Chapter 18 is here......!!
I was hoping that the last chapter would get some people going under the collar :D Of course I wouldn't mind a lesson from Edward :D!
Thank you to 'kallamigk', 'Devil Nightmare',' LOVE IS A GIFT' and 'Raven Jadewolfe' for your reviews...LOTS of love for you guys!!
A little note to my darling 'Rawwwr' I am so HAPPY that you have been inspired to write your OWN fanfic now...!!! I will want some credit in that process too I think you owe me that much tehe...There WILL be drama my darling just let me write the way I planned it and if you love AML that much then you will bear with me :D. I will wait with baited breath for your own MASTERPIECE and it won't be rubbish because if I can do it then ANYONE can....LOVE U LOTS x x x
By the way...'Rated X' is a COMPLETLEY made up game from my OWN mind I am sure you could tell that but it does NOT exist and I am sorry if there is a game in existence that is similar or the same I did not mean to steal it.
I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT....I OWN 'AML' :D
Okay it is party time...With a few little surprises along the way!! Hope you like it..... x x x
*~Edward~*
(The night before)
Hallelujah!!
I had been so god-damn relieved to get my knackered ass out of school and back at my own home...I had been awake enough to drive which I had been worried about...Clearly my choice of having five coffees hadn't worked at all and I was now feeling more tired than I have ever had in a LONG time.
I arrived home swiftly without having to sit in any traffic or get stuck behind road construction...However my happiness of completing my journey to the comfortableness that was my bed was short-lived when I had literally taken a few steps into the house to be taken to one side by Alice.
"Hey Edward" She cheered in a sickly chime voice....This couldn't be good.
"Alice...Whatever it is can you make it quick...I have some sleep to catch up on" I broke her off
"It won't take a moment...I need you to do something for me" Alice replied
"Okay what is it?"
"I need you to go and see Bella"
"Why? What's happened...She hasn't been sick again has she?" I asked my sister quickly not being able to hide the concern in my voice.
"No I need you to go and teach her something...I have been explaining a few things to her, you see" Alice replied the corner of her mouth turning upward slightly.
"Um okay sure" I replied not having the energy to get the explanation out of Alice...What would Bella possibly need me to teach her? Was this a plan? Knowing my older sister...Anything was possible.
I instantly went up to Bella's room and stood inside her door; I heard the tap running and the light was shining brightly in her bathroom through the crack underneath the door I waited for her to come out finding it to be rude if I just went in and made myself comfortable...I also knew that I would fall asleep instantly the moment I hit her bed.
It was a few minutes before she had come out of the bathroom...Instantly surprised as she had noticed me at the door.
"Hello Edward, how was your day?" Tiring....Bella asked me with a wide smile.
"Yes, thank you Bella...I am here...Against my will I might add because Alice said you needed me to teach you something" I answered her.
Bella froze in her spot for a moment...She had an expression of worry on her face and I gathered that Alice must have sprung another surprise on her because she seemed to indicate that she knew what I was talking about...Someone at least tell me so I can get some shut-eye....
"Oh" Bella exhaled the redness of her cheeks climbing to the surface of her skin...Bella's uneasiness made the atmosphere in the room feel more awkward so I carried on trying to break it.
"She wouldn't tell me what...She said I needed to ask you" I stated....There was no way that I was going to be involved in Alice's next plan...It looked like Bella was already upset with Alice and I would rather ne chopped up and boiled in acid than upset Bella in any way ever again.
Bella was still motionless and I felt more and more agitated by the minute....Don't take it out on Bella, Cullen...She doesn't deserve it.
"Bella?" I asked....Desperately needing to go...I needed to stay here but my body had other ideas.
"Edward...I can't tell you...It's embarrassing" Bella choked out in reply...I exhaled in relief as she began to speak but it was low enough for Bella not to catch it.
"It can't be that embarrassing if I have to teach you it" I said...It was true I had never been good at teaching anyone anything because I lacked the patience needed to carry it through and Bella had always seemed clever enough to never need any help with, well....ANYTHING.
Bella was silent again...Seeming to be in a battle with her thoughts I'd know that look anywhere I seemed to spend most of my life making the same face....I wanted to leave but there was a part of me that wanted to stay and help her. "Bella will you please tell me....I am dying over here" I said...Actually I am dead ON my feet.
Bella placed both her hands on her face and rubbed it a few times rather roughly and then put her arms back down to the sides.
"Okay...Alice was teaching me about what games are suitable at parties and she mentioned one named 'Rated X'-"Bella began to say....I smiled widely...SOO many good memories from that game and some maybe not so good...If you counted snogging your own sister to get free drinks for the rest of the night a good thing then so be it.
"Good one that one" I smirked at her...Although maybe that was the wrong thing to do because Bella had backed away from me ever so slightly and find comfort with looking at the floor.
"I kind of said that I had never kissed anyone before and Alice said that she would find someone to explain it to me" Aw she looked so cute...How the hell had she gone without getting a kiss from a guy? If she wasn't my sister I would snap her up in a heartbeat...Although trust Alice to say to Bella that I needed to teach her...!! Anything to make me feel inadequate about myself and why the hell didn't she explain it to Bella herself?
"Ah I can see now why she would have chosen me...Listen, Bella you shouldn't be embarrassed about...Well firstly about how you haven't been kissed, it's very surprising and I am not going to lie about that and secondly about how I may be the one to teach you...I will help you, Bella it's the least I can do for the times you have been there for me...Don't worry I am not going to fall in love with you afterwards" I explained...There was no need for her to worry about me getting emotional with her at the end...I felt nothing for her besides the love from a brother to his sister and that was the stone-definite truth.
"Edward...You're my brother" she choked out and I couldn't help but smile internally...It was true that kissing your own brother is not the first thing on a young girl's 'to-do' list but I was willing to help her...If she was prepared to receive it that is.
"How else do you think people learn, Bella? There is always the back of the hand technique but that never works...Kissing is mostly about instinct you need to live in the moment and do it your own way..As long as you have the basics you should be fine. Besides you don't have to ACTUALLY kiss me, Bella...I can just explain them to you and then you can decide what to do when the moment happens"
She smiled at me a little... "Well you better sit down then" she said as I walked over and sat on her bed...She had moved to sitting on the carpet in front of me on the floor.
Where the hell was I going to start...I had kissed girls but I had only 'Made out' with them and the explanation for that seems a whole lot worse than what it actually is and I didn't want Bella to think that I was blowing my own horn with my heightened kissing experiences in life. I just decided to explain what I had learnt at the beginning from Esme.
"Okay first off there is the 'small kiss'...The 'peck' as it is most formally known...A peck is something that I placed on your forehead this morning before I went to school...It is a simple touching of the lips for a mere few seconds however this morning it was your forehead...It is considered more of a sweet gesture more than anything else." I nodded in indication that I understood. "Then there is the 'tender kiss' the only exception it has to the peck is that you can choose to open your mouth...No tongue however, this kiss lasts longer than the peck....However the most enjoyable one is the 'Passionate kiss' where you start off with the technique of the peck and then the tender and then add tongues into the equation...Each person caresses their tongue with the other person's...Trust me it feels a whole lot better than it sounds" I finished...Bella looked like she seemed to understand...I stood up needing to keep myself upright...I walked out towards the door when I was halted in my tracks.
"Edward, wait" Bella called to me...I turned to her as she bit her lip and looked at me wearily.
"Would it be okay if I was able to try it....Just to make sure I have everything learnt"? Bella said in-between her heightened breathing...Did she just ask me that? Oh Jesus I wasn't prepared to be the person to take her first kiss away from her...I exhaled and walked back to her, she had propped herself up on her knees as I took the same kneeling position in front of her intentionally positioning my face close to hers.
"Bella...I don't want you to do this and regret it...It is your first kiss and I know how special that is to some people" I stated as Bella nodded.
"I don't think it is a real kiss unless you are in love with the person you are kissing and besides this is like taking an exam and it will determine whether I pass or fail at the end"...My little sister has two very good valid points there.
"I won't tell anyone...We can keep it between the two of us"
"Just please...Don't laugh at me, Edward"...This girl still needed to know some more stuff about me...I had no right to laugh at her and I wouldn't....Silly, Bella.
"I would never laugh at you, Bella" I said confidently.
I closed my eyes before Bella did wanting her to feel comfortable with the situation that we were now putting both of ourselves in...The moment her lips touched mine....I don't know it wasn't weird at all I mean I knew in my head that it was Bella but I just took a back seat and let her lead this because I wasn't going to force her to stick her tongue down my throat as I am sure I wouldn't want her doing that to me if our roles were reversed.
Bella's lips were soft as she started off with the peck...I could feel her breath on my jaw and cheeks as I sat there motionless just allowing both of our lips to mould together...Bella then did a tender kiss...She seemed to have so much emotion behind what she was doing almost like we were acting out a romance scene together...Before I could determine what was going to happen there was a moment where Bella's lips never returned to mine after she had broken our contact from the tender...I knew that move the stillness of making a choice...She knew now that she would have to do the passionate kiss on me and I am sure she was feeling uneasy and in all honesty I was too...I kept my eyes closed.
"Don't think about it, Bella....Just do it" I said to her softly wanting to soothe her as best as I could...I heard another take in of breath and Bella's lips were connected to mine once more...Her lips were so warm and almost inviting...Is it possible that I am ENJOYING this?
I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around her when her tongue lapped with my own...I forced myself not to moan in her mouth because this was all just too unreal...I had made out with girls before but nothing like this...Bella was going to break a few hearts that was certain. Our tongues danced together comfortably...Bella had pushed herself into my mouth slightly and I could sense that she was sinking into the kiss just like I had wanted to..We never made contact with any other body part besides our mouths and by the time we had got to the fourth entrance of our tongues we were both out of breath...Funnily enough I was the first one to pull myself away from the grasp of her lips...Bella had been the student in this situation and I expected her to pull away first...I opened my eyes and looked at her as she backed away her eyes still closed...She looked content if that is the right word to use I couldn't help but smile at her...Mental note for today, never die before you have been to England...If all English kissed like Bella then I would welcome the new culture learning curve.
"What? Was that bad?" Bella suddenly asked me...She had drawn her bottom lip into her mouth....Jesus was she paranoid? I have never been kissed like that by anyone else before...To be honest I had only made out with people I hadn't been too fond of....Edward this is your sister you sick fuck....But seriously Bella should have a boyfriend he would have to count his lucky stars every day that's for sure.
"Bad? Not at all...You learn quickly don't you, Bella?" I said suddenly wanting to soothe her. "You kiss any boyfriend you get like that and he will be putty in your hands" I finished...Bella laughed nervously at my remark.
"You weren't too grossed out that it was me were you?" I asked her...My own paranoia kicking in...She shook her head. I wasn't grossed out by this...Now I couldn't feel tired anymore...Maybe I should kiss the person I end up being with when I am dead on my feet more often....You can't stay with her Edward you can see that she feels awkward.
"If that is all you need me for then I think I will need to get some sleep" I said...Great excuse, Edward you no longer feel tired but you have to come up with that...Jesus what was it with this bloody kissing lark that has thrown you all out of whack...Pull yourself together you tosser!
"Oh Edward...I am so sorry that I kept you up" Bella said shooting me an apologetic expression...Don't be sorry Bella I would do anything to help you.
"Its fine, Bella...You would have done the same for me and besides I can add a second sister to my kissing list now" I stated cringing a little internally at the memory.
"You kissed Alice?" Bella always knew how to make me giggle...It didn't surprise me that she was shocked.
"Both Emmett and I have kissed her for dares...I guess we will just have to wait until Emmett kisses you and then we each have a double whammy"
"Yeah I guess I will have to wait for Emmett now" Bella stated and we both chuckled in unison.....You need to move now, Edward...You need to go.
"Sweet dreams little sister" I said
"Good night, Edward" she replied as I closed the door behind me.
What the hell just happened?? That was certainly a 'When life hands you lemons make lemonade' situation....I would have to find a way to thank Alice discreetly I hadn't had a kiss in a while and it made a nice change...It was Bella and not Jessica who I would definitely have preferred to do it with but it was a kiss all the same and I was in no state of mind to complain even if I wanted to...I had forgotten how much I missed physical attraction.
To my surprise I fell asleep as soon as my heat had hit my pillow of course before I entered the land of nod I couldn't help but picture Bella's lips on mine once again...Bella had been much a better kisser than Alice was when I kissed her and Bella was the one who was the beginner...Life eh?
You never know where it is going to take you...The best thing to do is to ride along with it.
*~Bella~*
I rushed into Alice's room...I had woken up with a heightened enthusiasm about today's event...I had never been invited to parties back in England so I didn't know what to expect here but it didn't hurt to be open-minded...If I am being completely honest with myself I would have to say that because my excitement of something I had never been to in my life is so UNLIKE me I was still reeling from the kiss with Edward last night....However I decided that I would be as discreet as possible because Alice had a sixth sense about...Well...Anything and I wasn't going to give her any ammunition to use against me...Now I would have an excuse for my excitement and that was Edward's surprise party and that it was Friday so it was time for another weekend to roll on.
Alice was not in her bedroom – The bed was unmade which is odd considering Alice never left home without making her bed it was just something that she did. I edged around the room to the door of the bathroom...I knocked once I had seen the light on and the door ajar. There was silence.
If I was about to see my sister naked then I would have to be prepared right now.
I stepped in and found Alice sitting on the floor her arms wrapped around her knees and her head buried in them.
"Alice?" I gasped and ran to kneel in front of her, my hand automatically moving to one of her arms..."What's wrong, Alice...What's happened?" I asked her frantically pulling her arm a little in an attempt to get her to move her head upwards to face mine.
Alice lifted her head...Fresh tears trailing down her face and her eyes all puffy...she said nothing...She looked so hurt and so upset and I could feel my heart breaking inside of my chest if that is at all possible...One corner of her mouth lifting ever so slightly as she fixated her gaze onto mine..I didn't want to imagine the look on my face the sudden sickly and tightening sensation in my stomach was enough to determine that I was worried.
"Hi Bella" Alice greeted me her voice clouded with sadness and damage.
"Alice...Tell me what's wrong...Please?" I pleaded wiping her hair with my other free hand...Alice leaned into my touch....She then reached behind her body with one hand and pulled out something and held it out to me.
I took with one of my hands with my fingers clasped around it and unhooked them...
Oh my god
Is this real?
Alice had just given me...A pregnancy test!
"Alice" I gasped again unable of what to say to her.
"Can you look at it for me, Bella?" Alice managed to ask...Her arm that she had freed now taking back to its original position around her knees.
"Are....The.....Three minutes up?" I asked...My voice breaking due to the impact of the shock...
"Yes...I can't look Bella...I need you to help me"
I took a hand and stroked Alice's hair with it...."I will help you, Alice...Do you want me to tell you now?"
Alice nodded...I took a deep breath and turned the test around in my hand...I bit my lip.
POSITIVE
"I can already tell by the look on your face, Bella...My periods are permanently in routine and they have been in the same routine since I was twelve...I can remember what night it was I had told Jasper I had taken my pill but I completely forgot about it...I needed to feel all of him because we have always been safe...It was such a bad thing to do but I needed him, Bella....I needed him so much" Alice was crying new tears when she had finished...I threw the stick on the floor and pulled her upwards to standing...Before she could protest I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly...I couldn't bear to see Alice crying because she was always so full of life...Alice was hesitant and stiff for a moment before hugging me back with the same enthusiasm.
"Alice..You don't have to explain yourself to me" I soothed as she sniffed...I had a feeling I would need to change my top before going to school. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No" Alice said into my chest.
"Alice...What are you going to do?" I asked her wearily...I didn't know anything about pregnancy especially pregnancy with young people.
"I want to keep it" Alice said...I grabbed her by the shoulders and took her away from my chest...she looked up at me with a smile on her face.
"Alice...I will support you in what you decide to do but are you sure about this...I mean really sure?"
"I don't think I have been more sure about anything since deciding to tell Jasper that I loved him...I belong with him, Bella...I know that we aren't married and that we are young but...I have dreamt about giving him children, Bella...Looking into their eyes and seeing Jasper in their features...I need this and I love him so much I know that this is meant to be" she explained...A tear escaped my eye.
"Oh god, Bella please don't be upset with me" Alice pleaded and I scoffed wiping the tear from my face.
"I am not upset Alice...I will support you in this in any way I can you know that, right?" I stated...Alice smiled widely for the first time since I had come in.
"I love you, Bella"
I pulled her into another hug "I love you too"
I pulled my arms off of her but grabbed her hand and took her back out to her room...I pulled her down onto the bed and I remained standing.
"Stay here...I will be back in a minute" I said before Alice nodded...Crashing her whole body onto the mattress...She needed to get better and get over the shock.
I grabbed various different things from the kitchen....It was still early and no one else seemed to be up...I decided to make a couple of pieces of toast and butter not knowing what Alice preferred on toast I went with the most common spread...I grabbed a glass and poured some orange juice into it as well as making a cup of green tea (Alice was keen on the antioxidants)...Putting it all on a tray I made my way back upstairs and back to Alice in her room....She was still crashed out on the sofa.
"Alice?" She looked up at me just by lifting her head she giggled a little and sat up properly taking the tray from my hands and putting it onto her lap.
"Bella...You didn't have to do this" she said taking a sip of her juice.
"I wanted to...Besides you need to be on-the-ball for tonight and you can't do that on an empty stomach" I stated and she nodded back at me.
Without saying another word I went back into my room and took out my makeup wipes from the bathroom...I also took out some moisturiser which I hadn't yet used and I knew that Alice was keen on her products she would be the only one in need of it right now....I walked back into Alice's room feeling a little bit like a jack-in-the-box but I didn't care...I needed Alice tonight as she had done nearly all of the planning and I couldn't handle a party by myself even if Rosalie was there to help me there wouldn't be enough pairs of hands. I put the things on the bedside table and ran into Alice's bathroom...Bella you could have just not gone into your room and gone straight to Alice's....I wasn't thinking clearly right now I needed to do something. I reached down and picked up the stick cleaning it under the tap with a squirt of hand wash...I then took some toilet paper and wrapped it around the stick...I put it into my pocket...Gross I know...But I would have to put it in my own bin until I realised how I was going to hide it from Esme and Carlisle. Apart from the unexpected item the bathroom was clean so I had nothing else to do.
Alice was finishing up her food when I had come back in.
"Bella...Where's the-" I broke Alice off with a hand gesture.
"It's sorted, Alice...Let's clean you up" I replied and she sighed contently...I took out a wipe from box and began to wipe Alice's face not leaving any area of her face unclean...Alice closed her eyes but looked peaceful as I worked.
Once I had finished removing all the contents of her makeup...I squeezed a small amount of moisturiser onto my palm and took one finger on the opposite hand to scoop some up and place it around Alice's face.
"Thank you, Bella" She said as I finished and wiped the excess of the moisturiser over my own hands.
"When are you going to tell Jasper?" I asked.
"I will tell him tomorrow...I cannot spoil today because it is Edward's."
"What do you think he is going to say?"
"I don't know, Bella" Alice finished biting her lip...I grabbed the tray and stood up...I was about to walk over to the door when it burst open.
"GIRLS IT'S PARTY TIME"! Rosalie shouted in a non-impressive attempt at a singing voice...I couldn't help but laugh at her though not out of stupidity but just the fact that she seemed just as enthusiastic about all of this as Alice but she had the worst timing.
"Rose...Sssshh" Alice whispered loudly.
"It's okay Alice...The boys have gone" Rosalie replied and started jumping around in a circle I suddenly felt a bit saddened I had hoped to see Edward this morning not for a full conversation or anything just a simple 'hello' would have sufficed enough for me...I would have to wait for tonight. Once Rosalie had completed one circle she stopped to look at mine and Alice's faces in turn.
"Whoa...Girls, who died?" Rosalie exclaimed and I looked over at Alice who wasn't looking at either of us...She had found a place on the floor to keep her gaze.
"Alice?" Rose asked...I bit my lip I wanted to say it to Rosalie to get the pressure off of Alice but it was not my place to do so...I was now more concerned about Rose's reaction as well there was a small part of me that wondered whether she would take it as well as I had done or whether she would go and do the complete opposite.
"I'm pregnant, Rose" Alice squeaked...I instantly turned my head to Rosalie who had crossed her eyebrows.
"Alice...You're having me on, right?" Rose said...I looked to the floor feeling apprehensive about having to actually be involved in this conversation.
"No" Alice replied.
"Alice I need to get the rest of my stuff ready...I will leave you two to it" I said as I began to find my feet again and walk out of the door.
"Bella...Please stay" Alice pleaded at my turned back...I swivelled back around now standing next to Rosalie but keeping a fair distance from her. "Rose its true and I want to keep it" she added frankly...I looked to the floor again.
"Alice...I am not going to lie and say that this is the best idea in the world" Rosalie stated carefully "but if this is what you want then I will be here for you" she finished, I shot my head up to look at her with shock – I had expected Rosalie to have knocked some sense into Alice but it seemed that Alice was cared too much about by the two of us to earn the lecture. I wasn't going to lecture Alice about her choices so the only one who could do it was Rosalie and of course, Esme...But fate had things differently today.
"Really?" Alice had her gaze on Rose now...Tears brimming to the surface of her eyes...Rose tilted her head and walked over to Alice sitting next to her on the bed and wrapping her arm around her into cocoon-like position.
"Of course...Only if I and Bella get to be made the official Aunts" Rose said smiling over at me.
"I can't be the Aunt Rosalie...I would have to be with Edward to be the aunt and considering how we are adopted...That's kind of gross" I stated...Although inside I was beginning to believe that maybe it wasn't gross at all....Stop thinking like that, Bella...You can't put yourself into these situations and do the expected in terms of reaction.
"I want you to be some relation or a official friend to the baby, Bella...You don't have to be the Aunt if you don't want to" Alice said and I smiled.
"Bella could be godmother" Rosalie said and Alice gasped and her smile grew wider.
"Godmother? That makes me sound really old..." I started
"Bella..The aunt or the godmother...Pick one...This is my baby and you do not have a choice" Alice said..I sighed a little in defeat she always knew how to win even when she was expecting a half-breed of herself.
"Fine I will be the Godmother" I stated and both girls giggled in unison.
"I really have to get my stuff ready...Are you going to be okay, Alice?" I stated.
"Yes Bella, thank you" she answered me with an appreciative smile...I nodded once and grabbed the tray by her feet and walked out of the door...I went back down to the kitchen and jumped to find Esme there.
"Good morning, Bella....Have you had breakfast in bed?" Esme greeted me with a smile.
"Um..No Alice got up a bit late so I figured she might not have time to eat her breakfast down here so I made her some to have up there" I answered...You suck at lying, Bella!
"Oh well that was very nice of you darling" Esme chimed.
"Is everything sorted for tonight?" I asked as I took the plate, cup and glass off of the tray and put them into the sink...As well as taking the tray and putting it back in its original place.
"Yes just waiting for the deliveries and then I will be able to set everything up...I do not want you and Alice to lift a finger though you just go to school, come back and spend hours getting ready like girls usually do" Esme said.
"No Esme" I said shaking my head "I am sure Alice will spend hours getting ready but it would take a lifetime to make me look nearly as good as what Alice and Rose would" I said in reply.
"Bella you have never seen yourself clearly have you? Although to be honest I don't think you have been told enough times that you are beautiful and when someone is as beautiful as you...INSIDE and OUT then they need to be told...You need to see yourself as we do, Bella"
"You have to say that...You're my mom" I said mocking an American Accent on the word 'mom' Esme giggled.
"I may be a MOM, Bella...But I am also honest and if I didn't think you were as beautiful as you are then I would never tell you so...It does no one any good to dwell on false hope Bella" Esme explained and I nodded.
"I need to be shown all of your outfits too, if there's one thing I like then it is a fashion show" Esme added.
I went to turn on the tap to wash the plate, cup and glass when Esme's hand landed on top of mine.
"Remember what I said, Bella" Esme said frankly.
"Oh god...I am sorry, Esme...I forget things" I replied. Esme wouldn't let me touch the washing up the first time and I had a feeling that I would never have to do any washing up in my life. I went out of the kitchen and back up to my room...I was stopped by Rosalie who was standing by my door.
"Bella can I talk to you for a minute"? She asked.
"Yes" I said and opened the door as she followed in after me and shut the door behind her "Is this about Alice" I said as I moved around getting different things I would need for the day and putting them into my open bag at the foot of my bed.
"No" Rosalie said...I turned to look at her – she was standing still with her arms wrapped around herself.
"Rosalie, sit down please" I said to her...She was making me feel very uneasy standing like that...She lowered her head and sat on the bed.
"I wanted to say sorry, Bella for the other day" She said. "It was wrong for Emmett and I to talk about you and Mike like that...I guess we just want you to be happy Bella."
"It's okay Rosalie...I just need to let you know that a girl can be happy without a boyfriend on her arm...I want to find someone for me, someone that I have chosen myself and not be set-up with and if Mike does ask me out then I will have to think about it when it does happen"
"I understand that, Bella...We realise that we were the ones who made you ill and we are both so sorry about it"
"It wasn't just you, Rose...-"I started walking over to her and sitting next to her on my bed "It's everything...The whole concept of having a boyfriend and going into a relationship I mean I used to think that it was nothing because so many girls even younger than me had boyfriends but now I know that it must mean something bigger when I look at you and Emmett and Alice and Jasper it all seems clear..You can find soulmates and the ones that you belong to and I will wait for that...I will wait however long it takes" I explained. Rose stroked my right cheek with one of her hands.
"If only I was more like you at your age, Bella...I was so concerned about looks and feeling wanted and needed that I was almost bordering on vain. I can admit that now I have Emmett I don't need to have that constant attention anymore but that doesn't stop me from wanting that for you, Bella"
"I am grateful that you want to help me, Rose but there is only one way you can help me...Just let me find someone for myself and then you can have an honest opinion about him when you do meet him" I said and Rose nodded.
"So it will be a 'he' then?" Rose teased...I slapped her arm and giggled...She laughed along with me.
"Yes I may be a confused teen but I am straight" I said.
Rosalie kissed my cheek and left the room....I had already packed the things I needed to..I grabbed my bag...went back downstairs and out of the front door...I breathed in the cool air and began to walk to the woodland...I had no idea where I was going but the air had invited me somehow and I would go wherever my feet would take me. I was about to cross the road opposite the house when I heard a car horn. I turned to the left side of the road and coming towards the house was Emmett's jeep...I stopped and waited for him to turn onto the driveway.
Emmett hopped out of his jeep and walked over to me, he had a pen and pad in his hands.
"Emmett aren't you supposed to be in school?" I asked him
"Yes B but I have come back...I need you, Alice and Rose's names on a piece of paper and a number on the back of your choice for 'Rated X'" he explained in and out of panted breaths.
"Emmett I don't want to put my name in" I said.
"Bella...its Edward's day and besides you have kissed him before so it shouldn't matter" Emmett teased with a wink.
"How the hell did you find out about that?" I exclaimed...Nothing was ever kept a secret round here...I must learn to keep my mouth shut.
"B that was a guess....But hey now I know that it is true...Jesus you don't waste time getting into people's hearts Bella...I want mine when it is my birthday" Shit....Shit....Shit....You and your bloody big mouth Bella Swan!
"I was..Kidding Emmett...I was joking too" I lied
"You are a TERRIBLE liar, Bella...You may want to work out how to control that blush it always gives you away...Come on your name NOW! I need to get back to Coach he will burn my balls on a fire poker if I am any longer than half an hour" Emmett said.
Ugh lovely visual image in my head...!!
I groaned loudly...How the hell did these Cullens always know how to beat me?! I snatched the pen and paper from Emmett's grasp and wrote down my name...Pulling it off and turning the single piece over to write the number '7'.
"Seven eh? Not bad for you B....I thought you would go for a number WAY lower than that" Emmett said taking the notebook back.
"If I had put any lower than that one of you would have changed it without my knowing" I replied.
"You catch on fast, Bella...I will see you tonight then" Emmett gave me a wet kiss on the forehead and ran into the house...I cringed and wiped my forehead with my sleeve...There was no way I would ever kiss Emmett...Birthday or not I would probably drown in his saliva.
I stayed outside in my spot and paced up and down for a while thinking about random things I didn't know what the time was but I trusted Alice and Rose to be out of the house leaving good time to get to school....They always were punctual...Well, at least Alice was...I had never been in the same car as Rose till today.
Alice and Rose came out of the house...The impact of the door closing forcing me to turn to look...They waved at me and I made my own way to Alice's car...We all climbed in and made our way to school.
"Where's Emmett?" I asked them both.
"He is going through the final details with mom" Alice replied and I sighed in relief.
"Please don't tell me what I thought you were thinking, Bella" Rose said...HUH?
"What?"
"Did you think that Emmett was going to put Esme's name in the Rated X pile"? Rose asked...Ewww...I hadn't thought about it at all...Until now....DAMN mental images.
"NO"! I answered Alice and Rose laughed hysterically.
"Wow Bella...I will admit that Emmett is good but there is no chance in hell he would seduce his own mother" Rose said still mid-laugh.
As Alice and Rosalie's laughter died down we carried on our way to school in silence.
It felt strange to be back at Forks after my incident a couple of days ago...I walked past Rose and Alice going off into another direction to my locker...I opened it to find a note attached to the door...The same way Alice's note had positioned itself a couple of days ago...I threw my bag in the usual way and grabbed the note..Opening it with both my hands.
Bella
Need to talk...Meet me at the front entrance at lunch please it's important
Mike
What the hell did he want now?? Oh wait a minute...He was trying to tell you something when you were last here...He must want to finally get to tell you today. I folded the note back up and put it into my bag and got my books out. I made my way to lesson in good time before the bell rang...I now knew where I was going in this school and it made a nice change.
Lunch came quickly...Without going to my locker I went to the front entrance...Mike was standing at the gates leaning on one arm...I exhaled and walked over to him...just like ripping off a band-aid Bella...Quick and painless.
"Hey Bella...You got my note then?" Mike said when he saw me.
"Yeah...What's wrong, Mike?" I asked.
"Nothing is wrong, Bella...I just need to ask you something"
"Okay then...Shoot"
"Um...I had this whole thing planned out and well...It will probably end up being like nothing I wrote down but-"
"Mike...Please before I am old?" I teased with a smile to break off his rambling.
"Thing is, Bella...I really like you" Crap! "I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me, sometime?" he finished...Alice and Rosalie were right...AGAIN! I swear those two were phsycic!!
I couldn't help but feel shocked even though I had been told that Mike liked me and maybe WAY deep down I had also known it myself...I never wanted to act on it or give him the wrong impression and there was this thing with Jess.
"Mike...What about Jess...She really likes you" I stated and Mike shook his head frantically.
"No Bella...We used to go out but that was before we started here...We were so young and we didn't know what it all meant but I have moved on from that, Bella" Mike replied.
Oh god...!! I suddenly felt a sudden urge to see Edward but I wanted to wait for tonight...His reaction would all be worth it.
"Bella please answer me?" Mike pleaded...He looked so vulnerable in that moment and I would feel awful if I were to be the one to refuse him.
"Mike...How about you come to Edward's surprise party we are having at our house tonight...Don't invite anyone else" Think of a lie, Bella.....A lie..."You see Alice said that I was only allowed to bring one person and I want to invite you" I finished...I would have to tell Alice all about that lie later on...I didn't think that my other friends would be invited and even though there was a large part of me that was upset about it...I figured that because it was Edward's party and not mine I didn't want to cause any arguments or unnecessary tension.
"Wow that would be great, Bella...Thanks" Mike said in reply I smiled and nodded...It's true that right now I wasn't attracted to him but it was a risk that I was willing to take...I had a new found confidence in myself now and I wasn't in any way egotistical but I enjoyed having the freedom to make my OWN decisions about my OWN life.
After school I found Alice and Rosalie...Should I tell them? Or wait and give them a surprise? I didn't want them to tell me 'I told you so' either.
"Hey Bella...You all set?" Rose chimed and I nodded.
All of us climbed back into the car and drove back to the house..It would be like girly night all over again only this time we would be getting ready for a party and not relaxing and watching a film.
The driveway was full of cars as Alice parked in the only available space left...We all climbed out and went up to the house...I felt the butterflies hit my stomach again...I was about to meet some members of the Cullen family and Jessica Stanley...Now I did want to throw up.
Once Alice, Rose and I walked in there were various people who had run over to Alice and hugged her...An equal number of men and women they all acknowledged Rose as well...I backed up away from the reunion slightly feeling extremely awkward...I looked at my feet.
"Everyone I would like you to meet my newest daughter-"There were a few little laughs at the start of Esme's announcement "Isabella Swan" Esme finished and I looked up to find that Alice and Rose had moved from their positions in front of me and now I could only see Esme in the distance as well as lots of pairs of eyes on me...The crowd dispersed and three women came up to me.
"Hello Isabella I am Kate...Carlisle's stepsister therefore your step-aunt it is a pleasure to meet you" Kate said pleasantly as she held her hand out to me..I took it...Kate was immediately replaced by another woman "I am Tanya...Carlisle's cousin" she stated and shook my hand...Then there was another swap with the third and final woman "I am Leah...Esme's cousin" she said and shook my hand...Before I could return the response of being pleased to meet them as well they had gone back into the crowd...They had been and gone so quickly I couldn't take in their appearances properly and I definitely wouldn't remember their names later on...Oh god! No one else had made an attempt to come up and introduce themselves to me and even though I was slightly hurt – I was expecting it...I hadn't been in the family long and I didn't expect anyone else to be as welcoming as the Cullens who were my immediate family...Then again I didn't know of anyone other family in the world who could be as half as nice as the Cullens. Alice grabbed my hand and Rosalie grabbed my other arm at the same time...They leaded me up the stairs and into my room.
"I am sorry about that, Bella" Alice said as she placed me onto the bed. "You will soon learn that my family have a lot of issues and they are not the friendliest of people to NEW people but they will warm to you eventually" she finished.
"Alice its fine...Anyway this is for Edward" I stated
"That's my little sister! Now...Get showered as quickly as you can and I will bring all of the stuff we need in...I will also pick out the four dresses I got you and we will all decide on the most suitable." Alice explained and I nodded and got up from the bed into the bathroom leaving Alice and Rose fumbling around in my wardrobe.
I re-shaved my legs and topped up on extra soap than usual...It was going to be a long night and I wanted to stay fresh...I hopped out wrapping my wet hair up and walking into my room again.
Alice was standing by my wardrobe and Rose was on the bed looking through Alice's makeup case...I walked over to the bed and sat on it not really caring that I was only in my towels....
"Right...I did have four in here but it turns out that I can only find two so...This is the first one" She pulled out a small, red cocktail dress with a long trail of fabric down the back...It had a simple design but was too short around the knees...I shook my head at Alice and she nodded and put the dress back in the wardrobe.
"Or there is this one" she said pulling out the second one...This dress was simple but elegant at the same time..It had a pretty sequin design in the middle around the chest area and it flowed nicely down to the bottom of the dress that was much longer than the other one.
"I like that one" I said frankly
"I agree...That is more Bella" Rose replied and Alice smiled widely and hung the dress on the handle of the bedroom door.
"Now let's make you look beautiful" Rose said turning to me and smiling...Alice walked over and sat next to Rose on the bed and they both were smiling at me before they began to work.
The makeup session was a bit longer than I had preferred...The two beauty queens got straight on with my hair without letting me glimpse in a mirror at my makeup..I let the two of them work not having either the energy or the strength to argue with them ...They had put my hair up but I didn't know how they had styled it...The cool air felt nice on the back of my neck. Rose and Alice had stopped their hands working...I turned around to look at them.
"Can I have a look now?" I asked them.
"No...Not until we are all ready and then we can all have a picture together...I need a new one for my nightstand" Alice exclaimed.
"Oh yeah because you can never have too many pictures of Jasper" Rose replied sarcastically and I suppressed a giggle. Alice got up and grabbed the case...Rose's remark going unnoticed and walked back into her room.
"Would you like me to help you clean up, Bella?" Rosalie asked me....I looked around and the room was a little messier than usual but it would probably only take about five minutes to do.
"No thank you, Rose...You go and get ready" I said...Rose shot me one final smile before walking to Alice's room.
It took a lot for me not to go into the bathroom and look into my mirror...Luckily Alice and Rose hadn't got my hand mirror out either...I grabbed my hairdryer and straighteners off of the floor and put them into the same drawer in my chest of drawers...I then pulled the sheet of my bed to straighten it...I was about to check the bathroom for mess when Esme had turned up at my door...A large smile on her face.
"Hi Esme" I greeted her feeling a little embarrassed at the way she was studying me.
"How could you say that you are not beautiful, Bella...When you look like that?" She asked me...I didn't know what to say I hadn't yet seen myself and even if I did I would never agree to myself looking as pretty as Esme thought.
"I haven't seen myself yet, Esme...Alice had forbidden me not to"
"I see...Bella you should never be afraid to wear nice things...They do wonders for you" Esme said...I felt the tears filling at my eyes...I blinked them away quickly not wanting to smudge Alice's makeup masterpiece.
"Can I do anything for you, Esme?" I asked her and she shook her head.
"No Bella I came up here to give you something" she said reaching into her pocket and walking towards me at the same time...She pulled out a small box with a black velvet material and handed it out to me...I looked at her wearily and she nodded for me to take it...I took the box and opened the lid.
There was a sparkling silver pendant inside.
"It's a mermaid...My mother gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday and I wore it the night I met Carlisle...It gave me luck, Bella and I want you to have the same luck as I did and possibly even more" Esme explained.
"Esme...It's beautiful but I can't take it" I insisted.
Esme reached for the pendant and pulled it out...The chain in pursuit...She unclasped it and wrapped it around my neck.
"You can and you will, Bella...I want you to have it" she said as she tied the clasp up again and let it fall to the right position on my neck. "It looks even better on you than it did on me" Esme said as she sighed contently.
"Thank you, Esme..I will take good care of it I promise" I said wanting to reassure her that I would never intentionally lose anything that belonged to her.
"I know you will, Bella....Also please excuse mine and Carlisle's family they have always been a bit strange about me adopting they acted the same with both Emmett and Edward and I don't want you to be upset by them"
"No Esme....I understand...This is Edward's night and I don't want to be the one that ruins it for him"
"That reminds me, Bella...I also need to thank you. When Edward was growing up he was the golden child..The clever one and we all had high hopes for him...However he took to puberty badly and he never recovered from it...He was always confused and his moods would always change like the wind but since you have come here, Bella he has wanted to change and he has so much more than even he notices...It's all down to you"
"I haven't done anything, Esme...I think the world of Edward, Emmett and Alice and I have treated them as I would want to be treated myself"
"It has worked...Carlisle and I love you so much, Bella...You know that don't you?" Esme asked...I pulled her into a hug and kissed her neck.
"I love you both as well...I can't thank you enough for looking after me" I replied as I let go of her Esme grabbed both sides of my face and smiled at me before walking back out of the room and down the stairs.
It got to seven thirty when Alice and Rose finally emerged from Alice's room and into mine...Alice was wearing a teal coloured vintage dress with silver heels and Rose was wearing a gold cocktail dress with gold heels...I gasped at the two of them...These two were born to be models even if they had no desire to be ones for a career choice...They each twirled on the spot and smiled at me...I found myself feeling a little jealous that I could not look as good.
"Bella...Put your shoes on we need to get downstairs" Alice barked ruining the moment...I walked over to my wardrobe and grabbed the nearest pair of black heels I could get to and stood back up straightening out the back of my dress and putting the heels on.
Alice, Rose and I had all come downstairs when we found it was already dark and there were headlights on the driveway.
"Crap" Alice said as she ran over to crouch on the floor...Rosalie grabbed my hand and led me to where I imagined Alice went and as she knelt down..So did I. The room was silent as we heard the door opening...Emmett and Jasper's voice was indistinct as the light turned on and everyone stood up including Alice and Rose...Saying 'SURPRISE' loudly and in complete harmony. I stood up a bit later than everyone else and by the time I had got upright the word had already been said I just stood there with an enthusiastic smile.
Emmett and Jasper moved and Edward came into the house...A huge 'O' forming on his mouth..There was clapping and cheering filling the entire room and bouncing off of the walls..Edward whispered to Emmett and then walked past everyone and up the stairs...I looked at Rosalie and Alice who had looked at their boyfriends.
Emmett shrugged and Jasper bit his lip...The room was full of murmurs now...I tugged on Rosalie's arm and mouthed 'I'll be right back' she nodded before I walked up the stairs as quietly as I could without being noticed by anyone.
Edward's door was open...The lamp on the bedside table turned on...I walked in to find Edward sitting on the bed his head in his hands...I walked over to him and knelt in front of him...Putting my hands on his arms and tried to pull them away...He let his elbows slide off of his thighs and looked at me.
"Edward...What's wrong?" I asked him in a soothing voice.
"It's just shock, Bella" he answered
"Shock in a good or a bad way?"
"Don't know...A bit of both...You know that I wasn't looking forward to this birthday, Bella" he stated.
"I know that, Edward...But everyone has turned up to celebrate with you"
"I don't know whether I can"
"Edward stop being ridiculous...There are people down there who care about you and who want you to have a good time" I said
"Bella-" he started
"NO! Don't argue with me...Do you know what I would give to have a surprise like this...I have never celebrated my birthday with my mum...Not properly....I have never been to a party in my life until now and I have never dressed up like this for anyone but I have done it for you, Edward because I care about you" I yelled...I couldn't help my anger at his idiocy.....I instantly felt bad.
"Bella" Edward said as he placed two hands on either side of my face "You look beautiful" he said before leaning closer and pressing his lips to mine.
It was a tender kiss, simple but nice...He broke away from me disconnecting our mouths. "That was to say thank you. You are right...Give me a minute to change my outfit and I will be down" he said as he released my face I got up from my knees and walked towards the door...I was however almost hit as it flew open. A young girl walked in and looked straight at Edward with a wide smile.
"Hi Jessica" He greeted her...His voice was slightly cracked now with nerves...I couldn't help but find it sweet that one girl could make Edward this nervous...I would have to find time to make fun of him later.
"Edward, sweetie I missed you" the girl exclaimed as she ran over to him and wrapped both her arms and legs around him...I waved at him when his eyes connected with mine and then walked back out of the door.
Time to rejoin the party....!
A/N :I have decided to split the party in to TWO parts but they will both be uploaded TODAY so you won't have to wait for the second part...I received a review from 'Wendilili' as I was half-way through this hence why you are not at the top sweetie thank you for your praise on AML..I can't wait to read more of your FANFIC now!
I also need to thank 'Secret Empath' for adding me to her forum...Thank you for that it means alot. Anyway there are no particular songs for this chapter I just put on my favourite party songs and if you wanna do the same then feel free :D
The second part WILL be up later...I hope you liked this one anyway...
Thoughts? Come on you know what to do by now....!!
LOVE YOU ALL
.S. x x x x x