Author's note: Sorry this is late! Got back from spring break and had writers block… next chapter is finished but needs to be edited! So it's a 'comin'!
Chapter Three: Bear Hugs
BELLA'S POVFour Months and One Week Ago………
I stared at my reflection in the mirror desperately trying to think of some possible way I could do my hair. Edward was coming to get me in exactly fifteen minutes and I still had my ugly, worn-out, ripped sweats on. I looked like somebody's worst nightmare come alive. What was a normal, human girl to do? Compared to my beautiful, immortal vampire boyfriend and his gorgeous, stunning, elegant family… I was practically average, and unattractive. Although, Edward completely disagreed with me on both self-comparisons because, to him I was the most beautiful and irresistible creature on the Earth. While pondering all of these depressing and confusing thoughts my attention was immediately directed back to the issue at hand… My hair… "ARGGHH!" I screamed in frustration with my hair.
Whatever, I thought, it wasn't worth it at this point because I now had less then ten minutes to change my outfit, do my make-up and make a futile attempt to do something with my hair. Quickly, I ran to my closet and flung open the door, and dangling on a hanger was the Abercrombie & Fitch sweatshirt that Alice got me for Christmas. Hurriedly, I flung on a white shirt and jeans, grabbed the sweatshirt out of the closet and ran down the stairs to wait for Edward. When I got to the kitchen I looked at the clock, it was 11:55. Amazing, I had managed to get ready in just about five minutes! Then I herd a knock on the door and ran to get it. Right at that moment I realized why it had only taken five minutes for me to get ready… I had forgotten to put make-up on and fix my hair! "Shit…" I muttered under my breath as I reached the door.
As I was debating whether or not to open up the door, Edward let himself in. "Hello Bella love." He said in his melodic voice that made my knees go weak.
I must have been a good girl some where in my childhood in able to get this handsome angel as my boyfriend, because it still hadn't sunk in that he's all mine. Looking into his golden, topaz eyes I felt perfectly at home and almost completed as a person, but we both knew that I wasn't complete. When Edward left me I had relied on Jacob as my other missing half, while I did some serious soul searching. The longer Edward was gone, the closer I got to Jake, so that by the time we were reunited, I had melded myself to Jake almost the same way as I had to Edward. You would think that I would have forgotten Jake in a second as soon as I had Edward back, but that wasn't the case. I now needed both of them to be happy and I knew that it hurt both of them to share me. Then I remembered that I hadn't even given Edward a 'Hello' back! I looked up at Edward quickly only to find him gazing at me amusingly as I said, "Hi Edward, I was umm thinking about something…" I just trailed off embarrassed; I could even feel myself getting redder by the seconds.
"Hahaha, it's fine love. I could tell that you were thinking quite deeply because, your brow was furrowed and you acted like I wasn't here for at least two minutes." Edward chuckled whole-heartedly with a wide smile on his face.
"So where are we going today?" I asked curiously.
"To the house to see my family. Is that ok with Charlie?" Edward asked looking around me to see if Charlie was here, but fortunately he wasn't.
"Charlie isn't here Edward. He went to work early today, why else do you think I would have asked you to come get me? I didn't want Charlie to get upset or be rude to you!" I replied throwing my arms around his neck.
"Ok then let's go." He said scooping me up in his arms.
Edward carried me to his Volvo ever so carefully, as if he was afraid that I would break in his arms if he so much as even stumbled. I had my head burrowed into Edward's shoulder and was quite comfortable, so when he came to the car door I squeezed my arms around his neck tighter. Edward chuckled and said, "Bella you have to let go so we can go to the house, and I promise I will hold you later." He was still laughing.
"You promise? You really promise?" I asked pouting my lip out like a little kid, while talking with a babyish voice.
"Haha, yes I promise dear." Edward replied smiling.
The trip to Edward's house was a short one because Edward was over the speed limit the whole way there. When we arrived I immediately saw Alice's little figure racing towards the car, at the same time I could hear Edward's frustrated sighing and muttering at Alice's appearance.
"Edward don't be like that." I said before I gave him a kiss on the cheek, which made his face light up.
"BELLA!!!" Alice trilled at the top of her little soprano voice.
"ALICE!!!" I yelled back.
It was good to be home, I thought while Alice hugged me hard and Edward plucked me from her grasp. Then when I thought things couldn't get any better, Emmett barreled through the front door while yelling, "Where's my little sister?!"
Just as his battle cry had been announced Emmett tackled me with a bear hug that lifted me off my feet and into Emmett's strong arms, and made Edward cuss under his breath. In return I wrapped my arms around Emmett's neck and laughed while saying, "My God Emmett you knocked the wind out a' me! But it's nice to see you too!"
"I missed you Bella! Don't you ever leave us again!!!! Cuz' it's not as fun to pick on Edward as it is you!" Emmett said with a laugh pecking me on the cheek and giving me one last breathless hug before setting me down.
Then as soon as my feet touched the ground I heard Rosalie shriek, "Emmett Cullen you better not have squashed her or you are going to get some serious ass kicking!!!"
At that remark Emmett started laughing his head off and raced into the house with a devilish grin stretched across his face, while we heard Rosalie shriek again, but louder this time, "Emmett Cullen! PUT ME THE HELL DOWN!!!"
Just then Emmett appeared back outside with Rosalie in his arms flailing and kicking while tugging on his ears. We all could tell that she wasn't really upset by the huge ear-to-ear grin that was stretched across her face. When she saw me she hopped down and raced over to me and threw her arms around my neck and held me tight to her. "Bella I missed you so much don't you go away or leave us again!" Rosalie demanded in a gentle but firm voice.
I never thought that my leaving Forks would cause such a commotion when I left to go visit Phil and Renee in Florida using the tickets Esme and Carlisle had given me for my birthday. Unfortunately instead of Edward coming with me, Charlie came because I didn't want Edward's secret to be exposed by the sunlight. After Rosalie was done squeezing and hugging me I heard Jasper behind me say, "Welcome home Bella."
As Jasper said that he just stood there smiling at me until I said, "It's ok Jasper I want you to give me a hug!"
With nothing else said Jasper raced over and swept me off my feet into his arms much in the same way Emmett had, but much, much more gently then Emmett had. Everyone laughed when I said, "Now Emmett you could really learn something from Jasper!"
While everyone was laughing Jasper whispered in my ear, "Everyone really missed you. Especially Rose and Edward, they paced back and fourth each day until you would call at night. And they snapped at everyone more then usual worrying about you."
I looked up at Jasper's smiling face, probably blushing knowing me, and whispered, "Really? Even Rose?"
Japer just nodded, but that was enough for me so I gave him a kiss on the cheek and hoped down to the ground without tripping! I then walked up to Edward and tugged on his shirtsleeve to get his attention. When he looked down at me I whispered in his ear, "Edward can we go inside to Esme and Carlisle?"
Edward nodded and grabbed my hand to lead me inside. As soon as we reached the door to the kitchen, I saw Esme sitting at the counter reading a magazine next to Carlisle, but looked up when we came in. When I saw Esme's warm smile and clean kitchen with Carlisle sitting next to her… I smiled too because, I knew that I was truly home.