Chapter 5

Thanks heaps to everyone who reviewed!
I feel so bad about my slow updating, I've had school…aw hell the truth is that I was being lazy (although I also had to rewrite this chapter) . But school finishes in a week and so I'll have more time to write hopefully (and less excuses not to)
Edward's POV of the next day

Disclaimer: I don't own twilight (weeps) or Edward (sobs)

I ran my hands over the piano again and added another note to my current composition. It was a good thing that I never needed to sleep because there was no way I would have been able to even if it was necessary, I was far too excited by the prospect of seeing Bella to concentrate on anything but her, to do anything but think about her.

Since I got home I had written page after page of music, all inspired by Bella, my fingers ached from constant playing and I had filled by bin three times over with failed attempts. In the end though I had ended up with a dozen or so pieces, all better than anything I'd ever written before.

It was amazing, I had met her just yesterday but already my whole existence had improved because of Bella. I had decided that today I needed to ask Bella on a date and I needed some help with what to do. Thus I decided to call Emmett and Jasper, my only two real friends who had not yet moved to Contentment, (and not for lack of trying either. Every year they tried to go to Contentment and every year they were denied entry, clearly they were missing something.) They were both pretty 'experienced' with girls, although neither was in a serious relationship.

I got out my phone and dialed their number (they share a house)

"Emmett speaking" said a deep voice.

"Emmett, hi, its Edward."

"Oh hi Edward, what's up" he said, surprised that I called. I guess I don't blame him; I tend to be a bit of a recluse.

"Emmett I need some help."

"Yeah, okay mate, what do you need?"

"I need to ask this girl out and I'm not sure how to go about it."

At that Emmett started to howl with laughter, "Good one Edward…you… ask out a girl…hahaha."

I gritted my teeth, "I'm serious Emmett" I ground out.

Emmett immediately stopped laughing and was dead silent for a second "oh" he finally said, " Jasper and I will be over in just a sec." Emmett hung up without even saying goodbye.

I so shouldn't have asked Jasper and Emmett's help, they stayed at my place for a couple of hours, ten minutes of which were spent with me ranting about Bella, ten minutes offering helpful 'asking out' tips and the rest them laughing at my pathetic inablility to grow some balls and stop freaking out whenever Bella was mentioned and I quote: "acting like a little girl, she loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not. She loves me not…NOOOO" – that little gem was from Emmett.

Despite their merciless teasing I eventually came up with a plan of how I should ask her out, although I was forced to come up with it myself as I didn't think that complementing her ass (as suggested by Emmett) would get me anywhere. The only helpful hint that Jasper was able to offer was, 'try not to seem like a cold, arrogant loser like you normally do Edward'- thanks Jasper, thanks.

Eventually it was time to meet up with Bella and I finally had an excuse to kick the others out. I sprinted to the place we had met up, and waited for Bella.

10 minutes later and I was starting to freak out a little, she wasn't late by much but I couldn't help but think she'd stood me up. I blinked and when my eyes flew open again, there she was before me, a vision in blue, her hair cascading down her back, lips looking even glossier than usual and her eyelashes long.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, my friends Rosalie and Alice insisted on doing my make up before I came today" I took her hand and led her to sit down on the grass.

"Its okay, you look beautiful by the way" Bella blushed a deep pink and looked down, her hair falling over her eyes as she did so. I reached over tentatively to sweep it behind her ear. This only made Bella blush an even deeper red. I muttered a "sorry" although I wasn't at all. Bella's face was too beautiful to hide, and the way her hair felt against my fingers…

Bella whispered "its okay" softly, yanking me out of my thoughts/fantasies instantly. Something in my expression must have been amusing because Bella let out a short peal of laughter- different to the hysterics that had overtaking her when she shot me yesterday- Bella covered her mouth, still laughing "I'm sorry Edward…you just looked so funny…like you were in your own little world until I spoke…and then when I did, it was as if that world had just blown up."

And in a way she was right, because in my world Bella was mine and in this world I hadn't even man'd up asked Bella out yet. I was just so nervous, what if I blew it, scared her off. Maybe it would be safer to just stay friends with her until I knew how she felt. I brushed the thought aside, no use wasting the time I had with Bella worrying about things like that. Instead I asked her questions, desperate to know more about her.

I discovered she hated the rain, sport of any kind was her mortal enemy, that her favorite colour was green- for some unfathomable reason she blushed at that revelation- her favorite fruit was mango, food, chocolate, she liked dogs not cats and was extremely ticklish (a fact I filed away for future use).

We chatted away about everything and anything, I told her about everything I'd been up to in Heaven and she recounted some funny stories from both her time on Heaven and Earth. Every time she spoke about Earth her eyes would take on this faraway, heartbreaking look and it was clear just how much she missed it and resented being dead. Nether the less she ignored the pain it was clearly causing her and told me all about her life, except when her family was mentioned. She'd be in the middle of some story and then all of the sudden trail off, looking even more miserable than before. She missed her parents it was physically painful for her just to talk about them.

Hopefully in time she'll be ready to talk about her feelings and let someone heal her wounds, and hopefully, in time I'll be the one she'll talk to.

Bella must have noticed that I was off in a daydream because she stopped recounting the story about the time she broke her arm while at Disney Land, "I'm sorry Edward, I must be boring you"

"No, not at all" I hurriedly assured her. She gave me a skeptical look "really Bella, keep going, it was just getting good." And so she smiled and begun again…

Eventually Bella heaved herself up,

"Sorry Edward, I've got to go see my family and stuff. I had a great time though."

"Me too Bella" She smiled at me and started to walk away,

"See you Edward." I watched her walk away from me, her hips swaying just a little and all of the sudden, without even thinking about it blurted out,

"Hey Bella, will you go out with me?"

CRAP, that was not the plan. Bella's face looked shocked,

"Edward…I…"

Sorry about the cliff hanger, please review

Just so its clear Emmett and Rosalie haven't met, and neither have Alice and Jasper (yet)

Please don't be annoyed at how much Edward likes Bella already, he's a pretty intense guy

By the way I know I used the word 'mate' when Edwards talking to Emmett on the phone and I know it's a really colloquial expression so sorry about that, what can I say I'm Australian, I tried to change it to 'man' but I didn't like it as much.
Hope you didn't mind. I'm generally pretty good at making my expressions American, I even write 'mom' instead of 'mum'- the Australian spelling.

E