Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does. I wish that I could make one HUGE disclaimer the size of an ice cream truck and plaster it to the front page of my FanFic and be done with it!
Note: By the way, you may post quotes from this FanFic, BUT PLEASE LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO WROTE IT AND WHERE IT CAME FROM! I REALLY NEED REVIEWERS - THEY MAKE ME HAPPY INSIDE! OK, two of you have made some guesses about Edward. I won't say if either of you are right or wrong, but I want you guys to keep guessing! You guys will find out in due time - I promise! I am changing the genre of this FanFic to romance/tragedy to romance/mystery, but in reality it is romance/mystery/tragedy. Remember the blood drive scene? It makes sense for Alice to be afraid of needles (hint: even though MY Alice hasn't been in the mental institution, the real one has, and they use big needles!), Edward is not. So, why did he not go to the blood drive…? That may sound stupid or pointless, but I swear that that's a big clue! Come on, guys - get your trench coat and magnifying glass out - you are about to become detectives!
BPOV
"Movie marathon, tonight, my house," Alice whispered in my ear at lunch. I nearly bit my lip while trying, unsuccessfully I might add, to eat my inedible food in peace.
"I'm not sure…I mean, I'd love to…" I trailed off, searching for a good excuse.
"Don't worry, Bella - I'll make sure that Edward behaves," she said, guessing my reason for hesitating.
"That's not…" I swallowed, making the lump in my throat become larger. "That's not it. Speaking of Edward, where is he?"
"Doctor's appointment - he's not been well lately," Alice replied. There was that look again in her eyes, and a shiver ran down my spine. I remembered that, only a few days ago, Emmett had gotten sick but didn't need to go see a doctor since Carlisle was one himself. Why couldn't Edward do the same?
"I really need to call Jake - I've been a terrible girlfriend. In fact, he's probably forgotten who I am."
"You can call him tomorrow," she improvised.
"True." There really is no way out, is there? "Well, I guess I can come if it's alright with Charlie…" My agreement was interrupted by Alice's happy shrieking.
"Yay! You won't be sorry, Bella! I've been dying to have you over for a while now, but Edward keeps spoiling my plans. Honestly, that boy can be something else," she said, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
I laughed quietly. "Yeah. I just don't understand him, Alice. Whenever we grow closer, he pulls away. Is it me? Have a done something to upset him?" I felt bad for talking about Edward behind his back, but I really had begun to wonder if I was the problem.
"I don't think it's you, Bella. Edward is different - he always has been the sort of 'fifth-wheel'. Honestly, he's a hard guy to figure out - even harder to be friends with, but in the end, it's worth it. Underneath his shell, Edward really is a great person; it's just difficult to break down the walls he has set up," Alice replied. I mentally sighed (again) - I already knew that about him - her 'explanation' hadn't helped me understand Edward any better than I already did, which wasn't much.
This is dangerous, I reminded myself yet again. You shouldn't be so obsessed with him - he's just another human being. But I didn't care. I was obsessed with Edward, and there's no turning back now.
The moment I stepped inside the Cullens' house, I knew that tonight was going to be very interesting. Alice had opened the door, but Edward was standing right behind her, his face expressionless - I honestly couldn't tell if he was mad or hurt or…anything. That was when I noticed his eyes - they were not their usual emerald green - they were much darker. (AN: CLUE!) I noticed that, behind his composed mask, Edward looked fatigued and tired, as if he hadn't slept in weeks.
"Thanks, Alice," I said as she called Emmett and Rosalie from upstairs doing who knows what.
"I'm just so glad that you're here! We're going to have a lot of fun," she said, smiling.
"Uh-oh. I know that grin. What are you planning?" I asked her, now worried.
"Just go with the flow, Bella. I won't torture you…too much." I groaned, dreading what Alice was going to put me through. Knowing her, it involved clothes, make-up, and numerous embarrassing situations - I'd learned all too soon that Alice loved to play Bella Barbie.
"OK, but I'm warning you: if I come out maimed I will press charges."
"Oh, don't be a stick in the mud! You're going to enjoy this…if you let yourself, that is." She made a face.
"Of course I will, Alice - I was just joking." We went up to her room where I placed my overnight bag of belongings. Alice's bedroom matched her personality perfectly: it was bright and cheery, but not too much color: it was elegant in a not-so-simple way. The walls were, instead of pink, a light blue, but the bedspread made up for it.
"I've got to go order pizza. What kind do you like?"
"Pepperoni and cheese," I replied automatically. "My favorite."
"OK, that makes two pepperonis, two sausages, three Supremes, and one with extra cheese," she said to herself, ticking off the pizzas with her fingers.
"You're getting eight pizzas?" I exclaimed dubiously.
"Well, there's Carlisle and Esme, Jasper, Rosalie, and I, plus you and Edward - not to mention Emmett - you should see him eat a whole pizza in only a few minutes. I'm scarred for life," Alice shuddered. "Believe me: eight pizzas may not even be enough. Some people like eating it cold for breakfast." I'd heard a lot about Rosalie and Emmett, and, so far, Emmett seemed like the person I'd rather meet.
"Yuck."
"My thoughts exactly." She laughed, picking up the phone. "Go on downstairs and talk to the others. Tell them I'll be there in a minute."
I walked down the Cullens' long, winding staircase, careful not to trip. I was determined not leave them with the impression that I couldn't even walk two feet without falling flat on my face.
I headed to the living room to find Edward trying to sort through a huge pile of DVDs. I swear there must have been at least fifty.
"Wow. Looks like Alice has got us all set up," I whistled. Total déjà vu - I felt the way when I was meeting him for the first time. Things have been awkward between us, but who's to say that I can't make it right?
"Yeah, and I'm stuck as her personal organizer. Where the heck did she get a movie with Japanese subtitles?" He shook his head in wonder. "Bella…I need to tell you -"
"So, guys, ready to party?" Alice half-shouted as she bounded into the room, flanked by Jasper at her side. "Put in Romeo and Juliet, please, Bella - I'll be right back." She looked straight at Edward, talking to him with her eyes, and he got up and followed. Puzzled, I glanced at Jasper.
"Hey - don't look at me. I'm just in love with the girl," he said, shrugging.
EPOV
"OK, Alice - what is it?" I asked her once we'd reached the safety of my room.
"Why are you being so cold towards Bella? She only cares about you, you know."
"What do you mean?" I said, trying to play innocent. "I was perfectly friendly back there."
"You know what I mean. Now tell me," Alice demanded.
"Fine. I think…that I'm falling in love with her," I finally confessed after a moment's pause.
"Well, what's wrong with that? Falling in love is the best thing that can happen to a person!"
"Alice! You know perfectly well why I can't afford to! Bella deserves someone better than me. We've gone through this before."
"You are the most stubborn guy I have ever had the misfortune to be my adoptive brother!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Weren't you the one who told Bella that you have to take risks? Well, look in the mirror first: there's more to life than just surviving, Edward. You can't shut yourself away like this just because of -"
"Do you think that I wanted that to happen, Alice?! Honestly - do you think that I enjoy it?? Because, news flash: I don't - not one bit," I said, burying my face in my hands, wishing that I was anywhere but here.
"You're not the only one that is hurting - how do you think Esme feels, especially not that you're acting all emo all of the time? Bella is right - you do pull away from people. One day you're going to retreat too far, and won't be able to come back, Edward. Remember that." Grimacing, Alice slipped out of the room and back to the others.
"It's not like I haven't tried," I whispered to no one. "Because I have. I really, really have."
BPOV
Alice was the first one to come back, and I could tell that they had fought - it was there in her expression. Silently, she pressed play on the paused movie, and Titanic started up.
I waited, and still no Edward. Finally, after about fifteen minutes, he sat down on the farthest end of the same sofa that I was sitting on. He'd been crying and, as everyone else watched, his eyes and mind were elsewhere. I wanted so much to wrap my arms around him, but of course I didn't.
I spent the next two hours trying not to think about Edward, but it was pretty much impossible since he was sitting only a few feet away from me. The next time I was truly paying attention, the ship had already sunk. Soon, Titanic was over, and the credits began to roll onto the screen. Alice immediately hopped up, hands planted on her hips, a huge grin on her face.
"It's time for a pizza break but, while we eat, I have a little bit of…entertainment planned." I could envision her rubbing her hands together with anticipation. "Also, Rosalie and Emmett will be here in five, four, three, two, one…" At that very moment, I heard voices in the hallway: Carlisle and Esme welcoming the couple home.
Alice led me into the hallway and I came face-to-face with the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen. Her body was supermodel perfect, her long, golden hair cascaded down her back in waves, and her face was flawless. Then I looked up at a man with huge, bulking muscles, curly brown hair, twinkling eyes, and a young and handsome face.
"This is my friend Bella. Bella, this is Rosalie and Emmett," Alice said.
"Hi," I waved meekly.
"Hey. Apparently, Alice has drug you to this movie night - she kind of black-mailed us into coming," Emmett claimed, grinning. "She's a nasty little pixie when she wants to be."
"Hey! I am insulted! PUT ME DOWN, EMMETT!" Alice yelled as he lifted her up very easily in the air.
Rosalie laughed. "Nice to meet you, Bella. Let's go say hi to Jasper and Edward before Alice unleashes her wrath." I followed her back into the living room where Jasper and Edward were…asleep.
We woke Jasper up easily, but not so much with Edward.
"Wake up!" Rosalie practically screamed in his ear.
"No…later…ah!" he exclaimed, falling off of the couch in surprise. "It's great to see you too, Rosalie," he mumbled.
I laughed - I obviously wasn't the only one who talked in my sleep. "Same to you, Edward," she replied, smiling sweetly. "I haven't seen you in a whole year! How are you holding up?" Rosalie asked him this jokingly, but something told me that there was a double meaning to her words - one that was much more serious.
"Fine, I suppose. Forks has been pretty awful except for a few things." As he said this, I saw him glance at me from the corner of his eye.
Before the conversation could continue, Alice came huffing towards us. "Any way, while we eat our stone-cold pizza, the legendary Cullen version of Truth or Dare is ON!!"
"Yes!" shouted Emmett, pumping his fist. "I rock at this game!" I found it comical that a college student would be so excited about Truth or Dare, and I stifled a giggle.
"We know. I'll never forget the dare that you gave me," Edward said, shuddering at the memory. "I still have mental scars from that time."
"Ha! Yeah, that was a pretty good one if I do say so myself."
I didn't ask, and neither did anybody else, so we all gathered in a circle. Alice started since she came up with the idea. "Emmett. Truth or dare?"
"Dare, baby!" he exclaimed, flexing his muscles.
"Hmm…let me think. Since you like pizza so much, I dare you to prank call Papa John's and order one hundred ham and pineapple ones - extra Grande size! Then, give them the wrong address to send it to. Oh, yeah, Emmett - be afraid - be VERY afraid!"
"Well, it's better than the one you gave me last time," he said, shrugging. Emmett pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Papa John's.
"Yes, I'd like one hundred ham and pineapple pizzas, extra large, sent to 1394 West Side Story Street. Thanks!" And he hung up.
"West Side Story Street?! That's the best you could come up with - the name of a play?!" Alice said incredulously, shaking her head. "That's just sad."
"Sorry, but I was kind of under pressure! I don't major in creative writing, so I'm innocent!"
"Sure you are," Edward smirked.
"I am, Miss Know-It-All!" Emmett taunted. (AN: That nickname is from my humorous one-shot Never Bet Against Alice!) "Bella, I dare you to go in a closet with Eddie-poo for seven whole minutes, and you can't come out until then!"
My eyes widened, and I blushed bright red. Edward did, too, just not half as dark as me. "Bella, come on - this goofball won't rest until we do his bidding. I could refuse, since you didn't even give me a choice, Emmett, but you wouldn't listen." He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "We need to talk." I nodded and followed him outside, neither of us wanting to be closed up in a dark closet but, instead, looking at a different sort of dark entirely: the nighttime sky.
"Bella. Do you remember what I said the day I cliff-dived?" he asked me once the back door was closed.
"Yes, I do," I replied, remembering all too well that fateful time.
"Well, the thing is…I am not good enough for you, Bella, and you deserve so much better." I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to stop me. "You really are an amazing person. I feel so stupid saying this, but I don't care that the odds are against me because, well…I've fallen in love with you anyway."
Note: Not VERY good, but my longest chapter yet. I only have eight reviews for SIX whole chapters - I NEED REVIEWS! BE KIND AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT MY STORIES!
