Well, there wasn't quite a three month wait between updates. Progress, right?
Thank you to the people who read this before I posted me and assured me it didn't suck too horribly.
I didn't try too hard to play dumb with my dad. He was a cop, after all.
Plus, the punishment wasn't that bad. Just a full day of work at the station with Edward.
Edward, however, didn't share the same feelings on the matter.
"I knew it! I told you, Bella. Me going upstairs with you was a bad idea!" Edward said. I had called him after Dad went back to work.
"Seriously, it's not a big deal. He wasn't really mad," I tried to reason.
"My mom is going to kill me," Edward groaned. I could practically see him running his hands through his hair, pacing in his bedroom.
"Don't worry. Charlie won't tell them," I paused. "I think."
"Ugh," Edward groaned. I could hear the sound of him banging his head against something. The wall, I assumed.
"What, was the afternoon really so bad?" I asked lightly, trying to come off as flirtatious.
"No," Edward replied quietly. "It was really good."
"Good enough to make the consequences not matter so much?" I teased.
"You're right." He finally agreed. "My parents are going to be home soon, I think I'll hang out with them a bit to kind of soften them up. Just in case your dad calls them."
It turned out that Charlie did call them, as I found out later that night when Edward texted me before bed.
However, instead of saying anything incriminating, he told Carlisle that Edward and I volunteered to help out around the station, doing whatever needed to be done.
Needless to say, Edward was very relieved.
0-0
The next morning, Edward came over with a cup holder containing 2 coffees for him and Dad and a chai latte for me, from Mocha Motion.
While Charlie had no problem talking to Edward on the drive over, Edward could hardly make eye contact with him.
The only awkward moment was when we got to the station and Dad turned the engine off, but made no move to get out of the car, instead turning in his seat to look at us both.
"Now, I don't need to tell you why you're here. You both know," he said, using his stern Dad voice.
"Yeah, Dad. I know," I nodded my head.
"You," he pointed at me. "No boys in your room when I'm not home. When I am, door stays open. Understand?"
"Understood," I confirmed.
"Edward," he turned to look at Edward in the back seat. "Don't let my daughter talk you into doing things you know you shouldn't. Next time, I might just tell your parents."
"O-okay," Edward said.
"And just in case she does, because I know Bella. Please, use the stairs. I don't need you breaking your neck trying to get down that tree." Charlie gazed from Edward then me. He must have seemed satisfied by what he saw on our faces, because with a nod, he unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car.
As soon as he shut the door, Edward let out a relieved sigh, causing me to laugh. "See? Not that bad."
Once we were at the station, the day seemed to drag on.
Apparently, Dad had told the guys at work that we were at their disposal.
They definitely took advantage.
After four hours of watering plants, dusting, shredding paper and whatever else was asked of us, Dad was called out to check on a vandalism call at an old logging plant.
Before he left though, he handed me some cash and told me to buy us a sandwich and to take everyone elses sandwich orders.
It turned out that everyone wanted a sandwich, so after being given all the orders and cash, Edward and I started to walk the five blocks to the deli.
"So, it's not so bad, right?" I asked Edward, slipping my hand into his.
"No," Edward agreed, giving my hand a squeeze. "Except the vacuuming. I hate vacuuming."
"Me too," I shuddered, dramatically. "At least we have a break now. I'm starving."
Edward and continued to walk in silence for the next couple of block until we passed a small alleyway between two buildings.
I stopped walking suddenly, causing Edward to tug hard on my hand. When he noticed I had stopped walking, he gave me a questioning look.
I smiled at him, glancing around to see if there was anyone nearby.
There wasn't.
I pulled a still confused looking Edward a few steps into the alley.
"What are you doing?"
Before he could ask ask me any more questions, I silenced him with a kiss.
Edward was surprised by my actions for an instant, but then began to kiss me back.
"What was that for?" He asked, a lazy smiled on his face.
I shrugged. "Just because. I didn't really get to properly greet you this morning."
"No," Edward agreed, kissing my forehead. "And believe me, it's always welcome."
0-0
When Edward and I got to the deli, there was only a short line of three people ahead of us.
I was so busy rifling through my bag, looking for the sheet of paper I had written the sandwich orders on, that I didn't even notice when Rosalie walked over to me.
"Hey, Bella," she greeted. I looked up at her to see her smiling back at me.
She then turned to Edward and with less certainty than before, greeted him.
"Hi, Rosalie. What's up?" I asked.
"Oh, not much. I'm just picking up a sandwich, then I'm going to Seattle to visit Em for a few days."
"That's cool," I replied. There was an awkward moment as I was called up to the counter to order. Rose didn't leave, instead just moving to the side to let me pass.
After handing the guy at the counter my list and paying for the food, Edward followed me to sit down at a table to wait for the sandwiches to be ready.
Still, Rose lingered behind, following us to the table.
"So, um... what are you doing here? You ordered like...a ton of food," she asked once Edward and I sat down.
"Edward and I are getting lunch for everyone at my dads work," I told her with a shrug. There was no point in going into detail.
"Oh, well. That's cool. I guess."
I didn't know what Rose's problem was. I had never seen her act so awkward and evasive, even. She was always sure of herself and blunt.
"Rose, what—"
"Thirty-four!" The cashier yelled out, putting a wrapped sandwich on the counter.
"That's mine," Rose said, almost apologetically as she gestured to the sandwich. "Listen, do you think we could go to lunch sometime? To talk, you know?"
"Umm...I don't know, Rose," I said, looking down.
"Please, Bella?" Rose pleaded. "Whenever, wherever. I'll be there. I just really want to talk."
I continued to hesitate, making Rose give me another pleading look.
"Okay," I relented, sighing. "I'll call you soon. We can talk."
0-0
It took me almost three weeks to call Rosalie.
After Edward and I had gone back to the station that day, the run in with Rose was basically forgotten and Edward and I spent the rest of our day washing all the cop cars.
It wasn't until a couple nights ago when Edward and I were watching the credits scroll down the tv after a movie, that it was brought up again.
"So, Bella. Have you talked to Rosalie lately?" Edward asked. We were sitting together on the couch, his arm around my shoulders and my head resting in the crook of his neck.
"No...why?" I asked, suddenly feeling my defenses rising.
Edward shrugged. "I don't know. You guys were best friends for over a year."
"Yeah, well. I clearly didn't know her as well as I thought I did."
"I'm just thinking that maybe you should meet up with her. Hear what she has to say."
I shifted my body to be able to look up at him to see if he was being serious or not. "Are you being serious with this?"
"Sure," he shrugged. "Why not?"
"Why not?" I repeated. "Maybe because she told Lauren and Jessica, who in turn told the entire school, basically turning us into social outcasts?"
"Well, in her defense, I was already an outcast."
"Ugh!" I huffed, grabbing a pillow from beside me and hitting him with it. "You know what I mean. The dirty looks, whispers. I hope it's not like that next year."
"And if it is?" Edward asked.
I glared at him, then leaned forward, rubbing my hands over my face. "Then, that would really suck."
"It's high school, Bella. One more year and then we'll only see these people when they're home for school breaks."
"I know, I know," I felt myself become embarrassed, feeling completely irrational. "I'm being dumb, aren't I?"
"No," Edward disagreed, wrapping his arm around my waist to pull me closer. "Is it really so bad to hang out with me in the library during lunch?"
"No," I sighed, cracking a smile at the fake pout on his lips. "Ugh. Why do you have to be right?"
"I do miss Rose. I guess I could go and at least hear her out."
"Okay. At least then maybe you guys can go back to being friends again."
"Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. I think she would have to have a pretty good reason for acting the way she did to get me to forgive her. I'll text her now and see if she wants to meet for lunch later this week."
Edward nodded, giving my side a reassuring squeeze as I dug through my pocket for my phone.
Hey, when are you free for lunch? -B
Rose's response was almost instant.
Friday at 12:30? -R
K. Deli? -B
Sounds good. See u there. I'm happy u texted me. -R
I didn't know what to say after that, so instead of replying, I snapped my phone shut and tossed it to the opposite end of the couch.
"Friday, I'm meeting her for lunch," I told Edward. "So I have a week to prepare."
"That's good, I'm sure it's going to be fine," he reassured me.
"Yeah, and if it's not, you better be free afterward to help pick up the pieces and console me," I joked, poking him in his side with my index finger.
Edwards look suddenly turned more somber.
"Geez, I was just kidding!" I told him. "It's not like I plan on falling apart when I come meet you after."
"Sorry, sorry," Edward shook his head. "Just the whole...girls crying thing. Not good with girls crying."
"So you've made a lot of girls cry, then?" I teased. "Quite the ladies man back in Chicago?"
"Definitely not. Just my mom crying at 'sentimental' moments and stuff, like when we moved or she goes all 'proud mom' on me. And Charlotte once. But other than that..."
"Well, I doubt you have to worry about me coming back all emotional. Now come on, Laguna Beach is coming on on soon. I think it's a new episode."
0-0
Rose was characteristically late on Friday, strolling in the deli at 12:40, but she at least apologized.
"Hi. Did you order?" She asked, dropped her purse into the empty seat beside her.
"Not yet," I told her, "I was waiting for you."
After we went up to the counter and ordered, we held off on talking about the real reason we were meeting until our food was ready.
Once we were sitting down and eating though, Rosalie still held off, instead asking me about my summer plans with Edward.
"Seriously, Rose. You're half way done with your salad and you've still not told me why you wanted to meet with me," I said. I was growing tired of avoiding the issue.
"I know, sorry. I guess it's just nerves," Rose said, stabbing at a piece of lettuce. "I just wanted to talk and apologize, maybe catch up."
"Apologize?" I asked, looking at her. "It's been months, Rose. Why bother now?"
"Everything was just so crazy at school and I was so stupid. I know. I'm not even sure where to start."
"How about the beginning, I guess? Or why you felt it was necessary to tell Jessica, when you know she's a blabbermouth?" I couldn't help the harsh tone my voice had taken. Although the deli was pretty full with the lunch crowd, everyone seemed to be in their own little bubble and no one was paying any attention to us.
Rose was quiet for a few moments before she replied. "I thought you were making a big deal out of it. I thought that if I told the girls, they would just give you a hard time about it, then get over it. I didn't think they'd tell everyone and then the whole school would be all judgemental against you guys."
"Really, Rose? You're trying to say that you pretty much ruined the last couple months of school for my own good?" I scoffed.
"Okay, in hindsight it wasn't the best plan. I know. I suck. I also guess part of me was...jealous."
"Jealous," I repeated. "Of what?"
"You just like...moved on. New friends, a boyfriend. You didn't really seem to want to share that part with me. I was one of your first friends when you moved here and consider you to be my best friend," she shrugged.
"So, what, you did it out of...jealousy? Hoping that they would tell others and have all that shit happen to me?"
"I don't know. Maybe? Partly..." Rose said, looking unsure.
"You do realize how backwards that is right? You're contradicting yourself. First it's to help me, then it's to get some, like...revenge against me?" I snapped.
"Okay, I fully realize that it makes no sense. I'm so, so sorry that I did that to you," Rose pleaded.
I shook my head. "What you did didn't just affect me, Rose. You drew attention to Edward and Victoria, James, Ben and Angela. Our school is filled with judgemental people. People who were once nice to me in classes snubbed me, simply because you three decided that I wasn't 'cool' anymore."
"But—"
"I hated walking down the halls at school and seeing people giving me dirty looks. Edward had a hard enough time trying to fit in. We had to hang out in the library during lunch and brunch, just to escape it." I let out a long sigh and rubbed my temples, trying to calm myself before we made a scene.
"I know. I did a really bitchy thing. I really regret it. I've been wanting to talk to you, to apologize for weeks, basically since things got out of hand at school," Rose sighed. "I just couldn't get the courage to, I guess. Then Emmett started to really push me to do it before the school year. Maybe we could go into senior year as friends again."
Rose looked so...hopeful, that I almost agreed. Almost.
"I don't know if we can just go back to being BFF's, or whatever. You hurt me. You hurt my friends. Maybe I'm making a big deal out of it, I don't know."
"No, I get it. I understand," Rose said, looking down at her plate. "Totally. If I was in your place I'd probably feel the same way."
"Right, so I appreciate you apologizing, I really do. I just guess I need some more time to get over hurt feelings." I stood up, grabbing my garbage and my bag. "I'll call you sometime, or see you at school, okay?"
"Okay," she agreed, grabbing her own container of food and bag. "Thanks for meeting with me today."
I stayed behind at the deli after Rose left, deciding to buy Edward some of the fresh cookies the guy behind the counter put in the window display.
When I got out of the deli, I took my phone out of my bag to call Edward and let him know I was on my way. When I flipped my phone open, I had five missed calls and one voicemail. All from Phil.
Instantly, of course, I panicked. Was it my mom? The baby?
I quickly dialed my voicemail and listened to the message.
Bella, it's Phil. Call me back as soon as you get this. Okay...um...bye. Call me back.
He didn't sound super panicked, but there was an urgency to his voice that I wasn't used to.
Calling him back, I swear the phone didn't even finish ringing once before he answered.
"Bella?"
"Hi, Phil, it's me. Is everything okay? I just got your message. I had my phone on silent."
"Everything is okay, or at least I think so. Or at least it will be okay. But you need to come to Jacksonville, now. They're going to be inducing your mom tomorrow afternoon."
Not intentionally a cliffhanger. We'll be flying over to Jacksonville in the next chapter and Bella will get her new sibling. Still not 100% sure the sex, but definitely no surprise twins or anything like that.
Leave a review and let me know what you think! Or you can come harass me on twitter at Happymess89 if doing too much tweeting and not enough writing.
Oh! And one last thing, if anyone is still reading. I try to keep these things short. What are you reading that you're loving? Fic or real book? Or do you write fic? Let me know when you review, I'm always looking for something new and exciting to keep my interest.