I am a horrible person. This update is way overdue.

Disclaimer: Twilight and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

A special thanks to Jessica0306 for being a wonderful beta.

Pervious chapter:

Edward sunk down and crawled over to her on his knees. He hugged her rigid form. She didn't move. She was in shock. He was touching her.

"Isn't it better that I have to dig down deep to I say I love you. Doesn't that mean more?"

With these words, she hugged him back. Her fingers dug into his back. "I hate that you made me love you."

The air was nippy, but the sun was out. Bella and Alice wanted to take advantage of it, so they had taken their conversation outside.

"So, what happened next?" Alice asked. She had perched herself on the edge of her seat. Her soda was neglected, slowly going flat in the sun.

"Well, he said some ridiculous Edward-type things. Then I told him I wanted him to leave. He told me I'd see him soon…" Bella's voice took on a different tone. She looked like she was contemplating something as she continued, "Which would have sounded like a threat if it came from anyone but him."

Alice let out a groan. "Are you joshing me right now? That's how you are going to be… summarizing the good bits?" Alice sat back in her seat and crossed her arms. "You are so lame."

"Fine! There may have been some hugging towards the end. But that was as handsy as it got."

"Ew, Bella. I wasn't asking for the TMI. I wanted to know the details of the talk. Jesus, you are so annoying sometimes."

Alice reached for her glass, took a sip, and then grimaced. She put the glass back on the table, scooting it away from her.

"Let's get real here. What are you going to do about Jake?" Alice asked in all seriousness.

Bella was sprawled out on the ground. She had tucked her dance bag under her head to be used as a pillow. "I don't want to hurt him," Bella sighed.

Alice knew how Bella worked. If she wanted her to continue, she couldn't say anything. She'd just have to wait for Bella to elaborate. However, Rosalie was the one to break the silence.

"What's up, Home Skillets?" She shouted, as she entered the backyard. Bella rolled her eyes. Alice let out a laugh. "It's freezing out here," Rosalie said offhandedly, taking a seat across from Alice. She made sure not to step on Bella. "Bella, why are you on the ground?"

"I needed to lie down. My head hurts," she muttered. She was still pretty sore with Rosalie about that talk she had with Edward. Even though the girls had hashed it out over the phone, Bella hadn't let it go.

"Bella, talk to me. You have like five minutes until you leave for dance class," Alice implored.

"Oh, we are having another Edward talk. Awesome," Rosalie mocked.

"I can taste your sarcasm it's so thick," Bella scoffed.

"You're thick," Rosalie shot back.

"Lame," Bella replied.

"I'm not making you dinner tonight if you're going to be a bitch," Rosalie stated.

"Yes, you are," Bella muttered.

"Shut up, both of you," Alice interrupted harshly. Rosalie leaned back in her seat, snagging Alice's drink from the table. She took a sip and then spit the contents back into the glass. Both Bella and Alice witnessed her actions.

"Really, Rose?" Alice asked.

"What? It's gross! I'm not drinking that," Rosalie exclaimed.

Alice turned her attention back to Bella. "Talk. Now."

Bella sighed. "You both know I'm an idiot." Alice gave Rosalie a look to keep quiet. Bella was oblivious to her friends and kept talking. "I really like Jacob, but things are so… I don't know. He's great. I know, I get it, okay. We've had these talks. You know I've thought about breaking up with him, even though he's the first boyfriend where things were simple. My past relationships are like a staple of what not to do. There is no reason not to be happy with him. He's funny and sweet. He's a great friend. He gets along with my friends. He's not embarrassing when he gets drunk."

"Yeah, we get it. Jacob is great," Rosalie butted in. She's heard all this before.

"Anyway," Bella emphasized, "I just don't want to keep pretending. I also don't want to go running back to Edward just because he snapped his fingers. You've told me before that you think I have an aversion to being happy. That I chase after losers because I have mental issues –"

Alice cut her off. "Now, wait a minute. That's not what we said and you know it. You are twisting our words."

Bella continued as if Alice didn't interrupt her. "Edward isn't a loser. We both screwed up. I was an idiot. He was an idiot. We were fresh out of high school. How smart could we be? Everything with him was… is… just so confusing and awkward."

"Yeah, why stay with awesome Jacob when you can have all that?" Rosalie rebuffed.

"Go ahead and try to tear me down. It's not like I don't do enough of that myself," Bella replied crossly.

"Oh for God's sake, get to dance class you whiny whore. Go dance it out or whatever you need to do. Come over afterwards and I'll make you your favorite tonight, since I'm being a bitch and not sucking up to you like Alice does." That was all the consoling Bella was going to get from Rosalie.

Bella glanced at her watch. "Oh crap, I'm going to be late." She grabbed her bag, shouted her goodbyes, and left the premises.

After her class, Bella went over to Rosalie's. There are different stages of anger, and Bella was at the 'I may hate you right now, but I'll still eat your delicious cooking' stage. She rang the doorbell twice in a row so Rosalie would know it was her. She was met with a chorus of 'come ins' from inside the house.

"Bella!" Jacob greeted from the kitchen as she walked in. "It's about time. I'm starving." He patted the stool next to him and she took it.

"How was class?" Jasper asked sincerely, but then he couldn't contain himself. While taking a swig from his bottle of beer, he choked on a laugh. He was just barely able to swallow. Then he was full on shaking from it, which caused Rosalie, Alice, and Jacob to break out in laughter to.

"What the hell, you assholes?" Bella questioned.

"You're in ballet," Jasper said through his laughter.

"Sorry, Bella," Alice said, calming her giggles. "We were just joking around before you got here… you know, picturing you in class…"

"Oh, thanks. You guys are such jerks."

Jasper broke out in laughter again. Jacob was still chuckling, so Bella punched his arm. "Where's Emmett?" she asked.

"He's at work," Rosalie answered. She went back to stirring something on the stove.

The doorbell rang and Jasper left to go answer it. He was still chuckling, so Bella leaned over and punched him on the shoulder as he walked by.

"I thought you were making me dinner to help me feel better. This is not making me feel better," Bella griped.

"Why, what's wrong?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah, Bella, what's wrong?" Rosalie teased.

"Well, let's see. Rose was being a bitch earlier and she told me she'd make it up to me."

"Why was I being a bitch?"

"Shut up, Rose."

"Ok, forget it. I don't want to know," Jacob said, raising his hands in surrender.

"Hey, guys," Edward greeted from the kitchen doorway. Bella turned at the sound of his voice. Very nonchalantly, she greeted him back, followed by everyone else.

"Edward?" Jacob asked. Bella started to freak out inside. Edward smiled.

"I asked him over for dinner. I'm not sure if you remember each other," Jasper answered, walking back into the kitchen. He made introductions even though he knew they remembered each other. He decided to play dumb. It was easier that way.

"If Emmett were here, the whole gang would be back together," Alice stated cheerfully.

"Yeah, he's pissed he couldn't make it," Rosalie added.

It got eerily quiet then. Jacob took a long pull from his beer. Alice coughed quietly into her hand. Bella was focusing on the takeout menu that had been left on the counter.

"So, is this place any good?" Bella asked, raising the menu with her right hand.

Edward walked over and stood next to her. "What place is it?" he asked. He probably wouldn't know since he just got back into town, but that didn't stop him from taking the opportunity. He had wanted a reason to get close to her.

"Uh, here," Bella said, practically shoving the menu in his hand. "Take a look."

Edward flattened the menu out on the counter and leaned over to read it. His arm rested next to Bella's.

Jacob slammed his bottle down just hard enough to alert everyone he wasn't happy. If it wasn't so uncomfortable in the kitchen, no one would have suspected such.

Keeping the tone jovial, Jacob made up some excuse for having to take off. Everyone tried to persuade him to stay, but he was persistent and made a good defense. Bella followed after him to the front door.

Edward couldn't hear the end of Jacob and Bella's exchange from his place in the kitchen, but he stole Jacob's spot at the counter. He made sure to scoot his stool just a little closer to Bella's before she got back.

However, Bella joined Rosalie at the stove when she reentered.

"So, this camping trip, do I need to bring extra provisions beside the necessities – snacks, drinks?" Edward asked.

"You're going this weekend?" Bella couldn't help but ask.

"Uh, yeah. I invited him… Well, Emmett did," Jasper said. Bella gave Alice and Rosalie a pleading look, making sure the guys couldn't see her, but they didn't acknowledge her.

Bella turned and faced Jasper. "I think I'm going to cancel. I'd be the only chick going and I don't want to interfere on what sounds like a guy's night out."

"Don't be stupid, Bella. You aren't any trouble. You're funny when your drunk and apparently don't mind skipping basic hygiene functions, like showering," Jasper said, referring to her after-dance funk.

Bella punched his shoulder again, making sure to hit the same spot. "You jerk!"

"Alright children, settle down. Let's eat," Rosalie ordered, carrying pots into the dining area.

Bella pulled the collar of her shirt to her nose and sniffed.

"Alice, do I smell?" Bella whispered, as she trailed the others into the room.

"A little," Alice whispered back.

Bella groaned and slumped down into her chair. Edward took a seat next to her. When everyone was preoccupied with the food he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "They are only teasing you, but I will be happy to help you in the shower later."

Bella kept her eyes on her plate, but raised her shoulder to block her ear from Edward's lips.

"Bella, why are you so red?" Jasper asked.

Edward cleared his throat and smirked, "I was just explaining to Bella how excited I am for this weekend." His words made her drop her fork.