Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it!
Bella's POV:
I got along with everyone pretty much instantly. They all welcomed me with open arms. Rosalie—who prefers to be called Rose—and Alice were nice enough to take a break with their meditation to hang out with us. So that's how we ended up in a circle in the middle of their living room.
Esme would come in every once in a while to give us updates on dinner and to give us really yummy home-made lemonade. She was great! I swear, she's like one of those moms' from a Hallmark movie. She was just as beautiful as she had been 17 years ago.
Anywhoo, I was in the middle of Edward and Alice, and pretty much the whole conversation was focused on me. It was almost like I was the new shiny toy everyone wanted to know more about. I'm not complaining though, trust me, the only time I mind if I'm the center of attention is with people I don't like, but here I was fine with it.
"So, why are you here in the first place?" Alice asked, then quickly added, "not that we don't want you, I'm just wondering."
I laughed. "My dad got a job offering that he couldn't resist. My parents actually used to be very close with Esme and Carlisle."
Alice beamed. "Really? Oh my gosh that's perfect! Our dads can go like, fish or something, our moms can go shopping, and we can just hang out and do whatever!"
My smile faded at the mention of my mom. It wasn't a topic I generally liked to talk about for obvious reasons.
"Look what you did Alice!" Edward hissed to his sister from behind me. I don't think he wanted me to hear it, but I did anyway.
"What did I say?" She asked sounding upset. I'm sure the pain was evident in my eyes. This kind of conversation was always like an ice breaker.
"Are you okay…?" Rose asked me from across the circle. Worried eyes were on me. Normally I'm pretty confident, I don't care what others think so I don't bother trying to act anything less than myself, but this was a touchy topic.
I swallowed hard and whispered, "My mom's dead."
My comment was followed my silence, I could hear Esme in the kitchen humming and the water faucet stop. I then felt an arm wrap around my shoulders. It was Edward.
"I'm so sorry Bella! I wouldn't have said anything—"
I stopped her, "It's not your fault, you didn't know."
"Were you close with her?" Emmett asked sheepishly. This was a different side of him.
I nodded. "Very, I told her everything." There were lots of nods. I sighed. "It was three years ago, she had cancer." I said answering the unspoken question. Everyone always wants to know how the person in the conversation died, but no one ever has the guts to just ask. I realized I've been thinking about my mom a lot today. I'm glad I remember her and that she's still fresh in my mind, but I'm afraid to think about her, does that make any sense?
I hadn't realized how long the silence had been until I felt a squeeze on my shoulders. Edward's arm was still there and if felt nice, it made me feel safe. "Come with me for a minute?" He asked and I nodded. He gave a glance in Alice's direction and locked her eyes on his. She gave him a simple nod. I don't know how, but they seemed to know exactly what each other meant. Some kind of sibling thing probably, I wouldn't know considering I'm an only child.
"Follow me," he said gently. This wasn't necessarily a different side of him—he's had all different sides from out phone conversations—but nine times out of ten he's goofy, funny, and from what I hear he's a bit of a trouble maker. Apparently he never knows when to shut up.
He led me down a long flight of stairs. He trotted on down gracefully. How can someone be so graceful, I wish I could be half as—and with that I gasped and tripped over my own two feet…what a surprise. Maybe next time I'm walking I should stop thinking and just watch my feet.
I waited for the impact. Impact did come but not the kind I was expecting. My eyes had closed automatically when I had tripped. I opened them slowly and looked up into Edward's bright green eyes as he watched me, fighting a small smile. "Walk much?"
"Ha-ha," I joked as he put me down. I was sort of disappointed; I liked the warmth of his arms. "So, what was that look you gave to Alice?" I asked and looked around. We were in some kind of entertainment room. There was a huge flat screen television with every known game system surrounding it. Also, there was a pool table, air hockey table, foosball table, everything!
His serious expression was back. "I wanted to tell you about our parents."
I shot him a confused look as we both plopped down on the couch and I brought my legs up and folded them Indian style. "But, Carlisle and Esme—"
He interrupted, "They're not me and Alice's real parents. WE were adopted when we were five."
I covered my mouth with my hand. "Oh my gosh! If you don't mind me asking…?" I trailed off not knowing how to word the question.
He smiled a bit. "That's where I was getting." I mumbled a small sorry and he continued. "Well, if you didn't already know, Alice and I are twins. Our mother's name was Elizabeth Masen and our father was Edward Masen—I was named after him."
HE took a deep breath. "So, when Elizabeth was pregnant with Alice and me, she was also a cocaine addict and only 17." I suppressed a gasp. How could someone do that? If they are going to ruin their own life that's their problem but putting two innocent kids it possible danger is absolutely horrible! And at only 17 this was happening? Did this Elizabeth girl have parents?
"Thankfully nothing was wrong with us when we were born." I took his hand in mine and squeezed it gently, just like he had done to my shoulders when I was talking earlier.
"She didn't live much longer, only a year or so after we were born. We ended up getting placed with our dad who was 28." He said making a face at the end of his sentence. His expression held true disgust. "Not that that did us any good. He abused us never ending." Edward practically hissed.
I tear slipped from my eye. I can't even imagine something like that happening to Edward. He is one of the kindest, most sincere guys I know. And Alice, little, tiny Alice that couldn't be more than five feet tall, imagine her when she was younger, she wouldn't have anything on a full grown man.
He wiped the tears away quietly and kept talking. "He would hit me and burn me." He once put boiling water in the bath tub and made me stand in it until I had second degree burns." And this guy was still considered human? More like the devil reincarnated!
"And Alice," he moaned putting his head in his hands. "He touched her, he molested her!" His face was red with anger and his hand that wasn't holding min curled up into a fist. "I should have helped her, I should have done something!"
"Don't talk like that! None of that was your fault, you were the same age, you didn't know." I tried to soothe him.
He shrugged like he didn't believe me. "But, here comes the good part. Teachers at our day car saw our bruises and burns and eventually started getting suspicious, they called childcare services. We were both put with Carlisle and Esme as foster parents, who eventually adopted us." He smiled. "Best thing that had happened to us."
"What happened to you 'dad'?" I asked putting quotes around the word dad, he couldn't be considered a father.
He shrugged. "Last thing I heard was he was in jail for ten years. He should be out by now." He saw my horrified expression. "I'm not worried; we had lived in Alaska, but moved here when we got adopted." He assured me, I didn't care, just because we live far away doesn't mean it's not possible for him to find Edward.
I nodded anyway. How could they have only given that many ten years in jail anyway? Shouldn't it have been like a life sentence? He must have had one great judge.
There was bit of an awkward silence. Edward was twiddling his fingers not knowing what to say. I slid over closer to him and put my arms around him. It took him a minute to respond, but he wrapped his arms tightly around me.
"You didn't deserve any of that," I whispered. "None of it and neither did Alice."
His head was rested on my shoulder and I felt his hot breath against my neck. "You smell nice," he said suddenly, the serious tone out of his voice. I could tell he wanted to back to his happy-go-lucky self.
I broke away from out embrace and grinned. "Oh really? What do I smell like?"
"Lavender and freesia," he said after pausing to think about it.
"That's my shampoo scent! God, you're good." I laughed. Justin never noticed the small things like that.
He chuckled. "My sister is a walking mall. She even tests her newest stuff on me. So if I'm starting to smell funky one day or my eyebrows look girlier and darker that's why. Plus, Rose is here practically all the time. My nose has gotten good." He smiled his crooked smile and it sent a twinkle to his eyes. I smiled back, not being able to resist as he tapped my nose with his index finger.
"Dinner!" I heard Emmett call down, his voice happy once again, almost as if nothing had happened.
"Let's go. We're having tacos tonight and Esme's cooking is amazing!" He gushed, proud of her, I'm sure.
"I'll be the judge of that," I joked, getting to my feet and offered him my hand which he took with a grin.
Dinner was fantastic! I hadn't thought tacos could be that good! She had some kind of spice in them that made them just right.
After dinner we all just sat around the living room watching some movie. Well, we weren't really watching it, it was on but we were just talking.
Emmett and Jasper were debating on whether Ashley Greene or Nikki Reed was hotter, Emmett was voting for Nikki while Jasper was voting for Ashley. Edward put in that he thought Kristen Stewart was the hottest.
"Well," I said starting to stand up. "As much as I wanna find out who's hotter," they chuckled, "I'd better get going. My dad's going to be wondering where I am, thank you so much for letting me stay over."
"Awww, you have to go?" Emmett whined.
I laughed and nodded. "Don't worry; I'll be over so much you'll want to get rid of me."
"That'll never happen," Edward told me.
"Thanks." I said. He got up with me to walk me to the door. I yelled a quick goodbye and thank you to Carlisle and Esme.
I gave Edward and hug and said, "I'll text you later."
"Okay, see ya around, Bells. I'm really glad you're here."
"So am I."
The first thing I heard when I walked into the door was Charlie call, "Bella?"
"Who else," I answered, my voice perky and happy.
"Where have you been? I tried calling your phone but you never picked up." He said crossing his arms.
"Oh, crap! I'm sorry; I totally forgot it in my truck when I went inside. You'll never guess where I was." I said, a smile planted firmly on my mouth.
"Do I even wanna know?" he asked hesitantly, I just nodded furiously. "Okay where were you then?"
"The Cullen household," I told him smugly.
Charlie's face changed to a grin. "They still live here?"
"Yep, they live here with their kids Edward and Alice, they are my age. You know that pen-pal project with my old school? Edward was my pen-pal and we've been talking ever since. He's the one that uses up my phone bill."
"That's great baby! You'll know people at school, won't be the new kid that no one knows. Next time though that you decide to stay out until ten and I think you're just riding your truck around, please call." He said in a half-joking voice.
"Wow, ten really, I totally lost track of time." It felt like it was about five, not ten. Charlie went back to watching the baseball game which was playing on our flat screen in the living room.
I was just about to go up to bed when I thought; I'm sure Charlie would want to catch up with Carlisle and Esme. I quickly scrawled down their house number on a post-it note and labeled it, 'Cullen house number.'
"Here's Carlisle's number," I said throwing the note on his lap. "I'm gonna go to bed." I bent down to kiss him on the forehead. "'Night dad."
"G' night Bells, I'm glad you like it here."
I stumbled up the stairs falling on the last one, I heard Charlie mumble, "Oh, Bella," and laugh.
"I heard that." I called to him.
"Who said you weren't supposed to?" He asked and I laughed.
When I got into my room and was nice and comfy, I got my phone out and texted Edward.
Hey! Thnk yu so much 4 the great time, I had a blast.
~B
Okay, I don't know if I'm overreacting, but it took Edward like 15 seconds to answer. Does he have like, super-speedy fingers or something?
Haha, no problem. It was rlee fun, we hav 2 get 2gether again soon.
~E
Well, 2moro's Saturday, mayb then?
~B
Mayb. Alice wnts 2 kno if u finished packing all ur clothes. Sry for the randomness.
~E
Nowhere near close to done.
~B
she wants to come over to help. Lol
~E
Fine with me. U can come too, invite Carlisle and Esme too, Charlie will wanna c them I'm sure.
~B
Ok, I think Carlisle is on the phone with him now. And about the clothes thing, if alice tries to get u 2 go shopping. Don't. its awful.
~E
lol ok. I h8 shopping anyway. But I g2g. very tired. Long day. Ttyl!
~B
Goodnight Bella, sweet dreams.
~E
I smiled as I put my phone on my nigh stand. I tugged the covers around me tightly and fell asleep, my mind filled with thoughts of Edward. Believe me, they were sweet dreams all right.
"Hey! Come in, come it!" I ushered to Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Alice. They had taken up on my offer to all coming over. Charlie didn't know; I wanted to surprise him.
I gave Edward, Alice, and Esme hugs and Carlisle squeezed my shoulders and gave me a sturdy handshake.
"Who's here Bells?" I heard Charlie ask from the kitchen. He was attempting to make some Mac 'n Cheese, attempting as the key word. He wouldn't let me help, and knowing his stubbornness he'll eat it and pretend to enjoy it no matter how burnt it is.
I motioned for them to follow me into the kitchen. He looked up from his pot and saw his old friends. "Hey Charlie," Carlisle said.
"Hey you guys! It's been so long," he said doing one of those man-hugs with Carlisle and then enveloped Esme. Charlie has never been the tannest person, but next to them he looked like he spends his whole life in the sun. If Edward hadn't have told me he was adopted, you'd never have guessed.
They started chatting while Charlie was still trying to cook, and from the smell, failing miserably.
As soon as we got to my room, Alice started tearing through all my boxes labeled clothes. "No good, not happening, what the hell is this?" She exclaimed holding up an old hoody that was from my mom's college. It really was hideous, but it was so comfy and one of the last things I have left of her.
I laughed, "Not getting rid of any of my clothes, especially that." I said grabbing it from her. "It was moms."
"Oh, sorry," she said.
"It's fine," I told her with a smile, she really doesn't need to apologize over stuff like that, it's not her fault.
Edward was now helping us go through all the boxes; I really do have a lot of clothes, but most of them Alice didn't approve of. I wouldn't let her throw any away, but we came to an agreement of having different piles, one pile for clothes I could wear in public, another for just around the house or if I'm going to their house to hang out, and one for clothes that I shouldn't even wear the their house. All of this was chosen by Alice of course, she even made me try on stuff to see if it looked better on.
Edward chuckled as he pulled out a small pink cloth from one of the boxes. I didn't realize what it was until he held it up and said, "Whoa, Bella! Who would've though you'd wear something like this?"
"Give that to me!" I gasped, grabbing the pink piece of clothing from him. He had just been holding my one and only thong! Justin thought he would be slick and get that for me for my birthday one year. My face was just as red—if not redder—now than it had been when I had gotten it in the first place.
"That definitely goes in the good pile!" Alice gushed. "You need the sexiness of it, even if only you know you're wearing it…unless of course you get a boyfriend—which wouldn't be very hard for you considering your gorgeous…" She trailed off wiggling here eyebrows. Me gorgeous? I don't think so.
My blush was starting to go away until she said that. I glanced over to Edward who now looked a bit uncomfortable. "Shut up Alice." I mumbled.
"What?" She laughed. "We're all girls here, why does it matter?"
Edward glared at her. "I'm not a girl."
"Oh, whoops," she said, pretending to be sorry. "Sometimes I forget. I mean, have you even kissed a girl before?"
I was relieved the topic was off of me as I watched their sibling banter. This question interested me though…I sort of have been wondering the same thing, I mean, not that I care, psh.
The red was finally leaving my cheeks, but now there was a touch of red in Edward's pale complexion. "Yes," he mumbled. I think they forgot I was here, so I went over to my bed to sit and watch.
"You kissing Jessica on the cheek in the third grade to annoy her and make her think she had cooties doesn't count." She said with a smirk.
"Fine," he grumbled. "I haven't kissed a girl before." I was really surprised by this; I would have thought someone like Edward would have girls kissing him all the time. He's charming, funny, gorgeous, entertaining, kind, and did I say gorgeous?
Alice's trilling laughter filled the room. When she laughed it was like bells were chiming. "You're gonna be a 40 year old lip-virgin! Well, regular virgin too, but still!"
Re raised one eyebrow, "Oh really?" He asked her, I was getting into this! It really felt like a show, a comedy-drama cross over.
"Yes really," she told him, her expression challenging.
He threw his hands up in the air and before I could even comprehend what was happening, his lips crashed down on mine. I was still for a moment, shock coursing through my veins, but then I melted into him. My lips moved in sync with his. It was like we were two pieces of a puzzle that finally found each other.
The kiss was short, but very exhilarating.
"Wow," I said once he had backed away and was staring at me.
"I'm sorry," he said, running his hand through his messy hair. Alice was watching us, hand over her mouth to keep from squealing. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "That was uncalled for."
"Uncalled for?!" Alice screeched happily. "That was hot!"
I was blushing again. My face is going to be stained red soon if they keep this up. "It's o-o-okay." I managed to choke out. My lips were tingling.
Alice was still gushing. "And I told you Edward that you two would make a good couple even before we met her! I'm just so good!"
"We aren't a couple," Edward told her indifferently, as if he hadn't just made out with me on my bed. "I was just showing you that I'm not a lip-virgin or whatever you said." For some reason, the little, 'we aren't a couple,' comment made my heart skip a beat. I guess I have come to the conclusion that I like Edward, I like him a lot.
"That's what you say now, but soon enough…." She trailed off laughing like a maniac.
I chuckled quietly. "Whatever you say."
She just beamed in response. "Don't ever question my phychicness."
I smiled. Maybe, just maybe, I actually wanted this vision to come true.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
It didn't take long for Edward and me to start acting normal again. Well, I was acting as normal as I could. His lips on mine had given me such a rush; my mind would randomly wander off while in the middle of a sentence. He seemed to be even more out of it than me.
Alice had left for a date with Jasper at around six. It was seven now.
"So, what should we do now?" I asked for the fourth time. Literally. "Edward!"
"Huh, what, elephants?" he said coming out of his state of trance.
"Elephants?" I asked incredulously. "Are you sick of something? You're totally out of it."
He shook his head to steady himself and leaned back. We were sitting on my bed facing each other; my back was towards the opening and his towards the wall. "I'm sorry; can you repeat what you said?"
I sighed but nodded. Here goes the fifth time. I opened my mouth to speak and at the same time I heard Charlie knock on my door and say, "Bella?" my open mouth squealed and I jumped, getting startled by the unexpected sound. I fell backwards but Edward grabbed my inside of my thighs just before my head hit the floor.
Charlie opened the door slowly to come across me with the top half of my body near the floor and my belly-button down on the bed with Edward's hands planted firmly on my thighs.
"What are you doing?" Charlie asked with a guarded expression on his face.
I did my best to smile up at him without blushing; he might take the blush for something else. "Just…hanging around."
Edward removed one of his hands to say, "Hey Mr. S." but by doing so dropped me on my head.
"Ouch! Good going Edward," I scolded him.
"Sorry," he said as I stood up and rubbed the top of my head.
"I was just seeing if you two were hungry. Dinner's downstairs."
"Did you cook it?" I asked, if he said yes then my answer would be no.
"No way," he said chuckling. "I just ordered pizza."
"Okay good, if you made Carlisle and Esme eat your cooking; it would be considered cruel and unusual punishment."
"How kind," he muttered sarcastically. "Be down in a few minutes."
I nodded as he left. "Today is not our day is it?" I asked Edward, laughing.
"Lots of awkward moments," he replied with a sigh. "What's next?"
"I don't even want to think of the possibilities." I told him. He just chuckled in response. "We better get downstairs."
"I suppose," he said then smiled. "Will you do me the honors of allowing me to escort you downstairs my lady?" He asked in a phony British accent and held his hand out for me to take.
I took his hand and in an equally phony accent said, "Why of course my good sir." I grinned at him, all my pearly whites showing.