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Saturday.
Valentine's Day.
Edward's POV
At approximately three in the afternoon Alice came over unannounced and made me go to Rosalie's house with her. I was supposed to help her get Rosalie and Emmett ready for some Valentine's Day Dance.
Every two minutes or so Alice would snap a photo and send a message. I assumed it was to Bella, although I had no clue where she was tonight.
Emmett, Alice, and I were in Rosalie's bedroom. Rosalie was in her mother's bathroom right now.
"Nooooo!" Emmett yelled.
"Emmett," Alice said, "this will help deep clean…"
"I'm not a chick. Put that shit on Edward." Emmett said.
"Hey!" I yelled.
"You're doing it." Alice said and Emmett stood on a chair to make himself tower over Alice even more.
Rosalie walked in the room in all of her glory and scowled at Emmett, "Don't break my chair."
"Don't worry, Princess. I won't." Emmett replied.
Alice put the face cream on Rosalie's desk and then whisked Rosalie into the other room to get her completely ready.
Emmett walked over to the tube Alice was holding and opened it and squeezed some in his hands. "Ew!"
I laughed.
"But, it does smell good." Emmett said and began putting some of it on his face.
"You can't be serious." I said.
"Gotta please the lady." Emmett replied.
I shook my head and did something pretty sadistic. I took out my phone and snapped a photo of Emmett in his green mask. I sent the photo to Alice because I knew she had her phone on her. Two seconds later both Rosalie and Alice were in the room. Rosalie laughed while Alice talked about the positive effects it had.
Once Rosalie and Emmett left for their dance Alice and I got back into her car. She began driving me home but said, "I'm going to Jasper's."
"Okay…"
"You should come."
"It's Valentine's Day, Alice."
"It's not a romantic date. It's just a movie marathon and…"
"…and Bella will be there, right?" I guessed.
"Yeah she will."
"Not going."
"She probably wants her book."
That stung.
"She isn't mad at you." Alice said. "She's mad at herself for losing the book."
"It doesn't help that I stole it."
"Ugh. You and Bella need to stop on this self-hate. It's killing me."
"You talked to Bella?"
"A little bit."
"Whatever." I said and got out of the car when Alice dropped me off.
When I got home there was a note from my parents telling me they'd be out all night. They acted like they were 16 sometimes. I was home alone playing video games, but it wasn't fun by myself. I got into my car and began to drive around. I decided to go to Jasper's for a little while. If she didn't want me there then I'd leave."
Alice answered the door and smiled at me and led me to the basement of Jasper's house.
Bella was sitting on one of the three loveseats by herself. She was curled in a blanket and looked like she'd been sitting there all day, which she probably had been.
"Edward?" Jasper asked. He was in the other seat and Alice sat next to him.
"Hey." I said and sat in the empty seat. I could see Bella tense up from across the room.
"I need a bathroom break." Alice said.
"I'm gonna make some popcorn." Jasper said.
They both left, trying to be discreet about leaving Bella and I alone, but failing miserably.
Bella turned the television off and then sat back down in her seat with her legs tucked underneath herself.
"I want to be honest with you." She said looking me in the eyes trying to be confident.
"Go ahead."
She took a deep breath. "I moved here the summer going into high school. At the time my mother didn't tell me why. I was beyond angry. She was making me leave not only my friends, but her as well…" She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened her eyes I realized she had been crying. "… My mom had cancer. She was in her final months and she didn't want me to know… How she kept that a secret, I'll never know, but it killed me, Edward. I wasn't there for her final months. It still kills me. I can barely stay in my dad's house. It reminds me of my mom which is ridiculous because my parents got divorced when I was three…"
"Bella, I'm sorry…" I said.
"No. Please." She said. "I don't want pity. I didn't want to tell you because, well, it's hard to talk about, still. And I didn't want you to think I was some messed up person. You told me about your family and it seems so perfect, especially compared to mine. I'm sorry for not being honest with you in the first place."
"Don't be sorry, Bella." I said finally.
"But, I am."
"I'm sorry for keeping your book."
"Oh no, don't be. How were you supposed to know? It just looks like some ratty old book."
"I didn't want you to think you lost it."
"Even if I did, it wouldn't matter."
"What?"
"I've been thinking about it a lot and, well, I love my mom. I always will. I have the snow and the smell of coffee to remind me of her. I'll never forget anything about her."
"The book has her writing in it, though." I argued.
"I know." Bella said. "And it's the last message I'll ever get from my mom. But, I didn't know her in that stage of her life. I knew her as scatter-brained and loving, but never as so… final. Her message is wonderful and amazing, but I keep remembering her through that note and it's not fair. She wasn't like that."
I walked over to the couch where Bella was and I put my arm around her. She wasn't crying, but she looked defeated. I wanted to hug her, but was hesitant.
She gave me a half hug before dropping her arm. "Thank you." She said.
"For what?" I asked.
"Not pitying me." She answered. "I thought you would."
"Never." I answered and kissed her on the forehead.
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Awe. I love Edward. I wish he could comfort me! Um, short chapter again. Sorry. I wanted another chapter up by tonight, though. Oh and if you're reading this then leave a review… I like to know what you think. :]
