A/N: This is definitely a filler chapter. I am currently working on a 12-page history paper for a final and I am freaking out. So I wanted to write something before we really delve into anything and I was kind of tired of the angst from last chapter, so I wanted some bonding time with Bella and her girls. Even better then that, some interaction with Edward! Just a little tease though. ;-P
***Sorry for the multiple emails if you got them. I had to repost this.***
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns it all. Rob owns me, especially after that fitted tux he wore at Cannes. *swoons*
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Ch. 7
Once Alice left I seemed to have snapped out of my pity party, at least briefly. I took advantage of my new found energy to get some things done. Of course this proved to be difficult with only one arm.
My first stop was to the answer machine.
Thirty-seven messages over the course of three days. I pushed the button to relay them back to me.
Ten messages from Rose. Five from both Emmett and Jasper. Fifteen from Alice. One from Charlie. And one from Jake.
"Hey Bells, its Jake. I am going to be back in Seattle for a weekend on some business. If you want to get together, let me know. It's been age's girl. I would love to see the whole gang, so I will let Em know I will be back to. Call me back."
Jacob Black was one hell of a guy. The first guy that I allowed myself to pay attention to after the whole Edward fiasco. We got along famously and even attempted a few dates before that fizzled out. We decided that we were more brother and sister then the couple type.
I was both relieved and pissed about this. He was able to semi-distract me from my bronze obsession in short spurts, and I had allowed myself to hope that perhaps Jake would be someone to permanently take that place that apparently Edward never wanted. But when we discovered we were better off strictly platonic, I was kind of glad that nobody had been able to take Edward's spot thus far.
He knew all about the situation that lead me to becoming kind of messed up. Jake was a good listener and gave me good advice from an outsider's point of view. He would be good to have around for a day or two to help me work out my current issues with the reemergence of Edward into my life.
I continued on up the stairs to throw a pile of laundry in. A pretty mundane afternoon if you asked me.
The weather outside was disgusting and fitted my mood. I kept glancing at the clock, watching the numbers dwindle away.
Two hours since Alice's departure.
Four hours.
I thought he was going to call? What the hell was taking so long, I thought to myself.
Did I really want him to call me? Was I ready to deal with him? Alice had said he was anxious to talk to me, so why was he taking so long? I am sure that she gave him the okay as soon as she got into her car.
I decided to make myself some soup around eight in the evening, hoping that it would perk me up a little bit.
I was just about ready to sit down at the bar to eat it when my cell phone started buzzing from my purse. I hurried over to it and didn't recognize the number on the caller ID. Figuring it was the one person that I was waiting to hear from, I flipped open the phone.
"Hello?" I answered tentatively.
"Bella?" came the smooth, velvet voice.
"Yeah."
"Hey, it's Edward."
"Hi…" I trailed off, feeling a bit awkward.
"Alice gave me your number. She said that it was okay to call you…" he said just as awkwardly.
"I know. She stopped by today and informed me of the passing around of my number."
"I am sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have called."
"No, it's fine."
"Okay, good. So how are you feeling?" he asked.
"Fine. Well as fine as I can be with one working arm. My clumsiness has multiplied it seems with the cast."
"I'm sorry. I wish there was some way that I could get the cast off of you sooner."
"Thanks, but it's not the first time I have them. You know that." I said with a smile.
"Oh I know. All those times I had to take you to the E.R. myself. I think you were the only teenager apart from Alice and I that the staff was on first name basis with."
"I am very proud of that! They always took good care of me." I replied.
"I know." he said quietly.
There was an awkward pause in the conversation. I cleared my throat for something to say.
"Um, I guess your wondering why I am calling?" he finally spoke up.
"Yeah, kind of."
"Would you mind meeting me for coffee, say on Tuesday? So that gives you two days from now."
"Um, I don't know Edward. Is that a good idea? I am not sure I am ready for that." I replied.
"Please Bella. I really think we need to talk. I would prefer to do it face to face and at least getting coffee is in neutral territory."
I let out a frustrated sight, "Okay. But it would just be you and me right?" In other words, no Tanya right?
"Yeah, just us."
"Okay, good. So um could we do the afternoon? I have to do at least a half-day at work and the soonest I would be able to meet is three in the afternoon."
"How about we meet at Café Allegro around four? My shift at the hospital ends right before that, so I can just right over." he asked.
"Yeah, that works. Um, I guess I will see you then."
"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Thanks for agreeing to it," he replied with a hint of excitement to his voice.
"No problem. Bye Edward."
"Goodbye Bella."
I hung up the phone and tossed it back into my purse. I looked at the clock again and hadn't realized I had been on the phone for almost an hour.
I felt a little uncomfortable meeting him alone, but at least, like he said, it was a neutral place. I could run if I felt the need to.
Feeling a little bit lighter then I had when I woke up to Alice barging in, I decided to go to bed early. Tomorrow was a dress fitting with Alice and Rosalie, so I knew I would need my energy for those two tornados.
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I finally found a parking spot about two blocks from the dress shop. Why Rosalie had to pick a shop in the middle of downtown Seattle was beyond me. There was barely any parking and now I had to hoof it in the heels that Alice forced me to wear. She had threatened to force me into yet another shopping spree, so I decided to wear the damned shoes to shut her up.
I was out of breath by the time I made it into the warm shop.
Thank god for heaters!
I quickly took off all of the layers I had put on. The cast was a bit awkward because I had to maneuver the coat a certain way to pull it off of my arm. I couldn't wait to get the stupid thing off and I still had five weeks to go.
I spotted Alice and Rose in a far corner of the boutique. They were looking at a blood red, strapless dress. I cleared my throat when I made it over to them. Alice turned around and squealed when she saw me. I was quickly engulfed into a tight hug.
"What was that for?" I asked her.
"Edward told me that you two are getting together tomorrow!" she squealed again.
I rolled my eyes, "Just for coffee Ali. He asked me and I said yes. No big deal."
"Oh we all know that you want to jump him. You haven't gotten any in what? A year?" Rosalie piped in. Leave it to her to make me blush harder then normal.
"I will not jump him. I won't be the other woman thank you!" I snipped back.
"Bella-." Alice started to say but she was quickly cut off by the manager of the store.
Whatever she was about to say was forgotten because we quickly got into wedding mode. Rosalie was surprisingly in a good mood, Alice was the one that seemed like bridezilla.
"No Bella. The strap goes around your shoulder like this," she motioned with her hand, "not straight!"
"Excuse me. It doesn't look good on me anyways," I said getting annoyed.
"I agree Bella. I think that light blue one you tried on first was the best one out of the bunch. I kind of like the idea of having blue in my wedding, don't you think Alice?" Rose chimed in.
Alice mulled that over for a minute before beaming, "Since you are having a spring wedding that is perfect."
We went at it for a few more hours. By the time we were finally finished it was late afternoon.
"Thank god the bridesmaid's dresses are out of the way. That is a really big chunk of weight taken off my shoulders," Rose sighed, plopping down on the couch in hers and Emmett's flat.
"I can't believe we are sitting here talking about wedding details. Rose and Em, the first of our group to marry off. Time sure does fly," I mused.
With that statement, we jumped into reminiscing about our past together.
"Remember when Emmett mooned Mr. Varner right after graduation? He was lucky that no charges were pressed. I withheld sex for two weeks because of that dumb move," Rosalie said with mascara streaming down her face.
It felt really good to just laugh. I finally felt carefree for the first time in ages. These were my sisters in every way but blood.
"I just thought of something," I said suddenly. "Do you remember when you both stayed over at my house the end of sophomore year? Charlie had already gone to bed and the boys decided to pay us a visit. That was when we played truth or dare and you dumbasses forced me on Edward!"
"We did not force you on him! He didn't seem to fight too much when we dared him to kiss you!" Rose said.
"Yeah and remember we each had one bail out. He could have used it," Alice added.
"That was my first kiss" I sighed, touching the tips of my fingers to my lips
"After that Em just had to ruin it by laughing at the goofy grins on your faces. That woke Charlie up and got us all into trouble. Remember when he forced all three of them to sit on the couch in a row and lectured them. They practically ran out the front door like scared puppies," Rose said.
Charlie had been furious that the guys were in my room in the middle of the night. It took the better part of a year before he came around to accepting them into the house again, as long as he was around.
"We have definitely been through a lot together and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you guys," Alice said tearing up.
We got into a group hug and then ended up getting into a pillow fight. Friends are the best people to have around, without them, life would be much more cruel.
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A/N: Sorry this wasn't much progress. I don't want you all thinking I am just about the angst. I promise there is happiness in this too. I am all about HEA's.
Ages/relations of the characters:
Rose - 26
Emmett – 26
Jasper – 25
Alice – 25
Bella – 25
Edward – 25
Edward and Alice are twins.
Rosalie and Jasper are cousins. Jasper is Whitlock and Rosalie is Hale.
Emmett's last name is McCarty.
Alice is dating Jasper (they have since the beginning of senior year).
Emmett and Rosalie are engaged.
I just wrote a one-shot called "Hunting Rendezvous". It has my first lemon in it (I wrote it as practice for this story). If you have time to go over and read it, maybe you can let me know how I did. I am a bit nervous about it.