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A/N Unbeta'ed is unbeta'ed so please overlook my mistakes.

IMPORTANT A/N at the end

Age 12

BPOV

Cars were disgusting. The way they honked and beeped through the thick congestion every morning 'til the evening. It was already enough to drive me nuts but it wasn't just cars I hated; I did t like the middle school girls, either. Everyone was bitchy and ridiculous. Girls would start a rumor when there was absolutely nothing happening. Luckily for me, I wasn't known well enough for a rumor to start over for.

Some things I noticed in middle school were that there were many dances. Guys would ask their girls out as though it was as easy as breathing. For all I know, Kate had already started officially dating James, a guy from our year. Many girls had been kissed and had guys chasing after them but I wasn't one of them.

What surprised me most was that I didn't even want to be.

I concentrated at school, hoping that I could get good grades so that I would be able to visit Edward. It would be stupid to say, but the amazing summers with Edward were all I lived for. He was really an amazing guy, and I couldn't help but be jealous of all the girls he talked on and on about.

Flashback

The phone rang and I hesitated to pick up, in case it was my mother, who was harassing me non-stop to visit her, even though there was still school.

I breathed in a tiny breath and answered the phone, bracing myself for a high pitched squeal from my mother.

"Hello?"

I stilled. The voice took me off guard. It was Edward. Unbelievable.

"Edward?" I whispered quietly, not really quite believing it. "Is that really you?"

"Come on, B!" he laughed. "Who else would it be?"

"I don't know," I giggled. "My mother?"

I heard Edward snort. "Yeah, right. Like I sound like her."

I shook my head. "'Course not. You're my best friend."

"I know."

I could tell that he wanted to tell me something, and that he was smiling slightly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I asked Tanya out," he said abruptly. "Remember her?"

I felt my heart stop for a second. What? I wasn't completely sure I heard correctly. Surely there had to be some kind of misunderstanding. I hoped he wasn't rubbing it in my face or anything. It was Edward, after all. I was the one who knew him through and through.

"What?" I asked, hoping that I didn't sound rude.

"I asked Tanya out and she said yes!" Edward exclaimed excitedly. "I never asked a girl out before. She's my first girlfriend, can you believe that? I actually did it!"

"Wow," I smiled weakly, my voice cracking. "That's amazing."

End Flashback

"Hello, Bella!" Angela sang sweetly, hugging me tightly. "Last day of school."

"I know," I said glumly.

"Are you going anywhere?"

I grinned. "Nope, but my friends are coming here."

Angela's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh my God! Edward? Is it him?"

I laughed. "Of course!"

"Can I meet him again?" she asked, hopeful.

"'Course you can. He's bringing the whole group here, can you imagine that? Alice, Jazz, the whole lot!"

"That's brilliant!" Angela breathed.

I hugged Angela tightly. I felt bad that she didn't have friends apart from me. We were both in the same shoes and would probably always be. I always dreamed of having my own prince charming to take me away and make me popular at school, but I knew it would never happen. Guys over here only liked girls with boobs and I had none. Yet.

"You guys could come to my summer house and ride horses if you want," she offered shyly, looking down at her fingers.

Oh. Wow. She really didn't think I would reject an amazing idea like that, would she?

"That would be heaven," I said quietly. "Thank you so much for offering."

Angela smiled. "It's okay. I'm sure they don't have a chance like that over there anyway. Doesn't that place always rain?"

I nodded. "Always. Non-stop."

The day passed by in a blur. Irina was a pain like every day of the past year and I always laughed out loud when she got a detention for making out with a boy behind the classroom door. Of course she wasn't humiliated though, I doubt she would ever be. A girl like her – beautiful, blonde, face full of makeup. She sure didn't have any insecurities.

"How's school today?" Charlie asked me, without a glance. He was always watching the baseball or whatever sport it was on the television. It was his life and it was ironic that Mom was now dating a baseball coach.

It was like she was rubbing it in his face.

"Same as usual," I replied tersely. "Irina got a detention today."

"That girl?" Charlie shook his head. "Rich families never produce good kids."

"Except for Edward," I muttered, heading towards the kitchen to fix the dinner.

"Except for Edward," Charlie agreed. "Say, has he been contacting you these days? I didn't get any letters from the mailbox this past week."

I rolled my eyes. God, parents really could be so old-fashioned sometimes. "We use the phone now, Dad."

"Is he dating anyone?"

I stopped cutting the vegetables. Did he really think he was being casual.

"Um," I cleared my throat. "Yeah. That girl called Tanya."

"I thought it was Rosalie." Obviously he had been in contact with Carlisle.

"That was before, but they weren't dating. They just sort of had a kind of fling or something."

"Oh."

Silence was getting really awkward and I wanted to go into my room as soon as possible. I served Charlie his lasagna and hurried away.

The red dot in my calendar was taunting me. I had been counting down the days till Edward's arrival here. I couldn't wait. It was just two more days. Two more days of nothing and then everything would be fine.

I was so glad that Angela offered, because I was definitely planning to go horse riding. It was way better than what Rose and Tanya did. Sure, they rode motor bikes, but horses were better.

I closed my eyes and let myself drift away.

…

Two Days Later

"Bella!" A black blur crashed into me, knocking the breath out of my body.

"Alice," I said, laughing at the way she was holding me.

"I'm so excited, Bella," she squealed, her eyes wide. "I've never been to New York, and hearing Edward talking about it seems amazing."

"Don't overwhelm Bella," a voice nearby said. I recognized the velvety musical voice almost immediately.

Edward was…I didn't know what to say. It seemed that he got taller and more beautiful looking every year. His presence would always stun me into silence.

"Hi Edward," I managed to say weakly. "How are you?"

Edward grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm brilliant, Bella."

A blonde boy emerged along with Carlisle from the taxi.

"Jasper!" I gasped, my eyes wide with recognition. "Wow, you've changed."

"Just the hair," he laughed, shaking out in front of me.

"Aw, he's so cute," Alice said sweetly.

Edward and I exchanged looks. It was obvious that they were into each other. I was going to say something about it but thought better of it. I turned around to let them have their moment.

"So, Alice and Jasper?" I asked Edward, who was staring at something in the distance.

"Yep."

I raised my eyebrows. "How come you never told me about it?"

"Alice didn't want anyone to know that she had a secret crush on him."

Edward fidgeted with his fingers like he was nervous. This was a side I had never seen of him before.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." His face was blank so that I, who knew him so well, couldn't even decipher a thing.

"Alright, I do have to tell you something," he began. "It's going to make you angry, I know that. It's going to make you wish that I never came here. You're going to – "

"Shut up and tell me!" I snapped exasperatedly. "Stop telling me all this and get to the point because it is this that's making me angry."

"Tanya's coming here."

"Wait…what?" I asked, my heart pounding loudly. I heard him. I heard him and but I couldn't understand because of the dim roaring which was filling my head. It was as if the words spoken from Edward's lips changed.

"I'm sorry for doing this but she insisted to be where I was, so that we could get closer before school starts."

My heart dropped. No, no, no. Dear God, please tell me this wasn't happening.

"When?" My voice cracked and I felt my stomach dropped. Maybe this holiday was not going to be as I planned…perfect…beautiful…a chance for me to show Edward I'm not that girl.

"Today. Her father's taking her here."

I let out a large breath of air. "Well…this changes things."

Edward swallowed hard and shook his head. "I want a wonderful summer with you, Bella. I miss you, and I don't know what to say. I don't know how to talk to you because I feel like…I just feel like crap sometimes."

I managed to smile weakly at him. "Don't worry, Edward. Tanya's your new girlfriend. We should all make her very welcome. I'll be nice."

Edward nodded, not noticing my sarcasm.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Alice asked, as we returned to the group.

"Nothing."

"Come on," Alice begged. "I'm your friend so show me to your room and we can talk, okay?"

I shook my head.

"Just you and me. That's all. The boys can stay outside."

I laughed heartlessly. There was never a point to argue with Alice because you would never get your own way. She was relentless. A powering force.

"Tanya's coming, did you know that?" I hissed angrily as I slammed my door shut.

Alice looked shocked. "What?"

"You honestly didn't know?" I asked her, frustrated.

"I'm going to kill him."

"Don't," I forced a smile. "He can be with whoever he wants. I'm not jealous because I know I'm not – "

"Don't you dare say you're not good enough for him, Bella Swan," she growled.

"I'm really not," I insisted.

"He hasn't told you yet, has he?" Alice asked sadly.

The change in her mood was beginning to freak me out. "Told me what?"

"I don't know if I should be the one to tell you this. I mean, it's kind of personal," she whispered, biting her lip.

My stomach was full of butterflies. What on earth was she trying to tell me?

"Just tell me," I decided.

"To him, you're more than his best friend, Bella. To him, you're everything," Alice said. "You inspire him. Did you know that he writes music?"

I shook my head. "No."

"He does, and the inspiration is you. You're all he talks about. He's always telling everyone how he could never be like you, because you're smart and beautiful and – "

Oh my God. Oh. My. God. "Edward thinks I'm beautiful?"

Alice laughed like bells tinkling. "Of course! You don't see yourself very clearly, you know."

"B-but," I stuttered, amazed by all this. "But what about Tanya?"

Alice growled again – this time fiercer. "Don't you ever mention her name again. Not in front of my face, anyway. Esme hates her, and so does my parents. She's a little troublemaker and likes to make out with boys, especially Edward."

"Edward's kissed her?" I asked, my heart sinking.

"Yeah. A lot. Edward kisses lots of girls."

"Oh."

I looked out the window. One year had really made a difference. Just last year, I was the closest person to Edward, but this year, it seemed that I was further away than the sun.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I wish Edward was smarter," Alice apologized.

I hugged her tightly. "It's okay, Alice. No matter what, we will be friends, right?"

"No matter what," she promised.

"Even if Edward hurts me?"

A slow smile crept up Alice's face. "I'll be your new best friend, then."

…

"Come on, Tanya!" I called out, grinning at her disgusted expression. Ha. So she and Rose were tough with bikes, but she couldn't ride a harmless horse? That I thought, was hilarious.

"My skirt will get dirty," she sneered at me. "Unlike some people, I am a girl and I do wear skirts. Maybe if you have worn it before, you would understand."

That was a low blow. How dare she call me a boy?

"Just because I'm more like a tomboy does mean that I'm not a girl," I snapped angrily.

"Well, maybe you show act more like a girl, and maybe that way, at least some of the dorky boys from school would be interested in you."

"I'm not interested in dorky boys!"

Tanya laughed coldly. "So are you saying that you're interested in Edward?"

I blushed furiously at her comment. Why was I such as idiot? Did I really act like a lovesick fool in from of him?

"Oooh, so little Bella is in love with Eddie boy, isn't she?"

"I'm not!" I argued, despite my heart calling me to shut up. "You can be with him and make out with him all you like, I don't care."

I huffed in annoyance and slid off the horse.

I was about to say something when Tanya looked in shock of something behind me. I turned around and saw Edward looking at me, looking like he had his heart broken. His anguished expression made me want to do something and help him, but Tanya was here to complicate things, as always, and I could only smile a little, hoping that I would get one in return.

But I didn't. Instead, he walked slowly towards me and whispered "I'm sorry" in my ear.

"Don't be," I muttered, "Tanya's here and…and I-I gotta go."

I ran as fast as I could towards the horse shed where Alice and Angela were having lunch with Jasper, ignoring Edward's shouts behind me, and wishing like hell that Emmett was here to comfort me. He really was becoming like a dear brother to me now.

Edward looked at me time to time as we polished the leather saddles late in the afternoon.

He would sneak a glance, and feeling that stare made me blush.

Stupid Bella, I muttered. He doesn't think that way, okay? Save yourself some broken hearts and don't look back.

"Bella?" Edward asked softly, just as I was about to leave.

I glanced at him and noticed that he wasn't polishing anything, but was looking at his blackened fingers pathetically.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

I could lie and say no, I wasn't, because the guy of my dreams was off running with a blonde beauty, but I didn't want to complicate things.

"I'm fine, Edward. Why?"

"It's just that…you seem kind of down these days and I was wondering if it was because I was here," he said softly.

"It's not you, Edward. I'm really glad you're here. I want you to have fun and everything here."

"You're really happy that I'm here?" he asked me, surprised.

I grinned. "So glad you're here. If you weren't, I think I would be still in town with Angela studying in the library and all that."

Edward walked over and hugged me tightly. "Thanks for being my best friend."

"No problem," I said, grateful that he seemed to believe me.

"Let's head back to the cottage then, before Carlisle wonders what happened," he laughed carelessly, holding my hand.

I loved the feel of his hand in mine but I knew the time for that was over. I should have enjoyed it as much as I could in the past few years. I slipped my hand out of his and turned back to look at him.

"Race ya to the cottage," I said, just like I would have if we were back in La Push.

And then we were running like we did over the last few years. We always had a special connection by competing with each other, whether it was water gun fighting or swimming, or even fishing. Everything was fun with Edward.

"Oh there you two are," Carlisle said, taking in me and Edward's breathless forms. "We were just about to call for help."

"I was so worried!" Tanya said, rubbing her eyes and pretending to cry.

I wanted to take her out on that but I knew I couldn't. I wasn't playing fair that way.

Edward reached over for her and comforted her gently. It seemed strange for him to be so caring about someone that I had to look away.

"Dinner's ready!" Esme called. "Who wants the chicken drumsticks?"

"I do!" Edward said, grinning.

"There's two though," Esme frowned. "Who wants the other one?"

"The other can go to Angela," Edward declared, smiling at her. "She's the one who invited us to her place, after all."

"Thanks, Edward," Angela said shyly.

"It's alright," he replied. "It's been amazing here, and I wish I could stay for longer."

Angela beamed at Edward. I felt sorry for her, because no one had ever spoken to her like that. At school, everyone was mean and ignorant. The worst memory was when she had a birthday party last year, and only one third of the class came. After the party, she swore to me that she would never do something like that again. She ended up crying in her room for ages, despite my attempts to comfort her.

I just didn't get how girls could be so mean to each other. It was just so cruel and unjust.

…

I'm standing at the foot of my bed, sorting out the clothes that Alice dug out of my wardrobe. I didn't understand what was wrong with them. I mean, sure they were a little worn and old but it was comfortable. That was all that mattered to me, anyway.

"We just have to go shopping here, Bella," Alice begged me, with puppy eyes. "I mean, this is New York, and it just can't get better than that!"

"Alice," I groaned. "I hate shopping."

"I know, Bella, but for me?" she asked. "Please?"

"Fine," I grumbled, "but on one condition."

"What is it?"

I grinned evilly at her. "We bring both the guys. And no Tanya."

"Deal."

Edward agreed immediately and he looked half-glad when I told him that Tanya was not to come, that I could introduce her to Kate and they could just hang out somewhere together.

Tanya agreed when Edward told her and I smiled to myself. Maybe today won't be so bad after all.

However, all changed when I came out of the changing room in one of the shops Alice had dragged me into. In front of me were Tanya and Kate, who were talking to Edward in the waiting area.

I couldn't believe my eyes. How dare she? Just because she was his girlfriend didn't mean that she had to be right next to him from dawn til dusk, right?

The next thing I saw made my stomach sick, and I felt my lunch coming out of my throat.

Kate suddenly planted her lips onto Edward's, and what made it worse was that he was actually responding to the kiss. His hand draped casually across her hip and went lower and lower, until –

"I can't believe it!" Alice screamed. "What the hell is happening?"

"Aw, Eddie, it's alright," Tanya cooed at him. "It was just a dare. I couldn't believe you agreed to it, though."

I wanted to throw up. I hurried back into the changing room and put on my normal clothes. I needed to get out of here. Right now.

"I need to go now, Alice," I begged her with my eyes to understand.

Thankfully, she understood the silent message. "Go. You can pay me back later. Meet me at the toilets."

I ran to the bathroom, crying. I couldn't understand. I couldn't believe it was Edward I saw out there. I couldn't believe that he actually kissed Kate, while dating Tanya. It was just a dare, but it was a sick one. No one right in the head would make that sort of game up.

My mind was swirling dizzily, full of images I couldn't repress. Nothing seemed clear but there were three things I was absolutely positive about.

Firstly, Edward had changed a lot over the past year. Second, the kind of girls he was attracted to, were the ones that were beautiful and blonde, the ones that I could never in a million years become like. And third, he seemed to make out with all sorts of girls, all except me – I was the only exception.

Thanks to all the readers and reviews.

I know it hasn't been two weeks but since I'm working with PTB to get my story polished, I'm going on HIATUS for a little while. This probably won't take long as it is only five chapters.

This decision may upset some but I hope you guys will still stick with me.

Thanks for all the kind comments

See you all in a month or so