Disclaimer: grumbles yada yada yada I do not own twilight yada yada yada
A/N: Another chapter! Yay! I know its great news that I got another chapter but… it's even better news that I have computer access now! One of my mom's friends had an old laptop she wasn't using so she's letting me use it until we fix our other computer! Yay for my mom's friend! So now chapters will be a little more regular. But I still have school and softball and dance and 3 honors classes to deal with, plus I'm having a minor writer's block for both of my stories, it's rather depressing because I can't write for either of them. The problem is I know where I'm going I just don't know how to get there. As always ideas are welcome in reviews or PMs but regular reviews are also welcome and highly recommended because more reviews makes for a happy writer and a happy writer makes for a better story and more chapters more often Anyway, that's all for now, time to get back to the story
Chapter 7
The weekend after Halloween was parent's weekend. It was basically open house, except for we were showing our parents around and they stayed for a whole weekend instead of just coming for one night. Both Charlie and Renee were going to be there along with Phil. I was so excited to see my parents again, even though I had seen them 2 months ago, it was still a long time to be away from your parents. I also couldn't wait to see Alice's and Rosalie's parents again. They were like my 2nd and 3rd set of parents. I was anxious to see Carlisle and Esme again. I knew them from around but I was never that great friends with them, I didn't know if they'd like me. I couldn't wait to meet Emmett's parents, I mean really, who wouldn't want to meet his parents when you look at Emmett. Jasper said his parents were a lot like him, which meant that it'd be nice to meet them too. For once, I couldn't wait to get to parent's weekend.
It was Friday, the night our parents were all coming up, and Edward and I had gone out to get everyone's takeout. Surprisingly, I had never eaten from the place we were getting our food from and neither had anyone but Edward. I had never even heard of it, it must be a new place.
"So, how did you find this place?" I asked Edward as we walked into the front door of the Italian restaurant. I had definitely never seen this place before.
"It's all about the people you know." Edward said with a smirk as he walked up to the host. He whispered something in his ear and the host beckoned us back into the kitchen.
I hesitantly followed, unsure of what was happening. Surely it was against the rules to let a customer into the kitchen right? Edward gave me an encouraging smile and we followed the host.
We walked through the double doors and into an amazing kitchen, and to top it off it smelt delicious, plus I was there with Edward which made the whole thing that much better.
I had finally admitted it to myself and Rose and Alice that I did like Edward a lot. But I had made it very clear that just because I admitted it, doesn't mean anything's going to happen. Well, except for my heart racing whenever I'm with him and blush appearing more than usual.
"Hey! What are you guys doing back here?!" I heard an angry voice call from behind.
Uh-oh, I knew it. We weren't supposed to be back here. Oh god, what would happen now?
"Picking up our food, what does it look like?" Edward said with humor in his voice. I gave him an incredulous look. Obviously there had been some miscommunication going on between the host and Edward and now the chef. I didn't understand why Edward looked so amused by the situation. "I'm just helping out with business"
"Edward!" I said to him, trying to shut him up.
"Oh, so this is her!" the chef said looking at me. What? What about me? How did he know anything about me? What is me? I'm so confused! Edward saw my confused expression and started to laugh.
"Bella, this is my cousin, Anthony. He's the chef here, he just opened this new restaurant."
"Oh, I see. I was kind of confused before." I said.
Now that Edward had pointed it out, I could see some resemblance. Anthony's hair fell messily like Edward's did, although not quite as attractive as Edwards, and they both had the same build.
"We thought it'd be funny if we tried to confuse you. Apparently it worked" Anthony said with a smile. I giggled at that comment. It had worked. It was then that I realized I really had to pee.
"Yeah,… um excuse me but I have to stop at the ladie's room" I said awkwardly as I started to walk out of the kitchen. I was rounding the corner when I heard my name,
"Bella seems like a sweet girl." Anthony's voice carried over in the kitchen. "You've got yourself quite the catch cousin" a catch? Me? No, he must be trying to be nice.
"Yeah, I know." I heard Edward say, it almost sounded like there was adoration hidden in that little sentence.
"So, is all this food for the two of you? A little movie date with some Italian takeout from your awesome cousin's restaurant?" asked Anthony, teasing now.
"No, it's for Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rosalie too. It's not like that with me and Bella" I thought I heard just the slightest bit of disappointment in that last part but I must have been imagining it.
I decided I had heard enough and found my way to the bathroom.
I knew it. He didn't like me. He only thought of me as a friend. He didn't even like the thought of us being together. This realization hit me and it hurt, less than it was if he had said it to my face or if anyone had said it to my face, but it still hurt. Because I had a small hope in my heart that he might actually feel the same way about me. Yes he liked me, but in a sisterly way, a best friend way. That was all I was going to get.
And that would be enough. I liked Edward enough to be able to settle being just friends. I wouldn't try to hint that there was something more like I had been starting to do in the past week.
I sat there as I waited for the rejection to come over me, but it never did. Maybe it was because I knew that someone like him could never like me in the first place and that I knew I was lucky to be his friend, nevermind be one of his best friends. Maybe I knew that because I did hold a place in his heart, even if it wasn't the kind of place I wanted, it was still a place. Even if I never did, this kind of place would be enough for me.
Now if I could only get this aching to stop…
EPOV
After telling Bella about what happened with Tanya, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It also could have been from the fact that I knew that she wasn't pregnant anymore, that she never was.
I was also excited about parent's weekend. I couldn't wait for Carlisle and Esme to re-meet Bella. I knew they would love her instantly. I was also happy about seeing Charlie again, even though I didn't know him very well, he had always been nice to me back home. He didn't believe Tanya's crockbull story which had already made me like him back in Forks. I wanted to meet Renee and Phil also, I wanted them to like me, to approve of me for their very fragile daughter. I really hoped they liked me.
It was Friday night and we were all waiting for our parents to arrive. We decided to get takeout for dinner instead of going to the cafeteria like every other night. Bella, Alice and Rosalie suggested a bunch of places but I remembered that my cousin had just opened a new Italian restaurant in this town and suggested it. Everyone was up for ordering from a new place.
Bella and I had offered to go pick it up. Anthony and I were going to have a little fun with Bella tonight. I knew she'd freak if she thought we were breaking rules, and she'd freak even more if we got caught. Like it would matter, my cousin is the head chef.
We entered the restaurant and I noticed that Bella looked pleased, she seemed happy that I actually came through with dinner plans.
"So, how did you find this place?" she asked while looking around the restaurant.
"It's all about the people you know." I said with a smirk on my face. I whispered my name to the host, telling him about my cousin and how he was the chef. Apparently, Anthony had told him about tonight so he understood quickly.
He motioned for us to come back with him into the kitchen. Bella looked hesitant. Phase one complete. I gave her an encouraging smile and she followed me and the host back into the kitchen.
We stopped walking and admired the kitchen, it was a very nice one. Bella had told me that she used to cook all the time at home because her mother and her father couldn't. I could see that Bella's inner chef was coming out as she stared at all the expensive appliances. That's when phase two started.
"Hey! What are you guys doing back here?!" I heard Anthony call from behind us. Bella started to blush as she heard this, she knew she had broken rules and now she was nervous. She was so cute when she was nervous.
"Picking up our food, what does it look like?" I said to my cousin. "I'm just helping out with business" Bella looked at me with an incredulous look on her face.
"Edward!" Bella said, obviously trying to shut me up. She was so adorable.
"Oh, so this is her!" Anthony said to me while looking at Bella. Bella turned to me and looked very confused. I couldn't help but laugh at her expression.
"Bella, this is my cousin, Anthony. He's the chef here, he just opened this new restaurant." I explained.
"Oh, I see. I was kind of confused before" said Bella as she looked between Anthony and I. I guess she was trying to figure out if we looked similar. We did.
"We thought it'd be funny if we tried to confuse you. Apparently it worked" Anthony said with a smile. Bella started to giggle, oh how I loved her laugh.
"Yeah,… um excuse me but I have to stop at the ladie's room" Bella said awkwardly and she turned to leave the kitchen. I watched her walk away with a look of adoration.
"Bella seems like a sweet girl." Anthony said to me when we knew Bella was gone. Sweet wasn't the right word for her, more like incredible, amazing, wonderful, perfect, I could go on.
"Yeah, I know." I said.
"So, is all this food for the two of you? A little movie date with some Italian takeout from your awesome cousin's restaurant?" asked Anthony, teasing me now. I wished it was just for me and Bella, but that would never happen. I sighed.
"No, it's for Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rosalie too. It's not like that with me and Bella" I said with disappointment in my voice. It was true I was disappointed. I wanted it to be like that with me and Bella.
"Oh really? Don't you want it to be like that though?" Anthony asked.
"Well, yeah! Of course I do. But, I don't think that Bella wants that. She also just doesn't date. She's had a really bad past so." I said sadly. It was true. I knew that Bella wouldn't want that because of her past, but I wanted to prove her wrong. That I wouldn't hurt her, ever. I know that every guy will say that but I have no idea how to show her that I won't, that I am incapable of harming such a wonderful creature.
"Well, most girls who say they don't date because of a past are really just waiting for someone to prove them wrong." Said Anthony, "Keep trying, I think she likes you"
What? Bella likes me? No, he must be seeing wrong. How could I ever deserve someone that wonderful to care for me?
"No, Anthony, you've got it wrong. There's no way she likes me." I said sadly.
"No, Edward, you've got it wrong. You should have seen the way she looked at you." I smiled at that. Maybe Bella did like me a little bit more than a friend. But I wasn't going to ruin this friendship if I wasn't 100 sure that she cared for me at least a little bit like that.
Bella came back in and she looked a little different. Only I would have picked it up, maybe Alice and Rosalie would too. I would ask her about it in the car. I didn't need to embarrass her in front of Anthony.
We took our food and walked out of the restaurant. I put the food in the back seat of my Volvo and slipped into the front seat after opening Bella's door. We started to drive in a silence.
"Bella, what's wrong?" I asked her. She looked down at her hands.
"Nothing, Edward, I'm fine." She said, I knew she was lying.
"Bella, I know you're lying. Please just tell me. I won't laugh or anything. I promise."
"It's nothing Edward. I just found out something that wasn't what I wanted to hear" said Bella. Oh no, had she heard something I said in the kitchen? Did she not feel the way I felt?
"What did you hear that upset you?" I didn't know if she would tell me, but I knew that she would probably tell Alice and Rosalie and I think I might be able to get out of them.
"It was nothing, Edward, I would tell you if it was important" Bella said as she turned to look out the window and I knew that this was the end of that conversation. I would find out, even if I had to tell Alice and Rose my feelings for Bella.
We returned to the dorm house and walked to the girls' room. When we walked in we were very surprised.
BPOV
We walked into my room and there were 13 extra people in the room than there should have been.
"Charlie! Renee!" I squealed as I ran over to hug my parents.
"Hi sweetie!" Renee said as she hugged me back, over her shoulder I saw that Phil was also there. I said hi to him and gave him a hug as well. I then turned to my father and gave him a big hug as well.
"I thought your flight wasn't getting in till later?" I asked them.
"Well, we thought we'd surprise you." Renee said with a smile. I was so excited to see them all.
I looked around and I saw that Alice's parents and Rosalie's parents were also here. I said hello to them and gave them each a hug. They asked me how classes were going and all that good stuff. It was then that I realized that Emmett's, Jasper's, and Edward's parents were all there too. Emmett and Jasper each introduced me to their parents, Mr. and Mrs. McCarty were very like Emmett. His father was built exactly like Emmett and his mother had his sense of humor. Jasper's parents were calm and collected like he was.
I saw Edward go over to say hello to his parents and give them big hugs. I smiled at this, it was good that their family was no longer humiliated, they could go back to their home and feel comfortable again.
"Bella!" Edward called to me, he waved his hand over, signaling me to come over to him. I walked over there and as I did, I tripped on a cord from my computer.
I waited for the impact with the floor to come, but it didn't. I hung above it for a split second wondering why I wasn't getting closer to it. That's when I noticed I had two strong arms wrapped around my midsection holding me up. I looked up and met a pair of green eyes.
Edward started to laugh and pulled me up. I felt my face grow hot and I realized I was blushing. But I knew that I wasn't blushing because I tripped, I don't blush from that anymore, it happens too often. I was blushing because I liked the feeling of his arms around me. I felt so alone when they were gone, it was like I fit perfectly into them. I shook that thought off, I had heard myself that he didn't want things to be like that with us, no matter how badly I was starting to want that.
"Well, I see this is the same Bella that always came into the hospital" Carlisle said with a smile.
"Yep, I haven't changed." I said looking down. I looked back up and saw Esme smiling down at me. Next thing I knew she had caught me in a hug. We broke apart and she was smiling at me.
"Thank you for helping Edward, it really means a lot to us that you had the courage to ask your father that. And for believing us." Esme said with a very motherly smile, I couldn't help but smile back.
"It was no problem Esme, I knew that Edward would never ever do something like that"
We all talked and hung out for the rest of the night, our parents leaving around 9:30 to go to their hotels just off campus. The boys got tired and went back to their dorm leaving me alone with Alice and Rosalie. I knew what was coming next.
"Bella what was wrong when you guys got home. You looked a little depressed." Crap, they noticed too.
"It was nothing guys, I just heard something I didn't want to hear" I told them, even though I knew that wasn't the end.
"What happened?" Alice demanded. I took a deep breath and explained what I overheard, though I didn't tell them that I thought I heard a little disappointment in his voice.
"Bella, I think you may have heard that wrong. Plus, you didn't hear the whole conversation, so you don't know if they said anything else." Said Rosalie.
"How else could he have meant that?" I asked her, a little angry now. I wanted to be right, it meant that I wouldn't get my hope up.
"Well, did it sound like he wouldn't ever think of you that way, like sort of a scoff?" asked Alice. Great, now I would have to tell them about the disappointment.
"um… no. I thought I heard a little disappointment" I told them in a quiet voice, knowing what would come next, and it did.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!" squealed Alice, "He totally likes you! That disappointment was him thinking that you didn't want it like that I bet! Or it was that he wants it to be like that and he's sad that it isn't!"
Could she be right? Did I hear it wrong? I guess that could fit what I heard in his voice. Maybe I shouldn't have left. I took a deep breath. I was about to tell them that they were right when Alice jumped up.
"Ah! I have to go to the boys' room" said Alice. I looked at her confused.
"Why?"
"Because I left something there when I was over there. I'll be back soon" she said as she headed for the door. She turned around before leaving, "hey Rose? Will you walk me there, its dark out" she put her famous pout on and Rose agreed.
I knew something was up, but I didn't push it, mainly because I knew they wouldn't tell me. I took a shower and climbed into bed. My dreams were filled with Edward again, just like every other night.
EPOV
When we got back into our room I plopped myself onto my bed and started to think. Did Bella like me? Was Anthony right? What was I going to do if she did? So many questions ran through my head and Emmett and Jasper noticed. Well mainly Jasper.
"Dude, what's wrong?" he asked me. I told them about what Anthony said and then what happened when Bella came back into the room.
"You don't think she overheard you guys talking in the kitchen?" asked Jasper.
"I thought about it, and it might have been that but I didn't really say anything that would upset her. Unless she heard me say that I wanted it to be like that and that's not what she wants." I said. I really just needed to talk to Rosalie and Alice, but I knew that they were probably trying to get the info out of her right now.
"Nah, I don't think so. I think that she likes you." Emmett said. I thought about that when I heard the door open. Rosalie and Alice were in the doorway. Just the people I wanted to talk to.
"Okay we need to talk to Edward. Now." Said Alice.
"Is this about Bella?" Jasper asked, obviously it was about Bella.
"Obviously"
"Then you can talk to us too." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Alice what was bothering Bella? Because she wouldn't tell me and it's driving me crazy! I keep thinking that it's something I said, but everything I come up with is just as unlikely as the next!" I said exasperated. Most of the time people were fairly easy to read, but Bella was just so hard. I wish I could read her mind or something!
"Why should we tell you Edward?" Rose demanded. Alright, it was now or never.
"Because I like Bella… a lot"
"That's an understatement!" Emmett bellowed as he started laughing.
"I KNEW IT!" squealed Alice. Great, so I had been obvious.
"Okay, so can you please tell me what's bugging her? Or I mean if it was something I said… because I really don't want her to be upset at me for something she shouldn't be and I want this to work out… even if it's just as friends" I said. Alice started to smile, it was one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen.
"Well, Edward. It is about you. But it was a misunderstanding. You see Bella heard Anthony say her name so she started to listen before she went to the bathroom." Alice started.
"What? She knows I like her?!"
"No! actually… she kind of thinks the opposite…" said Alice. That was weird. If Bella heard the conversation how could she doubt that I have feelings for her?
"Then why does she not think that I like her? I mean it was pretty obvious by the conversation."
"Well, she didn't exactly hear the whole thing. She stopped listening after, 'it's not like that with me and Bella'" of course! I mentally slapped myself for that one. Wait…
"Wait, why would that upset her?" I asked completely confused. "Bella doesn't date, so why would she be upset that I said it wasn't like that between me and her?"
"Well, she thought that you meant that you didn't want it to be like that between you guys." Said Rosalie.
"But I still don't get how that would upset her! She doesn't date, so wouldn't that be a good thing that she thought I didn't want it to be like that?" I was still so confused.
"Not if she likes you…" said Jasper. I looked to Alice. She had a crazy smile on her face.
"Does she?" I asked quietly, my voice was just above a whisper. Alice started to giggle and she nodded. I stopped breathing. Bella likes me? Bella likes me! I was so happy! I hadn't been this happy since… actually I had never been this happy! A smile crept on my face as I remembered I had to breathe.
That night I had the best night of sleep I had had in my life. Being friends with an angel like that had already put me on cloud nine, knowing she shared my feelings for her, well I can't even describe how that feels. It's like cloud nine only a thousand times better.
The next day we were all going out with our parents. We had breakfast together in the cafeteria and then gave them a tour of campus. We went out to lunch, then to mini golf. Alice and Rosalie didn't want Bella to know that I knew. So I had to pretend like I didn't know. It was very hard. But it didn't stop me from helping her golf.
She was terrible, I put my arms around her to help her with her swing. I heard Emmett giggle behind me and I glared at him. She got a hole in one with my help and was so excited. She pulled me into a fierce hug and had a brilliant smile on her face. Sadly, that was the only time she let me help her.
I couldn't help but feel like she just belonged in my arms. She fit perfectly. Like two pieces of a puzzle. My arms felt empty when she let go but I looked forward to the next time I would get to hold her.
After mini golf, we all went off with our own parents for the rest of the day and for dinner. I didn't like being away from Bella but it was inevitable. My parents and I spent the day in the music room at the school, I played a couple new compositions for them. I had written one for Bella. It was a lullaby, it suited her perfectly. After dinner my parents walked me back to my room and stopped before I opened the door.
"Edward" Carlisle said, "Tanya asked us to give this to you when we saw you. We thought it would be better for you to get it when you weren't surrounded by your friends."
He handed me an envelope. It had my name on the front in Tanya's handwriting. I took a deep breath and took it. I said goodbye to my parents and walked into my room. I was the first one back.
I sat down on my bed and opened the envelope. Inside was a letter…
Edward,
I am so sorry for what I did. I should never have pretended to be pregnant to get you to stay with me. I should have known I was fighting a losing battle, if anyone knew that when you made a decision there was no turning back, I did. I am sorry for cheating on you and trying to push you outside your comfort zone. You had told me time and time again that you weren't ready and I didn't listen, so I tried to find someone who was ready. I never should have done that. Remember when no one would talk to you last year? Well, that's where I am now, but I deserve it, you didn't. I understand if you never want to talk to me or see me ever again. If I had a choice I wouldn't either. I wish I could have been what you were looking for, but I guess fate thought differently. I really hope you find someone worthy of you, I know now that it isn't me. But, Edward, you deserve it.
-Tanya
At that moment, all my ill feelings toward Tanya evaporated. Tanya was a very proud person, it took a lot for her to apologize. I knew that she meant it because she never once asked for me back and she admitted that she wasn't for me. She was right though, I didn't want to see her again if I could help it. I put the letter on my nightstand to show Bella later, I didn't know how she would react but I wanted her to know that Tanya had apologized.
BPOV
After mini golf we went our separate ways with our parents. Renee, Phil, and Charlie took me into the city to walk around. We shopped a little but Renee and I decided to walk around Central Park while Charlie and Phil bonded a little.
"So, you've made some more new friends this year" said Renee. What was she getting at?
"Yep, they're really cool. It's like were a family."
"So, Alice and Jasper are going out?" she asked.
"Not exactly, it's not official but it will be soon, I know it" I said.
"What about Rose and Emmett?" Geeze my mother was gossipy today.
"Same thing. But I think that one might happen sooner." I waited for her to get out whatever it is she wanted to ask before saying anything else.
"What about Edward… you two looked cozy" ah-ha! That's what she was getting at. I blushed.
"so you like him?" Renee asked. I nodded. Her face lit up. I guess she approved.
"I knew it, I mean you two were so close earlier today, and honey, you should have seen your face when he helped you out with golfing, it was bright red and you were glowing." I started to laugh, but then I remembered what I had heard the night before.
"I don't think he likes me though," I said in a sad voice,
"well, I think he does. You didn't see his face when he was helping you, he looked like he felt like the luckiest guy in the world." I laughed at my mother and we kept walking.
Later after some dinner my parents brought me back to my room before heading to their hotel. We said our goodbyes and I walked into my room.
The rest of the weekend was fairly uneventful. We had some fun with our parents but nothing major happened with me and Edward. I wasn't sure what that meant but I knew I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. All I did know was that every time he saw me looking at him his face brightened, but I've always been bad at reading people so I probably got that wrong.
Our parents left that Sunday night and it wasn't the tearful goodbye we had expected. We told them we were going to stay over Thanksgiving break, but we'd be home for Christmas. We were all exhausted from the weekend and decided to crash early that night. After all, we did have classes the next day. That night my dreams were filled with Edward again, I slept soundly.
A/N: awww, okay, so Edward knows that Bella likes him. There will be more drama in chapters to come so get ready. Just so you guys know I'm planning on taking this story through their whole junior year. I don't know if I'll make a sequel for their senior year yet but I will know more when I get to that point. So as always, ideas are welcome (remember minor writer's block!) and so are reviews! Because the more reviews I get the faster these chapters will come out! So click that review button and get typing! Please!
-Elaine