I'm sorry for the delay. I just finished celebrate Aidil Fitri with my big family ^^

Thank you to my beta, xx-twilight7-xx (Anita), for beta'ing the chapter :)

Chapter 9

The Offer

I froze.

Of all the things that I wanted in this place and he was offering himself to me? Well, not that kind of offering, but asking to become my subject? The world has gone mad.

Edward looked at me with hope in his eyes. "What do you say about that?"

I blinked and scratched my head. "Um….."

"I will speak with my dad about that so you don't have to be worry," he interjected. "I have already improved these days. I…uh…have tried my best to control my temper and my anger. You could ask my dad or the staff here."

I furrowed my eyebrows. Is that why I haven't seen him often since the incident with James? Did he ask for help from professionals? Wow, this is interesting. He was more complicated than I thought and now I was torn in two again. I had already chosen Margaret as my subject and at the very least I must spend more time with her. If I handled Edward too, how could I manage my time?

"Bella?"

I took a deep breath and pursed my lips. "Honestly, Edward, I can't answer that. I'm just student, not a professional. I don't think I could help you." As much as I wanted to, I knew I won't be helping him too much.

Edward seemed nervous. "Actually I was the one who wanted you to help me."

I gaped at him. "You what?"

He nodded slowly. "I just felt you are different and…I don't know…I just trust you."

I looked at him in disbelief. A week ago he refused any help and now he wanted me to help him? What is wrong with him? My eyebrows furrowed again. "You said that you didn't want any help. Why the change?"

Edward took a deep breath and played random tunes again on the piano. "I want my life back, Bella. I don't want to be trapped here not knowing when I could be released."

"So, you want my help because you want to get out of this place?" I asked him. Even though it was the wrong motivation, at least he wanted to change for himself.

"No…well..yes….actually both of them," Edward answered slowly.

I took a deep breath. Well, I could talk with Kate or probably Dr. Cullen and asked for their permission to spend my time with Edward, but I was still a volunteer here and I didn't have the right to be with him.

"I'm sorry for everything that I said when we first met," he said again. "Please, can you give me a chance? You can see that I have already improved." His green eyes were full with hope and my heart clenched.

I smiled slightly. "Edward, I'm just a volunteer here and I'm not allowed to be with kids with…intense cases."

His eyes tightened. "I will talk to my dad and ask him to give you permission to be with me."

I frowned. "Edward, control yourself."

He closed his eyes briefly and pinched the bridge of his nose. I took deep breaths and saw the change in his posture. He still had problems with controlling his anger and I asked myself if I wanted to spend my time with him. Although I was interested in him to be my subject, he had intense cases and I was not a professional. I was just a Psychology student.

"Bella? What are you doing here?"

A female voice startled both of us and I quickly stood from the piano bench. I looked at the door and saw Kate standing there with Garrett on her side. Their eyes widened when they saw me with Edward and both of them quickly approached us. Edward slowly rose from the bench too and Garrett held Edward's arm while Kate tugged me lightly to have create distance from Edward. I could see Garrett tightening his hold on Edward's arm and hissed at him, "You always cause trouble here. What are you doing to her?"

I was surprised that Edward didn't say anything. He glanced at me briefly and my heart clenched. "Wait!" I said to them. "He didn't do anything. We were just talking. Please, let him go."

Silence.

Garrett looked at me in disbelief while from the corner of my eyes I saw Kate's eyes widen. I swallowed hard. "Please," I said again, more pleading this time.

Garrett narrowed his eyes and released his hold on Edward's arm. "Come on, Bella," Kate said to me in low voice.

I reluctantly followed Kate and glanced at Edward before I got out from the room. He followed my movement with his eyes and I turned my head from him.

"How did you meet him?" Kate asked me while we walked down the hall.

I sighed. "I was on my way to the lunch room and then I heard a sound of a piano. I knew it was Edward."

Kate's eyebrows shot up. "You knew it was him? Did you see him before this?"

I nodded. "A few days ago, I think."

Kate sighed. "Bella…."

"Why do you guys always treat him differently?" I asked her immediately. I was getting tired with what other people thought about Edward. "He is not dangerous. Well, he does have a problem with his temper, but it doesn't make him dangerous."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Please, Bella, don't make my job harder."

My eyes tightened. "I just asked you why all of you treat him differently? If you could give him a chance, he'll be fine."

Kate sighed and tugged me lightly into the lunch room. "It is lunch time, Bella and Margaret is waiting for you."

I took a deep breath and composed my face. I walked to the lunch room and grabbed my tray. I took my food and sat at the volunteers' table. I slowly ate my food, ignoring the curious stares from other volunteers.

"Hey, Bella. How are you?" I heard Angela ask me.

I raised my head and looked at her. She smiled genuinely and I smiled back. I swallowed my food. "I'm good, thank you for asking. How about you?"

Angela chuckled. "Well, that's good. Since what happened with James, you seemed busy with your kids."

I blinked. "Really?" I never thought about that.

She chuckled again. "That's alright, Bella. I can see you're busy now."

I smiled slightly and returned to my food. After finishing my lunch, I went to see Margaret at the garden. She was busy scrabbling on her paper when I sat next to her on the green grass. "Hey," I greeted her.

Margaret raised her head and smiled widely when she saw me. "Hey, Bella. I'm so happy to see you."

I chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Likewise." And then I looked at the paper in her hand. "What are you writing?"

"Oh," she looked down to the paper and grimaced. "I just made a list about the things that I want to do once I am released."

I smiled upon seeing her enthusiasm. I've heard about her therapy progress and I knew she would be released soon. Once she was ready. "Are you ready to go back to your life?"

Margaret sighed and fingered the paper. "I don't know. Honestly, I'm scared, but I want to do lots of things and maybe I will go to college."

I patted her shoulder. As a person who spent most of my time here, I knew that this would be a big move for her. "I know you can do it. You are a very special girl, but never think that you are different. You still could have friends your own age."

Margaret smiled widely and hugged me tenderly. "Thank you, Bella. You are so kind to me."

I chuckled nervously. "Well, kind is my middle name," I said jokingly and she giggled in response.

Margaret released her hug and looked at me. "What about Edward? Did you see him today?"

I raised my eyebrows. "How much did you hear?"

She shrugged. "Not much. But I heard that you were with him in his piano room."

"Piano room?" I asked in disbelief. He had a piano room. Wow, I never expected that.

Margaret nodded. "It is said that Dr. Cullen brought his piano here as a therapy for him, but we've never heard him playing until now." And then Margaret looked at me. "I think he likes you."

I made a face. "Uh-huh."

She giggled again. "No, not like that, Bella. I mean he trusts you and I think he wants to spend his time with you."

I smirked. "What are you? A psychic?"

She laughed lightly. "I wish I am." And then she smiled. "You are a Psychology student, Bella. I think you do know how we all here feel about trusting someone. It's a rare thing. It's not like you flipping your hand. Honestly, I already trust you since we first spent time together."

I blinked. "Really?"

She nodded. "And I am glad that I was right to trust you."

Her words really warmed my heart. I smiled. "Thank you, Margaret."

She shrugged and looked at me again. "What will you do about Edward?"

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "To tell the truth, I have no idea. I'm just a volunteer here."

Margaret didn't ask much about Edward afterwards and we just talked casually, mostly about her plans once 'Our Hearts' released her. I went home at 5:00 pm as usual and I arrived at an empty dorm. Alice just left me a note in our room, telling me that she will be home late. I sighed and grabbed some fresh clothes along with my toiletries bag and decided to have my shower. I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

I woke up early the next day and again I saw Alice already curled up in her bed. I smiled slightly and shook my head. I took my shower and changed my clothes before I drove to 'Our Hearts' this morning. I arrived 5 minutes before I started my morning and some kids greeted me. I walked to the employee's room for a short briefing when someone called my name.

"Bella, can we talk for a minute?"

I stopped my feet and turned my head to see Carlisle standing on the stairs. I blinked and looked briefly to the employee's room before I looked at the blond man again and nodded slowly. He smiled slightly and I walked up the stairs. He walked by my side and opened his office door.

"Please, have a sit," he said to me.

I nodded and sat on the chair across from him. Carlisle took his place across from me and smiled. "How are you, Bella? It's been a while since I saw you the last time."

I chuckled nervously. "I'm good, Carlisle. Thank you."

He nodded. "That's good." He cleared his throat. "I called you here this morning to talk about Edward."

I froze.

"He told me yesterday that he wanted to spend his time with you," he continued. "He also told me that he already asked you. Is that true?"

I blinked and looked at him. His face was expressionless, but I didn't sense any anger from his tone earlier. I took a deep breath. "Um…yes. We met yesterday," I answered in low voice.

Carlisle's eyes tightened. "How did you two meet?"

I frowned inwardly. Was it wrong for Edward to meet somebody besides his family and the professionals? "I was walking to the lunch room when I heard a sound of piano-"

"Wait! A what?"

Carlisle's question made me raised my eyebrows. Suddenly I remembered when Margaret told me that Edward never played his piano since he arrived here. "A piano," I continued.

"You saw him playing the piano?" Carlisle asked me in disbelief and if he wasn't a senior doctor, I would probably have laughed.

I nodded slowly, amazed that a simple thing like playing the piano was a huge progress for Edward.

Carlisle took a deep breath. "Well, that's interesting. He has never touched his piano since he changed." And then he looked at me. "I guess you indeed brought something from him."

I chuckled nervously. "We just talked, Carlisle. Nothing more. Besides I'm a Psychology student, not a professional."

Carlisle smiled warmly. "If you're the one who can make him feel better, I will arrange your schedule to be with him."

I blinked. "Pardon me?" Was he serious?

He smiled again. "What do you say, Bella? Do you want to assist Edward?"

My computer is down again and I won't be able to write the new chapter until it's repaired :( So sorry if there will be no update for the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, happy reading for the new chapter while you all waiting for the next chapter.