AN: Hiya. Thanks to everyone who waited so patiently and to everyone who reviewed!

Chapter 2

"The Police, the Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones. I mean come on, what's up with all the "thes"? I think pretty much all the 1970s punk rock bands have some form of "the" in their name," Edward stated with an eye roll as he continued to rifle through my CDs that were currently spread out all over my floor.

It was Tuesday night and Edward and I were having our typical Tuesday night music session. We had almost the exact same taste in music and we were constantly finding new bands. When we first discovered our shared tastes, we were constantly emailing each other links to new bands, burning each other CDs, and calling each other over at school to listen to the best band ever. Eventually, we figured that all of this was getting way too distracting at school so we formed our Tuesday night meetings. Every Tuesday we would come over to my house or his and bring all the music we found over the week and share it. Burning the CDs or downloading the latest together. I still remember our first Tuesday meeting…

~Flashback~

"Edward, come here! You've got to hear this," I yelled across the hall as soon as I saw the back of Edward's head. He turned around, searching for me, and I could see his eyes light up when he realized I was waving my ipod in the air. I grinned at him, happy that he enjoyed this as much as I did.

By 7th grade, I was already head over heels in love with him, of course, but he didn't have much interest in girls. His interests ran in sports, hanging out with his buddies, and, obviously, music. Fortunately for me, we had the last one in common.

As he jogged over to my side and stopped right in front of me, I had to tell my heart to keep beating because just looking at his amazingly gorgeous 13-year-old-boy face made me want to swoon like an idiot. I cleared my throat stupidly and turned back to the task at hand.

"Ok, so I just found this awesome new band called the Decemberists. They just signed with that record company we like, Capitol Records? They have a solidly folk rock sound that you would think echoes their lyrics, but really, their lyrics take a more storytelling approach instead of the usual introspective, badass lyrics. You'll like them." He laughed as I finished my rant and took the ear bud I handed to him.

He bobbed his head in time with the music and laughed along with me at the silly lyrics. When the song was finished, he handed it back with a smile.

"I really like them. Where'd you find them? Do you have any more of their songs?" he asked with a sparkle in his eyes.

"I found them on this awesome website last night when I was searching for related bands to Norfolk and Western, that super indie band I showed you Sunday. I have their whole EP that came out a couple years ago and I was going to get their newest CD today after school. Want to join?"

"Yeah, definitely! It's Tuesday so I don't have any practices today. I'll meet you at your house after school?"

"Perfect. See you!" As I walked down the hallway to my seventh grade English class, I couldn't help smiling at the fact that Edward was willing to spend his one free afternoon with me.

That night, after we had gone to the nearest music store to pick up the CD, we were sprawled on my floor with our 2 ipods between us. Showing each other what we liked and loved.

"Ok, now this band has more of a classic rock feel to it but is mixed in with some modern day pop so it gives a nice contrast. See, there! Did you hear that piano solo? Totally original. I'm going to do that someday, you know?" he said as he was lying with his head touching mine and his feet facing my door. I was opposite, with my feet pointing towards my window. I rolled my head up to look at him and saw that he was doing the same.

"You could totally do that, Edward. It wouldn't even be hard for you. If you just found people with the same passion and talent that you have, you could easily be the next Rogue Wave. I'd, of course, become your groupie."

He laughed. "For some reason, I just can't imagine you as a groupie, Bells. 'Oh Edward! Will you sign my forehead? Oh Edward! You played so well tonight, meet me in the back, would you?'" he said in a high pitched voice. I was cracking up at his attempt to talk in a girlie voice.

"Was that supposed to be me?" I managed to choke out. He just laughed and shook his head. As we continued to talk and listen to music together, we both realized that we didn't hang out as much as we used to any more and this was the first time in a long time that we hung out for hours.

"I have an idea," he stated as he sat up. I followed suit and turned around to look at him.

"Ok, shoot."

"What if we did this every Tuesday? Because Tuesdays are always free for me anyways and I miss my Jingle Bells! We could save up all our music that we find over the week and share it with each other on Tuesday. That way, we have something to look forward to, we won't keep being distracted at school, and I get to see you," he finished off as he smiled down at me. I blushed bright red at his last comment but nodded my head anyways.

"I think it sounds perfect."

~End Flashback~

From then on, each Tuesday was devoted to one another. Eventually, we grew a little less busy and were able to meet more than just Tuesdays. In fact, most school days, Edward would come over to my house after practice and we would do our homework together. You would think that because he was with Tanya, he would devote most of his time to her, but she only got him on the weekends, and even then only for a couple hours at a time. I, on the other hand, was at his house most weekends with Alice, so I saw him then too. It was perfect.

As I refocused on what Edward was saying, I realized that he was holding out a CD for me to take.

"I think that the "thes" adds to the overall dynamics of their names. I mean, imagine if it was just, "Clash," or "White Stripes." The "thes" single them out, make them important. It's like they're saying that they're the Clash, not just any Clash, but the only one there is. I like it. Oh, here, listen to this one," I said as I pulled up a song on my laptop that was sitting in front of us on the floor. I turned the volume up and poked play, just as Edward's phone ringer went off. I rolled my eyes and handed him the phone that had fallen next to me.

"I'm sorry, Bells. Just give me one second." He pleaded as he glanced down at the caller id screen. I waved him off and pressed pause, trying to limit the noise level. I got up and flopped onto my bed on the opposite side of the room, attempting to give him some privacy.

"Tanya, hey," he said as he walked out onto my deck. Ever since yesterday's fight, Edward hadn't talked to Tanya, and she hadn't called him-until now. I new once her name flashed across that screen that they would make up which means he would be leaving soon to go be with her.

I could hear him talking in a soothing voice, which meant that they were definitely making up. I sighed rolled off the bed, walking over to grab my guitar from my music corner of my room. Even though I wasn't the best guitar player, I loved playing more than anything else and it always helped me relax.

I played covers most of the time, but just recently I became interested in writing my own music. As I was rifling through Regina Spektor on my ipod one time and really listening to her lyrics, I realized that she used so much of her life experience and, better yet, other people's life experience to tell stories in her songs, much like the Decemberists but even better. I realized that I usually had quite a lot to say and one way to say it is through music. I had always loved to read and write. I mean writing was one of my best outlets, whether it was poetry, short stories, or the ramblings in my head, I was always writing whatever I was thinking. With my new found discovery, I started changing my writing into lyrics. I loved being able to create my own music and have it be special to me and no one else. Even Edward didn't know I wrote my own songs.

I sat back on my bed with my guitar, Anne, and started fiddling with Petra Haden's cover of the Coldplay song "Yellow." It was one of my favorites to play on the guitar and it held a special place in my heart ever since my sophomore year.

~Flashback~

I looked at my window to see the snow gently falling onto the ground and groaned at the thought of putting chains on my car. Yesterday at school, I was talking with Edward and he even told me to do it yesterday so I wouldn't have to do it in the snow this morning. I quickly forgot all about our conversation though because we got into a fight last night. We were supposed to hang out that night at the park near our house and I was waiting for him on the swings. I was freezing and he was late, something that was becoming all too usual for him. Ever since he started hanging out with Tanya, he was forgetting our Tuesday meetings, our lunch dates, and just me in general. This meeting was supposed to make up for all his missed meetings. After ten minutes of waiting, I called him to see if he was almost here but it went straight to his voicemail. When twenty minutes passed, I called him again and got the same response. For the next half an hour, I called every ten minutes, each time leaving an even angrier message than the last, threatening to leave. When an hour had passed and he hadn't called or come, I decided to go home. My hands were frozen because I had forgotten my gloves at home, and it hurt to move. I was so angry at him though, so I didn't feel anything. When I was walking home, I passed his house and noticed his room light was on. What the hell?

I walked up to his house and knocked on the door. Esme, Edward's mom, opened the door.

"Bella? What are you doing here?"

"I was supposed to meet Edward an hour ago at the park and he never came. Is he here? Because if he is, I want to give him a nice kick in the shins." I said with exasperation coloring my voice.

"He's upstairs, sweetie. And you have my full permission to kick him wherever you see fit," she said angrily and stepped aside to let me in. I didn't even bother to take off my shoes or jacket, I just marched straight up the stairs to the room that was as familiar as my own. I didn't knock, which I should have, and just barged right into his room.

"Oh my god," I said with a gasp as I took in the scene before me.

Edward was laying on the bed with just his jeans on, Tanya was hovering over him in only her bra and jeans, and they were full on making out. At my outburst, Edward sat up so fast that Tanya rolled off the bed and onto the floor with a shriek.

"Bella! What are you doing here?" he asked with shock covering his face. I could feel my face reddening in anger and I glared at him.

"Does the park ring a bell?" I asked icily.

"Oh my god. Bells, I'm so sorry. I completely forgot! I got home from school early and Tanya was on my door step waiting for me and we got to talking and…" he trailed off. By now, Tanya had gotten back up and was standing between me and Edward, looking back and forth between us.

"So you skipped out on your best friend to screw your girlfriend. Some best friend you are. You know what, you can go to hell, Edward. I don't want any more excuses from you. You are the worst friend EVER!" I yelled as I stormed out of his room.

"Baby, what's going on?" I heard Tanya ask in her high pitched voice.

"Tanya, not now." Edward growled as I heard his footsteps coming down the hallway behind me. At the end by the stairs, I saw Alice's door swing open and she stepped out.

"Bella, what happened?" she said as she took in my livid expression and her brother running after me.

"Why don't you ask him, Alice. Because it looks like I just don't matter anymore." My voice broke as my eyes started to water.

"I've got to get out of here," I said as I ran down the stairs and out the door.

"Bella, come on! Will you just wait a second?" Edward yelled after me but I ignored him. I ran down the street and into my house, slamming the door behind me.

I threw my jacket and boots on the floor by the door, thanking my lucky stars that my dad wasn't here to see me in my current state. A few seconds later, I heard banging on the door.

"Bella?" pound pound pound.

"Bella, let me in!" pound pound pound.

"Bella, I'm sorry I forgot! I'm sorry I'm such an awful friend! I'm sorry I hurt you! But please, just let me in!" pound. I walked over to the door slowly and looked out the peephole to see Edward with his head leaning against the door in only his jeans and bare feet. I sighed and cleared my voice.

"Edward, you need to go home. I am angry right now and might say things I will regret if we talk now, so just please, leave me alone. We can talk tomorrow," I said calmly and clearly.

"Bella," I heard him whisper and then I heard as he walked down the steps and into the street. I went up to my bed room that night, taking a hot shower and turned on my ipod.

I don't think I had ever been as angry at him as I was at that point. I wanted nothing more than to never talk to him again. He hurt me deeply, and the worst part was, he didn't know he was doing it. When I walked in on them, I thought my heart was going to break (as melodramatic as that sounds). I loved him so much and it hurt like hell to see him practically screwing another girl. He didn't love her, I knew that much. But he was a teenage boy with a girlfriend. I lost to her so many times and I felt like tonight was the last time I could handle it.

I laid down on my bed with my face in my pillow listening to my music playing softly in the background. I thought about how I felt when I was with him versus how I felt without him. When I was with him, I felt like the luckiest girl in the entire world. I felt special to him. I felt the love radiating from my body. When I was without him, I felt like I wasn't completely me. So much of who I was came from him and his powerful influence over me. I felt like a part of me was always missing when he was gone and I hated it. But lately, I hated being with him even more. When I was with him now, I knew that it wasn't me that kept the sparkle in his eyes. It wasn't me who he called every night. It wasn't me that was on top of him in his bedroom. It was some other girl that had his heart and how I hated that fact. It hurt so bad to know that I had lost him. Not only did I lose the hope that he could love me too, but I lost my best friend. He never called me, he never hung out with me, he only ever blew me off. I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

I was moments away from deciding that being his friend was just too painful any more. I wanted to never speak to him again, hoping that I could get over him in time. His idiocy lately wouldn't make it as hard as it would have been. But you could never be happy without him, Bella. As soon as that thought entered my mind, I knew it was true. And at that moment, Yellow by Coldplay came on. I laughed out loud at the irony of the situation and then I quieted, listening to the music and lyrics.

Look at the stars,

Look how they shine for you,

And everything you do,

Yeah they were all yellow,

I came along

I wrote a song for you

And all the things you do

It was called "Yellow"

So then I took my turn

Oh what a thing to have done

And it was all yellow

Your skin,

Oh yeah your skin and bones

Turn in to something beautiful

You know, you know I love you so

You know I love you so

I swam across

I jumped across for you

Oh what a thing to do

Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line

I drew a line for you

Oh what a thing to do

And it was all yellow

Your skin

Oh yeah your skin and bones

Turn in to something beautiful

You know for you I'd bleed myself dry

For you I'd bleed myself dry

It's true look how they shine for you

Look how they shine for you…

Look at the stars, look how they shine for you

And all the things you do.

As the song ended, I realized that I could never give up Edward. My stars shone for him and only him. I would do anything for him and if I really loved him like I truly believed I did, and then I would be content to just be with him, friend or girlfriend, it didn't matter as long as I was with him. I was like a sick little puppy, being content with whatever scraps were thrown my way. But that's how it was, and it wasn't going to change anytime soon. After my revelation, I fell into a fitful sleep, not looking forward to our conversation tomorrow.

The next morning, I woke up to the annoying beeps of my alarm clock. As I opened my eyes, I realized that it was very quiet outside and there was a glow coming from my window. I tipoed over to the window and groaned at the sight in front of me, knowing now why Edward had suggested me putting the chains on my tires yesterday.

How I cursed my laziness now. It was sure to be freezing cold and I was going to get soaking wet. I padded over to my closet and yanked out my heavy snow jacket and boots, gearing up for the job at hand. Another reason I hated snow was the fact that, where there was snow, there was ice. Me being the completely uncoordinated person I am, I always slipped on the ice like an idiot. Luckily these snow boots had some traction.

I clomped down stairs and grabbed my keys off the hook by the door and the chains from the hall closet and walked outside. I slowly walked down the steps and toward the side of our house where our driveway was, careful not to slip and fall on my butt. As I rounded the corner, I noticed something shiny glinting from the bottom of my truck. I dropped the chain box out of pure shock and ran over to see that my truck's tires were already coated with thick chains. My mouth popped open in shock and I noticed that there was a note taped to the inside of my car door. I stepped closer to read:

"I'm sorry…and I told you so " written in Edward's messy scrawl. My eyes filled up at the sweet gesture in front of me and I forgave him on the spot. I wasn't going to let him off easy though. No, I'd make him earn my trust back again, somehow. But I knew that I could never stay mad at him, I loved him too damned much.

~End Flashback~

"What song is that?" Edward asked as he shut his phone and came walking back into the room. I stopped playing and smiled up at him.

"Just something that reminds me of why I'm here."