Chapter 5: A Pleasant Surprise

I headed outside, never looking back, with my heart still beating frantically. Why did I stop Bella from leaving when I'm pretty sure I didn't have anything to say to her?

A ghostly chuckle sounded as I got outside the door. When I looked to my right, I saw Bella's blonde adopted brother leaning against the wall with a seemingly far off gaze. He didn't seem to have chuckled, but there was no one else there. I really thought I heard something… I shook it off as my imagination and sauntered off to my Volvo.

As I turned the heater up, I examined the hand that held Bella's. I remembered how it almost burned against her ice-cold skin. It felt… amazingly right. Whoa. Stop, stop, stop. When have I been the one to vie for close physical contact? What had gotten into my now thoroughly clouded mind that I had actually been the one to initiate convergence with her? It made me uneasy to have anyone, all the more women, touch me. I was just not the touchy-feely kind of person. But Bella…

I sighed as I was nearing home. Things were seriously getting messed up. Control, Edward— I reminded myself. I can't let my self-control waver over Ms. Popular. I didn't want to, as Angela had said, 'bawl my eyes out' over her just like every other immature, imagination-crazed, lust-filled male in that school. I trusted myself to not get caught up with physical appearances. Like the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover.

So far, the Cullens and the Hales were seemingly the opposite of the popular crowd in Phoenix. They seemed nice enough to all the kids in school— answering questions politely, smiling but declining every offer and gift they received from their admirers courteously. But I couldn't get involved with matters that concerned any one of them. As far as I know, I couldn't be sure yet.

I pulled up the driveway and headed inside. I was still dazed by all the jumbled up thoughts rushing inside my mind, so I didn't notice Renee coming up to me.

"Welcome home Edward, dear." she said in a very motherly sort of way as she pulled me into a hug.

I stiffened against her arms and she abruptly let go.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot that you don't like it when I do that." She looked up at me with an apologetic smile.

"It's alright." I smiled at her.

She laughed lightly and headed for the kitchen. "So, how was your first day?"

"It was…" I trailed off, looking for the right word and finally settled on one. "interesting."

Renee gave me a quizzical look. I held her gaze but I felt like I was being scanned from inside out. You see, Renee is very insightful. She sees a lot of things and surpasses its extremities… that is, if she wanted to. It looks like right now was one of those moments. It surprised me when she just smiled.

"That's… good to hear. Oh, and I should warn you…" she paused, amusement crossing her face.

My brow scrunched up in curiosity. "About what?"

"The phone's been ringing off the hook since ten to fifteen minutes ago. A lot of people have been looking for you."

I caught how she stressed the word 'people' suggestively and narrowed my eyes at her. She smiled mischievously as she sat down on the chair across from me.

"It looks like you're quite the ladies' man, dear."

My hands automatically went through my hair as I looked away from Renee's prying eyes. I already had to deal with the stuff at school and it seemed like I had to watch out for myself at home too. I let out an exasperated sigh.

"Seen anyone you like?" She smiled kindly at me. "I know every girl in town."

My gaze flickered to Renee's face and I could see as I looked from under my lashes, that Renee was smiling knowingly at me.

"Hey Edward, didn't hear you come in." I turned to see a beautiful brunette leaning by the kitchen door with a crooked smile on her face. Amusement lit her face.

"Alyanna," I smiled brightly up at her. "When did you get here?"

Charlie and Renee married at a young age, both of them only seventeen at the time. A few months after their marriage, they found out Renee was pregnant and they had Alyanna. And two years after Alyanna was born, my mother gave birth to me.

It's been almost five years since I've seen her. She was the one person I opened up to most aside from my mother and best friend— the one person I trusted my life with. Saying I missed her was an understatement. She went to Harvard and rarely pays Renee and Charlie a visit, always having a full schedule. Though when she does, it was always long to make up for lost time. I was lucky enough to be here right now.

"Just a few hours ago." She walked up to me and tousled my already messy hair. It was a ritual greeting that she never forgot. "Mom, do you mind if I steal Edward for a while?"

Renee smiled. "Go ahead."

I let Alyanna drag me out of the kitchen. We grabbed our coats and once she closed the door, I thanked her profoundly for saving me from Renee's embarrassing inquisition.

She laughed. I loved Alyanna's laugh. It was the most carefree sound I've ever heard, like she had absolutely no worries and it never failed to lighten my mood.

"Anytime. Though I must say, I am a bit offended." She stopped walking and faced me with a playful scowl on her face. "Eddie has a crush and he didn't tell me."

I groaned and walked again, letting my feet lead the way. "You know how much it irritates me when you call me that but you still do. Why must you torture me?"

She laughed again as she laced our fingers, swinging our hands like five-year olds. I felt a bit uncomfortable but it was alright with me. With Alyanna, I was able to drop all pretenses and be myself… my real self.

"Hey, I like that nickname." She set her lips defensively. "Besides, it's my job to torment my younger brother."

We weren't siblings, no matter how much I wished we were. But since we were little, we've always been together, almost inseparable— exactly like a brother and sister minus the inevitable sibling rivalries.

I glanced at her, fighting a smile. "Moot point."

"You're trying to change the topic." She said as we turned around a corner.

I laughed lightly. "Indeed."

"Well, I will not be swayed Mr. Masen." She joined in my laughter. "Come on, tell me who's caught the heart of our withdrawn, handsome prince."

I let my hand drop and placed it in my pocket. "I'm far from being a handsome prince."

She sighed. "Fine. I take back the prince part."

"And the handsome part?"

"Never." She smiled smugly. I frowned and she frowned too. "Why don't you see yourself clearly? You are handsome, Eddie. Only been here for a day and you've got almost all the girls in Forks high running after you."

I sighed. "Whatever you say." I knew better than to answer back. Alyanna never gave up her side of an argument until she won— she would never let it rest until I surrendered.

We walked in a comfortable silence. It was almost time for the sun to set.

"Still not going to tell me who you're crushing on?" her crooked smile was back. Sometimes I'd like to think that she influenced my crooked smile.

I countered her smile. "You're not going to let this drop, are you?"

She scrunched up her nose and shook her head slightly. "I don't think so."

"You should." I looked away from her. "There's no one really." Why did I find that so hard to believe?

Alyanna narrowed her eyes at me. "You know better than to lie to me, Edward Masen."

I turned around and walked back from where we came from. "We should head back before it gets dark." I said in a surprisingly quiet tone.

We walked in silence again, only the sound of our feet and the rushing wind breaking through the stillness. When the house came into view though, Alyanna spoke with the same quiet tone I used earlier.

"You've changed a lot since the last time we saw each other." She said thoughtfully. "You've grown much taller, your physique's developed, and I'm happy to see that you're much less withdrawn."

"You've changed a lot too… You've grown much more beautiful." It was true. She had a very nice figure, very pretty, very smart— the complete package. But she put on such a strong exterior that countered the way she looked.

She laughed merrily. "So, you can call me beautiful but I'm not allowed to tell you that you're handsome? That doesn't seem fair."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Nothing's ever fair."

"That's not true you know."

We were in front of the house now and I opened the front door for her and closed it behind me. We were instantly greeted by an appetizing smell that wafted from the kitchen. Spaghetti. Good, I thought, Renee decided to play safe tonight. She could go quite wild in the kitchen, becoming very inventive with the provisions. I was glad that tonight wasn't one of her 'happy nights', as Alyanna and I have dubbed it.

Charlie arrived a few moments after us. We all sat down for a quiet dinner— meal times were always quiet at this house. As usual, I was the first to finish so I headed up to my room. There was really nothing to do. The teachers didn't give us any homework at all— so I popped in one of my favorite CD's in the stereo and laid in bed as I stared at the ceiling. A soft knock broke me from my swirling thoughts.

"May I come in?" I could only see Alyanna's figure from the light in the hallway. I didn't bother to open the light in my room so it was dark, aside from the moonlight that slid in through the window.

I got up from bed and lowered the volume of the music playing. She took that as a yes and sat at the edge of my bed. I laid down beside her with a soft thump.

"I was a little surprised that you decided to come here, you know. I thought that that mansion of a house you lived in at Phoenix would have been more appealing to you."

"I couldn't resist the call of the rain." I said, without looking at her. A small smile formed on my lips. "Besides, what's the use of living in the valley of the sun if you don't even tan?"

She smiled, though I could see from the faint light that it seemed to hold some bitterness. "You're getting better at this."

"At what?"

"Masking the truth… keeping things from me."

I sighed and sat up. "I'm not lying to you, you know."

"I know."

I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Lying and keeping things from me are two different things." She put on a fake scowl. "What you told me was partially true. But I know better than anyone that you left because of a deeper reason."

I looked away from her and out the window. The stars were shining brightly now, only a few clouds were up in the firmament.

"The popular kids still bothered you. That's the real reason you left. Am I right?"

I glanced at her. Alyanna was the only one in my family who knew about my predicament in Phoenix. "When have you ever been wrong?" I retorted with a question of my own.

She laughed lightly, trying to lighten my mood. It worked. "Well, you have nothing to worry about here. The Hales and the Cullens are completely well- mannered. They're actually very friendly once you get to know them, especially Alice. I take it you've met them?"

I was surprised by her mention of the Cullens and Hales, and then I remembered she might have still been in Forks High when they arrived. "You could say that, I guess."

She nodded then continued. "Though I never really got a chance to spend time with her other sister. She mostly kept to herself." A thoughtful look came into her eyes. "She's a lot like you actually. Quiet but smart, very pensive. But she was the most sought after, the most gorgeous out of the three sisters if you ask me. She's one hell of a girl, that Bella."

At the mention of Bella, I was aware on how my heart reacted— steadily accelerating. I turned my head away from her, unconsciously ran a hand through my hair and shifted uncomfortably. Great, so much for keeping cool and calm.

Alyanna didn't miss my nervousness. She turned to me with an incredulous look, grasped me by the shoulders and turned me back to her. I didn't have enough time to successfully keep my face unreadable and she was able to see the faint uneasiness in my face.

She let out an amused giggle. "It's her isn't it? Bella."

I widened my eyes innocently, trying breathe in and out evenly. "What about her?"

"You're crushing on Isabella Cullen." She smiled triumphantly. Well, well, I wasn't giving in that easily.

I looked at her in disbelief. "No, I'm not." Somehow, that came out weaker than I've planned. "It's just… I think you're wrong about her. She doesn't seem so reserved." I tried not to shudder as I remembered our earlier encounters and how her topaz eyes smoldered so intensely. "In fact, she was one of the first people who talked to me."

Alyanna dropped her hands from my shoulders and crossed her legs. "Well, that doesn't seem like her." She frowned then shrugged it off. "Maybe she finally came out of her shell." Then an evil glint appeared in her eyes and a devilish smile formed on he lips. "Or maybe she's one of your many fan girls."

I rolled my eyes at her and started to drag her out of the room. "You're being absurd."

I was about to close the door but she held out her hand and stopped me. "Something's going on with you and that girl and I will find out what it is."

I opened my mouth to protest but she put a finger against it, preventing me to speak. "Like you said, I've never yet been wrong when it comes to you…" she paused and amusement lit her face. "Eddie."

I growled. "Goodnight Alyanna." I said in a slightly annoyed tone as I closed the door, muffling the sound of her teasing laughter.

I sighed as I got back up in bed and stared up at the ceiling again, Alyanna's voice crept up back to my mind. You're crushing on Isabella Cullen. Was that it? All these emotions her presence caused, did it mean that I like her?

But I couldn't. I didn't want to be like those other boys that couldn't keep their eyes away from her, the queen bee— those boys whose world, life, revolved around her. But what other explanation have I got for my increasing pulse, for my nervousness whenever she was around?

I could speak with her normally, a voice said in my mind. Only when you don't get lost in her golden eyes, another voice countered.

Ugh! I shouted at the two voices in my mind. This is completely ridiculous! I huffed angrily and rolled over to my side. I'll let myself be bothered by Bella in the morning, probably. Right now, I need some sleep.

I concentrated on my breathing and my consciousness slowly slipped away. A last thought intruded in my mind before I completely shut down. I've never yet been wrong. Alyanna's voice grew fainter as I was whisked off to unconsciousness.

A/N: Oooh. Another character is added to our little story. Edward is starting to realize that he likes Bella, thanks to Alyanna… but is 'like' really the most appropriate word? Lol. Hope you liked this chapter, because I enjoyed writing it. Read and review. It would make me extremely happy.:)

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but Alyanna and the plot.