DISCLAIMER: Enter witty disclaimer here. Yeah…I'm all out. I know! I know! I'll work on that.;)

AN: here's another wonderful day shopping with Alice. Lol. Poor Bella! This is another short chapter but it's the third one I have posted today. I'm sorry for the short chappies recently but I really just want to get to the next chapter. A lot of you have been waiting for the next chapter for a while… hint hint, wink wink. If you read it review it please. Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers as usual you are all amazing.

(Chrisette Michele/Kate Voegele)

-BPOV-

I was shopping with Alice again. You would think I would have learned from last time but she had pouted. Besides that I needed a new dress for the dance. Actually I need a dress period. I didn't own a dress for a special occasion. I refused to notify Alice of this fact though. I can only imagine the fit she would throw. She would probably insist we buy multiples just in case I needed to go to another special occasion. I say we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

I was still in shock I was going to a dance. I wasn't going to go until Alice told me my "fake date" was going to be Edward. I still had to worry about the dancing part of the dance though.

I sighed. I couldn't walk across a flat surface without finding something to trip over. How was I going to dance? In front of people. In heels. With Edward Cullen. I felt butterflies in my stomach at the thought of being that close to Edward. I couldn't believe he had agreed to do this for me in the first place. I mean, I realized he would do anything for me because we were friends and well, that was the just the type of person he was. He was a very selfless person but this was above and beyond the call of friendship. Maybe he wanted to go to the dance with me? I squashed that thought as soon as it crossed my mind. It was impossible! That didn't stop the huge grin from forming on my face.

"What about this one?"

I shook my head and looked at the dress Alice was holding up. It was bright red and sleeveless and went to about mid thigh. It was beautiful but it wasn't me. It looked more like something Rosalie would wear.

"Maybe for Rosalie?' I asked.

Alice surveyed the dress before setting it back on the ever growing rejected pile.

"It's not eye catching enough for Rose but I see what you mean."

I sighed and rested me head on the back of the chair I was sitting on. Alice had agreed to let me sit there while she found dresses after five of the dresses I had picked out didn't meet her approval.

"Bella!" Alice called my attention again.

I looked up at the black dress she was holding. It was a halter type dress with thick straps. The bottom was slanted so that one side hit right above the knee and the fabric tapered down gracefully. It was perfect! (Dress picture is on my profile!)

"That's beautiful Alice."

She looked from the dress to me and smiled happily, her eyes lighting up.

"There is hope for you yet!" She sang.

I rolled my eyes.

"Now go over to the jewelry case over there." She pointed to a large glass case sitting in the middle of the small store.

"And pick out a necklace and earrings. I will go see if they have this in blue."

I sighed but decided to get up before she used force… or worse. Decided to pick them out herself. She would buy the most extravagant pieces she could find.

"Why blue?" I asked conversationally as I made my way over to the case.

She smiled slyly.

"A certain cousin of mine said he liked that color on you."

I blushed and bit my lip. Edward said that? Not likely. He hadn't even seen me in anything blue.

…Oh! I had worn that sweater Alice had gotten for me on our last shopping trip. It was blue. Come to think of it most of the sweaters Alice had bought for me that day where blue….

I sighed. Taking into account that I was so plain and he was so… Edward a blue dress wouldn't hurt.

I decided on simple sapphire studs. I didn't want to buy a necklace to go with it because I wanted to wear my locket. The silver would contrast beautifully with the blue of the dress but really I just didn't know if I could take it off. I was adjusting well to my new life and I liked it here, greatly due to the Cullen's and Alice but I didn't want to forget my brother. I didn't want to forget the past and I couldn't bring myself to regret it because it brought me to Edward. The only thing I found pain and regret in was that Zach wasn't here with me.

He would have gotten along with Emmett so well. I can only imagine the trouble they would have gotten in together. Mike would have had to sleep with one eye open. That is for sure!

I chuckled and Alice looked at me questioningly. I hadn't even realized she was standing there.

"I was just thinking about how much trouble Em and my brother would have gotten into." I explained.

She was curious. I could tell. But she didn't say anything. She just smiled, nodded and moved on. Everyone knew that my brother was gone and that it was a delicate subject with me. They knew that I had trouble with it and that when I had first moved here I was beyond desolate. I had never gone into details though. Edward was the only one I had ever felt the need to share my past with and I was positive he would never tell anyone. He knew I needed to deal with that on my own. What he didn't realize though was that when I had told him about my brother and what had happened and how I felt guilty because of it I had handed over a fraction of my pain. He shared my pain with me and by carrying that fraction he made it bearable again.

"So they have to special order the dress. It will be delivered on Friday!" Alice said happily.

I smiled at her exuberance.

"Now!" she proclaimed. "On to shoes!"

---

Edward chuckled as we made our way into the house and up the stairs toward Alice's gargantuan bedroom.

"Don't laugh or you're coming next time." I warned him.

He stopped laughing immediately but was still grinning as we let all of the shopping bags collapse onto Alice's king sized bed.

"Are you certain you bought enough?" smirked Edward.

I giggled.

"This is only Alice's stuff!"

His eyes widened and he looked to the shopaholic standing beside me incredulously, with eye brows raised in amusement.

"This is the biggest dance before prom!" Alice defended.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste.

"Prom." I groaned.

Alice rolled her eyes at me.

"Prom will be great Bella!" She chided me.

"I'm sure it will be." I replied calmly. "I'm not going."

Alice shrieked and Edward furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"You are not planning on attending the Prom?"

I was surprised when it was Edward and not Alice who spoke.

"No." I told him. "No, I do not."

I smirked. No matter how hard I tried I could never speak as properly as Edward did. He had the best etiquette I had ever witnessed. But with Esme as his mother I could see why.

Then again Emmett had spent his entire life in the constant presence of Esme and Carlisle as well and he wasn't proper. As I matter of fact he had laughed for a full five minutes yesterday at lunch when the ketchup bottle "farted."

Edward looked as if he were going to peruse the matter but then he only sighed and tugged a hand through his hair.

"So if all of these are Alice's purchases then where are yours?" he asked changing the subject and I smiled at him.

I held up the little jewelry box my earrings had come in. Edward looked from the little velvet box I held in the palm of my hand to the mountain of clothing lying on Alice's bed at busted out laughing.

Alice breathed in deeply and crossed her arms over her chest before exhaling.

"There's not that much of it!" She declared indignantly.

Edward laughed harder and I joined in. There was so much!

Alice just stood there glaring at the both of us. After a few minutes we were calm and composed. Okay, Edward was calm and composed. I was biting my lip to hold back further giggles.

"Bella's dress will be delivered Friday." She informed him, answering the question that had started the laughing fit.

He nodded and smiled politely and Alice grinned.

"It's perfect!" She sang. "It's going to look amazing! You are going to look so beautiful Bella!"

I rolled my eyes and Edward scoffed.

"Bella always looks beautiful." he said defensively.

I almost choked on air. I looked at him in shock but he simply shot me my favorite crocked grin.

"Yes! Yes! Everyone knows Bella is gorgeous!" Alice said making Edward and I snap our heads in her direction.

She had a huge smirk and I was blushing profusely.

"Now you to need to get out of my room so I can organize these and take them home."

We both laughed and Alice stuck her tongue out at us.

"Neither of you fully realize what it takes to prepare for these things!" She scoffed.

"Now. I am serious! Go on."

Edward chuckled and opened Alice's bedroom door.

"After you of course."

He motioned me to exit first.

Once we were out in the hallway Edward chuckled and shook his head.

"I presume you had an interesting day."

I grinned.

"You could sat that."

"Would you like to go somewhere with me?" he asked.

I looked at him to see if he was joking. He didn't look like he was kidding.

"Are you serious?" I asked just to make sure.

He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair.

"Of course. The dance is in one week and logically we need to discuss our… date."

He seemed nervous, anxious somehow. I am guessing it's because he just had to admit we were going on a date out loud. The reality must be kicking in. I didn't want him to think too much about it and talk himself out of it. I mean he could take anyone he wanted to the dance. I had seen at least eight girls checking him out today at lunch alone.

"Fake date." I corrected grudgingly.

He looked down at the floor.

"Aw. Yes. Of course." he sighed and then he smirked and looked at me.

"Well, we will need to discuss our "fake date." He continued. "Set ground rules and everything. Besides I had a feeling you would be in desperate need of a relaxing afternoon after round two of marathon shopping with Alice."

I cringed.

"Some sensitivity here Edward? The memories are all still so fresh!"

He chuckled.

"Where would we go?" I asked.

I was not going to question him wanting to spend time with me any longer. I was going to accept this as the wonderful miracle it was.

"We could always go to our meadow." He suggested.

I could not contain the monstrous smile that spread over my face when he said OUR meadow.

"Sounds great." I said and he smiled.

(AN: there it be. Read and review and I will put the next chapter up very soon! Any guesses as to who will break first and say they love the other? Where? How? Thanks guys!)

-PREVIEW FOR NEXT CHAPTER-

"So you play the piano?" I asked running my fingertips gently over the top of the grand piano sitting in the middle of the spacious room. He nodded but didn't say anything more. I was guessing his music was very personal to him and I was honored to be one of the people that he let in.

"Very impressive." I commented and he rolled his eyes.

"Would you like me to play something for you?" he asked and a little nervousness snuck into his voice at the end.

I nodded enthusiastically.

"I would love that!"he chuckled and walked over to the piano, patting the bench next to him.

I eagerly sat down beside him. I was excited to discover this secret widow into Edward Cullen's soul.