A/N: I hang my head for what I've written today, but it was the first thing that popped into my little head today with the prompt. lol Now I return to writing everything else, where all is well in the world of Edward and Bella :)


Penname: kyla713
Creative Original or Derivative Fiction: Derivative

Rating/Warning(s): T

Disclaimer: All copyrighted, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Envy

I fell in love with her the first time we kissed under the monkey bars in the second grade. I was seven years old.

Ten years later, I was still as in love with her as ever, and my affection for her had only grown. I lived for her smile and her laugh, her tears made my heart ache until they vanished. Her joy was my joy, her pain was my pain.

However, the problem was... she was not in love with me.

Bella had been with my best friend, Jasper, since our sophomore year. He was the reason behind her smile and laugh. Even the reason behind those tears she shed when they said things they didn't mean to each other. And I was the friend that stood idly by, or comforted her when she needed a shoulder.

I couldn't be jealous of my best friend, though. Either of them.

Watching the way he looked at her out there on the dance floor at our senior prom, as if she were the only woman in the entire room in his eyes, and her gaze matching his; I could only feel one thing. I was envious of how lucky he was, to have fallen hopelessly in love with this beautiful girl, and to receive her love in return.

"Edward? Is everything okay?" a soft voice reached my ears and my attention returned to the beautiful girl in my own arms; my girlfriend of nearly two years, Angela.

Her fingers ran along the back of my neck in an innocent and soothing gesture. Angela was damn near perfect, even if she wasn't Bella, and in my own way, I loved her very much. I needed to completely move on and get over Bella. Come next month, once our graduation has taken place, we weren't kids anymore. I already had a permanent job lined up at my brother's construction company, and hopefully within a few months, I would be able to secure a place of my own with what I'd already saved with my part-time pizza delivery job. Well, what was left over after the expenses from tonight.

I gave Angela a small, nervous smile and nodded. "I'm fine, baby. Can we talk?"

Her brow furrowed slightly, no doubt from the edge in my voice and the shaking of my hands on her waist. "Of course."

I reached up to take her hand resting on my shoulder and walked with her outside the double doors, to the quiet patio.

Sitting down with her, I ran my thumb over the backs of her fingers, staring down at our joined hands while I collected myself. I'd thought I'd been ready for this, but as I looked up into her eyes, my throat tightened and it was hard to breathe.

"Edward, you're starting to scare me. What's wrong?" Angela asked as her eyes flickered over my face, squeezing my hand gently.

"Ang, you know I love you. And I would rather die than to hurt you..."

"Oh my god," she interrupted, her hand rising to covered her mouth and tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You're breaking up with me, aren't you? At our senior prom? Oh god, I can't believe this."

I took her hand gently as she rose to walk away, pulling her back down to sit next to me but her face remained turned away from me. "Baby, listen to me. We have a long few years ahead of us..."

"I knew it. I just knew that it would never be enough. I kept hoping that someday you would get over her, but I guess that was wishful thinking."

"Ang..."

"God, please just get it over with already. Don't try to ease me into it..."

"Ang!" I exclaimed, finally catching her attention as I crouched down in front of her, placing my fingers on her lips. In my other hand, I held a simple solitaire diamond ring between my thumb and forefinger, and her eyes widened. "It's going to be a while before I can afford to give you everything you deserve, if ever. And you have college coming up, so it's going to be rough. But I love you, and I would love to do this together. If you'll have me. Will you marry me?"

Angela bit her lip, restraining tears as she nodded enthusiastically, and letting out a breathy laugh and watching me slid the ring onto her finger. She leaned in to press her lips against mine, and I stood with her in my arms and she hugged around my shoulders. "Oh my god, Bella! Look!"

I turned my head to see Bella and Jasper standing behind me, and Angela broke out of my embrace to rush over to her and take her hand excitedly.

"Edward just asked me to marry him, I can't believe it," she bounced lightly on her toes, holding her hand out to Bella.

"Congrats, you're a lucky man," Jasper smiled, shaking my hand and slapping my shoulder encouragingly.

"Thanks. I sure am," I smiled and looked back over toward the girls, my eyes landing on Bella. She had an unreadable look in her eyes as she looked down at Angela's hand.

"That awesome. I'm so happy for you," she said, hugging Angela and then turning back to me, sliding her arms around my waist and pressing her lips against my cheek. Pulling away slowly, she gave us both a small smile and locked her eyes with mine. "Congratulations, both of you. Excuse me."

We all stood on the patio, dumbfounded as tears rose in Bella's eyes and she quickly passed us, hurrying down the stairs and across the wet grass below.

"Bella honey, wait!" Jasper called after her and ran down the steps behind her.

"What was that?" Angela asked in confusion as evident as my own, sliding her arm through mine.

"I have no idea."