Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything.

Chapter 7

Bella's POV

For the next three days we worked on the assignment together at my house. As every afternoon past us by we began to become more and more comfortable around each other. We talked to each other freely and although he was still guarded and never talked about his past he began to loosen up and even joked around with me.

I felt as though we were friends.

On the Friday we were about finished with the assignment and Edward was coming over so we could put the finishing touches on it so it would be ready to hand in on Monday.

"Ah it'll be so good when this assignment is finished" I said which was half true, I would be glad to not have to do any work but I would be sad not to spend so much time with Edward.

He looked at me for a moment before replying "Yeah me too" there was an awkward pause something which thankfully was becoming less and less frequent.

"Did Alice talk to you today?" he asked slowly not looking at me

"Yeah of course" I said slightly confused

He took a deep breath "No did she talk to you about…" but he didn't finish his sentence because the front door opened suddenly.

"Oh" I said surprised "It must be Charlie, come on, come and meet him"

I jumped up and expected him to follow me but he just sat there.

"Edward?" he looked up at me and he looked slightly nervous

"Come on" I said gently but also with confusion. He got up slowly and followed me towards the front door.

"Bella" Charlie called out and stopped when he saw us coming towards him.

"Dad this is Edward" I said pointing towards Edward "Edward this is my Dad, Charlie"

"Nice to meet you Edward" Charlie held out his hand for Edward to shake. But Edward wasn't looking at him. He had his pained look in his eyes which for the last couple of days had been almost inexistent.

"Edward" I said and instinctively elbowed him. He jumped from the contact and looked up.

"Um…nice to meet you" he mumbled but didn't take his hand.

Charlie dropped his hand looking a bit uncomfortable "You too" he said. When Edward looked away again Charlie looked at me in confusion. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Well…where pretty much done right Bella?" Edward asked me softly. I nodded. "I better get going" he nodded briefly to Charlie and walked quickly out the door.

Charlie looked at me "What was all that about?"

I shook my head "I wish I knew"

That night I thought over Edward's behaviour. It was obvious he had major trust issues and didn't like to be touched from what I knew about his parents they hadn't been exactly Mum and Dad of the year. I sighed the only thing I could think of was that he had been abused as a child. I really hoped it wasn't true but that's the only explanation I could come up with. And considering how he had reacted to Charlie I suspected it was his father.

Edward's POV

I really enjoyed working on the assignment with Bella. For the first time ever I found myself opening up to a person. Of course I didn't tell her anything about my past but I talked to her about hers and I realised I was being myself. It scared me how easily I was talking to her how easy it was just to tell her everything. But I knew I couldn't, I wouldn't burden her with the horrors of my past.

When we were working on the assignment I couldn't help looking at the photo of her and the boy with his arms around her. Everyday I tried to build up the courage to ask her about it but I couldn't. It started to eat away at me I had to know. The only thing I could think of was to ask Alice which I really didn't want to do.

On Thursday night I waited until she was alone in the kitchen to ask her.

"Alice?" as always she looked up surprised. Jesus that was starting to piss me off it wasn't such a huge deal I did talk.

"Yes…"

"Um…"

She looked down at the magazine again "Spit it out Edward I haven't got all night" she said a bit teasingly.

"You know Bella?" she looked at me like I was an idiot

"Yes Edward…get to the point" she said impatiently

"Do you know if she has a boyfriend?" I mumbled quickly

"What?"

I took a deep breath "Do you know if she has a boyfriend?" she just stared at me in disbelief. Seriously, for about two minutes. I don't think she would have been any more shocked if I had told her I was really a woman.

I cleared my throat "Well?"

She seemed to break out of her daze "Why? Why would you ask that?"

I looked down and just shook my head "I don't know" I mumbled "I just saw this photo of her with this guy and…I don't know…just curious"

She looked at me for a moment "No she doesn't it was probably just her and Jacob…he's her friend"

I felt a sense of relief "Ok thanks" I started to turn around.

"Edward?" I turned back around "Do you like Bella?"

I didn't know what to say. But she must have seen something in my face because suddenly she flung herself at me and hugged me tightly.

I was shocked I hadn't been hugged since I was a kid. Normally I shied away from contact with other people but I felt safe with Alice so I found myself hugging her back.

"Oh Edward I can't believe this. You two would be perfect for each other" she let me go and jumped up and down

"Alice" I said "I didn't say…"

"So have you told her yet? I could totally tell her if you want"

I started panicking "No…no Alice don't say anything"

But she wasn't listening "This is seriously the best news ever..."

"Alice" I practically shouted. She stopped talking and looked at me. "Please don't say anything I'm not…sure of what I feel ok so don't say anything"

She sighed "Fine"

"Thank you" I replied hoping she would keep her promise.

On Friday Bella and I were finishing our assignment. I keep looking for signs that Alice had told her about my feelings but so far Bella had been acting completely normal.

"Ah it'll be so good when this assignment is finished" Bella said.

I looked up at her wondering if she meant that she couldn't wait till she didn't have to spend time with me. I hoped that was not the case.

I replied "Yeah me too" which should have been the truth but I was in fact lying through my teeth. If I could have my way this assignment would continue forever.

We both didn't say anything I decided to try and find out if Alice had said anything.

"Did Alice talk to you today?" I asked slowly not looking at her.

"Yeah of course" she said she sounded confused. Dammit I was stupid of course she didn't know what I meant.

I took a deep breath trying to calm down "No did she talk to you about…" I didn't finish the sentence because we both heard the front door open.

"Oh" she said sounding surprised "It must be Charlie, come on, come and meet him"

She jumped up eagerly and started towards the front hall. But I couldn't move I hadn't expected to meet her father. I didn't know how I was going to react.

"Edward?" she said looking down at me with confusion. "Come on"

I got up slowly trying to delay the inevitable. We both walked towards the door.

"Bella" a male voice called out and then her father walked into the room.

"Dad this is Edward" Bella said "Edward this is my Dad, Charlie"

"Nice to meet you Edward" Charlie said and I saw him hold out his hand this is all I saw because I instinctively looked away. My heart beat faster and louder inside my chest, my palms began to sweat and I tried to look for an escape. Inside my head I knew this was ridicules Bella's father was never going to hurt me but this is how I always felt around older men.

"Edward" Bella said and elbowed me in the ribs. I jumped startled out of my thoughts.

"Um…nice to meet you" I said quietly but I couldn't bring myself to shake his hand.

I saw him drop his hand. "You too" he said. I looked away again but from the corner of my eyes I saw Charlie look at Bella in confusion. Bella looked baffled and just shrugged her shoulders I knew she would be disappointed in me. Just when I had started to be normal here I was being rude again.

I had to get out of there "Well…where pretty much done right Bella?" I asked. She nodded. "I better get going" I nodded to Charlie and walked quickly out the door.

I walked to my car fumbling with my keys mortified with what had just happened.

I wanted to die.

AN: Sorry that its a bit short. I just wanted to post this before i went away tomorrow. I wont be able to update for a week. Please review i only got two reviews for the last chapter so please review this one!! ok thanks!!