Sorry It's taken me so long to update...I've been super busy with school and everything!! Anywho I hope you like this chapter...Don't forget to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!

I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT!!(JUST MAVERICK)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I woke up to my stomach growling at me. I was starving; I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday. I would have had dinner if I hadn't acted the way I did last night.

"B, You up?" Maverick yelled from across the hall.

I didn't answer hoping that he would think I was still asleep and leave me alone. I didn't feel like talking to anyone today. Actually, there's only one person I want to talk to today, and I'm not sure if I can. I had it all figured out last night. I'd go to him and tell him exactly how I feel, and I wouldn't worry about his reaction. That's just it though; I'm more worried about his reaction today than I had planned on being.

"BELLA! GET UP!" It sounded like Maverick had run straight through my door. I sat up as slowly and sleepily as I could. Maverick was about to jump on me when he noticed that I had sat up. "Lucky." Was all he said, he loved jumping on me to wake me up, I hated it. "Come on, we're all waiting on you." He grabbed my hand and yanked me off my bed.

"I think I'm gonna stay here and rest…I'm really tired, yesterday was a long day." I sat back down on the huge bed the Hale's got me.

"Fine, at least come down and have breakfast…oh and the Hale's got you an early Birthday present." He said as he grabbed my hand again, only this time he didn't yank me off the bed, he waited for me to get up on my own. I slowly stood; he released my hand, as I turned to go to my large closet. I took a few steps and stopped when what he had said to me earlier about the Hale's sunk in. I turned to face him, he was waiting for that.

"When you said the Hale's got me an early Birthday present…what exactly did you mean by that?" He was amused by my question. The Hale's always spent too much money on gifts. Last year for my birthday, among other things, they sent me sixteen dozen roses every day for the whole month.

"Well it's actually from Dad, the Hale's, and the Cullen's."

"THE CULLEN'S!" He smiled as I yelled, "They don't even know me that well!"

"Chill B. Carlisle and Esme like you a lot. Yes you are somewhat right, they don't know you that well, but what they do know they like. Besides, I don't think there's anyone in this world who could not like my little sister!" As he was talking he had taken a few steps to me, and hugged me after the last part.

"Ok, ok. If you want me to have breakfast you're going to have to let me go." I probably shouldn't have said that. It caused him to squeeze me tighter, so tight that I could barely breathe. "Maveri-" I was about to tell him to let me go again, when he cut me off.

"I won't let you go, not now at least." Then he let me go, well he released his killer grip on me for now, as for letting me go he wasn't lying. I sucked a huge amount of air in when he released me, which caused him to laugh.

"Whatever Maverick, just get out so I can change." He laughed again, then he leaned down to kiss my forehead, turned and left closing the door behind him.

I was about to go to my closet and look for something to wear, when I remembered Alice and Rosalie had put all my comfortable clothes in a box under my bed. They said clothes like that did not deserve a place in my closet. I pulled the box out from under the bed, opened it and began my search. I dug around in the box and when I realized I wasn't going to find what I was looking for that way, I decided to dump the contents of the box on the floor and search that way. My new method proved to be much easier, I found what I was looking for almost instantly.

"Here you are." I said as I held up my most favorite article of clothing. It was a pair of Maverick's basketball shorts from when we were in middle school, any of the ones he had now would most definitely not fit me.

They were still in good condition, considering I stole them from him after he had worn them only once. He wasn't happy with me when he saw me wearing them one day. He tired to make me give them back, of course I didn't want to. I told him that if I gave them back I would walk around the house in my underwear, because I didn't have any shorts as comfortable as his stolen pair, and his friends were at our house that day. Needless to say he let me keep the shorts.

The shorts were shiny and black, they hung just below my knees. I looked pretty cute in them. I paired the shorts with a black sports bra and a white, tight fitting, racer back tank. Before I went down stairs, I took a quick look in the mirror to make sure my face and hair looked at least halfway decent. My hair was a bit on the crazy side, so I pulled it up into a messy bun. My face was ok, considering I just woke up. Before I left my room I grabbed a pair of black Old Navy flip flops from my closet and put them on.

I went downstairs to the kitchen. As soon as I walked in everyone looked at me. Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice were sitting at the table eating pancakes; while Maverick was helping Edward make the pancakes. They all smiled at me, and then went back to doing what they were doing before I walked in. I was still standing where I had stopped when I came in.

"Bella would you like to help me with breakfast?" Edward asked in his musical voice.

"What?...I'm not good enough to help you now that she's here." Maverick said in a playful tone.

"It's not that Maverick, it's just that you keep eating everything." Edward smacked Maverick's hand away from the pancake stack.

"Oh, well I guess B should help you then." Maverick said before he went to sit at the table with everyone else. I was laughing at him when I felt a soft warm hand grab mine and pull. I looked up to see Edward smiling at me as he pulled me to the counter next to the stove.

"Here." He said handing me an empty plate. "How many would you like?"

"Umm…what kind are they?" If they were blueberry I would most likely eat them all.

"My favorite…Blueberry!"

"Really?...I love blueberry pancakes!" We were smiling at each other like little kids.

"So how many?" He asked again.

"Well…have you eaten?" I would have taken whatever was left, but I needed to make sure he had eaten before.

"Not yet, why?" he replied confused.

"No reason…how many are left?"

"Uh…Six." He said as he counted the ones he had put on a large plate. "But I could make more." He turned to face me again with a smile so huge and childlike; the sight of it caused me to giggle.

"How about, we make more." I said between giggles.

His smile grew at that, I couldn't help but giggle again. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled my close to his side as he said, "Yes we can make more." I looked up at him and smiled. It was then when I remembered what I had to do today.

I pulled away from Edward, with a little more force then I had intended to use. The look on his face was not what I had expected. I had caused him to feel something he should never have to feel because of me, pain. As quickly as I had pulled away from him, the look of pain on his face was gone. He replaced it with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, I could still see the pain in them. All I could do was smile back at him. "Actually Edward, I'm not really hungry anymore." I began walking towards the table where everyone else was sitting. "You can have the rest."

Jasper motioned for me to sit next to him. I pretended I didn't see him, and sat next to Maverick. Jasper wasn't dumb, he knew I saw him, and he knew I chose to ignore his gesture. I just hoped he couldn't see what was really going on. I was avoiding him because I was too much of a coward. I couldn't look at him knowing what was about to happen. I had to do it soon, otherwise I might never get the courage to do it again, and then I would be stuck. Not that I don't absolutely love Jasper as a friend, but that's just it. I could only ever love him as a friend and nothing more. I had to do it now, I couldn't wait any longer. Here we go!

"Jasper?" I said without looking at him.

"Yes?" I could hear the worry in his voice. Everyone at the table was quiet. I had to find a way to get him alone without anyone knowing what was going on. Think Bella, THINK!...Got it!

"Can you help me get a box down from the attic?" I finally looked at him and mouthed PLEASE, when he looked like he might say no. He knew what was coming, he had too.

"Sure…ok." He replied still worried.

"Thanks." I said as I got up and walked towards the stairs, I motioned for him to follow me, when he stayed seated.

"Now?" He asked. He was terrified now. This was going to be, by far, one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life.

"Yes, if you don't mind." Here's your chance Jasper, say no and nothing happens. I thought to myself.

"No," He paused, which caused my whole body to tense, he was going to say no and I wasn't going to be able to do this. "I don't mind. Now is fine." He got up and walked to me, stopping by my side and grabbing my hand. I was about to pull my hand away, when I remembered we had an audience. I began walking to the stairs once more, only this time I had Jasper with me. We walked in silence until we got to the attic.

"Ok so where's this box?" Jasper asked. I stayed silent, I couldn't find my voice. "There is no box, is there?" He asked as he looked down at his feet.

"No." There it is, my voice.

"I thought as much." He sat on a box and buried his head in his hands as he continued to speak. "Please, Bella. Don't do this." His head still buried in his hands. I walked to where he was sitting, and sat down on the floor in front of him.

"Jasper, I'm sorry. Please don't hate me." I started to cry, when he lifted his head. The expression on his face killed me.

"I just don't understand. What did I do wrong?" He put his head back in his hands, his shoulders were shaking. He was crying.

"Jasper no," I wrapped my arms around him as best I could. "It's not you fault, It's me. I can't give you the love you deserve. I'm so sorry." I was sobbing at this point. Jasper then wrapped his arms around me pulling me off the floor and onto his lap. He held me close to him. After a few minutes my sobbing slowed. I pulled away from Jasper, just enough to see his face. We still had our arms wrapped around each other.

"It's ok Bella. I understand…I think…Anyway, we can still be friends right?" He asked.

"I think I'm the one that's supposed to ask if we can still be friends…But yes, of course we will still be friends…BEST FRIENDS!" I shouted as I pulled him close to me. "Thank you for being so great Jasper." I whispered in his ear. He shifted his head and kissed me on the cheek, then he tightened his arms around me.

"I'll always love you Bella." He whispered.

Ok so what did you think? be honest and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! Next chapter we find out what that early Birthday suprise is!! Oh and BTW my Birthday is on Tuesday the 26th!! I'd like to thank all of my loyal reviewers!! I love you guys!!