Hey guys! I'm so glad you're liking this story! It really helps to hear from you so any comments or concerns or criticism is welcome! I plan to update pretty regularly so hang in there if you don't get exactly what you want in this chapter! There will be plenty more drama to come, trust!

Special thanks for reviewing Chapter 4 to: 123appletree, i-heart-music-is-life, winternow, PsychWardSiren, NenaaTH, and of course AmeryMarie for being so awesome!!

I wish I owned the rights to Twilight but I don't. The wonderful Stephenie Meyer does!

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BPOV

I woke up late the next morning to Rose telling me to get my ass up and shower because today we were going to buy some furniture for Jasper's room as a surprise welcome home gift. I knew it was an excuse to get me out of the house and to try to get my thoughts off Edward, but I freaking welcomed it.

You know I must really need the distraction if I willingly agree to go shopping. That shit just doesn't happen often.

At any rate, I got ready quickly and Rose and I were on our way.

As we drove, Rose was quiet which wasn't unusual when she knew I had a lot on my mind. She liked to let me think through everything I was feeling before forcing me to talk about it.

It was why Rose and I worked as best friends.

She was more than willing to give me her two-sense, but only when she knew I was ready for it.

She knows I get a little emotional and I have a hot temper, a characteristic both of us share. Her tough love approach to life just clicks with me. I adore her for it.

She may come off as a frigid bitch to others, but Rosalie has one of the purest hearts of anyone I've ever met. When she loves someone, she protects them with everything she has. She's so fiercely loyal to her loved ones, it's hard not to love her just as much in return.

There's something about those Hale kids, let me tell you. Something great, definitely.

Last night wasn't one of my best nights. I cried a lot into Rose's shoulder after she got off the phone with her brother.

For some reason the thought of starting something with Jasper brought about feelings of euphoria and dread all at the same time. Of course the thought of being Jasper's girlfriend was exciting, but the thought of not even being Edward's friend right now seriously bummed me out.

I like Jasper. Like a lot. Don't get me wrong.

But it was a lot easier to get to know Jasper when Edward wasn't around. I thought about Edward a lot when he was away and it really did make me sad that he was gone, but Jasper somehow made me forget everything going on in my life. He made me remember what it was to just be myself and live for me, by my standards, rather than Edward's ridiculous guidelines.

Edward has me up on this pedestal that I don't belong on. I sin just like everyone else. I curse like a sailor, I drink, I've tried smoking weed before, and occasionally, okay frequently, I have impure thoughts about my gorgeous, green-eyed best friend.

What I don't understand about Edward and his bizarre perception of me is, if he thinks I'm so pure and wonderful, why doesn't he date me himself?

Why is he dating her?

Ugh, this is so frustrating. Get him out of your head, Bella. Thinking about him and comparing him to Jasper is not going to help your situation.

I turned up the radio in Rose's car, but of course it was some indie rock song that reminded me of Edward, so I turned it off almost immediately.

God, I am so self-involved.

I need to talk about something besides my shitty life at the moment.

"So Rose, what did you get Emmett for your anniversary?"

She smiled wickedly, "Well technically I got him two things, but I'm sure you'd only want to hear about one of them."

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, please spare me the raunchy details. What's the thing I'd want to hear about?"

"Season tickets for the Seahawks next year. Right on the 50-yard line. He's going to shit."

"What a lovely image, thank you. So do you think you'll go with him?"

"He better take me at least once! I look hot in a football jersey. But I'm sure he'll want to take Ed- I mean other people once in a while." It looked as if she was mentally scolding herself for mentioning Edward.

"It's okay to talk about him," I started. "We live right next door to each other. Plus, I'm going to see him in school. I don't want to send him into exile. I just want to distance myself. Maybe I'll sit with Angela at lunch so he has you guys."

She turned her head swiftly, "You'll do no such thing! He made this fucking mess, he needs to face the consequences of his actions. Let him take the blame for once, Bella. He needs it. You're always so forgiving of his actions. That's why he controlled you for as long as he did. He knew all he had to do was give you that smile and poof, all better."

Huh, what do you know? She's absolutely right.

"So, what do you suggest I do? I can't very well move my house and I have to see him in school."

"Well for starters, you're going to need a new lab partner for Bio. You can't work that close with him because he'll just try to manipulate his ass back into your good graces."

I nodded in agreement, "You're right, I'll have to ask Mr. Banner if I can switch. Maybe I can work with Newton or something."

Rose snorted, "That would be hilarious. Edward would go insane."

I smiled sadly, "I really don't want to hurt him. I just need space."

Just then, Rose's cell phone rang and she squealed so it must be Jasper.

"Here, Bells, I'm driving you answer."

I rolled my eyes at her lame attempt to get me to talk to Jasper. Rose could drive her car with one hand while polishing her nails and talking on the phone without batting an eyelash. Hell, she could probably do all that while driving in reverse.

But, hey, why not talk to Jasper?

I nervously pressed the phone to my ear, "Hey Jazz."

He chuckled, "Well I got lucky, didn't I? I thought I was gonna have to talk with Rose before asking for you."

I asked suspiciously, "How did you know I'd be with Rose?"

He chuckled, "A little birdie told me."

I rolled my eyes, "And does this little birdie go by the name Rosalie?"

"Don't get too mad at her darlin', she's just tryin' to help. She loves you. She's worried about you."

I sighed, "You're right. So, how are you?"

He paused, "I'm doing great. I get to see you soon and that's pretty damn exciting."

I smiled my first genuine smile of the day, "I bet you say that to all the girls."

"Why do you think I'm coming back so early? I have some lost time to make up for with you, Missy."

"I can't believe you're actually coming back."

"I told you someday Bella and I meant it."

Swoon.

And just like that, Jasper made me feel calm, just by hearing his voice. His gentle southern drawl wasn't too pronounced but you could tell he wasn't raised in Forks.

That thought sent a thrill through my body.

Jasper didn't know every little thing about me. He didn't know all about my parents and their messy divorce, he didn't know that guys kept their distance from me to avoid a confrontation with Edward, and he didn't know that I was void of a backbone when it came to Edward either.

Jasper saw me as just Bella.

And I loved that.

I wasn't going to live by Edward's ridiculous rules anymore.

Just Bella was going to live by her rules.

I decided right then and there not to let Edward mess up what I could possibly have with Jasper. I've waited for Edward for too long. It's been long enough. He doesn't see me in that way and I'm not mad at him for it, I'm not. I'm just not going to let him rule my life anymore, figuratively or literally.

I'm not going to let thoughts of Edward rule me the same way I refuse to let Edward himself dictate my life anymore.

If I want to kiss someone, I will.

If I want to date someone, I will.

He has a girlfriend, who the fuck is he to tell me who I can or can't see?

And if I want that someone to be Jasper eventually, then so be it.

Jasper cleared his throat, "Well, I just wanted to check on ya. You alright? Rose said you were upset."

"I'm okay. Or at least I will be."

"That's all I needed to hear. Listen, tell Rose I'll call her later to tell her my flight info and what not, okay?"

"Sure thing, Jazz. I'll see you soon."

"Not soon enough for me. Take care of yourself until I get there, sugar."

"I will. Bye Jasper."

He drawled, "Later, Bella."

I gave the phone back to Rose who was grinning ear to ear.

"And you say I'm transparent? That was such a set up phone call."

"Hey, all I said was Emmett's brother upset you and that he should call and talk to you."

I looked at her dubiously, "Uh, plus you told him when I'd be with you. Did you forget that part?"

Rose just kept grinning her Cheshire Cat smile and drove on. "I just think Jasper would be good for you. Look at how happy you are. And that's just from a phone call. Imagine when he's here everyday to do that."

It did feel a little easier to breathe after Jasper's phone call.

This could be a good thing.

Then my cell phone rang.

And rang.

And rang.

It was Edward.

God. Does he read my mind or something? Does he have a little pager that goes off when I make a decision that goes against his wishes? Danger: Bella's about to make a decision on her own. How does he always end up clawing his way into my mind?

Not today, Edward.

This time there was no wavering decisions about whether or not to pick up.

I hit 'ignore' on the phone and threw it back in my purse.

You will not fuck up my good mood today, Edward Cullen.

----

EPOV

"You've reached Bella. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you."

Liar.

I've left her four messages and she's yet to get back to me. I mean how hard is it to pick up the phone and call someone back? I left her the message. I did my part. She's supposed to be getting back to me now.

My cell phone rang and I just about broke my neck, tripping over my shoes to retrieve it.

I glanced at the caller I.D. expecting to see Bella's name across the screen.

Tanya Cell

I threw my phone down in frustration.

What was that the fourth time today she's called me? Obsessed much?

My phone beeped notifying me that Tanya left yet another message. Can't she take the hint that I don't want to talk today?

Huh. I'm quite the hypocrite, aren't I?

I can't help it though. This Jasper nonsense has me in a panic.

My brain knows that Bella isn't a possession of mine.

I know that she's her own person. I know that she should make her own decisions on things, like who to date or who to be friends with or when to pick up the fucking phone.

But my heart, well that's a whole different story. I've told Bella multiple times that she's my heart because she truly is. She's been there for me through the hardest times of my life.

She was there on the day that changed my life forever. Bella and I were swinging on my porch swing talking about what we were going to do that weekend, when a woman with reddish-brown hair and striking green eyes walked up my driveway. She took one look at me and started crying. Bella ran inside to get Carlisle and Esme and I distinctly remember Esme running out of the house gasping and asking, "Elizabeth what are you doing here?" and Elizabeth answering that she came for me. I had no idea I was adopted until that day. Carlisle and Esme had me from the very beginning of my life.

My real mother, if you can call her that, gave me up right after having me, never having been attached to me. Then she shows up out of nowhere when I'm 13? Please. I told her to get the hell off my porch and to never contact me again.

That was an awful month but somehow Bella made me smile everyday. Some days she'd bring me cookies, others new CD's she thought I might like. And everyday I got a little happier. A little more accepting of my adoption. Esme would always be my mother and Carlisle my father, biologically or not.

I would have lost myself had it not been for Bella.

I always say that she relies on me, but the truth is, I rely on her just as much if not more. I can always count on Bella to listen to my problems and give me good advice. She would always, always, scratch my head if I flopped down on the couch propping a pillow in her lap. And she would always let me hold her hand when we watched movies.

What was I doing?

This Bella stuff is making me insane.

Literally, all my thoughts have been about that crazy, ridiculous, beautiful girl.

One thought imparticular has been nagging at my mind all day.

Emmett told me that he knew that I had more than friendly feelings for her. He said that's why I try to control her and why I go absolutely fucking psycho when someone hits on her. And I couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was a bit of truth to his theory. I wouldn't dare tell him that, but what other explanation is there?

I sighed because that's all I ever fucking do anymore and did the only thing I could do.

I called Tanya.

I'd have to talk to her face to face and tell her I'm having these doubts, these nagging thoughts about my best friend.

It was the only way to figure out what the hell is going on in my head.

----

An hour or so later I watched from my bedroom window as Tanya drove down my road, turning into the driveway. I wasn't necessarily looking out the window to watch for her. I was looking to see if Bella's truck was in her driveway yet.

Was she ever going to come home?

I had told Tanya to let herself in because no one would be home until later. Emmett was at football practice, his Coach had just started making weekend practice mandatory because some of the players had been partying too much, and my parents were gone to Port Angeles for the night.

"Hey sexy," Tanya purred. I turned around to face her, wondering if she could see the distress written all over my face, but she seemed completely oblivious.

She continued talking, almost sounding like she was trying too hard to be seductive, "We have the whole house to ourselves, huh?"

I cleared my throat, "Yeah, for another hour or so, when Emmett gets home from practice."

"Oh, maybe I'll finally meet someone in your family then, huh?"

I pretended like I didn't hear her, "So, what do you want to do?"

I was avoiding the blow-out that was sure to happen, sooner or later. I prefered later. Gave me more time to think.

So we sat on my bed, watching T.V.

Tanya got more impatient with each passing minute. She wanted to get down to business with me and I was deflecting her every chance I got.

Finally after about a half hour she whined, "What's wrong with you?"

Well, it's now or never.

"Tanya, I've been doing a lot of thinking. And I don't really know how to say this to you. I don't even really know what I'm saying to you, to be honest. I've just been having all these doubts about our...about my life. My thoughts have been all jumbled lately and I think that maybe I need some time to think about what's going on with me."

She smiled, "Edward, if you weren't in the mood you could have just told me."

Sex was all this girl thought about. I swear.

"No, Tanya, I don't think you under-," I started but she interrupted.

"Edward, we don't always have to do it. Though I'd like that. Come on, let's go wait for your brother downstairs. I can't wait to meet the infamous Emmett."

I panicked looking at the clock, Emmett would be home very soon, "You know what, Tanya? I'm not feeling well, I think you should probably go before I get you sick, too."

I faked a cough, hoping it sounded convincing.

"What is with you? Why won't you let me meet your family?"

I coughed again, "Seriously, Tanya. I really don't feel well. I think I'm going to go take a nap. I'll call you later I promise."

She put both hands on her hips, "Edward Adam Cullen, you will let me meet your family. Or I will cut you off from sex for a week."

Did she just say Edward Adam? What the fuck does this girl really know about me? Six months together and she doesn't even know my middle name? It's Anthony by the way, dumbass.

I started walking towards the door, ushering her with my hand on the small of her back. There was no way that this girl that doesn't even know my middle name was going to be my girlfriend anymore. The decision has been made. I just wish I would have come to this conclusion two days ago rather than today. I could have avoided hurting Bella and my life wouldn't be in chaos like it was.

"I'll call you later, Tanya. We need to talk." Now that I could clearly see how very stupid I had been to chase Bella out of my life for this girl, I didn't care if I broke up with her over the phone. She wasn't worth it.

She started to protest as I gently pushed her towards the door. I opened the door, still ushering her out with my free hand. She kept telling me to stop and talk, but once she was outside of the door, I started slowly closing it, giving my apologies and coughing to keep up the pretense of illness.

Once I had the door completely shut, I breathed a sigh of relief and ran a hand through my hair. I winced as I swiped over my stitches that Carlisle put in this morning. He had chuckled and said, "This is new, usually it's Bella I'm stitching up." I wanted to cry when he mentioned her but I didn't have the energy to explain to Carlisle when his son had turned into such a pussy.

Suddenly, the shrill sound of a horn honking continuously brought me out of my thoughts. I opened the door quickly, running out on the porch to see just what the hell was going on.

I walked out to see not only Tanya repeatedly pushing her horn over and over, but my Bella pulling up in her driveway at exactly the same time. My heart actually ached at the sight of her gargantuan eyesore of a vehicle. I literally hurt inside knowing I couldn't go see her.

I watched as Bella grabbed her bag and started to get out of her truck, having not looked up to see what the hell the crazy honking was yet. Probably because her craptastic truck was like a tank and you couldn't hear shit when you were on the inside.

Almost like I was having an out of body experience, I watched as Tanya hopped out of her cherry red Mustang, and ran straight for me. I met her halfway to try to deflect her before she could say something I would regret her saying.

And then she yelled something at me that would dig me in an even deeper hole with Bella.

What's that saying, karma's a bitch?

Yeah, well I must have done something that really pissed off the God's of Fate.

"Six months, Edward, six month's we've been dating and not once have I met your family!"

I looked over to see if Bella had heard Tanya's announcement, praying that she had already walked into her house.

But no, like I said, the universe hates me. Bella stood slack-jawed and teary-eyed in her driveway, just short of the stairs that led up to her front door. She was shaking her head and clenching her jaw so tight I thought it might very well snap off.

Tanya, seeing that my stare was aimed in Bella's direction and not hers, pushed me, catching me off guard and screamed, "Stop looking at that bitch and pay attention to your girlfriend! You know the one you love!"

I knew right there and then, God hated me.

I looked to Bella again and at the word love, she ran full speed into her house, spilling the contents of her bag on the ground in her haste. I longed to reach out and help her but anger seethed through my body as I heard Bella's front door slam.

I was going to kill Tanya.

"Listen, Tanya, I don't know where the fuck you got the idea that I love you from, but I don't," I sneered viciously, "I would never love anyone that could be so deliberatly cruel to my family."

She stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief, "I was never cruel to your family! You never let me meet your family!"

I shook my head, "Are you fucking kidding me, Tanya? Like you didn't see Bella standing there? You may have never officially met, but you know who she is. You know she lives next door to me. And she is my family!"

Tanya looked at me, without any emotion in her eyes, her face, anywhere on her body for that matter, "Are you in love with her?"

"That's none of your fucking business anymore, Tanya. We're through. Leave. Now."

She huffed, crossing her arms, "You don't mean that, Eddie."

"My name is Edward, bitch." I knew I was being cruel but no other words were getting through to her. Plus, she called Bella that. It was only fair.

She started walking to her car, "Call me when you're panties aren't in such a bunch and you're done being such a flaming douchebag."

She hopped in her stupid sports car and drove away.

What the hell did I see in her?

I sat on my porch for I don't know how long, thinking about charging into Bella's house, demanding she see me, but knowing it would get me nowhere, when I spotted a red car coming down my street at an abnormally fast rate. At first I thought it was Tanya again so I started to stand up to prep myself for another round of her shit.

Unfortunately for me, it wasn't Tanya.

It was Rosalie.

She parked her car besides Bella's truck, where Charlie's cruiser was usually parked, and slammed the door as she got out. She stormed over to my yard with a look that clearly told me I was in trouble.

Rosalie. Was. Pissed.

I gulped, bracing myself for the verbal assault my brain was about to take.

"You fucking asshole!"

"Rose, now listen-"

She didn't listen. She slapped my face so hard I was certain to have a perfect outline of her hand on my cheek.

That wasn't all though.

"Don't you tell me to listen, Edward! You are fucking done fucking around with my best friend's head! You stay the fuck away from her, you hear me?!" And with that, she kneed me in the balls, leaving me to cry like the little bitch I was, curled up on my porch.

Before going into Bella's house I heard Rosalie yell, "I cannot wait for Jasper to get here!"

Yes, God definitely hated me.