*Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight related. The government and private owners own other things. I'm just borrowing everything for my own storyline.*

Please review. It motivates me.

Also, I'm sorry for all the drooling about the pizza. I'm writing while craving.

Chapter 2

Edward's POV

God, this sucks.

You would think that moving into your own place would be an awesome time. And while having my own place is great, it's the actual packing, unpacking, and setting things up about moving that sucks. Ever since the truck dropped off my stuff last Monday, I haven't been able to find anything. The furniture and other stuff that were supposed to be delivered before I moved in hasn't. AND I think that I'm missing a box of CDs.

It is Friday mid-morning. I start my new job this Monday and I've only managed to unpack work-related stuff and some CDs.

How have I been living, you ask? Well, instead of searching for my bed sheets and towels, I just went out and bought some new ones. Instead of buying groceries that require pans, plates, or utensils to cook or eat with, I bought food that requires essentially no plates or utensils. I'm still living out of a suitcase. Still using those travel sized stuff. And still listening to music on a laptop instead of an expensive entertainment system. This is Emmett and Jasper's fault.

Grinding my teeth, I take a deep calming breath. This isn't just their faults. I shouldn't have begged for Esme to let me do this myself. Her helping me to move into my own place wasn't going to interfere with my independence. Heck, she DID help me pick out almost everything like the furniture and kitchen stuff. AND not only does she love making a new place homey, but I didn't and now won't have time to.

I need to call Esme. I speed dial Esme's number and her voicemail picks up.

"Hi. This is Esme. I'm not able to take your call. Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I am able. Have a lovely day."

"Hi, Esme. It's Edward. I was, uh, just wondering how you and Carlisle were doing. So, give me a call back when you can." I hang up and laid on my bed if you could call it that. A minute later, my phone rings. It's Esme. I answer the phone while still laying down.

"Hi, Esme."

"Hi, Edward. How are you? How's the move going? Are you settled in? I've missed you" she shot off. I chuckled.

"I'm fine. I've missed you too. But you know we saw each other on Monday."

"I know. It's just that you're so far now. I don't see you every day."

"Esme, the North End is not far from home. And you can always call me."

"I know that your new place isn't far. But I don't even know how you're living. We still haven't seen the inside of your apartment." She reminded me. I felt bad. When I asked Esme to let me do everything myself, I had also said that I will invite them in and let her throw me a housewarming when I was finished, which at this rate was slim.

"Well then, I'm just sitting here in my apartment. And I was wondering if you had plans for lunch or if you and Carlisle had plans tonight."

"Well, I was thinking of visiting him for lunch but I'm too impatient to see you. So I'll visit with you instead. We can eat lunch somewhere nearby or do take-out and eat at your apartment. Since you've invited me over, you must have finished your unpacking? Can I throw you a housewarming now?" she not so subtly asked again. I chuckled.

"Now that's the third time you've asked to see my apartment. It's not done yet and I think you've been waiting for me to call you about it." I said. She laughed while I continued "But you're right. I don't have the time or patience to deal with setting up my apartment. Please come and help me." I finished chuckling. She finished laughing.

"Don't worry. I had a feeling. I'll make some calls and after Carlisle comes home, we'll come over and have dinner. Shall we bring take-out so we can eat while I assess your apartment or shall we go out and assess after dinner?"

"Uh, either would be fine. But just so you know, I'm basically squatting in my box filled apartment." I joked. I heard some shuffling around and something being dropped. "Esme? Are you alright?"

"No worries. I will be there in a few minutes." Esme said and then hung up. I dragged my feet and moved to meet her at the door. As I pass through my apartment, the only things that are visible is a large flat screen television sitting on the floor with a game console hooked up to it and lots of unpacked boxes. Twenty minutes later, Esme pulled up in a car, arms full of bags.

"Esme, what are all these bags?" I asked when I saw the driver pulling even more things out of the trunk.

"Edward" she said shaking her head. "I knew you'd call me eventually. I was saving this stuff for when you realized you needed my help." She answered putting the bags down to greet me with a tight hug and kiss. "Now show me your place. I haven't seen it since the walk-through." She spoke to the driver while I picked up her bags and the packages that he had placed on the sidewalk. When she finished, I gestured her to the building. She laughed.

"I know I've taught you excellent manners but I'm not completely helpless. I can carry some things too." She took some bags and we went up to my apartment. She chattered on about where all of my furniture was suppose to be placed and how she hoped I didn't return anything. Outside my apartment door, I paused before letting us in.

"Okay, don't be upset. But I wasn't really joking when I said that I was basically squatting in my apartment." I warned her.

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic. We went shopping for all your furniture together so I know that you have great pieces to work with."

"But, uh, well, you'll see." I debated between telling her and showing her. Actions speak louder than words and so I just let her in. She walked into the place and stopped.

"Edward! Where are all of your stuff?" She cried walking around the huge main area. "Where is everything that we ordered?" I put the bags down and I ran my hands through my already messy hair. Seeing her reaction about my apartment opened my eyes a bit. The place seems much larger and emptier than the past week.

"Well…" I started to stutter out an explanation when she went up the few stairs to my bedroom.

"Oh my… Edward!" She called out. I raced up to my room knowing what she's looking at. She was standing in front of my door and I almost crashed into her. "Tell me you have not been sleeping on that thing." She said pointing at my 'bed', which consisted of a mattress that was on the floor and the new, unapproved sheets thrown on it. I was too ashamed to admit to it so I just shrugged helplessly. "How have you been living?" She asked as she walked around my bed seeing my work, laptop and half emptied suitcase on the other side of the bed. She walked into the bathroom and just yelped. I flinch because I can see it through her eyes. While half of my clothes were contained in my suitcase next to my bed, the other (dirty) half was in a pile in my bathroom. She walked out and passed me. God, she's going to freak out when she sees the kitchen especially my fridge. As I went to follow her, I could hear the cabinets and drawers being opened and closed. Once I got into the kitchen, I could see her in the opened fridge. She was holding a bottle of mustard. "What have you been eating?"

"Esme. I eat sandwiches. It's not bad, I…" I tried before she gave me a look of disbelief. She just shook her head and walked back to the main room. I trudged behind her. It wasn't too bad when only you knew about your miserable living situation but when you had to show your mom it felt terribly disappointing and awful. When I came to the main area, Esme was on the phone. I started emptying the bags since Esme would eventually tell me what to do.

Nine hours later, I'm exhausted.

Esme was on the phone with the decorating company that we had ordered all of our stuff from. Not just furniture but dinnerware, glassware, and other home essentials from. After about a half hour and threatening to cancel the entire order, she had managed a promised same day delivery even though it was technically five days after the original delivery date.

While I was waiting for the delivery men and unpacking all the packages to her instructions, Esme was out 'running errands and picking up a few things'. When the delivery men came around four, she returned loaded with shopping bags. I don't know how she did it but she convinced all four of them to stay and help me put together the furniture; cutting down my furniture building and moving time in half to only three hours.

So nine exhausting hours since my phone call, I now have a completely furnished apartment albeit my personal touch, but normal sized bathroom products, and groceries. While Esme spoke on the phone in the living room, I laid on my bed. Yes a freshly-made bed not the previous mattress on the floor with sheets. Soon, I hear Esme letting Carlisle into my apartment. I walk out to see him set the Chinese take-out on the dining table. My stomach loudly growled.

"Esme figured that you've probably been eating Italian all week. So I got Chinese for a change." He explained when I gave him a look of joy. "There's a great Chinese place that gets great reviews near here." I just nodded, said thanks and dug into the plate that she made me. God, it was good. Or maybe it was because I'm starving, since Esme refused to let me eat anything while we did the apartment. However, she got the delivery people food. Oh man, they got the most delicious smelling pizzas. I was dreaming about the pizzas when Carlisle cut into my thoughts.

"So, Edward. Why have you been living here for almost a week without any furniture?" Before even hearing my answer, she turned to Carlise. "You should have seen it. We pull up and his hair's everywhere. Then I go up and he has no furniture in the entire apartment! The only things that are unpacked are the television and video games. Also, he hadn't even gone grocery shopping. The only things in his refrigerator were bottled waters, a bottle of mayo and mustard!" She turned back to me. "I thought we had picked everything out and you were going to have it all delivered the day you moved in." I groaned. It was so embarrassing and frustrating.

"Well, I was here Monday waiting for the delivery people. They came late and somehow mixed-up my order. When I tried to correct them, they refused, saying they only take orders from the store. So I called the store but the girl kept insisting that I needed to come in person. I went over to the store and she was completely unhelpful. She kept hinting that she was single and that I should go with her to the warehouse to 'look around for my order'. So, I left and didn't go back." I explained and Esme laughed.

"So that was the issue that I was getting from the store clerk. She kept saying that she needed to speak with the owner of the order. Or that the owner of the order had to come into the store. I finally had to demand to speak with the manager."

"Why didn't you just go another day?" asked Carlisle. I had to cringe.

"Uh, well, Emmett and Jasper…" I trailed off as Esme and Carlisle nodded and waved away whatever I was going to say. Instead of hearing about our debacles of the past week that prevented me from furnishing my apartment, Esme told me her plans for the rest of my place and the housewarming party that she was going to throw.

Bella's POV

The people always seemed to remember us but then again we were there every Friday since college. Or it could be that Alice was able to charm the pants or best tables or booths from anyone.

Tonight was no different; she snagged us a booth in the low traffic area.

As we finished settling in, the waitress was already gone with our orders. Now that wasn't because we come every week. No, that was the way things were run.

Quick.

Drinks, pizza, and bill. No beating around the bush and long dragged out conversation. Okay, maybe a little small talk. But that was just for the regulars and locals.

"So!" Alice broke my thoughts. "I was thinking about this bar it's like five or ten minutes away." I cut her off before she could go any further.

"Alice, please! We haven't even gotten our drinks yet." I moaned. "Can't we just chill out before we talk about going to a bar?"

"What shall we talk about then? What's happening at work? Even though we see each other every day at HOME." She sighed and rolled her eyes. I peeked at her sideways.

"Okay, fine. I won't tell you the good news I have." I sigh peering to a television, knowing that it would frustrate her.

"What?" she asked excitedly.

"Did you get promotion and raise? Or better yet, laid?" Rose jumped in with her suggestive eyebrow wiggling. I laughed and stuck my tongue out at her.

"A certain someone is going away for the weekend…" I teased. Alice and Rose had their full attentions on me now.

"Spill" commanded Alice.

"Well, Mike—" Before I could finish my sentence, Rose and Alice cut me off.

"Ack! No! Ew!" They both looked at each other and laughed. Alice nodded the metaphorical floor to Rose.

"Bella. As much as I believe you need to desperately get laid. Well, Alice and me too." She added when I gave her a pointed look.

"While we all need some lovin'" she smirked. "Mike is NOT the way to go." She finished.

Before I could even begin, Alice cut in.

"He's BORING! And, and…" she paused concentrating on her thoughts, "I can't even think of anything else!" She gasped, turned to me, and slowly repeated to make sure that I understood her.

"He's so boring that I can't even think of anything else." I laughed.

"You guys! Are you serious? Did you honestly think that I would go away with Mike?" I laughed. "Don't you guys remember Jessica?"

They both started laughing too.

"I was just going to ask. Last we heard, they were in their post-coital, honeymooning stage." Said Rose. I nod.

"They are. That's why they're going to the Cape." I answer sagely. "And it's only slightly depressing that Boring Mike and Mimic Jess are getting more action than we are."

"Shut your mouth," smiled Rose, "we could get any guy we want. Or at least I can" she winked.

"Har har" was my witty response.

We quickly fell into conversation and before we knew our pizzas were there. We always ordered a personal pizza each. It was the perfect size for sharing and hoarding. And it was usually the same kinds of pizzas ordered every week. Alice once joked that they said something about us.

Alice would always get the #20 which has anchovies, capers, garlic, and cheese. This pizza apparently said that she is quirky, salty, and likes the classics but with a twist. Rose would get the #28 which has chicken, pesto sauce, and ricotta cheese. This pizza said that Rose was meaty, rich, and luscious. And me? I would always get the original cheese, which sounds boring and plain but Alice interpreted it to be that I cut her saltiness and Rose's richness to a perfect balance. She also added that people who choose cheese have an adventurous and wild side which in my case was scratching to get out.

We quickly divvied up our pizzas and settled in to eat.

So, do you like Edward's POV? I was planning on dragging out their meeting. What do you think?