Chapter 8

Edwards POV

I played my piano trying not to think about what had happened with Bella, her father and I that afternoon. Usually when I played it helped to clear my mind but that night it just wasn't working. I didn't know what I would say to Bella the next time I saw her. I stopped playing knowing it wasn't helping at all. I looked at the clock and it was midnight. Shit where had the time gone I thought to myself. I had spent all night obsessing over what had happened at Bella's. I decided to get something to drink before I went to bed.

I walked into the kitchen and I was a little surprised to see Emmett in there rummaging in the fridge. I walked to the cupboard to get a glass, once I had one I saw Emmett turn around to look at me. I nodded at him briefly. He's eyes where a bit unfocused and I could tell he was drunk; this wasn't really uncommon he often went out partying on Friday nights. He was a football player so he was always invited to parties.

"Hey Edward, how you doing?" he smiled at me goofily, he must really be drunk.

"Good" I replied slowly. He looked at me waiting for me to continue. I felt awkward I didn't know what else to say we didn't really speak all that often. Which I know was my fault.

I started to walk out of the room.

"Hey Ed don't go, why don't you speak to me?" He asked having trouble holding eye contact and stumbling a bit.

"I'm sorr…" I started to say but he cut me off.

"Is it because you don't like me? Oh wait you don't speak to anyone in this family." His voice began to rise higher in volume.

"Emmett" I started

"No Edward…what? do you think your better then us or something?" he was starting to sound really angry and was moving towards me.

I stepped back quickly "No Emmett, of course not"

"Why are you even here? You don't want to be and no one wants you to be so why don't you leave?" he yells stepping even closer. I feel as though I have been punched in the stomach.

"EMMETT" I hear someone yell. We both turn around and standing there is Esme looking furious.

"How dare you" she says furiously to Emmett. Emmett looks at her his eyes still unfocused. "You're drunk" she says disapprovingly.

Emmett looks like he's about to laugh. "Just a little bit"

Esme shakes her head still looking angry "Go to bed now I'll speak to you in the morning" Emmett nods his head and stumbles up the stairs.

I don't look at her. I stare at the ground still stung by what Emmett has said. Not that I blame him, I don't expect people to want me around. I'm just hurt that he thinks I don't want to be there and that I'm ungrateful.

I see Esme walk towards me she's careful not to touch me just like everyone is. "Edward" she starts slowly "You know he doesn't mean it honey, he was drunk he didn't know what he was saying" I wish I could believe it but I know Emmett was saying exactly what he felt.

"You know Carlisle and I love you don't you sweetie?" she asked gently. I nodded. "Good come on you better get to bed its getting late"

"Esme…" I said quietly.

"Yes?"

"I want you to know that…that I'm happy you adopted me and that I know that I d…don't always…show it but I am grateful. I don't know where I would be if it hadn't been for you and Carlisle" there was silence I looked up.

She was looking at me with tears in her eyes. I walked towards her and wrapped my arms around her wanting to make sure she was ok.

Esme's POV

I was shocked at what Emmett had said to Edward. I had never heard him speak like that to anyone before. Edward had always been distant to everyone in the family and I knew that Emmett took that very hard. He was always filled with so much energy and would talk to anyone and everyone about anything. Although when you looked at him he looked big and scary he was in fact the friendliest, happiest young man you would ever meet. And that's why Edwards distance towards him bothered him so much; he couldn't understand why he wouldn't talk to him.

I love all three of my children equally but even I had to admit that sometimes Edward's behaviour was difficult. We had tried to get him to go to therapy but that had been unsuccessful. Even though it was difficult I knew that when he was ready he would open up to us. I had to believe that.

I knew Emmett couldn't possibly mean what he had said. He would never want Edward to leave. The alcohol had made him emotional and he had just said what he had felt in that moment. This was in no way a reflection of how he felt when he was sober.

When Edward said what he did about being grateful to Carlisle and me I couldn't contain my tears and when he hugged me for the first time, since he was a child, it was one of the happiest moments of my life. I knew something had happened to make him open up to me and whatever that something was I was eternally grateful. I knew I was finally going to get to know my son.

Bella's POV

I was concerned about what was going on with Edward although I had my suspicions I tried not to think about them. I hoped to God that they were wrong.

When I arrived at school on Monday I tried, to no avail, to not think about him. During history I sat next to him like always. He looked surprised. I knew we were able to sit anywhere now that we had handed in our assignments but did he think I was jut going to leave him to sit by himself?

I wanted to ask about what had happened on Friday afternoon but I didn't want to upset or push him so I decided to not mention it. We chatted a little, just like normal, it made me happy.

All week it seemed all anyone could talk about was Mike Newton's party which was that Friday night. Apparently it was an annual thing where everyone got wasted and there was always some huge scandal with someone hooking up with someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend…great I thought sarcastically to myself sound's awesome.

Even Alice was excited she couldn't stop telling me about the new outfit she had bought.

"Bella, you have to wear that dress you bought last week ok?" she asked me excitedly

"I don't know Alice…I'm not sure if I want to go"

"What!" she asked outraged

"Isabella Swan of course you are going"

"Aaalice…" I whined. Crap I really was pathetic. "I wont know anyone"

"What are you talking about? Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett and not to mention myself will be there"

"Yeah but still…" I tried to think of something else.

"No Bella, end of discussion, you are going"

"What are you my Mo…?" Alice glared at me as though daring me to continue.

"Fine" I sighed "I'll go"

She jumped up and down hugging me excitedly. I was seriously concerned about her mood swings. I was going to suggest she go see somebody about that but then decided I would rather live.

After lunch as we were walking to class Alice looked as though she wanted to ask me something.

"Alice" I asked "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah…"she said slowly "Um Bella?"

"Yes" I was shocked I had never seen her lost for words before.

"Do…do you like my brother?" she looked up at me seriously.

"What?" I asked confused "Emmett…? No of course not" I screwed up my face wondering where on earth she had gotten that idea.

She giggled "No silly not Emmett…Edward"

Oh crap was it that obvious. I started to blush and didn't answer.

She looked at me closely "I guess that's my answer" I could see a flicker of excitement in her eyes that I didn't understand.

"No…Alice…I mean…I don't know" I stuttered. I really had no idea what to say.

"You so do I can tell. Why don't you ask him to Mike's party?"

I was shocked did she actually think I had a chance? "But…but how do I know he would even say yes?"

"I guess you don't unless you try" she said and skipped off to her class.

I looked after her shocked not knowing what I was going to do.

I walked into class in a daze. I didn't even notice that the class had already started until Mr Allen said "Bella how lovely of you to join us" I blushed, stuttered an apology and stumbled into my seat.

I didn't look at Edward but I could see in the corner of my eye that he was looking at me.

After I was sure my face had returned to its natural colour I looked up at him. He was still looking at me but when he saw I was looking at him he quickly looked away.

"So" I said angry at myself when my voice shook slightly.

He looked at me again waiting for what I was going to say next.

"Are you going to the…party on Friday" I looked down praying that my face wouldn't turn red again.

"Um…I don't kn…I mean I wasn't planning on it"

"Oh" I looked up and saw that he was staring at the desk. "Well Alice is forcing me to go and since I don't know many people. I thought maybe…you might want to come and we could…hang out together or something" I was sure my face was bright red now.

I was shocked when I saw his cheeks start to turn a bit red. Was he blushing?

He didn't look up and was silent for a few moments.

My heart beat fast and I was preparing myself for the rejection I was certain was inevitable.

"Ok" I heard him say in barely a whisper.

He finally looked up at me. He smiled his beautiful smile which as always made me breathless.

"Did you want me too pick you up?"

"Um" I thought quickly I knew if he picked me up Charlie would want to speak to him and I didn't want to make Edward uncomfortable again. "Well Alice is getting ready at my house so she can drive me. So I can just meet you there?"

He looked a little sad. I hoped I hadn't said anything wrong. "Ok" he said and smiled again.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly I was very excited for this party.

Edward's POV

I had been worried about how Bella was going to react to me when I saw her next. But I needn't have worried because she didn't even mention it. She acted the same as she had before I had freaked out meeting her father. We handed in our assignment on Monday and we had sat next to each other in History while we were doing our assignment. And even though we were free to now sit where ever we wanted she still chose to sit next to me.

Things at home had been weird. It was awkward with Emmett and even though he had apologised I couldn't forget what he had said. I didn't know how to make things better.

At school all anyone would talk about was Mike Newton's party he was having on the Friday night. I was definitely not going. From what I had heard about his parties from previous years, it sounded like my worst nightmare.

I walked into history on Wednesday excited, as always, at the thought of seeing Bella. Going to History class was the only thing I looked forward too.

She wasn't there when I arrived; I sat down and watched the door, so I could see when she came in. After a few minutes Mr Allen started class. I wondered where she was. I knew she was there because I had seen her that morning. I was starting to feel really disappointed when suddenly she walked through the door. She looked as beautiful as ever but she was blushing slightly and she looked a bit dazed. I wondered what had happened. She didn't even seem to notice that class had started.

She looked surprised when Mr Allen said "Bella how lovely of you to join us" I felt a serge of anger towards him when Bella blushed even more. She stumbled to her seat and sat down. She didn't look at me I wondered if I should ask if she was ok or if that would embarrass her even more.

I stared at her mesmerised by the colour on her cheeks. I looked down lower to her lips they looked so soft I wanted to… she looked up at me suddenly. Shit I thought and looked away quickly.

"So" she said. She sounded a bit nervous. For a second I was worried she was going to say something about my staring.

I looked at her trying to concentrate on what she was saying and not to get distracted.

"Are you going to the…party on Friday?" She looked down again I wished she wouldn't.

"Um…I don't kn…I mean I wasn't planning on it" the question was unexpected and I had no idea why she was asking me unless…I looked down at the desk trying not to get my hopes up.

"Oh" she said. "Well Alice is forcing me to go and since I don't know many people. I thought maybe…you might want to come and we could…hang out together or something"

I couldn't look at her. I felt my face start to burn. I couldn't believe it she asking me to go to the party with her. Could she actually like me?

I had no idea what to say I knew I should say no as I didn't want to hurt her. But my heart was begging me to say yes.

"Ok" I whispered after a few moments.

I looked up at her and smiled at her shocked face. What did she actually think I might say no?

"Did you want me too pick you up?" I asked

"Um" she said quickly "Well Alice is getting ready at my house so she can drive me. So I can just meet you there?"

I didn't know what to make of that. Maybe she was scared at how I would react to her Dad again.

"Ok" I replied and couldn't help but to smile at her again.

I couldn't help but to smile for the rest of the day. I never would have thought that I would actually be excited for Mike Newton's party.

A:N Please review!!