

«Why did you have to show up Isabella?»

I start a different route where the road is clear and the air hits my face hard.

I need to stay away from Isabella for the rest of the day.

I begin to believe that bringing her with us was a big mistake. She should not be around. I have to figure out how to get her away.

I keep my word. I arrive at the cabin at night, everything is dark and quiet. Stealthily I walk straight to the back porch; Isabella and Pat are around a fire, each wrapped in a blanket.

"Hey, where were you? You missed the great adventure of slipping on the ice. We climbed up the hill, Dad, and from there..., zaz! It was awesome!"

"I'm glad," I smile at Pat as I pull the blanket up around his shoulders. "We'll leave early tomorrow."

"Ah, that's not fair," he protests, taking my hand away. "Why, Dad? If we have to take Bella to other places, like the ski lift..."

"Pat," I interrupt, "we shouldn't depend on your friend's time." I stare at Isabella. "She must attend to her homework. I don't know, maybe she needs her Sunday to do her unfinished tasks, right?"

Isabella looks disgruntled, bites her lip and without taking her eyes off mine, nods.

Pat reacts with the same tantrum he does when things don't go his way. He gets angry, fleeing inside.

I'm about to turn around.

"Edward," her voice paralyzes me. I feel as if she's beginning to rule my senses. It's strange how it makes me feel just hearing the timbre of her voice. "I want to return the exact amount your father deposited with me. I would like you to help me. I don't have the slightest idea how to do it."

"Monday go to the office. I will instruct my secretary to help you. Good night," I answer as dryly as possible.

As my head sinks into the pillow all I can think about is going home. I want the damn time to pass quickly, and she can be gone from our lives forever.

In the morning I'm in a better mood Pat and I take charge of getting the luggage upstairs while Isabella has been quiet since she woke up.

I see her open the passenger door, I walk over to her and stop her.

"What are you doing?"

"It's obvious, getting in."

"Yes, but I don't want you to take my son's place. Your place is in the back seat."

Her reaction is what I expected: in her eyes I see disappointment. Disenchanted, she opens the back door and gets in. For the rest of the ride she doesn't say another word to me.

As we park in front of her building; she takes her luggage down and doesn't allow my help. When she says goodbye she only says goodbye to Pat.

"Are you going to the office tomorrow?" I ask hoping she will say a word. She drags her suitcase and continues walking to the entrance. "I need to know it so I can talk to Angela about it."

"I don't know," she answers in a bitter tone passing one of the wheels over my boot. She's mad at me. Well, that's what I wanted, isn't it? I must feel good. Instead I'm annoyed that I'm not getting the attention I need from her.

Without turning to look at me she enters her building. Without a single glance at me, she slams the door in my face.

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After several arguments with my son because of my bad behavior with Isabella. Monday arrives without a hitch.

"So you spent a weekend with Bella, huh?"

Jacob is waiting first thing in the office, not that he intends to work, no. He's here because he wants to know the ins and outs of everything related to my time share with Isabella.

"Black, we are behind on work." I try to divert the subject, turn on the laptop and stare at the screen.

"Pat posted every picture of the three of you at the resort."

I raise my eyes above the screen; he won't shut up.

"My son invited her with us, she accepted, and we went. Enough?"

Jacob leans back in his chair. He's smiling insolently at me; he knows I hate being asked about my life.

"I analyzed every post," he comments. "You looked happy."

I exhale.

I massage my temples controlling my mood. I certainly won't reveal that I've been kicking the Isabella thing around and the conclusion still isn't clear in my head.

"By the way, in a snapshot Pat posted that Bella was his dad's girlfriend."

"Pat did what?" standing up I look all over the desk for my cell phone.

"If you don't have Instagram, you won't find anything. Pat posted there and that's how I looked at your great weekend." He raises his eyebrows, and his mocking laugh appears. "Tell me, are you taking her to the wedding?"

"Jake, I still don't know if I can attend your wedding, I have so many things to do that time has overtaken me." That unbearable human being is my best friend. The only one who has been with me in hard times and worse. Of course I would never miss his wedding.

I laugh when his smile fades.

"I'm just kidding. Of course I'll be there."

"You have a lousy sense of humor," he declares.

"Show me the publications Pat made," I order with my hand outstretched.

I can't possibly have smiled like that. I look at the post from every angle I can see: we're sitting in the snow and I'm holding Isabella by the shoulders while my son takes the selfie.

"Will you take her to the wedding? Tanya already made an invitation for her, here it is," he places the elegant white envelope on the table labeled with Isabella Swan's name.

I just look at the envelope without touching it and sit back down.

"I don't think she can attend, maybe she has plans."

I won't explain that on Sunday I was being a jerk to her. Probably the last thing she wants is to accompany me to a party.

"You're supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend, aren't you? You need to keep up that lie at least until they find out what Carlisle is up to."

This time Jacob's right.

"How dare you leave me stranded?" Charlotte comes banging on the office door. "I was waiting all Friday for Patrick. I called you and your cell phone was off. Turns out you did it because you were with your lover," she laughs. "You're a fucking cynic."

Jake and I stand up.

"I demand an explanation, Edward Cullen," she demands, slapping her hand on the desk.

Jacob gestures with a mock mockery before walking out and shutting the door.

"You don't demand anything from me."

"You're wrong. I have every right to demand that my time with Patrick be respected."

"Stop pretending, Charlotte. I did you a favor by not bringing my son to you. What's more, I've already decided that Pat will spend time with you only if he wants to. I'm not going to force him anymore."

She cocks her head to one side, looking at me defiantly.

"I don't understand," she crosses her arms. "What's the reason for your change?"

"My reasons are none of your business. If Pat doesn't want to spend time with you, we'll respect his decision."

"I disagree!"

"Your opinion is totally irrelevant, Charlotte. Accept it, you're happy because I won't force you to be with my son anymore." I go straight to the door, opening it for her to come out. "Now go away," I point. "He doesn't want to see you."

"I've just understood your game," her coral lips tighten, "And you won't push me aside for anyone. If that vapid Irina didn't get me out of Patrick's life, some stupid teenage girl won't."

"Get the hell out of here," I growl.

Charlotte walks out of the office wiggling her hips; angry, I slam the door harder than necessary.

I rub my beard catching my eye at the invitation on the desk.

"They say there's always a first time," I mutter. "So I'll go begging for the first time," with the invitation in my hand I know what to look for Isabella.

I don't take long to get there. As soon as I'm outside the campus I start my search of the place amidst the students coming and going.

I dial her cell phone number and it sends me to voicemail.

I start to ask one or another university student and no one knows how to give me a reason. Desperate, I make my way through groups of students about to enter the institution when I spot her walking with Jessica and another blonde teenager.

"Isabella!" I shout her name with more enthusiasm than I should. She freezes when she sees me, and I smile like an imbecile. "Hello."

I'm fucked.

I like Isabella Marie Swan.

In today's chapter Edward acknowledges that he likes her and tries to put distance by being a jerk at first. However, he is the one who seeks her out. What do you think Bella should do?

THANK YOU FOR READING!