Welcome back everyone!
Wow, the response to the last chapter was pretty amazing! Thank you all for showing Jasper and Alice some love.
Extra special thanks to our new fav'ers and followers blackxrs, thatxbaseballxgirl, sassygirl156, pattiixo, TheLittleRedCrane, Puddletink, latinadecorazon, & Laria626, and wonderful reviewers queenie, elliefrog, jadedghost22, VioletDream13 & "Guest". You flooded my inbox and I love you all for that!
I also wanted to say how happy I am that ALL the reviews so far have been positive. This is the furthest I've ever gotten in a story without being flamed, so thank you to anyone who hasn't liked this story for either not continuing to read or for keeping any hateful opinions to yourselves. I'm actually incredibly grateful.
Now it's back to Edward...
:-D
EPOV
Okay...so I may have lied a little.
Watching my best friend and my sister cuddled up together on the other side of the bonfire does make me uncomfortable. It's an odd visual and I'm almost expecting Jasper to jump up and run away like he normally does. But I know that's not going to happen anymore because they're...ugh...in love.
And I'm a little jealous.
That's my best friend and he got a girlfriend before me! And now that their...eew...relationship is out in the open, he'll want to spend all his time with Alice and I'll be left all alone. So as I watch Bella get up and walk towards the house, I know what I have to do.
It's time to get a girl of my own.
"Hey Bella," I say as I stand and walk towards her. "Do you mind if I join you?"
"Umm...sure," she says. "I'm just going to get more marshmallows though."
"That's okay, I can help you carry them or something," I offer. My father taught me that a gentleman should always offer to carry a lady's things for her.
"Help me carry marshmallows?" she giggles. It's not until she laughs that I realise how stupid my offer sounds. I nod my head, too embarrassed to try to remove my foot from my mouth. I really need to pull myself together.
The house looks scarier at night with only a flashlight to guide our way through the living room. But even under the bright artificial light, Bella still looks amazing.
"You're so beautiful, Bella," I whisper in what I hope is a seductive voice, though I think it sounds more like I have a frog caught in my throat. I chuckle a little at the thought of a tiny anphibian living in my esophagus.
"Are you crazy?" Bella asks, screwing up her nose and shielding her eyes from the blinding light in my hand. "I look horrible! My hair's a mess and I haven't showered in two days. Are you making fun of me?"
"No! You...you're good. I-I mean you look good," I stammer, blowing out a harsh breath. "To me...Bella, you always look good to me."
"Wow," she blushes. "Uh...thank you?"
"You're very welcome," I smile, hoping that her acceptance of my compliment means that she might be open to being my girlfriend. "So...I was wondering, when we get home, if you'd maybe like to go on a date? With me?"
"Umm..." she pauses, looking uncertain. "I'm not saying no, but I am wondering why now?"
"Why now?" I repeat. I don't understand what she's asking. Does she want me to ask her another time? Because that sounds like a pretty strange condition to her giving me an answer.
"Yeah, if you've always thought I was beautiful, then why did you wait to ask me out?" she explains. Her question sounds reasonable so I owe it to her to be honest.
"Oh," I say. "Well...I like you. Obviously. And I thought that now Jasper's dating Alice, we shou-"
"No," she interrupts, staring at me long and hard. She looks angry, maybe even a little hurt. I really don't know what I've said wrong.
"Okay," I say slowly. "Can I ask why? I mean...did I say or do something wrong?"
"Are you serious?" she fumes. "I'm not going to date you just because your friend is dating my friend!"
"That's not why I asked, I..I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry," I say pleading with her. I decide to just do it, put all my thoughts out there and if that's still not good enough then I'll just have to accept that. Her rejection can't hurt me more than it already has, right? "I've been in love with you since the first day I saw you, but girls like you never go for guys like me so I've always kept my feelings to myself. But now I'm jealous because what Jasper has with Alice is what I've always wanted with you, and I guess it gave me the courage to finally ask you. So...yeah, I suppose that's why. Sorry."
While I wait for her to say something, I stare at my feet. It's so dark at floor level that can't see them or Bella's either for that matter. Did she walk out during my confession? Oh god, she's probably outside right now telling everyone what a weirdo I am.
So convinced that I'm alone, I scream out loud when a hand suddenly touches my arm.
It was a manly scream though...more like a war-cry really...
"Edward," Bella sighs. "You should've just told me that to begin with."
"Does that mean you've changed your mind?" I ask hopefully. "Does it mean you'll say yes?"
"It means...maybe," she replies. Maybe? That has too be a good sign, right?
"But that's not a no," I point out.
"No Edward," she laughs. "It's not a no."
A maybe date with Bella Swan...
I'll take it!