A/N As always, a huge thank you to my beta cdunbar! I love your comments and sorry about the commas! ;-)
To EclipseoftheTwilightMoon...mwah!
Also to all the ladies on my Twilighted forum thread...I hope you'll come and play after reading this, I love hearing what you think :-)
And to crazyforedwardrn...WE DID IT!!
Chapter 2
EDWARD
EPOV
"For the last time, Edward. This is NOT a blind date!" Jasper growled through clenched teeth.
"Then why do I have to go?" I whined, closing my book and placing it on the couch beside me.
Jasper slumped down into the recliner on my left and flipped up the foot rest. He stretched out his long legs and leaned his head back into the cushion, letting out a sigh as he rolled his head to the side to look at me.
"We've already been through this." He rolled his eyes and continued, "Let me break it down for you. Again. Alice wanted me to meet her friend," he reached over and poked me in the arm, "and you need to get out of this house.
Two birds. One stone. Simple."
"But I was going to go over my anatomy notes again tonight," I said, eying the textbook beside me.
Jasper closed his eyes and his brow furrowed slightly. "Edward, name the three layers of the adrenal cortex, from outside-in."
Too easy. "Zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata and zona reticularis," I anwered.
"Correct." His eyes shot open. "Honestly, the fact that I know you're right without your notes or textbook in front of me kind of scares me."
"Why?" I really didn't know where he was going with this change of topic.
In one swift movement, he sat up, his legs folding the foot rest back into place. Resting his elbows on his knees, he rubbed at his face with his hands.
"Because I'm a History major, Edward! History," he groaned through his fingers.
"So?" I was still lost.
"So…." he started to speak slowly, like he was explaining something to someone who didn't understand English very well. "You spend all your time studying. Plus, anytime I'm around you, you get me to quiz you on stuff you already know, backwards and forwards."
Once I'd realized the point he was trying to make, I became indignant. I'd heard the 'loosen up' speeches before, and not just from him.
"Well, excuse me for wanting to do well!" I crossed my arms over my chest and jutted out my chin like a stubborn two year-old.
"My point is, one night won't change anything. You'll still know the answer tomorrow. You need to do this for yourself as much as for me," he reasoned.
I knew I was about to lose this argument, but I was going to go down fighting. "But…"
He cut me off, snapping his head up to look me in the eye. "Edward? What two counties in England were involved in the 'War of the Roses'?"
"How the hell should I know!" I blurted out a little too quickly. Shit.
"I rest my case," he said smugly. "Now, go and get changed. We're meeting the girls in an hour."
"Fine," I huffed, as I pushed myself off of the couch. "What should I wear?"
"God, Edward. Really?" He sighed, exasperated and leaned back into the chair again. "I don't know. Do I look like a girl? I'm not helping you pick out an outfit."
"No, asshole," I said, throwing a pen at his head. "What kind of place are we meeting them at? Is it casual?"
"Oh." He glanced down and looked a little sheepish, "I've never been there but Alice described it as an Irish pub. Just throw on a shirt and jeans." He smirked as he looked me up and down. "Seriously? Anything would be better than that ratty old tee and sweat pant ensemble you've got going on there."
"You may not look like a girl, but you're sure beginning to sound like one!" I grinned as I made my way up the stairs while pulling my shirt over my head.
"Screw you!" he shouted after me before adding, "And take a shower, for God's sake!"
"Yes, mom!" I called back, shaking my head as I headed into the bathroom.
--
Jasper and I were more like brothers than friends.
My father, Carlisle, had just been finishing up his residency at Mercy Hospital in Chicago when my mother, Esme, announced that they were expecting. They decided that they didn't want to start their family in a big, bustling city, so Carlisle accepted a position at a small hospital that served the community of Forks, Washington.
As they were moving into the house that they still reside in, the next door neighbor stopped by with a Thermos of coffee and a container of homemade chocolate chip cookies. When Esme opened the front door she was greeted by Laura Whitlock. The two heavily pregnant women just looked at each others' stomachs and started laughing.
That was when Jasper and my friendship officially began.
Laura and Tex, Jasper's dad, and my parents became firm friends that first night when the Whitlock's and the Cullen's got together for dinner. The women cemented the bond by becoming each other's birth coaches.
We literally grew up like siblings, sharing everything, including our parents. Carlisle and Esme treated Jasper like their son, and Laura and Tex treated me like theirs. We even had our own rooms in each others' houses.
Even our extended families showed no distinction between us. Our home in Seattle, for instance, was left to both of us by Jasper's maternal grandmother when she passed away five years ago.
All of our 'firsts' were experienced together, even to the point of doubling on our first dates.
We were fifteen and it hadn't escaped our notice that the girls in school had started to show an interest in us. Neither one of us had a clue about how to approach them, but we figured we would have to take the plunge at some point.
After identifying the two girls who were least likely to turn us down, as rejection would have been a major setback, we asked them if they wanted to 'hang out'.
As there wasn't a whole lot to do in Forks, Jasper and I took Lauren and Jessica to the local ice cream parlor. The 'date' consisted of the two of us eating ice cream and listening to the girls swoon and giggle over Johnny Depp.
When it came time to leave, I walked Jessica home and had my first kiss. It was…disturbing. She tasted like bubblegum ice cream, Altoids, and metal (due to the braces on her teeth), but it was OK. Until she shoved her tongue in my mouth and started flapping it around like a beached fish.
I pulled away quickly, told her I'd see her in school, and then walked home as fast as my legs would carry me.
Jasper laughed at my expression when I told him about the tongue and then shuddered as he recalled his goodnight on Lauren's doorstep.
He had made it to second base without even trying when Lauren grabbed his hand while they were kissing. She shoved it up the front of her sweater, allowing him to cop a feel of one very flat chest.
But despite the fact that we spent so much time together, we were still very different people.
I had heard myself described as arrogant or aloof on many occasions. In actuality, I was more of an observer, preferring to step back and take in my surroundings before carefully analyzing the data. That, coupled with my short temper and stubbornness, made me appear somewhat unapproachable.
Jasper, however, was always the calm one. Not only did he manage to keep his head during any crisis, but he also had the uncanny ability to make those around him feel at ease. He spoke freely about his emotions with those closest to him. You always knew where you stood with the guy.
We balanced each other out well. I could make him stop and think. He could give me an occasional push when I got too caught up in the details.
While Jasper's decisions were made on instinct, mine were made through logic. I tended to over-think every situation, carefully weighing the pros and cons before acting, often in danger of missing out on those 'spur of the moment' opportunities that life sometimes presented.
Like our trip to Europe.
Jasper had decided that he wanted to take a year off from school after graduation to travel around Europe. He wanted to see, first hand, all the ruins and sights that he'd learned about in history class.
He had tried to convince me to go with him, using the argument that 'life experience' was just as valuable as anything I might learn in a classroom. I didn't agree. To me it just seemed that my ultimate goal of becoming a doctor would be another year further away. Plus, I had planned to take some summer classes before starting my pre-med courses in the fall.
It wasn't until Carlisle sat me down and practically ordered me to go with him, stating that he wished he'd had the opportunity to 'blow off a little steam' before starting his studies, that I finally relented.
It was the best year of my life so far.
--
"OK, let's get this over with," I said, walking back into the living room after I'd showered and changed.
"Nice attitude, man," Jasper scoffed. "You could at least try to have fun tonight."
"Look, I'm going OK? I'll be polite. I'll sing your praises to Alice and her friend. I might even buy a round of drinks. But I can't promise I'll enjoy it." I accentuated each point by releasing my fingers one by one from my fist. "Take it or leave it."
Jasper looked defeated as he shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, I'll take it. Let's go."
We walked in silence for the few blocks to the pub.
I felt bad about being so abrupt with Jasper, but I really didn't want any part of this evening. Under any other circumstances I would have accepted his invitation with more grace. But I knew what this was.
This was the BF Test.
The test that we'd both been through before. The one that all women subjected guys to before moving past a certain point in any relationship.
Meeting the Best Friend.
I've never understood why women needed the approval of a third party before making a final decision on a guy. If I didn't like someone Jasper was dating he'd just tell me to 'suck it up,' and vice versa.
I found the whole thing tedious enough when I was the one in the hot seat. Why Jasper wanted me to witness this uncomfortable ritual was a mystery to me.
I could almost see the evening play out before it began. Alice's friend would ask a bunch of probing questions, trying to gather information about future income and past relationships. Then the two girls would giggle at inside jokes the rest of the time, while we looked on, praying for the night to end.
The fact that I was going to be the 'odd man out' meant that the pressure would be on me to make small talk to fill any gaps in the conversation.
Ugh. This is going to be a nightmare!
"This is it." Jasper broke the silence as he opened the door to the busy pub. "Let's go find a table."
As we walked through the crowd that was gathered around the bar, I spotted an empty table for four near the center of the room.
"Over there." I pointed it out to Jasper. "Why don't I go and save it for us while you wait up here for the girls?"
"Sure. Thanks, Edward."
I made my way over to the table and sat down. Picking up a beer mat, I fiddled with it absent-mindedly while I took in my surroundings.
The pub had a warm, inviting atmosphere to it, very much like the ones we had frequented in Dublin on our trip. The customers seemed relaxed and also familiar with each other, the separate groups intermingling as though they had all spent many an evening getting to know one another.
I briefly wondered why we'd never been here before. It was certainly the type of place I'd like to come back to under different conditions.
Just as the thought crossed my mind I caught sight of Jasper coming towards me.
It's showtime!
I looked in his direction and tried to muster a smile. I assumed that the tiny girl he had tucked protectively into his side was Alice.
She was more than a foot shorter than him with dark spiky hair and big blue eyes. She was very attractive and I could see why he had been drawn to her. Her appearance was not the most remarkable thing about her, though. What stood out to me was the affect she seemed to have on Jasper.
As he brought her to the table his whole demeanor was different. He looked more confident than I had ever seen him. Like he could take on the world as long as she was by his side.
I couldn't determine, however, which of the many faces around them belonged to her friend.
Maybe she couldn't make it, I silently hoped.
"Edward, this is Alice," Jasper announced proudly as he gently pushed her towards me.
"I'm glad I'm getting the chance to finally meet you, Alice." I held out my hand for her to shake. "Jasper has told me so much about you."
Her tiny hand grasped mine in a surprisingly firm grip. "I feel like I already know you, Edward. Jazz talks about you all the time!"
After releasing my hand she waved hers towards the opposite side of Jasper. "And this is my friend, Bella."
Jasper took a half a step to the right, revealing the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
Her long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, but a few tendrils had escaped and were hanging loosely around her heart-shaped face. I resisted the urge to reach out and tuck the strands behind her ear so that I could enjoy an unobstructed view of her perfection.
She wore no make-up and was dressed in a simple blue t-shirt and jeans. So natural and unpretentious, yet still the sexiest girl in the room. As far as I could tell, she'd be the sexiest person in any room.
My eyes were fixed on her full, pink luscious lips as they slowly turned up into a half smile. A blush colored her cheeks at the same time. Adorable. Her hand rose between us and I reached out to hold it.
As our skin made contact I felt a spark of electricity pass between us and I wondered if she felt it too. It was probably just the build up of static from the carpeted floor.
Our eyes met for the first time as we shook hands and I was lost in two pools of deep, dark chocolate. Her eyes were so expressive and wise, as though she had experienced more than most people her age, and I found myself eager to uncover all of her mysteries.
I had probably been staring just a little longer than was acceptable when I heard her clear her throat.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Edward." The sound of my name passing her lips made my heart leap in my chest. God, her voice is as beautiful as the rest of her.
"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine." Ok, it was cheesy, but true.
She dropped her gaze and her blush became more pronounced as she released my hand. I immediately felt a sense of loss at the disconnection.
Maybe I would enjoy this evening, after all.