Ok, Edward meets the friends in this chapter!
Flashback- Reunions:
JPOV
I haven't seen Bella in over a month, and it's been torture. I've loved her for years; ever since the day we first met. But I've never had the courage to tell her. And now, she calls Angela out of the blue and wanted to meet up with us again; 'just like old times'. So I was sitting on an uncomfortable barstool, sandwiched between Angela and Jessica, who were speculating about some story in the magazine Jessica had brought along.
"I'm going to get some air." I finally said. Bella was over twenty minutes late and Angela and Jessica were using all the oxygen in the place.
"Fine, just don't take too long." Angela said distractedly.
"Yeah, yeah." I muttered, getting up and walking out the door.
I took a deep breath and leaned against the brick wall outside the restaurant, absentmindedly looking around. I could just see a brunette girl in the parking lot. It looked a lot like Bella. I started to call out to her, but suddenly a tall, pale, bronze haired guy appeared behind her and wrapped his arm around her. That couldn't be Bella; she wasn't dating anyone.
I looked away and looked back several seconds later. The guy was kissing the girl now, and her hands were clenched in his hair; pulling him closer to her. I watched, disgusted, as his hands traveled down her back and rested directed on her butt. I looked away again and focused on the passing cars instead.
"Hey, Jake!" A familiar voice called to me and I whipped my head around. The girl was Bella. Her cheeks were flushed now and she was holding hands with the guy.
"Hey, Bells." I hugged her awkwardly, and she didn't let go of the other guys hand.
"Jacob, this is Edward. Edward, Jacob." She said formally, placing her hand on Edward's chest.
"Hi." I muttered, shaking his hand. The one that wasn't wrapped around Bella's waist.
"Hi. I've heard a lot about you." Edward said cheerfully. And why wouldn't he be cheerful? He had the most beautiful, brilliant, perfect woman in his arms.
"Aren't Angela, Mike and Jess here yet?" Bella asked, arching her neck back so that it rested on Edward's shoulder. He kissed her neck gently. And……damn, was that a hickey on her neck?
"Uh, Jess and Angela are here. But Mike will be here a little later." I said, trying not to look at the very prominent hickey on her neck. Edward seemed to catch what I had seen and he gently rearranged her hair so that it covered the red blotch.
This was going to be a hard visit.
BPOV
Jacob was acting weird. He was staring at the ground, kicking his feet slightly.
"Shouldn't we go inside?" Edward asked, holding the door open for me.
"Yeah." Jacob muttered under his breath. I shot him a look and he managed a weak smile. Edward was staring intently at Jacob; a cold look in his eyes. Geez, what the hell was wrong with the two of them?
"You little bitch!" Jessica's voice came out of nowhere and she suddenly threw in arms around me. "Why didn't you tell me!?" It took me a second to realize what she meant, until she glanced up at Edward, a dreamy expression on her face.
"Oh." I blushed and leaned against Edward's side. "I wanted to tell you in person." I said, and Angela came up behind Jessica, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Jess, what were you screaming-" She stopped and looked at Edward; her jaw dropped open. "Oh my god! Bella, why didn't you tell us?"
"Let's just sit down." I suggested, taking Edward's hand and pulling him deeper into the restaurant. He kept his head low and didn't take his sunglasses off. I knew he was afraid of being spotted. Jessica and Angela tailed close behind us, while Jacob sulked; his head hanging low. I knew he had no idea why Angela and Jessica were all worked up, and I knew he didn't care.
"So, where did you meet?" Jessica asked the second my butt hit the seat.
"Remember my friend Alice?" I asked. Angela and Jess nodded enthusiastically. "Well, Alice is Edward's little sister."
"And Alice couldn't wait to introduce us." Edward added, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my forehead.
"I mean, I saw all the stories in the magazines, but they never identified you or got a really good picture. And I assumed you would have told me about something like this!" Jessica exclaimed. "I mean, you're dating Edward freaking Cullen!" Edward laughed and Jacob's head snapped up, his eyes narrow.
JPOV
"I mean, you're dating Edward freaking Cullen!" Jessica squealed to Bella.
Wait a second, how did I know that name? I narrowed my eyes and looked at Edward, trying desperately to place why he looked so familiar. Bella caught me staring at her precious boyfriend and raised one eyebrow at me, but continued to answer Jessica and Angela's questions.
I looked down at my feet and noticed Jessica's open bag on the ground. Sticking out of the top slightly was the magazine she and Angela had been pouring over earlier. I nudged the magazine with my foot until the cover came into view; making me suck in my breath.
"SEXIEST BACHELOR EDWARD CULLEN SETTLING DOWN?" The headline screamed, emblazed over a blurry picture of Edward and a dark haired woman that looked remarkably like Bella holding moving boxes from the car I recognized as Bella's.
Edward Cullen…..the movie star. The love of my life was dating a fucking movie star.
"Bella, can I talk to you?" I interrupted them suddenly, and everyone feel silent to look up at me. I was already on my feet, holding my hand out to Bella. She bit her lip delicately and looked from Edward to me, obviously torn.
"Yeah." She finally said, before softly kissing him and whispering something in his ear that made him smile. "I'll be right back." Bella said in a louder voice, and took my hand. I yanked her to the back of the restaurant unceremoniously. "What's up, Jake?" She asked cautiously.
"Bella, I have to tell you something." I said softly. "Something I should have told you a long time ago." She immediately looked concerned and started to speak, but I held a finger to her lush, plump lips. "I love you, Bella." I finally said. "I love you." Her jaw dropped and she stared at me for a long moment and then started moving her lips like she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
"Wha- why did you have to tell me this now, Jacob?" She snapped. "I come here with my boyfriend and you tell me you freaking love me!? I can't believe this!" Bella's voice cracked and she held her face in her hands.
"Better late than never." I said softly.
"Don't do this, Jake." She begged, touching my hand gently. "I've chosen him." My heart pounded at those words.
"You've only known him for four months." I said harshly. "That's enough for you to make your decision?"
"I love him." Bella said softly. "More than anything." I searched her face and took her hand in mine.
"What is it? His looks? The fame? The money?" I asked, and Bella yanked her hand away.
"It has nothing to do with any of that." She hissed. "I love him. Edward. The kind, sensitive, romantic, brilliant, loving, generous, beautiful man he is. Not what he has. Him."
"Him." I said. "Why, Bella? I can be all those things, if you let me try." I pleaded.
"No." She said quietly, almost apologetically. "No one is like Edward. He completes me, Jacob. He is my true other half, my soul mate." I cringed at those words and slowly took her face in my hands.
"I love you, Bella." I said before leaning down and kissing her. She was stunned at first, not reacting. But when her brain picked up on what was happening, she squirmed and yanked away from me, gasping for breath.
"You idiot!" She screeched, drawing back her hand and punching me across the face. I hardly felt the blow, but Bella let out a cry and desperately grabbed her hand, wincing.
"What happened?" I asked, reaching for her rapidly swelling hand.
"Get away from me!" She cried, cradling her hand to her chest and dashing back to the table where Edward, Jessica, Angela, and now Mike sat. "Edward!" She called, and he immediately stood and held his arms out her. He took one look at her hand and glared at me; the look in his eyes pure fury.
"I have to go." I muttered.
I turned to Bella. "I meant what I said, Bella. Don't forget that."
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A/N: Poor Jacob….rejected. I'm going to have more Mike in the story later on, but not in a bad way. Promise.
And, oh, I might cry if you don't review :(
Xoxo-Melodyella aka Mellie