Thanks so much to the people that reviewed this. It really means a lot to me. I'm trying to find a beta if anyone can help me out! Thanks again.

As always, Steph Meyer owns Twilight.

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EPOV

I punched my pillow as I got up for the fiftieth time tonight to see if Emmett was home yet. Tanya had just left and I had texted Emmett earlier to see if he was with Bella because I needed to know that she was okay.

He sent me a generic text back saying, 'She's fine, I'm with her.' And that was all.

Thanks, Big Brother. What a help you are.

I needed to know what she was doing. Was she crying? Was she laughing? Were her eyes doing that little twitch thing they do when she tries to calm herself down after being angry?

I groaned in frustration when I saw the driveway was still empty.

My God, they've been gone for two hours.

How much longer until I get a chance to explain to Bella that our friendship is still a top priority?

I threw myself back on my bed as I grabbed my phone.

Ten missed calls from Rosalie? What the hell?

Before I had a chance to call her back, I heard Emmett's loud ass Jeep pulling into the drive. I threw my phone, vaulted myself off the bed and out of the bedroom door.

I knew I would have to approach Bella carefully because she would most likely be one pissed-off, little firecracker. She never took me hanging out with another girl well.

I skipped down the steps, two at a time, sliding along the marble floor towards the door. I opened it, hearing Emmett and Bella talking in the driveway.

I saw Bella talking on her cell phone and I heard a muffled scream that sounded awfully similar to nails on a chalkboard.

I saw Bella pull the phone away from her ear before telling whoever was on the phone, most likely Rose, it better be just Rose, that she was on her way over.

And then I saw Emmett scoop Bella up in his gorilla-like arms and whisper, well Emmett's version of whispering anyway, to Bella that he loved her and to 'keep her head up'.

Whatever the hell that meant. Okay, so maybe I get a tad jealous when other guys pay attention to Bella but whatever. I just want to protect her.

I barely made it off the first step before Emmett's bounding up to the door, pulling me inside before I had a chance to stop Bella from going inside her house.

"Emmett, what the fuck?," I bellowed, trying to wriggle out of his vice-like grip.

"Bro, I'm not letting you go out there and mess with her. That girl is golden. You. Will. Not. Fuck. With. Her," he growled.

I was a little taken aback by Emmett's almost violent outburst. He rarely took a tone with me like this and I can count on my one hand the number of times he has physically restrained me.

"What is your problem, Em? I'm trying to go out there to rectify the situation, not make it worse."

He visibly relaxed, "Look, I know you care about her, Edward. As a matter of fact, I know you love her," I furrowed my brows at his statement but let him go on, "So just do what she asks okay. Be good to her. She deserves it. Let her down-," he started, but I caught sight of Bella through the window so I maneuvered myself around Emmett's big ass and booked it out the door.

I saw her walking to her car and as if she could hear me coming, she turned around and faced me.

The look on her face momentarily took my breath away and made me ache inside all at once.

I could barely breathe and my brain kept willing my mouth to say something already but I couldn't. I just kept shuffling my feet from side to side, trying to even my breaths enough to form a coherent thought.

Before I knew what was happening I started telling her how sorry I was about blowing her off, how I didn't intend for it to happen that way, and then the weirdest feeling came over me.

My palms were clammy, I could barely breathe, my heart was hammering out of my chest, and, fuck, why was I so hot?

Holy shit…I'm nervous. Huh. So that's what that feels like.

I'm standing in front of this five foot nothing of a girl and I feel like I'm about to pass out.

Eventually, I started to think straight enough to talk and I went on to tell her that Tanya was special but our friendship wouldn't change.

She told me that everything, would in fact, change and nothing would be the same anymore.

Then she put two and two together about my asking her on a date to get back at Emmett and she visibly paled.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. You were joking with me?," she screamed.

I tried to calm her down.

I told her not to get so upset.

That was when she dropped the bomb on me.

My heart stuttered to a stop when she exclaimed, "Edward, I'm more than upset. I'm devastated. I was an idiot and let myself believe that you wanted to date me. I let Rosalie polish my nails for God's sake!," after which she thrust her perfectly manicured fingers in my face.

Bella would never willingly let someone polish her nails. For anything. Not her birthday, not Christmas, hell not even as a dare.

This was big. I fucked up big time.

She's right. Everything is going to be different.

I started to panic telling her I would do whatever it took to make this right. To make our friendship right again.

And then she asked for the one thing I couldn't possibly do.

She asked me to stay away from her.

She told me things had been different between us for months and I knew what she meant right away.

My tendency to kiss her every time I imbibe something alcoholic.

I never brought it up the next morning and I knew she wouldn't either.

Technically, I cheated on Tanya with Bella. I had most definitely drunkenly kissed Bella in the past couple months.

But things have been different in that respect for a long time. Like since tenth grade.

My drunk mind never could help itself.

I admitted sheepishly that I enjoyed kissing her but I never in a million years would have guessed she enjoyed it, too.

I always thought she was just my Best Friend Bella, as she had affectionately named herself over the years, that kissed her drunk ass friend back so he wouldn't feel bad about himself in the morning.

I begged and pleaded with her to change her mind about our time apart. I knew it would kill me to not talk to her everyday. I wasn't going to be able to do this.

Was Tanya worth losing Bella?

Then Bella put the final stake through my heart when she said, "If you really want our friendship back, you have to let me heal, Edward. It's not your fault you don't feel the same way. But I need a clean break from us, just to sort through everything."

And with that, she turned and hopped in her ancient truck and drove off, presumably to Rose's house to drink vodka and eat ice cream, like all the other times she was upset with me. Except this time, I couldn't make it all better.

And that thought fucking killed me.

I kicked the gravel under my feet and stormed into the house to lose myself in a bottle of tequila I stole from my dad's liquor cabinet and think of ways to make Bella talk to me again.

Emmett stopped me on the way back up to my room, eyeing the tequila bottle in my hand. "You're not planning on getting drunk and trying to make out with Bella are you?"

I flipped him off and headed into my room because, fuck, I know how big of an asshole I've been. I can see the error of my ways right now. Does he really think I would try to kiss Bella tonight of all nights?

I slammed the door to my room, twisting the lock, and opening the bottle of liquor immediately.

What the hell was this feeling in the pit of my stomach?

I heard my cell phone ringing and I flung myself at it hoping it was Bella but it was Tanya and surprising myself, I didn't answer.

I just wasn't in the mood. I wanted to wallow.

How could I hurt her? How could I be so blind that I never noticed my best friend was falling for me?

I knew she was upset when Emmett yelled at me before slamming the door shut to chase after Bella, but I had no idea it went this deep.

I can't believe I lost my best friend because I have a girlfriend.

I took another chug of the tequila and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

Was Bella really going to stop talking to me?

Bella has probably missed out on a few boyfriends because I didn't approve of them, but that was different. I know what seventeen year old guys want. And they weren't getting that from my Bella.

Bella was definitely possessive of me, as well. But it was understandable. I was her rock. Someone she could depend on no matter what.

She was by herself a lot in that big house next door because Charlie often had to work overnight shifts being the Chief of Police. On those days, I always made sure I was at Bella's house before Charlie's shift even started so she wouldn't have to spend a minute alone there. I stayed until the wee hours of the morning, sleeping on a rocker in her room until I heard the familiar sounds of Charlie's cruiser pulling into the gravel driveway.

Before I would leave to get a few hours of sleep in my own bed, I would kiss her forehead gently, and tell her to call me when she woke up.

It had always been that way. I didn't look at her as my little sister, I looked at her as my heart.

I just couldn't bring myself to be her boyfriend. I wasn't going to be the one to take away her innocence.

But, trust, I'm going down swinging to make sure no other motherfucker does either.

I think that was why Charlie was always okay with me hanging around Bella's house on the nights he worked late. He knew my intentions truly were good.

At least when it came to Bella.

There had been a couple times Charlie had busted me making out in the Volvo with random skanks around town, but he would just chuckle and tell me to 'move it along'.

The very select few girlfriends I had in the past, Bella never seemed to really take seriously. I would tell her there was nothing to worry about, that we'd always be friends, that there was no need for her to get jealous and she would tell me to get over myself, and that she would be with Rosalie when I got my head out of my ass and broke up with the bimbo. Her words, not mine.

But Bella, observant as ever, noticed that this girlfriend was inside my house.

Translation: Shit was about to hit the fan.

Emmett and I had always had a rule that no girl was allowed in the house.

Girls at school went crazy when they heard this. They thought it made us mysterious and brooding or that we had some deep, dark secret we were hiding.

Really, Emmett and I had made the silly rule when we were in elementary school and we only wanted our Mom around the house, for fear of a cooties infestation. The law was later amended to allow Bella and Rosalie, respectively. But no one else.

Until Tanya.

The fact that Tanya was under my roof showed Bella that this was serious, that this girlfriend is different.

And Tanya is different.

She lives in Port Angeles and I only see her a couple of days a week rather than everyday like the same old girls here in Forks. She also plays guitar, and sings, and she knows good bands. I really have a good time with her.

We've been together six months and it took me this long to even consider telling Bella.

I kept trying to assuage my guilt by theorizing that I couldn't have told Bella about Tanya right away. Like I said, she has an irrational fear of sharing her best friend.

Only now I know she had a very rational fear of sharing the one she wanted to date.

Me.

I threw back another shot of the golden liquid and wondered when I became such a typical hormonal fucker.

I'm such an idiot.

How was I so blind?, I thought for the hundredth fucking time that night.

How could I be this careless with her feelings?

It was so easy to see now, that it was probably a bad idea to have allowed Tanya to stay as long as she did. I told her I was hanging out with a friend at six but she refused to leave until the very last minute. Probably because she knew that friend was Bella.

Funny thing, Tanya was jealous of Bella, as well.

Ain't love grand?

You know what they say though, girls are bitches. Oh and hindsight is 20/20 or some shit.

I was trying my hardest to get her out without hurting her feelings but she just kept fucking kissing me and running her hand over my junk and I just couldn't fucking tell her no.

I always blew off Bella for Tanya and I thought it was pretty fucking rude that she was distracting me from the task of telling Bella the truth, but like a dick I let it keep going.

I shuddered thinking about deceiving Bella when she would ask if I wanted to hang out, but at the time all I wanted to do was fondle Tanya.

I always had an excuse as to why I couldn't hang out with her like normal.

'Sorry Bell, Esme needs me to run to Port Angeles for a client', 'I can't I have a doctor's appointment' , hell once I even told her I was going shopping just because I knew she wouldn't tag along. Bella hates shopping.

Really, every free moment I had was spent sneaking away to Port Angeles and engaging in some very, very steamy activities with the very, very willing Tanya. I know it's completely perverted of me to say but I had to get it somewhere, right?

I had decided last night when I was driving home from Tanya's house that I was going to tell Bella about her the next day after school.

I really have no excuse as to why I felt the need to ask Bella out on a date when I saw Emmett kissing her cheek and talking about plans together after school. I almost think I was jealous and it propelled me into making the single most destructive decision of my existence so far. Until the day I die I will regret playing with Bella's emotions like that.

I thought that she had caught on that I was trying to best Emmett. I thought she noticed the playful, challenging look in my eyes when I looked from Emmett to her before agreeing on the date.

But no, as Emmett would say, Doucheward strikes again.

Bella not only got the wrong idea about us dating, she busted Tanya and I mid-grope in my living room as well.

Replaying the situation in my head and knowing what I know now, I should have recognized the emotion on Bella's face as she backed out of the doorway.

I've known her forever and she was never one to hide her feelings very well. It was how I always knew if she had a day where everything went wrong, how I knew the face she would make if Mike Newton put his arm on her shoulder longer than she liked, or how I knew when she was excited that a new recipe she tried to make for dinner was a success or not.

She couldn't lie to save her life simply because she was too pure. I should have been able to read every loving emotion on her face way before today.

Then why couldn't you see that she was in love with you, Einstein?

Feeling the effects of the tequila, I did something I probably shouldn't have.

I texted Bella.

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BPOV

I couldn't possibly have heard Rose correctly.

Jasper Hale, Rose's half-brother, was coming here?

Fuck my life.

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Jasper used to live with Rosalie and their dad here in Forks back when we were ten or eleven but he just couldn't adjust to life where it was so gloomy and wet, so he moved back to Texas with his mom. Him and Rose still talked practically everyday. Some days I would be over her house when he would call and I'd talk to him just to see how he was doing.

No one but Rosalie knew of the tiny little crush I had on Jasper.

Two summers ago, I was fifteen I believe, Esme and Carlisle sent Emmett and Edward to this baseball camp for four weeks to help them improve their game or something.

I was completely devastated of course, but Edward had said goodbye by ruffling my hair and telling me not to let my boobs get any bigger until he got back. Fucker.

Coincidentally, Jasper was flying into Forks around the same time the Cullen's were leaving, to spend three weeks with his dad and Rose. I had always thought he was so cute when Rose would show me school pictures of him every year.

I think Rose wanted to set us up or something because she begged and pleaded for me to come to the airport with her to pick him up. I agreed claiming to only do it because she was my best friend and I couldn't tell her no.

The morning we went to pick him up, I had changed my outfit five times. Five.

But whatever, this was all for Rose anyways.

Ha, keep telling yourself that, Swan.

We pulled up to the airport and Rose and I ran in to find Jasper while Rose's dad found a parking spot in the nearby parking garage. We weaved in and out of the massive sea of people until we spotted Jasper grabbing a green duffle bag off the luggage belt.

I think I actually squealed to myself when I got a good look at him.

His pictures did him no justice whatsoever. His honey blonde, almost curly hair was longer than it was in his last school picture and he had to have been well over six foot three. He was lanky but muscular and he just oozed confidence.

He was the same age as Rosalie which meant that Mr. Hale had been with both of their moms close together, but there was no resentment between Jasper and Rose. They hugged each other tightly and Rose wiped tears from her eyes after letting go of him.

As he let go of Rose, our eyes met and I blushed furiously. He smiled a beautiful smile and held out his arms to me, "Aw, Bella. Get your blushing butt over here and give me some sugar!"

I giggled and obliged him happily. He pulled back and grabbed Rose's hand, "So where is our dearest Father, sis?"

She rolled her eyes, "Daddy is parking the car. I couldn't wait for him though. I was too excited. So was Bella."

I tripped her.

Jasper laughed, "I have a feeling this is going to be a great three weeks."

And a great three weeks it was.

Rose, Jazz, and I had a blast while he was in town.

Edward would text when he could but it wasn't often and most of the time it was just to make sure my boobs hadn't grown any in his absence. I assured him they hadn't and he informed me that he would be happy to measure them when he got back just to make sure. He asked me to text a picture of them to him so I texted a picture of me flipping him off.

Jasper was constantly surfing the internet to find fun things to do even though Rose and I both tried to warn him that fun and Forks weren't exactly synonymous with one another.

But Jasper found awesome things for us to do.

We went to Seattle to hear a rock band play and I couldn't see the stage from where we were in the pit, so Jazz held me on his shoulders.

We went to Port Angeles to play laser tag because Jasper said if he didn't do something manly soon he was afraid he'd go crazy but the whole time he made sure no one tagged me, often getting himself tagged in the process.

And the day before Jasper was supposed to leave to go back to Texas, we even went to First Beach on the La Push res to attempt to surf.

Okay, so that last one didn't go over so well. I ended up with six stitches at the top of my head where Rose's surfboard hit me before we even made it down to the beach.

Jasper had been so sweet though. He held my hand the whole time I got the stitches, even though getting them didn't phase me a bit. I was used to them by now.

That same night as we pulled into the Hale's driveway, Jasper offered to take me to dinner to make me feel better. Rose bowed out gracefully claiming to have a raging headache from dealing with my clumsiness. I blushed and then flipped her off before she got out of the car.

We drove to the diner talking about anything from our favorite books to past relationships. By the time the night ended I was completely intrigued by Jasper Hale. Just my luck, I finally start to feel something for someone other than Edward, and he lives in a different state.

When Jasper pulled into my driveway that night, he put the car in park, and we sat awkwardly looking at each other.

I said the first thing that came to mind, "I had a lot of fun with you tonight, Jazz."

He smirked, "I like when you call me that."

I blushed and looked down. I felt his hand tilt my chin up and suddenly we were kissing furiously. My mind took a minute to register that Jasper Hale was indeed kissing me, but soon I was practically mauling him as his hands ran up and down my arms.

Eventually, we were out of breath and uncomfortable from leaning over the gears, so we climbed out and made the trek up to my front porch. Jazz took a deep breath and said, "I want to take you to breakfast tomorrow morning before I have to leave. I hate that it took me three whole weeks to get up the guts to actually kiss you."

I sighed and said the only thing I could, "I would love to go to breakfast with you, Jazz."

It almost sounded like he growled as he leaned forward to kiss me again. This time we had more room to explore each other and ended up making out on my front steps for a half an hour. Eventually he pulled away and said, "I'll be here bright and early to pick you up, sweet thang."

With that he playfully swatted my rear and jogged to his car.

I watched him pull away before flying up the steps and collapsing on my bed.

Rose called me a little while later to make me tell her every detail of the date that wouldn't make her vomit, so I did and eventually told her I was getting up early to have breakfast with Jasper so I had to go.

Breakfast with Jazz was fun and sad at the same time. Three weeks seemed so quick to develop the feelings I had for Jasper so I kept telling myself it was just a summer fling and it was fun while it lasted.

When we had finished eating, we drove down to First Beach again just to have somewhere quiet to talk. He promised no surfboards.

We had walked in companionable silence for awhile, until Jasper turned to me and said something that completely caught me off guard.

"Bella, I really like you. You're smart, you're pretty, you can put Rose in her place which is a feat in and of itself, and you are just so damn innocent. You are nothing like the girls in Texas, that's for sure."

I laughed, "That's a good thing, right?"

He smiled this gorgeous smile and nodded before pulling me into a searing kiss that left my lips feeling numb.

Edward who?

"I know I can't ask you to be my girlfriend now, it wouldn't be fair to either of us, but if I were to come back sometime, you think you'd be up for a date?"

I didn't even have to think about it, "Definitely."

Eventually, we had to go back home so Jasper's dad could take him to the airport. He invited Rose and I to come along, but I had to stay behind claiming that Charlie needed me to make him dinner. Really, I just didn't want to see him go.

When Rose got home that night, she stopped by my house to give me something that Jasper had asked her to drop off.

It was a single rose, a picture of him and I that we took when we went to the mall one of the nights he was here, and a note that said, "Someday."

----

I pretended to be asleep so I could shamelessly eavesdrop on Rose's conversation.

"Jasper? What happened? Why are you moving back to Forks?," Rose asked, voice full of concern.

"That's awful. Well I'll pick you up at the airport then. Listen it's late and Bella's staying over and she's kind of upset, so I gotta go," she mentioned briefly, looking down to see if I was awake.

Apparently, upon hearing my name, Jasper wanted to know more.

"I don't know. It has to do with Edward. Yeah, he's being an ass like always. Okay, well I'll see you soon, Jazz. Love you."

And with that she hung up.

"Honestly, Bella, you are a terrible actress. I knew you were awake the whole time."

Bitch. "Shit, Rose, did you have to tell Jasper that I was upset over Edward?"

She smirked, "Hey I'm going to use anything I can to ensure that my brother gets you over that douche bag."

I shook my head and blew out a breath. "So why's he coming home?"

"His mom is remarrying and apparently the guy is a total asshat to Jasper. He figured now was as good of a time as any to come back. He already has enough credits to graduate, so he figures he'll just take bullshit classes until the end of the year. Apparently, he just got his acceptance letter from University of Washington yesterday, so he decided to pack up his shit and come back early."

I gulped.

Jasper is coming back to Forks.

Suddenly I was giddy with excitement.

Jasper was coming back to Forks!

Maybe I'll be happy after all.

Just then, my phone beeped. I flipped it open to see who the hell could possibly be texting me now.

Of course.

Edward.

1 new text message

3/12/09 11:34 p.m.

I want to kiss you.

Fuck my life, indeed.