How To Become A Girl
Chapter Eighteen
My recovery time has been really boring. It was pretty much the same everyday. We still couldn't find Riley. And my hopes are really going down on that one. Edward has been staying here at the house most of the time. He's been a great friend. Oh and yeah, I got the results. I'm clean. I'm safe. I'm good. Honestly, despite this rape thing, I've been feeling good, happy. Anyway, back to Edward...He's a great cook, too. He cooks all the time for me. But he doesn't sleep here as much as I expected him, too. Okay. Maybe I expected too much. I expected him to be here all the time. I mean it. All the time. He's got school. I've been excused, so maybe most part of my days were boring but he'd do such a great job in entertaining me when he comes back from school along with Jazz and Em and Alice and Rose. We'd play a lot of Guitar Hero and House of the Dead. It was fun. He tucks me in bed, waits for me to fall asleep before going home. He'd make a perfect boyfriend one day. I didn't say, my perfect boyfriend. Just in general...Oh. Whatever. I don't even know why Tanya broke up with him. I mean he's the best guy I've ever met.
It's my birthday today. Nothing really special. I'm turning 19, so what? It's not much of a big deal. To me. I haven't told Alice yet. Hell, I haven't told anybody it was my birthday. Except Jazz and Em. But they knew that birthday parties aren't really my thing. So they're both hush-hush.
I was going to spend the day normally, like how I would spend a sunday normally. I just recovered, physically, from what Riley did. I may still have small patches of bruises here and there but they're barely visible. So, I could go swimming now or I could go back to playing ball. I miss football. Or...I can just stay in my bedroom, study shit. I've been going to school again since Wednesday. As expected, Riley dropped out. I'm angry and relieved all at the same time. Angry because, I won't ever get my revenge on him and relieved because, I will never see him again. Ever. So. I ended up with nobody to team up with for the project. I talked to my professor and he said if I could do it alone, decently, then he'll give me a hundred for the finals. Yay for me, right? I thought so.
I was gorging on a plate of waffles, prepared by Dorota. And, mmm...I've never had anything better! Okay. I was sidetracked again. Anyway, Emmett came up to me and hugged me from behind, eventually lifting me off the counter. Yep, I was sitting on the counter. What? It's my birthday. I can do whatever I want and eat wherever I want.
"Happy Birthday!" Emmett almost shouted, good thing I turned around in time and shoved half a waffle into his mouth. He mmed too. "I guess that's your way to tell me to shut the fuck up. Damn! This thing is heaven!" He took another bite and savored it.
"Dorota made it for me." I smiled at him.
"Tell her to make some for me." He took the carton of milk from the fridge.
Just then, Jasper came in the kitchen and was about to scream happy birthday, too. But I shushed him. But clearly that didn't do it. He came up to me and hugged me then whispered the words.
"What are your plans for today?" Jasper also took a piece of the waffle.
"Can you stop taking my breakfast away?" I pouted then continued, "Nothing. I don't know. Maybe I'll swim or play football or study."
"Dude, you deserve a party!" Emmett bellowed.
"You say that every year." I shrugged. "I don't want a party. I'm 19 not 7 years old."
"When you were seven, I remember how we played the whole day with your dad. We played chase, football, water guns and stuff." Emmett gulped down his glass. "I miss him."
"Me too." I shrugged and continued eating my plate of waffles. Or what's left of it.
Jasper's phone rang next to me. I saw 'Charlie' flash on the screen. "Ooh. Speak of the devil." I picked it up, "Hello?"
"Hey, buddy! Happy Birthday!" At least nobody heard him.
Emmett and Jasper shot up their eyebrows at me. Or so, I thought nobody heard him.
"Thanks, dad." I smiled at the phone.
"I miss you, Bella. You're coming over for Thanksgiving, right?" He asked.
"Yeah, yeah. Definitely!" I assured him.
"You better drag Jasper and Em along." He laughed.
"I'll put you on speaker. They're here." I put it on speaker just like I told him and Jasper and Em bombarded him with 'hellos' and 'what's ups'.
They caught up with each other and Jasper and Emmett agreed to join us for Thanksgiving. I can't wait for home. I can't wait for that nostalgic feeling. I miss Forks. A lot.
Alice came over with Rose just like every Sunday. And they puzzled over why I hid in my room almost whole morning, coming out only when Edward finally arrived. No. Actually, I didn't even leave my room. We hung around in it. He looked out the window that splayed a part of the pool within the confides of the pane.
"You up for a swim?" He asked me, sitting next to me on the bed. I was fixing my iTunes. I was trying to distract myself that today is the day I turn 19.
"Huh?" I glanced up at him but continued to fix my songs. "Swim?" I said unmindfully, "Yeah. Sure. Just let me finish this."
Oscar Wilde...by...Company of Thieves...Pressure...by...Company of Thieves...I double-clicked Oscar Wilde (Acoustic) by Company of Thieves and it played out from my computer. I continued to fix my songs...French Navy, The Sweetest Thing...both by...Camera Obscura...
"Bella?" He shut my computer close.
"Hey! I was doing stuff there!" I almost scolded him.
"Yeah. I loved the song that you played. But! I've been calling your attention for the past five minutes. I've asked you to play football with me, you said yes. I've asked you to have lunch with me, you said yes. I've asked you to swim with me, you said yes! Bella, pay attention!" He searched for my eyes.
I looked straight at him.
"What's up? You're like on another planet. Is everything alright?" He took my chin between his fingers and turned my head to the side.
"I, uh," I was saved by the phone, that I borrowed from Jazz for the meantime, beeping. I swear, I was about to tell him that it is my birthday. But I couldn't. I was having a hard time. And since, the phone was on the table side next to Edward, he picked it up.
"Why would Emmett text you? Isn't he like next door?" He shook his head.
I shrugged and opened my notebook again, continuing with the songs.
"Wait. It's your birthday?" His eyes seemed like it was going to bulge out of their sockets.
"What? Who told you that?" I looked back at him. But I focused on his lips, instead of his eyes. Ooh. Pink, plump lips. Ha! I've kissed those before...when I was...drunk. Fail.
He waved the phone in front of me. The message read:
Hey, birthday girl! Join us for a swim?
I hurried off the bed to look out the window that Edward was looking out a while ago. Surely, they were there in their bikinis, waving at me, inviting us to go down. I turned around to shake my head but Edward's countenance caught me off guard. I had to laugh so hard. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open. I went to close it and go back to fixing my songs. I was giving him time to compose himself.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He faced me when he's finally back on earth.
"Don't feel so bad. I didn't tell anybody. Jazz and Em happen to know it because we've been friends, since." I shrugged.
"I'm throwing you in the pool!" He threw me over his shoulder just like Emmett had nights ago.
I pounded my fist on his back but it didn't work. "Just don't tell Al and Rose! Please!" I'll take the pool. Alice and Rose? Out of the question. They're a force! He ran down the stairs and into the backyard. I was hearing 'woos' and whistles until the water drenched me. I swam up to the surface only to find them grouped together in front of me with a bottle of champagne. I groaned and sunk back into the water.
"She's not gonna last long. She'll come up for air." I heard Jasper say.
Oh Damn! I'm really running out of breath and I had to go up. When I did, though, I splashed them a wave.
"Bella! Why didn't you tell us anything?" Alice was shaking her head while she held a two-piece suit in between her two fingers.
"Who told you?" I glared at her.
"Esme. She called to tell you happy birthday." She nodded while she pulled me out of the water. She wrapped me in a robe then she thrust the bathing suit in my hands.
Esme? How in the world? Oh. Right. My resume.
"My mom knew?" Edward whipped his head to me.
"I didn't know she knew!" I shrugged.
"Can you just put that on, now?" Alice had her hands on her hips. She pushed me into to the house and I hurried into the bathroom near the kitchen to change. It was late that I realized that I would be showing too much skin. I had on a simple dark brown bikini that clearly showed to much. For me, at least. I put back on the robe. I am not jumping into the pool another time.
I tried to run upstairs to my room. I went through my clothes for a pair of pants. I got my hands on a khaki cargo pants. I decided that was probably the best I could get. Now...I know there's a shirt somewhere near my bed. I ran to look for it there. I bent down to look under the bed and then I saw the door open and a pair of sneakers entered my room. I quickly kneeled and looked at who it was. EDWARD.
He laughed at me. Saying sorry and something about leaving his phone in here. I stood up and I found the shirt. I put it on and punched him on the biceps. Pretty sure didn't even hurt a bit. He laughed again and I ran back down to the pool. Alice practically scolded me for putting something on to hide the suit. So, hiding was useless. She was stripping me in no time. She took off my shirt and I held on to the button of my pants. Uh-uh. She's not taking that off.
"Come on, Bella. You should be happy, I didn't invite more." She swatted my hand away. She started unbuttoning the pants and it felt wrong. I decided, I'd do it instead.
"Alice! I think I can take off my clothes by myself." I blushed first before I closed my eyes and took off the last piece of clothing that would save me from embarrassment.
I heard Edward laugh before Jasper and Em whistled.
"See? They like bikini Bella." Rose kissed my cheek, "Happy Birthday!"
I rolled my eyes and groaned. They were also wearing bikinis. Rose had a red one while Alice went for a yellow one.
Alice gasped, "Bella! You didn't tell me you had a body of a Victoria's Secret Model."
Edward chuckled, "I agree."
I blushed. He'd seen more than this.
"I can't believe nothing ever happened to us!" Jasper teased.
"Perv!" I shouted at him and stuck my tongue out. They laughed.
"We technically grew up together and I never saw you naked. Sucks." Emmett pouted.
I glared at him then jumped in the pool. I couldn't take anymore of it. I stayed underwater for a good minute then came back up. I maintained to let the rest of my body under the water. Alice joined me after a while with Rose. I kept my distance. Who knows what they might do next. I stayed in the water until I was wrinkled and pruny. And until, Jazz and Em joined to play splash with the girls. Edward handed me a robe, so I was easily covered. How he got a robe for me, I don't exactly know.
I sat beside Edward on the bench and we watched the four splash around in the pool. I noticed that we were moving slowly towards one another. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me even closer. I fit perfectly under his arm. And it felt...nice. Eventually, I leaned my head on shoulder.
"You aren't going to swim?" I asked him.
"I don't have spare clothes." His chest vibrated when he chuckled.
"Oh." My head fell back into his shoulder more and I closed my eyes. This feels nice. So nice, I might just fall asleep. And hell, I did. If there's anyone who sleeps during their birthdays, it's me.
I woke up a little later and I was already on my bed. And it was already dark. I rolled to my other side and I came face to face with Edward. My eyes widened and I pulled back a little. Our faces were mere inches from one another.
He smiled my favorite smile, "Hey."
I smiled back, "Hey."
"You want to have dinner? Out? Together?" His eyebrows shot up.
"Um...Sure." I was grinning this time. "Are the rest going to join us?"
"About that...I was thinking...that maybe...we could go...just us. The two of us." He shrugged.
Oh. So. Was he asking me out? "Sh-sure." I rolled back on my back. "Let me just get dressed." I stood up and took a bath to wash out the chlorine in my hair. I decided, I'd wear something casual. Grey skinnies, lose v-neck shirt and my favorite pair of black Chucks.
"Should I change?" I asked before I pocketed some money and my phone.
"No. You look adorable." He smiled that crooked smile.
Concerning about chapter sixteen, I'd like to apologize about that. All you ladies...if you witness anything like what happened to Bella, if you're a friend of somebody who went through the same, if that was you, which I wish wasn't. Please. Please. Please. Go to the cops immediately. File a report. Seek help. Bella was stupid and so was Edward. But this is fiction land. I know that's not a good excuse but it's true. Bella made a mistake and if you were in her shoes in real life, it shouldn't be yours, too. So, please, take care of yourselves.
Oh, and, school has started for me so my posts might be delayed and slow. And I'm sorry for that in advance. I have to balance things out. I hope you, guys, understand. :) Thanks for reading, reviewing and loving.
I love you, too. :)