Chapter 5: Detonation
XOXOXOXO
How the hell did this person know my name? And further more, what was this shit about me changing? I'm comfortable, thank you very much.
She stood there staring at me expectantly.
"Er, how? Name? Help?" Somewhere in my internal dialogue some very key words had been left out, though I still believe that my general intent was made clear.
Alice smiled at me. She fucking smiled. Then she laughed, and I heard bells tinkling. What the hell was it with this family?
Her gaze shifted from me to the doorway. There was a large, tall man leaning out of it. He had the same dark hair as Alice, but had blue eyes and dimples. He was holding something up with his fingers, smirking playfully.
"You found my wind chimes! Yay! I wanted to get those up ASAP! C'mon Bella," she finished as she turned back to me. "Get dressed and come over. We'll be ordering out and you can meet everyone else."
I looked hesitantly to Edward, who hadn't said a word since Alice had mysteriously said my name. I wondered if he was okay with my hanging out with him and his friends.
I got his crooked smile back in return.
My heart fluttered in my chest and I turned back to Alice, who had been looking at Edward as well. "Well, unless you plan on dressing me, you should probably head over to your place. I'll meet you there in a few minutes."
Silly me, I thought the fashionista would have stuck to her own closet. At the mention of "dressing me" a few things happened simultaneously.
Alice's head whipped back from Edward's face to mine.
Edward's eyes widened like I'd mentioned the Plague.
And the man in the other apartment started laughing hysterically.
My brows furrowed, obviously missing out on something.
"Oh you're gonna wish you hadn't said that," Edward muttered in a low voice.
"Wh-why?" I didn't hear the answer to my question because in less than two seconds flat I'd been grabbed around the wrist and pulled into my bedroom by Alice.
I suppose this was the reason I wished I hadn't said anything about dressing me.
Even with my ankle healing nicely, I was fairly sure that I'd have a new sprain from the inertia that this little girl had imposed on me.
"So how did you find out my name? What are you, psychic?" We were standing before my broken semblance of a closet.
"No, but I do know things sometimes. I'm just a deviant," She answered, chuckling darkly.
"How do you mean that?" She looked like a cheerleader's little sister, she couldn't be as much of a badass as she was making herself out to be.
"I found some of your mail on the kitchen counter. I didn't look inside any of it or anything. Just don't forget to pay your phone bill. It is due in a few days." She winked slyly at me then turned back to my closet.
Scratch that, she was breaking federal laws — she was badass.
"You're not serious, are you?" Alice asked while she fingered the hem of a shirt hanging in my closet.
"I'm completely serious. I mean, I have more clothes in my dresser. These are just the nicer things that I save for work."
Wait, why was this complete stranger dressing me again? Oh yeah, because she looked like she'd just stepped out of a J. Crew catalog and I didn't.
"Bella, Bella, Bella. We definitely have to do something about your wardrobe. We'll work on it slowly." She gave me sympathetic eyes as she said the last part.
"Really, my clothing's okay. I like what I own."
"This coming from the girl wearing a pair of boxers and a wife-beater. Figures. I see you in something so much better."
Well honestly I see myself naked in your cousin's bed, but if clothing is what you prefer…
"Fine Alice, just make sure that I'm comfortable," I reluctantly agreed as I sat down on my bed.
She eyed my bruised foot before she began her process. Then she started pacing in front of the closet, with her finger upon her chin in thought as she contemplated my slim choices.
Clothing wasn't anything I'd been fond of. Sure, it covered my body and kept me warm, but unless it came with an instruction pamphlet, I wouldn't know what piece went together with what.
So I supposed that I should've been grateful for Alice's help; that I should've seen it as a blessing in disguise. But I didn't, not in the slightest. It was all because she had this evil glint in her eye that my stomach churned and I suddenly felt sick.
"What kind of shoes do you own, Bella?" She asked as she stopped pacing.
My eyes widened. "Oh, Alice, don't hurt me."
She giggled and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you, silly. I just want to know what you've got."
"Um, I've got mostly sneakers and a pair of nice shoes for work."
"No heels?" she asked with disappointment in her voice.
I snorted as I replied, "Definitely no heels. I think I'd kill myself with a pair of those."
"I see that. Actually, it's how I found out about the apartment next door. So thanks."
"Er, you're welcome? Wait, you found out about this place because of me? I don't think we've ever met before, but you do look kind of familiar."
"No, we've never met before, at least not that I know of. But I've been looking for an apartment in this general area for a while now, and my Uncle Carlisle brought it up to me."
Uncle Carlisle? Did she mean… "You mean Dr. Cullen?"
"Oh yeah, he's my mom's brother. I've been having such rotten luck lately that I've been asking anyone if they know of any place that's available. He told me about the night that you came in. Oh don't worry," She hurried to continue after seeing my scared reaction. "He didn't tell me about any of your injuries, only that the apartment across the way from yours was vacant."
I nodded my head as she pulled open a dresser drawer. "So it's just you moving in? No one else? Oh, you don't want to look in the top drawer; it's got my underwear in it."
She looked over her shoulder at me as she answered, "I figured as much. It's the same place that I keep mine. And yes, it's just little ol' me moving in."
She tossed me a pair of Capri's and went back to the closet to grab a simple light blue t-shirt.
"Now put those on with your black Converse and head over to my apartment. The door will be open so just walk on in."
I chuckled as she exited the room, and I heard the front door close.
Dressing quickly, I went into the bathroom and brushed my hair and teeth. While spraying myself with some perfume that my mother had sent me for Christmas the previous year, I decided to pile my hair on top of my head in a pony-tail. I grabbed the nearest lip balm and made sure to lock the door behind me as I exited my apartment.
Just as Alice had said, the door was open and Edward was sitting on the stairs right in front of my door.
"What are you doing out here? I thought you'd be inside with your cousin," I asked in confusion. He couldn't be waiting for me, could he?
"Actually I was just making sure that she left you alive. Alice kind of has this thing about clothes."
"Really, I hadn't noticed. Thanks for the warning, by the way. It helped tons," I said sarcastically.
"Well, if it helps any, you look great."
Damn blush.
I decided to look down to cover my body's blatant lack of caring for my self-esteem. "Thanks, now how about we get inside before she decides to lasso me with a belt."
He stood up, dusted off his shorts, and ushered me inside.
The apartment looked as bare as mine had before my father and I moved everything in. The plain white walls made the space seem bigger, and the boxes were piled up in a makeshift circle. Alice was sitting on one of them, while three other people were sitting next to her on the other boxes.
Next to Alice was a tall, lean man with wavy, honey colored locks that came down to his earlobes. His eyes were blue and he had on a pair of denim shorts and a white wife-beater. He was attractive in a charming sort of way with the southern accent I could barely hear. He seemed to be the calm to Alice's storm.
Another one of the people sitting in the circle was the large man that I'd seen before. His white t-shirt barely contained the muscles of his arms and his calves looked to be about the size of briskets in his black shorts. His short, dark curly hair made his body look almost out of place with his face. He was laughing like a kid on crack and it was contagious. I had a smile in place as I walked into the room.
Next to him was a very pretty, grown-up version of a Barbie doll. She had long, wavy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. She knew how to work her body with the outfit that she was wearing, a dark low cut tank-top and a pair of Daisy-Duke shorts. She had the air of royalty and the looks to prove it. But she was laughing along with the giant man, so I supposed that looks could be very well deceiving.
I felt Edward's hand on my back as he gestured around the room getting everyone's attention, his touch was electrifying. Alice was beaming.
He pointed out the man with the southern accent, "That is Jasper Whitlock, gentleman extraordinaire."
The man named Jasper got up and bowed slightly to me. I reached out my hand to shake his, but he took it instead and kissed my knuckles. Everyone in the room chuckled except me, who had blushed like crazy and stuttered out a hello.
"Much obliged to meet you ma'am. I'm sure we'll be seeing your pretty face around here very often. My Alice seems to attract people to her, you see."
Damn, all he needs is a cowboy hat and he'll probably fit in with one of the old western movies.
Edward gestured to the woman who had the good grace to look like a younger version of Marilyn Monroe, "This is Rosalie Hale. Her bark is much worse than her bite."
Everyone laughed as Rosalie cracked a smile in my direction and waved. I waved back solemnly.
Then Edward finally reached the man who seemed to make everyone laugh, "And this is Emmett McCarty, Alice's brother."
As Emmett stood up, I suddenly felt like a little child. Holy shit this guy is huge!
He took me by complete surprise and wrapped me up in his massive arms for a bone-crushing hug. I was temporarily lifted from the ground and my feet dangled lamely below me as I fought to hold onto my breath.
"I bet we'll be seeing a whole bunch of you from now on! Pretty soon you'll get tired of us and just move out." He set me down and the room started righting itself.
Edward reached Alice again and muttered, "You don't really need an introduction for her, she-"
"Alice Brandon, glad to make your acquaintance." She cut him off and curtseyed in front of me. I giggled with everyone else at her antics.
She continued, "Emmett and I don't have the same last name because our mom was widowed. She remarried quickly after her first husband passed away and had me."
"Oh Emmett, I'm so sorry." I turned to face him again.
"Why? I don't remember him and Alice's dad is the only father I've known." He looked unfazed and even shrugged his shoulders.
Edward then turned to me and made my introduction. "Everyone this is Bella. Bella, this is everyone."
"Hella Bella!" Emmett boomed.
"Oh God, Emmett, don't give her that nickname, its awful!" Rosalie stated with disdain.
"What? Should I call her Hola Bella instead? Do you think that's better?"
Everyone groaned.
"Get to know me a little better Emmett, then you can make up whatever nickname you want to. Okay?" I hedged carefully.
Shit, I didn't mind what they called me. As long as it didn't sound like a gangster name, I was fine.
Alice perked in, "All of the boxes have been brought in from Jazzy's truck. So now we just need the furniture brought up from Emmett's jeep! You manly men can handle that, right?"
"Us manly men can handle anything, right boys?!" Emmett scoffed.
"Yeah!" Jasper and Edward yelled in unison. To make matters even funnier, they all fist pumped the air and did that weird belly jumpy bumpy thingy with each other. Then they went in for a three-way.
I thought they only did that in the movies. Huh, guess I was wrong.
While the guys thundered down the stairs yelling something about testosterone, us girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Alice wiped a stray tear from her eye as she told us that we might as well start unpacking some of the boxes.
We decided that it'd be more beneficial if we all worked in the same room. The bedroom seemed the easiest place to start, and as soon as we walked in I gasped. The room was littered with boxes everywhere! I could barely move because there wasn't much carpet space to put your foot onto.
"Holy shut the door Alice! What'd you do, rob a shopping mall?" I asked. I wasn't sure if any of them cursed or not, and I didn't want to seem like a degenerate if I did. I'd only just met them a few minutes ago and had barely said anything. Wanting to keep my image up, I'd start swearing as soon as someone else did.
"Oh, this is nothing. She's got a lot more stored at her parent's house. These were just the necessities." Rosalie explained as she picked up a box.
"Do you even have room for all of this stuff?" I asked incredulously. I knew what this apartment could hold, and I wasn't sure if it'd hold everything she wanted it to.
"I bought an armoire from IKEA; Jazz and the guys are going to build it for me and then I should have all the room that I need," Alice said sweetly.
I wasn't sure if there was an armoire in this world that would hold all of Alice's clothing, but I was about to be put to the test.
"They should probably build it first before we start unpacking everything. That way we can just hang stuff up and toss the boxes into my apartment for the time being," I suggested.
"True, let's make space for them. How big did you say that this movable closet is?" Rosalie asked as she moved the box that she'd picked up.
"Hm, about the size of that wall," Alice said as she pointed to the wall next to me.
"What? The size of that entire wall? You've got to be fucking kidding me, Ali!" The blonde exclaimed.
Phew, someone else cursed! I can be set free! YES!
"But I'm not, dearest one. Let's get the boxes piled up against this wall here for now. The guys should have room to build it then," Alice suggested.
I handed boxes to either Rosalie or Alice, and then they'd move it to the wall and come back for another one. I still wasn't supposed to be bearing too much weight on my ankle, so I didn't want to push myself too hard.
We heard the telltale signs of the guys returning with something large a few minutes later.
"Damn it Emmett! No, turn it the other way! Don't know why it had to be three floors up, but Jesus, this thing is heavy!" I heard Edward state loudly.
"Just calm down, Edward, we'll get it into the apartment," Jasper's soothing voice answered.
We'd just finished moving the boxes out of the way when the guys came in with the package from IKEA. They set it down gently as I took in Edward's sweating face.
God he was gorgeous in shorts and a t-shirt. Shit, he could probably make anything look fantastic. Sweat was dripping down the sides of his face, and as I watched him from the corner of my eye, he used the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat away, slightly revealing part of his abdomen to me. Well to everyone really, but I was the only one paying attention to him.
"…okay, Bella?" Alice asked.
"Hm? Uh yeah, okay." Shit, what did I just agree to? That's the second time today, I'd better get on my game or else something really bad may happen. Like me embarrassing myself. That'd be pretty bad.
I followed Rosalie and Alice out through the living room into the kitchen.
"So, let's get your workstation started Alice!" Rosalie exclaimed. I looked at her in confusion.
She turned to me and explained, "Alice loves to throw parties. They're usually low key and just for us, but she really gets into them."
I nodded my head in understanding and set to work on placing the dishes inside the cabinets. This room barely had any boxes in it, so the task of unpacking had an air of easy completion.
"So, Bella, tell us about yourself," Alice asked.
"Uh, well, I'm just me I guess. I live next door, obviously. I work at Fuego in the mall. I've been there for a couple of years now. That's about it."
"That can't be all! When's your birthday? What about school? Do you have any boyfriends? Where do your parents live?" Alice asked in rapid succession.
"Geeze, Alice! Calm down with the third degree!" Rosalie chimed in.
"I just want to get to know her! Rose, if I didn't know any better I'd say that you were protecting our newest addition," Alice teased.
Rosalie "hmphed" and continued putting spices away in the cupboard next to mine.
I answered Alice quickly, hoping to diffuse the situation. "My birthday's about two weeks away, on the 13th of this month, actually. I went to high school in Forks, which is about an hour to an hour and a half drive from here. But I didn't go to college. And no on the boyfriend front."
"Girlfriends?" Rosalie asked carefully.
"ROSE!"
"What?! You started this line of questioning. I'm just making sure that all of the facts are known," Rosalie answered with a shoulder shrug.
I barked out a laugh, "No girlfriends either."
The blonde looked crestfallen.
I chuckled humorlessly, "Sorry to disappoint."
"Oh no, it's not that. It's just, well, I guess it'd be interesting, ya know?" she answered simply.
At my puzzled expression, she went on. "I've never met a gay or lesbian person before that's all."
"What about your parents, where are they at?" Alice asked again.
"My dad lives in Forks, and my mom remarried a couple of years ago and lives in Florida."
"Are they coming up for your birthday?"
I shuffled my feet, uncomfortable with the line of questioning surrounding my birthday. "Er, no. I usually just talk to them on my birthday while they send me packages in the mail. Every once in a while my dad and I will get together and go to dinner or something, but I'm not a big fan of celebrating my birthday. Or celebrating anything in particular actually, I'm used to being by myself."
"That's kind of sad, Bella. Everyone should like to celebrate their birthday," Rosalie interjected.
Alice interrupted, "Okay, let's change gears here; I don't want to be sad! I'm so glad that Edward went over there to check on you for Uncle Carlisle, Bella. I just have this feeling that you're going to fit in superbly with all of us."
Oh, so that's why he knocked on the door, to check on me for his father. Nice Bella, real show stopper you are.
"Me too," I answered back somewhat glumly.
"So tell me again why Jasper's not moving in with you?" Rose asked from the next cabinet. I was almost done with the box that I'd opened.
"His parents have this thing about him being a proper gentleman. The only time we'll live together is after we get married, which could be in a few years at the rate we're going," Alice answered stoically.
"I'm glad that your mom and dad aren't like that, Ali. If they were then I'd have a major beef with your family for cutting into my screwing time."
"Eww, gross Rose! I do not want to think about how often you and my brother boff each other six ways from Sunday."
"We'll be getting married in a few months, sweetheart. You'd better get used to it."
"You and Em boffing everywhere or the fact that you'll be married?"
I watched as Rose turned to Alice with a wicked smirk on her face. "Both."
Oh no, I'm starting to like these people already. This blondie has a sense of humor somewhere close to mine. Mayday, mayday, mayday! Red alert, red alert!
We continued in silence for a little while, with the clinking of things being put away the only sound.
Before I knew it, we had the kitchen completely unpacked, and everything was in an order that Alice was comfortable with.
"Alice, we're done sugar. Why don't you come in here and admire the handiwork that your men have done for you?" Jasper called from the bedroom.
The three of us left the kitchen and made our way into the room with the boys. "Oh Jazzy! It's absolutely gorgeous!" Alice squealed as we entered the room.
The wood was cherry red with a light sheen finish and had a shaded glass cabinet that opened up to reveal a set of drawers.
She jumped into Jasper's arms and he swung her around like a cheesy romantic reunion.
Rose decided to break the awkward silence that had accumulated as they did their swinging hug thing, "All right boys, I think it's time for you all to bring in the rest of the furniture. Then we can finish setting up the rest of the place."
Emmet and Edward mock saluted Rose as they left down the room to escape the love fest that was transpiring between the other couple.
Rose and I backed out slowly as to not draw any attention to ourselves. Once we were clear of the door frame, we high tailed it out of there and into the dining room.
"So… since the lovebirds have decided to take over the bedroom, how about we tell the guys to just bring in the things that we can set up in the rest of the apartment?" Rosalie asked.
"Sure thing, you just want to head down there or should we toss the boxes into my apartment first?" I honestly didn't mind all of the extra space being taken up. I had plenty that I was willing to share.
"Let's make room for them in here and put the boxes in your apartment. It's their fault if they walk in on Alice and Jazz fucking up against the wall," the blonde said without care.
"All right, go ahead and grab a few of the broken down boxes from in here and follow me," I said hastily as I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed some cardboard.
She followed behind me as I walked out of Alice's apartment. The keys to my apartment were poised in my hand as she followed behind me.
"I don't know about you, but I say we give them a little time and take a break after we throw this stuff into your apartment. Cool?"
Keen to not hear any of the lovebirds sexing, I quickly agreed and practically mauled my door in an attempt to get it opened.
Shit, I didn't know how loud they could be. And in any case I didn't care to find out how Godlike Jasper's cock was—at least not today, maybe tomorrow if I wasn't busy.
While Rosalie was finessing the cardboard into a manageable heap behind my couch, I went into the kitchen and grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge. I tossed two to Rosalie, one at a time, who caught them with ease and nodded appreciatively.
I brought an extra one with me as we left my apartment and went down the stairs slowly, savoring the task of not having to do anything for the next few minutes.
When we reached the silver Jeep, Emmett and Edward were arguing over something.
"Dude, if I were you, I'd totally just do it already," Emmett said seriously as we came up behind him.
Edward was inside the back of the Jeep, lifting another large box from IKEA up and out to Emmett, who was standing outside of the vehicle to catch it.
Edward saw us first, his eyes widening, "Hey Rose. Hi Bella. What are you doing out here… with us?" his voice wavered.
Emmett's head twisted around so fast I thought I heard a vertebra crack.
"What are you going to do?" Rose asked as she passed a water-bottle to Emmett, who had set down the box he had been taking out of the car.
"Er, Alice's house-warming party. We were just deciding whether or not to dress up for it. You know, to make Alice super happy."
Rose cocked her head to the side and answered, "I didn't know that Alice had already planned a house-warming party."
"It's Alice, somehow I believe that she's already got her funeral and wake planned," Edward interjected.
I walked past Emmett and Rosalie with my eyes trained on the ground, handing Edward the extra water-bottle I had carried downstairs. My fingers brushed his and the electricity between us flared. I tried to stifle the gasp that passed through my lips involuntarily, but it was no use. I saw his face move slightly in my peripheral vision, looking from our hands to my face. I knew if I looked up I'd turn into the drooling mass of flesh I always did when I was around him. I tried, I really did, but I couldn't hold out a second longer. I felt as if I was on fire, and looking into his smoldering eyes, a wave of arousal surged through me.
My knees nearly gave out on me as I trembled. I could feel my nipples pebbling out of sheer reaction to him. His eyes were dark, forest green, and his lips were parted. His wet, pink tongue darted out to moisten his lips, and I nearly moaned. I was sure that I at least had a catch in my throat.
"Bella, I-" he started.
I couldn't let him continue. I wouldn't. His voice was making me drip liquid passion onto my panties, and it was all I could do to keep myself from launching my body at him.
"Thanks so much for checking on me for your father, Edward," I blurted out.
His nostrils flared as if I'd offended him, and he was about to tell me off for something. "You're welcome, but I didn't just come by for my father, Bella. I-"
"What are we paying you guys to do? Just stand around and gossip?!" Alice yelled from the front balcony of our building.
I kept my eyes on Edward, willing him to tell me what I so desperately needed to hear.
I need you.
I want you.
Take me.
I'm yours.
"Well, Alice, you're not paying us anything! So technically, we can stand around and gossip all day long if we choose to!" Rosalie called back.
Hold this connection.
Don't break it.
Can't lose you.
There's something more here.
Please.
"Edward, how about we get Alice off our backs and finish unloading the furniture? Edward? Dude you paying attention?" Emmett suggested from behind me.
"Bella! How about we order some pizza! I bet you know the greatest pizza joint around here! Bella?!" I broke our startling gazes at each other and turned to face Alice on the staircase.
"Sure Alice. Let's go back up to my apartment and root through my take-out drawer," I said as I started walking towards her. I didn't have it in me to be cheery and peppy at the moment. My mind was whirling with the unspoken possibilities that had silently passed through Edward and me.
He's engaged, Bella, keep your mind focused on that! Besides, there's no way he'd be even remotely interested in you. You're Plain Jane compared to Tanya, she's like the Queen of England.
I somehow had already gotten to my apartment door without realizing it. Alice stood behind me, bouncing on the balls of her feet as if ready to pounce.
Her post coital bliss was radiating off of her; she practically glowed as she happily bounded into the apartment after me.
"Well, you already know the kitchen. This right here is the true Taj Mahal of it all though," I said as I pulled open the drawer full of menus.
She regarded me carefully, eyes scrutinizing my face as if I was some complex puzzle. After a moment of silence, she shook her head as though she were getting rid of an errant thought and stated, "You're birthday party is set for the Friday two weeks from now."
Crazy girl that thought I'd like a birthday party say what?
I snorted. "What was that Alice? I must not have heard you correctly. I thought you said that my birthday party was planned for two weeks away."
"Completely correct. My house-warming party will also serve as your birthday party. Now, which of these multicolored, kid-friendly pamphlets will bring us the most delicious pizza known to man?" she replied quickly.
"Oh, no you don't! If you think you can get away with just springing a birthday party on me, you're wrong little missie!" I sputtered.
"I've noticed a few things about you, Bella, dear. One is that you don't seem too interested in anything closely related to yourself. Your clothes, your appearance, your attitude. They're all disguises. You're hiding yourself from the world. Well I'm here to help you change all that."
"What if I don't want to change?" I challenged as I quirked an eyebrow at her.
She took my hands into hers and held them tightly, her eyes shinning with hope. "How do you know that you don't want to? Have you ever really thought about what your life would be like if you thought differently? If you just treat yourself the way you deserve to be treated, you're life, the way you see your life, will be so much different. So much better."
I'd only known this little ball of sunshine for approximately three hours and she was trying to give me a life make-over. What kind of fuckery was this? But there was something in the things she said that had me thinking. "Alice, I-"
She put a hand up to my lips, silencing me. "You don't have to give me an answer now, but I want you think about it. Whichever you decide, I still want us to be friends. I just want what's best for you, and right now, that means a change. I think you'll thank me at some point." She pulled me into a hug, and when I pulled back, she had a smile on her face.
"Now, what about that pizza?"
The two of us ordered a few pizzas from the closest pizzeria and went back to the group making their way up the stairs.
"All right folks, lets try and get the living room set up. Pizza will be here in about a half an hour!" Alice shouted enthusiastically.
"Oh, pizza! You sure do know how to make a guy happy, Ali," Emmet exclaimed.
"She sure does. And if I ever hear of you getting happy off of my woman in a way that doesn't involve food, I'll kill you with a pitchfork up the ass. I'll even do it with love," Jasper chimed in.
Everyone laughed at the startled expression on Emmett's face as Jasper's words registered with him.
"Don't worry Jazz. I've only got eyes for one woman. It's either that or I'll become best friends with Rosie Palm," Emmett made a gesture of stroking himself, and everyone but Rose groaned.
"Baby, don't do that. You know what your actions do to me. I might have to take you into Alice's bathroom and molest you," she said in a deep voice.
I turned to Alice and whispered, "Are they always like this?"
"Unfortunately, but they won't do anything. At least, I don't think they will. I'm not sure if they've crossed public sex off of their list yet."
"They have a list?" I asked incredulously.
"They think I don't know, but I know everything," she said as she tapped her temple.
"So you are psychic?!" I whisper-yelled at her.
"No, like I said, I just know how to be sneaky," she answered with a smirk.
"You're the Devil; you do know that, right?" I returned.
"But that's why you and I get along so well. I reach out to your darker side."
"I heard we have cookies."
"Chocolate Chip, they're still baking in the oven."
I rolled my eyes and chuckled as she started laughing.
Edward spoke up, "Well, if you're all done making jokes, let's get everything set up. I don't feel like sitting on the carpet while I eat."
I almost told him that he could munch on my carpet anytime, but luckily held back. Saying that out loud would've been social suicide and even I knew it.
We all headed into her apartment and began setting everything up in the living room, Alice making suggestions and pointing where things should go the entire time.
The boys did all of the heavy lifting, putting things together and moving pieces of furniture in the correct position while Rosalie and I continued emptying boxes.
We had gotten the room put together in the amount of time it took for the pizzas to arrive. We all felt happy with ourselves, at the rate we were going, we'd have the entire apartment done before nightfall.
Alice paid the delivery boy quickly while everyone shuffled over to help her carry the delectable-smelling packages and soda inside. I stayed in the background, deciding the "trampled by starved young adults" wasn't the reading I wanted on my tombstone and grabbed some plates and cups from the kitchen.
I was surprised when I felt someone's footsteps behind me. I turned slowly, unsure if that was the sound I'd heard and was almost frozen to the spot. Edward stood leaning before me, a lazy grin on his lips and an elbow on the counter top.
"What is it, Edward? Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked as I brought the plates down from the cabinet.
"You look just so at home already," he said calmly.
"Well I just thought that we'd like some plates. Alice doesn't seem like the type of person who'd love to have grease stains all over the furniture."
"I think she'd have a coronary if anyone ever put a grease print on her fine leather couch."
"See, that's what I mean. I'm just saving time."
"No, you're thoughtful."
I blushed, what the fuck do you say back to that? "Er, thanks Edward."
Edward's returning smile almost did me in. It was dazzling.
Emmett rushed into the kitchen with the pizzas piled in his hands. "Hot! Hot! Hot!" he said as he set them down on the countertop. Edward moved out of his way and in my direction quickly, coming to a stop next to me. We weren't even touching and had this eerie electricity between us. I wanted nothing more than to reach out my hand and hold his. In fact, that's what I did. Without even thinking about it, my hand reached out towards his.
What are you doing?! No, no, no! Abort! Abort! Hand to the hair, hand to the hair!!
My hand bypassed his and started traveling upwards, towards his mop of gorgeous hair.
Ack! What?! Not his hair, my hair! MY HAIR!
I pulled my hand in quickly and let out a breath as it quickly connected with my own locks.
Edward looked at me when I sighed. I explained hastily, "Had an itch."
Emmett clapped in glee as he opened the first box. He had the entire Meat Lover's pizza all to himself while the rest of us picked from the pepperoni and vegetarian pizzas.
Anytime we'd go near the Meat Lover's, Emmett would growl at us and snap his jaws.
"You don't go near my man when he's got his ML's," Rose explained in an undertone to me as we settled down in the living room. She and I were on a black leather loveseat while Alice, Edward, and Jasper were on another black couch across from us. Emmett was eating his pizza from the box on the floor next to where Rosalie was situated.
"So Bella, tell us how you and Edward met," Jasper said after his first bite of vegetarian.
I liked the way that Jasper had said it, like we were together as an item of some sort. "We met at the hospital about a week ago."
"Are you volunteering too?"
I didn't really want everyone to know that I was an über klutz; seeing how I already got mocked enough thank you very much. I felt my face blush and my stuttering start as I tried to figure out what to say.
"Yes, she is actually. She was there to take the grand tour," Edward said easily.
My head turned to him with my mouth gaping open. His eyebrow rose a little, as if asking me to contradict him and tell the world that I really was a spaz.
"That's really cool of you Bella. I bet it'll make you feel a lot better, like you're doing something worthwhile," Alice spoke up from beside Edward. She really knew I was a patient, not a volunteer. I smiled gratefully at the both of them.
"Way cool Fella Bella," Everyone groaned at Emmett's attempt at another nickname for me.
"You are such a fucking goober, Emmy Bear, don't try so hard, a nickname will appear when the time is right," I said between mouthfuls of pizza.
"Emmy Bear? You make me sound like a marshmallow," Emmett said from the floor.
"Emmy's short for Emmett and Bear because you're so huge! But you're also soft like a teddy bear, or like a gummy bear. So yes, your name should sound fluffy because you are," I said playfully.
Everyone laughed at our banter and the conversation flowed smoothly. We spent the next half-hour getting farther into everyone's histories.
Jasper was from the South, Georgia to be specific, and was in his last year at the University of Washington as a history major. Still not sure what he wanted to do for a career with his choice of major, but he would be taking a year off after he graduated to weigh his options. He and Alice met during their first Introduction to Psychology class, when Alice pushed his friend out of the way to sit next to him. She held out her hand to introduce herself, and then told him that they'd be seeing an awful lot more of each other for the rest of their lives. He was hooked and hadn't looked back since.
Alice was born in Seattle and into money. When her mother remarried, she had picked a wealthy researcher who dealt with major corporations eco-friendly alternative planning divisions. He got paid the big bucks for helping to save the world, how cool. Alice was in her third year at UW, majoring in fashion design, and absolutely loved learning there. She hated the dorms though, and thus why she was moving into the apartment next to me. We were located within a ten to fifteen minute drive from the main campus, which suited her perfectly. The night before she met Jasper, she'd had a dream about a golden haired, blue eyed man that would make her happy and feel whole. As soon as her eyes had locked onto him, she knew that she had to do everything in her power to get him.
Emmett was originally born in Colorado, though he and his mother lived with Carlisle after his father had died in a hit and run accident. He was the manager at a garage that serviced cars and even did some detailing work. Rose had walked in one day and applied for a position as a mechanic, taking him completely by surprise. She could talk shit and stand up for herself like no other woman he'd ever known. They'd been dating for the past few years and he had just recently proposed to her. They were planning their wedding for this coming spring.
Rosalie was born and raised in Oregon, her and her mother only moving here after her parents had divorced when she was fifteen. She had a fascination with engines, learning everything she could about them and how they moved together, they were her number one hobby. She worked to get the things that she really wanted, but was so naturally gifted in the looks department that she didn't have to work that hard. If she used the right words and right position of her body, people would just give her what she wanted. Emmett was the only person, aside from her mother, who treated her as any other person. He expected her to work, he expected her to do the things that she needed to get done, and he also expected her to be the woman he knew she could be. He saw past her beautiful exterior to her inner beauty, something that a lot of others hadn't done before.
After we couldn't eat anymore we decided to get back to work since there wasn't much left to unpack. The only rooms left were the dining room, the bathroom, and the bedroom. The boys were putting together the dining room table and a desk. They couldn't start to put the bed-frame together until the clothing boxes were taken care of first, so the other girls and I took care of filling the wardrobe and making as much space as possible for them.
"I swear to all that is holy Alice, you need to do some major purging of your closet," Rose said in mock anger.
"Oh, like your closet is any better?" Alice quipped back.
"Actually, it is. At least someone else can use it. What are you going to do for Jasper if he ever needs a drawer?"
"Ah, the elusive drawer problem, how it squashes the hopes of many a person in its infinite quest to be obtained," I said mystically.
Rose snorted and Alice giggled. I did my job—break up the tension.
"So how old are you going to be? I never really asked before," Alice brought up beside me.
"Twenty-one, and thanks for bringing it back up," I said, a little miffed.
"Oh my God, it's going to be your twenty-first birthday and you didn't tell us?!" Rose shrieked on the other side of me. Somehow I'd been thrown in the middle of an estrogen sandwich; if we started singing "We Are Family" I was going to have to shoot myself.
Emmett chose that moment to run in. "What's going on? I heard screaming. Is everyone all right?"
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes everything's fine, Bella's birthday is soon and she didn't want to tell us how old she's going to be. Couldn't you hear that from out there?"
Emmett looked sheepish as he replied, "Honestly baby, when you start screaming at me I kind of tune you out. It all just becomes this high-pitched buzzing sound."
"Always when I scream? You seem to follow orders when I scream some things at you,"
Rose qualified as she cocked an eyebrow.
Emmett stepped forward until he was within Rose's personal bubble, "That's when I know I can make you-"
"Hey, guys, standing right here! We don't need to know what makes Rose come faster than a choo-choo train," I interrupted.
Everyone in the room, besides me, busted out into hysterical laughter at my choice of words while Jasper and Edward came in to see what all of the hubbub was about.
I shrugged a shoulder at their questioning looks and stated, "I said choo-choo train." Emmett, Rose, and Alice busted out into another round of guffaws at the word.
"You want a train for your birthday?" Edward asked questioningly.
I threw my hands up in the air and exclaimed, "Gah! I don't want anything for my birthday!" I stopped for a moment. "Wait a minute how the fuck did you know about it?"
"We heard Rose screaming about you turning twenty-one," Jasper said.
"So you couldn't let Emmett know that?"
Edward pretended to think about it for a second. "Mm, nope." He smacked his lips together before grinning at me.
"You're evil," I accused with narrowed eyes.
"Alice is related to me, where do you think she got it from?"
"Oh I could tell many a story about the three of us getting into trouble," Emmett gloated gleefully from behind me.
"Save it for another time dear brother, another time. It's starting to get late. We really need to get my bed set up so you guys can get home soon," Alice said while trying to clap a hand on her brother's massive shoulder. She was too short and could only put it up to the back of his shoulder blade. She patted it anyways.
The boys filed out of the bedroom while we remained behind to finally finish sorting through all of Alice's clothes. We called the boys in to get the bed-frame built while we looked dutifully on from the bathroom, seemingly putting things away as we secretly ogled them. All right, so Alice and Rosalie straight out ogled, while I had to hide my, er, appreciation of their tight bodies.
"We have some fine specimens of prime male meat over there, don't we, Ali?"
"Yes indeed Rose, we're some very lucky women. Bella, doesn't Edward look scrumptious?"
"Er, uh… yeah, sure." I stuttered out. Engaged to be married, engaged to be married!
They were all bent over different parts of the frame, pushing the pieces into each other.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say that they're trying to dry hump the furniture.
"Edward's been behaving oddly lately. Have you noticed, Ali?" Rose asked as she turned toward the pixie.
What I wouldn't give for him to hump me. Great now I sound like a pervert.
"A little bit. Now that you mention it, he does seem to be daydreaming an awful lot. It's like he's not really with us but in another place. Kind of like you today, Bella, unless that's how you usually act," Alice answered.
Shit, not again! What the fuck is wrong with me?!
"Hm? Oh, what? Sorry, I guess I was spacing out. Could you say that again?" I answered while shaking my head.
Alice turned to Rosalie and me with a smirk on her face, "I was just saying that Edward and you seem to have a lot in common."
"Oh, wh-why do you say that?" I stuttered out.
"Well you're volunteering, he's volunteering. You're helping me out, he's helping me out. You're making goo-goo eyes at him; he's making goo-goo eyes at you."
At the last one I had to snort, "Oh Alice, you've got to be dreaming. I'm not making any kind of eyes at him, and he is most definitely not making any kind of eyes back."
The two of them gave me a look that said, Like we really believe you and know the fuck better.
I rolled my eyes and said, "Seriously guys, nothing's going on. Oh, it looks like they're done. We might as well finish up in here while they bring in the mattress and the desk. Come on."
I hastily started grabbing things out of the box next to me, intent on two things. A) keeping my eyes away from Edward, and 2) keeping the other girls from seeing my traitorous blush.
The fourteen-year-old hormonal girl inside of me was trying to squee her way out at the fact that I wasn't just imagining things, and that they had indeed caught Edward staring back at me.
I'm not the only one going insane! Yay me!
They must have caught on to the notion that I didn't want to talk about it any longer because they also set to work on finishing the bathroom. It only took us ten minutes.
We then busied ourselves with getting the last room finished—the dining room. We set the chairs, pulled the desk around to face the front of the counter-top island and even moved a fake potted plant into the corner to add some color.
Alice told us that over the next couple of days she'd be bringing in more things to liven up the place. I totally believed her, and I would totally not be helping. As it was, I was fairly exhausted. I hadn't been on my feet that much since the night I'd sprained my ankle. I needed to start doing some endurance exercises or something; otherwise, when I was released to return to full duty at work, I wouldn't be able to last an eight hour shift. I'd be sitting on the floor in the corner, sucking my thumb and calling for my mommy.
The boys walked out of the bedroom wearing similar masks of exhaustion. I couldn't blame them; they had done more than me today. Lifting things and putting things together and wiping the sweat from their foreheads with their shirts and Bella you need to stop it right now!
We had all situated ourselves around the couches much like we had before, though now us girls took up the couch and Emmett took up the loveseat, while Edward and Jasper sprawled out on the floor.
"Hey Alice," Edward called.
"Yeah Edward?" she answered.
"The next time that you move, don't call me," he finished with a sigh.
"I ditto that sentiment," Emmett said from the loveseat.
"You can't Emmett, you're my brother. Whatever I ask of you, you do," Alice said drowsily.
"Fuck that shit. I want a divorce," replied Emmett.
"You can't divorce me from being your sister. We're blood related, you oaf," Alice spat back.
It was a very funny conversation. I wish I had had the energy to laugh. At the very least I managed a weak, half-hearted chuckle.
Someone in the room sighed. I couldn't tell who it was, though I seriously thought it might have been me.
"Does anyone know what time it is?" I asked slowly. I had to be at work the next morning, and no doubt that some of the others had previous engagements to attend to as well.
"It's dark outside the window. Does that answer your question?" Jasper drawled from the floor, his neck bent at a weird angle to see the sliding door to the back patio.
"Ugh, I should be getting home. I still need to take a shower and get ready for work tomorrow," I complained from my position on the couch.
"Shit, we've still got to drive home, Em," Rose added.
"At least Jasper and I aren't that far from here," Edward stated from the floor.
"Okay guys, I get the hint. I'm kicking all of your asses out. Go home. Take some pizza with you if you want," Alice declared while pushing herself off of the couch.
I offered Alice my hand to help me up. At the moment, I wasn't sure if I still had a spine—I couldn't feel it and my appendages felt like jelly. I caught Rose's hand and pulled her up along with me. Once standing, I turned in the other direction and was met with a hand reaching up to me from the floor.
His fingers were at the level of my crotch, and my god, what I wouldn't give for him to just curl his fingers around me, providing some sweet relief. He'd been driving me fucking crazy all day.
I looked down at him and was met with his dazzling green eyes. Though he was as tired and surely as exhausted as we all felt, his eyes still sparkled at me and made my knees ever weaker. It was almost like he had a secret that he wanted to share, but was delighted in the fact that he couldn't right now.
I heard Alice trying to pull Jasper up while Rose was talking with Emmett softly. I reached out my hand to his, surprised to find his skin softer than I thought it would be, and gently pulled.
I should've known that something bad would have happened. I had gone through the entire day scratch free. I was due some humiliation.
I overestimated how much force I'd have to use to pull Edward up from the ground, and instead of pulling him fully upright, I pulled his body laterally into mine. My already weak knees didn't help me any as the momentum caught the both of us off guard, and I fell onto my back on the floor. Edward landed on top of me, forcing the air out of my chest in a rush as my head hit the carpeted floor with a dull thud. We were basically doing the horizontal mambo on the floor, only with clothes on.
"Are you guys okay?" Alice asked from somewhere above us.
"We're fine Alice. Help Rose and Jasper get Emmett off the couch, I think he might have fallen asleep," he answered in her direction.
"Not again! Baby, Baby! I need you to get up now, come on," Rose exclaimed as she tried to revive Emmett.
Edward was in between my legs, missionary style, and I fought back the urge to thrust my hips into him. Our hands were still linked though they landed above my head, as if he was holding it as we made sweet, passionate love. He was looking into my eyes; shock and fear evident in his features as his other hand came up to gently prod at my head.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice husky and panicky.
I could only nod, not trusting my voice to say anything that wasn't R rated.
Squirming as he hit a particularly sensitive spot on my head, I whimpered at his touch and he froze above me.
My concern grew. "Are you-" Oh my god, is that a bulge in his pants?
I took an unsteady breath in and finished my sentence, giving him a way out, "-okay?"
His voice cracked as he answered, "I'm all right, just don't move for a second."
Oh sweet baby jebus in a manger, he was acknowledging his hard on!
I tried my hardest not to laugh, moan, or throw myself at him some more, but good lord it was difficult. I could hear Rose slapping Emmett across the back of the head and turned my eyes to watch them.
Alice and Jasper each had an arm of Emmett's and were tugging on him with all of their might. Rose was behind his torso on the couch, trying to shove him up.
A warm presence on my cheek alerted me to the fact that Edward had just rested his forehead on it, and warming my entire being. I could even feel his eyes close, his long lashes brushing against my jaw. If I was watching this happen with someone else, I would have gone, "Aww". But instead I was living it, and my entire being was screaming at me to get up before I attacked him.
I felt him sigh across my neck, and I shivered at the burst of air on my skin, my shoulders making my back arch against the floor. Bolts of electricity shocked straight through me to my core and causing my nipples to harden.
Why, oh why, does my neck have to be such a turn on spot for me?!
He gasped at my body's reactions, his hand clutching mine in a death grip as his other hand came down from my head to my waist. He lifted his head from my cheek, and I swear to god his eyes looked almost black. I'm pretty sure that I looked wanton at the moment: my cheeks flushed pink, my lips parted and red, my breaths coming out in short pants.
His lips are parted too; he's just licked them; he's panting like I am.
He was moving his lips closer to mine.
Oh god, please don't let me be dreaming.
I could see each and every single one of his eyelashes—long and black against his immaculate skin.
Taking agonizingly slow movements, he moved closer still.
Engaged. Marriage.
Not. Mine.
My heart thudded to a stop and I wrenched my body away from his, finding strength I didn't know I had to move.
Rosalie, Jasper and Alice hadn't noticed a thing going on between Edward and I, for Emmett was just coming to from his impromptu nap, and they were high-fiving each other in victory.
"I'll see you all later. I've got to go now," I practically screamed as I quickly exited the apartment, hoping no one would stop me.
I grabbed my keys from my pocket as the door to Alice's apartment slammed shut behind me. I only had a few seconds to get inside before I went into system overload out on the stairs.
Tick
Fumbling with the keys, hands shaking.
Tick
Dropping the keys, cursing my luck.
Tick
Picking them up and slamming them into the lock, opening it frantically.
Tick
Edward opened Alice's door as I hastily shut and locked mine behind me.
Boom
XOXOXOXO
A/N: Thanks to Ellie and Amelia for being fantastic betas. Also, thanks to my mom for all of her support.
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