Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. All hale the magnificent Stephenie Meyers.
10. Choices and decisions
Epov:
I walked to Spanish class with a light spring in my step. Bella said she was my friend. I could not help but think that this was a big mistake. If I wanted her to be safe I should keep away from her, as if to prove me wrong my brother's voice echoed in my head.
"If you fight for the right reasons you would always win."
That's when I realized that I wanted to fight. I wanted to be friends with Bella. I wanted everything that went with friendship, trust, loyalty and comradeship in my life again. Most of all I wanted Bella in my life.
I gasped in astonishment as I sat down in class. When did Bella become such a dominant part in my life? When did I throw away every rule I ever made for a petite little girl? As Spanish class began I pondered over these questions, wondering when everything changed so suddenly. Mrs. Garcia called on me, witch was pretty unusual. As I answered her automatically, I finally got the answer I was looking for. Bella became such a dominant feature in my life the very first time I looked into her warm beautiful chocolate eyes.
Her eyes fastened that first indescribable, unthinkable, unbreakable thread between us. Everything that happened so far between us intertwined even more threads, ultimately binding us together even tighter. Deep down it pleased me that Bella was even willing to be my friend and wanted me in her life too. As the bell rang I have made my decision, I would be the greatest friend Bella ever had and I would fight against anyone who stood in my why.
I just exited my class when someone tugged on my arm, almost causing me to fall over. I looked down and the first thing I saw was black spiky hair, as the head tilted upwards I looked straight into depthless baby blue eyes. These were eyes that could look straight into your soul. As if those eyes saw everything that has ever happened and everything that will happen. It took me awhile to realize that I was staring at Alice Swan. She looked shy and bewildered but her face had the same determination that I once noted on Bella's face.
"May I please have a quick private word with you Edward?"
My first reaction was to walk away but something in her pleading face stopped me. Did I really want to hear how she tells me to stay away from her sister? Yes, I promised to fight didn't I? I nodded and walked back into the now empty Spanish classroom. She walked in and as I turned I watched as she looked uncomfortable and at a loss for words. After she apparently found the words she was looking for she came to stand in front of me, craning her neck back to look me in the eye.
"I came to apologize to you Edward. I overheard Jessica tell Lauren you were from a Juvenile center. I over reacted when I saw Bella wave to you yesterday and told her this without confirming if the story was actually true. Actually I think I might have screamed it at her."
I was taken aback. This was the last thing I ever expected to hear from Alice. What was with these Swan girls, always taking me by surprise? I wanted to scream at her, telling her to go stick her small pixie like nose in her own business. I wanted to tell her that the reason she was so short was because she ran her legs off spreading stories about people she knew nothing about. I just couldn't, something told me insulting her now would be a big mistake on my part.
"It's okay Spiky and for future incidents please come to me directly to confirm a story before you believe it to be true. Just for the record I'm not from a juvenile center and never where in one either."
She looked at me as if she just saw Santa Clause steal candy from a baby. She was blushing.
"My name is Alice, nothing else and I don't like nicknames or name bending. The only people who are aloud to call me anything else is Bella and Jasper." She jabbed me in the chest with her little pixie finger to express her point.
I smiled the jabbing hurt a little bit. I ran my hand through her hair.
"Whatever you say, Spiky." I said and winked at her before walking out of the classroom heading towards my car.
I was walking behind two girls, one was small with dark curly hair and the other was tall with red hair. There was only a short distance between us and I could not help overhearing their conversation.
"Did you hear there was some sort of commotion after Gym today?"
Wasn't that Bella's Gym class? The red head asked the question I couldn't ask myself.
"No, what happened?" I walked a bit closer to them.
"Well Lauren was telling everyone in the girl's locker room that the new guy Edwin or Edgar or whatever, was gay because he didn't pay attention to any of the girls. So Angela Weber said that, that wasn't true because he talked to Bella. Maybe he just doesn't like you. Bella laughed at this and caught Jessica's attention. Jessica asked her if she would like to share the joke. So Bella said that she would but she didn't think that the joke was aimed at people with only one brain cell."
The red head laughed out loud witch in turn covered my snickers from behind them.
"Did Jessica just let that go?" The red head asked.
"No, Jessica called Bella's name after Gym, asking her what she said about dumb blondes. Then with all her might she threw a volleyball at Bella. Well being a dumb blonde and all the ball was off target and would have hit Angela in the face if Bella didn't catch it in time. Bella threw the ball back full force and it hit Jessica in the chest causing her to double over. Bella said that blondes should learn to catch and dumb blondes should pick on somebody their own size."
I burst out laughing and the two girls turned around, their eyes widened when they realized who I was. As they were trying to figure out just how much of the conversation I have heard. I walked pass them and was still laughing when I reached my car. Bella was still surprising me around every corner. Who would have thought that soft and warm Bella would know how to stand up for herself? Then I remembered small pixie Alice jab me in the chest with her finger. It must be a Swan thing.
The house was once again abandoned when I arrived home. As I walked up the pathway something red caught my eye. It was a rose, holding on stubbornly trying to survive as the season had already passed. I took out a pair of scissors out of my schoolbag cutting the rose of at the stem. I paused in the kitchen to scribble a note again.
Just because . . . Love Edward.
I placed the note and the rose on Esme's pillow and went to my room.
After I'd done my homework, I wondered through the house stopping in front of my piano. Besides the photo's and Alexander's letter this was the only thing I brought with me from my previous life. I started to play Clair Da Lune composed by Debussy. I must have played for a while because that was where Esme found me when she arrived home from work. She came to stand behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders. When the song I was currently playing neared its end I flowed straight into Chop Styx since I knew it was Esme's favorite. I started on another song when Carlisle joined us. He kissed Esme tenderly on the cheek and ran his hand through my hair. I smiled at him noticing his eyes were sparkling with happiness.
"That was great Edward, you haven't played in ages." Esme said placing her arm around Carlisle's waist.
"That's because I didn't have a reason to play for so long." As I said this I realized how true this was, I felt part of a family for the first time in a year. I caught Esme and Carlisle share a meaning full glance at each other and as they smiled I felt warm and even loved.
"Get a room but before you do, are we going to eat some pizza or what?" I asked closing the piano.
"Yes and I'm starving so hurry up," Carlisle said as he led Esme to the door.
The evening passed quickly, we went to Port Angeles for pizza. We talked about this and that mostly and we discussed a camping trip for the near future. We loved the out doors and camped as often as we could. We eve laughed a few times and I would on a rare occasion catch Carlisle watching me as if he saw me for the first time. I fell asleep on our way back home while I watched Esme and Carlisle's intertwined hands on the arm rest. I only woke up enough to walk to my bed and climb in fully clothed before I fell asleep again.
I woke uncomfortably the next morning and stood in the shower longer than usual letting the warm water relax my stiff muscles. Carlisle was just about to leave for work when I walked downstairs.
"Don't forget, it's your turn to buy snacks for the game tonight." I said walking to the kitchen.
"I won't, by the way Esme loved the rose you left for her." I smiled and made some cereal, I drank milk straight from the carton grinning guiltily thinking of how Esme hated this. I went to brush my teeth and grabbed my school bag on my way out of the house. It was raining cats and dogs outside causing me to drive more slowly to school than usual.
As I entered the lot my eyes began searching the lot automatically for the yellow Porsche. I found it surprisingly easily. It was already parked so they must be early for a change. The first time I spotted her was at lunch. Jacob had his arm around her again and I had to fight of the jealous rage that coursed through my body. He is just a friend. He is just a friend I said to myself over and over again. Then it dawned on me, I was her friend too, that meant I didn't have to sit in my car alone during lunch. Without thinking I got out of my car and headed towards the cafeteria.
I spotted her easily. She was at a table with all of her friends. I sat down across from them at the nearest empty table. They were laughing about something and Jacob looked disappointed about something. The two blondes must be the Hale twins and the big black haired guy must be Emmet. I tried to catch Bella's attention but with no success. I was debating whether or not I should go to her table when Alice saw me. She said something to Bella who looked up scanning the cafeteria. When she finally saw me I indicated with my hand that she must join me. Emmet said something indicating towards himself and Jasper. Bella said something and then got up and started to walk towards me.
"This is new. You usually don't eat in the cafeteria" She said as she sat down. So she looked for me, that warm feeling washed over me again.
"Hello to you too, yes this is new. I haven't been in a cafeteria for almost a year now. I didn't think you would have noticed." I said flashing my crooked smile.
"Hello, of course I noticed. You're my friend and I care about my friends. So where are you normally if you're not in the cafeteria?" Was it just me or is she looking a bit flushed? Something over her shoulder caught my eye, Emmet and Jasper was glaring at me and if looks could kill I would have died right there on the spot.
"Usually I'm in my car listening to music but I wanted to talk to you so I decided to come to the cafeteria. Your friends seem worried, Emmet and Jasper is debating whether or not to come over here and sort me out."
She turned around to look at them, I couldn't see what se was doing but they immediately relaxed. "Over protective big brothers remember. What did you want to talk about?" About wanting to rip Jacob's arm off and carrying you away so that he could never touch you again. I couldn't say that she would run screaming for the hills and I haven't figured out yet why am feeling so possessive over Bella.
"Just talk, it seems talking is a strong basis for a friendship." I said instead. We talked about our interests until the bell rang and we walked together to class. I could not help but notice just how right this feels.
We were just seated with our books out in front of us when Mr. Laing entered the class and made an announcement.
"We're going to have a contest today. There are four slides on your table next to you're microscopes. Order them in the correct form of mitoses and the partners who has done so first will win these... Double tickets to see... Linken Park live in Seattle." The other students began to scream but Bella and I caught each others eyes and the message in them was the same as the one in mine, we wanted those tickets.
"So on your mark, get set and go." We started at once and we clicked from the start as if we could read each others mind. I would look first and she would check to see if I was correct. She only corrected me on the second one and as our hands shot up in the air we were only beaten by one other pair of hands.
"Let's see, yes, yes, no that is incorrect. Sorry guy's better luck next time. Mr. Cullen and Mrs. Swan lets see shall we. Yes, yes, yes and yes. Well done you have won the tickets, I hope you enjoy the concert next Sunday." I liked the sound of our names together as he handed our tickets to us we high fived each other. The bell rang suddenly; this was by far the best class ever.
"Well Mrs. Swan it looks like we have a date next weekend. Will you do me the honor of escorting me to the dangerous Seattle to a stunning music concert? People will most likely jump on us and trample us but if you're there with me I'm sure I'll be able to survive." That sounded so much better in my head, now it sounded more like mush.
Her breathing accelerated, am I doing that to her? It was nice to know that I had some form of effect on her. "Yes most definitely and don't worry I'll protect you. Oh and before I forget I hope you would join your parents tomorrow night at our house for dinner. I know my parents already invited you but I just wanted you to know that I would like you to be there as well." She really wanted me there, how could you say no to that.
"Yes, I would not miss it for the world." I smiled my crooked smile at her when she paused in the door waiting for my answer. She answered my smile with a dazzling one of her own and walked of to Gym.
Isabella Swan you'll be the death of me, I swear you will I thought to myself as I walked to Spanish.
A/N Ok so it's another late night but funny thing is I don't care. Your great reviews helped with motivation to finish this chapter. Please keep reviewing it makes the writing so much easier (really it does). Great news my friend is recovering at home now so no more hospital visits yeah (I don't like hospitals).
Quick question, how do you know you're addicted to fan fiction? When your mother comes into your room announcing your dinner has officially become your breakfast (reading is good right?)
Thanks for the reviews and encouragement it means allot. Thanks for putting the story on your favorites and alerts lists.
Thanks for reading.