Not sure if I like this chapter, I didn't really re-read through it so I hope it's alright. Let me know what you think. Enjoy.

Chapter Two

The mall wasn't terribly busy, but I guess I was comparing it to the last time I'd been there around the holidays. Alice was lured into almost every store it seemed, though when I told her this she almost looked a little offended.

"Bella, I do not just shop anywhere," she chided. "And clearly not with just anyone." she linked our arms and practically skipped down the glossy floors into the eighth shop we'd visited. Or maybe it was eighteen. I looked at my cell phone's clock. We'd been there almost three hours. It would be getting dark out soon.

"Ooh!" she squeaked, pulling me over to a mannequin dressed in the latest fashion. "This would bring out your eyes so well."

"Ugly teal brings out murky brown eyes?" I asked warily.

She rolled her own amber gold eyes, grabbing my hand and pulling me into yet another jungle of satin and cotton, wool and silk. I'd gotten pretty used to the whole thing since I'd known her, and I admit the more we went it was less and less of a chore. But I'd get used to venomous spiders if it meant being around Alice. When I found something for her she almost always bought it, so maybe I wasn't so bad at it either. There was a dance coming up apparently and she wanted to get ready as soon as possible.

"I'm not really up for dances, Alice," I admitted, reminding her of last year's junior prom. I'd gone with Edward. Was that really just last year? It seemed forever ago. So much had changed. At least that's how it felt. I remembered Alice and all the Cullens being amazing as always, and Edward was... well, I guess we were still a pretty young couple then. Things were fresher, exciting. My temporary high slipped a little and I disappeared into a dressing room so Alice wouldn't notice the shift. There was no point bringing her down with me. I felt ridiculous in everything I tried on. It wasn't that nothing fit, I just didn't feel like myself in any of them. But once I'd changed back into my own clothes, nothing much changed. Something was wrong. I'd been feeling off for months, maybe longer. I kept thinking it would pass, that it was just stress from school or something, but that wasn't quite it.

"Alice?" I asked through the door. Her reply came from the fitting room next to mine.

"Yes, dearest?" she sang. I heard the rustling of a frilly dress, a zipper.

"I was just wondering how Edward's been at home." I tried to sound casual, but I feared the subject was a bit too out of the blue. Of course, Alice would never make it into anything awkward. I swear I could tell her anything and it would be perfectly normal. Nothing was 'too weird' or taboo.

"You mean lately? Same old Eddie. Pounding out his mood on the piano, locking himself up in his room with his music blaring. That's pretty much it."

"No, but I mean... how's he been acting toward others..." I didn't feel like I was asking the right question, or was going about it wrong.

Alice paused. I didn't like the pause.

"Is there perhaps something specific you'd like to share with me?"

I sighed, suddenly regretting bringing it up. Because this was supposed to be fun. A chance to forget about everything at home and just relax with my best friend. But I knew I had to talk about it eventually or I'd never be able to focus on anything else. And it did feel good to talk with her. She could give advice on anything.

She bought me an extremely delicious smoothie and we sat at one of the tables in a cozy cafe a few miles from the mall. I told her about Edward's stunt that morning and a few other incidents. She looked sympathetic as I spoke, but didn't really look very surprised.

"Bella," she said, taking my hand across the table. It was as cold as Edward's only about five times as soft and her grip was very gentle. "I think it's time we had the talk."

"Um, the talk?"

"Yes. The Edward Talk."

"The... Edward-?"

"Yes. You see, once upon a time there was a very emotional boy. He had a fatal disease called a God complex. He was a very well meaning, but a very ignorant and stuck up little prat-"

"Alice!"

She shrugged, eyes going wide innocently.

"But-let me finish-one day he met a very nice woman who taught him how to keep his charming comments and such to himself."

"I wouldn't say I've done that..."

She looked startled. "Of course not. The very nice woman is me."

I laughed. "Oh, but of course." She grinned and went on.

"The problem is you can't really teach a dog new tricks... or I guess, you can't teach a controlling, misleading, emotionally crippled-"

"Alice, come on," I shoved her hand away. "He's not all that bad."

"You asked me how he's been at home. It's the same way he's been with you. Forever. That's just how he is, Bella. I love my brother, don't get me wrong, but he's never been one for long term relationships, and it's usually never the girl who's the problem."

I thought about that for a moment.

"I didn't know... I mean, I didn't think it was so bad. I mean, it's not that bad. We all have our flaws."

"Did he even apologize this morning for 'borrowing' your truck?"

"Well, not exactly."

"Look, I'm not trying to make him out to be some kind of monster, and I definitely wouldn't have said anything if I thought you were happy, but the fact is that you've been miserable."

"Is it that obvious?" I worried.

"Well, you're talking with someone who can see all the events in your day before you have the chance to do them, but yes. It's apparent. He might be able to read everyone's mind except yours, but there's no reason he should be that oblivious to what you're feeling... I hope I haven't been too bold."

"No..." I sighed. "I think you're right. It's actually kind of good to hear. I mean, I love... loved him so much... but..."

"But it is loved, not currently in love."

"Right. I mean, maybe. I don't know." I chewed on the end of my straw nervously. I was being such a drama queen about all of this. Making it into such a huge deal. Edward loved me, he was amazing. Why was I hounding him for such little flaws? They were nothing compared to my novel long list of problems. He was probably just frustrated with me slowing him down all the time or maybe my blood was still too tempting for him and it was too stressful. There were tons of explanations.

"Maybe you should talk with him," Alice suggested.

"I think I will," I nodded. I wanted so badly to fix things. To make amends. "And I won't tell him we talked, don't worry."

"Why should I worry about that?" she chirped, her smile never dropping. Her curious expression was adorable.

"Because, oh what was it, a God complex? Stuck up prat-?"

"I could care less if he heard the truth. Might do him some good." she nodded and jumped up to go grab me a napkin though I didn't really need one. I thought about that for a moment, wondering if the truth-was it the truth?-had done me any good. I wasn't sure how to feel about our discussion, or the one to come with Edward. One thing was sure that not even this ruined Alice's mood. She twirled around the cafe as she came back to our table, humming something upbeat. Good old Alice. I couldn't imagine how I lived without her before.

As we drove back, I thought more about our conversation, though I tried not to. Alice never seemed to mind my glum mood, for I knew she easily saw past my facade.

"Just promise me you will talk to him," she insisted.

"I will."

"Well, if you promise, I'll believe you. But I just got a vision of you chickening out."

"I'm not going to chicken out, Alice," I hit her arm playfully. To my shock, she suddenly swerved to the left, slamming on the breaks sharply. I gasped, slamming back into my seat. She looked slightly paler, if that was possible.

"I'm so sorry!" I stuttered. I didn't think I'd shoved her that hard.

"Are you alright?" she said. We didn't hit anything, just slid a bit. I tried to steady my pounding heart.

"Fine." I didn't bother asking if she was okay. If I was, then she was more so. I tried to see out the window but it was pitch dark now. I was looking over at Alice when suddenly my door flew open. A stark white hand reached in for my arm, another following it. I almost screamed but once I was enveloped in a chilly embrace, I knew it was him.

"Edward?" I managed to turn my head to see his Volvo in the middle of the road. No lights on. Inches from Alice's car. Alice had probably been too distracted with her vision to notice him approaching, and with their combined speeds... I was surprised she'd swerved in time.

Alice was yelling at him, but all I heard was him talk about how worried he was and how Charlie was probably going crazy himself. "You call this a reasonable time to return home?"

To my frustration, though I was still too surprised from the near wreck to do anything more than look around stupidly, he guided me into the Volvo without so much as glancing at Alice. When he finally did close my door and walk around to the driver's side, I saw them exchange a brief, but livid glance. I didn't need to read minds to know that Edward was reading hers, discovering all we'd discussed back at the cafe. I wanted to apologize immediacy to Alice. To go back to her and tell them both I was just kidding, that it was all just silly hormonal Bella making a mess of everything. But above all I did not want to be in that car. Before I could realize any of this, we were several feet away from the slowly shrinking pixie shimmering in the headlights of her car. I didn't say goodbye when he dropped me off. I barely managed to get to sleep without crying myself there. That was the day I decided things needed to change.

The night I started locking my window.