Stephenie owns it all, but lets us play with her characters.
We should thank her somehow…

As ever, I am so thankful to Fran for all of her hard work
and dedication, not only to this story, but to all of the
authors of the fandom. You are an amazing woman!

**Warning** If you are emotionally sensitive, you may
want to have a tissue on hand for this chapter.

-LWTC-

Chapter 6

"Good morning, Ed-," Bella's voice faltered as Alice waltzed out of the kitchen, wearing an apron and a smile. "Alice?"

"Yeah, I know, it's just me. Don't look so disappointed, you'll hurt my feelings." Alice grinned as she poked fun at her dear friend.

"Sorry, I just wasn't expecting…"

"No, you were expecting your 'Nutty Ginger' man," Alice's giggle and the roll of her eyes made Bella blush.

"Geez, I called him that once as a joke, and suddenly everyone knows about it," Bella's complexion continued to deepen into a scarlet hue. "Besides, I never called him 'my" Nutty Ginger."

"Yeah well, if you'd just be brave … move out of that timid shell a bit …," Alice shrugged, and her face scrunched in a sympathetic manner, "he could be yours."

"Ali," Bella sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead. "We've been over this. I have never had a boyfriend. I wouldn't know what to do with one. I just … I can't risk everything. I have friends now," her voice dropped to a whisper. "I have a life now, I can't risk it."

Alice moved out from behind the counter and enveloped Bella in her arms, hugging her with surprising strength for such a tiny person.

"You are more than a friend, Bella. You've become family," she pulled back from the embrace and looked deeply into Bella's the eyes, willing her to see the truth.

"All the more reason not to blow this," Bella stiffened her posture, and scrubbed at the moisture that had gathered in her eyes, "Especially not for some silly, school-girl crush."

"Are you sure that's all this is, Bella?"

"Alice, I just …" Bella's shoulder sagged. "Drop it, okay? Men like him don't see women like me as relationship material. Do you think I didn't Google him? Do you really think I haven't seen the pictures of the women he's dated?"

"Dated? Really, you think he dated those … those tramps." Alice scoffed, wrinkling her nose before her disbelief turned into laughter. "Good Lord, Bella! Open your eyes. Did you see any of those girls in photos for more than one outing?"

"It doesn't matter, Ali. Did you look at them?"

"Yeah … did you? I mean," Alice furrowed her brows, and her features wrinkled incredulously. "They were all opportunistic hags, Bella—the lot of them. None of them could ever hold a candle to you."

Bella closed her eyes and put her splayed hand between them in that universal 'stop' gesture.

"Enough. It. Isn't. Happening," she shook her head as her voice wobbled. "Whatever he offers, I'll take, Ali. With all my heart … but I will not risk the friendship I have built with him … with you. Don't you see," her eyes pleaded for her friend to see how difficult this was for her. "I have nothing. I am nothing. I made my way through school, fighting and clawing to get away from the nothingness of the life I was raised in."

"But your mother loved you, and your Aunt and Uncle…"

"Don't tell me about my family, Ali," Bella dropped her voice into a fierce whisper, with a fire burning in her eyes. "Just because I've opened up to you doesn't mean you know it all. I didn't tell you how many times my mother let me know how unfortunate it was that I had such a plain face. I didn't want to trample her name by telling you about all the diets she put me on once I started pudging out during puberty. 'You're too stocky, Bella.' 'You need to exercise more, Bella.' Or, how about my favorite line? 'Good thing you are graduating so young, and have built up your brain so much, Bella. Your body certainly won't catch you a keeper.'"

"You want to know why I won't tell your brother where I live, Ali? Do you?"

Alice stood there, wide-eyed, frozen like a deer caught in headlights.

"If he finds out that I live in Hart; if he discovers that I am going out of my way every day to see him, he will tell me to stop. He is a good, compassionate man. He will tell me to stop driving out of my way to see him because he won't understand. You don't understand, Ali! I love him. I love him so much, and it would gut me if I actually stepped out on that ledge. We've become friends; you and me," Bella's tone softened, and her eyes began to water again. "I know you see me as beautiful. You see everyone's beauty, Alice. That's one of the things I love most about you," Bella smiled a sad, watery smile. "If I told him how I felt … if he knew that I drove here, so far out of my way … every day. If he discovered all of that and didn't want me … God, Ali. I'd die."

Alice gave up; knowing that any argument she would approach would quickly be put down by Bella's fears. It would take a miracle to get these two together. She gave Bella her coffee and a hug, and sent her on her way to work with a heavy heart. She shook her head, muttering to herself about lovesick fools, broken people, and stubborn pride. As she returned to the kitchen to pull the muffins from the oven, she froze; clutching her hand over her chest, startled to see the crestfallen figure slumped against the counter.

"How much did you hear," she asked.

"Enough," Edward replied tearfully.

"Enough."

-LWTC-

Thank you, everyone for your response to this story! I am
having so much fun hearing from and interacting with you
all! I TRIED to respond by PM to all of the reviews from
yesterday, but may have been fail with a few. Stupid links
were broken. If I didn't reply to yours, I apologize most
humbly!

*huggles*

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