Alright, I don't remember how long it's been since I updated, but it doesn't matter does it? No, it doesn't. It doesn't matter because I have NO reviews for this story. And it's good. I know it is. I write good stuff. Look around my stories. Yeah, I told you. HA! So, that means you have to review. You have to.

Enjoy...Well...the few of you who actually READ! -pouts off-

"True love. Is it normal,

Is it serious, is it practical?

………..

True love. Is it really necessary?"

-Waslawa Szymborska "True Love"

I've put it off for two days now, and Edward's persistent stares, pokes, nods, winks, and winces haven't made my epic cave-in any easier to come to terms with.

I have to face Veronica.

Today.

Alone.

"Go ahead. Do it!" Emmett said as he pushed me through the hall to the place where he told Veronica I would meet her at 12:30. He said I "wanted to talk." I don't want to talk. I have nothing against her; she could find the cure to cancer, but this wasn't the circumstance I wanted. Ever.

"You do it!" I hissed as I made my way through the empty hall. Everyone, every possible witness to my demise, was at lunch, and I was no match for Emmett when it came to if he wanted something done. He was…oh…200 something, and I'm….oh…120 something. Not much of a matchup.

"Veronica isn't in love with me!" he hissed back, still pushing.

"Why doesn't Edward do his own dirty work, then?"

"Edward's lazy, and plus, this plan is foolproof. Edward will be in the hall behind Veronica. He'll see and hear everything, and he had EMS on standby."

I stopped and turned to stare at Emmett with wide and weary eyes, "Emmett!"

He stopped pushing and held his hands up in defense, "I'm kidding. Only kidding. Now, you have like a minute, so…any last words?"

"Tell Alice she can have my clothes and she's been the best friend I could ever have," I sniffled. Alice had known about this little arrangement and she said it would be good for me. She discussed it with Emmett and he said it would be perfectly safe, and Alice amounted it to Edward and I having some alone time. Alone time! Really! There won't be much alone time when I get a face-full of fist!

"You wanted to talk to me?" I heard a voice come from behind me. I said a quick prayer, preparing to turn around, but she was in front of me when I opened my eyes. "Why are your eyes closed?"

"I have itchy contacts," I nodded excitedly, the anxiety of my death evident in my tone.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, "You wanted to tell me you have itchy contacts?"

People only shift from side to side when they're nervous. Right? "No, uh…I wanted to talk to you because—"

"Please, don't hit me. Please! I'm sorry. I didn't know it was your lunch, I swear!" she held her hands in front of her face, bracing for impact.

"Edward's my—What?" I was so prepared and recited for the "Edward's my boyfriend" ruse, I wasn't expecting anything more. Much less her…fear.

"I took your lunch. I didn't have one. I'm sorry. I thought it was abandoned, but after I opened it…and ate it, I saw where it said Bella. I saw how mad you were, and I kind of froze…and left. I thought you knew it was me." Veronica's breaths came out in heaves and she stepped back a few steps.

I had no idea what she was talking about until I remembered a week ago when my lunch 'disappeared' from the fridge. I amounted it up to Emmett taking it, but I had a bad day, so I wasn't in the best of moods. Probably why Veronica thought I was mad at her.

"No, that's okay. Wait, do I scare you?" I said the last sentence without thinking, which wasn't what I usually did. Okay, it was what I usually did, but I didn't mean to say it now.

Veronica's tone dropped a few volume levels, "A little."

My shoulders relaxed and I looked around me. I felt safe to now, since I wasn't watching her every move, waiting for the swing, and I saw Edward behind her, waving for my attention. He mouthed "tell her" over and over.

"Oh…well…hmm…what's up with you and Edward?" I was never very good at changing subjects. No, I was good at it; I just wasn't very…subtle.

Her face changed a few shades. So she wasn't—"He's cute. Don't you think?"

If she only knew…"We're dating." I said the words with such…truth that I almost believed myself for a minute. It felt natural to say it. I felt giggly and ticklish inside when I said it.

We both heard a hiss come from behind Veronica, where Edward was. She was going to turn to see what it was before I stopped her, this was my chance "Oh, I have to go, but I just wanted to tell you that. He's a little on the self-conscious side and he gets all hissy when he thinks another girl likes him. He's all about me nowadays, and I have to do his dirty work for him, so it would make mine and his life a whole lot easier if you just kind of toned the liking him down a few notches, okay?" I talked faster than I thought she could understand, because she just stared at me for a second. Well, stared with her one exposed eye.

"Wait, you think I like him?" her tone rose a few octaves, and I prepared for the worst.

"You said he was cute," I stated.

She adjusted a few of the chains on her pants and watched me closely, "Yeah, I said he was cute. That's it. I don't like him. I'm dating a guy up in Port Angeles anyway."

So she doesn't like girls at all. That's a shock. "Oh," I was still in shock, "well, I guess this was all a big misunderstanding. I'm sorry for any inconvenience." I was embarrassed beyond anything else and I saw Edward, standing in the middle of the hall behind Veronica, mouth dropped into a wide O.

Edward saw me coming, and Veronica turning around, and dashed back into his hiding spot, "Wait," Veronica's voice stopped my red-faced exit, "I'm happy for you two." The look on her face was of pure happiness and enjoyment.

I was quite confused.

She continued, "Yeah, I know, I don't know you two at all, but I am very observant. I saw the way he always looked at you, and what he would say. I'm just surprised it took him so long." She finished her observations, chuckled, and began walking toward the cafeteria.

I stood watching her walk away, speechless. She saw it? Veronica? The girl no one talked to. The girl Edward and I had one class with? She saw how everyone says Edward feels about me? I should have been happy about what seemed so obvious to everyone else, but I wasn't. I was…lonely.

The images of the past years we had together flashed through my head all at once, making me slightly dizzy. I saw Edward smiling, laughing, playing, teasing, helping, and watching... me. All at me. Never at anyone else. He laughs at the jokes I tell. He smiles at the little things I do. He plays with my hair when he gets bored. He teases me about my height and any other thing he sees fit at the time. He helps me when I need it. And he watches me when he thinks I can't see. I see. I see it all. But what's stopping him?

I felt two hands come up and grab me from behind into a warm, heart-pounding bear hug, "You did great! I'm so proud of you, but I can't see why she isn't in love with me. Ah, who cares, you fixed it!" My head was pressed against his chest and it wasn't only my heart that was pounding.

-hops back- Did you like it? Hmmmm? I'm never going to know unless you review......